Reviewing: The Trustworthy One by Shelley Shepard Gray

...from the publisher...
Kendra Troyer always knew she would leave Walnut Creek the first chance she got. When she was accepted into design school, she tried her best not to look back at the four siblings she was abandoning, but ahead to Columbus, where she was determined to stay—far away from her abusive home and far away from Nate Miller, the boy she vowed to despise for the rest of her life.

Though she suffered through dark times in Columbus, Kendra found her faith in the Lord again, and years later, when she learned one of her good friends had died, she realized it was time to go home to those she left behind.

Back in Walnut Creek, Kendra has a life she never could have imagined: her own design shop, a pretty little house, and a tight-knit group of friends. After she settles down, though, unexpected visitors come knocking and dark memories begin to resurface. Complicating things even further is the ever-present Nate Miller, who now owns the hardware store two doors down and whose very presence stirs in Kendra a fierce need to turn away and hide from her past. But Nate is persistent in setting things right between them.

As Kendra tries to come to terms with the anger she holds from her childhood, will she be able to open her heart to forgiveness and find the comfort she has always longed for in Walnut Creek?

...my thoughts...
The Trustworthy One, is the latest book in the Walnut Creek series by Shelley Shepard Gray.  This is a continuing story of how seven friends unite after the death of their good friend Andy. We are touched by many in our lives, for reasons we don't know.  Sometimes we are touched even more by their deaths.  The lessons we learn as we live on are often rewarding if we look back and notice the subtle cues found in our memories.

Kendra Troyer grew up in less than normal circumstances and fled her abusive home as soon as she could get away.  She left behind cruel parents and her younger siblings, who relied on her resilience and generous spirit to see them through their tough circumstances.  As life often does, she found herself once again in Walnut Creek.  The one person she didn't want to meet again, Nate Miller is there, in her presence at every turn. As a child, he seemed to be near at every awkward moment of her young life.  For all the troubles she left behind, she encountered more out in the English world.  It is when she is back in Walnut  Creek, and faces those she left behind that she learns the value of trust and forgiveness.  Shelley Shepard Gray is a gifted writer whose books are not just entertaining but rich in human nature.  I enjoyed this book, a story of true friendship, and recommend it without reservation to anyone who likes heartwarming stories. 

Of Literature And Lattes, An Up and Coming Hit for Spring 2020

...from the publisher...
Katherine Reay returns to the cozy and delightful town of Winsome where two people discover the grace of letting go and the joy found in unexpected change.

After fleeing her hometown three years earlier, Alyssa Harrison never planned to return. Then the Silicon Valley start-up she worked for collapsed and turned her world upside down. She is broke,

under FBI investigation, and without a place to go. Having exhausted every option, she comes home to Winsome, Illinois, to regroup then move on as quickly as possible. Yet, as friends and family welcome her back, Alyssa begins to see a place for herself in this small Midwestern community.
Jeremy Mitchell moved from Seattle to Winsome to be near his daughter and to open the coffee shop he’s been dreaming of for years. Problem is, the business is bleeding money—and he’s not quite sure why. When he meets Alyssa, he senses an immediate connection, but what he needs most is someone to help him save his floundering business. After asking for her help, he wonders if something might grow between them—but forces beyond their control soon complicate their already complex lives, and the future they both hoped for is not at all what they anticipated.
With the help of Winsome’s small-town charm and quirky residents, Alyssa and Jeremy discover the beauty and romance of second chances.

...my thoughts... 
At first, I wanted to read this book because the title intrigued me.  Katherine Reay is a new author for me and I have to admit I enjoyed her style.  Of Literature and Lattes is a wonderful story of how one truly can come home again, but it won't be easy.  Alyssa is a complex character who had her world turned upside down when her job seemed to dissolve like a cube of sugar in her latte.  Silicon Valley was supposed to help her make her mark in the world.  It was only coming home and resisting that ever abundant humble pie when she found all of the things she longed for when she left this life behind.  Stripped of all her layers, she had to begin again.

Jeremy's dream of opening a premier coffee shop in Winsome seemed an opposite journey than the one Alyssa experienced.  Everything was going to right itself.  When his grand re-opening didn't wow the town, he regrouped and made some improvements to get to that next level.  Sometimes, we have exactly what we need in front of us although we often just can't see that.

I enjoyed this book for several reasons, first and foremost, the characters are complex, just like real life.  They had some things to work out and I felt their pain.  I also soared along with them on the good days.  Both Jeremy and Alyssa exemplified how difficult relationships can be.  They also prove that it is what you do about those complications that matter.


I can easily recommend this book for anyone who likes well written fiction with believable characters.  The ending will be so worth the read. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.