Both Kate and Nova felt very real to me. I loved how they struggled to overcome their personal challenges, and failed several times, in such a human way. Their relationship was sweet and natural, and the gentle humour between them was endearing.

I enjoyed experiencing the world through Nova’s eyes - it made me appreciate things in a new way. The writing was fresh and the pace of the story was just right.

This is a tale of Kate and Nova. Nova is blind but undergoes an operation to give her sight. Kate is an architect and wife of Tony, her abusive husband. Kate and Nova meet and help each other get through their trauma. It's a love story and a story about coping with the unexpected. It's very sweet. Tony is a very scary character. I would really recommend this book.

A fantastic read. Thoroughly enjoyed this and it is not something I would usually pick up. Will look for more from this author in future.

The Rules of Seeing by Joe Heap a four-star read that will make you look differently. What a great debut, the author has done a great job of making you see how hard I can to cope when you finally get the thing everyone thinks will make you normal. In this case its Nova and her sight, even though she already has a great life, she speaks five languages and has talents that you can’t imagine, but when she gets the operation you see how she struggles and Nova has been a great character that you will be behind all the way through. The other main character Kate has a hard but great story, and together they will make you see the way they see life together. It’s a refreshing and honest read, making you see life isn’t always what you see.

From the blurb I read, I wasn’t sure how I was going to get on with this book as it wasn’t my normal genre but I’m so glad I tried. This book really is incredible, a beautiful story of friendship and love, told with such imaginative description that you really feel you are seeing things through the characters eyes. It was a joy to read

THE RULES OF SEEING

BY

Joe Heap


Nova, an interpreter and Kate and architect are two young women successful in their fields. A chance meeting while attending hospital is the catalyst that begins the slow growth of friendship as they recognise that special link between them.
Nova was born blind but an innovative operation has given her sight. Sounds wonderful but in reality the struggle is immense. With no concept of distance or visible movement and speed the world is now a dangerously scary place. Faces loom at her and she can not interpret expression or danger. For someone who has lived guided by sound and touch there is much to learn.
Kate has sight but is either blind to or refuses to accept that Tony, her husband, is subtly, gradually and coldly taking over control of her life. Her visit to hospital is the result of abuse that she refuses to reveal, claiming it was an accident.
The opening chapters of this book are an immediate hook and a real page turner. Since the chance meeting the two girls become close but there are many hurdles to cross before they can relax and be honest with one another.
A well told story full of emotion and tension. Having a blind person suddenly able to see is thought provoking and made this such an interesting concept. The characters of Nova and Kate are sensitive and very well drawn and this reader found it easy to relate to them both. Tony was also a very visual character, big strong and aggressive and probably typical of the type. The contrast of his professional life in the police force and the horrors he commits when off duty is chilling.
If I had a quibble about the book it is that it sags a bit in the middle with a bit too many details of outings the girls took to the zoo, the cinema and so on. They did not add to the tension or move the book on, rather it slowed it down.
However the tense and thrilling finale brought a great story to a satisfying end.

**3.5 Stars **

Nova has been blind for her entire life - she’s 32 years old and is about to undergo a new procedure that will enable her to see the world around her for the first time ever. This should be an amazing time for Nova, but she’s scared that she won’t be able to cope with all the new experiences that come with seeing. She’s an intelligent young lady, an interpreter, who speaks five languages, and works for the Metropolitan Police.

Nova’s fears about not understanding or coping with her new life are realised, and it’s not until she meets Kate that she believes she can learn to overcome her problems. Kate though has some scary times ahead, and little do they know, but the clock is ticking for both of them!

First off I have to say what an amazing job the author did in describing Nova’s difficulties, of having to learn how to live as a sighted person. It’s certainly not as simple as it would appear to be, and situations presented themselves that I would never have imagined. I thought the narrative was a little slow at times, but I was intrigued to see what would happen within the relationship, and there were some extremely tough and scary times ahead. I can only thank the author though, for allowing me to ‘see’ and understand the world in a completely new light.

*Thank you to Netgalley, and HarperCollins UK for my ARC. I have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *

This is a beautifully written book, it is quite harrowing at times but I enjoyed reading it. It made me realise how difficult it would be for someone who has always been blind to see and learn everything all over again.

I really struggled with this, felt like it took me ages to read, didn't really get the story or the husbands role in it, I'm sure some people will love it, just enough to keep me interested but I was glad to finish it, wasn't my cup of tea

The rules of seeing, depends who you are. Nova is born blind but her brother Alex is a doctor who hears of a new procedure that may be able to give her her sight back a no brainer you may think but then i have never been blind so the thought of sight is well known to me. However being blind and having never seen or only seen the odd shape and light of a sort to have to learn to see is a new world that you have never known or ever expected to know is scary and a big step into the unknown.
Kate had sight but having been married for two years to a policeman or rather a detective from the Yard who is becoming a scary man rather than a loving man, you'd have thought after this first violent indecent she would leave but as is often the case she didn't. Something else you need to know about Nova is she is very good at languages and as such had worked for the police as a interpreter for the last ten years (and yes will know the violent man called Tony that's married to Kate but that's not to relevant for now).
The story takes a time in a very good way, so for the first few chapters they are shared with the telling of Novas story then Kates till they collide well meet actually at a hospital appointments they have with the same doctor at the hospital. Nova is having to learn to see and it is a lot more to it than you'd think but i will let you read her account as it is impossible to understand in the few words a review has space for. Kate's life is traumatic as is any when the person who is meant to love, cherish and protect becomes the cause of all your pain and fears. I guess all lives that implode and become the opposite to what you expert take a lot of adjustment and will be to two people experiencing the same thing all be it in very different ways. So they have something to give but will also need some take and that is the best way i can think of to sum up the first half of this book which looks at several issues including the most important of all i think that of love. However i will stop here with the story and let you read for yourself but just say that i loved this book in many ways and learnt a lot even though i really choose to read more to escape in to a book but found i got a lot more than an escape which has made this book a even greater pleasure even through there is pain as with any good thriller its needed to get there. But if you read it i hope you will understand that as i now do i think.
Thanks Joe Heal and NetGalley and hope you enjoy and understand my honest review.

The Rules of Seeing is about two women. Kate is an architect, married to Tony. Nova is a police interpreter, blind from birth. They are destined to meet for the first time, twice, in a hospital.
Nova is given the chance to see for the first time, which brings unforeseen consequences. Her way of navigating the world around her becomes more difficult rather than easier. What we take for granted is far from straightforward. Nova isn't even sure if she wants to see.
Kate may have sight, but she doesn't see her world as it really is. Long before Kate does, the reader can see what is wrong with Kate's life. I kept wanting to give Kate a good shake as she continued to live in denial. Her husband, Tony, represents everything that is wrong with men, entitlement, violence and ‘gaslighting’ behaviour. Nothing is ever his fault.
The author, Joe Heap, writes women extremely well. The burgeoning friendship of Kate and Nova is very sweet. They are both suffering from trauma, and need each other to heal. Heap offers a fresh perspective on how we see the world, through their eyes.