Composing Myself by Elena Aitken – a Review
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About the book:
Whitney Monroe’s not ashamed of the way her mother can work a brass pole, not really. It’s just that some things are better left unsaid; especially when your mother’s a stripper and you’re trying to get a job at a prestigious private school that definitely won’t appreciate her talents.Raised by her grandma, Whitney’s always managed to keep her two worlds separate, even if it meant lying to everyone. And when Reid Phillips—a charming, sexy songwriter—becomes her not-entirely-welcome roommate, Whitney has no intention of telling him the truth either. But she wasn’t excepting Reid to see right through her and challenge her compartmentalized life. With Grams seriously ill, her mother’s life in turmoil and her dream job on the line, it’s more important than ever for Whitney to keep everything together. But that will mean being honest with everyone, starting with herself.
Review:
Composing Myself by Elena Aitken literally begins with a pole dance………..And it had me from that point on. Aitken has written a book that grabs hold from the beginning and doesn’t really let go until the very end. Whitney is such a believable character that you find yourself so engrossed in what’s going through her head, that at times you have a hard time letting go. To say she has a lot on her plate is an understatement. Her Grams, who has raised her, has moved into an assisted living home. She is seeking full time employment at a prestigious private school while subbing there. She has a boyfriend, who is also a teacher at the school where she is working, to whom she has not shared her secrets about her family with. In fact, she’s told him that her parents are dead. Whitney has found it easier over the years to act like her mom doesn’t exist rather than let people know what she does for a living. She found out long ago that sometimes the child does pay for the parent’s choices.
While visiting Grams at the home, Whitney encounters a sexy young man who leads the residents in sing alongs and can charm the socks off of all of them. Then she finds out that Grams has arranged for Reid to be Whitney’s roommate. Whitney has been struggling to pay the bills, and seems Grams has just the right fix. Once Reid moves in, they are drawn to each other and immediately comfortable with each other. Reid’s a wonderful cook……Whitney? Not so much, which leads to some bonding over nightly dinners and they quickly develop a comfy rapport. She wonders what Reid would think of her mom’s profession? Which leaves Whitney confused as to why she feels so comfortable with this virtual stranger and not her long time boyfriend. But, as we all know, the brain thinks what it thinks and the heart feels what it feels. Looks like there is a choice to be made……………
Aitken has written a story that is so believable that I caught myself likening the characters to people that I actually know. The supporting characters are great as well. When I first saw that part of the story was told from someone other than Whitney’s POV, I cringed. As a rule, I do not like when an author does that, but the way Aitken wrote it, it worked and added to the story in a way that could not have been done any other way. I cried, I laughed and I even shook my head, but in the end, it made my heart smile. Such a sweet story and I definitely look forward to reading more by this author.
Reviewed by Vickie
Copy provided by Author
