Mayte Garcia was just sixteen when she had a chance meeting with Prince backstage at a concert and an unexpected friendship developed. She was already financially supporting herself as a well-known belly dancer living in Germany where her dad was stationed, had the support of her family as she finished high school early while studying dance, and prepared to work in Cairo where she had the opportunity to become a world-renowned dancer.
She tells readers there was nothing romantic between the two while she was a minor and it was mutual respect for their artistry that kept the pair talking on the phone and writing letters back and forth. Eventually, Mayte dropped everything to go on tour with Prince, a romance developed (after she was legally an adult), and the two married. Their bliss continued when Mayte discovered she was pregnant ...but soon turned to heartbreak when their son was born with a rare genetic disorder that was not compatible with life.
After their son Amiir died, Mayte and Prince grieved in very different ways. I can’t imagine how hard it was to recount the grief, the loss of her son, and the slow loss of her husband afterward.
I love that this book wasn’t just about Prince and spilling the tea on the notoriously eccentric musician and it didn’t feel like a money grab in the wake of his death- it was an honest account of her life with a focus on their life together, her thoughts, and shows the love and respect she has for him.
I see this story as one of a girl caught up unexpectedly in the whirlwind of a brilliant musician and though there’s plenty to criticize (he kept her close until she was of legal age, he was controlling, he pushed her away when she needed him the most and they could’ve grieved together, he cheated on her…) she didn't do that, instead it was honest and gave rare insight into Prince’s personal and professional life. ( )

This book is by one time wife of Prince, Mayte Garcia. Garcia is formerly Catholic but is now nothing to speak of. She seems credulous of reincarnation and past lives as authoritative. Garcia's parents are Puerto Rican and raised her on US Military Bases. She lived in Germany for some time on base and there trained as a dancer. She trained in ballet and belly dancing. Her parents had quite a martial odyssey as they remarried each other three times.
Garcia is quite accomplished and her being published by Hachette is indicative of her writing another more serious book later. Hachette specializes in female biographies and offers speakers bureau.
Garcia has now adopted a young daughter whom she dotes on. Garcia seems happy and is seems to want to heal from the tumultuous years with Prince's people. This book was very sad to read, for me. Garcia has put a positive spin on her relationship with Prince but he really put her through the ringer. Like Prince says in Let's Go Crazy, "In This Life, You're On Your Own". Boy, was Garcia ever on her own! She had to learn the hard way.
Once Prince became involved with band member "Larry" who was a Jehovah Witness and allowed him to conduct personal bible studies, the relationship with Garcia was doomed. This is the first book I've read about Prince and he comes off badly, personally manipulative, and duplicitous with Garcia. Prince was talented musician but like most musicians he had a public image which obligated his people act on his behalf hoping to please him by sabotaging everyone who could get near him. This book details how Garcia became an object of various entities in the Prince camp who saw her as a threat. Unfortunately, Garcia blames her own parents for her willingness to tolerate the complicated relationship she had with Prince.
No Index, Photos, 12 Chapters.

Yup. Prince was just as weird as we all thought he was. But this was still a good read. ( )

This is a touching tribute by Prince's 1st ex-wife Mayte Garcia. The book interweaves the autobiography of her life, and her incredible belly-dancing career, with how she first met Prince, the friendship they development, and the love and life they went on to share. It details the devastating loss of their children, and the crushing end of their marriage. Mayte writes with clarity, humour and love, describing the vivid world that Prince created and lived in.

As a person who lived and breathed Prince's music since my teenage years, I was keen to read this insight. It was frank, open, unconditional and told with such love and bittersweet tenderness. I felt I understood the man, his creativity, and his music better after reading this.

I admire Mayte's strength in telling what is, at times, a very frank story of their life together, and thank her for sharing it with us. ( )

A book in which Mayte spills the tea.

Mayte Garcia met the love of her life when she was 16 years old. Honestly, it sounded almost like a girlish fanfiction that I read once about a girl who met Liam Payne on a tour when he was still in One Direction and they fell madly in love through their email and text correspondence. Except, Garcia’s story is real and she has the marriage and side by side career to Prince to prove it.

Before the life-changing moment of meeting her future husband, Garcia was a dancer because her mom loved the craft. They did belly dancing performances together and became well known in their state of Florida. She took her talents with her when her family moved to Germany and she got the opportunity to improve her performance with genuine Arabic dance costumes made in Egypt and job opportunities that put most dancers small careers to shame. By the time she met the man, she was basically set for a life on her own terms if she wanted.

But love always makes us take or reject opportunities because that’s just how it goes. Prince felt a connection to this girl and kept her in his life. To some it might have looked like an obsession, but how many of us have felt like keeping a significant other as close as possible to us at all times? - I say that as if I’ve ever had a significant other hahahaha. But that doesn’t mean others can’t relate.

There are some things I do feel could have been kept to herself. Sure it’s a book about her life with Prince but that doesn’t mean she has to air his dirty laundry out to the world when he was such a private man in life. Her side of the story is heartbreaking but I think she unintentionally left him out to dry. ( )