Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I had never read this author before, but her writing is sooooo deliciously spicy. I wasn't expecting the story to become erotica so quickly (within the first 20 pages or so), but it deftly captures the predator-prey dynamic that is frankly missing from most vampire books. This vampire has fangs and isn't afraid to use them. The vampire in question, Sebastian, is a complex, edgy character, and his over-the-top intensity sometimes made me laugh out loud. His POV chapters in particular were almost comical just because of HOW messed up he is. Yet for readers drawn to that type of intensity, this book is scorching hot from start to finish. Gisella is a bland protagonist, intentionally no doubt to let a reader project themselves onto her more easily.

The author, Raven Hush, has a wonderfully descriptive writing style that evokes a strong sense of place, and despite the small cast of characters (which works well for this type of erotica), they are all quite likable. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would enthusiastically recommend it to any Twilight fans who wished Edward had more bite to him.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review this book.
This book had bones but I found myself dozing off whilst reading. I don’t know if it’s because of the kindle formatting the book did and wouldn’t let me change enough and my dyslexic brain just switched off. I enjoyed the gisellas interactions with the staff more than with Sebastian and I thought he was very physical and the “you’re mine” obsession that you usually see in vampire books wasn’t there. I think I would pick up dalions story when it comes out as it seems more unique.

It was okay I mean I do like a good story with vampires but I think it also deserved to be more explored, some parts just seemed random and took me a while actually to understand the things but in general? Yeah I did liked Sebastian ang Gisella.. Just fell it missed some things that were more important, I also did liked the Bayou and the magical part of it.. I do like New Orleans so it did gave me that vibe

First of all: Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC! Also, prior to reading I would say check the trigger warnings if that is something that concerns you with dark romance. Your mental health matters.. <3
The short story starts by introducing Gisella as she travels from France to Louisiana. She is traveling to meet her arranged husband-to-be. Up until this point, she had lived in a convent. When she arrives, she is married by proxy to her husband, with a nun standing in for him.
I will say Sebastian’s first chapter had me already loving him. But then again, I do love vampires… He had very distinct villain vibes and gave off the at least going to be morally gray aura, which had me excited.

Overall, it was a really interesting paranormal twist of the historical time and concept of casket girls. It isnt a long book, but it was a really interesting read. It flowed really well. It also gave off Beauty and the Beast vibes.

Stars - 3
Spice - 2.5

This book was a short read with a captivating story that sucked me in from the first page to the last, I was a little unsure about how I felt about Vampires the last book I read about Vampires was twilight so I was very excited to get into this story,there is spice and passion and I love that

This book was an interesting short read with a unique story. I enjoyed the concept and also the quick introduction to the historic concept where the inspiration of the story came from. It gave a little background to what the author was portraying. I do feel the story did leave a few gaps in the storyline and feels like it skips ahead with no warning or little description of what is going on leaving me somewhat confused at times. It also feels a little rushed at the end. That being said, I enjoyed the characters, the concept, and the overall theme of this book.

I started this book knowing I didn’t like historical themed books along with books that are heavy in smut, but I loved this book regardless. It was a little fast paced in the romance department but that really wasn’t a problem. I ended up loving the side characters more than the main characters somehow and the ending really tore me up but it’s definitely a quick read I would recommend to a friend. I did get Sebastian and Charleston confused in the first half 😭 for a little while.

Loved this more than those other trending booktok books.

*ARC received from Netgalley - all opinions are my own*

TL;DR: A very dracula-esque historical romance with a true villain as the love interest. The first 60% is great but falls apart towards the end, becoming incredibly confusing in places. It’s short and sweet at around 200 pages but could have benefited from being longer. The first 60% would be 4-star but the last third drops it to 2 stars.

Read trigger warnings beforehand! This is a dark romance and the male love interest is definitely a “villain”. Serious dubcon among other themes inside so beware.

Review:
Reflections of Silence is very short at around 200 pages, but it tells its story relatively well despite its length. However, the ending definitely feels rushed, with certain points becoming confusing.

For most of the book, I was comfortably at a solid 4 stars. I was invested in Gisella and Sebastien's relationship and enjoyed seeing how it developed. I also liked watching Gisella become more comfortable with Sebastien's staff. I wish there had been more time for her to become part of their family and interact with them.

Things start to falter when Amy comes back into the story. That’s when everything starts to feel rushed and confusing. I found myself having to backtrack multiple times to make sense of what was happening, and honestly, I'm still a bit unsure about everything that went on in the last 50 or so pages. The rushed pace also diminishes the emotional impact of the ending, leaving me pretty unbothered about continuing with the series.

Overall, I would still recommend Reflections of Silence to someone who’s okay with a potentially shaky ending and is looking for a quick read.

Edge-of-your-seat action meets swoonworthy romance in the first book of a new series I cannot wait to devour. Look for tension-filled banter, heart-stopping moments, and a hefty dose of heat if you pick this one up.

Reflections of silence is a romantasy novel featuring a vampire and the woman forced to marry him. Straight away, I got beauty and the beast vibes, although I've later realised that the author intended it to be representative of the "casquette girls" where woman were bought from France to marry. As this is only touched on in the opening chapters as a preclude to why she is going to stay with Sebastian, I didn't really consider it as a main feature, other than as an explanation as to why she accepted the relationship straight away, despite Sebastian's tastes.

I'm also more of a slow-burn fan when it comes to enemies to lovers trope, but I felt that the romance was more instant between these two, which isn't a problem in itself but did affect my overall personal enjoyment of the novel.

There was an interesting twist in the end, and I did like the gargoyle character, but it was a little to late for me.

However, it did give good gothic vibes, especially with the description and not shying away from a vampire's true dark nature, so would be a good spooky Autumn read, if you enjoy your vampires with an actual bite, and don't mind the insta-love aspect.

I really appreciated the opportunity to read this arc and give my honest opinion.

This book was great, it had the dark moody feel mixed with real lore. It did take me a little bit to get into the book and to stay hooked but after sticking it out for a few more chapters I found myself getting more and more into it.

It did feel a little like the lead may have fallen too quickly but that might just be my own opinion. Overall a really enjoyable read, that was different to what I'd read before (thanks to the New Orleans setting).

This was an interesting read, and the concept of coffin girls was not something I had known of which was intriguing. However, I was confused as to who was talking at times and the dialogue felt confusing and unclear. The fact that the two main characters got together instantly without any build up stopped me from feeling invested in their story. Their scenes had a good dynamic though.

Reflections of Silence intrigued me when I saw the mention of the New Orleans Casket Girls. I was excited to see what she was going to do with the legend. And I admit that it started off pretty well. But while Gisella's character started off well, I can't say that I ever really warmed up to her. She's interesting, but she falls into the whole instalove/lust thing right away, and while the author tries to explain why Sebastian runs hot and cold, it falls a little flat for me. I loved some of the side characters more than the actual MCs - Dolion and Minette's story was actually much more romantic in some ways.
[I also don't mind spice, but most of the spice centered around Sebastian feeding from her while they had sex. Again, not uncommon in vampire romance, but he seems to do it to excess, and we rarely see her eating or drinking. Or see him show much concern for that side of things. Especially the scene in the maze toward the end. That was a little too much on the side of brutality/violence for me. (hide spoiler)]
Last, I wanted a little more of how their life might have been. But after the first part of the book moving more slowly (but in a good way), we get to the end and sort of race to the finish, and I was left a little unsatisfied.
If you enjoy historical fiction and paranormal/vampire romance, you will probably enjoy this book. I liked it, but I didn't like it enough to seek out book 2.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this novel.

Thoughts: This was a sensual vampire story based on an actual truth. The author explains the history behind “the casket girls” at the beginning of the story—women who were sold or kidnapped and sold in the colonies, specifically New Orleans and surrounding areas, to be brides. Gisella is one such woman, sold by her father. Rather than a wedding, she is married by proxy in the middle of the night by a nun then whisked away to a dark “castle” well-away from New Orleans. Then strange things start happening, and she learns the truth about her new husband. There are witches, a sorceress, vampires, and an adorable gargoyle.

This was exceptional story at the beginning. It caught my interest and pulled me in. But then the problems began. Midway through, there started to be issues with editing that only got worse as I kept reading. There were enough of them that they pulled me out of the story. And the ending was definitely not a HEA. It was kind of a downer. Actually, the whole thing kind of reminded me of the old gothic novels. Very dark all the way through. Oh, and be warned, there is some BDSM action in the story.

A better edit is definitely needed. And maybe a different ending. Recommended with caveats.

Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Spicy Paranormal Romance! A fast-paced read that grips you from the first page. Excellent characters that draw you in and make you feel - even the monsters!

The book starts off with Gisella on a ship heading to the new world to meet the husband who purchased her. Given up by her father, she is basically alone in the world with no idea of the land to which she is headed. Along the journey, she befriends Amy, her cabin mate, who has been married previously and is excited about her return to a new husband. Once they arrive at the dock, Amy quickly leaves and Gisella is carted away to a convent to await her husband.

She doesn't wait long before she is hustled in to a brief marriage ceremony with a proctor for her husband and then loaded into a carriage in the middle of the night. Her world is upended as she learns of the existence of creatures she thought were only found in fairy tales. And what of the man she has just found out to be her husband? Will she be able to make it in this strange land with only her maid as a friend? And what about Amy? Will she ever see her again?

While I am not a huge fan of historical romances, I found the setting to be excellent for this story and enjoyed the historical accuracies. This is a wonderful book that definitely plays on your emotions. I highly recommend this book for all fans of the paranormal!

"Well,better to beg for forgiveness than ask permission."

Rating :4/5

This was my first ARC as well as my first historical romance. I loved that the author gives the reader some context about background of the main character before starting the book. Not knowing what a casket girl was, and having that historical content made the book much easier to understand.

This book is an arranged marriage and paranormal romance trope. There are different aspects of the paranormal which include vampyres, witches, and even gargoyles(added bonus). There was smut and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Warning there is talks of biting and blood. Gisella, a young woman from france, is sold by her father to become a wife for a man in New Orleans. Sebastian is an immortal, with an interesting life. Together, they both learn how to make this marriage work, if it can work at all. Things are not as they seem, and mysterious events start occuring. The twists at the end were both shocking and heartbreaking.

I recommend this book to anyone who is diving into their paranormal/gothic romance era. The chapters are long, so just prepare yourself, but I promise they are worth it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I can not wait to read the second part of the duet.

I really wanted to like this one because its based on New Orleans story and this city holds a special place in my heart but I felt like for the most part it was smut for the sake of smut and even then I found the writing very erratic. Thought were going from one thing to another and it was heard to read, unfortunately DNF for me.

"Reflections of Silence" by Raven Hush is a captivating and emotionally charged novel that delves into themes of isolation and self-discovery. The story centers around a protagonist who grapples with profound personal challenges and the quest for inner peace. Hush’s writing is evocative and deeply reflective, creating a narrative that resonates with readers on an emotional level. The novel’s exploration of silence and self-reflection is both poignant and thought-provoking, making it a compelling read for those who appreciate introspective and nuanced storytelling.

I need more!!! I absolutely DEVOURED this book - and as someone who has never heard of the Casket Girls, this ended up sending me down a huge rabbit hole of New Orleans history 🤯

We start off with Gisella's journey from Paris to New Orleans with her gaggle of girls to their new husbands who they have married by proxy,
Gisella find very quickly that there is a whole world of paranormal beings she has been living am0ngst and is married to.

This was a very fast paced story, which could easily be finished in one sitting. Personally I think that it could have been just a bit longer just to slow down some of the chapters as they almost felt too rushed - like the author knew what they wanted to write and just had to get it out quickly without going back and extrapolating more in detail what/how was happening (unless it was a spicy scene 🤭these were very detailed) This was also true for the ending which did have some surprise twists, but felt rushed. Just a warning too, this technically is a HEA, but like only half I guess.

I think there definitely needs to be another edit done on this book as there were a few distracting errors but I'm sure this will be rectified by the time the book comes out - it still made for a very fun read and steamy read, and I am very excited for the next book in this duet - bring on more Dilion!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley and Raven Hush for the ARC.

Thankyou Raven Hush and NetGalley for this ARC!

Gisella is sent across the ocean after being sold to a man she’s never met by a father who doesn’t want her.
She’s married off to a dark and mysterious man. What is his secret?

Watch her fall in love, make friends and family along the way.

This is a quick easy read but also has some interesting historical facts about the casket girls and what happened to them.

This book had me wanting more form the beginning.

It’s dark and mysterious and full or betrayal and hurt, but also quite spicy! It also brings along some self discovery for Gisella and some of the other main characters along the way.

I can’t wait to read the next story and find out what happens with some of my favourite characters in their own journeys!

For those who don’t like steamy scenes this book is not for you!