Enough Already

Learning to Love the Way I Am Today

By: Valerie Bertinelli

Narrated by: Valerie Bertinelli

Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

A #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Beloved actress, Food Network personality, and New York Times bestselling author Valerie Bertinelli reflects on life at sixty and beyond.

Behind the curtain of her happy on-screen persona, Valerie Bertinelli’s life has been no easy ride, especially when it comes to her own self-image and self-worth. She waged a war against herself for years, learning to equate her value to her appearance as a child star on One Day at a Time and punishing herself in order to fit into the unachievable Hollywood mold. She struggled to make her marriage to Eddie Van Halen—the true love of her life—work, despite all the rifts the rock-star lifestyle created between them. She then watched her son follow in his father’s footsteps, right up onto the stage of Van Halen concerts, and begin his own music career. And like so many women, she cared for her parents as their health declined and saw the roles of parent and child reverse. Through mourning the loss of her parents, discovering more about her family’s past, and realizing how short life really is when she and her son lost Eddie, Valerie finally said, “Enough already!” to a lifelong battle with the scale and found a new path forward to joy and connection. Despite hardships and the pressures of the media industry to be something she’s not, Valerie is, at last, accepting herself: she knows who she is, has discovered her self-worth, and has learned how to prioritize her health and happiness over her weight. With an intimate look into her insecurities, heartbreaks, losses, triumphs, and revelations, Enough Already is the story of Valerie’s sometimes humorous, sometimes raw, but always honest journey to love herself and find joy in the everyday, in family, and in the food and memories we share.

“This thoughtful, bighearted book is sure to be a hit with Bertinelli fans and those with an appetite for stories of hard-won self-acceptance. A warmly intimate memoir.”

– Kirkus Reviews

“In a series of brutally frank essays, Bertinelli looks back on the emotional struggles and triumphs of her life. By turns raw and inspiring, this contains a little bit of wisdom for everyone.”

– Publishers Weekly

©2022 Tuxedo Ltd. (P)2022 by HarperCollins Publishers

Added politics opinion not relevant to story. Wish I could get credit for. Did not chose this for a political opinion.

No, just no. Political opinion not needed. Can I get credit please? Again no just no.

Laughed. Sobbed. Reflected

I shouldn't write this at this point in time, but I am going to. This was just an incredible book. It spoke to me on many levels and her stories are reflective of the human experience. We all struggle with different things, and it surprised me how I was able to make connections to my own life. There are some movies you need to see on the "big" screen, and there are some books you need to experience as an audiobook. This is one of those books. You can feel the emotions and it makes it just that much better. I do not have the space or time to hit on all of the wonderful bits of this book that make you stand in your kitchen or sit in the car and just think. But trust me, they are there. And to hear the discussions about loss and grief. it just broke my heart. Not just for Valerie, but for myself. Her book is raw and transparent. But for me, it spoke to the shared human experience. And to be present in our own lives. I didn't want it to end.

Amazing

This book is an amazing journey of ups and downs. Valerie has put her heart on the table for all of us that love her to see. she is an amazing women. This story of where she is now in her life made me smile laugh and cry. The joys and sorrows in this book run so parallel with our own lives. This book is amazing. Love you Valerie....💖💖💖💖🎸🎸

Calming

This book is wonderful, I love Valerie’s voice it is very calming and appropriately projects her message.
Her story made me sad and so happy, I can totally relate!
I do wish she had left her political views out, however, that would be my one and only very small critique.
Good luck Valerie! You’ve got this!!

Enough Already is enough said

Like many, I grew up thinking Valerie Bertinelli was who I’d give just about anything to be. Gorgeous face. Gorgeous hair. Gorgeous girl. America’s sweetheart. So of course I bought this book. It was rather boring and repetitive, but ok for cleaning house to, until, like most of the liberal Hollywood elite, she just couldn’t refrain from injecting her political views into a book that many people from all kinds of backgrounds might read. When she started bashing a specific, very large segment of the population, and actually used the word “equity” several hours in, I quit listening and decided to return it. Seriously, most of us would love for our lives, opportunities, and salaries to be equitable to hers! Does she have a clue what that means? Just another liberal elite whining about things, especially about her weight and being self-conscious her entire life, while describing recipes she loves to cook and eat that are laden with unhealthy saturated fats and sugar. Most of us can’t have it both ways. We either have self-discipline and a healthy body that we work for, or we eat what we want and look however that looks. I have the same reaction to this self-indulgent drivel I had to Matthew McC’s “biographical” fiction… I wish I hadn’t listened, because I liked you so much better before I did. Obviously this honest review by someone who has listened to hours of this book, has words that audible bots screen for, because I’m getting a warning about review guidelines, which I’ve read and this doesn’t violate, and a note that processing of this review could take several days. Now why is that? I wish I’d read this review before purchasing this book!

Food, relationships and ... political tirades?

What?

This memoir definitely had its moments but as it dragged on, Bertinelli's tone felt self-absorbed and I began to grow tired of the navel gazing.

Nevertheless I persevered, only to be rewarded, in one of the final chapters, with Bertinelli's detailed rant against conservative old white men who want to make America great again and not help others who are less fortunate, etc. etc.

Dear Valerie, please stick to the subject at hand. Super not interested in your political opinions being randomly thrown into a book about food and family relationships. Or at least warn us on the cover: "Enough Already - Learning to Love the Way I am Today and What I Think About Republicans." OK?

What I needed to hear…

Every word you shared has been part of me in my lifetime as well. I’m caring for my mom who is 86 and I’m already thinking about the grief I will experience when she is gone. You give a hope through that…
The book is refreshing, soulful, fun, and loving.

Thank you!!!! Fabulous read!!!!

Great Book

I think all women can relate to so much from this book. I can also relate that my mom also can’t get a break, suffering back pain and losing her sight she can’t paint and sew anymore. This made her cry which made me cry. So I can relate to so much and learn from this book. Thank you for sharing all of this with us!

Love it

I loved how real and personal Valerie is with this book. I especially love that it was her voice in the audible book. It really made a difference in feeling what she feels. There were so many relatable stories. Despite her fame , she comes off as a very real , very honest and very grounded person. She’s been in my life through TV for my whole 54 years of life . I especially thank her for turning me on to her sons music. Wolfe is incredibly talented. I’m a fan.

Incredibly touching!

An amazing story! Valerie is so open and honest in sharing her story. She provides such encouragement to others. Highly recommend!

So much more than a memoir!

I listened to this title in same week that I also bought Valerie’s son’s Mammoth WVH album: purely by coincidence. Having also been born into grief, I found myself straight away identifying way more with the themes contained in her book than I ever could have imagined. I cried so much whilst I listened to her story, but it was so inspirational also. Thank you Valerie for sharing so much of you, in such a raw and honest way.

Love and kindness ♥️

This book is such a beautiful listen. Its timeline of the last 2yrs of global pandemic lends its narrative even more towards the message of life...forgiveness of self and the ultimate power of love and kindness. Thank you Valerie, I loved it.