Title: Trust in the Wind
Author: Vicki M. Taylor
Published in June, 2006 by Mundania Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Women's Fiction
ISBN: 1-59426-204-7
It was a mistake, but if things were to be done again, Joanne Malone wouldn't change the decision for all the world's riches. Joey is her life, and if she was just a kid when she had him, well, so be it. She has never had a thought about giving him up; she just wished she could provide him with a safer home. It is true, and she had to admit that neighborhood wasn't the best, but on her salary, it was the best she could do at this time. Life is good otherwise. She had a better job now, still not great, but at least she's able to make ends meet. Arbor Meadows is close to work, and the store, and a good neighbor to baby sit, and a best friend to whom she could spill her troubles and commiserate with her. Sheila is older, and yet in some ways, they seemed closer to the same age. Probably the attitude Sheila has, young at heart, but Joanne doesn't care. Sheila is a font of advice, and a good friend. When they are accosted outside the laundry room of the apartment complex, neither could have predicted what changes the event would make in their lives.
The group of hoodlums was drunk, rowdy, and looking for trouble, and as Joanne and Sheila were leaving, the harassment started. When the police showed up, Joanne was grateful, but when she went to give her statement, her world literally turned black. When she came to, Joanne realized she was in trouble. A pair of cool gray eyes assessed her carefully, and although she assures him she is just fine, the cop's not buying it one bit. Not wanted to cause a scene, she allows him to help her back to her apartment, and there, once she feels safe, she can put the incident out of her mind. What she cannot reconcile about the whole experience is the officer with the appraising look, the man who stays in her mind. Deputy Sheriff Roy Bonham has made an impression on her, and she is not happy about it. Nor is she happy about the fact that Joey seems to be attracted to the big man who pays him attention, the man with the stormy gray eyes who sees entirely too much. Yep, Joanne is in deep trouble...
The incident has been preying on Roy's mind. The girl should not be living there in such a bad neighborhood. He understands the situation, but there is a quality about her that makes him feel she is out of place, she doesn't belong. Joanne Malone draws him, makes him want the missing feelings of belonging, of family, and that is something he cannot afford. Roy is a loner, and family is not his style. Been there, done that, only starts to cover things, and with a young mother like Joanne, he should leave things alone. He was a hero of the evening along with the others that responded to the concerned resident's call, but he can't get Joanne and her son out of his mind. The friend's concern is a good thing, but it bothers him she is alone. The urge wells up in him to protect, and as he fights it, he gets a glimmer of understanding that this is one battle he may just lose.
His fears are well founded as night after night finds him going out of his way to check on the girl. Stopping by to check on her, on the manager to be sure he has gotten the outside lighting for security, on anything just to see her face, hear her voice, and see Joey smile. Just when and why they suddenly became so precious to him, he wasn't sure, but he does know that he has really stepped off the deep end, and he needs to get a hold of himself before it gets any worse. He can't go through the loss again, and he is not about to set Joanne up either. He knows there is nothing he can do, the situation is not a good one, and he can't go on, but then, who is he trying to fool anyway? Himself is the best guess because he has a really good idea that he is lost already, and he knows instinctively there is not easy path back, if there is one at all.
Vicki Taylor has written a great story in Trust in the Wind. It is a poignant tale of a young woman who is struggling to make a life for herself and her son in a world that is not always safe, secure, and is filled with some nasty things. This is the story of the hard side of life, and how Joanne comes to grips with the fact that self-sufficiency is good, but it is not always the best. Trust that has been too often betrayed makes her skittish, and it is this uncertainty she has to fight if she is to find happiness. Roy Bonham has issues with trust himself, but his confidence is a reckless disregard for his safety that, until he met Joanne, caused his friend Tony a great deal of worry. Roy doesn't want to be put in the position of having any one trust him again, but he finds that Joanne does, and he feels that is a dangerous thing.
Trust in the Wind is a story of growth, of two hurt people learning to trust step by step. The trust they find is not only in themselves, but also in their ultimate judgment in others around them. It takes an unexpected meeting, a small boy named Joey, and the insistent feeling that draws them together called love, which makes all things possible. There are major issues to be dealt with; problems to be faced, and the questions remain. Can Joanne trust Roy? Can Roy be the daddy Joey wants? Will Roy stay in their lives? Will Joanne give Roy a chance? In Trust in the Wind, Ms Taylor answers these questions and many more and in doing so provides a wonderful and inspiring read that will leave you wanting more. Trust in the Wind is definitely a keeper for a favourites bookshelf. It has a place on mine. Check Mundania Press for information on getting a copy of Trust in the Wind for yourself, and enjoy the ride.
Yours in good reading,
Rose!
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