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Author Helen Valentina offers a review...

6/28/2018

8 Comments

 
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Helen Valentina is a poet and novelist from Australia. She just completed reading THE CONTRACT and wrote an amazing review. I share it today, because it warmed my heart immensely.

​Thank you, Helen. I am deeply grateful to you, and to all reviewers, for the thoughtful comments about this book.                                                          
                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Full disclosure: I’m a sucker for anything about angels, redemption, universal love and honour. So The Contract, by John Howell and Gwen Plano, had me ‘at hello’ – or ‘chapter one’ as they say in the literature world.

This is a truly unique book – a cross genre meeting of spiritual, action, thriller and romantic minds. One part evocation of spiritual growth and destiny, one part thrill ride through a rollicking mystery and political action rampage, one part one of the loveliest and most affirming romantic stories I’ve read in years. I’m not giving anything spoilery away by noting the story is about two souls that willingly contract to go to earth and avert a political disaster. But how this all unfolds is delicious and should be read by the reader, not told by the reviewer here.

I must say I’ve been a long time fan of John Howell’s writing. It is fun, fast paced, warm and engaging – much as I suspect the author would be.  The fascinating thing here is how seamlessly his style and Gwen’s mix.  I truly couldn’t tell which parts were written by which, so well did they merge from one to the other.  It was very much like a harmony of two perfectly attuned instruments in a symphony.

They are the ideal writing partners to tell the story of two other perfect partners – of a different kind - as they fulfil their heavenly contract. ( And I loved the meta tip of the hat to this at the end of the book -very clever!)  This makes me want two things: that they quickly do the sequel they promise at the end, and also I want to check out some of Gwen Plano’s other writing too now.

I thoroughly recommend this book to one and all – its genre mixing offers pretty much something for everyone, and by the end you will have enjoyed a wonderful, action packed, politically on point thriller that is also a romantic and life affirming ride.

As I said at the outset, I’m a sucker for honour and the spiritually uplifting, so I shed a few happy tears indeed in the final chapters. If this isn’t what the spiritual world is (and I for one hope it is) then it should be! Don’t miss out on a sublime experience – get your copy now!

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8 Comments
D.L. Finn
6/28/2018 02:06:54

Congrats on amazing review:)

Reply
Gwen Plano
6/28/2018 07:40:49

Thank you, Denise. And, thank you so much for your incredible review. ♥

Reply
john howell link
6/28/2018 06:02:22

Excellent review, Helen. Thank you so much. Also, thank you , Gwen for highlighting Helen today.

Reply
Gwen Plano
6/28/2018 13:39:29

Thank you, John. Helen's review overwhelmed me; it is so beautiful.

Reply
Mae Clair link
6/28/2018 07:44:17

A fabulous review and well deserved. Congratulations to you and John!

Reply
Gwen Plano
6/28/2018 13:35:52

Thank you, Mae. I'm so happy it has been well received. ♥

Reply
Jan Sikes
6/28/2018 08:33:45

The fantastic reviews keep rolling in! Congrats, you two!

Reply
Gwen Plano
6/28/2018 13:37:44

Thank you, Jan. The reviews warm my heart immensely. ♥

Reply



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Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. ―Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning


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