Deep in the Heart, a novel
written by Sharon Oard Warner
The Dial Press, 2000
ISBN 978–0‑3853–2006‑1
In the tradition of John Irving’s The Cider House Rules and Sue Miller’s The Good Mother, this emotionally charged debut novel explores the moral complexities surrounding one of the most controversial issues in American culture.
In her own sheltered corner of Austin, Texas, twenty-three-year-old Penny Reed is taking her first tentative steps toward independence. Until now, her world has been narrowly defined—by her devout grandmother, Mattie, and the rigid doctrine of their church, led by a charismatic young minister on a personal crusade.
On the other side of the city, Hannah Solace, an assistant principal of a local high school is pregnant for the first time at the age of forty. Her husband, Carl, an artist who runs a bookstore at the mall, is ecstatic and sees the pregnancy as a chance to rekindle their faltering marriage. But Hannah’s fears about motherhood and the memories of her own painful childhood run deep, and without telling Carl, she decides to terminate the pregnancy.
At the local clinic, Hannah, Carl, and Penny come face to face. This single stroke of fate will have profound reverberations, forcing each of them to reevaluate everything they have come to believe about love, motherhood, and family.
Reviews
“As casually as Deep in the Heart seems to proceed—taking you from a mall to a girl’s high school bathroom with humor and affection—it is firm in its message of tolerance and its perception that even destruction and everyday accidents can be blessings.” (Amy Grace Loyd, Amazon.com)
“Warner has a gift for detailed, evocative writing and careful characterizations” (Publishers Weekly)
written by Sharon Oard Warner
The Dial Press, 2000
ISBN 978–0‑3853–2006‑1
Look for this book, in hardcover or paperback, at your favorite library or used bookseller.
