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Jelly Roll praised wife Bunnie Xo for bravely sharing her story of trauma and resilience in her memoir
The couple, married since 2016, is planning to grow their family through IVF with a surrogate
Bunnie's memoir explores their "free, not open" relationship and overcoming challenges, including Jelly Roll's past affair
Jelly Rollis sharing his emotional reaction to his wifeBunnie Xo's new tell-all memoir.
While speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the season 1 finale of Netflix'sStar Searchreboot on Tuesday, Feb. 17, the singer, 41, admitted that it was a "rough" for him reading his wife's memoirStripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic, as he was reminded of their difficult journey together.
"It was rough at times just for me to read it. You know what I mean? We went through a lot of pain and having to go through it together, but reading the whole book and seeing where it ended at is really touching," Jelly Roll said of Bunnie's memoir, released on Tuesday, Feb. 10.
Despite the difficult read, the Grammy winner praised his wife for being "brave" in sharing her personal story with the world.
"I'm just proud of her for telling her story so unapologetically," he told PEOPLE. "I mean, she talks about everything fearlessly, from domestic assault to sexual assault. I'm just proud of her. She's so brave."
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Jelly Roll and Bunnio Xo first met in 2015. The following year, Jelly Roll asked Bunnie Xo to marry him while on stage in Las Vegas, and the couple tied the knot in a courthouse wedding that same night.
Bunnie Xo is also stepmom to the country music singer's daughter, Bailee, and son, Noah. The couple are currentlyplanning their own family through IVFafter finding a surrogate.
In the memoir, Bunnie opens up about her and Jelly'stake on monogamy, describing their relationship as "free, not open." She also discusses the difficult period of her marriage where Jelly, whose real name is Jason DeFord, admitted to having a 10-month affair.
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"We both live by the motto that we aren't each other's possessions and consider our relationship to be free, not open," Bunnie writes.
Sharing the key to their long-lasting relationship, Jelly Roll told PEOPLE, "Love will always do it. Communication, just believing you're with the right person and believing that change can actually happen."
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"That's why we've been so honest about this story with everybody. We knew it would come with blow back, but our heart was to hope that somebody would hear it and believe that they could change," he added.
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Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologeticdetails Bunnie's "rag to riches" story, reflecting on her past heartbreak, healing, traumas and triumph in her life's journey.
Bunnie said of the memoir to PEOPLE, "I've always considered myself an open book, so when it came time to pour my heart into chapters, it only felt natural to write about what I know best — my journey, my perspective and the grit that's carried me through."
"Stripped Downis the rawest reflection of who I am in every form," she continued. "It felt only fitting to name my book after the way I've always lived life — raw, unfiltered and in my naked truth."
Read the original article onPeople
