The Heart Heals Slowly

About the Book

The Heart Heals Slowly, Gerald Hickey´s recently released third novel, weaves a stirring account of an Ohio family shattered by personal misfortunes as the world reels from a global war. In this superbly told story, adolescent Lane Canfield, the family´s last surviving member, tries to rebuild his troubled life with the Dantons, neighbors with two attractive teenage daughters. --"Gerald Hickey takes us on a journey from adolescence to adulthood with a member of the generation that Tom Brokaw describes as the ´greatest generation,´ said Phoenix resident Jim Stover. "His narrative follows a young man coming of age during World War II. His victories are not on the battlefields of Europe but rather on the battlefields of life. It is a warm testament to spirit and love triumphing over adversity." --Jack Munsell of Tampa, Florida, called the novel "a great page turner." --"An uplifting story of one man´s struggle to overcome life´s inequities," commented Jane Ryan of Chandler, Arizona. This is a synopsis of The Heart Heals Slowly: As World War II rages, adolescent hormones seethe in an affluent Ohio suburb, where teenage Lane Canfield feels trapped in an abusive home environment.

His older brother, Dale, a paratrooper who planned to become a surgeon, dies in the Normandy invasion. After exacting a promise from Lane to study medicine, his alcoholic father, widowed physician Grant Canfield, kills himself.

Nursing student Cara Angeli, whom Lane loves but deceived about his age, then breaks off their relationship and reunites with a former boyfriend blinded in combat.

Lane´s neighbors the Dantons take him into their home, and their older daughter, Tish, an attractive cheerleader, begins coming to his bed. However, she intends to marry her highly motivated boyfriend, Brad Owen, who is headed for law school.

Growing to manhood in the home of the ambitious Dantons, Lane tries to find genuine love and a satisfying career. He had hoped to become a writer, but his promise to his father to study medicine nags at him. Brock Danton, his surrogate father and a bridge contractor, eventually manipulates him into choosing a career in construction management.

Obsessed with becoming a millionaire, Brock demands that Lane devote nearly all of his time and energy to his job. Brock has promised to share profits with him but keeps putting him off.

Disillusioned, Lane moves to California with his artist wife, Shari Danton, and their small daughter, Melanie. He works in real state there for a longtime friend, now a successful Santa Monica broker.

Although he finds real estate more lucrative and less stressful than construction, Lane becomes dissatisfied with the field. After a personal tragedy, the Canfields leave California for Colorado.

Years later, with success on his doorstep in Colorado, Lane still feels haunted by the tragedy and other demons from his past. Until a shocking event changes his life.

About the Author

Gerald Hickey worked as a newspaper reporter for 22 years, nearly 16 of them with The Arizona Republic in Phoenix. He also worked for dailies in Colorado Springs and Las Vegas. He did copy editing for a Los Angeles suburban newspaper and served a stint with a Beverly Hills public relations firm. He grew up in the Columbus, Ohio, area, where his father was president of a bridge construction company. He attended Kansas City University and Northwestern University. After spending four quarters in dental school at Ohio State University, he earned a B.S. degree in business administration there.