Let me first start out by saying that I picked up In Bloom: Trading Restless Insecurity for Abiding Confidence
by Kayla Aimee because the premise seems to be one that most women can relate to– insecurities. You know, the struggle with the girl in the mirror, seemingly glaringly obvious personality defects, and all of those fun ways we’ve sensed from childhood that we just don’t belong with the “it crowd.”
Given the insecurity struggle most women face, I was excited to dig into the pages of In Bloom because the book promised on its cover to “trade restless anxiety for abiding confidence.” The back of the book mentions that it will cover “identifying deep-seated sources of assumed inadequacy, replace our need for approval, and uncover our purpose.” Even though I found Kayla Aimee to be entertaining and immediately likable, I just felt like the main aim of the book wasn’t delivered.
Most of the book, In Bloom is centered around Kayla Aimee’s story from childhood up until the present, chronicling her young encounters with “mean girls” and recounting awkward adolescent years when wearing the wrong shoes felt like you were a transplant from Mars. I enjoyed most of the stories, really, I did, but it felt more like a diary converted into a memoir instead of using these stories as illustrations to interweave within the primary mission of the book.
High Points of Inbloom: Kayla is certainly a gifted writer and storyteller. Her word choices are spot on and her humor has an endearing quality. Low Points: It didn’t feel like the book delivered its main intent: delivering women from a life of insecurity to one of confident freedom. Practical takeaways and nuggets would have been helpful if they were interwoven throughout her stories.
If you’re looking for a fun, quirky read about a girl’s struggle with insecurity, In Bloom could be a good fit for you. If you’re looking for a book that helps you overcome your insecurities, there are probably better options.
