The Difference a Day Makes

Longley returns to Perfect, Ind., in the disappointing follow-up to Far From Perfect. Paige Langford, in her first job, is determined to prove herself and demonstrate that she's capable of taking over the family business. When a colleague seduces her and sabotages her work, getting her fired, she retreats to visit her brother, Noah, in Perfect. Noah has made a commitment to hire veterans in his custom furniture business, including Ryan Malloy, who served under Noah in Iraq. War trauma and Ryan's fianc%C3%A9e's death have left him emotionally wounded, but the support of Paige and his work begin to break through his defenses. Ryan and Paige's individual conflicts are well realized, and Ryan's guilt and grief are surprisingly intense, but as a couple they lack both heat and romantic conflict, reduced to acting as each other's therapists. Agent: Nalini Akolekar, Spencerhill Associates. (Apr.)