Rating: 3.5 Stars

This book started with a bang, literally. It was a satisfying friends to more story featuring a lot of things I really liked, such as:

The bonding over a tragic event. Because John and Edie shared this harrowing experience together, some of the intensity in their friendship made sense. It gave them a common ground, where they really didn't have any and was definitely a driving force in their friendship.

I always love the idea that people can grow and change. John and Edie both had a near death experience, and it prompted both of them to make some life changes. John was trying to walk the straight and narrow, while Edie was sort of spinning out. I was glad they had each other as an anchor when they really needed it.

Scott built some great friends and family into this story. I sort of really love Hang. She was quite a steadfast friend to Edie. She provided a lot of comic relief (along with Anders, John's friend), but she also provided Edie with support when she really needed it, and she was not super judgmental when it came to some of Edie's choices. I also liked the dynamic between Edie and her mom. It was interesting to see her go all tiger mom.

The ending was quite satisfying and left me with that sense of closure that I require. I cannot lie, it also left me with a smile.

Trust begins with a perfect way to get attention: Planning an evening of movies with your best friend, Edie goes to a convenience store to buy snacks and chocolates and becomes a hostage to
robber which invades the place. From this event her life crosses with John, one of the other hostages. As they have gone through something traumatic together, a bond forms and a friendship between them develops. With exchanges of confidences, conversations, walks and everything else that the transition from adolescence to adulthood can promote.

Shown from Edie's point of view, we then proceeded to follow the unfolding of the girl's life after this event and how she matures over the next few months. Subjects such as bullying, friendship, first time, dating, self-image are the themes dDeveloped In the story in a smooth, dynamic and unpretentious way, as it is written by Kylie Scott.

Edie is one of those brave characters who do not know the value she has. From the beginning of the story to the end, there are so many events that it is notorious for her maturation and how she comes to live well with herself. She does not take effrontery to home, the bullyings of before have no psychological weight on her as before and she does not make herself poor needy or ugly duckling in search of the prince enchanted.

John is the famous bad boy of the school but that in fact carries that fame by the involvement with the business of the big brother. After the robbery, he finds a new perspective on life and finds in Edie a friend and someone who will help focus on his studies and be a better person for himself and his family.

I loved the story, the fact that the book did not focus on the appearances of the characters or trying to victimize the protagonists in any way other than the crime they witnessed. There by the 60% of the book gave that desire to squeal by what was to come, by the discoveries and new experiences between the two, the loyalty among them, by accompanying them falling in love with each other gradually ... <3

It's hard for me to believe the same person who wrote this book wrote the stage dive series. I haven't read a YA book in quite some time, but this one was pretty fantastic. I just couldn't put it down. I loved that the 2 main characters weren't perfect. John was rough around the edges, but swoony. absolutely loved Edie. She was a firecracker and just the perfect character for this book. It's books like this that I wish would go on forever because I want to know how it all keeps going!

I've read this authors adult contemporary stories so was interested to see how she would fare writing a young adult book as if honest there is a lot of heat in her previous books which clearly has to be toned down here . Yes this is a story of survival after a truly traumatic event but it's also a romance, a book that explores how two so very different people can find something worthwhile in each other.
This book has a brutal beginning that just pulls the reader in. A young girl going about doing normal teenage things and then bam, a whole new bloody and frightening world sucks her in. Edie knows her own shortcomings, she accepts who she is but had never been confronted by her own mortality until that night. Clawing her way back to some kind of normality afterwards is an almost insurmountable task and Edie rails against everything she knew before leaving her adrift and no longer wanting to just accept the way her life is.
John whilst not exactly from the wrong side of the tracks is most definitely what most would call a bad boy. Following in his brothers footsteps he sells drugs to his schoolmates but there's a core of honour and integrity in John that rises up the night he first meets Edie. Determined to get his act together John returns to high school but there he is reacquainted with Edie the only one who understands how messed up everything is. Edie challenges him, she surprises him but most of all she is there for him. Two souls flying in new directions and yet on a collision path bound by friendship and falling in love!
I loved the dark edginess of the beginning. I really liked that Edie accepted she needed to move herself forward and John whilst not perfect was an absolute sweetie, brave and industrious. Plus we get interested supporting characters to help flesh out their journey. As usual with this author believable dialogue that really moves things along and of course a happy ending.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and opinions are honest and I believe fair

4 stars!

I’m a big fan of Kylie Scott, and was so excited when I saw she was writing a YA book (and will you look at that cover… I freaking love it!). And from the moment I opened this book, I was completely and utterly hooked. It’s a unique story which is raw and emotional, holding nothing back, and I feel like I’ve been on a ride with these characters and I’m still not quite ready to let them go. This book is a mix of sweet, funny, dramatic, traumatic and romantic – a weird combination, but it works beautifully, and I really enjoyed this one!

Edie is a 17 year old girl on summer vacation when she is caught up in a brutal armed robbery. The experience is terrifying, leaving her injured and traumatised, and feeling lost and alone, while at the same time stronger, not willing to put up with crap and keen to experience life in a whole new way. When the bullying at her snobby private school becomes too much, she asks for a transfer to the local public school, and that’s where she runs into John Cole – the boy who saved her life that night, and the only one who understands what she’s feeling.

“He’s the only one who gets me. Who knows what it was like, going through what happened that night … And he’s the only one I know for sure would risk himself to keep me safe.”


John has a difficult life and an even worse reputation, but like Edie, that night left him changed and he is trying hard to pick up the pieces and set his life right. Their initial interactions are strained to say the least, but there is a connection between them that draws them together. They get each other, they understand what the other one is feeling, and they soon learn that although they are very different, they need each other to lean on as they move forward.

An unlikely but powerful friendship develops as Edie and John find comfort and strength in each other, Edie supporting John as he fights to improve his life, John right by Edie’s side as she strives to experience all that life has to offer. But as their attraction to each other grows, things become complicated.

I’m not going to delve any further into the story because you just need to experience all that is Edie and John’s journey – the sweet, the fun, the drama and confusion, and even the angst. It wasn’t always easy, and the teen angst is expected from two kids in their situation, but the pacing is perfect and there’s great character development as they figure it all out and the romance flows naturally out of it all.

“You’re here?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because this is where you are.”


I loved these characters. Flawed but real, there’s a real sense of them coming into their own and finding their place, and I enjoyed that part of the story. The side characters are also fantastic and bring a lot to the story, and I thought the portrayal of high school life was realistic and really well written.

This is a raw but realistic story which is more than just a romance, and the additional themes of family, friendship, overcoming trauma and finding yourself are tied in really well. There are a few surprises along the way but it ends in a good place, and I really enjoyed the ride.

It was us against the world, forever and ever.


4 stars.

Well weitten. Plot and characters were well writtwn, structured well. The heartbreaking and sad issues dealt with were life like and able to be believed. The emotions were so well described, it was if I were right there. Read in one sitting.

I saw this book in an article on Bustle so I decided to request it from NetGalley when I saw it. I think the beginning of the book started off with great promise. The whole scenario with the main character, Edie, being held hostage in a convenience store was pretty compelling. But then the book seemed to veer off course. This is definitely New Adult and not YA.

This is an absolutely stunning coming-of-age story that addresses so many issues. Kylie does so with beauty, grace and tact. I was completely intrigued with the storyline. My heart was stolen by the characters and the writing was just beyond beautiful.

Kylie made you feel everything these characters feel. This story was raw. It was real and heartbreaking at times. It was relatable. It is definitely one I would highly recommend for others to read. It will definitely be on my reread list. I felt this was something completely different from Kylie from her other work previously which I have loved as well. It just shows that she can write anything. This story blew me away. I can't wait to see what she comes us with next.

Talk about having a bad day. Add to the awkwardness that is a bad day the fact that it seems Edie is always caught in her pajamas. If I were Edie, I would focus on never wearing sleepwear again...alright no. Clearly it's an over reaction to a horrible situation...

But John isn't. He isn't just a reaction. Despite what others would think...

These two make my heart smile...when they aren't screwing up. Everyone needs a friend like John. But everyone also needs an Edie...

There so much I want to say, but I refuse to spoil anything. So you need to know this:

Though I am a middle aged woman, I just fell in love with an 18 year old. He has an uncanny sense of calm in a seriously f-ed up situation. He is my hero.

And though I am not interested in a relationship with Edie, she would make a kick ass friend. So if she wouldn't mind adding me to her list, I would love to be there for her.

reviewed for Naughty Book Blog

I think I have an author-crush on Kylie Scott. I've loved her Stage Dive series to bits, and am enjoying her Dive Bar series hugely. When I heard she was writing a YA novel, I was intrigued and excited. Intrigued, because her books tend to be on the sexy side and I was wondering how that would translate. Excited, because I'm a big fan of YA fiction and I reckoned Scott could do it well. I was right. Scott has a down-to-earth, realistic voice that suits YA just as well as it does her more adult audience. Her characters are so well-developed that I feel like I could actually meet them in real life. Her stories are always well-paced and shining with interesting situations that keep you turning the pages. Her male MCs are swoonworthy, and her female MCs kick-arse. All of this translates perfectly from adult down to YA, and when it comes to the romance aspect, in my opinion she did a straight-up perfect job. What I loved the most about this book was the female characters' realistic attitudes to sex. There are a heck of a lot of YA books out there that raise virginity up on a pedestal, making it a huge deal, a valuable commodity or a religious artifact of great significance. And while sex and intimacy for teens is a big deal, I don't think many books out there have a healthy attitude to it. In my opinion, Trust does.
Trust reads like a story that practically wrote itself, that begged to get out, and was lucky enough to do so in the hands of an author who knew what to do with it. It's an inspired story, an excellent read, and for me it was a hugely welcome break to read something of real quality after a long line of self-published, badly-edited books that sadly did not stand up to the likes of a professional author such as Scott. Thank you so much, Ms Scott, for such a pleasurable read, as always.

I went into this book a bit blind. I didn’t know what it was about and just dove right in. I was a bit surprised how much I truly enjoyed it. The storyline is dramatic and real. The characters were great. John and Edie met under tragic circumstances. Being involved in a robbery gone wrong forges a friendship between these two unlikely people. What a great story told with a lot of emotion. Great book about the many firsts that two people experience after a horrible tragedy.

Trust is a suspenseful, gripping story full of moments that will make your heart beat a mile a minute.

From the beginning this story comes at you with suspense and will have you on the edge of your seat. John and Edie are your typical teenagers that just happen to go through a tragic event.

Their bond was palpable and they shared something that no one could understand. It was real, raw and I couldn't put this book down because of it.

What I loved about this was watching two people go through such a life altering event yet manage to come out of this together.

John I loved his protectiveness towards Edie and Edie she was sooo strong.

With a bit of angst, heartbreak, and the healing power of young love this book is definitely one of my fav YA reads this year.

3 stars.

*

Trust is a cute, steamy, and diverse Young Adult novel, with an incredibly fast pace and good writing. The beginning packs a punch and grasps your attention, and the light-hearted dialogue helps address some pretty heavy themes. There’s humor, young love, and some light recreational drug use to entertain YA fans.

Kylie Scott gives readers something new with this YA novel. Her writing is as good as ever, even in this new genre, and her characters are well developed. The tone of the story reads exactly like a Young Adult book, but sadly doesn’t help create a connection with the characters.

This novel is such a fast read, oh my god. The pace really starts out fast and only picks up as the story progresses, making this a super quick read. It is very easy to get into the story and keep flipping pages. The POV character, Edie, is a great narrator with an unique voice, and the smooth flow between chapters only helps with that.

Unfortunately, despite the really fast pace, it seems like nothing really happens plot-wise. The beginning is action-packed and hooks you right in, but things drag on throughout the rest of the story. It mostly covers Edie’s day-to-day life, but not in a way that is interesting to the reader.

This makes it hard to create a connection with the characters. The juvenile tone of Edie’s narration contributes to that, although this might be a problem for me since I am not a young adult anymore :P I do have to say that the side characters are all amazing, though. The scenes Edie shares with them really shine through, and Scott’s humorous dialogue is there to make you laugh along.

The romance is also kind of meh. Because I don’t really care about the characters, I don’t care if they get together or not. It is nice that Scott takes her time developing their relationship. There is no instalove in this novel, as the characters are friends before they become romantically involved. There is an incredible amount of sex scenes for a YA novel, though, so be careful if that’s not your thing.

Overall, Trust is an entertaining read. It’s quick and fast paced, with some cute scenes throughout and great dialogue. It is very relationship focused, as that seems to be the focus of pretty much the entire plot. Recommended to YA fans who like some steam with their reads :)

After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen-year-old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers.

While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight—getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.

An unlikely bond grows between the two as John keeps Edie out of trouble and helps her broaden her horizons. But when he helps her out with another first—losing her virginity—their friendship gets complicated.

Meanwhile, Edie and John are pulled back into the dangerous world they narrowly escaped. They were lucky to survive the first time, but this time they have more to lose—each other.

I enjoyed this--good premise, angst and romance. The character development is sound; however, I did feel like some aspects were rushed and could use some more transitional development. Best categorized as an emerging new adult title rather than YA, despite the fact that the main characters are in high school. I say this mainly but some of the sex scenes are rather explicit.

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This is Kylie Scott's first time venturing into YA and I have to say, I loved it! First, let's define 2017 YA vs. 1997 YA. Back then there was a lot that wasn't said in YA books and while I appreciated it, I would always say..I never did that as a teen. 2017 YA novels are increasingly telling the truth about what teens (15+) are actually doing( i.e sex, experimenting) and K. Scott captured that perfectly!
Edie is a typical teenager who is doing something typical(getting junk food for an all night movie marathon with her bestie) when her life is change irrevocably. I'm talking life or death changed and I have never been through anything like that but the words conveyed the emotions of the horrific experience Edie had to face entirely. But that wasn't what made the story great for me; it was the after that kept me reading. How Edie dealt with life, her image, and hero worship after the incident. It was likened to the stages of grief and that is just how Edie saw it; because she was in mourning of her old life and how she was blissfully unaware of the dangers around her, once she was made aware, she couldn't unsee those things and thus began her fall.
Enter John, the unlikely hero from that fateful night and just the right person to call Edie on her crap and wake her up from her self- destructive behavior. John was the wrong side of the tracks kid but something changed for him that night too and he is determined to not let it change Edie too.
This book/story was such an amazing story and I'm so glad I got to go on this real and emotionally charged journey with these two! IT was told in such a way that I found myself saying, YES! This is what I would have done as a teen! Deff one of those books you just HAVE to own!

I think I might be in love with this book. As soon as I read the blurb I new that I was intrigued enough to read it but boy was I in for a shock. The book follows protagonist Edie, the book starts out as she is taken hostage in a robbery gone wrong and her recovery and challenges that come after the horrific incident. With her attitude toward life completely broken she begins to figure out what is important in life and what she wants for herself.

So many things are addressed in this book that I loved and absolutely adored the way in which they were dealt with. There were so many aspects thrown in that made this book diverse and it wasn't made out to be a big deal it was just there; I praise Kylie Scott so much for being able to incorporate them in such an brilliant way. The realistic representation of anxiety for one was a breath of fresh air. So much about this book made me smile. I connected to Edie straight away and found her to be an excellent character. Her blunt personality and humour really brought an edge to the story.

"Talk about unnerving. People shouldn't walk around half-naked unless they were at a pool or lake or something. Nipple viewing should really be reserved for special occasions."

The way in which Edie and John connected and were able to understand each other after the incident that happens at the beginning of the book was incredibly well done. The romance was fabulous but it didn't overpower the plot because we got some amazing friendships and family relationships that were realistic and that were essential parts of the story and how it flowed together. Hang and Edie's friendship was perfect and I wish we had even more because there were some hilarious lines that made me burst out laughing. In fact at some moments while I was reading this book I couldn't help but think of some of the other contemporaries that I have recently read and how this one really outdid them in terms of character and plot. I am so excited about it. For a while I have been trying to find contemporaries that have more depth in terms of plot and especially when it comes to the protagonists characteristics, flaws and development. This book checked all of those boxes for me and some. The side characters were also very well developed and I would love to see more from Hang and Anders. They were so funny and cute, I want them to have their own spinoff.

"I'd been back in the Drop Stop surrounded by blood, adrenaline crashing through me in terror. Nothing worked anymore; both my body and mind were against me."

The things that were happening were so terrible yet they were written so well which made for excellent read. This is a very dark story but at the same time I found it really enlightening to read. The fact that things were represented so well and written right was brilliant. In terms of the plot a lot happens; it never got boring for me at all. The author sucked me in, made me love the characters and become so invested in the things that were happening and I just could not put it down. I nearly read it all in one sitting as it was so addictive but I literally made myself put it down when I was about seventy five percent in because I did not want the book to end. And even when I did I couldn't sleep because I just needed to keep reading.

"...at the same time, I feel like if I could live through that, what happened to us, then I could survive anything. Like what is there really to be afraid of?"

I would say if your under sixteen or not into the more raunchy scenes often in new adult books this isn't really the book for you. However I found the scenes to be done in a tasteful way compared to other new adult books I have read recently. You will probably enjoy this book anyway even if you don't like more raunchy scenes as the plot and characters were developed amazingly. Can you tell I loved this book yet? I can't even think of any more ways to preach my adoration for it.

If you've been looking for a contemporary with more depth to it and a plot that sucks you in and characters you really feel for then this really is a book for you. I would highly recommend it!

5 Stars!

Special thank you to Kylie Scott and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

When Edie Millen is a victim in a convenience store robbery, her life is irrevocably changed. No one can understand what she went through and how hard some things are to deal with in the aftermath... unless the person is someone who also experienced it all..

John Cole has led a life he isn't proud of. After making it out of the robbery, he decides to give up his previous lifestyle and work hard at finishing school so he can make something of himself.

Forming an unlikely friendship, built on a trust they established on that ill-fated night, Edie and John will do anything to protect each other... and be there for one another in the only way two survivors can...

This book was fantastic. I loved Edie and John's relationship. While they are first and foremost friends, they have this slow burn attraction to each other that builds an anticipation in wondering if a romantic relationship will EVER happen. Edie is self conscious about her weight and being a good girl, while John is fighting his past and trying to move on to being a better person. Although they are opposites in the obvious way, they just work together.

This storyline and plot drew me in immediately, the characters were heartfelt and REAL, and they had such nuances in their feelings while they were working through their shared trauma. I absolutely loved this book, for being different and for being a unique and beautiful story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

Kylie Scott created an impactful story that hooks you in from the very beginning of the first scene. A story where two people who could be nothing alike enter each other's lives, and are there to stay no matter what. In a night of a robbery gone wrong, Edie and John's lives are turned upside down, and they are left with the trauma of having to live with the memories of that horrible night. Trust is witty, it's emotional, and it's as real as you can get, with accurate representations of mental illness, bullying and societal expectations being broken down. I wish YA books had more main characters who break the mold like Edie does in Trust. A must-read book for lovers of New Adult and Young Adult books. The story will grab your attention from the first page and will not let you go until you are done with it. While this was my first Kylie Scott book, it certainly will not be my last one.

Loved this book. Love how Edie and John meet, it's unique and I think sets the pace for the book. It also creates an unbreakable bond between them.
I like Edie, she's not perfect, has her insecurities and self esteem issues. She learns who her friend really is when something happens to her. It also causes her to have trust issues. She trust John because of what they have gone through together but not fully.
John is the boy with a reputation. He's gained his reputation by what he has done. Once he meets Edie things change.
I loved Edie's friend Hang and John's friend Anders. They are both funny and Hang is Edie's new friend in her new school.
I like how Edie and John's characters grow throughout the book. I laughed and had moments where my heart hurt for them.
Loved this book. Highly recommend it.

5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

Well shit.  That was just awesome.  I'm so sorry people, but this is going to be a fangirl review.  And not because I'm a Kylie Scott fangirl, b/c to be honest?  This is actually my first read of hers, even though I have been collecting some of her other books since they sound like my bag.  It's a fangirl review b/c I just loved this book so much.  I was sucked in and just freaking enthralled.  It's funny, b/c I really do rate just on overall pulled-from-the-gut feeling.  So was this book perfect?  Nah.  But by the time I finished, I had 5 star glasses on my face...  I don't think that even makes sense.

I've been having a hard time staying focused on words lately, and I will admit that right at the very beginning I was having a hard time focusing as well.  But Edie's voice just pulled me in, and the intensity of what she was going through in the robbery had me paying more attention to the book and forgetting to adjust my bike resistance (bad for my physical health, but good for my soul).  I just felt all of her emotions with her, even if I didn't always understand them all.

And the book is about so much more than the robbery; it's more about watching Edie struggle to deal with the aftermath and changes those events wrought in her personality and attitude.  All of which is conveyed in the blurb, but I guess I just never imagined what that would entail.  It's not just about dealing with PTSD type symptoms (though those are there).  It's that she honestly had a hard time finding importance in so much of life.  I will admit that I didn't find her new self to be that wild.  Wild for her maybe, but not actually *that* reckless...or maybe it's that her new friends and John helped to temper that wildness.

Edie was just everything for me.  You know how as a reader you just gravitate towards certain types of heroines?  Edie embodied so much of what I gravitate towards.  I could see some of myself in her.  She's a bigger girl, and she was this perfect mix of content with her size most of the time (and how the choices she's made in her life led to that, and not wanting to change those) and yet still damaged by her experiences being bigger (low self esteem, believing she wasn't good enough, basically allowing the bullies to affect her).  I can totally vibe with that.  It's a bit schizophrenic in some ways, b/c you're both confident and insecure at the same time.  I thought those elements of her personality were portrayed beautifully, and that the development of her character as she navigated her relationship with John moved at a realistic pace.  And it wasn't really the focus of the book AT ALL, but it was an element that just existed and influenced things.  I liked that.

And she was so beautifully snarky and sassy!!  GAH!  Love that so much.  I can't tell you how many interactions I highlighted b/c they just delighted me to no end.  And part of that is that she ended up surrounding herself with some fabulous people.  I LOVE when a book has a great secondary cast (and a diverse one at that).  From her new BFF Hang, to Carrie and Sophia, to Anders...I just wanted them all to be real.  I was so glad that Edie had them in her life, even if it took her awhile to trust them and let them in.

I enjoyed the fact that there could have been incidences of horrible slut-shaming, but that the girls tried to cut it off at the pass.  I actually liked that the opportunities were presented, b/c I think it's really hard as a society to change and get past slut-shaming, so the girls weren't perfect, but they tried to adjust their attitudes.  It made them more real.

And then we get to John.  Oh what I wouldn't give to be in his head...PLEASE LET THERE BE A BONUS SCENE FROM HIS POV, please please please!!  He was swoony in such a weird way.  He definitely wasn't perfect, there were times when I thought he was a bit harsh on Edie, even if his heart was in the right place.  But my heart just broke for all that he had to struggle with.  I can't imagine how hard it would be to overcome your own reputation and keep striving forward when everyone already judged you and painted you with one brush.  And even though it was only from Edie's POV, you could really see how her friendship and love changed him...how unused to it he was, but how he craved it in some ways.

And their romance was just butterfly inducing.  Epic slow burn, but it really allowed you to become invested in their friendship as it developed and grew.  And there were lots of tummy tingles when things started to heat up.  *sigh*  *swoon*

So yeah.  Did I convince you?  You should totally read it before you get attacked by a rabid Pekingese.  :P  Insider book joke for the win.