Book Review: Love Comes Silently by Andrew Grey

Title: Love Comes Silently
Series: Senses, Book 1
Author: Andrew Grey
Genre: Contemporary Romance, M/M Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: review copy provided by publisher
Published: October 1, 2012 by Dreamspinner Press

Caring for a loved one with cancer is tough. Doing it alone is overwhelming—especially when that loved one is a child. But ever since Ken Brighton’s partner left him, Ken has spent his days at the hospital with his daughter, Hanna, hoping for a miracle. Maybe the mysterious care packages that appear for Hanna don’t qualify, but they bring a spark of hope into his and Hanna’s tired life—and so does Ken’s neighbor, former singer Patrick Flaherty.

For two years Patrick hasn’t been able to focus on anything but the life he should have had. An injury robbed him of his voice, and the idea of introducing himself to new people intimidates him. But over the past months, he’s watched as his neighbor nursed his sick child, and once he meets Ken, Patrick starts to crave a life with him—a life he isn't sure he can have.

Ken doesn’t realize he’s fallen in love until the doctors send Hanna home, saying there’s nothing more they can do: Hanna will either recover or succumb. Ken’s heart is set on a new beginning—with both Patrick and Hanna. But Patrick's silence leaves Ken wondering what Patrick wants.

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: Great premise but I wanted more relationship development between the men and less about the child plot moppet.

The Set Up: Ken’s partner left him when his adopted daughter, Hanna, was battling cancer. Now Ken and Hanna look for anything to lighten up their days spent in treatment and it comes in surprise gift boxes from their neighbor, Patrick. Patrick has isolated himself since a terrible crime made him mute but Ken and Hanna make him want to open himself to the world again.

Why I Read this Book: This book has an excellent Goodreads rating as readers adore its emotional story of a little girl battling cancer and the two men who find love because of it.

What I Liked: I really liked the premise of this book and the well written characters. Patrick’s isolation caused by his muteness is compelling and readers will respond to his vulnerability. Ken’s love and devotion for his daughter perfectly captures parenthood in my opinion and watching him struggle alone with Hanna’s cancer is emotional. Hanna’s a plot moppet, I admit, but she’s cute and open hearted so it worked.

At novel’s beginning Ken and Hanna are a unit and Patrick is alone looking in at the cute family. So I liked the set-up of Patrick slowly becoming part of Ken and Hanna’s family and their battle against Hanna’s cancer. This is an emotional swamp of a premise but I like those so was happy with the premise.

What I Also Liked: This author excels at creating a community for his characters and he does that here in this book too. Patrick’s cousin is a charming addition to the book. Patrick brings his cousin into Hanna’s life to celebrate the holidays early and this may have soft-hearted readers sniffling a bit. Hanna’s doctor is also a good character with her selfless quest to cure Hanna and support Ken.

What I Didn’t Like: I wanted to enjoy this cutesy book but couldn’t because I’m a relationship fan. I wanted to see Patrick and Ken’s relationship develop, not see them react to Hanna’s battle with cancer. It seemed the cancer progressed the men’s relationship more than their emotions or discussions. For instance, even the first time they have sex is because of one of Hanna’s regressions and their feelings about it. I think this was compounded by the fact that Patrick could only communicate with Ken via writing and his “expressive” body language. I felt cheated out of Patrick and Ken’s relationship development as they became a couple because of Hanna’s cancer and her treatments, not because they communicated an emotional intimacy.

To be fair, the epilogue was well done and offered a glimpse at the relationship development I wanted the entire book.

IMO: I’m the outlier here because I wanted more romance relationship developed and less of the cancer plot.

J9’s Rating:

 

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