If you love a book with fire, this is the book for you. This is the new 50 Shades. It makes you hot from the very beginning and leaves you wanting more. I read it in less than 1 day and wasn't even sorry that I was tired for work. It's about love and the heartbreak of losing someone. It's about finding a way to cope with grieve and learning to live again, all the while setting the pages on fire.

Silently by Talya Blaine.
Transformation Series Book 1.
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..
Really enjoyable read. Great story and characters. Loved the cover. 4*.

Silently is the debut by Talya Blaine and the first in the Transformation trilogy. As such, it introduces the main characters Quinn and Jonathan and sets them on their path to a - hopefully happy - ending. Both struggle with guilt and pain from previous relationships and turn to each other for distraction and relief. Add a foray into BDSM, some steamy hot scenes, well-meaning friends as well as some drama and you have an entertaining, shortish read that ends with a happy-for-now-but-looking forward to more.

The plot of the story is good, intriguing. The way the story is written could coincide with the emotional ride of the female character. More of a smooth transition throughout the book with more information would help with some of the choppiness, for me.

This is the first book in the Transformation series and can’t wait for the second.
A brilliant read my only comment it ended too soon and I want more. Brilliant story with the right amount of spice.
Can’t recommend it enough

Well, this was a good one...

It is always interesting to read about the love story that comes after the love of your life.
It is almost a forbidden road to take in the eyes of romance... because here everybody is chasing just that - the love of your life... the one!!

But what happens when "the one" dies unexpectedly - are you just supposed to sit in a corner and wallow in grief?? (Which of course is allowed if needed)... But is that it?? Is that the end of your love life??

This story brings hope that you can find happiness again... you can find another one to love!

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it but I would have liked to get to know Quinn and Johnathan a little more. The book discusses strong themes of guilt and grief but also just the right amount of sauce! A strong 4 stars from me. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Okay, wow. So this book is less than 200 pages and it is fast paced but a clear direction was set on how it begins and how it will end.

We meet a recently widowed author, Quinn who is still wallowing in grief and guilt bhy has been receiving the pressures over a promised book to her publisher. Then comes Jonathan, divorced by his own doing of engaging to an affair rather than asking for divorce from his wife. Both going through the motions of their own grief and shame, they both found solace and relief through intimacy.

People deal with their own stuff in their own way. No judgement on my part at all. It is beautifully written and while both characterization is marked on point, I wish their relationship have been explored more

This is not your typical meet cute, gushy love story. It's a very quick page-turner full of steam, the topics of love and loss and grief are very present. It is the journey to finding what's next after a profound loss, and learning your inner desires.

I loved the amount of detail given into the characters, it's not often I find that I know just ENOUGH to stay interested. This did just that. No long over descriptive world building, no extreme deep backstories that drag on. There was a perfect balance between diving into the minds of the two main characters so that you understood their actions over the time you read about them, and I think it was done well.

Silently by Talya Blaine
Transformation Series #1

Exquisitely told passionate look at one woman’s way of dealing with grief. It might not be the expected, but it is intriguing, immersive, and impeccably told – I could not put it down!

What I liked:
* Quinn: best selling author, widow, loves deeply, grieves painfully, a bit lost, seeks something…even if it might be painful
* Jonathan: divorced, media star, travels, celebrity food personality, trustworthy, may care more deeply than he realized he could
* The writing – drew me in, made me feel, think, and care
* The unapologetic communication of needs by Quinn and Jonathan’s ability to read her so well
* That the erotic portions of the story were so fitting and appropriate
* The look into the emotions of the characters and really getting to feel I knew them
* The look at grief and the processing of it
* The transformation that occurs within Quinn and Jonathan
* The variety of friendships and connections made
* Thinking about the “what if it was me” that I did while reading
* Reading a new-to-me author that was such a delight
* All of it really – this will stay with me for awhile

What I didn’t like:
* Exactly who and what I was meant not to like
* Having to wait to see what happens next

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author/in this series? Definitely

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

3.5/5 ⭐️
3.5/5 🌶

This book was good in how it tackled heavy topics: grief, loss, and betrayal...but I'm trying to catch up with the way events unfolded. Also, I'm not a fan of cliffhangers, so I was shocked when I read the last page.

Tropes:
Older MCs (40s)
Acquaintances to lovers
Widow & divorcee

Both MCs are dealing with loss, but Quinn was dealing with the sudden death of her husband. I know that everyone deals with their grief in many different ways. But the way she handled her grief felt unhealthy and I was hoping that she would find some way of working through her pain without punishment.

Maybe I'm biased but knowing that Jonathan cheated on his ex makes it harder for me to trust him. Perhaps he was with the wrong woman and he did acknowledge his mistake... but I don't know. Since the book ended on a cliffhanger I didn't get that character development that I need to come to terms with his past.

It's not that I didn't like the characters...I actually did. There was just so much grief interlaced with the "romance" that I couldn't feel the bond between Quinn and Jonathan. They had sexual chemistry for sure but the affection felt one-sided (with Jonathan) because the grief was like a black cloud hanging over Quinn.

I'm curious to see how their relationship develops because it's definitely on the cusp of growing into something tangible and long-lasting.

TW/CW:
Death of a spouse, past cheating discussed (not between MCs), BDSM, explicit sexual scenes, grief

I received an ARC from BooksGoSocial in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is my first book from this Talya Blaine and I thought it was pretty good. The plot was enjoyable and the main characters Quinn and Jonathan have an alluring connection. I did struggle in the beginning to get into the story, but in the end I found myself pulled into the storyline.
I feel that this book is the perfect spicy book for someone who is just getting into the genre.
⭐️: 4/5
🌶️: 3/5

Enjoyed this book. I can’t wait to see what is in store for the main characters in the next one in the series.

“She would no longer let sorrow drown her. Instead, she would think of it like the unceasing rhythm of the waves, rolling in, surrounding her, and receding while she planted her heels and toes in the shifting sand to stay, more or less, in place until the cycle began again.” – Quinn Layborn.

Silently is a story about an amazing author that is enduring a terrible loss. A year passes after her husband’s tragic death, and her friend and agent, Leigh, organizes a small gathering in her house of close friends and acquaintances to give her a feeling of normalcy. No one in the party knows exactly how Quinn feels except for Jonathan Jaines, a cable network travel show, who understands the armor she has around herself. After the party, Quinn is seized by a raw and intense craving that leaves her reeling. The story speaks about how she found herself during these moments and how Jonathan helped her overcome her feelings of sorrow, guilt, shame, and pain.

I enjoyed reading this book. The story was told from Quinn and Jonathan’s points of view. The spicy scenes between the two main characters had a really exquisite touch that is interlinked with the title. Silently is portrayed exactly in their steamy encounters especially when Jonathan tells her she’s beautiful and Quinn immediately covers his mouth with her index finger to “be quiet”. At first I didn’t realize that these scenes are linked until I was about halfway through the story, which actually made me laugh (in a good way though).

Another scene that amused me, was at the beginning when Quinn invited Jonathan and grabbed his wrist which according to the novel “he grew hard” as her fingers closed are his wrist. Oh goodness, I laughed so hard at this. I loved it though since he’s 48 years old and the author chose to depict him as a stud that has his libido on fire!!

When Quinn is exploring Octavia’s club, I fell in love with the details. I really enjoyed how the author gave so much input on the way the scenes were being portrayed, the number of levels for the club, the rules, and all of the information that helped me imagine it. What kind of irritated me a bit is that Quinn was feeling guilty for wanting a new life, for challenging herself and taking the leap to start something different. I understand that this is how life actually is, but I am tired of women being portrayed in this way. We shouldn’t feel guilty for thinking about ourselves. I guess, just for once, I want to see women enjoy what they’re doing or what they’re exploring without feeling guilty.

After the scene above, Quinn starts feeling guilty for caving in to her body’s needs. She asks herself “what kind of widow” is she. I felt that this question was so raw and intense because obviously she wants to begin a new life, and drag herself away from sorrow, but each time she tries, something knocks her back. I loved that the author kept highlighting the fact of how many women suffer from the same thing. If they’re widowed, divorced, or even married, they always have to think of someone else other than themselves.

Last scene that really went to my heart is when Quinn was in the hospital, most of the club members came to visit her and offered their support. I absolutely LOVED this part! I read many books about BDSM clubs but I have never saw such love and support from the club members. Other books usually focused on the main characters and side ones that are close to the MCs. However, Silently showed the respect and love that these members have for each other.
I definitely recommend this book to you readers that love a bit of erotica and a happy ending. Can’t wait for the rest of the books!

Cute, spicy, intriguing and a great time! Great book to spend your time with and interesting plot. The cover is also stunning!

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The writing in this book was phenomenal. I would never believe this was the author's debut novel. The writing style has such a perfect flow with a great combination of dialogue and internal monologues. I also loved the way the plot unfolded, Beautifully written with good characters and dialogue. It's a very detailed book with interwoven characters with good character development. The driving force behind this though is the story, it moves effortlessly and is so engaging