Book Overview

Title: The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About

Author: Mel Robbins (with co-author Sawyer Robbins)

Publisher: Hay House

Release Date: December 24, 2024

Pages: 336 (hardcover)

Sales: Over 5 million copies sold within six months

The Core Concept

"The Let Them Theory" centers around two simple words: "Let Them" — a mindset shift that encourages readers to stop trying to control other people's actions, opinions, and behaviors.

The theory has two parts:

Let Them: Allow people to be who they are without trying to change, fix, or micromanage them.

Let Me: Shift focus back to yourself and what you can control — your thoughts, actions, and responses.

Positive Reviews and Praise

What Readers Love

Life-Changing Impact: Customers find the book well-written and life-changing, with a simple yet profound approach that makes it easy to understand and implement. Many readers report immediate stress reduction and improved relationships.

Practical Application: "A game changing book! My stress levels decreased almost immediately when I started implementing The Let Them Theory, especially when I implemented the most important aspect of this theory, the second step of Let Me."

Accessible Writing Style: Mel has a gift for making big ideas feel simple. She writes exactly how she talks: warm, direct, and down-to-earth. There's no complicated language or pretentious scientific terms. Real-World Examples: Mel breaks it all down through personal (and at times, humbling) stories from her own life, medical research (she researched the effectiveness of this theory over 2 years, so yes, she brings receipts), and real-life examples.

Celebrity and Media Endorsements The book has received significant mainstream attention, with endorsements from major media figures and platforms including Oprah, The Today Show, and Simon Sinek. Oprah Daily named it as one of the best books of 2025.

Critical Reviews and Concerns

Common Criticisms

Repetitive Content: Multiple customers find the book repetitive, mentioning the repetition of "Let Them" is much too often and that it feels repetitive, boring. Critics suggest the core concept could have been explained in much fewer pages.

Lack of Originality: "Nothing groundbreaking, but a few great lessons + reminders to focus on yourself and what you can control". Some readers note the concept resembles ancient Stoic philosophy.

Mixed Quality: "The theory does sort of suck when it comes to actions other people take that negatively impact the world. Like, I'm not just cool with 'letting them' take away all the rights".

Authorship Controversy

A significant controversy has emerged regarding the book's origins. Multiple sources indicate that the "Let Them" concept originated from a viral poem by Cassie Phillips that circulated on social media in 2022, long before Mel Robbins' book. Critics argue that Robbins failed to credit Phillips as the original inspiration.

Writer Sage Justice published articles alleging that "Robbins is not the originator of this theory" and that "Let Them" is not a new theory, noting that Phillips' poem went viral two years before Mel's book was published.

Reader Demographics and Reception

Who Benefits Most

"Especially if you're in a season of life where you feel stretched, overcommitted, or drained by trying to keep everyone else happy. This book is your reminder that you don't have to carry what isn't yours"

The book particularly resonates with:

• People-pleasers and chronic worriers
• Those experiencing workplace stress and burnout
• Individuals struggling with relationship boundaries
• Parents and caregivers feeling overwhelmed

Sales Performance

The book achieved remarkable commercial success, becoming the top-selling book of 2025 according to Publisher's Weekly and achieving #1 status on New York Times, Amazon, Audible, and Sunday Times bestseller lists.

Overall Assessment

Strengths

• Simple, actionable concept that many find immediately applicable
• Accessible writing style and relatable personal anecdotes
• Strong focus on personal empowerment and boundary-setting
• Comprehensive application across life areas (work, relationships, parenting)

Weaknesses

• Repetitive content that could have been condensed significantly
• Limited depth for the page count
• Questionable attribution of core concept
• May oversimplify complex interpersonal and societal issues

Bottom Line

"The Let Them Theory offers a powerful mindset shift that I think most of us need at some point in our lives. Especially if you currently find yourself burnt out from a draining AF job". While the core concept provides valuable insights for boundary-setting and stress reduction, readers should be aware that the ideas aren't entirely original, and the book's length may feel excessive for the message delivered.

Rating Consensus: Most review platforms show ratings between 4.0-4.3 out of 5 stars, indicating generally positive reception despite noted criticisms.

Recommendation: Best suited for those new to self-help literature or specifically struggling with people-pleasing tendencies, though readers seeking deeper psychological insights may find it lacking in substance.