This book grabbed me from the start. I always enjoy a clever plot about con artists.

This follows Leo and Summer that live thenomad life as they cruise down the California coastline. In order to survive, they earn their living from pickpocketing and targeting the rich/ wealthy.

Leo finds her new mark, a philanthropist and self billionaire. Leo thinks she has found the jackpot. She gets invited to his exclusive island only to find out she can’t escape. Meanwhile Summer has not heard from Leo in days and finds her way to the island as well in search of her friend. What happens next is an intense, wild and twisty trip.

Thank you Netgalley & Random House Publishing - Ballantine for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This plot was admittedly absurd. Sugar babies, sugar daddies, evil rich people, a mysterious island. But goodness gracious was it enthralling. It was almost like a more ridiculous, sexier Knives Out. Adored it.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

I was coming off of a book slump and I needed something that would grab me from early on. You Can Trust Me was such a compelling, multi-layered mystery. The author was great at keeping the reader guessing and never revealing too much about Summer's past. The writing style was crisp and I loved the intensity of the scenes and dialogue. The villain was a little over the top, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment. Definitely a 4.5 star read.

This one is gooood! A really unique and twisty story. Two, ahem, adventurous young women who are used to getting by stealing and pickpocketing their way through life find they've hit the jackpot with a couple of wealthy men. The secrets the men are holding are the real treasure trove, however. Highly recommend this book!

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

Summer and Leo, two women who wander around California and have no home. Two con artists who sleep in Summer's Land Rover. Summer is an expert pick pocket and Leo is learning some new skills from Summer. Then one night, Leo attempts to con the millionaire Michael Forrester and ends up traveling with him to his private island and Summer becomes concerned when she doesn't come home or contact her.
A thriller that kept my interest, despite being somewhat predictable. This would be a great read for summer.

3.5 stars rounded up
This was a face paced thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the friendship between the two main characters, Summer and Leo. This was my first book by the author, but it won't be my last. If your looking for a bingeable thriller I would definitely recommend this one.

I feel like the decision-making by the characters was unrealistic at best, but really best described as silly, which made it difficult to take the book seriously as a whole. I wasn't the right reader for this, perhaps.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. With main characters that aren't exactly heroes, this story propels us into a different light, rooting for antiheroes.

4⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Setting ~ California & an island
Publication date ~ June 13, 2023
Est page Count ~ 292 (p+ 46 dated chapters)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 36 minutes
Narrators ~ Kelsey Navarro Foster, Natalie Naudus
POV ~ dual 1st
Featuring ~ multiple timelines, locked room (island)

Summer & Leo are bff's and con artists. When Summer doesn't hear from Leo after a night out on a private island with a billionaire she just met she begins to worry. Summer gets herself on that island, but she soon finds out it might not be as easy to get herself off of it.

We get some flashbacks to 15 and 10 years ago and I wasn't sure how they would get woven into the present, but it was nicely done. The back and forth between their perspectives and being stranded on a island really built up the suspense wonderfully. Overall, a solid thriller.

This one started out with a bang. I was so invested in the idea of it and what the girls were doing. I was rooting for them like hell yes get that money! But then when little miss leo went and got herself into some mess because she wanted to risk it all to get some extra cash I was annoyed by the choices they started making.
Summer put herself in so many risky situations and omg the suspense of some of the scenes.
Ultimately this ended in a way I was not a fan of. I feel like Wendy does way better with the YA mysteries.

"You Can Trust Me" is a compelling read, meticulously crafted characters that feel authentic and relatable, complete with flaws and motivations. The central bond between Summer and Leo transcends mere romance, serving as the emotional core of the story.

Moreover, the book delves into a critical examination of the wealthy and privileged, exposing their exploitation of wealth and power to manipulate others. This insightful portrayal serves as a thought-provoking commentary.

If you're drawn to psychological thrillers featuring strong female characters and gripping plots that keep you guessing, "You Can Trust Me" is an essential read. Well-written and captivating, this novel promises an emotional rollercoaster. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an hones review. The opinions above are my own.

You Can Trust Me is my first Wendy Heard book and I can say I’ll pick up whatever she writes next.

I was very intrigued by the story—and while I don’t normally reach for mystery or thriller, it was the right amount of tension for me to not feel too overwhelmed by the thriller aspect. It had the right amount of “clues” to reveal some things while proving me wrong where I’d thought the “twist” too simplistic.

I do think it was mislabeled and marketed as LGBTQIA+, however, as it didn’t contain the representation I expected for the tag itself. Since I did request this ARC due to its queer theme, I was a little disappointed by the lack thereof.

Thank you Wendy Heard, Bantam, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Couldn’t put this book down. Never a dull moment! Loved the locations and and the story was intriguing.

This was a really fun and quick read, if you're looking for a page turning thriller. I read it in one sitting, and even if I saw the twist coming a bit before it happened, I didn't mind in the slightest because it was still satisfying. Great pacing!

I love Wendy Heards books!! I was so excited to see a new one come out, and even more excited when I got an ARC. Her writing is so good, and entrancing it made it extremely hard for me to out this down. I cannot wait for another new book!

A quick popcorn thriller if you’re looking to be entertained. This was a good story and moved along quickly.

I loved the dual timelines but felt the twist coming for a while: still really enjoyed the book and read it in one sitting. Can’t wait to see what else this author comes out with!

Overall, I enjoyed this book! As an avid thriller reader, I did call the big twist early on, but this would work great as an intro to the genre. I loved the setting and it was an engaging read! Definitely recommend for anyone into feminist thrillers or looking to dive into the genre.

3.75 stars rounded up