3.5 Stars

Summer is a free spirit, born and raised on the streets, making a living by unscrupulous means. She meets Leo and finds the sister she never had. They become a team. But have they met their match when Leo focuses on a certain billionaire.

Such a different type of story and lead characters. Quick paced and full of action till 3/4 of the way thru, then it became a little stagnant and predictable for me. But, it was nice to see Summer evolve, her nurturing side come out and how Heard allowed her to grow. The bond between the two was well defined.

Thanks to Random House Publishing/Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone. ( )

Trust me, You Can Trust Me by author Wendy Heard is truly unique. “Heroines” Summer and Leo are likeable enough – except that they are grifters, thieves, con artists. Their actions aren’t admirable, or legal, but you can’t help cheering for them once they put it all on the line to save each other.

Their lifestyle is unusual, unstructured, unpredictable. But when you learn about their pasts you can begin to understand why. Summer was raised by the ultimate free-spirited nomad: there was no father in sight, her mother didn’t believe in birthdays or birth certificates, following society’s rules, or even last names. And once she decided Summer was a woman and no longer a child she “set her free.” Another word would be abandoned. Leo was raised in your run-of-the-mill suburban family, until her sister died. Then her parents shut down and shut her out. Her grief and guilt are so huge she hasn’t even shared the entire story with Summer, even though they are as close as the closest sisters.

Their lives are now their own. They do what they want, follow only the rules they wish to follow, go only to the places they wish to go, are not caged in or tied down, are free and in control. Free and in control, that is, until it starts to look like Leo may have chosen the wrong mark.

Summer is the pickpocket, the woman of a thousand disguises, who slips in and then zips out with credit cards, cash, wallets, jewelry, really whatever she feels like taking. Leo, on the other hand, plays a longer game, reeling in wealthy men, staying for a while and then leaving with photos that can be sold to the paparazzi, jewelry that can be liquidated, and any gifts she may have picked up along the way. She does her research and Michael Forrester seems like the ideal target. A self-made billionaire and philanthropist who is as attracted to Leo as she pretends to be to him (or may actual be). He takes her to his private island, and all is going according to plan until, oops, it’s not and she misses her check-in with Summer. Ever resourceful, Summer gets herself included in the guests for the business weekend on the island to find out what has happened to Leo. There’s a tiny bit of worry that Leo may have acted on her recent “I’m bored” comments and moved on or fallen for the rich guy. But Summer needs to see it for herself and make sure Leo is safe.

Suspense and anxiety are present in this story from the start as Summer is merrily picking pockets in a bar and barely escapes when the police arrive. It ramps up and up and up until you can hardly stand it. The story gets darker and darker as it moves along; picking pockets almost seems like a lark compared to the violent, cold, sick cruelty that follows. The plot is solid and the action is fast paced with more risk, danger and surprise around every corner. The story twists and turns and the coincidences revealed seem believable enough because you are already fully hooked; no way you are putting this book down until the very end.

You Can Trust Me provides a fascinating glimpse into both the world of those on the edge, the cons, as well as those firmly in the center, the ultra-ultra-ultra-rich. This is not light reading, but the power of female friendship and sisterhood in strong and compelling. Thanks to Penguin Random House for providing an advance copy of You Can Trust Me via NetGalley for my reading (and stressful!) pleasure and honest opinion. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own. ( )

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. It was very suspenseful with a couple of unexpected twists. I liked how it moved back and forth between Summer and Leo in the present and both of their pasts. Both were likable characters that you wanted to see survive and succeed. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC. ( )

Review of uncorrected ebook file

In her unconventional upbringing, Summer learned her pickpocketing skills as a child. Now best friends, thirty-two-ish Summer and twenty-six-year-old Leo [Leoneli] Ramirez, travel up and down the California coast in Summer’s decked-out Land Cruiser. After five years together, the two are best friends.

Both young women, products of severely dysfunctional families, use their expert skills for grifts and cons and manage to support themselves reasonably well. Hoping for a big score, Leo sets her sights on entrepreneur Michael Forrester, a self-made tech start-up billionaire. Charmed, Michael invites Leo to his private island.

When Leo fails to return, Summer sets out to find her. But the island holds unexpected secrets . . . and Leo may be gone forever.

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With chapters bouncing between Summer and Leo, the narrative tends to lose some of its suspense, keeping the reader from becoming fully immersed in the telling of the tale. But Summer and Leo, the protagonists of this grifter tale, are well-defined and believable and the friendship between the two women is a highlight in the telling of this unique, intriguing tale, especially in light of their difficult growing-up years.

There are some unexpected plot twists in this unique tale; readers should expect some surprises as the unfolding narrative conveys some surprising revelations. However, astute readers may figure out most of the story long before the satisfying denouement.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley
#YouCanTrustMe #NetGalley ( )