Book Review: "I Don't Know Who I Am Anymore: Restoring Your Identity Shattered by Grief and Loss" by Carole Holiday

The moment I was approached about the possibility of reviewing Carole Holiday’s new book, ” I Don’t Know Who I Am Anymore: Restoring Your Identity Shattered by Grief and Loss”, I knew I had to say yes. I distinctly remember telling a friend of mine “I don’t know who I am anymore” shortly after my beloved grandma (whom I had always been told I was so much like) passed away. It was as if this book title was speaking directly to me.

I am so glad I said yes, because this book was incredible and did not disappoint.

Here is the official description:

No stranger to heartache, Carole Holiday artfully braids together her story of overwhelming losses with biblical insights and delicious recipes from the little cottage on the lane–the cooking school she once owned. Carole’s journey offers hope that after the ravages of grief and despair, God can bring good back to life through faith, food, and fellowship.

How do you survive when everything that gave meaning to your life suddenly disappears? Grief can spark the question, God, when will you see me? Carole Holiday has weathered heartbreaking loss and the despair that whispers, “I don’t know who I am anymore.” Through her trials, including divorce, job loss, and heart surgery, she has learned that deep grief carves space for a deeper ability to love.

Readers who have been shredded by suffering, who have lost hope in God or in life being good again will:

unpack what it means to be made in God’s image;

learn how to redirect doubts and despair toward a God-filled identity and purpose;

understand that loss offers an enormous capacity to feel more deeply;

discover that even though rejected by those they most loved, they still matter to God; and

be reminded of the truth that sadness and faith are not mutually exclusive.

In her unique, lyrical writing style, Carole shares her story of grief and explores biblical teaching that offers a God-given purpose after pain. As an extra dose of comfort, she seasons her story with savory recipes from a cooking school she once owned, where she learned firsthand the healing that takes place around the table. Carole’s humor and warm encouragement gently remind readers that God has good for them–even in a season of severe loss.

As you might can detect from the description there, this book is incredibly unique. As Carole writes words of truth and encouragement in a down-to-earth, conversational, relatable way, but as she does so, she artfully weaves in stories from her own real life regarding loss and grief – stories that include favorite recipes that accompanied the various seasons of her life thus far. When you finish a chapter featuring a particular dish and then discover that the chapter ends with the recipe for that very dish, it is the most delightful surprise. I don’t know about you, but recipes bring me such joy, so this book was a true gift in more ways than one.

As you also may have detected from the description, Carole has experienced more than her “fair share” of grief and loss (most of which were all going on one after another after another, largely all at the same time). When someone with experience of grief and loss like that can write such an uplifting, encouraging, faith-boosting read, you know the redemptive power of God is true and active!

If you have walked through, are walking through right now, or will one day walk through a season of grief (and that covers all of us!), Carole Holiday’s book is the one you will want to accompany you on that journey and point your eyes back to the God whose plan you truly can trust. Not to mention the fact that the cover is warm, delightful, and inviting, too! 😉

Carole weaves life stories, humor, relatable questions, “why?”s, laments, and Scriptural truth into a book that will undoubtedly meet you right where you are, but not leave you there. It will lift your eyes and boost your faith in a way that will leave you never the same again. I highly and enthusiastically recommend it!

Check out this link to snag a copy for yourself!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.