Jesse Pearce is a CPA with a very unsatisfying personal life. His therapist tells him that he has intimacy issues, and he’s not going to argue with that. Veteran of several divorces, he has come to the conclusion that he simply prefers men to women. Not that it matters, anyway, since he hasn’t seen action of any kind lately. It’s downright depressing.

When Jesse’s assistant rescues an adorable puppy from the dumpster and brings it to the office for safe-keeping, Jesse insists that an ad be placed in the paper to find the pup a home before it can totally destroy the carpet in his office. Unfortunately, the ad is botched somewhere along the line, and instead of an ad for a puppy, a personal is placed in the paper with Jesse’s telephone number as the contact. But how unfortunate is that, really? The voice on the other end of the phone call that Jesse answers is warm and friendly, and Jesse’s intimacy issues seem to dissolve into nothing but a memory.

Chrissy Munder’s short story Hearts and Flowers is a lighthearted visit with a man, a puppy, and a misplaced personal advertisement. As usual, Ms. Munder’s knack for characterization shines. Jesse, his assistant Dennis, his love interest Kyle, and especially the puppy Fred all spring to rich and colorful life within just a few pages. While we laugh a bit at Jesse’s sad-sack life, we still wish him well, and so it is with not a little bit of delight that we watch Jesse unwind enough to get tipsy and flirt on the phone with a complete stranger. We have already been introduced to the stranger, Kyle, so we know that he will make a perfect complement for the conservative Jesse.

Of all the characters, it is the puppy Fred that steals the show. All wriggling body and shiny black nose, Fred is more than just a depositor of faintly odorous stains upon Jesse’s floor. He is the catalyst that brings the story together. Even those readers who aren’t “dog people” will have their hearts stolen by this cuddly canine. In all, Hearts and Flowers will leave a smile on your face, and that makes the story more than worth the read. Good show, Ms. Munder!

Reviewed by: Whitney