Trust Me On This by Lauren Parvizi

Zahra and Aurora Star, estranged half-sisters living very different lives, set out on a road trip to see their dying father who has something to tell them. Along the way they confront their past mistakes and forge a new understanding, but not without some serious challenges.

Oh I loved this book so much! Fabulous characters with really interesting back stories which made for a very eventful road trip. Lots of themes and meaning within the sisters' stories - loss, grief, trust, fame, childhood, parenting and so many more. And the food, wow my mouth watered a lot! Very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Parvizi, in her lyrical way of writing, captures the essence of sisterhood...stradling the intersection of nature versus nurture. Her main characters (Zahra and Aurora) are both endearing and broken, which readers will appreciate. By the time you get to know them, you'll feel like you are riding in the car with them as they journey--literally and metaphorically--through their struggles, emotional baggage and all. Couldn't put it down. Brava!

Thank you so much to Lake Union Publishing for the gifted book!

I was sold on this one based on the gorgeous cover and the fact that the audiobook was narrated by Brittany Pressley. She always does the most wonderful job bringing a story to life, and this was certainly no exception!

I am always a sucker for a good sister/family drama especially when the reader is promised major secrets revealed, etc. Throw in a last minute road trip and I'm sold! The relationship between the two sisters felt so authentic to how things would be in real life. All of their emotions were so clearly shown/told.

There were definitely a couple parts that almost brought me to tears!

I would definitely read more from Lauren Parvizi in the future!

3.5 rounded up

If a book about a road trip in California with an actress and a foodie pair of sisters sounds good you’ll love this book. We have a great plot even if maybe neither sister is particularly likeable. This book is a story of a modern family with complicated sibling and parental relationships. It’s relatable and warm and a bit funny. The California setting was a bonus for me as were the Hollywood and foodie careers of our sisters. The ending might have been a bit too tidy but there’s a twist or two and I think it's the conclusion the book needs. I read it in one day and that's always a good sign! Compelling and easy to read for sure. Thanks to the author, netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of Trust Me On This through NetGalley. Thank you. I enjoyed the story of two sisters on a road trip to see their father during his last days. It is the stops along their way and the secrets they share and find that kept the pages turning. A very relatable story. A good read!

I loved this story of two mostly-estranged step-sisters who go on a road trip together to see their sick dad. I loved that they each had unique 3-dimensional personalities. I loved the little bit of romance and I loved that we also got to see both of their moms in their own homes. I loved the tiny details around the cars, the cat, the food. I loved the food.

By the end of this story, I was attached to both of the sisters and felt like I was rooting for them and riding along the journey with them. There's a twist at the end that I am not sure was necessary. It didn't ruin the story for me but it also didn't really add to it, in my opinion.

I still loved how this book tackled both the complexities of the trauma each sister carried and navigated the texture of sisterhood. (even if a step-sisterhood.)

with gratitude to netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I’m always drawn to books with dual points of view, and this one was no exception! I quickly became attached to both sisters and felt a strong connection to their journeys. While I truly enjoyed the story, there were a few moments that felt a bit slower. I definitely wanted a Caesar salad after reading this!

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Lake Union Publishing

3.5 stars rounded up
This was a heartwarming read that kept me engaged throughout. I loved the road trip aspect and the character development of the sisters. I paired the print and audio and enjoyed reading this way.

There was something that I can’t put my finger on that kept me from truly loving the book. But I want to 100% acknowledge that this is much more of a reader preference thing than a reflection on the writing.

My thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

4⭐️

[a copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher from netgalley. thank you!]

a sweet and heartwarming book about a road trip and familial love and relationships. the writing style was gorgeous and the characters were well-developed.

This was a very heartwarming read! As a person who relies on my sisters for a lot of things, I felt especially compelled by it. I like the way Parvizi teases out the relationship between the sisters, how their differences both push them apart and pull them back together. (I also LOVED the funny side plot about their cat companion on their road trip, but I’m a sucker for mischievous cats!).

Also . . . I had a 300-page craving for Caesar salad (you’ll get it if you read!) and found the descriptions of food and cooking to be scrumptious and wonderful. It has its sad moments for sure, but overall, it was quirky and feel-good. A great read when you’re in a mood to think about the people in your life who are most important to you, and maybe also the most complicated.

Trust Me On This is the story of two half-sisters who end up on an unexpected road trip together to visit their dying father. Zahra is a divorcee who has made the pursuit of perfecting recipes her life, and Aurora is a rising actress caught in a defining moment for her career.

I loved the exploration of the intricacies of relationships throughout this story, between family but also other connections that are important in our main characters lives. I also enjoyed the dual POV and it really added to the story, giving space to both Aurora and Zahra to explore the complexities of their characters and to make them feel lile fully-rounded, real and relateable people. I connected a lot with Zahra and I could see a lot of myself in her character.

Themes of grief and resentment ran heavy throughout, but there was so much more to this story. It was about love and loss, communication and how people deal with difficult things that happen in their lives. It was filled with raw emotions and I was very invested in the characters and them completing their trip to visit their Dad.

A wonderful read filled with heart that I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys a road-trip story, and/or exploring the fine details of family connection.

As a fan of foodie fiction, I was drawn into the story as soon I read the first sentence. Freelance recipe developer, Zahara, lovingly cooks a dish with lemon and parsley, wishing there was someone with whom she could share the sensual pleasures of a satisfying meal—even though she’s a self-described anti–people person. She’s strong-willed and determined, a straight-shooter I can get behind, especially when she shows a little tenderness toward her estranged sister. Aurora, an Emmy-nominated actress, is trained to control her emotions, and her tears. Together, the two lonely sisters, as different from A to Z, discover what it takes to overcome family secrets.

Parvizi’s writing is evocative and poetic, as fresh as lemon juice and as fine as forget-me-nots. Piercing metaphors, and a strong voice in contemporary women’s fiction, Parvizi’s story of grief, longing, and forgiveness is also a delicious tribute to home-cooked meals as acts of love, even if it’s just for one, and how food is meant to be shared. If you like road-trips, secrets, and reconciliation, you’ll love Trust Me on This.

While reading this book I joined two estranged sisters on a heartfelt ride to see their dying father. The raw emotion in this book is palpable. I was hooked from the beginning, I believe there is a little Zahra in most of us. Her journey became mine in this page turning story about love, loss, and finding the light in between. I also have to give some merit to the brilliantly intertwined food references. A unique way to give some lightness to a heavy family story.
Well done.

A story about sisters but also fathers and daughters. The novel opens by showing us a distance between half sisters Zahra and Aurora; understandably so, considering their disparate careers and personalities, their mothers and upbringings. At first, it is only their father who connects them and he reveals to them both that he is terminally ill but he has something he needs to tell them both. He wants his girls to travel to him in Seattle. 

What follows is their impromptu road trip which pulls Zahra and Aurora together and by the time they reach their father, they find their sisterhood strengthened. Lauren Parvizi's novel brims with emotion about valuing family connections, however they may be made (or broken), the importance of sharing time and memories, and the power of sisters.

I have no connection with Hollywood or California, so I loved the fun chapters from Aura Star's naive perspective, the starlet whose moviestar lifestyle has been run by her mother. Her chapters are interspersed with rumours, blog entries and social media postings, in the vein of Gossip Girl or Lady Whistledown. Brilliant! 

For Zahra Starling, a character who is also charismatic but in very different ways, I empathised her yearning for a quiet life following a significant life-changing loss in her early adulthood. In places she appears older than she is, possibly because of her adoration for the kitchen, and a random 'Martha Stewart' reference! She adores the 'beat ... [and] the heat' of the kitchen, its spices and exotic ingredients, in particular those recipes she remembers from observing her Persian immigrant grandmother Maman Joon cook with her as a child. Many of Zahra's chapters are filled with beautiful sensory aromas and descriptions of food. These run through the novel beautifully.    

There is something mesmerising about Kathleen Lynch's eye catching cover for Lauren Parvizi's Trust Me On This, and you should let it draw you in further to read and savour Parvizi's wonderful second novel. Note the colourful starlings on the crockery, scattered herbs and wooden butchers block, tying themes of the novel together. 

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for providing Lauren Parvizi's novel for review via Netgalley. All opinions are my own. Highly recommended! Publication date: April 8th 2025

Dual Point of views tend to be my favorite way to read a book and this one was no exception! i loved both sisters and connected to both of them immediately! I enjoyed this one but will say there were some slow parts!

I have a soft spot for road trip books, and this one hit the mark! Reading about Zahra and Aurora's journey up the California coast often made me feel like I was right there in the backseat. Each sister's distinct voice and perspective shone brightly in their highlighted chapters. As a bonus for Gossip Girl fans, there's a fun gossip column woven throughout the book that I couldn't help but read in Kristen Bell's voice.

I enjoyed Lauren Parvizi's La Vie According to Rose and this is another brilliant exploration of complicated sibling and family dynamics. Zahra and Aurora are great characters and I loved how each of their stories and relationships unfolded, set against a read trip to see their dying father. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review - I hope this one flies!

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC.

This story about the Starling sisters was a true delight. I loved the road trip aspect, the dynamic between the sisters, and the food writing. Oh my god, the food writing was exquisite!

Both sisters felt like fully rounded characters who I rooted for the whole way through. And while not everything was tied in a neat bow, by the end I felt satisfied, like after a delicious meal.

A thoroughly enjoyable read!

Sometimes the right book finds you at the exact right time in your life. As the Starling sisters learn of their dad’s illness, I too was walking through the same experience. Even though the subject hit a little close to home, the way Lauren masterfully weaves together heartbreak and humor is exceptional. Through witty dialogue and tender moments, the book carefully examines the resilience of the human spirit, leaving the reader both teary-eyed and uplifted. This is absolutely a must read and, of course, you have to trust me on this.

A story of two half sisters, Zahra and Aurora, whose father is dying slowly has reached out to them to ask them to be by his side before it is too late. They have been told that he doesn’t have too much time left, so they drive up from LA to Seattle.

There’s a lot of miles to drive, and Aurora, an actress, is supposed to be attending an event, which might or might not happen if they don’t get to see their father in time.

There are a few places which they stop along the way, for food, etc., although they try to remain as ‘invisible’ to others as possible, but in the meantime, Aurora is frequently receiving texts warning her to make sure she shows up to the event she is supposed to attend.

This was such a different - in the best kind of way - story that I’ve read in a while, with the perfect ending.


Pub Date: 08 Apr 2025

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Lake Union Publishing