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Monique Hall is an author of contemporary romance and a member of Romance Writers of Australia. She is a self-confessed bibliophile and sniffer of books.
Monique’s novelette, A Healing Hand, was published in Serenity Press’ 2015 Rocky Romance anthology and has now been released in its own edition. Her short story, Breaking Free, has won second place in RWA’s 2016 Little Gems competition and will be published later this year as part of the Sunstone anthology. She is currently polishing her first manuscript, A Place to Belong. It is a novel inspiring hope, acceptance and belonging and will become the first in a series. Another short story, Tower of Refuge, has been published on her website for your enjoyment and she hopes you consider reading it.
Monique lives in the southern suburbs of Western Australia with her husband and two children. She enjoys photography and soppy romance novels with “happily-ever-afters”.
Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite
A Healing Hand is a novelette by Monique Hall, set in Rockingham, Australia. While out on a ten-kilometer jog, Alyssa Martin is literally knocked off her feet when she collides with a brick wall in the shape of her former high school best friend’s brother (and womanizer), Dean Daniels. As they go their separate ways on the jogging path, Alyssa reluctantly accepts Dean’s request that she go out on a date with him. That night, Alyssa is fashionably late, leaving Dean to wonder if he had been stood up, but he suddenly finds actual feelings tugging at his chest when he sees her walk in. By the end of the evening, both Alyssa and Dean share a kiss, but Alyssa quickly pushes him away due to a secret she isn’t willing to share. After she stands him up the next morning, he goes to her home, only to find her looking very weak...
With the mystery of Alyssa’s secret evident from the first page, Monique Hall has found the perfect way to pique the reader’s interest. A Healing Hand has the right blend of romance, fun and friendship, accompanying a sadness that affects so many people’s lives. Each of the characters in the book is easy to relate to and emote with, including Alyssa’s mother, who is faced with the possibility of losing her daughter. The writing was so detailed that I was able to envision myself being there, witness to everything I read. It takes a true wordsmith to create such illusion, especially in a short story. I recommend this book to all readers who are fifteen years and over, as it deals with issues that may, some day, affect their own lives.
