Echoes of Silence is Indie Black's entry in the Twisted Tales collection, a loose adaptation of the Ugly Duckling story. In true Indie fashion, this novel is full of raw emotion and gives a heartfelt look at a truly horrific existence for far too many people.
Wren is a 20-year-old mute by choice, held captive by her parents all her life, being sold off on a regular basis for the past four years to her father's friends and business associates. Despite choosing to remain mute, Wren is a fighter, not content with allowing her life to continue down the current path. She gets an unexpected reprieve when Kodiak Maximov, along with his partners Havoc, Nix, and Hush, buy Wren from her parents and whisk her away to the idyllic town of Black Hollow.
We soon learn that Kodiak and his guys have made it their mission to free people like Wren and give them the opportunity for a new start away from the violence they have come to know. Wren finds a purpose in Black Hollow, starts making friends, and begins to trust her four heroes. As her relationship with the group grows, more information about who she truly is starts to come to light, threatening the new peace she has found.
This story is the first in a duet for Wren, ending on a heart-stopping cliffhanger. You will be anxiously awaiting the conclusion to Wren's story to get more details on her parents and what happens next for this beautiful sprite and her four warriors.
Character development: 5/5
Dark elements: 5/5
Steamy scenes: 5/5
Overall storyline: 5/5
Triggers: Yes, indeed - sexual assault, knife play, torture, MF and MM scenes