A solid middle-of-the-road title from Janelle Brown, I'll Be You primarily offers views into family of origin relational dynamics, particularly between the "good" sister and the "bad sister/daughter." I was invested in seeing Sam succeed in turning her life around while saving her twin sister Elli from a cult--we all know how much I love to see a good cult and/or MLM comeuppance, right?--and while most of the book was engaging, the pacing was inconsistent and the ending felt rushed. Also, as an adoptive parent I feel the need to caution about the "adoption" in this book and the negative impact that has on the storyline, for all parts of the triad.

My thanks to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this title!

This is my first book by Janelle Brown and I was not disappointed. It’s the story of twin child stars and how different their lives are. It is told in the present and the past when they were stars. It’s interesting to get glimpses into the past at just the right time in the story to add more to it. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of her books.

"We are ping-pong balls, paddled about by fate and coincidence, doing our best to wrestle back some agency from the forces that move our lives."

Elli was always hesitant about going into acting. Why shouldn't she be? She was only a child after all. She was shy and reserved, the kind of kid more content with quietly playing than drawing attention to herself. Why then, you may ask yourself, did Elli become a child actress? The answer is quite simple really. Her identical twin sister Sam wanted her to. The sisters were inseparable. They had that innate connection that twins often do, each able to sense the other's thoughts and desires without having to say a word. Sam was much more outgoing, and she was willing to bring her sister along for the ride. Naturally, the impulses of the stronger-willed sister won out, setting the siblings on a course that would alter the rest of their lives.

As adults, the inseparable bond of the twin sisters has splintered into estrangement. Elli retired from acting, got married, and created the perfect suburban life as the owner of the flower shop. Sam went in the opposite direction. Like countless child stars before her, she fell into addiction. She clings to the hope of reclaiming her former fame, but the reality is far more depressing. There isn't a likelihood of her ever earning a living as an actress again. On her plummet to rock bottom, Sam made the worst mistake of her life, a moment of weakness and desperation that ultimately severed the last remaining threads of her relationship with Elli.

It comes as a surprise when Sam receives a call from her father asking for her help. Divorce and the recent adoption of a two-year-old girl have left Elli's life in shambles, a stark contrast to the picture-perfect image Sam long held in her head. Elli left the new daughter in the hands of her parents as she embarked on a mysterious self-help retreat for the weekend. Only she never came back, and she isn't answering her phone. Sam's parents have recruited her as a last resort to come help care for the child. They're certain that Elli will come home in due time, but Sam isn't as sure. Her deep connection to her twin sister tells her that something may be terribly wrong.

I first encountered the writing of Janelle Brown through her novel Watch Me Disappear. That novel veiled a poignant character study with an engrossing missing person mystery. This latest effort does much of the same but in a very different way. We see the perspectives of two sisters both in the past and present. Brown uses the shifting point of view to slowly reveal elements of her mystery and the motivations of the characters. While the mystery behind the missing sister helps the novel to maintain a swift pace, it is the relationship and deceit between the two twin sisters that fuels much of the suspense and tension. Brown's characters are so authentic that I couldn't help but fall under their spell. The genuineness of the characters helps balance some of the more implausible plot elements, grounding even the most unimaginable story beats into the real world. Overall, I'll Be You is a good thriller written in service of a great character drama. It proves Janelle Brown's narrative prowess and serves as a fantastic summer read.

This novel about identical twins trying to find their individuality is not terribly original, but it was engrossing to read at times after a slow start. Elli and Sam were child actors who leave acting and go their separate ways after a terrible argument. Elli is a housewife who wants to be a mom and Sam is in and out of rehab, never really finding her niche in the world. The discoveries that the two find out about each other is what makes this book good and worth a read. Neither is whole without the other, but it takes a lot of plot twists to get the two of them to this revelation. I cannot say that either character was particularly strong or likable. Both were weak in their own ways, and I could not relate with either of them. However, I did enjoy the story as it plodded along, sometimes meandering on unexpected paths. The twists were appreciated as they added interest to the story. I’m not sure I would have kept reading if not for the twists and the need to know how these twins were going to find their way out of their self-created dilemmas. Fans of slow-moving and methodical plots will enjoy this book, but I must say I did find it predictable at times and somewhat boring at others. There was a lot to the plot that I’m not writing about so that I don’t spoil the surprises, but this book was not one that I would highly recommend as I considered it okay but nothing special.
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, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Ok I don't know why the cover for this book was chosen quite honestly? To me it doesn't do the title or the contents justice. With that being said, I SO ENJOYED this book and found it thoroughly entertaining and that surprised me because I knew nothing of the author or the story going into the book very much. The title is what drew me in and this is the first time that has happened to me as a reader. Very surprising. Anyway, I loved how she, the author, described mundane things about the story in a way that really captured my attention and made the subject not so mundane at all. It was entertaining and that is sooooo what I look for in a book. Her writing style and flow were what made me compulsively read and just by that alone I will be picking up her titles again in the future! I never read pretty things but maybe it's time to go back and pick that up now I've gotten a taste!

Thank you Netgalley and Publishers for my advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was an amazing story of child actor twins, who had grown apart and fallen apart in their own unique ways. I was riveted from the very first page. But as is Janelle Brown’s style, it wasn’t just the mysteries that kept me intrigued, it was the deeply complex characters and the delicate interplay between them all. The only negative I have to share is that it’s over. I can’t wait for her next book to come out. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to #NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced copy of this book.

while the plot had a some interesting developments, a lot of the addiction portions felt repetitive & in fact, this book read like the author wanted to talk about addiction but wrapped it in a suspense novel to make it more entertaining.

I loved the setting for this book!
My husband and I drove through Ojai last year and I definitely felt all of the vibes.

I read this off and on while traveling for work so I had a harder time staying connected to the characters but I still think it was a well done book and a good read.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. I was not a fan of the storyline and will not be leaving a full review.

I wish I had a better review but I actually had trouble getting through this book. I would set it aside for other books but kept coming back to finish it. I am not a fan of cult storylines nor drug abuse ones. It just didn’t feel believable to me. Even the parents seemed a little “off” in the way they handled themselves. Just not my best fit this time around.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

This book was everything I hoped it would be- cults, Hollywood, kidnapping, twins. I love when books focus more on non-romantic relationships. I honestly can’t think of anything I wish had improved in this book, though it was kind of unbelievable that they never got caught after returning the girl.

I LOVED this book. Not your typical thriller, but absolutely a suspenseful mystery that will keep the reader hooked up until the very last word. Twin sisters who have grown apart, whose lives seesaw in terms of who has it together and who is falling apart, a mysterious adopted daughter, and a women's group that is possibly a cult in Ojai combine to make this twisty book an instant favorite. Highly recommend!

Two identical twin sisters and former B-list child actors Sam and Elli grew up incredibly close as kids. But over the years, their lives went in opposite directions. Elli is a homemaker, married to a successful man with a house only a few blocks from the beach. Sam, on the other hand, having never recovered from her failed acting career, went down the wrong path and became addicted to booze and pills. Because of the latter, the twins stopped communicating altogether. When Elli goes missing, Sam is called in by her parents to help pick up the pieces.

As a sister to identical twins, I am automatically drawn to a plot like this. Knowing how close identical twins can be, it's fascinating to think that a wedge can come between the two people who once shared a womb. And this plot is wild!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it's fast-paced nature. While it wasn't what I was expecting -- at all -- I could not put it down!

You be me, and I'll be you...

Twin sisters Sam and Elli were inseparable as children, and knew each other inside and out. They knew each other so well, they would often switch places, and could mimic each other's mannerisms so perfectly that they even fooled their parents. After becoming mildly successful child actors, Sam and Elli's lives eventually took separate paths. Elli became a picture-perfect housewife and Sam struggles with addiction, unable to launch a solo acting career. Their relationship has been reduced to shreds, so Sam is surprised to receive a call from her father asking for her help. He informs her that Elli has gotten divorced and adopted a toddler, who she has left in the care of her parents while embarking on a retreat in Ojai with a mysterious women's group. Sam and her parents are concerned as Elli stops responding to calls and messages, and doesn't show up on her expected return date. Is Elli truly having a soul-searching experience, or is she being held against her will?
I could not get enough of this story, and I was blown away by the sheer number of revelations and twists throughout. This novel alternates between the past, present, and Sam and Elli's individual perspectives. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrators were wonderful at creating the perfect emotional atmosphere for Sam and Elli. I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves thrillers!

I’ll Be You by Janelle Brown was an interesting read. Twin sister, Sam and Elli, grew up as teen actresses in Hollywood but have since gone their separate ways. Sam is the screw up and Elli is the traditional sister with her life together…or so it seems. When Sam’s mom calls and asks her to come home to help out with something for her sister, Sam doesn’t know what to think. She arrives to a shocking twist and quickly discovers that her sister’s life is not what it seemed and something isn’t right. Can she figure out what is going on with Elli and bring her home?

I wanted to like I’ll be you but it was just so slow to develop and I had trouble staying interested. The twins were both kind of a hot mess, and not in an endearing way. There was a lot of detail about Sam’s story that I don’t feel like was necessary. Then it all just kind of wrapped up in a neat bow. Was it bad? No not at all. Was it great? Not really. But I kept reading to find out what was up with Elli.

3.5/5

Another winner by Janelle Brown!
This was a book I didn’t want to put down!
You get lots of culty vibes, which is something I love, as well as family drama and some twists. The relationship between the twins is fascinating to read. Brown is definitely an auto-read author for me and I am excited to see what she does next!

Sam and Elli are identical twins, sometimes switching places so effectively their parents could not even tell them apart. They became child actors, often sharing a role. But as adults, their divergent paths are more apparent, Elli being the homemaker and Sam spiraling through addictions, with roots stemming from her teen years in Hollywood.

As adults the sisters become estranged after a falling out. When Sam’s father contacts her that Elli has been out of contact for over a week, and has left her child in their parents’ care that Sam reluctantly goes home to help her parents with her niece, and uncovers evidence leading her to find Elli’s been involved with a cult, isolating her from the outside world.


This slow burn story was the perfect psychological thriller. We get to hear from both sisters points of view and I felt each was well represented. And for fans with cult themes, this will check all the boxes because it gives plenty of insight into that world as well.

I adored PRETTY THINGS, also by Janelle Brown, so I was so excited for this new one. TV star twins! Cults! A mysterious child! A disappeared mother! So many crazy and fun plot points. It was certainly a page-turner, and while some of the twists are insanely far-fetched, it was also just simply such a fun read. A perfect book to kick off summer.

I absolutely loved this book! I found it hard to put down. I highly recommend reading it! You won’t be disappointed.

When they were child actors the twins, Sam and Elli were inseparable. But as they grew older, they also grew apart. Elli couldn’t wait to leave the Hollywood glamour behind and enjoy a normal life, while Sam continued to chase elusive fame. This resulted in poor choices, while heading down a path of self-destruction. With one misstep Sam also managed to alienate her twin. Now, just when Sam might be redeeming herself and is ready to take on a more responsible role with her sister, Elli has seemingly disappeared.

I’ll be You has all the earmarking of a super thriller and family drama. However, my enjoyment of the book was overshadowed by Sam’s personality and her lack of appeal. While the story started out quite strong, with an interesting premise, it became somewhat slow and sluggish. There were a couple of minor twists that propped up the story but, in the end, the final chapters seemed a little abrupt and, all in all, it was a mlld thriller at best. For me it was 3.5 *s.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.