Title: Imperfectly Awesome
Author: Dr. Omotola Bamigbaiye
Year of Publication: 2024
Number of Pages: 198
Category: Memoir
The moment you see the confident face on the cover, you know this isn’t just another memoir. It’s a story layered with strength, vulnerability, and truth. That face belongs to Dr. Omotola Bamigbaiye, author of Imperfectly Awesome. Behind that radiant smile lies a woman with stories that resonate deeply, and she doesn’t disappoint in sharing them.
From the moment you begin reading, the author’s sense of humor draws you in, making the book both engaging and easy to read. Beyond the laughter, she is refreshingly real, sharing her life story honestly and without sugarcoating. She bares her challenges and personal struggles unashamedly, creating a space where readers feel connected and at ease.
Through vivid recollections of her childhood, school days, friendships, career journey, and more, the author takes you down memory lane. Her remarkable ability to recall even the smallest details of her early years’ transports readers back in time, making each story come alive. Yet these tales are never just for storytelling’s sake; they reveal how early experiences shape the future, sometimes in ways as subtle as being placed in a class with older children.
This is a woman who has truly come into her own. Self-aware, intentional, and encouraging readers to do the same. At times, it may feel as though she is revealing too much, but as the story unfolds, you understand the purpose behind every shared experience.
Her journey didn’t happen overnight, and her words urge you to start now, no matter how discouraging your current circumstances may feel. They carry a spark that can inspire immediate action.
This isn’t a book to be shelved and forgotten; it’s one to be shared with friends and loved ones, especially those navigating challenges, because its lessons are too powerful to keep to oneself.
There’s romance too, written with such vividness that it feels like a movie, making you smile as you read. Although the book doesn’t explicitly target women, much of it resonates deeply with female readers. For those grappling with guilt, particularly around motherhood, you’ll find a companion in the author, who shares not only her own struggles but practical ways to ease that burden.
The book moves at a pace that keeps you hooked, though its style shifts from storytelling to fiction and then to a serious motivational tone, making you marvel at the author’s versatility. If discussed in a group, themes such as early education, patterns, parental sacrifice, and resilience would naturally dominate the conversation. Work-life stories may even bring back memories for those who have interacted with her professionally.
At one point, the author celebrates her achievements, blowing her own trumpet, rightly so and reminds readers to acknowledge and celebrate their own wins. The confidence that shines through may seem prideful to some, but it is instead a call to self-awareness and self-acceptance. By the end, you might wonder why the book isn’t simply titled ‘Omotola’, for she reveals herself as a woman whose worth extends far beyond wealth.
As she reminds us, “Everyone has a story to tell, but not everyone gets to write it.” Perhaps this is your moment to embrace your own voice, rise, and share the story only you can tell.
About the reviewer
Titilade Oyemade is a business executive in a leading organisation and holds a degree in Russian Language. She’s the convener of the Hangoutwithtee Ladies Event and the Publisher of Hangoutwithtee magazine. She spends her weekends attending women’s conferences, events and book readings. She loves to have fun and to help other women have the same in their lives. Email: [email protected] Social: @tiipreeofficial
