I really enjoyed this story. Well paced, likeable characters doing somewhat unlikeable things. I really rooted for Summer and Leo. Two small time grifters who only have each other, when Leo disappears after targeting a billionaire, Summer will do anything to find her. But they may have met their match this time, and everyone may not survive.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for the ARC!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the plot of this story and the two main female characters! They are both so strong and have great backstories with a lot in their past that they’ve had to overcome. Some parts were a little predictable to me, but may not be for others. The story was really consuming and I couldn’t set my kindle down! I really loved the strong bond they shared and how they always had each others backs, no matter how dangerous the situation! I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes thrillers in exotic locations!

I don’t know if it’s because I’m gullible or I don’t read enough thriller/suspense, but You Can Trust Me surprised me beyond expectations.
Truth be told, I’m more of a literary and romance reader but I’ve wanted to sop my toes into thriller, and if you’re like me, You Can Trust Me is the book for you. It’s gripping and fast paced and keeps you at the edge of your seat.
One of the aspects I particularly liked is the friendship between Summer and Leo, as well as the two characters.
The reason why it’s not a higher rating is because of the third act. While the first two acts blew my mind away, the plot was not as cohesive in terms of structured.
I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a gripping, and exciting thriller for the summer!

Leo and Summer are like sisters. Living in a Land Cruiser and conning and pickpocketing to survive they come across a billionaire named Michael Forrester and Leo has her sights set on him. She gets invited to his private island and jumps at the chance. But then Leo disappears. Summer then finds herself trying to figure out what happened and where her best friend is.

This was a quick thriller that held my attention. It was fun but a little predictable. I liked the close bond these young ladies had and the lengths they would go to for each other. The ending was pretty satisfying:)

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for an arc for an honest review.

Besties Summer and Leo are professional LA scammers. Summer has been pickpocketing her entire life, taught by a hippie mom who never held a real job. Summer picked Leo up along the way, but she once had a family and home.

Leo is getting restless in California and considering traveling, which would cause Summer to lose her partner in crime and no one wants that!

They have very different scamming styles. Summer clears a crowded room of cash quickly, while Leo plays the long game. Her latest target is Michael, a billionaire who seems like he would probably ride in an unsafe sub to see the Titanic.

At the party Michael invites them too, they get separated and they quickly realize they may have met their match. He didn't become a billionaire by being stupid(well..).

This was a quick read and a good thrill. I was putting pieces together but still ultimately shocked and it was interesting hearing the dual narration, as we could see some things through the eyes of both girls. The timeline is clearly labeled and that's always a perk to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!

Summer and Leo are best friends, living in Summer’s Land Cruiser. They come from backgrounds that allowed them to fly under the radar. Summer is an experienced pickpocket which she has been perfecting since she was 8 years old. Leo’s talent was attracting men, the wealthier the better. Looking for a big score, they sneak into a party where Leo meets billionaire Michael Forrester. He invites her to an event at his private island. Hoping for a big score, Leo goes along with him. When she doesn’t return, Summer hatches a plan to get to the island to find out what has happened to her. Unable to find Leo on the island, Summer begins to search for her. What started out as con on a billionaire turns into something much more sinister.

Also reviewed on B&N under 1IrishEyes430 and Kobo under IrishEyes430

Okay wow. Give me a story about con artists and I will eat it up with a spoon apparently? I guess it’s safe to say those are my favorite types of thrillers???

Though this one didn’t end up being *quite* what I was expecting? Once they made it to the island, this became an entire different kind of mystery but that’s okay. (Less con artist-y than the original premise so maybe that's why I didn't love it as much as I thought I would?)

But *for once* this has strong, capable female characters that I didn’t hate. So MAJOR points for that!!

I did also guess most of the twists but this was so incredibly well written that I didn’t guess them right out of the gate so even though I figured out what was happening, it was still enjoyable! Especially the ending!!

Though the one problem I did have with this was Leo and Summer had very similar “voices” so I would often forget who I was reading about? I honestly wish this would’ve been written in third person instead of first since it would’ve been much easier to follow. I also very easily got lost in the timeline so sometimes I had trouble tracking when events happened? It was just a little more ~confusing that I would've liked.

But aside from that, this was a really solid thriller! I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend! If you’re looking for a good beach read, this would be an excellent choice!

And thank you to NetGalley & Bantam Books for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!

Be careful of who you trust.
Leo and Summer are as close as sisters and as devious as they come. A con artist and a pick pocket make a perfect team. When Leo sets her sights on a wealthy businessman things get interesting. When Michael takes her to his private island she soon learns what he's really about. Summer is panicked. It's not like Leo to just up and disappear without a word but that's what she seems to have done. With little information to go on Summer soon finds herself on the same island.
Will the two women avoid a traffic outcome? Summer has been told Leo is dead. Is she really? With many a twist and turn this one kept me engaged from start to finish.
Told from The POV's of the two women this well written tale will keep you guessing. Although their 'professions' are devious, the two are likeable and easy to root for. If you like your thrillers to build suspense as the story unfolds I'm sure you'll enjoy this one.

Thank you to the Random House and NetGalley for the ARC for me to read, review and enjoy.

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard is about two adult grifters finding themselves in a rich man's paradise. This dark twisty thriller will pull you in. The atmosphere was so well done and the characters were super well developed. I really enjoyed this one!

I have not read this author before and I really don’t know why. I loved this book, the audio was great, and overall this was such a fantastic thriller! We get both Summer and Leo’s POV and it really was well done. The suspense built throughout and the ending was perfect, I did not know how it was going to go. I loved the setting as well and there were a couple of sub plots that were additive to the overall story. Bottom line, this was excellent, you need to read it, and I need to start on this author’s backlist.

Thank you to PRH Audio, Ballantine, and NetGalley for the copies to review.

This has a very interesting premise. "Everything is very plasticky" this thriller play out on the California coast You can enjoy this at the beach this summer.
Enjoy!

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

You Can Trust Me, by Wendy Heard

Short Take: Ms. Heard brings the actiony twists and twisty action.

(*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*)

Greetings, my beloved Nerdlings! I will admit that I have been procrastinating terribly when it comes to reviews, and now that I am ready to dive in with a fun and thoughtful dissection of this week’s book, we are about to get a massive thunderstorm and could lose power at any moment.

So I need to make this quick.

Summer and Leo live a life that is both fabulously carefree and to my homebody spirit, terrifying. Best friends (more like sisters), they roam around California in Summer’s customized SUV. It’s a whole lot of hashtags - van life, nomad, sunsets and so on. But it’s also incredibly risky: abandoned at a young age by her free spirit mother, Summer does not exist in any official way, and pays the bills via thieving, pickpocketing, and grifting.

Leo, younger and beautiful, has become an expert at the sugar-daddy long game, conning wealthy men into showering her with gifts and cash (while also helping herself to some of their luxury items) before moving on to the next mark.

But when Leo sets her sights on handsome billionaire Michael Forrester, everything goes sideways. Michael romances Leo, and whisks her away to his private island, where she disappears, seemingly without a trace. And it’s up to Summer to con her way onto the island and find Leo - if she can.

Duckies, I have read several of Ms. Heard’s books, and as always, this one scooped me up and ran like hell (and trust me, that’s no mean feat). Her pacing is always on point, and her dialogue and characters are beyond excellent. Even the side characters (especially one extra creepy “nice guy”) are super realistic and fully developed.

But for some reason, this one just didn’t work quite as well for me as some of Ms. Heard’s earlier works. I had two issues with it. First of all, Summer is TOO good at her underhanded skills. She takes bracelets off of wrists, wallets out of pockets, etc., and nobody ever notices. She picks locks in record time, every time. It’s just too much.

And secondly, there’s a pretty big revelation that felt as though it was telegraphed early & often enough that when it was finally confirmed, most of the air was out of it. (Is that a weird mixed metaphor? Probably, but the sky is getting darker, so it stays.)

But if you are willing to just go with it, it’s a fantastic ride through two very different worlds, and confirmation that I don’t want to live in either of them.

The Nerd’s Rating: FOUR HAPPY NEURONS (and a diamond bracelet, even though I’d probably never wear it.)

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book started out super strong for me. I was flying through it and loving the characters. Close to the halfway mark, things started feeling redundant. There was very little mystery in the book with only one minor plot twist. A lot of the plot towards the end of the book felt unrealistic. I would recommend this book to readers who want a binge-able easy pool read. A lot of people have given it 4 or 5 stars, so maybe it just wasn't the book for me. The chapters are short, so it is easy to get through the book.

Given I loved the beginning, but it fell off towards the end for me, I am giving this book 3 stars.

I was intrigued from the beginning. It was sometimes confusing with all of the flipping back and forth between characters and timelines but I really liked this story. Some things were absolutely wild but I think that was part of the fun.

The perfect addition to your summer beach bag! "You Can Trust Me" is set in the golden sunshine of California & follows homeless nomads Summer & Leo as they pickpocket their way through life. When Leo stumbles on what they consider their "big break" with a billionaire tech entrepreneur, she ends up missing without a trace. Summer steps in to solve the mysterious disappearance & stumbles into her own trouble along the way. With a last-minute twist you won't see coming, this new thriller from Wendy Heard is a must-read for Summer 2023!

Book Review: You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard

You Can Trust Me is an adult thriller about two grifters that find themselves trapped in a rich man’s deadly paradise.
Summer and Leo drift up and down the California coast conning and stealing from the rich. Summer is the skilled pickpocket who has been lifting wallets since she was eight years old. Leo is better at the love con and getting gifts from enamored wealthy men. Now Leo has her biggest fish on the hook (tech billionaire Michael) and he’s whisking her off to his private island. But when Leo doesn’t come home it’s up to Summer to try to find out what happened to her friend and what secrets Michael is hiding.
Finally a suspense novel with mystery, tension, humor and a strong female friendship. I loved the deep sisterhood between the two women and how they relied on each other and their wits. The chapters and alternating POVs are fast and snappy and I found myself flying through the book.
I highly recommend this one to readers that want a thrilling summer beach read with characters you can root for!
4.5 stars

Novel idea with fascinating female characters - Leo and Summer. Both of them were so very unique and one of a kind. Summer’s background story was so very heartbreaking , as was Leo’s. Love that they are so bonded. Cannot imagine living life as they do but that is what makes them so unique. Having just returned from a Mediterranean cruise with so very many warnings about pickpocketing I found Summer’s skills unbelievable…so glad we did not encounter anyone with similar skills.
Loved the California setting and kudos to Wendy for describing the island so well that I could clearly picture Leo and Summer as they navigated their movements. I have to admit that I was suspicious of Michael from the beginning. Javier as well but the two of them added so much angst to the storyline. I honestly could not put this read down and stayed up too late and woke up too early in my desire to know what happened next. The ending settled my racing heart.
Many thanks to Wendy Heard, Bantam, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this recently published book. I am eager to read more from this talented author.

Thank you to @randomhouse for sending me a copy of YOU CAN TRUST ME by Wendy Heard. This one is out now!

This is a dark twisty thriller that’s sure to bring you out of any reading slump. The atmosphere was so well done and the characters were super well developed. I really enjoyed this one!

Two femme fatale 20 something female grifters who live off the grid and use their charms to relieve others of their wealth. Other them of course being beautiful and fit and able to pick any pocket or pull off any scam being a tad far-fetched, this book was fast-paced and really tense throughout.

Leo and Summer met when Leo took Summer under her wing after Summer ran away from her life. Leo had a hippyish, free-spirited mother who decided at 13 Leo was ready to live on her own while she ran away with her boyfriend. Ouch - I guess you can image what type of person that made Leo. Hardened, gritty, scheming, cautious and with a fear of abandonment. In walks Summer who is almost the opposite personality. Summer is running from her parents, from the loss she feels responsible for and from the carefree person she used to be. She wears her heart on her sleeve and loves adventure. Together they find a way to survive financially on Leo's pickpocketing and slight of hand schemes and on Summer's easy ability to lure rich men into relationships. Until finally it seems their lifestyle may have caught up with them.

This story moves at a roller coaster pace. Between missing girls, lies, false identities, playgrounds of the wealthy, secrets and long hidden serial tendencies, this one will grip you from the beginning and not let go until the end. I thought the book should have ended a chapter or two before it did - but I prefer a bit more of an open ending and I know not everyone does. I liked the twists in this one and the way the author made you doubt your predictions throughout. I really enjoyed this one but you definitely will have to suspend disbelief. Some things are a little too convenient, but overall this was a great story and would make a great beach read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House / Ballentine for the ARC to read and review. Definitely pick this one up!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of You Can Trust Me.

This is my first book by the author so I was excited my request was approved. I like sort of unlikable characters, and Summer and Leo, con artists, sounded like interesting people I'd want to know more about.

Summer and Leo are sisters, bonded by their desire to roam, their talents for hustling, and no real family to rely on.

When Leo doesn't return from a sexy rendezvous with a famous tech billionaire, Summer risks her life to look for her friend. But will it cost them both their lives?

The best part about the story is the friendship between Summer and Leo. Usually, these types of thrillers there are backstabbing women, plenty of phonies, but Summer and Leo care about each other and that's great to see and read.

Second, despite living on the streets, Leo is painfully, woefully naive. She keeps talking about how handsome and gorgeous Michael is, and if I have to read about what color his eyes are again, I'm going to scream.

Third, the narrative is hard to suspend disbelief for. Like, really hard.

I guessed the twist, but there's no explanation how Leo ended up on Michael's radar.

And, what are the odds?

The writing was okay, the suspense was decent, but the narrative dragged, especially when Summer is searching for Leo, then gets caught.

Also, that ending was hard to swallow, the way Summer and Leo escape and their happily ever after?

I disliked all the characters, though not Summer and Leo. I didn't like them but I didn't dislike them.

I didn't believe they were hustlers, much less good ones from the way the author described and developed their characters. It was hard to believe they had any street smarts at all.

Summer and Leo are better as BFFs than con artists.