"Public Trust" by Tess Shepherd is a gripping thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The story opens with a terrifying home invasion, as Lola Michaels confronts a stranger in her apartment, setting off a chain of events that will keep readers guessing.

The characters are well-drawn, especially Lola and LAPD Lieutenant Jacob Simmone, who find themselves entangled in a chilling mystery. Shepherd excels at building suspense and tension throughout the novel, making it difficult to put down. The pacing is spot-on, and the plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you eagerly turning the pages.

What sets "Public Trust" apart is the way it delves into the psychological aspects of the characters, especially Jacob's internal struggle with his feelings for Lola and his determination to catch the killer. This emotional depth adds richness to the story and makes the characters feel more authentic.

While the book is a thrilling ride, it falls just short of a five-star rating due to a few instances where the plot relies on convenient coincidences. Nonetheless, it's a highly enjoyable and well-crafted thriller that will satisfy fans of the genre. "Public Trust" is a page-turner that will leave you eagerly anticipating Tess Shepherd's future works.

“PUBLIC TRUST”

A new book by a new author. A mixture of romance and mystery. Count me in!

I am always eager to find new authors. It is exciting to read their first book so I requested “ Public Trust” in NetGalley and got it almost immediately.

Although I only gave it three stars, the book is nice. An easy read, it has a good, solid story and the characters are quite well developed, specially the protagonist, Lola.

It contains the typical clichés of a romantic novel (which sometimes makes my teeth clench) but it is not the worst I have read. So let’s talk about it.

THE STORY

Lola Michaels is 32 years old. A painter, she lives alone in Los Angeles because her relationship with her adoptive parents is not very good. They are both academics and Lola is, in her parents’ words “just a painter”.

One night while she is asleep in her bed, she feels a presence in her room. A man is lurking in the shadows. She feels his fingers on her neck, manages to scream and the man escapes.

Lola contacts the police but somehow they do not believe her story. However, Lieutenant Jacob Simmone thinks Lola is telling the truth. Plus he finds her very hot and he feels very attracted to her (I am rolling up my eyes!!).

The bodies of three dead women have appeared in the city so Simmone decides to guard Lola in case the killer decides to come back for her as she is the only one who could identify him (although she was sleeping!).

Lola and the Lieutenant got closer and closer together which makes his work quite complicated, as he should not get involved with a victim in a case he is investigating.

From there, the story gets more and more interesting and there is a very clever twist which makes the book worth reading.

KILLER’S POINT OF VIEW

In Chapters 9 and 20, the narrator changes to show the readers the point of view of the killer. It is quite interesting and fills the story with a different perspective.

We learn about his motivation for killing women (apart from the fact that he is a murderer, of course). There is no excuse for what he is doing, but it is always intriguing to think what would make someone ends someone else’s life, and here the author makes a good job at imagining that. However, his perspective is quite superficial and it only explains why he killed the women and nothing more.

In addition to this, Simmone’s point of view is also quite intriguing: he is trying to do his job as best he can but at the same time, he feels as if he is being “distracted” by his feelings for Lola. He is a good policeman but he is also a man. This dualism makes his role in the story quite interesting.

FINAL THOUGHTS ABOUT “PUBLIC TRUST”

As I said before, the main attraction of this book is the mixture of genres, namely romance and mystery/thriller.

Furthermore, characters are reliable and well built and although a romance in core, the story is not flat and simple, but rich and complex. In addition, some of the secondary characters were also great; some of them even better than the protagonist couple.

However, I miss a bit more focus on the investigation. A good part of the book is filled with cops and surveillance, but very little is said about their methods to catch the killer. But I guess this would be too much to ask with the romance and the mystery also in the mix.

In addition to this, the cliché of “weak woman has to be protected and saved by a strong man from the evils of this world” is a quite outdated and I am really sure there is a better way to depict such a romantic relationship. For this I am a true fan of “Jane Eyre”.

Anyway, if you want to enjoy a nice, easy to read book with a good, entertaining story, I recommend you to read “Public Trust”.
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Thanks to the publisher, Independent Book Publishers Association, the author Tess Shepherd and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of “Public Trust” for review purposes.

I love romantic suspense novels with intelligent main characters, a great plot, and a fun cast of secondary characters that hint at the possibility of more books to come. This book ticked all the boxes for me. The chemistry between Lola and Jake is palpable and I couldn't stop turning the pages to see how they would solve the mystery, although the case took a bit of backseat for me as the story went on and I became more invested in the romance. That is the point of a good romantic suspense book for me so this book gets all the stars!

Heartwarming romance story with quite a few twists along the way and interesting characters overall. I will check out other books by the author in the future

Public Trust by Tess Shepherd is the first book in The City of Dreams series. This is an insta-love, forced proximity, romantic suspense with steamy scenes and relatable characters.

Lola Michaels, an artist, wakes to find a strange intruder in her apartment. Shocked at the intruder’s presence she screams and scares her intruder off. She calls the LAPD and Lieutenant Jacob Simmone is in charge of the case. An instant attraction has Jacob willing to do anything to protect Lola who is the potential victim of a serial killer.

Public Trust had the romance I wanted and the suspense of the identity of the serial killer which made it all the more interesting. The steam was everything and I loved how Lola and Jacob’s love story developed. Tess Shepherd addresses complex topics with finesse and respect.

The suspense, intrigue, and romance had me hooked and I loved the chemistry between the believable characters. Public Trust is a mix of many elements and I thoroughly enjoyed this blend of genres. This is the first book in a series and can be read as a standalone.

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you like both mystery and romance books, then this is the story for you. It has plenty of both - and I enjoyed it.

This is the story of Lola, a victim of an attempted violent crime and the policeman who came to her rescue, Jacob. While the crime against her was being investigated, Jacob was not supposed to date Lola - it is against the LAPD rules to fraternize with a witness / suspect in an ongoing case. But soon after he is assigned to protect her every evening, Jacob knows he can’t fight it much longer. Their romance was sweet.

And the mystery of the link between the three girls murdered and the person that killed them was a nice puzzle to solve. I enjoyed this book and will look forward to reading the next book in this series.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated above are mine without biases.

I’m became a fan of this author from reading this book. Good read. Really enjoyed this story. I will read more. Go read This now

Lola is living the quiet life of an LA artist until one night when her apartment is broken into. Jacob, on the other hand, is living the high stress, high stakes life of a young LAPD lieutenant when he responds to a call about a break-in. And that's how a crime thrusts two unsuspecting, young, single people into each other's lives. What they don't know is that this one terrible event will be the best thing that ever happened to them.

This book was a departure from romance for me in a lot of ways. The romance was definitely there and I really appreciated getting multiple character perspectives throughout the store. That is something that I find missing in a lot of romance as well. The romance scenes were hot and steamy and exciting for sure and were written in a way that I knew what was going on, but wasn't vulgar and allowed my imagination to fill in some of the gaps on my own. I also can't recall the last time I read a romance/mystery! I know other authors have brought that concept to life, but it seems like it just hasn't caught on in the romance genre. What I liked about the added mystery portion was the storyline the characters had that was above and beyond just the two of them, the romance, and falling in love. There was a nice parallel for it all to run along as the story progressed.

The one "turn off" for me was the intensity of their relationship that happened so quickly. It was brought up several times that it might just be the stress and a trauma response, but then that was glossed over and they went right back to talking about marriage after knowing each other FOR A WEEK. I just thought that was way too much, way to fast and I would have been just as happy (if not more so) if they had a serious relationship and hadn't gone straight to marriage. Especially since these characters sound like they are coming back for another round in future books.

Generally I am not a fan of romance novels, and I usually avoid romance novels gussied up with some mystery or a murder to appeal to multi-genre readers like the plague. But I liked the cover of this book, and I've been consciously trying to read other genres during this plague, er, pandemic to give myself something new to think about. And I am pleased to say that while this is not my favorite cup of tea, it defied my bad expectations. Oh, I still hate romance books, but the mystery was grittier than I expected and centered on a serial murderer. I wasn't expecting that; I thought we'd have a cosy with sex. We still got the sex (and if you like soft porn, there's plenty for you in this book; if you like squeaky clean books, pass this one by), but the serial killer aspect belied the cute cosy cover. I liked how the author set up the storyline, including the introduction of the murderer's point of view half way through to help the reader solve the whodunnit along with Jacob and Lola. This first in the series is going to follow the framework of another, older series (which I can't remember now, of course) where each book involves a different person out of a group--either as amateur detective or victim. This solves two issues mystery readers often encounter: it allows the reader to stay with a person or group of characters they like, but doesn't run into the Cabot Cove/Jessica Fletcher/unbelievable stretching problem that author's eventually have to face of trying to figure out ways to get the main character involved in yet another murder. Next up: Jacob's sister gets her change at romance and mystery. Fast, fast read ( took me three hours), perfect beach read.

I started reading this book after seeing rave reviews. I really want to love it, but I found I just couldn’t get into it. I don’t know why, it’s a good book. I think it’s an example of wrong book, wrong time. I may try and pick it up again later. I know a lot of others loved it! So I do recommend checking it out still.

Lola Michaels wakes to find a strange man in her bed and his hands on her throat. Her screaming scares her intruder off and she calls the police. LAPD Lieutenant Jacob Simmone is given the case. As the sizzle between these intensifies so does the hunt for the intruder and possible killer.

Lovely Lola is a semi-successful artist who fears her tale of a midnight intruder won't be believed. Luckily, Lieutenant Jacob is instantly smitten and will do anything to keep her safe. This blend of romance and suspense was well executed by Tess Shepherd with a great combination of blossoming ardour, steamy scenes, all with the accompaniment of a lurking killer. The author touches on one or two weighty subjects but the main focus is firmly on the two central characters. A lot is on offer in Public Trust and I'm interested to see what the rest of the series serves up. If you’re looking for a steamy, adorable romance with warmth and shades of a thriller, look this way!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from the author via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

DESCRIPTION:
When Lola Michaels wakes up to a strange man in her apartment, his hands touching her throat, she’s petrified. And, although one scream sends her nighttime visitor running, she can’t shake the feeling that next time she might not be so lucky.

LAPD Lieutenant Jacob Simmone isn’t entirely sure what to make of the situation either. Lola is a gorgeous, single woman, living in an eight-hundred-square foot artist’s studio. Why would a man break in while she was home? Why would he leave without taking a single item? It’s only when the bodies of similar female victims start surfacing in the same neighborhood, that he realizes there may be something more to Lola’s midnight encounter. And, as Jacob and Lola are thrown into a situation that neither of them could have expected,—or wanted—Jacob can’t help but wonder if he’s making a mistake, if he’d be more effective at tracking a killer without Lola always nearby, clouding his brain. Little does he realize that, maybe, he can’t catch a break because someone else, someone with real power, is holding all the cards….

WHAT DID I THINK?
Tess Shepherd is a new must read author for me. I read an arc of Jessie’s Point and loved it. When I saw that Public Trust was still available, I knew I had to read it! However, I wasn’t expecting it to be a mystery/thriller. This is what I get for not reading the description, but it turned out to be a great surprise.

The book hooks you from the first sentence. I love when that happens. Mix in the chemistry and forbidden romance of Lola and Jake plus the suspense of having a killer on the loose and it’s pure enjoyment from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

This is the first book in the City of Dreams series by Tess Shepherd.

I thought this was a great romance with touches of mystery. I was fascinated by the budding relationship between Lola and Lieutenant Jacob Simmone. She is just another victim in a case of a serial killer. But they were so attracted to each other that they couldn’t help but fall in love. All the people around them were all rooting for them. In real life, this wouldn’t be the case since it is not right for a police officer to date the victim until the case is solved. That is the one thing that bothered me about this story. I don’t think Jacob would have bent the rules like that seeing what a decent guy he was.

Overall great romance story. I look forward to other books in this series. I would definitely love to see Lola and Jacob in another story.

If you like romance with a dash of mystery, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

Mystery, suspance, love, sex.. everything in one book. I loved the mix. Well it is more a romance book but not an ordinary one. Love wins all. That is what I like in a book. It makes you feel good.

I got this book on Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
Date of publication 15 January 2021

This book was a really fun and enjoyable read. The characters were relatable and had great depth. I definitely recommend it and will be ordering copies for my library.

A romance with story of murder. To me the romance was more of the story than the police procedure. She is an artist. He is a policeman. Love at first sight. Through the story we learn the history of their lives at the same time we learn the story of the murdered gals. The story was well done. Characters were likable. Good ending. I liked the book.

Lola is disturbed by someone in the middle of the night. She is able to chase him away, but it is a terrifying experience. Jacob is the police detective first on the site and they both hit it off while searching for a serial killer.

I quite liked the premise, although the pacing was a bit off sometimes. Overall a good read.

Before you get sucked in by the quirky, artsy cover, let me warn you that this is romantic suspense and contains themes of murder, abuse, and trauma.

It actually handles all of the above pretty well, but it's not as light as the cover makes out.

Lola is a sweetheart, a semi-successful artist who fears her tale of a midnight intruder won't be believed. Luckily, Lieutenant Jacob is instantly smitten and will do anything to keep her safe. Less luckily, the recent murders of similar women do a lot to bolster her story but don't help her feel any safer. Jacob must protect 'the one who got away' who is fast making a place in his heart, while maintaining a professional distance...

Spoiler alert: he doesn't. Maintain a professional distance.

This actually threw me all the way out of the book because that level of unprofessionalism is downright irresponsible and to see it practically encouraged by his superiors was all sorts of wrong. Even if the UST is off the charts. I was really hoping they'd at least keep it together until Lola's life was out of danger.

Apart from that, the murder mystery came together nicely, though I'd have preferred a few more breadcrumbs of clues rather than the big reveal of a stranger. I feel like there were a few opportunities to provide foreshadowing that were missed as I spent a bit of time going back and forth trying to find out if I'd missed something.

Overall it was a pretty decent romantic suspense with an interesting supporting cast, but there were a few niggles that stopped me really getting into it so I give it four stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own

Lola and Jacob are nice characters, the writing was good but the mystery part of it wasn't up to par with what the blurb hinted and the romance felt too insta-love.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book received from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received a complimentary ARC copy and all opinions are of my own

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I am impressed! Public Trust has a little bit of everything, suspense, thriller, angst, and romance. (Well, more romance than thriller BUT WHO CARES? I adored it, okay!)
Gahhhh, Jacob is such a dreamboat. And Lola! She is adorable. A very well-written story with good character building. Even with the little hints provided, I still couldn't identify the serial killer until the very end. And...WHAT AN END!

Though, I am still curious about Jacob's connection with Sarah. or what happened to Tara? Or why the victims all looked alike to give it a serial killer profile. I suppose those questions could only be answered in the next book? (maybe?)

I can't wait for the next series. Now, I am a fan of Tess Shepherd and will hunt down all of her books! Keep 'em coming!