The Holding: A review


 In The Holding, author Lynda Faye Schmidt masterfully weaves together a story of a father's love and his daughter's struggle with childhood trauma.  

Cate Henderson, the protagonist of this novel, struggles from childhood with the after-effects of childhood sexual abuse, bullying and dysfunctional relationships. However, throughout her life, her anchor - her rock, is her father whose love is unconditional and constant. Even when she cannot see her worth, her father always does.

What I found in this novel was that Lynda has the ability to talk about the tough subjects of abuse - in all its various forms - while creating a story woven with hope and healing. 

The character, Cate, uses a journal to keep her dark secrets as well as her dreams and hopes. Journaling has been well documented as a means of healing from all forms of illness, addiction, abuse, and mental issues. This novel gives a powerful example of this.

I highly recommend this book because of its message of hope in the face of abuse, renewal in the face of failure and unconditional love in the face of pain and suffering.

About the Author:

Lynda Faye Schmidt was born in Canada, where she lived with
her parents and older brother. They moved to Calgary, Alberta after a traumatic life event. 

Her life mirrors that of Cate in The Holding and like Cate, she used her experiences to fuel her education. Writing, specifically journaling, has been the anchor for her.

In 2017, Lynda began working with Anne O'Connell. Subsequently, her book, The Healing and its prequel The Holding were birthed.

Lynda lives in Saudi Arabia with her husband.

Learn more about Lynda at:


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