The Sound of Silence

Dakota Willink

Sept 2020 · Dragonfly Ink Publishing

About this eBook

USA Today Bestselling Author Dakota Willink delivers an emotionally gripping, dark romantic suspense that is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat!

Gianna

There’s a common expression I remind myself of every day: that which does not kill us, makes us stronger.

People think I live an idyllic life with my perfect husband, but they don’t know what lies beneath the façade. Like the delicate petals of the daisies he loved to give, I was easily crushed—broken, just as he wanted me to be.

I’ve learned to accept what is, but I won’t let it destroy me.

Instead, I do the only thing I can to survive—I run.

Derek

I knew she had a story. I knew it most likely contained violence. But never did I imagine the horrors she’d been through.

I’d waited so long and she’d experienced so much. She was perfectly imperfect, her scars more than skin deep. It was near impossible to separate truths from lies but I knew her secret. And yet, I couldn’t help wanting to get closer. She was strong and there was beauty in strength. I was drawn to it—drawn to her.

I wanted to erase her horrors and give her something new to dream about.

TRIGGER WARNING: This story contains situations of domestic violence and abuse. Some aspects may be sensitive for some readers.

Ratings and reviews

I was insanely excited to read this book after overlooking the synopsis. I knew from the get-go that this story had trigger subjects and wasn’t for everyone, but I underestimated just how triggering it would be. From the very beginning of this story, I was able to predict to a certain degree what was going to happen, and it terrified me but also made me want to continue. There were several points in the story where I was wiping tears, and other parts where I was yelling out loud. As described in the synopsis It is not for everyone. This story is extremely well written, and I couldn’t put it down. Gianna is a very likable and respectable character, and she’s easy to relate to in the sense that before she met her husband, she struggled the same way most people do. Minimum wage job at a bar. Lost her mom to cancer. Has many credit card debts. Has dreams that will have to wait. But after she met her husband is another story. They went from dating to married in the span of a year and red flags happened the moment they were married. The day of her wedding she meets a man and spends 30 minutes talking to him. She never even learned his name, but for several years to follow, she isn't ever able to forget him. Nor does he forget her. Derek. He is swoon worthy. He’s athletic, smart, and ambitious. He is a gentle soul and overall pleasure to know. When Gianna finally runs from her husband, she by chance bumps into him. And from there she tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered and broken life. I absolutely loved this story and recommend it to anyone who isn’t triggered by domestic violence and all its forms. 5 Stars.

This is not only a romance but a story of survival, forgiving, moving forward, and learning to love and trust again. Gianna and Derek develop a true love that stems from what she had been through. It touches on a sensitive subject and anyone going to read this needs to keep an open mind. It has reality encased in every word and it just tore my heart. It's intense but it's also loving and passionate.

This is a good story that deals with some very challenging subject matter to read about. Definitely trigger warning on this one. The author did an incredible job writing about what women go through, the courage to leave and the struggles to overcome throughout. Gianna was in a horrible relationship and finally finds the strength to escape. Derek saw her once before and never thought he would ever see her again. These two meet again and develop a friendship that become more. This is a nicely developed story that was thrilling and captivating.

About the author

Dakota Willink is an Amazon Top 100 Bestselling Author. She loves writing about damaged heroes who fall in love with sassy and independent females. Her books are character driven, emotional, and sexy, yet written with a flare that keeps them real. With six published titles, a magazine publication, and the Leave Me Breathless World under her belt, Dakota's imagination is constantly spinning new ideas. 

The Stone Series is Dakota's first published book series. It has been recognized for various awards, including the Readers' Favorite 2017 Gold Medal in Romance. The Cadence duet was a finalist in the HEAR Now Festival Independent Audiobook Awards. In addition, Dakota has written under the alternate pen name, Marie Christy. Under this name, she has written and published a children's book for charity titled, And I Smile. Also writing as Marie Christy, she was a contributor to the Blunder Woman Productions project, Nevertheless We Persisted: Me Too, a 2019 Audie Award Finalist and Earphones Awards Winner. This project inspired Dakota to write The Sound of Silence, a dark romantic suspense novel. 

Dakota often says she survived her first publishing with coffee and wine. She's an unabashed Star Wars fanatic and still dreams of one day getting her letter from Hogwarts. She enjoys spending time with her super-supportive husband and two witty teenagers, her two Labrador Retrievers, and her spoiled rotten cat. During the summer months, she can often be found soaking up the sun on the Great Lakes with her family.

To find out the latest, visit http://www.dakotawillink.com.