Healing Notes

by Beth Hope

Liam McPherson is grappling with the aftermath of a life spent in toxic environments. Haunted by the things he said and did during those years, Liam isn't sure he'll ever be able to forgive himself. He isn't even sure he deserves forgiveness. Despite his therapist's assurances he's healing and making progress working through an ugly past, he doesn't see it.




Life has never been particularly kind to Zoe Callahan.  Abandoned by her parents at the age of five, she's spent her life unable to escape the claws of her abusive guardian-turned-boss. She's been given good reason to automatically assume the worst of others. And yet, she never has, nor has she let the flame of hope inside be extinguished.




When Liam and Zoe cross paths at their volunteer job, he experiences something he's never felt Attraction. For the first time in years, he cautiously considers trusting someone again. Given his history of putting his faith in the wrong people, trusting Zoe is a risk. Especially since he knows that once she realizes who he is, she may want nothing to do with him. 




But what if she can see there's more to him than his past?  




Healing Notes is a sweet and poignant love story. Balancing delicate subject material with gentle humor, it delves into the complexities of trauma, the unpredictability of life, and, above all, the power of love and hope.




Your past will always be a part of you, Liam, but that doesn't mean it should get to control your future.

Genres: Romance

398 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 13, 2024

Reviews

[Chris Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember back in my Internet dating days how I used to wince when those looking for a suitor would stipulate ‘sorted’ or ‘no baggage’. ‘It’s a new born baby you’re looking for then,’ I used to think, because any real human being is going to suffer a lot of emotional wear and tear.

Zoe and Liam have plenty of baggage between them. But because of an instant connection, rather than writing each other off as a bad idea, each helps the other unpack the baggage, with the help of Liam’s therapist, patience and belief.

It is a love story featuring real, credible people, some of whose issues will strike a chord with many of us. These are people who might demand a bit more of an effort to get to know - but they find they’re worth it and each becomes the other’s salvation.

Besides the story there was a bonus for me. As someone who has only once been to the United States, I particularly enjoyed googling the stops on the road trip. I really must visit again and do it properly.

[Michele Vollers Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect book! I couldn't stop reading and didn't want it to end. I cannot wait for more from this incredibly great author.

[Caroline Nosbisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book, and by that I mean I read it in 10 hours (including breaks)!

Healing Notes is a raw and powerful story of two adults who fall in love in such an intensely passionate way. Each dealing with their own traumas and insecurities, they learn how to navigate their new feelings, as well as process old ones that still linger from years before.

As someone who has personally dealt with religious and physical traumas, I was both overcome and comforted reading how Liam and Zoe’s traumas affected them throughout their lives and how they related to my own. I met my husband when I was just 18, and have had to go through nearly the exact same issues that these characters went through during their relationship while I was navigating my own.

This book is a must-read for anyone who has gone through similar traumas throughout their life, and is struggling with how to be vulnerable and open with someone you love. It will be difficult and can seem easier to shut yourself off than open yourself up. There will always be bumps in the road and one day may seem like you took one step forward, while the next feels like you fell 20 back. However, learning to love and let yourself be loved back is and always will be worth it.

[Amy Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was just beautiful. It deals with vulnerability, consent, childhood trauma, religious trauma, abuse, intimacy, illness, etc. So many things packed into this one lovely story of two very broken people who manage to help heal each other and yet manages to do all of that without it feeling heavy handed or forced.

[Chris Poore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Healing Notes, a debut novel by Beth Hope, grabbed me from the very start, and i devoured the nearly 400 pages over a long weekend, which is rare for me. I was immediately taken by Liam and Zoe and just had to know ... will they or won't they?

Zoe and Liam are broken. They're stuck in situations neither seems capable of getting out of, despite really wanting to. A chance meeting at a volunteer opportunity puts them together, and a spark is lit. Slowly, carefully, oh-so cautiously, they move toward one another. After a dare and a delicate first kiss, they decide to take a chance on one another.

Their journey is a whirlwind romance that life tries hard to derail. And just when you think they might, a wave crashes down, sending them scrambling again. It's breathless and precious and you'll be rooting for them up to the very end.

So will they or won't they? No spoilers here, you're gonna have to read it for yourself.

[Justice New · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll be honest — this one wasn’t really my style. The story had potential, but the 3rd person POV pulled me out of it more often than I’d like. I usually connect best when I feel completely inside a character’s head, and that just didn’t happen here.

That being said, I can still see the heart Beth Hope poured into this book. It touches on love, healing, and finding strength — themes I always enjoy, even if the writing style wasn’t for me.

Sometimes books just don’t click the way we hope, and that’s okay. Not every story is meant for every reader.

[Tory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure, this book was written by a friend of mine, but I wouldn't be rating it or reviewing it if I didn't like it!

Here's what "Healing Notes" gets SO RIGHT:
-older MCs still trying to figure their lives out, you love to see the commitment
-open, honest communication between Liam and Zoe!
-consent, consent, consent <3
-therapy
-that frustrating kind of depression where everything in your life is actually fine, your face just didn't get the memo and can't seem to stop crying

I read the whole thing in two sittings and I've already loaned out my copy!

[Blaire · Rating 1 out of 5]

The sound of your voice,
a ghost in the silent room—
echoes without end.