Laura Coleman
THE HEART AND THE HAWTHORN coming on August 13th 2026!
What if life was always rainbows and unicorns?
Frida always wanted to be a zookeeper at the London Extraordinary Zoo, caring for endangered magical creatures. And while the LEZ's unicorns and ghost lynxes are incredible, she can't wait to meet the zoo's newest resident: a baby dragon. His enclosure is perfect, his food is prepped, and everyone is ready for anything.
Well, maybe not anything. They're definitely not ready for the magical storm that arrives with the dragon; a storm that releases a powerful (and extremely gorgeous) tree fairy, who casts a sleeping spell over the zoo and everyone in it. Everyone except for Frida.
Saving the LEZ seems like an impossible task, but Frida knows that nothing is impossible. Her quest takes her on a wild adventure, into the past, where she realises there are more important things worth saving than the zoo . . .
Perfect for fans of THE SPELLSHOP, published by Hodder & Stoughton, THE HEART AND THE HAWTHORN is a queer love story about following your heart - and what's possible when you realise that every single creature deserves a voice.
"THE HEART AND THE HAWTHORN is bursting with magic! You'll fall in love with Lucky the baby dragon and all the wonderful creatures at the London Extraordinary Zoo while your heart breaks with Frida and then heals again. Full of adventure, love, and wonder!"
Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of THE SPELLSHOP
"THE PUMA YEARS is a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the animals rescued by a sanctuary, Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi, in Bolivia. And it is the heartwarming story of the relationship that grew up between Laura Coleman and a puma, a relationship that only deepened over the years. I visited the sanctuary years ago – what a wonderful place, dedicated staff and passionate volunteers. Engaging and inspiring – you will love this book."
Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE,
Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute
& UN Messenger of Peace
Published by Little A
Proceeds from THE PUMA YEARS support Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi
English Language (USA/UK), Little A
Germany, Bastei Lübbe
Netherlands, Ambo|Anthos Uitgevers
Russia, Eksmo
Lithuania, Prava i prevodi
Korea, Prunsoop
Bolivia, El Cuervo
In THE PUMA YEARS, I share the story of my journey in the Amazon jungle, where I fell in love with a magnificent rescued puma, who changed my life.
Laura was in her early twenties and directionless when she quit her job to backpack in Bolivia. Fate landed her at a wildlife sanctuary on the edge of the Amazon jungle where she was assigned to a beautiful and complex puma named Wayra. Wide-eyed, inexperienced, and comically terrified, Laura made the scrappy, make-do camp her home. And in Wayra, she made a friend for life.
They weren’t alone, not with over a hundred quirky animals to care for, each lost and hurt in their own way: a pair of suicidal, bra-stealing monkeys, a frustrated parrot desperate to fly, and a pig with a wicked sense of humor. The humans too were cause for laughter and tears. There were animal whisperers, committed staff, wildly devoted volunteers, handsome heartbreakers, and a machete-wielding prom queen who carried Laura through. Most of all, there was the jungle—lyrical and alive—and there was Wayra, who would ultimately teach Laura so much about love, healing, and the person she was capable of becoming.
Set against a turbulent and poignant backdrop of deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and forest fires, THE PUMA YEARS explores what happens when two desperate creatures in need of rescue find one another.
