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Kevin Federline Pens Tell-All Memoir, “You Thought You Knew,” Alleging Shocking Details About Britney Spears
Just two years after pop icon Britney Spears released her revealing memoir, “The Woman in Me,” her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, is ready to share his side of the story. His upcoming book, “You Thought You Knew,” set to be released on October 21 by audio-first publishing company Listenin, promises to delve into the former couple’s tumultuous three-year marriage, subsequent divorce, and the highly publicized custody battle over their two sons.
In an interview with USA TODAY, Federline stated, “For two decades I feel like everybody else has told my story, and now it’s time for me to tell it.” The memoir reportedly touches on Spears’ alleged drug and alcohol use and includes a disturbing claim that their children were afraid to stay at her house due to an incident where she allegedly stood in their doorways with a knife while they slept.
Federline explained his decision to break his silence now, saying, “Things happened the way they did, and I feel like staying silent was needed for my family and so that’s what I did. Going back to the point of the ‘Free Britney’ (movement), I feel like staying silent kind of created a lot of the momentum for that because the truth wasn’t out there, not the whole truth.”
An exclusive excerpt from “You Thought You Knew,” shared with USA TODAY, details a rocky start to Federline’s relationship with Spears during her tour in Amsterdam. After a “whirlwind” beginning, Federline recounts Spears insisting she wouldn’t go to Europe without him. However, during their time there, he alleges he discovered her kissing one of her female dancers.
In response to the news of Federline’s book, representatives for Britney Spears issued a statement to USA TODAY: “With news from Kevin’s book breaking, once again he and others are profiting off her and sadly it comes after child support has ended with Kevin. All she cares about are her kids, Sean Preston and Jayden James, and their well-being during this sensationalism. She detailed her journey in her memoir.”
Exclusive Excerpt from Kevin Federline’s ‘You Thought You Knew’: An Amsterdam Encounter
The excerpt details a night out in Amsterdam with Spears, her dancers, and tour staff. Federline describes a carefree evening of dancing and drinking that extended into the early morning hours. Upon returning to their hotel, Spears left their room briefly, prompting Federline to investigate after she was gone for an extended period.
He recounts stepping into the hallway and glancing into a nearby room, where he allegedly witnessed Spears “full-on making out” with one of her female dancers, Theresa. Federline describes a moment of stunned silence before they both saw him, and he turned and walked away, his heart racing with a “cold clarity.”
Feeling betrayed, Federline immediately returned to his room, packed his suitcase, and called to book the first flight back to the States. When Spears returned, she sensed his anger.
“What’s going on?” she demanded, to which he responded, “I’m leaving…
You can do whatever you want, but this isn’t what I came here for. If this is how it’s gonna be, I’m out.”
He writes that Spears’ expression shifted to regret, and she began to apologize, explaining she didn’t realize how serious he was about their relationship. Despite her pleas, Federline remained furious, stating he wasn’t interested in a relationship that involved “extra (expletive)” and was “simply laying down boundaries.” He also notes that Theresa was the ex-girlfriend of another individual named Marty.
Federline views this incident as a turning point, their “first fight,” where Spears realized his commitment wasn’t tied to her fame. He believes his willingness to walk away proved the authenticity of his feelings. In the days that followed, he observed a change in Spears, describing her as more “intentional, more thoughtful about how we were together.”
Despite lingering doubts and the immense pressure of being thousands of miles from his daughter and immersed in Spears’ relentless fame, Federline recalls moments of “intense joy,” like a secret afternoon in a Swedish park. These “small, seemingly insignificant times” became the “foundation of our connection.”
The European tour, according to Federline, offered him a firsthand look into Spears’ world, including the industry pressures and her frustrations. He notes that she would open up and vent after a few glasses of wine. He aimed to be someone she could trust, recognizing that “trust didn’t come easily to her.”
Federline concludes the excerpt by stating that those weeks in Europe, despite the emotional challenges, “tested us, changed us, and ultimately brought us closer together.” It was during this time, he writes, that he began to realize the “depth of my feelings” and knew “one thing for sure: I was falling in love with Britney.”