Perfect Love #7

In "Hidden Love," a young woman named Ellen finds herself caught between duty and desire when a wounded stranger, Eric, arrives on the isolated island of Sumbawa while her husband Mr. Harcourt is away. As Inspector Fadiz investigates a jewel theft, Ellen hides Eric’s presence, torn between protecting him and telling the truth—especially when she discovers real jewels among his belongings. When the inspector returns claiming to have caught the thief, Ellen is stunned to learn Eric is not the criminal, but a government agent who survived an attack by the real thief, "Fingers" Fenton, who only stole decoy gems.

In "Tomorrow Is Ours," Anne’s quiet life with her fiancé Pete, a hardworking sandhog on the path to becoming a supervisor, takes an unexpected turn when her loneliness draws her to Pete’s roommate, Tony. As old loyalties fray and hearts are tested, a cave-in in the tunnels forces Pete to risk everything to save Tony—not for himself, but for Anne’s sake. When the dust settles, the future feels uncertain, but one thing becomes clear: some bonds are forged in the deepest darkness.

In "The Wedding Dress," Meg and Tom Gale are deeply in love, their future bright with plans to marry—until Tom enlists to serve in Korea. When he returns home wounded and struggling to reconcile his past with his present, he believes he’s no longer worthy of Meg’s love. But Meg stands by him, even as he pushes her away. It takes a quiet moment with Virginia Tabor, Meg’s grandmother, sharing the story of her own marriage to the wounded Seth Tabor, to help Tom see that love endures beyond scars.

In "To Have and to Hold," former doctor Hal—now a mechanic in a traveling carnival—faces a painful past when Judy, the woman who's come to love him, is shot in a violent act tied to his old life. With the same life-or-death stakes that once shattered his career, Hal must confront his guilt and fear to save her, even as the weight of his past looms over the present.

In "Love's Fighting Heart," washed-up boxer Slugger Keyes mentors young boxer Ronald "Rocky" Steele, but their bond is tested when Rocky falls for Ellen Keyes, Slugger’s daughter. Torn between loyalty and love, Ellen tries to manipulate Rocky into chasing fame, only to realize her mistake when he walks away. As Rocky fights his final bout, Ellen must confront her feelings and make amends—before it’s too late.

In "Deadline for Love," foreign correspondent Carol Higby finds herself stationed at the Greek-Romanian border, far from Roger Mason, the head of her paper’s Athens bureau and the man she loves. When Roger sets out to see her, he’s captured by the bandit Georgio, setting off a tense chain of events that brings Carol into the heart of the danger. As loyalty and courage collide, the line between duty and desire begins to blur.