I liked some of this book an extraordinary amount, but a lot of it felt like I'd either read it before or like it was so over-the-top going for shock value that it went from shock to schlock... I'm starting to think what it boils down to for me is that I'm over the unreliable narrator. I'm over the shocking plot twists and the nobody-is-what-they-seem-in-suburbia stories. Each one seems to try to outdo all the others, and as a result the plots feel overly layered and overly full of red herrings and misdirection.

That being said, watching the original Kelly Medina devolve was fascinating and at least for the first half to two-thirds of the book, was also extremely entertaining. That's when things started getting a little crazy and running off the rails, and that's where this one lost me. I saw one of the big twists from that section coming early on, but that didn't lessen the enjoyment for me, as I was curious to see how the author would roll out the information, so it wasn't an "I know what's coming" issue I had, so much as an "oh my goodness stop layering things on here and wrap it all up already" one. It went from a fascinating psychological study of how a woman falls apart to a story that felt like it was trying to draw out the tension - and overdoing it in the process.

The ending brought it back - I do love when an author literally ends the book with a shock - but it still netted out at only three stars for me...

At first, I thought this was just going to be your typical obsessive stalker story, but it ended up being so much more!

There appears to be a mix up after a call from Kelly Medina’s doctor and because of that she finds out there’s another woman in town with the exact same name as her. But because of Kelly’s curiosity, she can’t seem to let it go. She essentially forces her way into this other woman’s life, and what starts out as an innocent friendship turns into a case of creepy stalking. Unfortunately because of her past, not everyone believes that this other Kelly, who just so happens to have the same exact name, is real.

This story took a turn I didn’t see coming and the suspense factor increased exponentially from there. Some of my suspicions panned out to be true, but others completely caught me by surprise. Definitely worth reading!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3399680024

This story was amazing! So twisty and complex in all the right ways. I had been in kind of a reading slump and this story yanked me out of it and kept me up late several nights reading to see what would happen next. All of the stars to this one!!

Thank you Harlequin and Netgalley for a thrill ride that took my mind off the pandemic.

On of the thriller plots du jour these days is two people with the same name. This time, there are two Kelly Medina’s. We meet the first and oldest of the two early on when she gets a call from her pediatrician’s office reminding her of her upcoming well baby visit. This Kelly’s son is away at college, but she’s intrigued that there’s someone new in town with her exact name. In fact she’s downright stalkerish about it and goes to the doctor’s office parking lot at the appointment time to see who the other Kelly is. They meet and become friends, at least for a while.

Garza has impeccable timing with what and when to reveal a clue. That’s a key component of any thriller. Another trait I look for is a beginning that jars me and keeps me engaged, and she was spot on with that, too. I never skipped over any words or sentences as I often do when I'm bored with the narrative or a description is running on too long.

I doubt that you’ll guess the ending. I certainly didn’t. But maybe, don’t try and buckle up for some surprises.

This is an author to watch and read.

I was completely drawn in to When I Was You, and the mystery of how another woman in town had the same name as the central character, Kelly Medina, since it couldn't be a coincidence. I started to guess the back story about half of the way through, but there were some surprises that made me gasp out loud! I don't think I cared for any of the characters that much and I think that was the author's intention, so we don't really know who we're rooting for. I especially liked how the author made you feel the first Kelly's obsession, then stalking, then her fear, then her obsession again. Garza wasn't afraid to go really dark towards the end, and it was the icing on the cake!

Holy heck, what did I just read?! This is a crazy good mystery/thriller that kept me guessing until the end, which is hard to do! I am still processing ... wow. Great story and unexpected how much I liked it. So worth the time if you like a thrilling mystery! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion. I will be recommending this one!

I didn't realize when I opened this book to read it that I would be sucked in and inhaling the pages. I got nothing done all weekend when I read this one.
An amazing book with a plot twist that I didn't see coming, the characters were so written I fell in love with them.

This book is twisted, dark, about what makes a good mother, and what makes a bad one. This book will make you question your own abilities as a mother with every turn of the page.

Thank you Netgalley for an arc of this book for my honest review..

Watch out people. We have a new amazing mystery/thriller author among us. This is one to watch for.

The twistiest, turniest book you could ever want.

Read, enjoy, and recommend.

I myself highly, highly recommend.

I was absolutely “wowed” by this debut thriller by Amber Garza! I couldn’t read it long enough or fast enough, right from the beginning. The plot is an original one about a lonely empty nester who really needs someone or something new in her life. One morning, she gets a phone call reminding her of a well-baby appointment at the office of her former pediatrician and she is amazed to find out that there is another Kelly Medina in town. Her objective becomes to find this young woman who shares her name. Well, she finds her and befriends her and then the total compulsive obsession begins. This is a real page-turner that I thought was very well-written, with gripping revelations of truth in the lives of women. The author demonstrates an authentic understanding of women’s issues and has written an exceptionally good mystery with a phenomenally shocking conclusion. I sincerely enjoyed how the story unraveled itself slowly and methodically, with so many twists and so much that I could identify with as I fell into the pages and was captivated by the drama of the lives of these two women. Fans of mystery/suspense/ and psychological thriller will enjoy this book that is definitely women’s contemporary fiction, too. It’s hard to classify the genre because this book fits into so many places!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

A story within a story that will keep you trying to figure out just what is going on? When she learns of another woman that has the same name as her, our main character becomes curious enough to learn what she can about the second woman named Kelly. The story twists and turns enough that you know that our original Kelly's story is quickly turning into a story that will not end well for anyone. But why? Amber Garza's story of a mother missing her son quickly loses the innocent intention she is trying to pass off as her motivation. A scary trip down the road that is paved with good intentions......

I loved this book! There is nothing like a good psychological thriller to keep me up all night. When Kelly Medina mistakenly gets a phone call from her son's pediatrician meant for another Kelly Medina, she is devastated. Her son has been away at school for the past year and she misses him terribly. She is also intrigued and curious about this woman with the same name. As her obsession with this woman grows, friends and family become concerned about her well-being. Things quickly take a turn for the worse and Kelly soon sees that things are not always as they seem.

This book was good! Seriously good! I thought I had it figured out during the first half of the book. Newsflsh - I didn't. Then I thought I had figured out the second part of the book. Nope. Again I was wrong. This book is full of twists and turns. It would make a fantastic movie. The story is very well written, dark and full of twists. Read it. You won't be sorry.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book started out strong, then was a little slow at times, but hooked me back in as Parts 2 and 3 started. It definitely didn’t have the pulse-pounding, can’t turn the pages fast enough feel that I tend to prefer in a thriller but it was still worth the read. That last page was quite the shocking surprise! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin for the advanced copy.

When I Was You by Amber Garza – The main character Kelly Medina finds out after a doctors call that there is another woman living in her town with the same name

So the book begins – this caught my attention early on, however the storyline felt all so familiar to me as it progressed. A similar story that I have read on many occasions from other thriller scripts

For me I could not get into the characters, and I quickly became bored. It is written well, and has a surprise ending.

I do feel this book will appeal to many readers

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing And Author Amber Garza for my advanced copy to read in exchange for my review

#WhenIWasYou #NetGalley

This is one of those hit or miss books. Some people will love it while others will not. The plot is twisty and makes you want to know what the hell is going on. But the narration is choppy and clunky. It’s hard to figure out what is going on because the narrators voice is not consistent. So reading it and keeping up is a little hard. The ending was great! Overall an above average read. I give it a solid 3.5

I was given an ARC of When I Was You by Amber Garza in return for a honest review. This was the first book of hers that I have read but I intend to read others. This novel keeps you guessing until the very end. You take two women, both Kelly Medina, add in an absent, philandering husband and two son's and you have a story that has more turns than Lombard street in San Franscisco. The first Kelly has a history of a break with reality and taking another women's child. The second, has an infant of her own. They cross paths, become "friends" and as the plot unfolds, ulterior motives abound. The accumulation of events concludes after a twisted tale that takes you all over the map. A griping story that is easy to recommend,

When I Was You is a psychological thriller that just grabs hold and doesn’t let up. I sat down to read for a bit and found I didn’t want to stop. Shocking, suspenseful and a great story line.

My first book by Amber Garza but definitely not my last. She has a fan in me, just from this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and to the author for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my review.

I love a good unreliable narrator and Kelly Medina is about as unreliable as they come. When this book starts out I immediately found myself wondering what was wrong with her and as the novel went on it kind of spiraled from there.

I had ideas about what was going on. Some of those ideas ended up being true, some didn't, but this book is the type that you just need to keep reading because you have to know what on earth is going on.

Add to the fact that Kelly's best friend and her husband both speak to her as if something terrible has happened in her past and this book is a recipe for insane.

This book is being talked about as a mix of You and Fatal Attraction and I'd say it's right on the money. It's the kind of psychological thriller that you'll stay up late into the night to finish (I can attest to that because I did). And it'll be great for a poolside read!

Talk about a book with plot twists! Wow! I thought I had things figured out, but it kept twisting until literally the last page. My only complaint is I disliked every single character. I usually like to have at least one person to root for.

I could not put this book down! Very well thought out by Amber Garza with many interesting twists. Most of the characters are very unlikable which only adds to the suspense. Just when I thought i had it all figured out, I didn't! I devoured it and thus I recommend it. Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.