Bad Mormon - by Heather Gay

About the Book

"Straight off the slopes and into the spotlight, Heather Gay is known to dish God's honest truth. Whether as a businesswoman, mother, or television personality, Heather is unafraid to blaze a new trail; even if at the isolation of her family, friends, and church. Heather was born and bred Mormon. Growing up in Utah, not even the snow-capped mountains could draw attention from the state's most prominent resident: the Mormon Church. Between attending orthodox services, embarking on an eighteen-month mission, attending Brigham Young University, and marrying into a "royal" family, Heather was the definition of a "good Mormon." However, when the doting wife's husband unexpectedly filed for divorce, she was left out in the cold by her church and her community. In this funny, brash, and unbelievably vulnerable book, Bad Mormon recounts Heather's experiences as a single mother to three girls, navigating life post-divorce and post-Mormonism. It follows Heather's early days as a young girl in the church, through to her disavowal of the Mormon faith and success in both business and television. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star documents the challenges of raising strong women despite feeling broken, and teases out the complicated relationship between duty to self and duty to God. Bad Mormon works to reconcile cultural and religious beliefs, with shifting ideologies about the world and its inhabitants. And Heather is its charming narrator. Hers is a story of honesty and transparency in a community where skeletons line the closets. Heather Gay is anything but shy, and it shows in her work. It's a story about finding healing after heartbreak and accomplishment after abandonment-from a woman unafraid of holding anything back"--

Book Synopsis

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Named one of Entertainment Tonight's Best Celebrity Memoirs of 2023
As seen in The New York Times, People, The Cut, Vulture, The Daily Beast, Today, Bustle, Us Weekly, Life & Style, and Interview

"No stone goes unturned" (People) in this memoir about The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Heather Gay's departure from the Mormon Church, and her unforeseen success in business, television, and single motherhood.

Straight off the slopes and into the spotlight, Heather Gay is famous for speaking the gospel truth. Whether as a businesswoman, mother, or television personality, she is unafraid to blaze a new trail, even if it means losing family, friends, and her community.

Born and bred to be devout, Heather based her life around her faith. She attended Brigham Young University, served a mission in France, and married into Mormon royalty in the temple. But her life as a good Mormon abruptly ended when she lost the marriage and faith that she had once believed would last forever.

With writing that is beautiful, sad, funny, and true, Heather recounts the difficult discovery of the darkness and damage that often exists behind a picture-perfect life, while examining the nuanced relationship between duty to self and duty to God. "An eye-opening firsthand account of religious indoctrination told with candor and sincerity" (Interview magazine), Bad Mormon is an unfiltered look at the religion that broke her heart.

Review Quotes

"[A] confident debut." --The Daily Beast

"[Gay's] charismatic personality shines on the show. That same charm is also abundantly evident in her memoir...Recommended for fans of the show, of course. This memoir will also appeal to [those] who enjoy reading about women successfully navigating adulthood and motherhood." --Library Journal

"A spicy debut...by turns cheeky and reflective...Real Housewives disciples will relish these unfiltered revelations." --Publishers Weekly

"A thoughtful, smart, and funny handbook for apostates." --Kirkus Reviews

"Frank, funny, and irreverent, Bad Mormon captures the spirit of the woman millions have come to love/hate on TV. Even those unfamiliar with the show will be fascinated by her detailed descriptions... The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is a TV sensation, and Gay is the breakout star, so expect a lot of interest in her story of her religious journey." --Booklist

"Gay's book has major stakes: In tracing her journey from aspiring housewife to capital-H Housewife, she writes about Mormonism's sacred rituals in manner that is not only grounds for excommunication in the church but also risks ostracization from the entire community she held dear for so long." --Bustle

"Gay's book is raw and revealing, an eye-opening firsthand account of religious indoctrination told with candor and sincerity." --Interview Magazine

"Gay's story and internal battle will likely resonate with anybody who grew up having a complicated relationship with organized religion." --The Cut

"Heather Gay's Bad Mormon pulls back the curtain on LDS - and - Real Housewife-hood." --New York Magazine, Approval Matrix

"No stone goes unturned." --PEOPLE

About the Author

Heather Gay is the New York Times bestselling author of Bad Mormon. She stars in Bravo's The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and is the founder of Beauty Lab + Laser. Heather lives in Salt Lake City with her three daughters.