Heart's Desire: A Novel

(Paperback)

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Card sharp and former wild child Hallie Palmer is in college nowand Bernard Stockton, her legal guardian, has suddenly appeared during final exams. Hes hysterical about his recent breakup with his longtime boyfriend, Gil, and wants to enlist Hallie in a scheme to win Gil back. So Hallie returns to Cosgrove County, Ohio, for the summer, to her job as live-in yard person for Bernard and his delightfully oddball mother, Olivia. Also present are Ottavio, Olivias hot-tempered Italian lover, whos desperate for a wedding; Rocky, a chimpanzee whos one Singapore Sling away from an AA meeting for primates; and Hallies own ever-expanding family, which she fled as soon as she could slide down the drainpipe.

Around town, folks assume that since Hallie isnt in jail, she clearly has no problems of her own and can therefore tackle theirs. But Hallie has plenty of troublesa looming tuition bill, gambling temptations, and an ex-boyfriend whos back in town for the summer to upset any potential if highly unlikely (a girl can dream!) romantic flings.

Yet as Hallie and company navigate lifes unexpected paths of games lost and love found, the real truth begins to emerge: With friends, family, and a place to call home, your hearts desire is always within reach.

Reviews

Prepare to fall in love with a story as wise as it is witty.
Sarah Bird, author of The Yokota Officers Club

Smart, funny, and chockful of surprises, Hearts Desire delivers on the promise of its title. Laura Pedersens lively imagination has created a cast of zany characters and an unforgettable heroine, whose honesty, sweet nature, and witticisms make this novel an enchanting read.
Bev Marshall, author of Right as Rain and Hot Fudge Sundae Blues

Author Bio

Laura Pedersen is an author and playwright from Buffalo, New York. After finishing high school in 1983, she moved to Manhattan and began working on the American Stock Exchange, later spendingthe better part of the 1990s writing for The New York Times.In 1994, President Clinton honored her as one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans. She has appeared on varioiusTV shows, including Oprah, Good Morning America, Primetime Live,andThe Late Show with David Letterman. In 2001, her first novel, Going Away Party, won the Three Oaks Prize for fiction. Her other books include Beginner's Luck, The Big Shuffle, Heart's Desire,and Last Call. Laura lives in New York City.