What do you think?
Rate this book
Untethered: Faith, Failure, and Finding Solid Ground
When Laura Whitfield was fourteen, her extraordinary brother, Lawrence, was killed in a mountain climbing accident. That night she had an epiphany: Life is short. Dream big, even if it means taking risks. So, after graduating from high school, she set out on her own, prepared to do just that.
Laura spent her first summer after high school on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, a magical few months filled with friendships, boys, and beer. There she met a handsome DJ who everyone called “Steve the Dream,” and risked her heart. When September came, Steve moved to New York City to become a model —prompting Laura to start thinking about modeling, too. After just one semester of college, still seeking to fill the void left by her brother’s death, she dropped out and moved to New York to become a cover girl. But while juggling the demands of life in the big city—waiting tables, failed relationships, and the cutthroat world of modeling—she lost her way.
A stirring memoir about a young woman’s quest to find hope and stability after devastating loss, Untethered is Laura’s story of overcoming shame, embracing faith, and learning that taking risks—and failing—can lead to a bigger life than you've ever dared to imagine.
Laura spent her first summer after high school on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, a magical few months filled with friendships, boys, and beer. There she met a handsome DJ who everyone called “Steve the Dream,” and risked her heart. When September came, Steve moved to New York City to become a model —prompting Laura to start thinking about modeling, too. After just one semester of college, still seeking to fill the void left by her brother’s death, she dropped out and moved to New York to become a cover girl. But while juggling the demands of life in the big city—waiting tables, failed relationships, and the cutthroat world of modeling—she lost her way.
A stirring memoir about a young woman’s quest to find hope and stability after devastating loss, Untethered is Laura’s story of overcoming shame, embracing faith, and learning that taking risks—and failing—can lead to a bigger life than you've ever dared to imagine.
328 pages, Paperback
Published April 5, 2022
7 people are currently reading
1449 people want to read
About the author
Laura Whitfield
1 book34 followers* First Place 2022 Journey Chanticleer International Book Awards for Overcoming Adversity in Narrative Nonfiction
* Finalist in the Memoir category of the Eric Hoffer Book Awards
* Finalist in the Best New Nonfiction category of the 2022 International Book Awards
* Finalist 2022 Hearten Chanticleer International Book Awards for Uplifting & Inspiring Nonfiction
* Finalist in the Grief/Hardship category of the 2022 Readers' Favorite Book Awards
* Honorable Mention 2023 London Book Festival
* Honorable Mention 2022 New York Book Festival
* The Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Club December 2022 Book-of-the-Month Pick
I grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, the daughter of a journalist and a teacher. I have been an advertising copywriter, newspaper columnist, staff writer for an international relief agency, travel writer, blogger, teacher, communications director for several nonprofits, and personal assistant to a New York Times bestselling author.
My coming-of-age memoir, Untethered: Faith, Failure, and Finding Solid Ground (She Writes Press) is being released April 5, 2022.
I'm passionate about my faith, books, travel, nature (especially the beach), social justice, and my family. I live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with my husband, Stephen.
* Finalist in the Memoir category of the Eric Hoffer Book Awards
* Finalist in the Best New Nonfiction category of the 2022 International Book Awards
* Finalist 2022 Hearten Chanticleer International Book Awards for Uplifting & Inspiring Nonfiction
* Finalist in the Grief/Hardship category of the 2022 Readers' Favorite Book Awards
* Honorable Mention 2023 London Book Festival
* Honorable Mention 2022 New York Book Festival
* The Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Club December 2022 Book-of-the-Month Pick
I grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, the daughter of a journalist and a teacher. I have been an advertising copywriter, newspaper columnist, staff writer for an international relief agency, travel writer, blogger, teacher, communications director for several nonprofits, and personal assistant to a New York Times bestselling author.
My coming-of-age memoir, Untethered: Faith, Failure, and Finding Solid Ground (She Writes Press) is being released April 5, 2022.
I'm passionate about my faith, books, travel, nature (especially the beach), social justice, and my family. I live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with my husband, Stephen.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
March 9, 2022
"If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything…"
The mention of modeling immediately grabbed my attention as ‘n have a close friend who recently entered the world of modeling. I feared an ugly narrative about drugs, eating disorders and the willingness to sell your soul for success. Ms Whitfield’s path took her dangerously close to these, but what she encountered is more universal.
Ms Whitfield takes us on an intimate journey of her life. She honestly shares her grief over her brother’s death and her road to validation and, ultimately, to self-discovery and affirmation of her faith. At no point does she try to shift the blame for her actions. No, she stands tall and owns her mistakes. The details might be different, but her road is one shared by many, especially young women.
The writing is no-nonsense and flows beautifully. Once I reached the point where she goes off to college, I could not put the book down. I just had to know what happened next. After I finished, it felt like a dear friend visited with me for a bit and shared her life with me…
I willingly leave this review based on an eARC copy graciously granted to me by She Writes Press NetGalley.
The mention of modeling immediately grabbed my attention as ‘n have a close friend who recently entered the world of modeling. I feared an ugly narrative about drugs, eating disorders and the willingness to sell your soul for success. Ms Whitfield’s path took her dangerously close to these, but what she encountered is more universal.
Ms Whitfield takes us on an intimate journey of her life. She honestly shares her grief over her brother’s death and her road to validation and, ultimately, to self-discovery and affirmation of her faith. At no point does she try to shift the blame for her actions. No, she stands tall and owns her mistakes. The details might be different, but her road is one shared by many, especially young women.
The writing is no-nonsense and flows beautifully. Once I reached the point where she goes off to college, I could not put the book down. I just had to know what happened next. After I finished, it felt like a dear friend visited with me for a bit and shared her life with me…
I willingly leave this review based on an eARC copy graciously granted to me by She Writes Press NetGalley.
Want to read
March 23, 2025Another Book I want to Read. I did not get to meet Laura Whitfield, but think she may have been at Quail Book Store for Friday Night’s Author Presentation by Patti Callahan Henry’s, The Story She Left Behind It’s probably not good to let me go unsupervised into a Large and Beautiful Bookstore.
I forget who mentioned this book, but the author lives outside Raleigh in Winston-Salem, NC. She is religious, but in all the right ways. She keeps speaking out about the current injustices going on in the USA 🇺🇸. It is very troubling to so many of us.
Anyhow, she is part of a Church that helps people dealing with Housing Insecurity. Here in NC where I live, there are not even Emergency Housing Shelters if you are suddenly Homeless. I find this shocking, since people are standing in the middle of the road trying to get me to do an Instant Prayer Session while I am trying to drive. Why not help those in need of housing? On Long Island, where I used to live, we had over 50 and those certainly were not High End Living, but at least provided a place to stay. There was even a phone number to call after 5:00 PM. This is something I am interested in helping with.
So, want to find out her journey and what occurred after her brother died suddenly when she was so young.
I forget who mentioned this book, but the author lives outside Raleigh in Winston-Salem, NC. She is religious, but in all the right ways. She keeps speaking out about the current injustices going on in the USA 🇺🇸. It is very troubling to so many of us.
Anyhow, she is part of a Church that helps people dealing with Housing Insecurity. Here in NC where I live, there are not even Emergency Housing Shelters if you are suddenly Homeless. I find this shocking, since people are standing in the middle of the road trying to get me to do an Instant Prayer Session while I am trying to drive. Why not help those in need of housing? On Long Island, where I used to live, we had over 50 and those certainly were not High End Living, but at least provided a place to stay. There was even a phone number to call after 5:00 PM. This is something I am interested in helping with.
So, want to find out her journey and what occurred after her brother died suddenly when she was so young.
March 2, 2022
What a wonderful joy to be able to read someone’s own reflections on their life without a sense of being sold something or hearing a justification for their mistakes.
The writing is poetic at times; full of colour and references to the time of year events happened. Free from entitlement and a self conscious perspective, it is a memoir to her family and friends.
It took a while for Laura to build bridges and learn her lines but she was always a loyal friend and supportive family person, reflecting the love she herself mostly received.
One of the best “life stories” I have read; no room for mixed messages. A life lived well, but not without cost.
No celebration or celebrity. Just a honesty that puts me to shame for always putting my best self forward but never revealing the real me.
I hope Laura’s approach to life and her candour helps others to be more truthful and recognise that God’s promises are faithfully sure. We can be slow to forgive ourselves, stagnant in life seeking the forgiveness of others feeling they would judge us badly.
A stimulating and interesting read. A life full of promise, overlaid by an imperfect past. A sense of repeating failure but within, a spirit of survival, progression and value.
Like a prodigal son who comes to his senses
but is unable to avoid further misfortune.
Never beyond a Father's love.
Unlike the prodigal has a range of friends and
family who never separated her from the love of God.
This not a sentimental journey through her life but a honest resumé. This is not a life to judge or measure ourselves against but a well written account of what it means to be human.
A book waiting to be read to shine a light on our own darkest secrets we seldom acknowledge and never disclose.
But Laura, Laura, you put down your pen too soon. A subtle tease leaving the reader to want more.
Whether more pain has to be shared or the frailty of good intentions. Broken promises or shattered dreams we are keen to share your journey more so than ever. Please let us know you’ve started and finished the reflections of motherhood and work life balance - we want more.
It appears you are in a blessed place; this book is an extension of your ministry, self awareness and honesty reflecting God’s love and faithfulness.
The writing is poetic at times; full of colour and references to the time of year events happened. Free from entitlement and a self conscious perspective, it is a memoir to her family and friends.
It took a while for Laura to build bridges and learn her lines but she was always a loyal friend and supportive family person, reflecting the love she herself mostly received.
One of the best “life stories” I have read; no room for mixed messages. A life lived well, but not without cost.
No celebration or celebrity. Just a honesty that puts me to shame for always putting my best self forward but never revealing the real me.
I hope Laura’s approach to life and her candour helps others to be more truthful and recognise that God’s promises are faithfully sure. We can be slow to forgive ourselves, stagnant in life seeking the forgiveness of others feeling they would judge us badly.
A stimulating and interesting read. A life full of promise, overlaid by an imperfect past. A sense of repeating failure but within, a spirit of survival, progression and value.
Like a prodigal son who comes to his senses
but is unable to avoid further misfortune.
Never beyond a Father's love.
Unlike the prodigal has a range of friends and
family who never separated her from the love of God.
This not a sentimental journey through her life but a honest resumé. This is not a life to judge or measure ourselves against but a well written account of what it means to be human.
A book waiting to be read to shine a light on our own darkest secrets we seldom acknowledge and never disclose.
But Laura, Laura, you put down your pen too soon. A subtle tease leaving the reader to want more.
Whether more pain has to be shared or the frailty of good intentions. Broken promises or shattered dreams we are keen to share your journey more so than ever. Please let us know you’ve started and finished the reflections of motherhood and work life balance - we want more.
It appears you are in a blessed place; this book is an extension of your ministry, self awareness and honesty reflecting God’s love and faithfulness.
February 22, 2022
Laura Whitfield shares her life journey as if she were a new close friend. Her journey both in modeling and in her faith is one where you want to keep turning the page. She writes with full transparency and humility and does not glamorize the modeling business at all. Her relationships with her parents seems reminiscent of the era she grew up in and resonated with me. For those who have traveled through the rough patches of life you will find a kindred spirit in Laura.
February 6, 2022
A captivating debut memoir! I’m very selective about the books I choose (particularly fiction and memoirs), as I tend to lose interest quickly, but I finished Whitfield’s book in a weekend. I was fascinated by all her adventures, struggles, and moments of forgiveness and redemption in this coming of age memoir. The end left me wanting more, so I hope there’s a sequel!
January 9, 2022
I finished this book last night and it was really good! It’s my friend Laura’s memoir that will be coming out in a couple months!!
This is her journey from the frost 32 years of her life. It is a journey of self discovery, losing sight of God, and then finding her way back. There are a ton of interesting points and her life has been a fascinating one!
Laura has lived a life full of decisions, twists, and turns. This book is a description of her adventure and seeks to show how God has played a role through it all. Mainly, it is a story of loss and finding hope after experiencing such pain.
She shows how she overcame shame, embraced her faith, and found a way forward. It was really interesting to learn more about her through this work. It is very candid and open, something most people aren’t willing to do. I appreciate the courage involved in writing one’s own story so vulnerably!
This is her journey from the frost 32 years of her life. It is a journey of self discovery, losing sight of God, and then finding her way back. There are a ton of interesting points and her life has been a fascinating one!
Laura has lived a life full of decisions, twists, and turns. This book is a description of her adventure and seeks to show how God has played a role through it all. Mainly, it is a story of loss and finding hope after experiencing such pain.
She shows how she overcame shame, embraced her faith, and found a way forward. It was really interesting to learn more about her through this work. It is very candid and open, something most people aren’t willing to do. I appreciate the courage involved in writing one’s own story so vulnerably!
January 4, 2022
At the tender age of fourteen, Laura Whitfield's world was shattered with the death of her oldest brother, Lawrence. Untethered: Faith, Failure, and Finding Solid Ground is the story of how she grappled with the ups and downs of life following this tragedy.
Her brother seemed to be the center that her family orbited around. After his death the core of the family became hollow. Losing her brother had a profound impact on the author's life; she constantly questioned what he would have thought about many of her decisions.
Reading memoirs allows me to involve myself in other people's lives, from the periphery. The author floundered after high school graduation, pursuing different dreams in different locations. I really liked reading about her time in New York City as a fledging model. Whitfield made questionable relationship choices which reflected her low self esteem.
A major theme in the book revolves around her relationship with her parents, to whose home she returned numerous times as a refuge from the ravages of life. Whitfield reciprocated in her parents' later life, providing elder care as they dealt with medical issues, which is relevant for many readers.
The ending left me wanting to know more. The author ends her memoir with a major life event, but her acknowledgement page alludes to more personal changes, which I very much would like to read. Perhaps she is planning a second book.
Grief recovery has no set time limit. People learn to cope and live with death and loss. While Whitfield admittedly made many missteps, especially in regard to personal relationships, she remained tethered to the memories of her brother and found joy in her work, family, and faith.
Story Circle Book Reviews thanks Janilyn Kocher for this review.
Her brother seemed to be the center that her family orbited around. After his death the core of the family became hollow. Losing her brother had a profound impact on the author's life; she constantly questioned what he would have thought about many of her decisions.
Reading memoirs allows me to involve myself in other people's lives, from the periphery. The author floundered after high school graduation, pursuing different dreams in different locations. I really liked reading about her time in New York City as a fledging model. Whitfield made questionable relationship choices which reflected her low self esteem.
A major theme in the book revolves around her relationship with her parents, to whose home she returned numerous times as a refuge from the ravages of life. Whitfield reciprocated in her parents' later life, providing elder care as they dealt with medical issues, which is relevant for many readers.
The ending left me wanting to know more. The author ends her memoir with a major life event, but her acknowledgement page alludes to more personal changes, which I very much would like to read. Perhaps she is planning a second book.
Grief recovery has no set time limit. People learn to cope and live with death and loss. While Whitfield admittedly made many missteps, especially in regard to personal relationships, she remained tethered to the memories of her brother and found joy in her work, family, and faith.
Story Circle Book Reviews thanks Janilyn Kocher for this review.
December 24, 2021
I read this book in less than two days. You can't imagine the roller coaster ride that Laura Whitfield has had throughout her life which began with a family tragedy in her childhood. Yet, she found her way through each trauma that followed (no spoilers) and moved on to whatever door then opened. Roller coaster really is an understatement. This book is for anyone who may be going through turbulent times or is still dealing with past life trauma. There is a way forward and the author helps us to see that one thing really does lead to another. We can each easily make connections to our own lives.
January 6, 2022
Nearly all of us lose our way at some point in our lives and finding our way back can be downright ugly. Untethered is a raw, unvarnished look at one woman's journey to re-find herself and her faith after a tragic loss leaves her unmoored. It made me think of the mistakes I've made in my life and also how past trauma leads us to make those missteps. Shame often keeps us from talking about them. I applaud the author for overcoming that to tell her story.
April 4, 2022
Untethered by Laura Whitfield is an empowering book that shows that leading an exuberant life gives you the wisdom to be a better person. Laura chased down each dream she had as they shifted and changed even as she feared the messiness which may result. The guilt she had at living a wild and precious life showed that her loss of innocence gained her hard-earned wisdom. The down-to-earth trials and tribulations she wrote about facing empowered me to move past my own guilt and embrace the lessons I learned in life. By writing her detailed story with such openness it proves that by sharing our own faults and strengths, we can give strength to other girls and women to chase their dreams knowing it may be messy but will be okay. I loved this coming-of-age story that details Laura’s life from childhood to adulthood. The nostalgic stories reminded me of sunbathing with baby oil mixed with iodine in the Babe perfume spray. Other stories allowed me to live vicariously by imagining what it would have been like to move to a big city and try to become a model. The unapologetic way she disclosed all her sexual adventures allowed for an openness that took the guilt away from the discussion of sexuality. Her early adult life including marriage had me flipping the pages even faster. Towards the last ¼ of the book, I was in tears. I love her perfectly flawed parents and felt like I was reading about a close loved one. And then the end had me crying happy tears. This is such an important story to embrace as a daughter, sister, woman, mom, and even business person.
April 4, 2022
Upcoming book release! Untethered by Laura Whitfield is out tomorrow (4/5/22)! In this beautiful memoir filled with themes of faith, failure, and family, the author looks back on her life with an honest and open lens.
While growing up as a small town southern girl, her beloved brother passed away in a tragic hiking accident. This unexpected loss when she was 14 changed her outlook on life, and she vowed to dream big and take risks.
During a break from her college pursuits, she moved to the beaches of the Outer Banks, which led her to the modeling world in New York. At only 20 years old, she was thrown into the realities of a big city and tough industry all while carrying the weight of her loss, grief, and loneliness. Even after her modeling days in New York, these feelings followed her as she discovered new passions and navigated family relationships and marriage.
It's interesting how the people we meet and the choices we make can change the course of our lives and turn it into something different than we'd imagined. I related to the author's honest internal conflicts of pursuing a dream/passion and figuring out how faith fits into everyday life choices.
My overall takeaway from this beautiful memoir is this: even though our life experiences vary, we have a shared desire to belong and be loved.
Thank you to Laura Whitfield for sharing your story with the world, and thank you to BookSparks and SheWritesPress for the opportunity to review this ARC. I will be buying a few copies for some friends and family that I know will connect with this story.
While growing up as a small town southern girl, her beloved brother passed away in a tragic hiking accident. This unexpected loss when she was 14 changed her outlook on life, and she vowed to dream big and take risks.
During a break from her college pursuits, she moved to the beaches of the Outer Banks, which led her to the modeling world in New York. At only 20 years old, she was thrown into the realities of a big city and tough industry all while carrying the weight of her loss, grief, and loneliness. Even after her modeling days in New York, these feelings followed her as she discovered new passions and navigated family relationships and marriage.
It's interesting how the people we meet and the choices we make can change the course of our lives and turn it into something different than we'd imagined. I related to the author's honest internal conflicts of pursuing a dream/passion and figuring out how faith fits into everyday life choices.
My overall takeaway from this beautiful memoir is this: even though our life experiences vary, we have a shared desire to belong and be loved.
Thank you to Laura Whitfield for sharing your story with the world, and thank you to BookSparks and SheWritesPress for the opportunity to review this ARC. I will be buying a few copies for some friends and family that I know will connect with this story.
April 3, 2022
Huge thank you to BookSparks, She Writes Press, and Laura Whitfield for my free copy and for letting me be a part of this spring popup!
This was an absolutely beautiful memoir and I enjoyed every second of it. The writing was amazing and everything flowed together with such grace. To say that Laura Whitfield’s life is an interesting one would be an understatement! Between living on the beach, moving to New York to become a model, discovering her passions in life, and becoming a mother, I was completely captivated.
With me about to turn 30, which is around the time in her life that she chose to write about, I could relate to so much in this memoir. Finishing college at a later age than everyone else, struggling to figure out where your faith fits into your life, finding love and wanting to be a mother, longing to find a career filled with passion…yep, all the checkmarks happening over here.
I don’t read a lot of memoirs and I’m always nervous when I start one because this is someone’s life. It’s not a fiction novel where I can freely critique characters with no guilt and yell at the pages when I don’t agree with the decisions made. I’m also always nervous about the ending because of course, the authors are still living their lives and there is no “ending”. But I’m so glad I got a chance to read this one and the ending of the book was perfectly done.
Untethered comes out on April 5th and I would highly recommend you add it to your TBR as part of your non-fiction reads!
This was an absolutely beautiful memoir and I enjoyed every second of it. The writing was amazing and everything flowed together with such grace. To say that Laura Whitfield’s life is an interesting one would be an understatement! Between living on the beach, moving to New York to become a model, discovering her passions in life, and becoming a mother, I was completely captivated.
With me about to turn 30, which is around the time in her life that she chose to write about, I could relate to so much in this memoir. Finishing college at a later age than everyone else, struggling to figure out where your faith fits into your life, finding love and wanting to be a mother, longing to find a career filled with passion…yep, all the checkmarks happening over here.
I don’t read a lot of memoirs and I’m always nervous when I start one because this is someone’s life. It’s not a fiction novel where I can freely critique characters with no guilt and yell at the pages when I don’t agree with the decisions made. I’m also always nervous about the ending because of course, the authors are still living their lives and there is no “ending”. But I’m so glad I got a chance to read this one and the ending of the book was perfectly done.
Untethered comes out on April 5th and I would highly recommend you add it to your TBR as part of your non-fiction reads!
February 26, 2022
I was so captivated by this book by Laura. I have to admit that I was starting to get annoyed that she made the same mistake over and over again, but then the Lord touched my heart and reminded me that they who are forgiven much love much. I was reminded, through her book, that the Lord is a Lord of Grace and Mercy. I love how this book is not like most Christian Biographies or Autobiographies where the person is perfect after they come to know Jesus. That is not true to how the Christian walk is. It is said that we will not be delivered from all sin until we meet Jesus when we go home to heaven. In our earthly life, we have struggles with sin and need to daily repent when we fall short. By the time I finished this book, I was so thankful for it. It, like I said before, reminds us of what a loving God we serve.
April 11, 2022
I liked this book a lot I'm rounding it up to 4 stars. The first thing that drew me to want to read it was the title. I wanted to know what it meant. Untethered from what or whom? How does this fit into the story? It is a memoir of a woman of faith who has certainly had an interesting life from the failures and pain, to the triumphs and joys. Straight after graduating from high school she starts to pursue her dream job of being a model. But things go as well as she had planned. But what I didn't like is she gave us her life story almost year by year. That dragged a bit. And I know it is a memoir but I think it would hold the readers interest better if Ms Whitfield included more dialogue and other POV. I'm interested in reading more from this author, but I hope she will consider these suggestions.
September 15, 2022
In a mesmerizing memoir, Laura Whitfield comes full circle after the death of her brother Lawrence when she was 14. As her life spins out of control, we witness ourselves and all women who struggle to find out who we really are. Passionate, authentic, brutal and poignant, this page turner is one of those books that resonates long after you’ve read the last page. Brilliant prose frames the memoir as Laura defines us all. One of the top reads of 2022.
January 15, 2025
5✨ I love a good memoir and this one was stunning. A vulnerable reflection on one’s grief, love, faith, and desire. To me, this book felt fast-paced but still had lots of emotional depth thanks to Laura’s raw honesty.
March 1, 2022
Sweet Southern girl loses her beloved older brother to a tragic climbing accident. Desperate to fill the heart-hole left by Lawrence’s untimely death, Laura winds up looking for love in all the wrong places. She drops out of college. Twice. Tries numbing the “fermented pain” of bereavement with drugs and booze and playing musical beds.
Hoping to become a super model, Laura arrives in New York with “a suitcase of fragile dreams.” Twelve months and scores of “trailer trash” flings later, the ”promiscuous, back-slidden Christian” returns home to North Carolina empty-handed and defeated. Then she rushes into marriage. She leaves her husband two years later, but not without having an adulterous affair with the usual consequences.
Rudderless, she careens from one dumpster fire to the next. At one point the author asks, “What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I get anything right?” Readers may be wondering the same thing in this story that moves with the alacrity of a three-toed sloth.
After encountering several “God winks” in her journey, Laura eventually re-co0nnects with her faith, finding mercy and forgiveness at long last. It just takes forever to get there.
Hoping to become a super model, Laura arrives in New York with “a suitcase of fragile dreams.” Twelve months and scores of “trailer trash” flings later, the ”promiscuous, back-slidden Christian” returns home to North Carolina empty-handed and defeated. Then she rushes into marriage. She leaves her husband two years later, but not without having an adulterous affair with the usual consequences.
Rudderless, she careens from one dumpster fire to the next. At one point the author asks, “What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I get anything right?” Readers may be wondering the same thing in this story that moves with the alacrity of a three-toed sloth.
After encountering several “God winks” in her journey, Laura eventually re-co0nnects with her faith, finding mercy and forgiveness at long last. It just takes forever to get there.
April 11, 2022
Author Laura Whitfield is a risk taker, a trait that can lead to success or failure or a combination of both. Come meet her in her deeply reflective debut memoir, Untethered: Faith, Failure, and Finding Solid Ground. A former model and the daughter of a newspaperman and a teacher, Laura invites you into her story with gripping, conversational prose.
She gains your trust as a reader from the beginning when she takes us back to the day when she is fourteen and learns that her beloved big brother, Lawrence, her hero and champion, has died at the tender age of twenty-three in a tragic accident in Scotland. As she and her family grapple with this life altering loss, Laura tells an aunt, “Life is short. You have to make every moment count.” That revelation at such a young age empowers Laura to go after her dreams, despite the odds.
Still haunted by her brother’s death, Laura is barely out of high school when she sets out on a journey from her family’s safe middle-class life in Raleigh, North Carolina to the Outer Banks and then to New York City. Strikingly beautiful, all she wants is the chance to prove herself in the highly competitive and grueling world of fashion modeling. But her need for acceptance and love can sometimes clash with those wholesome values instilled in her growing up in a family who attended church on a regular basis.
Besides modeling, Laura has dreams of earning a college degree. She also feels the tug of the writing muse calling her along with that sense of going home and finding true love. As the child of a newspaper writer and editor, Laura grew up with the sounds of her dad’s typewriter clacking away. For those of us who’ve read her book, we’re glad Laura followed her dreams to become a writer.
From the moment I downloaded her book on my Kindle, I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the end. Parts of the book left me feeling unhinged at times because I worried about some of the choices the author made when she was younger. Each time I cringed, it was because I could relate to so many of them on some level.
I’ve never met the author in person, but through the pages of Untethered, I feel like I’ve met a kindred spirit. If you’ve ever done something you’re ashamed of, this is the book for you. I found the story soul-healing and redemptive, a balm of Grace soothing the wounds we sometimes inflict on ourselves.
I highly recommend it. Perfect for book club discussions.
She gains your trust as a reader from the beginning when she takes us back to the day when she is fourteen and learns that her beloved big brother, Lawrence, her hero and champion, has died at the tender age of twenty-three in a tragic accident in Scotland. As she and her family grapple with this life altering loss, Laura tells an aunt, “Life is short. You have to make every moment count.” That revelation at such a young age empowers Laura to go after her dreams, despite the odds.
Still haunted by her brother’s death, Laura is barely out of high school when she sets out on a journey from her family’s safe middle-class life in Raleigh, North Carolina to the Outer Banks and then to New York City. Strikingly beautiful, all she wants is the chance to prove herself in the highly competitive and grueling world of fashion modeling. But her need for acceptance and love can sometimes clash with those wholesome values instilled in her growing up in a family who attended church on a regular basis.
Besides modeling, Laura has dreams of earning a college degree. She also feels the tug of the writing muse calling her along with that sense of going home and finding true love. As the child of a newspaper writer and editor, Laura grew up with the sounds of her dad’s typewriter clacking away. For those of us who’ve read her book, we’re glad Laura followed her dreams to become a writer.
From the moment I downloaded her book on my Kindle, I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the end. Parts of the book left me feeling unhinged at times because I worried about some of the choices the author made when she was younger. Each time I cringed, it was because I could relate to so many of them on some level.
I’ve never met the author in person, but through the pages of Untethered, I feel like I’ve met a kindred spirit. If you’ve ever done something you’re ashamed of, this is the book for you. I found the story soul-healing and redemptive, a balm of Grace soothing the wounds we sometimes inflict on ourselves.
I highly recommend it. Perfect for book club discussions.
May 10, 2022
This is a fine memoir. Beginning with a happy childhood as a devout young Southern Christian girl, Laura’s life is upended by the tragic death of her brother when they are both quite young. We feel her pain and disorientation, and that of her parents, who mean well, but are themselves too thrown off balance by the tragedy to be of real help. No family – or person – is the same after such a loss, even when there is a retreat into denial. We follow Laura, unknowingly wounded, through high school and an on again-off again college career, where she is profoundly influenced by the discovery of her sexuality. She’s also influenced by her relationships with men of varying caliber, some of whom are unworthy of her trust and affection. This is a not unfamiliar story of a young woman adrift in the 1970s, but this one is told with candor and honesty about her experiences, as well as her own immaturity and personal shortcomings. At one point she moves to New York City to become a model and she does. This is the hip Manhattan of Studio 54 and the swinging singles scene. Throughout this saga, Laura keeps having experiences that should be satisfying and fulfilling but always leave her feeling empty and vaguely unsatisfied. As a reader, I went along for the journey, always wondering what would happen next, hoping against hope she’d stop making some of the same mistakes over and over again. Happily, she finally gets off the merry-go-round of chasing material success and finds a more grounded life back home, aided by a return to the faith she had lost. There is something quite heroic about watching someone learn the life-enhancing power of humility. Laura Whitfield is good company on this journey, her prose style is reader friendly and inclusive. Full disclosure: I was given a copy of this book to read and, if I cared to, to review. Happily, I quite liked it.
April 9, 2022
In immediate, accessible writing, author Laura Whitfield’s starkly confessional memoir, Untethered, begins when tragedy strikes the heart of her tightly knit, Southern family. At fourteen years old, the author’s world is shattered by the death of her beloved older brother, leaving Laura to find her way in the world without the brother she relied upon as a compass.
Throughout the mid-1970’s and into the 1980’s, Laura embarks on a promising modeling career in New York city, and the reader is taken into NYC’s inner sanctum, where the sky is the limit for this young, and beautiful woman from North Carolina. But a series of disastrous love affairs cause the author an overwhelming sense of disillusionment, and, after fleeing back home for safety, it is many years before she realizes the mistakes she made were an unconscious attempt at filling the void over the significant loss of her brother.
Untethered reads as an unfiltered testimony to coming of age concerns during the simple times of the 1970’s and 80’s. Issues of familial and societal expectations collide with a world newly accommodating to women in the work place, and all the while the author tries to reconcile a past riddled with wrong choices and blind mistakes.
With an unstoppable spirit and belief in herself and better days, Laura Whitfield navigates the minefield of adulthood as she returns to school, becomes employed, and assists her parents in their declining years. With one failed marriage behind her, she finds her way to God, a love that endures, and, wiser now, sets out on a path to a bright future.
An engaging, confessional memoir both heart wrenching and inspirational, Laura Whitfield’s Untethered is fascinating reading sure to delight readers who enjoy a multilevel, thoroughly realized memoir.
Throughout the mid-1970’s and into the 1980’s, Laura embarks on a promising modeling career in New York city, and the reader is taken into NYC’s inner sanctum, where the sky is the limit for this young, and beautiful woman from North Carolina. But a series of disastrous love affairs cause the author an overwhelming sense of disillusionment, and, after fleeing back home for safety, it is many years before she realizes the mistakes she made were an unconscious attempt at filling the void over the significant loss of her brother.
Untethered reads as an unfiltered testimony to coming of age concerns during the simple times of the 1970’s and 80’s. Issues of familial and societal expectations collide with a world newly accommodating to women in the work place, and all the while the author tries to reconcile a past riddled with wrong choices and blind mistakes.
With an unstoppable spirit and belief in herself and better days, Laura Whitfield navigates the minefield of adulthood as she returns to school, becomes employed, and assists her parents in their declining years. With one failed marriage behind her, she finds her way to God, a love that endures, and, wiser now, sets out on a path to a bright future.
An engaging, confessional memoir both heart wrenching and inspirational, Laura Whitfield’s Untethered is fascinating reading sure to delight readers who enjoy a multilevel, thoroughly realized memoir.
April 6, 2022
“We often make choices about the future in a vacuum. We believe that if we take the path we’re compelled to take, things will work out. But it’s a crapshoot at best, and we know it. Still, we plow ahead and hope for the best.”
Oh man this book brought me right back to the days of coveting those 90’s models, flipping those glossy pages ogling the Ralph Lauren ads, and laying on the beach for hours.
#laurawhitfield lays herself bare in Untethered. I don’t think we give enough credit to those who put pen to paper and write their stories. It must take an incredible amount of strength to tell your story, ugly bits and all. She is so honest with herself and aware of how the things that happened to her and the decisions that she made shaped her life.
“Troy was my husband, and I’d made promises to him that were supposed to be forever. Then Luke had come along and penetrated my heart, body, and soul, and those vows just hadn’t stood up. They hadn’t been weight-bearing. Now I was watching them fall in slow motion, crashing around my feet like an imploding building.”
I don’t want to summarize this book for you because 1. You should read it yourself and 2. This is Laura’s story to tell. So grab yourself a copy and enjoy the ride of this strong woman who faced tragedy head on, stumbled and fell, but ultimately persevered. 💕
Thank you so much to @booksparks, @shewritespress, and @laurawhitfieldwriterfor this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Oh man this book brought me right back to the days of coveting those 90’s models, flipping those glossy pages ogling the Ralph Lauren ads, and laying on the beach for hours.
#laurawhitfield lays herself bare in Untethered. I don’t think we give enough credit to those who put pen to paper and write their stories. It must take an incredible amount of strength to tell your story, ugly bits and all. She is so honest with herself and aware of how the things that happened to her and the decisions that she made shaped her life.
“Troy was my husband, and I’d made promises to him that were supposed to be forever. Then Luke had come along and penetrated my heart, body, and soul, and those vows just hadn’t stood up. They hadn’t been weight-bearing. Now I was watching them fall in slow motion, crashing around my feet like an imploding building.”
I don’t want to summarize this book for you because 1. You should read it yourself and 2. This is Laura’s story to tell. So grab yourself a copy and enjoy the ride of this strong woman who faced tragedy head on, stumbled and fell, but ultimately persevered. 💕
Thank you so much to @booksparks, @shewritespress, and @laurawhitfieldwriterfor this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 11, 2025
Untethered: Faith, Failure, and Finding Solid Ground by Laura Whitfield is a beautifully honest memoir intimate, brave, and deeply human. It traces the fragile line between loss and renewal, capturing the ache of a young woman trying to rebuild her identity after grief shatters her foundation.
When Laura’s beloved brother Lawrence dies in a climbing accident, her world splits open. That night she makes a promise life is short, so live it fully. What follows is a journey marked by courage and chaos, heartbreak and hope. From the sun-washed beaches of North Carolina’s Outer Banks to the restless pulse of 1980s New York, Whitfield’s story unfolds with cinematic vividness part coming-of-age, part spiritual reckoning.
Her writing glows with emotional clarity and narrative grace, carrying readers through the highs of youthful ambition and the lows of disillusionment with honesty and tenderness. What makes Untethered stand out isn’t just its vulnerability it’s Whitfield’s quiet strength in translating loss into meaning, faith into renewal.
Fans of Chanel Miller, Glennon Doyle, or Tara Westover will find Untethered both raw and restorative a memoir that reminds us that faith isn’t the absence of fear or failure, but the courage to keep standing when the ground feels like it’s shifting beneath you.
When Laura’s beloved brother Lawrence dies in a climbing accident, her world splits open. That night she makes a promise life is short, so live it fully. What follows is a journey marked by courage and chaos, heartbreak and hope. From the sun-washed beaches of North Carolina’s Outer Banks to the restless pulse of 1980s New York, Whitfield’s story unfolds with cinematic vividness part coming-of-age, part spiritual reckoning.
Her writing glows with emotional clarity and narrative grace, carrying readers through the highs of youthful ambition and the lows of disillusionment with honesty and tenderness. What makes Untethered stand out isn’t just its vulnerability it’s Whitfield’s quiet strength in translating loss into meaning, faith into renewal.
Fans of Chanel Miller, Glennon Doyle, or Tara Westover will find Untethered both raw and restorative a memoir that reminds us that faith isn’t the absence of fear or failure, but the courage to keep standing when the ground feels like it’s shifting beneath you.
January 30, 2022
Unfortunately, this is the kind of review that I hate to write in that I really didn't like this book. Its billed as a memoir and yet it comes across as almost a quick summary of a diary, I'm not even sure how else to explain it. The author really just glosses over her life, not seeming to delve into much of anything. The book essentially begins after her older brothers tragic death and more or less encompasses her desire to "find" herself. This happens in a very wide variety of ways- college, dropping out of college, a move to the Outer Banks, men, moving to NYC, moving home, a variety of jobs, and then a sprinkling of faith. And honestly, the whole faith and church thing threw me too. I didn't realize that faith was (supposed) to be a large part of this book, but again, it's something that just seems to be casually added.
I read this book quickly purely because I wanted to be done with it. Maybe some people will find it interesting but to me this just wasn't a story that needed to be written. I do appreciate Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
I read this book quickly purely because I wanted to be done with it. Maybe some people will find it interesting but to me this just wasn't a story that needed to be written. I do appreciate Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
March 3, 2023
“Life is short. You have to make every moment count.”
This is what our author tells one of her aunt’s shortly after learning of her beloved brother’s tragic death when she is just 14 years old. What a succinct remark. From there, Laura Whitfield takes us with her on her life’s path.
And she shares it all - the good choices along with the bad - and accepts both the blame and responsibility for her actions. Her struggles to find herself in the world were quite messy at times, but she persevered. One can’t help but equally cheer her on only to shake one’s head over something else. What a rollercoaster her early life was!
It was heartwarming when Laura found her way back to her faith. Bittersweet that she and her mother were able to solidify their sometimes rocky relationship. Then once she met and fell in love with Drew that she had truly mastered her demons. I was so happy for her!
The last bit of the book went quickly. Fun, sadness and tremendous joy made me teary…that once lost 14 year old girl finally was whole once more.
Thank you, Laura Whitfield, for sharing the darkness and light of your life.
This is what our author tells one of her aunt’s shortly after learning of her beloved brother’s tragic death when she is just 14 years old. What a succinct remark. From there, Laura Whitfield takes us with her on her life’s path.
And she shares it all - the good choices along with the bad - and accepts both the blame and responsibility for her actions. Her struggles to find herself in the world were quite messy at times, but she persevered. One can’t help but equally cheer her on only to shake one’s head over something else. What a rollercoaster her early life was!
It was heartwarming when Laura found her way back to her faith. Bittersweet that she and her mother were able to solidify their sometimes rocky relationship. Then once she met and fell in love with Drew that she had truly mastered her demons. I was so happy for her!
The last bit of the book went quickly. Fun, sadness and tremendous joy made me teary…that once lost 14 year old girl finally was whole once more.
Thank you, Laura Whitfield, for sharing the darkness and light of your life.
March 23, 2022
What a great book This woman went through a lot of changes and she was trying to find herself after her brother died in a tragic accident in Scotland when she was a girl in high school and how she was trying to figure out life on her own terms and she went through different phases they're different phases like she went to the beach at nag's head and And exceptions did not work out Try to go back to school but that wasn't making her happy then she tried going to New York to be a model and that really didn't kind of work out but she found her own way and it was pretty impressive how she couldn't changed her life around and you'll get to see this through the book and some people just have to have a few hard knocks to really understand how things happen one thing I was very impressed with is how men Kind of used her because she thought this was love but really wasn't because they always were trying to tell her what to do how to put her down but she found a way around that too
December 21, 2022
Untethered: Faith, Failure, and Finding Solid Ground by Laura Whitfield is a memoir notable for its unsparing honesty. It would be tempting to soften the truth, to not acknowledge her missteps quite so fully, but Whitfield shines a strong light on them, giving readers insights into bringing about redemption in their own lives. From a family tragedy when she was a teenager to her forays into modeling and advertising—along with some less-than-judicious decisions along the way—Whitfield never gives up. Her interactions with her parents are particularly meaningful and poignant, especially as they become older. Whitfield’s search for an authentic faith to claim as her own helps her to unravel her past and plot out a more promising future. Her persistence and resilience make for a vibrant life as well as a worthwhile book!
July 26, 2024
Laura Whitfield's memoir, "Untethered," is a compelling exploration of grief and self-discovery. After the tragic death of her brother Lawrence, Laura's life takes a dramatic turn. From her carefree summers in North Carolina to the harsh realities of New York City's modeling world, Whitfield's story is one of resilience and courage.
Whitfield’s writing is both raw and evocative, vividly capturing the spirit of the 70s with rich descriptions and emotional honesty. Her cycles of relationships and her quest for meaning after her brother's loss are particularly compelling. The memoir's strength lies in its relatability, as Laura navigates life with remarkable self-awareness.
Whitfield's openness and bravery in sharing her story provide valuable lessons in faith and perseverance. This memoir is a must-read for its heartfelt message and powerful journey of embracing one’s true self.
Whitfield’s writing is both raw and evocative, vividly capturing the spirit of the 70s with rich descriptions and emotional honesty. Her cycles of relationships and her quest for meaning after her brother's loss are particularly compelling. The memoir's strength lies in its relatability, as Laura navigates life with remarkable self-awareness.
Whitfield's openness and bravery in sharing her story provide valuable lessons in faith and perseverance. This memoir is a must-read for its heartfelt message and powerful journey of embracing one’s true self.
May 28, 2023
Thank you Laura Whitfield - for such a beautifully written memoir. Laura pulled no stops in telling a brutally vivid account of her life from age 14 - 31. She gave us the good, the bad and sometimes the ugly times she experienced in the aftermath of her family losing a beloved son and brother in a mountain climbing accident. We all know the rip that often occurs in a family as each member tries to reconcile themselves to an event such as this. Laura describes how she much later realized all the years she had made so many bad choices a few things. You will have to read this to see how her faith was an important factor and gave her the strength to weather heartbreaking events she endured. This was a compelling read that has been in my TBR stack and I am glad it finally reached the top!
March 11, 2022
TW: Sibling loss
This one hit the core, I read it in one sitting and I am still thinking about it now.
We all lose our way and it's so lovely to read how others also stumble and find their way back onto their path. After losing her brother in a mountain climbing accident, Laura decides that "Life is short. Dream big, even if it means taking risks" and does many things to try and fill the void left by her brother.
Writing style was A+ and I enjoyed how she told her story.
Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
This one hit the core, I read it in one sitting and I am still thinking about it now.
We all lose our way and it's so lovely to read how others also stumble and find their way back onto their path. After losing her brother in a mountain climbing accident, Laura decides that "Life is short. Dream big, even if it means taking risks" and does many things to try and fill the void left by her brother.
Writing style was A+ and I enjoyed how she told her story.
Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
April 14, 2022
Easy read about an adventurous life
What I liked about this book the most is that it was easy and light to read. While the circumstances and heartbreak that happened in Laura's life is anything, but easy and light, I never felt emotionally eviscerated to where I needed to put the book down and process. I found her life to be so adventurous and Laura herself to be interesting that I kept wanting to turn the page and see what happens next. My only wish is to see what happens next after the book ended.
What I liked about this book the most is that it was easy and light to read. While the circumstances and heartbreak that happened in Laura's life is anything, but easy and light, I never felt emotionally eviscerated to where I needed to put the book down and process. I found her life to be so adventurous and Laura herself to be interesting that I kept wanting to turn the page and see what happens next. My only wish is to see what happens next after the book ended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews