Trusting the Surface

by Rosie C.

Seventeen-year-old Jenna can't take back what she did five years ago. No one will let her forget it. While battling anxiety, self-harm, and a hostile home environment, surviving is nearly impossible. That is until she meets Trevor. He’s the school's new jock with attractive dark looks and a charming personality. A relationship was something she never planned on, but a relationship is what she gets. Trevor changes everything. She has secrets and scars that she's only ever shared with one other person, her best friend Courtney, and sharing those with Trevor might just prove to be the hardest thing she's ever done. But Trevor has secrets of his own, and once they're revealed there's no taking them back. Will Jenna give into the darkness and lose what’s left of herself? Or will she give into love, and finally live?
Some scenes may be triggering to those who are struggling or have struggled with mental health or abuse

122 pages, Paperback

First published April 6, 2015

About the author

I'm an indie author and I write sad stories.

Reviews

[Life on Readpeat · Rating 5 out of 5]

* Read more of my reviews at Whoo Gives A Hoot *


When I saw this gorgeous cover and read this synopsis I quickly rushed over to Amazon and one-clicked this book! I literally devoured this story in a day and a half (only because I had to work on homework - damn it for always getting in the way of my reading time) and was immediately left wanting more! I have to sat that I cannot wait to read the next book from this extraordinarily talented writer.

As someone who has seen mental health firsthand I have to applaud Rosie C. (Dominique Laura) for doing such a brilliant job at addressing this very controversial subject in such a delicate manner. I could tell that she put a lot of time and effort into every detail of this story. I just want to thank the author for writing a story that dealt with the issue of mental health. Growing up I watched both my father and younger sister struggle to come to grips with their mental health so I am so glad that she has decided to raise awareness for it!

I strongly recommend picking up this story today!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Also: Trigger warning for depression, mental illness, etc.

Trusting the Surface is a story about a girl named Jenna, and her struggle with mental illness and her abusive parents. She has always felt like she isn't worth loving, and she is dealing with a lot of internal struggles that she doesn't let anyone see, except for her best friend Courtney.

First off, I want to say the author did a wonderful job dealing with mental illness. You could tell that it was something she had personal experience with. The pacing of this book was really fast, which is something I enjoyed immensely! I read this book in one sitting, and I didn't want to put it down.

I really enjoyed Jenna's character. I love the way she was written. You knew why she made the decisions she did, and I recognized that her tendency to self doubt herself is something I really need to work on improving as well. Courtney was a really solid best friend. I really enjoyed her character throughout the book. I wish we had fleshed more into her as a character, but because the book was short I understand why we couldn't. Trevor is the main love interest, and I did not enjoy his character. He did some things throughout this book that made me think the book was going to go in the direction of an abusive relationship, but that wasn't the case. Also, something is revealed about him at the end of the book that made me like him even less, although I can understand his decision to an extent.


This book would have a higher rating if it weren't for the ending. I don't want to give any spoilers for those of you who haven't read it, but we find out a huge reveal very close to the end of the book.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVED THE REVEAL. It had me internally freaking out because holy crap, that was so unexpected! I just didn't enjoy how it was handled after Jenna found out.


TO SUMMARIZE:

Things I loved:
- Mental illness being addressed
- Good female friendship
- Pacing of the story
- The two female characters

Things I wasn't a fan of:
- The love interest, Trevor
- The ending of the story (epilogue)


Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of this book to review. I really appreciate it.

[Richelle Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenna lives in a small town and is pretty much an outcast and only has one friend named Courtney. Her parent are abusive and have a lot of issue and she uses self harm to deal with her issues. My heart broke for her because I couldn't imagine living in that type of environment. You're parents are supposed to love and protect you, not be the source of your pain. At least she had Courtney who was her protector so to speak. I loved how she didn't judge her and was there for her no matter what happened.

Trevor is the new mysterious kid in town. Him and Jenna hit it off and everything seems like things are finally looking up for her but everything isn't what it seems. When the secret comes out I was stunned. I wasn't expecting that plot twist at all. If I was Jenna I'm not sure if I could have been that forgiving about the whole situation. But I had to remind myself this is YA and in this world things are different.

This book will definitely stay with me for a long time. It's not your typical YA book. It deals with some heavy subject matter and I applaud the author for writing a book like this! I've never read anything by this author before and I do like her writing style and look forward to reading more books by her in the future.

*review copy by author received for honest opinion*

For more reviews check me out at: http://www.shellysbookcorner.com

[Kelly Kline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenna hasn't had an easy life at all. She has always been picked on in school for her looks and she is just as tortured at home by her own parents.
Life starts to look up for Jenna when she meets Trevor, the new boy at her school. The problem is in Jennas mind is Trevor just too good to be true? Can she truly put her love and trust into him or will he hurt her as much as everyone else in her life has??

I absolutely and totally fell in love with this story from page one! It completely gripped me from the beginning and I couldn't stand to put the book down. Its a heart wrenching story of the strength it takes for some people to keep going in life. This story takes you inside the mind of what its like to struggle with depression and also shows what it feels like to be bullied. I could definitely feel every bit of emotion that the characters felt in this story. I think it was beautifully written and your really missing out if you don't read this book! There are not enough words for me to praise this book with. I just loved it!!

Please note that I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC and this is my review:

Very touchy subject but amazingly addressed and written. This book grabs you from the dedication and does not let go. I could not put it down. She was stronger than she knew and she persisted.

[Charlotte✌️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where do I start?
This story, although short, was beautifully moving. It portrays the sad and lonely life of Jenna, a mentally ill, abused, bullied young girl who is battling through her troubles day by day in whatever way is the easiest for her. She deals with her need to self-harm, her parents abuse and her shitty school life. It is in school that she then meets this boy, called Trevor, who she instantly falls for -although cliché it was portrayed well throughout this story- and the story goes on from there.
This story covered some very serious issues that take place around the world every day, and you could tell from how beautifully and thoughtfully it was written that this is obviously a very personal storyline/issue -whether true or not- to the author and I feel privileged that she chose to share her thoughts and feelings with us throughout this book!
This book gives you all the feels! I felt happy, sad... Just very emotional basically! The book gripped me and pulled me in as soon as I started to read it, it made me want to know what was going to happen next, I was so gripped into reading and learning about Jenna’s life that I couldn’t put it down. This book was so fast paced, this being something I thoroughly enjoyed!
I loved this book, so much so that I believe that it deserves 4 massive stars! The only reason I didn't give it 5 is because of how short the story is, I really really wished that it was longer and more explained. I would've loved a longer explanation about the growth of their love and their relationship, and maybe more explanation on the family abuse side of the story, both Jenna and Trevor's side. I don’t feel as connected to all of the characters as I had hoped, but because of how short the story is I understand why! Would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick read to get out of a reading slump or is looking for a fast paced story pick this book up!!

[Tracy Grieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenna is struggling with life being bullied at school and her parents do nothing to stop it so Jenna takes matters into her own hands and that is just to relieve the pain but she cuts too deep, and now everything going on in her life from her negligent parents to the kids at school who make comments to her face and behind her back only makes her cut more. But her best friend Courtney has always been there for her and just wants her to be happy, and then there is the new guy in school who knows nothing of her past and slowly she starts to fall for him but it's still a daily struggle for Jenna as she thinks he is to good to be true and after opening her heart to him she finds it is only to feed information to the other people on the football team. Can Jenna learn to trust the surface?
Amazing story, not for faint hearted as it does go into detail about self harming.

[Rachelle Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trusting the Surface

This books touches on some delicate subjects and I felt that Jenna's depression was written well. I liked the dialogue between the characters also.
What didn't work for me was with all the things going on in this story it was way to short to really connect with any character especially Jenna and Trey. I also think the reasoning behind the bullying which by the way is told to us but we never see any of it was rather lame. The synopsis made it seem like Jenna had this deep dark secret. I know her family life is horrible but to be bullied for that reason just didn't make sense to me. I also felt for such a shorter book it was a bit repetitive.

[Lorrie Moar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, amazing story about a girl who suffers from depression, self harm, abuse and bullying. A great story of a girl who is strong but doesn't think she is, who later finds herself in a situation where the pain and betrayal can actually cause her more harm than good but stands strong against it. An incredible story of a girl who finds love and grows to love herself because she is finally able to see what two people in her life see: that she is loveable. A truly wonderful story of growing past all the hurt and pain.

[M L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is filled with so many emotions - from angst and heartache to finding love and your true self. You can just feel the emotions in the words of the author. This is the story of Jenna and Trevor. Jenna fights demons. She also fights the hurtful stares and words that have plagued her life since she was 12. When a new guy shows interest in her she gives in and hopes he is sincere with his words and actions. But when certain truths come to light will she be able to see past them to a happy future? This is a super emotional story but it is definitely worth reading!

[Janet Hammons · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

I love this story. It was quick but it had life lessons a plenty. The parents, Jenna and her best friend. I'm glad she found Trevor or he found her. They are great together.

[Ashlee Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Trusting The Surface”, is a book about a troubled seventeen-year-old girl named Jenna. She had done something five years ago, no one will ever forget. She suffers from anxiety, self-harm and a bad home environment, which includes zero support from her parents. She meets Trevor, the schools new football player, he is attractive, sweet and charming. Is he too good to be true?

From the back of the book;

“She has secrets and scars that she’s only ever shared with one other person. Her best friend Courtney, and sharing those with Trevor might just prove to be the hardest thing she’s ever done.
But Trevor has secrets of his own, and once they’re revealed there’s no taking them back. Will Jenna give into the darkness and lose what’s left of herself?”

There is so much to say about this book. I don’t want to give it away so I will tell you how I feel about the story without giving too much away. Love is challenged in this book, the twist that presents is far more than you can imagine. Jenna is such a powerful character throughout the book. Even though she suffers from mental illness, she seems so strong and very aware of right and wrong. She knows self harm is bad and not a healthy way of dealing with the pain. That being said, the only things that are keeping her together is her best friend Courtney and her razor blade. She feels like she doesn’t deserve Trevor, that he is too good for her.

Trevor is a sweet southern boy from Texas. He in the time they had before the twist in the story was an amazing person and treated Jenna like a queen. He made her feel important and wanted in the book and changed so much of the bad in her life. But does the twist ruin them? You’ll have to find out and if you read this book as fast as I did, you could know sooner!!!

This story tugged at my heart strings, it felt as if she took some of my life experiences and made a book with an amazing story. Not only is it relatable but this stuff can happen and does happen in real life. The characters seem like they could have been in my high school, everyone has a person they don’t like or someone that treats them badly in high school. I know I had someone in high school I didn’t think could like me, but he did and while it lasted it was amazing. He made me feel like someone who deserved those kind words and deserved how good he treated me.

I feel very connected to these characters. I feel this story will be with me for a long while. This is one of my favorites. I recommend this story 100%

[Denise Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off if you have a problem with reading books dealing with bulling, abuse, or suicidal thoughts then you shouldn't read this book. Second of all this book is a fantastic book. I felt for Jenna and the different things that were going on in her life. So many children, but not just children are dealing with bulling, abuse wether it be verbal or physical, and then suicidal thoughts and some even going as far as going threw with suicide its self. Jenna was very lucky or rather she was very blessed to have a friend like Court that cared so much about her that she stuck with her and wanted Jenna to lean on her for strength. Then there was Trevor and even though at the beginning he wasn't in it for the right reasons his heart grew to love Jenna and helped show her that you need to trust the surface.

[Nina DuBois · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trusting the Surface was a really quick read. I really loved how the author handled mental illness in this book. My heart really went out to Jenna and the things she had to endure. It truly broke my heart. I also mostly liked her relationship with her best friend Courtney.

What I didn't like about this book was the lover interest Trevor. While Jenna is falling for this boy there were certain actions of his that nagged me throughout the story. When you find out the secret he's been keeping he was irredeemable in my eyes. I also would have disowned Courtney as well. The ending wrapped up pretty fast and felt a little rushed.

There are definitely some nice moments, but the things that did irritate about the story kinda brought down the overall experience.

[lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

i loved the beginning, the narration of the character's feelings but it ended up disappointing me in the end. The climax was super dull, anticlimactic and the ending felt rushed, and it did not held up to the first half if the novel. It also seems too over the rainbows especially how dark it started. I was really rooting for this book, especially since I have depression my self but the ending was just something that could be resolved that easily.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ummm, this book was amazing! The characters felt so real and the author did an amazing job at keeping secrets and twists until just the perfect time. I love how this storyline is real, and there are people out there who probably feel the same way Jenna did. I was hooked and couldn't put the book down! Can't wait to read more from this author.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book . I really liked how the author took a topic that is a hard one for most and put it to paper for the world to read. The main character suffers from so much more than a child her age should ever have to endure. I enjoyed getting to know trey her love interest Trey and her best friend Courtney. This book is not for the faint of heart and it will bring tears to your eyes.

[Moriah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

This is a story about Jenna who is abused by her parents and hurts herself to get away from it all. All it takes is her best friend and Trevor to realize that she is worth something. A really good story.

[Rhoda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even with the intense subject, fun, and easy read. I loved the main character and her best friend. Felt like I was rooting for her from the start. Met the author yesterday too, lovely gal, and wish her the best. Now on to find book two cause I know there is more to this story.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read that left me with mixed feelings. I liked it but I also didn’t like it. The story started out strong but when the major issue comes up towards the end I felt like it wasn’t handled very well by the characters, if that makes any sense. It was overlooked and than everyone was happy again. So why the 4 stars you ask? Because I really did enjoy most of the book including the ending. It was just that one part that got to me, where I was like WTF!! If you have read this book than you know what part I’m talking about. Now I’m off to read Courtney’s Book which is Your Version of Perfect. I’m really curious about her. She was such an awesome friend with a good heart so I cant wait to read her HEA.

Happy Reading 🤓

[Nikkita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story that will give you all the feels. Very emotionally charged, fast paced read. I was engrossed from the very first paragraph, and read in one sitting. The storyline was pretty unique in my opinion, which made it that much better. Highly recommend!

[Connie Greenwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading the story. I think it dealt well with mental illness one of the main characters had as well as abusive home life and school bullying. Kind of ended abruptly

[Maureen Gurney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The scary truth

As I read this The more and more the story became real..so many people go through this. Great read , I recommend every high school student should read

[Naadhira Zahari · Rating 5 out of 5]

* I received this book in an exchange for an honest review.

A perfect compact read with compelling heartfelt storyline that will make you beg for more.

I love every moment of my time while reading the book. The story is full of dramas and contradictions. Just as I predicted. And so full of ups and downs.

I completely adore Jenna and Trevor's love story and her friendship with her best friend, Courtney but I'm totally against the way her parents and her classmates treat her.

A DEFINITE FIVE STAR OUT OF FIVE!!