A mystery and romance that’s a great read. If you believe in second chances, you’ll love this story.

A widow since 9/11 and a mother of a grown daughter, Kate Thompson wants to keep her and her daughter safe, but the inheritance of land in Maine pushes her out of her comfort zone in Texas and into the arms of a Maine lawyer.

Maine lawyer and environmentalist, Jim Donovan wants to protect Aunt Liddy’s land and keep it from falling into the hands of the developers, but first, he has to convince Kate Thompson she should hold on to the family land when she doesn’t even want to go look at it.

However, he’s unprepared for the attraction each feels for the other, but denies exists.

Will they be able to settle the land deal before anyone else is killed or they break each other’s hearts?

Amazon Review

By Susan B.

In this novel the protagonist, Kate Thompson has been grieving for her husband for the past 15 years whom she lost on 9/11. She inherits a parcel of land in Maine from her Aunt Liddy. A land developer, Holland wants to buy this land for condo development.

Jim Donovan, an environmentalist visits Kate in Texas and talks her into coming to Maine to see the land before making a decision, hoping that Kate will fall in love with the land and turn it over to the Conservatory Trust. Kate asks her daughter Blair to come to Maine to help her decide.

Blair works at the 9/11 Museum in NYC. Kate has never been able to go back to NYC since her husband’s death.

This is the fourth novel by Ms. West that I’ve read. I always enjoy the mystery aspects of West’s novels. This book, like the others, was a page turner with lots of suspense, evil-doings, and twists and turns.

Amazon Review

By Jo-Ann Carson

She Needed to Trust Him

The heroine Texan, Kate Thompson is a strong, mature woman with a heavy heart. Tormented by the loss of her husband in the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York City she hasn’t been able to become involved with another man.

Kate describes the hero, lawyer Jim Donovan as a “hard-boiled Yankee with a hint of Maine Accent.” As a reader, I fell in love with him immediately, because he is so honest and caring.

Kate inherits land in Maine, which she intends to sell. It’s the practical thing to do. Jim wants her to sell it to the Maine Coast Conservancy Trust, but they are offering a tenth of the money the realtor who wants to develop the land has offered. Jim convinces her to come with him to see the land before she makes a decision.

It begins as a tender love story as these two strong characters with opposing goals are drawn together. Sparks fly. But wait, things are not what they seem. I don’t want to spoil the story here, but I will say that as the mystery behind Kate’s aunt’s death becomes clear, the momentum of the story picks up and it becomes a page-turner.

I rooted for Kate all the way.

A great read. If you believe in second chances, you’ll love this story.

Please click HERE to find Act of Trust on Amazon.