Paper Hearts
Debrah Williamson
Reviewed by Cindy Procter-King
When a 15-year-old runaway saddled with the handle Chancy Deel arrives in Wenonah, Oklahoma, at first she thinks she's just passing through in much the same way life has always passed her by, cheating her out of the security and comforts other teens take for granted. Haunted by her upbringing, Chancy doesn't trust anyone or anything – not even her instincts. Instead, she relies on "signs" and counting games to determine her next move. She constructs paper hearts to leave in exchange for the food she can't afford to buy. When she experiences a few kind words from a woman wearing a heart-shaped necklace, she takes it as a sign that Wenonah is a place she can hide for a night or two.
Chancy's games of fate lead her to Max Boyle, an 83-year-old widower with a bad heart intent on ending it all...until he discovers Chancy sleeping in his car. She's an answer to his prayers. Adult Protective Services is convinced Max can no longer live alone and will soon require nursing-home care. Max and Chancy conjure a ruse which allows Max to remain in his home for the summer while providing her with shelter and three squares a day. As two kindred souls from opposite generations come together in mutual benefit, Chancy and Max learn how fragile and precious life and love truly are. That family isn't necessarily who you come from, but who you care for. And that a collection of lost individuals can find home in each other.
For anyone who's ever felt like they were on the outside looking in or has dealt with the heartache of an elderly friend or relative struggling with their loss of independence, this story will touch your hearts. Debrah Williamson sees deep inside the core of her characters and has a deft way with words that spark her stories to life and keeps you thinking about them long after you've finished the last page. After writing close to thirty romances alone or with a collaborator under a variety of pen names, PAPER HEARTS is Debrah Williamson's second mainstream novel. If you haven't read her first mainstream, SINGING WITH THE TOP DOWN, do yourself a favor and pick it up, too. PAPER HEARTS has earned a spot on my keeper shelf, and I can't wait to see what this talented author has in store for us next.
Order PAPER HEARTS from
Amazon
About the Reviewer:
Cindy Procter-King lives in Canada with her husband, their two sons, and Allie McBeagle. She doesn't love any of them, and it really, really bothers her when they try to pretend that she does. A former Golden Heart Award finalist, Cindy writes romantic comedies for Amber Quill Press and humorous erotic romances under a pen name. You can search for clues to her secret identity at www.cindyprocter-king.com.
Order BORROWING ALEX from
Amazon