After completing her freshman year in college, Hallie Palmer, former card shark and troubled teen, finds herself returning home to Cosgrove County, Ohio to spend the summer with her zany family and friends. Not everyone has the luxury of having two families like Hallie. Her biological family, which consists of her mom, dad and eight, soon to be ten, siblings and her adoptive gay dad who is an emotional wreck because he has just broken up with his longtime partner, all play a significant role in her colorful life. Add a recovering alcoholic monkey to the plot and Hallie has what can only be described as the most unusual family tree. Perhaps coming home was not such a good idea after all.

With a large family comes many financial sacrifices, but Hallie is determined to earn her degree on her own accord. Unfortunately, she must come up with a way to generate enough funds to pay for her sophomore year by the end of the summer. She has come so far since her delinquent high school days that surely she can't let a minor detail like tuition stand in her way. However, the money she is earning as a pseudo gardener for Bernard, her legal guardian, is just not going to cut it. She must stop dawdling and come up with a plan to earn some serious cash.

Resorting to her old gambling days is quite the temptation; however, Hallie doesn't even have time to contemplate it. Her family is falling apart and everyone is relying on her to put the pieces back together. How come no one ever takes the time to ask her how she is doing? She does have her own set of problems like figuring out how she is going to lose her virginity when her love life is quickly going down the tubes. Doesn't anyone care about her life? Why must she always be the peacemaker?

HEART'S DESIRE is the second book in Laura Pedersen's Hallie Palmer Series. It is a charming story about a tightly-knit blended family whose real life experiences and drama make for a delightful read. The short chapters are quite appealing as they move the plot along quickly without interruptions or awkwardness. The characters are heart warming, believable and laugh out loud funny. Pedersen has master the art of storytelling and leaves the reader with a smile on her face and warmth in her heart.