ARC Review: Naturally Tan by Tan France

From the blurb:

In this heartfelt, funny, touching memoir, Tan France, star of Netflix’s smash-hit QUEER EYE, tells his origin story for the first time. With his trademark wit, humor, and radical compassion, Tan reveals what it was like to grow up gay in a traditional Muslim family, as one of the few people of color in Doncaster, England. He illuminates his winding journey of coming of age, finding his voice (and style!), and how he finally came out to his family at the age of 34, revealing that he was happily married to the love of his life--a Mormon cowboy from Salt Lake City.


In Tan's own words, “The book is meant to spread joy, personal acceptance, and most of all understanding. Each of us is living our own private journey, and the more we know about each other, the healthier and happier the world will be.”

Heather's rating:





I'm a fan of Tan France, and I find him to be charming, funny, but a bit aloof. His book feels the same way.

Naturally Tan was an easy, enjoyable read that actually felt like Tan wrote it instead of the book being fully reworked by a ghostwriter. It had his voice and cadence, and I loved that about it.

Tan's upbringing, love life, and religion aren't new to anyone who watches his show, but we learn a bit more about the details in his book. I liked the anecdotal details about his childhood and family, and I loved his very firm commitment and love for his husband, but if you are expecting a lot of very personal details, you will won't really find them here. Tan stays a bit guarded while telling his story, and any details about his religion, further details about his romance, and many of the juicier tidbits aren't in the book. Though I learned more about Tan than I knew perviously, it didn't quite satisfy me.



On the flip side, while I liked that the book felt like Tan wrote it himself, it's also very apparent that Tan isn't a writer. It doesn't have a polished feel, and the books seems a bit choppier and more scattered than I would like.

I think if you are a fan of Queer Eye or Tan France, you will enjoy this book. It's a light, easy read, and it made me smile and learn a bit more about fashion, so I'll call it a win.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

Buy this book:

Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Amazon

Enjoy, my friends!