Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from First To Read.Post contains affiliate links; if you make a purchase, I may earn commission. Opinions shared are mine.

You never know how you’ll react in a bad situation until it happens.

In the book The Girl I Used To Be by Mary Torjussen, Realtor Gemma Brogan finds herself at a crossroads.  She is a workaholic mom trying to balance home and career.  The reader immediately gets the impression that Gemma doesn’t speak her mind, yet she’s an intelligent woman who is determined to get what she wants.  That sets up a nice twisty plot for this thriller.

Don’t go into this book expecting a quick payoff.  It takes a long time to get to the heart of the matter, even when you might have an idea about the direction it’s going.  The whole time I was reading, I alternated between emotions. I was frustrated at Gemma for not telling somebody! anybody! about what what happening to her.  I admired her kindness to others, even when I didn’t think they deserved it.  I related to her mommy guilt, and the way she wanted her husband Joe to be happy.  Gemma is a perfectly flawed character, totally realistic, and that’s what made this story work.

There are all kinds of hidden warnings in this story.  For starters, don’t drink to excess.  Use common sense.  Speak up for yourself.  Be careful about trusting strangers too much.  Be wise when traveling.  White lies build up to big lies.  All of these life lessons play a role in The Girl I Used To Be.   Even though this was a slow story, it was worth the wait.

Do you enjoy slow suspenseful stories, or do you prefer a fast thriller?

Thanks to First To Read for giving me a copy of this book.