‘Midlife Emergence: Free Your Inner Fire’: A Review
A cut above other memoirs of self-discovery, Jen Berlingo’s journey makes a world of possibility visible
Disclaimer: Please note I received a free ARC of this book from Reedsy Discovery in exchange for my honest review.
Just before I began reading this book, I remember having a nagging fear that it would be “just another self-help book.” Since I’m not a big fan of that genre, I hoped I would be able to give it a fair review. If I read it and really thought everything in it had been said before, would I be unnecessarily harsh?
I was barely a few pages in when that concern evaporated into thin air. This book was clearly going to be intriguing at the very least. Several more pages in I was highlighting passages and reflecting on the themes in my own life.
This book has heart. As much as it centers on romantic love, it portrays what it means to be fully alive in all areas. This is first made clear when the author relates an anecdote about seeing herself through the eyes of her young daughter. During a tickle fight, her six-year-old said, “Mom, let your laugh out! You always seem like you’re holding back your true laugh.” This comes as a revelation and then makes perfect sense as she reflects on her lifelong tendency…
