Definitely leaves you needing more!
Title: Trusted
Author: Taylor L. Stimac
Genre: YA Romance
Pages: 326
Reviewer: Debby
(N.B. Special thanks to Taylor L. Stimac for providing a copy of the text for review)
Blurb:
When fifteen year old Tegan Summers catches the eye of local radio personality Rake Johnson, she finally feels like a normal teenage girl. Everything about their relationship feels perfect, except for the unexplained presence that makes her believe she should stay away.
On the same day she meets Rake, another man makes his way into her life: Officer Damien Sanders. His mysterious and often intense warnings urge Tegan to trust him and to end her relationship with Rake. As she works to uncover Damien’s motive, she begins to realize that he may end up playing a vital role in her future.
Discover what Tegan must do in TRUSTED, the debut novel by author Taylor L. Stimac.
Would you trust a stranger?
Review:
This debut novel by Taylor L. Stimac was a pleasant surprise. Trusted is a story that really captures the essence of how awkward the teenage years can be for everyone. Being somewhat outside of my teenage years, I still found it easy to relate to the protagonist as I have been that awkward, unsure and insecure teenage girl. I felt that Stimac did an exceptional job of expressing these characteristics in Tegan.
Stimac’s character interaction was also very effective. I really liked the way she wrote the friendship between Tegan and her best friend Sara. Sara, as the more socially experienced girl with less boundaries set at home, served as someone that Tegan could look up to and go to for advice. At the same time the differences between the two friends allowed some of that “teenage girl struggle for power and position cattiness” to shine through.
Of course, my favourite character interaction was between Tegan and her love interest, Rake. This relationship is the stuff of which teenage girls’ dreams are made. Rake is confident, has a cool job, drives a truck, isn’t afraid of parents and buys flower and jewelry!! This blossoming relationship alone gives reason to read this book!
The one criticism I have, which depending on one’s reading preferences, may not even be a criticism, is simply that I wished I had been given more information. Obviously, this is the first book in a series so some blanks are expected but, in a rather crafty move by the author, I simply have to read the second book in order to discover more about the mysterious character of Officer Sanders. I do know that his character is very passionate and intriguing so I am definitely interested in learning more about his role in the story.
So, overall this was an enjoyable read that most definitely left me hanging! I will be looking out for the follow up!
Book Gossips 