Carlie Ellis had never thought of leaving her hometown, and by doing so, hindering her relationship with her parents. Still, starting a family and a new life in New York had brought her so much happiness, she wouldn’t have it any other way. Yet Carlie’s bliss would come to an abrupt end, after losing her husband suddenly. Left with no other option, there was only one place for her and her daughter, Josie, to return to; her family home. Amid mourning and reconciling with her parents, Carlie cannot even begin to think about the future, let alone finding love again. Especially when family secrets put Josie’s life in danger… Conscious of Carlie’s unfortunate situation upon her return in Helena’s Wallow, Sheriff Alan Lansky knows that courting her would be entirely out of line. When the urgent case of her daughter’s kidnapping falls in his hands, Alan puts his feelings aside and joins forces with Carlie to rescue Josie. Together they will need to beat the odds and uncover past secrets. But just when Alan thinks they are getting closer to finding Josie, somehow her captors always seem to be two steps ahead. If only he could solve the case in time, bringing everyone out to the other side unharmed… A series of tragic events will become the reason Carlie and Alan’s paths will begin to entwine more than either of them anticipated. Will they get to explore their emotions, or is the unveiling of hidden truths going to turn them both into victims of fate? “A Lesson in Trust and Hope” is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after. Read more