Jessica Simpson's Book Name Drops a Lot of Hollywood — But Did She Really Write It?

There has been no shortage of bombshell revelations since Jessica Simpson announced the release of her memoir, Open Book. From discussing the demise of her marriage to 90 Degrees singer Nick Lachey to having an emotional affair with her Dukes of Hazzard co-star Johnny Knoxville to kissing Justin Timberlake, Jessica has not held back when it comes to her tell-all. 

While her various escapades and stories have earned her headline news, many are wondering if she is the sole author of the book. 

Did Jessica Simpson really write her book?  Many are assuming that the actress, designer, singer, and now author had assistance in writing her book. Read on for the speculation surrounding her ghostwriter, and to find out who he is.

Jessica's intense stories about dealing with alcoholism, diet pills, invasive plastic surgery, and personal turmoil are garnering a lot of press for Open Book, but there is still speculation about whether Jessica worked on the memoir alone. Though she discusses writing in her study every night in the prologue of Open Book, Jessica did work with a ghostwriter.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Jessica dedicates Open Book to a man named Kevin Carr O’Leary. In this dedication, Jessica writes, "you are the Shakespeare to my thoughts." His name is also featured below hers on the title page of the memoir. 

On Kevin's eponymous website, his bio reads that he is a "#1 New York Times Bestselling Writer and Book Collaborator/Coach." The bio also states that Kevin will "help people get the stories they need to tell down on paper and in their voice."

Before working with celebrities on telling their stories, Kevin worked in medical writing for POZ and wemedia.com. In 2003, he began writing for Us Weekly, where he forged connections in the entertainment world. 

Kevin shared the exciting news of working with Jessica on his Instagram page on Dec. 4. 

"I do other work besides being Dad, LOL," he captioned the photo of Jessica's title page. "Working with Jessica Simpson on her amazing memoir Open Book was a true joy. The book is like a conversation with a best friend."

Many celebrities have worked with ghostwriters before, and it's unclear how much of the memoir Jessica wrote herself. Of course, the stories told are her own. 

Jessica's ghostwriter selection puts her in good company with other major celebrities. Kevin also worked with This Is Us actress Chrissy Metz on her 2018 memoir, This Is Me. 

He also collaborated with actress Gabrielle Union on her 2017 book of essays, We're Going to Need More Wine and he assisted Vivica A. Fox on her book, Every Day I'm Hustling too. 

Open Book is available for purchase online and in major book retailers.