Summer and Leoneli - Leo for short - have been friends for about 5 years. Summer had an unfortunate upbringing by a hippy type mother who simply left her to fend for herself when she was just 15-years-old. Since then, she has become a talented pickpocket with the ability to schmooze her way through life. Her home is her car complete with a mattress in the back for sleeping.

Summer met Leo when she was begging on the streets. Feeling sorry for her, she took her under her wing and taught her the talents that she had learned. Fleecing and thieving is their way of life.

When Leo meets Michael Forrester, a billionaire tech guy whom she had been checking out, he invites her and Summer to a party. Leo and Michael hook up and head to his private island where he conducts his top-secret tech work along with colleagues and investors. Summer is invited as well by a wealthy man named Alan who gives her the creeps. But, it all in the way of putting their talents to work.

But Summer can’t find Leo and is frantically worried about her friend. Have the two of them been bested by someone smoother than them?

Wow! This book keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. This is scary, fast-paced, and very compelling. I could not put it down until the last page had been read.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Wow! I haven’t been this surprised by a book in forever, in a good way! It was fantastic! I was hooked from the first page and would have read it in one sitting if I’d had the chance! Dang work and life got in the way.

Summer and Leo are a couple of beautiful grifters who live in a Landcruiser and never tend to stay in one spot for more than a day or two. Both came from tragic childhoods and became found family to each other 5 years ago.

Leo sets her sights on a billionaire and just “happens” to meet him where she hooks him. When Leo disappears, Summer puts her skills to work to do everything possible to find her.

The twists and turns in this were crazy. I loved their friendship and rooted for these two from the first page. I couldn’t get enough and came out of the story with a serious book hangover. If the author ever decides on a sequel, I’d be first in line to purchase it. More Summer and Leo please!!

You Can Trust Me deserves ALL.THE. BUZZ!!!

*Thank you so much to Random House and NetGalley for the advance eGalley!*

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I found "You Can Trust Me" by Wendy Heard to be an addictive, twisty & sexy thriller.
I liked the author's writing style, how she told the story alternating between the 2 main characters point of views.
I will definitely be on the lookout for Ms. Heard's next book.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the unique concept, the setting, and the characters Summer and Leo. The book is suspenseful and fast paced. My one complaint is the ending. I wish there was more of a twist or a more shocking ending.

This book started it with me not liking the main characters. By the end of the book, I loved them and wanted more of their story. This is one of those books where you don't know who to trust, if anyone. The twists kept me reading way to late at night just to find out more. I loved the dual POV and the flashbacks that tied in to the current day. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House-Ballantine, and Wendy Heard for an ARC of this book!**

You've got to pick a pocket or two...

Summer and Leo have a rhythm: travel sunny California together in a Land Cruiser, find their wealthy marks...and leave them a bit less wealthy than they found them. Summer is an expert pickpocket artist, and can work her way through a crowded room and end up with a fistful of cash...and no one the wiser. Leo's into more of the long con: she would consider falling in love with a rich and powerful man....if at the end of the day, she could end up with some money to help fund her free-wheeling lifestyle with Summer, where's the harm? The two are running from tortured pasts after all, and every dollar helps.

But when Leo meets billionaire Michael Forrester, he seems different than the wealthy men she's met before. Michael has made his fortune battling climate change, and he sweeps Leo off her feet...and quickly. When Michael invites Leo to his fabulous private island, she can't believe her good luck...until she doesn't come back, leaving Summer's mind spinning. Summer, in a desperate bid to save her friend, decides to take matters into her own hands and infiltrate the island herself. Relying on her street smarts to win the day, she cozies up to some of Michael's posh friends...but something just seems off. Has Leo cut and run...or can Summer outwit the cadre of security and find her friend...before it's too late?

This bright and flashy cover promises a sun-soaked summer thriller, perfect for poolside reading...and for the most part, this book fits the bill. The premise was intriguing, and the two girls had just enough depth and character development to keep me curious about their histories...AND their collective future. I always enjoy a read where clever women sort of 'stick it' to the bad guys orbiting their world, and I thought this was going to be a bit of a billionaire comeuppance story...and for a long time, it seemed things were going that way. It was a fairly 'easy' read, despite some bouncing timelines, and I was happily chugging along, thinking this was sure to be a solid four star read.

UNTIL about 75-80%...which is approximately the place this book went from a fast-paced, action packed, locked room style thriller into somewhat ridiculous, eye-rolling territory. It's been a few days since I've finished this one, and I STILL can't quite put my finger on what changed. The dialogue went from intense and believable to goofy and over the top. The characters (who already read a bit young for women who were supposed to be 30) regressed into full-blown teenagers who were pretty foolish. And the 'bad guy', who was supposed to possess a sort of elite gravitas, came off looking sillier than a Scooby Doo villain, complete with campy dialogue and implausible actions aplenty.

Throw in a big reveal that was VERY predictable and my disappointment plummeted even further. I think what was so disappointing to me personally is that this was a popcorn thriller that took itself too seriously at the beginning and went off the rails by the end...and I think the author could have had a more cohesive book if she had picked ONE lane and stuck in it. This is certainly a book that will help you pass an afternoon, but it could have either made a statement OR just been silly enough to be OTT through and through.

Though I'm glad Heard has 'made the jump' from YA, this book went from feeling like a thrilling bungee jump to feeling more like a cliff dive...but more specifically, a Wile E Coyote cliff dive.

*Splat*

3.5 stars, rounded down from 4

A Fun Thriller Featuring Two Grifters

Summer and Leo, survivors of difficult childhoods, live together in a refurbished Land Cruiser. Summer is an experienced pick-pocket. She uses this skill to support them. Leo wants to do her share and decides on the long-con where she seduces rich men.

Leo meets a tech billionaire, Michael Forrester and succeeds in getting an invitation to his private island. She’s sure she’ll make a big score, jewelry to sell and possibly incriminating photos. Leo leaves with Michael promising to call the next day. When Summer doesn’t hear from her she decides to follow her to the island to make sure she’s all right, But she can’t find Leo and things on the island take a dark turn.

This is a fun thriller. The characters are well done. I particularly liked Summer. She’s a strong woman and a survivor. Leo is more subdued, but also interesting. The flashbacks throughout the novel give us insight into the girls’ backgrounds and increase our understand of their character. The plot is a bit fantastical, but it pulls you in making the book hard to put down. The pace is good It’s a little slow in the beginning, but picks up once the girls are on the island.

I recommend this for a good summer read if you enjoy thrillers.

I received this book from Random House for this review.

You Can Trust Me is a book I read in 2 days. I couldn't get the characters and storyline out of my mind no matter what I was doing. I kept going back to it and reading whenever possible. The book revolves around two women that have troubled pasts. Summer is dealing with the trauma of her mother leaving her to fend for herself when she was 17 years old. They lived in campsites and Summer never knew her last name or birth date. Leo is dealing with the trauma of her older sister being killed when she was a teenager and feeling guilty about lying to her parents about Amanda's real plans for the night she went missing.

Summer and Leo are there for each other from the start. Summer has been living out of her Land Cruiser for awhile. She has it set up like a home with a mattress and cabinets in the back. She cruises wherever she wants in it and has a fondness for different beaches in California. She finds Leo thin and crying one day and brings her home with her. They've been together ever since traveling up and down the state of California. Summer enjoys the freedom this life provides as it's all she's ever known. Summer never had a house or normal upbringing. Leo misses a house and all that goes with it, but doesn't want to return to her old life as her parents are so broken since Amanda's murder.

Summer learned to be a pick pocket from her mom when she was 8 years old. She makes a good living at it and can clean out a room of people quickly by taking their wallets, credit cards, and cash. Leo likes playing the long game by getting a man to care about her and then taking him for everything she can. This all changes when Leo falls for a guy she meets on instagram. He's a tech genius and owns a company that focuses on the climate. Michael is a billionaire and has eyes for Leo. They run into each other on the beach as he's running one morning. Michael invites Leo to a party and tells Summer to come along, too. Summer doesn't really want to go, but figures she will go for Leo. At the party, Summer is picking out people to steal from while Leo is getting more infatuated with Michael. Michael takes Leo up to his private quarters and Summer decides to go home after meeting Alan, another tech genius that Michael relies on. They're supposed to have dinner the next day.

Summer is worried when Leo doesn't come home and doesn't call or text. She always lets Summer know if she's not coming home and where she is. Michael takes Leo out on his boat and then back to his private island. Phones have no signal on the island so there is no way for Leo to let Summer know where she is. When Summer meets up with Alan she finds out that the tech group are all going to Michael's private island for the weekend.. She's thinking that must be where Michael has taken Leo and she flirts enough to get Alan to invite her as his plus one. Will Summer find Leo? Is Leo in danger? Is Michael the good guy that everyone thinks he is? Why does his staff at the island follow the guests and why are there electrical fences around the property? Is Summer safe on the island? Is Leo on the island?

This book will keep you up way too late as you can tell as I'm writing my review at 1:50 a.m. I really enjoyed You Can Trust Me and Wendy Heard does a great job of building the suspense more and more as you progress through the book. I rate the book 5 stars with my highest recommendation. I couldn't put this book down and I doubt you'll be able to either! You Can Trust Me is available to purchase now so don't hesitate to get it! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine for an advanced copy of You Can Trust Me in exchange for a fair review. #YouCanTrustMe

I was a big fan! The complex and interesting main characters immediately hooked me with this story. The ever evolving plot kept me hooked. While I always get a sick sense of satisfaction when I figure out the plot twist early in a book, it also simultaneously bums me out. Unfortunately, that was the case for this story. I still thoroughly enjoyed it!

Sam and Leo are sisters by choice, living a nomadic life in California as con artists. Leo is determined to ensnare a billionaire, Michael Forrester, and works her way to an invitation to his private island. But she never comes back. Summer works her way onto the island as well in an attempt to find Leo, but immediately finds everything stacked against her.

This book is a wild ride. It’s so suspenseful, particularly when Leo gets to the island. Then the book goes off the rails in the best possible way. The author has complete control over the craziness that ensues. I did guess the big twist, but the book was so enjoyable that it didn’t even matter. This is a great summer read.

Another Psychological Thriller of which I found the dual protagonists unrelatable and the various expensive settings unappealing. I've reached my limit on reading of the feudal impunity of Wealth.

If you go into this with the expectation of a fun, summer read, it is pretty entertaining. It isn't a complex story. Two young twenty-somethings living a nomad lifestyle in a van travel around to various cities and con people for a living. They're thrilled when one of them catch the eye of an uber rich philanthropist who invites her to his private island for a weekend. Then she goes missing. The rest of the novel is an intense cat and mouse game to see who can outsmart the other. Most of the action takes place on the island at a top-secret investor meeting with the best of the best accommodations and amenities. It is just perfect for an escapist summer read. It's sexy and addictive. If you like strong female character-led novels this is the one you want.

This is the perfect beach read for all thriller lovers. The book plays out like an amazing summer blockbuster in your head, and I loved every second of it. This book shows the importance of found family and makes social commentary about wealth and who is believed when bad things happen. The mystery and tension are perfectly laid out and they both slowly build to an explosive conclusion.
Summer has spent her entire life off the grid as a pickpocket until she meets young Leo panhandling on the streets of San Francisco. The two beautiful drifters team up to live a nomadic life running con’s and stealing their way up and down the coast of California. The girls are in L.A. and have devised a perfect plan to catch a golden ticket in their web, but when Leo doesn’t return after a night with the mark, Summer will stop at nothing to find out what happened… I can’t think of any reason why thriller lovers should not pick up this book ASAP.

Solidly entertaining thriller.

Summer and Leo are twenty-something pickpockets and con artists. Living in sunny LA, they do what they need to in order to get by. Both come from troubled pasts, but they are content with their existence. Leo sets her sights on meeting Michael, a billionaire tech genius, and he whisks her off to his private island for the night. When Summer doesn't hear from Leo the next day, she begins to investigate and gets herself invited to an exclusive weekend on the island to try to find Leo. Things seem fine on the surface, but the longer she is there, Summer begins to believe that everything is not as it seems.

The book is told from both Summer and Leo's alternating perspectives, we get to know their pasts and what made them the people they are, as well as the wild events of the present. And ooooh, are they wild. There is definitely some suspension of disbelief needed, especially for some way too convenient coincidences, but if you can just go with the story it is shocking, entertaining, and actually thrilling. There are far too few thrills in thrillers these days, but this one has plentiful thrills.

I can totally see this as a movie because it is packed with dark twists, action, and danger. I was rooting for the success of the main characters and was invested all the way through. If you're looking for a fun summer thriller then this is a great choice.

This book was gripping right from the beginning. It tell the story from Summer and Leo's point of view. I couldn't stop turning the page as I wanted to find out where we were going next. It was at times terrifying and thrilling. I enjoyed that the leads were very different from your typical leading female. Highly recommend this one!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for free advanced copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

It was predictable halfway through the book, which ruined the entire vibe for me, I really wanted to dnf it but I really hoped it was gonna be a little different than I thought it was gonna end. All of the characters felt so immature.

What a wonderful read by Wendy Heard!

Summer was abandoned by her mother in a camping ground, Not having a birth certificate, or any idea when her birthdate is Summer grew up stealing to get by. She met Leoneli Ramirez aka Leo who has her on skeletons, and they became friends and traveling through California stealing from the elites.

Leo met Michael Forrester and with no word to Summer disappeared with Michael to his Island. Summer worried sick, met Alan, Michaels employee and friend who brought Summer to the Island for an event with Summers only agenda to find Leo. Michael told Summer Leo didn't accompany him so now a twist is coming.

Why is Michael lying? Will Summer find Leo? There is something happening on that Island....

What a must read for those that would love a fast paced well written read.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun and quick read, but ultimately ended just sort mediocre for me. However, that cover is 100 and everyone needs a ride or die like Summer! The friendship and loyalty between Summer and Leo was my favorite part of this book, second to hearing about their cons. I almost wish the whole book was just describing their different cons and flushing their backstories to the present, if I'm honest. Once we got to the island, the story became a little too coincidental and predictable for me. That said, I could also see me loving the over-the-top-ness of this if I read it on a different day!

Thank you NetGalley and randomhouse for my eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am not sure what to say about this book. It was suspenseful but I just could not get into it as much as I wanted. Which sucks because it has so much promise!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the sisterhood between Summer and Leo. They have an unbreakable bond after both had so much heartbreak in their lives. After Leo meets a billionaire, Summer follows them to his island. And from there, the crazy starts! Fast paced and intriguing.