Brody's Redemption. Small Town Scandals, #1

A clean & wholesome small-town romance with a redemption-arc hero, single-mom heroine, and house-renovation/fixer-upper stakes-sprinkled with suspense-lite and a guaranteed HEA. Expect only-kisses chemistry, grumpy-sunshine sparks, found-family warmth (elderly mentor + toddler), and a protective good guy fighting for a second chance. Perfect for fans of Hallmark-style closed-door romance, forgiveness and fresh starts, and charming Victorian-home vibes. Joe Brody has been called a lot of things.
Some true. Some not. But now that he's back in his hometown, his focus is getting a job and a home for his ill father to convalesce. Easier said than done when no one will hire him. Ashley Cade has a teething toddler and lives with an elderly man as part of an agreement she made to buy his house. Complicated? Not as much as it sounds. Wilson is a dear and his huge Victorian a gem in the rough. The lonely old man even recommends a friend's son as a handyman to help with the repairs and finally Ashley is making progress.
And Joe? Joe is... intriguing to say the least. But when the police chief tracks Joe down and Ashley discovers his history, everything changes. Wilson swears Joe is innocent. Joe swears he's innocent. But the evidence says otherwise and she doesn't know who to believe when her future business-and her child's life-are at stake....