Sixteen-year-old Manuela, known as Lela, sees her life turned upside down when her parents decide to separate for the third time and her mother is placed on the waiting list for a heart transplant. Struggling to cope with uncertainty and fear, Lela keeps the situation to herself, reluctant to share the burden even with her closest friends. As her family faces the emotional challenges of illness and separation, Lela must also navigate friendship, first love, and the questions that come with adolescence.
Written by Lucia Seixas, a journalist whose work has focused on culture, behavior, and health-related topics, Heart Wanted combines emotional depth with an accessible and engaging narrative. Rather than treating organ donation solely as a medical issue, the novel places it within the context of everyday life, showing how a family crisis can mobilize an entire community and inspire empathy, solidarity, and collective action.
A distinctive aspect of the story is the way it intertwines a deeply personal journey with a broader social cause. After learning about Lela’s situation, her classmates become involved in researching organ donation and eventually organize a public awareness campaign, creating slogans, distributing leaflets, and encouraging conversations about the importance of transplants. Alongside Lela’s emotional and romantic dilemmas, the narrative highlights the transformative power of education, civic engagement, and compassion. Through a balance of humor, sensitivity, and contemporary themes, Heart Wanted offers a moving reflection on hope, friendship, and the value of giving life a second chance.
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