“A heart-pounding thriller. When I Was You pitches two women with the same name against one another, and the rug is pulled out from under you the moment you decide to trust one of them.” —Sandie Jones, USA Today bestselling author of The Other Woman“Amber Garza has upped the game on the classic stalker novel! . . . A fast-paced, beautifully plotted book.” —Samantha Downing, USA Today bestselling … classic stalker novel! . . . A fast-paced, beautifully plotted book.” —Samantha Downing, USA Today bestselling author of My Lovely Wife
You meets Fatal Attraction in this up-all-night story of suspicion, obsession and motherhood.
It all begins on an ordinary fall morning, when Kelly Medina gets a call from her son’s pediatrician to confirm her upcoming “well-baby” appointment. It’s a cruel mistake; her son left for college a year ago, and Kelly’s never felt so alone. The receptionist quickly apologizes: there’s another mother in town named Kelly Medina, and she must have gotten their numbers switched.
For days, Kelly can’t stop thinking about the woman who shares her name. Lives in her same town. Has a son she can still hold, and her whole life ahead of her. She can’t help looking for her: at the grocery store, at the gym, on social media. When Kelly just happens to bump into the single mother outside that pediatrician’s office, it’s simple curiosity getting the better of her.
Their unlikely friendship brings Kelly a renewed sense of purpose—taking care of this young woman and her adorable baby boy. But that friendship quickly turns to obsession, and when one Kelly disappears, well, the other one may know why.
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This was such a switch up of a thriller. When Kelly Medina answers her phone one day, she doesn’t realize how much that one call would change her life. She receives a call from her son’s pediatrician confirming an appointment, the only problem, her son’s in college and away from home. It turns out that there’s another Kelly Medina living in her small town in California. Setting out to discover who this other Kelly Medina is, Kelly throws caution to the wind and starts to stalk her. Eventually befriending the young mother, Kelly starts out just wanting to help the young single mother. Her helping though, quickly turns into stalking and obsession. No matter what her friends and family say, she’s not letting up.
But this story isn’t just about Kelly’s obsession with the younger woman. It’s also a poignant story of a relationship in need of help. Kelly and her husband have been married for many years, and it’s not a good marriage. Having their son soon after the wedding, Kelly’s husband accuses her of getting pregnant on purpose. As you read along, you realize that Rafael Medina is not a good husband or father. He sounds like a narcissist and a predator. His role in this story is rather a large one, even though he reads like a minor character, at least until the end.
This book is nothing like I thought it would be when I started. Ms. Garza has a way of only letting you have a little of the whole story at a time, you have to keep reading because you need to know what’s going to happen next. You have to know who the real evil person is. You want to know the whole truth, and the only way to find out is to read until the very end. The writing is superb, there’s great character development, and a compelling story arc. You’re drawn into the mind of the main character, you feel her feelings, but at the same time you know that there’s something going on that you just don’t understand, it leaves you restless and worried. Just like a good thriller should.
I highly recommend this surprisingly suspenseful novel for fans of psychological thrillers. You won’t be disappointed.
**I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.
I was absolutely “wowed” by this debut thriller by Amber Garza! I couldn’t read it long enough or fast enough, right from the beginning. The plot is an original one about a lonely empty nester who really needs someone or something new in her life. One morning, she gets a phone call reminding her of a well-baby appointment at the office of her former pediatrician and she is amazed to find out that there is another Kelly Medina in town. Her objective becomes to find this young woman who shares her name. Well, she finds her and befriends her and then the total compulsive obsession begins. This is a real page-turner that I thought was very well-written, with gripping revelations of truth in the lives of women. The author demonstrates an authentic understanding of women’s issues and has written an exceptionally good mystery with a phenomenally shocking conclusion. I sincerely enjoyed how the story unraveled itself slowly and methodically, with so many twists and so much that I could identify with as I fell into the pages and was captivated by the drama of the lives of these two women. Fans of mystery/suspense/ and psychological thriller will enjoy this book that is definitely women’s contemporary fiction, too. It’s hard to classify the genre because this book fits into so many places!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and am providing my honest opinion.
This is the story of two Kellys that will keep you guessing until the end. I read a ton of thrillers so it can be difficult for me to be surprised but with plenty of twists and turns, this book kept me engaged until the end. This book delivered everything I expect from this genre and then some. I will definitely be checking out more books by this author!
What can you say about a book that the characters are not ones you could possibly like, especially when it feels like it’s done on purpose. This author takes the image of a stalker to an entirely new plain. After receiving a phone call that tingles her spidey sense Kelly (1) embarks on a mission to find out just who this mysterious Kelly (2) is. This is the only the beginning of her journey into what ends up being a rabbit hole of the worst kind. With the way Kelly (1) acts and the steps she takes it’s clear she has clearly gone off kilter. But oh wait it doesn’t end there. She has no idea where it’s leading but now everyone thinks she’s slipping mentally and emotionally. The game is on. Who is the master and who is the puppet. This author makes it clear it isn’t about liking her characters it’s all about the twist. Actions and thought have consequences and both of these characters will face them one way or another. At the end you’ll be reeling when the question is answered.
When I Was You is the first book I have read by Amber Garza and it did not disappoint! Fast paced and leaves you wondering who you should trust with every turn of the page. Highly recommend this one.
Thank you to Netgallery for the free digital copy in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own.