Laura Pedersen Reviews

Added October 27, 2006

Heart's Desire

Author: Laura Pedersen
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Available At: Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: July 2005
Genre: Fiction: Mainstream/Romantic
Format: Trade paper
Price: $13.95
ISBN: 0-345-47955-6
Author Email/Website: www.laurapedersenbooks.com
Reviewer: Joyce Handzo
Rating: 9 Gargoyles

Heart's Desire is everything readers want in a book! Genuine characters walk through these pages, sharing their lives with honest abandon and a delightful touch of humor. This sequel to Beginner's Luck is every bit as wonderful as the first story.

Hallie Palmer, teen poker queen, is living at college, yet her heart is back home with the Stocktons. When Bernard shows up at her dorm, distraught about his breakup with longtime boyfriend, Gil, Hallie returns to Cosgrove County to set things straight. However, that's not all that needs fixing. As soon as Hallie steps back into the offbeat house of Olivia and company, life grabs her hand for a sometimes bumpy, always amazing ride.

Laura Pedersen is an incredible author. Not only do these characters leap off the page (I swear I heard them breathing!), but the situations they encounter are real in a wonderfully bizarre sort of way. Hallie and her friends and family will generate a great deal of interest and sympathy from readers. Although some of the issues explored are controversial, this very conservative reviewer found herself totally immersed in the story and rooting for everyone to live happily ever after. Now, that's the sign of a great writer.

At the forefront are the complex relationships that progress with a startling amount of candor. Hallie's inner thoughts are shown to readers, causing this young woman to be heartily embraced for her actions and feelings. The entire cast of characters is perfect and fills this novel with an assortment of ideas and subplots, which offer smiles as well as profound wisdom.

Heart's Desire is life, with all its faults and fun, wrapped up in family love.

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Added October 19, 2006

Beginner's Luck

Author: Laura Pedersen
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Available At: Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: January 2003
Genre: Fiction: Mainstream
Format: Trade Paper
Price: $13.95
ISBN: 0-345-45830-3
Author Email/Website: www.laurapedersenbooks.com
Reviewer: Joyce Handzo
Rating: 9 Gargoyles

Beginner's Luck is better than having four aces in your hand! Sassy and spirited characters saunter through a plot that is witty, warm and wild. Author Laura Pedersen deals readers a winning combination of talent and creativity. So, ante up the purchase price of this book; you are guaranteed not to lose!

Sixteen-year-old Hallie Palmer knows life is a gamble, so she ups the stakes when she drops out of school and takes a position as yard person at the Stockton house. Her employer, Olivia, is an elderly woman who writes poetry as easily as porn, while her unconventional son is a gourmet cook whose mouthwatering dishes are usually accompanied by a mouth full of clever wisdom. As Hallie trims the hedges and mows the lawn, she uncovers a new way of looking at the cards life has dealt her. Yet, when the time comes for her to cash in her chips and move on, will she be able to go back to gambling now that she's seen a sure thing?

Laura Pedersen gives new meaning to the term, "full house"! The Stockton residence is a lively mix of people who all espouse somewhat eccentric ways of thinking. These characters literally leap off the pages, perhaps startling readers a bit at first, but quickly settling down to a firm friendship. I wouldn't be surprised if the author told me these people sat on her shoulder and dictated their dialogue; it's that believable and genuine!

The plot also stretches to touch on a variety of hot and interesting topics, from homosexuality to educational techniques to political injustice. Reading this book is a lot like playing cards; each page deals a new combination of thoughts, which makes this novel one-of-a-kind!

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