Book Shelf: Trust by Kylie Scott

Being young is all about the experiences: the first time you skip school, the first time you fall in love…the first time someone holds a gun to your head.

After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen-year-old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers.

While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight—getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.

An unlikely bond grows between the two as John keeps Edie out of trouble and helps her broaden her horizons. But when he helps her out with another first—losing her virginity—their friendship gets complicated.

Meanwhile, Edie and John are pulled back into the dangerous world they narrowly escaped. They were lucky to survive the first time, but this time they have more to lose—each other.

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Review: 


Trust is Kylie Scott’s first foray into the Young Adult genre and is nothing short of spectacular. Riveting reading from beginning to end, Trust is a delicious tale of first discoveries, love and friendship unfolding with real, harrowing and gritty moments that give this incredible story life.

Life is all about firsts; first love, first kiss….first time you’re held hostage as part of an armed robbery. All seventeen year old Edie wanted to do was buy snacks for a night of tv with her equally socially awkward best friend when she finds herself with a gun to her head in a convenience store. Held hostage by a drugged out madman, Edie barley escapes with her life thanks to the quick thinking of fellow teenager John who is also inside the store. With her attitude about life drastically altered, Edie decides to escape the snobbery at her private school and enrol in the local public high school, putting her in close proximity to John. Known for his history of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, John is desperately trying to turn his life around. John and Edie should be leagues apart, but as they bond over the traumatic experience they both endured, their strong friendship begins to blossom into something more, bringing them as close as two people can be. But with danger hanging over John, will Edie be drawn back into a dangerous situation she won’t be able to escape this time?

Largely known for her brilliant adult romances, I truly believe Kylie Scott has really outdone herself with Trust. There is really nothing I can say that will do this book justice, nor can I fault the way Kylie Scott has written this story. Trust was perfectly paced, featured teen characters who were relatable, believable and true, and managed to weave together all my favourite aspects of an authentic contemporary story dealing with hard hitting teen themes.

Though Trust is classed as a YA novel, I do think it’s more appropriately a NA tale, or at the very least an upper class YA as it does deal with some strong topics, includes some realistic violence and depicts sex scenes. That being said, Kylie Scott explores these topics so very beautifully and in an authentic, believable way. These teens felt real. They experienced emotions and insecurities all teenagers experience at some point or another; trauma, body issues, insecurity, uncertainty, embarrassment, sex, drugs, alcohol, relationships and betrayal---the whole kit and caboodle. It was there; Trust explored it and managed to do so through the eyes of a genuine down to earth seventeen year old girl who embodied so much of who today’s teenage girl really is.

Breaking away from your typical jock/cheerleader school dynamic or tales where the ‘plain Jane” still manages to entrance every boy she comes across, Edie does break the mold in the sense that she is what a lot of teenagers seem themselves as. She’s junk food addicted, awkward, chubby, bitter and somewhat jaded. She’s been bullied and betrayed, but as Trust unfolds Edie finds her own happiness amongst a great group of friends and thanks to a teenage boy who is determined to help her with all her “firsts” and who comes to adore her for all she is; seeing in her what Edie can’t seem to see in herself.

I mean John; John has been a “bad boy”. He’s dealt drugs and dabbled in his fair share of teen shenanigans, but in his final year of high school he’s determined to turn things around. He’s Edie’s savior during the robbery and quickly becomes a very focal point in her life as a friend, a confidant and eventually a lover. What I adored about John—aside from the fact Scott writes him as a fantastic specimen of a man—is that he cares so deeply for Edie. He’s a typical guy, but he’s also a loyal friend. He’s kind and protective of her and thinks the world of her. John thinks she’s hot and there’s nothing sexier than a man who adores his girl for everything she is.

So in saying that, I absolutely adored the relationship between John and Edie that Kylie Scott has written. They developed such a beautiful friendship on the back of a tragedy and managed to truly help each other. The kindness between them, seeing them really care…about the small things and the simple things with each other was wonderful to witness unfold. And then there’s the romance that develops.....

No spoilers where this is concerned as we all just knew it was going to happen, but that didn’t make the burning attraction any less addictive. The small touches and emotions that developed as they crossed the bridge from friends to lovers in an honest way was perfect and so alluring. Sex is messy and awkward and difficult under the best of circumstances, and Kylie Scott doesn’t shy away from making the intimate moments between Edie and John as realistic as possible. And props to her for writing Trust this way and being truthful in her writing. The sex scenes were sexy and appealing in their honesty and were perfect with the rest of the tone within the story.

Gritty and raw, Trust is a real beauty, perfect for those who love Colleen Hoover and Abbi Glines. Kylie Scott has created something wonderful with Trust and even though I’m sad to say goodbye to Edie and John, I will definitely revisit their story again and again…..

Rating:

Source: Sent for review by publisher via Netgalley (Thank you!)
Publisher: Published by author
Format: Kindle ebook via Netgalley
Release Date: July 18th 2017
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Final Thoughts: Without a doubt one of my favourite books of 2017 (possibly ever!) I can't recommend Trust enough!