Review: "Weight of Silence" by A.M. Arthur

Weight of Silence is the third book in the Cost of Repairs series by M/M contemporary romance author A.M. Arthur. For this third installment, we meet Gavin and Jace, lead characters who are younger than the previous leads in the first two books but carry their own burdens, one deciding to put it out in the open and the other choosing to keep it a secret.

Gavin Perez is 23 and has never pretended to be someone he's not. He's been open about being gay since he came out to his mom as a teen. He may not have the world's greatest job but he's a good son, being the source of support his mom needs since they can't really count on his deadbeat father to do much of anything for them. He's always been considered a gifted artist but his undiagnosed ADHD makes it difficult for him to stay focused on one thing for an extended period of time.

Jace Ramsey is 19 and is a sophomore in college, along with his twin, Rachel. He comes from a good family but while his parents have always believed in him, he knows he's not as academically gifted as his two sisters. He wants to be able to do everything that's expected of him but is finding it increasingly difficult to keep pretending to be someone he's not. Still, he persists in not being open about what it is he really wants in life and who he really is.

Gavin literally bumps into Jace during Thanksgiving and it's the beginning of an unlikely friendship. Jace is visiting his family during the long weekend and Gavin invites him to a party hosted by a friend of his. Jace feels comfortable with Gavin and, after the party, they head on over to the lake where they take things further. Then, soon after returning to school, Jace cuts of all communication.

When Jace returns for Christmas break, he's obviously unhappy and uneasy but blames it on being stressed over his finals. He's distanced himself from his family and everyone else he knows...and then he sees Gavin again at their family Christmas party. Expecting to be told off because of the unanswered calls and texts, Jace is surprised that Gavin holds no grudges. They reconnect as lovers, and, more importantly, as friends, with Jace being able to share with Gavin things he's never even shared with his own family...except for what's been truly bothering him since he got back to school after Thanksgiving break.

While Jace later comes clean to his family about one of his secrets, he's still unable to tell them everything. Gavin may know most of Jace's secrets but Jace is afraid that the one secret he's still keeping from everyone may be too much for even those he loves and those who love him to deal with. And then he's forced to confront his fears head on and this time he's refusing to back down.

Gavin and Jace's story was a joy to read. Gavin didn't have all the advantages that life had to offer him but he still maintained a positive attitude and outlook. On the other hand, Jace seemed like the guy who had it all and could have had more but he was feeling lost and wasn't being honest with himself or his family about who he was and what he wanted. Their being together felt like they had the missing pieces of each other's puzzles. Yes, I get that they're still young and you never know where that relationship is going to end up but I liked that it had a feeling of hope. ^.^

Like I mentioned in my review for Color of Grace, I suggest you read the books in the series in order, not just because I'm a fan of the series but because reading the books in order will give you the foundation necessary to move from one book to the next. ^.^ And with that little reminder, I'm going to give Weight of Silence 4.5 stars out of five. ♥

Date read: 05 September 2014

Learn more about the compelling A.M. Arthur here.

Grab a copy of Weight of Silence and Ms. Arthur's other books on Amazon | Barnes & Noble (first 13 and the 20th books shown only).