I loved this book! I figured out the plot pretty quickly, but the rich characters and compelling story pulled me right in! Great twists and turns and a satisfying ending. A great read by Minka Kent!

I particularly loved the whole setup of the book, with Brienne super nervous to do anything, and questioning everything. Throughout the first half of the book, there's a strong sense of menace and a hint of pure bat shit crazy. I couldn't put it down!

It always surprises me how some reviewers hate on books because they find them 'too' predictable or 'too' twisty, but not surprising enough

This is a psychological thriller. This is not a romance. It is about a con job. The title made me think the story was going center on the “when I was you” character. It did not. The story went in an entirely different direction. When I reached the end of the book, I realized it was not as suspenseful as I expected. However, it did hold my attention. Most of the emotional reactions were realistic. The reasons for the reactions I feel were a little unbelievable. Overall it centered mostly on the psychological and not the secondary relationships in the story. I feel the main male and female characters were the focus but I feel it may have added to the story if the secondary relationships were developed. It wasn't till the very end everything became clear. What was left hanging was the fate of the lead male character. The story alluded to it but it would have been interesting to find out how long he was actually going to be out of commission. I also wondered what the future held for the secondary female character. I feel the ending was unfinished. Like I said it did hold my attention for the most part. I would not recommend this to a diehard thrill seeker.

From reading some of the other reviews, I am in the minority when I say I was not very impressed with.this novel. The blurb sounded so interesting and I liked the cover but for me the story fell flat...Maybe it was disappointing because I read so many thrillers that this one was o quickly predictable. Brenne drove me nuts with her indecisive ways. Also there was no backstory about her at all. The first part of the book.was so redundant and drug on for far too long. The second part picked up the pace but by.then I had already figured out the ending. Just not my cup of tea.

Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest review.

3.5 stars

After Brienne was viciously attacked, her world has shrunk down to her house, and the polite man renting one of her bedrooms. She lost contact with all friends and acquaintances, so when she finds out there's another woman out there with her hairstyle, using her name, Brienne doesn't have anyone to turn to, except her lodger.

Oh ... And it just gets crazier from there! This is an entertaining thriller about gaslighting, and while I enjoyed it, I had a hard time believing that Brienne was so trusting and easily manipulated. The ending seemed a bit rushed too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

When I Was You is the third or fourth book I've read by Minka Kent. She has a gift for suspense, but this isn't my favorite of her novels. The main character, Brienne, is a damaged, isolated woman who is shocked to learn that another woman is leading her life -- wardrobe, hairstyle, perfume, car model and all. And yet her credit has not been commandeered. What gives?

It's almost too much to contemplate for someone as physically and mentally fragile as Brienne, but her curiosity seems to pull her out of her depression and agoraphobia. Six months earlier, she'd been the victim of a mugging that left her with a traumatic brain injury and upended her breezy, successful life.

I almost bailed during Part I of the book. It was whiny and touchy-feely and repeated Brienne's obsessive thoughts and musing about her crush on her tenant Niall ad nauseum. Niall is a doctor who, early in her recovery, began renting a room in the Queen Anne Victorian Brienne inherited from her grandparents.

An important clue to where the book is going happens about 1/3 of the way in, when Brienne discovers that her copycat is reading the same book she had kept on her desk during her "old life."

Niall suggests to Brienne that she is suffering from dissociative personality disorder. It felt to me as if the "split personality" diagnosis applied to the book as well. The transition from weak, needy Brienne to the bold and confident woman who sorts things out -- it was simply too sudden.

Perhaps that's because Part I (sad Brienne) and Part 3 (gutsy Brienne) take up 7/8 of the book. The remaining sliver is Part II, or transitional Brienne.

Another confusion: At the very beginning of the book, there's a philandering neighbor named Brian. Soon after, we meet a coworker of Niall's, also named Brian. This latter Brian (certainly he's not the same Brian?) also, confusingly plays two roles in Niall's narrative.

So -- what this nitpicky ready is trying to tell you: Don't sweat the small stuff, and this book will give you a thrill or two.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance readers copy.

When I Was You by Minka Kent
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Thomas & Mercer for the ebook ARC of When I Was You by Minka Kent in exchange for an honest review.

After barely surviving a brutal attack, Brienne Dougray rarely leaves her house. She suffers from debilitating headaches and memory loss.Now she can only rely on her compassionate new tenant, Dr. Niall Emberlin.

But Brienne’s growing confidence in her new routine is shaken when she stumbles across unsettling evidence that someone else is living as…her. Same name. Same car. Same hair. Same clothes. She’s even friended her family on social media. Brienne must leave the safety of her home to hunt a familiar stranger to find out why.

What she discovers is more disturbing than she could have ever imagined. Brienne is prepared to do anything to reclaim her life. If it’s even hers to reclaim.

I give this book a rating of 5 stars and I highly recommend it. It was a well written suspenseful thriller. Very fast paced. Ive read other books by Minka Kent and she doesn’t disappoint. Looking forward to reading other books.

#WhenIWasYou #NetGalley

This book was fun for the first half or so, but it started to drag for me. It wasn’t that the story wasn’t compelling, there was just something about the cat and mouse chase that didn’t work. Still enjoyable and I’d check out this author again.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the craziest stories of identity theft that I have ever read. Suspend all that is logical and you will have a good time reading this one. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

honestly i really can't tell how minka kent does it all the time: whenever i read one of her books i am instantly drawn into the story!
this one is about a woman who desperately tries to figure out who she is and who she used to be after having been attacked. although she seems lost somehow she manages to stay true to herself. i know this sounds weired but just dig into this story and see for yourself!

thank you very much #netgalley and #Thomas & Mercer for an arc in exchange for an honest review

This was one suspenseful and intense novel! It kept me on the edge of my seat. I could not stop reading once I started! I especially liked the alternating perspectives—it added a very interesting insight into the characters!

Are you looking for an edgy suspenseful thriller? When I Was You is EXACTLY what you are looking for! Minka Kent's books are always a good read, but this one really takes the cake in how freaking good it was. It has the reader feeling as if they have what is happening all figured out to have something happen that completely changes EVERYTHING. What a freaking amazing bomb it was too!

I can't say much because spoilers aren't cool and anything I say will give something away. Just know if you like thrillers and suspenseful reads, then I HIGHLY recommend you checking out When I Was You, it is that freaking good! 5 outta 5 stars from me!

PS: I want to thank Minka Kent for allowing me an advanced copy of the book to read and review honestly!

This is my first book by the author, it won’t be my last.

After Brienne is brutally attacked she advertises for a roommate to help her feel safe. Her new roommate is a quiet doctor Niall, who keeps to himself.

This is written in different sections between Niall and Brienne. What are his intentions exactly? Pick it up and you’ll find out. This was a page turner.

This book was a fast paced thriller that I simply could not put down! I love a good unreliable narrator and this did not disappoint. I highly recommend this and will be looking for other books by this author.

I really love Minka Kent, and it seems she can’t write a bad book.

This was a fun, twisty read, telling the story of Brienne, who, a year before, was attacked, and now lives in the home her grandparents left her when they passed. She has a roommate, Niall, who is a doctor.

Brienne has the tiniest crush on Niall, and she feels safe having him in the house with her.

Unfortunately for Brienne, and as we all know, things aren’t always what they seem, and Niall is more complicated than Brienne thinks.

As usual, I can’t wait to read more of Minka’s work, she never disappoints!

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC of this book!

I almost gave up on this book during the first half, and then the twist drew me back in. It was a shocker. This was a good cat and mouse type of psychological thriller. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

Predictable but very fast-paced! I did see the plot twist from a mile away but I still found it to be enjoyable!

The pacing was a bit of a problem for me. Part I dragged on for quite a bit because nothing really happens.
However, Parts II and III made up for the slow-moving plot and were very fast-paced and gripping. I kept turning the pages and before you know it, I was finished with the book!

In terms of the plot, there were a lot of plot holes and missing pieces. I was left with more questions than when I first started. Who was the man that Brienne saw in her house? Was it really a “visual disturbance”? Who was the person leaving out the cat food? What was the deal with Brian? So many questions!

In terms of the characters, I liked Brienne but I felt so disconnected from her. Her backstory was underdeveloped and parts of her life were only revealed because it was relevant to the plot. This goes the same with Niall. There was not enough backstory to understand his motives and aspirations.

Overall, this book was okay. Nothing really stood out to me but it was still a fun, easy read!

Those looking for a high paced thriller will be disappointed. Minka Kent delivers a slow-burn, manipulative plot with just enough suspense to keep the reader on edge. The purposeful restraint that is put to the writing is deceptive and while some readers may feel it to be drawn out, the pace feels decisive and almost subversive. Love the range of Kent’s writing style and the broad characterization she utilizes.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #WhenIWasYou, which was read and reviewed voluntarily.

I had mixed feelings about this book - at the beginning I thought it would be a slow burn psychological thriller but then we were given all the answers at the halfway mark... While the pace picked up after that, I also found it boring because we already knew what was happening. Niall's dialogue killed me - so corny and cliche. There are better thrillers to spend a day on.

Another middle of the pack thriller. Very predictable from early on, an annoying protagonist that you want to scream, “JUST GO TO THE POLICE ALREADY!” at.

However, it did keep me interested enough once the pace picked up about a quarter of the way through. And I did enjoy the psychological thriller aspect of the book.

The last half of the book was a lot more intriguing and action-packed than the first half. But overall, like I said, just a very mediocre thriller.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.