Sometimes it takes an outsider to force us to see who we are. The real struggle is accepting what we learn.For Beverly Townsen, nothing could be closer to the truth. Virtually a shut-in, Beverly has pulled backfrom Green Valley’s community, preferring the isolation of her farmhouse and her daily routine ofviewing home improvement television shows. When the opportunity arises for her own home… for her own home
improvement and a personal re-assessment, she’s not so excited about the reality of real life versus DIY
programs.
Jedd Flemming understands physical pain and personal loss, but it’s never stopped him from bucking
forward in life. A former military man and rodeo star, his life as a nomad comes to an end with false
accusations and a family matter back in the Valley. It’s been a long journey to find his way home and
once there, there’s nothing he wants more than to reclaim what he’s lost…and maybe the elusive female
reclusive who holds a sliver of his past.
With an unprecedented proposition, Beverly finds a stranger living in her barn, raising horses on
borrowed pastures, and plowing his way into her vacant heart. Old hurts linger, but sometimes love in
deed is louder than words.
‘Love in Deed’ is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #6 in the Green Valley Libary series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
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I don’t really know where to start with Love in Deed. I wasn’t sure how L.B. Dunbar was going to do it, write Beverly. If you’ve read her other titles than you know that Beverly is a hard woman. Life and circumstance hadn’t been kind to her and in turn she wasn’t very nice either.
There was so much anger and pain and resentment. Self doubt and loathing. It broke my heart but at the same time I was rooting for her. To break the cycle. To find herself again. To try. And right when she least expected it, the catalyst for all those things came knocking on her door. Sweet butter on a biscuit- Jedd!!
I adored that man. His hard work. The way he turned his disadvantages into something positive. His wit. His patience. The way he handled Bev just right. He saw through her bravado, recognized it for the pain that it was. Pushed when he needed to, gave in sometimes but never gave up.
But Jedd had a few secrets of his own. And when they came out…talk about whiplash. An age old feud, twisted family ties and the return of someone that nobody wanted to hear from again. My head was spinning as everything came together or fell apart- depending on how you look at it..
Hats off to L.B. Dunbar for taking two broken people and not portraying them as weak but showing how strong they truly were. Fighters. Survivors. None more so than Bev. I loved her redemption, how she reclaimed her life. Found her voice and her heart and love that she had been waiting a whole lifetime to feel. And that ending….cue the tummy flutters and happy sigh. It was so perfectly them.
This was an amazing story of two people who were bent but not broken, finding love where they never expected to find it.
“Despite our faulty bodies, my body is drawn to his in a way I can’t explain and don’t wish to define.”
Beverly Townsen is something of a termagant. Sharp-tongued, bitter and a virtual recluse with only her adult daughter for company. When a striking stranger comes knocking on her door with a proposition, she’s against it, however, her financial situation begs to differ. The fact that he also makes her feel things that she hasn’t felt in a very long time (if ever) is something else that completely takes her by surprise.
“A man changes all his plans for a woman like you.”
Jedd Flemming is back in Green Valley with a plan. He just needs Beverly on side for him to carry it out. All he wanted was to rear horses on land that his family once owned but he never expected to fall for Beverly. However, the secrets he carries and a face from the past could ruin everything.
“Quit fighting me. Or better yet, let’s fight. Let’s knock down and drag this out, and wrestle until we’re so wrapped up in each other we can’t draw another breath.”
This slow-burn romance really gripped me. Both Beverly and Jedd were bent but not broken. Both were physically hindered but they worked so well together. I loved Jedd’s patient, understanding and steadfast manner. I loved that he coaxed Beverly gently out of her isolation and showed her through his kind, well-meaning deeds what love truly was. It was heartwarming to watch Beverly gradually shed her old, bitter existence and come alive under Jedd’s care and attention. She completely blossomed as he worked hard to rid her of her doubts and gave her back her self-esteem and confidence. Their exchanges were amusing, flirtatious, and sometimes acidic (especially from Beverly) but they really suited each other and were beautiful together.
Heartwarming, sexy, fun and emotionally thrilling journey filled with interesting and engaging charters, witty banter, heart racing twists and undeniable passion. This was an edge of your seat exciting read from beginning to end. Great reading!
I loved this story. I really enjoy books by L.B. She really knows how to make you fall in love with the characters. She makes her characters feel like people next door. Beverly and Jedd’s story did not disappoint.
This is a read that will make your heart go pitter patter. Two imperfect characters that get a second chance in life to be happy. I absolutely love that Jed knew what he wanted and did not give up. Beverly had given up on happiness but will she within herself that she does deserve it. This book is a realistic fantasy.
Ms. Dunbar has a knack for writing small town romances with flawed characters that keep you turning the pages. She writes characters that have you thinking about them long after you are done with the book. This is one of my favorites because Jed and Beverly both had disadvantages in their life and it was great to see them overcome them and not hold them back.
I love this book. It is a story of resilience and hope.
Beverly Townsen is a bit of a broken woman in body and mind. She is living with the effects of years of mental and emotional abuse. She has fought back by becoming sarcastic and extremely prickly. She is not going to trust very easily.
“I don’t want him noticing me. I don’t want him anything-ing me.”
Jedd Flemming has been all over with military and rodeo but is now ready to settle down. He shows up at Beverly’s farm with a proposition, a won’t take no for an answer attitude and a few secrets.
“No, I’m not letting you push me away. And you aren’t running from me either.”
“I can’t run,” I state, and his eyes narrow at me.”
What a wonderful story! This author took a character who had seemed unredeemable and showed us how beautiful and vulnerable she really was inside.
-5 Stars!-
I love how many different facets there are to this story!!
-You’ve got the love…and boy do they knock it out of the park!
-You’ve got the emotional growth…two people trying to overcome their pasts.
-You’ve got the physical growth…two people trying to overcome their injuries.
-You’ve got the financial growth…two people trying to better their current situations by making something out of their passions in life.
There’s something for everyone in this book and the way LB ties all of these things together has me falling for this couple! I love this little town and I can’t get enough of it!
Heartfelt, original and emotional story. First of all kudos to the author for keeping it real and writing smart, sexy and mature characters for the over 40 crowd.
This is book 6 in the Smarty Pants Romance and evening though I have not read all the books I had no problem enjoying or following the storyline.
The writing was smart and the characters were well developed.
It’s refreshing to read about characters who are perfectly imperfect.
Jedd and Beverly’s story was more than a romance. It was a poignant and insightful story of redemption and forgiveness. These characters suffered insurmountable issues. As a result there are a lot of hurdles to overcome in order to move forward.
Beverly was not an easy character to like, but given the demons she’s overcome, she made sense. Jedd also had his own demons and as they both overcome their painful pasts, things start to happen.
What that is, you’ll have to read and find out.
Beverly Townsen not only gave up having a normal life but she gave up on feeling like a beautiful woman and true love until she met Jedd Flemming. Beverly and Jedd had some physical scars but their emotional scars were the hardest to overcome. Healing from the inside, while making some adjustments on the outside, made this story amazing. This slow burn will pull on your heart strings and it was so worth the journey! They brought out the sexual fantasy they thought was buried too deep to rekindle. Kudos to L.B. Dunbar on another masterpiece
I was really intrigued by Beverly and Jedd after reading Love in Due Time. There was just a glimpse of the two of them there. I am so glad I picked up Love Indeed. It is my favorite L.B. Dunbar book I’ve read.
Beverly’s growth over the course of the story was so realistic. It doesn’t happen all at once, but little by little she made progress from being lonely, sad, and angry to finding her strength and opening up to possibility. While I haven’t ever experienced the things she has, I found her to be relatable in many ways.
Jedd has just returned to Green Valley. His story was interesting as it unfolded. He starts out with intentions to simply start his horse operation on Beverly’s land, but everything changes as they spend more time together.
The book is on the longer side, but it didn’t feel unnecessarily so. It allowed for Beverly and Jedd to grow and change both together and individually. I also liked the cameos from other Green Valley citizens and Beverly’s sister Naomi and her husband Nathan.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.
Beverly has been dealt so many blows in her life. You could say that life has left her lame. Jedd has seen his share of heartache and pain. When these two meet sparks fly but they both feel the need to go slow and in the case of Beverly, possibly in reverse. Beverly lacks trust in men and Jedd has made it his mission to show her that he will never harm her or let her fall. I loved this installment from the Green Valley Library. L.B. Dunbar has given us all so much hope that there is second chances and love after forty.
Beverly has been dealt so many blows in her life. You could say that life has left her lame. Jedd has seen his share of heartache and pain. When these two meet sparks fly but they both feel the need to go slow and in the case of Beverly, possibly in reverse. Beverly lacks trust in men and Jedd has made it his mission to show her that he will never harm her or let her fall. I loved this installment from the Green Valley Library. L.B. Dunbar has given us all so much hope that there is second chances and love after forty.
Reading this book was like coming back to my happy place. The writing hooks you immediately. I love the plot and the journey the story takes you on. The characters are relatable and someone you could truly be friends with. The emotions pour off the pages and you can’t help but feel the pain and happiness along with the characters. You need to experience this incredible story to fully understand how beautiful it is.
Overall Grade:
If you read L.B. Dunbar’s book in the first SmartyPants Romance series, Love in Due Time, you were introduced to her hero and heroine for her second book, Love in Deed, through Naomi and Nathan’s story. Most notably is Beverly Townsen, Naomi’s sister. From the outside, Beverly is a bitter, older woman. Her life isn’t easy. The few times that Naomi encounters her in Love in Due Time, your heart hurts for Naomi as it’s clear that she wants a better relationship with her prickly sister; however, said sister makes this difficult. In that book, it’s hard to empathize with Beverly because it’s easy to judge her seemingly self-righteous, cantankerous characterization.
Dunbar’s brilliance shines brightest, however, in her articulation of Beverly’s journey in the second book of the SmartyPants Romance series, Love in Deed. It is here where you recognize the depth of hurt that resides in Beverly. That her hurts run so deep, they seem unfathomable. In this book, I found a bit of myself in Beverly, and Dunbar’s exceptional storytelling hit against the bruises of my soul to vocalize that pain for her readers. This isn’t a new experience for me, but Beverly’s story felt like my own. If only I had a Jedd to ride in and help me heal that pain…
Jedd Flemming has returned to Green Valley after an extended absence. He is back for two reasons: to find out where his brother Boone has gone and to get back a little of what he lost when he left Green Valley. In order to complete the second goal, he decides to converge on the Townsen homestead to negotiate using the land to raise horses. Once there, he finds himself drawn to Beverly. Something about her calls to him. After some negotiating with Beverly’s daughter, Hannah, Jedd moves into the barn and prepares to fix up the land, and Beverly and Jedd dance around their chemistry…until they don’t. When their pasts threaten to derail their future, Jedd and Beverly must find a way to create a new place for themselves.
At the beginning of this review, you must know that Dunbar holds a special place on my list of favorite authors. This woman crafts characters who feel grounded in reality. One of the ways she does this is imagining characters over the age of 40. This is obviously niche to the romance community, and I love that I can find my age group represented in the community through Dunbar’s storytelling. They struggle with my struggles, yet they always find their happy ending. In Love in Deed, Beverly aka Bee struggles to know herself. She’s lived for two decades waiting for her husband to return even though he devastated her life. As such, she’s a woman who has stagnated out of fear: to move on, to let go, to be more. Since Dunbar conceives characters like this, I will always read her stories because they act as a reflection of my own experiences. Dunbar finds this space in romance so that everyone finds representation. Ageism is an issue in our community, and Dunbar’s romances work to undo that issue.
What I loved most about Love in Deed is Bee’s empowerment. It would be simple for me to say that Jedd saves a “broken” Bee. He doesn’t. Instead, Jedd inspires Bee to embrace her truth and to face her fears. I think we often find romance where the hero or heroine “saves” the other. In this story, though, Bee saves herself by simply facing her fears. Jedd’s love for Bee offers her a safe harbor to dock when she feels fearful. This is the beauty of their relationship. That harbor is grounded in truth and commitment, two qualities lacking in her marriage. Even though Jedd almost ruins this, his actions save him.
If the first message of Love in Deed is find and accept your truth, the second message is words are slippery and can destroy. Instead, actions speak louder than those words when they hurt us. That truth spoke the deepest to me. Dunbar offers a beautiful message at the outset of this story about the power of words to build and destroy. There is so much truth in that reality and Bee’s life deliberately illustrates this. When her mind chants “left behind” over and over again, you feel the depth of her pain and rejection. When she begins to find her inner strength again, she chants “straight-ahead” and the promise of her happy ending is there because she’s choosing it for herself. Bee’s evolution and journey to finding her self again is the emotional power of Love in Deed.
Along with Jedd and Bee are additional messages about family. When Beverly’s sisters stand with her, she’s empowered. As she looks at her daughter’s life, she recognizes her negative impact on it and seeks to right that wrong. While Jedd is the impetus for Bee’s self-empowerment, she finds her strength in her family’s protection. It’s Dunbar’s gentle reminder that we don’t have to be alone to face our fears.
Lastly, as a writer, Dunbar articulates her messages brilliantly through a variety of ways in this story. The allusion to other literary stories, namely Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, is profound. It grounds Love in Deed in the literary tradition. Additionally, the images of the barn and Bee’s land stand as metaphors for Bee’s past. Dunbar uses those images to underscore Bev’s complacency and need for change. Even Jedd’s horses become representations of Beverly’s persona. Just as he does for Beverly, Jedd sees the strengths of horses who have been turned aside for their foibles. Dunbar’s use of these literary techniques adds power to her story, illustrating her expertise in telling compelling stories.
I loved every moment of L.B. Dunbar’s Love in Deed. Had you told me how deeply I would care for Beverly before reading this book, I would have laughed at you. I unduly judged her in Naomi’s story because I didn’t understand her hurts. And I think that’s a lesson in itself. We all carry something with us, cracks and bruises from past hurts that inform the way we approach others. I guess Dunbar’s overall message is a need for us to avoid judging others before we understand their truth. Love in Deed is another important book for the SmartyPants Romance world.
Love in Deed is the second book of Dunbar’s in the Smartypants Romance series. In Love in Due Time, we were introduced to Naomi and now we finally get to here her sister Beverly’s story. I have been so excited for this book and L.B. didn’t let me down. It was amazing as always.
Beverly Townsen has been through an emotional ordeal over her 45 years and life has been hard for her. The book starts with her in a low time in life but then she meets Jedd Flemming! My, oh my!
Jedd approaches Beverly with a proposal that will help him out in his goal but will also benefit Beverly and her daughter. Beverly is very leery at first because she’s been burned int the past but her daughter and her finally decide to go forward with. Not only does she get the promise he will help out on the land, Jedd brings her back to life in a sense. Jed encourages her to try and push herself. He asks her what her interests are and then he brings her little things that make her see she can still have a life even now. He literally is so sweet to her in the beginning and you can’t help but just love him. I love watching them along their journey and seeing them realize that maybe they could be there for each other. They had amazing chemistry and you can’t help but root for them both. They are just perfect for each other.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Bringing Life Back
I love how L.B. Dunbar brings the characters to life, pulls you into the story as if you are living it with the characters – Love in Deed does not disappoint. This is a must read if you like an emotional, second chance story.
Beverly Townsen, broken by her not so good husband causes her to break herself even more. Years later she is not any better, is bitter and nasty.
Jedd Felmming, a former military man and a rodeo man. He understands physical loss but does not let it hold him back.
He is tired of not staying in one place and coming back to the Green Valley community looking for his missing brother has him wanting to make this home. His love for horses brings him to Beverly’s. She has a rundown farm that is as broken as she is.
He wants her land but is that all he wants… Has Bev sank down so far that she can’t come back? Take a read and see their story, you will enjoy it as much as I did.
4.5 stars! What a great book by LB Dunbar in the Green Valley Library Series!! Definitely recommend!!
Love In Deed is the heartbreaking journey of forgiveness, finding yourself again and a reawakening of the mind, body and soul. Jedd is a silver fox with a heart of gold. He is back in his old town to make go of a business . Beverly is a woman that has been down a rocky road and is filled with doubt and hurt. She is broken, has been pushed aside and lied too. Trusting someone is not going to come easy. This is a tale filled with so many hidden truths and mystery . An old town is certainly full of secrets and when Jedd takes up at the barn on Beverly’s property everything is about to come to light! Such a great story of learning to live and love again !
~~Michele McMullen ~~
This is the 6th book in this awesome series and is Beverly and Jedd’s story. Both characters face physical challenges, and Jedd sees through Beverly’s persona and is determined to break through her barriers for her to begin to heal. This is a beautifully written story which is an emotional roller coaster throughout, as well as having relatable characters and plot, which all had me totally captivated throughout this addictive page turner. This talented author has outdone herself in penning this tale, and I highly recommend for all readers.
Love in Deed is the middle Winter sister Beverly Townsen’s story. We were briefly introduced to her in the previous book. We learn her full story here and how she became disabled. How years of verbal abuse from her husband has beaten her down and made her feel like she wasn’t worth a man’s love. He was never faithful to her or his previous finance for that matter. He also abandoned her & their daughter.
Jedd Flemming is returning to his home town after being deployed & working the Rodeo circuit as an amputee vet. He comes to town with his own baggage and a plan on how to get back what he feels was rightfully his.
Their story is not an easy road. Neither of them is open and honest with each other. There’s so much of a push & pull by Beverly, I almost felt like she wasn’t being fair to Jedd. He also was the only one to ever push Beverly both physically & emotionally after her accident.
They do eventually find their HEA, which is how I want all love stories to end.
I absolutely love all of LB’s books, however, I did struggle a bit with this one. I found it difficult to connect with the characters. I think it’s because LB’s writing style will typically make me feel the same emotions as her characters, but in this book, I feel she was ‘telling’ me their emotions.