Bulletproof by Maci Bookout (Review)

I quick little review post for Maci from Teen Mom's book. As I thought with Kailyn Lowry's book, I didn't expect there to be many differences to the Maci that we had seen on the show to that which she writes about. With Kailyn I was wrong because Kailyn had a lot of much bigger issues going on in her life and at the time, she wasn't ready to share. Go see yesterday's review post about this here! Maci's story on the other hand seems very similar. Instead of huge changes, she explains her reasoning behind decisions and the emotions she felt during each event.

'Writing has always been my own private passion.'

I love that Maci loves to write. I love that throughout the book she has little poetry extracts that she has written throughout the events in her life that she talks about. It's really sweet to read the ones about Bentley and it hurts to read the ones where she's hurting and upset from lost loves.

I was surprised to hear that Maci was very quiet and kept her feelings to herself. I remember thinking in 16 and Pregnant, that she was so mature for her age and so independent. I think it's often the introverts that are more advanced beyond their years. It seems to be that they watch the world go by rather than jumping right in straight away, learning instead of learning after. But still? Given all the speaking events that she does and how eliquently she voices want she wants to say, I'm impressed she can cover it up so easily.

She admits this to be true and thanks the way her parents raised both her and her brother for this achievement. She also explains her struggle to hang onto this independence while becoming a new mother and going through break-ups where she felt she lost it. At times, she had to move back in with her parents. Although, she appreciated the support that they gave her, they ended up telling her how to raise her son and that's not what she wanted. I understand how hard it is to live with parents after being independent for a time. Even from just living alone for 9 months, I saw it was so hard having to answer to someone again and go through plans with multiple people instead of just being you. I can say first hand how irritating it can be let alone when your trying to raise your child how YOU want to raise him and not how your parents want to.

Kyle was the first serious boyfriend we saw after Ryan. I had always wondered how they met and it turns out Kyle was friends with Maci's brother when they used to go on the dirt bikes as kids. While Maci and her brother decided to focus on school, Kyle dropped out of school, was home schooled by his mother and competed competitively.

Their love was intermittent and broken up by the on-off relationship with Ryan. But finally the texting and messaging was worth it and after visiting Nashville to see friends, Maci and Kyle kissed! Then it all took off from there with another visit, Maci moving to Nashville and then Kyle moving to live closer to Ryan.

The reason they broke up in the end was unclear to me the viewer, but as a reader we learnt why. Maci expected marriage and a future together whereas Kyle just wanted to seemingly stay young and carefree forever.

'He still owned the house but rented it out. That was the last I heard.'

I always thought Kyle seemed nice. He was a little slow, didn't really do much in the area of parenting but he was good to Bentley and Maci seemed happy. I didn't think he would be so vindictive to steal and betray Maci's trust the way he did with this house.

After the couple broke up, Maci explains that Kyle was older so had a better credit rating yet Maci had more money from the show. Maci felt comfortable in their relationship and since they would be living in the house together, saw no reason why not to provide the money but in paper he would own it. When they broke up he kept the house and rented it out but never gave Maci any of the rent income. The two have never spoken since and Maci hasn't tried to get it back.

I can't help but wonder just how much money Maci has to be able to afford to just leave it. Clearly, the relationship ended on a sour point for them not to talk or even communicate again and I'm sure Maci doesn't want the confrontation because that's not the sort of person she is...but how much must the show pay in order to just ignore the fact she paid for him to buy a house with no return?

I'll admit I was hoping to read a little more about her current boyfriend and daddy to her new little girl, Taylor. Unfortunately the book didn't seem to go that much into her present or future more the history. It was a well written book and was in clear chronologically order instead of how often biographies are, jumping around by topic.