themythicalbookshelf's Reviews (248)

Silent Night: A Dark Romance Anthology

C.L. Matthews, Lilian Harris, C. Lymari, S. Massery, Veronica Eden, A.R. Breck, J. Rose, Becca Steele, Steph Macca, Melinda Terranova, C.M. Radcliff, G.N. Wright, Rachel Leigh, Cala Riley

Rating and review coming soon!

More Than Words

Jill Santopolo

3.5

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

“Love you,” she said. “More than words,” he answered, his rejoinder for Nina’s entire life.

Heartfelt and layered with emotions, More Than Words follows Nina Gregory’s journey through the growing pains of adulthood, and picking up the pieces after her father’s death. Layered with the complex emotions of grief, betrayal, and uncertainty, Jill Santopolo manages to weave the excitement of new love and life throughout Nina’s story while still maintaining the importance of Nina’s growth and newfound strength.

Love was complicated. It didn’t disappear because someone did something horrible, something you didn’t agree with. It lived there, with the disappointment, the disapproval. You had to figure out how to hold both of them in your heart, or you’d lose everyone, everything.

I particularly enjoyed the way Santopolo is able to intertwine the complications between love and grief in Nina’s life, without losing sight of the bigger picture: Nina coming into her own independence and realizing that the people she loved the most may not have always been the people that she thought they were before tragedy struck. Overall I liked this book, but I did find myself wanting for more detail, possibly in terms of Nina and Rafael’s relationship. That particular aspect of the book almost felt a bit rushed to me, so definitely not a slow burn (which is totally fine of course) but I would have liked to have had a bit more development there (with that being said, there is a bit of spice, but not tons).

3.5 / 5