Whew! This story had me tense from beginning to end, waiting for another shoe to drop, waiting to see who was behind everything, not wanting it to be who I thought it was, not wanting any other person close to Delaney’s heart to be hurt. Irvin masterfully fashioned this plot to be both a roller coaster ride and a slow burn all at the same time – and I loved every minute of it!

Delaney has already dealt with more loss than any one person should before they even reach middle-aged. And not just heartbreaking losses but horrifyingly tragic losses. Her brother viciously murdered. Her boyfriend sent to prison for it. Ten years later, her best friend (and her brother’s former girlfriend) murdered the same way. The same day Delaney’s ex-boyfriend Hunter comes back into her life, released from prison on good behavior. He’s found God; she’s turned her back on them both. The way the author presents their new relationship dynamics is realistic and well-paced. Delaney’s wariness doesn’t immediately vanish just because Hunter tries to convince her of his innocence. They don’t pick up their romance right where they left off. They’ve both changed so much in the last ten years, both traumatized by her brother Corey’s death. The author addresses this with authenticity and sensitivity, and I felt it really solidified their characters, their layers, and the growth they experience as the novel progresses. It also makes that first kiss after 10 years all the more delicious!

Bottom Line: Trust Me by Kelly Irvin is aptly named – an exploration of relationships, of trust, and of betrayal, set against a backdrop of riveting suspense and heart-in-your-throat danger. Twists you won’t be expecting. Turns that take your breath away. Honest questions & raw answers on the goodness of God. It’s a well-written, steady-paced novel that will keep you glued to the page and deeply invested in Delaney & Hunter’s story. A must-read for fans of Natalie Walters, Colleen Coble, and Irene Hannon!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Trust Me is a contemporary suspense novel written by Kelly Irvin.

Summary: Delaney Broward's brother was brutally murdered. And her boyfriend Hunter was convicted of the crime.

When Delaney discovers her best friend has been murdered in the same way, and on the same day Hunter is released from prison, she is beyond devastated.

Will Hunter be able to convince her of his innocence in both cases? Not likely-given his past. But he is determined to solve both murders on his own and get back the life he lost ten long years ago.

Will he succeed? Or will he end up back in prison for another crime he didn't commit?

My Thoughts: This book was very good. The premise for the story was very different from any books I have read, and kept me completely intrigued. There is an excellent mystery, plenty of suspense, and a twist ending I only just saw coming before it happened.

If you enjoy mystery and suspense, I suspect this one will be right up your alley.

I would like to thank Thomas-Nelson for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author, Kelly Irvin. This book was okay but it was not really for me. It was not very realistic. It is a religious mystery but it still should be realistic and not missing parts as they do not want it to be too graphic. I found it was more of a romance than a mystery as well.

Thanks again!

Kelly Irvin is an auto-read author of mine. If I see her name, regardless of what genre she is writing in, I am immediately excited to see what she has written.

I will say that while the beginning immediately grabs your attention, there is a pretty violent stabbing scene that I could have done without (as a sensitive reader). Once you get past that and later a similar scene, the story really grips you.

I have mixed feelings about this story. There were formatting issues (kindle edition) that made it hard to tell who was speaking, especially in text messages. The story was a bit heavier than I expected, and it fell a little flat.

However, the writing was engaging, and the mystery was intense. Things were not always what they seemed, so the story kept my attention.

Thank you to Net Galley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read Trust Me. I was not required to provide a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've pondered many times what it would be like to be accused of a crime I didn't commit and then sent to prison. How scary and hopeless that would make a person feel! Even with all the technology law enforcement has today, sometimes they just get it wrong and innocent people go to prison. This is what happens to Hunter. He goes to prison for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Delaney's, brother 10 years ago. On the day he gets out of prison, Delaney's best friend gets brutally murdered in the same way so naturally, the police think he's at it again! Hunter's only purpose when he gets out of prison is to prove his innocence. He wants Delaney to help him even though she doesn't want to ever see him again. I enjoy this author's books. They are set in San Antonio, Texas and I've recently been there 3 times so I'm a little familiar with the area which makes the books more interesting to me! I liked the characters a lot. The author shows how drugs and gangs play a part in a culture of how people get caught up making wrong decisions but then some of them change their lives and turn to God. Make no mistake, this is a Christian Fiction book! That may or may not appeal to some people! I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story. I enjoyed very much the secondary characters also.

This mystery was NOT my cup of tea and the solution was obvious. That said, Irvin tells a story well and writes okay. I did not realize it was a religious mystery, which would also not have been my choice. Also the story seemed to be more of a light, sophomoric romance novel than a mystery.

Ten years after her artist boyfriend Hunter was convicted of her brother's murder, Delaney has not fully recovered. Now her best friend Ellie has been murdered in a similar way. Delaney feels that the murders are connected. Hunter has been released from prison for a crime that he claims that he never committed. Hunter still loves Delaney and wants to prove to her and the world that he didn't commit the crime. The same police detective that arrested him for the murder of Delaney's brother wants to talk to him about Ellie's murder. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This is a suspenseful Christian romantic suspense mystery. I thought that it was realistic that Delaney was not ready to believe Hunter. I love seeing how both Delaney and Hunter had changed and grown over the years. Hunter's faith kept him going and helped Delaney later regain hers. I also love that the story was told not only by Delaney and Hunter's point of view but also from the police detective. I now have Kelly Irvin's books on my TBR list and look forward to her next book.

Hunter Nash has just been released from prison after serving ten years for a murder he did not commit. Circumstantial evidence pointed in his direction, so he understands why he looked guilty. On the day of his release, a woman who dated the first victim is found dead in a similar fashion by Delaney Broward. Delaney is the one who found her brother dead all those years ago. Hunter wants to prove his innocence and Delaney wants justice for Ellie. The two pair up and set out to get answers. Trust Me by Kelly Irvin is a Christian suspense novel. I enjoy reading Kelly Irvin’s Amish novels so I thought I would give her new suspense novel a try (I love solving mysteries). I started reading Trust Me and became intrigued by the murder at the beginning involving Ellie. The story then became a little too wordy and it moved at a sluggish pace. The book needed a faster pace that would have kept up the tension and suspense that would have kept the reader on the edge of their seat. Instead, Trust Me failed to hold my attention. I thought the characters lacked development. They came across flat. I felt that the romance between Delaney and Hunter eclipsed the mystery. I wanted more suspense (and mystery) and less about feelings. Romance lovers, though, will enjoy it. The mystery involves two crimes that occurred ten years apart. They are similar to each other. There are evident clues that will help the reader solve the crime early in the book. I kept hoping there would be a twist so I would be surprised by the reveal. Unfortunately, the whodunit played out just as I thought it would. Trust Me is a Christian novel so there are references to God, faith, and prayer. I like how faith was incorporated into the story. The author captured the setting of San Antonio. She brought the city to life with her vivid descriptions. Trust Me needed a little more oomph. Readers who enjoy romantic suspense (emphasis on romantic) will enjoy reading Trust Me. Trust Me transports readers to San Antonio with a paroled prisoner, a confusing crime, a stricken sister, a determined detective, seedy San Antonio, and a second chance romance.

Wow! Where do I start?!

I found this one on NetGalley. I had never heard of the author before and had no idea what to expect, but the concept intrigued me…

Delaney’s brother Corey is murdered, and her boyfriend Hunter is convicted of the murder and sent to prison. Fast forward 10 years, and Hunter is being released from prison, having served his sentence, and still maintaining his innocence - although no-one believes him. The same day he is released, Delaney’s best friend (who was also Corey’s girlfriend at the time of his murder) is killed, and Delaney is very reluctantly convinced to help Hunter find the real killer, even though she’s not yet convinced that it isn’t him…

I was immediately intrigued by the concept and so I requested it, fully expecting something in the typical romantic suspense line… and it was nothing like I expected… but what it was, was better!

This novel is REALLY gritty! I mean levels of gritty where all the characters are super messed up! But it’s real. So real. I can’t help thinking that this is what a romantic suspense storyline would look like if it ever happened in real life. There’s no smart law enforcement MCs here, solving the crime and saving the day. There’s only lives ruined by a tragic crime and a journey to find the truth together (and some hope and healing along the way too).

And while this read is definitely more about the characters than the suspense, it definitely doesn’t lack for suspense! And I only worked out the answers about a page or two before the characters did - which is just how I like it!!

This one will stay with me for a long time. It has such real depth and grit. I will warn that it may be too dark and gritty for some, but I didn’t find it overly so, and it was never graphic.

Definitely highly recommend - as long as you’re expecting a meaningful, emotional read, and not just action-packed entertainment.

Thanks so much to @netgalley and @tnzfiction for the ARC. I was only asked to provide an honest review in return.

Lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice, or does it.
Delaney discovered her brother's body 1o years ago in their Co op and now she has walked into another crime scene of her best friend, murdered in the same way! Her boyfriend of was convicted of the first crime 10 years ago and he is set free just a day before she finds her best friend.
This unlikely duo will team up to find out who really killed her friend and brother.

Fantastic book.
This is my own opinion as I received an ARC of this book

This book just didn't do it for me. It was lacking the "wow" factor. This is a Christian, romantic suspense novel. Delaney's brother, Corey was killed 10 years ago and her boyfriend is the convicted murderer. He swears he is innocent and intends to prove it so he can clear his name and hopefully get Delaney back. Delaney's friend Ellie is killed the day Hunter is released from prison. Of course, the cops think he is involved. Hunter & Delaney team together to catch the killer. The story is predictable. There are some suspenseful scenes at the end. If you like Christian, romantic suspense novels you will probably like this one.
Thanks to #thomasnelson, and #netgalley for an ARC of this book.

This book is full of twists and turns and will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. It will keep you guessing until the end. It's an edge of your seat rollercoaster ride that you hate to see end. I loved it and highly recommend it to all fans of Christian suspense.
I received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson--FICTION via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Suspenseful, tragic and a little too dark for my taste. I’ve never read a book by Kelly Irvin and this is so not a typical Christian fiction book.
The horrendous events described in this book can be immense triggers, there’s your forwarding. There is a lot of graphic detail.
This book seemed disconnected in many places. From around 45% to 80% it just seemed to drag slowly along and then boom, oh hi, now we’re going to reveal the killer and get intensely graphic again.
I appreciate the Christian aspect and the cleanness of the language but that is about all I can muster.
It earns 3 stars for that and the fact it is a mystery that follows set protocols for that genre.

Trust Me by Kelly Irvin is an action packed thriller. The main author loses her brother years earlier, only to have her best friend murdered in present time. The book explores the circumstances around the deaths and there are lots of action sequences that keep interest. However, this book was difficult to read and the writing did not flow well. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

** “I’m more of a New Testament guy myself. Turn the other cheek. Love they enemies. Let God be the judge.” **

Kelly Irvin delivers an incredible standalone thriller with “Trust Me.”

Ten years after her brother is murdered — and her boyfriend Hunter Nash is convicted of the murder — Delaney Broward’s best friend is killed just like her brother was, at the same Hunter is released from prison.

Still claiming his innocence, Delaney must decide if she wants to trust Hunter and join forces with him to solve their friend Ellie’s murder. As more nefarious events begin to occur, Delaney and Hunter must figure out whom can be trusted and who the killer really is — and whether their past relationship can be repaired.

Irvin always does an incredible job of developing very real and relatable characters with realistic problems and flaws, all while creating a plot filled with twists and turns that leaves the reader guessing until the very end. She also makes the Texas city of San Antonio its own character, breathing life and vibrancy into it.

“Trust Me” is also filled with several great themes, like take one thing at a time, one step at a time; turn the other cheek; let God be the judge; God always has a plan; overcoming fear; and forgiveness of not only others, but one’s self.

Fans of authors like Lynette Eason, Terri Blackstock and Irene Hannon will love this novel, which is due out Feb. 8.

Five stars out of five.

Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Trust Me
By Kelly Irvin
Pub Date: February 8, 2022
Thomas Nelson
This was just an OK read for me. I did not like the writing style and the romance kind of overpowered the mystery. The actual mystery was pretty predictable and I figured it out way too early into the book. There were just a few too many hints to really keep the suspense.
So sadly, I cannot recommend this book. Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the ARC. I like to read the books before we buy them for the library.
3. star

Hunter Nash has just been released from eight years in prison after waiting two years in jail before the trial where he was charged with killing his best friend, Corey. Ten years of his life taken away for a crime he claims he did not do. He is a different person now, saved by grace, having become a Christian in prison, thanks to a prison chaplain, Pastor James. Now, he has a job through the pastor's church, working with kids, teaching them art and about life. He wants to prove his innocence and find the real killer. No one believes him now as they did not ten years ago. Hunter and several friends, including Corey, and Corey's sister and Hunter's girlfriend, Delaney, along with several others, formed an artist co-op to promote their art after college. But they were into drugs and alcohol and that was their downfall, both personally and professionally. The day he is released from prison, Ellie, another friend, is killed in her shop, the same way Corey was killed. Could the two crimes be committed by the same killer? Delaney is not welcoming to Hunter but eventually unites to explore his claims and find out if there is another killer. This is an emotional story that takes us through the bad areas of San Antonio to find answers. I don't really want to give anything away but just say that there are surprises along the way. People are not as they seem, and secrets are uncovered.
This is a suspenseful and edgy story that kept me engaged to the end.
I received a complimentary ARC from Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are mine only.

Delaney Broward (aka Laney) had lost everyone. Her parents had died in a car accident when she was young. Her grandparents had died months apart while she was in college. Her brother, Corey, was murdered. And her best friend, Hunter Nash, the man she thought she was going to marry, was charged with the murder and was convicted of manslaughter 10 years earlier. And now he was out on good behavior and was hounding her a bit too much. It was not just her opinion - it was an opinion shared by the San Antonio TX Police Department and Laney’s friends.

The day Hunter Nash returned was also the day that Ellie Hill, Delaney’s best friend now, was killed in an horrific murder.

Suspect number 1 for Ellie’s murder was Hunter Nash - if he had any hopes of rewinning Delaney’s heart, he now had to prove that he was innocent of two murders. And that was something Delaney, the San Antonio TX PD, and Laney’s friends did not think possible.

The resulting story is a stomach-churning, edge-of-your-seat, thriller, that did not let this reader relax until the very last chapter. The story has the reader traveling throughout San Antonio, gathering clues, with and without the help of the police department. In the midst of this story we watch two young adults struggle with their faith. One’s faith grew in the most harrowing of places; the other lost their faith through a similar set of circumstances.

With the exception of the last chapter, the book was perfect. Most (all?) of the last chapter could have been omitted, allowing the reader to fill in the story’s final details. I give the book 4-½ stars.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

This isnt just a thriller but also a bit romance. Kelly Irvin did an incredible job narrating this novel! I could not put it down! The ending is one you wont see coming and you will be completely consumed with this book from start to finish!

I've read a few of Kelly Irvin's Amish fiction over the last couple of years, but this was my first experience with one of her suspense titles. I picked it up only meaning the read the first couple of chapters before turning in for the night, but ended up so caught up in the story that I went through half the book before realizing what time it was.

Trust Me is a roller coaster of a ride from start to finish, and drags the reader in right from the beginning. Our main character Delaney finds her brother murdered in his art studio, and although she can't possibly imagine it at the moment, things are only going to get worse. Her boyfriend is charged with the murder, and sent to prison, and she's left trying to put the pieces of her life back together. Ten years later, she finds her best friend murdered in the same manner, on the exact same day that her ex-boyfriend has been released from prison. Hunter is still proclaiming his innocence, and wants to prove to Delaney that they got the wrong man all those years ago.

The plot twists, turns and weaves in ways the reader can never see coming, and I enjoyed trying to piece everything together right along with the characters. The set up to the mystery is very well done, and I also really enjoyed how this is a second chance romance with many obstacles for the main characters to overcome. I also really appreciated how the author doesn't sugarcoat the reality of substance abuse, and while this was a pretty grisly part of the story, it definitely reads authentically.

I loved my first experience with a suspense story by this author, and I will be definitely be reading more of hers in the future. The only complaint I had is that I personally figured out who the evil mastermind was pretty early on in the story, and I did take a star off my rating for that purpose. I was still scrambling to try and figure everything else out though. As even though I knew who had done it, I couldn't understand their motive or reasons, and I found that out right along with the characters.

Final Rating: 4/5.

I really enjoyed this one, and would definitely recommend it.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.