Brian L. MacLearn

Brian was born in Ottumwa, Iowa. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1984. An avid reader, poetry, and song lyric writer, "Our Heart" is his first published novel. He is currently near completion of his second novel, "Remember Me." His taste in literature is as diverse as the subject matter of his stories and songs. A favorite saying of his, “I was born with an over-active empathy gland,” inspires him to write with believable emotion.

"Our Heart" was originally conceived as song lyrics. After a suggestion by his fiancée, it blossomed into a completed novel and paved the way for future endeavors. Brian’s love of writing started in Junior High and has been a pertinent part of his life. His poetry has been published and many of his song lyrics have been put to music and recorded. Brian lives in Waverly, Iowa and has two daughters and two granddaughters.

Reviewed by Alice D. for Readers' Favorite

Mid-western born and raised, Jason Owens has an exquisite voice just like his late mother; and now in his twenties, he sings lead with a California band. He was just out of high school when he was befriended by a well-known singer with connections in the music world. He regrets the mistake he made loving, and then leaving behind, his beautiful neighbor, teenage Allison Dittmer. Jason is estranged from his father, an alcoholic who abandoned Jason when his mother was killed in an auto accident. When his beloved grandmother, and then his grandfather, pass away, Jason, still at odds with his father and his own past, grieves for these grandparents who raised him. He begins to deal with his memories and those startling words found in old diaries of his grandfather, parts of which are hidden away behind a locked basement door. Will the old oak tree with its three carved hearts at the top of Murphy's meadow give Jason insight into past wrongs as well as those he committed? Can Jason make things right with Allison who loved him dearly back in their teenage years?

Our Heart is a wordy, yet quite descriptive, telling of love stories that span three generations in a mid-western family, the Owens. Jason Owen's telling of his happy teenage relationship with Allison Dittmer is detailed, but readers will appreciate how, with carefully chosen words, the author slowly develops Jason and Alllison's budding love for each other. The characters in this story reach out to each other believably, and the use of the oak tree, where each Owen male carves a heart, is a good literary focus. The story tends to jump from past to present and back again but settles down to tell its tale very well. This is a good story of forgiveness and, yes, of love that is well written and, other than a few punctuation errors, well edited.