Kiersten Lyons' "Crushed": The Memoir That Gets Heartbreak Right

In her debut memoir Crushed: The Boys That Never Liked Me Back, Kiersten Lyons proves herself to be a rare literary voice, one that balances self-deprecating wit with emotional clarity. Best known as an actress and comedian, Lyons brings the same comedic timing and candid storytelling to the page that has earned her a devoted following online. This memoir is part heartbreak comedy, part coming-of-age confessional, and entirely unforgettable.

The book opens in what should be a moment of joy and celebration. Kiersten is tying bows on her wedding invitations when her fiancé tells her he doesn’t love her anymore and admits he’s been unfaithful. The location of his betrayal, The Magic Castle in Hollywood, sets the stage for what feels like a perfectly absurd and devastating twist. Just months later, as Kiersten scrambles to pay rent and regain her footing, the same man wins a hundred thousand dollars on a reality show. This surreal and painful beginning sets the tone for a memoir that refuses to sanitize or romanticize personal failure. Instead, Lyons leans into the awkward, painful, and wildly unfair parts of life and mines them for truth, laughter, and ultimately, wisdom.

What follows is not a revenge plot or a neatly wrapped redemption arc. Lyons takes readers on a winding, honest journey through heartbreak, rejection, and deep disappointment. With a sharp eye for detail and a refusal to self-censor, she recounts the moments we usually try to forget. There are the failed auditions, the excruciating almost-relationships, the unsolicited opinions from casting directors and childhood crushes. Through it all, Lyons maintains a refreshing sense of humor and perspective. Her voice is conversational and vulnerable, like reading the diary of your funniest, most honest friend.

But this book is not just about romantic misadventures. Crushed is, at its core, about what it means to rebuild after your dreams fall apart in public. Lyons explores the feeling of being left behind while everyone else seems to be thriving. She questions the well-meaning platitudes we so often hear in moments of pain, such as “everything happens for a reason,” and instead offers a more honest and empowering message. Sometimes things fall apart for no reason at all. And sometimes the only way through is to name the pain, laugh through the tears, and keep going.

What makes Crushed stand out is how deftly it handles both humor and heartbreak. Kiersten Lyons is genuinely funny, with a natural gift for storytelling and comedic timing. But the humor never comes at the expense of emotional depth. The laughs are real, but so are the losses. Lyons writes openly about the times she felt invisible, unchosen, and broken. Her willingness to be seen in those moments makes her a narrator readers will root for and remember.

The structure of the book mirrors the way we process grief and growth—nonlinear, filled with flashbacks and detours. Lyons blends her present-day reflections with stories from her childhood, teen years, and twenties, painting a full and textured picture of a woman learning to trust herself again. The result is a memoir that feels both deeply personal and widely relatable.

Readers who loved books like Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton or Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling will find a kindred spirit in Lyons. She writes with that same mix of heart, awkwardness, and hilarity. But Crushed also carves out its own unique space, particularly in how it confronts the performative positivity culture and the myth of constant upward progress. Lyons gives readers permission to not be okay, and in doing so, offers real hope.

By the end of Crushed, you won’t just feel like you know Kiersten—you’ll feel like she knows you. Her honesty, humor, and resilience will speak to anyone who has ever felt left behind or not enough. This is a memoir for anyone who has been ghosted, heartbroken, underestimated, or just trying to figure out how to keep moving forward when life does not go according to plan.

In Crushed: The Boys That Never Liked Me Back, Kiersten Lyons has written a funny, fearless, and emotionally resonant debut. It is a book that reminds us we are never as alone as we feel and that sometimes the best stories come from the moments we never wanted in the first place.

Connect with Kiersten Lyons:

Website // TikTok // Buy "Crushed"