If you’ve spent any time in the "momosphere" or the corners of the internet where faith meets real life, you know the name. Jen Hatmaker isn’t just a writer; she’s basically the unofficial big sister of a certain generation of women. But if you look at the Jen Hatmaker New York Times connection, it’s about a lot more than just a list of best-selling books. It is a decades-long relationship that has tracked the rise, the "cancellation," and the wild reinvention of one of the most influential voices in modern American lifestyle.
Honestly, the New York Times has been there for the whole ride. They’ve charted her course from being the darling of the evangelical world to becoming a bit of a pariah in those same circles, and finally, to her current status as a secular-leaning, self-help powerhouse.
The Bestseller Machine
Let’s talk about the numbers first because they’re kinda staggering. Most authors would give anything to hit the New York Times bestseller list once. Jen has done it five times.
Her book For the Love was the one that really blew the doors off in 2015. It wasn't just a book; it was a manifesto for women who were exhausted by trying to be perfect. Then came Of Mess and Moxie, which doubled down on that "perfectly imperfect" brand. But the most recent entry, her 2025 memoir Awake, represents a massive shift. It wasn't just a "faith" book. It was an instant bestseller that the Times actually named one of their "100 Notable Books of 2025."
The list of her NYT heavy-hitters includes:
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- 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess
- For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards
- Of Mess and Moxie
- Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire
- Awake: A Memoir
That 2016 Turning Point (and the NYT Profile)
You can’t talk about Jen Hatmaker and the New York Times without talking about the "Gospel of Jen Hatmaker" profile. Back in 2016, a profile by Jonathan Merritt essentially acted as the catalyst for her exile from the Southern Baptist world.
In that season, she voiced support for same-sex marriage. Within days—literally days—LifeWay Christian Stores pulled her books. Her revenue plummeted. Her "tribe" fractured. The New York Times didn't just report on this; they became the platform where the world watched a massive religious subculture eat its own. It was a messy, public divorce from the institution that raised her.
The 2.00 a.m. Unraveling
If 2016 was a professional earthquake, 2020 was a personal one. In her newest book, Awake, she describes waking up at 2:00 a.m. to find her husband of 26 years, Brandon Hatmaker, voice-texting another woman.
This is where the Jen Hatmaker New York Times narrative gets really interesting. The paper of record shifted from covering her as a "Christian influencer" to covering her as a "lifestyle and grief" expert. They’ve followed her through the divorce, her "sexual renaissance" (her words!), and her decision to step away from organized church almost entirely.
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Some critics, especially those in more conservative outlets like WORLD News Group, have been pretty harsh. They call it "spiritual poison." They think she’s selling a version of "deconstruction" that is more about self-indulgence than faith. But her fans? They’re buying it up. They see her as a roadmap for what to do when your life—and your belief system—completely falls apart.
Why People Actually Care
Why does a writer from Austin, Texas, keep trending on the NYT? It’s because she represents a very specific demographic: women who grew up in the "purity culture" of the 90s and are now trying to figure out how to be adults without the shame.
When the New York Times reviews her work now, they aren't looking at it through a theological lens. They’re looking at it through the lens of modern memoir. Awake was praised for its "raw, real-time vignettes." It wasn't polished. It was gritty.
The Critics' Corner
It’s not all sunshine and Almond Joy creamer (which she famously loves). There’s a valid critique often mentioned in literary circles—and even in the comments of NYT articles—about her relatability.
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Some readers point out that while she’s talking about "starting over," her version of starting over involves redecorating a massive farmhouse and taking months-long retreats to New England. For the average single mom working two jobs, that "awakening" feels a little out of reach. There’s a certain level of privilege that comes with the Hatmaker brand, and the New York Times coverage sometimes struggles to reconcile her "everywoman" persona with her actual status as a wealthy influencer.
What We Can Learn from the "Hatmaker Effect"
Whether you love her or think she’s gone off the rails, there are some pretty clear takeaways from her career trajectory and how it’s been documented:
- Integrity is expensive. She lost a multi-million dollar career in 2016 because she refused to lie about her evolving beliefs. You might disagree with her conclusion, but it's hard to argue with the cost she paid.
- Deconstruction is a massive market. There is a huge audience of people who love Jesus but are "done" with the church. Jen has captured that market perfectly.
- Vulnerability scales. The more she shares about her failures—the antidepressants, the therapy, the bank account confusion after her divorce—the more her audience grows.
- Reinvention is possible. You don't have to stay in the box people built for you when you were 25.
Moving Forward
If you’re looking to dive into the Jen Hatmaker New York Times catalog, don't start with the old stuff. Start with Awake. It’s the most honest reflection of where she is now.
If you're going through your own "unraveling," here’s the move: find a community that allows for questions without immediate answers. Jen’s "For the Love" podcast or her book club are basically digital versions of that. But also, look for voices that challenge your own bubble—whether that’s a traditional theological perspective or a purely secular one.
The "New York Times version" of Jen Hatmaker is a woman who refused to be a caricature. She’s messy, she’s successful, and she’s definitely not done talking.
Next Steps for You:
Check out the New York Times "100 Notable Books of 2025" list to see how Awake compares to other memoirs of the year. If you're interested in the business side of her career, look into the Legacy Collective, the giving organization she co-founded, to see how she’s translated her influence into actual social impact.