Heartbroke

"The Central Valley of California shimmers at the edges with desire and desperation in this short story collection, told in 11 different voices that Chelsea Bieker inhabits with perfect pitch. Here’s Vangie of “Cowboys and Angels” getting acquainted with us: “I had me a cowboy once on a hot steam Friday night … just us together in his truck with old ‘Angel from Montgomery’ playing way turned up.” I could feel the steam seeping out of that truck, could hear John Prine’s voice crooning. In each story, it’s only a matter of time before hope curdles in the hellish heat."