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Healing

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It takes time to heal. When tragedy occurs in Keisha Evans life, her world turns upside down. The confident school secretary with hopes and dreams of becoming a teacher takes herself away from the outside world. She protects herself from being hurt again. With her best friend Ashley, pushing her to take a big step back out into the scary world she use to thrive in. Keisha finally gives in and takes that step. Having made memories and so many good times in a local pub. She decides to have lunch with Ashley. The first step through the door is the hardest thing for Keisha to do. The biggest step for her changes her changes her life with hopes to get back to the life she had. When she comes face to face with the man who saved her, can he save her again?

210 pages, Paperback

First published July 10, 2015

3 people are currently reading
74 people want to read

About the author

L. Chapman

16 books609 followers
L. Chapman was born in and continues to live in North Yorkshire, United Kingdom. She has spent most of her life helping others as a health care assistant, and was, at one time, a DJ for a special needs club. Blending her love of helping others and her love of children, L dreams to one day own and operate a childcare nursery that will help mainstream special needs children with others.
In the rare times that L. is not working to help others or maniacally writing, she enjoys making a mess of things while creating beautifully detailed greeting cards. She spends time relaxing with family, friends, and good books. L. loves to travel and has been to many places in the United Kingdom; her favorite places all involve the ocean. She hopes to one day share a kiss with her happily-ever-after in the romantic shadow of the Eiffel Tower. Should she ever get over her fear of flying, those kisses may be shared in the shadows of the Egyptian Pyramids.
Ever the fussy eater, L. has never once tasted peanut butter, and she despises coffee. If you should feel the need to bribe her, it is suggested that you bring chocolate, as that is one of her know weaknesses.

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5 stars
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6 (20%)
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Autumn Jones.
43 reviews18 followers
January 5, 2017
Really loved this story, An emotional story following the unexpected path of a determined Keisha, she had plans and dreams but life has different ideas.

Very thought provoking, bringing an insight and understanding to situations we may not encounter, helping us be empathetic to others.

I loved her friend Ashley and hope for more of her in the future.

Can't wait to see how the story pans out.
Thank you for the words L Chapman xxx
Profile Image for Helen Simpson.
1,223 reviews41 followers
March 15, 2018
Wow this book had the potential to be amazing. I felt the beginning to middle was well written showing the hardships the character Keisha has been through due to a traumatic experience in her life but, towards the second half of the book i felt her interactions with dean odd and at times felt scenes where rushed or incomplete. There is a cliffhanger in the book but felt it was out of place.
Profile Image for Michele A..
3,173 reviews16 followers
July 12, 2015
Keisha spends all of this book in her head and it was not a good place to be. The book starts with a look back at her life and all of her "obstacles" that she overcame, including a teacher telling her she wouldn't make it as a teacher as her chosen profession. Keisha then gets in a car accident with her mother at 18 that takes her mother from her. Keisha adjusts her dreams of attending university and becomes a secretary at her old elementary school instead. Keisha leaves work early, decides to take her dog for a walk, and gets attacked by a strange man. Someone she doesn't know comes to her rescue and saves her from the assault and attempted kidnapping and rape. Keisha did not handle the aftermath of this situation at all and, although the book is called "Healing" she never did do that. She was like a toddler most of this book and claimed she couldn't leave the house. She called work, told them she was attacked and was never coming back all in a span of 10 seconds and then hung up the phone. She owns a home, but throughout this book she doesn't work so it is a mystery how she affords to pay her bills, where her dad is and why Ashley seems to be her only friend. Keisha is very self-centered and leans on Ashley a ridiculous amount in this book. She claims to not be able to be alone, but is alone when Ashley goes to work but that is okay. Ashley is in a car accident and Keisha valiantly goes to the hospital on her hobbled leg and claims she has to be there for her friend. It would have been okay except she gets upset when the nurses keep coming into Ashley's room to check her vitals, etc. but wake Keisha up much to her annoyance. The book was missing any form of closure and, even though she claims Cam helps her heal, there is more strange interactions with Dean than Cam throughout the end of this book. It ended in a cliffhanger that made no sense and left me frustrated that simple questions were never answered, let alone any healing done by Keisha. Her over-the-top reaction to almost being attacked was simply too much to believe and her reaction that her dog could have been hurt and was also dirty along with her was so ridiculous. Even though she was given pamphlets about what to expect and people she could see for counseling, she refused to even read them, let alone consider following through on it. She is the weakest h I have read this year and that is saying a lot. Not my cup of tea and will not be reading the sequel.
Profile Image for Genevieve Jordayne.
Author 1 book13 followers
December 11, 2016
Healing by L Chapman tells the story of a young woman, Keisha Evans, whose life has been full of obstacles and tragedy. As a young child she was told she wasn’t smart enough to become a teacher. With determination she worked until she was able to bring in the grades she needed. Tragically, she lost her beloved mum in a car accident that also seriously injured Keisha. She was unable to continue at the university. Fast forward to today and Keisha is now at least partially filling her dream of working with children as a school secretary. She still misses her mum horribly but she has a new puppy, her own home and spends time out on the town with her best friend, Ashley. Unfortunately, just when Keisha feels she’s ready to get back on track with her life she is assaulted on her walk home one evening by a faceless man with a knife. Before her attacker can completely have his way with her she is rescued by another unknown man. Already traumatized, the cold and accusing manner in which Keisha feels the police and medical staff treat her makes her retreat further inside of herself. The remainder of the story details the fear and anxiety of trying to heal from her ordeal. Throughout, Ashley remains Keisha’s main support, gently assisting her to get back to her life. On one such outing the ladies go out to lunch and their waiter, Cam, happens to be the man that saved Keisha from her attack. Cam ends up asking Keisha out and they start a friendship that appears to have potential for more. When Ashley is then seriously injured in another tragedy we are introduced to another character, Dean, with whom Ashley appears to have started a relationship. Ashley’s accident leaves both ladies to recover at Keisha’s home together where they are now joined on a regular basis by Cam and Dean. We aren’t entirely certain where Cam and Keisha’s relationship is headed. The story ends abruptly with Keisha receiving a post that shatters the happy world she had been working on returning to.
As the reader I hoped for Keisha to find healing and happiness. Ashley is a wonderful, cheery character. Cam appears as though he will be a hero that we will all love. Dean is somewhat of an odd, but potentially likeable person. This story was more of an extended back story to what I hope will be a sequel that ties up loose ends, develops the relationship between Keisha and Cam, and truly finds a way for Keisha to find healing.
Profile Image for Dolores 💜 .
1,168 reviews14 followers
December 3, 2015
I received this book for free to give my True and Honest Review

This is my first book I've read by L Chapman and I tell you she had put me in that emotion of when We meet Keisha dreaming about going to Uni to become a teacher when her and her mum were in a drastic car accident where she's in a coma with a broken arm but worse when she wakes up and hears the news that her mum had died. That's even life changes, she misses the beginning of uni and she just can't seem to go on so she gets a job as the school's Secretary, so she's still around children. Then when she'd out walking her dog L gets your heart racing where she hears those footsteps behind her following her stops when then those arms are right round her then she doesn't know what to do when she feels that something behindher back and he's saying not to do anything and he doesn't want to hurt her and she screams at them when the children turn up to get some help when her saviour comes and saves the situation. Until the police come, where she had to get to give her statement and cleaned up for the slice he made. Get best friend Ashley comes running to the station to get her and see's how Keisha had been effective. Especially over next few days which goes into week, where she can't even go back to work then only goes out as it's Ashley's birthday and that's when she see's Her saviour Cameron again, which starts to be a turning point as she feels safe with him, there's a connection but then there's another turning point when Ashley's in a car crash where Cameron's there for her and meets Dean who Ashley was meant to go on a date and he's particular starts living in her place to be there for Ashley though she feels uncomfortable with him, but she had to let him be there for Ashley after she's done so much for her since the attack. Then as she's now starting to feel stronger where we're seeing at the end she gets a letter from the courts which is starting to make her panic again.

The reason I've given Healing a 4 is because we hear Ashley being referred as MY BEST FRIEND too often in my opinion
Profile Image for Melissa Mendoza.
2,598 reviews53 followers
July 27, 2015
Received a copy in exchange for an honest review

“Oh I’m so glad they have gone. I couldn’t stand another minute listening to their condescending comments. I’m a person. Don’t they notice that?”

4 beautiful, emotional stars!! This story is so beautiful and yet, so emotionally intriguing. I love L. Chapman and everything she writes and this book is no different.

It takes time to heal. When tragedy occurs in Keisha Evans life, her world turns upside down. The confident school secretary with hopes and dreams of becoming a teacher takes herself away from the outside world. She protects herself from being hurt again. With her best friend Ashley, pushing her to take a big step back out into the scary world she use to thrive in. Keisha finally gives in and takes that step. Having made memories and so many good times in a local pub. She decides to have lunch with Ashley. The first step through the door is the hardest thing for Keisha to do. The biggest step for her changes her changes her life with hopes to get back to the life she had. When she comes face to face with the man who saved her, can he save her again?

Keisha has had a rough life and her life is turned on it’s side. An accident when she’s 18, takes her mom from her. Depressed by this, she doesn’t go to college to become the teacher that she always wanted to become. One night while out walking her dog, she’s attacked and before it can get worse, she’s rescued by someone, but she has no clue who. After the attack she has a hard time “Healing”. I really loved this book, it’s an emotional roller coaster, but so well written!

**Received a copy in exchange for an honest review. Read and reviewed by Melissa for Alpha Book Club**
Profile Image for Mary Clark.
799 reviews8 followers
December 4, 2015
This was quite an exceptional story outlining the catastrophic events that befall Keisha. She has an overwhelming love for children and her dream is to be a teacher. Told by her own teacher that she is too dumb to ever achieve her ambition, she works hard to prove him wrong; and does. With the tragic death of her mother, Keisha’s life changes - no more dreams, no more university – and her confidence level decreases. Still wanting to be around children, Keisha takes a job as a secretary at the school she attended as a child – the place where all her dreams began. Things take a turn for the worst when Keisha is attacked; she refuses to go to work or leave the house and it is only with the enduring help of her best friend Ashley and the man who saved her from an attacker, Cameron, that she is able to come to terms with what has happened to her – but is always wondering why her. When her nightmares persist Dean, Ashley’s boyfriend, helps her through her panic attacks and says he will always be there for her if she needs someone to talk to. But then Keisha’s world suddenly shatters when she receives an envelope from the Bluebell Courthouse. A very intriguing story; the author has written a sensitive description of what is obviously a dramatic occurrence in Keisha’s life. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Profile Image for Kathleen R..
1,407 reviews43 followers
August 9, 2015
Title: Healing
Series Name: -
Author: L Chapman
Genre: Drama

Overall Stars: 4 STARS

Grief
Assault


The story of a woman who tries to overcome her fears


Since a young age, Keisha has been told she couldn't do many things, such as become a teacher solely from her grades, and she has known heartache when she lost her mother due to a car accident. Albeit these setbacks, she has tried to do the best with what she has - she bought a home, got a job at a school and received a puppy from her best friend to keep her company. During her daily walk, Keisha gets assaulted by an unknown man and rescued by another - since then, she hasn't fully recovered.
Life is difficult, hard and especially unknown, and this novel shows it. How can we know if we'll survive a walk in a dark alley or even an underwater tunnel; maybe nothing will happen. There is no sugar coating life and its effects on us all, the good, the bad, the ugly and even the most joyous, and L Chapman has managed to show us all of these aspects of life by bringing to life Keisha's struggles in 'Healing'.


**Received a copy in exchange for an honest review. Read and reviewed by Kathleen for Alpha Book Club**




Profile Image for Kathy Rouchelle .
969 reviews15 followers
November 25, 2016
A story of healing is truly what this book is about. To have your dreams dashed due to a horrific accident and terrible loss is one thing, but to then have your very world turned on it's axis by terrifying incident is quite another, but it is what happens to Keisha and you will be captured by her story of trying to heal from the latest blow that she has had to endure. Keisha, her best friend Ashley, Cameron; her savior and Dean; Ashley's new love interest are well written and quite well defined characters. Keisha's character has been through loss and is trying to get her live back together and try to get back to her goal in life when her very security has been taken from her. You are with her as she is trying to deal with getting her life back to some sort of normal, along with the help of her best friend, who pushes her just enough to move forward. And then of course, just as she is taking her baby steps towards moving forward and out of her new comfort zone, the rug is pulled out from under her and you left with a cliffie! LOL.

This is truly a wonderful story of survival and healing and one that I hope to be able to continue in the next book.
Profile Image for Ann Pratley.
Author 37 books35 followers
April 27, 2019
I won't lie. This story brought out some mixed feelings in me. Some were positive, some weren't. Overall, though, it is a story very concentrated on a young woman's journey to recover after an attack on her.

The book is fairly brief and the ending was as sudden as one could make it, alarming me somewhat as I subconsciously was looking forward to seeing where the story went. However, there are many pluses to this story. The author does tell the story well, from the viewpoint of the victim. There is an ongoing demonstration of the strength of solid friendship, intermingled with new friendships formed. The story itself I liked but I do think it could have been extended out to encapsulate more of how the young woman moved on from the moment the book ends.

Despite the subject being an attack on a young woman, the content isn't violent and there is no adult content in it either. I would happily read a continuation of this story, or anything else this author releases. For a short read, it's a good one.
Profile Image for Laura Smith.
603 reviews21 followers
August 6, 2015
ARC given by the author for a honest review.

Everyone takes time to heal and in this story it's Keisha, a young school secretary, who has already been dealt a few hard knocks in life. When she decides to leave work early one day, she is grabbed from behind by an attacker, who, in a raged frenzy, tries to drag her away. Along comes Keisha's Knight in shining armour who manages to stop the attacker before he can cause any serious damage. But the damage to Keisha has already been done and she must learn to handle what happened and try and heal herself.
Keisha turns to her best friend Ashley for support but when her Knight in shining armour reappears, will she open herself up to him and let him help her heal?

This is the first L. Chapman book I have read and I found it beautifully written and full of emotions. The story is easy to follow and flows well.
Profile Image for Teresa Kenyon.
4 reviews1 follower
March 31, 2016
Reviewer for Hooked on Books and Cherry0Blossoms:

The book starts out very interesting. You get to know Keisha right off the bat. The story line is full of ups and downs. It's full of friendship, heartache and curiosity. I loved the part of Keisha finally getting to deal with her incident.

Dean and Cameron are definitely a part of Keisha's life. Cameron is the calm and non-rushing type. Dean seems to be a "white knight" kind of character. It's intriguing.
I want to read more. I want to know what happens with all of them.
This was an awesome read. I loved it.

Is there a sequel??? Pretty please.
Profile Image for wendy Shelton(obsessedbybooks).
2,554 reviews27 followers
December 19, 2016
What a great story of strength and friendship. Keisha has overcome a horrific incident to only suffer another but with the help her BFF Ashley she's slowly able to move on. We get a taste of them meeting some guys and that leads us into book 2. I'm looking forward to see where Chapman leads us. I really loved this book.
Profile Image for The Endless Unread.
3,429 reviews63 followers
May 16, 2021
This character is having so many conflicting emotions and characteristics of character that she's giving me whiplash. She's confident and strong, she's weak, she can never do anything without this person yet is contradicting in the next sentence. I'm not saying it's a bad storyline, but this needs a serious re-edit.
2,617 reviews25 followers
December 21, 2016
this was a great book about a woman who was attacked while walking her dog. it was kinda hard to follow cause it was mostly about the attack not about the guy who saved her. i hope the next book will be alot better. thanks for giving me a chance to read this book!
Profile Image for Emma White.
252 reviews6 followers
June 27, 2017
A story of an attack on a young lady and how she deals with things after.
I felt for Keisha, something you couldn't imagine unless you have been through it.
great read . waiting for more
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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