Just Joe - Carla Cassidy (HQN - Apr 2013)

Series: More Than Words

Stacy Donovan is willing to do whatever it takes to save her charity, Bounties from the Gardens. Families in need are counting on her organization for fresh fruits and vegetables. Running the charity has always been Stacy's dream, and if winning a local dance competition will keep her dream alive, that's what she'll do.
 
After years of being consumed by work, Joe Carpenter has discovered a new passion: giving back to the community. He's started to volunteer at Bounties from the Gardens, and he's falling for the beautiful, dedicated Stacy. But Stacy is so focused on looking after her charity, she might miss the fact that Joe is just the person to watch over her heart.

Heartwarming short story about a woman who has closed herself off to love and the man who shows her what she's missing. Stacy had a difficult childhood that motivated her to found a charity devoted to feeding the hungry. Later she experienced a heartbreak that had her giving all of her attention to her charity. Now she is struggling to keep the charity afloat during tough economic times. Her best option is winning a local dance competition, though she isn't confident of success. Adding to her stress is Joe, a new volunteer. 

Joe is a successful businessman whose recent loss has him determined to find balance in his life. The premise of Stacy's charity appeals to him, and he settles into a regular volunteering schedule.
 
Stacy and Joe get off to a rough start. Stacy has seen more than her share of wealthy volunteers who stick around for a few days and are never seen again. She believes Joe is another one like that and isn't particularly welcoming to him. Meanwhile, Joe is immediately smitten by Stacy, whose beauty and dedication speak to him. His requests for dates get shot down until he gets creative in his attempts to spend time with her. I loved that first picnic breakfast he surprised her with. She slowly lets Joe get a little closer to her, but her trust issues run deep, and she fights her growing feelings for him.
 
I loved Joe's patience and persistence. Stacy brought a light to his life that had been missing for a long time. He works hard to show her how good they are together, but she is a hard nut to crack. Then a misunderstanding resurrects Stacy's trust issues, and she shuts him out again. I ached for both of them as Joe is understandably hurt by her accusations and Stacy feels betrayed. As Stacy realizes what she's been missing out on and what Joe means to her, she takes a hard look at her life and attitude. I loved the ending and seeing Stacy finally risk everything for love.
 
The dance contest segments were interesting. I loved seeing Stacy's progress from struggling with the dance and her confidence to feeling like victory was possible. The dance contest itself was terrific, with an unexpected twist at the end.
 
I liked Stacy's charity and enjoyed seeing the people that it helped. I also enjoyed reading about the fantastic group that inspired this story.