Laura Jane Williams is a blogger I have been following for some time. I love reading her blog and watching her Instagram stories and knew that I just had to check out her books for myself. Her 2019 debut novel One Stop was an international hit and is currently being adapted for screen. You can buy the book on Amazon here {affiliate link}.
Synopsis
When the man Laura Jane Williams thought she’d wed dumped her and married her friend, she was devastated. Empty. Drinking too much, sleeping around, and moving from place-to-place in a refusal to put down roots, she tried to fill the void – the gaping hole – that heartbreak had left behind. She wanted control. To grab life by the balls. To live boldly. But, she rapidly learned it wasn’t that simple.
Resolving that life couldn’t go on as it was – that the backlog of men and sadness that haunted her would not define her – Laura declared a year-long vow of celibacy, ultimately finding herself in a Riviera convent as she slowly put pieces of herself back together.
An honest exploration of a young woman’s soul and a road trip through Italy, America, Paris and… Derby, BECOMING is a book that makes you laugh and makes you cry, but most of all? It makes you realise that even when the going gets tough, no one is really f*cking up like they think they are.
My Review
As a big fan of Laura Jane Williams and as someone who loves both her blog and her fictional work, I had high hopes for the first piece of non fiction that I read by her and I wasn’t disappointed. Going through the horrendous trauma of being dumped by her childhood sweetheart and finding out he is dating one of her best friends, she decides to turn to drink, one night stands and having a good time to get over him.
Travelling across the world and trying new things, Laura pretends that she is okay but she isn’t and finally realises so. She overcomes the heartbreak in her own way and finds herself once again. Sure, she has a string of meaningless hook-ups and also some meaningful connections along the way but she shows you that you should never be ashamed by who you are and you should do whatever you can to find yourself.
You can really feel Laura’s pain throughout the book and you can live voraciously through her for the more risque elements. A tale of heartbreak and finding yourself again that I think everyone should read. I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars.
