Title: Far from Perfect
Author: Barbara Longley
First published October 23, 2012
350 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9781612185897 (ISBN10: 1612185894)
Rating: 4.04
Overview
In Far from Perfect by Barbara Longley, Ceejay Lovejoy has always known a life full of struggles and hardships. Left by her parents and betrayed by her boyfriend, she has learned to fend for herself and her daughter.
Love is the last thing on her mind until Noah Langford shows up at her doorstep. Noah is a war veteran who has just come back home after losing a leg in the roadside bombing in Iraq.
His stepbrother Matt’s death in a car accident shatters his already broken soul. But when he discovers that Matt has left behind a girlfriend and a baby, Noah makes it his mission to connect with them.
As soon as he meets Ceejay, he feels warmth and comfort that he hasn’t felt in a long time. But when a painful truth is revealed, it could destroy everything that they have built.
Will their love be enough to heal them both? Dive into this heartwarming novel, where love and healing go hand in hand.
About the Author
Meet Barbara, a woman who grew up with a big family of four siblings, but interestingly, none of them were born in the same place. Because of this, she had to learn how to entertain herself with stories from a young age.
As she grew older, Barbara had a diverse range of experiences. She lived on a commune in the Appalachians, taught on a reservation, and traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe.
However, when she had children of her own, she decided to settle down and try something new.
With a Masters in Education, Barbara spent many years teaching elementary education. At night, she explores things that are mythical, metaphysical, and newsworthy.
She takes what she learns and incorporates it into her stories, where anything is possible.
Barbara has received many awards throughout her career, including being on the Romance Writers of America Honor Roll Bestselling Author list. She’s also won the Holt Medallion, The Maggie, OKRWA National Readers’ Choice Award, and ACRW’s Heart of Excellence Award.
Editoral Review
In “Far from Perfect,” author Barbara Longley delivers a heartwarming romance that is sure to pull at the heartstrings of readers. First published on October 23, 2012, this novel is part of Longley’s “Love from the Heartland” series and explores themes of forgiveness, redemption, and second chances.
Set in small-town America, the novel follows the story of Rebecca, a recent divorcee, as she tries to rebuild her life and start anew. Struggling to find her footing, Rebecca takes a job as a bookkeeper at a local farm and soon finds herself butting heads with the farm’s owner, Kyle, whose gruff exterior masks a kind heart.
As the two spend more time together, they begin to understand each other on a deeper level and heal from their respective pasts. However, just as their relationship begins to blossom, a shocking revelation threatens to tear them apart.
Longley skillfully weaves together a heartwarming tale of redemption and second chances, bringing to life a cast of characters that are both relatable and endearing. Rebecca and Kyle’s tumultuous relationship is at the core of the novel, and Longley does an excellent job of developing their characters and making their relationship feel genuine and authentic.
The pacing of the novel is excellent, with each chapter building on the last, and the plot twists and turns keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Longley’s writing style is both engaging and descriptive, painting a vivid picture of small-town life and creating a world that readers will want to return to.
While “Far from Perfect” may not be groundbreaking in terms of plot or themes, it more than makes up for it with its engaging characters and heartwarming story. It is a novel that will appeal to fans of romance and contemporary fiction, and readers looking for a heartwarming escape from the stresses of everyday life.
That said, there are a few minor flaws in the novel. The pacing may be too slow for some readers, and the resolution of some plot threads may feel a bit too neat and tidy.
However, these flaws are relatively minor and do not detract from the overall quality of the novel. Overall, “Far from Perfect” is an engaging and heartwarming novel that is sure to delight readers.
Longley’s writing is both engaging and descriptive, and her characters are relatable and endearing. I would recommend this novel to fans of romance and contemporary fiction and give it a solid 4/5 stars.
