WiseHeart

by Claudia Ermey

Jed Iverson, a young man adept with nunchucks, navigates a difficult family life and his own coming-of-age trip in WiseHeart. Jed is determined to protect the women in his His mother, Iris, who grapples with a deteriorating relationship with her live-in boyfriend, Manny, who is speed dating on the side. Managing Manny's irregular behavior and how it affects Jed is one of her personal struggles. Jed's Aunt Rainbow and her lovelorn 12-year-old daughter, Penny, live nearby, have their own share of drama and are also under Jed's protective watch. Among these family tensions, Jed falls in love with Dora, the girl with a full ride to Stanford who dreams of the stars. Their love grows as they work through the complexity of their relationship, juggling love, comedy, and dreams. WiseHeart captures the core of family, love, and self-discovery through a sequence of touching and demanding events, stressing the need for knowledge and fortitude in the face of life's erratic demands.

Genres: Young Adult

438 pages, Paperback

Published October 22, 2024

About the author

After a skiing accident took me out of my successful chiropractic practice in San Francisco, the right side of my brain started screaming it wanted expression and it wanted it now!

I've always been a writer: A journal writer, chronicling life's joys and wounds; A travel writer, because I've always traveled and am a good photographer both on land and underwater. But because I had a brutal childhood, I wanted to write about family dynamics. . .

Not the autobiographical, you-won't-believe-how-horrible-my-life-was story, but stories where characters are so alive, you always root for them and never forget them. So, although I have 3 advanced college degrees, I completed both Creative and Screen Writing Courses @ UCLA and attended many writing seminars & retreats. I work weekly with the accomplished De Luz Writer's critique group all with the intention of understanding and honing craft.

I also enjoy tutoring young writers in the craft of writing and volunteer in a young reader's program to grow future readers of tomorrow.

Reviews

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aptly named, WiseHeart introduces us to Jed Iverson, who takes the JED-I in name rather literal.
At 17, he wants nothing more than to be good man and protect his family. While all this is noble, he is still an awkward 17 year old, and struggles with the self doubt and inner ramblings that we all did during this age.

When an incident in school lands Jed labeled the hero, he finds himself uncomfortable with the hero role, even though he has dreamed of this his whole life. Even when this incident earns him the attention of Dora- his crush.
Mix all this with his desire to save his mother from a strained relationship and the embarrassing acts of his 12 year old cousin and what you end up with is a very heartfelt coming of age story.

I love these types of books, they make me nostalgic for that terribly awkward phase we all went through trying to find ourselves, and reminds me to be patient and kind- we're all going through something.

Thank you to Goodreads Giveaways and the author for a physical copy of this one, I loved the cover immediately and the heartwarming story inside.

[Susan's Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jed Iverson has an interesting backstory: he is a sperm-donor child, so he's never had a relationship with his father.. or will he??? No spoilers here!



Jed wants to be a superhero: he is teaching himself how to use nunchucks - most often to the detriment of the furniture and glass anywhere near his practice sessions! Jed does have supernatural powers (a form of ESP) which often seem to fail him when it comes to his relationship with Dora. At the start of this story, Jed is seventeen years old, but he often came across as MUCH younger.



Jed's mother is a strong woman with man trouble: her current boyfriend literally eats like a rabbit. Jed wants his mother to be happy, so he bites his tongue where "the boyfriend" is concerned. To complicate matters, his Aunt Rainbow and her daughter Penny live in small shack-like building behind the main house.



Together, they form a chaotic family, with never a dull moment. Penny is only 12 in the beginning of the story, and is also emotionally immature. When she falls in love with her mother's boyfriend and creates a horrible scene, I just had to cringe a little. Every male's worst nightmare, I'm sure! then, toward the end of the story, Penny morphs into this super-teen who has apparently shed her brat persona almost overnight and becomes a major team player.



This is a rambling, often dramatic story that eventually spans several years in the life and times of the Iverson extended family. This story meandered in and out of plausibility for me more than once, but I suppose that is to be expected when the author's intended audience is the young adult crowd. That said, this is the author's second novel after a skiing accident ended her career as a chiropractor. I wish her much success in her efforts to follow her dream.

I'm rating this one a 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded down to a 3. On the plus side, there are portions of this story that were quite well written. With a bit more practice with structure and character development, this author could conceivably make her mark in the YA market. My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie Campbell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway. I wanted to like this book more than I did, and truth be told, if the book hadn't been tagged in the YA category, I likely would have given it three stars instead of two. This book, however, is in my opinion not suitable for a YA audience for a multitude of reasons. First, and honestly least important, the pop culture references in the book are so dated that I (30s) had only a vague knowledge of most and no knowledge of some of them. No modern YA reader would understand them at all.

Next, some of the material in the book is not YA friendly or appropriate - and I say this as someone who is usually open to the idea of young people reading about controversial and/or sensitive topics. Such content in this book includes, but is not limited to:
- deep dives into the complexities of their relationship problems outside of the context of the rest of the story (admittedly not terrible, but unrelatable and perhaps too mature for the intended audience)
- a military wife who borderline grooms and then drunkenly seduces a high school student into her bed
- the use of words like "slutty," "street walker," and "poll (sic) dancer," to describe the actions, clothing choices, and fears of the future for an 11-12 year old character
- A character consistently reprimanding individuals who used the word "shooter" to describe a school intruder who 1) had a gun and 2) used it inside the school and insisted they used the word "vandal" instead because the gunman didn't shoot at any people, only a trophy case. (As a teacher, I think that the downplaying of any situation where a gun is fired in a school is absolutely reprehensible, whether or not it is true life or written in a fictional story).

In addition to the questionable content, the writing leaves much to be desired. The book reads as more of a tableau of possible directions for the novel to take, rather than a comprehensive novel itself. Certain characters and character traits are introduced and then seemingly forgotten about until 200-300 pages later. One character is even introduced in a chapter bearing his name, only for subsequent chapters to use a completely different name for him. I initially thought this might be hinting at a character with multiple personalities, but no such revelation was made. And, if I'm being nit-picky, some things that occur in this otherwise true-to-life universe would just simply not happen in today's world. For example, no high school is going to let a student walk around with nunchucks (an actual weapon) stuck in their waistband every day.

There are good ideas and great possibilities within the pages of WiseHeart, but the execution was not where I wanted it to be to truly enjoy the ride and not where I needed it to be in order to recommend to any true YA age readers.

[Jean Kolinofsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not generally read young adult stories, but I was drawn to WiseHeart after reading the synopsis. This is Jed’s story. He was never happy with his name, Jonathan Earle David Iverson, until his mother showed him the first Star Wars movie. When he realized that his initials spelled Jedi he felt that he should be responsible for watching over his family. Iris, Jed’s mother, is unhappy with her boyfriend Manny, who Jed wishes would leave. His aunt Rainbow is also a single mother to Penny, an eleven year old who is growing up too fast. At school Jed’s closest friend is Dora. From the smell of her hair to the way she talks with him on their walks home, he feels that Dora is the girl for him. Jed’s mother always said that he had a wise heart that allowed him to care for others. When an incident at school with a potential shooter labels him as a hero, the accolades from Dora and his fellow students make him uncomfortable. They are all proud of him, but if they knew the truth of what happened in the encounter he is afraid that everyone, including Dora, would turn against him. He was supposed to be the Jedi knight. He was not supposed to be scared and knock himself out during the confrontation. Jed must come to terms with who he is and what it means to be strong for the family and for making decisions as he matures. Claudia Ermey has written a story with relatable characters, especially her main character, who you will love. It is a story filled with empathy and humor that was pure enjoyment as I read. I would like to thank NetGalley and Books Go Social for providing this book.

[Jackermey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tender, heartfelt story of a young man determined to care for his family and his girlfriend as he faces one challenge after another and struggles to find a noble path to manhood without a father to guide him. Flawless storytelling that had me both laughing and rooting for these characters I won’t soon forget.

[Lyn Kaufmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wiseheart is the heartwarming story of a boy, Jed (Jedi) who meets a girl, Dora. Both are experiencing their first real relationship, navigating how to respectfully learn about each other, each others families with all of the mistakes that are bound to happen. Along the way Jed encounters the truth that mistakes happen but what matters is if we learn from our mistakes and do we own them, and deal with them in a productive way.
A piece of the story deals with active school shooting. Ms. Ermey does a magnificent job of presenting the perspective of the person with the gun, the students caught up in the action and of the teachers, thinking how different expectations are now then they once were. This ability to include multiple perspectives runs through the entire book.
Wiseheart was a warm, feel good book that you won't want to put down.

[Brittany Criswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quirky coming of age novel that I found highly entertaining! The characters were so lovable and I couldn't wait to see what else Jed found himself and his family getting into! Although I don't read many YA books I found this one to be super fun, although a bit over the top, I loved how it all came together very well done!!!

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

American author Claudia Ermey’s Wiseheart (2024) is a coming-of-age Young Adult fiction tale. Seventeen-year-old high schooler, Jed thinks he’s a Jedi warrior given his full name is Jonathan Earl David Iverson. Jed sees his role as a protector of his family and school friend Iscadora Gonzales (Dora). Raised by his single mother Iris, they live next door to her sister, Aunty Rainbow and his cousin Penny. A gentle family drama, with the various characters dealing with life’s challenges, with a couple of scenes depicted that may disturb some readers. There are several themes depicted in the narrative, including teen romance, family connections, migration, school security, and the ultimate consequences of ones’ actions. With a literary fiction feel and the issues raised in a story, this American family saga makes for an enjoyable enough read, with a three stars rating. With thanks to Books Go Social and the author for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement.

[Denice Langley · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you are 17 and your initials are J E D I, you do your best to be a hero. WISEHEART introduces us to Jed, the JEDI in training, who just wants to protect his family, a very tall order for this 17 yr old. His single mother has a boyfriend that Jed doesn't like and is definitely trying to cheat on her. His aunt and 12 yr old female cousin live next to them, where Jed's cousin continually embarasses him. Then there's Dora, the young woman Jed loves. These core characters carry the story of growing up and beginning an adult life as the adults in your life seem to be floundering. It was a good story, watching Jed as he struggles to leave his childhood reminded me of the young people in my family who have faced the same challenges with mixed results. It's sure to stir some nostalgia before the focus changes to school violence and the aftermath. The mixture of the two stages of Jed's life didn't feel real to me, but it did leave some questions when he takes those last few steps and leaves the fantasy behind.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading WiseHeart is like being stuck on a rollercoaster in the middle of a hurricane - it's a bit over-the-top dramatic but it's a fun read. Jed's story is that of a young highschool student who's forced to grow up too quickly in every way possible. He tries so hard to be a decent human but he messes up, which is just part of growing up. Thankfully, he has the love and support of family members and various people from the community so he gets the guidance he needs along the way, even if it does arrive a little too late at times. This book is well-written, intelligent, thoughtful and focuses on some important life lessons (being honest and owning up to your mistakes, for instance). However, it reads more like a made-for-tv melodrama at times, almost like the author was following a checklist for overly-dramatic and controversial events to throw into the story. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to hearing what others think of it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wiseheart by Claudia Ermey


This book invites you into the life of a family. A peek at the workings of a family outside your family. . The characters become intimate to you as you read through this book.

This story represents many families in this current time.. Broken families and how they function in their lives with one another.
This is an opportunity to explore the complexity of family dynamics.
Systems are designed for the family members to function while parade of different love partners come into play. . We can witness the development of deep insights from the various family members.
We get to hear their thoughts as they move through experiences.


The book is a real look into family dynamics.
The writing is beautifully visual as if it , for me, was a pop up in 3D.
You get to dive into a maturing mind, and a questioning mind.

The end was a true tear jerker. No hints..
Deepest heartwarming.
Well worth your time to read this beautiful story….. I highly recommend this read

[Cindy · Rating 1 out of 5]

What started off as a not too bad, but not great book, turned into a bad novel for two reasons. The first reason was the way time passes in the book. The author makes frequent leaps in time and leaves the reader to figure out how much time has passed. The second reason is the main character, Jed Iverson, a seventeen year old boy when the novel starts, ends up having sex with a drunk, married woman who was a customer at his mother's pet shop. He has turned eighteen in the novel when the sex occurs, but that alone made my rating go down. I did finish the novel and it did not redeem itself. The novel centers around Jed and Dora who start dating their senior year. Dora wants to be an astronomer and Jed isn't really sure what he wants to do with his life, except for marry Dora. Jed lies a lot throughout in the book and only once did he come out and ultimately tell the truth about what he had done

[Louise Foerster · Rating 4 out of 5]

WISEHEART by Claudia Ermey held so much promise that failed to materialize for me in the story of Jed, a young man committed to protecting the women in his life (often from themselves) and Dora, a gifted and intelligent young woman he is in love with a safe distance until he is mistaken for a brave and foolhardy hero who takes down a school shooter and is revered, celebrated and lauded for something he did not do. Coming clean about the truth of the situation challenges Jed to the core, forcing him to decide between the lie of courage and daring and the truth of who he really is. I found the story to be unevenly developed, the characters and their actions to be erratic, the point of view for the story to be confusing. However, there is so much going on that I am hopeful for another story from Ermey. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

[RRBB]

Jonathan Earl David Iverson is an unusual mix of emotional intelligence and naivety. His quirky, loving family consists of a single mother, a widowed aunt, a cousin and an African Grey parrot. He longs for a father figure which prompts an effort to establish a relationship with his aunt’s transient guitar playing boyfriend as well as a search for his sperm doner father
This lovable teenage boy is bewitched, bothered and bewildered by a the “brainiac” of North High, Isadora Gonzales. The story follows his efforts to win Dora’s affection while attempting to navigate the diversity of their families and culture.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley.
A coming of age novel about Jed and his family. Readers see the love and the eccentricities as he lives with his mom and his aunt and young cousin live in their backyard. This reads as an emotional roller coaster with humor woven through. The underlying message is that of a decent teen who is on his way to being a stand up adult. Though I felt that some of the chapters did not flow well, the overall story will hold readers as they connect with the various characters.

[Margaret Yelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wise Heart by Claudia Ermey is a young adult book, which I don't read alot of yet the synopsis caught my attention. I found it to be a fun and entertaining read, even if it was a bit dramatic at times. Jed is doing his best to be the protector of his family and all those he loves. Sometimes he makes mistakes but don't we all in life. I felt like I was on a roller-coaster at times, but I would still recommend this book to others.

I received and ARC from NetGalley and BooksGoSocial, and I am leaving my review voluntarily

[Sonee Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was good. It’s about a boy with a complicated home life who does his best coping with and navigating growing up as a teenager including school, friends, relationships, and feeling responsible for his family. There was a lot of dialogue but the pace was oddly slow. Many things happened but it also seemed there was very little at stake.

[Nicola “Shortbookthyme” · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot going on in the story though the pacing is quite slow at times.
Family drama
Teen romance
Not typically a book I would read but I did enjoy it.
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 3 out of 5]

WiseHeart is a gentle coming of age story about a young man in a small American town whose need to protect his mother and young cousin from life’s traumas starts to conflict with his budding relationship with the school brainbox. It’s not my usual kind of book, which is what appealed when I was invited to read it by the publisher. I did like the characters, particularly Dora, but felt the plot wasn’t that interesting and I hated the ending for the messages it sends - I can’t say why exactly without spoiling it. This might appeal more to a YA audience but missed the mark for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC. WiseHeart is available now.