Give him a complex scientific problem any day and he’s a happy man.
He understands computers; he knows their codes; they can communicate. But
women? They don’t come with a code book, so how’s a guy to understand if
they are saying what they mean, or if there is something else under the
surface?
Sam Stark, known as Stark to everyone, is a straightforward guy with few
desires in life, and who always says and does what he means. He loves his
computer security company and the work that comes with it, but he
thoroughly dislikes the socializing required for a growing business like
his. His solution is simple; find a wife that knows how to hobnob, who can
set up parties at a drop of a hat, who knows who’s who and what to serve
them. But if it’s so easy, why is he left at the altar….twice? And with
nothing to show for it but the wedding expenses and leftover catered food
for dinner?
Then it hits him – never mind the wife, hire the caterer to oversee the
food, the guests and the clean-up! Desdemona Wainwright, caterer
extraordinaire, may be a bit too lively, but she can put guests at ease
while feeding them the best her kitchen has to offer. Never mind that she
comes attached to a quirky Theater family, she understands him, nerdy
glasses, pocket protector and droopy corduroy jacket included. The
physical attraction between them is a bonus, and its outcome fits in quite
well into Stark’s organized, insulated lifestyle.
But things don’t always go the way one envisions, much to Stark’s initial
dismay. His family, long absent from his life, suddenly intrudes in the
persons of his two young half-brothers. Then there is Desdemona’s
stepbrother, Tony, too suave and slippery for Stark’s peace of mind. But
total chaos erupts the day someone takes potshots at Desdemona, shaking
Stark out of his ordered existence, and leading him deep into an
investigation of computer espionage.
TRUST ME is a well-executed novel that hooks the reader from the very first
page. It is heart-warming, humorous, and suspenseful all at once. The
hero is extremely likeable, despite Desdemona’s family’s insistence that he
is merely an android posing as a human being. In fact, he is very likeable
*because* of this; the reader waits with gleeful anticipation for his
transformation into an emotional, caring being. Desdemona is independent,
successful, smart, animated, and level-headed, a perfect partner for Stark.
I highly recommend TRUST ME as a wonderful contemporary romance read!
MargieB Wilhelm
