Abby Wilder's grandfather Popper and Cole Hannible have been feuding for years. The feud started when Cole won Popper's colt named Dealer's Heart in a card game. Dealer's Heart ended up winning the Triple Crown and Popper hasn't forgiven Cole since. Popper wants his horse back. He convinces Abby, his granddaughter and a champion poker player, to help trick Cole into bidding Dealer's Heart as stakes in a game of Ma Ferguson.

What Popper didn't count on was a hurricane named Debbie, a cow stuck in the mud, and Abby falling in love with Cole. The romance seems doomed. When Cole finds out Abby's real last name, he shows he's as obstinate as her grandfather. Lucky for Abby, she knows how to handle stubborn men.

Dealer's Heart had me laughing from page one. The dialogue is so fast and witty, I couldn't put the book down. I had to see what else would fly out of Abby's mouth. There is plenty of action with hurricanes, talking cats, and headless spooks. There are one or two reality sacrifices for the sake of humor. In one scene, Abby, a former farm girl with a BA in Animal Sciences, is afraid of insects. Very unlikely but the dialogue is so funny, the blunder is easily forgiven. Dealer's Heart is a laugh a minute and is sure to put you in a great mood.

Reviewed by: Kimber