Trust Me, I'm Trouble (Trust Me)

by Mary Elizabeth Summer

[Kelly]

I absolutely love this series, It's sassy, clever and incredibly entertaining. Our young heroine in sixteen year old Julep is a grifter, or con artist if you will. After her mother left her and her father behind, she followed in her father's footsteps, running schemes through her private school and fleecing wealthy teens of their spare change. In Trust Me, I'm Lying, Julep was involved in finding clues her father had left her, stumbling into a Ukrainian organised crime ring that was trafficking young girls. She's now known as the patron saint of lost girls, a title that doesn't sit well with the teen grifter. What makes this series so incredibly engaging is Julep. She's confronting, sassy and multi layered despite her calm and collected facade. What sets Julep apart from other lesser protagonists is that she isn't pretentious or vain, and certainly couldn't care less about how she's perceived by her peers.

The romance was heart achingly beautiful and unexpected. Julep feels so deeply but in a rare moment of vulnerability is afraid to take a chance. It added such a likability to her character and also allowed her to bond with her new foster mother, Mike's wife Angela. As the story unravels, Julep goes undercover to infiltrate what seems to be a cult organisation, linked not only to the famed Blue Fairy, but also to her mother who had abandoned her. Unlike the first installment, I found Trust Me, I'm Trouble to be far less predictable and really enjoyed the strong focus on Julep's personal life. I feel readers can now begin to understand why she attempts to remain emotionally detached from those around her. Julep has faced abandonment, the death of Tyler, losing Sam, the incarceration of her father and all while her life had been in jeopardy, not once but twice. Fans of Ally Carter will adore this series.

Sassy, intense and wonderfully written, The Trust Me series is an engaging and entertaining blend of contemporary, mystery and adventure with a surprising and bittersweet romantic storyline. Readers will enjoy Julep's character development from ruthless grifter to a girl who now isn't afraid to let others past her emotional walls. With an ending that broke my heart, I can't wait to see what's in store for Julep... Hopefully the happy ending this sassy, snarky teen deserves.