Empty-nester Kelly Medina feels so alone. Her husband is away at work during the week, her son is away at college. Then, she receives a phone call from her son’s doctor reminding her of her son’s upcoming “well-baby” appointment. How can that be when her son is college-aged? It seems as if there is another mother out there with the same name. Kelly becomes obsessed with finding out more about her namesake.

When Kelly arranges to “accidentally” meet the woman, she is totally consumed in helping the younger mother and her son. She takes them under her wing, but is she going overboard?

I really don’t want to give away too much of this story. It’s so much more intriguing and enjoyable to just read and let the story unfold. There are constant twists and turns thrown at the reader throughout the entire book. It doesn’t let you rest for a minute. Some revelations were jaw-dropping to me. I was expecting this book to go in one particular direction but it took me down a path I wasn’t expecting.

I kept swiping the screen of my e-reader as fast as I could. I was so anxious to find out how this was all going to wrap up. The final scene is true edge-of-your-sight drama at its finest. I was completely absorbed in this book. Although I wanted to know the outcome, I, also, hated for the story to end. I wanted more.

This is another book for my “best of 2020” list and another author to add to my “must read” list.

Wow!! The devil was this book that quickly pulled me over to its side. And so crafty was the mastermind behind the story, Ms. Amber Garza, that I could just sit back and salute this author in absolute awe.

Kelly Medina, a suburban housewife came to know there was another Kelly Medina in town with a 7 month old baby. And she befriended her. But all was not as it seemed. Who were hiding the secrets? ALL OF THEM!!

Lies and truths were so well camouflaged that I went into the book with one conviction and came out with another. And the credit for every single line and every spike of pulse I got from reading those lines went to the author. Knowing the two Kellys warmed my heart as I knew that I would be getting a massive twist from one of them.

What I thought to be a routine, well-known trope turned out to be a rocking ride with all guns blazing. A genius in misdirection, the author kept me looking in the opposite direction while pulling the carpet from under my feet.

Brilliantly written, seamless subplots which initially felt so broken, a trickster of a plot with heart thumping scenes was what made this book a rocking thriller

And I had been well played by the author from beginning to end. And did I feel like a fool? Nopes… Nada… As the book was sooooo good!!

I was pitched this book and after reading the synopsis, I was excited to dive in.

Kelly is an interesting MC. From the start, it’s pretty clear that there’s something going on in Kelly’s past. Her inner monologue is all over the place and I always love reading an unreliable narrator. And I’m not going to say anything about The Other Kelly.

Plot wise, it was captivating. I was second guessing everything right from the start. I don’t want to give anything away, but will say that the breakdown in parts really worked for me.

Overall, it was a great story with a fantastic ending. I’ll definitely be looking into other titles.

FYI: talk of overdosing, domestic violence, sexual assault

**Huge thanks to MIRA for providing the arc free of charge**

‘When I Was You’ follows Kelly Medina, who one day receives a call from her pediatrician’s office to confirm her ‘well-baby’ appointment. Kelly becomes curious about this other Kelly with her name and who uses her pediatrician too. She then wants to learn more about this other Kelly.

‘When I Was You’ is a well-written page-turning thriller. The story is very atmospheric and completely immerses the reader. The story centers around Kelly when she meets the other Kelly Medina and becomes obsessed with her son, Sullivan. Kelly decides to help Sullivan and his young mother. This book is written in the second person which began the tension on page one and carried out until the last page. This is a gripping thriller that has an insane plot twist that I didn’t see coming. I highly recommend readers checking this book out. And I will keep my eye out for Garza’s books in the future.

Wow! That was an exciting thrill ride.
I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out exactly what was happening. Some things I guessed but other things I did not. It's not easy to tell who is lying, who is telling the truth, and the reasons behind those lies.
I've never read anything by this author before, but will definitely be reading books by her in the future. The pacing is superb and the characters are intriguing. There were a few red herrings, but that is expected with a suspense novel when the reader doesn't know the entire situation from the beginning. The twists make the book thoroughly gripping and although there were times I didn't like any of the characters (that does change by the end) somehow it just worked within the context of the story.

When I first started this book it was a bit slow and confusing. Why not? There were two Kelly Medinas....so I had to keep remembering who was who. But realizing one was young and the other older, I then separated them to be Kelly #1 who was married to Rafael, nice life, a son Aaron who was 19 and also she lost a baby girl.

The other Kelly#2 was a college girl, Rafael was her professor and she was infatuated with him. You see where I am going with this. BUT what happens next is not your typical story. Kelly#1 is in depression, people dont believe her, we find out things are a bit different than we thought.

And so as we read we find some twists, some anger issues, a bit of violence - but will this story have a happy ending? You must read it to find out....and it will surprise you! Thanks to #Netgalley for this ARC, Soon to be published on Aug 25, 2020. #fourstars

**4.5-stars rounded up **

A line in the very first paragraph of the synopsis for this book describes it perfectly: ...this up-all-night psychological thriller about a lonely empty-nester's growing obsession with a young mother who shares her name. That statement certainly caught my attention and I'm super glad it did!

Kelly Medina is the empty-nester in question. Kelly Medina is also the young woman who arrives and shakes up her life. Our main Kelly is adjusting to life with her only son Aaron gone from home. Her husband, Raphael, is not around much either, as his job keeps him away during the week and even some weekends. Because of this, our Kelly spends a lot of time home alone.

Feeling increasingly lonely and isolated, one day she receives a phone call that will change everything. The call is from Aaron's pediatrician's office, with a reminder of her upcoming well-baby appointment. Kelly tries to laugh it off with the receptionist. Obviously, it's a mistake, her son is in college. The lady apologizes profusely. Apparently, there is another Kelly Medina in the area and their numbers must have gotten mixed up in the system.

Our Kelly is taken aback. Another woman, sharing her same name, in the same area, with a baby. In the coming hours, it's all she can think about. Imagining who this young woman is and what her life must be like. It all seems too strange. The whole incident has shaken her. Arriving later at the gym to meet her best friend, Christine, for a yoga class, she has forgotten her membership card. When the desk clerk looks her up in the system, she comments on how funny it is that another Kelly Medina was there that very morning for a workout.

Now the girl is even invading her gym space? Who is this person? That's all it takes for Kelly to become obsessed with finding out more about the other Kelly Medina. After several attempts to discover who she is online, our Kelly realizes the best way to find her would be to go to that well-baby appointment. That's exactly what she does. The rest of the story goes from there and let me tell you, you are in for a WILD RIDE!!

I had so much fun reading When I Was You! Once I got into the story, I could not put it down. I can definitely see why the publisher chose to describe it as an, up-all-night Psychological Thriller! Garza added some epic twists. I couldn't believe what I was reading. My goodness. My jaw hit the floor so many times! It was a bloody fantastic.

I don't think I have had this much fun reading a Thriller since the first B.A. Paris novel I read, Behind Closed Doors. And like that novel, When I Was You, is not perfect. Personally though, I feel like any tiny flaws were completely made up for with the perfectly plotted story. I hope that Amber Garza continues to write in this genre. I really looking forward to getting more of this type of story from her.

This is wildly imaginative. It went some places, guys, I was shocked. Just when you think you have hit the crazy limit, another revelation comes to light! I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a twisty-turny, compulsively readable Psychological Thriller. Once you pick it up, it will be hard to put it down, so clear your calendar!

Thank you so, so much to the publisher, Harlequin MIRA and NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review, as well as including me in the Blog Tour for its release. I had so, so, so much fun reading it!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

When I was You by Amber Garza is an intriguing thriller. It has a twisty plot that keeps you guessing. There are two Kelly Medina’s but there is about a twenty-year age difference. The older Kelly has a son who is enjoying college while the younger Kelly’s son is just a baby. The older Kelly is having a hard time adjusting to an empty nest especially with her husband in the Bay Area during the week. There are odd connections, secrets, and danger. I did have trouble getting into the story. The narrator’s voice was inconsistent, and I was never able to relate to the characters. I believe When I was You is one of those books that some will love and others not so much. I enjoyed the suspense as the plot strengthened and it has a remarkable ending. Those readers who enjoy a tangled psychological thriller will enjoy reading When I Was You.

Kelly Medina has a grown son off to college, but, when another Kelly Medina with a baby boy moves to town, she sees it as her chance to reclaim motherhood.

As a mom with two young kids, it sometimes seems impossible that they'll grow up, but I know they will and I know I'll be longing to have my babies back. When I Was You feeds into that idea: what if you had an opportunity right in front of you to be a mom to a baby again? It was irresistible. Add in the thriller part of it, and I was dying to know how it would all play out. And which Kelly Medina was slated to disappear?

The Plot: Twisted into a Pretzel

Kelly Medina is a lonely housewife with her only child off to college and her husband working as a professor. She only sees her husband on weekends as their house, which they bought to raise their young son in outside of the city, is too far from the university he teaches at. She's seeing a therapist because of an earlier incident that left people wondering if she was crazy and a danger to herself and society. But Kelly is sure she isn't crazy. Especially not when another Kelly Medina with a baby boy moves to town, a woman only she seems to believe exists.

The phone call that started it, invades Kelly's mind. Against her best friend's wishes, she manages to "bump" into the other Kelly and meet her son Sullivan. They strike up an unusual friendship with the older Kelly doing everything in her power to help the young mother and the young Kelly gladly accepting (most of) the older Kelly's help.

But it quickly spirals out of control. The older Kelly is overbearing and the younger Kelly starts lying. And then one Kelly vanishes.

Told in three parts, this is the story of two women with the same name, two women who have sons. And one woman who would do anything for her family. The first part was chilly and creepy as it's told from the older Kelly's perspective (which was fascinating in so many ways), and it becomes near impossible to tell if she's crazy or not. The idea that she might be nuts is never far from thought, and it's easy to see how spooked the younger Kelly becomes. The second part was a bit of a letdown as it appeared to be going in a predictable way, though I did like the twist. And then the third part came and the story just twisted into a pretzel. It's a chilling story about two women who aren't so different after all.

The Characters: Mothers

There may be years between the two Kellys, but they seem to be cut from the same cloth. They both get ideas in their heads that they feel compelled to see through, unable to see the bigger picture, roadblocks, and what might lead to downfalls.

They're both mothers, but one is more experienced than the other. The older Kelly felt stable and reliable with excellent parenting instincts. At the same time, it was impossible to tell if she was sane or not. There are points where she seemed perfectly normal and other points where she seemed to be off her rocker. The younger Kelly mostly felt young and immature, going back and forth between loving and hating her son, but she turned out to have her own issues that also helped drive the story forward.

When I Was You has a fantastic cast of characters around the two Kellys. They seemed to support the idea that the older Kelly was losing it, but they were also there to rally around her. Her husband, Rafael, though was a seesaw of loving his wife and thinking she had lost her mind. The tenderness was sweet, but the cruelty was heartbreaking. He seemed a man of two faces, which helped twist this book very well.

The Setting: Suburban

When I Was You takes place in the suburbs of the Bay Area. It feels roomy and airy. There are upscale neighborhoods and lower class neighborhoods. Between the two Kellys, both sides are explored and serve as a counterpoint to each other. The older Kelly is in a newer, nicer area where the drink flows openly and the chatter about endless kid activities, well, never ends. The younger Kelly is renting a guest house that is barely inhabitable, far from where the older Kelly raised her little boy.

The setting helped explore the differences between the two women, and the different ways in which they felt desperate. At the same time, it wasn't exactly lush. The setting was described just in terms of what was necessary. It was stark with few stand out details, which allowed a focus on the women and the story they were playing out. It also lent a darker air to it, which is always nice in a thriller.

Overall: A Thrilling Thriller

This was an excellent thriller that explored the desires of two different women, and the families they'll give anything to protect. The relationship between them, not just in terms of their friendship but the deeper connection they ended up having, was a little unnerving. The realizations just kept coming, the twists continuing to twist. While the writing was smooth, the story was incredibly bumpy with jerks and turns all over the place. With two women who weren't completely well in the head, it made for a bit of an insane story that ended on just the perfect note.

My Reaction

What an incredible thriller! I loved the idea of two women with the same name being drawn together by motherhood. Since the book description mentions one of the Kellys vanishing, I couldn't stop wondering which one it was going to be. One would feel predictable while the other wouldn't be as much. It kept me guessing and on the edge, wondering how it was going to play out. The first part was amazing and I loved not quite knowing if the older Kelly was sane or not. Everyone around her made me question her sanity, and even she herself made me question her. And then the second part hit and I was just a little disappointed. It was starting to feel predictable and a little boring. I could see the way it was going to play out and I almost lost the heart to keep going. But then the third part came around and, while it started slow, it got my heart pounding, and then I felt like someone had hit me with a frying pan.

This was a delicious thriller. I loved the way the two Kellys rubbed against each other. I adored how the supporting characters only encouraged a certain idea. It was brilliant and twisty, and exactly what I look for in a thriller.

Thank you to Justine Sha from Harlequin for a free e-copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I don't want to spoil this book for anyone, so am going to keep this review shorter than I normally would. Kelly Medina is an empty nest mom. Her son left for college a year earlier and her husband works out of town, only returning home on weekends, well some weekends. Kelly is feeling lonely and bereft. When she gets a call from from her son's pediatrician to confirm her upcoming "well-baby" appointment, she is shocked to find out there is another Kelly Medina in town, a Kelly Medina with a baby. She decides that she wants to meet this woman who shares her name and town, one who still has her baby home to cuddle. The ladies do meet and they become friends, with Kelly #1 falling in love with baby, Sullivan. But things start to go a little dark, a little sneaky, a little sinister, with the reader not knowing what is true and what is real.

Kelly #1 has a complicated life which we learn about as the story progresses. Kelly #2 is a closed book and we don't learn much about her until the very end of the story. There is an undertone of concern from Kelly #1's friend Christine and her husband Rafael. I did like Kelly #1 and felt bad for her. I wanted to hug her one minute and warn her or yell at her the next. Kelly #2 had me questioning her motives and coincidence of being in the same town, and Rafael just grated on my nerves. He was selfish and very unlikable. Throw in the sneakiness from the ladies, the gradual learning of secrets and there was a creepy, mystery unraveling. The huge twist that Amber Garza added near the end and Wow, I was shocked. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. This was a bit of a mystery, suspense, and thriller rolled into one. I recommend it to those who enjoy a well written story that will suck you in from the beginning to the end.

I realize it wasn't meant to be humorous, but when the book begins with Kelly Medina finding out there is another Kelly Medina in her not-really-as-small-as-the-author-implies town and says "But have you ever met someone with your same last name too?" Well, yes Kelly I have. I am one of three women in my town with the same first and last name. I share a chiropractor with one and an insurance agent with the other. So this implied crazy unique situation was quickly lost on me. It happens. But, in this case it felt like the beginning of a downward spiral for my engagement with the story. It is quickly evident that there is something, or more than one something, wrong with Kelly and that she is an unreliable narrator. I think perhaps it was all a bit too overt.

What are the chances? Two people with the same name in a small town? There will be more coincidences than you could ever imagine in this deliberately confusing, roller coaster ride of a psychological thriller.

Kelly Medina answers a phone call from a pediatrician’s office reminding her of a checkup for her baby. Kelly doesn’t have a baby, she has a college age son. There’s another woman in town with the same name. Instantly intrigued by the idea that she’s sharing a name, she engineers a meeting with the younger Kelly and befriends her. And when Kelly begins to obsess about the other Kelly, buying expensive baby equipment, delivering home cooked meals and spiraling into stalking, red flags go up. After all, her friends have never seen the Kellys together.

From the very first chapters, you know that you can’t believe Kelly Medina. Something is very wrong in her life. Her husband knows it and so does her best friend. Well, something is wrong. It’s just not what you expected. It’s so much worse.

When I Was You tells a very dark story about obsession. Just when you think you have it figured out, there’s another twist. While I thought some of the action in the final chapters was overdone, I was so totally captivated that I hardly noticed. This is definitely a 5 star read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Amber Garza for this ARC.

Two Kelly Medinas? Yep. That's what's at the root of this twisty and sometimes creepy thriller that sneaks up on you. The older Kelly (Kelly 1) gets a call one day about a well baby appointment for her son Sullivan- except that her son is Aaron and he's in college. Turns out there's a young woman (Kelly 2) with the same name and there's been a mix up. Naturally, Kelly 1 needs to find out about Kelly 2. She's a lonely woman with, shall we say, issues and she begins to spiral into obsession, especially after they meet. It's told from both points of view, which works very nicely to keep you guessing as to exactly what's going on. No spoilers from me but this one does have some dark surprises. It's well told and paced- just right to keep the pages turning. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Would be a perfect travel or beach book if we were doing those things but it was also great on a hot pandemic day inside.

I went into this book with little expectations as it was my first time experiencing the author’s work. However, the moment I started reading I knew that this would be a book I would not be able to put down. When you have a story where you question the sanity of the main character you know you are in for a twisted read.

When I was You introduced the reader to Kelly Medina who is trying to cope with being an empty nester as her son Aaron left home for college. Her husband a professor works for University far from their home, so he only comes home on weekends. She tries to fill her lonely days with yoga and volunteering. One day she receives a call from the town’s pediatrician reminding her of her son’s appointment. Hmmm, but her son is an adult, which would mean there are two Kelly Medinas living in Folsom. How is that even possible? Well, Kelly number one was determined to find out about the second Kelly, even if it meant stalking her.

To be honest, I started out not being a big fan of the original Kelly. I found her to be whiny, frustrating, obsessive and one screw short of the Looney bin. She was one of the most unreliable characters I have ever encountered. However, as the story progressed, I learnt that all is not as it appears to be.

When I was You is one of those stories that readers need to go into as blindly as they possibly can. I thought I knew the direction the story would take, but boy oh boy I was so wrong.
I had so many theories, some of which proved right, but my theory regarding the principal part of the story didn’t even come close. Talk about twists. This book had it in spades and do not get me started on the ending, which left me utterly speechless. I thought to myself, what the hell just happened? I am not in agreement with how the end played out, but I understood why it happened. This story will definitely mess with your head.

The author made use of the second person narrative while switching between the POVs of the two Kellys. I found the method fascinating as it added to the mystery. It had me questioning what was real and what were delusions.

Conclusion/Recommendation
I found this to be an interesting and suspenseful read. I recommend this to readers of psychological thrillers.

I loved this story that scared me as I read it. I can’t say that I liked any of the main characters. They each had problems and you do feel sorry for them at times but they aren’t all that likable. Each of these characters have major problems and you learn them as the story unfolds. Each person learns things about the other that they don’t like. I could not put this down. I received a copy of this book from HarperCollinsPublisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Kelly Medina picks up the phone and it is a pediatrician's office confirming her "son's" doctor's appointment. However, Kelly's son is in college, so what is this about? Well, as it turns out there is another Kelly Medina in town. Thus begins a nightmare for at least one of the "Kellys".

Kelly get curious....and soon dangerous. Who is the younger Kelly Medina? Heck, why should the younger version has a child she can hold, cuddle and sing to sleep? Yep, that is where this book is going. The older Kelly led a fairly normal life. She had problems. But then don't we all? Now her curiosity leads her to create a friendship with the younger woman, a friendship that leads to ulterior motives, including obsession. Before long, the younger Kelly disappears.

The older Kelly jumps right into the other Kelly's life by showing up at the aforementioned pediatric appointment. She not only obsesses over the other Kelly, but also over baby Sullivan. She goes from one extreme to another, and makes bad choice after bad decision. Now she presents a danger to the younger Kelly.

I was pulled into this story from the very beginning, to the wicked twists, and to the shocking ending.I couldn't help but wonder how crazy the first Kelly could behave. Amber Garza is a new name for me. If she could grab my attention the way she did, considering I started this book late at night, and couldn't go to sleep until I finished it, well, this tells me that I have got to read more by her, and soon!

Many thanks to MIRA and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Kelly Medina has suffered mental problems in the recent past. Her husband, Rafael, is a professor who works hours away and only comes home some weekends. After getting a phone call from a pediatrician's office reminding her of an upcoming appointment, Kelly realizes there's another Kelly Medina living in the same town and she has an infant son. Knowing about Kelly's mental problems it's clear she's an unreliable narrator. She has become obsessed with this other Kelly and her son but is she having a mental break and just making up this other Kelly? Her husband and best friend aren't so sure.
For the first part of the book I wasn't sure where it was going and when I thought I'd figured it out part two comes along with a twist I didn't see coming. Two Kelly's with different POV's, which one can you trust? Again you think it's settled and then that ending!
This one is so smartly written it had me from page one right through to the very last page and I couldn't turn them fast enough. I loved that the story takes a couple turns that I was surprised by while making me think I was the one going crazy.
If you like fast paced, psychological thrillers I recommend you add this one to your TBR ASAP!
.

This book is one of the best representations of an unreliable narrator that I have ever read. Kelly is not likable by any means but it was so fascinating being in her head. On one hand she is very judgmental and cringey but on the other hand, the more you read the more you start to understand her. This book was hard for me to put down because the story builds in small moments of disbelief and I found myself wanting to know if what I thought was happening was reality. Garza did an amazing job of building the story where the reader is constantly guessing at what is going on. We mostly follow Kelly as she is going along with her day to day but we also got flashbacks and therapy sessions that open our eyes up to a broader view of her world. There were many times where I was irritated by Kelly but there were also moments where my heart hurt for her. Now would be a good time to list some trigger warnings including mental and physical abuse, past loss of a baby and possible mental health triggers. This book builds to an amazing ending that it very deserving of the twisted ride we took to get there. It was possible to see where this story was going but Garza left us with enough plausible deniability that I still found it satisfying. I flew through this book and I can't recommend it enough to all my thriller lovers out there. This book is a cross between a domestic thriller and a psychological one so I really feel like it will appeal to a wide range of readers.

Kelly Medina is lonely. Her son is in college and her husband works away from home most of the week, leaving her alone in an empty house until the weekends. She keeps busy spending time with her best friend and attending yoga classes, all very exciting.

But then something strange happens. Kelly receives a call from her son's old pediatrician's office reminding her of a well baby appointment. When Kelly lets them know they're mistaken they let slip that there's another Kelly Medina in town.

Curious, Kelly arranges an "accidental" meeting with the other Kelly, befriending the young mother and taking her under her wing.

But the elder Kelly's friends are worried. Even her husband expresses concern. And it seems they may be right. Kelly becomes more and more focused on the other Kelly's life and her young son. But how can she be sure they're even real when everyone else around her is certain they aren't? And just what is the younger Kelly hiding or hiding from?

When I Was You is so twisted!

When we first meet Kelly Medina, it quickly becomes clear that she's a woman who is unsatisfied by her current situation. Hints are sprinkled throughout about just how bad things have been for her of late—her relationship is rocky, she misses her son, and there's clearly been some sort of incident that's left those around her concerned about her.

In short, she's adrift.

At first, finding out there's another Kelly Medina in town is a curiosity. Clearly there are other Kelly Medinas everywhere, as she soon learns, but this one is in her town. And her baby is registered with the same pediatrician that Kelly used to take her own son to see. Not only that, but it appears this new Kelly has also used the same yoga studio.

Soon, Kelly is so intrigued that she can't help but try to meet this other Kelly.

And she quickly decides this new Kelly needs her. In fact, she's certain the young mom and her son are lucky to have met her.

A sense of purpose and a desire to help aren't bad things, but again there's that niggling feeling that something is off. And those hints along the way...

Garza's thriller is a fast read that sucked me in from the very start! I was dying to know what was going on with the Kellys, especially once Garza teased more and more tiny details about each of their lives. Before long, I found myself completely unable to set the book down. I just had to know!!!

This review was commissioned by Harper Collins.

This is more like it; from the moment you take a step into Kelly Medina's world, everything you're reading and looking at just goes a shade darker and more innocuous than it should be. Is what Kelly's narration is telling us the truth? Or is it all part of a mind unraveling from systematic velvet bat verbal spousal abuse and unspeakable tragedy?

Is Kelly really imagining things? Situations, slights, entire interactions with people? The people themselves?

And who is her new friend, this young woman half her age who shares her name- who is she really?

Dark and twisty (and twisted) from beginning to end, this is a book for people who love, to quote the master, Stephen King, "the dark, unquiet coffin".

'When I Was You' drops August 25th; don't miss this dark psychological thriller, for lovers of Tarryn Fisher and Jennifer Hillier novels.