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Just Like Her

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Fifteen years ago, my sister died tragically. Imagine my shock, seeing her face staring back at me… When Mom tells me she’s been seeing my dead sister, I dismiss it as her dementia talking. Then I see Chloe, my new tenth-grade student—the spitting image of my sister. But it’s not Chloe that mom’s been seeing. It’s someone else. My search for answers uncovers a dangerous enemy from the past who’s keeping a deadly secret. Someone wants to bury the truth about my sister's death. And they’ll put me six feet under if I don’t unearth the facts—fast.

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2023

115 people are currently reading
45 people want to read

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Ramona Light

9 books26 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Tina Lincoln.
483 reviews6 followers
May 5, 2023
Amazing Inner Family Questions!
This book has taught me that there are so many different ways of asking family/relationship questions, without (hopefully) getting shot by the sheriff!
Antoinette (who goes by Toni) lost her big sister when she was in high school, and then she moved clear across the country to get away from everything in that small town that never accepted her, only harmed her within.
Toni was a big girl in size when she was in school, and never was able to lose weight... she was also tormented and ignored in school. Her main tormentor was Rebecca, who had held her down and CHOPPED-OFF her hair at school! She is still traumatized by that one action to this day! Becca works at the hospital, and goes out of her way to help her mom... then to talk to Toni, and everything seams like she is trying to make amends, but is this just a set-up for some other traumatic event like she did in high school?
Her Mom is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, so she moved back home, and changed her job to working at the high school as a teacher, so she could take care of her Mom. Her father had left right after Magdalena (who went by Magda) died in an horrible car crash which killed her and her best friend Amber. Amber was the sheriff's only daughter.
During one of her mother's lucid moments, Toni finds out that her father had been cheating on her mother, and she had told him to move out, not to leave her daughter's life, just to move out of the house... he was never seen or heard from by her daughter. This added to Toni's insecurities, along with her weight issues... she did not have a friend at all there, and when her sister died, it tore her up inside, and everyone ASSUMED that Magda was drunk and that is why they crashed, but was told that there was not enough of Magda's body after the fire to do a tox screen on.
Toni's Mom has outbursts sometimes, and many times it is that she sees Magda, which everyone chalks-up to being the alzheimer's, that she is having an episode, so the dr gives her medicine that makes her sleep for hours before she can be taken home.
While she is waiting for her mom to wake up after these episodes, she wanders off, and ends up in the old section of the hospital, which she figures is being used for storage, and then she hears the scratching behind a door... is it a rat?... this stays in her mind, and she wonders what it is that is making that noise behind a locked door, if it is storage, why is it locked?
At school, there is a girl in her class that looks Just Like Magda at that age! Chloe is the daughter of the sheriff, and is very quiet and inward, where her sister was not. When she sees the Sheriff and his wife at conference, it is apparent that Chloe does not look anything like either one of them!
So one day when she takes her mom to the hospital for a treatment, her mom goes ballistic screaming about Magda... but it is Chloe, who is then terrified, and the Sheriff does not react well... This then makes Toni think that maybe the woman her Dad was cheating with was Chloe's mom, I mean, what other answer could there be?
This was a Wonderful Story, and it truly could be in any smalltown USA!
Thank you, Ramona Light for another great story!
I received a complimentary copy of this story, and this is my honest review.
548 reviews10 followers
May 30, 2023
Daughter called home after her mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s - 4 stars

Toni Parker reluctantly returns to her childhood home after a telephone call saying that her mother had fallen and had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Growing up, Toni was overweight, shy, and the receiver of much bullying. She had no fond memories of adolescence other than her mother’s strong support and closeness with her beautiful, successful older sister, Magda.

In her senior year in high school, Magda died in an automobile accident and now her mother was suddenly reduced to being a dependent. Toni's father left shortly after his elder daughter died. Everything about her days of growing up was painful.

The story is unusual but consistent with small towns where everybody knows everyone else's business. For the bulk of the book, I thought that this was a cozy mystery featuring an unpleasant return to her hometown and being forced to come to grips with her early status as an outcast. Worse yet, she had to face the unpleasant people who made her life miserable in a static community.

Toni's nemesis from her past (Rebecca) was one of the first townspeople to try to welcome Toni. Foremost in Toni's memories was that Rebecca knocked Toni to the ground and proceeded to chop off her hair. It felt awkward but as the story proceeded, that particular new friendship was the key to getting the real story of what had happened more than a decade before. “Just Like Her” is a mystery, not a thriller. Secrets are resolved as Toni discovers the mystery of current and previous criminal acts.
1,785 reviews13 followers
May 8, 2023
I received an ARC through Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with Toni returning to her hometown to take care of her mom. Her mom had a fall and the doctor also diagnosed a condition of Alzheimer's so as a result, Toni wound up moving back home. Toni was a teacher in Seattle and was lucky enough to find a job as a teacher at one of the high schools.

On the 1st day of a new school year, Toni was taking a roll call when she spotted one of her students that look like her dead sister Magda. This shook Toni up and it took her a few minutes to shake it off. Later, Toni's mom told her that she had seen Magda at the hospital where she was being treated for her Alzheimer's. Things continued normally for awhile until Parent/Teacher night came and Toni decided to look into whether Chloe, the girl's name, was possibly the result of an affair her father might have had. As it so happened, Chloe was the daughter of the Sheriff.

Toni eventually was able to get Becca to assist her. Becca was an old school mate of Toni who bullied her, however at this time she wanted to make amends. Becca eventually became a good friend of Toni. Everything came to an end after Toni went into the old section of the hospital.

To discover what Toni found out, how Toni's mother was involved, and how this all was associated with the death of Magda so many years ago, then you need to read this book.
Profile Image for Tanya.
666 reviews38 followers
May 14, 2023
3.5 Stars

Just Like Her is my first book by author Ramona Light and I was excited to read a suspense thriller! I found that I enjoy Ramona’s writing style and its easy flow as we discover whodunit! I look forward to reading more books from her.

Antoinette (Toni) lost her older sister, Magdalena, 15 years ago in a tragic car accident, killing both Magda and her best friend Amber, the sheriff’s daughter. Toni had a bit of a rough childhood, being bullied constantly because of her shyness and because she was overweight. She lived in her sister’s shadow, but she loved her dearly. After high school, she moved away and didn't look back until her mom fell ill with Alzheimer’s, causing her to return to teach at the local high school she was once bullied.

Toni is shocked to see one of her students, Chloe, the sheriff's daughter, looks exactly like her dead sister. This, along with Toni’s mom saying she has seen Magda sends her spiraling. She becomes obsessed with finding the truth while putting herself in dangers way.

I found the book a little slow at times and became annoyed at Toni’s repetitiveness, but it was worthwhile because it built the suspense and kept you guessing whodunit. Uncovering the secrets bit by bit was exciting. I enjoyed the reveal at the end.

Thank you to Ramona Light for gifting me a digital ARC copy of Just Like Her. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Merry Chapman.
2,634 reviews25 followers
May 12, 2023
Be prepared - you won't be able to put this book down once you've begun. Toni was bullied in HS by Rebecca, and when she had the chance, she left the state to start a life of her own as a teacher in Seattle. After all, her sister Magda and friend was killed in an horrific accident and the rumor was that Magda had driven drunk. But when her mother has a fall and is then diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, she decides it is important for her to come back home to take care of her mother. When her mother swears she's seen Magda, Toni puts it down to the disease. But when Toni gets a teaching job and she sees one of the 8th grade girls, Chloe, who looks identical to Magda, she needs to look into it. Why doesn't Chloe look like her parents, the sheriff or his wife? Toni's father left her mother after Magda's death and Toni found believed her father may have had an affair with the sheriff's wife. With her old nemesis, Rebecca's help, Toni decides to investigate. We are taken on a roller-coaster ride with red-herrings and lots of secrets being kept. Will this end well? You have to read this book to find out! This was a well written nicely flowing thriller that you won't be able to put down. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Profile Image for Mamadukes .
384 reviews7 followers
May 11, 2023
In JUST LIKE HER Ramona Light, once again shows what she can do with a psychological thriller.
When Toni returns to her hometown to teach as she cares for her mother who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s she is shocked to look up on the first day and see the spitting image of her sister who died 15 years ago in a tragic accident. Asking her mother for information is difficult to say the least as she needs to catch her during her more lucid moments which are becoming less frequent as her treatments progress with Dr. Carter. Toni begins digging for her own answers while getting tidbits of information from her mother. Unbelievably, she ends up teaming up with her high school nemesis, Rebecca, to put the pieces together.
I have enjoyed every Ramona Light book that I have read. She can put me right in the middle of the action. I love a book with enough descriptive information to make me feel like I am walking beside someone or feeling my heartbeat increase as I get closer to the truth. This book definitely delivers! If you want to get lost for a few hours and work on putting a puzzle together, this is the one to get!
Profile Image for Randi Robinson.
657 reviews16 followers
May 15, 2023
Even though there was not a shocking twist for me as I had somewhat figured this out, I still totally enjoyed this book. Ms Light's style is so highly readable as the story flows off her pen. Her characters are totally believable, and I felt like I was there with them. I identified with Toni because I too was a fat child and bullied, although not to the extent of being tied down and having my hair chopped off. I can understand that going back home made Toni feel fat and frumpy again even though she has lost weight. That Toni becomes friends with her nemesis shows the resiliency of the human spirit and our ability to forgive and change, although at first I, like Toni, wondered if Becca had some ulterior motive. As Toni and Becca become friends we are shown that we do not always know what other people have lived through. Toni's mother's struggle with Alzheimer's and Toni's reactions to it are very realistic. The sheriff was the epitome of the arrogant lawman with too much testosterone usually seen in southern fiction. I received a copy of this book from the author but this review is all my own opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of her work.
435 reviews4 followers
May 13, 2023
Toni, bullied and stricken with grief after her sister's death, moves away from home as far as she can in an attempt to escape all the pain. However, after ten years, she must return to her home to help care for her mother who's apparently suffering from dementia. And so the ride begins. . .Her mom thinks she's seen her dead daughter and then she, herself, sees a student that looks just like her dead sister. Are they seeing things or is there something more twisted going on around them? With the exception of the middle part of the book where it became a little repetitive and annoying, the book was intense, full of mystery, and heart-pounding. The end arrived with a bang and a very satisfying resolution. Good read!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Sentinelle23.
2,081 reviews33 followers
May 16, 2023
rating 4.5/5.

💙 Rather fascinating to read!


In her class, Professor Antoinette/Toni Parker was taking roll call.

When she calls "Chloe Stoller", a shy hand goes up.

When Toni Parker sees the young girl, her heart stops...
No, she said to herself, it's impossible...

------------------------

After ten years, Antoinette/Toni Parker had returned, full of apprehensions, to her hometown at the bedside of her sick mother.

But her past was full of secrets...

The plot of the novel is captivating, the main character of Toni is endearing and believable, and the secondary characters are successful.

A pleasant and rather fascinating novel to read!
To discover for fans of the genre.
4 reviews2 followers
May 12, 2023
Just Like Her by Ramona Light is a gripping story of a daughter Toni, who returns to her childhood hometown to take care of her mother who has just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Toni’s taken a job as a teacher & one of her students looks remarkably like Toni’s sister Margo, who died in a car accident years ago. Meanwhile, her mother swears she saw a much older Margo at the health center, but her daughter attributes that to the Alzheimer’s.
This was a great read as we learn more & more about what happened when Margo died and the events that followed.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
10 reviews
May 20, 2023
Another Triump

I'll never stop being amazed at Ramona's ability to grow characters in a short book. The friendships and relationships that grow from start to finish are amazing.
I think the way she writes dialogue and the characters thought process makes the twists and turns almost secondary, and that's an amazing skill. Don't get me wrong then twists and turns are always fantastic. I'm just pointing out that there is a real skill in how she builds suspense and relationships.
One of my favorite autors. Deserves all the success in the world. I could see this being a Netflix show!
67 reviews3 followers
May 12, 2023
Toni returns home after a 10 year absence to care for her ill mother. She is hired as a teacher at the local school. Imagine her shock when, on the first day, she sees a student that is the spitting image of her dead sister. Therein begins the mystery. I thought I had it all figured out early on; however, when everything was finally revealed, I was way off. Although improbable, the story grabs hold of you and you can't put it down. What really happened to Toni's sister and who is her look-alike? Read the book and find out. Jean, ARC team
Profile Image for Liz Maxwell .
83 reviews3 followers
May 19, 2023
Just Like Her is the story of Antionette, her mom and her past. She returns back to her hometown to take care of her mother. Her first day at work is extremely eventful and emotional as she comes in contact with her past. From then on, she tries to figure out if her thoughts and emotions are justified. This book is stock full of mystery, suspense and emotion. There were many times I gasped in surprise or had chills running down my arms. I definitely could not put this down. This was my first book I read by Ramona, but I will definitely be reading more!! 😊❤️
Profile Image for Linda.
1,308 reviews18 followers
May 27, 2023
This book was way too predictable for me. I knew about the twists from the beginning. However, it was still a good story. I did get tired of reading how Toni left a good teaching job in Seattle to help her mom. It was stated far too often in the story to a point of being redundant. It also didn't make sense to still have her teenage crush on Jason. Lies, deceit, school bully, and a scary hospital....what's not to like? Good ending to the story and good characters.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,837 reviews14 followers
May 6, 2023
Toni had left her home in a small town after her sister was killed in a car accident. She moved to Seattle, but when she learned her mother had Alzheimer's she returned to Vermont to care for her. She got a teaching job. She has a student, Chloe, that looks a lot like her sister. A number of things do not add up and Toni starts to investigate with the help of a childhood enemy that has made up and became a friend. An unexpected conclusion that keeps you in suspense until the end.
Profile Image for Caroline 'relaxing with my rescue dogs'.
2,805 reviews43 followers
May 10, 2023
This was quite addictive - yes another afternoon read so that I got to the end as I really wanted to finish it to find out what happened, but didnt want to finish it as didnt want it to end. I am currently going on a binge of Ramona Light books as finding them easy to read but really gripping. Very talented author and great plots.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for blueyed_cntry_girl.
1,584 reviews4 followers
May 18, 2023
This book was one of those your not quite sure how it’s gonna go but you just can’t put it down cuz it captivates you. It just pulls you in and keeps you there. You’re like what is going on…although I kept saying to the characters that it was this or that n of course they never listened to me lol. Small towns… What a crazy book. Good book !.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Anita Helliwell.
3 reviews1 follower
May 10, 2023
This book was amazing.
The characters are very true to life.
I loved it from start to finish and couldn't put it down until it was finished.
Author is great, she knows how to keep you interested and keep you guessing.
Would fully recommend.

Thank you for the chance to read this.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3,353 reviews19 followers
May 10, 2023
Fifteen years ago, my sister died tragically. Imagine my shock, seeing her face staring back at me…

A storyline that pulls you in with twists and turns, suspense, mystery and intrigue. It's well written and captivates you from the start keeping you turning the pages to find out what happens next.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Laurie Robertson.
920 reviews22 followers
May 15, 2023
A mystery suspense with multiple twists is how I would describe this one. It's an excellent read which keeps you engaged throughout. All is certainly not as it seems, who should you trust? Plenty of self doubt and lack of confidence are just some of the factors affecting the lead character. Expect your mind to be bent as you second guess what is fact and what is fiction.
Profile Image for Linda.
1,380 reviews15 followers
May 20, 2023
I enjoyed this thriller. The descriptions made me feel like I was right there with the characters with my heart pounding as the tension built. I found it a bit slow at times. The red herrings kept me guessing until the shocking ending. I would definitely recommend it. I received an advance copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving my review.
769 reviews9 followers
May 21, 2023
This is the first book I've read by the author and they definitely had me completely immersed from start to finish, I couldn't put it down just needed to know what happens next! You'll be kept guessing throughout this twist filled gripping read. Can't wait to read more by the author, thoroughly recommend!!!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Billie.
5,786 reviews72 followers
June 10, 2023
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Profile Image for Jodie.
359 reviews5 followers
June 11, 2023
Whew! I had to sleep on it before giving my review. This is one of those you can’t put down. Many twists and turns. You feel some of the answers are obvious, and they might be in “some way”, but keep on trucking. It’s way more than you think. I gave it 4 stars because the ending was too simple for me but that’s just the last chapter and that’s just me. Highly recommend.
1,376 reviews11 followers
May 13, 2023
The story is a good one but it did get annoying with Toni repeating herself too much. She does get to be annoying after a while. It you can get through the middle chapters the story comes to life.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Frances Bell.
440 reviews11 followers
May 17, 2023
Good book

I wasn't sure when I started the book but I can't read and I couldn't put it down very interesting story I would like to read some more from this author I recommend this book.
Profile Image for RoseMary.
11 reviews
June 4, 2023
great just great!

I loved every bit of this book. An author’s mind fascinates me. How do they put all of these things together? This is a great story and keeps you wondering all the time…until the end.
424 reviews
June 19, 2023
An interesting read!

Isn’t it interesting how one person’s choice can change so many lives? The question is, does that person care about others lives or just their own selfish wants?
257 reviews
May 23, 2023
This was SO good it was hard to put it down for the night. Full of surprises, mysteries and great characters, it is a fantastic thriller.

Profile Image for Shana Roszko.
301 reviews13 followers
September 23, 2023
A really addictive book, i didn't want to put it down. Some things were obvious but the how, why, who were not. While i was reading i was like yep this is the bad person then nope it's this one.
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