Far from Perfect (Perfect, Indiana, #1)
For Ceejay Lovejoy, life in Perfect, Indiana, has been anything but. Abandoned by her parents and left pregnant by her boyfriend, Ceejay has had to fight every step of the way to carve out a future for herself and her daughter. She swears off men for good — until the day Noah Langford appears on her doorstep.
Noah narrowly survived the roadside bombing in Iraq that cost him his leg, returning home to the news that his stepbrother Matt has died in a car accident. It is the final blow to Noah’s shattered soul — until he learns about the girlfriend and baby Matt abandoned. Suddenly Noah has a new mission: to make amends with the family his brother rejected.
From the moment he meets Ceejay, her beauty and warmth act like a balm on his fractured heart. But when a painful secret comes to light, it threatens to break the fragile bond growing between them…and to destroy a love powerful enough to heal them both.
MY REVIEW: Author Barbara Longley begins her "Perfect, Indiana" series with "Far From Perfect", a heartfelt contemporary romance that will leave readers far from unaffected. Noah Langford had survived a roadside bombing in Iraq that cost him the men in his command. His heart was broken, his leg shattered beyond repair, and his personal hopes and dreams seemed far beyond his reach. Losing his beloved step-brother, Matt, felt like the last straw. Going through Matt's personal belongings, Noah discovers an envelope with a large amount of cash, an insurance policy, and a confessional letter of apology. Determined to find the truth about the last years of his step-brother's life, Noah heads out to Perfect, Indiana to find the person to whom the letter was addressed. Ceejay Lovejoy had been robbed and abandoned by her former boyfriend, Matt Wyatt. When Matt accidentally learned Ceejay was pregnant before she had the chance to tell him, he walked out of her life without pause, taking her car and her life savings along with him. Ceejay had saved for years to go to nursing school--her ticket out of Perfect. All of that changed with her unplanned pregnancy and Matt's cruel treachery, and Ceejay began a far different life than the one she had planned. Noah decided before heading to Perfect that he would get to know Ceejay before he told the truth about who he is and why he came there. He just didn't know that his life would be forever changed by his journey. The attraction he feels for this woman, the love he feels for her child, and the sense of place he finds in her town are not what he expected. What he finds and embraces in her community is just what she wants to leave behind. Despite the violence and trauma that Noah has experienced, he is still a gentle man, and that stirs a longing in Ceejay. Is it possible that she has found someone to trust for a lifetime? Both Noah and Ceejay have great personal problems to overcome. She had abandonment issues from her childhood long before Matt's betrayal, and Noah suffers from PTSD. He also has a very big secret that could destroy the emotional connection between them. The author has created a compelling, captivating story line in a setting that is picturesque and filled with people whom you will want to meet again. I look forward to my future visits to Perfect, Indiana.
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The Difference a Day Makes (Perfect, Indiana, #2)
Ryan Malloy has lost it all. After his fiancĂ©e dies in a tragic accident, he enlists in the army, only to lose his best friend in a roadside bombing. Wracked with guilt and grief, Ryan finds life unbearable—until a job offer from his former commander gives him a glimmer of hope. And in the tiny town of Perfect, Indiana, the man who thought he had nothing left to live for meets the only woman who can tempt him into risking his battered heart one last time...
Paige Langford has it all: wealth, beauty, and ambition. Yet when her boyfriend’s betrayal leads to the loss of her job and her reputation, she retreats to her brother’s rural Indiana home to regroup. There she meets Ryan Malloy, a gruff, hard-drinking loner whose surly temper can’t hide the haunted misery in his eyes. He is everything Paige never wanted, yet he may be exactly what she needs—if only they can overcome their personal demons to forge a love strong enough to save them both.
MY REVIEW: "The Difference a Day Makes" makes all the right difference in the lives of the residents of Perfect, Indiana. Author Barbara Longley introduced us to her "Love from the Heartland" series with Book One, "Far From Perfect", in which we met Noah Langford and Ceejay Lovejoy. Noah is a combat veteran who lost a leg during a military mission. Ceejay is the woman who had a child by Noah's step-brother who had abandoned her and stolen her money. After working their way through many difficult emotional issues, Noah and Ceejay married and he adopted the daughter she had borne his step-brother. In "The Difference a Day Makes", Noah's younger step-sister, Paige, is fired from her big-city job in a most embarrassing manner, and she seeks refuge with Noah and his family. She doesn't expect to run into Ryan Malloy, who served with Noah and was injured on the same combat mission. When she arrives at Noah's home late at night, she heads for the guest house, not knowing it's being occupied by Ryan. Their first meeting is quite a jolt to them both, with Ryan coming to the door naked and armed. He had been deep into one of his nightmares when she unlocked the door. In fact, Ryan was there by the hand of Fate--Noah had called him one night to offer him a job at his new furniture business. Ryan had just written a suicide note, and was about to pull the trigger when Noah's call literally saved his life. Ryan and Paige are immediately attracted to each other, but they hide it behind verbal jabs and sharp remarks. Eventually, they fall into a heady relationship with the promise of love and happiness just around the edges. Ryan suffers from PTSD, just like Noah, and he also tends to drown his pain in alcohol. Paige suffers from self-esteem issues as the "poor little rich girl" who longs to be wanted and accepted for the intelligent and capable person she really is inside. Ryan blames himself for the death years ago of his fiancé in a riding accident, and he also carries guilt for the combat mission that went awry, injuring himself and Noah, and taking the lives of their buddies. As Paige works alongside her brother and Ryan, she begins to feel happy and appreciated, but she still clings to her lifelong goal of making it in the corporate world. Can Paige and Ryan work on resolving their own personal issues and make compromises that could lead to happiness neither of them ever imagined? I loved "Far from Perfect", and I read "The Difference a Day Makes" with equal enjoyment. I look forward to reading the third book in the series, "A Change of Heart". If you love funny, touching, contemporary romance which doesn't shy away from very real personal issues, then you will love this series from author Barbara Longley. Recommended.
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A Change of Heart
Emotionally shattered, a soldier slowly repairs her life in the haven of Perfect, Indiana…
Cory Marcel worked tirelessly over eight grueling years to develop a successful military career. After her commanding officer violently assaulted her, she lost everything—especially her trust in people. Despite the emotional damage threatening to sink her, Cory agrees to accept a new job at a furniture store in Perfect—a job that could offer the fragile brunette the chance to start over.
Ted Lovejoy cofounded Langford & Lovejoy Heritage Furniture, but lately he feels like an outsider in his own business. When he meets Cory, Ted realizes his company can do more than just build furniture—it can also help rebuild lives. He longs to help Cory recover from her pain, yet every time he gets too close to her heart, she pushes him away.
While Cory can’t resist her attraction to Ted, she fears the demons haunting her will drag down both of them. Could this kind, soft-spoken man help her finally bury the past…and unlock a future full of hope and happiness?
The Twisted Road to You
Struggling with both PTSD and the trauma of his ex-wife’s infidelity, retired Marine Wesley Holt seeks a simple civilian life. His favorite waitress at the Perfect Diner secretly stirs his heart. Yet Wes—scarred by betrayal and racked by guilt over his fallen comrades in Afghanistan—stays quiet, convinced he can never love again…or be loved.
Waitress and single mother Carlie Stewart hides fear behind her smile. Her ex-husband has escaped from prison and wants their son—and revenge. When the fugitive arrives to wreak havoc, Wes insists Carlie and her son stay with him for protection. Finally daring to let her guard down, Carlie divulges her dark past to Wes, and to her surprise, Wes appreciates her strengths and longs to trust her with his tattered heart. The safer they feel with each other, the more trust and passion grow. But can they overcome the demons in their pasts—and the heartbreak they’ve carried into the present—to build a lasting future together?
Barbara Longley
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