Y'all... it pains me to write a review that's less than glowing about our queen, the iconic Kristen Doute, but this book was just okay. It's not terrible, and as a good Kristen fan, I wanted to support, but it's also not mindblowing in any way. If you're looking for more behind-the-scenes of VPR, you won't find it here (which, let's be real, lots of us are fans and want more!).

I appreciate the way Kristen didn't use names throughout, but made it clear who was being discussed (referencing the iconic forehead shaving scene, for example!) because it felt a little less celeb-tells-all that way, and those can go awry so quickly. As a VPR stan, I also loved that she talked a bit more about her relationship with Ariana and how they came to become so close.

Overall, like I said, this book is fine!

Thank you Netgalley, Kristen, and Chicago Review Press for an advance copy of He's Making You Crazy.

Okay, first and foremost let me get this out of the way – I would NEVER. I mean, NEVER. Never ever. pick up a book with this title. I only requested it because Kristen Doute wrote it and I just had to see what kind of madness was put to paper. And I say that out of love and excitement because I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Kristen through the years on Vanderpump Rules. She really gets the shitty end of the stick a lot (crazy girls have that going against them…people don’t remember why we react, just how poorly we reacted and it fucking sucks.)

Anyway.

The main idea behind this book is Kristen sharing little essays about different boyfriends she’s had over the years and the takeaways she’s learned looking back on them. There’s no magic relationship advice that you haven’t heard before, no unheard of wisdom, just your run-of-the-mill 20s/30s memoir about dating mishaps and lessons.

What makes it different, is that it’s “crazy Kristen” and instead of only catching snippets of her life and her thoughts on things like we see on Pump, this is her chance to tell her side without any other catty bully “friends” jumping in to talk over her. It’s also a pretty voyeuristic look into the lives of these people that we’ve watched grow up (or not) via Bravo. While Kristen doesn’t name drop, if you’re familiar with the show then you can definitely pinpoint several of these guys.

Don’t go into this expecting Pulitzer writing, you’re not going to get it. You’re going to get like…LiveJournal/Tumblr/your average blogger’s writing style. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it actually makes memoirs easier to relate to for me.

At its heart, I actually really enjoy the message of this book (which does not align with the title if you ask me). To me, Kristen has no real regrets. Mistakes have been made and they’ve all been lessons. Never settle, love yourself, don’t let anyone dull the person you are.

As a huge fan of Vanderpump Rules, I was so excited to receive an ARC thanks to Netgalley. I have to say I really enjoyed Kristen’s open and honest, inside look at her dating life. I feel like I have a better insight to her now, compared to what we see on tv. Relationships are hard at the best of times and this was a refreshing, humorous look at both the ups and the downs. I identified with a lot of the things Kristen said about men and I know how it feels to think you are the crazy one! Hopefully there will be another book by Kristen in the future. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for it :)

I have never been so excited to receive an ARC, and God Bless Kristen Doute. I freaking devoured this in a few hours on a Friday night, and it was better than anything else I could have done. I will be forever grateful for this honor.

Disclaimer - I am 100% the target audience for book. I have watched Vanderpump Rules (the Bravo reality show Kristen is still currently on) since it began airing. As result, I am intimately familiar with a lot of the stories she tells (despite her use of code names). Well, as intimate as someone watching a highly produced realty tv show can be. But the context and background could mean this book hits me different than someone who has no knowledge of Our Lady Mariposa.

Part memoir, part self help, part humor (you can tell the author takes sketch comedy *very* seriously), He’s Making You Crazy explores how toxic relationships can make you question your morals and sense of self. Through a series of stories about her past relationships, Doute takes the reader through the life lessons she learned the hard way with a perfect mix of heartfelt emotion and self-deprecating snark.

My favorite part are all the detective tips. On the show Vanderpump Rules, Doute is known for her superior investigative skills (used mostly to figure out how/when/if her boyfriends are cheating on her), and we get an amazing amount of unethical life hacks on how to investigate your own suspicious boyfriend. (Obviously tongue in cheek, but seriously, she should consider a career as a PI. I’d totally watch this as a show. Andy Cohen, do you hear me?! Let her track down cheating boyfriends. Please please please.)

This book is exactly what I hoped it will be, and when it is published, it will hold a place of honor next to my copy of Next Level Basic. (Now I’m just waiting for Good as Gold: A Scheana Shay story. Scheana - I am totes available as ghost writer if you need one!)