In 2015, Holly Madison, a former Playboy bunny, blessed society with a memoir full of all her crazy stories as a young 20-something moving to and living in Los Angeles.
This emotional roller coaster of a novel left me with a lot of questions, some feelings of #GirlPower, and a newfound hatred for Mr. Playboy himself, Hugh Hefner (seriously, he’s so creepy). From sitting in a bathtub alone contemplating ending her life to starring in her own live Las Vegas show, Holly Madison saw a lot of highs and lows in her 20s.
1. The people around you aren’t always your friends, even if they seem like it
There were many times Holly Madison was so financially dependent on Hugh that she probably would’ve been homeless unless she lived with him in the Playboy Mansion. For 7 years she felt like she owed him her life, he gave her opportunities, shelter, food, and pretty much anything she asked for. But in the end, he was never a good boyfriend, let alone a good guy to her. He pretty much destroyed her self-confidence, made sure she’d always be dependent on him, and so many other awful things. Holly was always surrounded by people she thought had her best interest in mind, but in the end, she realized that she only had one or two real friends.
2. If someone doesn’t believe in you, they don’t deserve you
Hugh didn’t think Holly would amount to anything without her, but after Holly moved out and started her own life, she realized that it was really Hugh who needed her. Without him, she became super successful. From landing the lead role in the Las Vegas smash hit Peepshow, starring in two seasons of her own E! Hit series Holly’s World, marrying her husband and becoming a mom, Holly was always so much better off without a man who never believed in her.
3. Never lose hope
Even at her lowest moments, Holly never lost all her hope. She was given so many empty promises, met countless people who didn’t care about her and was constantly let down. However, none of those things stopped her from living for herself. She defies all odds and doesn’t let anyone stand in her way of finding her own happiness. Holly is a super likable person, so the whole time you’re reading her story, you’re was rooting for her.
4. Don’t believe all the haters
Holly wasn’t in just one, but two horrible relationships. She got tons of backlash from all the people who hate Playboy, all the celebrities who had so respect for someone who “doesn’t respect herself”, and people were constantly #hating on her every step of the way. Not gonna lie, people do bring her down (and often), but she keeps reminding us that the only person you have to satisfy is yourself!
5. You don’t always have to apologize for the choices you make!
In the end, Holly reminds us that even after a crazy adventure full of heartache, heartbreak, letdowns, and setbacks, that we should never apologize for the choices we make because all of them will someday bring us to a wonderful place. However, we can never forget that the journey doesn’t end! Just like Alice, Wonderland can open our eyes and prepare us for life’s real adventure…which has only just begun!
Growing up (and even now) I was never interested in the Playboy franchise, but after hearing that Holly Madison went to LMU for a semester, I knew I had to read her book. I’d definitely recommend this novel to anyone who’s interested in a curious narrative or loves Alice in Wonderland since all the chapters have a different quote from Alice’s Adventures! At first, I didn’t know what to think about Holly, but I’m happy to say that she seems like a genuine person who I would definitely go to Disneyland with.