Review: Naturally Tan by Tan France

This review is going up super late because we had a crazy weekend apartment hunting! Fingers crossed one works out for us. We also spent a rainy day at the movies for a double feature, which is something we’ve never done before! It was really fun but I was pretty mentally drained by the end of the day. On top of that, we made Hello Fresh for dinner AND watched this week’s Game of Thrones. 

It was a weekend that went by way too fast but I have today and tomorrow off, which is really nice. I felt like I could enjoy Saturday and Sunday and then have Monday and Tuesday to catch up on the things have been pushed to the wayside. 

I was so excited to receive an advanced copy of Tan France’s book, Naturally Tan. I love Queer Eye probably too much to be healthy, but I truly think it’s a show that can open minds and change lives. 

I loved learning more about Tan. He has such an interesting life story, growing up in England in a Pakistani family. I also really loved his “coming out” story because he never realized at any point he was gay. He always new he was who he was, and didn’t realize there was anything “wrong” with it until family and society pointed it out to him.  

When it comes to celebrity memoirs, I think you have to take the writing with a grain of salt. The structure of the book was more scattered than I would have liked, with stream of consciousness writing and a lot of repetition. But I did like reading about Tan; I think he has such a lovely presence and I truly connect with how he encourages people to take care of themselves through their clothing. 

Presentation is important. We all feel better when we are showered, made up, and in clothes that make us feel good inside and out. The best part of this book is learning that Tan’s love for clothing and fashion comes from the truest, purest place and isn’t shallow in the slightest. 

Naturally Tan is funny, sassy, endearing, and heart wrenching. If you love Queer Eye, you will love this book, especially since Tan includes adorable shout outs and stories of the other boys. My favorite chapter details how the show and cast came to be. 

Overall, I’d give the structure and writing 3 stars, but the story and heart behind it a solid 5 stars. So we’ll round this one out to a 4 star read. 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the eGalley to read and review Naturally Tan!