While sunny and happy on screen and in public, Valerie Bertinelli struggled privately with her weight and self-image for decades. Turning 60 loomed large for her, and as she reflected on her life, she finally reached the point where she realized it was enough already --- her weight should not be overshadowing everything else and coloring her feelings about herself. Following the loss of her parents and her iconic ex-husband, Eddie Van Halen, she began to re-evaluate her priorities and decided to move forward, looking for joy in everything she could and shedding the weight she was carrying around both literally and figuratively.

"ENOUGH ALREADY is a welcome breath of fresh air during these stressful times, and Bertinelli’s advice on finding joy in everyday things can benefit everyone in today’s world."

In connection with finding a new and more positive focus on life, she was determined to jettison the notion that she always had to appear happy. Instead, she wanted to talk with friends and family about the things that trouble her and learn to lean into her grief. Opening up with those close to her eventually led her to write ENOUGH ALREADY, both to find her path forward and to help other women who are struggling with similar issues.

One of Bertinelli’s main focuses these days is that “the pursuit of joy must be intentional and made a priority. There is no one path or recipe. In the end, there is just love.” She includes the various ways that she attempts to pursue joy, including assembling lists of what makes people happy and doing those things, and watching cat videos on TikTok. She frequently reiterates that everyone finds joy differently, and no one path is the right path. People should find those things that make them happy and pursue them.

The book is written to be read as independent essays that all tie together, so someone can sit down and read one or five or all of them. The chapters feel connected, and in almost all of them, Bertinelli reflects on her years wasting time beating herself up for her weight or worrying about what others thought about her or one of her performances. Old habits die hard, and she still “pay[s] more attention to those who troll me on the internet instead of the people who compliment the photos and videos I post.” But she finds that it is getting easier to focus on the positive and encourages readers to do the same.

In line with her Food Network show, for which she has won several Emmys, food brings comfort to Bertinelli when she is down, and she cooks to comfort others. Throughout the book, her stories frequently mention food. She includes the recipes referenced at the end of that particular chapter, along with various photos, which are fabulous additions to her memoir.

ENOUGH ALREADY is a welcome breath of fresh air during these stressful times, and Bertinelli’s advice on finding joy in everyday things can benefit everyone in today’s world.