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Composing Myself Kindle Edition

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 42 ratings

"Composing Myself is a heartwarming story of forgiving the people you love, and finding the strength to stand up and be proud of where you came from. I laughed, I cried, and I had a smile on my face when I turned the last page." ~ Tracey Garvis Graves, author of the New York Times bestseller On the Island


The worst kind of lie is the one you tell yourself.

For Whitney Monroe, it's always been easier to lie about who her mother was than face the shame and judgement that would surely follow the truth.

Raised by her grandmother, Whitney has always managed to keep her two worlds separate, even if it means lying to everyone—especially herself. But those lies suddenly become much harder to keep when Reid Phillips, a struggling musician and her not-entirely-welcome new roommate complicates things by seeing right through her carefully constructed walls and challenging her compartmentalized life.

Now with Grams seriously ill, her mother’s life in turmoil and her dream job and relationship on the line, it’s more important than ever for Whitney to hold everything together. But when that means being honest with everyone—starting with herself, is Whitney strong enough to do what it takes?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Composing Myself is a heartwarming story of forgiving the people you love, and finding the strength to stand up and be proud of where you came from. I laughed, I cried, and I had a smile on my face when I turned the last page."
~ Tracey Garvis Graves, author of the New York Times bestseller On the Island

From the Author

Dear Reader,
The process of writing a book is never just about crafting a story, making up characters and putting them through drama. For me, the process always becomes a journey and when I started writing Composing Myself, I had no idea where it would take me. I was totally unprepared for the flood of emotions that came out when I immersed myself in this story.
The relationship between the main character, Whitney and Grams, is a close one, and while it is fictional, it was inspired by my own relationship with my grandma. I lost her almost a year ago to breast cancer and I miss her every day.
It is my hope that this book takes you on your own journey, of acceptance, forgiveness and strength. Thank you, and enjoy.
~Elena

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00CJ1IEAQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ink Blot Communications; 5th edition (April 25, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 25, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1989685153
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 42 ratings

About the author

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Elena Aitken
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Elena Aitken is a USA Today Bestselling Author of more than fifty romance and women’s fiction novels. The mother of ‘grown up’ twins, Elena now lives with her very own mountain man in the heart of the very mountains she writes about. She can often be found with her toes in the lake and a glass of wine in her hand, dreaming up her next book and working on her own happily ever after.

For a free exclusive novella, click here—> www.elenaaitken.com/signup/

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
42 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoyed the book and found it easy to read. They appreciated the well-developed characters and found the emotional content touching. The pacing held their attention throughout, and the author did a good job conveying everyone's feelings and relationships. Overall, readers enjoyed the writing style and found the story delightfully written.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

12 customers mention "Readability"12 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it an engaging read, and praise the author's consistent writing style. They enjoy the story and how the author develops the relationship between characters. The author has them hooked for life, and they read the book in one day.

"I know it's a great book, when I'm up until 4am on a work night reading and just can't put it down...." Read more

"I very much enjoyed reading Composing Myself. I thought that the characters were very well developed as was the plot...." Read more

"...I didn't want to finish because I knew I would miss them. Such a great read. LOVED it!!" Read more

"...Looking forward to the next book as always. This author has me hooked for life!" Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the well-developed characters. It's fun to watch them grow.

"I had mixed feelings about the book. I loved the main characters and their love story but the author also told Whitney's mother's story by taking..." Read more

"...I thought that the characters were very well developed as was the plot...." Read more

"Within pages of this book I was hooked...the characters are so well developed, it's like they are your friends...." Read more

"...She has strong characters with a lot of chemistry (Whitney and Reid), while weaving in a story about Whitney's mom...." Read more

5 customers mention "Emotional content"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotional and touching. They say the journey of Whitney is poignant and will stay with them long after they close the book. The characters help create a rich tapestry of entertaining narrative.

"...An ensemble of unique characters helps to create a rich tapestry of entertaining narrative...." Read more

"...and the emotion between her and her daughter and granddaughter was heart wrenching...." Read more

"...Just this story so made me cry and look back at what my family went thorough with my nonna and holding her picture as I write this fanoanale amazing..." Read more

"...Whitney's journey is poignant and will stay with you long after you close the book." Read more

5 customers mention "Pacing"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it engaging and can feel the varied emotions of the characters. The author does a good job conveying everyone's feelings and relationships with one another, giving the reader a perfect perspective to understand and become part of these experiences.

"...The writer gives the reader a perfect perspective to understand and become a part of these characters lives...." Read more

"...The author did a good job conveying everyone's feelings and their relationships with one another. It made for a very emotional read as well...." Read more

"...This particular story was so incredibly touching and mesmerizing. This story was romantic, funny, sad and heartbreaking all in one...." Read more

"...The book held my attention all the way through and I could feel all the varied emotions of the main characters...." Read more

5 customers mention "Writing style"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style. They find the story delightfully written with humorous situations. The author has matured as an author and they look forward to more great reads.

"...Loved it! Loved it! This story was rare gem. Delightfully written, the humorous situations are so genuinely relatable, I accidentally..." Read more

"...Elena has really matured as an author & I look forward to many more great reads...." Read more

"A very well written book. I didn't enjoy it as much as the others but they are all hard to put down (or in the case of my Kindle, turn off)...." Read more

"...Elena's writing style captivates you so that you want to know what is next. I can't wait for news of another book...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2013
    Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!

    This story was rare gem. Delightfully written, the humorous situations are so genuinely relatable, I accidentally woke my husband laughing while reading in bed.

    The dynamic between Whitney and Reid is honest, intriguing and engaging. You can't help but root for them, laugh with them and at times, cringe for them.

    An ensemble of unique characters helps to create a rich tapestry of entertaining narrative. The writer gives the reader a perfect perspective to understand and become a part of these characters lives. The talent of this writers allows for an insight into how peoples past experiences mould their future.

    It's a rarity to want to tell as many people as possible about a story. This is indeed the case with Composing Myself. I loved this story.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2013
    I had mixed feelings about the book. I loved the main characters and their love story but the author also told Whitney's mother's story by taking chapters back in time. I am not fond of this method of relating the story. While it helped identify Party's character and where she was coming from, it could have been told in present day in the main text of the story. The grandmother was a touching addition and the emotion between her and her daughter and granddaughter was heart wrenching. The author did a good job conveying everyone's feelings and their relationships with one another. It made for a very emotional read as well. Definitely recommend.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2013
    I know it's a great book, when I'm up until 4am on a work night reading and just can't put it down. That happened to me while reading Composing Myself. This is the 2nd book I've read by Elena Aitken, and once again, I was pulled in from the first page. This particular story was so incredibly touching and mesmerizing. This story was romantic, funny, sad and heartbreaking all in one. Typically for me books that alternate between past and present are distracting to me. However, both stories that finally merged together at the end just worked so beautifully that I found myself engaged with the entire book. In the end, the reason to read this story beside the undeniable attraction and connection between the two main characters is to remember that you need to live your life for YOU no matter what. To love your family, but not let them lead your life. To be true to who you are, and to always no matter what, always follow your heart.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2013
    I very much enjoyed reading Composing Myself. I thought that the characters were very well developed as was the plot. The book held my attention all the way through and I could feel all the varied emotions of the main characters. Elena has really matured as an author & I look forward to many more great reads. This book spanned the generations so became of interest to people of varied age groups.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2013
    Within pages of this book I was hooked...the characters are so well developed, it's like they are your friends. I literally couldn't put this book down, until the last 2 chapters - then I would read a few pages and put it down, read a few, put it down, and so on. I didn't want it to end! I didn't want to finish because I knew I would miss them. Such a great read. LOVED it!!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2013
    A very well written book. I didn't enjoy it as much as the others but they are all hard to put down (or in the case of my Kindle, turn off). Looking forward to the next book as always. This author has me hooked for life!
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2014
    I absolutely am in love with this story never hide anything people who judge you or family for that they do is crucial and this book show how you can overcome anything . Follow your heart and always stick with it and for grams I went through the same illness with ny grandma it was hard to see her suffer and did not want treatment either she went to heaven when it was her time to go. Just this story so made me cry and look back at what my family went thorough with my nonna and holding her picture as I write this fanoanale amazing work
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2013
    I really enjoy Ms. Aitken's books. The characters in Composing Myself were regular people who had some unusual circumstances, but dealt with family issues which many can relate too. Parents we aren't always proud of, or expectations set that we try to achieve for only to find out those expectations aren't really the right place to be. The main character Whitney, I found that I liked her right away and I was eager to find out how things would turn out for her. It was a great book and I can't wait for the next one.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Riverdaffyd
    5.0 out of 5 stars A satisfying read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2016
    Such a lovely story. The growing attraction between Whitney and Reid is almost secondary to the family dynamics. Both of them come from fractured families, but where Reid was left to bring up his young sister Lizzy, Whitney at least had a happy childhood, brought up by her grandmother, with her mother on the fringes of her life.
    I enjoyed the viewpoint through Whitney's eyes in the present, and through her mother Patty's view of their past. It shows how families make mistakes, albeit for what seem at the time to be for the right reasons, and the repercussions echo through the years. I felt great sympathy for Patty, whose life is in some ways wrecked by her mothers' anger at her choice of job; she finds a man who loves her deeply, Stan, but will never commit to him because her mother disapproves of his job. She adores her daughter, but is persuaded by her mother that she should stay out of her life, and it breaks her heart. Whitney does keep in contact with Patty, but rarely tells people about her because they disapprove; she has told her uptight boyfriend William that her mother is dead! Then, when all the angst is sorted out and everyone has made their peace with everyone else - more sadness. But by the end you know that everyone will be alright. It is a satisfying end, but several tissues are required en route! It is a good read!
  • RebeccaLea
    5.0 out of 5 stars What a nice read!
    Reviewed in Canada on May 1, 2013
    I totally enjoyed reading this book. It doesn't follow the exact pattern that most 'romances' do and I liked that. The Author made me care about the characters and touched on various points of very sad subjects with clarity and yet did not dwell on them. I'm actually sad that the novel is over and consider it well written when I wonder about the Characters next moves and how the rest of their lives will pan out. Is there a sequel out there in the stratosphere? I hope so.
  • Lynda Peters
    4.0 out of 5 stars Another good one!
    Reviewed in Australia on September 9, 2015
    Yet again a wonderful touching story from Elena Aitken. An enjoyable read from start to finish!

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