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.

This had all the ingredients of a book I could really see myself loving: mystery, strong women struggling with past trauma, a look into the uber rich. And yet it just didn’t hit for me. It took a little while for me to be fully gripped by the story. If I’m being honesty, I’m not sure I would have kept reading if it wasn’t an ARC. There was too much backstory and set-up that could have been learned along the way once the book got into the meat of the plot. I did find it to be an engaging read, but I also found myself skimming a lot of the pages. Especially the sections where it was just the characters getting from point A to point B. I also don’t know that I buy all the mechanics of the mystery or the main villain. Were all of this person’s actions believable based on their psychology? I’m not sure. Unfortunately, I saw the ending coming from a mile away. If the plot intrigues you, I would say check this one out!

It was a good story with a great sisterly bond plot. Around chapter 24 is when I figured things out, and there's no surprise to the ending. The toggle from past to present helps with character development. There's not much to say regarding the book, as it's good. There's nothing special about it.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Summer and Leo are just like sisters pickpocketing their way through life. This fast paced book takes a turn when Leo meets a wealthy tech mogul who brings her to his private island. Summer gets nervous when she doesn’t hear from Leo and jumps into action. Thank you NG for this AMAZING ARC. Don’t miss this one - you’ll be up all night !

This is a refreshing break from domestic thrillers. It's fast paced and keeps you guessing until the end. I liked the duel timeline that wove together past and present. Summer and Leo are con artists that decide to take on Millionaire Michael. When Leo disappears on his private island, Summer has to look for her while uncovering his dark secrets.

The power of females! Summer and Leo are soul "sisters", drawn together by circumstance and meant for each other. Their nomadic life drives them from city to city, allowing them each to use their specific skill set to con people out of money and survive.

Enter the billionaire...Leo finds her mark and goes for it. As he sweeps her away to his private island, Summer figures out something is wrong and goes after her best friend.

No spoilers, so you're on your own from there. This was twisty and unique- I've never read a book with a plot line similar to this and I really enjoyed that. I also liked the two main characters so much- their relationship was remarkable and they didn't take crap from anyone. Loved that!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC release for my honest feedback.

OMG. WOW. Wow. Boom. You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard blew me away! This thriller rocketed straight to the top tier of my Best Books of 2023 list. Don't let the pretty, pastel colored book cover fool you. This story is dark. The writing is flawless, the characters fresh and unforgettable, the terrifying tale (sadly) all too plausible. I didn't want the story to end but couldn't read fast enough to find out what happens to Summer and Leo.

If this book hasn't already been optioned for the big screen, I bet it will be. Highly recommended. Don't miss this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballentine, Bantam for offering an ARC to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

A terrifically twisty mystery with not one but two resourceful women to root for. Summer and Leo are con artists who grift their way through California's elite, but they may have bitten off more than they can chew when they set a tech billionaire in their sights. When free-spirited Leo disappears on his private island, Summer sets her teeth and comes looking--the result is a fantastically wild ride!

I devoured this book in a day! Summer and Leo are not your traditional heroines - they're pickpockets who steal credit cards and money from unsuspecting victims. The find themselves getting into deep trouble when they meet the wrong people. Now, trapped on an island owned by super-wealthy Michael, they realize that maybe they've picked the wrong rich guy to mess with. Told in alternating viewpoints of Summer and Leo, this fast-paced twisty thriller is one that I won't soon forget! 5 stars!

This was such a good thriller! There were so many twist and turns. I loved Leo and Summer. Very suspenseful and an easy read!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!!

Imagine my surprise when I opened my email and NetGalley had invited me to read this one based off my prior readings. Of course I accepted when reading the blurb. It sounded right up my alley and it absolutely delivered.

Leo and Summer were not pur average protagonists...They're two free spirits, living the van life up and down California. They liken themselves to Robin Hood about, except they're the poor they're helping. They both have their strengths when it comes to their criminal activity, Summer using her charms and talent to pickpocket, Leo using hers for the longer game: short loved relationships. Leo believes she met the perfect mark after he liked her IG picture...and then their lives change.

This is a good example of your thriller/suspense genre. The author clearly knows what she's doing. Even though this is my first time reading her work, I have a fondness for this genre. I found the big reveal obvious, but there were enough curveballs throughout that I was happy with this book and the ending. I look forward to looking up more books by the author.

"You Can Trust Me" by Wendy Heard is a thrilling and suspenseful novel that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end. The story follows the life of a struggling actress named Mia, who finds herself tangled in a web of deceit, betrayal, and murder when she becomes involved with a mysterious and charismatic man named Max.

The book is well-written and the plot is full of twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. The characters are complex and well-developed, and the story is told from multiple points of view, which adds depth and dimension to the narrative.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book is the exploration of the dark side of social media and the way it can be used to manipulate and control people. The author delves into the psychology of online relationships and the way they can blur the lines between reality and fiction, which is a timely and thought-provoking theme.

Overall, "You Can Trust Me" is a fast-paced and engaging novel that is perfect for fans of psychological thrillers and suspenseful mysteries. The story is gripping and the characters are compelling, making it a book that is difficult to put down. If you're looking for a thrilling and captivating read, this book is definitely worth checking out.

This was a fast read. Well-written, but did not love the ending. There was no huge twist. It was extremely predictable, but is a good choice to a palette cleanser between other reads. I think the characters were quite forgettable.

What a fun story! This was unlike anything I've ever read and I had a really great time! This book was full of suspense and twists and I loved it! I never knew quite what to expect when I turned the page and was so invested. Its a short book so you can read in one sitting and get all of the answers (that you'll crave!)

I absolutely loved this book! It was so much fun I couldn’t put it down. I hope she makes a second book with the two lead characters.

Thank you NetGalley, and the publisher for a digital copy of this book for my honest opinion

Although this book seems very interesting, and there are definitely many people I know who will enjoy it when it eventually releases, it was just not for me. I do not believe that I am necessarily the target demographic for it, and I probably should not have accepted the ARC that I was given. Despite all this, the part of the novel that I did read, as I did not finish the whole thing, appeared very intriguing

I really enjoyed the "damn the man" attitude that Summer and Leo had. Every time Summer mentioned her mother, I got uncontrollably angry. I thought my mom was bad but at least she gave me a last name and a birthday. I loved the dynamic between Summer and Leo and the dedication they have to each other as friends. This story was riveting from the first page and I had trouble putting it down. I would definitely recommend this to my friends.

This was a really fun thriller. I couldn't put it down once I started reading it, and read it within a day. Summer and Leo were excellent heroines and I loved living inside their head. Docking one point since I did feel the twists were a bit predictable, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride nonetheless.