A brutally honest and hilarious memoir about addiction recovery, fame-adjacent life and learning how to start again.
When Paul Drayton briefly finds himself in prison in 2022 after a dangerous driving conviction, he is forced to confront the truth about the life he has been living. What follows is a candid and deeply personal journey through addiction, relationships, identity and recovery.
From growing up in Sunderland to navigating London’s nightlife scene, falling in love with Alan Carr to discovering what it feels like to live beside fame without sharing the spotlight, Paul reflects on the highs, the chaos and the mistakes that shaped his life.
A late ADHD diagnosis at fifty and determined to rebuild his future, he begins the difficult process of understanding himself and creating a new chapter.
Honest, self-aware and funny, this is a memoir about accountability, resilience and the courage to start again.
What did I think?
I didn't realise that Paul Drayton is Alan Carr's ex-husband when I first heard about Ride - Or Die Trying; I wanted to read it as Paul is a local lad from Sunderland and I'm so pleased that he's a Mackem otherwise I might have missed this fabulous book.
Paul Drayton is very brave to put his story out there, especially after all of the negative press he experienced when he was struggling with his addictions. In his raw and brutally honest memoir, he gives the reader a glimpse into the showbiz lifestyle and the effects of living in the shadow of a famous other half.
Paul has an amazing sense of humour and that shines through every page. It's not a laugh on every page kind of book as Paul touches on some tough and poignant subjects but each chapter is filled with honesty, emotion and a lot of inner strength. I don't know Paul but I feel very proud of him for sharing his story with the world.
As you would expect from someone who was married to the Chatty Man, it's a very chatty book and Paul's natural dry north-eastern wit adds a very entertaining and funny slant to the stories. There are several personal photographs included that accompany the prose and give the reader further insight into Paul's life. It's not an exposé on Alan Carr, it's very much Paul's own story and I loved it.
Honest, poignant and entertaining, Ride - Or Die Trying is a cracking memoir that had me laughing one minute and crying the next. It's bold, inspirational and well worth a read.
I received a gifted paperback for the Literally PR Online Book Review Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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