Title:Silent Guilt
Series:Silent #2
Author:N.E. Henderson
Release Date: June 3, 2014
Rating:2.5 stars
Cliffhanger:No
When Shannon Taylor entered his world, Nicholas Lockhart found everything he always wanted, but knew he could never have.Neither of them knew how connected their pasts were nor the secrets that lay waiting to tear them apart. Shannon and Nick fell hard and fast for one another.
Nick struggles with his own demons and guilt that he’s been carrying around for the past ten years. When he learns what happened to Shannon all those years ago and knowing the part he played in it, he feels responsible. Can he let it go and forgive himself?
Or, will his silent guilt consume him and make him lose the two things that have become his life, his world, his love...his everything?
*This is a spoiler free review*
Silent Guilt is the conclusion to Nick and Sharon’s story-book 2 in the Silent Series and the resolution to one seriously intense cliffhanger. I’ve seen some cliffys in my time, but this one may just be the worst (or best, depending on how you look at it) that I’ve seen. Nick has a heck of a lot to answer for and explain. There are three things that he could have done that will forever change his life.
One thing was all lies.
One thing was completely true.
One thing was a horrible mistake that must be made right.
What are these three things? I can't tell you that! That would be giving too much away. I will say this. This book is told almost completely in Nick's POV and normally I enjoy that immensely but in this case, not so much. This example of male point of view I honestly didn't care for-getting inside his head was certainly enlightening but it didn't endear him to me in the least. I didn't care for his less than loving thoughts, (and really at times, I thought, "Did he really just say that??") his continuing anger issues, and his inability to be honest with Shannon about several things. He keeps secrets and his actions towards her during several times were definitely not acceptable. And yes, I knew he was no boy scout who says please and thank you and all the right stuff. I can handle a rude bad boy hero but he has to be balanced out with some sweet. I need some affectionate, romantic moments mixed in and I wasn't seeing a whole lot of that. Everything he was in book one seemed magnified and exposed and not in a good way. I can see the appeal for other people perhaps, but personally he wasn't doing it for me. Overall, getting inside this guy's head, I came away feeling dislike and a little bit disturbed.
One thing we know from book 1 is that Nick's extreme hate of his father branches from his physical abuse of his mother, his controlling, selfish, and sadistic ways caused him to not just dislike him, but utterly despise the air he breathes. Based on what we learn about his father, his feelings are justified but his resulting anger and lack of control over it is a problem. Nick has come considerable rage built up from all the injustice he was forced to endure through childhood and his only outlet is
a) punching some holes in his walls at home
or
b) going a few rounds in the ring with his best friend at his sister's gym.
Any mention of his father has his loved ones cringing and rushing to intervene in the impending explosion. This guy was like an overinflated balloon, ready to pop at any moment. And that pop was inevitable and nerve wracking. You knew it was going to happen-the question was when.
Shannon is dealing with the consequences of her admission to Nick at the end of the previous book.
She's dealing with feelings of shame and fear and has several unresolved things with him that need to be put out there, communicated about, and moved on from. Not only that, but can she forgive Nick when she learns all the secrets and half-truths he's been telling her? Sometimes I felt like she too easily accepted his actions and I felt like she should've made him work a little bit harder to get back in her good graces. In a way, after reading the revelation at the end of the book, I can kind of understand her actions, but I still would have liked to see her make him more accountable for certain things.
In this book, everything revolves around one thing: His extreme guilt and feelings like she deserves better than him. He's guilty over things long ago, and things in the recent past. He feels responsible for some things that really he had no control over. And he feels like he can't possibly ever tell Shannon and risk her never looking at him the same again. There were times where I felt for him and sympathized. This man clearly did love this woman and was willing to do anything to make her feel safe and happy again. He pushed society's boundaries of what's right and wrong. He loved her passionately and completely-he just wasn't the best at how to act in a relationships. This guy sure did make some bad decisions but you did see that his heart was with one woman, wholly and completely.
Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book as much as I did the first one. I was disappointed in Nick's actions and it didn't seem like he had changed that much by the end of the book. Which didn't leave much hope that he wouldn't continue with his bad behavior in the future. I did like the surprise at the end and the Epilogue in Shannon's POV. Not everyone is going to feel the way I do about Nick-some may completely understand his actions, but being real, he never totally won me over.
If you're thinking of reading this series, reading both books together is NOT optional. I completely sympathize with everyone who had to wait for book two's release. I challenge anyone to put off reading Silent Guilt after the ending in book one. Whatever problems I may have, I will say that these books certainly pulled me in and left no room for boredom or mild feelings. It's not a quiet Sunday stroll through the park. It's more like an uphill marathon that doesn't quit.
Excerpt #1
Teasers
Excerpt #2
The Silent Series
Silent No More (Silent #1)
Warning: The material in the book is indented for adult readers only, age 18+.
Shannon Taylor thinks she has the picture-perfect life. Engaged to marry her college boyfriend and with a best friend who’s more like a sister, life is almost perfect. That is until her world is tilted by two of most important people in her life.
A chance encounter leads Shannon down a path that will force her to confront a past she has meticulously ignored for ten years.
Nicholas Lockhart, renowned bachelor, has a reputation for his cold eyes and icy heart. Meeting a woman who can turn is world upside is not in the cards; that is until Shannon. When Shannon's world crashes, she wonders if it's possible to crack Nick's icy heart. A web of lies and twisted truths soon leaves both bare and vulnerable.
Silence no longer offers her protection or safety. Will remaining silent cost Shannon the real love she's finally found? Or will she stay silent no more?
Shannon Taylor thinks she has the picture-perfect life. Engaged to marry her college boyfriend and with a best friend who’s more like a sister, life is almost perfect. That is until her world is tilted by two of most important people in her life.
A chance encounter leads Shannon down a path that will force her to confront a past she has meticulously ignored for ten years.
Nicholas Lockhart, renowned bachelor, has a reputation for his cold eyes and icy heart. Meeting a woman who can turn is world upside is not in the cards; that is until Shannon. When Shannon's world crashes, she wonders if it's possible to crack Nick's icy heart. A web of lies and twisted truths soon leaves both bare and vulnerable.
Silence no longer offers her protection or safety. Will remaining silent cost Shannon the real love she's finally found? Or will she stay silent no more?
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About the Author
I write because I love it and because I have to get all these damn charaters out of my head that just pop up out of the blue.
My debut book "Silent No More" is scheduled to release Dec 3, 2013.
My debut book "Silent No More" is scheduled to release Dec 3, 2013.
Contact N.E. Henderson
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