Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: After the Silence by Rula Sinara

A themed tour through Prism Book Tours.

I love Harlequin's Heartwarming line of sweet contemporary romances! After the Silence tells the story of a woman from Nairobi and a man and his family from the United States. The man's daughter has select muteism and it was heartbreaking while also endearing to read their story and see the love that grew and the wounds that were healed. You can read my review below and enter the giveaway as well...

After the Silence
(From Kenya, With Love #2)
Rula Sinara
Adult Contemporary Romance
Paperback, 368 pages
March 1st 2015 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Does following her passion mean losing her way?

Marine Ben Corallis is an expert at facing death, but nothing comes close to the terror that grounds him when his wife is killed in a car accident the day he returns from duty. He's left to raise an infant, a toddler and a ten-year-old girl who hasn't uttered a word since her mother's death.

It's hard not to care for the widowed marine with three young children. Yet he's still grieving, too burdened with guilt to fall in love again. And Hope Alwanga's future as a doctor awaits her on the other side of the world, in Nairobi. If two such opposites can't agree on a common country, how can they ever create a safe place to call home?


  

About Book One in the Series
(Each can be read as a standalone.)

The Promise of Rain (Book 1)The Promise of Rain
(From Kenya, With Love #1)
Rula Sinara
Adult Contemporary Romance
Paperback, 384 pages
January 1st 2014 by Harlequin Heartwarming

He wants to take her child out of Africa...

The Busara elephant research and rescue camp on Kenya's Serengeti is Anna Bekker's life's work. And it's the last place she thought she'd run into Dr. Jackson Harper. As soon as he sets eyes on her four-year-old, Pippa, Anna knows he'll never leave...without his daughter.

Furious doesn't begin to describe how Jack feels. How could Anna keep this from him? He has to get his child back to the States. Yet as angry as he is with Anna, they still have a bond. But can it endure, despite the ocean--and the little girl--between them?

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My Review

There was one thing that really stood out to me while reading After the Silence: the relationships weren't rushed. There was no instant-love. There really wasn't even an immediate attraction because both main characters aren't even open to relationships. Then the attraction begins and grows as they get to know one another and as they work closely together in caring for these sweet children who have lost their mother. In the same way, Hope's relationship with the children takes some time to develop, as it would normally under the circumstances. It felt authentic and I felt immersed in the story and the characters' lives. 

I wanted to cry with sadness and joy when little Maddie starts to open up and when she struggles. Her journal entries added so much to this story and broke my heart. I wanted to shake Ben, and sometimes Hope, when they are so blind. I wanted to have a sit-down with Ben's in-laws who seem to think that their grandchildren and Ben should go through the rest of their lives without someone to invite into their family. I wanted to swoon when Ben was so sweet (could have handled more swooning) or when Hope's friend gets what she has hoped for. I felt for Ben's friend when he tells Ben what is really going on and proud of Ben for being able to look at himself and see where he has failed. I wanted to yell at him when he considers leaving his kids even though at the same time I understood. Then I wanted to yell at Hope for not fighting harder. There were so many sweet moments where these characters came alive. I loved it when Hope, Ben, and the kids get Christmas trees and what ends up happening with all of them. I couldn't help but smile when Hope gets surprised at the end. What a very fabulously sweet and wonderful ending it is.

After the Silence was a wonderful, heartfelt story. It was full of challenges, family, self-awakening, friendship, grief, and hope for a brighter future. I loved the romance and I loved these characters. If you enjoy sweet romance and this line of books then this is one you definitely don't want to miss!


Content: Clean

Source: Received a complimentary review copy from the author, which did not affect my review in any way.

Rula SinaraAbout the Author

Rula Sinara lives in Virginia’s countryside with her husband, three boys and zany but endearing pets. When she's not writing or doing mom stuff, she loves organic gardening, attracting wildlife to her yard (cool bugs included) or watching romantic movies. She also enjoys interviewing fellow authors and is a Special Contributor for USA Today's Happy Ever After blog. Her door is always open at her website and blog.


Tour-Wide Giveaway


Gift Card Prize Pack: $100 Amazon Gift Card and ebooks of The Promise of Rain and After the Silence (open internationally)
US Prize Pack: Paperbacks of The Promise of Rain and After the Silence
3 ebook of After the Silence (open internationally)

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