Firstly, thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for sending me an ARC in order to review Nick Grimshaw's debut book. Secondly, Nick - you've taught us to embrace ourselves & to chase our dreams so now that you've crossed one off your list with triumph it's time to mark this as a celebration...
Soft Lad Plot
In Soft Lad, for the first time, Grimmy will share his outlooks, surprising obsessions, the things that have shaped him and his personal experiences with the world. From his move from Oldham, Greater Manchester, to the bright lights of London, to his 14-year career climbing to the helm of the Radio 1 breakfast show, he'll discuss everything from his love of music through to self-care, partying, life-changing nights out, growing up, Red Nose Day, coming out, dogs, family, ADHD, Catholicism, and all that he's seen in-between.
These are Grimmy's stories of things gone right and wrong across his life and career so far, with all the highs and lows and everything in-between. Nostalgic and heartfelt, it will shine a humorous and captivating lens on the ever-evolving cultural obsessions we live by.
Image: Nick Grimshaw's Debut Book - Soft Lad
Partially Booked's Review
It wasn't the fact I was lured by the brilliant PR video that landed on my socials prompting me to request a copy of this book, despite the fact I still laugh at it now.. I'm sitting here playing a Dua Lipa playlist on Youtube, laughing how he changed "levitating" to "meditating" but I can also relate to the Dua vibes as her first album got me through all of my London Marathon Training. Instead, it was the fact we missed our friend not making an appearance on the radio since 2018 due to a sad family circumstance. Opening Grimmy's book for the first time & only having read the introduction felt like a reunion with a dear friend where it felt like time hadn't even passed. I loved the fact that his book was even casually written to match that warming semi Manc-Londoner accent & non-stop chatter.
He expressed the idea of writing a book being quite a daunting thought "like an STI result" due to the lack of potential popularity & causing Waterstones to go bankrupt or making his pregnant stressed publicist have a stressed baby. Then again, he would watch The Kardashians, like the rest of us, watching them eat their oversized salads inside their GORGEOUS homes or go on a month holiday without having written anything then wondering how on earth Kris Kardashian works all hours of the day realising it was the type of motivation he needed. It got Grimmy thinking about events or people who made him the humbling, honest person we all know on the radio which created the whole premise of his book. We were introduced to Little Grimmy who went to football matches with his old man having grown up in a strict Catholic school visiting Radio 1 transforming into a well-cultured Radio 1 presenter who cheekily partied with A list celebrities like Amy Winehouse, Drake, Adele & Kim K. His claim is to have interviewed everybody "like twice" on radio so now he wants to move onto new things.
As he pointed out in his book, he never fitted in when at school always knowing there was something about him that never fitted in. He never had a particular group of friends or fit in with the lads who hung posters on their wall. The most admiring thing about his journey is how he knew what he wanted from all his experiences so dedicated this book “for all the little queer kids feeling left out in suburbia, feeling not at the centre of the party, they can make their own party".
For me, I took the lesson of gaining a step towards your aspirations but sometimes things can turn out better than expected, especially when you are yourself. I was left humbled, entertained & fascinated. Grimmy, you've certainly given us a detailed insight to your party but we get the feeling it's still not quite over so we look forward to your next book!
☆☆☆☆☆
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