Trailer Trash by Denise Grover Swank
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Released April 18, 2016
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Neely Kate Colson’s life is a carefully built house of cards—and now her newly discovered half-sister is threatening to collapse it. While everyone thinks Kate Simmons was neutralized when she was incarcerated in a psych ward, Neely Kate knows better. Her sister has been sending her letters threatening to expose her past, only Neely Kate has stuffed so many secrets into every available crack and cranny, she has no idea which ones could be dragged into the light.
Growing up with an abusive, drug addicted mother taught Neely Kate to play the game—to be whoever she needs to be in whatever situation she finds herself in. But thanks to her best friend, Rose, she’s discovered she mostly prefers being herself. For the first time in her life, she has a lot to lose—a job, a plan for the future, and an adoring half-brother who happens to be the Chief Deputy Sheriff of Fenton County. But topple one card down, and all of them will fall. Everything she’s built could be lost in an instant.
Neely Kate knows she needs help, but when she reluctantly turns to Rose’s bodyguard, Jed Carlisle, she faces a far more dangerous threat—only this time her heart is on the line.
Trailer Trash, Neely Kate’s story, is much darker than the stories told from Rose’s POV so be prepared for that before going into it. We knew from Rose’s books and past novellas that Neely Kate has some secrets that she has kept from Rose, and now that it has been revealed I feel like I have a better understanding of NK. I really enjoyed getting to see the softer side of Jed. I fell for him pretty hard!
That said, I’m giving Trailer Trash 5 stars BUT, I have two negative points, but they aren’t things that I feel take away from the story. First, Denise has created this as if it’s a new series, instead of novella, and it the ‘mystery’ part bothers, because I don’t feel there was really a mystery to be solved. NK knew what happened, and we basically just read along while she gave us a recount of it piece by piece. So, nothing really to be solved, more suspense, but just know they aren’t solving a case.
Second, even thought we, the reader, know Neely Kate’s secret, Rose still doesn’t know it and that really hurts my heart for Rose. Over the last series and everything in between and up to this point I have carved a special place in my heart for Rose. I actually have to remind myself that she is not a real person. So, this doesn’t effect the story we were just told, but to me it may effect future books and I feel like I should warn you that you will not hear much from Rose, just NK keeping things from her and that breaks my heart for their friendship. I mean she doesn’t have to go into all the gory details that we read, but she should still tell Rose.
So, just be prepared for something different than all of the other Rose books and novellas. It get’s pretty gritty at times, but you will still adore Neely Kate and you will even swoon from Jed.
