Fantastic! Wise and witty, with a down-to-earth style of writing that really spoke to me. Covering topics including relationships, careers, menopause, healthcare, and the empty-nest years, the audio version, narrated by Brooke Shields herself, was exceptionally well done. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book and highly recommend it, especially to women of "a certain age,' but also to those approaching it.

Brooke Shields newest book is a must read for women approaching middle age. She tells her story of getting to a certain age (59) with refreshing humor, honesty and great joy. She is definitely a very intelligent, funny woman and entertainer who has had her share of life hacks and is now very openly sharing them with the rest of us. There is a lot of backup data that she shares regarding being a woman in this day and age as well. I loved listening to her narration of her reading her own book, lots of fun. Very Highly recommended. 5 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for a chance to listen/read an ARC version of this delightful book. All opinions are my own.

Brooke Shields and I are almost the same age and going through a lot of similar female issues as we age. What she has to say about menopause, being an empty nester, and the female sex drive as we get older certainly resonates with me. I grew up with Brooke Shields and of course, had Calvins. She starred in 'Endless Love' with a friend of mine and I was a big fan of hers,.I loved 'Suddenly Susan' and her comedic side. She narrates her story well, I enjoyed listening to it, and wish her the best in all her endeavors.

This book is a must read for everyone. I even think men should read it for insight regarding women they love and their struggles. Author Brooke Shields has written and put together a great book that touches on so many topics that women deal with throughout their lives. She does it with humour, bluntness and fairness. I had no idea how funny she was and I must say my respect for her grew with this book. Though to be fair I have always loved her.

Within the storyline of this book you will find a part of yourself but listening to the audio you will feel like you are sitting across the table from your BFF disussing your struggles and truimphs. It was very rewarding and fulfilling to listen to.

This is an audio that I will listen to again and again.

Don't sleep on this book, especially if you are woman of a "certain age." Hard for those of us in our older years to believe that Brooke Shields is now approaching 60, and what she has gone through and the way that she has handled it is illuminating.

Frankly, I'd just about forgotten about her.! But this book offers a real look at a woman who is aging, and given her fame as a child and youth, she has suffered with the public not allowing her to age. In this book, she tells of the many levels of poor care she received from doctors, (including one who was operating on her for labial pain and without her consent, gave her a "tightening up), Moreover, she offers her insights on how it feels to age, and how to do so with grace and dignity, without feeling the need to "do something about it tit."

I identified fully with everything that she said (especially the parts about thinning hair, cellulite and other not so nice changes that befall our bodies. She talks about her changing relationship with her husband, her now grown daughters, and the power and confidence that she has gained over the years.

She narrates the audiobook, and tells her story with honesty and candor. Highly recommend!

#netgalleyaudio

The title alone sets the tone of this witty and introspective narrative from a Hollywood icon as she ages and the perception of others as she does so. Women who are peri-menopausal, menopausal, or post-menopausal will enjoy Brooke's take on what it means to age as a woman. She weaves clinical studies and personal anecdotes into her account and offers optimism as a woman in midlife.

offers a candid and engaging exploration of her life, blending humor with poignant reflections on aging and identity. Shields' warm and relatable narration invites listeners into her world, where she shares both the struggles and triumphs of navigating fame and personal challenges. The audiobook stands out for its authenticity, as Shields addresses societal expectations and her own journey with a refreshing honesty that resonates deeply. This heartfelt performance makes it a compelling listen for anyone interested in the complexities of growing older in the public eye.

I really enjoyed this. Brooke tells it like it is in her story of battling age and the people who think women should quietly slink off after 40. She expounds on the discrimination she has faced, the medical issues she has overcome, and starting a company. Most of all though, she is joyful through all of it.

In her newest work, Brooke Shields offers a candid perspective on mature womanhood, aging, and how society views women in these contexts. This insightful book draws from her own life experiences to strengthen the narrative that women are systematically treated differently as they age. She shares her first-hand experiences as she navigates this new phase of her life, providing relatable insights for many readers. It's a coming-of-age story, but the script is flipped, as she examines what happens when women begin to define their own goals in the second half of their lives.

Several aspects of Brooke’s story resonated with me. As we age, we may gain confidence, but she is right to point out that there is also a newfound freedom from worrying about others' opinions when expressing our own. This can come across as uncomfortably confrontational to the patriarchal system, especially when it comes from an older woman considered past her “prime.” Brooke defines this as an age beyond childbearing. This is not a new issue; we can trace it back to the Middle Ages, when the age bracket most associated with witch accusations often included mature women. A confident older woman should not be seen as a threat, yet society often views her that way.

Brooke also reflects on her career—examining the choices she made and those made for her—ultimately finding her own power. This journey is accompanied by thoughts on mortality, not from a morbid perspective, but rather as an exploration of making it one-third of the way through her life while still seeking validation. Many women at a certain age will find this particularly relatable, especially as their children reach maturity and become less reliant on daily parenting.

I found her exploration of the healthcare system especially engaging. Frequently, medical professionals dictate how we should feel about our bodies, and when we question this, it is often dismissed as us being “difficult”. The lack of knowledge surrounding perimenopause and menopause is astonishing, and advocating for oneself can be an overwhelming task. For many women, particularly those with less privilege, this advocacy is an impossibility.

While I enjoyed most of the book, I found the inclusion of statistics to be off-putting. It felt inauthentic for her to share her personal experiences only to follow them up with generic statistics about how other women feel. Brooke's truth should stand on its own; if I found her relatable despite my vastly different background, many other women likely will too. Presenting statistics to validate her points felt like another nod to patriarchal expectations, as if her experiences weren't enough without evidence that others share them.

I would recommend this book to many of my friends over forty and suggest listening to the audio production. Brooke does a fantastic job with her narration, and her passion for various women’s health and wellness issues shines through.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for my gifted audiobook in exchange for an honest review.


I always enjoy celebrity memoirs about celebrities I don’t know much about. Brooke talks about growing up as a model, her pregnancies and her interactions with Tom Cruise after talking about postpartum depression and her career in acting.

Enjoyed this thoroughly. Brooke Shields is down-to-earth in this narrative and comes across as genuine, caring, and understanding. Women of all ages will benefit from her insights.

Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old is a thought provoking interesting read. It thoroughly explores many aspects of aging as a woman, including menopause, mothering adult children, being ignored by society, and running a business. It is an inspiring read and very grounded and relatable. I highly recommend the audiobook to hear it in Brooke's own voice.

A really funny book—Brooke is self deprecating but also draws from a ton of research. I’m really impressed with the writing of the book and she helps me look forward to aging. Not surprising caveat that a lot of her data is about women overall, but broken down by intersectional identities so it slants to white women. But I still enjoyed this one a lot!

In a friendly, relatable voice Brooke Shields explores mid-life womanhood both in her own life and in the broader culture

I was excited to dive into this book and it truly felt like a conversation with an old friend. Listening to the audiobook, which Brooke narrates herself, made the experience even more special—her warmth and sincerity shine through every word.

Brooke shares her journey with such honesty, from growing up in the spotlight to embracing life at 59 with a renewed sense of confidence and freedom. She talks about aging, motherhood, marriage, and health challenges in a way that feels so real and relatable.

I loved how she balanced personal stories with meaningful insights, even weaving in statistics to back up her points about ageism and the beauty industry. She tackles big issues, but there’s a humor and lightness in how she approaches them that kept me engaged.

What stayed with me most was her optimism—her belief that midlife is a chance to rewrite the script and own your story. It’s inspiring, especially coming from someone who has faced so much scrutiny in her life.

This book is heartfelt, thought-provoking, and left me feeling more hopeful about what’s ahead.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was a perfect fit for me and I can see woman in the age range of40-65 really enjoying it. Brooke Shields is well written, has a great sense of humor and provides informative research data to help the reader understand her points. The book touches on so many topics that are impactful to women this age. She builds confidence with her insight and empowerment with her experience. I would recommend this to many of my friends, even if they are not previous Brooke Shield fans. The book stands alone as an insight to life events that we all go through. There were so many points she made that resonated with me from raising children, daughters stealing cloths, friend groups (even those with a named group :)) and marriage after the kids fly the coop.

*4.75

I love when authors narrate their own memoirs - Brooke Shields did an amazing job keeping me hooked! (I finished this in less than 24 hours)

Even though I’m in my late 20s, I really connected with a lot of what she said—especially about standing up for ourselves with doctors and focusing on what we love about ourselves instead of constantly thinking about what we need to “improve.”

One thing I really admired was how intentional she’s become with her time—saying no to things she doesn’t want to do and only going after what she’s passionate about.

Another big takeaway for me was her approach to fitness—not about getting thinner, but getting stronger as she gets older.

I also really loved her thoughts on friendships—how as we get older, we don’t need a big group of friends, and how different friends serve different purposes.

Hearing Brooke’s stories, especially the one about making Matthew Perry laugh on set of Friends was a highlight!

Listening to this audiobook at this point in my life felt important, and I know I’ll come back to it when I’m older and probably relate to it even more. Like Brooke said, if we don’t talk about the hard stuff, we won’t know what to expect.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with the Audio ARC!

This book makes me want to hang out with Brooke Shields. She is so open and honest about things in her life and had me nodding along with so much of what she says. Really enjoyable!

I'd only had a very casual knowledge of and interest in Brooke Shields before reading this, and was mostly pulled in by the title, but what a wonderful reading experience this turned out to be. Shields is funny, and witty, and vulnerable, but also sure of herself and what she stands for (which, in this case, would be the value of women past middle-age as a social group that so often goes ignored).

Part pep talk, part personal essays with a big dose of Brooke Shields charm and wit. I loved this book! Brooke Sheila and I are the same age and though we've had very different lives, we ended up at the same place at age 59; speaking up with full voice, full heart and lots of humor. Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Grow Old is comprised of chapters on confidence, making peace with our bodies, advocating for our own health care, taking career risks and even a menopause manifesto. Most chapters start in a personal place (Labia surgery anyone!) but incorporate content, studies and the latest data on women of a certain age, resulting in rich, informative writing. Brooke Shields narrates the audio book and you can really get a sense of who she is and what she really believes after five decades in the public eye. The perfect pre-order for all of us Brooke Shields fans out there who need a personal pep talk for the new year.