Jennifer Da Silva Botelho

A True Heart: a Young Adult Novel Jennifer Da Silva Botelho

Samantha "Sam" Kimber is a fifteen-year-old girl with a dream to bepopular. It's a wish she shares with most of her classmates, but Samwants even more: she wants to be loved. And only one boy fits hercriteria-the cutest boy in her school, football player Joey Carson. But things are not easy for Sam, the only brunette, brown-eyed child inthe midst of a predominantly blond-haired, blue-eyed family. She strivesto rise above and overcome many obstacles, one of which is her arrogant,conceited sister Nicole. Her older sister continually spreads lies aboutSamantha to ruin her chances with Joey, attempting to sabotage anychance Samantha and Joey have at making a relationship work. Unfortunately, Samantha's delicate self-esteem further erodes in theprocess. Can Sam's love for Joey resist and overcome these hardships?Through it all, Sam learns a great deal about herself and relationshipswith others. But above all, she realizes that rumors and gossip can bediminished when you have on your side the mightiest and most divinething a person can possess-a true heart.