I loved [Skinful]. I appreciate that you brought us along on your bumpy but successful road of personal growth and conquering addiction. I saw myself in some of the thoughts you shared … the gray area questions that signal a problem is developing. I related to the self-promises. [Your book] will have a lasting impact on the way I think about my wine usage.
K.H.
[Skinful is] one of the best explorations of the addictive personality that I’ve ever read … [I] really loved this book, and I hope that anyone who is struggling with not being able to live [comfortably] in their own skin will have an opportunity to read it and feel the hope that it radiates.
Vince Turcotte
Your book touched me profoundly, as I myself have had a dangerous relationship with alcohol … I identified with the situations you describe, which I followed with fascination but also with a knot in my stomach … Dear Robyn, thank you for writing this book.
T.H.
A great read: both a travel book and a smart personal memoir of a life challenged by trauma and addiction and blessed by recovery – but a very personal, individual take on recovery. Highly recommended!
Steve Sandberg
Robyn Flemming’s memoir … is a raw and honest story of healing … I give it 5 stars.
Hayley Walsh, author
I just read your book. What an awakening of the soul for me. I saw myself on every page. We are survivors. Your book was very inspiring.
Dianne H.
I absolutely loved this memoir. I’m sitting in the post-reading glow that comes from reading something I’ve loved. It was very well-written, and told with so much humility and courage.
Rinkoo Ramchandani
[Skinful] is the story of everyday social drinking that slides down the slippery slope into “grey-area drinking”.
Kate Whitehead, South China Morning Post
Skinful … is an honest, raw, and powerful story of two women, the successful, talented, extraordinary woman who was Robyn by day, running a business and traveling the world, and then the Robyn who hid in the bottom of a bottle by night. In telling the story of fighting her addiction, Robyn also told the story of her life, her experiences in taking the road less traveled by women of her generation, and has provided a narrative that is real, funny, inspirational, and tragic in parts.
Robyn's story will inspire others battling with addictions. I have made the book a part of my professional library for use in my work as a counsellor.
Anonymous
In this exquisitely written memoir … Robyn Flemming … paints a vivid portrait of a skilled professional doing her best to juggle work and drinking, relationships and drinking, fitness and drinking, health and drinking, and finally, her sanity and drinking, all the while shattering myths around alcoholism. A must-read for anyone interested in an honest story of what it takes to get honest with yourself.
Nita Sweeney, author of Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running With My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink
Best drink book EVER!!!!!
Patty F.
A raw, honest account of Robyn Flemming’s battle with alcohol over many years and how she finally found freedom.
… She documents her insidious relationship with alcohol and how it continued to follow her wherever she went, until she finally had her last drink in New York in 2011.
Robyn’s writing style is engaging, real and so relatable.
It’s fantastic to see more Australians sharing their stories of overcoming their issues with alcohol by contributing to the “Quit Lit” genre.
Kathryn Elliott, The Alcohol Mindset Coach
Robyn’s story is captivating, educational, emotional, inspiring and so well written I couldn’t put it down once I began.
Yvonne Reddin
A compelling and beautifully written account of one woman’s struggle not just with the bottle, but herself. Highly recommended.
Ricky Onsman
A captivating and honest account of what it is like to be in thrall to alcohol, why she drank to excess and how she got sober.
Colette Sheridan, The Irish Examiner
Skinful is brave – and helpful, I’m sure, for many, many people. It does a very good job of setting out just how hard it is to end an addiction – it seems like everything conspires to keep one in the hold of it. I feel that this book represents the truth not just of [the author’s] journey, but of many others’ journeys, too.
Amy Hempel
Very insightful of an addictive personality.
Hazel Edwards
I absolutely loved Skinful. Most books on recovery highlight the many and varied disasters that befell the person before they stopped drinking. Others chronicle how they gradually ceased functioning at work, home and in general, until everything collapsed. I think Skinful is a far, far better description of how daily drinking of alcohol just dulls down and dims reactions to life. Most people who drink too much don’t lose everything and end up homeless or in rehab, but they do experience the gentle negatives Skinful describes that gradually sink a person into low-grade depression.
Wendy Watts
Skinful is compelling, insightful, and honest. It is beautifully written and has a strong message of hope. I am sure it will inspire others who stumble along the lonely road of alcohol addiction.
Mary Garden, Newtown Review of Books
[The author] uses words like ice picks, chiselling away to build the remarkable story of her life and her struggles with addiction … [Skinful] is a book to which those struggling with addiction will relate … But [it] is just as relevant for those who don’t drink in a problematic way … because it explains how those with an alcohol problem don’t necessarily descend into utter collapse and can maintain a façade that all is well … [A]n exquisitely well-written page turner.
Michael Backman
How can I say that a memoir about finding sobriety was a delightful journey? We all know the hard work, but with Robyn’s ability to bring us with her on all of her adventures, we ride the rollercoaster of life and find that at the end we are so very pleased with the ride we have been on. I didn’t want to put the book down. And when I did, I couldn’t wait to pick it up again for what would come next. This isn’t just a book about finding one’s self but a book about honesty and awakening.
Eric Kessler
Skinful is a gripping read from the word go … But this is not a grim book. The author includes many humorous vignettes … I urge readers not to skip the excellent Afterword, which surveys the various types of treatment and the spectrum of drinking from full-blown alcoholism to gray-area drinking to sober curious … The author has no intention of wasting one moment of her life and she has us running right along with her.
Patricia Roback
It’s a great story, finely written and it has a seductive way of dealing with pretty serious issues, with a narrative that is engaging, self deprecating in a very Australian way and sometimes downright funny … [The author] writes very fine, butterfly-light descriptions … A good and optimistic message runs through this book.
David Moran
[A] beautifully written memoir [that] portrays Robyn's journey perfectly to the reader … Skinful is a brutally honest look at how one woman tumbled into a downward spiral starting with one nightly glass of wine and very slowly but surely grappled her way back to the top with stubborn determination. A fantastic read for anyone who is at a stuck point in their lives or is questioning their relationship with alcohol.
Travelseatsreads
I so enjoyed this wonderful book about Robyn’s adventures that took me around the globe, in and out of places, meeting interesting people, all the while that she is discovering her best self. Robyn’s indomitable spirit shines through … I didn’t want to put the book down. I so enjoyed joining in the journey and finding the gorgeous flower that was always there finally basking in the light.
Maria Kessler
Skinful is beautifully written and a testament to your … unwavering courage in sharing what is truly an amazing tale.
Elaine B.
No matter who we are or what we have done, [Skinful] inspires us to be a better person, that goals are achievable no matter how daunting, and that it is never too late to embrace life and seize the world. If you have ever thought it was too hard to make a major change in your life, this is the book you need to read.
Yvonne Boag
Brave and unflinching.
An engrossing journey to hard-won redemption.
Susan Johnson, author of From Where I Fell
Well written, spellbinding … It makes me realize how difficult it must be to stop drinking – and makes me very sympathetic to the struggles of those with addictions to alcohol, tobacco, drugs.
Mary H.
A very brave, thoughtful and provocative memoir.
Keith Finnegan, Presenter, Galway Talks, Galway Bay FM Radio, Galway, Ireland
You are a champion storyteller ... Reading your book is like sitting down with a friend and talking about their life ...
Rachelle Valente
I hurtled through this memoir: Robyn is unflinchingly honest in describing her journey and its ups (some very funny!) and downs. (Will this event break her? Can she overcome real heartache?) It’s brave, it’s raw and it’s very relatable. A big recommendation from me.
Cathy Nunan
[Skinful is a] brave, thoughtful, engrossing travel memoir about turning your life around.
Teresa Quinn, Presenter, Bookline podcast, Dublin, Ireland
This beautifully written memoir is heartbreakingly honest, and there is much to be learnt by anyone who questions whether their drinking has crossed a line and is no longer manageable. Robyn writes with humour and candour about her life as a global nomad, with all the highs and lows that entails … I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended.
Susan A-S.
I have just finished your book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Actually, I couldn’t put it down! … You were so brave in writing about your secret addiction, and then taking steps to overcome it. We all have stories to tell, especially at our age, but I’m so glad you got to tell yours. Hopefully, it will be inspiring for lots of others.
Caroline H.
Skinful tells the story of a woman who was not comfortable in her own skin, and who needed to shed her old skin and old habits in order to start anew. Her honesty and experiences in life make a wonderful read and give us all another perspective on addiction. I highly recommend this book.
Hilary Lockhart
Your book is exceptional. You have overcome so much, and done it with verve and creativity and sheer determination … I so loved your first descriptions of Hong Kong – I felt like I was walking those streets again, seeing those sights, smelling those smells and hearing that unmistakable cacophony. Your book is marvellous. Really inspiring, and a bloody good read. It’s left me with a desperate urge to go to Sarawak!
Frances Bartlett
I’ve just finished reading your book and I absolutely loved it … I wanted to be on that journey with you, discovering where you were going, what was going to happen next, the adventures you were taking. I really want to commend you for putting together such an incredible book, such an incredible story. So inspiring.
Kate Megee, Coach
[Skinful] is an important book.
David Astle, Presenter, Evenings, ABC Radio Melbourne
I have just finished reading Skinful and want to thank you for writing this amazingly honest account of your struggles with alcohol. I am a 68-year-old Australian who has been struggling for 12 years with addiction to red wine. Thanks to you, I have taken the plunge and gone to my first AA meeting. Hopefully, I can succeed. That aside, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the fascinating account of your nomadic life. What a wealth of experiences you have had. Thanks again.
Judy X
Compelling. [This] timely portrayal of “grey area drinking” is a valuable addition to the quit-lit genre.
Roisin Ingle, The Irish Times
I didn’t want [Skinful] to end, but I like the way it did! It was a great read. You have accomplished so much in your life, including your ability to fight alcohol addiction, and your adventures around the world are far more than most would ever experience. You are a strong woman, a strong grrrl!
Joanne Masso Gambone
Robyn Flemming has the ability not just to tell a story but to reflect the story of the reader in her writing. Undoubtedly she writes of her life, her angst, her struggle with addiction, and it is her story. But within the questions, the reflections, the accounts of her struggle is a mirror that the reader can’t help but see. [Skinful] is honest, poignant and real.
Mary Murphy (https://unpackingmybottomdrawer.com), The Budapest Times
… wonderfully written, utterly honest and evocative. You have lived your life with so much courage and used that same courage to tell your story, with honesty, grace and in beautiful prose.
Ros Russell
A look at the world through the words of a strong woman, one who doesn’t disguise her impatience or her fury or her curiosity or her joy. Robyn Flemming describes her one precious, imperfect life in a manner familiar to readers of Educated (Tara Westover), The Liars’ Club (Mary Karr), Wild (Cheryl Strayed), and even – yes – the classic Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert). Robyn’s raw memoir doesn’t spare herself and offers hope to others.
Laura Kennelly
[An] incredible writer with an inspiring story to tell.
Nicola Sapsford, founder, Pink Book Club
At times heart-wrenching, often heart-warming. Effortlessly readable. A story written with courage and hard-earned insight.
Darryl McGill
A brave, thoughtful and provocative memoir. The author has created an amazing life.
Bruce Pennay
This book will speak to everyone, not just those with addictions. C.S. Lewis said, “We read to know we are not alone.” And that’s how I felt when I read this, as if I had company in the journey through life.
Mary Coe
I recommend Robyn’s remarkable story to readers who are personally and professionally interested in narratives of recovery from addiction.
Sally Denshire
[Robyn] inspired me with her continual positivity despite the setbacks. Many, many people could relate to her experiences.
Jenny Seymour
This beautifully crafted [memoir] was hard to put down. Robyn vividly transported me to different corners of the world whilst being witty and thought provoking. More than being just about addiction or travel, it’s a hero’s journey.
Kathryn Ali
A vivid re-mantling of a woman whose swath across times and spaces is genuinely written, with attributes of wit and “cred”.
Julie Molnár
Your book is really well written, beautifully structured and paced. You are so courageous in writing about your vulnerable self. You’re an inspiration.
Lynne Blundell
A captivating true story of self-discovery.
Peggi Cooney, author of This Side of Alcohol
A great read. An inspiring story of a gifted grrrl throwing off the perceived shackles of “small-town” family expectations for the high and low trappings of big-city life, a creative career and international travel.
Allan Morton
Skinful tackles addiction head on: causes, consequences and re-connection with your one life. It’s also curious, quirky and, quite simply, one of a kind.
Dorothy Simmons, author of Of Breath and Blood
This book is wonderfully entertaining, but I think it also carries a strong message of hope.
Dianne Cullum
Robyn’s writing is always crystalline; her tone direct, honest, and without a trace of self-pity as she tells a tale many will relate to.
Dora Ohrenstein
