This book is proof that one is never, ever too old for a good old-fashioned story about identical twins switching places. Janelle Brown makes a familiar hook new again with her page-turner about a former child star gone missing and her very different (and very estranged) twin sister stepping in as the only one who might be able to follow the bread crumbs and find her.

A story of estranged twins and former tween TV stars from a family where all the women indulge in various sorts of group therapies (AA, Esalen, chakra realignment classes and a Scientology-like feminist empowerment camp where every level of enlightenment costs you more in both money and emotional attachment). One twin goes missing; the other is left putting puzzle pieces together.

If you ever meet twins, no one asks you “who do you like better?” It’s just not done and you, the third party, perpetuate their sameness, unless you get to know one far better individually. We don’t experience Sam and Elli at once; each narrates their own halves of the book, and in the first part, we meet the self described “bad twin,” Samantha. Sam describes all her sisterly differences in great detail and, as a result, makes herself the twin we care about.

Eleanor/Elli tells her story after Sam’s unfolds and we come to understand and maybe even forgive why the “good twin” did something wrong. There’s an intriguing twist — I didn’t”t see it coming at all.

The title, “I’ll Be You” is perfect — it emphasizes the times when the twins secretly switched identities and each time they do, hilarity does not ensue as in the movies, but lives go off on differing paths.

I loved the balance in this this book between the two sisters. As I came to love Sam, I also fell in love with Elli. Both misunderstood, both trying to make the present better.

Five stars to Janelle Brown’s latest — make sure you look for it in April 2022.
Thank you to Random House and Net Galley for the ARC.

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Elli’s ex Chuck has the requisite green eyes, but at least it’s a guy.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NOT QUITE. OK, Elli was a floral designer and maybe she has secret access to spring tulips in July; but she couldn’t make the desert hills awash in poppies (spring things, too); otherwise, truly California plants, like manzanita, jacaranda, pepper tree and eucalyptus, were flourishing.

This book is proof that one is never, ever too old for a good old-fashioned story about identical twins switching places. Janelle Brown makes a familiar hook new again with her page-turner about a former child star gone missing and her very different (and very estranged) twin sister stepping in as the only one who might be able to follow the bread crumbs and find her. This is my favorite kind of thriller, with real depth of character and emotion, weaving relevant flashbacks into a pleasant-day mystery, swinging wildly between fun and deliciously disturbing. An entertaining, compelling read.

A novel that brings to light how individual we all are, but how we need friendship, love and emotional support.
Elli (Eleanor) and Sam (Samantha) are two identical twins by looks, but so different in their wants and emotional needs.
At the age of 9 they became actresses, moving away from home with their mother to be near the movie set. One twin thrived on it, the other did it for her sister. One introverted, one extroverted.

Did this set them up for what they became, and did in later life? Probably.
A very interesting book and one that stresses the need we all have for friendships and support and what some will do to try and achieve it. I highly recommend reading this novel.

This book was sooo riveting I finished it in one day. The characters are nicely fleshed out. My only complain is that certain aspects are a bit too on the nose with similar situation in real events. Overall a great read!

Another great story from Janelle Brown.
Twins who grew upon the spotlight drift apart as they grow up, but for different reasons. Estranged from each other, Sam and Ellie each have reasons to Santa fresh start. When Ellie disappears, leaving her daughter Charlotte with her parents, Sam is forced to be a responsible adult for the first time in her life. When she tracks Ellie to a cult, the questions begin to pile up. And where did Charlotte really come from, anyway?

Janelle Brown definitely has a way with words. I really liked Watch Me Disappear, and this had the same kind of push and pull of family dynamics and what it means to be exist in your own world and someone else's world (as a mother, sister, daughter). However, the end didn't have quite the same punch. The pacing was off; by the time we get to Elli's narration, I felt like the whole story was over. I almost wanted it to go back and forth between the two-- especially for their childhood/teenage stories.

Overall, though, I still liked this. I may have gotten a little bored by the end, but the cult stuff (think NXIVM) was entertaining, and the child star stuff was, unfortunately, realistic.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @Random House for the chance to read this new book from Janelle Brown; I am a big fan of her recent book Pretty Things so I appreciated that chance to support more work from this author.

This is a 3.5 star book for me, rounded up to 4 because I enjoy that Ms. Brown always gives me interesting characters and an intriguing plot and I appreciate that she writes about comp[ex women and gives her characters flaws in a relatable way and allows us to understand their behaviors, even the behaviors that undermine them and their relationships.

This story focuses on twins, Elli and Sam, and Sam's search for her missing sister who has become entangled with a possibly problematic group (themes related to Scientology and the nxivm cult came to mind). I love stories that get at the messiness of sibling relationships and allow for that relationship to allow for love but also real feelings of hurt, anger, and the unique ways in which siblings know each other in deeo and complex ways; I am also always all in for a story that examines cults (recently did review a true story account of nxivm. Don't Call it a Cult, and also recently reviewed This Might Hurt which has similar themes on cults). The plot mostly focuses on Sam's search but also allows for the backstory of their child star/celebrity past, themes on addiction, and weaves in Elli's perspective on what happened to her as well.

I enjoyed the themes that were essential to the plot and the presentation of Sam as a character who had made mistakes but was also working towards sobriety and finding connection again with her sister; I appreciated the section from Elli's perspective as it added to exploring how cults work and why some individuals get caught up in cults and find it hard to get away from their pull. The suspense though and twists and turns that I enjoyed in Pretty Things was less present, this read to me more as a character story and was for me less plot driven. I did though enjoy the character driven plot as I tend to be a fan of those types of narratives as well as suspense driven plots.

mild spoilers:

I struggled a bit with the weaving in of the kidnapping/infertility plot as it felt unnecessary and for some people, including readers like myself, exploration of the journey to motherhood deserves more depth and development (this is a personal issue for me, one that not all readers will connect with but I tend to find depictions of women who struggle with infertility to be one dimensional and often paired with criminal acts or other themes that of course do not hold true for most women like me). I note this as other readers who may struggle with plots with these themes should note this before reading.

recommended for:
mystery/thriller clubs, readers who like themes on twins and cults!

where to find reviews closer to publication
instagram (https://www.instagram.com/pageus_of_books/)
dont-stop-reading.com
review will be copied to amazon, BN, and goodreads and twitter as well

Having read and loved Brown’s five star Pretty Things I was thrilled to delve into her new novel. Although twins seem to be the new plot line everywhere this book is exceptional, the characters of the two twins, Sam and Elli develop in a rich and engaging way and then when Brown throw in a great mystery storyline you have another instant bestseller! The twins used to be Hollywood child stars (think the Olsens) after being intwined physically, mentally and literally until the acting tore them apart and they went off on different paths. I loved Sam, the more outgoing, dominant twin and while the story is told predominantly from her point of view, the chapters from Elli are pivotal in our understanding of love, family, selfreliance, recovery and determination. The mystery plot is enthralling and I kept wondering how it would end. Thoroughly entertaining and profound. Brava Janelle Brown, brava!!

This was a fun book that definitely held my attention from start to finish! Who doesn’t love reading about identical twins and their shenanigans?

Sam and Elli are identical twins and the story goes back and forth from the start of their level B actress stardom to the current life they’re living. Sam was the one who went crazy with addiction problems and party past. Elli was the one who always tried to stay the course and Sam’s rescuer. It all comes to a pause when Sam gets a call from her parents saying they need her help since Elli has gone on a “self help retreat”. This is where the mystery begins. Where did she really go? How did responsible Elli all of a sudden just disappear and ignore her life long responsibilities without a care?

It’s a fun and entertaining ride to be inside each of the twins heads and see how they can be so different but yet have such a twin bond. It isn’t much of a big thrilling mystery but I recommend on it being intriguing and well written!

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Enjoyed this book about the bond between sisters, twins who grow up to lead very different lives, one a more conventional life, the other wrestling with addiction. When the "good" twin disappears, possibly into a cult, the other one goes looking for her on a journey that leads them back to each other and what is important. It is a story about finding oneself after being lost and finding the ones we love. my first book by this author, now want to read her other books

Loved it ! Twins, mysteries and cults! What's not to like? Janelle Brown is the queen of twisty novels with new perspectives and plots.

Sam and Elli are identical twins with very different lives. Once childhood starts, Sam's life has careened into disaster while Ellie has transformed into the perfect wife. But when Sam's parents call her to come assist with caring for a niece she knew nothing about, Sam knows their is more to the story.

Told from both twins' POV's, I'll Be You is a tense and exciting novel. Well written and plenty of emotional depth that allows you to care for all of the characters and become invested in the ending.

If you like mysteries, sister-relations, twin stories and cults, this is surely a novel for you! Highly Recommended! #NetGalley #IllBeYou

Cults, twins, washed up teen stars? Yes, please! This was one of Janelle Brown's better books, I think. It was paced well and I think we all know a mom who willfully ignores what is right in front of her even if is her own granddaughter's fishy adoption. I felt like the end section at the compound was a little weak, we didn't get as much of a feel for the sister who got sucked into a cult--I know that multiple perspectives is popular now but I'm not sure it was needed here. Her part was very small in comparison and seemed more rushed. That said, I really enjoyed the book and thought it was a lot of fun and surprisingly realistic to be based on a fairly far out scenario.

Janelle Brown wrote Pretty Things, which I haven't read but apparently people like.

I'll Be You is the first book of hers that Ive read. It's a mystery-ish book. Sam and Elli are identical twin sisters but they haven't seen or talked with each other in over a year. Sam became a party girl and addict who has spent the year getting sober. Elli has built a more conservative life with the suburban home, the husband, daughter and her floral business.

Then Elli goes away for a weekend retreat and stays longer. Their parents call Sam to help take care of the daughter.

From there the mystery unfolds.

Their identical twins and it's called "I'll be you" so from that alone you can probably guess some of the shenanigans that follow. And that's part of the problem - the entire story is pretty cliche. In fact, if you heard the NIXIVS podcast, you'll feel this to be quite similar.

Overall I wouldn't consider this a great book but a decent enough read that requires little to no thinking - which means it will probably sell very well in the US.

Definitely not a waste of my time to read - I'm always intrigued by an identical twin perspective - but I'm not jumping out to immediately pick up any of Janelle's other books.

#netgalley #illbeyou

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Excellent writing about twin identical sisters and the challenges they face in life. Very different roads for each sister Including addiction, life as a child TV star, and a cult. Very good storytelling ability by the author and very much enjoyed the writing style. Very easy to read and follow. Definitely would recommend.

Really enjoyed the twists and storyline. Would definitely recommend to any thriller lover. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy!

This is the first book I have read by Janelle Brown. It was a very enthralling book about twins Sam and Elli. I couldn't put it down - I finished it in a day. Highly recommend this book.

I am a big fan of Janelle brown. Her books sort of skate the edges of the psychological thriller category which is how I discovered her, but defy the usual formula and are smartly written with unexpected twists. I’ll be You did not disappoint - the story of identical twins who have become estranged and how the “broken” one can save the other. The perspective switches from one twin to the other and I did enjoy the Sam part a bit more as this was the more mysterious part. Elli’s part was more explanation for what Sam uncovered. But both were compulsively readable. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a twisty, well written book that will be hard to put down. And as always, thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher - this book was a pleasure to read and review. .

Having enjoyed the author’s previous work, “Pretty Things”, I was thrilled to read a DRC of her latest novel, “I’ll Be You”. I found myself totally engaged in this tale of two twin sisters, Sam and Elli, both former child actors, now grown & estranged and living very, very different lives in S. California. The novel shifts POV’s between the two, and there are multiple flash-backs to understand their motivations as we journey along with one now searching for other’s whereabouts. Twists and turns abound. Great writing on sisterly dynamics here. Recommend to those who like their thrillers with a dose of familial tension. My sincerest thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for generously providing me with a complimentary DRC of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own and were not affected by this exchange.

This book was great. Read it in two days. The cult aspect was fascinating. Not quite as fascinating to me were the chapters delving into the twins' childhood. I guess I'm just a cult reader! Great writing though and I did love the book. Sorry that I finished so fast.