Trust Me [Mass Market Paperback]

Melanie Craft (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2003

Veterinarian Carly Martin cares for the animals belonging to an eccentric millionaire. When the old man falls into a coma, and Valerie discovers she's to inherit his fortune, the man's illegitimate grandson of accuses her of being a gold digger--until he falls in love with her. Original.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's not hard to figure out who's the villain in Craft's lightweight debut romance, as there's only one shady character in the sunny San Francisco depicted here. But Craft's full-bodied portrayals of entrepreneur Max Giordano and veterinarian Carly Martin more than compensate for the story's dearth of strong supporting characters. Max meets Carly when his grandfather Henry, whom he has never met, ends up in a coma after "falling down the stairs" in his mansion. If Henry dies, Carly stands to inherit the mansion and a great deal of money to start a foundation for animals. Max suspects Carly of attempted murder and the worst kind of feminine wiles, but as he gets to know her, he senses that her motives are far from malignant. In truth, her goodness stretches the bounds of belief. Not only does Carly put up with Max's constantly renewed suspicions that she tried to kill Henry, but she must also deal with the insecurities he's had since growing up in foster care. A few mildly surprising twists and tender scenes (such as when Max interacts with Carly's boisterous family) beef up this bare-bones plot, but anyone expecting more than a few sparks and a smidgen of suspense may be disappointed.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Although he was raised in foster homes, Max Giordano became a self-made millionaire. Recently he discovered that he has a grandfather living in San Francisco, but he is reluctant to contact him; then learns that his grandfather has had an accident that rendered him unconscious. Apprised of his will, Max is astonished that the mansion and a healthy portion of his grandfather's money will go to a veterinarian, Carly Martin, to take care of the many strays he has acquired and establish a shelter. Max confronts Carly, certain that she is a gold digger preying upon an old man, but Carly is no such thing. Instead, she is warm and open, everything Max has ever hoped to find. But Max doesn't fully trust his feelings, and when his grandfather's accident begins to look deliberate and all the evidence points to Carly, Max is unable to overcome his distrust. Craft's well-written romance is a poignant ode to trust and to man's best friends. Maria Hatton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Forever (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446612855
• ISBN-13: 978-0446612852
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,560,995 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Different Perspective, January 24, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Trust Me (Mass Market Paperback)

I was surprised by the words from the reader from Palo Alto, and wanted to give my own perspective (I am an older reader) about this book. I did not find Carly Martin to be a damsel in distress at all. The hero did save her physically once, in the end, but it seemed to me that she spent the book trying to save him emotionally, in my belief a harder job. I do agree that she has a way of seeing the world through rose-colored glasses, and has a tendency to trust others too much, which caused her to make some foolish mistakes. This did not bother me, because I have never liked "perfect" heroines, as I find them admirable but not believable. Carly Martin's flaws caused problems for her, but they also balanced and explained her resilience and her ability to provide the steady love that finally broke through the hero's defenses. Rather than insulting women, I thought that this book was a lovely tribute to the strength of family love and a woman's heart.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars solid relationship drama, November 7, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trust Me (Mass Market Paperback)

Max Giordano accuses veterinarian Carly Martin of fleecing an old man, his grandfather Henry. His accusations shock her, but not as much as when he informs her that Henry lies in a coma after a near death fall. Max states that Henry named her as trustee to his 23 animals and the mansion if she converts it into a clinic as they once discussed. Carly tells Max he was never there for Henry whom he never met and she often visited. Carly thinks back in time to when she met Henry. He asked for a house call to check out his ailing raccoon. They became friends and she comes over once a week to check the animals and to chat.

Max begins to wonder if he misjudged Carly. She seems nice and innocent and he is so attracted to her yet new evidence surfaces that prove that someone tried to murder Henry. Carly is the obvious suspect as she has motive (inheritance) and opportunity (her vehicle at the scene).

Though the heroine is too perfect and the lead male becomes irritating at times with his "J'accuse" mentality, readers will like both of them. The story line is fun to follow as Max cannot believe that Carly has no hidden agenda when it comes to Henry. Melanie Craft lives up to her surname as she provides a solid relationship tale with a touch of suspense at the end that sub-genre readers will enjoy especially those who value the canine caper crowd.

Harriet Klausner

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NEW AUTHOR - EXCELLENT, November 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Trust Me (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the first book that I have read by Melanie Craft and I was very impressed. Her use of animals in this book is very touching and the human characters are fascinating. There is humor, love, and mystery - all necessary ingredients in a good book. It is a fun read that I would highly recommend it. The fact that the royalties from this book go to the Mercer Clinic (provides free veterinary care to the companion animals of the homeless) is admirable. I look forward to more books from this author.