Title: No Lipstick for Me
Author: RoseMarie MacNeil
Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
ISBN: 979-8885909327
Pages: 113
Genre: Autobiography / Memoir / Conflict Resolution
Reviewed by: Gabriella Harrison
Hollywood Book Reviews
In RoseMarie MacNeil’s autobiography / memoir, No Lipstick for Me, the author shares stories that vivify her childhood and the feelings of loneliness and isolation she had to contend with. She shares how they greatly influenced her first marriage and made her feel the need to be loved and validated by her husband, even if he was cruel, unjust, and selfish. She expresses how being neglected and rejected by her birth father, who preferred spending time with her older sister while pretending she didn’t exist, influenced her self-perception and need to always appear perfect to her mother, even when she was hurting inside, and being greatly wronged.
There are many lessons to be learned from this book. For instance, the great harm misinformation can cause and the need for parents and family members to communicate clearly and honestly with children at all times. Her grandmother felt she was protecting her by telling her that nobody would want her if she allowed a boy to touch her. However, she caused a lot of harm and preventable events with this bit of misinformation. Additionally, the communication gap in her family made her unable to confide in her mother when she was abused, and this worsened her situation.
The book has a clear structure and a helpful table of content. There are forty-three chapters in the book. Every chapter is succinct, which makes it easy to read this book in one sitting. That is if its emotionally evocative nature doesn’t necessitate breaks. The writing is straight to the point and aptly expresses the feelings of a trapped and struggling woman who knew things weren’t right but didn’t know how to make them right. Fortunately, the book provides a heartwarming ending to an emotionally stirring story of oppression and perseverance.
RoseMarie MacNeil ends the book with a powerful message that every woman – in fact, everyone, should never forget. That is, “Never put yourself in a situation where you lose control of yourself and have to depend on someone else entirely for your well-being and happiness. Be strong.” It is a book every woman and teenage girl could benefit from, and it shows courage on the part of the author to be able to share her story with the world.
No Lipstick for Me is an insightful and emotionally stirring story of a woman’s triumph over despondent situations in her life that could’ve consumed her. It is a story worth reading.