Paper Hearts

by Debrah Williamson

Book Overview

Eighty-three-year-old Max Boyle would rather die than be forced into assisted living. So when he comes across teenage runaway Chancy Deel sleeping in his garage, he sees an opportunity for both of them. Giving Chancy a home just might keep him from losing his. But in securing a place to live, these lonely hearts discover a place to belong.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451221427
• ISBN13: 9780451221421
• Release Date: August 2007
• Publisher: New American Library
• Length: 333 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.0"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

Inspiring, endearing, and uplifting!

I loved this book! I couldn't stop talking about it to my mom, so she bought it and loved it as well. Reminds us that no life is a throw-away life. The elderly are our most valuable resource for wisdom and they have given so much! They still have much to contribute if we'll give them the chance. This is an inspiring, endearing book that brings its characters to life and makes you want to get to know them even better.

Powerful!

Sometimes you can find love and family in the unlikeliest of places and people.... Fifteen year old Chancey Deel appears to be just another runaway. Life with her mother and the foster care system hasn't been kind to her. But something about the town of Wenonah, Oklahoma, strikes a chord in Chancey. From her first encounter with waitress Corliss to meeting retired professor Max Boyle, Chancey begins to think maybe she has found a home. Maybe she has found a place to turn her PAPER HEARTS into real love.... Debrah Williamson certainly knows how to write a tearjerker! She touches on two populations that are frequently neglected- the elderly and the teenaged runaways- and helps readers see beneath those stereotypes. Both Max and Chancey find themselves alone and desperate. Chancey doesn't want to return to either the foster care system or the mother who insists she is worthless. Max has his own dilemma. He is involved with Adult Protective Services, as well meaning social worker Shevaun Wooten wants him to leave his home of cherished memories to live in an assisted living facility. Society may have cast off the hopes of both Max and Chancey, but together maybe they can find the true love of a family, regardless of blood ties. As a social worker, I found this story particularly touching. Despite all the efforts of the social services system, Max and Chancey are being slowly torn to pieces until they join forces. Together they fill the missing holes in one another's lives: Max and his now deceased wife, Hanna, always wanted a daughter whereas Chancey wants to belong to a family, with all the dreams and memories that entails. Through Chancey, Max and Hanna will not be forgotten. PAPER HEARTS isn't just the story of Max and Chancey, however. Debrah Williamson has created a delightful cast of characters and each moment becomes precious. Corliss' willingness to feed a woebegone runaway only shows the depth of love she has to give, love that can even repeatedly forgive a son fighting a drug addiction. Max's neighbors, Jenny, Tom, and Adam, have their own struggles but who can't help but see just how big their hearts are as well? And who can forget Alfie, Max's beloved pet dog? PAPER HEARTS is ultimately a story about the power of love, family, and friendship. Debrah Williamson demonstrates a gift at drawing the reader into the emotional heart of a story. Chancey and Max's story isn't always easy as there are some heart wrenching moments, but it is a story that packs a powerful punch. PAPER HEARTS is highly recommended! COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

Conflict versus Hope

If you've ever experienced a loss of a loved one, or had a conflict with a family relationship, & feel like you'll never recovery from such an experience, this book, PAPER HEARTS, is a MUST READ! The HOPE that Debrah Williamson instills in her writing is felt throughtout the story. The tears you may shed while reading become tears of healing & comfort. The gentle & delightful humor sprinkled throughout make the characters so likeable, you want to hop in the car & drive to Wenonah, OK for a visit. Get your own copy since you'll must likely want to read this over & over again. It's so life affirming. Wish I could give it a ten!

A Must Have!

Debrah, you've delivered another powerful, deeply touching story! I didn't think you could top Singing With the Top Down but this one provided so many tasty morsels for my soul. How cool that you combined the two drastic ages, the old man and the young girl, and wove an emotional tale that will linger in my memory for years to come. Nothing touches a chord in me like the plight of the elderly who suddenly find themselves without a partner and not able to care for themselves. It breaks my heart to see them left with few options other than a nursing home. You gave Max a wonderful way out and one that helped Chancy as well. Those two characters leaped from the page and into my heart and snuggled in for the duration. Then there's the dog, Alfie, a character himself. I fell in love with that dog! He was so perceptive and wise as so many of our four-legged companions are. Great job! This book is definitely going on my keeper shelf and I'm going to spread the word to everyone I know that they can't go wrong reading Paper Hearts. Best of luck to you! Can't wait to see what you come up with next.

For Fans of a deep well written friendship drama

Fifteen years old Chancy Deel left her abusive mother back in Pittsburgh to head west with no place in mind except to escape from hell. In Oklahoma Chancy meets octogenarian Max Boyle after sleeping overnight in his car. Meanwhile Social Services wants Max to move into an assisted living facility. He refuses as he has a home. When the SS threatens to make him move, he offers Chancy a deal; she can stay at his home as a "friend of the family. The relationship proves terrific for both of them as they respect one another. He nurtures her in a safe stable environment and she provides him with companionship that he has not had since his wife died. PAPER HEARTS is a delightful poignant tale that emphasizes the human need for companionship as two people forge a grandfatherly-granddaughter relationship between them that is more than just good for them; it is needed by each of them to save their life. Mindful of the Burns-Shields movie Just You and Me Kid, but much more serious, the teen and the geriatric are fully developed protagonists with the age gap showcasing their differing issues. Fans of a deep well written friendship drama will appreciate this fine buddy tale as everybody needs somebody they can trust to nurture and protect their heart. Harriet Klausner