Review: "Foundation of Trust" by A.M. Arthur


Note: This ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Before I start with my actual review for the book, I would just like to personally thank the author, A.M. Arthur, for her kindness. She generously offered for me to read the ARC of this book after I posted my reviews for the first four books, all of which I loved. ^.^ I'm such a fan of this series, so you can imagine just how thrilled I was that I was able to read the ARC and fall in love with the story and characters. So, thank you again, A.M. Arthur! ♥

Foundation of Trust is the fifth book in the Cost of Repairs series by A.M. Arthur and tells the story of two people, who were together only to be torn apart by circumstances beyond their control, trying to find their way back to having what they once had. However, even second chance love stories have difficulty getting to their happily-ever-afters when the person you loved most and thought you knew best turns out to be someone you didn't know very well at all.

Four years after receiving his Huntington's Disease diagnosis and soon after being left behind by his life partner and the son he considered his own, David Weller is trying to live his life on his own terms. Professionally, his catering business with Rey King is doing pretty well. Personally, he no longer wants to commit himself to anyone. He simply wants to feel again, even if it means physical pain while having sex with random hook-ups. Then the one person who turned his back on him returns unexpectedly...

Owen Hart has had many regrets in his life, but the one he's had to live with for the past four years is his having to leave the man he loved without as much as a proper goodbye. In the process, his son, Michael, has blamed him for the sad state of their lives, especially without David. Upon his return to the town they considered home, Owen discovers that the David he sees before him is filled with four years' worth of anger, hurt, and distrust, and Owen realizes that getting back what they once had will be an uphill battle.

David was introduced to readers in the previous book, and while I initially didn't really like him (because he was a tad flirty with Rey), the bits and pieces of information about his past made me realize that there was something more to this guy. Now, we finally get his full story and you can't help but feel for him, especially after everything he's been through. He had what he thought was the perfect life and then it was all taken away from him in a matter of a couple of days. 

Owen is interesting because there are a lot of deep and dark secrets that he carries with him and suffice it to say that I so wasn't expecting his explanation for why he and Michael had to leave David four years prior. From the way he's described, you would never have thought that there was so much he was hiding and that he had no choice but to do so for as long as he did. His meeting David made him want what he thought he couldn't have again.

The characters are complex and multi-layered and they sure as heck aren't perfect, which is what I love about them. ^.^ They're not ideals and their time apart wasn't spent pining away for each other, saving themselves for their reunion. They're human, after all, and they've made mistakes but this book is a story about re-building a foundation based on love, respect, and trust, all of which must be earned and not taken for granted. The book is, ultimately, about forgiveness so that one can finally let go and move forward.

Foundation of Trust definitely ties the previous book, Acts of Faith, as my favorites in the series. I loved that there were things about the story that simply caught me off-guard and that these two lead characters were perfectly imperfect. Michael, Owen's son, deserves a special mention because he definitely seemed to have more sense at times than both David and Owen. ^.^ This fifth installment in the Cost of Repairs series gets five stars and I recommend that you read the whole series in order, though this will definitely work as a standalone. ♥

Release Date: 20 October 2014

Date read: 14 October 2014

Learn more about the compelling A.M. Arthur here.

Grab a copy of Foundation of Trust and Ms. Arthur's other books on Amazon | Barnes & Noble (first 13 and the 20th books shown only).

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