The vows spoken during the marriage ceremony speak to a couple’s promises to each other while they share a life. Leon Hale’s valediction to his beloved wife was a promise to be kept after he left her world. He wanted Babette to reveal a part of him to a reading audience. Hale had lived a full life, yet his death in 2021 at age 99 still shook Babette. Her relationship with him spanned 40 years, and while there were many wonderful memories, the prospect of writing them down was slightly challenging.

In 1981, Leon Hale was an acclaimed columnist at The Houston Post and a respected author. Babette Fraser was a budding writer working on a novel and sought Hale’s assistance on her project. A letter from Babette led to a phone call from Hale, and the pair soon agreed to get together to talk and get acquainted. There was a spark within their introduction, and another meet-up was planned. Their relationship had commenced on a platonic level, but there was an underlying intensity.

"Despite knowing the poignant conclusion, the winding road to that point is gratifying from start to finish. Babette Fraser-Hale has written a book of emotional depth and warmth that should find a wide audience."

Hale and Babette were guarded to a certain extent. They were emerging from the fallout of broken relationships. Each possessed doubt about how they handled their previous romances. Yet they found themselves falling for each other with each phone conversation, exchanged letter or time they spent together.

The fall of 1981 witnessed the growing pains of a blooming romance. As Hale and Babette became further acquainted with each other, happiness from one day would turn into a day fraught with anxiety. Was Hale capable of settling down with one woman? Would Hale’s friends accept Babette? Would Babette’s son accept Hale coming into his mother’s life? These thoughts would bounce through their minds, but they also would communicate them with the other. A mutual understanding of each other’s personality would prove key to making things work.

Ultimately, their relationship may have been atypical with regard to age difference and backgrounds, but the love they had for each other was transcendent and lasting.

THIS FAMILIAR HEART is an unforgettable love story about an unlikely couple whose feelings were impassioned and, despite any initial hesitancy, forged a loving bond that lasted decades. Babette Fraser Hale has written a captivating book that does more than limit itself to the love she shared with her late husband. She provides an introspective view of the early days of their relationship and their mindsets. The backstory to their first meeting proves vital. Hale is a charismatic Southern gentleman with a heart of gold, and Babette is a woman with internal and external beauty. Their history has had its ups and downs, but fate has seen fit to bring them into contact. However, it is up to them to determine if their love will be everlasting.

Despite knowing the poignant conclusion, the winding road to that point is gratifying from start to finish. Babette Fraser Hale has written a book of emotional depth and warmth that should find a wide audience.