Trust Me Paperback – Import, 1 Oct 2010

Once in a while you come across a book which makes you run out of supurlatives and this is it. Slowly but steadily it builds the tension and you will not want to put it down. It deals briiliantly with teen passion and the problems caused by parental none acceptance together with the powerlessness of those who are too young to stand on their own two feet. Some readers will be put off by the Christian fundamentalism which is well docuemented but really everybody needs to keep in mind the way in which those who have power over others sometimes use it. I would award 6 stars if l could.

With its slow and sometimes laborious pace Trust Me would of normally been a book I would not of bothered to finish. However as the stories of the characters lives progressed I found my self reluctant to put it down. The dynamic became and stayed, something of a great drama and Reilly had me on edge till the very end.

The book told us the love story of Shawn Graham and Bobby Wilder growing up in the 80s, two boys with different and and the same time similar family background. They both were raised by a single mother without brothers or sisters. But Shawn unlike Bobby grow up in a very religious environment. The first time they met when Bobby spent his summer by his father's new family in Michigan. It was just a quick but fateful encounter, even if they had no idea about it at that time.Jeff Erno presents a whole range of different topics, from sexual abuse and bullying through religion up to homophobia. The author can perfectly portray a teen outsider, like in his Invisible he knows perfectly how to rip your heart out and then put it together.I think that the book could be much better if it would have at least 100 pages less.What bothered me was a third person part. I have never had a feeling that it was told from the 13-15 years old boy's POV. It was told from a middle age male person, who TRIED TO BE a teen boy. On one hand they were too childish and naive for their age in some situation, on the other hand they were embarrassingly mature during sex scenes.All in all, if you're a fan of a YA genre and enjoy heart-wrenched stories with HEA, you should try it.I would say, the book is more suitable for MM-beginners, MM-old hands could be less satisfied with it.

This book was difficult to read due to the writing style. At times it feels as though it was written by a child, but the amount of often trivial detail indicates that it was not. One can skip over many pages and not lose track of the story line.

This book, was such a disappointment.From the description you think this book is going to deal with sensitive issues, but the description doesn't tell you is the book is going to be a sloppy representation of a teenage relationship, filled with tears (way too many tears, Shawn cries over a simple hug). My main issue with the book, is quite a petty one, I cannot stand the way the author refers to Shawn as "the boy", he refuses to use his actual name, for example "Bobby loved his boy" "The boy was so fragile", this makes me feel very creeped out, I feel like I'm reading about two 5 year olds embracing one another, and to me, that is not an appropriate image.If you're thinking of buying this book be warned that you will be met with an extremely slow start, an over emphasis on Christianity, and an extremely poor writing style. STAY AWAY!!

From the very beginning you meet a very interesting group of characters who take you on a journey through their young lives, stopping along the way to make you laugh, make you cry, and wish that you could give them words of encouragement. Shawn and Bobby are star-crossed lovers in a homophobic town. The author makes you feel their angst as he skillfully builds to a startling climax. The story made me think of "LatterDays" in it's treatment of the lessons to be learned from embracing fundamentalist Christianity. It is long enough to get into the details of the story, and that is what is missing from so many books in this genre. The story is so good it carries over into mainstream gay fiction. It carries with it a moral: love should be unconditional.Update June 2014After seven readings through this unconventional and unique novel, I feel I have more to add. Jeff's style of writing in this book is not like his later work. Here, in this exquisitely, sensitive, and creatively written story, he displays a patience, a willingness to take his time to not only relate a very special love story, but to provide insight in such a way as to completely involve the reader in his characters and their unending and enduring love for one another. This is one special book, not easily categorized. It is most definitely not a Young Adult novel, simply because of the graphic nature of its realistic lovemaking. And maybe this is one of the reasons that make it unique. A youthful coming of age, coming out story that is written for adults. That's quite rare in this genre. We expect this type of story to be directed toward a specific audience, but in this case that is the opposite. The length alone gives one the hint that there's more here than the usual teen-angst young adult novel .Once in a great while, a book like this comes along. I'm glad I found it. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. It's too good!

(No spoilers in this Review): While reading this novel, one might forget that this is Jeff Erno's debut full-length novel. It is actually a romance novel for the barely-legal gay crowd, a hint about what to expect in this love story between two boys, Shawn and Bobby in the early 1980s, each struggling with their own identity issues and familial problems. It seems destiny, their lives would collide.First off, there is nothing I didn't like about the book, from the cover to the periodic erotic scenes, to (what was for me) a tear-jerking ending. Making me chuckle, I did find a few phrases, such as "my bad", out of sync with the era, and a couple of inconsistencies in a hospital scene, but overall, the text and context editing was very good. Though there were times I found some descriptions of characters and emotions near repetitive, where a condensed version might have served the story better, I cannot say any portion of the book was dull. There were times I truly had difficulty putting the book down to periodically let my eyes rest. Once I entered the final quarter of the book, I didn't put it down--it was that good!Now, let me get personal. Jeff Erno states, "Although a work of fiction, many of my characters were inspired by and/or based upon the personalities of many real-life people I've known." I have to wonder how many of his situational details were also life-inspired, because a few of them seemed so real; I had to cry, for the character, the author, and this reader. That's a good thing, because even this 60+ gay and retired man found much to relate to in this story. Don't be dissuaded, because there were far more fun and funny moments to relish. I wish this kind of story had been available to me when I was young. It is uplifting, hopeful, and potentially educating for young men exploring their own sexual identities. I was attracted by the cover, sold by the free sample on Amazon.com, and thoroughly pleased to have fully read "Trust Me". I suspect you will want your own copy. I wish mine was author-signed!J.V. Petretta is author of "An Impossible Dream Story", also available through Goodreads and Amazon.com.

Jeff Erno's Trust Me tells the story of two very different teenage boys: Shawn, a soft-spoken religious boy, and Bobby, a cool bad boy. Initially, the chapters alternate between Shawn and Bobby, so we get a look at how their personal relationships (and one traumatic incident) shape their perception of themselves and homosexuality. These initial chapters are probably where the book is at its strongest, really fleshing out these two characters. Undoubtedly, the biggest strength of this book is how likeable both Shawn and Bobby are. Shawn in particular is so endearing that you feel terrible when he cries (which is a lot), and you're happy for him when he succeeds. Erno dives deep into themes of identity and sexuality, the struggles that gay teenagers go through with their peers, and family members. And in Shawn's case, the added struggle of trying to navigate his sexuality in the face of his strict religious beliefs. The difficulty Shawn has with reconciling his religious beliefs with not just his sexual identity, but his individuality, is another one of the book's strengths, and something I think is relatable whether or not the reader is religious. That's not to say Trust Me doesn't have its faults. My biggest hurdle with the story is what feels like "narrator insertion." The story is told in third person, which allows Erno to tap into both Shawn and Bobby's stories, but also to provide the omniscient third person perspective. While this voice is usually fairly affective and manages to capture the feelings of both boys, there are also quite a number of times when it seems to be directly addressing the reader rather than fit into the flow of the story. For example, the narrator will state Shawn's perceived shortcomings are quite the opposite, and that an important step for him is learning to love himself. While the reader can gleam things like this for himself, the third person narrator tends to make a point of repeatedly summarizing and encouraging the characters. I believe this stems from Erno's desire to make a connection with his audience, and bridge the gap between the reader and the protagonists, but it does come off as a little "preachy." I'm totally on board with the messages, but I think the story would read a bit more smoothly without such a heavy narrator presence. I also felt the relationship blossomed between Shawn and Bobby way too quickly. Though I believe they were really everything to one another, I felt like their union was brought on too quickly. Then the section where they explored their love emotionally and physically did seem to drag on without a lot of drama going on. It was interesting, and of course, I loved to see them both happy, but I would have liked a little more build-up between them. Still, when the drama began to re-enter the story and the seams of what appeared to be a perfect relationship began to tear, I was emotionally invested in both Shawn and Bobby. For Erno to be able to create characters that the reader cares about until the very end is an amazing feat, so I commend him on that! I've definitely been inspired by this book, and the messages that he sought out to portray, I think he did so with flying colors. The writing was a bit overdramatic at parts, a bit preachy at others, but you will fall in love with both Shawn and Bobby. And being able to connect so deeply with these characters is what will make this book such an enjoyable read.

I really wanted to give this book 2 1/2 stars but decided to round up. The book is much longer than it needs to be, almost everything is painstakingly described, too many details. But for the most part I was ok with the book until after the 2 characters are outed. Then it was just over the top. First every, AND I MEAN EVERY, problem the characters had was solved by then end of the book. I mean come on I'm all for happy endings in stories, but other then them winning the lottery and solving the middle east peace crisis there wasn't any conflict left in all the character's life in the book. And to top it off 99% the conflicts were solved in like 6 months. Also a spoiler or more of a heads up, there's a child rape scene in the book. Which I only mention because some may not be comfortable reading it. I know the description mentions sexual abuse but it was more than I thought, again touching on that too much detail part. The author uses it as a plot device, and doesn't just throw it in. Still I know some people who wouldn't want to read it either way. This author has written better books, which I have reviewed. And I'll still give his other works a shot, this one just fell short.

(Review taken from my goodreads account.)Oh my gosh...this book. This book. THIS BOOK.I first saw this book probably over a year ago, and the moment I got my first Kindle I knew I just had to read it. I somehow knew that this book was going to become more than just another story for me. This book has made itself somewhere deep in my heart. It's helped me realize some things, and even question some things (in a good way).I stayed up all night reading this book straight through and I do believe my eyes will never produce another tear. Trust Me is one of those stories that physically make me feel like my heart muscle is being worked overtime, and that is EXACTLY what I love about it so much. This story has become so precious to me that I just want to cradle it to my bosom and never let it go.Shawn especially got to me. I've often struggled with feelings similar to what he struggled with and the way he approached everything inspires me to help myself with my own thoughts. Both Shawn and Bobby together are a wonderful, beautiful, and simply adorable little pair. These characters are the kind that I cherish because they seem so real to me that I want to protect them.Astonishing story. I'm genuinely at a lost for words.

I'm not One to write reviews on every book I read but I am compelled to share my LOVE for this book. The characters were beautifully written and it was such a wonderful story! This one I would definitely recommend! You'll fall in love with Shawn and Bobby like I did.One thing I appreciated was that the difficult, tough, and tragic situations aren't glanced over. I like that Erno wasn't afraid to go there. This was the first book for me that really exposed the real and I connected so much. There are definitely other books like this out there but im not always able to handle the graphic scenes. This book was is perfect.Officially on my favorite list!

I am happy to see stories that inform as well as entertain . I wish there were stories like this when I was growing up .I for one am glad the author took the time to give us a background on the similarities and differences that each of these boys experienced before meeting.This is a love story to be sure, but it also shows how much damage the church can do with it's self-righteous, guilt ridden teachings !You will,laugh, you will cry, and sometimes you will be angry, but in the end you will be happy for these boys.Love is love and is wonderful ! All the hatred and bigotry spread by these holier than thou Hippocrates cannot change that !!!!Thanks Jeff for your great stories, keep up the good work !

WOW. Jeff Erno never seems to disappoint me.I've debated reading this book for a while. How stupid of me.Trust me......this is one of the best YA coming of age books out there. A rollercoaster of emotions. I am so glad I took the advice of a friend (thanks Justin) and didn't cave to my emotions. I was ready to put the book down after just a few chapters. Some things are just too heartbreaking. And Jeff Erno has a gift of putting us right in the minds of his characters. Good or bad.Trust me..... this is a book you'll wanna read and read again. It's on my favorites list for sure.

What a great read. I totally identified with Shawn. Growing up liking to play daddy with the girls, learning to crochet, being the last one to be picked on a team. Totally dysfunctional families. True portrait of "Christian" families refusing to accept that their kid might be gay. Pedophilia. Opposite attracts (i loved the way Bobby was portrayed). Brainwashing. Attempted suicide. I cried. I could not resist, I had to skip to the last chapter to read that love conquers all. So yes, there is a happy ending to this story. Enjoy and feel free to shed a few tears.

This novel was pretty good. The storyline was well thought out even if the writing at times got in the way with the usage of the same words and phrases over and over. The religious storyline following Shawn might irk some readers. I could have done without how deep it went but overall this was a good book. It wasn't cliche ridden which is often common in the m/m genre.Bravo to the writer for keeping things fresh. I'd definitely but more from this author. This book is especially well suited for fans of YA fiction.