Aimee's Dilemma - Love Me or Leave Me by Tobi Taiwo
Seventeen isn’t an easy age — the idea of University looms over students’ heads, friendships grow more tense, and relationships are filled with expectations. For Aimee Larkson, all the stresses of being a teenager are coming to a head in her final year of 6th form. Aimee’s Dilemma is Tobi Taiwo’s slice-of-life story that details Aimee’s coming-of-age and the universal challenges of deciding what she wants her future to look like.
Best friends Aimee and Kat are navigating their way through college in Reigate, Surrey, England, with romance, holiday plans, numerous peers and plenty of parental issues. Aimee’s Dilemma shows a year of Aimee’s life in a brief 86 pages — and a lot can happen in a year.
The novella opens with a Dramatis Personae — a list of all of the players in the story — their ages, relationships to one another and roles in the novella. Written in a tone reminiscent of a screenplay or a piece for the theater, author Tobi Taiwo approaches the story from a third-person perspective. With detailed descriptions of each character, including their appearance, heights, outfits and ages, readers will be able to picture everything in their mind’s eye as if it were performed in front of them.
Friends Become Lovers and Lovers Become Strangers
The core conflict, what can be considered Aimee’s Dilemma, is her complex relationship with her boyfriend Matt. He tries to tell her how to dress, what to eat, how to behave and what University to attend — things that Aimee is willing to tolerate to keep the peace and to keep Matt happy. But when her best friend Kat, Aimee’s mother and her stepdad ask if she’s happy, Aimee begins to second guess everything. Has she been standing up for herself enough? Is this how she deserves to be treated? And finally, should she love Matt or is it time to leave him?
What begins with relationship troubles and a heartbreaking loss in her past soon spirals into reckless behavior and complications in her everyday life. From bouts of infidelity to complex parental issues, to rocky friendships and tough relationships, Aimee’s Dilemma stretches far beyond Aimee’s own life and personal issues and extends into the lives of her friends and family. Can Aimee finally figure out what she wants for herself, and can she forge the path forward with her friendships, family and relationships intact? Eventually, things will shift beyond her wildest dreams, where friends will become lovers and lovers become strangers.
Life Lessons and Complex Relationships
Young adult readers will particularly enjoy Aimee’s Dilemma for the valuable lessons and relatable landmark life phases that Aimee grapples with. With supportive parents and friends — who have their own issues to deal with — Aimee learns to navigate the world like an adult. She sees the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, figures out how to communicate, and realizes that friendship is one of the most valuable tools she has. The ending will leave readers craving a sequel, wondering what will happen next for Kat and Aimee as they make their way to University. Tobi Taiwo has crafted an easy read with lovable characters and a compelling dilemma at its core.
