Silent Promises

Dark & Silent Night #3

by Christine Michelle

He betrayed her when they were in college.

Now, he has to fight to keep her safe and win her heart again.

Logan Maddox is a loner after a so-called friend destroyed the longest, most precious relationship he ever had.

He started his business in an effort to hunt down the one woman who got away because she still owned his soul and he was tired of living without it… without her.

Aoife Quinn once put her whole heart in Logan’s hands.

The moment he shattered her trust and broke that heart, she had no choice but to run and hide. She was meant to marry a man of her father’s choosing, and that would never be Logan. She had given him her heart and he broke his promise to be there to protect her from the fate her family had in store.

When she finally resurfaces again years later, she realizes that the trouble she had been running from all those years was closer than she thought. It was wrapped around her in the guise of a new fiancé with an agenda.

The only person who can save her now is the same one who let her down years ago.

❤️ Forbidden/Unrequited love

🖤 Morally Gray Hacker

❤️ Dark secret identity

🖤 Mafia ties

❤️ Friends to Enemies to Lovers

🖤 Betrayal & Grovel

❤️ A little bit of (Christmas) holiday spirit sprinkled in.

🖤 Novella



Silent Promises is the third book in the Dark & Silent Night series—dark, emotional romances about the Maddox brothers that explore the razor-thin line between hero and villain.

Read the other books in the Dark & Silent Night series, following the lives of the Maddox brothers, written by my incredible

🖤 Silent Vow by Maya Alden

🖤 Veiled Silence by Eve Black

🖤 Silent Flames by Cate C. Wells

* This book is written in First person, dual POV

Genres: Second Chance, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Novella, Romance, Family Drama

180 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 20, 2025

About the author

Christine Michelle runs on coffee and giggles as she writes her angst-fueled romance stories (motorcycle club, rockstar, paranormal, college, & other contemporary as well as women's fiction and marriage in trouble novels).
She is a mom to four humans (2 girls, 2 boys – all grown now).
When she's not writing books, she enjoys reading, drawing, hiking, or feeding her soul with live music at concerts.
Christine is a traveler and has lived all over the USA (and other parts of the world). She currently lives in Rapid City, South Dakota with her two fur babies.

Universal links to everything
(website, social media, book links, and more)
https://linktr.ee/christinemichelle



Reviews

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started off strong and then splat.

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novellas are a challenging breed of book and take a very specific skill set for an author to be successful at writing. Many, MANY talented authors who write fabulous full length novels really struggle when trying to pen a novella. The demands of crafting a full-bodied story that encompasses character depth and growth, an engaging plot, a cohesive storyline, an understandable conflict and an acceptable resolution is a much harder challenge when it all must be done within a very few number of pages. Therefore, every sentence MUST pack a punch and drive the story and depth forward. There isn’t page time to wander.

I think that is the problem here. The idea and characters are great but the author writes like she has all the time in the world… until she doesn’t. So, the depth and understanding are lost in all the unnecessary, unimportant little stuff.

[Danny Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was just ok for me. I really didn't feel good chemistry between the MMCs. The lead up was angsty, but it's so short to feel any real emotion. As for safety. The safety gang won't like it. There's a scene with ow in the beginning of the story who he blew Aoife off for. Once they were reunited I didn't feel any fireworks sad to say.

[Izzie d]

At the start when they are children they make promises to each other. Then another later when they are a bit older but still not finished education. They are in different areas so the long distance takes its toll.
The Hero has a ONS after his graduation then decides to focus on his promise to the heroine.

Some time later the other woman tells him lies and he believes her without asking or giving the heroine a chance to explain.
He eviserates her and tells her to leave without even worrying how the heroine will travel safely back, he then gets into a fight and on pain meds he spends a long weekend in bed with the other woman (some on page details).
This also ends in disaster as the other woman had an agenda.
He signs up to the military for 8 years while the heroine hides from her father and the future he wants for her.








Trigger Warnings author's note.

Violence Strong language Sexual situations Harassment Deception Bullying (mild) Arranged marriages Mobster/Mafia Mayhem Invasion of Privacy Cheating (not by main characters) Death/Disappearances of family members Cancer (side characters) There may be other triggers not mentioned here. If you are a sensitive reader, this story is probably not for you. Read at your own risk.

[Mairi Swan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting plot but it didn't really have any grovel. The hero saves the heroine from an unwanted engagement situation and she just forgives him after 11 years apart while he was the reason for hiding for so long? Uhm ok. I expected more

[Bookish.Midnight. and. black · Rating 1 out of 5]

12 years later the H loves the h more than he loved her when he had her.

I felt no connection between the MCs , it was all bland and shallow, it lacked substance

[Kathy Gortney · Rating 2 out of 5]

forgave wayyyyy to easily!

I understand this was someone she loves since she was a child but in my opinion SHE did all the groveling and he slid right on in. Sure he apologized & regretted’ in his thoughts and some words to her but for this author whom I’ve read often this was weak! She slid right on in as nothing happened after TWELVE years! He DID HER DIRTY FREAKING DIRTY and SHE holds the brighter candle after all this time! He didn’t grovel this was pathetic and no wondering except when he cheated it was in detail and made me feel but fast forward and it fell weak and he got a pass! I’m so upset I had high hope not in this series but in this book specifically because this writer knows how to write betrayal and grovel and this was just NO ABSOLUTELY NO! He does the betraying and she does the groveling? Never in any world will that fly!

[Cee · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 64%

I had maybe 4 chapters left I just couldn’t do it. I have absolutely no idea why they like each other— in fact I thought Logan was going along with things out of obligation? There is no chemistry. Also they’ve rarely spent any time together in this book!

So dramatic and done in a not great way. Rolled my eyes so hard at the fmc’s last action (plus the email from the dad was lol) that I gave myself a headache.

[Lucky · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I understood Logan s behavior as in thinking with his other head in college, but I can't get my mind around how much a 30 plus old woman fold so easily......Logan don't have to work hard to convince her, she is already forgotten n forgave...it felt not a love story rather their surrounding situation made her choose him.....a doormat female lead....whole time reading book I'm cringing inside....also I would have liked to see any form of consequences to the almighty Grace...but no nothing nadda...how come all these brother didn't do anything who caused their little brother so much harm..one more plothol is Aoife's father,,,I felt he is genuine in his last moment that he really loved his daughter but no everyone just dismissed him...

[Lexi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was so poorly written that it couldn't have been above two stars based on that alone, so I don't even need to get into the nonsense plot, the way he not only fucks around but wants a relationship with another woman instead of her, or the way no one makes anything up to her in any way. Get out, girl.

[VoraciousReader · Rating 1 out of 5]

This wasn’t just a situation where Logan believed the lies that Grace told him about Aoife mistreating her. Logan was already having an emotional affair with Grace and trying to find an excuse to break his promise to be with Aoife because he wanted to be with Grace instead. The only reason that Logan even started looking for Aoife was because Grace betrayed him and stole his work.

[MandaC86 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

This was a cute read but it didn't have as much Christmas in it as I wanted it to it was a good story but I don't think I would have been quick to forgive him and I thought that the ending of her farther wasn't right either for some reason.

[Katie O’Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

Just a good old-fashioned misbehaving jackass alpha and how he grovels for forgiveness. I WAS INTO THIS

[Amy Garringer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am not even sure what I just read

Explain to me how the man chooses the OW over "the love of his life," sleeps with the OW the same night he kicked out "the love of his life," nearly gets her shackled to a horrible human being, puts her life in danger, and in the end SHE APOLOGIZES.

I am reallllly surprised anyone can call this romance.

[BiblioDarling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating System (as of 8/14/2025):
⭐: It was a struggle to read. I almost DNF
⭐⭐: This could have been so much better.
⭐⭐⭐: Good/Average
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Great book. I will probably reread it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: I absolutely loved this book.
***********************************************************************
Triggers:
🚩Violence
🚩Strong Language
🚩Sexual Situations
🚩Harassment
🚩Deception
🚩Mild Bullying
🚩Mobster/Mafia Mayhem
🚩Invasion of Privacy
🚩Cheating (not by main characters)
🚩Death/Disappearance of Family Members
🚩Cancer (side character)


Tropes:
💕Childhood Friends
💕Mafia Romance
💕Betrayal to Grovel
💕Part of a Series
💕Best Friend Romance
💕Arranged Marriage
💕OW Drama

Spice Level: 🔥🔥🔥

Spice Level Rating System (as of 9/4/25)
🔥: Clean. Handholding. Kissing.
🔥🔥: Non-Descriptive/Implied on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥: Hot-Descriptive on Page Sex
🔥🔥🔥🔥: So Hot—Do Not Read in Public
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥: Oh My-BDSM. Blood Play. Smut.
************************************************************************
This is book three in a series. For the best experience I recommend that you read the books in order.

Quote:
"Don't worry, I'll protect you. You lost your sister, and we lost our mom. We can stick together and then we'll always have each other. I promise to never stop being your friend, ever."

Summary:
MMC and FMC meet as children. The are both children of mafia bosses. The FMC is being forced to marry once she reaches a certain age. The MMC promises that he will marry her and take her way.

However, when they go to separate colleges things begin to change. The MMC becomes involved with the OW. The OW manipulates the MMC to distance himself from the FMC. Thus, breaking his promise. This all comes to a head one evening when the MMC chooses the OW lies over the FMC.

The FMC then must find a way to disappear, so she isn't forced into marriage. She gets help from a surprise individual. The MMCs life begins to fall apart as the OWs lies are exposed and he realizes all she has taken from him. He then spends years trying to find the FMC.

The FMC is betrayed and brought back into the spotlight. The MMC and his family come to her rescue. This begins a time of grovel, communication. HEA.

Review:
I have read several books by this author. She is one of those authors that you either love or dislike. I happen to have liked the books I have read. This book goes into my liked category.

The writing is what you expect from this author. The story is good. I really liked that the MFC suffered for choosing the OW over the FMC. I also liked that the FMC stood up for herself. She created a life and didn't look back. I was left wondering how she and the MMC were going to come back together. This is where the curve ball came in and I loved it. It was a great way to put them back in the same place. Clever.

If you are looking for a lot of grovel...this isn't your book. But then they weren't really in a love relationship when the betrayal happened. So, I get it. I did like the last scene with the FMC and her father. That was surprisingly touching and made me see things a bit differently.
*****************************************************************************
FOLLOW ME ON:
INSTAGRAM📢
https://www.instagram.com/bibliodarling/

SUBSTACK📢 https://open.substack.com/pub/mterron...

TIKTOK📢
https://www.tiktok.com/@bibliodarling...

JOIN MY VIRTUAL BOOKCLUB: BOUNDLESS WOMEN BOUNDLESS BOOKS (GOODREADS GROUP)

[MiSsE · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very Merry Red Flag-mas

⚠️ SPOILERS ⚠️

I was so excited to finally read book 3 of the Dark and Silent Night Series since I’ve read all the others.

First lemme start off by saying, when authors use the name “Aoife” my brain short circuits every single time while trying to read this name 😩 like OMG no joke I have to stop and remind myself how it’s pronounced each and every time!

We have Logan, I think his betrayal is the second least harshest out of all of the books. It happens when they’re young and in college, so it’s easier when 12 years has passed to have time to deal with that type of betrayal imo.

The main thing I didn’t enjoy about this story:

I didn’t feel the connection between Logan and Aoife. There was no spark. The first part of the book was them spending time apart because of college, then the betrayal happens, and then 12 years went by without them talking or being around each other. There was no dominance or possessive behavior that the other brothers gave off. I know Logan is the “sweeter” one of the bunch, but it would've been better to see feel that from him.

His actions with the betrayal, and then sleeping with the OW, (yes he was out of it) but he was leaning towards being with the OW already. He can’t say she’s the love of his life when he was throwing her away for another woman. His love didn’t feel legit, like he actually loved her. His actions in the beginning proved that.

I didn’t feel like we got a chance to learn about Logan. We of course read about him in the other stories, but I felt like we didn’t get a chance to connect with him as an adult. Everything was said and done in past tense, so we didn’t get to truly see who Logan is now and not then.

Overall I’m giving a 4 star rating because I love this authors work, I just feel like this one didn’t live up to what I know she’s capable of creating. I’m obsessed with her work ♥️

[Brooke Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was all over the place.

Logan is conned by another woman, Grace, who ended up being a snake, into shitting on his best friend, Aoife. He promised her WHEN HE WAS 6, that he'd marry her when they graduated to keep her Irish mafia dad from marrying her off. I mean... ok. She takes this promise and runs with it. I get it, at the time she was a scared child. But by the time you're in your 20s, you know that isn't going to happen the way you think. Aoife shows up after graduating early to a party at MIT where Logan is. The snake bitch is already in his head so he blows up his friendship with Aoife. Then Grace proceeds to blow up his academic life by stealing his work and passing it off as hers. Aoife has had enough of Logan's shit and disappears with the help of her grandmother who shows up randomly at the right time.

Anyway.... 12 years later Logan is still looking for her and finds her and saves her from her fiancé and father. Then nothing angsty happens. Everything is all hunky dory and stuff. Her dad tried clearing his conscience by telling her he always loved her and wanted what was best for her. In a plot twist, he has terminal cancer and is now an old man trying to get into heaven. Like what? It was still an ok read. I'm just excited for Adrian and Cora's book. I hope Cate makes his cheating ass suffer.

Then that just goes away. We never hear about the OW again besides the school took action against her. I wanted the angst to include her.

[Joanna Herrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Logan makes a promise to Aoife when they were young and again after they graduated high school. But the college years make it hard for Logan to remember those promises when something (or someone) that is closer in geography turns his head. Betrayed by Logan's refusal to believe in her or even listen to her (why are men so stupid??), Aoife disappears to escape the fate that Logan had promised to save her from. Over the next 12 years, Logan has been searching for her and finally finds a trail that leads him back to her.
This was a really great novella! The betrayal was brutal and there were some twists and turns that I didn't see coming...this was a really great addition to the series! The brothers are always there for each other and that is no exception in this book. As angry as she was at Logan, she was happy to see him when he showed up in time to save her from a terrible fate - another betrayal by someone in her life that she had believed did not know who she really was.
I can't wait for the last book! This has been such a great, great series!!!

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Logan and Aoifa made a promise to each other that they would always be together. Their relationship was stable until they went off to college. Unfortunately, the distance between them became problematic for Logan and he started to pull away from Aoifa. He became emotionally close to Grace, to the point that he thinks he has feelings for her and believes her lies about Aoifa. The scene at the college party is the breaking point and Aoifa changes her identity and runs away.

Years later, through the company Logan built, he finally locates Aoifa, but she is engaged. When Aoifa ran away, we find out that Grace had a hidden agenda; however, her deceit was uncovered, and she was dealt with.

I'm looking forward to the next in series -- the following authors are part of the collaboration:

🖤Silent Vow by Maya Alden - 1st
🖤Veiled Silence by Eve Black - 2nd
🖤Silent Flames by Cate C. Wells - 4th

This story has:

❤️ Forbidden/Unrequited love
🖤 Morally Gray Hacker
❤️ Dark secret identity
🖤 Mafia ties
❤️ Friends to Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Betrayal & Grovel

[Margerm, Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. This is the third novella in this series about four brothers whose mother left them when she caught their father cheating again. The brothers have individual strengths. In the case of the H in this book, his specialty is technology. The h is the daughter of a Mafia boss. The h and H live next door to each other and he promises to marry her so that her father cannot use her as a pawn in a marriage of alliance.
Their relationship is challenged when they attend different colleges that are four hours apart. The H is manipulated by a conniving OW who turns the H against the h with her theatrics. She uses him to steal his coding project and claims it as her own work. By the time that the H learns the truth, the h has disappeared. Twelve years go by before their paths cross. Not a lot of grovel but a grand gesture that's pretty convincing.

[4katydid Donahue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows Logan, the youngest Maddox brother, who lost his childhood BFF and love, Aoife, through his own actions. While they were best friends growing up they had always wanted to marry to save her from her father’s arranged Irish mob marriage plans. They never started a true romantic relationship because he attended boarding school in Europe and then they went to separate colleges but were always BFFs. The plan was to marry and start a romantic relationship once they graduated but then the OW came into the picture 6 months before the story starts. Of course our H is TSTL and breaks our h’s heart believing the lies and actions of the OW so Aoife has to rely on an unexpected rescuer to disappear. The story picks up again when Logan finally gets a hit on her location years later.

[Diana Lepine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two novellas were excellent. And you know that Cate C Wells will write an outstanding 4th novella, unfortunately, this book was not on the same level as the others. Kids who at age 6 decide to be together forever? Young adults not fully matured but wanting to experience life? Is it truly betrayal?
In the first two books, Logan is very sage and a true friend to his brothers. His character was very defined. In this third book, he’s a sap who falls for a woman who is so bad she came off as a caricature.
Plus the groveling and forgiveness came too easy. Gideon was on ice for 4 months! This could have been better. The story was shabby.

[Elizabeth Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silent promise

I encourage everyone who is invested in this 4 book series to read this book. Its worth it as it provides some form of closure to logans part in the series. That said, this is my least favorite of the 4 books. I was pretty disappointed bc I had really been looking forward to Logans story. I read silent Flame before this one when the author offered it as an ARC. I have to say that I believe Silent Flame is the best book in this series. I gave books 1 and 2 4stars each, book 3 I gave 3 stars, Silent Flame book 4 got 5 stars.

[Ingrid Maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly, I agree with the others… Didn’t feel as tho he loved her, and there was no grovel… He showed up said sorry I believed the OW and bla bla bla, and she was just too meek and agreed with whatever bc she loved him (which I also didn’t believe)

Also they were bffs that didn’t talk at all apparently.
I think I would’ve liked it if she had a child with some OM or something to show that she lived her life and wasn’t pinning anyways, it just didn’t feel like 12 years had passed, so maybe it shouldn’t have been a novella, but a full length book with more depth.

[Angel W · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this story of the "friend" getting in the way only reason I can't give 5 stars in because I wish we knew what happened to the friend.

great story of finding your person way too early in life and dealing with the love that grows while others get in the way. mistakes are made and when she went into hiding only to be found by the people she was running from. once she is back in his arms the world rights itself

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

Not a grovel despite what I'd consider a painful betrayal. It's more of a time heals all wounds deal. They didn't technically have the bf/gf label, but promises had been made. I just think both of them were weak. His reasons for falling for the OW's obvious bs were weak and she was weak for taking him back so quickly after they reunited. There's not even any chemistry between them to make up for it.

[Reading Raccoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

this may have been the best one so far, the betrayal, the flow of the book, the time jump.
great read.
if I had one comment to make I'd say that I wish her father didn't backpedal and not really be a bad guy, because that threw off the whole story for me, that made the whole foundation for the story a huge miscommunication/misunderstanding and I didn't like that because 12 years is TOO MUCH wasted time. so that really threw me off. but the rest of the story was very satisfying.

[Michelle Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Couple: Logan & Aoife
❋❋❋❋❋❋
I love Christine Michelle's writing, she always knows how to tell a story. I was loving the first part of this book. The lead up to the wow I want to strangle Logan moment had me sat in my seat. Then unfortunately nothing really happened after, it was just to easy. Sometimes that happens with novellas, I still enjoyed and can't wait ti finish the last brother.

[Rachel Hager · Rating 3 out of 5]

This needed to be longer. The OW drama at the beginning was too much/too angsty. Not even groveling and not even discussion on what happened/processing it together. I think this book could have been a 5 star read if it was full length and we spent a lot longer in the present and the healing process was slower.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silent promises

This was a good story about young love, betrayal and heartache. Aiofe had been through so much with not only her family but the man she had loved. Logan got sidetracked and hurt the one person he swore to always protect. They both learn and grow over the years and get the chance to start over if they can forgive and forget