Silence Breaking by Robert Thier
Storm & Silence #4
Historical Romantic Comedy

This is another series that is so beloved to me, I struggle articulating why everyone else should love it too.  It all started when a review request for Storm & Silence came through my old blog, Badass Book Reviews, and I accepted it.  I accepted it because I couldn’t resist this line in the synopsis of a historical romance, “Freedom—that is what Lilly Linton wants most in life. Not marriage, not a brood of squalling brats, and certainly not love, thank you very much!”  I was hooked.  I had to give it a try.  Annnnnd, that’s when it was all over for me.  I was a goner.

(Very minor spoilers for previous books below.  Go read Storm & Silence first.)

In the Storm & Silence I like both main characters equally.  I usually find it’s easy to like the hero immediately, but feel more standoffish with the heroine.  Not Lilly Linton.  I loved Lilly immediately.  She’s a spunky heroine done right.  She’s hilarious, impulsive, and incredibly likable in every way.  Even better, Silence Breaking is the fourth book in the series and I found I’ve steadily liked her more and more.  Even as she became more confident and capable outside of polite society she has never lost the basics of who she is.  She is independent.  She is a fierce feminist.  She is an ifrit!  She held tight to her convictions even when I was ready to shake her and shout, ‘Open your eyes, girl!’  The little voice behind my initial frustration always appreciated her grit.

I also wanted to equally shout at Rikkard Ambrose, because even though I love him as much as Lilly does he has got to be one of the most stubborn men I’ve ever read.  Ever.  Yet, that ruthlessness is part of what makes him so extra special.  I mean, ‘Knowledge is power is time is money.”  It’s not only his mantra, it’s a description of his character.  The only time we’ve glimpsed something softer, it’s because of a cute little cross-dressing secretary.  In the past I’ve said a lot about Mr Ambrose, but in Silence Breaking it really was Lilly’s turn to shine.  She stole everyone’s heart, inside the book and the person reading it.

I think Silence Breaking was especially equipped for huge romantic impact just based on the setting.  Previously Lilly and Ambrose were off on adventures, with Lilly in a more vulnerable position just because she was out of her element.  In Silence Breaking, putting the two of them in Ambrose’s childhood home with his mother seemed to shift the dynamic between the two main characters.  It was a brilliant move by the author, because it made his stone cold character slightly more vulnerable, which I think was important at this stage in the story.

I also spent a little bit of time thinking about how amazing the pacing was.  A very small amount of time, actually.  I was pretty much completely engrossed.  I did remember when I read the first book I mentioned that it needed a bit of editing, because of a few of the scenes lasted far too long.  I definitely don’t have that problem anymore.  I’m looking back on my past self with a glare.  There are some scenes we want to be longer!  Less editing now, please!

Seriously, the only bad part of this book is that I’ve finished it.  I’m finished and I know there’s another coming but I don’t know when.  I know, I know.  I could be reading it online, chapter by chapter, but I won’t.  I prefer waiting for all the chapters at once, even if the wait is longer and far more painful.  I guess I’m greedy that way.

Rating: 

Thank you to the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Series Reading Order: