Just Like You (a novel)

by Nichola D. Gutgold

Stacey, Falesh-Gutton, the heroine in JUST LIKE YOU, like many women in the middle of their lives is trying to make the best of the most stressful, consequential time, and she really doesn’t want to mess it up. But that’s easier said than done. JUST LIKE YOU is a 65,000-word suspenseful women’s fiction book with a #metoo hook and a focus on a little known eating disorder, chewing and spitting.

JUST LIKE YOU traces the life of Stacey Falesh-Gutton, a 42-year-old contemplative, perfectionistic bridal shop owner and TV style expert. Everyone she meets is drawn to her warm, can-do spirit, but losing her parents before her own children were born has made her obsessed with mortality and what it means to live a good life. Married to kind-hearted, but aloof Grant, and parents to two sweet, yet demanding teenagers, she is fully committed to making the most of her marriage and her career—that is until her dashing former lover Cas Ferraro shows up. She is more than tempted by the familial Cas, who knew and loved her parents almost as much as she did, until something about him begins to frighten her. As more and more men are accused of sexual assault, she questions if anyone is really who they seem to be. Her career and fame catapult as a TV fashion stylist and her beautiful young daughter Chloe’s does, too, as their mother-daughter stylist team resonates with a growing TV and social media audience. But is fame worth it? Outwardly a pillar of perfection, Stacey secretly battles a little known eating disorder, is more than anyone knows, and risks not only her marriage, but her daughter’s life, as Cas’s dark side takes over.

What people are saying:

“While a work of fiction, JUST LIKE YOU is a relevant, timely look at what it means to be a woman, a wife and a mother. As the main character grapples with her life’s trajectory, we readers are left to ponder who we are and how we would handle the situations she finds herself in. Most importantly, this book challenges us to embrace the mundane aspects of our own lives with appreciation and joy. It asks us to consider the nuances and blessings of a long-term marriage that has become stale and the temptations of allowing ourselves to forget the gifts we’re given. On top of that, it’s a fun read and if you’re familiar with the Allentown area, this book features realistic references to the region that are like putting together the pieces of a puzzle.”

-Nancy Werteen, Television News Reporter with WFMZ-TV, Co-Founder of The Wisdom Coalition