If you’ve heard the hype around Untamed by Glennon Doyle, you’re not alone. This New York Times bestseller and Reese’s Book Club selection has been resonating with readers everywhere for years.
With an authentic, powerful voice, Doyle’s third memoir dives into her life’s transformations, the pressures of cultural conditioning, and breaking away from the “good girl” mold. If Reese Witherspoon recommends it, that’s reason enough to dive in.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle Book Summary and Review
Untamed tells Doyle’s journey of reclaiming her own voice after years of following the world’s expectations. For the first time, she steps away from the “good girl” conditioning—striving to be a good partner, responsible mother, and good daughter. Doyle’s memoir reflects on her own discontent with life as she knew it and her desire for something truer. In short, Untamed is Doyle’s path to embracing her wildest instincts.
Key turning points in her journey start with meeting American soccer player Abby Wambach. She made Doyle question everything she once thought was right. This wasn’t just a love story; Abby became the catalyst for Doyle’s life overhaul.
Doyle’s voice of the girl she buried for so long finally emerges as she chooses authenticity over expectations, creating a new life with a new blended family. Untamed shows that letting go of self-imposed limits brings a kind of freedom she had never known.
From her examination of gender roles to reflections on white privilege, mental health, and a powerful rejection of cultural conditioning, Doyle digs deep. She talks openly about her husband’s infidelity, her mental hospital visit, and decades of numbing addictions, making this memoir both intimate and a galvanizing wake-up call.
Glennon Doyle’s Untamed encourages readers to let go of the restrictive expectations women face and live their truest, fullest lives.
Letting Go of “Good Girl” Conditioning
Untamed explores how deeply ingrained it is to be the “good girl”—to be selfless, accommodating, and always choose the “right thing.” Doyle addresses decades of institutional allegiances that shaped her beliefs. She shares her journey of moving away from being the “good mother” who sacrifices everything.
Instead, she becomes a mother who leads by example, showing her daughters the strength to find their own voices. Doyle pushes against the status quo and asks herself, “What does a good life really look like?”
Finding Love and Building a New Blended Family
Meeting Abby Wambach changed everything for Glennon Doyle. When she looked across the room and saw Abby for the first time, three words filled her mind: “There she is.” That’s when Doyle knew she couldn’t keep living a lie.
Her new life with Abby challenged the expectations of the world and transformed her family structure. In choosing Abby, she chose authenticity. Doyle’s new blended family reflects her belief that the wholeness of a family depends not on its structure but on each member’s ability to show up fully.
Breaking Free from Numbing Addictions and Self-Imposed Limits
Doyle addresses her years of struggle with addiction and emotional numbing as ways she dealt with an unhappy marriage and a broken heart. She talks about how self-imposed limits—both mental and emotional—kept her from living her own life.
In Untamed, breaking free from these numbing patterns is essential to living an authentic life. Her story is raw, showing the challenges of letting go and the joy of discovering a new self. Doyle’s message is clear: freeing ourselves from the habits that limit us can lead to a fuller, richer life.
Body Image and Self-Acceptance
Body image is a powerful theme throughout the book. Doyle’s reflections reveal how societal expectations around body image shaped her view of herself and other women. She sheds light on the relentless pressures women face to look a certain way, which she calls out as “decades of cultural conditioning.” For Doyle, this isn’t just a passing observation; it’s a reality she’s struggled with personally.
She shares her own journey with body image, including her experiences with an eating disorder. Her story emphasizes the struggle many women face—being told to conform to an ideal instead of embracing their true selves. But Doyle’s path led her to a new way of thinking: that self-acceptance is not just empowering but essential.
Through her “untamed self,” she advocates for unlearning these damaging cultural messages, letting go of perfectionism, and embracing who we are without shame. Doyle’s journey from self-critique to self-acceptance encourages readers to do the same, making self-acceptance a vital part of her message.
Click here to get Untamed on Amazon.
Empowering Messages and Quotes from Untamed
Glennon Doyle’s words are packed with empowering, hopeful messages that resonate deeply with readers looking for strength and inspiration. Her works, including Untamed and Carry On, Warrior, are filled with incredible insights into the human experience. Doyle encourages women to break free from limiting beliefs, embrace their true selves, and live boldly.
Here are a few standout quotes that capture Doyle’s empowering spirit:
“We can do hard things.” This mantra has become a beloved reminder for Doyle’s readers that resilience is within reach, no matter the challenge.
“The braver we are, the luckier we get.” Doyle’s words call readers to embrace courage, knowing that taking risks often brings us closer to our true selves.
“Be messy and complicated and afraid and show up anyway.” She reminds us that vulnerability and authenticity aren’t weaknesses—they’re strengths that empower us to face life as we are.
“You are not here to be good. You are here to be you.” This quote embodies the central message of Untamed: that living in alignment with our true selves is the greatest purpose.
During her Book Tour…
This intimate memoir reveals the “voice of the girl” within Doyle—her authentic self, finally free from the restrictive expectations often placed on women. Through her story, Doyle examines how these societal norms have shaped her own experiences as a white woman, a mother, and a partner.
During her book tour, Doyle shared powerful insights with audiences, delving into how her own life has unfolded beyond societal rules. As she speaks about the concept of “good partners” and “good mothers,” Doyle explores the standards that, she argues, often confine women rather than support their growth. Her own journey to embrace her full self, including her relationship with her wife, Abby, highlights her belief in redefining these traditional roles.
Doyle, who is also the president of the nonprofit Together Rising, has attended events like the National Book Conference and received high praise from outlets like Marie Claire and the Washington Post. Her other memoirs have been celebrated as bestsellers, offering readers a powerful book of transformation and empowerment.
In her We Can Do Hard Things Podcast, Doyle continues to offer incredible insights into living authentically. Her work encourages selfless women to embrace their full selves, serving as role models for others. By recounting her teenage years, parenting her daughters, and balancing her public and private lives, Doyle shows readers that our stories, told honestly, can be a profound form of self-acceptance and empowerment.
Doyle’s Influence Beyond Untamed
Glennon Doyle didn’t start her journey with Untamed. She’s the bestselling author of Love Warrior, her second book and another powerful memoir that resonated with readers. It was also an Oprah’s Book Club pick. In Love Warrior, Doyle dives into themes of resilience and transformation, setting the stage for the deeper self-discovery we see in Untamed.
Her experiences with hardship, including an unhappy marriage and intense personal growth, gave her unique insight into overcoming life’s hardest moments. Her influence as a memoirist and advocate for women’s rights makes her work more than just storytelling; it’s a call to live fully and fearlessly.
A Renowned Activist and Patron Saint of Female Empowerment
Glennon Doyle has become a modern-day patron saint of female empowerment. Her work has inspired countless women to challenge societal expectations and redefine what it means to live authentically.
Fellow authors like Elizabeth Gilbert, of Eat Pray Love fame, have praised Doyle for her bold approach to self-discovery and resilience, calling her a true role model. Media outlets, including Oprah Magazine, often spotlight Doyle’s journey, amplifying her message of empowerment and resilience.
Doyle’s influence as an activist extends beyond her writing. Her endearing coming-out story, shared openly in Untamed, added a deeply personal layer to her advocacy, making her a beloved figure for inclusivity and acceptance.
Doyle’s TEDx talk and ongoing work as a feminist speaker highlight her powerful voice in modern feminism, addressing issues like gender roles, self-acceptance, and breaking free from “good girl” conditioning. As a beloved activist, Doyle brings hope to women navigating their own journeys, inspiring them to embrace their wildest instincts and step fully into their lives.
Together Rising Philanthropy
Beyond her writing, Glennon Doyle channels her values into action as the president of the nonprofit organization Together Rising. This grassroots philanthropy organization is dedicated to providing support to those in need, particularly women, children, and marginalized communities. Through Together Rising, Doyle has created a powerful movement that turns “small donations with big love” into impactful assistance for people facing crises and hardship.
Three Big Takeaways from Untamed
1. Trust Your Inner Voice
Doyle’s journey is about reclaiming her voice and embracing her true self. Seeing Abby Wambach was her wake-up call to find her own path, showing that inner wisdom can guide us to a better life.
2. Challenge Societal Expectations
Doyle rejects the “good girl” ideals forced upon women. By questioning institutional allegiances and cultural conditioning, she demonstrates the importance of setting our own standards for success and happiness.
3. Redefine Family and Love
Doyle’s new family with Abby redefines the love, acceptance, and wholeness of a family. It’s not about fitting a traditional mold but allowing everyone to bring their full self to the table.
Book Club Questions for Untamed
- How does Doyle’s story of reclaiming her own voice resonate with you?
- Doyle’s relationship with Abby Wambach challenged her views on love. How did this influence her idea of family?
- What did you think of her take on “good girl” conditioning? Have societal expectations influenced your life?
- How does Doyle redefine gender roles in Untamed, and what message does she offer women today?
- Doyle often speaks about setting boundaries and honoring herself. How does this impact her relationships?
- How did Doyle redefine family for herself, and how did you respond to her choices?
- What part of Doyle’s journey did you find most inspiring or relatable?
Book Review and Final Thoughts
Doyle’s Untamed isn’t just a memoir; it’s a galvanizing wake-up call for anyone feeling boxed in by the world’s expectations. It’s a must-read for fans of self-help books, female empowerment stories, and Reese’s Book Club picks.
With an unfiltered take on life, love, and what it means to be a woman today, Untamed challenges readers to rethink their own lives. Doyle’s insights inspire us to carry on with strength, humor, and resilience.
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