Without Words

by Ellen O'Connell

Bounty hunter Bret Sterling kills Rufus Petty, thief and murderer, less than ten feet away from a frightened, half-starved woman. Rufus should have surrendered. The woman should have kin to help her. But Rufus went down shooting, and the woman has no one. Bret figures by the time he finds a safe place to leave Hassie Petty, he'll earn the five hundred dollar reward several times over.

Hassie doesn't mourn Rufus, but the loss of the ten dollars he promised her for supplies is a different matter. The bounty hunter gives her nothing, takes everything, ties the body on one horse and orders her on another. Afraid if she defies him, he'll tie her down tighter than Rufus, Hassie mounts up and follows the icy-eyed killer.

Mismatched in every way, the sterling man and petty woman travel the West together, hunting thieves, deserters, and murderers. Wary traveling companions, friends and partners, lovers, Bret and Hassie must decide what they want, what they need, and the price they're willing to pay for love.

Genres: Historical Romance, Westerns, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Western Romance, Slow Burn

334 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2014

Reviews

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars

I have a hard time properly rating/reviewing Ellen O'Connell books.

She penned what is probably one of my top ten books of ALL time, which I originally read in 2012. Since that original read, I have probably re-read it at least four times a year if not more (I am truly not exaggerating) and I know I will always continue to do so. I just love it that much.

The flip side to that though is that I want every O'Connell book to be as good...but lightning just doesn't often strike twice, does it?

As a result of this comparison, I feel like my expectations when reading a new-to-me O'Connell are irrationally high. And I feel like I end up rating them lower than I would if I didn't have the ambrosia of that first book to compare them to. Which is totally unfair. But there it is.

That said, I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting (always a good sign). Per usual, O'Connell's writing pulled me in immediately and I loved her fleshed out main characters, especially the added nuance of Hassie'a voice issues...

However, I must say that I didn't feel a connection between Hassie and Bret was even close to what was between Cord and Annie...and I guess that's the crux of the above mentioned comparison issue. I want every O'Connell couple to have the magical connection and fleshed out relationship that Cord and Annie had...and being that those two are one of my ride or dies, I know that's just impossible.

So take the above rating with a grain of salt...and if you too consider Eyes to be one of your top favorites...I would imagine you might have the same comparison issues I have.

But I'm not complaining. The fact that O'Connell gifted us with that previous magic makes her a goddess in my book. And I still read and enjoy all the other books I've read from her thus far.

[Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Ellen O'Connell's writing. Without Words was a great read. The romance had a nice slow burn. I really felt the connection between Hassie and Bret. I loved their relationship had a nice build up and tons of meat to it. There was plenty going on in the plot to keep it from getting boring. Bret was an amazing hero. Hassie was different as she couldn't talk. I always have had a soft spot for damaged or scarred heroes or heroines. Overall another great read from Ms O'Connell.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really sweet, slow burn.
My heart stayed in my chest with this one, when usually Ellen rips it out and stomps on it. Not a bad thing, just a different, more fuzzy romance centred story from her. Bret is a great caretaker hero and Hassie (dumb name) has an untapped inner strength, optimism and resilience that I admired. However I’m petty and filled with vengeance so I needed a better comeuppance for the brother and his wife, and Hassie was almost raped three times in this and we hear of a few almost rapes from her past as well. It felt excessive that her whole life is one big failed rape attempt.
But for real, Ellen knows how to write a title better than any author, they always have deeper meaning and I never forget them (and I tend to forget titles really quickly).
So this is a mid four star read but I can’t quite bring myself to round it up to sit next to Eyes of Silver and Beautiful Bad Man by the same author. That’s probably unfair but this is my review and I do what I want haha.

Update: I decided to round up because I think my slump was making me nit picky and I picked up a really terrible book right after this and felt like coming back and rewarding good writing. Ellen really deserves all the stars. So 4.5 stars rounded up.

[Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all of O’Connell’s writing, this beautiful romance develops with a natural, slow build, which gives the relationship the space it needs to become rich and meaningful.

Old west setting
Slow burn
Non-speaking, widowed fmc
Bounty hunter H
HEA

When bounty hunter Bret Sterling (31) kills Rufus Petty, a thief and murderer, he finds himself responsible for Hassie (26).

Hassie’s elderly husband has died, and she is in the process of burying him when Brett shoots her son-in-law Rufus in front of her.

Their uneasy partnership begins as a necessity. Bret is there for his bounty, and Hassie, with nowhere to go and no one to rely on, has little choice but to follow.

Brett has been hardened by life, but he has unexpected depths. Hassie’s inability to speak adds a vulnerability to her character, yet she is wonderfully resilient.

He moved slightly, his voice as soft in its way as his hands had been. “I think this moment right now is worth every day of the years wandering in the wilderness it took to get here.”

While this isn’t my favorite book by this author, I can’t help but give it five stars. O’Connell writes the most beautifully developed characters and romance.

[peachygirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second Ellen's book I read and I'm so not happy about getting on the bandwagon this late.

Bret and Hassie didn't even let me put the book down. They were so amazing together. And Hassie's self appointed defender, Gunner, won my heart with his unwavering loyalty. They made a picture perfect family. Along with Brownie, Jasper and Packie. And of course, their rifles!
Bret's "real" family was so selfish and terrible, with the exclusion of Caroline. His uppity ex-fiancee/current sister in law and smarmy brother got on my nerves repeatedly. Hassie was so right to not to live with them. Who would want to subject themselves to such abject snobbery on a daily basis?
The epilogue showing the Sterling family's latest addition was just so adorable.

I loved Ellen's writing, the unforgiving yet beautiful background painted in the aftermath of Civil war, such genuine and lively characters and their love story beyond beautiful even without words!

[Corina · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021 - it was time for a re-read of my all time favorite historical Western romances - and as always they never disappoint.

A must read for anyone who loves this genre.

___________________________________

Reread 2019

Ellen O'Connell is my most favorite author for western historical. I usually read her books at least once a year. And looking at my review below, it's obvious I need to update it, it's an old one, from way before I started blogging.

___________________________________

I don't think Ellen O'Connell can do anything wrong.

Again she created a couple that is so unique and wonderfully perfect for each other, I'm still thinking about them long after being done with the book.

The story was beautifully written. Slow built-up, the heartwarming getting to know between the characters that I'm used to from her other books.

It's the perfect blend of attraction, but not falling instantly in love, getting to know each other, trusting and depending on each other, without the drama and misunderstandings. Very strong heroine, and protective but not overly overwhelming alphas. Usually the authors couples are two halfs of a whole, unusual individuals that meet under less than perfect circumstances to compliment each other, to fight for their HEA.

[Dab · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love me a hot and brooding bounty hunter 🥰 but it’s too cold to write reviews, (that’s my excuse). 🥶🥶🥶

[Vivian Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️ x ♾️ This is my first book by this author and I instantly fell in love with her writing! I already can’t wait to read her other books. This was just so good. I enjoyed every minute of it.

I’m not normally a big fan of westerns but this one was really entertaining and the romance was so beautiful.

A bounty hunter and a mute widow? Sign me up!! I loved that Bret was a bit of a grump and never smiled 🤭 but he was also very protective of Hassie and he just wanted what was best for her. My heart broke for her a few times 🥺. She didn’t have anyone but I’m so happy she found Bret ❤️

I loved it when he asked her if she could teach him sign language 🥺.

And that epilogue had me shedding so many happy tears for them 🥹❤️. This was just such a lovely story! One that I know I won’t ever forget. I already can’t wait to reread it!

[Christina ~ Brunette Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 Stars

We're in 1871 Missouri, and the book opens with newly minted widow Hessie Petty burying her husband. Rendered mute by a terrible childhood accident, she's a neglected young woman whose quiet strength has though allowed her to survive an unloving marriage to a drunkard old enough to be her father and a dreary life with his uncaring family. Wondering about the uncertain future awaiting her on the patch of desolation that is now the barren and rundown Petty farm, Hessie unexpectedly finds a reluctant rescuer in the bounty hunter just arrived to bring Rufus to justice, her husband's wastrel lowlife son and the last relative she can claim.
Bret Sterling had to shoot the wanted man to not get killed when Rufus drew out his gun first and, even with a corpse to consign to the authorities, leaving the forlorn widow to possibly starve in that dried-up mess is not an option, as the gentleman still lurking in him under those unshaven cheeks and all the grit and embitterment demands he sees her escorted to a safer place.
And so begins their wild ride that will take them from the thrilling and dangerous frontier towns and unforgiving landscapes to a ravaged Old South facing the aftermath of the Civil War, where Bret's manipulative family still lives in the illusion of a lost grandeur.

Both evocative historical western and exciting road-romance, Without Words is a beautifully told story of love and adventure. Combining a gripping storyline with a smoothly flowing writing, Ellen O'Connell has penned one of the best examples in the sub-genre I've come across recently and thanks to her strong sense of time and place and her true talent for blending realistic and romantic elements, the book gradually reveals the big and sincere heart beating at its core which I'm starting to recognise as this author's trademark and which makes caring and rooting for the leading couple so easy and rewarding.
Hassie and Bret's romance develops slowly and believably. The bond they form while travelling and facing adversities not only serves to show how they start to trust each other teaming up and overcoming obstacles, but also to portray how they connect to a deeper level, so much that I often forgot Hessie couldn't speak as a constant undercurrent communication was always present, carried out by emotions instead of words and "traditional" dialogues. The chemistry they share is unique and natural, Bret is protective but never underestimates her and Hassie, given the chance to regain the dignity it has always been denied her, is finally free to prove herself and to love and be loved for the first time.

Just for clarification's sake: detracted an insignificant half star only due to some bits of unnecessary drama from the heroine's part toward the end, which also felt quite out of character to be honest, but eventually rounded up to 5 because the book as a whole was too enjoyable for deserving anything less.

Western Romance really doesn't get much better than this and together with Maggie Osborne (alas, retired) and Jo Goodman, Ellen O'Connell is soon becoming another author setting the bar for me in the genre.

[Lisa Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★ Oh, my! This was my first book by the talented Ellen O'Connell. I know, I know. Where have I been? To tell the truth, just afraid she would make me cry too much. I shouldn't have worried; any sniffles were worth it.

I cracked this book open, planning only to get a taste by reading the first chapter, expecting to get to it later. Instead, I stayed up all night reading non-stop!

This book has everything a Historical Western Romance should have: a heroic hero with a brain who doesn't take any crap; a likable heroine who doesn't whine or do anything TSTL; an adventure-driven plot; an exciting but believable and face-paced story-line; a curmudgeonly, loyal dog; a couple lovable horses worth rooting for; a rode trip; a building love affair; more than one dastardly bad-guy; a train ride; and a HEA ending with a satisfactory epilogue.

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many friends have come before me with reviews on this glorious bit of storytelling so for anyone else who's new to this author (like I was), there are many, many reviews that detail why you should pick one of her books up. And you should listen to them because the hype is real. I sat on this author for a while because her most recommended book I see has a hard opening that I just wasn't sure I could get through in my current sensitivity era (which is now what I'm calling it). Thankfully a couple friends recently read THIS book first and their responses convinced me Without Words was the place for me to start with Ellen O'Connell's work and I am super grateful to those ladies whose reviews are here: Vivian's review and Céloise's review.

Without Words is a character development forward romance with growth from both mains. Bret (H) and Hassie (h) have a dramatic introduction considering he kills her adult stepson in front of her right after she buried her elderly husband, but that cold-eyed bounty hunter and this mute widow end up on a journey afterwards that highlights some of the intrigue and challenges of the West during this time, but also slowly crafts a delightful and tender romance between two people who didn't want one and weren't expecting to come to care for another individual in the way they do.

Hassie's had a difficult life of rejection and people trying to take advantage of her (this poor woman kept getting almost assaulted), while Bret had an easy life initially, before choosing a challenging course where he stood by his beliefs and then felt like he needed to make amends to his family for those decisions through a risky career. These two felt bigger than this story because I was inexorably drawn into their motivations, histories, fears, and dreams. Much of the backdrop is them on the trail between towns, with stops in certain areas along the way or when they need to be somewhere specific for a time, and that setting really allowed deeper dives into the characters and the relationship that was being created.

Written in third person, dual POV. No real ow drama (though H thinks about a childhood sweetheart at times who married someone else and the h does feel some emotions about this woman eventually, but the H's feelings towards the h are so far and above anything else, it didn't bother me) and om drama only in the sense that the h is encouraged at one point to marry a stranger and then is off and on in danger by bad men. Both H and h are experienced, but there's definitely a gap in experience levels here considering the h's first marriage.

The fact that Hassie could still make flower crowns for her dog (Gunner deserved every treat/rabbit) and run joyfully through a field felt enormous. Bret being willing to travel with Hassie and how he'd fuss over her in his way, while also being quick to set down anyone and everyone that looked even cross-eyed at her, made my heart swell. How her laugh affected him from the start also was the best. Given this is a slow burn, I enjoyed how each respected and cared for the other, then slowly realized how that grew into bigger emotions. Even when the idea of being more comes about, it's given deep consideration for how it could potentially hurt in the future in a way that felt so genuine and careful. At the same time, I was ready for that steaminess to come about given some of the earlier bits of tension placed here and there in the book lol. There are explicit scenes between them and the payoff is excellent.

There is a fair amount of showing vs. telling in this author's writing style. Also some repetition, but the way that it flows and the development all felt so smooth that it never dragged for me. She excels though at details, not just for building a view of the setting, but also of the human experience that she's placing her characters in, to give them that fully fleshed out feel.

I think Hassie and Bret becoming a unit is what made this story outstanding for me, esp considering each of their backstories. Also that their unit also consisted of animals who they cared for and valued, sometimes above other humans. Even later in the book when we get some internal conflict introduced, I felt they still maintained that unit feeling because of how they reacted and the inner thoughts we're given, someone just needed a wakeup call to remind them.

Most of the side characters seen are, unfortunately, negatively motivated and not good for our main characters. However, some were wonderful and I esp loved the people in a small town that Bret and Hassie end up in for a time, as well as Bret's sister. I did wish that a couple characters received more of an on page reckoning for their actions, even though I understood why the author would have chosen not to.

The ending is such a HEA moment of them a few years into the future, settled with a family, and they get a surprise that was just so adorable when added to how Bret envisioned their future. I loved this ending, this book, and these characters who leapt off the page and into my heart, as overdone as that sentiment seems.

[Céloise · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆ We need more storytellers like Ellen O’Connell.

➳❦ A woman with a ruined voice shouldn’t have a whispery, silvery laugh that crawled up a man’s spine with delicate little female claws and roused things long dead and better left that way.

I’ve never really been into Westerns; I mainly remember falling asleep as a kid every time my dad insisted we watch one. But after reading my first Ellen O’Connell story, I have the urge to get better boots and learn how to ride a horse. Next, I will obviously go find my own grumpy, sexy, cinnamon roll vigilante justice bounty hunter to go on epic roadtrips and be sweet, soulful badasses together. 🥰🙌

➳❦ “I think this moment right now is worth every day of the years wandering in the wilderness it took to get here.”❤️‍🩹

Btw this a great starting point for EO's books, as it doesn't have a graphically devastating opening like some others. Plus I’ve decided that my favorite trope after enemies-to-lovers is The Roadtrip. There’s something so delicious about watching MMCs simultaneously navigate their individual emotional journeys as well as the twists and turns of a literal geographic one together. 😎 🧨 ❤️‍🩹

➳❦ He wanted the laughter. He wanted the feeling of partnership that rose from sitting side by side sorting through wanted posters or sneaking Gunner into a hotel room. He wanted to keep her safe.

And let’s not forget the gorgeous sensuality and romantic tension in this book. I know I never will. 🔥❤️‍🔥

➳❦ Long legs moved gracefully under the skirt, legs he wanted wrapped around his, wrapped around his waist. Because he wanted that too, wanted her under him, on top of him, beside him, against walls....

I feel like with more marketing, EO would be HUGE. Because really how does she come up with such unique characters, and how do I feel like I actually know them personally? You’ll feel like you’re there when Bret reluctantly takes Hassie on the road after she becomes collateral damage, and as he slowly discovers she’s become completely vital to him in every way.

➳❦ She had no right to run with her arms outstretched as if embracing the morning, to weave flowers in that excuse for a horse’s mane. Or to hum in the evening as she groomed the horse. Or to smile at him as if he should share all these delights. Or to laugh.

He embraces her sign language lessons and her ideas, and he is so sweetly and grumpily in awe of her joie de vivre despite the awful hardships and injustices she has suffered. He believes in her.

➳❦ The meaning of the words hardly registered as the wonder of what he’d just done hit her. She reached out and touched the back of his hand, pulled back, met his eyes. His cynical smile didn’t change the gleam of knowledge in his eyes. He knew full well what he’d done. They had a private language. The intimacy of it took her breath away. Her eyes puddled. “D-o-n-t d-o n-o-t.” He frowned. “Is there an apostrophe?” She forgot herself and laughed.💕

Our fantastic heroine, one of my all time favorites, is overcome by the discovery of what it feels like to be cherished and protected by a man as beautiful and honorable as she is, for the first time in her life.

➳❦ “Hassie.” Her plain name sounded like it belonged to someone else, someone beautiful and desirable and loved. 🥹

Last but certainly not least, you’ll likely want to be adopted by Gunner and Brownie, the best canine and equine friends a girl could ever hope for. This resilient little family and their story have permanently imprinted themselves on my damn heart, and I'm grateful. A definite future reread.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book in one word? Heartwarming. The hero? Heart-stopping. The heroine? Lionhearted.

Western romance novel by one of my favorite authors in this genre. Rated R, with explicit sex, bloody violence, and some cussing — but not much, to my relief. A mix of action, tenderness, steam, heart-pounding danger, and humor. Some really great dialogue, even though Hassie can't speak well (now that's quite a trick!).

This mostly-mute heroine stole my heart, and the hero who learned how to "read" Hassie — the first person to try in all her lonely life — is fully worthy of her. This withered widow literally blossoms in his company.

Bret may seem brusque and ice-cold at first, but he's indeed "sterling" and kudos to Ellen O'Connell for creating such a truly sweet yet credible romance (and for her deft handling of speech impairments and its associated social stigmas).

And...for us animal lovers, Hassie's mind-reading mutt is an absolute must! Yellow dog and faithful Brownie bring humor and pathos while advancing the plot (O'Connell does animals well).

Set in the wild west (Colorado, Texas, etc.) post Civil War, about 1871-ish. The setting felt authentic to me. The language, societal conventions, and customs felt real. The plot is based on bounty hunting for big bucks to rebuild the war-torn South, with some vivid danger scenes and some truly sweet stuff (learning to communicate, to shoot a gun, her new floaty dress , etc.). Bret gives Hassie so much, but he gains even more in return: warmth and joy, freedom from guilt, a promising future...

(And her eyes are violet, Bret. Not blue. Not blue-violet or blue-gray. Purple. Yup. Violet!)

Quibbles: I didn't fully buy the reason for their hasty marriage (but methinks it wasn't his real reason. He just wasn't ready to accept how much he loved Hassie yet). Towards the end, family entanglements (rotten eggs) and an old flame got a little too much press for my taste, and hard to swallow (but some scenes in that section are great). Also, pacing bogged down a bit in that section, and at Gabe's homestead.

There's a surprising plot twist at the end. Hurrah to Hassie for having a mind of her own!

Happy epilogue, set about 4 years in future. Awww.

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mismatched in every way, the sterling man and petty woman travel the West together, hunting thieves, deserters, and murderers. Wary traveling companions, friends and partners, lovers, Bret and Hassie must decide what they want, what they need, and the price they're willing to pay for love.



Enjoyed this one. Started off a bit slow but really got into it after a while.


I really should do reviews straight away after finishing a book ...


I have read other books by this author ... my "namesake" actually - O'Connell!!

[Nabilah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've re-read this a few times over the past few years, and it is so, so good. A page-turner from the get-go. I absolutely loved Hassie and Brett. The book is what I wanted in terms of 'feels' from a historical romance. Simply wonderful!

[Vintage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I am now 2 for 2 with Ellen O'Connell. Being from Texas, I stay clear from cowboy tales and big buckle rodeo guys (please ignore my hypocritical exclusion of Lorelei James's books. Buckle bunnies negate any real cowboy action. Yuck.). For the most part, fictional cowboys in romance are simply too ridiculous to take even within the context of a romance novel.

Oh, but EC's characters simply don't apply. Monosyllabic, honorable, rugged heroes that do what is necessary; heroines that suck it up and make sacrifices without falling down the Mary Sue martyr hole..

Hassie, an incredibly recent widow, is essentially a mute at risk at the hands of any male predators because she is young, pretty, considered a dummy, and is all alone. Bret is a bitter survivor of both the war Between the States as well as the civil war within his own family. Doing the right thing, he joined the Union Army, what turned out to be the winning side, much to his snooty Southern family's dismay. He's not kicked out of the family, but does penance by supporting their worthless rear ends by bounty hunting.

Bret and Hassie don't meet cute when he kills her only living relative (in-law) by necessity. Tough guy Bret is honorable and looks after Hassie. I am not going to go into the various ways he saves her and how she reciprocates, but there are a host of characters in this story from the mule skinned varmint outlaws they both hunt down, a cranky yellow dog that lives on the edge of getting shot about once a week, a splayed and worthless plow horse nag Hassie loves, numerous supposedly upstanding but lecherous old and young men, and Bret's weak and avaricious family.

This is more than an adventure or a romance, slow burn that it is, but a story of two people that do what is necessary to survive without compromising their humanity or principles.

This is the kind of book that redeems all the other 1 and 2 star stinkers with their vapid heroines, inexcusable manwhores with mommy and/or guilt complexes, shallow sexuality and the other zero based actions we so often read.

[Duchess Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen O'Connell is a guaranteed good read. Low angst and pointless drama. Beautiful, meaningful romance. Tough cowboys, tougher women, both flawed. Loved it.

[edith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen O'Connell's writing style is subtly poetic and effortlessly readable. She makes a slow burn feel like a real relationship unfolding right in front of your eyes, spanning years. She balances the chemistry between main characters with their personalities, with nothing left overshadowed.

This story is no exception. Set in the American West, with bounty hunters, outlaws, and gunslingers, what more could you ask for? The setting alone is compelling and vivid and almost cinematic.

The synopsis already covers their first meeting, but I’ll still go over it. Hassie is a mute, widowed, starving woman with nothing to her name. When Bret, a bounty hunter, comes looking for her stepson Rufus, Rufus’s own stupidity gets him killed. And Bret, being the perfect man he is, doesn’t just walk away. He tries to help Hassie find safety.

Without giving too much away from the plot, any help in this town turns out to come with bad motives. So Bret takes Hassie on a journey across the wild, wild West.

I love a good historical romance with a road trip setting, where they’re constantly on the move, discovering new places and all. The descriptions of lakes, forests, and the smells of nature added another layer of immersion. I could picture it all perfectly in my head.

I'll talk about the plot more later, but first, I really want to talk about Bret and Hassie as individual characters, without describing them as one.

Hattie, like the other Ellen O'Connell heroines I've read, was a quiet but strong woman without belittling others, without unplaced pride, without arrogance. She was a woman who looked after her old husband through his drunken days, without expecting or getting anything in return. She is fearless in a way that feels human.

Bret is like that too, a strong presence without too many words, well, except a lot of gunslinging. That is just the way he is. He knows how to use fewer words and more action, which is never misplaced. Because how dare anyone disrespect animals or any woman? Bret is there to shoot up your hotel and shoot you too.

And they both have been used. Bret by his leech of a family (minus his sister), and Hassie by a husband she never truly owed anything to. Watching them, but especially Bret, slowly unlearn that sometimes we have to put ourselves first was beautiful

Their romance simmers gradually, it never tips into obsession or blinding passion. Yes, there are sex scenes, but the love here is built on something deeper, mutual respect, quiet care, and the slow unfolding of trust. In most romances I read, there’s always an instant spark, whether it's lust or love at first sight. But this one took its time, and I adored that. Bret knows how to love a woman. Hassie knows how to be brave with Bret. That’s poetic.

I loved how Bret learned sign language with Hassie. The act of learning as a way to bond, especially when it comes from a desire to understand someone in the way that's most natural and comfortable for them is pure love. Reading about how happy Hassie is that he cherishes the sounds she can make, and how he picks up sign language even faster than she and her mother did, was incredibly beautiful. It genuinely warmed my heart.

The meaning of the words hardly registered as the wonder of what he’d just done hit her. She reached out and touched the back of his hand, pulled back, met his eyes. His cynical smile didn’t change the gleam of knowledge in his eyes. He knew full well what he’d done. They had a private language. The intimacy of it took her breath away. Her eyes puddled.

Up to a certain point, even though Bret is the perfect man, we’re forced to read about a woman named Mary lingering in his thoughts. She was once engaged to him, but when he left for war, she went ahead and married someone else. And when you find out who that someone is, you’ll want to slap her even more than you already do. What makes it worse is how fond Bret still is of her, his every thought filled with longing for a woman who betrayed him. He does eventually move on, but honestly, come on, Bret.

Overall, this was a solid, beautifully written slow burn romance. Sometimes you just want a story that’s the textbook definition of love and care, and this one delivers that.

[KatLynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

Ellen O'Connell is one of my favorite Historical Western Romance authors and she doesn’t disappoint as she delivers one of the best with Bret and Hassie's story. This action packed romance is certainly a page turner and she serves it up well with a delicious, sexy bounty hunter along with a heroine I adored.

Hassie Petty’s life has never been easy. A tragic childhood accident has left her with no voice and unfortunately her worth as a female plummets. Ridiculed, mistreated, and misunderstood are only a few of the hardships she’s had to endure. Now widowed from a man old and poor as dirt has left her anxious and with little hope for a brighter future. Until in the blink of an eye, a cold-hearted stranger changes everything.

Bret Sterling is all alpha; a manly-man whose job as a bounty hunter has taught him to be a quick draw as well as a dangerous foe. And while his admirable and heroic aspects are present, don’t be fooled. He’s tough, hard, and a man you’d not want to cross. He easily depicts what I imagine a bounty hunter might be in that time period and most assuredly a shining star in this tale.

This book grabbed me from the get-go and kept me there until the very end. Circumstances have left Bret saddled with finding a safe place to leave Hassie Petty and he’s not looking forward to this chore. However, as they travel together across the wild frontier, her courage and resilience slowly reveal themselves, throwing a wrench into Bret’s plans.

Ms. O’Connell weaves a superbly written tale that includes two wonderfully crafted MCs along with a believable, action packed story. Her skilled writing will have you forgetting modern times as you experience a bounty hunters life in 1871 as well as witnessing a lovely, young woman flourish as she gains her self confidence from the tender care of this lovely man. And let's not forget the man. Bret is a remarkable hero and witnessing Hassie's positive, sunny nature helps to gradually soften and melt his frozen heart. Little by little, their relationship simmers, boils and finally erupts into something beautiful.

Loved it and Highly recommend!

[[~Ami~]♥Sexy Dexy♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 star

I liked this but if I was to compare it to the other two westerns I read lately I enjoyed the other two a little more. Maybe if I had read this first I would have liked it more I duno. I thought the characters were very likeable and the romance well done. My only complaint is that I found it a bit slow.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing a dark read I wanted something completely different and I got that here. This is the second book I've read by Ellen O'Connell and I'm a fan. I love her style of writing, it draws me in from the get go with a fabulous story without having to resort to any unnecessary drama. Her characters are fantastic, the heroes are alpha without the ridiculous "I'm man - beat my chest and speak in one word sentences" and the heroines are strong, resilient, calm and not a TSTL move in sight. Her characters aren't perfect, certainly Hessie wasn't due to her disability which in today's times wouldn't be an issue, but in those times it definitely was. Bret's patience and determination to understand her was phenomenal. See - awesome characters :)

Loved this one almost as much as Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold which is one of my favourite reads of 2017.

4.5 stars

[Giorgia Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Hmm.. not as good as Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold, but still a pretty good story.

I liked both characters and the progression of the plot. The only complaint I have is that I didn't feel as if the MC's had the same intense connection as Anne and Cord did (from Eyes of Silver..) and the story wasn't as engaging as that one. - As you can tell, I can't stop comparing the two.

[Ilaria 🌸 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re read 2022 Jan
Always one of the best HR I ve read
I have developed a severe addiction to EOC books and I am in a status of severe book hungover right now
Brett and Hassie story is a beautifully written slow burn romance with a strong heroine a broody but gentle hero some angst a good dose of grovelling a arranged marriage and a bounty hunter
I will re read this jewel for sure
I fear only one thing not enough books from this author not enough 😍🥰
All the stars in the sky

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hassie has lost everything. Her voice, the result of a childhood accident; her mother who she loved; her alcoholic husband; and Rufus, the good for nothing son of her husband after he pulled a gun on the bounty hunter who had tracked him down.

With no money and absolutely no way to get by, Bret, the bounty hunter takes her with him in the hopes of cutting her loose at the first opportunity. But the world is hard on a woman living on the frontier and he soon realises her only chance is to stick with him.

As they travel the West in search of bounties, for the first time in her life Hassie comes alive. With her broken down horse and mangy dog in tow she manages to find a sense of belonging with Bret. But Bret plans on returning to Missouri and his wealthy family and there is no chance they will ever accept a woman like Hassie.



Without Words is kind of amazing. Ellen O'Connell writes some of the best historical romance around. If you like books set in the wild west, this is about as good as it gets.

[Ira · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's official, I'm one of Ellen O'Connell's fans.
She is on my very few automatic buy list:)

How to explain how I feel about her books?
Let me tell you something, English is not my first language.
I'm a multilingual person, unfortunately I can’t say I'm very good at all of them.
Even my mother tongue is awfull now due to not live in the country more than 20 years, only speaks once in a year while I visiting or on the phone, yup even my mum said I speaks like a foreigner:(

So, my English is ok, because hubby only can speaks English and we speaks English at home and I've learn it since I was 6 years old at school.

But like any other language I speaks, I don't really feeling it somehow:(
I read plenty books, I enjoy them, I love them, many I still remember long after I read them but somehow I failed to grasp when other said how beautiful written it was, lyrical style or few other fancy words to describe the books. No, I didn't get it, maybe that's why I rarely get emotional when I read a book, that's why, until Ellen's books.

She wrote beautiful stories.
I don't know, in a plain English I supposed but rich in details that I can understand very well.
How to describe this? When she wrote about Hassie running on the prairie, pirouette and enjoying the wind touching her face while happily humming, from the words she wrote I feels like I experiencing it with Hassie, or when Ellen wrote about Patrick, I giggles, gosh! Giggles when I read about the wiggling shining face baby and plenty things like that:)

You see, I can feel like I know how Hassie's feel when others thought she was dumb and treat her as one because she can't speaks and her sign language just weird for others and to them just it show how not right she was. Until Bret of course and I can feel I was falling in love slowly to him too like Hassie:)

So you bet, since Ellen doesn't write often, I re-read her current books again and again:)

[SB*needs low angst books* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read and still love it.

Bret Sterling is a bounty hunter who meets the heroine Hassie Petty because her stepbrother is a wanted man. She is left abandoned on the farm that was owned by her late husband. Bret steps in to help but at first feels she is a burden and Hassie fears him at first due to how they meet and being unsure of his intent. As they travel and hunt the men for their bounty feelings change and walls come down leading both to a life they never thought was possible.

Hassie is mute due to a childhood accident but many think she is deaf and dumb as well. She actually very intelligent with a big heart and very loyal as well. She knows how to sign and to write but is often vulnerable and taken advantage of due to her inability to voice her objections and people assumptions of her intelligence.

Bret is a brave, loyal, and totally sweet and fair man that has had a hard time adjusting after the war. He is also someone who has family that don't deserve all he has been doing and sacrificing for.

The romance is a serious slow burn but it makes it so much more believable at the same time. It has two characters that have had a hard time in life and many disappoints as well.

It was wonderful to watch how they grow to respect each other, depend on each other, and watching the attraction develop as does their friendship and trust and love.

This is a high recommendation and a serious favorite I re-read often. It does have a few sex scenes but mostly it is watching the relationship develop and unfold but it doesn't have that over angst feel to it.

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 3 out of 5]

*This is a TBRChallenge review, there will be spoilers, I don't spoil everything but enough, because I treat these reviews as a bookclub discussion.

3.5 stars

“I’m the man the army is going to pay five hundred dollars for dragging you back to Fort Leavenworth,” the horseman said.
Rufus spit. “Bounty hunter.”

This month's TBRChallenge prompt was After the War, this takes place after the American Civil War in 1871. It can be a little hard sometimes to gauge how much a prompt will fit the book I pick out from my tbr by synopsis but I guessed that our hero Bret was a bounty hunter in some way shape or form because of the Civil War, and I was right. The After the War-ness of this story doesn't constantly beat you over the head but the actions that most characters take are because of the war. Bret's family live in Missouri and while they don't slam the door in his face, they still try to punish him for the “traitor” they feel he is because he fought for the Union. His childhood sweetheart, Mary broke off their engagement and married his younger brother Will, and they emotionally beat down on him by making him feel guilty for the death of his other brother Albert who fought for the Confederates. He becomes a bounty hunter so that he can send money back to the farm to help them rebuild.

Only yards away a stranger sat his horse. With the late morning sun behind them, both man and beast were dark shadows with golden halos.

The story starts right away with Bret coming upon Hassie as she buries her husband with the help of one of his sons. Bret's there to take the son in for stealing money and a horse from the army and when the son tries to draw on him, Bret ends up killing the son right in front of Hassie. Hassie is one of the most unlucky, luckiest women. When she was eight she fell from climbing a tree and got noose-d by a wire holding up a branch (yeah, I tried imagining it to not much success) and while a doctor was in the park to help her from bleeding out from how deep the wire cut into her neck, she lost the ability to speak without incredible pain. Her father ends up dying and when her mother who came from money but ran away to marry the help, tries to return to her family, they slam the door in her face. So the mother answers an ad looking for a wife and they travel to Missouri. There, Hassie's mother dies and the stepfather essentially sells her to a very old farmer who ends up pickling himself on his own still production and that's when Bret comes upon her.

Hat pulled down over dark hair, fine wool coat hanging almost to his knees, gloves, boots, everything but his hard face was hidden under winter clothing.

Can we take a moment to appreciate this descriptive sentence? This sentence and the image it invokes in my mind is why I read westerns, lol. Anyway, Hassie gets lucky because Bret is an honest to god decent human being and when he sees the state of her farm and larder, decides that he can't in good conscious leave her there. He brings her to town and when it looks like she'll be safely settled at the local hotel as their new maid, he takes off to his next bounty. Except, his horse's shoeing starts to come off (there's a quick hint at his problems at home with him immediately thinking his brother Will had sabotaged them) and he has to turn back to town. There Hassie slams into him as she's running from the muscle of Sally's, the local whorehouse. The innkeepers sold her to Sally. Bret steely sets things to rights and decides to take Hassie with him as he plans on placing her with friends he has in Nebraska.

The deaths and decisions of others had changed her life in an instant many times before, but never for the better. Maybe this time would be different.

So now we have a road romance, Bret, Hassie, Bret's horses Jasper and Packie, and Hassie's entourage of a less than prime horseflesh Brownie and the growly but can bite to save your life Yellow Dog, who Bret renames Gunner. At this time, Hassie is still wary of Bret but you can see the trust growing. Bret guesses Hassie's age to be anywhere between mid-twenties to thirties but the reader doesn't know it yet. Hassie is, obviously, in her head a lot and has one of those personalities as roll with the punches and still joyfully in awe of the world around her. She communicates with Bret with chalk and a slate and then later sign language as she teaches him, so there's conversation there to bond them. But this is definitely heavier in the actions show the development between the two. I don't know if it was because Hassie couldn't speak and this naturally kept a distance between her and others or/and her twirl in the fields personality but she came off very young to me. The story actually took the time to develop the foundation between these two, I can see some readers getting very antsy as they have to wait for around the late 50% mark to get to the more obvious stuff but I was happy because of how young Hassie read to me and I struggled with attributing deeper adult romantic love feelings to her.

Sometime in the last weeks his original urge to crush the wide-eyed eagerness and softness out of her and make her acknowledge life’s grim realities and unfairness had changed. The joy with which she approached the most simple things had wormed its way inside him and lightened the darkness.

When they get to Nebraska and his friends, Bret starts to already get uncomfortable with the idea of marrying Hassie off to a bachelor in the area. There Hassie learns of Bret's childhood sweetheart and gets told about his rich family, how they are snobs, and that Bret will probably never love anyone as much as he did this woman. It's meant as a kind warning because of how it's becoming clear that Hassie is turning eyes on him but Bret gets his own issues with seeing a local widower paw at Hassie and even though he can't define it, he's finally feeling like he's starting to feel again and agrees to taking Hassie with him for the rest of summer and bounty hunting before he goes home.

An argument with a woman who couldn’t argue back should be easy to win, but that was part of the problem. She’d probably never won an argument in her life. Never been able to make one.

They start their trail life and bounty hunting around 40% and this is where the story sits down to focus more on them and Bret's character opens up more. His nightmares of the war, his feelings on his family, and how serious he doesn't seem to want to acknowledge how vindictive his brother Will is getting towards him. There's some bounty hunting action and descriptions of the land to add some of that western flair, too.

“We cannot marry for a hotel room,” Hassie wrote.

A little before the half-way mark, they stop in a town with a hotel owner that won't let Hassie stay there (there's only one room/bed!) and so, tired, cold, and probably a little bit of lying to himself as to real reasons why, Bret decides they should marry. He claims it's only for the summer and they'll get it annulled later. Romance readers everywhere: wink wink “Sure.” wink wink. We also learn that Hassie is 26 yrs old and Bret 31yrs. They marry and through Bret's thoughts you can see the hold that his childhood sweetheart had over him is slipping further away, which Yay! I haven't really mentioned all the sweet and make you melt things that Bret does for Hassie but here's a little thought from him: He could have found some other place to spend the night. The preacher would have let them stay in the church— dry but not warm—and not good enough. She’d had so little in her life and still ran at the sun with her arms open and smiled more often than not, even if the smile wasn’t always real. She hummed doing menial work, picked wildflowers and wrapped them around the neck of that sorry dog who had better get his ass back here soon if he wanted breakfast. She deserved what little he could give her. More.
I am simply goo for quiet, strong, teasing, grumpy caring heroes, Bret has these in spades, plus a cowboy hat and he asks Hassie to teach him sign language.


Pretending he’d never asked was probably her idea of an easy way to say no. She’d take up her independent life in Missouri with nine hundred and fifty dollars in the bank and wait for some man to come along who had some magical something that made her want to marry him.
What kind of magic she needed was beyond him. If that kiss hadn’t affected her the way it had him, she was one hell of an actress, and he still felt vaguely unsettled over it. A kiss was just a kiss, not a life-changing event. So why did he have an uneasy feeling his life had changed back there by the creek?

Around 60% Hassie is starting to feel like she loves Bret and really, without fanfare, he asks her if she wants to make this marriage for real. It all at once didn't feel like enough fireworks going off and really sweet. The above quote is Bret getting adorably grumpy and twitchy that Hassie didn't immediately say yes and had to think about it. Hassie has the warning and ghost of Bret's childhood sweetheart in her mind but she, obviously, decides to say take a leap because of her love of him.

“You have the most beautiful laugh. It runs up and down my spine, shivers over my skin, and makes me want to grab hold of you like a mad man. You have no idea....”

But we still have 40% to go, you say? Glad you caught that. While Hassie is cleaning, hanging up her clothes in the bushes, their camp gets sprung on by five men and while Bret furiously signs for Hassie to run and hide, our intrepid heroine, who previously could only shut her eyes as she shot, grabs a shot gun. Bret ends up getting shot in the leg and shoulder, but three baddies die with two shackled to a tree, one of which was shot by Hassie, she also killed one of the three. Bret tells her to head to town for help but she refuses to leave him and with him passed out on Brownie, gets him to town and help. This experience obviously solidifies the love between the two and even though he hasn't said the words yet, when Bret tells Hassie that his brother Will married his childhood sweetheart and the home he stays at in the winter will have them staying there and Hassie throws out that she'll just go back to her old farm because she doesn't want to stay in the same house as the old sweetheart and Bret answers with a quick “Like hell you will.” you feel the reason why he says this so angrily, with just the right amount of desperation.

“So what happened?” he said. “You decided you couldn’t do me one better and figured you’d embarrass us all by bringing home some Irish tart in dirty trousers?” Bret forgot barely healed wounds and drove his right fist into Will’s face, pain searing

Bret's still healing, has a limp and a cane, but ooh boy are some of his family members still aholes. His mother and younger sister Caroline are the only ones nice to Hassie while Bret's father is still trying to live like the war never happened and his brother Will is a complete DICK. I guess I can forgive Bret for trying to make it work with his family because family and all but, seriously, that dad and bro were really working hard to be over-the-top. The farm seems to finally be recovering from the war, which is what Bret said he'd send the bounty hunting money back to do, but when he says he's done hunting, his dad and bro throw a fit. It's a bitter pill to swallow with Bret still healing from almost dying and seeing the new hot water taps in the house, the race horses his dad has bought, and the loan he learns his dad took out with thinking Bret would help pay it. Hassie does the best she can on getting Bret to see the truth of the situation and can't believe it when Bret says his dad offered to sell him some land and they can live close and farm. When DICK Will tries to rape Hassie for “payback” because Will thinks Bret had his wife first due to the childhood sweethearts thing, Bret finally listens to Hassie and realizes they can't stay in the house. This sets off a whole plan for Hassie to stay in town while Bret checks out land around to buy but Hassie is done trying to convince him that she doesn't want to live within a hundred mile radius of Will and she takes her money out of the bank and sneaks away with only a letter to Bret and his sister Caroline. When Bret comes back and finds Hassie gone, his world comes crashing down and when he learns about his father trying to take money out of his bank account he is finally done and worried out of his mind because Hassie is pregnant and only has her less than stellar horse Brownie and the growly Gunner with her, sets out on her trail.

“I think this moment right now is worth every day of the years wandering in the wilderness it took to get here.”

Turns out Hassie went back to the Colorado town where Bret had to heal from his gun shot wounds and she gained friends. When Bret finally meets up with her, it's with, again, not much fanfare that he agrees that she was right and they decide to stay there and live. This was published in 2014, so not really old but I kept thinking about how this story was a journey, I mean, just think back to where we started and all the physical and emotional lengths the characters traveled. I don't know if it was the western setting with it's wide open spaces, gun slinging moments, or the nature of our two leads but there was slow, steady, and lack of loud moments telling of a story that I appreciated. Hassie's younger feeling for the majority of the first half, hurt some of the romance for me but Bret's little thoughts and actions hit nicely in the heart at times. When Bret thought Hassie chased anger, sorrow, bitterness. What he felt wasn’t love as he had once defined it. It was— more? I felt it and believed it, which is probably one of my most complaints in romance, not believing or feeling the emotional development between characters. If you're not an antsy reader, the time and care has payoff. The epilogue was adorable af and my version had a little illustration of a Gunner puppy, which caught me by surprise and made this crazy dog lady's eyes water. A happy ending I felt.

[Jac K · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
I’m going to round up because… it’s free to read on KU, and I’m a fan of the author. I also compare all her books to Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold which is one of my all-time favorite books…. like I put a pin in this mid-book to reread it… and I can admit that’s not objective or fair. 😊 Basically, this would probably be a solid 4 ⭐ for me had I read this first.

Without Words is a wild-west, slow-burn romance between a jaded bounty hunter with a conscience and a disabled woman with zero options set in the 1870’s (Missouri/Colorado). Bret is a former Union soldier with PTSD and a bunch of assholes for family. Hassie is mute from a childhood accident and recently widowed from a MOC to an old dude.

The book opens with Jake trying to apprehend an outlaw wanted by the government. He’s forced to kill him then feels responsible for finding a home for Hassie… who is alone and starving on a barren farm. The rest is a story of a loyal and tough as nails H, a brave h with a brain that doesn’t whine or do stupid stuff, a well-developed and authentic feeling relationship, a faithful and protective dog, a couple of reliable steeds, and an adventurous road trip while hunting down baddies.

My only real complaint was the ending which felt a smidge sloppy. IMO, Hassie’s actions to generate the last “push” of the plot felt manipulated and unnatural. For 300 pages we had a smart- not TSTL, supportive-dedicated, reasonable h that suddenly makes a drastic, reckless decision without having a real discussion. Yes, she grumbled but never directly expressed her feelings or attempted to have a real conversation. It didn’t fit or make sense. It also came on the heels of some major family drama that is just brushed away. It was rushed, and I needed more.

Bottom Line- Solid, slow-burn, cowboy romance free to read with KU. I wasn’t completely happy with the way the conclusion flowed, but there is a nice epilogue 5 years later which helps a lot.

[Ainhoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was saving this book for when I needed to read an amazing story with exquisite storytelling and impeccable writing style. And that’s exactly what I got.

I’m a big fan of Silver eyes and Beautiful Bad Man, the characters and stories are addictive but I think this one stood out with the heroine (which is surprising because all of her heroines are strong capable and assertive) but I fell in love with Hassie more. She was a loving creature, but strong minded, not only as in stubborn (even if it took the hero a while to notice that) but also as in trying not to lose all hope and keep light in the world. I adored her, even more towards the end.

At some point during the book I thought it dragged a bit with the long days and weeks on the trail with only the tiniest bit of hints of their interest, but once I finished the book I wouldn’t have missed those pages for the world.

Ps: If you want me, I’ll be right here, crying because I only have a few of her books left.

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

masterpiece.