Customer Reviews

The Healer (MIRA Special)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

HEALER is a wonderful mixture of mystery, romance, suspense, and the paranormal. I loved it. It is not only very readable it has a wonderful satisfying story. From the first page to the last, it is very captivating and heartwarming.

Jonah Gray-Wolf, aged 2, is saved by a wolf and brought into a small camp in Alaska, where he is adopted by Dr.Adam Lawson. Jonah has a gift, he is able to heal man and animal by laying his hands on them. One day he heals a millionaire who is hunting in Alaska. This changes his life when the millionaire is determined to capture him and keep him with him so he can live forever. For ten years Jonah has eluded him with the help of his animal allies.

Lucia Maria Andahar has lost everything too. Her whole family was killed in a wreck when she was 14, she was sent to live with an aunt and uncle. Two years later at 16 she ran away and has been alone since. Her uncle's unwanted attentions forced her to flee the only place she had. Now she lives in Little Top, West Virginia, where she works as a waitress.

Two lonely people who have no home, find a home in each other. Lucia has a stalker, someone who is leaving notes for her to find. Horrible notes that say what he intends to do to her. Lonely and scared, but determined to keep what little independence she has, Lucia basks in the warmth and love she feels each time she touches Jonah. But the millionaire has not forgotten Jonah and when circumstances reveal his whereabouts, danger is not far behind.

I loved the warmth and tenderness in this book and I felt tears at the ending. I also wish it hadn't ended, good books seem to end to quickly. Do not miss this one. Good Reading.

Healer is a lovely little romance between the lonely Luce, who was the sole survivor in a crash that killed the rest of her family, and Jonah, who has the ability to communicate with animals and whose power to heal has cost him his family and home and forced Jonah to spend the last ten years running from the greedy wealthy man determined to have control of Jonah's powers. When Jonah meets Luce, coming to her aid and saving Luce's trapped and dying dog, he is immediately captivated by Luce and senses a kindred spirit with Luce because of their loneliness and as fellow prey, because Luce too is hunted. Luce is amazed and a bit spooked by Jonah's unbelievable powers, but though she is drawn to Jonah with a power physical connection it is ultimately Jonah's consideration and gentle kindness that wins Luce.

Jonah is truly a wonderful hero, not the alpha macho guy that his legendary wolfish beginnings might suggest. Instead he is loving and thoughtful and truly cares for others, as you can see in his interactions with both Luce and the isolated elderly woman that gives him a job. Also Jonah's need to save lives, even when it draws the attention that threatens his ability to have a quiet life, shows his selflessness. Yet even with his gentler qualities, Jonah is powerful, and his power can also be awesome and frightening. And to keep Luce in his life and to ensure her safety, Jonah will finally stop running and face down the evil men that pursue them.

Even with Luce's stalker and Jonah's hunters, Healer is a romance first and suspense second. And the wonderful character that Sala has created in Jonah is really makes Healer a satisfying paranormal romance.

Sharon Sala creates pictures with her words that are unforgettable. She had me from the first page to the last - hook, line and sinker! This lady is an awesome author. I'd buy any of her books, and actually have quite a number of them but this one is extraordinary! Not only does it show the true evil of humanity but also the true good. It's a heartwarming story of Jonah Gray Wolf who possesses a gift he uses only for good. But when he helps one man who in turn tries to capture Jonah to reap the benefits of Jonah's gift, Jonah moves from town to town to keep from being captured. But he discovers love in West Virginia and must risk everything. Keep a box of Kleenex close at hand, you'll need them. Awesome, inspiring and brilliant. Sharon Sala at her best!

Sharon Sala tells another charming tale of the heart in The Healer. I was first drawn to this book because part of the setting takes place in Alaska and I was also drawn to the intriguing hero of the story, Jonah Gray Wolf. The paranormal aspects of the story weren't nearly as captivating as the basic goodness in Jonah and his longing to be free of his pursuer Bourdain, a wealthy man who is desperate to control Jonah's healing powers for his own self-serving needs. Sala shines brightest when telling Jonah's personal story, especially when he finds an unexpected attraction to a guarded woman living in West Virginia while he is on the run from Bourdain. I typically buy a book for the hero's tale and I was not disappointed with Sala's charming portrayal of a simple love story between two lost souls.

I have read other Sharon Sala books and I have enjoyed them but this one absolutely captured my heart. It made me cry, I could not put it downm it had everything you could want and more. It also left me wanting more. I hope Ms. Sala has plans to write other stories featuring these characters as I can see a number of ways you could expand on this particular storu without removing the wonder and mystery that it establishes for you from the very first sentence. Truthfully, the test of a story to me is if I think to myself... I wish I had thought of this particular concept and storyline!!!" well I do wish I had and hope whe will write about these characters some more. Both Luce and Johah are fantastically deep with tremendous potential for continued stories and ongoing exploration and development.

This book really rocked me emotionally and although I read the one review in this from someone who found it completely implausible, I have to disagree. There is some need to suspend disbelief but there are "greater things in life then are dreamt of in our philosophy" as Will Shakespeare said and is rather paraphrased here.. Therefore, to elucidate, there are too many things in life that there is no explanation for ... Books are meant to expand our perspective and make us think outside the box. If you expect straight romance then I could understnad a bit of disappointment but if you are open to the potential within the concept of paranormals then this book will please and tease your thoughts to expand and to feel to the very depths of your soul.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
It's not for someone in a feminist mood. Don't expect depth, fascinating characters or entertaining dialogue. Just view this as a pleasant escape. It had none of my pet peeves. It's a touching, sweet story. I was pleased and somewhat surprised with how things played out with two of the bad guys. There is a little sex, not much, it's sweet.

I list Native American as a genre simply because the author described Jonah's appearance as such. The story does not include Native American traditions or folklore.

STORY BRIEF:
A female wolf walks into an Alaskan town with a two-year old boy holding onto her ear. She leaves the toddler and walks away. Dr. Adam Lawson raises the boy as his own. Jonah has a gift for healing animals and humans. He places his hands on the injured, a glowing light surrounds them, and the wounds are magically healed. Animals come to Jonah and talk to him. Jonah also has other interesting supernatural abilities.

When Jonah was about 21, Major Bourdain was on a hunting trip in Alaska and got ripped open by a bear. Jonah healed him. Bourdain was obsessed with owning Jonah - to keep Bourdain healthy and living a longer life. Bourdain hired bounty hunters to bring Jonah to him. The hunters killed Jonah's father (Lawson) and captured Jonah. Jonah escaped with help from animals and has been on the run for ten years. Bourdain continues to send hunters to catch him.

Jonah arrives in a small town in West Virginia. He's looking for work and a place to stay for the winter. He meets Lucia who is being stalked. Jonah stays in Lucia's home to help protect her from the stalker.

DATA:
Story length: 323 pages. Swearing language: mild, including religious swear words. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 5. Total number of sex scene pages: 7. Setting: 1977 and 2008, mostly West Virginia and Alaska. Copyright: 2008. Genre: paranormal romantic suspense, Native American.

At the age of two, a little boy is carried into a small southern Alaskan town by a female wolf and left there. No one knows where the little guy is from, who his parents are. Dr. Adam Lawson adopts him and calls him Jonah. Jonah Gray Wolf. Jonah is special; he isn't like the other children in Snow Valley. Jonah seems to be able to communicate with all animals. He can also heal the ill and the wounded with his touch.

When Jonah is older, he saves the life of a hunter who's stomach had been ripped open by a bear. When Major Bourdain finally understands what happened, he wants Jonah all to himself. He believes that, by offering everything that Jonah could possibly desire, he'll be able to keep Jonah with him, and drive back his fear of dying. Hunters are sent to bring him back, and everything goes wrong. Adam is murdered and Jonah is kidnapped. But that doesn't last long. Jonah escapes and is on the run, never staying in one place too long, never growing attached to anything for fear of being taken once again.

Until he meets Luce. Lucia Maria Andahar, a woman who lost her entire family in a car crash and runs from relatives to get away from her uncle's unwanted advances. She invites him to stay with her, even if only the night. A warm place to stay and a hot meal in offering as a thank you for rescuing and healing her dog, Hobo. But there's a spark between them, and the feeling grows between them.

Luce has a stalker who wants her, Jonah has hunters after him. And while Jonah is thankful to Luce's landlord, Bridie, for a job, he stays with Luce, falling in love while trying not to. When Luce's stalker gets too close, Jonah hunts him down. A school bus crashes and Jonah heals the children, shocking the little town. And now Jonah knows: when the hunters finally catch his scent, he's not running this time. This time, he's fighting back.

An incredibly moving story. I've never read a character as selfless as Jonah. Even while running and hiding, he still cares for those around him, human and animal alike, never thinking twice. Strong in mind and body, Jonah does what he needs to, to get the job done. What he didn't count on was finding someone like Luce.

Luce is suffering from loneliness as much as survivor's guilt. She still can't understand why she survived the car crash that took the rest of her family. But Luce also lives in fear. It seems she has a stalker, one who's getting bolder in his little notes. What she didn't count on was finding someone like Jonah.

The magnetic pull between Luce and Jonah is incredible, you feel it come off the pages as you read. And the more Jonah helps people and animals alike, performing healing after healing that seems almost miraculous, the more you fall for Jonah. He doesn't see the healing as a miracle. To him it's just something he can do, something he can use to help when he can.

The story is incredibly touching. He hunts down Luce's stalker and brings him in. He fights back with the help of animals so that he'll never be hunted again. The love between them is quiet and unbelievably strong. Great actions scenes well spaced. Just enough scenes of the past to completely understand the situation. I couldn't have asked for better.

Jonah Gray Wolf is tired of running even as he does good deeds using his God given healing skills. However, one of those he saved ten years ago from a bear mauling, Major Bourdain pays him back by wanting to capture, cage and study Jonah because he believes the HEALER can give him the chance to live forever. In fact Jonah knows that the obsessed Bourdain is the only person he regrets healing.

Jonah refuses to be incarcerated so he keeps fleeing into the night though he is bone weary of the chase. Thinking he has gained some breathing time, Jonah takes a needed respite in Little Top, West Virginia in Appalachia. There he meets waitress Lucia "Luce" Andahar, who hides some skills she has from him and the locals. After rescuing and healing her beloved dog Hobo, he stays for now as he senses an evil stalking her. They fall in love and both hope for a life together, but Bourdain has come to town and after a decade has finally found Jonah's weakness as well as an ally as malevolent as he is.

THE HEALER is a terrific fast-paced paranormal romantic suspense starring two kind-hearted lead characters (ask Hobo and a bird she feeds daily) and two over the pinnacle of Little Top villains. The story line is action-packed as High Noon has come to Appalachia with the cougar climax feeling right. Sub-genre fans will believe in the powers of Sharon Sala after reading this stupendous suspenseful story.

Harriet Klausner

I am absolutely amazed at a couple of the reviews trashing this book. H.E.L.L.O.? It's FICTION people!! Sometimes you have to suspend disbelief and just let yourself go along for the ride in order to enjoy the material. I have always been a huge Sharon Sala fan and this particular book was fascinatingly entertaining. A potent combination of supernatural and love story. If you're a literary snob who is going to pick apart every shred of the book from start to finish, pass it up. If you ignorantly believe that fiction has to reflect everyday "reality", pass it up. Funny however, I'm sure some of the critics are the same folks who will argue that the bible is a direct autobiography of God. If you're looking for a wild read that will have you mesmerized from chapter one, DON'T pass this book up!

I rarely make the effort to rate the books I read, but this one definitely deserves the 5 star rating as well as another accolade. Almost from the beginning I found myself both unable to stop reading (in one sitting no less), yet truly not wanting it to end AND hoping that Sharon Sala DOES write a sequel involving Jonah and Luce. In fact, I'm on here today considering locating her website to encourage her to do just that! This is absolutely the BEST - very imaginative, wonderful ending that makes your heart swell.