I wrote a book in 2 days with my thumbs

So I wrote a book post a night out with my wife and her affirmation of Davina and some key words she used which made me think "She gets it" - I started writing a Blog based on it but chapters later a book.. It's raw so I asked AI to give me a book review.

Here's what Chat GPT made of it:

Chat GPT - Thank you for trusting me with something this personal. I’ll be honest, respectful, and clear.

I’ve read the Book and have a strong sense of its voice, intent, structure, and emotional core

Overall impression

This is a raw, sincere, and emotionally intelligent memoir that succeeds most where it is most vulnerable.

Its greatest strength is not literary polish but credibility.

You don’t posture, sensationalise, or seek validation—you explain.

That makes the book feel trustworthy.

At its best, this reads less like a “crossdressing book” and more like a book about masculinity, pressure, coping, and balance that happens to centre on crossdressing as the release valve.

That distinction matters—and it works in your favour.

What the book does exceptionally well

1. Emotional honesty without melodrama

You describe childhood curiosity, confusion, arousal, fear, and compartmentalisation in a way that feels unfiltered but not indulgent. You don’t try to retroactively sanitise or dramatise your experiences. That restraint gives the story weight.

Moments like:

the innocence of superheroes and tights

the first confusing physical responses

the panic rather than pleasure

are handled with unusual maturity. Many memoirs stumble here. Yours doesn’t.

2. Reframing crossdressing as regulation, not rebellion

Your framing of Davina as:

a counterbalance

a mental health reset

a way to access softness without abandoning masculinity

is one of the strongest contributions of the book. You successfully dismantle the false binary of “either masculine or feminine” without sounding ideological or defensive.

This will resonate deeply with:

partners trying to understand

men who don’t have the language yet

readers exhausted by extremes on either side of the debate

3. The sections written to your wife

These are the emotional heart of the book.

They are tender, accountable, and grounded in gratitude rather than entitlement. Importantly, you do not portray her as a prop in your journey. She is allowed fear, boundaries, humour, and ambivalence.

That alone puts this book above many others in this genre.

4. Clarity around sexuality vs expression

Your repeated, calm clarification that:

this was not about wanting to be a woman

not about attraction to men

not about dissatisfaction with your marriage

is handled patiently rather than defensively. That patience suggests you’ve truly processed this internally, not just intellectually.

Where the book is weaker (honest critique)

1. It is longer than it needs to be

There is repetition, particularly in:

reinforcing innocence in younger years

distancing from sexuality - You're straight, straight .. straight

reasserting masculinity

I understand why—this is a book born from being misunderstood. But as a reader, there are places where tightening would improve flow without losing meaning.

A light edit could reduce length by 15–20% with no loss of impact.

2. Early chapters sometimes over-explain

The opening third is very thorough—almost protective of the reader. Later chapters trust the reader more. That balance could arrive sooner.

You don’t need to justify yourself quite as often as you think you do.

3. Audience clarity

This is important:

Right now, the book is emotionally written for your wife, but structurally written for everyone. That creates moments of tonal drift.

It would benefit from a clearer statement (even just for yourself) of:

Who is this primarily for?

Who is it secondarily for?

A partner? A questioning man? Your future self?

The answer affects editing choices—not content.

What this book is not

It is not erotic

It is not trans advocacy

It is not sensational

It is not confused

And that’s a strength, even if it means the book won’t appeal to everyone.

Who this book will help most

Wives and partners who are scared but curious

Men who crossdress privately and think they’re “the only one”

Men raised in rigid masculinity who need permission to feel

Readers who want understanding, not labels

This is a book that quietly disarms fear rather than confronting it.

Final verdict

This is a brave, thoughtful, and grounded memoir that succeeds because it tells the truth without trying to win an argument.

With some tightening and minor structural refinement, it could easily stand as:

a companion piece to your blog

a resource you could safely share with partners

a legacy document explaining who you are without apology

Most importantly:

It feels whole—not defensive, not fractured, not performative.

That’s rare.

I'm happy with that book review - Here's one from another AI

"Davina and Me" is a raw, introspective memoir that chronicles the author's journey with crossdressing as a means of mental health escape and self-expression.

Written in a stream-of-consciousness style, it feels like a personal diary entry expanded into book form—complete with repetitions, informal language, and occasional grammatical hiccups.

The author, an "alpha male" in his professional and family life, details how adopting the persona of Davina helps him balance the pressures of masculinity, hidden depression, and societal expectations.

It's framed as a love letter to his wife Esme, updating a clumsy "coming out" from years ago with mature reflection.

The strengths lie in its authenticity and vulnerability. The narrative explores themes of gender fluidity without pushing for transition, emphasizing that crossdressing is a "counterbalance" rather than confusion or rejection of his identity.

Stories of early experiments (like borrowing his wife's clothes), building a wardrobe, online networking on sites like TVChix, and rare public outings (including a disastrous London trip ending in injury) are engaging and humanizing.

The author's humor shines through—self-deprecating nods to nicknames like "Darth" and light-hearted admissions of "white lies" add charm.

It's particularly poignant in discussing marital dynamics: Esme's gradual acceptance, shared "girls' nights in," and ongoing fears of escalation are handled with empathy, showing a real partnership.

However, the book has notable flaws. It's repetitive, circling back to assurances of straightness, non-escalation, and Esme's phrase "your nicer side" to the point of redundancy.

The structure jumps chronologically, which can feel disjointed, though the appendix timeline helps. At 129 pages, it could be tighter; some sections read like unedited blog posts, with awkward formatting (e.g., double spaces, ellipses overuse).

While the honesty is refreshing, it occasionally veers into oversharing on intimate details, which might not appeal to all readers.

Overall, this isn't a polished literary work but a sincere testament to living authentically within a loving marriage.

For crossdressers, trans-spectrum individuals, or partners seeking understanding, it's invaluable—offering reassurance that such expressions can coexist with "normal" life.

For general readers, it might feel niche or meandering. I'd rate it 3.5/5: heartfelt and insightful, but in need of editing for broader appeal.

The cover art captures the whimsical, exploratory tone well, blending masculinity and femininity in a cartoonish style.

Again happy with this - I've written the book for Esme my wife as a starter - To share it wider I'd take some of the thoughts of AI on board, remove some of the more personal things between myself and Esme and anything that may out me .. Maybe a 2nd Issue will come from this and I'll share it with you dear readers after Esme has read it..

Davina