3 stars
I was not a fan of this book. It was just too dark for my liking. I do think there is a market for this book. I am not it.

A version of this review previously appeared in Shelf Awareness and is republished here with permission.

"Why would I need to call my therapist just because I made a new friend?" Kelly Medina is affronted when her best friend shows concern over her interest in a new young woman in town with a baby. But "it was simple curiosity," Kelly tells herself, "that's all. Nothing sinister or odd. This was normal. Completely normal." Amber Garza's thrilling and clever When I Was You quickly delves into why Kelly's curiosity may not be "normal" and then doles out twists and turns at the perfect pace, leading up to a fantastic conclusion.

Kelly feels like a ghost. Her beloved son, Aaron, went off to college. Her husband, Rafael, returns to Folsom less and less from his job in the Bay Area. Then an errant phone call from her former pediatrician's office alerts Kelly there is another Kelly Medina in town. Instantly intrigued, feeling she's found a younger version of herself, Kelly can't help but investigate and ultimately finagle a way to meet new Kelly.

Writing from original Kelly's perspective, Garza throws tidbit after tidbit that raises questions about original Kelly's state of mind, past behavior and required therapy, Rafael's distance and attitude, and the million-dollar inquiry--who is new Kelly? Garza deftly uses original Kelly's narration to follow an erratic path, forcing the reader to switch assumptions numerous times. Is original Kelly an obsessive stalker with psychiatric issues? Or is new Kelly playing some game with unknown rules and consequences? When I Was You is a gripping psychological barnburner.

Wow. When I Was You is an engrossing story about two women with seemingly nothing in common except for one very important thing: a name. Kelly Medina receives a call from her adult son's former pediatrician's office - but they meant to call someone else, a young mother named Kelly Medina who has an infant son. The elder Kelly becomes obsessed with the younger, then befriends her in order to show her the ropes...but the younger Kelly has secrets of her own.

This was a dark thriller (especially the ending) with lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed reading it, but parts of it (especially the older Kelly's past and tendencies toward unreliable narration) made me squirm. All in all, an enjoyable book, and I look forward to reading more from Amber Garza in the future!

WOWZA... When I Was You is chilling, disturbing and insane. 

Kelly Medina becomes obsessed with another mother living in her small town with the same name in this psychological thriller. The characters are normal and friendly yet insane. The story does capture your interest from the beginning. As you read you will enjoy and suffer at the same time how dangerous it is to over share on social media.

WHEN I WAS YOU romanticize an obsession with the “stalker” and “woman in jeopardy” trope. You will become exhausted how friends and family become overprotective and questionable about Kelly’s mental health. All these distractions are engaged to convince the reader they know the true plot. You will not however!!  It will make you second guess every turn both predictable and unpredictable.

Kelly is in the midst of feeling depressed like an empty nester since her son went away to college. As a mother,  every decision Kelly made was because she was intensely concern for the new mother and her baby. Though some of the decisions Kelly made was questionable and borderline mental, you become concern too and hope for the best. And when I say “Kelly” I am talking about both characters.

The narrative of the book is relayed through both Kelly Medina’s inner monologue. While the story may take a predictable turn, it is also shocking until the very end.

If a little crazy-in-love feel with a murderous turn is your jam, you will enjoy this book.




THIS IS A LONG OVERDUE BOOK REVIEW. IT WAS MY INTENT TO READ AND REVIEW BY SEPTEMBER 1st with the hopes of skimming the chapters.  I couldn’t skim.... the story held me hostage.  I had to read each page, so I won’t miss anything.  Because of this turn of events...my review is a 5-star review.

I really enjoyed this suspenseful read, and I pretty much had it figured out as well – even the twists. Parts of this book are heart-wrenching, and some readers may find some of the topics to be triggers. However, overall I liked this story a lot and look forward to more titles from Ms. Garza!

Thank you for my e-copy and for making me part of the tour!

Amber Garza is a new author to me!

I was in the mood for a mindless entertaining thriller, and for this most part, this fit the bill. Kelly Medina is a recent empty nester who’s desperately missing her son when she gets a phone call from a pediatrician’s office, confirming an appointment. It leads her to meet another Kelly Medina, a single mother who just moved in to the neighborhood. Older Kelly becomes attached in an unhealthy way and things begin to spiral. There were lots of cliches but this was one of those rare thrillers where the ending was stronger than the beginning, so for that, it goes on my would recommend list. Especially for those that are newer to the genre!

I've found that I really enjoy books with unreliable narrators. This story was definitely that. There's two Kelly Medinas, a fact that fascinates the older of the two, and she feels compelled to help the younger navigate a life that she's sure is just like hers. But we hear, as the older talks to her husband and best friend, that things may not be okay with the older Kelly. There was something super-traumatic in her not-so-long-ago past that leaves those around her doubtful of her ability to evaluate people and situations. We don't know exactly what she's apparently in denial of until much later in the book.

The younger Kelly Medina and her baby boy definitely seem to need help. She tells the older that she has no support in the area, but never quite says what led her to move to this small town where the older already lived. The older Kelly is so excited to feel useful again, now that she lives alone while her husband works a few towns away and her son isn't living at home since he left for college. And more friends are always a good thing, right?

Unfortunately, there is no way to discuss the last quarter of the book without giving major spoilers. I squealed with delight at the very end of the book, but this may be because I don't mind things a little dark. I can't imagine everyone would be as happy with the ending, but I sure was!

Overall, I'd give this excellent thriller 5 out of 5 stars. The ending was totally unexpected by me, and I'm sure not everyone would be as happy with it, but I'd be willing to read the whole book again if I had time - it was that good.

Favorite Quotes:

Lola was my best friend growing up. She had strawberry blond hair, and a smattering of freckles across her nose and pale cheeks. Her scent was a mixture of roses and popcorn, sweet and salty to match her personality. She was fun, adventurous and followed me around for years like my shadow. She was the best friend I’d ever had, which is sad because she was imaginary.

I shook my head. What was wrong with me? I was seriously trying to justify this? This wasn’t me. I’d never done anything like this in my life. Well, I mean, except that one time… But that was different. Completely different. Besides, I hadn’t been in my right mind then. I couldn’t use that same excuse tonight.

My insides were jelly. A part of me felt like I might unravel, becoming nothing more than a scattered mess on the floor.


My Review:

I don’t normally enjoy books with unreliable narrators and/or serious mental health issues, but this one was truly extraordinary and expertly done with cunning and clever craft. What a wily minx Amber Garza has proven herself to be! Hours later, my shoulders are still in my ears from the ever-ratcheting tension as I clutched my Kindle in a death grip lest someone dare snatch it from me and disturb my perusal.

I was enthralled, engrossed, ensnared, appalled, riveted, and transfixed by this devilishly clever and twisted tale. The little pea in my brain was on fire and popping like a jumping bean with continuously evolving theories. And while I had succeeded in narrowing much of it down - as I am such as suspicious cynic - my paltry gray matter could never have generated or shaped such a complex web or even approach her agile and compelling prose. Sigh. It was brilliant!

Wow guys! I finished a book this month lol. It has been a JOB trying to read lately and I hate that. I want nothing more than to sprawl on my couch and watch Real Housewives after I get the kid to bed. Oh well.. we all go through these seasons of reading slumps. But I do love when a book completely throws me for a loop and keeps me up late because I HAVE to find out...is Kelly crazy?!? Written in the style of 'You', the author does a spectacular job of representing both of these women, and at some points you're not sure which Kelly's POV you're in. I love that! Part 2 gave me all the feels and then I was really invested. So many great twists, a killer cast, and so many hidden clues (pay attention! lol). Thank yo

With comparisons to You, which I really enjoyed last year I was very excited to check out this new thriller. Before reading I only read the first few sentences of the synopsis in order to decide. Now looking back quite a bit of that synopsis feels spoilerly (which I define as describing anything that happens beyond a third into a book, generally). I am totally seeing the You comparisons, as the book follows the slow descent of Kelly into an obsession with the young mother who shares her name.

This was just absolutely what I needed to read! Creepy, slow-moving and dark, I always felt creeped out by the inner narration of Kelly, to an even greater extent than I did in You. I think it was a trade off, as Kelly constantly says creepy things, making the actual plot a little bit predictable, as she is very clearly moving toward different conclusions. You has a little more spontaneity, but the narration doesn’t get as creepy. I will say that I loved the plot of both stories and I prefer You, but if you’ve already loved that and want something in the same vein, When I Was You is the perfect choice.

The plot did end up being slow in the beginning, but this was perfect for the creepy component, so this thriller didn’t feel as thrilling as most. The characters were also really perfectly done, with an interesting dynamic between the Kellys and I loved the way that all the interactions were shown through Kelly’s lens, allowing the reader to constantly wonder if what is happening is actually real, as Kelly is obviously a unreliable narrator from the very start.

Overall this was by far my favourite of the mysteries from HarperCollins this summer, and I am so glad I was able to share this novel with all of you. What’s been your favourite mystery/thriller this summer? Leave a comment down below and be sure to like and follow me for future updates and reviews! Happy Reading!

4.5 stars

Wow! I loved this one! Just when I thought I had everything figured out I'm hit with another bombshell!

Kelly Medina is going through some hard times. Her husband works out of town a lot and her son left for college, so she fills her days organizing her cabinets, grocery shopping, and going to yoga with her friend. So when she gets a phone call from the pediatrician she used for her son years ago, reminding her of her baby's checkup, it's clear there's another Kelly Medina in town. Kelly can't get this other Kelly out of her mind, who apparently has a new baby, and she feels so alone, so she decides to seek out this new Kelly. But soon, Kelly becomes a little obsessed with baby Sullivan and his mom, Kelly. Kelly wants the other Kelly's life but who wants whose more? A fast friendship becomes a dark and sinister revenge-seeking relationship and you'll find yourself questioning which Kelly you want to root for!

This one kept me engaged the entire time. Thank you to MIRA Books, the author, and Harlequin for my copy and inviting me to take part in this blog tour!

When I Was You by Amber Garza was not at all the type of thriller I would normally read. I like police drama, action, and lots of twists and turns. Surprisingly, this book had lots of twists and turns and a psychological aspect that had me hooked.

From the first page, I had questionable feelings towards main character Kelly. She was a bit different and had some peculiar behavior. It was also obvious that she had some kind of mental issues previously in her life because her friends and husband continuously hinted at it. So I was convinced from the beginning that this was going to be her having gone crazy.

Then the story really dug in where she had met this other person, younger than her, with the same name and a child that reminded her so much of her beloved son Aaron. I felt her behavior, still, was a bit creepy and it appeared I was not the only one. Garza really wrote a character with enough quirks that had me furloughing my brows and saying “What on earth?” out loud. Her behavior would have had my spidey senses tingling as a young mother.

Just as I thought I had it figured out, Garza throws you for a loop. Everything you think you know… you don’t. Every guess you’ve made… wrong. I read the last third of this book without stopping. I just laid in bed and devoured page by page because I just had to know what was actually going on. When all was revealed, the lightbulb went off and I was shocked! I love when an author can really surprise you. Not just an “oh” moment, but a true “oh my gosh!” moment. Garza had done it.

These characters were interesting, different, and the story dabbled in mental health, which I think more people should talk about. And of course, Garza couldn’t just leave me shocked once. The ending of the book had me laughing, but only because I was so surprised.

If you love a good twisty, tale with lots of shocking moments, When I Was You will do it. It was such a fun read because I was trying to guess the outcome the whole time. Was it Kelly in the library with the candlestick, or… Such a fun game for the reader to play. Pick it up, you won’t regret it. Absolutely fantastic.

Well, Hot Diggity Dang, that was good! I was almost ready to give up on thrillers, but I had this blog tour and Amber Garza saved me and reminded me why I love thrillers! She nails it here with this thrilling, exciting twisty page-turner! This is the way to write a thrilling page-turner!!! Don't miss this one, my friends!!!

Amber Garza takes obsession to a whole new level here with our main characters Kelly and Kelly and creates some tension and exciting suspense here with jaw-dropping twists and turns to the story. My heart was pounding with each page and my head was swimming with questions I was answering in my head. I was very pleased with myself for seeing one turn to the story that was layered so well in the story and then I was thrilled when I was very surprised with one twist that had me thinking how clever the story was told. AND that ending WOOT WOOT knocked me off my chair and then had me happy dancing around the house!! Nothing better than a thriller that leaves you feeling like that. I highly recommend it!!

Kelly Medina receives a phone call one day from a pediatrician's office intended for another woman with the exact same name. Kelly doesn't have a baby, but her curiosity starts to grow, and she keeps her eyes open, wondering if she will ever meet this other woman who shares the same name. She can't help herself and drives to the pediatrician's office at the time of the appt and "bumps into" the other Kelly.

A friendship grows from there, and almost feels like an obsession at some point. As a reader, I went through many thought as to whether Kelly was imagining any events, or if all of this was really real. What has Kelly gone through already in her life? All of those questions and uncertainties kept me turning the pages pretty quickly so that I could gain some resolution in the story.

Kelly Medina is a broken woman with a workaholic husband and son that recently left home for college. She is depressed and alone, except for her best friend Christine that tries to get her out of the house. When she receives a call from a pediatrician's office for her 'son's appointment', she quickly realizes that the office is mistaken, but also that someone has her exact name, with a son bringing back memories of when she was a new mom. Kelly becomes obsessed with finding this woman to see who she is.

There are a lot of twists in this book that keep you guessing. It is told from the first person and similar to the book "You" where the main character stalks "you" which in this case is the other Kelly Medina. You definitely feel the heartbreak from Kelly as she relives her younger days when her son was little and he was her whole life. The twists keep you guessing, and keep you reading! A crazy psychological thriller that is hard to put down.

Oh wow. This book left me speechless and reminded me why I love thrillers. I enjoyed this book because it kept me guessing. There were several plausible endings and explanations, and the book cleverly teases the reader throughout. I was on my seat until the ending. I didn't want to put this book down. Thanks for the ARC.

When I Was You is a fairly quick psychological thriller that kept me engaged throughout. It involves Kelly Medina, who gets a phone call from her old pediatrician that she has an appointment for her infant. The problem? Her son isn't an infant. Realizing that there is another woman in town with her exact same name, empty-nester Kelly seeks out the woman out of curiosity.

I don't want to talk plot too much. There are a couple of surprises and twists. While I did guess a few of them,, I didn't put all of the pieces together. Kelly is a very unreliable character and I spent a lot of the book wondering if she was seeing crazy. The ending was a complete surprise. I do recommend this one.

Kelly has had issues in the past. Issues that her husband and friends are concerned about. When Kelly meets a young single mother, a woman with the exact same name, it leaves the reader questioning if all is how it seems or if Kelly is an unreliable narrator. Kelly quickly entwines her life around the other Kelly and her infant son, Sullivan. Some would say she was a stalker. She would say she’s being helpful, but what is the real story? Is her new friend real or a figment if her imagination. A fast read with so many turns it has you guessing until the very last one!

There are two women named Kelly Medina living in the town of Folsom. The older Kelly is married to Rafael who is a Professor and they have a son, Aaron, aged 19 and at college. One day she takes a call from the paediatrician’s office about her son's appointment. It soon becomes apparent that an error has been made and the two Kelly Medinas have been mixed up. But the older Kelly, with time on her hands now that Aaron has left home, decides to turn up for the younger Kelly's appointment and the two women's stories follow.

I devoured When I Was You and I flew through its pages, fully immersed in the obsessiveness of the older Kelly Medina and her fixation on the young mother and her baby, Sullivan. Her determination to befriend baby Sullivan's mother and wriggle her way into their lives was shocking, but believable. With Amber Garza's excellent execution, the frequent surprises, alongside an extremely chilling atmosphere, events really turned disturbing in the second half. Written with precisely the right amount of drive resulting in a powerful, and engaging tale, When I Was You was an absolute pleasure to read.

This is the first novel I have read by Amber Garza and I am excited to see what she compiles next. For me, a fabulous, standout novel.

A special thank you to MIRA Books, the author, and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this novel at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

"When I Was You" by Amber Garza follows Kelly Medina. Kelly randomly gets a call from her son's pediatrician for a well baby visit- but her son is college age. Confused, Kelly discovers there is another Kelly Medina in town with a baby son. Kelly is drawn to the pair and kindles a friendship, but it quickly turns to obsession. When one Kelly disappears, you can only look to the other for answers...

Garza creates a tense atmosphere by using first person perspective. We hear the thoughts each Kelly has, unfiltered. One Kelly is older, the other younger, both obsessive, so it begins to get a little hazy which Kelly is which- and which Kelly is in danger. Being inside someone's head is definitely my favorite when it comes to thriller books.

I love how quickly this book seemed to flow. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. I think as the older Kelly reveals more and more of her life, the more mysterious the younger Kelly seems to become. And the more clues you get to which Kelly will disappear and why. 

The thriller, mystery genre is one of my favorites and this one stacked up fairly well. I give it 4 stars! Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!