Trust Me is book 2 in the West Virginia Mountains Series. Readers may be familiar with the Story Spark for this series of sweet Southern historical romance novels: while in college I went home with a girlfriend from West Virginia for the weekend. She lived in a coal mining community, where her daddy owned the coal mine.

On that visit, I learned about a coal mining tipple. Fascinated with the tipple and its surroundings, I wanted to write a story about the people of that coal mining camp.

In this series, I did that in book 1, Wait for Me, the story of the love between two soulmates, Julie and Robby. When they enrolled at West Virginia University in the northern part of the state, an unexpected character walked into the story: the Dean of Women at the university. Dean Fletcher.

In book 1, I gave Dean Fletcher sophistication I’d learned about from my seventh grade home room teacher. Dean Fletcher was reserved and a bit stand-offish, traits of my favorite female actor on a TV one hour drama. Dean Fletcher was a good person, always helpful to Julie with any request she had.

But why was Dean Fletcher not married? Why did she never date anyone? Why was she reticent to reveal her emotions or feelings, always and only the professional? She was restrained in words and actions. Why? Her role in Wait for Me was a minor one, with not much opportunity to dig for the answers to my questions.

These questions motivated me to give Dean Fletcher a larger character part in book 2, Trust Me. So, in Trust Me you’ll learn much about this elegant woman. You’ll learn why Dean Fletcher is reserved, reticent, a bit stand-offish, not married, restrained, and sophisticated.

And a surprise to me, Dean Fletcher volunteered all this information about herself without anyone having to ask. Yes, our characters do live, breathe, and speak to their authors. They share their secrets, doubts, and insecurities. Dean Fletcher did so, and I wrote it all down in Trust Me.

Trust Me 

West Virginia, 1960

A mine owner. An elegant lady.

Seductive voices that scoff at trust.

Loreen Fletcher has suffered heartbreak. She resolves never to trust a man again. She has earned a respected position with no help from anyone, especially not from a man. At thirty-six, Loreen knows loving brings inevitable misery, and she won’t pick at that scab again.

Claude Capshaw’s life has taken another detour. Things that drove him no longer motivate him. Nothing fulfills him anymore—except that elegant lady at West Virginia University. Why won’t she trust him when he tells her he’ll never betray her?

Meet Jo

Jo Huddleston is a multi-published author of books, articles, and short stories. Her debut novels in the Caney Creek Series and her latest book, Wait for Me are sweet Southern romances. She is a member of ACFW, the Literary Hall of Fame at Lincoln Memorial University (TN), and holds an M.Ed. degree from Mississippi State University. Jo lives in the U.S. Southeast with her husband, near their two grown children and four grandchildren.

Connect with Jo

Website & Blog           Lifelines Now Blog          Goodreads 
Facebook           Facebook Author Page          Amazon Author Page

Book Giveaway

To enter the drawing for an ebook copy of Jo’s book, please leave a comment before Sunday, September 27th, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. (Central time). After a random drawing, the winner’s name will be announced on Monday, September 28th.

Thank you for reading the Story Spark behind Jo’s novel and participating in the giveaway.