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Silence Speaks for Love
'Mandy's 21st birthday was memorable - because she met Brian Stone. The huskily handsome adventure story writer was drawn to the idea of a secretary who wouldn't answer him back, and hired her to work for him. It also seemed he was greatly attracted to having a biddable wife, for he asked Mandy to marry him as well. But Mandy wasn't sure that Brian was actually attracted to her - even though she was certain of her love for him - and there wasn't an easy way of telling him just exactly how she felt...'
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1990
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About the author
Emma Goldrick
149 books33 followersEmma Goldrick is the penname used by the marriage formed by Emma Elizabeth Jean Sutcliffe, borned 7 February 1923 in Puerto Rico, and Robert N. Goldrick, borned on 22 March 1919 in Massachusetts, USA. They met in Puerto Rico, where married. She was a licensed practical nurse, volunteered with American Red Cross and she taught American Sign Language and he was a career USA military man. Thirty years and 4 children later they retired, and in 1980 they started to write in collaboration, and their first novel was accepted and published in 1983 by Mills & Boon. They continued publishing 40 novels until Robert passed away at 76, in 22 January 1996. After her husband death, she published her last novel and retired. Emma Goldrick passed away at 85, in 20 November 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 14, 2017
Re Silence Speaks for Love - Emma Goldrick has a mute 21 yr old h paired with a 30ish H who is a writer.
The book opens with the h going to the H's house for a big charity ball. It is her 21st birthday and her doctor decided that she should have an evening out and brought her. Then he took off and the h has no way to communicate with anyone, but she does get a dance with the H who thinks she is a teenager.
Later in the garden she attacked by a group of young men, the h has mad karate skillz and kicks them hard where it hurts. The clueless H makes an appearance and convinces himself that he ran them off and that the h was leading them on. The h has no ride home and it starts to rain and she twisted her ankle and so had to go back to the H's house.
Where she promptly faints after giving him a good look at her unclad charms and she winds up staying for a week, while he and his housekeeper nurse her through the flu. When the h awakens, she has a new BFF in Eliza, the H's Great Dane, who looks out for the h as if she were her own puppy and the H soon offers the h a job as his secretary.
The H is a bit of cranky person, he has a tendency to throw things when he is frustrated, but in general his bark is much worse than his bite. It is his intellect that needs some work, tho he does make the effort to leave things around for the h to write on and to learn sign language.
The h, for her part, is madly in love with the H from that first dance. We soon learn that the reasons for her muteness is that when she was 14, her parents were doctors in Africa and were massacred in a guerrilla warfare attack. The last thing the h's mother said to her was to not make a sound or they would all die and the h has been silent ever since.
The H decides that he and the h need a chaperone if she is going to live with him and so he calls his aunt, who has two house guests she is bringing as well. The H and h soon marry, as the H decides that tho he has widely sampled the lady buffet, he wants an untouched entree as his main dish. The aunt and her two house guests soon turn up and the trouble really begins.
The brother and sister house guests are childhood friends of the H and the woman of the pair is a former lover determined to get her man back, she makes various plays like having her brother attack the h, trashing the H's study and ruining the typed novel the h had been working on and assorted other nasty moves, up to and including murdering the h.
Fortunately Eliza has the OW in hand, but things get very dicey after several attempts on the h's life - including pushing her into a pool when she is hydrophobic and stranding her on a ledge all night to die of exposure while she drugged Eliza. The H is oblivious to all of it and actively takes the OW's side without allowing the h to explain each circumstance where the OW makes the h look bad or tries to kill her.
Eventually when the H himself gets knocked unconscious during the cliff episode and the h finally is able to break through her inner trauma to scream, the h decides to take matters into her own hands. She has the H interpret her sign language about the problems created and the attacks by the OW, ( the h can speak now but not well and needs to work on that,) the OW is flat out nasty towards the h. So the h uses her mad karate skillz and physically kicks the OW out. She manhandles the OW out the door into the car and Eliza keeps her there until the OW is driving away screaming.
The H is now complaining cause his wife isn't the biddable sort he took her for and the next bit is a little epilogue where the h and H have a humorous delivery of a baby girl, the H's house is slated to be used again for the now annual charity ball and the H is claiming he will lock the h and himself in their room during it. We also get a nice little tie in to the title when the h looks around and the H and baby are quiet and content and the h is happy to let the silence speak for their love.
The first time and the second time I read this was about twenty or so years apart and I really liked it because of the h and Eliza. Eliza was the huge bonus of this book as she made a much better H than the actual H. The OW was OTT and she was very offensive about the h's disability, in the most derogatory words possible. Which is about what you can expect from an evil OW, but it made me uncomfortable.
What really bugs me more this time, (my third time reading this,) is that the H is utterly oblivious and patronizing and supporting the OW for almost the entire book. The first time it was funny, but by the third he needed a skillet or a thousand and we needed a new H. I just can't buy the love or the HEA when an HP H doesn't stand up for his h.
Sure we know that HP H's are notorious for badly judging women, that is why they need the h to sort them out. But generally at some point there is a definitive choice on the H's part to actively embrace and choose the h and I never saw that happen here in any meaningful manner. The H does mention to the OW that they are over cause he won't buy shopworn goods, but he doesn't ever defend the h or enquire into the cause of all these accidents and he still listens to the OW over the h.
HP H's are supposed to deal with their own garbage and take out their own trash, and while I was delighted the h has the muscle to carry out her own trash disposal, I was very saddened that the H completely neglected the task and that he still continued to be a patronizing idiot for the entire book. So overall this was a downward scale slide for me in the ongoing saga of HPlandia.
The book opens with the h going to the H's house for a big charity ball. It is her 21st birthday and her doctor decided that she should have an evening out and brought her. Then he took off and the h has no way to communicate with anyone, but she does get a dance with the H who thinks she is a teenager.
Later in the garden she attacked by a group of young men, the h has mad karate skillz and kicks them hard where it hurts. The clueless H makes an appearance and convinces himself that he ran them off and that the h was leading them on. The h has no ride home and it starts to rain and she twisted her ankle and so had to go back to the H's house.
Where she promptly faints after giving him a good look at her unclad charms and she winds up staying for a week, while he and his housekeeper nurse her through the flu. When the h awakens, she has a new BFF in Eliza, the H's Great Dane, who looks out for the h as if she were her own puppy and the H soon offers the h a job as his secretary.
The H is a bit of cranky person, he has a tendency to throw things when he is frustrated, but in general his bark is much worse than his bite. It is his intellect that needs some work, tho he does make the effort to leave things around for the h to write on and to learn sign language.
The h, for her part, is madly in love with the H from that first dance. We soon learn that the reasons for her muteness is that when she was 14, her parents were doctors in Africa and were massacred in a guerrilla warfare attack. The last thing the h's mother said to her was to not make a sound or they would all die and the h has been silent ever since.
The H decides that he and the h need a chaperone if she is going to live with him and so he calls his aunt, who has two house guests she is bringing as well. The H and h soon marry, as the H decides that tho he has widely sampled the lady buffet, he wants an untouched entree as his main dish. The aunt and her two house guests soon turn up and the trouble really begins.
The brother and sister house guests are childhood friends of the H and the woman of the pair is a former lover determined to get her man back, she makes various plays like having her brother attack the h, trashing the H's study and ruining the typed novel the h had been working on and assorted other nasty moves, up to and including murdering the h.
Fortunately Eliza has the OW in hand, but things get very dicey after several attempts on the h's life - including pushing her into a pool when she is hydrophobic and stranding her on a ledge all night to die of exposure while she drugged Eliza. The H is oblivious to all of it and actively takes the OW's side without allowing the h to explain each circumstance where the OW makes the h look bad or tries to kill her.
Eventually when the H himself gets knocked unconscious during the cliff episode and the h finally is able to break through her inner trauma to scream, the h decides to take matters into her own hands. She has the H interpret her sign language about the problems created and the attacks by the OW, ( the h can speak now but not well and needs to work on that,) the OW is flat out nasty towards the h. So the h uses her mad karate skillz and physically kicks the OW out. She manhandles the OW out the door into the car and Eliza keeps her there until the OW is driving away screaming.
The H is now complaining cause his wife isn't the biddable sort he took her for and the next bit is a little epilogue where the h and H have a humorous delivery of a baby girl, the H's house is slated to be used again for the now annual charity ball and the H is claiming he will lock the h and himself in their room during it. We also get a nice little tie in to the title when the h looks around and the H and baby are quiet and content and the h is happy to let the silence speak for their love.
The first time and the second time I read this was about twenty or so years apart and I really liked it because of the h and Eliza. Eliza was the huge bonus of this book as she made a much better H than the actual H. The OW was OTT and she was very offensive about the h's disability, in the most derogatory words possible. Which is about what you can expect from an evil OW, but it made me uncomfortable.
What really bugs me more this time, (my third time reading this,) is that the H is utterly oblivious and patronizing and supporting the OW for almost the entire book. The first time it was funny, but by the third he needed a skillet or a thousand and we needed a new H. I just can't buy the love or the HEA when an HP H doesn't stand up for his h.
Sure we know that HP H's are notorious for badly judging women, that is why they need the h to sort them out. But generally at some point there is a definitive choice on the H's part to actively embrace and choose the h and I never saw that happen here in any meaningful manner. The H does mention to the OW that they are over cause he won't buy shopworn goods, but he doesn't ever defend the h or enquire into the cause of all these accidents and he still listens to the OW over the h.
HP H's are supposed to deal with their own garbage and take out their own trash, and while I was delighted the h has the muscle to carry out her own trash disposal, I was very saddened that the H completely neglected the task and that he still continued to be a patronizing idiot for the entire book. So overall this was a downward scale slide for me in the ongoing saga of HPlandia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2011
I really enjoyed this HP and the mute heroine. Mandy was a hoot with her caustic inner musing. I didn't find her childlike at all, despite a tendency to giggle silently. Her thoughts and desires were those of an adult. She was a bit immature at the start but she was a sheltered 21, and she grew by the end. Loved when she confronted the bitch Meredith.
I liked the hero too. I didn't mind the lack of his POV cuz his moods and thinking were pretty obvious. Except when he declared he'd loved Mandy before he married her - where did THAT come from? Seemed abrupt and unsupported. I liked that he wasn't a Latin billionaire or some such, but a guy who worked for his living. He seemed like a real male, oblivious and convinced he's the lord of the castle. Mandy's silent lobs at him were funny, and by the end he wasn't quite so smug.
The plot was pretty original. This was a different HP than the ones you see too much of nowadays. No billionaires, mistresses, playboys, or secret babies in sight. So refreshing.
A couple of nitpicks. Some weird word choices that seemed out of place in a contemp. Who calls pumps "ballroom slippers"? And the talk about being ruined and needing a chaperone? WTF? Is this the 1950's?
Aunt Rose was great though and I loved the sly way she got them together.
OTOH the OW was a total cliche. No subtlety there at all. How did she expect to get away with all she did? I liked when the hero told her off. And I loved when Mandy threw her out, LOL!
This was my first read by Emma Goldrick, and though it's one-of-a-kind, I liked her writing enough to seek out another. Recommended!
I liked the hero too. I didn't mind the lack of his POV cuz his moods and thinking were pretty obvious. Except when he declared he'd loved Mandy before he married her - where did THAT come from? Seemed abrupt and unsupported. I liked that he wasn't a Latin billionaire or some such, but a guy who worked for his living. He seemed like a real male, oblivious and convinced he's the lord of the castle. Mandy's silent lobs at him were funny, and by the end he wasn't quite so smug.
The plot was pretty original. This was a different HP than the ones you see too much of nowadays. No billionaires, mistresses, playboys, or secret babies in sight. So refreshing.
A couple of nitpicks. Some weird word choices that seemed out of place in a contemp. Who calls pumps "ballroom slippers"? And the talk about being ruined and needing a chaperone? WTF? Is this the 1950's?
Aunt Rose was great though and I loved the sly way she got them together.
OTOH the OW was a total cliche. No subtlety there at all. How did she expect to get away with all she did? I liked when the hero told her off. And I loved when Mandy threw her out, LOL!
This was my first read by Emma Goldrick, and though it's one-of-a-kind, I liked her writing enough to seek out another. Recommended!
June 14, 2022
This book had an odd romcom feel while dealing with some serious stuff like PTSD, and murdered parents, and attempted murder in the h.
I liked a lot of stuff… the h was plucky, the OW was deliciously evil…
The hero was a big fat dud. I kept waiting for him to pull his head out of his ass, but he was a major disappointment at every turn. He was very passive. Even when he proposed he was all but forced into it by his aunt… then the evil OW shows up and it’s pretty obvious she has it out for his wife but he spends his days rolling around and giggling with her by the pool while his mistreated wife is stuck inside slaving over his book. He’s not mean to the h himself, he’s very jocular and ready for smexxy times, but he really deserved a kick to the nuts. He never defended his wife against a woman who called his wife terrible names and made fun of her mutism. And while the scene where the h kicks her to the curb had some charm, I really wanted the H to FINALLY take out his own trash…. But no. He had the audacity to tell the h that maybe she was overreacting…. This is AFTER the h reveals all the OW’s misdeeds, including:
- having her brother sexually assault the h on their arrival
- tearing up the study in a fit of rage
- pushing the h into the pool when she knew she couldn’t swim (h nearly drowned)
- luring the h to a cliff and leaving her stranded to die
- poisoning her dog
This man deserved for his sweet wife to leave his ass, but all he got was a cake in his lap. He never even apologized. 😐
Side note - the h spends a lot of time inappropriately naked. It’s weird. Particularly for a girl who is so sheltered and innocent. 🥴
Bottom Line? I would have given this a 3-4 star if the H had shown his love and loyalty, defended his wife, and kicked the OW to the curb HIMSELF, but he never did. I wasn’t convinced he didn’t still want the OW, even if he was sweet to the h 🤷🏼♀️ ⭐️⭐️
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- OW drama - she’s evil, he’s stupid, and he doesn’t discourage her, except to say that he prefers his wife cuz she’s only been with him and she’s great in the sack. What a prince.
- no OM drama - a too bad for that
- dubcon - the OW’s brother tries to assault the h
- no condoms or safety talk - she’s given birth control but intentionally doesn’t take it
- h is a 21 yr old virgin
- H is a 32 yr old experienced man, it implied that he’s gotten around - but maybe not a manwhore since he’s a little antisocial and prefers to be writing.
I liked a lot of stuff… the h was plucky, the OW was deliciously evil…
The hero was a big fat dud. I kept waiting for him to pull his head out of his ass, but he was a major disappointment at every turn. He was very passive. Even when he proposed he was all but forced into it by his aunt… then the evil OW shows up and it’s pretty obvious she has it out for his wife but he spends his days rolling around and giggling with her by the pool while his mistreated wife is stuck inside slaving over his book. He’s not mean to the h himself, he’s very jocular and ready for smexxy times, but he really deserved a kick to the nuts. He never defended his wife against a woman who called his wife terrible names and made fun of her mutism. And while the scene where the h kicks her to the curb had some charm, I really wanted the H to FINALLY take out his own trash…. But no. He had the audacity to tell the h that maybe she was overreacting…. This is AFTER the h reveals all the OW’s misdeeds, including:
- having her brother sexually assault the h on their arrival
- tearing up the study in a fit of rage
- pushing the h into the pool when she knew she couldn’t swim (h nearly drowned)
- luring the h to a cliff and leaving her stranded to die
- poisoning her dog
This man deserved for his sweet wife to leave his ass, but all he got was a cake in his lap. He never even apologized. 😐
Side note - the h spends a lot of time inappropriately naked. It’s weird. Particularly for a girl who is so sheltered and innocent. 🥴
Bottom Line? I would have given this a 3-4 star if the H had shown his love and loyalty, defended his wife, and kicked the OW to the curb HIMSELF, but he never did. I wasn’t convinced he didn’t still want the OW, even if he was sweet to the h 🤷🏼♀️ ⭐️⭐️
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- OW drama - she’s evil, he’s stupid, and he doesn’t discourage her, except to say that he prefers his wife cuz she’s only been with him and she’s great in the sack. What a prince.
- no OM drama - a too bad for that
- dubcon - the OW’s brother tries to assault the h
- no condoms or safety talk - she’s given birth control but intentionally doesn’t take it
- h is a 21 yr old virgin
- H is a 32 yr old experienced man, it implied that he’s gotten around - but maybe not a manwhore since he’s a little antisocial and prefers to be writing.
June 28, 2021
I have recently acquired 3 EG books. This one was sitting alone on the Goodwill shelf just ready for me to get. So this is my first EG experience(a husband and wife team). I do not know EG’s style in writing yet and the reviews for this story(there aren’t many) were mainly middle of the road. I, however, really enjoyed the book. This surprised me because the h is mute, and I was thinking that it would be hard for me to enjoy that. However, it added a whole different level of writing.
Our h is 21 years old. She became mute during a violent tragic episode at 14 that also took the life of her parents. She also has a fear of water. Our h’s money is handled by a law firm which also employed a very unloving caretaker for the h(it’s just a job for her and now that the h is 21 she can leave with a bonus in hand). The caretaker believes that her mutism is caused because she affronted God in some way. Basically, the only thing our h has in the world is her volunteer jobs and the older married Dr. who is familiar with her case and encourages her to get out in the world. He takes her to a charity ball at the H’s house and then abandons her when he is called to emergency.(this part didn’t sit well with me, because or h has no way of communicating, no way to get back home, and has been sheltered for a long time from society.) The Dr. should have set up something for her before dashing out. While at the ball, the H dances with the h, gives her a kiss and likes that she is quiet. He thinks she must be a 16 year old who is attending with her parents, later he happens upon her after she has her dressed ripped from 3 gate crashing young men intent on harassing her(she has some skills in self defense and had the 3 on the run) The H thinks she was purposely attracting that sort of attention but has her set up with his housekeeper to sew her dress. It is now the end of the party, she leaves with the intent to walk 2 miles back, in the pouring rain wearing unsuitable shoes. Her hydrophobia ends up taking over and she ends up back at the H’s house, ringing the doorbell. She is out there for quite awhile before the Great Dane Liza happens to put her wrist in her mouth(gently).
Our h becomes very sick, but the H(who doesn’t know her from Adam) takes care of her with the help of the housekeeper and the over attentive dog Liza. We never get the H’s point of view, but seriously the guy is very tender with the h. She eventually is able to communicate that she is a mute. She gets better and discovers that she would make an excellent typist for his books. They get her stuff from her house and then his housekeeper says that it will be shocking if the h and H were sharing a house without a chaperone. So he calls his aunt in Florida and she comes to stay at the house. She spends time teaching the H sign language and he also puts boards and pads of paper around the house so she can communicate easily with others. The h starts falling for the H right away(and why not he is very caring of her) and she signs I Love You to him. At this point he has no idea what she signed and he thinks it was the sign for Thank You. (So she avoids teaching him the words thank you and I love you so he won’t know 😂)
Meanwhile, Liza, one of the best dogs in HP land, has become Mandy’s guardian. When the H(Scott) wants to see the h she will grip Mandy by the wrist and guide her to him. Liza doesn’t take no for an answer. Sometimes Liza grabs Mandy before she is properly clothed. One of the best scenes in the book is when she grabs Mandy leaving the shower and Mandy doesn’t have time to grab anything but a towel. She is led to Scott’s room who is wrapped in a towel as well and in walks the aunt. The aunt is outraged and her and the H talk about a marriage between him and the h. The h is just listening to this conversation as they talk about it. So he looks at the h and asks her to marry him. The aunt slyly leaves the room, and gives the dog a treat for a job well done! Naughty Aunt had been working with the dog for such an occasion.
They marry, The morning after the wedding she signs that she loves him, and he says I know you do(he bought a book) but the h becomes angry when after 3 days he has still not taken her virginity. She goes on strike. Then he says he has to meet with the publishers and will be back by 8. She gets dressed seductively, and he doesn’t show until after 10. She throws the manuscript into the fire. He shakes her and yells at her and tells her that was dumb, dumb, dumb to do that. Dumb is a trigger for her as kids bullied her with dummy when she was younger. She runs out of the house with Liza in tow. The H becomes distraught but she is too quick. She disappears for a couple of days(she went to her house after getting a lift from a local fisherman) They are combing the river for her as it looks like she might have fallen in. Finally, the fisherman who was out of town tells everyone where she is. The H declares how much he loves her. They finally consummate their marriage and it sounds like they are very compatible in bed. So great, end of story right? Nope...we still have 80 more pages left. WHAT???!! I know!!!
All I am going to say about those last 80 pages, is that there is a crazy OW who comes to stay with them at the house. She is bat shit crazy. During the course of her evil machinations, the H informs her that she was never in the running and that the h is a wild cat in his bed, plus he knows that she has only tasted his fruit unlike the OW. The h after some hijinks from the OW that almost left her and her beloved Liza dead, kicks the ow out of the house after informing everyone of her crimes. The one good thing that came out of her traumatic experience with the ow is that she is starting to regain her voice, although it is slow going. However, it will be good as she and the H have a baby girl by the end of the story. She originally wanted 4 kids, but the H was so traumatized by the birthing process, he is thinking one is enough. It’s quite obvious to the reader that the h will get her way and at least have 1 more so the baby isn’t an only child.
I really liked how even though we did not see the POV of the H, I felt like he showed he cared about her with little kisses, pats on the butt, holding her, having her sit in his lap, learning sign language....he was very tender with her and she really needed that feeling of safety after all she had been through. Although I didn’t discuss it, our h is fiery. She has a temper and we see all of her thoughts because she is mute. I just think this was done well. And Liza the dog was drawn to the h immediately. My only sadness was that Liza is 8. Great Danes do not live very long 10-12 max. Then I have to shake myself and say THIS is fiction...Liza is not real!!!!
Our h is 21 years old. She became mute during a violent tragic episode at 14 that also took the life of her parents. She also has a fear of water. Our h’s money is handled by a law firm which also employed a very unloving caretaker for the h(it’s just a job for her and now that the h is 21 she can leave with a bonus in hand). The caretaker believes that her mutism is caused because she affronted God in some way. Basically, the only thing our h has in the world is her volunteer jobs and the older married Dr. who is familiar with her case and encourages her to get out in the world. He takes her to a charity ball at the H’s house and then abandons her when he is called to emergency.(this part didn’t sit well with me, because or h has no way of communicating, no way to get back home, and has been sheltered for a long time from society.) The Dr. should have set up something for her before dashing out. While at the ball, the H dances with the h, gives her a kiss and likes that she is quiet. He thinks she must be a 16 year old who is attending with her parents, later he happens upon her after she has her dressed ripped from 3 gate crashing young men intent on harassing her(she has some skills in self defense and had the 3 on the run) The H thinks she was purposely attracting that sort of attention but has her set up with his housekeeper to sew her dress. It is now the end of the party, she leaves with the intent to walk 2 miles back, in the pouring rain wearing unsuitable shoes. Her hydrophobia ends up taking over and she ends up back at the H’s house, ringing the doorbell. She is out there for quite awhile before the Great Dane Liza happens to put her wrist in her mouth(gently).
Our h becomes very sick, but the H(who doesn’t know her from Adam) takes care of her with the help of the housekeeper and the over attentive dog Liza. We never get the H’s point of view, but seriously the guy is very tender with the h. She eventually is able to communicate that she is a mute. She gets better and discovers that she would make an excellent typist for his books. They get her stuff from her house and then his housekeeper says that it will be shocking if the h and H were sharing a house without a chaperone. So he calls his aunt in Florida and she comes to stay at the house. She spends time teaching the H sign language and he also puts boards and pads of paper around the house so she can communicate easily with others. The h starts falling for the H right away(and why not he is very caring of her) and she signs I Love You to him. At this point he has no idea what she signed and he thinks it was the sign for Thank You. (So she avoids teaching him the words thank you and I love you so he won’t know 😂)
Meanwhile, Liza, one of the best dogs in HP land, has become Mandy’s guardian. When the H(Scott) wants to see the h she will grip Mandy by the wrist and guide her to him. Liza doesn’t take no for an answer. Sometimes Liza grabs Mandy before she is properly clothed. One of the best scenes in the book is when she grabs Mandy leaving the shower and Mandy doesn’t have time to grab anything but a towel. She is led to Scott’s room who is wrapped in a towel as well and in walks the aunt. The aunt is outraged and her and the H talk about a marriage between him and the h. The h is just listening to this conversation as they talk about it. So he looks at the h and asks her to marry him. The aunt slyly leaves the room, and gives the dog a treat for a job well done! Naughty Aunt had been working with the dog for such an occasion.
They marry, The morning after the wedding she signs that she loves him, and he says I know you do(he bought a book) but the h becomes angry when after 3 days he has still not taken her virginity. She goes on strike. Then he says he has to meet with the publishers and will be back by 8. She gets dressed seductively, and he doesn’t show until after 10. She throws the manuscript into the fire. He shakes her and yells at her and tells her that was dumb, dumb, dumb to do that. Dumb is a trigger for her as kids bullied her with dummy when she was younger. She runs out of the house with Liza in tow. The H becomes distraught but she is too quick. She disappears for a couple of days(she went to her house after getting a lift from a local fisherman) They are combing the river for her as it looks like she might have fallen in. Finally, the fisherman who was out of town tells everyone where she is. The H declares how much he loves her. They finally consummate their marriage and it sounds like they are very compatible in bed. So great, end of story right? Nope...we still have 80 more pages left. WHAT???!! I know!!!
All I am going to say about those last 80 pages, is that there is a crazy OW who comes to stay with them at the house. She is bat shit crazy. During the course of her evil machinations, the H informs her that she was never in the running and that the h is a wild cat in his bed, plus he knows that she has only tasted his fruit unlike the OW. The h after some hijinks from the OW that almost left her and her beloved Liza dead, kicks the ow out of the house after informing everyone of her crimes. The one good thing that came out of her traumatic experience with the ow is that she is starting to regain her voice, although it is slow going. However, it will be good as she and the H have a baby girl by the end of the story. She originally wanted 4 kids, but the H was so traumatized by the birthing process, he is thinking one is enough. It’s quite obvious to the reader that the h will get her way and at least have 1 more so the baby isn’t an only child.
I really liked how even though we did not see the POV of the H, I felt like he showed he cared about her with little kisses, pats on the butt, holding her, having her sit in his lap, learning sign language....he was very tender with her and she really needed that feeling of safety after all she had been through. Although I didn’t discuss it, our h is fiery. She has a temper and we see all of her thoughts because she is mute. I just think this was done well. And Liza the dog was drawn to the h immediately. My only sadness was that Liza is 8. Great Danes do not live very long 10-12 max. Then I have to shake myself and say THIS is fiction...Liza is not real!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2017
"Silence Speaks for Love" tells the story of Mandy and Brian.
When Mandy encounters Brian on a night she's accompanying an old friend, she's swept away by his arms, literally.
Soon circumstances lead for them to move in, and ultimately get married- while she works for him and fights his shitty ex.
I love characters that are written well while having disabilities (because none of us are perfect)- and when it comes to that- Mandy was a strong woman who could take care of herself (surviving time and again through martial arts- through all the rape and murder attempts) - and she only surrendered when it came to love.
The hero Brian on the other hand was sweet at some times (like when he instantly starts taking care of the heroine, puts pen and paper everywhere, saves her), however he was shallow (ie how he brought Meredith into the house, treated her like a secretary more than a wife, listed her as docile and biddable)- and the heroine had to literally shove the truth down the hero's throat every time.
I didn't mind the heroine's tantrums because I can imagine being that frustrated by such a husband too.
Much love to Liza, the dog.
I really, really adored the ending and the epilogue.
Safe
3.25/5
When Mandy encounters Brian on a night she's accompanying an old friend, she's swept away by his arms, literally.
Soon circumstances lead for them to move in, and ultimately get married- while she works for him and fights his shitty ex.
I love characters that are written well while having disabilities (because none of us are perfect)- and when it comes to that- Mandy was a strong woman who could take care of herself (surviving time and again through martial arts- through all the rape and murder attempts) - and she only surrendered when it came to love.
The hero Brian on the other hand was sweet at some times (like when he instantly starts taking care of the heroine, puts pen and paper everywhere, saves her), however he was shallow (ie how he brought Meredith into the house, treated her like a secretary more than a wife, listed her as docile and biddable)- and the heroine had to literally shove the truth down the hero's throat every time.
I didn't mind the heroine's tantrums because I can imagine being that frustrated by such a husband too.
Much love to Liza, the dog.
I really, really adored the ending and the epilogue.
Safe
3.25/5
April 13, 2022
I know I’m generous with my rating but loved the h and her antics. Great scene with OW at the end.
But my favorite character was Lisa, great Danua with big and loyal heart.
But my favorite character was Lisa, great Danua with big and loyal heart.
July 12, 2021
So much fun complete with ghastly, vile, offensive, monstrous OW; feisty h; and good-hearted but completely clueless H. The h has had a tough time of it, but she manages to overcome her challenges, crush the OW, and start the H down the road of not being such a complete idiot via strategic application of a pie to the face. 3.5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2013
2-1/2 stars
Interesting premise. The mute girl was an interesting twist. She was written very childish seeming and her continual giggling to herself got annoying. The hero was sort of a Professor Higgins sort. Very self absorbed and superior in a 'that's just the way the world works' way. I had no real problem with that but I did have a problem with his not standing up for his wife against the OW's shenanigans.
Interesting premise. The mute girl was an interesting twist. She was written very childish seeming and her continual giggling to herself got annoying. The hero was sort of a Professor Higgins sort. Very self absorbed and superior in a 'that's just the way the world works' way. I had no real problem with that but I did have a problem with his not standing up for his wife against the OW's shenanigans.
June 27, 2011
3 things I could loathed about this book – but didn’t.
1. The fairy tale ambiance.
From the onset, this book read like a script for Disney’s 1991 Beauty and the Beast film, complete with a ballroom scene with the prince and heroine. It could’ve been so ludicrous set in a contemporary novel but Emma Goldrick wrote the plot in deftly: The host of a country ball, and hero of the story, espies our young lady hiding behind the potted plants. As she does a pretend curtsy to said potted plants, he grasps her hand and leads her off to waltz. For being sigh-worthy: 4 stars.
And Lumiere and Mrs. Potts? The book also featured the requisite trusty household retainers and loyal pets who were just as indulgent and conniving as the Disney characters when it came to pushing the two main characters together. Half of the time, I was expecting them to gleefully break out into this song:
Well, who'd have known? Well, who indeed?
And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own?
It's so peculiar. Wait and see
We'll wait and see a few days more
There may be something there that wasn't there before
Perhaps there's something there that wasn't there before
The intervention by secondary characters could’ve been annoying, but I grew to anticipate the deux ex machine. Case in point: the dog Liza showing up after her bath…
2. The beastly hero.
Literally. The prince was written with animal-like features: he looked like a “great big cuddly bear”; his hands were “paws”; he had matted hair on his arms which reminds me of a gorilla; and he bellowed like a bull when he’s angry.
In temperament too he was an ill mannered brute. He threw things when he was upset with his work progress. He shouted first then apologized later. In the heroine’s own words, when he had a bone in his teeth, he’d never let go. And oh! did I mention that he roared when he was mad?
Typically, I’d say a guy with such anger management problems won’t augur well for a Happily-Ever-After (HEA). However, HEA is attainable in this situation because, despite of his beastliness, the hero reserves the tenderest moments and the most thoughtful gestures for the heroine, e.g.: cuddling her at every opportunity; leaving writing tools everywhere for her; learning sign language; and regarding her with a bemused look everytime she scolds him. His easy acceptance that he didn’t get a sweet and biddable girl after all shows that underneath that beastly exterior, he’s a softie. His bark is worse than his bite.
3. The naïve heroine.
Again, if handled by a different author, the heroine could’ve been all-sweetness and light; her inner monologue reduced to a parody of girlish twitterings. But in fact, her stream-of-consciousness was an effective method to show insight on her development. In the beginning she was cocooned in her safe little garden. But like the Sleeping Beauty waking up from a childhood traumatic experience, she transformed from a passive spectator to an “indisputable mistress of all she surveyed.”
I do have one quibble about internal logic when she was stuck at the ledge. If her hands were free to feel around for the incapacitated hero, then why didn’t she clap her hands to attract attention? She had known to snap her fingers to get his attention before.
Otherwise, this is a fairy tale done well. Recommended.
1. The fairy tale ambiance.
From the onset, this book read like a script for Disney’s 1991 Beauty and the Beast film, complete with a ballroom scene with the prince and heroine. It could’ve been so ludicrous set in a contemporary novel but Emma Goldrick wrote the plot in deftly: The host of a country ball, and hero of the story, espies our young lady hiding behind the potted plants. As she does a pretend curtsy to said potted plants, he grasps her hand and leads her off to waltz. For being sigh-worthy: 4 stars.
And Lumiere and Mrs. Potts? The book also featured the requisite trusty household retainers and loyal pets who were just as indulgent and conniving as the Disney characters when it came to pushing the two main characters together. Half of the time, I was expecting them to gleefully break out into this song:
Well, who'd have known? Well, who indeed?
And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own?
It's so peculiar. Wait and see
We'll wait and see a few days more
There may be something there that wasn't there before
Perhaps there's something there that wasn't there before
The intervention by secondary characters could’ve been annoying, but I grew to anticipate the deux ex machine. Case in point: the dog Liza showing up after her bath…
2. The beastly hero.
Literally. The prince was written with animal-like features: he looked like a “great big cuddly bear”; his hands were “paws”; he had matted hair on his arms which reminds me of a gorilla; and he bellowed like a bull when he’s angry.
In temperament too he was an ill mannered brute. He threw things when he was upset with his work progress. He shouted first then apologized later. In the heroine’s own words, when he had a bone in his teeth, he’d never let go. And oh! did I mention that he roared when he was mad?
Typically, I’d say a guy with such anger management problems won’t augur well for a Happily-Ever-After (HEA). However, HEA is attainable in this situation because, despite of his beastliness, the hero reserves the tenderest moments and the most thoughtful gestures for the heroine, e.g.: cuddling her at every opportunity; leaving writing tools everywhere for her; learning sign language; and regarding her with a bemused look everytime she scolds him. His easy acceptance that he didn’t get a sweet and biddable girl after all shows that underneath that beastly exterior, he’s a softie. His bark is worse than his bite.
3. The naïve heroine.
Again, if handled by a different author, the heroine could’ve been all-sweetness and light; her inner monologue reduced to a parody of girlish twitterings. But in fact, her stream-of-consciousness was an effective method to show insight on her development. In the beginning she was cocooned in her safe little garden. But like the Sleeping Beauty waking up from a childhood traumatic experience, she transformed from a passive spectator to an “indisputable mistress of all she surveyed.”
I do have one quibble about internal logic when she was stuck at the ledge. If her hands were free to feel around for the incapacitated hero, then why didn’t she clap her hands to attract attention? She had known to snap her fingers to get his attention before.
Otherwise, this is a fairy tale done well. Recommended.
October 10, 2013
This was sweet.Both the hero and the heroine were extremely likeable. Though some have mentioned that the heroine Mandy was a bit immature. I think there is a perfect justification for it.She had led a very sheltered life.Iloved her girlie interior monologues. She was a strong girl. She never shied away from her feelings for Brian, the hero. She always knew sheloved him and had confessed it too. Sadly, Brian didn't read her sign language well else he would have known it sooner. She isn't exactly "biddable" but has a strong will of her ow. And a temper that matches that of the hero. Though I must say in spite of the hero Brian having a very bad temper who often "roared" and had the habit of "throwing rather expensive thing" around in the fit of rage, he was extremely sensitive to the needs of Mandy. And his thoughtfulness and gentle manners around her won my heart.
He isn't a billionaire. He works as a writer. I love when a hero works hard to earn a living. His feelings weren't too hard to read. I had an inkling of his feelings when he was so thoughtful towards her. There was an easy camaraderie between the hero and the heroine.
The book was extremely well written. I enjoyed it a lot and found myself chucking at times. Brian Stone has been described as a big cuddly bear whose bark is worse than his bite. And I wouldn't mind a man like him.
He isn't a billionaire. He works as a writer. I love when a hero works hard to earn a living. His feelings weren't too hard to read. I had an inkling of his feelings when he was so thoughtful towards her. There was an easy camaraderie between the hero and the heroine.
The book was extremely well written. I enjoyed it a lot and found myself chucking at times. Brian Stone has been described as a big cuddly bear whose bark is worse than his bite. And I wouldn't mind a man like him.
October 3, 2021
Note: This was first published in 1992, before cell phones and computers; Mandy uses a typewriter to type Brian's book.
First, the blurb above can't even begin to touch on the heart and soul of this book. Mandy has just turned 21 and meets Brian Stone, an adventure writer. Because Mandy had a very traumatic experience that resulted in her parents' death, she hasn't spoken a word since she was a child. In Brian's eyes, this makes her a perfect candidate first as his secretary and then as his wife.
What he doesn't realize is that Mandy is *not* the "sweet and biddable" woman he thought she was. Add in an evil "other woman", a very protective Great Dane, and a mute woman with a delightful sense of humor & this is one book I'll read over and over and over.
**************
2019-05-05- re-read. I'd forgotten how childish Mandy is in some areas, but I know part of this is that she isn't able to communicate as those around her do.
I *still* love
**************
2021-02-16- Still love it, even the third (fourth?) time through. Liza really makes this as well as Mandy's inner monologues!
First, the blurb above can't even begin to touch on the heart and soul of this book. Mandy has just turned 21 and meets Brian Stone, an adventure writer. Because Mandy had a very traumatic experience that resulted in her parents' death, she hasn't spoken a word since she was a child. In Brian's eyes, this makes her a perfect candidate first as his secretary and then as his wife.
What he doesn't realize is that Mandy is *not* the "sweet and biddable" woman he thought she was. Add in an evil "other woman", a very protective Great Dane, and a mute woman with a delightful sense of humor & this is one book I'll read over and over and over.
**************
2019-05-05- re-read. I'd forgotten how childish Mandy is in some areas, but I know part of this is that she isn't able to communicate as those around her do.
I *still* love
**************
2021-02-16- Still love it, even the third (fourth?) time through. Liza really makes this as well as Mandy's inner monologues!
July 25, 2012
This was an okay read, nothing earth shattering. Which is a shame, given the storyline had great potential. I thought the author lacked sensitivity and I somewhat resented the fact that she made the heroine out to be not very smart and silly. The heroine often made references that she didn't understand the conversations going on about her so she would just shrug, sit back quietly and let the world decide what was right for her. I found that a bit offensive given she was mute, not deaf. I also found it ridiculous in light of the challenges Helen Keller was able to overcome being not only mute, but deaf and blind.
The romance also was awkward and the relationship building weak. I never felt the love..it just felt like a marriage of convenience for the hero who was very one-dimensional. The heroine was so starved for family and love that she would have settled for anyone.
Not horrible, but not worth investing the time to read.
The romance also was awkward and the relationship building weak. I never felt the love..it just felt like a marriage of convenience for the hero who was very one-dimensional. The heroine was so starved for family and love that she would have settled for anyone.
Not horrible, but not worth investing the time to read.
June 28, 2019
This book annoyed the crap out of me. I understand that it was written in the early 90's but OMG it was annoying.
I usually love a Harlequin break every now and again but this wasn't the book to do it with. The storyline was ridiculous and fluctuated between the girl being referred to as a 'child' and then being a woman and being sexually desired by the man and then being called dumb by others because she couldn't speak. Also, the subservientness was annoying as well, with the sole desire to please and being ordered about.
It all just turned me off and if you find this book around, don't even bother. I think this is the worst Harlequin that I have ever read.
I usually love a Harlequin break every now and again but this wasn't the book to do it with. The storyline was ridiculous and fluctuated between the girl being referred to as a 'child' and then being a woman and being sexually desired by the man and then being called dumb by others because she couldn't speak. Also, the subservientness was annoying as well, with the sole desire to please and being ordered about.
It all just turned me off and if you find this book around, don't even bother. I think this is the worst Harlequin that I have ever read.
March 12, 2017
I seem to remember reading this book in my youth and enjoying it so now I've had a second look in digital format. EG Defo wrote old fashioned stories and our H and h are no exceptions she's a traumatised innocent and he's a bit of a Fuddy duddy.
With the experience of years l still like the h she is brave and funny where's our H needs a smack upside the head for several reasons no 1 calling the h child all the time really gets on my nerves and no 2 for defending the OW - a big no no other than that an alright read with of course a HEA
With the experience of years l still like the h she is brave and funny where's our H needs a smack upside the head for several reasons no 1 calling the h child all the time really gets on my nerves and no 2 for defending the OW - a big no no other than that an alright read with of course a HEA
February 23, 2024
Dnf at page 125. It's garnered a lot of fans but I just found everything about it weird and the mute h and oafish H completely unrelatable. She was childish and petulant and he was nothing special. The writing was really mannered and I couldn't get a handle on the era or setting. There's a lovely great dane called Liza but when the OW arrived on scene I gave up on the whole cartoonish mess. Just not to my taste.
April 15, 2024
Loved the h in this one. It's not often that you come across a karate-chop-swinging, cake-slinging, manuscript-burning h, especially in the older HPs. Now, if only the H removed his rose tinted glasses where the murderous OW was concerned....imagine asking your wife to be reasonable when she's *finally* cornering the OW for her misdeeds!
Loved the secondary characters as well, and of course the dog.... everyone except the H.
Loved the secondary characters as well, and of course the dog.... everyone except the H.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2025
This was so well written. The heroine's inner monologue added to the emotional impact of this story. She was totally justified in her reactions throughout the story but because she was unable to verbally communicate there were a lot of misunderstandings. The OW took advantage of the heroine's difficulties and was a really loathsome character. I loved the characters, the story and the ending of this narrative!
June 21, 2021
2.5 stars
June 21, 2021
I first read this book when I was 13 first novel I read really love it been searching for it for years glad I found it again
April 13, 2023
Uhhh sure, that was off the wall but okay. I say skip, it could have been good but it was just bonkers.
December 23, 2023
Reread
November 20, 2014
Not a big fan of this one.
The heroine is mute from a traumatic childhood experience, but for the first bit of the book the author makes her seem childlike and stupid even though she's 21 years old.
Once we get past that, she acts unreasonable.
The hero has a 'whatever' attitude through a lot of the book.
The only thing that somewhat saves the book is the villainess. I think more props should be given to villains in books. Without them, most books would suck.
The dog is pictured in the background of the cover, but I think the dog should have a more prominent place because she was more interesting than either the H or h.
The heroine is mute from a traumatic childhood experience, but for the first bit of the book the author makes her seem childlike and stupid even though she's 21 years old.
Once we get past that, she acts unreasonable.
The hero has a 'whatever' attitude through a lot of the book.
The only thing that somewhat saves the book is the villainess. I think more props should be given to villains in books. Without them, most books would suck.
The dog is pictured in the background of the cover, but I think the dog should have a more prominent place because she was more interesting than either the H or h.
October 29, 2016
Couldn't finish it. Stopped at page 85. Character development is unrealistic.
Can't believe a person who lost both her parents when she was 14 and became mute at the same time, could grow up being that immature drama queen. She is supposedly being a highly intelligent and a Harvard graduate too.
Can't believe a person who lost both her parents when she was 14 and became mute at the same time, could grow up being that immature drama queen. She is supposedly being a highly intelligent and a Harvard graduate too.
February 2, 2013
One of my absolute favorite romance novels. Her past is something that haunts her, until he helps her work through it. I've read this book so many times. And will always come back to it.
August 23, 2013
Absolutely LOVED this book!
October 20, 2015
Sweet and funny. Loved Mandy and Brian. Great supporting cast, excellent villains and lovely Liza and Mitchell.
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