Summer and Leo are best friends and would do anything for each other. They still have bills to pay, so Summer uses her skills as a thief to earn money. Leo catches the eye of a rich man and goes to his private island with the thought of returning with pics and things that she can sell to make money. When she doesn't return, Summer goes looking for her. Will they both make it off the island, or are they both lost forever?

Summer and Leo or con artist summer is a pickpocket and Leo is down for the long game making men think she wants them in order to steal anything that isn’t tied down and that can be carried off without notice. Would you meet Michael Forster she definitely feels a real attraction for him and after her and summer are invited to a party at his hotel she stays the night and the next day he takes her to his island. When summer wakes up the next day she goes to wash clothes and wait for Leo to text but she never does and summer starts getting worried she goes back to the hotel and although they try to help they also don’t know what happened to her friend Michael has checked out and that’s as much as they know. Summer also met up Mark named Alan and she has a date with him that night. She almost Catos but then remembers he also knows Michael so decides maybe he can help her get answers and he does he tells her Michael is probably on the island he goes there every month on the eighth and he’s also they’re setting up for their investors weekend which summer finagles and invitation to. The first night on the island she sees Michael but no Leo… Where is her best friend her sister her other half? Times are going to get worse way before they get better and that’s if they get better at all. Let me just say I cannot stand a thief at all something about a thief gets under my skin and makes it crawl so to read a book about a thief and a liar and two girls that use people should’ve been one I skipped but because everyone said it was so good I decided to read it anyway unfortunately I have a couple of negative things to say for one everyone in this book is stereo typical Michael’s house manager Xavier who probably sees beautiful women every day of his life and we’re supposed to believe just seeing her cleavage and a little bit of flirting call him to act the way summer wanted him to not only that the rich beautiful wife of Steven was the score of the board ready to cheat and ready for chaos not to mention Michael the billionaire who had DPS sex practices and was up to no good on his private island. No having said that I was totally into the book until I started noticing how stereotypical these people were and how much of a whack of morals virtue and principles most of these characters head I am a big believer in karma in fate so when you do bad and bad happens to you I find it hard to root for that person and couldn’t find anyone to root for in this book now but I said that let me say I read the whole thing I was riveted stuck to the pages until about halfway through I still recommend the book because I said I’ve heard nothing but good things about it and the fact that I only found it OK it’s really the status quo when it comes to popular books. Because it did hold my attention for the most part. I received this book from NetGalley and Random house, valentine books but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

This book has all the hallmarks of a perfect summer read: wealth, power, beauty, youth, and scandal. There is a lot going on, and it's action packed. Unfortunately, the dialogue was a struggle for me and some of the plot devices were seriously over the top. I was immediately taken out of the story, thinking how implausible it was. I didn't care for the ending, either. I think maybe my opinion is harsh because I read thrillers and suspense non-stop, and formulaic, predictable books just don't do it for me. That being said, if you aren't a prolific thriller reader, or just want a quick read to pass the time, you should give You Can Trust Me a try. Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the chance to review this advance copy. You Can Trust Me is available for purchase everywhere you buy books now!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Ballantine Bantam for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Wendy Heard - 4.5 stars!

Lee and Summer are two of a kind, both on their own and escaping from their pasts. Now they live in Summer's old car and get by through pickpocketing and scams. When Lee meets billionaire, Michael Forrester, he seems smitten and invites her to a party on his exclusive island. Lee has her eyes on grabbing some photos or jewelry to sell. But when Summer doesn't hear from Lee, she knows something is wrong. She finds her own way onto the island and begins to search. No one has seen here and there is no way off the island until after the weekend is over.

Even though their profession isn't honorable, you will find yourself rooting for this female duo. They are tough and trying to do whatever they need to in order to survive after terrible pasts. I'm also a sucker for the locked-room mystery genre - they are stranded on an island with no means of escape and lots of untrustworthy people surrounding them. Another great book by Wendy Heard!

This is the thriller you need in your life! Wow, it was intense, and so dang exciting. I felt like I was in the story myself, and living among the uber-rich. The characterization is on point. This book is fast paced and you won't be able to put it down. Can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to Wendy and Penguin Random House for an advance copy of You Can Trust Me.

Best friends Summer and Leo have not had easy lives. Initially meeting on the street and teaming up to protect each other from the harsh realities of life, they’ve created an inseparable bond and spend their days together living out of Summer’s van, hustling wealthy men and pickpocketing their way up and down the California coast.

Then Leo sets her sights on billionaire Michael, quickly spinning him into her web and earning an invitation to stay the night and visit his private island. Due to the nature of their ‘work,’ Summer and Leo have always been good at communicating plans, so when Leo doesn’t respond to Summer’s texts for an update, she becomes worried that something may have happened.

Summer makes quick work of finding her own way onto Michael’s island to find her friend, but upon arrival no one has seen or heard of Leo. Sensing that something is very wrong with Michael, his friends, and his employees, Summer focuses on getting to the bottom of the disappearance of her friend, in a role reversal which turns the cats into the mice.

What a perfect warm weather / beach read! I devoured this book. It was sexy, thrilling, and addictive. No one in their right mind would actually envy Summer and Leo’s lives, but I found myself thinking how exciting it would be to be in their shoes - young, hot, thriving in their own way.

This is a book in which no one is wholly good, but it’s so easy to root for the morally grey characters anyway. I say this, being someone who ALWAYS roots for morally grey, however I do think that even if you don’t tend to gravitate towards those types of characters, you will in this one.

Lastly, that cover, am I right?! So gorgeous. This book could’ve been written about watching grass grow and I would’ve picked it up based on that cover.

Tropes: friendship, billionaire, kidnapping, isolated setting, tortured past

"Some men liked the idea of a spontaneous, bohemian girl as long as she didn't challenge them in the wrong ways. It was that manic pixie dream girl thingy they purported to like until she had opinions or desires that conflicted with their own."

You Can Trust Me is the story of, Summer and Leo, two women who are technically homeless and make a living on pick pocketing and long cons. Their lives have been going alright when Leo meet Michael Forrester, a billionaire with a private island, who becomes her next target. While they are having a whirlwind weekend, Michael takes Leo to his private island where she loses contact with Summer. Summer, becoming concerned for her friend, convinces one of Michael's colleagues to bring her to the investor weekend on the island to find Leo. When Summer arrives, however, Leo is nowhere to be found and Michael is denying bringing her to the island at all. As the weekend progresses, Summer becomes sure Leo was at the island but can't figure out what happened to her and she definitely doesn't trust Michael.

This novel is a great summer thriller. It has all the beachy, missing person, murder vibes and keeps you hooked because it is hard to believe that a charismatic, climate friendly, billionaire can be a bad guy who plays mind games. I really enjoyed the setting of this novel and was able to make vivid pictures to the island in my head based on Wendy Heard's descriptions. I really with it was a place I could visit!

This was a fun, quick read and should definitely be added to your summer thriller list. 3.5/5 stars rounded up!

Summer and Leo have been living off the grid in California surviving one hustle from the next to make ends meet. Their next mark is Michael Forrester, a wealthy entrepreneur in green tech. When Leo is whisked of with Michael to his private island, containing his research facility and residence, and doesn’t check back in with Summer, a series of events follow that keeps the reader turning pages. Will this be the girls’ last hustle? Will they get out of this unscathed?

This was a great, fast paced thriller that I couldn’t put down. The way the author wove the story with past and present and linked the girls’ threads was deliciously suspenseful. Summer was the perfect protagonist for uncovering the mystery of Leo’s disappearance and showing what girl power really is. Definitely would recommend this thriller to anyone who likes something fast paced that you can’t set down. 5 stars.

Review based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley. Thank you!

It was okay. I didn’t like it as much as I thought I was going to, but it wasn’t bad. I was expecting gossip girl, or pretty little liar vibes. I didn’t get those.

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