Synopsis:
At one time or another, everyone has wished she could be someone else. Exploring this universal longing, Allie Larkin follows up the success of her debut novel, Stay, with a moving portrait of friendship and identity.
When Jenny Shaw hears someone shout “Jessie!” across a hotel lobby, she impulsively answers. All her life, Jenny has toed the line, but something propels her to seize the opportunity to become Jessie Morgan, a woman to whom she bears an uncanny resemblance. Lonely in her own life, Jenny is embraced by Jessie’s warm circle of friends—and finds unexpected romance. But when she delves into Jessie’s past, Jenny discovers a secret that spurs her to take another leap into the unknown.
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Who hasn't wanted to start over and have a fresh start? If by doing so you life would become better or worse? I know I have. In Allie Larkin's ‘Why Can't I be You,’ the main character, Jenny Shaw gets to do just that. I think that is what made this story so attractive to me. The concept of being someone else is very appealing.
I expected something a little light and breezy with possibly a little angst/emotional turmoil thrown in for good measure. I was wonderfully surprised that what I got was a story that was more than that.
Jenny is having a tough time of things. Her boyfriend who she thought she was going to marry, leaves her for someone else. Jenny is feeling heartbroken, and a bit unfulfilled with both her personal and professional life. She feels alone and doesn’t know how to stand up for herself. So it is no wonder that when someone mistakenly calls her "Jessie” Jenny, without much thought, responds.
From there she meets all of Jessie’s old high school friends. The more time she hangs out with them the deeper the hole she digs herself.
Even though Jenny might look similar to Jessie, I did question how long a person would really be able to pull something like that off.
I felt like Jenny had to have known that this charade could not last very long and in the end she would just end up getting hurt. I felt for her. Less then half-way through I was already crossing my fingers, hoping that everything worked out for Jenny by the end of the book. I can understand the allure of wanting to keep up the pretenses. Spending time with these people have helped her become more social and outgoing. She experiences first hand the benefits of having a group of people in your life that you care about and who care about you.
‘Why Can’t I Be You’ is an interesting story that deals with friendship, self-identity, family, and even a subtle romance. There is no insta-love going on here which is a plus for me. If women’s fiction is up your alley, then you might want to give this book a try. It’s definitely not your regular run of the mill chick-lit tale.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
** I received this book from the Publisher/Author as part of the AToMR Blog Tour in exchange for nothing, but my honest review. Thank you so much.**
BUY:
Tour Giveaway:
(5) Print copies of WHY CAN’T I BE YOU. Open to US/Canada addresses only.
About the Author
Allie Larkin is the internationally bestselling author of the novel Stay, and the upcoming novel Why Can’t I Be You (2013). She lives with her husband, Jeremy, their two German Shepherds, Argo and Stella, and a three-legged cat.
Author Social Media links:
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/allielarkin
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