Testimonials

“In Healing House we follow Sophie, a young widow in search of how to get on with her life after the tragic death of her fiancé, Dan. Feeling that the mysterious house she finds in an online ad calls out to her, she leaves the bustling London life for seaside Dover. Her new house sits atop a steep cliff and, she gradually finds out, also sits atop many secrets. Sophie’s life inescapably becomes interwoven with the lives of people and residents of the house from times lost.

Now as a lover of horror and spook, obviously I think the book’s strength is in its paranormal and suspenseful parts. Plumridge is really great at setting the mood and leaving me on the edge of my seat.

The way the story transcends time, connecting the lives of people who lived 100 years ago, really gives it complexity and depth. Also, plus points for the black magic parts!

The one thing I felt was a little odd was the romance part (having said that, bare in mind that I am not your typical romance reader). I somehow found Sophie’s new love interest set apart from the rest of the story, not fully realized or necessary for the story.

I really enjoyed how most chapters began with short pieces of poetry written by Sophie, as it shows how her fear of the house successfully increases and how her character develops. As time passes  by, we get to see a more grim side of Sophie which I love.

To round it up: yep, I really liked this one. It’s truly been a pleasure (and horror, I’m delighted to say). I’ll definitely keep a lookout for Plumridge’s future work!

I give it a solid 4 out of 5.”

“The Healing House is a story that encompasses the power of a family’s history, the secrets that lie buried that only Sophie can uncover because she too is haunted by unexpected loss, leaving her open to the healing power of letting go and being open to new possibilities. Do yourself a favor and embark on Sophie’s journey. You will not be sorry!”

If you like spooky stories as bedtime stories, this is your book! I got it on Kindle and had it read to me by Alexa. I grew up listening to paranormal radio shows at night like Coast-to-Coast AM and this book took me back!

I don’t want to give too much away but if you like haunting tales with vivid descriptions of atmospheric settings by the sea, this is the book for you. The story has a female lead but even as a guy, I was able to put myself in her shoes and feel the haunting along with her. If mystery stories are your thing, I highly recommend this one!

“Healing House is a novel of paranormal mystery and romance. It tells the story of Sophie, a woman who is grieving the loss of her fiancé and decides to move to an isolated cottage in Dover. I won’t give away any of the mysterious and spooky occurrences, but Sophie is quickly swept up in the disturbing aura of the house.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. Right away, Nicole creates an unsettling atmosphere through her imaginative word choice. The characters can’t control the effect the house has on them, and the reader is along for the ride. But this isn’t just a scary story.

This book is also an exploration of grief and the way we process it. Nicole is a psychologist, and I could see her professional knowledge through her portrayal of Sophie and the difficulties she faces as she is trying to live through the trauma of loss. The story is moving and I was rooting for Sophie the whole time.

I appreciated that the mood of the book varied at times. There are also moments of lightness and laughter as Sophie connects to friends around her. Nicole handles these shifts in tone so well. She gives us a respite from the spookiness, but we are still anxiously wondering what might happen next.

I really don’t want to spoil any of the plot, so I will just say that I am so glad I had the chance to read this book, and I highly recommend it! Thank you, Nicole, for the opportunity to read your book.”

“I enjoyed reading this book. Didn’t want to put it down. Well done Nicole. Looking forward to reading more of your work.”

“A truly wonderful read with thrilling plot and well developed characters you can really relate to. The vocabulary creates such a vivid picture and captures the imagination. Touches on the journey of grief, fresh starts, overcoming fears of the past with its mysterious storyline and characters. Definitely recommend this read!”

Healing House is an absolutely incredible book which is so atmospheric and enchanting that I couldn’t put it down.

I don’t want to give too much away as the plot is brilliant, so I’m going to talk about everything else I loved!!

The character build up is brilliant, we see so much of the characters poured onto every page, I thought Sophie was a great character, with so much inner strength after everything she’s been through.

I love how the book flits between different points of view and different timelines, giving the story so much depth! Each of Sophie’s chapters start with a piece of her poetry and this is a lovely touch.

Nicole’s writing sets the mood beautifully and I was on the edge of my seat constantly, which at times caused me to feel really nervous and I started to imagine strange goings on inside my house…. I loved that all of the paranormal aspects felt so real!!

This is, in a nutshell, a fantastic debut novel, and I am soooo excited to read Nicole’s next book. I really hope she explores some of the secondary characters because there is so much more scope for their stories!

“The night had an eerie feel to it. The knotted trees shook off some of their summer leaves, making soft rustling sounds as they undressed. The only light came from the sliver of silvery moon in the sky casting a pale ghostly glow over the road. She felt a shift in the atmosphere, as if the very air around her had become denser, heavier. More alive.”

“Whether it was her projecting her own emotions or something else at work, she felt the house was in a constant state of silent change. Its moods fluctuated wildly without the slightest provocation.”

I had no idea what to expect walking into this story, but quickly found that I had trouble putting it down every time I opened my Kindle. The story spans centuries and takes an incredibly in-depth, interesting, and well-rounded dive into how generational traumas can outlive us. The characters are well-developed, the scene always set well, and there is just the right amount of spookiness to it.

The touches of romance, heartbreak, healing, friendship, and history make it much more than a mystery or a haunting. So well-rounded and unique, and I absolutely loved the way everything was tied together in the end. Highly recommend!