Her mother is an alcoholic with a taste for expensive things. Her father has a gambling problem and spends too much time at work. And Laura Johnson is the vulnerable teenager struggling to hold things together within this dysfunctional family. More acrimony than matrimony, the relationship between Laura’s parents is a constant source of frustration and disappointment for an only child looking for companionship, stability, and direction. Though these basic provisions are lacking at home, a profound experience introduces art-loving Laura to her guardian angel, Maud, a colorful character who promises guidance and care. Maud’s twofold request is that Laura follow the scriptural admonition to honor her parents and read the Bible. Spurred on by her celestial visitor, Laura gives her best effort at honoring parents who seem repelled by their child’s earnest attempts at love, connection, and honor. Besides troubles at home, Laura faces a few traumas of her own that range from physical assault to spiritual warfare. These harrowing events are capped off by a real South Los Angeles tragedy that resulted in millions of dollars in damage, hundreds of destroyed homes, and needless loss of life. Will her budding faith and passion for art be enough to sustain Laura through it all?
From desperate measures to save a loveless marriage to a deceased poodle tumbling unceremoniously out of its tiny coffin at an elaborate pet funeral, the shenanigans of the Johnson family never stop! The chaos and commotion in Cracks in the Heart closely parallel the level of fervor in Laura’s spiritual and emotional journey. Family drama is compounded as hurtful secrets are uncovered, filling in the gaps of a complicated family tree that stretches from New Orleans to LA. Adding intimate details from the tragic 1963 Baldwin Hills Dam disaster provides a layer of reality to a story that feels as modern in nuance as if it happened last week. For expressive Laura, there are many setbacks and obstacles to her evolving faith, but she isn’t completely alone. Miracles happen. Friends come to her aid. And the family maid, Callie, proves to be a true friend and a constant source of spiritual encouragement when Laura finds herself most in need. The profusion of similes and a few editing mishaps abruptly pull readers out of the scene, but that doesn’t mean that this story lacks depth or value. For anyone struggling to cultivate their own spirituality, Laura’s experiences will ring true and will prove to be a fountain of encouragement. Contemporary in tone but 60s in temperament, Cracks in the Heart tackles challenges to a young woman’s faith with plenty of humor, heart, and love.
