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HEART'S DESIRE
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Ballantine Books, July 2005
Reviewed by Barbara Fielding
Hallie Palmer returns to her Ohio home after her
first year of college at the Cleveland Art Institute. Her former
guardian, Bernard Stockton, came to Cleveland to plead with her to come
back to work for him. Bernard is depressed and grieving over a break-up
with his lover Gil and wants Hallie to help him figure out a way to win
him back. Hallie has returned for her own reasons. She is broke and
needs to raise enough cash for her next semester of school. Soon after
she settles in the Stockton's guest house, she discovers her family and
friends are struggling too and looking to her for help.
Hallie is dealing with issues of her own. Besides her
financial pressures, Ray, her sort-of boyfriend from Cleveland, wants
Hallie to have sex with him. Hallie isn't sure about love or if she is
ready to give up her virginity. She is the oldest of eight kids and came
home to find her mother is pregnant again, this time with twins. Her
harried mother asks Hallie to do something to help her sister Louise who
has turned into a reckless party girl. Hallie is caught between
juggling her own troubles, Bernard's decline and her sister's rebellious
streak.
Last year, before college, she used her racetrack
gambling and poker skills as an outlet, but that just led her into a
world of trouble. Now that she is struggling again she hopes to find
another way to solve her financial problems. However, she soon finds
herself at the secret poker game in the church basement. Cappy, the
bookie who manages the poker game, has a handsome new assistant, his
grandson Auggie. In spite of her troubles, the summer at home may hold
unexpected changes for Hallie.
Bernard Stockton, Hallie's former employer/guardian
is in the middle of a romantic crisis. His longtime lover has left him
to date a woman. Bernard comforts himself by cooking extraordinary
dishes for everyone in the household to the accompaniment of his
collection of Broadway musicals. The Broadway tunes are driving the
household completely mad, but Hallie's return has a stabilizing effect
on Bernard. He is focusing on his antique business again and restoring
the lawns to their former manicured state. It's all in line with his
latest plans to adopt a baby girl from China.
Hallie Palmer and Bernard Stockton are an unlikely
pair and their relationship produces a highly entertaining friendship.
Living in the Stockton household is a zany experience with Bernard's
sixty year-old, free-spirited mother, Olivia there and her
Italian lover, Ottavio. There is also an alcoholic chimpanzee named
Rocky. HEART'S DESIRE is filled with dozens of delightfully eccentric
characters and a mixture of stories and issues that seem to run off in
many different directions all at once.
In the center of it all is Hallie, a reformed
miscreant with a gift for playing the odds. Her coming of age saga is
enjoyable. Pedersen has an easy going writing style and a comedic twist
that makes this story sparkle. HEART'S DESIRE is the second book in a
series. Hallie's debut is found in BEGINNER'S LUCK (2003) and the third
title in this series, FULL HOUSE (2006) is due out next year.
October 2005
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