Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This was an interesting read. I couldnt wait to keep picking this one up.
I really wanted to find out what happened.
The author did drop little hints throughout the book which made it even more gripping for me.

Loved the fact that this was told in two parts, leaving you guessing about the truth. Such a twisty read with a lot of suspense and tension. Really enjoyed it. Both main characters were fascinating.

This was certainly a different sort of read for me, it was actually really enjoyable. Quick read as well as you wanted to just read one more chapter and one more.

Interesting concept but there was something missing for me.
Well written though and a new author for me and I would try another book and hope it would be better.

I really wondered where this was going at one point, it's clear one of the main characters has something to hide but things are not always what they seem. Read this in a day as it caught my imagination. Would definitely recommend and will have a look at this author's other work.

Great read, great characters, would definitely recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

I read this book as part of my monthly book club’s Online Readalong. We split the book into 2 parts and read it over a period of two weeks.

You Can Trust Me is split into 3 parts and has 2 main narrators. Nicky, a single women, struggling financially and working as a successful ghostwriter for various minor celebrities and Olivia, an internet influencer who decides to hire Nicky to write her autobiography.

Nicky narrates the first part of the book and she appears to be a thorough and honest author with a nose for a story and a conscience that ensures she provides her clients exactly what they want despite having to hide any unwanted skeletons. Having just broken up with her boyfriend, she finds herself financially struggling and when she is contacted by Olivia’s PA to ghost write her story, she jumps at the chance.

However as soon as Nicky meets Olivia it’s clear that what appears to be a successful career, lovely husband, beautiful stately home is actually a well constructed façade hiding some shocking secrets and despite being employed to write an autobiography, Olivia is keen to keep her past hidden and rewrite own edited version of her life.

The second part of the book is a much faster pace full of twists, turns and surprises. My opinion on certain characters changed rapidly throughout the book.

If you like unreliable narrators, strong female characters and a clever concept, then I think you would enjoy this book

An interesting concept, but a poor execution led to it being a rather unsatisfactory read. Both women are unreliable narrators, but rather than building tension this just makes the book feel disjointed and confusing. Neither women are likeable, which also adds to a lack of interest in what happens to them. Plus, the writing style was very much a case of telling now showing, and any tension is lost by pages of over explanation after a twist occurs, meaning that it felt very sluggish and dull to read. It's not the worst book I've read, but it's definitely not the best, and ultimately it was slow and forgettable.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

This was an intriguing, well written mystery.
I thoroughly enjoyed the way in which the story was told, showing various interpretations from different points of view.
The characterisation was great, and overall I found this a truly compelling read.

Honestly, the first half was alright and I wasn't too invested in the story, up until we got Olivia's POV. Then it was a total rollercoaster ride and I couldn't stop reading. There were some reveals that I had not seen coming and I ended up really enjoying this book by the time I had finished. Four well-earned stars!

Great characters
full of twists and suspense
fast paced and keeps you hooked
Good book - recommended read

2 unreliable narrators, a lifestyle influencer and the novel ghostwriter, a past and the new present, a facade and the real truth. Those were the core of this book by author Emma Rowley. The author made me doubt everyone while saying – You Can Trust Me. Could I?

Olivia hired a ghostwriter to write her memoir of sorts. Entered Nicky who was soon given a room at her house. As expected, strange things began to happen. Then Nicky disappeared, and I got to hear Olivia’s POV subtly saying one thing – You Can Trust Me. Could I?

The story had some suspenseful moments, where I was delighted in a perverse way about the things that happened to Nicky. The author made the characters unlikable all the while telling me – You Can Trust Me. Could I?

Then came my niggles. The plotlines were rough and staccato. What could have been unexpected became predictable. Twists could be seen a distance away.

Overall I did have fun reading it.

Nicky Wilson is a ghostwriter, hired to write the autobiography of Olivia Hayes, a social media influencer with many followers. Nicky wants a no-holds-barred approach but Olivia would rather stick to the social media lifestyle she presents. The truth is that Olivia has a less than perfect marriage that she keeps under wraps, and is hiding the details of a tragic accident that happened in her childhood. As Nicky delves into Olivia's past she becomes obsessed with her lovely house, and dark secrets are unveiled in this duplicitous tale.

The story is told from the viewpoints of Nicky and Olivia with occasional switching between timelines. The first part of the story is Nicky’s and it is relatively slow-paced, then the reader gets Olivia's perspective and things really take off after a shocking twist. The suspense levels soar as the story naturally progresses and I was captivated until the surprising conclusion. This is my first novel by Emma Rowley and her vivid writing style works for me. I thoroughly enjoyed You Can Trust Me And I will be reading more of this author's appealing writing.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Orion Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Great characters
full of twists and suspense
fast paced and keeps you hooked
Good book - recommended read

Thank you netgalley, Emma Rowley and Orion Publishing Group for allowing me to read and review this book.

i recently finished ‘You Can Trust Me’ by Emma Rowley and thought I was going LOVE IT when I flew threw the first half, it was seriously one of those days when i could and WOULD have bit the hand of anyone that came between me and my book 😅 (nobody was harmed... physically...) then it kinda took a bit of a turn for me, it didn’t quite jump of a cliff per say, but the second half became pretty disjointed and honestly i got a little distracted n less engaged by the lack of consistency 🤯😩 there were some pretty amazing sections of fear and tension but overall it’s not an especially memorable book.

I’d recommend if you want a quick read about an influencer not being who they appear to be on social media 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 thank-you to @netgalley for the advanced preview as always !!! YOU GUYS ROCK !!!!! 😁🥰

The relationship between ghostwriter and subject has the potential for a fascinating story but this one didn't work for me. The early part of the book moved slowly with scenes where nothing much happened and then in the latter part it morphed into melodrama. There were also a lot of inconsistencies in the story eg the influencer has supposedly kept her past secret but it's discussed casually by the waitress in the pub with a stranger, the ghostwriter who has explained (at length) that she can't discuss her role wanders round telling everyone why she is there.

A new author to me and a book with a good, solid storyline..
Olivia Hayes is an influencer; her online presence shows her perfect life, her perfect home, her perfect family and her perfect choices. Nicky Wilson is none of these things, but she is a ghostwriter and desperately wants to clinch the deal to write Olivia's biography. But squeaky clean doesn't sell books the same way a few skeletons in the closet will - so can Nicky find out the nitty gritty details? And more to the point, will Olivia let her?
This is just that little bit different and lulled me into a false sense of security where I was thinking it was a nice easy read. Hah! There are hidden depths to this one and it all unfolds very slowly giving the reader plenty of time to absorb it all. I was a bit puzzled when the identity of the narrator suddenly changed- began to think I'd lost it somewhere but a bit of back-tracking soon put me right. This is a well written but confusing novel, and I didn't find it as suspenseful as it could have been. However, it's a decent enough read and may well appeal more to other readers. I'm happy to give it 4*.
My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Great atmosphere, but left me disappointed in the end. There is some deliberate misleading of the reader in the first part that put me off very much when the reveal happened. Overall, it wasn’t fully clear to me what happened, and also what Nicky’s motivation was. The insight into a ghostwriter’s work was very interesting, but it also left me with questions, for example, if she’s signed an NDA and not supposed to make public who she’s ghosted for, why does she go around telling everyone in town that she’s writing Olivia’s autobiography?

A dark, gripping and entertaining story that kept me hooked till the last page.
I liked the well thought characters and the well crafted plot that made turn pages as fast as I could.
Well thought characters, good storytelling and a solid plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.