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Trusting You and Other Lies
USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Nicole Williams delivers a seductive summer romance worth swooning over. Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Stephanie Perkins.
Phoenix can't imagine anything worse than being shipped off to family summer camp. Her parents have been fighting for the past two years--do they seriously think being crammed in a cabin with Phoenix and her little brother, Harry, will make things better?
On top of that, Phoenix is stuck training with Callum--the head counselor who is seriously cute but a complete know-it-all. His hot-cold attitude means he's impossible to figure out--and even harder to rely on. But despite her better judgment, Phoenix is attracted to Callum. And he's promising Phoenix a summer she'll never forget. Can she trust him? Or is this just another lie?
Phoenix can't imagine anything worse than being shipped off to family summer camp. Her parents have been fighting for the past two years--do they seriously think being crammed in a cabin with Phoenix and her little brother, Harry, will make things better?
On top of that, Phoenix is stuck training with Callum--the head counselor who is seriously cute but a complete know-it-all. His hot-cold attitude means he's impossible to figure out--and even harder to rely on. But despite her better judgment, Phoenix is attracted to Callum. And he's promising Phoenix a summer she'll never forget. Can she trust him? Or is this just another lie?
Audio CD
First published June 20, 2017
71 people are currently reading
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About the author
Nicole Williams
52 books9,593 followersNicole is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author who got her humble start dictating books to her parents at the age of three and her big break nearly three decades later when she signed her first publishing deal. She grew up an avid reader and writer who majored in Economics because a Creative Writing degree was lofty and impractical, not to mention a pipe dream. Irony, you wily fiend.
When she isn’t embroiled in a book, she spends her time playing wife and mom to her two favorite people in the world, and referee to their three rescue pets/wildlings. Nicole lives in the Evergreen State on the quieter side, ideal for an admitted recluse who enjoys the diversity of outdoor endeavors the Great Northwest offers.
Nicole loves hearing from her readers. You can connect with her on:
Facebook: Author Nicole Williams
Instagram: author_nicole_williams
Twitter: nwilliamsbooks
When she isn’t embroiled in a book, she spends her time playing wife and mom to her two favorite people in the world, and referee to their three rescue pets/wildlings. Nicole lives in the Evergreen State on the quieter side, ideal for an admitted recluse who enjoys the diversity of outdoor endeavors the Great Northwest offers.
Nicole loves hearing from her readers. You can connect with her on:
Facebook: Author Nicole Williams
Instagram: author_nicole_williams
Twitter: nwilliamsbooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 302 reviews
July 10, 2020
3.5 stars
Trusting You & Other Lies is one of those books I saw the cover of, and knew I had to read. The fact that it was a Nicole Williams book made me want to read it even more. This was a great coming of age story, where the romance sort of took a back seat to the growth of the heroine.
Phoenix has a rocky family life, so going to a camp with her entire family all summer is not her idea of fun. Luckily, she has her little brother Harrison on her side. They’re in it together. Phoenix gets a job as a camp counselor for the summer to make a little extra money. When she meets and is trained by the head of the counselors, Callum, she thinks maybe this summer won’t be so bad…
Callum and Phoenix have feelings for one another but there are trust issues there, and Callum takes his job as head councilor seriously. They try to deny their feelings for each other, but that doesn’t last long.
I loved Callum and getting in to his back story and seeing how his life was. Phoenix had a lot of growth in the story, which was great. I loved the choice she made at the end. It showed just how much she had changed and grown. Nicole Williams does a great job writing YA stories with a lot of heart. Trusting You & Other Lies is one of those books that will leave you with a huge smile on your face. Recommended to lovers of sweet YA’s.
Trusting You & Other Lies is one of those books I saw the cover of, and knew I had to read. The fact that it was a Nicole Williams book made me want to read it even more. This was a great coming of age story, where the romance sort of took a back seat to the growth of the heroine.
Phoenix has a rocky family life, so going to a camp with her entire family all summer is not her idea of fun. Luckily, she has her little brother Harrison on her side. They’re in it together. Phoenix gets a job as a camp counselor for the summer to make a little extra money. When she meets and is trained by the head of the counselors, Callum, she thinks maybe this summer won’t be so bad…
Callum and Phoenix have feelings for one another but there are trust issues there, and Callum takes his job as head councilor seriously. They try to deny their feelings for each other, but that doesn’t last long.
“We can’t both like each other or else it’s going to be impossible for me to keep this up.”
My heart was beating so hard it felt like an alarm clock blaring in my ears. He liked me, but he wasn’t supposed to? I liked him, but I wasn’t supposed to?
“Keep what up?”
“Pretending I don’t feel anything for you. I can’t keep that up if I know you feel the same way.”
I loved Callum and getting in to his back story and seeing how his life was. Phoenix had a lot of growth in the story, which was great. I loved the choice she made at the end. It showed just how much she had changed and grown. Nicole Williams does a great job writing YA stories with a lot of heart. Trusting You & Other Lies is one of those books that will leave you with a huge smile on your face. Recommended to lovers of sweet YA’s.
June 23, 2017
5 stars!
Nicole Williams has done it again. PERFECTION! Trusting You and Other Lies sucked me in from the start and kept me there until the end. I laughed, I cried, I swooned and fell in love with Callum and Phoenix. This YA story will be one I don't soon forget.
I love reading YA books. Some of my favorite books ever are YA. So when I heard Nicole Williams was writing one, I was chomping at the big to get my hands on it. At 35% I had tears streaming down my face, which is typical with a NW book. By 86% my heart was in my throat. Again, typical for Nicole, LOL!
This story was pretty emotional. I lost count of how many times I cried while reading. But it wasn't always sad tears. I connected to this story so much I even cried happy tears. All my YA reader friends, GRAB THIS BOOK!
Nicole Williams has done it again. PERFECTION! Trusting You and Other Lies sucked me in from the start and kept me there until the end. I laughed, I cried, I swooned and fell in love with Callum and Phoenix. This YA story will be one I don't soon forget.
I love reading YA books. Some of my favorite books ever are YA. So when I heard Nicole Williams was writing one, I was chomping at the big to get my hands on it. At 35% I had tears streaming down my face, which is typical with a NW book. By 86% my heart was in my throat. Again, typical for Nicole, LOL!
This story was pretty emotional. I lost count of how many times I cried while reading. But it wasn't always sad tears. I connected to this story so much I even cried happy tears. All my YA reader friends, GRAB THIS BOOK!
July 28, 2017
#65 for 2017 RC
Genre : YA Contemporary Romance
When I picked up this book, I did not read any review, unlike my habit. So I can say I did the gambling chosen this book. I never read Nicole Williams' books before and I did not know her at all.
Maybe the gambling and the unknown is good. The book come out quiet good. The slow pace not made me stop reading it, but rather slow to finish it, blame it to my busy schedule at work.
The story about Phoenix, 17 year old girl, whose family became fall apart after her dad lose his job. His dad brough the family to summer camp as her dad's friend gave discount.
She thought this summer camp would be suck and she tried to survive the summer with boredom. It turned out she met Callum, 18 year old camp counselor. The boy who later taught her to trust other people again after what her parent did.
Genre : YA Contemporary Romance
When I picked up this book, I did not read any review, unlike my habit. So I can say I did the gambling chosen this book. I never read Nicole Williams' books before and I did not know her at all.
Maybe the gambling and the unknown is good. The book come out quiet good. The slow pace not made me stop reading it, but rather slow to finish it, blame it to my busy schedule at work.
The story about Phoenix, 17 year old girl, whose family became fall apart after her dad lose his job. His dad brough the family to summer camp as her dad's friend gave discount.
She thought this summer camp would be suck and she tried to survive the summer with boredom. It turned out she met Callum, 18 year old camp counselor. The boy who later taught her to trust other people again after what her parent did.
June 22, 2017
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
I love young adult and new adult novels, I don't think there is an age limit on your genre tastes, so I can safely say I am a massive, one-click fan of Sarah Dessen. Nicole Williams' Trusting You & Other Lies is of the same caliber, that is to say, amazing. In recent years I have read far more adult novels, but this new release made me remember why I love YA/NA reads so much. The feelings, the endless possibilities, the lessons we learn at that age that remain relevant even as we age, they are all in this book and then some. Plus, it helps that the cover is stunning, eye catching, and bears the name of Nicole Williams; she's an author guaranteed to give you a good story with fantastic dialogue and riveting prose.
"I didn't do boy-crazy, I reminded myself. I didn't do weak-kneed and tongue-tied and starry-eyed. I did Miss Independent. I did my won thing. I did guys-were-a-nice-perk-but-not-the-pinnacle. That was my MO."
Phoenix and her parents haven't been in a good place for two years, she knows they're keeping secrets. Forced to spend the summer before her senior year at a family summer camp, Phoenix is anything, but happy. The only saving grace is her brother Harrison, his happiness is more important. She's using the time to work as a counselor and save money to buy a car so she can leave her family and all their problems behind. When she finds out that her trainer is the tough, but warm counselor known as Callum she thinks things might just perk up a little, that she'd even have a friend during the mess. What she doesn't count on is her part in number of camp incidents and their trust slowly dwindling away even as their friendship evolves into something more.
"I didn't really know him at all, but I could already tell Callum wasn't your typical guy. I like that about him. Or i respected that about him, because - I reminded myself- there was nothing I should "like" when it came to Callum."
Trusting You & Other Lies took me back to my summer vacations from school, I was a massive fan of summer camp, but Phoenix's other issues felt like my own. Secrets kept by parents are hard, as a teen you are already a jumble of emotions, but being forced to endure a summer of family bonding, even though there is no bond to work on? Even harder. Phoenix is a tough character, we're only aware of her general unhappiness with her family, her absolute hatred of spending her summer away from her friends, and that she relies on morning runs to get her through everything. Even her take on no boys becomes muddied once she meets Callum. He challenges her, he makes her face his trust issues, though he struggles to face his own. Through first meeting, to first accident, and all the way to the very end, they share this connection that neither is prepared to confess to. I loved Callum, his history, and every single page that he showed up on. He's the boy you wouldn't probably pick first to fall for, but once you do he's everything you ever wanted, even if you didn't know it. He and Phoenix have a rocky friendship, a blossoming young relationship, and a shared lesson in trust, forgiveness, and self-love. Phoenix's family though, their issues require some extensive digging to work through. There's no easy way to be a parent, there's no easy way to be a kid, and Nicole Williams did a stunning job showing just how frustrating it is to be at that middle age where you're still a teen, but on the cusp of adulthood.
"I couldn't look at him. I could barely talk to him. I was just so angry at him and circumstances and...I was just so, so angry."
It's a cute, summer read that tackles relevant topics for teens, but in a way that doesn't take over the story. I loved the activities, the interactions, every single bit of dialogue, and Harry is the cutest child I've ever met in a book. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me want to read all of my favorite summer-y YA books again. There's extensive character development and every character, even the most minor one, like her dad, show growth through out the novel. Just as rivers do, Phoenix's family life had roaring rapids to it, but the calm peace could be found along it too. Trusting You & Other Lies is a coming of age story that readers of all ages can pick up and relate to, whether from nostalgia or present experience. It made me want to be a teen again, to experience those butterflies again, and even to learn those hard lessons that make youth something we all look back on.
"When he was kissing me, it was easy to forget that summer would come to an end."
I love young adult and new adult novels, I don't think there is an age limit on your genre tastes, so I can safely say I am a massive, one-click fan of Sarah Dessen. Nicole Williams' Trusting You & Other Lies is of the same caliber, that is to say, amazing. In recent years I have read far more adult novels, but this new release made me remember why I love YA/NA reads so much. The feelings, the endless possibilities, the lessons we learn at that age that remain relevant even as we age, they are all in this book and then some. Plus, it helps that the cover is stunning, eye catching, and bears the name of Nicole Williams; she's an author guaranteed to give you a good story with fantastic dialogue and riveting prose.
"I didn't do boy-crazy, I reminded myself. I didn't do weak-kneed and tongue-tied and starry-eyed. I did Miss Independent. I did my won thing. I did guys-were-a-nice-perk-but-not-the-pinnacle. That was my MO."
Phoenix and her parents haven't been in a good place for two years, she knows they're keeping secrets. Forced to spend the summer before her senior year at a family summer camp, Phoenix is anything, but happy. The only saving grace is her brother Harrison, his happiness is more important. She's using the time to work as a counselor and save money to buy a car so she can leave her family and all their problems behind. When she finds out that her trainer is the tough, but warm counselor known as Callum she thinks things might just perk up a little, that she'd even have a friend during the mess. What she doesn't count on is her part in number of camp incidents and their trust slowly dwindling away even as their friendship evolves into something more.
"I didn't really know him at all, but I could already tell Callum wasn't your typical guy. I like that about him. Or i respected that about him, because - I reminded myself- there was nothing I should "like" when it came to Callum."
Trusting You & Other Lies took me back to my summer vacations from school, I was a massive fan of summer camp, but Phoenix's other issues felt like my own. Secrets kept by parents are hard, as a teen you are already a jumble of emotions, but being forced to endure a summer of family bonding, even though there is no bond to work on? Even harder. Phoenix is a tough character, we're only aware of her general unhappiness with her family, her absolute hatred of spending her summer away from her friends, and that she relies on morning runs to get her through everything. Even her take on no boys becomes muddied once she meets Callum. He challenges her, he makes her face his trust issues, though he struggles to face his own. Through first meeting, to first accident, and all the way to the very end, they share this connection that neither is prepared to confess to. I loved Callum, his history, and every single page that he showed up on. He's the boy you wouldn't probably pick first to fall for, but once you do he's everything you ever wanted, even if you didn't know it. He and Phoenix have a rocky friendship, a blossoming young relationship, and a shared lesson in trust, forgiveness, and self-love. Phoenix's family though, their issues require some extensive digging to work through. There's no easy way to be a parent, there's no easy way to be a kid, and Nicole Williams did a stunning job showing just how frustrating it is to be at that middle age where you're still a teen, but on the cusp of adulthood.
"I couldn't look at him. I could barely talk to him. I was just so angry at him and circumstances and...I was just so, so angry."
It's a cute, summer read that tackles relevant topics for teens, but in a way that doesn't take over the story. I loved the activities, the interactions, every single bit of dialogue, and Harry is the cutest child I've ever met in a book. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me want to read all of my favorite summer-y YA books again. There's extensive character development and every character, even the most minor one, like her dad, show growth through out the novel. Just as rivers do, Phoenix's family life had roaring rapids to it, but the calm peace could be found along it too. Trusting You & Other Lies is a coming of age story that readers of all ages can pick up and relate to, whether from nostalgia or present experience. It made me want to be a teen again, to experience those butterflies again, and even to learn those hard lessons that make youth something we all look back on.
"When he was kissing me, it was easy to forget that summer would come to an end."
June 19, 2017
When I first heard that this book was going to be taking place at a summer camp and with camp counsellors, I jumped on this opportunity like white on rice. As a teenager, I went to summer camp for years and then when I was fifteen, I started working there for the summer. It was the best thing ever. Two days after school ended, you pack everything up and live with your friends for two and a half months out of the year. Doing this until I went to college, I got a pretty good handle on how camps work and run, what's expected of the counsellors and activity instructors, etc. When I started reading Trusting You, it sent me way back to those summers and I couldn't be happier to relive and remember some of those memories from many moons ago. Williams does a fantastic job of helping the reader reminisce about their summers as a child (even if you didn't go to camp). It's just got a summery feel to it. You can practically hear the wind rustling through the trees and picture the old cabins and dining hall.
Sometimes I have a hard time with authors that I already know going from romance or New Adult to telling Young Adult stories; I just don't always find the voice believable. However in this case, I actually really enjoyed the story and the way that the author not only told it, but her heroine's voice and how consistent it was.
I enjoyed the issue of trusting others in this story and how it was a main focus. Not only that, but this lesson is applied in several different ways, so you can see it from different perspectives. However, if I could've changed one thing, I would've liked to see more depth between the relationship of the hero and heroine, not just the hero growing and the heroine growing separately, if that makes sense. I wanted some of those nostalgic butterfly moments that you would get as a teen and being around the boy you liked. The little, cute, defining moments that help building up a relationship, especially in YA when physical intimacy isn't something that you can rely on. Back to the trust concept, with regards to the plot/conflict, I thought it was fine in relation to the family issues, but whereas talking about the romance aspect, I thought that the resolution between the characters just felt a little -meh-. I just wasn't overly excited or interested in their little make up moment.
This is definitely a summery read, though with trust issues being a factor, it may not be one for the beach. Though it's still on the light side and cute, so don't worry about being overloaded with angst. I enjoyed Phoenix, Callum and Camp Kismet, so I guess that means this is another winner by Nicole Williams!
*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.
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“It isn’t my birthday.” “
It doesn’t have to be for someone to give you a gift.”
I worked my tongue into my cheek. He was as stubborn as someone else I knew. “I’d like to pay you back.”
“And I’d like a twelve-inch meatball sub in my mitts right this minute, but sometimes we just have to live with our disappointment.”
Sometimes I have a hard time with authors that I already know going from romance or New Adult to telling Young Adult stories; I just don't always find the voice believable. However in this case, I actually really enjoyed the story and the way that the author not only told it, but her heroine's voice and how consistent it was.
"[A]t that moment, sitting across from him, pretending to study for our SATs, I wasn’t thinking about the heap of reasons we didn’t make sense.
I was only thinking about the reasons we did."
I enjoyed the issue of trusting others in this story and how it was a main focus. Not only that, but this lesson is applied in several different ways, so you can see it from different perspectives. However, if I could've changed one thing, I would've liked to see more depth between the relationship of the hero and heroine, not just the hero growing and the heroine growing separately, if that makes sense. I wanted some of those nostalgic butterfly moments that you would get as a teen and being around the boy you liked. The little, cute, defining moments that help building up a relationship, especially in YA when physical intimacy isn't something that you can rely on. Back to the trust concept, with regards to the plot/conflict, I thought it was fine in relation to the family issues, but whereas talking about the romance aspect, I thought that the resolution between the characters just felt a little -meh-. I just wasn't overly excited or interested in their little make up moment.
"I wasn’t weaker because of Callum O’Connor—I was stronger."
This is definitely a summery read, though with trust issues being a factor, it may not be one for the beach. Though it's still on the light side and cute, so don't worry about being overloaded with angst. I enjoyed Phoenix, Callum and Camp Kismet, so I guess that means this is another winner by Nicole Williams!
I kissed Callum O’Connor. Soft and sweet, even a little unsure at first.
Finally.
And then he kissed me back. Hard and lingering, like he’d never been so sure of anything before.
His hand found my waist, and his arm slid around it as his body kept mine pinned against the picnic bench. He tasted like sunshine and a storm, and he kissed like we had forever and had run out of time.
He kissed me like I’d wanted to be kissed my whole entire life—like I was everything.
*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.
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September 6, 2018
Loved this book. I wasn’t sure what to expect and wasn’t sure if it would be completely different to what I love but it’s up there with books I have loved. Loved seeing the friendship grow into love
July 1, 2017
YA is where I first fell in love with Nicole Williams' writing (YA PNR to be precise) and so it was lovely to be be back in this genre. This is a book that is refreshingly low on angst and yet full on story, with characters that epitomise the genre correctly. It is a niggle of mine when YA books have teens acting like 20-year olds but both Callum and Phoenix were age-appropriate with sometimes ill-thought and impulsive decision-making, one moment mature and other times a little immature. This is what I want to see in YA, true coming-of-age; TRUSTING YOU AND OTHER LIES delivered on this.
Phoenix was a definitely likeable, she had a little brattishness in her but lots of selflessness too. The main story revolves around a family situation and I really enjoyed this storyline and Phoenix's reactions and relationships with her parents. Harry, her younger brother made my heart warm all throughout the book, he was such a special part of the story for me. Callum, was the kind of boy/man I would have wowed over at their age and he was totally loveable, if a little superior. The chemistry between these two was perfect and my teen daughter who has also read the book thought the chemistry was just right too.
At 90% I was a little worried where things were going to end up but Nicole Williams brought an ending that satisfied completely and an epilogue that left me sighing. I hope there will be more YA from this author alongside her more mature books as she is super talented in this kind of writing too.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for a honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
Phoenix was a definitely likeable, she had a little brattishness in her but lots of selflessness too. The main story revolves around a family situation and I really enjoyed this storyline and Phoenix's reactions and relationships with her parents. Harry, her younger brother made my heart warm all throughout the book, he was such a special part of the story for me. Callum, was the kind of boy/man I would have wowed over at their age and he was totally loveable, if a little superior. The chemistry between these two was perfect and my teen daughter who has also read the book thought the chemistry was just right too.
At 90% I was a little worried where things were going to end up but Nicole Williams brought an ending that satisfied completely and an epilogue that left me sighing. I hope there will be more YA from this author alongside her more mature books as she is super talented in this kind of writing too.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for a honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
July 1, 2017
This was super cute and swoony. I didn't like the conflict at the end though. But I really loved the lovely epilogue and I'm so glad it was there.
July 15, 2017
Sometimes we lie to those we love to protect them, and somehow this always seems to backfire.....
Phoenix is forced to go to summer camp with her parents, the summer between her junior and senior year in high school.... she is already very angry with them because they have been keeping things from her, and this is going to be the worst summer of her life, or so she thinks.... OK, there was a romance in this book and it was cute and sweet and all that, but phoenixes family dynamics were what interested me most in this book... first of all she had an adorable little brother Harrison, and the relationship between them was totally adorable! Then you have mom and dad, mom and dad keeping the truth from their children, I realize this was to supposedly protect them, but in the long run it just hurt everybody, and most of all hurt the relationship between parents and children.... I think sometimes parents lose track of the fact that our job as parents is to raise children who will survive and thrive in the real world, and by keeping reality from them, probably not helping them all that much.... in a lot of this book the children were much more mature than the parents, it ended well, but it could have ended disastrously...
Phoenix is forced to go to summer camp with her parents, the summer between her junior and senior year in high school.... she is already very angry with them because they have been keeping things from her, and this is going to be the worst summer of her life, or so she thinks.... OK, there was a romance in this book and it was cute and sweet and all that, but phoenixes family dynamics were what interested me most in this book... first of all she had an adorable little brother Harrison, and the relationship between them was totally adorable! Then you have mom and dad, mom and dad keeping the truth from their children, I realize this was to supposedly protect them, but in the long run it just hurt everybody, and most of all hurt the relationship between parents and children.... I think sometimes parents lose track of the fact that our job as parents is to raise children who will survive and thrive in the real world, and by keeping reality from them, probably not helping them all that much.... in a lot of this book the children were much more mature than the parents, it ended well, but it could have ended disastrously...
June 16, 2017
Phoenix is a teenager who is more than a little unhappy about spending the summer at Camp Kismet with her family after her dad lost his job. Things with her family haven't been all that great so this is supposed to be a way to sort of work through it all. The silver lining for Phoenix is that she got a job as a camp counselor, so she can save up for the car she's been wanting and possibly avoid her parents at the same time. She didn't plan things being so hard, and meeting Callum along the way.
This book had a cute romance, but I felt like it actually took a backseat to the tension between the family members. I wanted a little more romance, if I'm being honest. There was a nice slow build between the two main characters but it felt like it took FOREVER for either of them to mention the attraction/feelings. I did really love the sibling bond between Phoenix and Harry. He looks up to her a lot and Phoenix has definitely cast herself firmly in the role of his protector. The parents (mostly the mom because the dad was absent for most of the book) were a little bit frustrating, but I could tell where they were coming from. They didn't want to worry their children about their financial situation, but I hated that they pushed them away in the process. I really loved the growth in all of the characters involved in this story. That is one thing that I believe the author did really well.
Another thing I enjoyed about this one was the setting. Just about the entire book takes place at summer camp, and it was really fun atmosphere. I'm an outdoorsy girl so I can connect with a lot of the fun activities and things like that. I was a little disappointed that we didn't see the parents interacting with Phoenix and Harry more since that was one of the reasons for going to the camp in the first place. I know the biggest reason was just to escape problems for a while but I would have liked to see the family bonding a little more.
While I thought the characters were written well, I didn't actually love any of them. The ones I enjoyed the most were Harry and Callum. I really didn't care for Phoenix much. She seemed to spend most of the first half of the book acting really immature with her parents. She is a very intelligent and driven character but she never confronts her parents once on what she's truly upset about? She's pretty outspoken (in typically snotty teenage fashion) with them most of the time, so I found it hard to believe that she didn't demand answers from them at some point.
I have never read anything from Nicole Williams before this but after hearing so many great things about her, and seeing this super adorable cover I decided to give her a try. Honestly, I felt a little underwhelmed by this book. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. It's very middle of the road for me. I feel like I spent the book waiting for something big to happen and then it never does... I don't know. Maybe that's just me. All of that being said, I would probably still give another Nicole Williams books a chance.
* I received an ARC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. *
This book had a cute romance, but I felt like it actually took a backseat to the tension between the family members. I wanted a little more romance, if I'm being honest. There was a nice slow build between the two main characters but it felt like it took FOREVER for either of them to mention the attraction/feelings. I did really love the sibling bond between Phoenix and Harry. He looks up to her a lot and Phoenix has definitely cast herself firmly in the role of his protector. The parents (mostly the mom because the dad was absent for most of the book) were a little bit frustrating, but I could tell where they were coming from. They didn't want to worry their children about their financial situation, but I hated that they pushed them away in the process. I really loved the growth in all of the characters involved in this story. That is one thing that I believe the author did really well.
Another thing I enjoyed about this one was the setting. Just about the entire book takes place at summer camp, and it was really fun atmosphere. I'm an outdoorsy girl so I can connect with a lot of the fun activities and things like that. I was a little disappointed that we didn't see the parents interacting with Phoenix and Harry more since that was one of the reasons for going to the camp in the first place. I know the biggest reason was just to escape problems for a while but I would have liked to see the family bonding a little more.
While I thought the characters were written well, I didn't actually love any of them. The ones I enjoyed the most were Harry and Callum. I really didn't care for Phoenix much. She seemed to spend most of the first half of the book acting really immature with her parents. She is a very intelligent and driven character but she never confronts her parents once on what she's truly upset about? She's pretty outspoken (in typically snotty teenage fashion) with them most of the time, so I found it hard to believe that she didn't demand answers from them at some point.
I have never read anything from Nicole Williams before this but after hearing so many great things about her, and seeing this super adorable cover I decided to give her a try. Honestly, I felt a little underwhelmed by this book. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. It's very middle of the road for me. I feel like I spent the book waiting for something big to happen and then it never does... I don't know. Maybe that's just me. All of that being said, I would probably still give another Nicole Williams books a chance.
* I received an ARC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. *
June 17, 2017
Surprised! Surprised!
The pace in this book is really slow which I usually hate but I like it this book despite being slow paced.
I feel related to Phoenix in term ambitious, driven, thinking in black and white and having trust issues.
I thought this book going to be sweet, fun and light reading one.
But I think it was deeper and has serious problem.
I had mix feeling about this revelation because I like the issue is realistic and serious but it also bring back some bad memories that I have.
I really love Harry and I love the message that I learned from this book.
I also like the banter between Callum and Phoenix
Full review on Hana Book Review
The pace in this book is really slow which I usually hate but I like it this book despite being slow paced.
I feel related to Phoenix in term ambitious, driven, thinking in black and white and having trust issues.
I thought this book going to be sweet, fun and light reading one.
But I think it was deeper and has serious problem.
I had mix feeling about this revelation because I like the issue is realistic and serious but it also bring back some bad memories that I have.
I really love Harry and I love the message that I learned from this book.
I also like the banter between Callum and Phoenix
Full review on Hana Book Review
January 22, 2018
A very cute coming of age story that readers of all ages can relate to.
July 15, 2017
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kimberlyfaye reads.
I don’t read a whole lot of YA books these days, but Nicole Williams is one of those authors whose books I will *always* read, no matter the age group or genre. I love her writing, her characters and the story she tells with them. She never disappoints. Trusting You & Other Lies is the latest in a long list of books written by her that I’ve loved.
This book was of the “read in one sitting” variety for me. It was fun and pretty light, but with a deeper message about trust that didn’t get TOO angsty. I really liked Phoenix and Callum. They were both fairly complex characters and neither one was perfect. I love a character with flaws. It makes them easier to relate to — even when there’s a pretty big age difference. I enjoyed watching each of these characters really come into their own during their time at summer camp. It’s probably worth mentioning I do have a particular weakness for camp books. I’ve not read a ton of them, but the ones I have I loved. But, I digress.
I’d say Trusting You & Other Lies is just about the perfect summer read if you’re looking for a YA book to add to your TBR pile. I found it both charming and beautiful. I loved the romance and found the dynamic between Phoenix and her family. It made me smile — and gave me a few feels. I can’t ask for much more than that!
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
FAVORITE QUOTES
I didn’t do boy-crazy, I reminded myself. I didn’t do weak-kneed and tongue-tied and starry-eyed. I did Miss Independent. I did my own thing. I did guys-were-a-nice-perk-but-not-the-pinnacle. That was my MO.
“Our destiny is always waiting for us. It’s right in front of us, all the time. Sometimes we just need a place and a time to be reminded of that.”
“In my world, you start out with my trust. What you do with that is up to you.”
Callum might have been odd sixty ways to Sunday, but in the Teenage Girl’s Bible of Boys, he was the holy trinity of hot, aloof and available.
He tasted like sunshine and a storm, and he kissed like we had forever and had run out of time. He kissed me like I’d wanted to be kissed my whole entire life—like I was everything.
I don’t read a whole lot of YA books these days, but Nicole Williams is one of those authors whose books I will *always* read, no matter the age group or genre. I love her writing, her characters and the story she tells with them. She never disappoints. Trusting You & Other Lies is the latest in a long list of books written by her that I’ve loved.
This book was of the “read in one sitting” variety for me. It was fun and pretty light, but with a deeper message about trust that didn’t get TOO angsty. I really liked Phoenix and Callum. They were both fairly complex characters and neither one was perfect. I love a character with flaws. It makes them easier to relate to — even when there’s a pretty big age difference. I enjoyed watching each of these characters really come into their own during their time at summer camp. It’s probably worth mentioning I do have a particular weakness for camp books. I’ve not read a ton of them, but the ones I have I loved. But, I digress.
I’d say Trusting You & Other Lies is just about the perfect summer read if you’re looking for a YA book to add to your TBR pile. I found it both charming and beautiful. I loved the romance and found the dynamic between Phoenix and her family. It made me smile — and gave me a few feels. I can’t ask for much more than that!
I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
FAVORITE QUOTES
I didn’t do boy-crazy, I reminded myself. I didn’t do weak-kneed and tongue-tied and starry-eyed. I did Miss Independent. I did my own thing. I did guys-were-a-nice-perk-but-not-the-pinnacle. That was my MO.
“Our destiny is always waiting for us. It’s right in front of us, all the time. Sometimes we just need a place and a time to be reminded of that.”
“In my world, you start out with my trust. What you do with that is up to you.”
Callum might have been odd sixty ways to Sunday, but in the Teenage Girl’s Bible of Boys, he was the holy trinity of hot, aloof and available.
He tasted like sunshine and a storm, and he kissed like we had forever and had run out of time. He kissed me like I’d wanted to be kissed my whole entire life—like I was everything.
April 10, 2017
***ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***
This is exactly the kind of "sweet" book I like to read. Despite it being a YA book I related a lot to both the story and the characters.
It's a great light read and I definitely recommend it! I love coming-of-age romances, but not all of them are good as Trusting You & Other Lies and I'm really glad I read it!
Phoenix was a great characters and we can see how she grew up over summer. Callum is my kind of guy and I have a crush on him for sure! I also LOVED Harry, he might be my favorite character in the story.
This is exactly the kind of "sweet" book I like to read. Despite it being a YA book I related a lot to both the story and the characters.
It's a great light read and I definitely recommend it! I love coming-of-age romances, but not all of them are good as Trusting You & Other Lies and I'm really glad I read it!
Phoenix was a great characters and we can see how she grew up over summer. Callum is my kind of guy and I have a crush on him for sure! I also LOVED Harry, he might be my favorite character in the story.
June 6, 2017
Review by Trinette Dungee
Phoenix is going into her senior year in high school and rather than spending her summer like she imagined, hanging with friends and pretty much doing nothing, she’s spending it at a family summer camp. While at the camp she is hired to be a counselor and she meets Callum. A self-proclaimed reformed bad-boy, Callum’s had a rough go at life and the only bright times seemed to be the time he spends at the camp. He’s totally hot and Phoenix can’t quite seem to figure him out. With her feeling like the motives of everyone in her life right now are questionable at best, she’s not sure if she should really trust Callum or not.
Phoenix is struggling with some serious trust issues. Her dad lost his job a few years ago and while she’s aware that there may be some financial struggles she’s shocked to find out how bad they really are when she comes across a foreclosure notice. Her parents have yet to mention this to her, they don’t seem to be telling her any about their situation, they don’t seem to be getting along, but yet they pretend that nothing is wrong. So now, in her eyes, her parents are “liars” and not trust-worthy. The only person in her life that she’s okay with at this point is her little brother Harry. Harry was quite cute and I really liked him (his sister, not so much).
I’m going to be honest, reading the description of this book I wasn’t eager to read it, couple that with the age of the characters and I definitely was hesitant but I decided to give it a try. After the first page or so, I truly thought I was going to have to just give up. Not because the book wasn’t grabbing me but because I instantly disliked Phoenix. She came off as spoiled, bratty and self-centered…not at all different than most teenagers, but something about her just really grated my nerves. But, I decided to go on and give it the old college try.
This book kind of hit close to home and when a book does that, you are either going to LOVE it or HATE it. Well, let’s just say this book and I have a love/hate relationship right now!
I was angry at our parents. For screwing up and dragging Harry and me into it. As far as I was concerned, they’d dug their hole all by themselves. Why did Harry and I have to fall into it with them? It wasn’t fair.
Reading this literally almost sent me over the edge. Seriously, I had to put the kindle down and walk away. UHG, this kid! I couldn’t understand why I was having such a visceral reaction to this kid, and then it hit me. So like I mentioned before, this book hit close to home for me on the parent’s side; being a single mom and having lost a job one of my biggest worries was letting my kids down and trying to keep things as normal for them as possible. Part of that came by way of “protecting” them as much as possible about how bad things were or had gotten. With that being said, Phoenix’s little statement was a little hurtful. Very rarely does a parent deliberately “screw up and drag” their kids into anything when they are struggling. I’m all for kids understanding some aspect of what’s going on in a household, but I don’t feel obligated to give you a complete rundown. While I get that Phoenix is a kid, she’s also almost eighteen years, old enough to know that well…..shit happens! I gave her a little bit of a pass because she was probably pretty sheltered and used to life being easy so it may have been a shock, but still her attitude sucked.
The relationship with Callum and Phoenix was a bit weird at times. They both wanted that one person they could confide in but at the same time, they were hesitant to do so. Callum’s backstory was pretty interesting and I think I felt like he “got it”. He understood what it was like to have to have something happen in your life that causes you to stop and re-evaluate, change your course and I really wanted Phoenix to get it too.
I had to remind myself that while I wanted Phoenix to “get it”, I had to realize that she and Callum came from totally different backgrounds, he wasn’t as sheltered as she was and he’d been dealing with disappointments pretty much his whole life. Of course right when I thought I was okay with her, Phoenix managed to tick me off in how she was so willing to give Callum’s mother a total pass for obstacles/hurdles/hard-times she endured.
I could only imagine the strength it took to raise two boys alone in California, a state not exactly known for its stellar cost of living.
My first thought after reading that; “Are you freaking kidding me?! You don’t know this woman from a can of paint, never laid an eye on her! You’re not even sure if the story you’re getting from Callum is an accurate depiction of her and you feel sorry for her!”; Yep, another reaction where I had to put the kindle down and woo-sah. I had to yet again remind myself that this was a young adult; she was looking at things from a totally different perspective than your many years of experience.
So about my love/hate relationship with this book; what I hated about this book, was that it took me back to a very difficult time in my life, it made me think about how my kids may or may not have looked at me when times were extremely tough…had I failed them, were they disappointed in me, were they embarrassed by me?...Yeah, I didn’t like reliving that. What I loved about this book, it took me back to a very difficult time in my life that I can proudly say I survived…we survived and while there are still struggles and things aren’t as good as they use to be, we are okay. It made me think about how my kids may have wanted to know certain things, how they may have needed to know certain things. It made me realize that in order to truly prepare my kids for the real world, they need to experience “real experiences” you can’t protect them from all of the bad stuff; life isn’t always a bowl of cherries, it’s filled with lots of disappointments and obstacles and they have to learn how to cope and bounce back.
This book confirmed something for me; I think we need to give your kids the benefit of the doubt and not try to protect them from every little thing. It is okay for them to know that life is hard and sometimes you struggle. But at the end of the day, I’m the parent; it is my job to raise, protect and provide for you. I don’t have to divulge every little thing to you and I don’t need your “approval”. I do the best I can with what I have to make you happy and comfortable and to raise you to be compassionate, empathetic, sympathetic, productive members of society and not total jerks.
Now it might seem that I’m coming off a little hard on poor Phoenix, but I can’t not reflect on how much this girl grew up by the end of the book; toward the end it was clear that she could she, she was expecting things from people that she wasn’t really giving and in the end I realized and had to admit that like Phoenix, I’d grown quite a bit from my experiences. So all this thinking, accepting and realization lead me to a four star read.
Phoenix is going into her senior year in high school and rather than spending her summer like she imagined, hanging with friends and pretty much doing nothing, she’s spending it at a family summer camp. While at the camp she is hired to be a counselor and she meets Callum. A self-proclaimed reformed bad-boy, Callum’s had a rough go at life and the only bright times seemed to be the time he spends at the camp. He’s totally hot and Phoenix can’t quite seem to figure him out. With her feeling like the motives of everyone in her life right now are questionable at best, she’s not sure if she should really trust Callum or not.
Phoenix is struggling with some serious trust issues. Her dad lost his job a few years ago and while she’s aware that there may be some financial struggles she’s shocked to find out how bad they really are when she comes across a foreclosure notice. Her parents have yet to mention this to her, they don’t seem to be telling her any about their situation, they don’t seem to be getting along, but yet they pretend that nothing is wrong. So now, in her eyes, her parents are “liars” and not trust-worthy. The only person in her life that she’s okay with at this point is her little brother Harry. Harry was quite cute and I really liked him (his sister, not so much).
I’m going to be honest, reading the description of this book I wasn’t eager to read it, couple that with the age of the characters and I definitely was hesitant but I decided to give it a try. After the first page or so, I truly thought I was going to have to just give up. Not because the book wasn’t grabbing me but because I instantly disliked Phoenix. She came off as spoiled, bratty and self-centered…not at all different than most teenagers, but something about her just really grated my nerves. But, I decided to go on and give it the old college try.
This book kind of hit close to home and when a book does that, you are either going to LOVE it or HATE it. Well, let’s just say this book and I have a love/hate relationship right now!
I was angry at our parents. For screwing up and dragging Harry and me into it. As far as I was concerned, they’d dug their hole all by themselves. Why did Harry and I have to fall into it with them? It wasn’t fair.
Reading this literally almost sent me over the edge. Seriously, I had to put the kindle down and walk away. UHG, this kid! I couldn’t understand why I was having such a visceral reaction to this kid, and then it hit me. So like I mentioned before, this book hit close to home for me on the parent’s side; being a single mom and having lost a job one of my biggest worries was letting my kids down and trying to keep things as normal for them as possible. Part of that came by way of “protecting” them as much as possible about how bad things were or had gotten. With that being said, Phoenix’s little statement was a little hurtful. Very rarely does a parent deliberately “screw up and drag” their kids into anything when they are struggling. I’m all for kids understanding some aspect of what’s going on in a household, but I don’t feel obligated to give you a complete rundown. While I get that Phoenix is a kid, she’s also almost eighteen years, old enough to know that well…..shit happens! I gave her a little bit of a pass because she was probably pretty sheltered and used to life being easy so it may have been a shock, but still her attitude sucked.
The relationship with Callum and Phoenix was a bit weird at times. They both wanted that one person they could confide in but at the same time, they were hesitant to do so. Callum’s backstory was pretty interesting and I think I felt like he “got it”. He understood what it was like to have to have something happen in your life that causes you to stop and re-evaluate, change your course and I really wanted Phoenix to get it too.
I had to remind myself that while I wanted Phoenix to “get it”, I had to realize that she and Callum came from totally different backgrounds, he wasn’t as sheltered as she was and he’d been dealing with disappointments pretty much his whole life. Of course right when I thought I was okay with her, Phoenix managed to tick me off in how she was so willing to give Callum’s mother a total pass for obstacles/hurdles/hard-times she endured.
I could only imagine the strength it took to raise two boys alone in California, a state not exactly known for its stellar cost of living.
My first thought after reading that; “Are you freaking kidding me?! You don’t know this woman from a can of paint, never laid an eye on her! You’re not even sure if the story you’re getting from Callum is an accurate depiction of her and you feel sorry for her!”; Yep, another reaction where I had to put the kindle down and woo-sah. I had to yet again remind myself that this was a young adult; she was looking at things from a totally different perspective than your many years of experience.
So about my love/hate relationship with this book; what I hated about this book, was that it took me back to a very difficult time in my life, it made me think about how my kids may or may not have looked at me when times were extremely tough…had I failed them, were they disappointed in me, were they embarrassed by me?...Yeah, I didn’t like reliving that. What I loved about this book, it took me back to a very difficult time in my life that I can proudly say I survived…we survived and while there are still struggles and things aren’t as good as they use to be, we are okay. It made me think about how my kids may have wanted to know certain things, how they may have needed to know certain things. It made me realize that in order to truly prepare my kids for the real world, they need to experience “real experiences” you can’t protect them from all of the bad stuff; life isn’t always a bowl of cherries, it’s filled with lots of disappointments and obstacles and they have to learn how to cope and bounce back.
This book confirmed something for me; I think we need to give your kids the benefit of the doubt and not try to protect them from every little thing. It is okay for them to know that life is hard and sometimes you struggle. But at the end of the day, I’m the parent; it is my job to raise, protect and provide for you. I don’t have to divulge every little thing to you and I don’t need your “approval”. I do the best I can with what I have to make you happy and comfortable and to raise you to be compassionate, empathetic, sympathetic, productive members of society and not total jerks.
Now it might seem that I’m coming off a little hard on poor Phoenix, but I can’t not reflect on how much this girl grew up by the end of the book; toward the end it was clear that she could she, she was expecting things from people that she wasn’t really giving and in the end I realized and had to admit that like Phoenix, I’d grown quite a bit from my experiences. So all this thinking, accepting and realization lead me to a four star read.
March 13, 2017
Let me start off by saying that I will reading anything Nicole Williams puts out, synopsis unread.
Knowing this, imagine my excitement when I saw this one up for request! It's been a while since I read a YA book by her so I couldn't wait.
Phoenix and her family plan to spend the summer at Camp Kismet, something she is definitely not happy about. Not to mention things with her family haven't been all that great so this is sort of a way for them to work through it all.
While I am obviously a fan of romance, and I was happy with finding love when you least expect it, I was actually more interested in the relationship with Phoenix and her parents. This was their way of working things out, to make things work and finally get back on track. I don't blame Phoenix for being reluctant.
Turns out working at a summer camp has it's ups and downs, mistakes are made, some that can prove to have serious consequences. But at the end of it all, it wasn't the terrible summer she thought she'd have. Doesn't hurt that she had Callum through it all and her little brother who always has her back.
Harry, the fun and loving 10 year old brother. I think the reason I adored him was because I also have one of my own. He was my favorite. Ever the optimist, he's all for this grand adventure.
One never knows what the future will bring, but with a little effort and a bit of trust, life might just surprise you.
Each one of Nicole's books hold a special place in my heart, not to mention her characters. I'll definitely read this one again.
*ARC provided by the publisher & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (THANK YOU!)*
Knowing this, imagine my excitement when I saw this one up for request! It's been a while since I read a YA book by her so I couldn't wait.
Phoenix and her family plan to spend the summer at Camp Kismet, something she is definitely not happy about. Not to mention things with her family haven't been all that great so this is sort of a way for them to work through it all.
While I am obviously a fan of romance, and I was happy with finding love when you least expect it, I was actually more interested in the relationship with Phoenix and her parents. This was their way of working things out, to make things work and finally get back on track. I don't blame Phoenix for being reluctant.
Turns out working at a summer camp has it's ups and downs, mistakes are made, some that can prove to have serious consequences. But at the end of it all, it wasn't the terrible summer she thought she'd have. Doesn't hurt that she had Callum through it all and her little brother who always has her back.
Harry, the fun and loving 10 year old brother. I think the reason I adored him was because I also have one of my own. He was my favorite. Ever the optimist, he's all for this grand adventure.
One never knows what the future will bring, but with a little effort and a bit of trust, life might just surprise you.
Each one of Nicole's books hold a special place in my heart, not to mention her characters. I'll definitely read this one again.
*ARC provided by the publisher & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (THANK YOU!)*
June 22, 2017
Rating: 3.5 Stars
This one really ticked off all the right boxes for me. It was such a sweet romance/coming-of-age story, and there were so many things I loved about this story.
I was sort of won over with the whole family summer camp thing. It was a great setting for this story, and I thought Williams used it brilliantly. This was a story of a broken family in need of healing. Phoenix's father had lost his job two years prior, and had not been able to get his mojo back. That, coupled with her parents constant bickering, and both of them being so closed off from the rest of the family really warranted this off-site setting. The family was forced to spend more time together, and this proximity was bound to result in them actually talking and working through their issues.
Harrison, aka Harry was a little packet of awesome. This kid played true to age, but he was also so astute and often the voice of reason. I loved the bond he shared with Phoenix, and could not help but cheer for him with each small success he enjoyed.
Callum, *sigh*. I wore a smile on my face almost every time he was on page. I adored this rugged, manly-man, who was trying to rise above his circumstances. He had a good heart, even if some of his decisions were not always right.
You knew it was coming, the romance! Callum and Phoenix were great together. Their relationship was so honest, and they were able to connect and share things with each other, that they had previously not shared with anyone else. They listened to each other, had some really mature discussions (Bravo Ms. Williams!), and most of all, forgave each other when they made mistakes.
Speaking of forgiveness, there are a lot of characters in this book, who needed forgiving. I love that this theme was explored, because it's realistic. People make mistakes and disappoint us, but because we love them, we will forgive them.
Another HUGE theme in this book is lying. Williams puts the characters in several different types of situations, where they omit facts or lie. Sometimes the lies are for a good reason, sometimes they aren't. I liked the way she explored this grey area in this story, because it really worked in this case. We lie to protect someone, we lie so as not to hurt their feelings, we lie because we don't accept the truth. There are so many reasons why we lie, and Williams really gave me a lot to think about with respect to this issue.
This book is about heavy things, but it's a rather light read. I am a fan of the fluff. This one is not too fluffy, it has plenty of depth, and angst. Phoenix is angsty, but it's just the right amount of drama for me. Williams balanced out the happy with the sad, the deep with the shallow. I felt plenty of emotions without falling into the emotional abyss.
Growth, there is so much growth. I don't know if there were any main players who left Camp Kismet as the same person they were at the beginning of the summer. Phoenix, Callum, Harry, heck, even mom and dad all grew and changed. I always find it a positive thing, that when a character must suffer some pain in their life, they are made better from the experience.
A good epilogue goes a long way. Williams wrapped this one up in a bow with a lovely epilogue, which left me feeling happy and satisfied.
Overall: This was lovely story of love, family, and forgiveness.
**Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.
BLOG|INSTAGRAM|BLOGLOVIN| FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
This one really ticked off all the right boxes for me. It was such a sweet romance/coming-of-age story, and there were so many things I loved about this story.
I was sort of won over with the whole family summer camp thing. It was a great setting for this story, and I thought Williams used it brilliantly. This was a story of a broken family in need of healing. Phoenix's father had lost his job two years prior, and had not been able to get his mojo back. That, coupled with her parents constant bickering, and both of them being so closed off from the rest of the family really warranted this off-site setting. The family was forced to spend more time together, and this proximity was bound to result in them actually talking and working through their issues.
Harrison, aka Harry was a little packet of awesome. This kid played true to age, but he was also so astute and often the voice of reason. I loved the bond he shared with Phoenix, and could not help but cheer for him with each small success he enjoyed.
Callum, *sigh*. I wore a smile on my face almost every time he was on page. I adored this rugged, manly-man, who was trying to rise above his circumstances. He had a good heart, even if some of his decisions were not always right.
You knew it was coming, the romance! Callum and Phoenix were great together. Their relationship was so honest, and they were able to connect and share things with each other, that they had previously not shared with anyone else. They listened to each other, had some really mature discussions (Bravo Ms. Williams!), and most of all, forgave each other when they made mistakes.
Speaking of forgiveness, there are a lot of characters in this book, who needed forgiving. I love that this theme was explored, because it's realistic. People make mistakes and disappoint us, but because we love them, we will forgive them.
Another HUGE theme in this book is lying. Williams puts the characters in several different types of situations, where they omit facts or lie. Sometimes the lies are for a good reason, sometimes they aren't. I liked the way she explored this grey area in this story, because it really worked in this case. We lie to protect someone, we lie so as not to hurt their feelings, we lie because we don't accept the truth. There are so many reasons why we lie, and Williams really gave me a lot to think about with respect to this issue.
This book is about heavy things, but it's a rather light read. I am a fan of the fluff. This one is not too fluffy, it has plenty of depth, and angst. Phoenix is angsty, but it's just the right amount of drama for me. Williams balanced out the happy with the sad, the deep with the shallow. I felt plenty of emotions without falling into the emotional abyss.
Growth, there is so much growth. I don't know if there were any main players who left Camp Kismet as the same person they were at the beginning of the summer. Phoenix, Callum, Harry, heck, even mom and dad all grew and changed. I always find it a positive thing, that when a character must suffer some pain in their life, they are made better from the experience.
A good epilogue goes a long way. Williams wrapped this one up in a bow with a lovely epilogue, which left me feeling happy and satisfied.
Overall: This was lovely story of love, family, and forgiveness.
**Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.
BLOG|INSTAGRAM|BLOGLOVIN| FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
June 19, 2017
While Trusting You and Other Lies started off feeling kinda predictable, and well it is kinda predictable, it ended up being more than just your summer camp romance romp.
It is cute and all, but it is more of a coming of age story than a romance, despite the fact that the romance is the leading storyline. See in the end it is about trust and second chances, and also love. All of these things do go hand in hand after all.
The good news however is, this is a summer camp romance. While there are some big issues being tackled by Phoenix, there is also plenty of swoony stuff going on.
The character building is rather well done.
I absolutely adore Callum, his seriousness and his sweetness! Phoenix does a lot of growing up during her summer in camp, she also does a lot of teenage mistakes and her black&white views were a bit infuriating. However, I also understood her, I think most readers will be able to relate. I also made me think that once I saw many things as black&white myself and the word compromise was at times non-existent in my vocabulary. But more so I remember not seeing someone else POV as a teenager, simply because I couldn't see it in that moment. I think learning that is one of the most important things growing up.
The support cast is interesting and while some parts are your usual usual, I like the family dynamics. I love how it's totally imperfect but so real and with lots of heart, no matter how Phoenix feel about it.
I think, I should mention, that I am writing this, straight after reading the novel. Trusting You, left me philosophical and swoony. I think this means Williams did a fantastic job.
Some beautiful, insightful moments but also lots of cute & fluffy makes this the perfect summer read in my opinion!
It is cute and all, but it is more of a coming of age story than a romance, despite the fact that the romance is the leading storyline. See in the end it is about trust and second chances, and also love. All of these things do go hand in hand after all.
The good news however is, this is a summer camp romance. While there are some big issues being tackled by Phoenix, there is also plenty of swoony stuff going on.
The character building is rather well done.
I absolutely adore Callum, his seriousness and his sweetness! Phoenix does a lot of growing up during her summer in camp, she also does a lot of teenage mistakes and her black&white views were a bit infuriating. However, I also understood her, I think most readers will be able to relate. I also made me think that once I saw many things as black&white myself and the word compromise was at times non-existent in my vocabulary. But more so I remember not seeing someone else POV as a teenager, simply because I couldn't see it in that moment. I think learning that is one of the most important things growing up.
The support cast is interesting and while some parts are your usual usual, I like the family dynamics. I love how it's totally imperfect but so real and with lots of heart, no matter how Phoenix feel about it.
I think, I should mention, that I am writing this, straight after reading the novel. Trusting You, left me philosophical and swoony. I think this means Williams did a fantastic job.
Some beautiful, insightful moments but also lots of cute & fluffy makes this the perfect summer read in my opinion!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2017
2.5-3 stars!
This book was just meh for me. I feel awful saying that when I LOVE this author but I think I am finally realizing that YA is not my thing.
It took me longer than normal to read this book which is a real indication of how I felt about the story.
I love romance and while I liked the last 60%-70% of the book when things finally start happening between them, I was honestly more into the family story - the story of Phoenix, her brother Harry and her parents.
I was angry at her parents for how they dealt with things and while I know it must be so hard when things get tough, I was mad at how much they pushed their children away and how when they were finally able and wanting to parent again that I had the feeling of "too little too late."
I liked the transformation of Phoenix and her character and the moral of the story of trusting in oneself. I most especially liked the epilogue because it made my heart happy.
I just wanted more...I wanted to feel and connect more than I did...I so wish I did because I truly do love this author.
I will of course continue reading her but probably her more mature adult reads :)
This book was just meh for me. I feel awful saying that when I LOVE this author but I think I am finally realizing that YA is not my thing.
It took me longer than normal to read this book which is a real indication of how I felt about the story.
I love romance and while I liked the last 60%-70% of the book when things finally start happening between them, I was honestly more into the family story - the story of Phoenix, her brother Harry and her parents.
I was angry at her parents for how they dealt with things and while I know it must be so hard when things get tough, I was mad at how much they pushed their children away and how when they were finally able and wanting to parent again that I had the feeling of "too little too late."
I liked the transformation of Phoenix and her character and the moral of the story of trusting in oneself. I most especially liked the epilogue because it made my heart happy.
I just wanted more...I wanted to feel and connect more than I did...I so wish I did because I truly do love this author.
I will of course continue reading her but probably her more mature adult reads :)
April 24, 2017
***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.***
A sweet, easy to read coming of age story. Phoenix in all her teenage angst. (Nicely portrayed. I wanted to smack her and hug her all at the same time. My usual response to seemingly moody, infuriating teenagers). What stands out with Phoenix though, is her basic need to be told the truth by her failing parents. She has single handedly taken on the role of fierce protector and champion of her 10 year old brother Harry, whilst her parents try to piece their family and lives back together at camp during summer break.
Instantly she meets Callum, a mysteriously handsome loner, a 'don't hold back', straight shooter who is all about camp life. Suddenly thrust in as his new trainee, Phoenix hopes Callum's serious no nonsense approach to camp life doesn't make this summer experience even worse than she has been expecting.
I loved the characters, it made me even smile at the feeling of a good summer at camp can right all the wrongs, and set things straight. Because why not? If you are a natural born pessimist pass this book up! This author is all about a sweet Happy Ever After. And I enjoyed it.
A sweet, easy to read coming of age story. Phoenix in all her teenage angst. (Nicely portrayed. I wanted to smack her and hug her all at the same time. My usual response to seemingly moody, infuriating teenagers). What stands out with Phoenix though, is her basic need to be told the truth by her failing parents. She has single handedly taken on the role of fierce protector and champion of her 10 year old brother Harry, whilst her parents try to piece their family and lives back together at camp during summer break.
Instantly she meets Callum, a mysteriously handsome loner, a 'don't hold back', straight shooter who is all about camp life. Suddenly thrust in as his new trainee, Phoenix hopes Callum's serious no nonsense approach to camp life doesn't make this summer experience even worse than she has been expecting.
I loved the characters, it made me even smile at the feeling of a good summer at camp can right all the wrongs, and set things straight. Because why not? If you are a natural born pessimist pass this book up! This author is all about a sweet Happy Ever After. And I enjoyed it.
May 4, 2017
Trusting You & Other Lies is a coming of age summer love story.
Phoenix was expecting to spend her summer in California with her friends, but her parents decide to spend it on a family summer camp. Even though her little brother is thrilled by the idea, Phoenix isn’t the least bit excited to spend the entire summer away from her home, especially when she knows her parents are keeping huge secrets from her and her brother.
However, family summer camp isn’t what she expected from day one. It turns out to be a lot more fun, especially when she meets Callum, the head counselor who’s supposed to be training her. Callum is handsome, mysterious, funny and Phoenix can’t help developing feelings for him.
This book was funny, cute, touching and so much more than I expected. It’s everything I could want from a light, fluffy summertime read. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Phoenix was expecting to spend her summer in California with her friends, but her parents decide to spend it on a family summer camp. Even though her little brother is thrilled by the idea, Phoenix isn’t the least bit excited to spend the entire summer away from her home, especially when she knows her parents are keeping huge secrets from her and her brother.
However, family summer camp isn’t what she expected from day one. It turns out to be a lot more fun, especially when she meets Callum, the head counselor who’s supposed to be training her. Callum is handsome, mysterious, funny and Phoenix can’t help developing feelings for him.
This book was funny, cute, touching and so much more than I expected. It’s everything I could want from a light, fluffy summertime read. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
August 7, 2017
~~4.5 stars~~
June 20, 2017
This book was a breath of fresh air compared to what I've been reading lately. I enjoy a good YA and Trusting you and Other Lies was just what I needed.
This book is another sweet, amazing, read by this author. It comes to terms how teenagers feel, mixed with reality and how families interact. It also shows you that teenagers can overcome their fears, become wise, help others and potentially fall in love.
If you're looking for a sweet YA read this is your book! Trust me, you'll fall in love with the amazing characters, setting and wish you were at this remarkable camp that changed both of their lives for the better!!!
5 phoenix/dove stars!
*Recv'd a Paperback ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review.
This book is another sweet, amazing, read by this author. It comes to terms how teenagers feel, mixed with reality and how families interact. It also shows you that teenagers can overcome their fears, become wise, help others and potentially fall in love.
If you're looking for a sweet YA read this is your book! Trust me, you'll fall in love with the amazing characters, setting and wish you were at this remarkable camp that changed both of their lives for the better!!!
5 phoenix/dove stars!
*Recv'd a Paperback ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2017
Original Review @ Naomi’s Reading Palace
Trusting You and Other Lies was such a cute read!! It started with Phoenix and her family heading to the mountains to spend the Summer at a camp. She didn't want to go and resented her parents for making her go because things were a little strained between both her parents, and herself. She was still close with her younger brother and I liked seeing her protect him when she could.
Phoenix took on a councillor role at the camp, so she could earn some cash over the summer. She was unsure at first, made some mistakes and pushed herself when she needed to. But it was hard for her to get the approval from her leader, Callum. He was a gorgeous guy, who carried the world on his shoulders. He took his job seriously and if you made a mistake, you had to work back his trust.
Both Phoenix and Callum had a lot of trust issues, and they both struggled to let people in. Their stories were revealed along the way and I could see them both growing into stronger people. I liked seeing them work together and study together as their relationship strengthened.
I love the way that Nicole Williams wove this story! There was a lot of growth for all the characters: Phoenix, Callum and her parents. I liked that they all went into the Summer a little lost but were all stronger and better towards the end. Nicole Williams knows how to create a world that you can connect to and get lost in. I thoroughly enjoyed the narration by Jorjeana Marie as well, she switched into each character nicely and was pleasant to listen to. I'll be picking up more reads she narrates in the future, that's for sure!
Trusting You and Other Lies was such a cute read!! It started with Phoenix and her family heading to the mountains to spend the Summer at a camp. She didn't want to go and resented her parents for making her go because things were a little strained between both her parents, and herself. She was still close with her younger brother and I liked seeing her protect him when she could.
Phoenix took on a councillor role at the camp, so she could earn some cash over the summer. She was unsure at first, made some mistakes and pushed herself when she needed to. But it was hard for her to get the approval from her leader, Callum. He was a gorgeous guy, who carried the world on his shoulders. He took his job seriously and if you made a mistake, you had to work back his trust.
Both Phoenix and Callum had a lot of trust issues, and they both struggled to let people in. Their stories were revealed along the way and I could see them both growing into stronger people. I liked seeing them work together and study together as their relationship strengthened.
I love the way that Nicole Williams wove this story! There was a lot of growth for all the characters: Phoenix, Callum and her parents. I liked that they all went into the Summer a little lost but were all stronger and better towards the end. Nicole Williams knows how to create a world that you can connect to and get lost in. I thoroughly enjoyed the narration by Jorjeana Marie as well, she switched into each character nicely and was pleasant to listen to. I'll be picking up more reads she narrates in the future, that's for sure!
August 1, 2017
3.5ish. I forgot how much I like YAs in a summer camp setting. The whole family-camp thing made it a little weird and felt like an unnecessary addition considering that her parents presence really felt like an afterthought at times despite being the driving force of the plot, but it was a fun book.
January 31, 2017
Loved this book... breath of fresh air. Nicole went back to her YA roots that I fell in love with.
June 20, 2017
It’s no secret of my adoration for Nicole Williams, and I was thrilled when she announced her return to YA. It has been too long since she’s written in this genre. Trusting You and Other Lies is a delightful coming of age story and reminded me of how well Williams writes contemporary YA. I adored Phoenix and her journey of self discovery.
“Our destiny is always waiting for us. It’s right in front of us, all the time. Sometimes we just need a place and a time to be reminded of that.”
Flagstaff, AZ is one of my favorite vacation places, and I was elated to see this outdoor paradise as the backdrop. It’s the ideal setting for a summer romance. As the story begins, Phoenix appears to be an unconnected and emotionally closed off teenager. The scenes with her younger brother, Harrison quickly prove she’s caring and loyal. Their interactions are some of my favorite moments in the book. Harrison’s character adds a needed lighthearted element, and he always had me smiling. The strained relationship with Phoenix and her parents is tense but not overly dramatic. The attempts to make their family whole again is a slow process, but I liked how realistic and heartfelt they are.
“You’re my daughter. I’d walk through fire for you, so of course I’d jump into some silly little river to save you.”
Like with most true YA, the romance in Trusting You is the slowest of burns. Both Callum and Phoenix like keeping people at arm’s length and are hesitant to trust. I tend to prefer dual points of views, but having Callum’s story only through Phoenix’s narration works well. I enjoyed learning about his character as she does. I relished their intense and slow building relationship. It holds all the powers and emotions of first love, and I felt every moment with them.
He kissed me like I’d wanted to be kissed my whole entire life–like I was everything.
If you’re looking for a low angst and heart warming YA, I recommend Trusting You and Other Lies. Yes, it is little predictable, but it didn't stop me from loving the journey. I hope Williams decides to write in this genre soon; I forgot how much I missed her there.
Thank you to Crown Books and Nicole Williams for my advanced copy.
“Our destiny is always waiting for us. It’s right in front of us, all the time. Sometimes we just need a place and a time to be reminded of that.”
Flagstaff, AZ is one of my favorite vacation places, and I was elated to see this outdoor paradise as the backdrop. It’s the ideal setting for a summer romance. As the story begins, Phoenix appears to be an unconnected and emotionally closed off teenager. The scenes with her younger brother, Harrison quickly prove she’s caring and loyal. Their interactions are some of my favorite moments in the book. Harrison’s character adds a needed lighthearted element, and he always had me smiling. The strained relationship with Phoenix and her parents is tense but not overly dramatic. The attempts to make their family whole again is a slow process, but I liked how realistic and heartfelt they are.
“You’re my daughter. I’d walk through fire for you, so of course I’d jump into some silly little river to save you.”
Like with most true YA, the romance in Trusting You is the slowest of burns. Both Callum and Phoenix like keeping people at arm’s length and are hesitant to trust. I tend to prefer dual points of views, but having Callum’s story only through Phoenix’s narration works well. I enjoyed learning about his character as she does. I relished their intense and slow building relationship. It holds all the powers and emotions of first love, and I felt every moment with them.
He kissed me like I’d wanted to be kissed my whole entire life–like I was everything.
If you’re looking for a low angst and heart warming YA, I recommend Trusting You and Other Lies. Yes, it is little predictable, but it didn't stop me from loving the journey. I hope Williams decides to write in this genre soon; I forgot how much I missed her there.
Thank you to Crown Books and Nicole Williams for my advanced copy.
June 15, 2017
Trusting You & Other Lies was a sweet coming of age story. This book had a cute romance, but it was nice that it actually took a backseat to the main plot of character development. I love romance, but I thought this other made a wise choice to have this story focus more on the main character and have the romance be on the side.
The main character, Phoenix, was a sassy and headstrong character. To be honest, I really did like her at first. I thought she was rude, petty, judgmental, immature, and bratty. I was glad that throughout the book, especially near the end of the book, Phoneix had a change of heart. It was nice to see her mature and become more trusting and understanding.
The love interest, Callum, was a swoon-worthy character! I loved getting to know him and learn about his backstory. I really liked how the author included his history because it showed what shaped him and made him into the man he was. His hot and cold attitude got on my nerves sometimes, but I definitely liked him as a whole.
The romance in this book was very cute. I loved the banter between Callum and Phoenix. They were trying so hard to hide and deny their feelings, and it was funny to see them deal with that dilemma.
I liked how this book discussed family bonds, love, trust, and growth. There were a lot of sweet moments and moments that were on the sad side. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants YA coming of age novel!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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The main character, Phoenix, was a sassy and headstrong character. To be honest, I really did like her at first. I thought she was rude, petty, judgmental, immature, and bratty. I was glad that throughout the book, especially near the end of the book, Phoneix had a change of heart. It was nice to see her mature and become more trusting and understanding.
The love interest, Callum, was a swoon-worthy character! I loved getting to know him and learn about his backstory. I really liked how the author included his history because it showed what shaped him and made him into the man he was. His hot and cold attitude got on my nerves sometimes, but I definitely liked him as a whole.
The romance in this book was very cute. I loved the banter between Callum and Phoenix. They were trying so hard to hide and deny their feelings, and it was funny to see them deal with that dilemma.
I liked how this book discussed family bonds, love, trust, and growth. There were a lot of sweet moments and moments that were on the sad side. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants YA coming of age novel!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
June 13, 2017
Trusting You and Other Lies by Nicole Williams is an enjoyable summer read written from the perspective of an almost–adult teen girl.
Our main character, Phoenix, is dealing with complex family issues, change and love. You can't help but to root for her as she tries to figure out life, while at the dreaded family camp, during the summer before her final year of high school.
Trusting You and Other Lies is sweet, sometimes a little serious but never boring or too predictable. I found myself breezing through this book and enjoying every moment!
If you enjoy YA, I highly recommend Trusting You and Other Lies. Take this one to the beach, or to camp, or the lake, or anywhere you will be doing your summer reading!
p.s. I'm in love with this cover!!!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's Crown Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read this book at no cost, in exchange for my honest feedback and review.
Our main character, Phoenix, is dealing with complex family issues, change and love. You can't help but to root for her as she tries to figure out life, while at the dreaded family camp, during the summer before her final year of high school.
Trusting You and Other Lies is sweet, sometimes a little serious but never boring or too predictable. I found myself breezing through this book and enjoying every moment!
If you enjoy YA, I highly recommend Trusting You and Other Lies. Take this one to the beach, or to camp, or the lake, or anywhere you will be doing your summer reading!
p.s. I'm in love with this cover!!!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's Crown Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read this book at no cost, in exchange for my honest feedback and review.
September 3, 2017
“Trusting You & Other Lies” is a nice summer romance that has some teeth.
It’s refreshing to see a sibling relationship that is loving and a family that is struggling in a realistic way. The teenage emotions rang true and brought back quite a bit of nostalgia, along with a lot of “glad I’m past that phase of my life” thoughts. Last but not least, there was no instalove. That is always a bonus in YA romances.
I recommend “Trusting You & Other Lies” for anyone looking for an emotional read about young relationships, both with family and romantic interests.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
It’s refreshing to see a sibling relationship that is loving and a family that is struggling in a realistic way. The teenage emotions rang true and brought back quite a bit of nostalgia, along with a lot of “glad I’m past that phase of my life” thoughts. Last but not least, there was no instalove. That is always a bonus in YA romances.
I recommend “Trusting You & Other Lies” for anyone looking for an emotional read about young relationships, both with family and romantic interests.
This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.
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