This book is as exciting as it gets.

Summer has no idea what her last name is. She has no ID, no social security number and thinks she’s 32 years old. She has spent her life doing petty crimes and she’s good at pickpocketing. Her bohemian mother taught her how to survive this way.

She becomes friends with Leo (short for Leoneli) who left home when her sister died leaving her emotionally devastated. Summer teaches Leo how to steal wallets, jewels and target wealthy men at clubs. And that’s where the story begins. Of course, they are both strong and attractive women with beautiful clothes.

Summer told Leo to always stay in the driver’s seat. Now the author has control of the reader with short chapters. It’s a book that can be devoured quickly until there’s nothing left and then you’ll keep thinking about what happened. It’s not hard to predict although hard to set the book down.

The characters are perfect and you can almost picture it in your mind on film with who will play the roles. It’s the thriller that everyone will be talking about. If you wanted to analyze it, there are lots of questions but who cares. It’s an entertaining story. I was smiling when Leo said, “say yes to life.”

My thanks to Wendy Heard, Bantam Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced book with an expected release date of June 13, 2023.

Wow - this was quite intense and dark. I loved the relationship between Summer and Leoneli, a pair of grifters , each with their own specialty and heartbreaking past. They were an amazing team, who had each other's back, were each other's biggest fans and wanted the best for the other. They get themselves into quite the pickle and have to use their smarts to try to make it out alive.

The cover of this book caught my attention and I really liked the plot summary.

The book is about Summer and Leo, two grifters who are floating through life on their own terms. Leo sets her eyes on Michael, a tech billionaire, and schemes to get whatever she wants from him.

Unfortunately for Leo, things don’t go as planned. Summer, knowing Leo wouldn’t disappear on her, sets off to Michael’s island (isn’t that crazy?) to find her and things go off the rails from there.

This was a fast, fun read that was quite enjoyable and different from what I usually read.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for a copy to read in exchange for a review.

I think my students will like this one and can open up discussions on how would you survive with no family, no home, no papers and also creating a family from the people you meet. a strong friendship between two female grifters, conning rich people gets them in bad trouble. Will one or both of them be able to survive?

This is a fast mostly enjoyable read. I esp liked the relationship between the two women, who survive by stealing and conning rich people. Both have tragedies in their path, Summer was abandoned by her mother as a teenager, homeless and alone and Leo felt responsible for her sister's murder and her family's grief. They get trapped separately on an isolated island in a con that goes wrong. Is Leo still alive or has she been killed? How will Summer find her and also how will she escape. I enjoyed the first part of the book the most and wish more of it had been in developing that part.

Grifter stories are having a moment and I’m all the way here for it. YOU CAN TRUST me starts as a con story but devolves into so much more. I went into this book completely blind and I’d encourage you to do the same.

Here’s what I’ll say: The story felt like a wild jet ski cruise across the Pacific ocean. One minute you’re casually cruising along enjoying the scenery and the next you are bamboozled with wave after wave of twists that threaten to overtake your meager watercraft. Just when you come up for air and get a glimpse of the sun, you’re engulfed with saltwater once again.

Beyond the page-turning thrills, Wendy Heard explores the bonds of friendship and sisterhood so well. She raises interesting questions about social class, wealth, and power. I love a thriller that encourages readers to think, and this story had me contemplating what it means to make a home in a world that has overlooked you.

With a vivid island setting and prose that reads like a love letter to California, YOU CAN TRUST ME makes for a perfect poolside pick this summer.

Read YOU CAN TRUST ME if:
Cat-Mouse thrillers leave you on the edge of your seat
Stories of exorbitant wealth and rich people behaving very, very badly peak your interest
You enjoy the juxtaposition of picturesque setting with an unhinged plot

RATING: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars)
PUB DATE: June 13, 2023

Many thanks to Bantam and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review will be posted to www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks in advance of publication date.

(3.5/5.0) You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard was so fun to read, but didn’t leave a lasting impression. A solid middle of the road mystery with endearing main characters. Summer and Leo are two friends living out of their vehicle in California and running con artist schemes to make ends meet. They’re both dealing with abandonment and grief, clinging to each other as chosen sisters.

One night Leo meets a billionaire who whisks her away to his private island, leaving Summer wondering what happened to her. From there the mystery unravels and it’s a race for Summer to find Leo.

My favorite parts of the story were their character development and personal stories, the way the women leaned on each other, and some of the tension scenes on the island. It was a slow and realistic build. I could have used a bit more edge of the seat twisty scenes, but overall, it was a quick read that held my attention.

I’d recommend it to readers who like the wealthy crowd setting and a low-tension mystery that won’t make you jump or steal your sleep. There are no gross descriptions of crimes, and it’s not designed to scare you. If you enjoyed watching White Lotus, it has similar setting and energy.

Thank you to Random House Publishing, Bantam, and NetGalley for sharing an advanced copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts. I appreciate you!

Content warnings: Death, Confinement, Abandonment, Grief

Reviewed for NetGalley:

3.5 rating overall.

Summer and Leo, friends for the past five years, travel all over California scamming to make ends meet, sharing a Land Rover as their home.

But when Leo picks a tech mogul as her new mark, and she shortly goes missing, Summer uses her skills to track down what happened to her friend.

Lots of twists and turns, although somewhat predictable, a fun read.

Stop whatever you are reading and read this book right now. This was a fast paced thriller that truly had me on the edge of my seat. I read this in one sitting because I had to know what was going to happen!

Summer and Leo are best friends and they are also nomadic grifters. They are looking for their next targets when Leo sets her sights on Michael, a billionaire. Summer is a pickpocket and Leo is more of a long game kind of girl. She wants to get her hands on his money and pay back Summer for all that she has done for her. Then, Leo goes missing. Now they are both in trouble.

What I liked: This book is dual POV, told from both Summer and Leo’s perspective. We also get some glimpses into the past that help shape them and we understand what makes them who they are. I also really enjoyed the fast pace of the book.

What I didn’t like: Nothing! I can’t find one thing that I didn’t like about it.

Read this book if you like:

🖤 Characters that are morally grey
🏃‍♀️ fast paced thrillers
👀 Reading in one sitting

This is the first book I have ever read by Wendy Heard and I am so excited to read more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing- Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This thriller is told in the alternating POV's of two female con artists. Summer is a young woman with a penchant for pick pocketing, and her friend/protege Leo contributes by conning men of influence out of money, jewelry, and other gifts. They are free spirited nomads who live out of a Land Cruiser and travel up and down the California Coast while constantly in search of their next con.

When Leo meets (and seduces) philanthropic billionaire Michael Forrester, the friends are sure that they will get the payday of a lifetime. But a wrench is thrown into their plans when, shortly after meeting Michael, Leo goes missing. After doing a little research, Summer realizes that Leo was last seen on Forrester's private island. She, of course, finds a way to follow her friend, and from there a pulse pounding thriller ensues.

The very best aspect of this story is that Summer and Leo are characters you want to root for. Yes, they may be criminals, but their tragic back stories and fierce devotion to one another make the fact that they break the law for a living nearly irrelevant. I did see one of the big twists in the story coming, but the need to find out what happens to Summer and Leo kept me on the edge of my seat and reading late into the night. In a sea of current thrillers, these characters stand out in the best way possible.

*A special thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for an advanced readers copy of "You Can Trust Me" in exchange for an honest review*

I loved this book. It was full of suspense and was entertaining the whole entire ride. The bond Summer and Leo have is so precious. The “I would do anything for you” vibe of this story was amazing & i loved the flashback chapters bc they really added to the story! Highly, highly recommend!

What a ride. I loved how smart and sharp these protagonists were. Much more enjoyable to read about than the typical girls in thrillers. While some of the plot points were guessable, it was still a page turner that kept me reading into the night—without rolling my eyes. Loved it!

YOU CAN TRUST ME is a superbly plotted suspense novel. We follow two morally gray main characters, Summer and Leo, both of whom are multi-faceted and intriguing. Their bond is strong, but they may have met their match. The author does a great job at weaving the past flashbacks into the present storyline. As the narrative develops, it's hard to put this one down. I look forward to Wendy Heard's next book.

Great book…loved Summer & Leo! Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book. This was the first Wendy Heard book I’ve read, but won’t be the last! Never a dull moment…it was nice to have such a fresh plot outside of the many ‘housewife’ thrillers I’ve been reading. I could see this being a movie!

Two grifters, Summer and Leo, may have met their match with their next target billionaire Michael Forrester. Desperate to replenish their funds they think this next con could be the ticket to a better life. Michael is taken by Leo and invites her to a private island for a work weekend getaway but Summer and Leo don't realize they may have stepped right into a trap.

You Can Trust Me is a fantastic page-turner that you won’t want to put down. This fast paced thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat. This was a new to me author and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed her writing style, characters, and intriguing plot twist. This is the perfect book to curl up with over a weekend...a must read for 2023!

You Can Trust Me was a good, fast-paced thriller. I liked seeing the women not be delicate or so scared that they cannot act, and that much of this is about their lives and friendship. While this book was not jaw-dropping for me - I did see most things coming - it is a good choice for a beach read and something I would recommend checking out!

Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review

I can not believe how hard it was to put down this book! I went in with low expectations because I was not a huge fan of She's Too Pretty to Burn. I love how Leo and Summer look out for each other, they definitely give me Mia & Lucia vibes from White Lotus season 2. I always love a thriller that I think I have figured out and then what I think is going to happens changes again and again. The dual pov really helped the story move along and I was hanging onto every word in this book.

7/10 - Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a fast paced psychological thriller, which is obviously my favorite type of book. I loved the two main characters, and constantly found myself wanting to pick my Kindle back up. I also liked how all of the characters played a major part in the story. In other words, there weren’t any unnecessary characters.

I did, however, figure out the plot twist pretty early on. It never really kept me guessing but also didn’t stop me from finishing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for sharing this digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Interesting, intriguing story of friendship, sisterhood, and the will to survive. Though morally gray, I found Summer and Leo so endearing. I loved their bond and their pursuit of freedom at any cost. I enjoyed the flashbacks and learning more about each woman's story in tandem with the mystery happening in the present day. I definitely was more drawn to Summer and her personal history.

I did find the story slightly predictable and was able to figure out the "twist" pretty early on. This did not, however, get in the way of enjoying the story. I liked that so many of the side characters were not trustworthy...it felt like it took and crutch away as the story unfolded!

Great, quick read. Would definitely recommend!

Although I liked this book and enjoyed reading it…it was just okay. There were no shocking twists, at least not for me because it was all pretty obvious where it was going and where it ended up. Nothing really surprising happened. The writing style was good. I liked the two main characters and how it went back and forth between their POVs and also between past and present timelines. I gave this 3 stars…it was good, but predictable.