A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston

by Robyn Crawford

After decades of silence, Robyn Crawford, close friend, collaborator, and confidante of Whitney Houston, shares her story.

Whitney Houston is as big a superstar as the music business has ever known. She exploded on the scene in 1985 with her debut album and spent the next two decades dominating the charts and capturing the hearts of fans around the world. One person was there by her side through it all--her best friend, Robyn Crawford.

Since Whitney's death in 2012, Robyn has stayed out of the limelight and held the great joys, wild adventures, and hard truths of her life with Whitney close to her heart. Now, for the first time ever, Crawford opens up in her new memoir, A Song for You.

With warmth, candor, and an impressive recall of detail, Robyn describes the two meeting as teenagers in the 1980s, and how their lives and friendship evolved as Whitney recorded her first album and Robyn pursued her promising Division I basketball career. Together during countless sold-out world tours, behind the scenes as hit after hit was recorded, through Whitney's marriage and the birth of her daughter, the two navigated often challenging families, great loves, and painful losses, always supporting each other with laughter and friendship.

Deeply personal and heartfelt, A Song for You is the vital, honest, and previously untold story that provides an understanding of the complex life of Whitney Houston. Finally, the person who knew her best sets the record straight.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Music, Biography, Audiobook, LGBT, Biography Memoir

336 pages, Hardcover

First published November 12, 2019

Reviews

[Roxane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a searing indictment of the Houston family and the way they exploited and manipulated Whitney, enabled her addiction, drove a wedge between her and the love of her life, and only served themselves. They are all trash. Absolute trash. Bobby Brown, also trash. This is the most depressing book. Crawford tells a compelling story of her life, her life with Whitney and her life after Whitney. What’s interesting is that don’t really know Whitney that well, even at the end of the book. I think even in death, Crawford is protecting Whitney and her privacy. I don’t believe for a second that they stopped being physically intimate. But I respect why Crawford might say that’s the case. And I could be wrong. The book is in desperate need of copy editing and proofreading. There is no excuse for the misspellings and other grammatical issues. But to repeat, the Houstons are trash. They should live the rest of lives in shame because Whitney and Bobbi Kristina’s blood is on their hands. We knew her family were a pack of vultures but goddamn, now we KNOW. Fuck Clive Davis, too.

[Adesuwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in 6 hours. Contrary to popular beliefs this book is not a “tell-all” book. It’s a book about Robyns life, before and after she met Whitney Houston. And since Robyn met Whitney in her teens, and was with her for 20 years, it is understandable that Whitney would be a part of her story. This honestly to me is the most real, raw, and honest version of Whitney Houston that I have read since her death. Robyn talks about Whitney in a loving way, but also discuss both of their struggles with drug use and Whitney’s self-esteem issues (which we already knew). However, the portrayal of Whitney Houston was not negative as in the most recent documentaries and biographies. I believe that this book will provide Whitney Houston fans with the knowledge and understanding of maybe the reasons why Whitney chose to use drugs at such a young age and was never able to quit. Unfortunately it was secrets and the feelings of abandonment and loneliness that failed this Fallen Angel. Coincidentally, it’s the truth (portrayed in this book) that could’ve set Whitney Houston free.

**ALSO, I don’t understand the 1 & 2 star ratings given before the book was actually available for the public to read. And the fact that these ratings are not accompanied by actual reviews leads me to believe that the ppl who rated did not actually read the book, but chose to rate anyway b/c of their personal feelings about Robyn writing this book. To those who did this: you are not true “Goodreaders” b/c if you were you would understand that everybody deserves to tell their truth. If you don’t agree with it you don’t have to read it… Therefore you shouldn’t a review.

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always associated certain songs or artists with different different time periods in my life. Whitney Houston was a huge presence during my grade school years. I remember how excited I was the Christmas I got a pink, dual cassette boombox with a microphone and the Whitney album on cassette tape. (If it sounds like I'm bragging, I am) And of course I remember all of the long car trips in our conversion van in which my parents were up front listening to talk radio and I had to share our one Walkman (with the tape on the back to keep the batteries in and headphones that kept falling apart) with my brother and sister. I always brought my Whitney cassette tape with me while I patiently waited my turn to be able to listen to it.

I 100% do not believe Robyn wrote this book as some quick way to cash in on Whitney's fame. I think she finally decided so many years later to speak about her friendship with Whitney so the rest of the world could see the Whitney she knew. And yes some of the rumors were true, they did have a physical relationship at one time, but it ended long ago. I thought it came across loud and clear Robyn cared deeply about Whitney as a friend. And that's why I do believe this is the most honest look at Whitney we are ever going to get. Whitney had a lot of shady people around her including family members but I don't think Robyn was one of those people.

I felt very sad while reading this book because I just wish things could have turned out differently for Whitney. Everyone knows she and Bobby Brown were a highly dysfunctional couple but this book did confirm that drugs were a part of her life long before he entered the picture. Their daughter, Bobbi Kristina, essentially was left to fend for herself while her parents were a mess and it is tragic she lost her life at such an early age.

I do think Robyn was able to show there really was something special about Whitney and I am glad I read this book. She had that "it" factor. I truly hope she is at peace now.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Song For You: My Life With Whitney Houston" by Robyn Crawford is a truthful and bittersweet memoir of love and friendship, recalling the highs and lows of Houston's extraordinary rise to fame and fortune, and the support Crawford provided for her beloved friend in her career and personal life, also the impact of change, sacrifice, and loss as Crawford's life moved in a new direction.

In 1980, Crawford introduced herself to Whitney Elizabeth Houston (1962-2012) aka. "Nippy" after spotting her at a Community Center event (East Orange, N.J.). Crawford was in college, and the pair struck up a fast friendship and soon became inseparable. The focus of Houston's life always centered around music, and Crawford wrote extensively the first time she heard Houston sing in her church choir. Whitney was very religious and sang like an angel, yet she smoked cigarettes and weed on a regular basis. Crawford smoked weed with Houston and was introduced to cocaine, and reflected that it wasn't a difficult decision to eventually quit using substance altogether-- though this wasn't the case for Houston, who spent years battling substance addiction.

Crawford was raised by a no nonsense single mother that led her family by example--whereas,
Houston's family seemed most concerned about how they were viewed and regarded by others. Throughout the book, Houston's parents usually avoided direct and open communication, and may have been in denial about Whitney's sexual orientation, her disturbing marriage to Bobby Brown (m.1992-2007), and escalating use/abuse of substance.
Houston became mega-famous when she signed with Arista Records: with a string of number one hit records and sold out concert tours world wide-- her relationship with Crawford was constantly scrutinized by the press. Instead of giving interviews, which may have improved her social standing somewhat, Houston made harsh and derogatory statements against homosexuality and defined herself rigidly as a "man's woman". Behind closed doors, Houston often said that she couldn't be herself, as she made plans to go through with her marriage to Brown. Immediately following the wedding the couple became tabloid fodder with their very public fights and drama, and Houston's use of substance escalated.

Houston had a few close friends and devoted staff who were committed to her success and wellness, this would quickly change following her marriage. Certain staff members were demoted or unable to care for Houston. Crawford seemed to be unable to have a private conversation with her. Despite Houston's heavy touring schedule, that considerably wore her down; Cindy Madnick, the bookkeeper of Nippy Inc. stated that Houston was funding large sums for the living expenses of others: senior employees, Brown's mother was using Nippy Inc. like an ATM machine, her father had set up an account where gas was paid at a Mobil station that a number of people were taking advantage of. Houston ordered stop payments and credit cards be taken away, but the financial exploitation continued anyway. It was unclear why more wasn't done to protect Houston's assets and best interests financially and otherwise.
The decision Crawford made to resign her position working for Houston was rough, she had spent all her adult life with working with and for Whitney. Throughout the years Crawford has been approached by several publishers for her true story, and in sharing it, Houston's legacy can be understood in a manner that wasn't always possible. Robin Crawford lives in New Jersey with her wife and children, and writes full time.

[Book Reviews by Tara aka Queen of Memoirs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t write about this book immediately after reading it because I honestly didn’t know what I thought about it. After giving it time to sink in, I realize the reason I was so conflicted was because this book is not so much about Whitney Houston, as it is about Robyn Crawford. As I began to process it from that perspective, it all became clear.

Robyn Crawford has been this mysterious woman that we’ve all seen by Whitney’s side from the very beginning of Whitney’s music career. We’ve heard many stories about Robyn. But we’ve never heard from Robyn...until now! In her long awaited memoir she finally shares her side of all the stories we’ve heard from so many others. But clearing up rumors is not the only thing this book is about.

A Song For You is more importantly, the story of a woman that chose to walk away from her best friend & the extraordinary life they built together, in order to save herself.

The essence of this book is the story of Robyn as an individual. Stories about her family, the pain of losing both her mother & brother from the same horrible disease, taking care of her mentally ill sister, starting a new life from scratch after having lived the lifestyle of the rich and famous...these are the stories that are the foundation of this book. This is the story of a woman who loved herself enough to walk away from a toxic friendship, a lavish lifestyle, & a successful career, without ever turning back.

I began reading this book thinking it was going to be all about Whitney Houston. I thought I was going read new and more positive stories about Whitney. Some stories were new, but not all of them were more positive. However, it is the life they shared.

After analyzing my thoughts I have come to realize this book is the story of a woman that couldn’t save her friend so she saved herself. It’s a story of courage, strength and determination. It’s proof that self-love conquers all!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once a year or so, I fall down a serious Whitney Houston rabbit hole: rare tracks, YouTube videos, documentaries, articles… so reading Robyn Crawford’s memoir was a no-brainer.

I’m proud of the author for protecting her friend in this book. These ladies were thick as thieves for 20+ years, but she doesn’t dish on Houston’s worst behaviors, and she doesn’t even bash Bobby Brown very much, which would have been easy to do, because Bobby Brown is an absolute piece of garbage.

Through it all, what’s clear is that Robyn loved Whitney (and vice versa), and she probably gave up too much of her life for Whitney, and she finally had to let go and find a healthy life of her own.

Strangely enough, Crawford’s loving yet honest portrayal of her friend cured me of feeling sorry for Houston, which I’ve done for years.

Yes, her family sucked. Yes, they took advantage. But I get a strong sense from Crawford that Whitney Houston was a force of nature, who knew her own mind, and who ultimately did whatever the hell she wanted to do. Some of her choices were extremely stupid, and some were unbelievably shrewd. But really, Houston steered her own ship.

And, the music! This woman accomplished vocal feats no one will ever match. That range, that phrasing, that absolute, total heart.

Note: I was so glad Crawford included CeCe Winans in this story, even just a little.

Book/Song Pairings:

1. Star Spangled Banner (duh)
2. I Go To the Rock (w/Karen Clark and CeCe Winans)
3. A Song For You
4. Amazing Grace (w/BeBe and CeCe Winans)
5. Bridge Over Troubled Waters (w/CeCe Winans)

[Jennie Damron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I picked this book up I could not put it down. As a little girl I grew up listening to Whitney Houston and dancing to her music. She was so beautiful and poised. It never dawned on me how little control she actually had. The people that ultimately loved and had her best interest at heart were tossed aside as she spiraled down. Robyn clearly loved Whitney. Not just the star, but the person she was and wanted to be. Whitney's gift was beautiful but her life was tragic. I loved the way Robyn's book did not demonize Whitney but instead showed why things happened the way they did. Not with judgement but with overwhelming sadness and a sense of, it didn't have to be this way. I'm so glad I read this book. And I'm glad to know Whitney had someone in her life that saw her, truly saw her.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book. All I have to say is— if you are one of the people saying things like “Why now?” or “She’s trying to make money off of a dead woman’s name!” or “Whitney isn’t here to defend herself!”, I warn you that you sound misinformed and proving yourself to be unreflective. This isn’t a book about Whitney, this is a book about Robyn. She is not accusing her of a crime or slandering her name. She is diving into a professional and personal relationship that spanned decades. One in which she made tremendous sacrifices and investments. One that shaped an enormous chunk of her life. Don’t be that person: pick up the book, read it, then comment. That’s what I did, and I give it 5 stars and commend Robyn for writing her story. If you are truly a fan of Whitney then you should accept the things that made her human. Yes, there are countless perspectives to every story. Unfortunately we will never hear Whitney’s, but I assure you, there would be nothing for her to “defend.” It made me love Whitney even more. A wonderful tribute to a very real part of an Icon. I think Robyn would know better than us and I’m grateful to her for sharing. Bravo!

[Gabriella · Rating 2 out of 5]

Welp.........

1. Loved her inclusion of different moments of musical history and song-based lessons she was a part of thanks to Whitney.
2. Robyn has an uncanny ability to use small experiences she remembered to show the larger destructive patterns many people in this story engaged in
3. However, while she is all too happy to share about the destructive patterns of everyone else in Whitney’s life, it sometimes feels like she is unrealistically casting herself as the “hero” of this story, and the only one who ever did right by Whitney.
5. There’s no use in speculating about someone’s sexuality from the grave, but Robyn’s story surely feels like the “I fell for a straight girl” narrative, except over several decades as opposed to the usual semester in high school/college. There’s clear animosity for both people’s partners, and I was just sad and uncomfortable for the both of them!!
6. THE DETAIL FOR STORIES SHE DID NOT HEAR IS TOOOOOO MUCH! At some points, especially in the later years, it feels like she was grasping at straws (mainly, secondhand stories from Silvia) to continue to tell Whitney’s life story in the years when they had drifted apart.
7. It’s partially clear that they drifted apart because honestly, in the later years, she has few encouraging things to say about Whitney—this seems particularly critical given their *joint* drug use for so many years!! For all Robyn’s concern about the leeches in Whitney’s life, her memoir portrays a similar lack of respect (and nuance) for Whitney in her later years. There is no real attempt to try and see some of the positive moments she may have had despite her struggles with addiction, and maybe this is just because Robyn was no longer around to witness those positive moments.
8. It is completely fine—perhaps even healthier for Robyn—that they’d gone their separate ways. I just wish she’d stuck to the 7-or-so-year run when it seems they were incredibly close, instead of reaching and regurgitating and hypothesizing to meet the page requirements of her book deal. It’s okay if she had a young adulthood with Whitney Houston, and not a life with her. However, I think this book falls flat in large part because Robyn refuses to acknowledge this distinction.
9. People can grow up in many ways, and I think Robyn was only able to see the negative ways Whitney grew, because she was not the same teenager she met in East Orange, the same person she had all these amazing memories with. In the end, Robyn’s biases against all of Whitney’s potential partners and her impossible longing for the “old Whitney” made it hard for me to respect much of this book.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just wanna give Robyn a hug after this. I can’t imagine how brave it was to put it all in words, but I’m confident it is going to bring her the peace she deserves. I didn’t know anything about Whitney besides her songs, but this books illuminates her life and trajectory as “the lucky one”. If only her entire family loved and cared for her; if only she hadn’t felt constrained by the music industry to hide her true self; if only she and Robyn could have been free? Don’t even get me started on Bobbi Kristina. Overall, it’s tragedy over tragedy. But I’m glad Robyn claimed her own story - and made justice for Whitney’s name.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robyn Crawford was there before Whitney Houston was a household name. She and Whitney met as teens in New Jersey and developed a relationship with so many layers.

Robyn and Whitney were initially lovers but could not maintain that relationship due to how it would appear to Whitney’s fans as well as Whitney’s strict, conservative, religious family. Robyn had a front seat to the rise and ultimately the fall of Whitney. In this book Robyn is very raw with how things went down behind the scenes with Whitney and her family.

Robyn received criticism for writing this book after Whitney died and she said her reasoning behind it was to put some of the headlines at rest about Whitney. Robyn knew Whitney was struggling with addictions and it seemed that made better headlines then the renowned career she had paving her own way in music. Robyn did Whitney justice in this book by highlighting the immense highs and the deep lows of being in the shadow of Whitney Houston.

[Hannah Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew when I started reading this book, that it would make me cry.

Cry, I did.

It's hard to review and rate memoirs, because of their personal, unique nature, but this was one of the most moving memoirs I have ever read.

I can't recommend this to someone unless they loved Whitney Houston, because these pages are sacred to her memory and sacred to the real Whitney.

I feel oddly protective of it, like if you didn't love her, then you don't deserve to read Robyn's re-telling of their lives together.

This book broke my heart over and over again, but I'm so thankful that Robyn had the courage to set the record straight, and to give her own deeply heartfelt, incredibly intimate perspective on the life of Whitney Houston.

[Yesenia Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Robyn for sharing your story, this was tasteful and I felt the love you have for your dear friend Nip.

[Justin Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intimate look into life of Whitney Houston through the eyes of her best friend and loyal assistant of 20 years. Robyn allows readers to peer into Whitney as a person, not just the superstar. A love letter to her best friend after remaining silent for decades, Robyn gives readers everything you want to know, including the answer to the rumors that circled them for years.

[Reading Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love a good memoir, and like so many others, I grew up knowing who Whitney Houston was. My parents were huge fans of hers, and my mom especially loved The Bodyguard and The Preacher's Wife. I remember seeing Whitney Houston's appearances at various awards shows during her years of drug addiction, and I even remember the reality television show she starred in alongside her husband Bobby Brown. Like so many, the news of her death was a shock to me, and I watched the televised funeral and several documentaries on her. One of the biggest misconceptions that I had about Whitney Houston was that it was Bobby Brown who introduced her to drugs, which is not true. I had heard the name Robyn Crawford associated with Whitney Houston, mainly for the close and often controversial friendship the two women shared. A Song for You gives an insight into Whitney and Robyn's private friendship, from two young girls to Whitney's rise to fame and downfall into drugs. What is saddest to me is the way the people around her who seemingly loved her used and took advantage of her fame and wealth. Her story is the epitome of the saying, "Money and fame cannot buy you happiness." I do not feel that Robyn was trying to exploit her friendship with Whitney in any way; instead, I feel like she was trying to set the record straight and tell her truth as she knew it. I thought this was an entertaining and thought-provoking read.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

An honest book about true friendship. Reading the book you get a sense of the deep love and admiration that Robyn felt for her friend, Whitney. The truest line in the book comes early on when Robyn writes that she wished those early days "could go on that way forever." Whitney, on the other hand, seems determined to be successful at all costs, and I think one of those costs ended up being the loss of Robyn by her side. Interwoven throughout the book is also Robyn's longing to rescue her friend from her self-destructive habits and her dysfunctional family relationships. In the end, they proved to be too much for even a great friend and she left Whitney's company feeling frustrated and defeated. Nevertheless, she never stopped being loyal to Whitney or their connection only speaking out now long after her death. She does so in a loving way that seeks to stop speculation and also highlight both the beauty and limitations of a lifelong friendship.

[Allison]

I like Whitney Houston’s music a lot but am not a super fan and was not familiar with a lot of the history and her story. I read this because I was interested in the secret relationship aspect of stardom and how homophobia presented itself in Robyn and Whitney’s relationship. This is not a tell all, as other reviewers have said, and it still feels like Robyn is holding back due to how private of a person Whitney was. It was a fascinating, quick read, very poorly ghost written but interesting to look at the rise to stardom, the effect of rumors about sexuality, a young, codependent relationship, and the sad descent into addiction and the people around Whitney Houston who enabled her addiction, rather than promoting treatment, for their own personal gain.

[Kameel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself comparing Robyn's perspective to Bobby Brown's perspective...Ironically, some of their accounts were the same of Whitney and of course there were some differences as well as omitted details....listening to Robyn narrate her accounts made me feel bad for both her and Whitney. As popular and well liked as Whitney was.....according to Robyn's account, Whitney wasn't a happy person and that just make me feel bad for her. Robyn spoke a lot about how Whitney's family member took advantage of her kindness...especially, her parents & siblings...those are the people you expect to take better care of you....this book just made me sad, but I had to listen to the entire book to get the entire picture. Robyn did a decent job narrating...there were times during her narration that she became emotional when she spoke about her own mother & brother...as well as Whitney.

[Cassandra Haywood · Rating 4 out of 5]

True Friendship

This was a well written story about Robyn Crawford and Whitney Houston life long friendship. My attention was grabbed from the beginning until the very end. Even though there were the rumors, lies, gossip and dysfunctional ways that were said and written about. Robyn told her side of the story with respect and not really bashed anyone.
Sometimes when seeing family and loved ones heading down a path of destruction, you just have to step back and show tough love.
This storyline is a great read and I highly recommend this book to read.
Cassandra H.

[Calvina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was an amazing story about Robyn’s life and her friendship with Whitney. It’s refreshing to hear the story of Whitney’s rise and fall from a different perspective other than that of her family. I really enjoyed learning more about Robyn and who is she really was/is. The stories she shares about her own personal life are heartbreaking, but in the end she finds peace and happiness. She really did love “Nippy”. The true definition of a life-long friendship.

[Brandi Delany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had planned to hate it because I’m a huge Whitney fan and I was worried it would be disrespectful. I actually think it was well done. She told their story in a way that seemed honest and genuine but not salacious. You can tell she really loved her friend and had her best interest at heart even in writing the book.

[cinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bobby Brown and the rest of the Houston’s are never EVER seeing heaven. So many things could have been done to prevent the tragic passing of Whitney and later on Bobbi.

I hope Robyn found peace in writing this book and telling her side and Hoping that Whitney and Bobbi Kristina are at peace and together ❤️

[Amiee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t going to read this one...I felt like too many people exploited Whitney...however after reading reviews I decided to read it. the love and friendship Robin had for Whitney is clear from the first page. Good read.

[Jada · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the most honest and vulnerable books I've ever read. Whitney went through a lot, and Robyn really shared her story in such an honest way.

[Sweetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have lots of thoughts about this book but I’ll try to be brief. I initially heard about Robyn Crawford from a background singer that told me there were rumors of Whitney being gay. Never gave it too much thought as I don’t take hearsay as facts. Then I saw the documentary and knew there was some truth to the rumor.

I too believe this book was Robyn’s honest account of her life with Whitney. But there was also an underlying indictment of the Houston family and how they utterly failed their sister, daughter, niece, cousin friend! It also showed how, when one doesn’t live in their truth or indulge in self care, you wilt away mentally, physically and emotionally.

Whitney was surrounded by a lot of family but they ultimately used and abused her instead of keeping her grounded in a great foundation. She had the voice of an angel with demons all around her.

I’m thankful Robyn was in her life. However, Robyn was ultimately pushed out by the ugliness along with Sylvia. Its a crying shame she wasn’t even able to attend the service.

Whitney was the voice of a generation. Yet she was broke by 1987 and again later in life by unknowingly bankrolling lazy ‘n selfish individuals that called themselves family.

Robyn also endured tremendous loss with her mom, brother and father. Father because he was so abusive and wasn’t present. Finding out her sister was bipolar at 30 something AFTER having professional trouble and personal loss! I know her therapy sessions left her eyes burning from all the tears and pain. I hope writing this book was cathartic for her as she too needed a hug or two after witnessing all that was revealed in this book. Sometimes even if your NOT the victim, bearing witness to such drama can take its toll.

I’ve said more than I was going to say so I’ll end here.

[LeeTravelGoddess · Rating 5 out of 5]

UMMM WOOOOOW!

This is Robyn’s story and it’s not a tell all but rather the life of Whitney Houston from her unique perspective. She really didn’t tell us anything that we didn’t already either know or assume and she knew Whitney MUCH LONGER than MOST.

Chiiiiilllleeeeee, the TEA was served piping hot and the most disturbing thing I took from the book was Whitney’s family... what a disgustingly dysfunctional group of people!!! And to learn that Gary wasn’t even a whole — whew LAWD! I didn’t know that she and her mother were so disjointed, I mean— parents are how WE GET THROUGH LIFE, forrealz!

This book shows how Robyn and Nippy loved one another deeply which shows in how she remembers the late GREAT, Whitney Houston... I loved her description of her very first time of officially hearing Whitney sing; that was truly beautiful.

Finally, to Randy Jackson... you tried it Sir—- I hollered at Robyn’s recant of Whitney’s description of him and his cheating ways. In some ways, I really wish that Eddie Murphy had acted better because I believe they would have been a solid match but colliding stars don’t create anything beautiful when you think about it spatially (so perhaps not). The saddest part is y’all; Whitney didn’t live to tell her own story but everyone else is YET HERE feeding us their side.

Whitney was hurt & troubled from the beginning & the plane soared off the ground to its highest permissible altitude and began its decent in a slow spiral— one that was undetectable and by the time everyone noticed, it was too late. Rest In Peace Whitney Elizabeth Houston 💚

[Ezi Chinny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came in thinking it was a biography of Whitney Houston, but it was actually Robyn Crawford’s biography that included her memories of her time with Whitney. It turned out to be a pretty long chunk of her Robyn's life, but this is still more about Robyn.
Regarding Whitney's tumultuous childhood and as a singer, this book reinforced things I already had heard or suspected of Cissy, John and the rest of the Houston family.
I commend Robin for not going out of her way to trash Bobby Brown, Whitney's ex husband, but to tell stories of the things she saw and heard while an employee of Nippy’s.

Imagine if Whitney grew up with a mother who who affirmed her both in her relationships and in her talent. Parents who didn’t use her religion as a whip to beat her spirit down and pretended she didn’t know her kids were drowning their pain in drugs. She would have been even greater than she was.
Affirmation and Self Esteem is so crucial to feeling worthy of love.

If you are hoping for a juicy salacious tell-all book, this isn’t it. This book is an author telling us about herself in attempts to regain the narrative of her life after decades of the media spreading lies about her. There is also a clear attempt to show the kind, vulnerable side of Whitney and say goodbye to her beloved friend. It's obvious She is still protecting Whitney even after her death. There is loyalty here, and I appreciate it. 
RIP Whitney Houston.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shame on the Houston family.
Shame on the Brown family.
Shame on the Warwick family.
Shame on Clive Davis.
Shame on Arista Records.
Shame on L.A. Reid.
Shame on CeCe Winans.
Shame on drug dealers.

This book could've used a little more editing (grammar and spelling).

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Har så mycket respekt för Robyn Crawford. Läs Roxanne Gays recension för den säger allt! Tror inte heller att Robyn berättar allt, men hela poängen är väl att Whitney aldrig fick ha något privatliv eller sätta egna gränser. Tacksam över att hon ändå skriver om deras relation och hur hon tog sig vidare och unnar henne alla hikes i hela världen med hennes fru och barn och hoppas de alltid får bo i historiska hus och vara tillsammans. Whitney Houston öde är fan fruktansvärt och det är för sorgligt att det inte fick bli annorlunda. Mvh, ett nytt fan.

[Novelist Dienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed, cried a little, and got angry at certain people. I'm glad that I got to know Robyn Crawford a little more I find her time with and away Whitney Houston valuable.