This is the second book that I've read based on an Essence magazine recommendation. They are two for two! As I started to read it, I could help but think of the movie The Nanny Diaries; however, as the book went on, it took a different turn. Substitute Me was a book about race, class, racial guilt, sex, and relationships. Tharps does an excellent job of familiarizing us with the characters and letting us peek into their daily lives.