It feels like ages since I've read a good book and nothing seems to keep me interested for long so I decided to look at the YA and NA shelves on Netgalley and noticed this book. I recognised the authors name although I don't think I've read any of her books before.

Although this book is far from perfect, I did enjoy it. It felt good to be invested in a story again and parts of it reminded me of 90's movies and TV shows. I loved John. I know some reviewers wish we had got his POV but I preferred that we didn't. I liked the bit of mystery. We don't get to read much about John or Edie's lives before the incident in the Convenience Store. The story is told from 17 year old Edie's POV. I liked that Edie is overweight. I liked that the incident gave her new found confidence and the ability to take no shit!

John and Edie develop a friendship from their shared experience. John becomes protective of Edie. The synopsis mentions John helping Edie out with losing her virginity. This part of the story came about a bit suddenly and it all happened a bit quickly! Athough this is a YA, there are some sex scenes but mild ones. I liked that Edie's first time didn't end in an amazing mind blowing orgasm. Realism at last! After they have sex, it soon becomes clear they both have feelings for one another. Athough Edie being overweight is mentioned a lot, John never actually mentions it. Edie is a bit self conscious of her body around him but it is never an issue for him. I liked that the overweight girl got the hot guy!

I enjoyed their friendship and Edie's 'firsts' and I liked how their romance progressed with them having little fall outs but with very little angst. Now I knew something 'big' was coming as per the synopsis so when I was getting to near the end of the book I started wondering if this was going to be one of those surprise continuation books but it wasn't. The 'big' thing happened then we have a short epilogue where we're mostly told what had happened since and that is what ruined the story for me a bit which is why I dropped a star. It all felt a bit rushed whereas earlier parts had been quite slow so i felt like the author didn't really get the pacing right.

I liked the side characters, Edie's friend Hang and John's friend Anders. There were many things that could have been expanded on and I wish the pacing was better and it had a longer epilogue but it was still a nice read and I recommend it.

ARC provided by Netgalley

Absolutely hands down, one of my favorite reads so far this year! And I do not say that lightly.
Trust by Kylie Scott, is in a word...phenomenal!
This is categorized as YA, but I would never let that dissuade you from reading it. It is about two teenagers but the writing, my god the writing! It is so smart, witty, appropriate for their age and beautiful. I at no time felt like this was YA, which is important bc I am not normally a fan of that genre.
The two leads and supporting characters are so well written, collectively and as individuals. I was flooded with memories of my HS days! I was totally invested in these characters.
As you can see, I am a bit in love with this story and could go on and on, and I should. I have not read Kylie Scott in a few years and upon reading Trust, I am in and going back to pick up all her works.

After finishing TRUST, Kylie Scott has me on my knees begging her to write more young adult. PLEASE!!!

I wanted to read TRUST from the moment I read the synopsis about a seventeen year old girl begin held at gun point. When I was seventeen, I was help at gunpoint at my place of employment, and it was one of the most terrifying moments of my life. This connection to the character was immediate. I wanted to know how Edie felt. I wanted to know how the people around her treated her. I wanted to know how it affected her and how it changed her.

Kylie Scott describes moments of great intensity and fear, and she captured the connection of these characters who went though this traumatic event together. Scott creates an atmosphere where you are in the moment Edie and John and you understand the pull that is so strong it continues to bring them together.

And even with all of the intense moments, Scott brings in a lot of humor to their story. Her dialogue kept me laughing throughout. I loved Edie's sarcasm and strength when she realizes she's not going to take crap for anyone any more. An empowered Edie is fierce.

I loved reading about Edie's friendship with Hang. I've read a lot of books with some awesome best friends in them lately, and I would add TRUST to that category. Hang and Edie are a fun, supportive, and entertaining pair. I hope we get to see more of Hang - maybe in a companion novel. I mean, I am begging for more YA!

It was easy to fall in love John. For many reasons, John Cole gave off the Marcus Flutie vibe. (If you know Marcus Flutie from the Sloppy Firsts series, you would know this is a high compliment. LOL!) He's the bad boy trying to reform and he tries not to drag Edie into his mess. One of my favorite scenes is the first night of texting with Edie. It was sweet and funny.

Favorite Quotes:

"It's okay to be afraid, Edie. You Just can't let it stop you from doing anything."

"If he makes you cry, he's not worth it."

"Justice is about to be served sunny-side up."

"How about we play spin the bottle, later. Just you and me."

I've already recommended TRUST to a few friends. It's a book I'll recommended to readers who like their YA a little bit edgier. It's one I'll recommend to adults who think they don't like YA because I think this book would change their mind.

I loved this book so much, I am already ready for a reread. And I can't wait to listen to the audiobook!

4 Trusting Stars!

Oh wow! Ms. Scott had me hooked in the prologue. I'm a fan of YA books and Trust is one that is real and gives the feel of what teens face these days. These characters are flawed and far from perfect. A fantastic read from start to end!

Edie is your typical seventeen-year old girl. She's not the "skinny-mini" type of girl or the most popular. She's just the average teen trying to get through life under the radar. But one night changes her life forever and ends up bonding with the one boy, who she never thought would look her way.

John has been known as the bad boy. The drug dealer who is going no where in life, but when he ends up saving Edie in a robbery, their lives become connected. As Edie starts to spiral out from the aftermath of being robbed, John is there every step of the way to steer her in the right direction. And it also helps him get his life back on track with their friendship.

Trust is a read that will keep you entertained to the very end. You will feel every emotion and feels that these characters go through. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

My 4.5 star review is up on Goodreads. It will be posted on blog and social media on release tour and links will be updated at that time below.. UPDATED 7/19/17

4.5 stars
This is a mature YA story about two opposites tied together by a traumatic event. Both suffering the after-effects and repercussions in their own way. Both somewhat isolated and struggling, to the point that their outlooks and behavior change.

Edie Millen was just a good, quiet, intelligent, private school girl. She has always been self conscious and socially awkward. But she was okay since she had her best friend and her books.

John Cole had a reputation and rightly so. He had done things that he was not proud of and was not living on the straight and narrow. But as the sexy, brooding, bad boy, he was popular with the girls.

But one night will put everything into perspective and is an impetus for change. This night will leave its mark on them both and change their paths. Only the other one can truly understand the damage they are left with. John tries to make positive changes and attempts to make better choices. While Edie becomes anxious, antsy, and begins to go off the rails a bit. He wants to repair his image, but from the outside it could look like he is a bad influence on her. But he actually tends to calm and steady her new sense of restlessness, impulsivity, and attitude.

They have a connection that is hard to break, but is also rife with complications and confusion since they come from different backgrounds and experiences. She is a more troubled and emotional girl, while he is a more mysterious, stoic, inconsistent teenage male. It is a slow burn from tentative bond as survivors to friendship to feelings. They deal with anger, fear, guilt, insecurities, anxiety, and trust issues.

This is a departure from Kylie Scott's rock stars and Dive Bar series, but it is intriguing, unique, and honest. The subject matter is current and realistic. The character's struggles, feelings, insecurities, and peer pressure were believable. Their issues, lack of self esteem, and self consciousness made them appear vulnerable. But they were also brave, strong, determined, loyal, and caring,. It was told in strictly Edie's point of view, but I loved John. His protectiveness and care of her was sweet in contrast to the bad boy image. Edie was very relatable due to the fact that she was not the perfect Barbie cheerleader type and she struggled with body image.

These two had a rocky start and traversed a bumpy road. There were situations that were life changing and dangerous. The event might have begun their transformations, but their continued presence in each other's lives and building of their relationship had another big impact. It was a journey for both of them while dealing with new feelings, life stresses, and family dynamics.

At the root of many situations between the various characters was the theme of TRUST either earned or broken. It is also hard to trust others when you do not really even trust yourself. It was the perfect title for this riveting, though-provoking, raw story of firsts and young love born out of a terrible event. But there was also humor in their banter and with their friends, Anders, Hang, Sophia, and Carrie.

This inspiring story shows the importance of living life, loving hard, acceptance, and self empowerment. This is a YA story with 17 and 18 years olds, but they had a maturity about them. I was pulled right in from the beginning and was invested in it throughout.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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QueenZany 5 Star Review
Trust
Kylie Scott



I’m normally not a YA girl! But Trust caught my eye and caught my heart! Changing my complete perception of YA. Just in snap!
This angsty story will have you stirring in your seat. Since Kylie Scott sends you on an emotional tailspin of epic dye hard realness!! Willing you to gasp for air, to take a breath, to marvel over this surreal storyline! Which could only lead you to be fixated and left in aw!!

I've been a fan of Kylie Scott's writing since the "Dive Bar" series, which is a NA. But seeing her writing a YA, I couldn't be more excited to get the chance and review the ARC of this book!

"Trust" is about two different people, from different sides of life who couldn't be more similar at heart. Edie is a unique mix of goodness and sass, who loves her body just as it is. She also gets bullied at school (something I deeply relate to), and after the events at the beginning of the book, she enrolls into a public high school.

John on the other hand, after all the rumors he has, tries to be a fine example of a student, get his head straight and tries not to get into trouble. As the two come closer together a bond fomrs.

The beauty of this book was the fact that Edie and John started as friends. The romance does not overshadow the plot and you have genuine teenage angst, friendship and heart-ache. I would love to see Kylie Scott try herself more into the YA writing! ;)

4.5 stars

Edie Millen and John Cole have never met, attended different schools, and had completely different backgrounds, but they are both at the wrong place at the wrong time. Being present during a late night robbery and hostage situation leaves scars on Edie and John -- both visible and invisible. Their shared experience gives them a perspective that their peers cannot understand. While trying to come to terms with the trauma, they each turn different directions. The normally quiet, good student, Edie begins to act out, while bad-boy John tries to straighten up his act.

As they lean on each other to sort through the aftereffects, they develop a friendship that crosses a line when John offers to take care of Edie’s virginity.

This story took me a few chapters to find it’s footing, but once Edie and John faced off again weeks after the robbery the story picked up and I was invested in seeing where their bond took them. I enjoyed watching as they learned each other, leaned on each other, and faced the world together.

The side characters add a touch of humor to what otherwise is a pretty serious look at the effects of trauma on teenagers. The interactions as Edie and John navigate their friendship and relationship speak to a realistic picture of teenage insecurity and pressure as they navigate not only their day to day but the implications of their actions on the future.

I kept coming back to the title idea as I read the book. The idea of trust takes on so many meanings throughout the book, and a variety of trust-filled relationships are tested, built, broken, and reinforced. This wasn’t just a book about two teenagers finding love. It was about believing in people, trusting others to have one’s back, and trusting one’s self.

The effects of one night at a convenience store cause each of these characters to face the pieces of their lives they are not happy with, and to reevaluate the direction their lives are traveling. This is a mature YA story, with serious impact.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Edie & John, two teens, from completely different lives, are brought together and forever changed, in an instant. One night, one moment, one tragedy tied them together. It opened their eyes, and made them question who they are, where their going, and how life can change in the blink of a eye, in one breath, in the click of a gun.

After that night in the convenience store, Edie finds herself tired of keeping quite, of letting words of others hurt her, of not taking charge of her life. She ready to shake it up, thrown caution to the wind, and stop being unhappy. John is looking to right wrongs, clean up his act, and put effort into his future. He needs more for himself, than the path he saw himself going down.

Edie and John form a friendship through all of this unknown. They find something in each other that they need. They long to silence the nightmares, guilt and fear all brought on from that one night. They can share themselves with each, for they see each in each other what they don't many see.

As the days go by, the strong the connection John and Edie share, grows. John is always their to help Edie experience a little bit of the wild she craves, and Edie is their to push John to believe he's worth something. John & Edie need this friendship, the possibility of something more, something epic, lingers under the surface, but both Edie and John worry of losing what they have by complicating it with more than just friendship. Edie will have to push her insecurities aside, and John will have to let go of the notions that he is bad for Edie, if they want to stand a chance of experiencing something really great together.

Mesmerizing storytelling, memorable characters, and one hell of a ride. Standing ovation to Kylie Scott, this is one of my favorite reads this year. Edie and John are characters that I wont forget. I didn't want to let them go. Edie is an amazing character to read about, real, quirky, strong. And John, there is no way you wont fall in love with this long haired, bad boy.

Their complicated, flawed and full of beauty. Their fear, pain, love, seeps through each page. Trust is full of teen angst, first love and realness.

It's raw, scary and beautiful.

From the start, reading Trust was like slipping into comfy clothes. Miss Scott has a signature writing style that’s relaxed and colloquial without being sloppy or lacking in descriptive detail. That tone worked wonderfully with the Young Adult genre. The dialogue flowed perfectly and represented the youthful characters well, yet it didn’t feel immature. The plot itself was really interesting. The opening sequence set the stage for a variety of conflicts; and I enjoyed seeing both main characters work though the issues the hold-up caused, as well as those more typical for young adults.

I immediately liked the no-nonsense honesty of the heroine, Edie. She was sarcastic and witty, yet very vulnerable. Her growth over the course of the book was admirable considering the myriad of obstacles thrown her way over a short period of time. I really liked John as well, and was surprised at how much depth his character showed as the book progressed. I really appreciated the contrasting and similar ways the hold-up affected John and Edie. It was messy and honest in many ways, and Miss Scott let the characters take their time working through the lingering effects. Of course, it wasn’t just the main characters who were wonderful. Miss Scott has a way of creating the perfect cast of secondary characters that further develop the protagonists, creating a group I would be happy to hang around. As for the romance, it wasn’t rushed in the least, which worked perfectly for Twist’s plot and the lead characters. I liked how organic the connection between Edie and John was. Although they were brought together by a momentous, tragic event, the relationship morphed from friendship to more and never felt disingenuous. This speed not only fit Edie’s character given her lack of experience, but it also gave the characters time to mature before jumping into a relationship.

Truthfully, I went back and forth about reading this book. On the one hand, I’m a huge fan of Miss Scott, on the other, YA isn’t really my genre of choice. In the end, my intrigue over this plot coupled with the label of “mature YA” won out. I’m so very glad I didn’t let a genre label deter me this time. Trust was a phenomenal story I think all readers can enjoy, whether they are fans of the YA genre or not.

The first thing that really caught my attention about Trust was the cover. I got a sexy vibe from it so I was so pumped for it, it was a little insane. The second thing was the blurb. Who doesn't love a bad boy turned good and a good girl turned wild with a side a suspense? Unfortunately, despite all of the above, I wasn't fully satisfied as I hoped I would be. Sighs.

The beginning packs a punch, hooking me right in. I told myself: This is it, you're gonna love this motherfucking book. But then things started to drag on throughout the rest of the story, and I got a little bored.

Despite my lack of connection with the main characters, I loved the second ones. The friendship between Edie and Hang was so witty and fun to read. Every time they were together I found myself with a big smile on my face. And Anders, I just loved him. Here's hoping Hang & Anders got their own book.

All in all, Trust was an ok read for me. As I said before, I struggled to fully connect with the main characters. For me, they weren't made for each other. I enjoyed their friendship, but when things changed, I wasn't sure I liked it. It felt a little forced, no sparks there. But well, this is just my opinion so who cares.

If you're a YA fan and are in the mood for this genre, then give this book a try, you might enjoy it.

What an amazing journey I just took with Kylie Scott’s epic words! This is my first Kylie Scott book. I know, I know. You are thinking what rock have you been living under for this to be your first book by this amazing author? Well, it’s a rock that was just obliterated to smithereens by this beautiful, real, riveting and absolutely stunning, captivating read!

This YA read held my attention way more than I could’ve ever anticipated. Edie and John’s story is full to the brim of every emotion. Trust is filled with the good, the bad and the ugly. The light and the dark. The highest of highs and the lowest of lows. It was highly original, unique and beautiful.

It all started with getting snacks for girl’s night that ended up one of the worst nights of Edie’s life. Her trust was broken in life, the world and her friends. She felt violated, betrayed and alone. One night shattered her world but it didn’t shatter the trust she found in John at The Drop Stop. The boy she didn’t think she would see again.

Starting a new school after the robbery, Edie wanted to escape and try to start again somewhere fresh. She didn’t expect to run into her savior at her new school, but there he was. From there we watch a beautiful unlikely friendship between two complete opposites bloom. Edie is living life on the edge and experiencing a lot of firsts while John is trying to settle down and escape the life he’s been living. The relationship between them gets tested, strained, things get awkward yet they always find themselves being drawn back to each other.

What happens though when the past you are both trying so hard to forget, finds you again? Well, you TRUST of course….

My first Kylie Scott book will certainly not be my last!

I really liked and enjoyed this book. Trust is a really great story, it was a very intriguing and kept me hooked from the very start. I love both of the characters and there story. I loved that Edie was always herself and wasn't going to change for anybody after what happened. I have loved the authors other books and loved that she wrote something like this. She can definitely write anything she wants and cant wait to see what she comes up with next.

4.75 Stars!

I’ve grown to read very few books from the YA genre. The author or blurb MUST grab my attention—and Trust did exactly that.

“Being young is all about the experiences: the first time you skip school, the first time you fall in love…the first time someone holds a gun to your head.”

Like instant, “I HAVE to know what happens!”

The very first chapter had me sucked into this story—total chaos and a situation I couldn’t imagine being a part of. The way Kylie brought that entire scenario to life was brilliant.

“He was beautiful and I…I was nothing. An out-of-her-depth girl who wore too much black and feared the bulk of society.”

If there ever were someone my seventeen-year-old self could relate to, it’d be Edie. She’s smart, witty, and has so much strength. Like myself, she also had body image issues. It’s a subject that is hard to overcome and leaves you with a lot of self-doubt. I love how Kylie brought this wonderful character to life—made her so identifiable and real.

“John Cole was stupidly beautiful, in that way he was so beautiful it made me stupid.”

John—a character who was rough around the edges and had a reputation. The experience he went through had him seeing a bigger picture for his life. He wanted more for his future and worked toward that by cleaning up his act. He was also a total swoon-worthy hero—the way he cared for Edie. Loving her for exactly who she was—the insecurities she had and all. I absolutely adored him!

“Kissing John was everything. Well, not everything everything. I wouldn’t die without him. But all of me wanted him, my heart and my head and all of the rest. Without a doubt, he made life better.”

Trust was a gripping, fast-paced, raw, a relatable story on SO many levels. Kylie dives into the tough subjects of bullying and body shaming—tough subjects she brought to life with such care. I loved Trust and Kylie’s captivating writing. I can’t recommend it enough!

Trust hooked me in from the very first sentence, I was so enthralled by Edie and John's story that I literally couldn't put my Kindle down until I read every word!

Edie and John meet by chance, they interact with each other during a life threatening event that changes their lives. Edie never really fit into the private school she attended and after being held hostage during a robbery, she gets angry at a bully (good for her!) and ends up transferring to the local public high school where she runs into John.

John is trying to change his life around in order to achieve a different future. The path he was taking, drug dealing with his brother, doesn't work for him anymore and he wants to be better. So he's focusing in getting his grades up, thinking about his future, cleaning up his act. He can't believe when he sees Edie in his school. There's a connection between them, they need each other and even though superficially they couldn't be more different, they have so much more in common than even they thought possible.

I absolutely loved Edie. She's so damn brave, fierce, funny, she just kept fighting back and I it's impossible not to fall in love with her. Honestly, one of the toughest heroines I've read and she's only 17! And yes, she's flawed but even in her moments of insecurity she's stunningly honest with herself. I also loved John, how he shares glimpses of his feelings, his past, what he wants for his future, how he feels a little lost but he just keeps pushing himself to be better, how protective he gets and how he's so sweet with Edie. The secondary characters were also really good, I fell in love with Hang, Anders kept making me laugh and I wanted even more of Carrie and Sophia too, the power of friendship is perfectly shown. 

Honestly, Trust was so much more than what I thought it would be: brilliantly written, realistic, angsty, heartbreaking, breathtaking, addictive and powerful. Definitely, a top favorite, a must read and a game changer.

Wow! I was not expecting to be pulled into this story so quickly. From the first page, I was hooked! Edie and John were fantastic characters! This was an emotional YA story but it still had some of Kylie Scott's signature humor. I loved every page of this book and I hope this author writes more YA in the future!

This book.... blew me away in the beginning. I was cringing and wanting to close my eyes before the train wreck before me happened. I was on the edge of my seat. Kylie sure started this book in a way that no one will want to put it down.

I was so happy to see how well Kylie was able to step out of her norm and write this YA story. And it truly is a YA story. Not a book labeled as such that is only for mature adults, as I usually find to be the norm for most YA.

This book had me turning page after page. The characters and plot flowed and fit so perfectly for this sad and happy story. I don't think I could have asked for much more from Kylie in this book. It is definitely a book I would recommend for those looking for a true YA book. This is definitely a book worth picking up!

I was so unbelievably excited when Kylie Scott announced she would be releasing her first YA/NA book, but when I finally got my hands on it I was a little hesitant to read it. I guess I was nervous because Trust is a YA/NA that it would be missing something that I love about her Adult books. I'm so stupid. This book was so freaking amazing. I LOVED it.

The book starts with John and Edie getting trapped in a convenience store during a robbery like the blurb says. Now, If you can resist from reading the entire synopsis, I highly recommend it. There are a few surprises that I think are more fun to actually read as part of the story. I love the surprises of an opposites attract storyline and Trust doesn't disappoint.

I adore how Kylie Scott writes female characters and Edie was so perfect. Edie started out at an all girls school, but after the robbery, she realizes life's too short to care about cliques and bullies so she transfers to the public school. Her brush with death scared her enough so she's not afraid of normal high school stuff anymore. It was really refreshing to see a high school girl have some confidence. Yes, she had problems with her body - she leaned more towards plus size - but the author wrote about her weight issues like it was just a part of her, she didn't make it a whole issue or base the story around accepting yourself or something. She just wrote about the characters like they were real. It wasn't a teen story with a cautionary tale. I respect an author that can add in realism while still keeping you in the story. I also love how in her past few books Kylie Scott has nonchalantly added in scenes where girls decide not to slut shame each other and don't put up with boys stupid misogynistic bullshit. I'm not one for alpha males who shout at women and think it's romantic. It's not.

Which leads to John. What a freaking dreamboat, seriously. Go check out Kylie Scott's Pinterest board for Trust and then fantasize about going back to high school and meeting a long haired, reformed bad boy who beats up guys who fuck with you. Which, let's not lie, was totally my dream in high school. John is this enigma of coolness. He was a drug dealer before the robbery scared him straight but he still has this edge to him. He and Edie connect because of the trauma they shared but as the story progresses their relationship turns into something more and it's so gd beautiful. I don't want to say too much because I loved being surprised. Don't read the synopsis people, be surprised!

So, yes, I loved this book. My one tiny complaint is I wanted more from the end, but I think you kind of have that complaint with every great book you read. It's a good problem to have.