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Silent Surrender
Plymouth, England, 1841
Five days and nights of wicked pleasures and fulfilled fantasies, almost within Honoria’s grasp. All she needs now is the man she has chosen. Deaf from an illness in her infancy, Honoria knows that her life as a dormitory minder in a deaf school will be dull and lacking the opportunity to experience the kind of passion she has read about. With five days left until her ship sails from Plymouth to Calais, she has selected Esau Coal, a common dock worker, to be the man to introduce her to all the sensual delights she fears she’ll never have another chance to know. With the help of her tutor Jude, the man who has been her teacher, translator, friend and link to the hearing world, she arranges for Esau to spend five days and nights with her. But five nights will not be enough—and neither will Esau, when Jude is also there to tempt her.
Five days and nights of wicked pleasures and fulfilled fantasies, almost within Honoria’s grasp. All she needs now is the man she has chosen. Deaf from an illness in her infancy, Honoria knows that her life as a dormitory minder in a deaf school will be dull and lacking the opportunity to experience the kind of passion she has read about. With five days left until her ship sails from Plymouth to Calais, she has selected Esau Coal, a common dock worker, to be the man to introduce her to all the sensual delights she fears she’ll never have another chance to know. With the help of her tutor Jude, the man who has been her teacher, translator, friend and link to the hearing world, she arranges for Esau to spend five days and nights with her. But five nights will not be enough—and neither will Esau, when Jude is also there to tempt her.
119 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 4, 2013
14 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Abigail Barnette
64 books1,279 followersAbigail Barnette is the pseudonym of Jenny Trout (alias Jennifer Armintrout, an author, blogger, and funny person. Jenny made the USA Today bestseller list with her debut novel, Blood Ties Book One: The Turning. Her American Vampire was named one of the top ten horror novels of 2011 by Booklist Magazine Online. As Abigail Barnette, Jenny writes award-winning erotic romance, including the internationally bestselling The Boss series.
As a blogger, Jenny’s work has appeared on The Huffington Post, and has been featured on television and radio, including HuffPost Live, Good Morning America, The Steve Harvey Show, and National Public Radio’s Here & Now. Her work has earned mentions in The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly.
She is a proud Michigander, mother of two, and wife to the only person alive capable of spending extended periods of time with her without wanting to kill her.
As a blogger, Jenny’s work has appeared on The Huffington Post, and has been featured on television and radio, including HuffPost Live, Good Morning America, The Steve Harvey Show, and National Public Radio’s Here & Now. Her work has earned mentions in The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly.
She is a proud Michigander, mother of two, and wife to the only person alive capable of spending extended periods of time with her without wanting to kill her.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 1, 2019
Unusual story, about a deaf h, her tutor and the H who she has chosen to be her lover. He's an uneducated man, a common worker and a kind man. The tutor is in love with her, and while he disagrees with her plan he agrees because he wants her to be happy. The menage seemed like an afterthought, it happened at the end, the h wasn't written with any sympathy, I found her too cool and calculating, and I wanted to like her more than I did.
June 10, 2017
Honoria, a deaf young woman about to be cheated out of her inheritance and forced into a meager and constrained spinster life, decides to take a first (and possibly last) gasp of freedom and hire a handsome man to sleep with her before she is shipped off to her fate. But things don't go as planned, and Honoria, her tutor Jude, and dock worker Esau band together to forge a brave new life together.
I loved Honoria's brashness and independence, the complex and intriguing dynamic between the three of them, and the sex scenes that ranged from tender to wild.
If you're having trouble finding this book, it has been rereleased as Surrender, not Silent Surrender.
I loved Honoria's brashness and independence, the complex and intriguing dynamic between the three of them, and the sex scenes that ranged from tender to wild.
If you're having trouble finding this book, it has been rereleased as Surrender, not Silent Surrender.
October 30, 2024
I picked this up for @book.club.bitches fall bingo "book that uses sign language" and selected it from a list that @jenn.alwaysreading and @plottrysts curated of romances featuring Speech and Hearing Deficits.
Plymouth, England 1841. Honoria Wallis is deaf, and now that her father has died, his will indicates she should reside in France as a spinster dormitory minder at a boarding house for deaf girls. Before she sails, she wants five days of pleasure - and she chooses Esau Coal, a tradesman from the Docks. She's willing to be seduced by a man who she can't easily communicate, because she thinks her American Sign Language tutor Jude has rejected her affections. When it comes down to a choice, though, Honoria isn't willing to choose. She wants them both, and she'll move heaven and earth and the terms of her father's will (an lecherous solicitor) to get them.
This is MFM erotic romance, and you know I prefer MMF. This was originally published in 2013 and feels a little uncofmortably homophobic in a way that reminisces an older era of menage a trois writing. That said, i think the deaf and ASL representation makes this a worthwhile read, knowing the book's age. For all that this is a s3x book, there's a strong focus on communication and strength of character and a really great discussion of a variety of sign language and lip reading methods in 1841.
Plymouth, England 1841. Honoria Wallis is deaf, and now that her father has died, his will indicates she should reside in France as a spinster dormitory minder at a boarding house for deaf girls. Before she sails, she wants five days of pleasure - and she chooses Esau Coal, a tradesman from the Docks. She's willing to be seduced by a man who she can't easily communicate, because she thinks her American Sign Language tutor Jude has rejected her affections. When it comes down to a choice, though, Honoria isn't willing to choose. She wants them both, and she'll move heaven and earth and the terms of her father's will (an lecherous solicitor) to get them.
This is MFM erotic romance, and you know I prefer MMF. This was originally published in 2013 and feels a little uncofmortably homophobic in a way that reminisces an older era of menage a trois writing. That said, i think the deaf and ASL representation makes this a worthwhile read, knowing the book's age. For all that this is a s3x book, there's a strong focus on communication and strength of character and a really great discussion of a variety of sign language and lip reading methods in 1841.
August 21, 2017
3 stars
I was very excited about this book because I really like the plot summary but in the end, unfortunatelly, it's not lived up to my expectations...
I was very excited about this book because I really like the plot summary but in the end, unfortunatelly, it's not lived up to my expectations...
March 24, 2013
Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/bo...
With the threat of a secluded life surrounded by others of her kind hanging over her head, Honoria must find a way to fulfill her greatest desires before her father’s dying request is fulfilled. With only five days to find her dreams of passion and romance, Honoria enlists the help of her tutor, Jude, to help her win the object of her desire – Esau. But will her crazy adventure end when her ship sails? Or will the strong-willed Honoria defeat her disability and continue on her own way?
Honoria is an oddity in her time. Deaf from infancy, she’s considered deaf, dumb, and unimportant. However, like so many other misunderstood and underestimated women of her time, she sees and knows more than anyone expects. Her character is inspiring in the way that she refuses to let her deafness – or her femaleness – be a barrier to getting what she wants. The only issue I did have with her is that she had a tendency to be a bit of a spoiled brat when she didn’t get her way, but not overwhelmingly so.
Esau is Honoria’s opposite in every way. She’s cultured, educated, and refined and he’s… not. A coarse, rough dockworker, he’s astounded and a bit offended by Honoria’s proposition. But, like a true man of his station, one that knows he had better take the opportunities when they present themselves, he quickly gets past his uneasiness and agrees to help the lady out. I really enjoyed Esau’s character. The author really infused him with life and character. It’d be easy to just write him in as an uneducated laborer, but he’s so much more.
As Honoria’s teacher, translator, and friend, Jude is the real wildcard in the story. While Honoria sees him as her right hand man, he looks at her much differently. He impressed me with the way he swallowed his pride, for the most part, and helped her achieve her goals before being shipped off to a life of boredom. His love for her is strong enough that he both cautions her and helps her, even when he knows she’s being stubborn. He’s the steady and reliable one, but he has a hidden rebel within him as well.
Silent Surrender is an erotic novel of self-discovery. Honoria surprised me at every turn. Her dedication to getting to experience life despite what all the men in the world thought was inspirational considering the time period she lived in. She, combined with her two protectors, Esau and Jude, are a wild combination of sexy, fun, and so not meant to be, but somehow they work. Perfectly. Sexy, engaging, and so different from anything I’ve ever read, I had a hard time putting it down.
With the threat of a secluded life surrounded by others of her kind hanging over her head, Honoria must find a way to fulfill her greatest desires before her father’s dying request is fulfilled. With only five days to find her dreams of passion and romance, Honoria enlists the help of her tutor, Jude, to help her win the object of her desire – Esau. But will her crazy adventure end when her ship sails? Or will the strong-willed Honoria defeat her disability and continue on her own way?
Honoria is an oddity in her time. Deaf from infancy, she’s considered deaf, dumb, and unimportant. However, like so many other misunderstood and underestimated women of her time, she sees and knows more than anyone expects. Her character is inspiring in the way that she refuses to let her deafness – or her femaleness – be a barrier to getting what she wants. The only issue I did have with her is that she had a tendency to be a bit of a spoiled brat when she didn’t get her way, but not overwhelmingly so.
Esau is Honoria’s opposite in every way. She’s cultured, educated, and refined and he’s… not. A coarse, rough dockworker, he’s astounded and a bit offended by Honoria’s proposition. But, like a true man of his station, one that knows he had better take the opportunities when they present themselves, he quickly gets past his uneasiness and agrees to help the lady out. I really enjoyed Esau’s character. The author really infused him with life and character. It’d be easy to just write him in as an uneducated laborer, but he’s so much more.
As Honoria’s teacher, translator, and friend, Jude is the real wildcard in the story. While Honoria sees him as her right hand man, he looks at her much differently. He impressed me with the way he swallowed his pride, for the most part, and helped her achieve her goals before being shipped off to a life of boredom. His love for her is strong enough that he both cautions her and helps her, even when he knows she’s being stubborn. He’s the steady and reliable one, but he has a hidden rebel within him as well.
Silent Surrender is an erotic novel of self-discovery. Honoria surprised me at every turn. Her dedication to getting to experience life despite what all the men in the world thought was inspirational considering the time period she lived in. She, combined with her two protectors, Esau and Jude, are a wild combination of sexy, fun, and so not meant to be, but somehow they work. Perfectly. Sexy, engaging, and so different from anything I’ve ever read, I had a hard time putting it down.
August 31, 2015
Reviewed by Amy W
Book provided by the publisher
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
Abigail Barnette blazes new ground within the erotica genre with Silent Surrender. In this sizzling yet endearing Regency read, Honoria Wallis wants to experience passion before being sent to France. The only catch is that she is very much a lady. To complicate matters, she is also deaf, which means she has to rely on her tutor, Jude, to make the arrangements. She hires Esau Coal, a rough commoner, to fulfill her needs. Yet after experiencing passion, will Honoria be able to let Esau walk away? What will happen when Jude sees the woman he loves being satisfied by another man?
From the first two paragraphs of this story, it is apparent that the story line is quite unique. The characters are caught up in a chain of events that promises misery for all if not properly resolved. As a reader, I could easily picture an angry Honoria, signing furiously to Jude as she expressed her frustration.
The contrast between Jude and Esau is especially well defined. One is cultured and steady while the other is rough and unpredictable. The combination makes for an interesting love triangle, even though such a thing could have Honoria ostracized from society.
I found this story to be full of surprises. For one thing, the author was able to successfully integrate erotica into a Regency story. Secondly, the fresh story line moved at a steady pace throughout the book, with plenty of twists and turns. Finally, there was plenty of between-the-sheets action. Note that there is some ménage action in the story, but it is m/f/m with no interaction between the males.
From beginning to end and all parts in between, Silent Surrender gets high marks.
Book provided by the publisher
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
Abigail Barnette blazes new ground within the erotica genre with Silent Surrender. In this sizzling yet endearing Regency read, Honoria Wallis wants to experience passion before being sent to France. The only catch is that she is very much a lady. To complicate matters, she is also deaf, which means she has to rely on her tutor, Jude, to make the arrangements. She hires Esau Coal, a rough commoner, to fulfill her needs. Yet after experiencing passion, will Honoria be able to let Esau walk away? What will happen when Jude sees the woman he loves being satisfied by another man?
From the first two paragraphs of this story, it is apparent that the story line is quite unique. The characters are caught up in a chain of events that promises misery for all if not properly resolved. As a reader, I could easily picture an angry Honoria, signing furiously to Jude as she expressed her frustration.
The contrast between Jude and Esau is especially well defined. One is cultured and steady while the other is rough and unpredictable. The combination makes for an interesting love triangle, even though such a thing could have Honoria ostracized from society.
I found this story to be full of surprises. For one thing, the author was able to successfully integrate erotica into a Regency story. Secondly, the fresh story line moved at a steady pace throughout the book, with plenty of twists and turns. Finally, there was plenty of between-the-sheets action. Note that there is some ménage action in the story, but it is m/f/m with no interaction between the males.
From beginning to end and all parts in between, Silent Surrender gets high marks.
March 23, 2013
This is a sexy, surprising page-turner!
July 19, 2015
Didn't finish book. Got a little bored and went on to read a new book in a different genre.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews