I'm fairly tame when it comes to the "world" of immense spice and I'm not quite sure SILENTLY was for the type of romance reader I am.

That whole "world" (writing this review at work, wink, wink) is just not for me. However, I wanted to step out of my genre box and read something different.

I thought Quinn's story was heartbreaking because she was dealing with grief from losing her husband.

I think maybe her character development was perhaps not detailed enough for us to get a view of how she so easily jumped into that "world."

A lot of aspects seemed rushed and I just skipped over some of the "spicy" parts because it felt too repetitive about 2/3 into the story.

However, I think this is a great tamer for those wanting to read stories based in that "world."

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an e-copy of SILENTLY to review.

I rate SILENTLY three out of five stars.

I felt an intimate connection with Quinn, the protagonist, as she navigated the turbulent waters of grief and guilt following the sudden loss of her beloved spouse. Blaine's portrayal of Quinn's inner turmoil struck a chord with me, as I empathized with her struggle to reconcile her need for intimacy with her overwhelming sense of remorse.

The dynamic between Quinn and Jonathan added layers of complexity to the narrative, as Quinn grappled with her conflicting desires and Jonathan offered understanding and solace in her time of need. The exploration of themes such as grief, loss, coping mechanisms, and the intricacies of human connection resonated deeply with me, elevating the story beyond mere steamy encounters.

I appreciated how Blaine delved into the psychological aspects of Quinn's journey, including her exploration of BDSM as a means of coping with her emotions. This added depth and authenticity to the narrative, making it more than just a typical romance novel.

However, I found myself frustrated by the cliffhanger ending, as it left me longing for resolution and closure. Despite this, "Silently" left a lasting impression on me, prompting introspection and contemplation long after I finished reading. For its raw honesty, compelling storyline, and exploration of complex emotions, I would award "Silently" three stars, with hopes for a satisfying sequel.

Disclaimer: I received a digital advanced reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.
This is my first title by this author and will read more in the future.
I am not normally a fan of romance but i did enjoy this.
Thanks 3/5 stars

I’ll read more books by the author in the future after reading this one. This author writes with such verve and positivity and emotional intelligence.

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for an advance copy of this one in exchange for an honest review!

Not my typical genre, but an interesting read that is true to it's description: "Steamy" and "intense." Moved a little slow in spots but will definitely be recommending to my readers who like the romance & erotica genres.

Description

Her needs, his limits. White-hot chemistry and anguished desire. The promises and costs of a shared future

Award-winning novelist Quinn Layborn lost her muse the day her husband died. Still mourning more than a year on, the last thing she wants is a second chance. At writing or romance.

Tonight, as dinner guests gossip in her breezy beach house—her agent's well-meaning intervention—she arms herself with a full glass of red wine: Don't come close.

Until a raw and undeniable craving shatters her isolation.

Cable network travel-show host Jonathan Jaines still struggles with the terrible mistake that ruined his marriage. Tonight, he watches Quinn move among the guests like a ghost. His heart aches for her. The vivacious woman he knew from the movie set a few years ago? Gone, replaced with a grieving widow.

When she stuns him with the words she whispers in his ear, he cannot—can not—say no.

One brazen move. Two simple rules.

From an eastern Long Island hamlet to a posh Manhattan dungeon, Quinn and Jonathan push boundaries: between pleasure and pain, control and surrender, trust and forgiveness. But as feelings and the risk of heartbreak grow, as their pasts and potential future collide, just how far will they go?

Fast-paced and intense, Silently is a story about devastating loss, primal need, and the unexpected bonds that help us heal.

Silently launches the Transformation Series. The books should be read in order.

While I enjoyed this short story, it wasn't really a romance or just an erotic sex story. It was somewhere in between. I kind of wish there had either been more of a story between the 2 of them or just a few more sex scenes.

Silently by Elle Thorpe is a steamy and emotional romance novel that follows Quinn Layborn, an award-winning novelist who lost her husband and muse, and Jonathan Jaines, a cable network travel-show host who still struggles with the mistake that ruined his marriage. When they reconnect at a dinner party, their attraction is undeniable, and they embark on a journey of pushing boundaries between pleasure and pain, control and surrender, trust and forgiveness.

The story is told in dual points of view, allowing readers to get a glimpse into both Quinn and Jonathan's thoughts and emotions. Thorpe's writing style is fast-paced and intense, creating a sense of urgency that keeps readers engaged throughout the novel. Despite the mature themes and past cheating, the author manages to balance the high emotional intensity with low melodrama, making it a realistic and relatable read.

What makes this novel stand out is the fact that the main characters are in their 40s, a refreshing change from the typical young adult romance novels. This adds depth and complexity to the story, as the characters have lived through more life experiences and are dealing with different challenges than their younger counterparts. The author also explores themes of grief, loss, and healing in a nuanced and realistic way.

Overall, Silently is a captivating and steamy read that will leave readers eager for the next installment in the series. It is recommended for fans of mature romance novels with complex characters, emotional depth, and super-steamy bedroom scenes.

While this is a romance, I wouldn't classify it as escapism. The main character uses sex as a way to deal with her grief. There is not cheating in this story, but the MMC has cheated on a previous relationship (he is regretful, but I know some readers might want to avoid that in a romance novel). I enjoyed the writing and the well-rounded characters. I especially liked that the main character was a woman in control of her faculties and her actions, and did not need to be "saved" by a man.

Thank you to Blaine, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

A highly emotional and erotic story about grief and loss, where Quinn, a novelist, loses the love of her life, and with him her will to write. Her agent does everything she can to help her client/friend. In an attempt to help her, the agent sets a party in Quinn's house, where the novelist meets Jonathan, with whom she had worked with before. They are instantly attracted to each other. What begins as an temporary escape from the emotional pain to Quinn, it starts to grow as a permanent relationship with complicated feelings. But Quinn keeps focusing in the physical pain to punish herself, to try to relief the guilt she feels.
The book end in a kind of a cliff hanger and now I want to know more about these two characters, so it's safe to say that I really enjoyed reading this book.

A well written story, told by Quinn's and Jonathan's POV. This was my first book by this author and I will be following her for more books.

I'm not particularly eager to write bad reviews for books, but I have to be sincere with myself and write what I honestly think. I was looking for some hot erotica "fast-paced and intense" but... I did not get it from Silently - as well as other promised things from the blurb.
This story would introduce us to a character that is grieving after the loss of her husband, this should give me some wrenching in my guts and sadness, but Quinn's feelings are making me annoyed with her. I should be able to connect with her and the sadness should get me with its claws. No connection was created between a main female character and a male character Jonathan - though he was fresh air. Why? He's not an alpha male, but a beta man, which was an intriguing and nice variation from other books.
To sum up this review - this book, unfortunately, didn't meet my expectations (I wanted romance and all feelings coming with overcoming grief, but it just started - not the "in-between phase") and I will most likely not continue reading the next books in this series. I think this story could use a lot more character development and relationship development, as the overall idea was interesting so it would be a nice thing to get it improved.

An emotional slow burn that deals with grief and loss. I was entertained by the book, but never really felt connected with the characters. The romance felt forced and underdeveloped. Not sure I will pick up the next in the series.

Not my cup of tea. for me at least in reading silently (transformation), A slow burn romance. An emotional book dealing with grief and loss. In the first few pages of the book we meet Quinn who is sad over someone who has passed away and first chapter is the interaction with seems like people she does not want to be around in her home dropping in and their condolences and her leading man she is attracted to., Quinn is hard on herself in dealing with the loss of a loved. Jonathon her love interest is a heatthrob in the way he takes care of her without really touching Quinn is sweet and sexy! He gives her what she needs without words.

This was a first read for me from Talya Blaine. This was an emotional book dealing with grief and loss. There were a few times it got a little slow but then it picked up and I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend this book. I think it has something for everyone.

Thanks NetGallley and BookGoSocilal for allowing me to read this ARC.

Highly emotional. Written in a simple and easy style. Famous author, Quinn lost her husband and now her life and her writing both are suffering. She found solace in Jonathan's companionship. Together they explored the world of pleasure and pain. Slowly they started to have feelings toward each other deeply. Steamy read and the characters are likable... well written pastime read. Thanks, Netgalley and Talya Blaine.

What a lovely read. I enjoyed reading this novel. I would definitely recommend it to others. Defitelty a must read.

Thank you NetGalley and Talya Blaine for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I originally thought that this book was going to start out as your typical widow book does.. She is sad and lonely, meets a man, he makes her smile, and the rest is history. But this book was so much more. It allowed the woman to still grieve, and the man was understanding enough to look after her needs. Even if those needs were just sexual favors. In a way, they helped each other. She was able to let go of her thoughts, her feelings, her sorrow.. And he was able to change. He realized that being with someone is about helping them and following their subtle cues in order to make things work. It was beautifully written.

I do think that there lacked a bit of drama and emotion to some level. You can only read so much sadness and pity before you get bored. It did release why she was so hard on herself for his death, it was mentioned later in the book. Maayybee it should have been mentioned earlier so that you understood her better.. but that is just me. There is minimal drama in this, just once scene near the end. I do hope that there is more to their story than just this. They deserve more.

Whilst I enjoyed Jonathan as a character, I really struggled from the beginning with Quinn and just not connect. Whilst their story was interesting and exploring the topic of grief was an important part of it, not being able to connect with Quinn just overall made for an OK read.

This book is a really good start to a new series! I liked the main characters and the story of loss and love. I highly recommend this author.

ARC received by NetGalley. Thank you!

Steamy Rating: 3.7

Quinn, a successful novelist, is processing the sudden loss of the love of her life and the subsequent guilt. So when an opportunity to have a night with an acquaintance, Jonathan, presents itself she seizes the opportunity. Jonathan is a safe choice as public opinion has proven him to be a cheater and not relationship material.

What follows is Quinn really battling with her guilt and the need to punish herself for wanting someone else other than her deceased husband. Jonathan proves to be understanding of Quinn's need for silent encounters where she can close her eyes and try to forget her guilt, while also wanting to increasingly up the punishment game.

Silently has its moments of steamy action but also addresses pretty heavy topics such as grief, loss, coping and cheating. It also explores a minor level of BDSM and why some people may seek out these experiences. This made for a nice change of pace from a typical steamy ready which I appreciated. The storyline was actually more engaging than the sex scenes.

The book is setting up for a sequel which left me at a bit of a cliffhanger which I absolutely hate.

This was an interesting read. I felt like it dragged a bit and there were moments I wanted to dnf this book because of that. But I was glad I stuck it through until the end. The spice was good and with this being dual pov, I enjoyed getting both characters perspective on the sex as well as what was going on in both of their lives. While sex was a factor throughout the entire story, it wasn’t necessarily focused on that, if that makes sense. Getting passed both characters past was the focal point and sex became the thing that helped.