Eigentlich bin ich ja ganz anders

by Allie Larkin

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.

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Book Club, Contemporary, Adult, Adult Fiction

353 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 26, 2013

About the author

Also writes under Allison Larkin. If you'd like updates from this author's activity on Goodreads, please follow her from Allison Larkin.

Reviews

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somehow, I feel that I’ve outgrown chick-lit ages ago (it’s funny how I’ll never really outgrow YA, though), but when an opportunity arose to review Why Can’t I Be You by Allie Larkin, I felt an immediate connection and jumped at the chance to do so. There was something about the retro-looking cover that pulled me in right away, and the idea of stepping into someone else’s shoes so completely both thrilled and intrigued me.

Who of us wouldn’t want to be someone else, at least for a day? There were days when I just wanted to leave everything behind and become someone new, someone daring and social, someone who took chances on every turn or at least someone who felt comfortable in their skin. Our own skin can get too tight, and wanting to escape it makes sense in some situations. That’s what Jenny did. When the opportunity presented itself, she jumped at it and never looked back. After all, her boyfriend-soon-to-be-fiancé just left her for a girl equally average and plain – not even an upgrade, which was more insulting than anything else.

I’m not sure classifying Why Can’t I Be You as chick-lit is exactly fair. I’d sooner call it women’s fiction (there is a slight difference in quality between the two in my opinion). It’s certainly less formulaic and flaky than your average Sophie Kinsella novel, and there were some genuine emotions there felt heavier and more honest than I’d expected.

Despite its pretty simplistic plot, Why Can’t I Be You surprised me with its emotional complexity. It was thought-provoking and entirely satisfying. I loved the very subtle romance between Jenny and Fish, but even more, I admired her friendship with Jessie’s former best friend. All things considered, Why Can’t I Be You is a good way for us YA and UF readers to step out of our comfort zone and stir things up a bit.

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed every minute (well, except for the sad parts, of course!) of this very well-written, thoughtful (and thought-provoking) novel!



At first glance, you might assume that this is your standard "romantic fiction" fare: think again! I love a good "self-examination/I need to change the direction of my life/I'm taking this chance and going with it even if I get burned/Oh boy I hope I don't get burned/Darn it I got burned!/Okay, I'm done sobbing and wallowing in self-pity/Time to get back up on my feet and face life bravely" story.



I loved how the unsuspecting Jenny Shaw was literally dragged into her impersonation of the high school legend "Jessie Effing Morgan" by a mistake on the part of the effervescent Myra (the high school reunion coordinator.)



I truly enjoyed spending time with this crazy cast of characters, so much so that I ordered this author's first book (Stay) because I love stories about overcoming adversity and starting afresh. We've all been there at least once in our lives.



But what I REALLY like about this author is that she stays hopeful, even if there isn't a Happily-Ever-After snapshot on the last page of the novel. She leaves it up to the reader to decide whether Jenny will successfully steer the direction of her life back on course, after years of being her alcoholic mother's punching bag and enabler. Bravo to Jennie! She won me over and I fully approved of her decision to be audacious, get out of her self-imposed rut, and choose transformation over stagnation, come what may - (despite the inner voices that kept telling her to pack up and run for the hills!)



This was a helluva great, immersive read, and I wanted more of this! Well done: 5 much-deserved stars for this thoughtful and downright insightful examination of friendships, relationships, and our motivations for maintaining them - even when they were harmful shams. Highly recommended!

[BookLover · Rating 4 out of 5]

While reading this book, I felt like I had stepped back into the 90’s and a ROM COM movie. It was awesome!

Jenny was a super likeable character. She is very down n her luck and down on herself. When she is mistaken for someone else, she inexplicably “goes with it” and attends her look-a-like’s high school reunion. I was constantly cringing, wondering when the truth would come out.



As Jenny got more and more attached to her “high school friends”, I got more and more attached to Jenny and her completely unbelievable story.

Did I mention that I thought the book was awesome? Particularly the last sentence! Made me smile.

[Andi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of Why Can’t I Be You by Allie Larkin. I absolutely loved this book & it was impossible to put down! I felt a strong connection to the main character Jenny Shaw, because of things she deals with in this book. Some of it was so familiar & so heartbreaking that I found myself wishing I could give her a hug.

Even though Jenny is pretending to be Jessie Morgan, she fits in seamlessly with all of her friends. Myra is so much fun & Robbie is beyond awesome. Fish makes for a great love interest & Heather has such a genuine sweetness that makes me wish everyone had someone like her in their life. I loved the closeness of the group & how happy Jenny was with all of them, like she was meant to be their friend all along. But it was also nerve wracking knowing that she would eventually have to tell them she was not Jessie.

Allie Larkin is incredibly talented & her writing is smart, hilarious & heartfelt. This book made me laugh out loud, made my heart ache & made me appreciate even more the incredible friends that I have in my life.

Why Can’t I Be You is perfect from the first page to the last & I think anyone would enjoy reading it. If you’re looking for more from Allie Larkin, I also highly recommend her debut novel, Stay.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really, really loved this book. I used to read a lot of chick lit, which I feel this falls into, but I've mostly replaced that with YA lately and haven't missed it. That said, I am so happy I decided to read this one.

At first I was kind of skeptical that a group of people could mistake a stranger for someone they have known since childhood. But as I read the story it made sense. They haven't seen Jessie for 13 years and they parted on bad terms, but still tried to track her down. I guess sometimes when you really want something to be true you just see it that way. I was also skeptical that someone would play along with the idea that they were someone else, but the more I read about Jenny's upbringing and the hardships she experienced the more it made sense.

Unfortunately I think I have some of Jenny's crappy upbringing in me and I could definitely relate to how difficult it is to connect to people when you're keeping a big portion of your life a secret, that said, I know I couldn't pretend to be someone else like that. There were some amazing points in this book about identity and the choices we all make to become who we are.

All of the characters in this book were great. Even though what Jenny did was crazy I still loved her and felt for her. Myra seems like she would be an amazing friend and the rest of the group of friends was great. I would definitely love to be friends with those guys.

The entire time I was reading I was dreading the moment when Jenny would reveal who she really was. I think the way that Allie Larkin did it was perfect, it was uncomfortable and terrible, but still really heartfelt. And I thought the ending was spot on, it made me wish there was a sequel!

[Catherine McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun read! Read it in one sitting.

[Delee · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading a few dark, depressing books in a row, I really needed to read something light and fun. WHY CAN'T I BE YOU hit the mark for me perfectly!

Jenny Shaw has just been dumped by her boyfriend. She feels disconnected from her family, her job, her one friend...and her cat. While on a business trip Jenny is mistaken for someone named Jessie and jumps at the chance to become somebody else for awhile. Jenny/Jessie juggles both lives, attending the three day work conference as Jenny, and a 13 year high-school reunion as Jessie. Whew! Confused? No? Good.

I loved this character, her new friends, and I loved being taken back to everything 90s!

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenny Shaw, 30ish wallflower from a broken home, dumped by her long-term boyfriend at the airport, arrives in Seattle for a conference and is mistaken for Jessie f**ing Morgan, legendary friend and raconteur of a small band of misfits setting up for their high school reunion. Alone, depressed and unloved, Jenny plays along and finds a family of friends she's always desired and the freedom to be more her true self than the forgettable facade she's built since middle school. Reminded me of Tana French's The Likeness and Donna Tartt's The Secret History in the way Jenny becomes enamored by her new friends and evolves into a different person (though the friends this case are good people vs manipulative murders in French and Tart's books.) Larkin's writing is confident and breezy, with a satisfying level of complexity and lots of fun late 1980s, early 1990's pop references. Jenny and the friends are warm and inviting. A good comfort food kind read. Recommended.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why Can't I Be You is a standalone novel written by author Allie Larkin. In this book, the main character Jenny Shaw assumes someone else's life when she is mistaken for "Jessie". Jessie has been missing from her social circle for the past thirteen years and apparently Jenny and Jessie look so much alike that Jenny just picks up where Jessie left off. Although this book is intended to be entertaining, I just couldn't get past the very predictable consequences that were bound to happen at any moment. Jenny's impersonation of Jessie is bold and with each day that passed I just cringed. On the plus side, her character is written well and as a reader I could understand where her desperation to continue living Jessie's life came from. It just wasn't enough for me and I found myself to be more anxious than entertained. All I can say is it must have been a "glass half empty" kind of week for me!

My favorite quote:
“It's hard to look at it like that, isn't it? Because if you can be a better parent than the ones you had, you have to face the fact that your parents had that choice too. If you're not fated to be an awful parent, they weren't either. And," I said feeling my throat tighten, "it's easier to believe that we're all just f***'ed than it is to know there are choices." I rubbed my hands together to try to get my fingers to warm up. "It hurts less to think they couldn't have done any better than they did, doesn't it?”

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I found the first 50 pages or so okay. I could believe that Jenny was so sad and dispirited that she went along with Myra until the shuttle arrived and she went off shopping alone. And then, if she bumped into them later on during the weekend maybe she could have continued the charade. But when it kept going, it became way too implausible. First, as Karen points out why did no one ask her over and over again WHY SHE LEFT? Who would really just pick up and hang out without any awkward reunion stuff...even if she really was Jessie FUCKING Morgan (and really, people called her that...to her face?).

Despite Jenny's internal monologue of "I really shouldn't do this, I'll stop soon", there was no effort to clear anything up until Karen comes along and causes a fuss. I just didn't buy any of it. And of course the "Disney-fied" ending in which Jenny no only figures out what she wants, but is able to get it. That doesn't happen anywhere but in a Hollywood movie.

Chit lit to the extreme, it was an easy read and mildly entertaining but nothing matched up to reality and there was no real insight or human nature angle.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Put Allie Larkin's second novel on your to-read shelf! She's a fabulous author, and if you haven't yet discovered her first novel, STAY, you have time to read that one while you wait for WHY CAN'T I BE YOU. (Plume/Feb. 26, 2013.)

Fun, smart, charming, and heartbreakingly honest, WHY CAN'T I BE YOU takes its title from a hit song from the English rock band The Cure. It's the story of Jenny Shaw, who has spent her life trying to be all things to all people. On the way to the airport for business trip, she's dumped by the guy she thought she'd marry. Once she arrives at the hotel, a moment of mistaken identity gives her the opportunity to become Jessie Morgan at a class reunion for a high school she'd never attended.

It's a fun premise, filled with Hollywood potential, and Allie not only executes it fully, but transcends it until it becomes the story of a woman who loses herself long enough to find herself.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This might be short bc I'm typing it on my phone while cuddling a toddler, but I just had to say I really enjoyed this book. I don't read a lot of "women's fiction" or "chick lit" anymore, and that's kind of a shame because I forget how enjoyable and un-crappy it can be. Sure, this book is light, and sure, it requires some suspension of disbelief, but it also involves well-developed characters, an interesting plot, and made wake up this morning missing everyone from the book. I definitely recommend it!

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would you do if you could suddenly become someone else? When Jenny Shaw is mistaken for another women, Jessie Morgan, while on a business trip, she decides to go with it as a way to escape her life for a few days. What she doesn't realize starting out is how connected she will become to the people who think she is "Jessie Morgan," or what it will do in terms of helping her find focus and direction in her life. I loved this book, and it really gives you a lot to think about in terms of identity and the true meaning of friendship...

[Jamie Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion there are two kinds of chick lit, the majority being the kind with ridiculous plots, one dimensional characters and sometimes crude humor. The other, more hard to come by chick-lit, is a well written story with relatable characters and a lot of heart...Why Can't I Be You was that kind of book for me. You still have to use your imagination for the plot of this book and 'just go with it' but I enjoyed it from beginning to end :)

[Myrn🩶 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like a little mystery in the books I read so when Jenny pretends to be someone else I had to find out how it was all going to unravel. Allie Larkin did a great job. I thought this book was going to be a typical predictable, funny book but it wasn't. It was more about friendships and finding oneself. I'm sad it's over.

[Piepie | The Napping Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wished to be somebody else? I know I have. In this novel, Jenny Shaw actually lives out this fantasy and takes on the identity of someone that a random person has mistaken her for. The more I read it, the more I liked it. I liked how Jenny "found" herself and realized that sometimes family isn't family, sometimes it's the friends you gather around you. It definitely belongs on my "happy endings" shelf with an ending like that.

[Maja · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars
I enjoyed this one. It was good and different. The end was sweet and the characters were likable.
I found many beautiful things in this book: friendships, true love, second chance love, new beginning…

[Caroline Angell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allie Larkin writes with depth, humor, compassion and good old-fashioned plot-twistiness. Really got me thinking - what would I do in Jenny's situation? The author is subtle and generous (as in every book of hers I've had the pleasure to read) - the pages just flew by! Highly recommend.

[Luanne Ollivier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allie Larkin's latest book Why Can't I Be You? has just released and I have to tell you - I absolutely adored it!

Jenny Shaw thinks she has a pretty good life. She doesn't love her job, but she thinks she's pretty good at it. And it looks like she's finally getting some recognition - she's being sent to a conference by her boss. Well, okay it's because her boss can't attend. And she's pretty sure her relationship with her boyfriend Deagan is about to go to that next level.....

And it does, only it's not the level Jenny had envisioned. Deagan drops her off at the airport.....and drops her altogether, saying he needs to explore his feelings for another woman. Stunned, Jenny stumbles on the plane and heads to the conference. When she arrives at the conference centre, she thinks she hears someone calling her name....but they're saying Jessie. The woman is so glad to see 'Jessie' - she had no idea that she'd be attending the school reunion!

And with that hug, our Jenny steps into someone else's past. It's been a number of years and they really do resemble each other - enough so that the group of friends from Jessie's past welcome her back into their circle. And though she knows she should come clean...."For a little while, I wanted to forget me."

For this group of friends is warm and loving and fun - everything that Jessie realizes has been missing from her life. And with every day that goes by, it gets that much harder to admit the truth.

Jenny was such a great character - she was the kind of person you'd like to really have as a friend. Larkin does a great job taking us on Jenny's journey to discover what she really wants and needs from her life. I laughed out loud, I empathized and I crossed my fingers, hoping for the best for Jenny. And for the rest of the cast as well. Larkin has also created a great group of supporting players, just as likable as Jenny.(And one is named Luanne!) I found myself often stopping to think about my own friends from high school as I turned pages.

Yes, Why Can't I Be You definitely has chic lit elements, but it's much more than that. Larkin explores relationships - family, friends, co-workers and romantic all with a keen eye.

"Nothing is as it seems, and then you get older and get to decide if you want to go back and see everything the way it really is or if you just want to move on."

Does she get found out? You'll have to pick up the book to find out. I can totally see this book being made into a movie!

[Pauline Tilbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book 5 stars because it's good. It's a great read, good chick-lit. But it has great characters, they evolve through the story. The best thing about this story is Allie Larkin says some pretty important things. This story is about having people in our lives-family and friends-and wanting them to be a certain way. Most times, people can't live up to our expectations but we want them in our life so much that we change ourselves to maintain the relationship. Jenny has this issue with several people in her life.
She happens upon a group of friends that she enjoys so much that she lies about who she is, just to be with them. Not because she's mean or evil, but just because she's lived with the void of this kind of true friendship she sees. And she wants some of it for herself. First, she has to start living for herself.
I read some other reviews about this being a light read, cute story. It is cute and light, if you just run through it. I really recommend that you take your time. There's a lot to be said in this book, take a close look at Jenny's relationship with her mother and see how it affected everything in her life.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine that your life just kinda sucked at the moment and you were given the chance to take on another person's identity. That's exactly what happens in this book. Obviously we get to know Jenny and realize that she isn't doing this in a mean-spirited way. After all, she honestly thought someone had called out "Jenny" from across the hotel lobby ... when in fact they thought it was "Jessie" - a long-lost friend. So begins the adventures of Jenny aka Jessie. Jenny goes from being down and out to having a best friend who designs clothing in her memory, some friends who remember the good ol' days and a potential love interest. Not too bad ... except that she does feel a little tormented about deceiving her new friends.

The story is pretty predictable (not in a bad way - but you just kind of know where things are headed) ... my one major complaint was that Jenny was a little bit of a "woe is me" character. I wanted to empathize with her more and found that I only did near the end of the novel. Otherwise, a recommended read.

[Camie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Jenny Shaw is mistaken for a long lost highschool friend, she takes the opportunity to exchange lives with Jessie Morgan, with whom she bears an uncanny resemblance. Since things have not been going that great in her life, she enjoys the opportunity and intrigue of being warmly embraced by Jessie's old friends who are attending a high school reunion and accept her unconditionally . A cute story about friendship and a glance at what it would be like to step into someone else's life. A perfect movie script. 4 stars

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick, light read. I found it a bit predictable - you know the house of cards is going to tumbling down at some point, it's just a question of when. It was also a bit distracting that Jenny kept explaining why she kept pretending to be Jessie. Overall, it was ok.

[Queen Meega · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wishful thinking

Why Can't I Be you by Allie Larkin has such a great premise. Opting in to someone else's life when you're crashes and burns around you. Jenny goes to a conference and is mistaken for a woman named Jessie by a loving, fun group of misfits at their high school reunion. Jennie is so down about her own life and had trouble making and keeping friends, so this ready made family is something she desperately craves. While I liked many of the things the author did, there were too many coincidences used to move the plot along. But all in all this is a great book to download when you have a day of travel and need an escape.

[Sandra Hutchison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a charming novel about a lonely woman who grew up being forced to hide her truth because it was the only way to survive her toxic alcoholic mother. In adulthood, she can't seem to let that dysfunctional habit go -- even to the point of haplessly taking on someone's identity during a high school reunion she accidentally stumbles into when people there mistake her for that person. But doing so opens her eyes to some useful truths. In sitcoms I seriously can't bear to watch this kind of plot, all hinging on a lie that gets bigger and bigger. But Larkin is an excellent writer who carried me along with her heroine very nicely here, feeling all the feels and rejoicing as she had her epiphanies. A lovely read.

[Susan Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding our true self

This is a very compelling novel about a young woman who finds her true self while she’s pretending to be someone else. A case of mistaken identity has Jenny becoming Jessie for a weekend, becoming friends with Jessie’s friends. This book is so insightful, as we are privy to Jenny/Jessie’s thoughts, heartaches, memories, wishes and dreams, as well as her feelings of guilt about pretending to be someone she’s not. I enjoyed getting to know Jenny, as she came to know and understand herself.

[Bunmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy premise, Great Read

I really liked this! It was moving and surprising. And just a good read.

The premise is kind of crazy, but also taps into a fantasy we probably all have had once: to leave our lives behind and be someone else. Maybe our lives would be better, maybe our lives would be more complicated, but maybe we'll figure out who we really are after we stop pretending.

[Anne - ReadingfortheWeekend · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book so good I finished it in one day! Perfect book to read the pool/beach. Interesting story line with great character development. The characters are immediately relatable and the writing has you hooked from the beginning.

[Michele Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who hasn’t at one point or another wished to be someone else? This feel-good book takes you down that road! A fun read!

[Ashley Bartlette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea what this book was about when I started it and I actually really enjoyed it:)