When Lola Michaels wakes up to a strange man in her apartment, his hands touching her throat, she’s petrified. And, although one scream sends her nighttime visitor running, she can’t shake the feeling that next time she might not be so lucky.
LAPD Lieutenant Jacob Simmone isn’t entirely sure what to make of the situation either. Lola is a gorgeous, single woman, living in an eight-hundred-square foot artist’s studio. Why would a man break in while she was home? Why would he leave without taking a single item? It’s only when the bodies of similar female victims start surfacing in the same neighborhood, that he realizes there may be something more to Lola’s midnight encounter. And, as Jacob and Lola are thrown into a situation that neither of them could have expected,—or wanted—Jacob can’t help but wonder if he’s making a mistake, if he’d be more effective at tracking a killer without Lola always nearby, clouding his brain. Little does he realize that, maybe, he can’t catch a break because someone else, someone with real power, is holding all the cards…
[I received a digital copy for an honest review]
Public Trust is a new romance by author Tess Shepherd. It tells the story of artist Lola Michaels who finds herself the potential victim of a serial killer. Lieutenant Jacob Simmone finds himself not only tracking down the killer but also overseeing Lola’s safety. With their forced proximity and high stakes the two find themselves falling for each other but will they get their happily ever after before the serial killer finished what he attempted.
Tess Shepherd knows how to make a setting come to life with great descriptions. I could perfectly picture Lola’s apartment and the people she encounters throughout the story. The novel’s mystery aspect was interesting and kept my attention. I loved the way that comic book references were made part of the victims identities. I also appreciated the dual point of views for Lola and Jacob, in my opinion it’s the only way to really connect with the main characters. While they had a fast-forward moving relationship I liked how with the forced proximity they were able to build a connection/friendship (binging Netflix shows and having dinner together) before their sexual tension boiled over.
Public Trust is a romance with a bit of mystery and steam. If you want more to your romance than a meet cute and fluff than this one has you covered. Even though it did tend to be a little insta lovey ( they only end up knowing each other a handful of weeks by the end) but hey in life or death situations feelings are amplified. I’m interested to see where she goes with the rest of The City of Dreams series, whether it continues to follow Lola and Michael or will be about other characters we were introduced in this one.
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