I was happily surprised when I was approached by a representative from Simon & Schuster asking me if I was interested in reading Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes in exchange for an honest review.  I couldn’t refuse.  I knew Rhimes’s book was due to be released soon and wasn’t sure if I’d be able to pick it up to give it a try.

Even though my work schedule has butchered my reading and blogging for the moment, I’m still managing to read a bit here and there.  Year of Yes was my latest conquest and it arrived 4 days ago and I managed to gobble up this 307-page book in that time.  My train rides back and forth to Paris for work helped tremendously in this attempt to finish reading Year of Yes in time for its release date, today the 10th of November.

Not knowing what to expect, the first chapter Hello I’m Old and I Like to Lie (A Disclaimer of Sorts) sucked me in immediately.  Rhimes’s voice rings through like a girlfriend in my head and I loved that.  Rhimes is one of the most successful television producers and writers today, with successful shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Private Practice, and How to Get Away with Murder.  Her shows have coined the phrase TGIT (Thank God It’s Thursday) on the ABC evening line up.  Rhimes is so successful no one is really sure what she’s really like.  With all that success you would think she was an  extrovert, self-confident, alpha female on the way to conquer all the time.

Well Year of Yes gives us an inside look into a woman who struggles just like the rest of us women with balancing work life and motherhood, trying to get out there socially when she’s an introvert (that I didn’t expect at all), trying to lose weight (which she’s done perfectly and looks FANTASTIC!), and to just say plain ‘ol YES.  “This Yes is about  giving yourself the permission to shift the focus of what is a priority from what’s good for you over to what makes you feel good.” (Year of Yes, p. 123)

This book is written in a way that we experience exactly what Rhimes says and can relate fully.  She also gives some great advice to all women of all ages.  She’s an intellectual creative woman who is a great example of how things can be done and saying Yes is a good way to do things differently.  Contrary to the way we as women are always told to say No more, this Yes approach is much more positive and inclusive.  Rhimes has had her Yes Year and will undoubtably inspire other women to have their Yes years.  This is definitely a book to check out even if you’re not necessarily a fan of her shows.  It’s just great to read about a successful woman and how she goes about navigating all that is demanded of her and how she maintains that success throughout all the challenges thrown her way.  So Yes to Year of Yes, in all it’s hysterics and seriousness. I give it 4 stars.  Oh and the book is a perfect size to carry around in your purse.  It’s small, cute, packaged to a fault, and you won’t be able to resist that beautiful picture of Rhimes on the back cover.  She really is wearing the Year of Yes smile.

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