Signs of Attraction

by Laura Brown

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

When you can’t communicate with the world at large, you hold on to the ones you can communicate with a little bit longer.

When I was asked to read and review this title, I was a bit skeptical as the author was new to me. However, when I read the blurb, I was intrigued and so I decided to give it a chance. I am so happy I did. I found Silent Attraction to be a unique, fascinating, uplifting and heartwarming read. 
I figured based on the blurb that the story was going to take me on an emotional ride and I was not disappointed. From the moment I began reading, I fell I love with this book.  It was refreshing to read a story where both characters have a disability and the same one at that. Carli is hard of hearing while Reed is completely deaf.

Carli Reynolds is a college student who has been living with hearing loss most of her life. She wore hearing aids; however, she makes every effort to keep them hidden as she was self-conscious.  She has managed to keep her hearing loss hidden from those she came in contact with for some time now.  However, the secret she has kept for so long would be revealed in what she considered to be the most embarrassing moment of her life.

Reed, a graduate student, and a teacher was born deaf. He was adopted at the age three by a wonderful couple. He was raised in a loving and stable home. This helped to shape him into the man he was today. Reid was a sweet and caring guy as such, it was a natural instinct for him to come to Cali’s aid when he saw she was having difficulty understanding their linguistics professor.

The attraction between Carli and Reed was instantaneous. Nevertheless, they were afraid to get close to each other.  Reed’s fear was as a result of the hurt he experienced at the hands of his ex. Carli’s fear stemmed from what she was led to believe all her life, that she was damaged and not capable of love or being loved. 
 

"Ouch. Well, I shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, I was damaged goods. At least, Dad always told me so.”

"What a stupid girly thing to type. Though I saw through my own words to the depressing truth. Sooner or later I’d damage our relationship. I wasn’t destined to be loved.”

I was inspired by Carli’s and Reed’s journey of joy, pain, loss, triumphs, and love.  However, I was most impressed with Carli. She was not as fortunate as Reed to grow up in a loving environment. This has haunted her all her life and it has now come full circle. She realised that until she accepts that she is capable of great things in spite of what she has suffered she would never be free to be a woman capable of love and being loved.  I cheered enthusiastically when she gathered the courage to face her worst fear in spite of the danger she faced.

This was a riveting read. The story did not move quickly you may even consider the pacing to be slow, but it was not boring. It was not an easy book to put down. Carli and Reed were with me at all times, even when I was unable to take up my kindle.
 
The story allowed me to see the world through the eyes of the hearing impaired.  Their lives are no different from that of a hearing person. The only difference is the silence that surrounds them.  Silent Attraction reveals how easy it is for one’s life to spiral out of control after experiencing destructive life changes. The story tackled heavy issues such as suicide, depression, and abuse.  I thought the author adequately handled each of these issues.

Verdict: 
This was a sweet, inspiring and romantic read which I wholeheartedly recommend to fans of romance.

Copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss