Customer Reviews

Sliding Into Home

5 star:		(123)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'm going to be like many, perhaps most, of the readers of this book. I got hooked on The Girls Next Door TV series(GND), and that ultimately led me to Kendra's memoir. First, the good stuff. This is a pretty brave book; it's not full of fluff, simply feeding off of GND notoriety. Kendra opened her mental closet and let some of the dark goolies out; not everybody would be that willing to share their past lives to the extent that she has in this book. This is one of the strengths of the book. Additionally, her memoir is interesting for those who are curious about her behind the scenes relationship with Hugh Hefner, Bridget and Holly, as well as other members of the Playboy Mansion staff. There is a fair amount of information and discussion about the people, behind the scenes realities, and routine life during her 4+ years in residence. I am not going to spoil the read by commenting specifically about Kendra's references concerning sex; however, everyone knows that the Playboy Mansion is about sex. Sliding into Home does not ignore this. The author handles this with some common sense and maturity, but she gets the infomation into the book.

The book could have been improved by additional detail. Kendra participated in many trips within the GND series. It would have been very interesting to read about the behind the scenes preparations and activies during more of the various trips. More detail about the workings of the Mansion to include a number of the people involved as well as the commercial side of making GND would have made good reading.

Overall this is a good book. It has an honest feel to it, and is, to date, the best book that has come out of the modern Playboy Mansion/Girls Next Door genre. It is highly readable and hard to put down.

TMI-too much information-is a legitamate claim when it comes to Kendra's book Sliding Into Home. She gives many details that yes, you wanted to know, but after reading about it, you think "Oh God, I really did NOT need to know that." But the desire for details are as infectous as her laughter and you appreciate the fact that she does not sugar coat anything, blame anyone, or hide behind issues present in her family. She did it, she claims it, and I closed the book cheering that God allowed her to have the storybook ending she deserved. After all, the bad girl image was a cover for a girl full of energy and life and just needed the right direction to channel it in.

The fact she was not close to Bridget or Holly does not surprise me. The fact she didn't settle down over night after meeting Hank didn't raise an eyebrow. What does shock the reader is how candid she gets and does so in a matter of fact way-no hidden agendas. This is the best celebrity memoir I've read in a long time. If honesty sells, this should be a blockbuster.

Beginning of the book really went into detail about her "drug life" and becoming a stripper. She's good at keeping secret. Interesting to find out what really happened in the Mansion and her life with Hef. Loved reading about falling in love with Hank. I wasn't always a fan of the Girls Next Door, because the other girls really got on my nerves. However, as Kendra matured I became a fan of hers. I was hooked when she got her own show. Lots of details in the beginning of the book. I do think the end of the book is a bit rushed. I don't know if she didn't want to expose life as a mom or if that is her next book: From Party Girl to PTA mom. I wish she would've gone into more detail about life as a married couple and the changes that brought about, but I guess that is why people watch her show. That's my only disappointment. I'm just floored at what really happened at the Mansion, but in today's world Kendra is your typical All-American girl, because it's changed tremendously in our world today.

When it comes down to it I am not really a fan of reality television shows, I actually don't watch a lot of television at all. Yet with a reality show there is always that awareness that the `character' portrayed is presented as a stereotype, a mere caricatures of themselves. Sliding into Home does not show us the fun and light hearted Kendra that those of us who have watched her reality shows would be familiar with - at least not to start with - instead the reader is confronted with the real story.

If you had to summarise Sliding into Home in just one word, that word would be brave. The contents of this book are not something that Kendra had to share with the public. The retelling of her adolescence is in no way sensationalised, everything is discussed in a mature and reflective way. Kendra acknowledges her past actions, accepts that they have made her who she is today, and at no point blames anyone else for her rebellious and destructive teenage years.

The retelling of her earlier years, before she became associated with the mansion, provides the reader with an understanding as to why Kendra often referred to Hugh Hefner as having saved her. She goes on to tell of her time at the Playboy Mansion - her relationship with Hef, her feelings towards Holly and Bridget, detailing what that part of her life was really like.
I think my favourite part of the biography was the retelling of when and how Kendra met, and then began dating, her husband Hank. The conflict that is described felt real - it discusses the point in time that someone decides to give up the comfort and security they have, to replace it with a potential happily ever after. The transition to a very different sort of life to what she became used to was refreshing, nothing was glamorised, and it provides a great companion piece to the Kendra reality series.

I really have to admit that the whole concept of Playboy is not my sort of thing, however that said the reality show Girls Next Door seemed like a concept just too interesting to pass up. I have watched every episode of the first five seasons Girls Next Door, and just completed the first season of Kendra's own reality show. I actually miss not having Kendra, Bridget and Holly together on one reality show anymore!

I did not hesitate reading the biography of Kendra Wilkinson when it was first released - and I am glad I did. Reading Sliding into Home allows the reader to see the character they know as Kendra as a real person with her own thoughts and feelings.

I was excited to receive my copy of the above book(shipped from the States) as I was a keen viewer of Girls of the Playboy Mansion (as is the title here in NZ.) Was my guilty secret..haha.

I guess as a woman in my late 40's I just found that whole world so different to what I had experienced (or would ever want to experience really) and found it fascinating.

Like a lot of viewers, I found Kendra to be the stand-out of the girls, although at times her language and behaviour made me cringe! However, her kind heart and the fact that she didn't try to be anyone other than herself, was quite endearing. And I followed her to her own show - Kendra. It's great to see her make her way in the "real world" and lovely to see how she has grown. Her little family is delightful - there seems to be so much love there.

The book itself is very readable and I read it in a day. It was at times sad, shocking, funny and again, parts made me cringe but that's all part of telling the true story. I probably expected a little more information on what went on at the Mansion but having said that, I guess she had loyalties to Hef, and that's good. I would have liked to see a few more photos of life before the Mansion too, but there are only so many pages I guess.

I think it's a credit to Kendra that she managed to pull herself up from the depths of drug taking, and generally seedy lifestyle she was living, and by taking the chances she was given, and running with them - here she is today - a real success story.

This book is an informative read and a must for any fan.

I have to say that I loved watching the Girls Next Door and I had so many questions about their lifestyle and how did the girls families react to them dating Hugh Hefner and so on ( you really know what I wanted to know-- were they really sleeping with him and stuff like that )
In the beginning Bridget was my favorite- she just seemed so sweet- but soon after the 1st season Kendra and Bridget were both my favorite (Holly kinda rubbed me the wrong way for some reason)
Anyway, those questions were really answered-- well the situations with Kendra anyway.
She has told us the story of her life- her REAL life and not what some producers wanted her to be portrayed as.
She gives details of situations in her life that normally a female would be too embarrassed or ashamed to tell.
She has had a difficult life in the past and now things just seem to keep getting better for her.
I really enjoyed the book, some parts of the book were kind of slow but I still couldnt put the book down- I read it in one sitting (how sad is that?!?!) and I wish there was a follow up-- not really sure what else could be said in that book so soon because she really touches on all ages of her life - up until she had her son-
Hank truely seems to love her and they make a beautiful family, I wish her nothing but the best and I am so glad she came out with the juicy details of the mansion life and life as one of Hef's Girlfriends (I heard before the book was released - I preordered- that it gave details of what goes on there and if it didnt provide that info I probably wouldnt have bought the book)
So, I got my questions answered and then some,
THANK YOU KENDRA FOR BEING HONEST AND OPEN WITH YOUR LIFE STORY!!

If you were a fan of the show "Girls Next Door" you won't be disappointed. This book is Kendra to the core. I purchased because I was curious regarding the relationship that developed between Kendra, and her husband Hank. I am a sucker for a great love story, and it was very heart warming to read what she did to spend time with Hank. If you have truly loved someone in your life time you will do anything to spend time with them or in Kendra's situation just to hear their voice on the telephone. I wish her all the best. If you are a Kendra fan you will enjoy the book.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was interesting to learn what it was like to be in the Playboy Mansion and how Kendra deal with things that I would not be able to deal with. Easy reading too. :-)

Living in Chgo, and visiting the Playboy Club in its early days, I have always had minor curiosity about Hefner, and the Playboy Enterprises. After watching a few episodes of The Girls Next Door on E!, and observing Hefner's "fossil-like" self interact with his "girlfriends", my curiosity was peaked as to how or why these beautiful, talented girls functioned in such a wierd setting. Of the three girls, Kendra, although probably the most attractive, but definitely the least cerebral of the three, always seemed like she just didn't fit in. I could not imagine her authoring a book, but as dull as she is, she did choose a co-author who turned her recollections into a reasonably enjoyable read. This book certainly details the more bizarre aspects of her life at "the Mansion", and surprisingly enough makes you feel that Kendra is more than a pretty face. Somehow, with all of her past experiences of a "less than desirable life and its dark experiences", she manages to portray a woman who landed with her feet on the ground, with amazingly strong mores....go figure!

I wasn't even a fan of Kendra's or The Girls Next Door when it originally aired; I started watching her last winter when there wasn't much else on, but now I'm hooked on her show, and I'm trying to get caught up on all the older episodes of The Girls Next Door whenever they are on.

This book was so good I didn't put it down. I read it from cover to cover in 5 hours, it was that interesting. She had a rough childhood and most of her middle school and high school years were even worse, mostly due to her own doing. That being said, she has made a tremendous change in her life for the better, and I truly respect her for that.

I wish the book would have gone into more detail about Hef and the Mansion, but from the gist of what I read in this book, my questions were pretty much answered. I just wanted the gory details!!! And I'm sure out of respect for Hef, Kendra could have said a lot more about the Mansion but she kept her mouth shut. Before this book, I didn't think much of Hef, but I have a newfound respect for the way he treats his women.

Kendra may be a celebrity, but deep down she is no different than the rest of us. She is REAL. I loved the eight pages of color photos. And I especially thought the laxative story during physical therapy class was hilarious! I think the last 1/3 of the book was definitely the best - starting with the time she met Hank for the first time at the golf outing.

If you're a Kendra fan, this book will not disappoint you. I'm looking forward to a sequel.