The Silence of Strangers

by Audrey Howard

Set in the 1840s in the Lancashire coalfields, this is the story of two women who love the same man. Heiress Nella Fielden sets her heart on Jonas Townley and marries him, but his heart belongs to Nella's protegee Leah, a lowly miner's daughter. Tragedy follows when Nella learns she has a rival.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction

551 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Audrey Howard was born on 1929 in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK, and grew up in St Annes on Sea, Lancashire, where she lives in her childhood home.

Before she began to write she had a variety of jobs, among them hairdresser, model, shop assistant, cleaner and civil servant. In 1981, while living in Australia, she wrote the first of her bestselling novels published since 1984. In 1988, her novel The Juniper Bush won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the Romantic Novelists' Association.

Reviews

[Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nella Fielden marries Jonas Townley, both of them knowing they're entering this relationship because of money. But there is something else between them, something that isn't quite love at first, but is still a deep emotion they share.

However, Jonas soon meets and falls in love with a young, poor woman named Leah Wood. Nella, not knowing anything about their relationship, befriends both Leah and their mother and saves them from hard work in the coal mine.

That is where the book sets off. I couldn't bring myself to give it less than five stars, I just love Audrey Howard's works so much. This is a bit different to her other books I've read. There is a real love triangle, not the kind where a girl can't decide between two boys, but a real-life dilemma, when a man loves two women. Their relationships and feelings are beautifully described and, as always, accompanied by Howard's amazing storytelling.

[Faz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very intense an deeply emotional read. i felt very sorry for the Heroine Nella because she wasn't a typical beauty who would get the hero and he would fall instantly in love with her and have a HEA. For her every step she took was a struggle and she had so many walls blocking her path to happiness but she persevered for her HEA.

at the time i read the book i was in high school and everything is usually sunshine and roses from a teen perspective but this was a bit traumatic and intense because the heroines pain was sooo real.I cant say if the hero redeemed himself to my satisfaction that is for each reader to decide.


all in all Ms. Howard is an excellent writer and this was one of the most memorable books I have ever read.

[Marina K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read.

It was a clean (no foul language, gruesome details, etc) 1800's Era book

It was a bit hard to understand the talking of some of the town folk, and some parts had a too much unnecessary details but the overall story was good.
I found myself loving all 3 of the main characters, regardless of their flaws

[Rachelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but it's not staying on the bookshelves as I likely won't read it again.

[Asghar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Leah. Although she is not the main character and she is supposed to be a bad person, i couldn't help but love her for her deep and undying love for jonas. sometimes you cannot help but love even though you know it is wrong. Leah met jonas on the same day as he met nella for the first time. This love triangle broke my heart so many times. Mostly for the young girl who was the other woman. i did like nella and i loved her nature her compassion, but no where near the despair i felt for leah everytime she thought about jonas and nella. I think it was cruel to kill her but i see there was no other way about it. Jonas and leahs love to me was more real than nella and jonas because in theirs it had an undying unstoppable force which noone could break. It actually hurts me to finish this book whenever i read it as i cannot stand reading about leahs death. In any other world where money and class didnt matter, leah and Jonas's lovestory would have electrifying, the perfect love.

[Lexy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was INTENSE. Intense and not pretty. In fact, I felt quite anguished and despairing throughout. And yet, I kept turning the pages frantically and really couldn't bear to put it down. I just kept hoping things would get better for poor Nella, who was such a wonderful, strong, compassionate character. I really disliked Leah and had a love/hate relationship with Jonas. The end came about too abruptly and I wasn't quite satisfied with it. This was a very raw and brutal love story, but one that will stay with you until long after the last page has been read.

[Indu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book very much.
Someone who likes their books to bring out the emotions in them. This one is the best.
I experienced the pain and joy that characters experienced. Best book I've read! :)