Such a great read! Lots of twists and turns and it kept me wanting to know what happened. I love the con aspect- reminded me a little of the girls in White Lotus for some reason. I hope this book gets enjoyed by a lot of people because it was great.

This was a whirlwind read.. I loved it , a little suspense of disbelief is necessary but the characters were original and believable. I do think there is a population of grifters who are forced into a peripatetic existence to exist. These two women, Leo and Summer, were perfect examples of these free roaming types. The plot line was original and gripping.. I never lost interest. The author must have done a lot of research into lock picking, pocket picking and scamming. I laughed a lot even though the novel was frightening in its depiction of serial torture and murder. However, it was a terrific read and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

Summer and Leo are nomads and good at finding what they need from the world. Summer's talent is pickpocketing and Leo's talent is making men fall for her. They are running low on funds, but Leo has a new mark that is sure to pay out bigtime. Everything that ensues will keep the reader guessing and on the edge of their seat. It was hard to put down and kept me entertained from cover to cover. The backstories of these characters are emotional but really helps the reader understand them. The ending left me satisfied, and yet still wanting more.

Summer and Leo are two friends who are doing anything to survive. They have no permanent home and con people in order to get money to live. They have each other's back no matter what. As they are grifting there way through California they find a billionaire to con. This scheme goes awry and Leo finds her way onto a private island with no escape. Summer knows something has happened and tries to find Leo before catastrophe.

This book is an exciting thriller told from two points of view. The reader will see the story unfold from both Summer and Leo. This is a story of survival and a strong female friendship. It is a quick read that will keep you guessing. This will be a great summer read.

Thank you to #netgalley, #WendyHeard, and #Bantam for a copy of this book.
#YouCanTrustMe

Summer and Leo’s nomadic lifestyle, though unconventional, affords them the ability to move through the world undetected. Engaging in all manner of egregious and fraudulent behaviour in order to survive, they’re at the top of their game when they meet the billionaire tech men they plan to defraud. Convinced they’ve hit the jackpot, they’ve got no reason to believe it’s all about to turn sinister.

Abandoned by her mother at 17, Summer enters adulthood with absolutely nothing — no name, no accurate birth date, no social security number. Leo, having experienced familial heartbreak of her own, is vulnerable, desperate and completely alone when she meets Summer. Bonded by abandonment, the two move through the world as each other’s sole companion.

Two fighters, with very little to lose, must use everything they’ve learned about survival to escape the horrors in which they have become entangled, make sense of the incomprehensible and find their way back to each other. Told in alternating POV, with retellings of the past as well as the present, we come to learn details that shock, pathologise and culminate into an astonishing finale.

With sublime descriptions of the California coast, glittering portrayals of fancy Los Angeles parties, and spontaneous departures to private islands, you’ll undoubtedly be tearing through these pages on your sun lounger this summer!

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? That was absolutely a roller coaster of a story. I went in thinking "oh look. Two con women figuring out how to get some money out of this rich...what is happening? Why are they on an island? Why is everyone so weird? HE JUST {redacted} and then she [redacted] and then {redacted}." You want to read this. It was explained to me as White Lotus Season 2 with Glass Onion and some other insanity but it does not even come close to the immersive experience of this story. I loved Leo and Summer. Their voices were so distinct and cool. Summer comes from a bohemian off the grid lifestyle with zero trust of anyone and her views of human behavior are funny yet critical. Leo grew up in the suburbs and is excited by everything new. While I saw the "surprise twist" a mile away, I did not care. This book was an adventure and Heard grabs you by the hand and runs with you. It is SO much fun. I can't wait for other people to read this and talk about it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book. This twisty turny thriller is a great read. Love when I don't see the ending coming, yet it still makes complete sense. 4 stars for Heard's latest novel.

3.5 star round up.

This is an entertaining one! After having read so many thrillers, it takes a lot for me not to see a twist coming a mile away, and this one had me guessing a few times.

The female friendship is great, the pick pocket/scammer dynamic felt new to the genre for me, and overall great suspense and story.

Thank you NetGalley, Wendy Heard, and Bantam Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

thank you to Netgalley and Random House for this ARC!

alrightttt add this one to your summer TBR! meet summer and leo who are best friends who live in the back of their land cruiser. They are the biggest scam artists, and pick pocket their cash for their next adventure. The Hollywood elite stand no chance with these two. except when Leo meets Michael Forrester a tech genius & he asks her to enjoy a night at his private island. What kind of secrets are on this island? Have the girls finally met their match?

the story bounces back and forth from Summer to Leo’s POV. (multiple pov for the WIN) holy shit, this book was full of tension, twists and a little bit of spice. Sucked me in immediately and I totally binged it. Summer and Leo represented two bad ass friends and demonstrated the power of female friendships. I loved the whole premise of the book and the shared trauma between the girls. The only thing that I wish we would have got more of was Michael and his character but all in all this was a fun one! look out for it June 13, 2023!!

Summer and Leo are the best of friends and spend their time swindling unsuspecting people to make their living. Leo is on the hunt for a big target when she meets Michael Forrester, a tech billionaire. This is just the beginning of the wild ride they are both in for. Perfect summer read that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

So so so good! Loved this book and the two main characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC!

I could not get enough of this great thrilling book! Loved reading from the different perspectives, and trying to figure out who is trustworthy. Excellent

This book was really easy to get into, and I enjoyed the alternating POV between Leo and Summer. Summer's pages felt a bit whiny at first since she was so afraid of losing her best friend, but as the drama started to unfold, that feeling dissipated. The author clearly spent a lot of time planning out the entire plot to link things together, and I enjoyed that, along with the book's overall premise. The big twist felt a bit predictable, but I stilled enjoyed the book nonetheless. This would be a great plane or beach read - 3.5 stars.

Summer and Leo are best friends, living on the periphery in California as young female grifters.
When Leonilia sets her sights on a very famous billionaire, Summer is happy to support her plan. But when Leo disappears after a night with the mark, Summer has to find a way into the world of the wealthy to find her best friend. The problem is that she isn't sure if Leo wants to be found, or even if Leo is still alive. If you love a twisty thriller of cat and mouse, stories of the wealthy versus the poor or are just in the mood for a fabulous summer sizzler, You Can Trust Me is for you!
#RandomHouse #YouCanTrustMe #WendyHeard

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC.

There was a lot of elements going on that could've been messy but I think the author wrote in a way that kept it together and made sense. I loved the element of true friendsh but also a serial killer and private island. There were a lot of predictable moments but I still enjoyed the story, super fun and a fast read as well!

Though a little predictable, this was a fun and easy read, and I love the concept. It was fast-paced and had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. An enjoyable read, and I'll definitely be looking for more by this author in the future

thank you to random house and netgalley for the e-arc of this book. “you can trust me” explores true friendship while telling the story of a serial killer and a mysterious private island. i loved the character development and the story but i felt like i figured it out 60% of the way in. i would definitely recommend to my friends for a thrilling read though- i was very invested in the story.

This is a story about paying your money to take your chances.

I reviewed She’s Too Pretty to Burn ages ago & talked about the fact that there were a myriad of interwoven plot elements, and in the hands of a less talented storyteller it would’ve been a mess…. Instead it was delightful. I didn’t realize that this was by the same author until I had devoured it! This was one of the more interesting & suspenseful uses of dual narration I’ve encountered- I couldn’t get to the next chapter fast enough. The protagonists are compelling, and even as they make questionable decisions, it’s easy to stay in their corner. Overall, such a solid thriller!

Thank you so much @netgalley @bantampub for the eArc!

Summer and Leo are grifters who travel around California picking pockets and hustling people out of money. Leo meets a billionaire, Michael, whom she intends to charm out of money. After going on a date with him, she disappears. Summer finds out that Michael is hosting a weekend for investors on his private island and finagles a date there to look for Leo. Things really pick up as Summer realizes that something is definitely wrong, and Michael is hiding a lot more on his island than just trade secrets. This is a fast-paced nail-biter of a book that I did not want to put down. This is the first book I've read by Wendy Heard, and definitely won't be my last. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the ARC.

🏝️ Book Review

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗲
𝗕𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱
Thriller
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Two con artist best friends grift their way through California’s rich and famous. They’ve each has their share of childhood trauma, but now they live freely with the open road and beaches as their home. Summer pickpockets and Leo scams elite men. Leo finds a billionaire named Michael Forrester. He asks her to enjoy a night on his private island. Suddenly, Leo disappears and Summer decides to visit the island to find out that really happened. Many dark secrets lie on the island. Has Summer finally met her match?

Sometimes you just read something that you KNOW is going to be a hit. This will hands down be a popular book come summer. I absolutely love locked room thrillers and one on a secret island with no escape? Yes, please! This book had sinister undertones but also a great story about the power of female friendships and a found family. You totally root for the main characters, even though they are scammers. This island is full of dark secrets with many twists and turns throughout. It was bingeable, and I easily read it in one day. I couldn’t put it down!

Thanks @netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.