The Trustworthy One is a beautiful story of redemption, forgiveness and family; another sterling gem in the Walnut Creek series. Getting to know the Eight has been a treat, and getting to know Nate and Kendra is a rollercoaster of emotion.

Kendra Troyer grew up dreaming of being a part of the Eight, the close-knit group of friends that grew up together. She was poor, abused by her drunken father, neglected by her mother, practically raising her younger siblings, and to top it all off she is teased for being stupid, when she really just had a learning disability. As soon as she can escape Walnut Creek she is gone, moving to Columbus to go to design school, but now she’s back in Walnut Creek opening up her own design shop two doors down from Nate Miller, the boy that teased her relentlessly, and whom he vowed to hate for the rest of her life.

I hated that Kendra went through the abuse and neglect that she went through as a youth, both from her dysfunctional family and the relentless teasing from Nate Miller, but her story shows that you can rise above dysfunction, and come out stronger for it. It’s so heartwarming to see her find her faith again, and to have the strength to home again.

The chemistry between Nate and Kendra is realistic, as is the story in general. I have a soft spot for enemies that are able to choose forgiveness, to friends who grow to love each other, so I was rooting for them the entire time I was reading. I liked the fact that Kendra wasn’t initially a part of the group, but found her home with the Eight, especially after dreaming of being a part of their group for so long. This is a group of people that I wish were in my life. How they all support each other, and help each other through their circumstances. It truly is inspiring.

I love this heartfelt series so much, the author’s writing is so fluid you truly get lost in Walnut Creek and the lives of the Eight. Though The Trustworthy One is part of a series, you can easily read it as a standalone, as the author does a terrific job of getting the reader caught up, but I think this series has so much more meaning when you read them in order, truly allowing you to connect with the characters on a deeper level.

Thank you Shelley Shepard Gray for another wonderful story that is full of heart and compassion, and gave me all the feels.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from Gallery Books through NetGalley. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own. ( )

The Trustworthy One tells the story of Kendra Troyer, a young Amish girl who grew up in an abusive household. Her father is an alcoholic and would beat her and the other children while her mother did nothing. Kendra did everything she could to rear her siblings but when presented with an opportunity to get away she did even though she felt guilty for leaving her younger brothers and sister.

Now Kendra is back in Walnut Creek and she is opening a shop. One of the first people she sees is Nate Miller and he is probably one of the last she wants to see as he hurt her very badly when she was still living in town. But Nate doesn’t remember this and now he sees Kendra with new eyes. They will have to find their way through old hurts to rekindle their friendship.

Kendra’s sister Naomi makes a surprise return too. She had gone to live with their grandparents to get away from their home situation but now Naomi can’t deal with the strictures and her grandparents refusal to see that their daughter is partly to blame to the problems in the house.

I really enjoyed this book because it wasn’t the typical Amish tale. Kendra is a very complicated heroine – she didn’t grow up in a perfect household and she is very flawed but she doesn’t let that stop her or get her down. She works hard at her problems and she tries to help others around her. The romance between her and Nate was sweet – this is Amish fiction so it’s not going to be anything else but sweet. He’s a really good guy with a heart of gold.

The book ended nicely but left a lot of questions unanswered so I have to guess there will be further installments in the Walnut Creek Series. That will certainly be something to look forward to. ( )

"The Trustworthy One" continues the Walnut Creek Amish saga. In this novel, Kendra works at opening her new gift shop after moving back to Walnut Creek. Kendra deals with demons from her past life, in addition to moving into her new life in the present. The product of an abusive childhood, Kendra has served as a mother to her younger siblings, all of whom have also moved on with their lives. Kendra finds a way to make peace with childhood friends, and finds love in unexpected places. This book deals with themes of dyslexia, abuse, and addiction. Readers of Christian fiction should find this novel an interestingly different one from the usual Amish fiction. It is a clean novel, lacking descriptions of violence, adult scenes, and profanity.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. ( )

This series gets better with each book. All of the characters from this series have been fantastic. Kendra lived through a horrible childhood and was able to survive it and she was able to make a good life for herself. She didn’t know that her life would get even better once she met Nate Miller. These two people helped each other to really grow. I loved how each chapter started with a part of a tale from when Kendra was younger. I did not want to put this book down. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will ( )

The Trustworthy One by Shelley Shepard Gray has Kendra Troyer opening Tried and True, a furniture and accessories shop, in Walnut Creek, Ohio. Kendra never thought she would return to her hometown. It is filled with bad memories of her abusive home and the comments made by Nate Miller when she was a teen. But Kendra discovered that she missed her four younger siblings and her friends in the Eight. Kendra is working in her shop when Nate stops by bringing up all the old feelings. Nate wants to make things right between them and will not let Kendra dissuade him. Kendra’s younger sister, Naomi has been living with their maternal grandparents. Naomi wants to live with Kendra and take care of her for a change. What does the future hold for Kendra, Naomi and Nate? The Trustworthy One is the 4th novel in The Walnut Creek Series. I recommend reading the series in order because it will give you a better understanding of the group called the “Eight”. It will also give you a chance to know the characters and their situations. I found The Trustworthy One to be well-written with developed, flawed characters. I find the characters to be realistic, relatable and likeable. Kendra Troyer comes from an abusive home. Her father was a drunk, bully and abuser and Kendra’s mother used drugs to deal with the situation. Kendra took care of her siblings. She took the brunt of the abuse and made sure that they had food to eat (even if she went without). When Kendra had a chance to escape, she took it, but she feels guilty for leaving her siblings behind. Kendra has never fully dealt with her feelings. The situation was worsened as a teen by careless, unkind and humiliating remarks made by Nate. Kendra and Naomi need to find a way to overcome the past and forgive if they are to move forward. Nate uses charm, persistence and kindness in dealing with Kendra. Kendra was technically not a part of the eight (a group of close friends who are Englisch, Amish and Mennonite), but they became her friends. Kendra needs this close group of friends. We get to see how each member of the group is doing and I like Kendra’s story about Andy that is told in bits before each chapter. I like how the author dealt with such a difficult and sensitive subject. The ending was satisfying and left me smiling. My favorite line from The Trustworthy One is “All of us are a work in progress.” The Trustworthy One is a poignant tale with fabulous furniture shop, a painful past, fantastic friends, persecuting parents, and delicious delights. ( )