I Choose Me: Chasing Joy, Finding Purpose & Embracing Reinvention

Actor Garth reflects on fame, identity, and transformation in this candid memoir, which reframes a pivotal moment in Beverly Hills 90210 when her character, Kelly Taylor, chose herself over a love triangle as a lifelong philosophy. After spending her early adulthood striving to meet others’ expectations, Garth writes that divorcing her second husband “pushed me out of my comfort bubble,” forcing her to “question every role I had been playing” and decide who she wanted to be. The author chronicles the slow process of learning to stop “saying yes just to keep the peace” and summon the courage to “choose what I want for the first time,” which involved branching out from her typical acting roles with a podcast and HGTV home renovation show, and finding a healthy relationship. She uses this philosophy to offer tips for making daily choices that reflect one’s core values, setting boundaries, and loosening rigid expectations. While her central message is hammered home somewhat repetitively, Garth’s refreshing willingness to interrogate her own missteps adds credibility and distinguishes the book from more polished celebrity retrospectives. Readers will appreciate this sincere reflection on reclaiming one’s agency. (Apr.)