Now she has written an extraordinary memoir, Why Did You Stay?. Described as “dazzling” by Marian Keyes and “fierce”, “gamechanging” and “brilliant” by Emma Thompson, the book is neither a kiss’n’tell, nor a revenge tragedy. Alternating between episodes from her relationship with Walsh and the aftermath of the Strictly debacle, it becomes a chilling study of insidious control and male-female power games. Unflinching and often very funny, it’s also a diary of self-discovery, an account of finding one’s self-worth, a celebration of resilience and a hymn to the value of friendship. Empowering, unflinching and full of humour, this book takes that question and owns it. Using her relationship history, coming of age stories and experiences since the scandal during Strictly, Rebecca explores why good girls are drawn to darkness, whether pop culture glamourises toxicity, when a relationship ‘rough patch’ becomes the start of a destructive cycle, if women are conditioned for co-dependency, and – ultimately – how to reframe disaster into something magical.

So funny and heart-breaking. So stunningly written. For any woman who has been asked ‘why did you stay?’, Rebecca Humphries’ book is a hilarious and brilliant read’ SUSAN WOKOMA I have a long-held belief that popular culture has a lot to answer for in the way that it represents women If it can happen to her, a capable trial attorney, it can happen to anyone. Mekisha Jane Walker's ground-breaking and thought-provoking memoir has the potential to change the way domestic violence is viewed. Sharing her journey provides a fascinating insight into the confusion and agony women experience at the hands of an abuser, who was once their perfect love. Mekisha's incorporation of photos, video, audio, and court documents makes you feel as if you were actually there. This book will change lives by helping not only victims but also providing a better understanding of abusive relationships so that parents, siblings, and friends can help the woman on her path to regain control of her life.Yes, a novel next. I also have a TV show in development about the world of drag, co-written with a good friend of mine who’s a drag queen. Some people end up alienated from everyone around them, because narcissists make you question your own reality. Combined with compelling accounts of Humphries’ cognitive dissonance in the face of a toxic dynamic (“We’re just fiery, we’re Cathy and Heathcliff, Burton and Taylor, Sid and Nancy”), the memoir builds an appropriately complex picture of a complex relationship – one in which no one gets off scot-free, not even the author herself. “This isn’t a story about how a monster corrupted a princess,” writes Humphries. “It’s about how a relationship began to change as a result of two people’s sense of self-worth, and I have empathy for both parties.” We're calling it: 2022 will be (and has already been) a phenomenal year for new books. Whether you've set yourself an ambitious reading target on Goodreads, or you're browsing for a bookworm friend, there's plenty of exciting literature to look out for in the new year.

Her ex's dishonest, manipulative, controlling behaviour wasn't new. Multiple affairs came out afterwards. But for the first time his behaviour forced her to lift the lids of boxes in her brain that she had squirrelled away, too scared to confront. The book maps two timelines, chapter by chapter and it's a rollercoaster of emotion, of revelations, admissions, painful truths, of strength, of bravery. Humphries had been working for a long time before the fall-out from Walsh’s affair. In 2014, The Guardian’s Susannah Clapp wrote of her performance in Alistair McDowall’s dystopian drama Pomona, “Amid a top-notch young cast, Rebecca Humphries, sullen and wary, is outstanding.” But Humphries says she has had a much better relationship with her job since 2018 and the “visceral” lesson it taught her. “Before the whole media scandal, it had been really important to me that I projected an image of success – whether that was if I had high-profile jobs or a very successful boyfriend or important friends – and then when it all came crashing down, I was left with really not very much at all,” she says. “And that’s when I found my voice.” Empowering, unflinching and full of humour, this book takes that question and owns it. Using her relationship history, coming of age stories and experiences since the scandal during Strictly, Rebecca explores why good girls are drawn to darkness, whether pop culture glamourises toxicity, when a relationship 'rough patch' becomes the start of a destructive cycle, if women are conditioned for co-dependency, and - ultimately - how to reframe disaster into something magical. About This Edition ISBN: This could have been done so differently, but it's done with grace, with honesty, with empathy. “This isn’t a story about how a monster corrupted a princess,” writes Humphries. “It’s about how a relationship began to change as a result of two people’s sense of self-worth, and I have empathy for both parties.”

LoveReading Says

Rebecca’s experience and mine differed enormously. For a start, I didn’t go and stay on houseboats in France or take trips to Amsterdam. I think that the feelings were the same, and some of the points made are extremely valuable. And suffering through such an event in the limelight must be an awful addition to an incredibly painful experience. I’d catastrophised that exact scenario. Two months earlier, a friend asked me: “What’s the worst that can happen?” I said: “He has an affair with his dance partner and it’s splashed all over the tabloids for my friends and family to see.” I blurted that straight out. At that point, the relationship was my everything. I was watering a dead plant for a long time. It was all I had left. But when it broke up, that’s when my life started. I feel a bit harsh giving this two stars. Not because I feel sorry for Rebecca Humphries. If anything, I empathise. My last relationship ended at 34 and I resonated with much that she spoke about. This was a five star read all the way. I follow Rebecca humphries on insta and her way of writing and her amazing sense of humour and strength are so visable I hoped I was in for a treat with her memoir but I honestly didn’t expect what I found. It is phenomenal.

The unflinching but also frequently hilarious Why Did You Stay? A Memoir About Self-Worth is Humphries’ riposte to that question. This brilliant book is not a kiss ’n’ tell, or even a kiss my ass ’n’ tell. Neither is it the revenge tragedy it could have been, although in a pointed disclaimer at the beginning, Humphries tells “anybody that feels this book has been inspired by their actions” that she humbly accepts their “gratitude for the things I have graciously opted to omit”. Written in diary form, it alternates episodes from her relationship with her ex (referred to only as He and Him throughout) with an account of its aftermath; showing not only how difficult it can be to get perspective on a relationship while on the inside, but also how easily lines are crossed if we don’t keep a strong sense of self-worth. while I typically enjoy an audiobook narrated by the author, I didn't get along with this one. I found it overly theatrical and ultimately grating to listen to. It never stops. Mostly from people that it resonates with, which says something about how common this is. Thousands came forward who’d been through the same. They understood what I was trying to say, which was: I was a smart, sexy, confident, clever woman and I can’t believe this happened to me. Victims of this behaviour don’t all look like submissive mice. It’s insidious when you see abuse victims in pop culture, because they’re often portrayed like that. Ballet has the same appeal as Princess culture’: Alice Robb on how would-be ballerinas are taught to be thin, silent and submissive I never like to give away spoilers but there are some quotes that I will be taking forward with me and feel I have to share -The cheater is never named in the book (I still don't know His name), but I suppose that is the point. Humphries and the cheater met on the set of a TV Show. It was a whirlwind romance, like a dream come true. They had an urgency for life, for mischief, for being famous. Fun.