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Tanner Collins is the embodiment of perfection—tall, dark, sinfully sexy—and completely out of Juliana Shea’s league. Knowing she’d never survive a repeat of her last disastrous relationship, she parks Tanner firmly in the friend zone. But man, he’s hard to resist.

Juliana is exactly what Tanner wants, and he’s determined to win her over with his kindness and humor… But one night—a night he can’t even remember—threatens to take it all away.

With the flick of a “send” button, their hope for a future together is shattered. But Tanner isn’t the type to give up on what he wants—and he wants Juliana.

394 pages, ebook

Published May 8, 2017

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About the author

Lexi Lawton

9 books117 followers
​​Born and raised in Central New York, Lexi Lawton is an only child who found companionship in books. When she was old enough to put pen to paper, she began writing her own stories of love, suspense, and heartbreak. The Collins Brothers Series is her first publication—but it won’t be her last! She also writes young adult novels under the pen name Kara Leigh Miller.

Today, Lexi lives in Michigan with her husband, a herd of kids, and what could probably be considered a zoo of dogs, cats, and fish.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Profile Image for Beatrice.
1,161 reviews1,710 followers
October 20, 2017
Full review posted at Confessions of a Pinay Bookaholic

Trusting Tanner tested my patience for the following reasons:

Juliana Shea is one of the most frustrating heroines I have ever encountered. I understand her trust issues and hesitancy on dating a new guy because she’s been cheated by her ex-boyfriend. I get it but I don’t like her giving mixed signals to Tanner. One moment she’s playing “hard to get” then suddenly becomes sweet and flirtatious? I find her inconsistent. Also, I don’t like she always assumes worst situations. She needs to take a chill pill. I swear she’s overdramatic.

Constant comparison between Tanner and Zach. Juliana irks me whenever she compares her ex-boyfriend Zach to Tanner. Her basis on every guy was Zach which is truly unfair to Tanner. Both guys are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. Her best friend Devon was right, she needs to give Tanner a chance. He’s a great guy and she should have given him more credit. He’s trustworthy.

Lack of communication. I cannot say Juliana is inexperience with relationships. Communication is the key to have a long lasting relationships. If there’s any concern, I wish she should talk to Tanner first instead of Devon. No wonder Tanner thinks Devon as a threat despite of her assurance they’re just best friends and nothing more.

Sometimes Devon needs to stay in his lane. Best friends stick together and have each others backs. I like Devon. He’s loyal and caring. He’s like a brother Juliana never had. However, I’m not okay when he meddles on her and Tanner’s relationship. Like dude that’s not your business anymore and let them work it out. It’s more helpful if he encourages her to hear Tanner’s explanation.

The only one I like in this book was Tanner Collins. He’s a thoughtful, sweet and respectful guy. I love his persistence and patience. Even he’s frustrated with Juliana, he gives her the space she needed. He doesn’t push things she’s not ready for. In fact, Juliana should have treated him better. He has nothing but good intentions with her. He have to prove so much when he didn’t need to. Hopefully the next book is better and less annoying.

(Full review posted)
Profile Image for Dísir.
1,677 reviews179 followers
April 11, 2017
I wished I liked this more…at least as much as I liked the hero of the book. ‘Trusting Tanner’ sounded like a story I could get into, especially with a male protagonist who seemed unwaveringly classy and determined, for a change. But it all went downhill for me fast, when most of the characters (only Tanner seemed to be the shining gem in the mire) failed miserably at being the type of heroes or heroines I wanted to cheer for.

My sympathy for Juliana turned quickly to frustration when all she seemed to do was to hold everyone up to her past like a mirror after an ex did a number on her. Poor Tanner was held unerringly to these standards throughout, guilty until proven innocent despite trying his hardest, and I spent most of the book wondering what he actually saw in her when all Juliana seemed to do was to keep him on an uphill challenge to prove himself nothing but faithful. Her constant suspicions wore on me as a result, her jealousy unfounded when all she did at first was to insist that only friendship could come out of their school partnership.

I’d hoped more for Juliana in fact, but never quite got to see it - especially not at the end when it was most required of her. That her trust had to be earned was well and good, but it got impossible when all she seemed determined to do is to make people around her earn and prove themselves all the time.

The writing was, unfortunately rather naive (it also fell flat for me) and I couldn’t believe that this was happening at pre-med level when I thought I was reading about the activities of attention-seeking 14-16 year-olds. The high-school stereotypes were all in here, complete with the mean-but-pretty-girl who is also the roommate from hell and the petty jealousies that ping around the moment someone attractive steals someone else’s attention. It was difficult reconcile the behaviour of these characters with college-age students preparing for their careers, especially when you thought these juvenile tendencies had long had the door firmly shut on them.

*ARC by netgalley
(always grateful, mind)
Profile Image for Alison.
3,365 reviews129 followers
November 6, 2019
DNF at 37%.

So, mea culpa, this book has been sitting on my TBR pile for 30 months. In the first version I was sent the hero was so obnoxious I hated him within a few pages. Then a few weeks later the publisher sent an updated copy based on feedback from early reviews, so I felt obligated to give it another try, but in the words of toddlers everywhere I don' wanna. So there it say on my TBR pile silently judging me, until today.

So, the problem is, in 30 months I'm over NA/YA angst, the billionaires, the mean girls, the angst, the lip gnawing, the detailed clothing descriptions etc, etc.

If you like YA/NA then I think you'll enjoy this. Julianna has been dumped and belittled by her ex-boyfriend. An orphan (naturally), her only friend is the devastatingly handsome Devon, but they are just friends. Then she gets paired up with the Adonis-like Tanner in one of her college classes and it's like, yanno, like insta-lurve. She does nothing, says nothing, is nothing special but Tanner is totally smitten but she's so torn up by what her ex did/said that she won't believe this guy could like her - of course whilst having a series of non-dates with the guy in which he tells her constantly that she is beautiful and amazing.

Horses for courses, not for me but others may love it.
Profile Image for Jennifer Pierson.
11.6k reviews166 followers
May 18, 2017
Juliana Shea was burned in the past by a relationship so badly, that she refuses to get involved again, so any man is immediately put in the friend zone. When she meets the sinfully hot, Tanner Collins, she feels an attraction, but she believes that he's way out of her league. Tanner, however, knows that Juliana is perfect for him, and he sets out to convince her to give them a chance. As they can't stay away from each other, she finally gives in to him, although it's hard for her to trust anyone anymore. So when someone from his life sets out to prove her right, will she ever forgive Tanner? I really enjoyed the majority of the story, even though it kept me on my toes with all of the push and pull with Juliana. However, that's where it starts to grate on my nerves, to where I wanted to shake her hard. I really loved Tanner, as I felt like he had the patience of a saint, especially dealing with her past baggage, and closeness with her best friend. That doesn't mean he was perfect, as he had his moments as well. But together, they were great when things were going well. To me, Lexi Lawton showed a talent with her writing style, especially since it appears that she's just starting out. And I say that because even irritated at some things with Jules, It was because I was fully invested in the story. That HUGE twist was much worse than I foresaw, so the loud f-bombs rained down throughout my house. But I don't want to forget the witty and hilarious banter between Tanner and his brothers, as they had me rolling in laughter. I'm super excited to see what this author comes out with next, so I will just end with HIGHLY RECOMMENDING this story to all!
Profile Image for Ayekah.
1,120 reviews
April 19, 2017
My hopes for this book were dashed quickly, about the 2nd time Jules walked in on her roommate naked, the room trashed. The cover was very deceiving, it speaks steamy adult when it's barely YA, it's college juniors and reads like early high school.
Juliana was seriously dependant on Devon, Devon was a complete ass and possessive as hell and I didn't get that co-dependent relationship between those two. At all. Tanner actually was ok. Seemed like a stand up guy and genuinely interested in Jules and having a relationship with her. I liked when he told her, her wanted a relationship with her, not her, him and Devon. Tanner's brothers were kind of jerks. Especially the scene at the bowling alley where they ganged up on her to pressure her to see if she was after Tanner's money. What a joke. Turned out joke was on them. I'd have stormed off too. The crap Elizabeth pulled, Julianna's whore of a roommate was just so predictable and despite it didn't make sense to Tanner, he never tried to even figure it out. He knew it didn't make sense and he didn't remember but this pre-med student couldn't add 2 plus 2 here? Clarifying a couple things, Elizabeth did not have a prior relationship with Tanner. She slept with everyone else on campus, but not him.
I'm sorry I can't rate this book higher, the story was all too predictable, choppy and not well put together. If you do read the small type it is a New Adult book, but I still feel like that's pushing it.

**arc from NetGalley and Entangled in exchange for a fair review**
Profile Image for Reckless Readers.
1,707 reviews88 followers
May 8, 2017
I can’t tell you how much I loved this book. From the very beginning you are hooked and don’t want to put this book down. This is a sweet contemporary romance with an amazing plot. Juliana is a girl who has a huge heart even though she has been repeated hurt in the past. She is guarded and only has let down her walls for her best friend Devon. Tanner is a walking wet dream but has charm and charisma to go with his good looks. He is a true gentleman and even in rough water never wavers on his feeling for Jules and stands behind the fact that he said he would wait forever! There were a few twists that I honestly didn’t see coming and then there were other parts of the book where you feel the true gut wrenching pain of Jules and Tanner. Lexi Lawton did an amazing job with this book and it is a must read!
Profile Image for wendy Shelton(obsessedbybooks).
2,553 reviews25 followers
May 28, 2017
Omg Tanner is sexy sweet. Juliana is trying to move on from a horrific relationship, and with the help of her bff Devon she might be able to if she can survive her crapy college roomate. Juliana isn't planning on dating but when classmate Tanner keeps trying to sweep her off her feet , it's getting harder to resist and she's not sure she wants to, but can she trust her heart with another man? Tanner can't keep his eyes off Juliana, he wants to see where their chemistry will take them but he has to share her with her friend Devon and his jealousy might destroy them.
2,354 reviews14 followers
May 3, 2017
Received an ARC for my fair review for netgalley. Well I did like Tanner, but Juliana got on my nerves. True she was heartbroken because her ex-boyfriend cheated on her, but she judging Tanner by him, and that wasn't fair. Also, she kept saying she did not want a relationship with him, but she did not keep her stance, she would flirt with him, so either you do or you don't. Then we have her slutty roommate Rachel who she has seen how nasty she is first hand, and she has also heard from others about her, even her best friend warned her and yet she believed her over Tanner, that was annoying. I did understand her being upset about the pictures, but that was probably the only thing that I would give her. Tanner should have gone for someone else.
Profile Image for Margo Rhea.
Author 1 book15 followers
April 20, 2017
Trusting Tanner is a quick, fun, NA read. If you're looking for a book to escape into for a couple of days, this is it. Jules is believable as a main character. Her damage from past romantic troubles manages to creep out at the most unfortunate times and causes problems for her. Anyone who's had a bad boyfriend and needed time to recover from that can relate to her.

And the roommate… Wow. I think we've all known that selfish narcissist who only thinks of his or her self and wreaks havoc in the lives of the people around them. I'm pretty sure I was actually roommates with this girl once, only her name wasn't Rebecca.

And Tanner is a refreshing surprise. It's so nice to see a love interest who is masculine without being overbearing and dominant. No alpha-male syndrome here. Lawton has written a realistic hero who is kind, compassionate, sexy, and perfectly flawed the way real people are.

The only reason I'm rating this 4.5 stars is because I kind of knew what the big reveal at the end would be before I actually read it, but even that was very well done.

I can't wait to read more from this author!
Profile Image for Kelly (Simply Kelina) C..
1,313 reviews8 followers
February 7, 2017
I received a copy of Tempting Tanner from NetGalley.

The cover is nothing like what you will get once you start reading. The cover shouts steamy and new adult. It does not remind me of anything that actually takes place in this book. This just fell really short for me.

This starts off with Julianna and Rebecca who are college roommates. Clearly, they have been roommates for several years, but they do not seem to be friends at all. Right from the start, they have a strained and almost hated relationship. It makes no sense why they would be living together. Anyways, Julianna is in love with Tanner who had been dating Rebecca. They break up and Tanner admits he has been just as in love with Julianna.

The plot had so much potential; however the writing was too stiff for my liking and I could not relate to the characters at all. They are supposed to college seniors, but act like they are in high school. There are too immature.
There is no building of the plot or the characters. Even a twist I would normally enjoy (Julianna was in foster care due to her parents dying when she was younger) held no emotions and was just thrown into the plot. It did not fit, and it did not make any sense.

Rebecca was crazy. I called her faking a pregnancy the moment Tanner woke up with her and did not know what happened. Even this was more juvenile, and had so much more potential to bring good drama to the plot.

Overall, I did not enjoy this at all. I did not like the writing, the characters, or the plot. I know others loved it, but it was not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jody Holford.
Author 43 books619 followers
November 7, 2016
I love this book. Not just b/c I am fond of the author, but because the writing is excellent. I had the privilege of reading this book at different stages and I can say with certainty that Tanner is a book boyfriend that sticks with you. There were moments in this book that made me laugh out loud, moments that frustrated me, and moments that made me cry. I love the relationship not only between Tanner and Jules but between Tanner and his brothers. The choices that Tanner has to make are not easy ones and the author shows us that the lives we plan for ourselves don't always end up being the ones we want. What happens when you figure that out and go after the life (or love) you were meant to have? Read this and find out.
Profile Image for Kristen Johnson.
1,170 reviews50 followers
May 9, 2017
Trusting Tanner is a story about love and trust and the complications of relationships. It's about how the past can linger and hurt us long after its over and how one small question of trust can spiral out of control and leave us questioning everything. It's about giving to much attention to outside influences rather than trusting our instincts when it comes to our relationships.

Julianna has been hurt in the past, she's gone through life alone for the most part, and her last serious boyfriend hurt her in many ways, but mostly by cheating on her. Because of this history, she's sort of sworn off men(boys) and decided to focus on school. When her best friend, Devon's frat brother takes a liking to her - Julianna fights hard against it - not wanting to get hurt again, but Tanner isn't going away easily.

Tanner liked what he saw the first time he glimpsed Julianna. He was determined to win her over, starting with friendship. I liked that he pushed himself towards her from the start but also tried to move at her pace a little. Tanner didn't understand fully why Julianna was so put off by a relationship - but he did understand to win her over, he'd have to be careful and slow. I liked Tanner for the most part, but I didn't fully understand his issues with trusting in Julianna's friendship with Devon.


As their friendship grew, so did their feelings and eventually there was no denying there was more than friendship between them. Julianna and Tanner went through a lot in this book, mostly struggles with having faith and trusting in each other. At times their trust issues frustrtated me because it was clear how they felt about each other, but I also understood where those issues stemmed from. Their growth from strangers to friends to more moved at a steady pace and was realistic and pulled me into the story.

What Tanner and Julianna never expected was for obstacles to get in between them, for there to be someone out to hurt them both. When a final event happens to tear them apart it was easy to see how lost and hurt both Tanner and Julianna were; how they struggled to be apart, but also that there was so much to work through before they could be back together. The lack of complete trust between them does more harm to their relationship as it allowed for them to take info from outside sources to deepend the damage of one night.

Trusting Tanner delivered a story of two people finding something right with one another, finding their other half, but also being fool enough to not trust their instincts. Tanner and Julianna had to fight for each other, they had to give in to trust, believe in each other and believe in their feelings. I really enjoyed watching as this played out, because it wasn't an easy road for them, not from teh start. Julianna's trust issues were fully relatable and believable, she sold her heartbreak and the impossibility of losing Tanner while wanting nothing more than him by her side.

Being the first book in the series, Trusting Tanner also introduced us to Tanner's brothers, who were a fun addition to the story. Not only is their love and familial bond with their brother enjoyable but they added a little bit extra to the story; Drama at times, and humor at others. The most important thing to see was their closeness as a family and how they would do anything for each other.
Profile Image for Marieke ~ Marieke's Books.
454 reviews25 followers
May 17, 2017
Although my college years are long gone, I remember those years with all the life questions and decisions that had to be made and the drama… Trusting Tanner is the first book in the new ‘the Collins Brothers Series’ by Lexi Lawton. It’s the story of Juliana and Tanner, who meet at college and gradually fall in love. I like their story.
“Do I have to?” “Do you have to what?” Slowly, she turned on her stool and faced him. Her big brown eyes were unreadable, but they were breathtaking. Damn, he never knew eyes could be so sexy. “Call you Jules? Maybe I want to call you Juliana.” “Why?”

Juliana is back for a new year at college. Last year has been difficult; she felt lonely and her boyfriend turned out to be a total douche bag. This year, she’s looking for peaceful and quiet, but the moment she meets her new roommate Rebecca, Juliana knows that will be difficult. Like Juliana, Tanner is a bit done with the party-hardy campus lifestyle. Yes, he likes the occasional party, but to focus more on his studies he rents an apartment of-campus. Despite his more serious attitude, Tanner is a popular guy with lots of friends and girls who want him. When Juliana and Tanner get teamed-up in one of their classes, it’s inevitable they start to have feelings for each other.
“My treat.” She glanced up to find Tanner standing next to her, smiling. Where the hell did he come from? Her heart raced, and she licked her lips. “You really didn’t have to do that.” “I know. I wanted to.”

After her last relationship ended with a lot of drama, Juliana has sworn off guys. She just wants to do her thing and spend some time with her best friend Devon. The moment she sees Tanner, she’s drawn to him, but she also sees he’s Mr. Popular with written potential heartbreak all over him. So when they’re paired up at one of their classes, Juliana firmly plants Tanner in the friendzone. Tanner is a persistent guy who knows what he wants and who he wants, in this case the beautiful, sweet Juliana. Because of her experience with guys he knows he really has to win her over, but Tanner knows she’s worth it. After some dancing around each other and some drama they have a shot at something real.

Trusting Tanner is a typical college love story with all the usual characters; the sweet heroine, the popular hero, the heroine’s male best friend (is he into the heroine or not?) and the skanky villain. In my country, we don’t have the campus lifestyle, so sometimes I like to read about all the college drama that you get with so many young people living together away from their parents. I understand Juliana’s issues with guys, but sometimes I wanted to shake some sense into her; Not Every Guy is your Ex, sweetie! And Tanner? I really like that despite his popularity, he isn’t the usual college manwhore.
“I. Love. You.” He punctuated each word with a kiss to her neck until he found her lips once more. Juliana gently scraped her fingernails along his nape, and he shivered. “I love you,” she whispered.

I like Juliana and Tanner. I give Trusting Tanner 4 stars.


www.mariekesbooks.com
Profile Image for Mayu.
205 reviews17 followers
May 11, 2017
Where do I even start I don't know..... If I have to explain in one word (umm.. phrase) everything l am going to write in this moderately long review then I would say I loved Trusting Tanner. Right from the characters to the story line this novel touched my heart and tugged at all its strings possible.

Starting the review, first I would like to give the glimpse of the two awesome main characters, Tanner and Juliana. Tanner is a college student, tall, handsome, physically a epitome of perfection that every girl dreams off but the best part about him was his lovely heart. 

Coming to Juliana, I can't just tell you how much I loved her. As the novel progressed I started loving her even more. Juliana lost her parents when she was very young, from then she had gone from one foster home to other, the pain and the loneliness she has experienced ever since was very well described in this novel. She didn't trust anyone easily and when she did and that person crushed her trust along with her heart into million pieces, the overwhelming emotions that she experienced, was so well expressed through the author's words that I could myself feel them as if I was right there.

"She cried for her parents, for herself, for Tanner. For the future they could never have."

There were many sweet moments in this love story of Tanner and Juliana that brought a smile on my face, and warmed my heart in every way possible. Then their were also some really funny moments, especially in the beginning, the way flirted, made me laugh. And their were some tear inducing, heart breaking moments too.

“Whether we’re together or not, it doesn’t matter. My parents love you. My brothers love you. I love you.”

Xander is a special mention, I supposed him to be just an add on, but he turned out to be a pure gem. I can't just wait to read this Collin brother's love story.

To be true, I won't say I absolutely loved this book right from the beginning. But as the story progressed, I think the last 40% just made this novel top the charts of my recently favourite romance reads.

I am going to rate this book 4.5 stars, I had to deduct this 0.5 stars because I just expected a bit more from Devon's character. I expected a bit more action on his part. Anyway I still would say this is one of my best romance reads that I would recommend to all the romance lovers out there.
Profile Image for Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog).
5,392 reviews202 followers
May 15, 2017
Trusting Tanner is a great start to a new series. Juliana hasn't had an easy life. She doesn't trust easily, and she lets very few people in. She's got Devon, her best friend, but even he doesn't know her as well as he could. Now she's a junior in college, with a new roommate and about to meet Tanner, whom she will friend zone from the very beginning. Soon, although not immediately, Tanner's sweetness, charm and persistence is too much for Juliana to resist and that friendship morphs into more.

But, neither knows that Tanner is about to do something to shatter the fragile trust Juliana has given him. Something that she's not sure if she'll ever get past. So much angst is caused by this one little thing. They spend weeks apart and both of them are devastated. But, thanks to incredibly persistent brothers, and even Juliana's best friend, Tanner and Juliana just might get a second chance to build something special again.

I like Trusting Tanner, thanks mostly because of Tanner. He's sweet, sexy and so in love with Juliana. Juliana was harder for me to connect to. Because of all that she's gone through, she has hardened herself so much that she scrutinizes Tanner so much it's a wonder he ever passed her stringent requirements. She nitpicks every little action and word out of his mouth, and tars him with the same feather as her ex, when Tanner had never done anything to deserve her mistrust. He was pretty perfect up to his one misstep. I honestly felt as if Tanner deserved better than Juliana. She was too much for me to handle, I can't imagine why he fell in love with someone who gave him so much grief over something he wasn't guilty of. Aside from Juliana's annoying character (and that of her bitchy roommate, Rebecca) I think Trusting Tanner is a great NA romance. It's sexy, although a little angsty, as NA tends to be, emotional and well written. I can't wait for more from Lexi Lawton and more about the Collins Brothers.

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
Profile Image for Angela.
2,776 reviews31 followers
May 5, 2017
3 - 3 1/2 stars

When I first read the synopsis for this book, I thought it was something that I would really enjoy. Unfortunately, there was just too much that kept that from happening. This had a great storyline, humor, a fantastic male lead, a great best friend, a horrible roommate that you'll love to hate, and some surprises that kept things interesting. I like a hero that isn't afraid to go after what he wants and do whatever it takes to get it, and this had just that.

My biggest problem was with the female lead character. I get that she had been hurt in her previous relationship, but her reaction to it was a bit extreme. If these characters had been younger, maybe in their first years of college, I could have understood better, but they're supposed to be seniors. After everything that Juliana, aka Jules, had been through in her life, you would expect her to be stronger than what she was, at least to me anyway.

When she finally gives Tanner a chance to get out of the friend zone after a couple of months, every little thing he does is scrutinized by her. She reacts before knowing the truth, or even asking him about it, and while it should be easy to figure out for her, she's too busy pulling away without giving him a chance to explain anything. I felt like I was reading about high school kids, rather than young adults in their last year of college.

I liked the first part of the story, up until they started dating. I didn't hate the rest of the story, and she tried redeeming herself towards the end, but it was just too late for me at that point. For those who like the push and pull, the games played by others trying to mess up the relationship, and the other things that I have described in this book, then this is a story that you will love. If you are interested, but not sure, please request a sample of the book to see if it's something that you can enjoy.

I have voluntarily reviewed this arc provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Profile Image for NICUnurse Stephanie .
860 reviews31 followers
May 8, 2017
Review of “Trusting Tanner” by Lexi Lawton

I was asked to give an honest review so here it is…. *drum roll sound*

This is the debut novel by this author. The story, as a whole, was a good one. There were parts that really frustrated me and characters that really frustrated me, but this was not my story to tell, just a story for me to read. So I’m really trying hard not to let my frustration color this review. Just because portions weren’t my cup of tea, doesn’t mean someone else won’t love the entire thing. The writing was very good and the author wrote in a way that pulled you into the story from the beginning. She did that so well that even during the frustrating parts, I didn’t want to stop reading because by then I really, REALLY wanted to know how this all ended! This book covered a topic or two that I lived as a young adult and she did it in a way that showed the heroine grow in character and in strength, even when I wanted to totally knock some sense into her. Which just goes to show us readers that, even when the story isn’t going how we THINK it should, the author can still surprise us. I actually really liked that the hero and heroine worked through the trust issues even before the big expose (even if I saw that part coming from a mile away). I’m going to give this book 4 stars. First, because it was a good story. Second, because the writing was good and everything flowed together well. It didn’t feel choppy or make me feel lost. And third, because she did have the characters work through an issue without relying on the big expose to change everyone’s mind. I really liked that part. I am holding back a bit because she is a debut author and like all authors, I believe she’s going to improve her craft as her career moves forward and I do look forward to seeing that growth and improvement. If you like a quick read with a good bit of angst, this book is definitely for you!
Profile Image for Rhi.
204 reviews11 followers
May 16, 2017
Juliana Shea has no desire for a relationship: her heart was broken over six months ago when she found her then boyfriend cheating on her. With only one friend - Devon - she is content to focus on her studies. However, her plans for the semester are thrown into disarray with her new roommate and Tanner Collins. Like Juliana, Tanner is a pre-med student so is in most of Juliana's classes. He's attracted to her and wants a relationship with her. Juliana struggles to keep Tanner as a friend only while he works to convince her that giving a relationship a try is the right move to make.

I enjoyed reading this first book in the series. Tanner comes across as a little too perfect and I was never quite clear why he wanted a relationship with Juliana, beyond the physical attraction he had to her. His dogged pursuit in face of her repeated friend-zoning never reaches the level of creepy and he has a number of admirable traits. I did, however, find Juliana's back and forth regarding entering a relationship or not frustrating. It seemed as if the same arguments were repeated over and over and Tanner's patience in face of this was impressive.

There were other aspects I found frustrating. I didn't love the double standard employed by Juliana: it was fine for her to question Tanner's sincerity whenever he was around attractive women, but he couldn't question her friendship with Devon. I found it strange that Juliana had no friends beyond Devon and wouldn't know her roommate before moving in - as a junior, Juliana should have had her choice of roommate or at least a single. Instead, it seemed that the roommate was added merely for drama's sake. Juliana is wary of losing those she is close to so has few friends but it was not clear to me why she gave Tanner a chance - except that she found him attractive.

Despite this, I did enjoy reading Trusting Tanner. In the end, Tanner and Juliana are college kids and this is a cute college romance.

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Kimberly Anne.
3,167 reviews184 followers
May 7, 2017
Trusting Tanner by Lexi Lawton is emotional, sweet and will have you wanting to throw your eReader all at once. A little bit of everything.

Juliana Shea is getting over a very bad relationship. She is wrecked and broken. Her confidence was shaken to the core. As she gets ready to start the new school year, she is determined to stay away from relationships and concentrate on school. No more broken hearts for her. And then she meets Tanner Collins.

Tanner is gorgeous and sexy and just about perfect. He is sweet, caring and very determined. One look at Juliana and he vows to make her his. But as he gets to know Juliana and spends time with her, she effectively puts him in the friend zone. So, he sets out to show her he is not her ex.

Juliana and Tanner meet as lab partners, but the more time they spend together, the more they realize their chemistry is undeniable. But Juliana was hurt and left questioning herself as a girlfriend. Tanner knows her ex was full of crap, but he needs to show her he is different. They can be different. So, he slowly pushes her to see him and who he is.

They begin to spend time as friends and get to know each other. The more time they spend together, they more they realize they could really be good together. But it seems they are constantly tested. With her male best friend, his crazy stalker and the nutty roommate. Can they survive? And what happens when a night he cannot remember comes between them? Will she decide it is not worth the broken heart after all?

Trusting Tanner is a story about learning to let go of the hurt of the past and to trust again. But the journey to happiness may be hard and tainted. The story was good and the characters worth getting to know.

~ Liz
Profile Image for Kim Mote.
232 reviews2 followers
May 5, 2017
This was a quick read but was really good. Jules a girl who has lost everyone in her life and feels alone in the world, just got out of a horrible relationship last year at school which didn't help her self esteem any. Returning to start a new year her best friend trys to make her get out more and meet people and open her self up more for life. She trys to do that but is terrified of getting hurt again and guards her heart very carefully.
Tanner has noticed Jules on campus some and always wanted to know her more. When they end up sharing some classes together and end up lab partners he trys to take full advantage of that. They hit it off right away and regardless of how Jules fights her feeling they win out. Of course there is always troubles and trials and Jules own mind causing problems in the relationship. Well done book I was glad I choose to read!
Tanner's brother are the comic relief in the story and now I can't wait to see how Ms. Lawton does there books to follow this one.
Honest review in exchange of ARC.
Profile Image for Page Turners.
722 reviews4 followers
May 8, 2017
This was a surprisingly good romantic story. I enjoyed the slow build from attraction to friendship to lovers. Juliana was struggling with a past betrayal from her ex-boyfriend that shadowed the possibility of trusting someone enough to give her heart away again. She needed someone patient and kind that valued her worth. That person was Tanner. He was initially attracted to her beauty but quickly realized there was much more to her and he was determined to fight for his place in her life. Of course, nothing is easy and there are angst and drama from all sides including her best friend, roommate and her own insecurities. This was overall a delightful story that seemed innocent at first but quickly built into a sexy relationship. I liked how understanding and loving Tanner was with Juliana and the funny banter between him and his brothers. I thought there was potential between Juliana and her best friend Devon to be more than friends which would have added to the story.
Profile Image for The Book Fairy Reviews.
2,288 reviews42 followers
May 8, 2017
Craving love. Craving a connection. Craving to be wanted. Jules has been wanting those things since she was 9 years old. Having lost the ones that gave that to her freely, left the void that has yet to be filled. In her journey to find the person to fill it she was burned and scarred. Vowing to set boys aside so that she could focus on her school she never thought that she would find the love and connection so soon after her vow. But can she trust him~ Tanner.
Tanner has been in love with Jules since the moment he saw her across the quad, winning her heart and trust? Well, that was something completely harder to do.
This book takes us into the emotions and passions that Tanner and Jules feel for one another. Their fears their insecurities and most of all their love.
A roller coaster of lies that will make you love Tanner more than you ever thought possible.
Profile Image for Katrina Berry.
1,022 reviews4 followers
May 10, 2017
Trusting Tanner by Lexi Lawton is Book 1 of The Collins Brothers Series.

*bangs head on desk* Seriously?!! What on earth! I feel deceived, let-down and so disappointed in this story. This was supposed to be an adult read but that’s not what I felt like I read. Let’s be honest, this was more on the maturity level of a bunch of middle schoolers. Goodness, I have no interest in what this book was actually delivering. So much teenage-ish angst and drama...over it! I think Tanner was the only redeeming factor in the whole story and the sole person who actually seemed to be with it and act his age. Trusting Tanner had plenty of potential but due to so many factors it just fell far from it’s goal.

Please note that an ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review of which this is both honest and completely voluntary.
Profile Image for Debbie.
689 reviews
May 12, 2017
I enjoy a good friends to lovers romance and was looking forward to picking up Trusting Tanner. Lexi Lawton packs in a variety of characters in this college set romance. Our opening is Juliana returning to campus and walking in on her new roommate, Rebecca. Not too much time in we meet Jules' best friend, Devon, the guy best friend. And then Tanner. I can't forget the other Collins brothers. I really liked Tanner. Alot!

I appreciate that Lawton's characters are relatable. Jules having been in an awful relationship with a cheating ex, the awful roommate, and Tanner looking for someone who's not interested in his family money. At times I couldn't help but feel a little frustrated with Jules' difficulty in trusting Tanner. I couldn't stop turning the pages to see how it would all end. Now I'm anxiously waiting for the next Collins brother.
Profile Image for Sara.
1,398 reviews166 followers
May 17, 2017
4 Stars!

Jules and Tanner take us on quite a ride in Trusting Tanner, a sweet new adult romance.

After a bad breakup, Jules decides she is done with dating. She just doesn’t trust guys anymore. She has been through a lot of crummy relationships and it has jaded her. Jules is a bit immature at times, but I get it. Breakups suck and repeatedly dating losers is bound to mess with a person. Her reaction to Tanner was believable but it drove me nuts at times. Then there is Tanner. He is sweet and kind and determined to get Jules to trust him. He starts off with friendship and eases her into it. He is great in general, but his interactions with his brothers really endeared me to him.

A satisfying read with a few ups and downs and a twist I never saw coming! You will definitely find yourself trusting Tanner!
Profile Image for Virginia Brasch.
Author 0 books18 followers
May 7, 2017
I received a free ARC of this book for review. I call this a perfect "beach" book. It's a fun, light, and easy read that you could finish in a single day on the beach (as long as the kids have a sitter, that is.) It immediately brought me back to campus life.
Juliana meets her heinous new roommate Rebecca, gets paired with stunning Tanner for a lab partner, and has her bestie Devon nearby. But Rebecca has always been borderline obsessed with Tanner, Juliana's past clouds her judgement, and the author slowly reveals a backstory that adds a surprising emotional depth to the story.
This author's specialty is bringing the characters close and making you wait, so when they finally do get their crap together and find each other, it feels well earned and satisfying.
Profile Image for Danielle.
807 reviews42 followers
May 9, 2017
I liked this story, I really did. I really liked Tanner. He was not the hero I'm used to reading about. He was a really good guy. When Jules said she didn't want to date he really did try to just be her friend even though he still asked her out. I try not to bad mouth the heroine but Jules, I had an issue with. I understand her trust issues and how that can affect someone but she never really gave Tanner a chance in my eyes. She was kind of always waiting for him to mess up. I did like the conflict in the story even though it dragged on a little to long for me and the resolution was good too. I hoped a certain character got what was coming to her but thats a whole other story. Overall it was a good read.
Profile Image for Bookgyrl.
1,320 reviews23 followers
May 8, 2017
When Juliana arrives at campus she is still upset over the breakup with her boyfriend six months before. He cheated on her and - combined with trust issues she has from her childhood - that is more crushing for her than losing him. She meets another pre-med student, Tanner Collins, and he is immediately taken by Juliana's beauty and personality. But an incident involving Juliana's unlikeable roommate Rebecca shatters her trust in Tanner. Will he ever win that trust back?

Quite enjoyable NA story. The writing was very good and the issues Juliana has are believable. And oh Tanner, I really liked Tanner. He is so contrite and so heartbroken and does everything to win Juliana back. It is a typical college story, but I am sure many will enjoy it.

Profile Image for Nicole.
3,758 reviews48 followers
May 17, 2017
I felt a little iffy about this one at the beginning, but I quickly got caught up in the story. I really enjoyed this one. I so loved Tanner. I thought he was the perfect guy for Juliana . My heart goes out to Juliana because the way she got treated by her ex and later on by another person. That a lone would break a person, but don't under estimate the power of Tanner. I just wanted to slap Juliana's roommate. She grated on my nerves! In this book we get to see Juliana blossom with the help of her friend and Tanner. Can she trust her feelings for Tanner or is history going to repeat itself. This book does have it emotional moments that had me tearing up, but in turn it has funny and uplifting moments.
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