The Trustworthy One

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.