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Drawing Free

by Elena Aitken (Goodreads Author)

3.7 of 5 stars 3.70 · rating details · 122 ratings · 39 reviews

“What would happen if I just kept driving?”

Moms aren’t supposed to have a life of their own, at least that’s what Becca Thompson believes. Between dealing with her youngest’s never ending tantrums, her teenager’s attitude and her ailing father’s rapidly failing memory, Becca doesn’t have time to worry about who she used to be.

Deep down, Becca knows she wants more than the...more

Kindle Edition, 322 pages

Published December 24th 2011 by Ink Blot Communications

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Apr 30, 2012 Liz at Fictional Candy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit

Whew. What a story. Drawing Free is not a book for the light of heart, this book is a serious look at an all too real life for many women. What mother and/or wife has not felt undervalued, underappreciated, and overwhelmed all at once? What woman hasn’t taken a look at an opportunity to get the heck out of dodge without the glimmer of “what if…?” Most of us don’t act on it, most of us don’t even give it more than a very quick passing thought. But there are certainly many women who sit and fantas...more Whew. What a story. Drawing Free is not a book for the light of heart, this book is a serious look at an all too real life for many women. What mother and/or wife has not felt undervalued, underappreciated, and overwhelmed all at once? What woman hasn’t taken a look at an opportunity to get the heck out of dodge without the glimmer of “what if…?” Most of us don’t act on it, most of us don’t even give it more than a very quick passing thought. But there are certainly many women who sit and fantasize about turning back that clock, taking a break from life.

This was quite the emotional book. I spent a large part of it loving the story, loving the writing, but being so angry at Becca that if she had been in front of me, I’m not sure I could have been polite. But yet at the same time, I understand. Becca is a stay at home mom, which is easily more difficult than any job the rest of us who work outside the home have. Her own mother died when she was a child, she married and had children at a young age and gave up on her own dreams and aspirations to become Mrs. Thompson, mother and wife. Her dad is having Alzheimer type memory issues and often mistakes her for her late mother. Her kids are real gems, taking her for granted and playing on her love, exhaustion, and a mother’s need to see her children happy. Her best friend is radiant with news of a European adventure when she is trapped at home in a lifestyle that has suddenly caught up with her. And yes, she feels trapped.

One day Becca is stuck in traffic on the way to pick up her daughter. A quick call to her husband and a quick U-turn and she is off in another direction to disappear to Rainbow Valley where she hopes to discover who she is again.

Easy task, right? A lot of people spend their whole lives and never figure out who they are. And Becca has put her children, her husband, and her reality all on the line to figure it out. As much as I initially didn’t like Becca, as much as some of her actions downright angered me…the woman needed a change. She was clearly depressed and something needed to change. Life ran away and left her with kids, chores, and a workaholic husband. And she sought change. She knew part of her was missing in the equation of her life, and she went to change it. That takes courage. Great big, brass courage. Some people accused her of running away, and maybe part of it was.

But she made some friends in her brief journey to the cabin. Positive or negative, they helped her get to the place she needed to be to be ok with herself. And I can’t go much further than that without giving away secrets of the book. We should all be so lucky to have a break, to retune our soul and remember who we are, who we want to be. So if you read this book, take a moment and realize that while it is fiction, this can easily be about any number of women. Get over the anger you feel at Becca and enjoy the story. Maybe even live vicariously for a bit. I’ll say it again, this is definitely an emotional story. Be prepared to open your heart and your mind and go along for the ride.
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3 likes · like · see review

Aug 05, 2012 adventurat rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: authorsihavemet, fiction, e-book, 2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I picked this book up because I absolutely understand wanting to get away from everything and just being alone for a while, to catch my breath and figure out what's important. Becca has more than ample reason for wanting to get away, and I was intrigued to see where she went, and what she did when she got there, to find her way back (because I had absolutely no doubt that she would return to her life with her troublesome children, distant husband, and increasingly forgetful father).

The narrative...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Elena Aitken rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

Of course I'll give my own book 5 stars. :)
But this is why...
This book was a labor of love for me as it took a few years to write and at least three total re-writes.
I kept with it because I think it's important for moms to know that it's okay to not feel blissfully, totally happy with their lives ALL the time. It's not something that's often spoken of, but many of us have had that moment when things get overwhelming, the kids aren't behaving, the bills are piling up, the to-do list is growing,...more

5 likes · like · see review

Jan 22, 2012 Tonya rated it 5 of 5 stars

What happens when one mother decides to take off? Drawing Free explores that question with full force. An incredibly talented woman placed her creative gifts at the bottom of the pile for everyone else, inevitably risking her own sanity. She discovers the need to take a break, not just for herself, as she initially believes necessary, but for the sake of her family.

There are varying voices within the mommy spectrum and some readers may cringe at a mother's decision to take time to herself, espe...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 01, 2013 Naomi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2013, my-collection

I really have a love/hate relationship with this book. Aside from a few distracting typos the story flowed very well. I really liked the writing. My problem with the book is that I feel the characters were a bit lacking. I had a hard time connecting with them. And I never connected with the main character. She just came off as selfish and the way she handled things was in the most childish way. I get feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated, but she really didn't have it that bad. She allowed he...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Angela Wallace rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm not a parent, but right from the start I think everyone can relate to that desire to escape the pressures of our lives. Of course, most of us probably wouldn't do that, but experiencing it vicariously through Becca offered its own kind of satisfaction.

The story was well-written, and had some surprise twists that I did not see coming. I was disappointed with one of Becca's very unwise decisions. I prefer to read about strong moral characters because I feel inspired by them. At the same time,...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 08, 2012 Judywelch rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who like a good read!

Recommended to Judywelch by: No one, I choose it as soon as it was offered for sale.

A Best seller for sure. Elena never ceases to amaze me with her diverse writing styles and plots. In this story the author brings to life the struggles of a woman caught in the turmoil of everyday life. Despite Becca's poor moral decision you can't help but cheer for her in finding out who she is and what's important to her. One must remember that life is not all happiness and roses as some novels portray; and is sometimes very hard. Once she finds out her past she can finally realize her true s...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 16, 2013 Darlean rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chic-lit

wow what an amazing book - one that every woman should read it goes places that many of us feel at one time or another, I wish it had gone on a bit more at the end but nothing ends that simply but still WOW!!!

1 like · like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 Sharon Gray rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As the mother of 8 children, I certainly could identify with the feelings of being overwhelmed and wanting to runaway from it all. However, the main character was completely unsympathetic to me. She had a loving husband, a nice home, no financial worries at all apparently -- yes, her kids were difficult, but she only had two, and they were in school!

I felt the male characters in the book were very underdeveloped. There were major problems with the plot, and the main character was unlikable. The...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Ginger rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Women who are struggling

Shelves: chick-lit, freebie, kindle, read-2012, author-challenge-2012

I bounced between giving this story 3 or 4 stars. I'm giving it 4 stars! I know what it's like to want to drop everything, get in the car and drive as far away as possible from everyone and everything. What woman doesn't feel that way at some point in their life?!!
In this book, that's just what Becca did. She dropped everything, got in her car and drove away. She needed to find.....well, herself. She needed to figure out who she was, who she wanted to be and also more importantly, just be.
I didn...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 25, 2012 Lara rated it 3 of 5 stars

I understand Becca's struggle with losing herself in the daily grind. Her behavior often makes me cringe, yet I admire her determination to find herself.

1 like · like · see review

May 14, 2012 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

I rate this one at 3.5- good story, well developed characters and a good flow. I finished this one in two sittings and even though I didn't really like some of the choices the characters made the story is well written and kept me engaged. I would have liked to see more of Jon's side of it or maybe a little more of his character traits shown early on in the book instead of just at the end. Would have also liked if the resolution wasn't quite so all of a sudden (but that is just a personal prefere...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Cori rated it 5 of 5 stars

A moody teenager. A screaming kindergartner. A marriage with a lost owner's manual. An aging parent who doesn't recognize you. Any one of those might be enough to make a woman want to run away. But most never would. Becca thought this was her lot in life until one day she had finally had enough and took the off ramp to escape.

Much of Elena Aitken's book is spent thoroughly making the reader FEEL what Becca is going through. She expertly build you into Becca's world, though still allows you to se...more A moody teenager. A screaming kindergartner. A marriage with a lost owner's manual. An aging parent who doesn't recognize you. Any one of those might be enough to make a woman want to run away. But most never would. Becca thought this was her lot in life until one day she had finally had enough and took the off ramp to escape.

Much of Elena Aitken's book is spent thoroughly making the reader FEEL what Becca is going through. She expertly build you into Becca's world, though still allows you to see the areas that Becca herself has trouble understanding. More than once I found myself nodding in agreement to the situations - they were raw and very real as she worked through her feelings about her self-propelled marriage and her hopelessness about her father's battle with Alzheimer's Disease. The attitudes and temperaments of her children gave me glimpses into the future with my own. Aitken has a way of masterfully crafting female characters. Of modeling them until they are painfully realistic.

The story has a simple premise:

Mom never thought this would be her life
Mom gave up every bit of herself for her husband and family
Mom tried not to be resentful of everything she's given up
Mom is depressed
Mom snaps and abandons her family to find herself

It is a mommy fantasy - "What if I just took that off ramp and disappeared for a while?" and Aitken has allowed a glimpse at how it might play out. As Becca escapes into the mountains, to a family cabin she didn't know her family had, she begins to allow the ties that bind and gag her to loosen. A dalliance with the man sent to maintain the property serves to simultaneously simplify and complicate her life. New connections emerge to the mother she never knew and finding the answers to the questions that surface on her "time-out" from life help her see that she needs to take ownership of her life.

If anything, this story makes me less likely to want to run away when the going gets tough. It makes me appreciate the time I claim away from my kids. The story shows the seedy underbelly of the other side of that mommy fantasy. And, ultimately, the story seems unfinished because she never does resolve the issues that caused her to run away in the first place. It makes it difficult to see a happy ending - all that is left is the hard work of re-building the life she wants from the pieces she is left with.

I think it sounds like I am a bit down on the story itself. Don't get me wrong - I did really enjoy the story. It was pure, raw emotion and these emotions are very difficult to put into the written word. It speaks the world of Aitken's talent as a writer. The story was like daydreams made real and proven that reality cannot live up to the rose-coloured glasses of a daydream. If you are a fan of women's fiction - I recommend you pick this one up for your Kindle. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Feb 01, 2013 Candy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think that each one of us has felt the way the main character in this book has felt at one point or another. How often we look back and see that through life, somewhere along the way we have lost a little bit of ourselves. This story is about Becca and what happens as she hits this point in her life. I have to admit there have been times when I needed to just get away and I actually did it once. This book captures the real emotions that many women and mothers go through. I thoroughly enjoyed t...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Gina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, kindle, freebie, 2012, books-i-own-read, book-club, ccc-club, challenges-2012, family, family-dysfunction, marriage, mothers, self-actualization, canada, child-abandonment, drama, friendship, girlfriends, post-partem-depression, mental-illness, psychology, psychology-women, relationships, romance, stepfamilies, suspense, women-s-fiction, women-s-issues

Goodreads Description- “What would happen if I just kept driving?”

Moms aren’t supposed to have a life of their own, at least that’s what Becca Thompson believes. Between dealing with her youngest’s never ending tantrums, her teenager’s attitude and her ailing father’s rapidly failing memory, Becca doesn’t have time to worry about who she used to be.

Deep down, Becca knows she wants more than the daily chaos and the quick fixes her self-help books have to offer, but when her husband starts demandi...more Goodreads Description- “What would happen if I just kept driving?”

Moms aren’t supposed to have a life of their own, at least that’s what Becca Thompson believes. Between dealing with her youngest’s never ending tantrums, her teenager’s attitude and her ailing father’s rapidly failing memory, Becca doesn’t have time to worry about who she used to be.

Deep down, Becca knows she wants more than the daily chaos and the quick fixes her self-help books have to offer, but when her husband starts demanding more, the pressure proves to be too much. On the way to pick up her daughter, she makes the split second decision to take a different exit off the freeway and drives towards the mountains leaving her crumbling life in the rear-view mirror.

Fleeing to a remote mountain town, Becca knows she must rediscover her spirit, even if reconnecting with herself comes at the expense of everything she left behind.

The minute I started reading this book, I connected with Becca and her overwhelming life of a mother and wife. I too feel the stress and often become overwhelmed simply by the huge amount of time has to be given to my kids, no matter if they are newborns to teenagers. I really think any mom can relate to those feelings. Mothers think we have to be the best moms ever and we are striving for an almost impossible goal. We have to learn instead to just do the best we can without losing our sense of self.

Sense of self is what Becca has truly lost. She became pregnant at a young age and married quickly. She suffered from post-partem depression for a long time after Jordan was born, turning into more of a major depression. Many years later, she gives birth to Kayla and falls into the same pattern. Now she has a teenager who is so angst filled she won't speak to her mother and a young daughter, who is prone to giant temper tantrums. Becca's mother died when she was young and doesn't remember anything about her. Her dad is falling fast into dementia and the decision to put him in a facility looms on the horizon. Basically Becca's life just swings out of control for her and she loses it. She needs a break and while on the way to pick up Kayla, she calls her husband and tells him to get her and the decision is made. Becca is off to take her break in Rainbow Valley, a small town in the mountains, that, for reasons unknown to her, her father has a cabin that he rents out.

When Becca arrives in Rainbow Valley she senses that this is the place for her to find herself, make some major life decisions, and unravel some serious family secrets.

The pros of this book are the fact that I connected to Becca and her plight immediately. I could feel what she was feeling. As a matter of fact, when I was reading the beginning, I myself was tense and worried right along with Becca. For an author to be able to write a character that connects to readers so well is a great accomplishment. I like the total contrast that the author created between "the city" and Rainbow Valley. The city being a busy overwhelming place and Rainbow Valley so peaceful and serene. I also liked the ending. I won't say anything else about it to ruin the story.

The cons are the how many times it is repeated that Becca hasn't painted in almost forever and that she doesn't know if she can do it again. It was said so much that it almost became a filler of sorts. I also didn't like the repeated statement of "I don't cry". We get it...Becca is emotionally closed off...to herself and to others.

All in all I liked the story and would recommend it to others. I probably would have given a 3.5 star rating but went with 4 stars to fit with Goodreads and Amazon. (less)

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Mar 24, 2012 Bette Crosby rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just finished Drawing Free by Elena Aitken Awesome story - so honest in the way it portrays a mother's frustration with not only herself but the world around her. While this author could have taken the easy way out and given everyone a happy ever-after ending, she instead chose to be upfront and honest. This one of the most genuine heartfelt stories of motherhood imaginable. Not to say there is not tons of love and joy in being a mother, but honestly speaking, there are also plenty of days whe...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Jenn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

This was one of my first d/l when I got my Kindle for Cmas last year. It was probably free or really cheap. I recently went back through and added some of my early d/l to my "Gym Reading" folder and have been trying to make my way through them.

I rather enjoyed this one. There's not a lot that's all that new here, but I thought it was done pretty well. If you're thinking about reading it at the gym, I might advise you pick something that's a little less serious and definitely skip reading the en...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed all of Ms.Aitken's books, but this is my favourite so far! I could not help but empathise with Becca, a busy Mum, who needs some time for herself and does the unthinkable - just takes off in her car. The story that unfolds is beautifully written, covering some delicate and difficult issues sensitively and with compassion. Beautiful descriptions of settings and Ms.Aitken's strongly formed characters make this a "must read". Highly recommended.

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Jan 08, 2012 Steena Holmes rated it 5 of 5 stars

What mom doesn't have that moment of wishing they could run away? What I liked about this book that it was free of prejudices. Becca reacted as her instincts led her - right or wrong. For a brief moment of time she could do whatever she wanted without the consequences looming over her, but at the same time realizing she would need to be string enough to face those consequences when reality hit.

I stayed up late to finish this book. I enjoyed it!

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Jan 13, 2012 Arden Levasseur rated it 5 of 5 stars

Becca is a 35 year old woman who hates her body and thinks she is a bad mother and wife. She has a workaholic husband, a 14 year old daughter with attitude problems and a 5 year old daughter who is the queen of temper tantrums. She can't take it any more so she escapes to her father's mountain cabin to find out who she really is. I couldn't put it down.

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Mar 22, 2013 Caren ~ the misfit geek rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, womens-fiction, new-authors-to-me

I would just like to start by saying that I really liked the writing style. I thought the story flowed very nicely and it was a fairly quick read. That being said, I cannot say I really enjoyed reading it. The subject matter was, quite frankly, harsh and unpleasant, but I knew that going in. Ms. Aitken handled it very elegantly and with brutal honesty.

The ending was a disappointment for me. It seemed rushed and I really didn’t get a sense of closure. I really felt that there was a lot that was l...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Susi rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was just okay for me. It felt rushed, jumped around awkwardly at times, etc. I never felt sorry for the heroine once. In fact, I felt disgusted by her behavior most of the time. Her friends' and families' reactions to her behavior were always short-lived and it had an air of unbelievability to it. Could not recommend.

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Jan 16, 2012 Chris added it

While my circumstances are different, I definitely identified with Becca's urge to escape the way her life. If I had been in her situation, I may have made some of the same decisions - initially. However, the changes that she went through - in such a short period of time - brought the book firmly into the chick-lit category. Nice fluff, but no true substance.

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Jan 15, 2012 Agnes rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

I really liked this book... and probably would have given it four stars. However, I feel like I had to go one/two stars on this one for one reason: Grammatical errors. There was a lot of them. At one point in the book, the story repeats itself. I was left to read the same part twice; but yet have a different outcome. I really couldn't overcome the errors and fully enjoy the great plot.

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Jan 22, 2012 Marie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Cool story. This is exactly what I would do if I had kids, although my kids would prob. not be such jerks. And that's why I do not have kids. LOL

Good book. Nice story. Easy to read. Nothing amazing-can't-live-without-reading, or anything like that - but it is a good rainy day read!

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Feb 07, 2013 Diana Donnelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A woman coping with motherhood and children who present challenges is something I can relate to. This book was only fair until I got midway and then it really reached me. I began to understand more about where the main character was coming from and could justify her actions. Thought the author did a nice job with this.

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Jan 24, 2012 Ryan Tramontanas rated it 2 of 5 stars

Was more irritated by this person who made her life miserable on her own than anything else. But had to finish it to see how it ended. Not impressed.

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Jan 27, 2013 Corrin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Quick fluffy free book to read on my Kindle. Needed something to counter the heavy things I have been reading.

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Apr 05, 2012 Leesa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful story! I usually read several books at the same time. After I was through with about a quarter of this book I couldn't put it down.

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Sep 15, 2012 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I hated becca from beginning to end. It's a good book though, even though I hated her had to know how it ended.

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About Elena Aitken

Living in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in the foothills of Alberta, Elena spends her days chauffeuring her twins and writing stories - basically, living what she loves!

Elena escapes to the mountains as often as possible and can often be found sitting by the water, plotting her next book.

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