Flicker of Trust

Author: Eleanor Bertin
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Burning Bright #2
Pages: 287
Release Date: February 21, 2024
Publisher: Leaf & Blade Publishing

When a woman disappears, Ryan’s past makes him a suspect.

Party animal Ryan Hainstock has made an about-face. He’s now an elder-caring, money-saving, church-going man with bright plans to set himself up farming. Somehow, whether he rates with her or not, those plans always include sweet and smart Lynnie Min and her young daughter. Problem is, Ryan’s past keeps coming back to condemn him.

Lynnie Min, too young for the title of widow, travels the lonely road of single motherhood in a rural community. Her dreams were crushed by tragedy when terrorists claimed the lives of her husband and one of her daughters. While gratitude should fill her heart for the presence of three-year-old Anya, a longing for something more stirs within her. She can’t help noticing the changes in Ryan, a man she once knew as a high school jock.

While their affection deepens, greater forces conspire to destroy their growing love. A murder charge, a kidnapping, a child abandoned…Can Ryan and Lynnie overcome danger and distrust to find each other again?

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Reviewer: Anna Bottoms

I was pulled right into this book from the very beginning. The themes of redemption and trust woven through the story connected me to the characters. Can we trust ourselves when all we see are the mistakes of our past leaving dirt on the path behind us? Do we dare trust in the redemption that belongs to every believer in Christ?

Ryan has lived a rough life, full of drinking, fighting, and hopelessness until he meets the One who can save him from himself. His problem is that when he looks in the mirror, all he sees are his past sins, not the man he is becoming.

Lynnie has lost her husband and one of her daughters. Now she’s back home with her one remaining daughter, putting her life back together, and trusting God every step of the way. But even she has doubts when Ryan is accused of a heinous crime. 

I found the romance to be sweet and satisfying, the suspense palpable, but that was secondary to the overall message. This was one of the best redemption stories I’ve read. It touched my heart just like it touched all the character’s lives, including side characters who had their own things to deal with. They were real, they struggled, and this made everything believable.

I was given a copy courtesy of the author through Interviews & Reviews, and this is my honest opinion of the book. I will return to this book and highly recommend it. 

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