This is my second Minka Kent novel, but it won’t be my last. Brienne suffered a random attack with left her suffering from migraine headaches. She decided to take in a border to ease her nerves, and feels fortunate that Niall, a kind oncologist from the local hospital moves in. Soon Brienne snoops around and finds that Niall is married. Brienne’s life becomes twisted with Niall’s and there will only be one victor.

All I want is an answer. An explanation. And for this to end. I don't even need an apology despite the fact that it's beyond reprehensible to inflict mental trauma on someone who has already been victimized.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

The best advice I can give you about When I Was You is. despite the incredibly slow pacing at the beginning, to keep reading. Once you hit the 40% mark, the novel kicks into gear, and the action is fast-paced and fun.

Told from dual perspectives, those of Brienne and Niall, I have to admit the story is a bit far-fetched. The characters actions, particularly Brienne's, could easily be construed as "off-the-wall."
Hey, who knew gaslighting was so believable?

Not only was this my Amazon First pick for January, I also received an ARC from the publisher (many thanks). The opinions are entirely my own. Overall, I'm satisfied. Minka Kent is a very engaging writer, despite a couple issues within the story.

Brienne is a prisoner in her own home after an attack leaves her with terrible headaches and memory loss. She relies on her new tenant, Dr. Niall Emberlin for support, but then she uncovers a disquieting piece of information. Someone else is living her life, with her name, her car and even friends. Will Brienne be strong enough to leave her “fortress” to confront this person? Kent has more than one bombshell hidden in this thriller and readers will be rapt

WOW talk about a mind twister. Get ready for a journey that you will think about after your done reading it. This is psychological thriller that keeps the reader intrigued and turning pages as fast as your little fingers will let it. I absolutely loved this story. The storyline was so interesting that it completely captivated me and was so intriguing that I couldn’t stop reading it until I finished with the very last word. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an amazing book. Enjoy happy reading 📚
"I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book."

This is a gripping story that will keep you guessing. You will wonder who is who and what will happen next.

Brienne Dougray was brutally attacked and her attacker was never found. From that her whole world has been flipped upside down. She is afraid to leave her home and while she is there she is always on alert. When a friend suggest she get a tenant so there is someone living in the home with her she has no idea how her life will change.

Dr. Niall Emberlin moves into Brienne's home as her tenant and he is very helpful and comforting to her. When she discovers information in his room one day and then discovers there is another woman who has stolen her identity she starts to doubt everything she thought was true.

So many twist and turns in this book and oh so good. It is one that was hard to put down because I needed to know what was going to happen next. It will keep you guessing for sure.

I received an early copy from Netgalley to read and review with my honest opinion. This is a great book and I enjoyed it. It is 5 stars for me and I highly recommend it.

Once again, Minka Kent gives you a story that’s twisty and turny and keeps you guessing to try to figure it out. We’ve got Brienne, who’s recovering from being attacked and having a hard time adjusting to life again. She has a tenant, Niall, who helps her feel safe in her big house. But things start getting weird when she discovers someone else is living as her..identity, look, pretty much everything. Which starts her down a road that leads to so many twists and lies, you can’t stop reading to find out what happens next!

* Review contains spoilers*
I was hooked from the first page, wondering who hurt Brienne. And then I was beginning to wonder who this imposter was, so already less than a quarter of the way through I’m hooked. Then the whole thing with Brienne/Kate was a plot twist in and of itself and then Minka Kent serves you another plot twist when Brienne is actually Brienne, Niall is Shane and the imposter is Sam and I mean if you wanted me to finish a novel in a couple of hours, this is how you do it. This novel continuously kept me guessing and confused and it’s kind of like we were Brienne because like her, we didn’t know what was going on but unlike her. We were also invited into Shane’s perspective so we were also one step ahead of her.
Would definitely recommend this novel to anyone who loves a little bit of a mystery.

Sometimes you can tell right from the beginning that a book just isn’t for you. This was one of those books.

When I Was You stars Brienne Dougray, a thirty-year-old single woman living with PTSD after she was violently attacked. I’ve read plenty of other mysteries and thrillers that feature a female protagonist who is struggling to hold her life together after a traumatic event: Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier, Trace of Evil by Alice Blanchard, Dark Places and Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, all books I thoroughly enjoyed. I hoped When I Was You would join that list. It did not.

Brienne is a shell of a character. She has no personality outside of her fear and anxiety and infatuation with her tenant, Dr. Niall Emberlin. She’s passive, two-dimensional, and her motivations are flimsy at best and incomprehensible at worst. When she discovers someone has stolen her identity, she calls one private investigator, and when he doesn’t believe her story, she immediately gives up and decides to take the case on herself, despite having none of the requisite skills to do so.

When I Was You had a slow beginning, the first third dedicated to Brienne’s dull everyday life. Then we get to the first twist, which was so cliché it almost made me stop reading, but because it came so early on, I thought, “Surely there must be another twist,” which there was. It was less cliché than the first, but infinitely less believable, and that was the point at which I put the book down.

Ultimately, the final nail in the coffin for this book was that Minka Kent never succeeded in making me care about her characters or her plot. I didn’t read to the end because I didn’t need to know how it ended. This one was a pretty big disappointment, but at least I didn’t waste too much time on it. Unfortunately that’s the best praise I can give it.

When I Was You by author Minka Kent is a great psychological thriller with mystery! Loved this one!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A good story. A psychological thriller that keeps you intrigued and wondering until the very end. Well developed characters, intriguing story, entertaining.

This is Brienne’s story and what a thrilling and mysterious journey this is. This is a well written tale which is filled with twists and mystery which all leads to a great psychological thriller. I recommend for all readers.

I love when you read a book and it is so good you can't help but finish it in one night.. This book kept me reading into the night. The writing just flowed off the book and the story is not what I thought it was going to be at all. This is the story of Brienne and Niall and what starts as a simple story of Brienne being attacked and Niall living with her as her roommate to keep her house from being quiet as she deals with the attack turns so much more sinister! I was shocked half way thru the book and there is so many twists. I am a big fan of Minka Kent there isn't a book she has wrote that I haven't loved. I definitely recommend reading this book and anything this author has written . If you love twists and turns and a book with so much intrigue then read today!!!

Intense suspense!
My mind is a mess. About halfway through until the end my palms were sweating and I didn't realize that my muscles were clenched tight. I've never had a book physically effect me like that. I just couldn't stop turning pages!
Poor Brienne doesn't know if she's going crazy or if someone is trying to make her crazy. It's a crazy ride to get it all straight! You think you know but you have no idea.
Great great great read!!

What do you say about a book, about a story that absolutely kept you twisted in knots the entire time? You don't say anything. You yell from the rooftops about what an AMAZING story you just read. Holy smokes! It kept twisting, I kept guessing, it would turn and my jaw would drop. I was on the edge of my seat the entire read and couldn't get through it fast enough. I was completely pulled in by Brienne from the start. This is a perfect psychological thriller that will have questioning everything you think you know. Brilliant!

When I was You
By Minka Kent
Main Characters: Brienne and Niall
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author.
4 out of 5 stars
I try to read all things contemporary romance/suspense. This fits the bill of contemporary suspense. Very little romance in this book but it does make you think about how and who can be stealing her identity. It is about 280 pages on my Kindle. I would categorize this as a psychological thriller. I can't get into too much in the book or it would be a spoiler. Suffice to say, this was one of the better Amazon first reads books.

This book seemed hard for me to get into, it seemed to drag on a bit. It's just not my kind of book. I hope someone else will enjoy it more. Don't take my word for it though. Let me know what you think of the book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book provided to me via NetGalley.

This is an interesting read. You really get pulled into the story wanting to see what will happen and what is really going on. I started reading this book and I wasn't able to put it down until I finished it. The story and characters are all interesting and it is definitely an entertaining read.

I voluntarily reviewed a ARC

When I Was You
Minka Kent, author

I moved through this thrilling novel at a rapid pace. I have never been disappointed by this author. Her books are always so enjoyable and edge of the seat for me. One chapter led to another, as I had to find out what happened next. It presented with great character development and I enjoyed the fast paced story-line. It seemed to flow effortlessly.

Brienne Dougray has definitely not had the life of roses, although, some would think so. Born to a mother with an addictive personality, who turned to drugs and alcohol to fulfill her life; Brienne was often times left alone as a child. As a result, her well off grandparents took custody of her and raised her. Now grown and in the prime of her life, Brienne is attacked outside her office and left for dead. Once healed, from her life threatening injuries, she fears living alone in her grandparents Queen Victorian. She decides to take in a tenant. In lies the next life nuance she entails. Read this captivating story-line and I promise you'll enjoy it immensely. You'll be taken on an emotional ride along with Brienne! Will she drown in all the tears or will she rise from the waters with a new zest for life and living?

I was gifted an advanced reader copy by the author through Netgalley. I choose to leave this review.

In the end, it’ll all be okay. And if it’s not okay, it’s not the end.

When it comes to psychological thrillers, I’ve found that Minka Kent has well-written, evenly-paced work, and this story follows suit. The author does a great job of showing how someone with trauma behaves. I loved the uncertainty and fragility of Brienne, and the strength she shows when she owns her life. The best part is not knowing the reliability of the narrator, questioning everyone & everything. Be prepared for lots of mysterious twists, and the inability to put this book down.

I received a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion, voluntarily provided.

This was such an excellent book. Your mind will try to figure out along each step what's going to happen next and it will not be boring! I thought for a moment that the one who attacked Brienne may have been part of the story (like a first attempt) but I'm glad it wasn't an obvious suspect. I appreciate the ride I took as a reader and was very satisfied with the way the story wrapped up. Too many times thrillers can either be predictable or have terrible endings. This book did not disappoint.