The Authenticity Project | A Bittersweet Read and the Importance of Honesty

4/5 stars

Julian Jessop, a seventy-something-year-old, doesn’t believe people are honest with each other. To test what would happen if they were, he writes authentically about his life and leaves it in his local cafe. Monica, the woman who owns the cafe, adds to the journal and leaves it at a wine bar across the street. Soon, others find the notebook and try sharing authentically about their lives only to eventually find each other at Monica’s cafe. 

This was an easy, light read that was surprisingly deep and a bit heartbreaking. I was expecting a quick romance with some drama as the writers of the authenticity project notebook eventually met. Instead, I got glimpses of people’s inner demons, the images the people portray, and the ways in which others view them. 

This was an easy, light read that was surprisingly deep and a bit heartbreaking. I was expecting a quick romance with some drama as the writers of the authenticity project notebook eventually met. Instead, I got glimpses of people’s inner demons, the images the people portray, and the ways in which others view them. 

The ending really got interesting with some plot twists and a bittersweet resolution I didn’t see coming. For a lot of the book, I questioned what would be the climax and I definitely did not predict this. The pacing was a bit slow, but it made for a relaxing book I could pick up and put down when real life got in the way. I really enjoyed the entire concept and look at how we can grow by showing others our authentic selves. Overall, a great literary fiction that will have you connecting with the characters and rooting for them all along the way.