A Man to Trust by Carrie Turansky
Review by Kara Grant
After years spent helping run her family's Christian bookstore, it's time for Adrie Chandler to give her own dream a chance. But can she really trust the beloved shop to new manager Ross Peterson? The man is too handsome, too charming…too much a reminder of another dream Adrie had to let go of—marriage.
Yet Ross surprises her by knowing a thing or two about making sacrifices. Suddenly, Adrie's questioning what she really wants. And whether the dreams she once thought unlikely are within reach after all (from Amazon.com).
Adrie has been training and practicing her flute for 14 years and dreams of playing full-time in an orchestra; it’s her God given gift and she will do what it takes to fulfill this calling she has. However, she stumbled upon a problem in her plans when instead of getting married her fiancé broke up with her after she learns he’s dating her best friend, YUCK! As the story begins we learn that Adrie is throwing a surprise birthday party for her grandmother, Marian, instead of walking down the aisle. Meeting Ross the same day was the last thing she expected and she struggles with keeping her distance throughout the first part of the story.
Ross is a photographer looking for a job to make ends meet since his studio went bankrupt. Working at the bookstore Adrie manages and her grandmother owns is ideal for him and he instantly clicks with Marian and the customers. Even though he’s a new believer he’s ready to follow the path God has for him and to step out in faith to manage the bookstore. He comes to love the job and community more than he bargained for, but will he be able to win Adrie’s heart in the process? Can he prove to her in time that he’s a man worth trusting?
My thoughts: I did not connect with this story right away, but I LOVED the title and knew it would be worth pursuing. Ever felt that way towards a book? That even though it doesn’t pull you in right away that once you get to the meat of the story, you know the end will make it worthwhile? Well, that’s what this book was like for me.
It bothered me to see how much Adrie worried about her future as a musician and that she was determined to not like Ross while everyone else sees God’s light in him. Then I considered a new perspective. How would I feel if my fiancé had dumped me and then I met a man who seemed in touch with everyone around him and capable of doing anything? The sweet part of this story is that Ross is willing to prove himself to Adrie, seek God in the process, and be reliable despite his own dreams and feelings. I also loved the relationship Adrie has with her grandmother, her missionary parents and her friend Rachel. I realized halfway through the story that Rachel and Cam, Adrie’s best friends, are the same characters from Seeking His Love by Turansky! What a treat! There is one scene in the book that I was NOT expecting and it helped me respect Adrie even more despite how distant she acts at first.
The characters in this book are flawed, but they are real. I highly recommend A Man to Trust to anyone who wants a story about starting over, trusting God with your talents, getting past a broken heart, a touching scene that interacts with foster children, a great bookstore, and Marian’s intervening best friends appropriately nicknamed the Bayside Treasures. This is the second book I’ve enjoyed by Turansky and I look forward to more of her stories.
I want to thank Carrie Turansky for providing me with a copy for my review. I was not required to write a positive review, but I had fun doing so. The opinions expressed are my own.
Other titles by Turansky that I have not read, but would definitely recommend are Along Came Love, A Big Apple Christmas, and Surrendered Hearts. For more information about this fabulous author, please visit her website at
http://www.carrieturansky.com.
This and other books by Carrie Turansky at AMAZON
