‘Heart with Joy’ a coming-of-age drama

In a heartbeat, 15-year-old Julian Hale’s quiet life is changed forever when his mother suddenly leaves his father. She says it’s to help her parents run their Florida hotel and to give her time to work on her writing, but Julian knows the truth is more complicated.

As Julian and his father struggle to adapt to being on their own, the teen discovers that life doesn’t have to be a daily struggle against depression. When his elderly next-door neighbor Mrs. Peters asks for his help in caring for the birds that populate her backyard, Julian finds the woman he was formerly afraid of is actually a sweet, knowledgeable old soul who longs for company. She teaches Julian that the most important thing in life is to learn to follow your heart and find your passion, and Julian’s passion turns out to be cooking.

Julian used to love to cook with his mother, and after she leaves, he returns to that interest mainly in order to avoid the fast-food his father keeps bringing home. But it is soon evident that Julian has a talent for cooking as he experiments with recipes he finds on the Food Network. He discovers a kindred soul in Tia, a grocery store cashier who also is interested in cooking, and it is love at first bite.

Meanwhile, Julian’s dad has embarked on a mission to run his first marathon, a daunting task for someone as out of shape as he has become. Sensing his father’s desire to become a better man in an effort to win back his wife, Julian supports his dad’s running and subsequent postcard love-letter campaign — acts that bond the two together as never before.

When Julian is given the choice to live with his mother in Florida or remain in North Carolina with his father, he faces a dilemma that will require courage, determination and devotion. The young man soon finds that sometimes the people and things you need most in life have been with you all along.

In “Heart with Joy,” North Carolina author Steve Cushman has crafted an enchanting story of love and finding one’s way in the world. Cushman perfectly captures the angst and surprising maturity of a young teenage boy struggling to do what he knows is right in this brilliant coming-of-age novel that would be ideal for teens, young adults and adults alike to enjoy.