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The Weight of Her Silence: A novel about love, betrayal, and the silence between them
Lila Hartwell was the kind of woman who loved quietly but deeply—so deeply that even her silence held weight. For years, she endured the cracks in her marriage, shielding her two children from a truth that would have shattered their world. But silence has a price, and hers cost everything.
Nate Hartwell never imagined that his choices would lead to irreversible loss. Blinded by temptation and deception, he betrayed the one person who had always stood by him. Now, with Lila gone, he’s left to pick up the pieces of the life he destroyed—and face the children who barely recognize the man they once called father.
But Lila left behind more than memories. Letters begin to surface—one for Nate, one for the mistress, and others meant for her children. Each one carries secrets, pain, and the quiet strength of a woman who knew more than she ever let on.
As past and present collide, The Weight of Her Silence unravels a haunting tale of love, betrayal, motherhood, and the kind of forgiveness that doesn’t come easily.
A soul-stirring novel that when love is betrayed, is silence a mercy… or a punishment?
Nate Hartwell never imagined that his choices would lead to irreversible loss. Blinded by temptation and deception, he betrayed the one person who had always stood by him. Now, with Lila gone, he’s left to pick up the pieces of the life he destroyed—and face the children who barely recognize the man they once called father.
But Lila left behind more than memories. Letters begin to surface—one for Nate, one for the mistress, and others meant for her children. Each one carries secrets, pain, and the quiet strength of a woman who knew more than she ever let on.
As past and present collide, The Weight of Her Silence unravels a haunting tale of love, betrayal, motherhood, and the kind of forgiveness that doesn’t come easily.
A soul-stirring novel that when love is betrayed, is silence a mercy… or a punishment?
- GenresMartyrFamily Drama
225 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 20, 2025
262 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
August 1, 2025
3 ⭐️ for this soapy story with marriage-in-trouble and cheating tropes. I love those tropes, so the book was off to a decent start before I cracked the cover. What I liked the least about this story was the h’s severe case of Doormat Disorder. Damn, sis. You want your kids to see that behavior?
Another issue impacting my vibe was not understanding how the affair started in the first place. That question lingered until the end for me. Readers are Told that the H was broken, but we didn’t see that breaking happen in the story…just read that it had happened later in the book. His dumbass decisions didn’t make much sense to me because of that. Also, there’s no smexy time with the h…only the homewrecking OW.
So, not bad. Not great.
Another issue impacting my vibe was not understanding how the affair started in the first place. That question lingered until the end for me. Readers are Told that the H was broken, but we didn’t see that breaking happen in the story…just read that it had happened later in the book. His dumbass decisions didn’t make much sense to me because of that. Also, there’s no smexy time with the h…only the homewrecking OW.
So, not bad. Not great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2025
Martyr alert. Excuse me while I go slit my wrists.
August 21, 2025
I’m the only one who doesn’t like this book.
Knowingly stayed with her loser husband for 10 years (the numbers of years he was cheating with her friend) to give her kids stability and to hope he comes back to her ie stops cheating 🧐😳. What the fudge. This book starts when after she dies. Nothing about this speaks to dignity or respect for yourself or love of your kids. This book should have been about the ow bc it goes into detail about his shenanigans with her 90% of this book. No happy anything for this doormat FMC.
Knowingly stayed with her loser husband for 10 years (the numbers of years he was cheating with her friend) to give her kids stability and to hope he comes back to her ie stops cheating 🧐😳. What the fudge. This book starts when after she dies. Nothing about this speaks to dignity or respect for yourself or love of your kids. This book should have been about the ow bc it goes into detail about his shenanigans with her 90% of this book. No happy anything for this doormat FMC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 3, 2025I have NOT read this book
NOTE TO SELF
AVOID!
My only hard NO is main character death.
FMC is already dead when the book opens and the story is how she lead a sad martyr life and no one noticed until it was too late to save her.
That’s not what I like to read. I read romance or sci fi mostly. Not depressing women’s fiction like this. Life is depressing enough that I never look for it in my entertainment. Smh.
This book is definitely for someone. Just not for me. Good luck.
NOTE TO SELF
AVOID!
My only hard NO is main character death.
FMC is already dead when the book opens and the story is how she lead a sad martyr life and no one noticed until it was too late to save her.
That’s not what I like to read. I read romance or sci fi mostly. Not depressing women’s fiction like this. Life is depressing enough that I never look for it in my entertainment. Smh.
This book is definitely for someone. Just not for me. Good luck.
August 30, 2025
Martyr wife, weak husband, evil OW and children left to deal with the fallout.
July 25, 2025
This hurt so bad. I'm so upset, I'm at a loss for words. And that's exactly what I would expect from a romantic tragedy! do I agree with how the fmc handled her situation... no. I was actually shaking my kindle at times, I wanted to throw it across the room because of the mmc. Safe to say this book put me in my feels. So heartbreaking 💔
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NO HEA
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NO HEA
August 18, 2025
This story… what makes it so different is how deeply heartbreaking it is. Marriage-in-trouble and cheating tropes are usually some of my favourites to read, but this one hit differently because of how raw and painful it was. This man just couldn’t see the hurt he was causing his family. Even when you thought maybe he was about to stop, maybe he would finally choose his wife, he always ended up going back to Camille.
And then in the end, for Layla to die, for Camille to disappear, and for Nate to finally realise it was never real, that it meant nothing, and to be left living with nothing but guilt — it was just devastating. Everyone in the story ends up carrying guilt and regret. Nate is left with the weight of knowing he destroyed his wife, his marriage, and his family for a void he thought Camille filled. He never truly loved her, and he’ll regret forever that he didn’t fight for his marriage, didn’t talk to Layla, didn’t try to fix what was broken. His children are left with the damage of everything he did — the constant destruction that his choices caused inside their home.
That’s what made this book so different from other cheating stories I’ve read. The pain felt so real. My only real wish was that there weren’t so many descriptive scenes with the other woman. For ten years of his affair, we barely saw any affection between him and his wife. He hardly spoke to her, there was no intimacy, sometimes he didn’t even bother coming home. By the end, when she got sick, she didn’t even argue anymore — she could smell Camille’s perfume on him, she knew where he was, and she was just too exhausted to fight. That’s what makes it so heartbreaking.
What confused me while reading was how, through Nate’s point of view, it sometimes felt like there was more with Camille than he admitted. There were times when I thought he might actually leave Layla for her. Even when Camille confronted him at his house in front of Layla, his reaction didn’t feel strong enough, almost like he was still torn. And honestly, it makes me wonder — if Layla hadn’t gotten sick, would he have ever ended the affair? Or would he have left his wife for Camille? I think he might have.
I’ve seen reviews calling Layla a doormat, but I don’t agree. To me, she wasn’t weak, she was just tired. She loved her husband, but she wasn’t begging him to stay. She wasn’t chasing after him or pleading with him to choose her. She simply stopped fighting because she had no energy left, and because she wanted peace for her children. That doesn’t make her a doormat — it makes her human, it makes her exhausted, and it makes her heartbreak all the more real.
This book was heart-wrenching, and you truly feel the pain of every character. It’s not just another cheating story — it’s one that lingers with you long after the final page.
And then in the end, for Layla to die, for Camille to disappear, and for Nate to finally realise it was never real, that it meant nothing, and to be left living with nothing but guilt — it was just devastating. Everyone in the story ends up carrying guilt and regret. Nate is left with the weight of knowing he destroyed his wife, his marriage, and his family for a void he thought Camille filled. He never truly loved her, and he’ll regret forever that he didn’t fight for his marriage, didn’t talk to Layla, didn’t try to fix what was broken. His children are left with the damage of everything he did — the constant destruction that his choices caused inside their home.
That’s what made this book so different from other cheating stories I’ve read. The pain felt so real. My only real wish was that there weren’t so many descriptive scenes with the other woman. For ten years of his affair, we barely saw any affection between him and his wife. He hardly spoke to her, there was no intimacy, sometimes he didn’t even bother coming home. By the end, when she got sick, she didn’t even argue anymore — she could smell Camille’s perfume on him, she knew where he was, and she was just too exhausted to fight. That’s what makes it so heartbreaking.
What confused me while reading was how, through Nate’s point of view, it sometimes felt like there was more with Camille than he admitted. There were times when I thought he might actually leave Layla for her. Even when Camille confronted him at his house in front of Layla, his reaction didn’t feel strong enough, almost like he was still torn. And honestly, it makes me wonder — if Layla hadn’t gotten sick, would he have ever ended the affair? Or would he have left his wife for Camille? I think he might have.
I’ve seen reviews calling Layla a doormat, but I don’t agree. To me, she wasn’t weak, she was just tired. She loved her husband, but she wasn’t begging him to stay. She wasn’t chasing after him or pleading with him to choose her. She simply stopped fighting because she had no energy left, and because she wanted peace for her children. That doesn’t make her a doormat — it makes her human, it makes her exhausted, and it makes her heartbreak all the more real.
This book was heart-wrenching, and you truly feel the pain of every character. It’s not just another cheating story — it’s one that lingers with you long after the final page.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2025
2.75-3 ⭐️'s
Writing was disjointed, but I think with a bit more writing this author may really have the angst touch. She shows flashes of it, but it gets overwhelmed in the soap bubbles. Time line glitches, space/time continuum issues (she's on the couch - no .... wait.......she's asleep in the bed). But could I write a book? NO, my space/time continuum issues would be waayyyyyyy badder, not to mention my grammar.....
Appreciated the effort, was a really ambitious trope with a lot of twists and turns that require serious experience. For all my critiques, definitely not criticism, I read the whole thing. Not quite what I like to happen, but I was curious to find out the ending. I hope she continues to write, several books are listed on GR's so I'm going to check them out via KU. It's moral and financial support. ;)
Edited to add: Aren't her covers gorgeous? I love that updated 40's era starlet look. Silk gowns, silk robes, hair that belongs in a shampoo commercial. Lol, I know - trivial, but the new cartoonish covers leave me cold.
Writing was disjointed, but I think with a bit more writing this author may really have the angst touch. She shows flashes of it, but it gets overwhelmed in the soap bubbles. Time line glitches, space/time continuum issues (she's on the couch - no .... wait.......she's asleep in the bed). But could I write a book? NO, my space/time continuum issues would be waayyyyyyy badder, not to mention my grammar.....
Appreciated the effort, was a really ambitious trope with a lot of twists and turns that require serious experience. For all my critiques, definitely not criticism, I read the whole thing. Not quite what I like to happen, but I was curious to find out the ending. I hope she continues to write, several books are listed on GR's so I'm going to check them out via KU. It's moral and financial support. ;)
Edited to add: Aren't her covers gorgeous? I love that updated 40's era starlet look. Silk gowns, silk robes, hair that belongs in a shampoo commercial. Lol, I know - trivial, but the new cartoonish covers leave me cold.
August 31, 2025
I finished
This story is not uplifting. If anything it should be a cautionary tale for cheating spouses. I do know if you have a predisposition to feel extreme sadness and depression don’t read.
A doormat heroin
A selfish Husband
A manipulative OW
The author didn’tmake clear how long the couple was married. It was reiterated several time that the affair went on for 10 years
At the beginning of the story we are told the affair was with a colleague
Then towards the end it’s stated the OW was friends with OW and she was at their wedding. Weird
It was a very disjointed piece of writing.
3 stars because I finished.
This story is not uplifting. If anything it should be a cautionary tale for cheating spouses. I do know if you have a predisposition to feel extreme sadness and depression don’t read.
A doormat heroin
A selfish Husband
A manipulative OW
The author didn’tmake clear how long the couple was married. It was reiterated several time that the affair went on for 10 years
At the beginning of the story we are told the affair was with a colleague
Then towards the end it’s stated the OW was friends with OW and she was at their wedding. Weird
It was a very disjointed piece of writing.
3 stars because I finished.
August 20, 2025
This book was recommended to me by one of my fav booktokers. this one looked like a gut punch so i started reading this morning.
finished it same day within a few hours.
emotional books usually make me cry once or twice - this book actually made me sob several times. my heart broke for Lila. and i know she wanted to make peace with it but Nate and what he did… he’s dead to me.
Her quiet strength broke me. There were moments where i wanted to yell DO SOMETHING. CONFRONT HIM. but we read what she was going through … how tired she was … and it made me sob. strength doesn’t always need to be loud and i hope she found peace. all of her letters were beautiful but hard to read - especially the ones for her kids :(
Camille is so rotten. That plot twist near the end had me re-reading the chapter 3 times! While I do agree it’s primarily Nate’s fault as he is the one in the relationship, without even knowing the plot twist, I hated Camille as she knew he was married. The line where she says “i never wanted to be this kind of woman but what we had was more than just an affair” i wanted her gone then and there. I was sick to see that we had multiple intimate scenes with her and Nate but none with Lila and him. and THEN we find out that Camille and Lila had known eachother for years, were best friends, Lila literally confides to her about her relationship?????? i was livid.
Seeing Nate really crumble in the end gave me so much satisfaction. reading about how much he realizes he messed up was lovely. 10 years of betrayal - although he apologized, nothing will ever make up for that. I’m glad the kids are communicating with him but have a line drawn. how could they go back to the way they were after finding out their mom had cancer and instead of their dad being there, he was with another woman? for years?
in another life i hope Lila never meets Nate again. he’ll never deserve her. I hate him as much as i hate Ares from The Wrong Bride - i’m firm in that he never deserved Raven.
“i was loved by someone extraordinary. and i ruined it” you DAMN right you did.
this book was so gut wrenching 😭 I recommend it if you want to be in your feels. this book will definitely stay with me for a long time.
finished it same day within a few hours.
emotional books usually make me cry once or twice - this book actually made me sob several times. my heart broke for Lila. and i know she wanted to make peace with it but Nate and what he did… he’s dead to me.
Her quiet strength broke me. There were moments where i wanted to yell DO SOMETHING. CONFRONT HIM. but we read what she was going through … how tired she was … and it made me sob. strength doesn’t always need to be loud and i hope she found peace. all of her letters were beautiful but hard to read - especially the ones for her kids :(
Camille is so rotten. That plot twist near the end had me re-reading the chapter 3 times! While I do agree it’s primarily Nate’s fault as he is the one in the relationship, without even knowing the plot twist, I hated Camille as she knew he was married. The line where she says “i never wanted to be this kind of woman but what we had was more than just an affair” i wanted her gone then and there. I was sick to see that we had multiple intimate scenes with her and Nate but none with Lila and him. and THEN we find out that Camille and Lila had known eachother for years, were best friends, Lila literally confides to her about her relationship?????? i was livid.
Seeing Nate really crumble in the end gave me so much satisfaction. reading about how much he realizes he messed up was lovely. 10 years of betrayal - although he apologized, nothing will ever make up for that. I’m glad the kids are communicating with him but have a line drawn. how could they go back to the way they were after finding out their mom had cancer and instead of their dad being there, he was with another woman? for years?
in another life i hope Lila never meets Nate again. he’ll never deserve her. I hate him as much as i hate Ares from The Wrong Bride - i’m firm in that he never deserved Raven.
“i was loved by someone extraordinary. and i ruined it” you DAMN right you did.
this book was so gut wrenching 😭 I recommend it if you want to be in your feels. this book will definitely stay with me for a long time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2025
O
M
G
I hated the MMC - weak bastard. The FMC - mixed feelings. But the kids? My heart 💔
But honestly, it didn’t matter how I liked the two MCs, it was the way this book was written. Good Lawd did I cry!😭 This one just sticks you everywhere it hurts. And then the unexpected bit of truth that comes out…damn, I just couldn’t stop crying.
I gave this 5 ⭐️ because it’s been a while since I’ve read a book that was so gut wrenching, and painfully beautiful.
I almost took a half star off because towards the end there is just some time frames that didn’t lineup, I mean one minute Caleb is drawing stick figures but then three years later He’s going to college? At the exact same time as his sister? And they both just got accepted? I probably missed something but it would be maybe a quarter of a star off on the rating lol
M
G
I hated the MMC - weak bastard. The FMC - mixed feelings. But the kids? My heart 💔
But honestly, it didn’t matter how I liked the two MCs, it was the way this book was written. Good Lawd did I cry!😭 This one just sticks you everywhere it hurts. And then the unexpected bit of truth that comes out…damn, I just couldn’t stop crying.
I gave this 5 ⭐️ because it’s been a while since I’ve read a book that was so gut wrenching, and painfully beautiful.
I almost took a half star off because towards the end there is just some time frames that didn’t lineup, I mean one minute Caleb is drawing stick figures but then three years later He’s going to college? At the exact same time as his sister? And they both just got accepted? I probably missed something but it would be maybe a quarter of a star off on the rating lol
August 24, 2025
Fairly sure this was written by AI. Riddled with errors (there were moments it switched from third person to first pov), and it repeats itself endlessly. How this has so many 5 star reviews is beyond me.
August 30, 2025
It was a good book. But I don’t see the point in why she was so passive for those last ten years. I would have just divorced and focused more of my time with the kids and making my final moments more memorable with them. Instead you get this where she’s silent and stays in a broken household while diminishing.
As cruel as it sounds but I was neutral about her dying. In my eyes she would’ve stayed with him. I think her passing away was the second best case scenario. (My first one was Nate dying and Lila finding a new man who the kids call father). I’m sorry but she’s honestly a doormat I mean she even said to him at the 84% mark she wish she’d had more time emphasis on a theoretical redemption arc. No thanks.
I also agreed with her forgiving him in her final moments. It does scream doormat but if I’m passing away I want to be able to pass on with no regrets and not have my soul linger forever haunting him. Fuck that shit I want to move on and never see him again in the afterlife.
The angst was good it was gut wrenching reading his on page affair. Very hard read.
Oh god I know this is a book but if there is a next life for them both and they meet I pray that the lord give Lila the strength to look and walk the other way. Because Nate is a prime example of someone you wish you never met.
As cruel as it sounds but I was neutral about her dying. In my eyes she would’ve stayed with him. I think her passing away was the second best case scenario. (My first one was Nate dying and Lila finding a new man who the kids call father). I’m sorry but she’s honestly a doormat I mean she even said to him at the 84% mark she wish she’d had more time emphasis on a theoretical redemption arc. No thanks.
I also agreed with her forgiving him in her final moments. It does scream doormat but if I’m passing away I want to be able to pass on with no regrets and not have my soul linger forever haunting him. Fuck that shit I want to move on and never see him again in the afterlife.
The angst was good it was gut wrenching reading his on page affair. Very hard read.
Oh god I know this is a book but if there is a next life for them both and they meet I pray that the lord give Lila the strength to look and walk the other way. Because Nate is a prime example of someone you wish you never met.
August 30, 2025
Very Emotional
R.J Woltemas, you are a very good and talented author but the emotional roller coaster is one I don’t think I can repeat.
Right the start this book pulls the reader in before shreds your heart. I cried almost from page 1 to the last.
Is the book about cheating? Yes and no. It goes way beyond. It’s more about relationships the ones we nurture and the ones we kill. It’s learning about your self and what you are willing to give up and destroy than nurture and allowed to grow.
It’s learning to live with your choices because you might regret them.
It doesn’t finish with an HEA but with a moving on.
R.J Woltemas, you are a very good and talented author but the emotional roller coaster is one I don’t think I can repeat.
Right the start this book pulls the reader in before shreds your heart. I cried almost from page 1 to the last.
Is the book about cheating? Yes and no. It goes way beyond. It’s more about relationships the ones we nurture and the ones we kill. It’s learning about your self and what you are willing to give up and destroy than nurture and allowed to grow.
It’s learning to live with your choices because you might regret them.
It doesn’t finish with an HEA but with a moving on.
October 15, 2025
This was an emotional read, and I mean, there were lots of different emotions felt, such as anger, sadness, etc. (you get the picture). I also felt for the kids, but then again, I lived in the same position as them as a teenager. So, I can understand once the truth came out how they treated one parent.
On a side note, people should learn not to make promises they may not keep.
The story ends with you really feeling how the silence felt.
On a side note, people should learn not to make promises they may not keep.
The story ends with you really feeling how the silence felt.
September 29, 2025
H has an affair for 10 years?!? If you want to feel some rage and angst, this is it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2025
I was so disgusted by the amount of cheating scenes( that i skipped all of them), while the doormat heroine chose to remain silent and die quietly!! Am I supposed to sympathize with the heroine just because she died!!?
October 4, 2025
No. Just no. I read several reviews before taking this book on and against my better judgment still decided to go ahead and give it a shot. It was around chapter 9 that I realized I had made a mistake and seriously contemplating DNF-ing, but admittedly, curiosity got the better of me so I just started skimming to the end (which is saying a lot, since it's a pretty short book to begin with).
As many other reviews have stated, and the award for Doormat of the Year goes to...Lila Hartwell! I've said in a few other reviews I've written, I like my FMCs strong and confident, and this one was most definitely not! She's just a total martyr, pushover, and weak character wanting readers' pity rather than standing up for herself and taking control of her life and truly looking out for herself and her kids.
The only thing this book was good for is that it helped me realize while I enjoy cheating trope books, I think I prefer them when they have an HEA--preferably by finding someone better than the cheating spouse. This book just left me depressed, hating men, thinking the FMC just set women back several decades, and wishing I hadn't picked it up.
As many other reviews have stated, and the award for Doormat of the Year goes to...Lila Hartwell! I've said in a few other reviews I've written, I like my FMCs strong and confident, and this one was most definitely not! She's just a total martyr, pushover, and weak character wanting readers' pity rather than standing up for herself and taking control of her life and truly looking out for herself and her kids.
The only thing this book was good for is that it helped me realize while I enjoy cheating trope books, I think I prefer them when they have an HEA--preferably by finding someone better than the cheating spouse. This book just left me depressed, hating men, thinking the FMC just set women back several decades, and wishing I hadn't picked it up.
August 17, 2025
omgeee
I have never ugly cried for fictional characters but this book broke me. The sad thing is that this happens in real life, if you need a good cry read this book
I have never ugly cried for fictional characters but this book broke me. The sad thing is that this happens in real life, if you need a good cry read this book
August 14, 2025
No words
There are no words to the way this book will rip your heart apart. Read this book when you feel like your heartbroken, like you need to see someone else's pain, when you need a reason to cry out loud. Shirley
There are no words to the way this book will rip your heart apart. Read this book when you feel like your heartbroken, like you need to see someone else's pain, when you need a reason to cry out loud. Shirley
August 11, 2025
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Gut wrenching. That’s what this amazing book is. Absolutely gut wrenching. Lesson: choices are final. That can’t be changed. Make sure you understand your choices and what they do, who they hurt, who they change. This was a beautiful book and true lesson.
Gut wrenching. That’s what this amazing book is. Absolutely gut wrenching. Lesson: choices are final. That can’t be changed. Make sure you understand your choices and what they do, who they hurt, who they change. This was a beautiful book and true lesson.
July 22, 2025
The burden of betrayal.
This book was absolutely brilliant, looking at betrayal and forgiveness, with no future.
Be prepared to go through every emotion.
This book was absolutely brilliant, looking at betrayal and forgiveness, with no future.
Be prepared to go through every emotion.
September 10, 2025
This book will be a rage read for most. I just know it. I however loved it. It was such a unique twist on the cheating trope. There was pain and regret and the ending felt final and real. There were some weird age inconsistencies that bothered me and just little things that I wasn’t a fan of but overall, I enjoyed it.
October 18, 2025
SPOILERS!!! 4 stars for the kids (the only ones who were logical) and the writing. It’s really a good book overall. Some of it was repetitive though. It’s emotional and grabs your attention. I couldn’t stop reading it. Even when I was nearly sick to my stomach about how the story was playing out. I honestly have never despised a character as much as I did Nate. He was one of the most awful villains I have ever read. Because, he truly was a VILLAIN . Selfish to the core, a wolf in sheep’s clothing and so deceitful. Camille was a nasty villain too. A self centered, vile and a traitorous she devil. They were a match made in hell and deserved everything they got in the end and much more. Last but not least, poor Lila. My heart broke for her so much. The longing, betrayal and pain she endured was truly gutting. But….. her silence. (And yes, I understand that’s the point of this book) She was strong and gracious but she didn’t fight. I am fine with her not fighting for her marriage. It was treated like a joke by Nate anyway. She should have kicked his sorry ass to the curve years before. But, what really bothered me was that she didn’t really fight for her children. Yes she loved them with everything she had and I praise her for that. But in my personal opinion she didn’t fight for them in a way that protected them. She wasted into herself and that alone isn’t fair to them. She was a shell of herself way before her diagnosis and it left her children vulnerable. They knew something was wrong in their family had to learn the truth about their dad themselves. It was so heartbreaking to watch them have to be the “adults”. They didn’t deserve the silence. I feel that they suffered more than anyone else in this book. She knew what Nate was doing and that he was no longer a good person and had already checked out from her and the children. So when she realized she was sick and she decided to not truly fight it she gave up on them too. She was dying knowing that she was leaving the kids to live with their POS father. Someone they already knew that they couldn’t trust and that hadn’t showed up for them. To me that is the saddest part of this whole book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2025
The 2 stars are only for the kids! This story is about a selfish cheater as*hole and a weak woman with martyr complex and the biggest doormat who ruined her kids lives by staying for 10 yrs with the cheater who was never there for the kids! She says she kept quiet and suffered for the kids but the fact is she made the kids suffer too. She should have left the cheater and tried to give the kids a non toxic and better environment to live and to grow according to their age. All her doormat attitude did was make the kids grow up too fast for their 14 and 11 yrs old. They had to suffer the silences from the mother and no father at all. These kids lost a normal life long before the death of their mom. She tried to make up for the asshole not being there and hid everything from the kids. But the kids are much more smarter than what parents think. They know what is going around them .. they may not understand it fully but they know something is not right. When the kids grow up they won't be able to trust or love anyone fully. The scars from what they learnt from their parents will stay with them forever! Even though she told ava not to settle for less and fight for herself she may just settle like what her mother did. She already forgave her father and thought that he loved her mom. The aashole only loved himself and what he wanted. Even when he noticed that his wife was not well he ignored her and went on with his affair because of his selfishness. He didn't care enough even to enquire after her health. He was with the bitch even when she collapsed. She couldn't have hidden such an illness if he cared ... even the kids noticed that their mom was not well long before the diagnosis. But this selfish asshole cheater ignored everything. Even during the confrontation with the evil OW and the kids he didn't kick her out and protect his kids, the sick mom had to leave her sick bed to come and protect her children. And now after her death he goes and takes flowers to her grave and talks to her ... for his own selfish sake!
October 26, 2025
What kind of book even is this? How could anyone write a heroine so utterly spineless? Her husband cheated on her for ten years a full decade and she stayed silent as if betrayal was part of marriage vows. What kind of message does that send? That a woman should sacrifice her self-respect for the sake of “family”? That enduring humiliation makes you virtuous? Absolutely not.
Instead of showing strength or growth, the heroine normalized deceit. She should’ve divorced him, taken the money, and left him to rot with his penthouse mistress. At least that would’ve been justice. But no, the author expects us to sympathize with a man who kept a second life for ten years, and then tries to sprinkle “redemption” over it as if regret erases everything. Spoiler: it doesn’t.
Worse, the story gives more detail about his sleazy affair than any emotional depth. Every other chapter felt like a replay of their disease-ridden encounters. It wasn’t shocking, it was nauseating. The only people with genuine backbone were the kids. They were angry, rightfully so, while their mother kept writing letters to a man who deserved poison, not acceptance and move on.
And the mistress? No karma, no consequence, she just disappears. The ending tries to be poetic but lands as pathetic. There’s no redemption, no justice, and no point. The whole book reads like an insult to anyone who’s ever been betrayed.
If the author wanted to teach forgiveness, they failed miserably. What they actually taught is how to lose your dignity one silent year at a time.
August 17, 2025
Heartbreaking and Devastatingly Beautiful
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Weight of Her Silence is one of the most heartbreaking—and beautiful—books I’ve ever read. Lila is a heroine you won’t forget: quiet yet unyielding, gentle yet fiercely strong, carrying the weight of a life no one should have to endure.
For over ten years, she has lived with the devastating betrayal of her husband, Nate, whose affair with Camille—shocking in its cruelty because Camille is Lila’s friend—shatters everything she thought she knew about love and trust. And yet, through the pain and heartbreak, Lila keeps going, raising their two children, Ava and Caleb, with courage, dignity, and grace. Also during this time, she discovers she has cancer. She's trying to navigate this new twist in her life and shielding her children for as long as possible, while still being unseen by her husband.
This story isn’t just about betrayal—it’s about resilience, love, sacrifice, and the quiet strength that keeps us moving even when our world feels broken. Every moment of Lila’s journey hits you deeply—you feel her sadness, her anger, her hope, and her determination.
It’s impossible not to be completely absorbed by this novel. Emotional, devastating, and unforgettable. Definitely a book that will stay with you long after the last page, lingering in your heart and mind.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Weight of Her Silence is one of the most heartbreaking—and beautiful—books I’ve ever read. Lila is a heroine you won’t forget: quiet yet unyielding, gentle yet fiercely strong, carrying the weight of a life no one should have to endure.
For over ten years, she has lived with the devastating betrayal of her husband, Nate, whose affair with Camille—shocking in its cruelty because Camille is Lila’s friend—shatters everything she thought she knew about love and trust. And yet, through the pain and heartbreak, Lila keeps going, raising their two children, Ava and Caleb, with courage, dignity, and grace. Also during this time, she discovers she has cancer. She's trying to navigate this new twist in her life and shielding her children for as long as possible, while still being unseen by her husband.
This story isn’t just about betrayal—it’s about resilience, love, sacrifice, and the quiet strength that keeps us moving even when our world feels broken. Every moment of Lila’s journey hits you deeply—you feel her sadness, her anger, her hope, and her determination.
It’s impossible not to be completely absorbed by this novel. Emotional, devastating, and unforgettable. Definitely a book that will stay with you long after the last page, lingering in your heart and mind.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2025
I finished this book in a day and literally cried my eyes out. I hated Nate so much for what he did to his happy family. He received retribution tenfolds of what he did, but, the sad part was that this upended their kids lives. They had to grow up beyond their age. I liked how author wrote siblings'. They became each other's strength and shoulder to cry on during grief.
Camille - OW -received very less punishment for what she did to her best friend. She was particularly nasty piece of work and she did deserve equal part of punishment because she did everything knowingly. I really don't understand how women fall for married men. It is very simple to me, if a man can betray one person whom he vowed to be together, then he can betray the OW too. Is this so hard to understand?
I loved the epilogue - The Loneliest Kind of Love- the ultimate retribution for Nate which he would have to carry long in his life.
Camille - OW -received very less punishment for what she did to her best friend. She was particularly nasty piece of work and she did deserve equal part of punishment because she did everything knowingly. I really don't understand how women fall for married men. It is very simple to me, if a man can betray one person whom he vowed to be together, then he can betray the OW too. Is this so hard to understand?
I loved the epilogue - The Loneliest Kind of Love- the ultimate retribution for Nate which he would have to carry long in his life.
September 30, 2025
All the feels
Lila is probably the strongest FMC I've read in a long time. Her silence wasn't weakness. She chose her children and the life she thought they could give them. Nate is a the irredeemable MMC. He is selfish and narcissistic in his thoughts and actions. Camille is the OW who caters to a married man. She chased him and didn't care that she was tearing a family apart. Ava and Caleb are the beautiful children Lila chose to stay to protect them from the truth of what a POS their father was because she wanted them to have a happy home. In the end Lila shows her strength in her grace. The kids continue to choose their mother every day. Nate and Camille have to face the mirror of what horrible people they are. I wish there was more if a comeuppance for them, but that would take away from the grace that Lila showed them. This is a new to me author. I'll definitely be looking for more of their work.
Lila is probably the strongest FMC I've read in a long time. Her silence wasn't weakness. She chose her children and the life she thought they could give them. Nate is a the irredeemable MMC. He is selfish and narcissistic in his thoughts and actions. Camille is the OW who caters to a married man. She chased him and didn't care that she was tearing a family apart. Ava and Caleb are the beautiful children Lila chose to stay to protect them from the truth of what a POS their father was because she wanted them to have a happy home. In the end Lila shows her strength in her grace. The kids continue to choose their mother every day. Nate and Camille have to face the mirror of what horrible people they are. I wish there was more if a comeuppance for them, but that would take away from the grace that Lila showed them. This is a new to me author. I'll definitely be looking for more of their work.
August 23, 2025
loved it so much highly recommend
Ok first this book wasn’t what I was expecting but still such a great book, I found this book from a person I follow on TikTok she recommended it and all her recs have never failed me so I gave this a try. And I’m going to tell her she should have warned us to make sure we have tissue on hand because you will cry more than once. From the beginning to the end it keeps you hooked and the little twist near the end I wasn’t expecting that my mouth literally dropped because I was surprised. This had me feeling all the feels while reading and Lila I love her character so much and her strength and her kids for a minute there I thought her son was older than what he is suppose to be in the book. Even the husbands redemption all the way to the end it’s just so good.
Ok first this book wasn’t what I was expecting but still such a great book, I found this book from a person I follow on TikTok she recommended it and all her recs have never failed me so I gave this a try. And I’m going to tell her she should have warned us to make sure we have tissue on hand because you will cry more than once. From the beginning to the end it keeps you hooked and the little twist near the end I wasn’t expecting that my mouth literally dropped because I was surprised. This had me feeling all the feels while reading and Lila I love her character so much and her strength and her kids for a minute there I thought her son was older than what he is suppose to be in the book. Even the husbands redemption all the way to the end it’s just so good.
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