Great Read! This is a story of three different women who move into the same community. They each think that the others have perfect lives when in fact they don't. This book tells the story of each of these women. I loved the storyline and how it tells about true life problems for women and how hard it is to deal with the issues and how friendship is very important in helping one another. This story did start off slow for me but picked up really fast. Once the story picked up it was hard for me to put down. There are shocking lies and secrets that are found out and mysteries. I would highly recommend this book to those who enjoy reading women's fiction

This was an awesome story with tons of secrets and twists to keep you furiously turning the pages!! I loved how we have an outside view of three MCs, but what they share on social media can vastly differ from the life they are really living. I liked having all three of these characters, they were each important to the overall story, and I felt drawn to each of them. I would recommend this for readers that enjoy a dramatic literary story!

Who are you? If I checked your social media feeds, how accurate (or perhaps it would be better to say how complete) is the picture they paint? Putting your best self forward is nothing new--its why we dress one way to go to a ball, another way to go to the office and yet another to clean house. This is the story of three women who learn who the others are, even though each tries to portray an image that isn't quite true.

Kate and her neighbors have just moved into a new subdivision. We quickly learn that Kate has a secret, a secret that has caused her to move, to change her name, and to forbid her daughter to use social media. Kate has no friends and resists the overtures of her new neighbors but finally lets them in a little at her daughter's demand. By the end of the book we learn her secret and to me, that whole part of the story fell flat.

Gisela is very active on social media showing off her perfect life, but then it all comes crashing down. Even she didn't realize what an illusion it all was.

Sally also has a social media perfect life, sort of, but then she too finds that things aren't what they seem to be.

By the end of the book all three women have started new chapters in their lives and while they may not be #perfect, they have #growth.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade B.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read THE WOMAN I WAS BEFORE by Kerry Fisher. First I would like to thank Ms Fisher for talking about her inspiration for this book That is something I frequently wonder about with books and their writers. Secondly I live in a TCN...a total community network - residential and business and more options available. Giving the opportunity to be a Very close knit area. So much life described in this book; so much diversity and so many secrets! I have heard of a 2 family man, but in the same community!? That snuck up on me. Kerry hoped she managed the handling of the subject of SIDS. Being a past coordinator for that non-profit, I would say ‘yes’ to the extent you went. I enjoyed the mix of characters and their ages. Totally enjoyed the read!

If you want emotional women's fiction, this is a pretty good book. The reader is introduced to three neighoring women and their families. They hide behind their Facebook posts and pictures what is really going on behind the scenes, and they soon discover each other's lives are not quite as perfect as their appear.
Kate and her teenage daughter Daisy are hiding from their past and hoping nobody finds out their true identies. Kate spends nearly 18 years torturing herself over something which was not her fault and thinking everyone else blames her as well, keeping to herself while Daisy wants to be the typical 18 year old with a life and friends.
Gisela is the perfect housewife, supporting her workaholic husband Jack and their two teenaged kids, Ollie who has a much older girlfriend, and their daughter Hannah who isn't quite sure what she wants to do with her life. They all seem so ungrateful and hateful to her and I'm not surprised when she's mad at them most of the time.
Spouses Sally and Chris cannot agree about having a child and it causes them to constantly fight. Sally's mom does not help, constantly nagging her she wants to be a grandmother.
These women are so judgemental and so catty towards one another at first, but they soon realize they have a lot in common and that they need each other for emotional support just like any good chick lit book would do. Although, I do think this book is only partially named and should be called "The Woman I Was Before I Discovered Men are Idiots" because that's what the men do in this book, make stupid mistakes. It was an overall good read and a nice change of pace from my usual genre. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to leave an honest review.

Kate is new in the neighborhood but is scared to get close with anyone. Her and her daughter have a secret and don’t want anyone to find them. Kate has never had social media but finds herself making a Facebook account in order to get to know her new neighbors who are “perfect”. Kate can never let them know the awful past she’s hiding from or she will lose her new friends.

Gisela and Sally seem to have the perfect lives. Sally travels to exotic places testing wine and Gisela has the perfect husband who makes good money so she can stay at home. Their Facebooks accounts make their lives seem so perfect.

Each family has their own secrets. No family is perfect. When Kate is confronted about her past, she has a choice to run or be upfront with her new friends.

I enjoyed the storyline of no matter how someone’s life seems so perfect on social media, everyone has problems or secrets. We can’t let someone’s “perfect” life get us down. My only complaint is the synopsis leads you to believe it’s a suspenseful read and I was expecting several twists and turns . It ended up being a feel good story which is ok but it wasn’t what I was expecting.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book to read in exchange for my honest opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Maybe, one day, this would be the best thing that ever happened to me. Just not today.”

What You’ll Find:
✔️Pyschological Fiction
✔️Domestic Fiction
✔️Secrets and Lies
✔️Multiple POV

This book tells the story of 3 women’s seemingly different lives. All have just moved into new homes on the same new street. Kate, the single mom paramedic. Gisela, the busy stay at home mom with a successful husband and children. And Sally, a married, child free, globe trotting business woman. Kate envy’s the perfect lives the other two woman post about online, while Kate hides from the world at all costs. But a devestating accident changes everything these woman thought they knew.

This was a great switch up from my usual romance reads. I was so surprised with how the story turned and found myself really loving it. It starts slow and your not really sure where it’s going. But then it takes a turn, hooking you with emotion. And a little heaviness. My heart hurt. But the author does a great job at bringing it full circle.

This story is about so many things. It’s about family, love, loss and secrets. There’s an element of suspense and mystery, your on the edge of your seat waiting to learn what’s going to happen or unravel. I enjoyed watching the women’s friendships form. Letting misconceptions fall to the side.

I also really enjoyed the social media aspect. How it can have impacts. Because what you see online, is not always the reality. It’s often just a sliver of someone’s life. There can be so much more that goes on behind closed doors that never sees the light of day on social media. And it was an important reminder in this read.

There was a topic in this story that I personally don’t like to read. Had I know, I probably wouldn’t have read this. But I think that would have been a mistake, because this book was worth reading, despite it. I think there’s a lot of relatability in this story many will connect to. I recommend checking this one out.

Thank you to the author, Forever- Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for this eCopy for my honest review.

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes... Yes, I'm blatantly stealing from RENT, because this book - featuring (roughly) a year in the life of three women who randomly move in to the same block on the same weekend brought out those vibes for me. It also harkens to fellow Amazon publishing colleague Emily Bleeker's 2020 book What It Seems in that this is another look at how "reality" according to social media... rarely turns out to be actual reality. (Ha! Another RENT reference :D) Another strong look at the various damages secrets can wreak, though its portrayal of childless people was at times a bit extreme. Ultimately a well written story of several interweaving lives, and very much recommended.

Thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an advanced copy of The Woman I Was Before. I really looked forward to reading this as I had read another book by Kerry fisher and really enjoying it. When I started reading,
I wasn't really sure I'd like it, I felt like there were two many characters and I kept having to check who I was reading about. AS I got more into this story, the who's who was easier. I think the title was supposed to refer to Kate, but it really could be applied to any of them. There was a lot of build-up about what happened to Kate, any you find out quickly, it wasn't what you thought, but the author did keep that secret for most of the book. All in all, it was an interesting story. I really liked how all the women had secrets they were keeping and how they all thought their neighbor had it better: a good example of how the grass is always greener. .

A new home can be a happy ending. Or a fresh start. Or a hiding place...

Kate Jones is running away. She has left her old life behind, changing both her own name and her daughter’s.

Starting afresh on Parkview Road – a brand new street full of newly built houses – Kate looks at the other women on the street with envy. They seem to have it all: Gisela with her busy life, full house and successful children, Sally with her exciting spontaneous marriage, her glamorous holidays, her high-flying career. The pictures that Kate's new friends post online confirm their seemingly perfect existence, while Kate hides from the world at all costs.

Until one day, everything changes. Kate is called to the scene of a devastating accident, which is about to test everything the women thought they knew about each other, and themselves.

I was expecting a thriller but this book actually went a bit deep. You never know what is going on behind closed doors, and how the power of true friendship can help to weather all storms. I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC! This is my 2nd book from Kerry Fisher and she's got a writing style that is so engaging and unique; I really enjoy it. This is definitely NOT a thriller; it is a domestic drama. That being said, its a little more of a quiet character study than I expected, but once I adjusted those expectations I found myself sucked into the community and to the women's lives.
This book is about Kate, Gisela and Sally. All of the women have secrets and things that are super messy, but they keep it all behind closed doors. On their Instagram posed they are #blessed and #perfect. I LOVED seeing that juxtaposition between what we show on social media and what is actually happening in reality.
Overall I would highly recommend if you're looking for a domestic drama.

SPOILERS AHEAD:
Kate- Kate is on the run and we're not sure from what. She has a daughter named Daisy and she keeps them both very closed off. Neither have smart phones, social media is uber private, and they don't let anyone get too close. Her teenage daughter wants to rebel from this a little bit and as the book goes on we find out that the reason Kate is running is because her best friend's child died under Kate's watch of SIDS. The friend blamed her and tried to pursue legal ramifications, but the court found her innocent of course. Her husband also left her and now communicates with the daughter, but that doesn't have much to do with the story. She finds love again and ends up getting married and finally being vulnerable in the end.

Gisela-Gisela seems to have perfect life. Rich husband, 2 kids (boy and a girl) and everything a suburban wife could want. However, her son starts dating an older woman, gets her pregnant and becomes completely estranged from his mom until the very end when his baby mama is struggling with PPD and he needs help. Her husband is also being criminally pursued for embezzlement. Her life is perfect, but only from the outside. She stands by her husband through it all and offers him a grace that I don't know if I could do.

Sally-Sally has a pretty good marriage, but she decides she wants kids and her husband does not. Of course this creates tension between them and the big accident alluded to in the synopsis involves her husband, Chris and another woman. Not only was he cheating, the other woman was pregnant. It's not that he didn't want kids, he just didn't want kids with HER. In the end, Sally does something for herself and moves to Italy.

“The first time I’d ever met my grandson and I was wasting time arguing with a tit on Facebook whom I never ever saw in real life. I pressed the unfriend button and said to myself, Now I am a grandma I will be more dignified. Then gave the screen the finger as a last, immature me, hurrah”

Do you really know your neighbors? I mean, really know them? Or, do you just take them at face value?

I loved how the author put a photo caption (hashtags included) like we could see the social media posts. In today’s day and age, I could relate so hard to this. Here’s my perfect picture with my clever caption, but I’m not having the perfect time you think I am.

While I know this was the story of 3 very different women, I did get them confused on who was who because they all had something in coming: longing to actually be what they pretend they are. I also got the two husbands confused, maybe because they were equally horrible? This was one that I had to make a chart to know who was in what family and what their main storyline was. It took me about 50% to really figure out who was who. PS I hate all the men.

It got a bit muddled in the middle to where I kept thinking, “are we ever going to get to the story” then, it was BAM. All at once. From there, I finished in one sitting.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I loved the unlikely friendship these women made, and how social media isn’t truly what it seems.

Thank you Forever & NetGalley for the gifted copy. This is being re-released on 10.06.2020

Kate, Gisele, and Sally are all new neighbors in a recently built subdivision. Kate lives alone with her teenage daughter and works as a paramedic. Gisele is married and has a son and daughter. Sally and her husband both have demanding careers that require a lot of travel.
Each chapter of the book ends with the description of Facebook posts made by each woman. All three of these women have seemingly wonderful lives, yet all three envy each other.
We all know that social media does not usually portray reality, this book does a great job of really helping you to see how "looks" can be deceiving. That the grass is not always greener and that people rarely post the "behind the scenes" reality.
I felt so bad for each of these women, but I loved how they came to form such a strong friendship by accepting that nobody has a perfect life.
I think Sally's story shocked me the most, and I was so angry for her. Kate's situation wasn't as horrific (although really unfortunate and sad) as the synopsis made it seem. I appreciated how Gisele had realistic emotions, but worked through them and acknowledged her own mistakes.
This was a pretty fast paced read and I would definitely recommend it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the review copy of this book.

The way that Fisher utilizes the allure of a perfect looking online life to weave the tale of 3 women who all envy each other in one way or another is very well orchestrated. We truly see how social media can depict a certain kind of life to the world, while we keep a lot private.
Add in murder and suspense, and it gives you this page-turner. I hope you walk away from this book with something new to think about.

This is a well written emotional read that holds your attention. It shows how the perfect lives people post on social media isn't always true and what happens when the skeletons fall out of the closet. It has just the right amount of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages. Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a great book, wonderful and relatable characters and you really wanted to know what happens. After each alternating chapters of 3 different women the end of book wraps up nicely. I will definitely be reading more from this author. Thank you for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fantastic books with some twists I didn't see coming. It is also a story of nothing is as perfect as it seems. The author put a lot of thought into the depth of each character. I only have it 4 stars because it took a little bit to remember all the characters when the point of view changed.

The Woman I Was Before by Kerry Fisher was an emotional story about loss, friendship, the "realities" we post on social media, being vulnerable, and allowing others into our lives and the stories we share.

As the author states at the end of the book, the story is truly about survival and finding the strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other in times when you just want to give up and opening up to our true selves and allowing others to see our flaws, hurt, and emotions.

The characters were well developed, and each had a story to tell with depth and resolution at the end.

#TheWomanIWasBefore #NetGalley

This book was so well written & interesting. I loved getting to know Kate & Daisy, Sally & Chris, & Gisela, Jack, Ollie, & Hannah as they move into a new neighborhood & become neighbors. The relationships within the family units & the ones that develop along the way are riveting & well thought out. There is something for everyone in this book. Highly recommend!

Good book! Three families living in the same housing estate become friends but really don’t know each other’s lives. Kate is hiding a past that she is running from. Gisela’s husband is hiding a secret from.her. Sally posts on social media of her perfect life. Nothing is really like it seems. Finally something occurs that brings all of the secrets out and they find how deep their friendship really is. Enjoyed this book!


Thanks to Kerry Fisher and Forever for the opportunity to read this book!