TRUST by Kylie Scott...... 5 Clock review by Dawn.

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.

My Review

Absolutely hands down, one of my favorite reads so far this year! And I do not say that lightly. 
Trust by Kylie Scott, is in a word...phenomenal! 

This is categorized as YA, but I would never let that dissuade you from reading it. It is about two teenagers but the writing, my god the writing!  It is so smart ,gritty, age appropriate language, witty, and beautiful. I at no time felt like this was YA. Which is important as I am not normally a fan of that genre. Simply because many authors use terms and language that as a mother of 2 teenage boys, they do not use. It is often too mature, even for 18 year olds and that bothers me. Not the case with Trust.

The two leads John and Edie (E-DEE) are linked together because of a horrible tragic event. That one night changes everything in their separate and collective lives. The way this story was told, I connected with Edie and her struggle. If you have ever had a daughter who has struggled with self esteem issues or if you have. This is brilliant. Edie, often puts herself down, but not so harshly that it is off putting. I loved this less than perfect, but perfect in so many ways, leading lady. She is discovering that she is not meant to be this shrinking violet. Escaping a life or death experience has made Edie, live for the moment and that may not always be the safest or smartest way to live. Feeling the need to suppress the events that unfolded at the Drop Stop, sleep has become the enemy. Midnight rides with the only person who understands what she is going through is her choice of therapy. But can John keep all of their combined demons at bay?

John Cole... Is. It. He is everything that Edie, likes, but is everything she is afraid of, until he saves her life. John is a wonderful leading man. He is the popular guy and that is not because he is the winning quarterback. No, John is the local pot dealer, making him a favorite among the high school. He just happens to be at the wrong place at the right time. When you are faced with life or death, you choose how you want to walk away, better or worse. For John, better was the only way he could go. He was distancing himself from those who only wanted him for what he could get them. In walks the only person who knows how it feels to have your life flipped upside down in a matter of minutes. The only person to step up and try to save him, when he is falsely accused. He is looking for a friend and maybe this girl can be that. Showing up at her bedroom window and midnight rides are their therapy sessions. John, is looking toward the future for the first time in his life and Edie is struggling to get through each day. They need each other, they need that connection with the one person who just "gets it."  Friends can be many things, but can they be everything? Learning to Trust is one of life's toughest lessons to learn.  It can either lead you to the greatest loves of your life, or show you just how much you can hurt.  Do you trust yourself to know the difference?

I could easily go on and on and on, as if I have not done this already. But this is a wonderful story and so perfectly written. The entire cast was vital to this story. The supporting characters are so well written and believable I was flooded with memories of my HS days! I was totally invested in these characters. 

This is by far a 5 clock read for me. I absolutely love it.