Heart's Desire - A Novel

Zusatztext “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! Heart’s Desire delivers on the promise of its title. Laura Pedersen’s 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 Informationen zum Autor 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 spending the 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 varioius TV shows, including Oprah , Good Morning America, Primetime Live,  and  The 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. Klappentext Card sharp and former wild child Hallie Palmer is in college now-and Bernard Stockton! her legal guardian! has suddenly appeared during final exams. He's 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! Olivia's hot-tempered Italian lover! who's desperate for a wedding; Rocky! a chimpanzee who's one Singapore Sling away from an AA meeting for primates; and Hallie's own ever-expanding family! which she fled as soon as she could slide down the drainpipe. Around town! folks assume that since Hallie isn't in jail! she clearly has no problems of her own and can therefore tackle theirs. But Hallie has plenty of troubles-a looming tuition bill! gambling temptations! and an ex-boyfriend who's 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 life's unexpected paths of games lost and love found! the real truth begins to emerge: With friends! family! and a place to call home! your heart's desire is always within reach. Chapter One Someone cracks open the bedroom door. "Hallie? Are you in there?" Upon hearing the familiar voice I wake slightly and assume that I'm having weird dreams due to excessive body heat. Lying next to me is my boyfriend, Ray. And on the other side is Vanessa. I push down the blanket. "Hallie, are you up?" the voice comes again. Only now I'm definitely hearing and not dreaming Bernard's stage whisper. And also smelling the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee with a hint of vanilla. Wakefulness and reality strike simultaneously. "Oh my gosh!" I shout, and raise my head off the pillow. "What time is it? I have an exam at eight!" The only thing that's not surprising is to find Bernard Stockton in the hallway of my apartment. After all, he's the one who'd saved me when I was sliding down the slippery slope of adolescent rebellion the previous fall by taking me on as a live-in yard person. And now at least one weekend a month he arrives early and cooks us all a big brunch. Only this isn't Saturday or Sunday. It's Wednesday of finals week after my first year of college. Bernard opens the door the rest of the way and steps inside the room. "It's just after seven," he says. But his voice is hesitant and hoarse, like a record being played at the wrong speed, and I can tell immediately that something is terribly wrong. Normally he would be trilling "Rise a...

Product details

• Authors: Laura Pedersen
• Publisher: Ballantine
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 26.07.2005
• EAN: 9780345479556
• ISBN: 978-0-345-47955-6
• No. of pages: 416
• Dimensions: 140 mm x 204 mm x 23 mm
• Series: Hallie Palmer; Hallie Palmer
• Subject: Fiction > Narrative literature