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Haven
“There was one thing she knew. This would not be the end. She would not give up, not ever. Nico might have the victory now, but she would find a way to turn the tables on him. Holding her head high, she vowed that somehow, someday, Rosie would be with her again.”
Elizabeth Bennett arrives in Haven Valley, seeking healing after her emotionally abusive, unscrupulous ex-husband uses his family’s political influence to gain sole custody of their daughter, solely on the basis that Elizabeth is blind.
At Haven Valley Church, Michael Kelly’s grief for his wife is fresh as when he lost her three years ago, but he focuses on his love for the son he is now raising alone. A good man, a good father, and a good pastor to the community, he deeply longs for companionship and love.
These two people, nearly broken by disaster, meet on a snowy night that will change their lives. Through this town, its people, and two very special children Michael and Elizabeth begin to create their safe haven, though the past relentlessly places stumbling blocks in their path.
Can they keep the love and healing they’ve found?
"For me, Haven is a story of empowerment. Elizabeth comes to an unfamiliar town and I feel she’s lost hope in humanity, lost touch with who she was before her ex devastated her. She has lost everything that matters.Michael Kelly and his nurturing nature helps Elizabeth believe in herself. Michael and his support system really help to bolster her faith and help her grow.
This is a story that hits all the feels. I was mad, so so mad at the injustice Elizabeth endures.I was heartbroken for both Elizabeth and Rosie, who can’t begin to comprehend the dynamics of her paternal family. I was elated when Michael and Elizabeth became a couple. And I was oh so frustrated with the town trouble maker! Ha! But I cheered for Elizabeth when true justice was delivered, and true love made its way into her life." – D.A. Charles "Ms. Gomes accurately portrays how an adult woman goes about her life without vision and the varied reactions people she encounters have to her, both positive and negative, and how she deals with that. This book will grab your attention early and leave you wanting to know more!" – Donna Smith
Elizabeth Bennett arrives in Haven Valley, seeking healing after her emotionally abusive, unscrupulous ex-husband uses his family’s political influence to gain sole custody of their daughter, solely on the basis that Elizabeth is blind.
At Haven Valley Church, Michael Kelly’s grief for his wife is fresh as when he lost her three years ago, but he focuses on his love for the son he is now raising alone. A good man, a good father, and a good pastor to the community, he deeply longs for companionship and love.
These two people, nearly broken by disaster, meet on a snowy night that will change their lives. Through this town, its people, and two very special children Michael and Elizabeth begin to create their safe haven, though the past relentlessly places stumbling blocks in their path.
Can they keep the love and healing they’ve found?
"For me, Haven is a story of empowerment. Elizabeth comes to an unfamiliar town and I feel she’s lost hope in humanity, lost touch with who she was before her ex devastated her. She has lost everything that matters.Michael Kelly and his nurturing nature helps Elizabeth believe in herself. Michael and his support system really help to bolster her faith and help her grow.
This is a story that hits all the feels. I was mad, so so mad at the injustice Elizabeth endures.I was heartbroken for both Elizabeth and Rosie, who can’t begin to comprehend the dynamics of her paternal family. I was elated when Michael and Elizabeth became a couple. And I was oh so frustrated with the town trouble maker! Ha! But I cheered for Elizabeth when true justice was delivered, and true love made its way into her life." – D.A. Charles "Ms. Gomes accurately portrays how an adult woman goes about her life without vision and the varied reactions people she encounters have to her, both positive and negative, and how she deals with that. This book will grab your attention early and leave you wanting to know more!" – Donna Smith
496 pages, Paperback
Published June 30, 2021
6 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Sherry Gomes
2 books69 followersFrom the moment someone put her hands on a braille book and began to teach her to read, Sherry has been an avid reader. For years, she envied her sighted friends who could walk into a book store and buy and own books. With the internet age, her dream of being able to have an extensive library came true, with things like audible.com, Kindle, Bookshare and the National Library Service for the Blind’s digital download service. As a child, she began making up stories with her dolls and stuffed animals, writing stories about favorite rock bands or TV characters. She’s been writing in one way or another ever since. A teacher told her once that she painted pictures with her words and she’s dreamed of being a published author from that moment. In the meantime, she’s worked as a switchboard operator, executive assistant, computer teacher and a tech support representative.
Sherry grew up in the San Jose area of California but now lives in Colorado. She shares her home with her yellow labrador guide dog, Shani. She loves reading, shopping, movies, musical theater, spending time with friends, cooking, and of course writing. The Beatles really are her all-time favorite band!
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 6, 2021
This book was amazing. This is the authors first book. And I think she did an excellent job! Many books written about disabled people fall short to those of us that are actually disabled. I'm blind as the author is, and this gave a window into the kind of life that we lead. And she did such an excellent job portraying the way that blind people live. Not that all blind people live the same, because just like sighted people they do not. But she gave a glimpse of a blind woman's life. Many think, that the blind are in capable of taking care of children. Which is extremely untrue. Many blind people raise children. And I think it was important that this book brought this to light, and showed how a blind person can live their life just as a sighted one does. They may have to do some things a little bit differently, why don't we all do things differently? No one does things exactly the same. I think that it was an awesome book, I loved the story! And I absolutely recommend this book! Well written, beautiful story! I can't say enough good things about this book. I hope this author writes more. She weaved an awesome story, and I just think that she could have a good future as an author!
July 18, 2021
An excellent debut novel, An emotional and inspiring story of a mother's love for her daughter and a father's love for his son, two
hurting people and their struggles to go on. Liza has had a crushing blow from her ex, Lying that she is an unfit parent because she is blind. Michael has been grieving over the loss of his wife. Liza has moved to Haven , closer to her sister and determined to start a new life, never forgetting about her daughter. Michael has returned to the Church to retrieve his sermon notes and Finds Liza crying. This is the beginning of their journey. Can they work to over come their past experiences to heal together? Sherry Gomes weaves a tale of courage , love and shows us that being blind does not define you or mean that you can not have a fulfilling life. 5 Stars and i recommend this book to everyone
hurting people and their struggles to go on. Liza has had a crushing blow from her ex, Lying that she is an unfit parent because she is blind. Michael has been grieving over the loss of his wife. Liza has moved to Haven , closer to her sister and determined to start a new life, never forgetting about her daughter. Michael has returned to the Church to retrieve his sermon notes and Finds Liza crying. This is the beginning of their journey. Can they work to over come their past experiences to heal together? Sherry Gomes weaves a tale of courage , love and shows us that being blind does not define you or mean that you can not have a fulfilling life. 5 Stars and i recommend this book to everyone
July 20, 2021
From the time I first learned of the publication date for "Haven," I've been excited to read it—first, because I know Sherry, and second, because I knew this book would be about at least one character with a disability. Of course, there are many fictional books which have characters with disabilities. Some portray these fictional characters as heroic and amazing. Some portray them as helpless. A very few portray them as they actually are—people just being themselves, like everyone else. I like that third option, and I was excited to read Elizabeth and Michael's story for that reason. I was confident "Haven" would portray characters with disabilities as real people, as they function in the real world. I also had every expectation that Elizabeth and Michael's story would be a great read.
I was not disappointed. Their story is beautiful in every way—filled with new beginnings, personal challenges, perseverance, overcoming and acceptance. It made me laugh, cry, smile and cheer, and at times, shake my head at unfairness and injustice that can seem overwhelming. Once I started reading "Haven," I was totally absorbed and couldn't wait to see what would happen next. For those not familiar with blindness, this book will let you see that people who are blind are just people who happen to be blind. We live life and have the same desires as anyone else. Sherry shows this through Elizabeth's story in a compelling way.
I know, without a doubt, I'll be revisiting Elizabeth, Michael and their family and friends again. Perhaps, regularly, as I love to reread my favorite books over and over. I can't recommend this book enough. I was blessed by it, as I know you will be when you read it.
I was not disappointed. Their story is beautiful in every way—filled with new beginnings, personal challenges, perseverance, overcoming and acceptance. It made me laugh, cry, smile and cheer, and at times, shake my head at unfairness and injustice that can seem overwhelming. Once I started reading "Haven," I was totally absorbed and couldn't wait to see what would happen next. For those not familiar with blindness, this book will let you see that people who are blind are just people who happen to be blind. We live life and have the same desires as anyone else. Sherry shows this through Elizabeth's story in a compelling way.
I know, without a doubt, I'll be revisiting Elizabeth, Michael and their family and friends again. Perhaps, regularly, as I love to reread my favorite books over and over. I can't recommend this book enough. I was blessed by it, as I know you will be when you read it.
July 24, 2021
I don't tend to write reviews as a general rule, although I will rate books. Sometimes though, a review is necessary. I love this book! I felt like I actually knew the people in this book, and the dialog and banter between Michael and Terry was totally believeble. And, I want to cuddle the kids!
Some people can be very critical when it comes to reading books that feature someone with a disability, especially from others who have the same disability. "I don't want to read a book about a blind person because I live it everyday and want to escape from it.", is something I've seen fairly often. However, although the main character is blind, she's still a regular person living a regular life and doing what regular people do. Yes, she's blind, but that's hardly the point of the story. If a blind character is the only thing keeping someone from reading this book then you're truly missing out.
Some people can be very critical when it comes to reading books that feature someone with a disability, especially from others who have the same disability. "I don't want to read a book about a blind person because I live it everyday and want to escape from it.", is something I've seen fairly often. However, although the main character is blind, she's still a regular person living a regular life and doing what regular people do. Yes, she's blind, but that's hardly the point of the story. If a blind character is the only thing keeping someone from reading this book then you're truly missing out.
July 1, 2023
This poor book had three strikes against it going in, and it overcame every one of them. I assiduously avoid reading books where the characters are blind or otherwise disabled. It’s a romance; I stopped reading those in about 2014 except for Christmas-oriented ones. It’s a self-published product, and while those can be amazing and leave the major publishing houses in shame and confusion because they didn’t pick up the book, they’re often less than stellar. This book was so excellent none of those prohibitions and concerns mattered.
A corrupt California court has stripped recently divorced Elizabeth Bennett of custody of her two-year-old daughter. Siting concerns that her blindness prevented her from being a safe, good parent, the court awarded custody to an obviously uncaring father, because, as any court will tell you, sight is a far more important component than love when it comes to raising kids.
A spiritually broken Bennett picks up the shattered bits of her life and moves to Haven Valley, Colorado to be geographically closer to her younger sister. The two were already close in every other way.
Michael Kelly pastors a small church in Haven Valley, and he realizes just days before Christmas that he’s left his notes for the Christmas Eve service on his desk at the office. Although it’s late at night, he wants to transfer his ideas from notepaper to his laptop. Kelly’s story is a tragic one. Not long after his son, Ethan, was born, Kelly’s wife died at the hands of a drunk driver. His grief has been intense and long-lasting, to say the least.
Unable to sleep on one of those lonely nights before Christmas, Bennett harnesses her guide dog and the two step out into a cold and snowy Colorado night for a therapeutic walk. Not a believer in God per se, Bennett walks by what she knows to be a small neighborhood church. On a whim, she tries the doorknob, and it opens. She and the dog take shelter in the building, finding the chapel and going inside to solitarily sit on a bench and shed tears.
That’s the sound Michael Kelly hears when he’s locking up the place. Being himself a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, Kelly zeros in on the source of the weeping, and life will never be the same again for either of them.
So, what’s to love about this book? If you purchase the audio edition from Audible, the narrator is the first thing you’ll check off your “I loved this because” list. She is off-the-charts fantastic. She reads Gomes’s brilliantly written dialogue so naturally and well that you’ll love the expression with which she reads. She speeds up and slows down her cadences in exactly the right places, and she doesn’t overdramatize passages. So skillful is her narration that she becomes part of the book. If this book ever provides the author with more than ample pocket change, Whitney Dykhouse, the Audible narrator, deserves significant credit for helping that happen.
I was blown away by the gloss and polish evidenced in both the writing and editing. Too many self-published authors with what could have been a great book cut themselves to bits on the coral reef of crummy edits and terrible editing. By some means or other, Gomes avoids the amateur editor trap entirely. A lot of those self-published titles look like someone’s clumsy first draft. Gomes and her editing team purposefully and carefully edited this, and it shows.
I enjoyed the fact that this isn’t a tropey romance. Usually, about midway through the book, the romance breaks down because of good old tropey miscommunication between the couple. When I see that in a romance, my first reaction is to think, for goodness sakes, can’t you two just talk and resolve this? The author avoided that pitfall by creating a different kind of disruption. It’s wonderful because it strikes at the heart of the original custody battle Bennett faced as the book opened. At one point in the book, the unbeliever Elizabeth Bennett uses scriptures with maximum impact to utterly obliterate the arguments of gossipers and slanderers within the congregation. Gomes points out in the back of the book that someone found those verses for her, but it was Gomes’s writing that placed them at exactly the right spot to have the maximum impact, and that’s commendatory by every measure.
There’s only one scene in the book that felt flat and forced. It’s a point at which an aging congregant whose husband recently died seeks solace and spiritual refreshment from her pastor. Kelly is so intent on not speaking platitudes that he does little to help. It would have been more in keeping with his character to read a few lines of scripture with her. Sometimes verses that feel commonplace when studied alone can take on a whole new spiritual power when two or more gather to study those passages.
I loved the author’s deliberate decision that kept Kelly and Bennett from engaging in premarital sex. That’s rare enough in all fiction these days to make any thoughtful reader stop and stare for a second. It was a great decision, and it was consistent with his character. I applauded it throughout the book.
A corrupt California court has stripped recently divorced Elizabeth Bennett of custody of her two-year-old daughter. Siting concerns that her blindness prevented her from being a safe, good parent, the court awarded custody to an obviously uncaring father, because, as any court will tell you, sight is a far more important component than love when it comes to raising kids.
A spiritually broken Bennett picks up the shattered bits of her life and moves to Haven Valley, Colorado to be geographically closer to her younger sister. The two were already close in every other way.
Michael Kelly pastors a small church in Haven Valley, and he realizes just days before Christmas that he’s left his notes for the Christmas Eve service on his desk at the office. Although it’s late at night, he wants to transfer his ideas from notepaper to his laptop. Kelly’s story is a tragic one. Not long after his son, Ethan, was born, Kelly’s wife died at the hands of a drunk driver. His grief has been intense and long-lasting, to say the least.
Unable to sleep on one of those lonely nights before Christmas, Bennett harnesses her guide dog and the two step out into a cold and snowy Colorado night for a therapeutic walk. Not a believer in God per se, Bennett walks by what she knows to be a small neighborhood church. On a whim, she tries the doorknob, and it opens. She and the dog take shelter in the building, finding the chapel and going inside to solitarily sit on a bench and shed tears.
That’s the sound Michael Kelly hears when he’s locking up the place. Being himself a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, Kelly zeros in on the source of the weeping, and life will never be the same again for either of them.
So, what’s to love about this book? If you purchase the audio edition from Audible, the narrator is the first thing you’ll check off your “I loved this because” list. She is off-the-charts fantastic. She reads Gomes’s brilliantly written dialogue so naturally and well that you’ll love the expression with which she reads. She speeds up and slows down her cadences in exactly the right places, and she doesn’t overdramatize passages. So skillful is her narration that she becomes part of the book. If this book ever provides the author with more than ample pocket change, Whitney Dykhouse, the Audible narrator, deserves significant credit for helping that happen.
I was blown away by the gloss and polish evidenced in both the writing and editing. Too many self-published authors with what could have been a great book cut themselves to bits on the coral reef of crummy edits and terrible editing. By some means or other, Gomes avoids the amateur editor trap entirely. A lot of those self-published titles look like someone’s clumsy first draft. Gomes and her editing team purposefully and carefully edited this, and it shows.
I enjoyed the fact that this isn’t a tropey romance. Usually, about midway through the book, the romance breaks down because of good old tropey miscommunication between the couple. When I see that in a romance, my first reaction is to think, for goodness sakes, can’t you two just talk and resolve this? The author avoided that pitfall by creating a different kind of disruption. It’s wonderful because it strikes at the heart of the original custody battle Bennett faced as the book opened. At one point in the book, the unbeliever Elizabeth Bennett uses scriptures with maximum impact to utterly obliterate the arguments of gossipers and slanderers within the congregation. Gomes points out in the back of the book that someone found those verses for her, but it was Gomes’s writing that placed them at exactly the right spot to have the maximum impact, and that’s commendatory by every measure.
There’s only one scene in the book that felt flat and forced. It’s a point at which an aging congregant whose husband recently died seeks solace and spiritual refreshment from her pastor. Kelly is so intent on not speaking platitudes that he does little to help. It would have been more in keeping with his character to read a few lines of scripture with her. Sometimes verses that feel commonplace when studied alone can take on a whole new spiritual power when two or more gather to study those passages.
I loved the author’s deliberate decision that kept Kelly and Bennett from engaging in premarital sex. That’s rare enough in all fiction these days to make any thoughtful reader stop and stare for a second. It was a great decision, and it was consistent with his character. I applauded it throughout the book.
February 23, 2024
I read this book mainly as an act of solidarity. The author is blind and I am blind. The author is also subscribed to several blindness related email lists to which I am also subscribed. The acquaintance is really tenuous, but in some way I felt like I knew the author. Also, the novel deals with blindness related issues and I have to deal with blindness related issues every day although I don't deal with the specific issues that this book focuses on. Besides, I want to encourage and support indy authors. However, I am sorry to say and I am disappointed that I didn't like this book at all. For one thing, it is a romance novel and I am far from being a fan of the romance genre. The worse thing, though, is that the male lead character is a pastor and that means that religion permeates the novel from start to finish. I have spent my entire life feeling astounded that grown adult people could possibly be so gullible as to actually believe religious doctrine and I mean the doctrine of any religion. It is utterly absurd and whenever anyone expects me to believe religious doctrine I feel like my intelligence is being insulted. I can't say that this novel is really preachy. The author seems to just assume that all readers are believers and so there is no need to preach. As an atheist I find that assumption offensive all by itself. But throughout the whole book religion is perpetually portrayed in a positive way and I think it is being used to emphasize what a great guy the male lead character is. I find that really hard to stomach. I don't think I would ever be a big fan of this kind of story, but if the male lead character had just been given another profession and if religion had just been left out of it I think I might have enjoyed it at least a little bit more.
July 21, 2021
Hooked From the Start!
I am not a big fiction reader, but decided to give this book a try, and was instantly hooked. The characters and situations seemed so real, and I found myself wanting to visit Haven and meet and hang out with everyone. voiceover on my iPhone won’t read the star rating selections correctly, but I would definitely give this five stars!
I am not a big fiction reader, but decided to give this book a try, and was instantly hooked. The characters and situations seemed so real, and I found myself wanting to visit Haven and meet and hang out with everyone. voiceover on my iPhone won’t read the star rating selections correctly, but I would definitely give this five stars!
Read
June 14, 2023I couldn't put this book down!!! A great story with relatable and for the most part likable characters. I can't wait for the next book in the series!!!
July 22, 2023
This book was a lovely book and Michael and Elizabeth were good for each other
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2023
Such a pleasure to read a realistic book about blindness! I struggled to stop reading this book, so I could do things that needed to be done. Great job Sherry! Looking forward to your next book. 😊
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews