Aug 12, 2019

Review: Healing Hannah's Heart by Preslaysa Williams


BLURB FOR HEALING HANNAH’S HEART

Hannah Hart may have been burned by the breakup of her rocky marriage, but the ambitious Afro-Filipina model has big plans for her future. Her stunning looks and flawless skin provide the opening she craves to become a celebrity in the fashion world.Then an arsonist’s match brings Hannah’s world crashing down around 
her.


Recovering from the burns that destroyed her skin, Hannah is forced to accept help from the last person on earth she wants, her estranged husband, Jake Hart. Jake isn’t ready to give up on their marriage. The return of Jake’s teenage son from a one-night stand had been the catalyst for their breakup. How can he help both the son who resents his abandonment and the woman he still loves? He can do nothing about the scars on her skin, but can he heal Hannah’s heart?




Author Preslaysa Williams

Author Bio
Preslaysa Williams is an award-winning author of contemporary romance and women's fiction with an Afro-Filipina twist. She loves sharing her culture with her readers.


Her writing awards include the Indiana Romance Writers of America’s (RWA) Golden Opportunity Award and the ACFW Genesis Award. In addition, her stories have been a finalist in the Northwest Houston RWA Lone Star Writing Contest, the Windy City RWA Four Seasons Contest, and the Valley of the Sun RWA Hot Prospects Contest.

She has an undergraduate degree from Columbia University and a MPA from the University of South Carolina. She is also a Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar, a Jackie Robinson Foundation Extra Innings Fellow, and a Sol Spiegelman Scholar. Preslaysa is currently earning a MFA in Writing Popular Fiction at Seton Hill University.

In addition, she’s a professional actress. She started acting at age eight, joining the Screen Actors Guild as a teenager when she co-starred on the Nickelodeon TV show, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo.

She’s an avid bookworm and planner nerd who hoards pens, pencils, and notebooks in her spare time. In her daily life, you’ll find her wearing mismatched socks while being a homeschool mom. Preslaysa presently makes her home in Virginia with her husband and two children. You can visit her online at www.preslaysa.com where you can sign up for her newsletter community.


Interview with Author Preslaysa Williams

What inspired the story concept for HEALING HANNAH’S HEART?


I originally wrote Healing Hannah’s Heart as a romance novel, but then I decided to change it to women’s fiction. I wanted to focus specifically on Hannah’s journey to wholeness after experiencing the horrific fire. In order to do so, I lessened the romantic element of the story and honed in on the greater themes of self-image, identity, and personal transformation.

Hannah is an Afro-Filipina fashion model. Does her ethnicity play into her character development in any way?

It does. Healing Hannah’s Heart is an own voices story. I am African-American and Filipino. It’s a unique intersection of identity that reflected in the work itself. As I was writing, I found myself exploring concepts about being a second-generation daughter of an immigrant, as well as institutionalized discrimination too.


What do you want readers to take away from Healing Hannah’s Heart?

I want readers to see flawed characters who make the best life choices they can, given the cards they’re dealt. I want readers to also know that despite imperfect circumstances, we can always find ways to heal and find hope.

In addition to writing, you’re also an actress. How did you get started in acting?

I started off many, many years ago as a child actor. I pounded the pavement in New York City, attending auditions for Broadway shows, movies, and TV. I eventually landed a co-starring role on Nickelodeon’s The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. Suzanne Collins, the author of The Hunger Games trilogy, was one of the writers on the show.

And you also worked on This is Us and Homeland! What was that like?

Working on those shows was a huge blessing. After I graduated from college, I took a long hiatus from acting in order to focus on family and writing. In 2016, one of my friends from the acting world suggested that I get into acting again, and so I did. The first gig that I landed was a bit role in This Is Us. It was very fun being on set again. I felt as if I was back in my element.

What’s your writing process like?

It’s very detailed. I’m a plotter. Since I am also a homeschooling mom, I have to be very strategic about my writing time. So I take at least a month to pre-plan my novels, scene by scene. 

What is next for you, writing wise?

I just completed a contemporary romance which focuses on the love relationship between a bridal gown designer and a single Dad. Right now, I’m editing the draft. I’m also working on another women’s fiction. And I’m putting the finishing touches on a short story which I hope to release in November. I love working on multiple projects. It keeps my mind busy!

Healing Hannah's Heart 
By Preslaysa Williams
Review by HeidiLynn's BookReviews

First, I want to thank Preslaysa Williams for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Healing Hannah’s Heart is Preslaysa William’s extremely powerful debut novel that will pull on your heart strings. In my eyes this Is a must-read book.

The graphic designer did an incredible job on the cover of Healing Hannah’s Heart. It is so beautiful.

Preslaysa speaks from her heart through the voice of her character Hannah. Hannah is an incredibly strong character in this book-in more ways than one. She has faced an incredible accident (I am staying away from treadmills for a while) and needs time to heal. However, her injuries are not the only things she needs to heal.

This book is about forgiveness, second chances, living in the now, letting go, etc. There are a lot of strong life lessons in this book.

Preslaysa captured my attention early on in the story and kept it throughout.

Many aspects of this book I really enjoyed. I could even see this being a movie on the Hallmark Channel. It has that vibe to it.   



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