After twenty-six years of living in an abusive relationship, Cate Henderson comes to the realization that she no longer needs to sacrifice herself for Taylor, her son, or her girls, or anyone else. So, she decides to embrace the path towards freedom and healing. She packs her stuff and sets out on the journey westward, leaving Calgary and its memories behind. Equipped with her journal, she embraces the tranquility that nature provides in Vancouver Island and when she is almost certain that life is settling for her, she meets Ethan, a man who offers the love she hasn’t experienced before. But she is not just aware of what awaits her on this journey. Lyme disease, the mental illness of her daughter, and the move to the Middle East with Ethan threaten the peace and harmony she thought she has found. Can she connect with her deepest yearnings and find an anchor in the center of her heart?

This is a story that is written from the heart, deeply affecting and psychologically rich. The Healing features sophisticated characters and a female protagonist whose experience will resonate with many readers. Lynda Faye Schmidt has expertly written a story about inner freedom, self-love, and the quest for meaning amidst the vicissitudes of life. When Cate sets out on an odyssey to redefine herself and her life, she finds surprising answers along the way and more questions, always challenged to dig deeper and deeper into herself. Her emotions are captured with vividness and I adored how the author uses her journal to explore her internal dialogues and the inner workings of her mind.

The prose is gorgeous and dazzling through every page, describing emotions and scenes in a way that is focused and captivating. The characters are real and while the reader is excited to know what comes out of Cate’s sudden decision to leave everything behind, they are equally pulled in by her anxiety and doubts as she wonders if she has done the right thing. “Yesterday I was on the road, feeling the lightness of freedom, but today I’m fearful, questioning the enormity of what I’ve done.” The exploration of her relationship with Chloe captivated me and the reader can feel Cate’s anguish as she struggles to connect with her and win her trust.

While The Healing is a tale about self-love, it also presents a protagonist who has to feel the weight of the unknown as it presses on her shoulders. Most often in the narrative, Cate is caught up with thoughts about her decisions. Lynda Faye Schmidt keeps it as real as it can get, a masterful, atmospheric story that is steeped in humanity. A rare literary gift for fans of deeply moving and emotionally captivating tales.