Sometimes, we're taught to hide our truth. We're led to believe it's our own fault. As if somehow, we should protect the evil that was unleashed upon us. We're convinced that the punishment will swallow us whole. But maybe, the only way to let go of the fear, is to expose the devil. Look him in the eyes and give him the Fuck You that he's always deserved.
Darkness surrounds me. Flames engulf me. Born from the ashes. Like the phoenix, I will rise.
Nicole Hart is a contemporary romance author with a new love for psychological thriller and mystery. She is a lover of words and storytelling. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her husband and two kids. She's from the one red light town of Boyd, Texas and enjoys life on her old country road. She survives on coffee, sarcasm and old country music.
The reason why I signed up for this and it being one of my anticipated books for October was the cover, the synopsis doesn't give much away so you kind of don't have much to go on.
HUSH: Is a standalone contemporary romance novel by new to me author Nicole Hart.
Rachael and her younger sister Sara live in a life of constant fear, always fearing that they will anger their step father, no matter what they try and do to keep out of his way he always finds ways to unleash his incredible temper on them. Their mother takes the brunt of his anger but Rachael wishes with all her might that he’d just die or never come back from wherever he disappears to for weeks on end.
The dynamics within the family is hard to understand, the mother either turns a blind eye to the goings on within the household or she just doesn't know. They all live on tenterhooks when he's around, but once he's doing god knows what their mother becomes depressed, crying, pacing the floors until he arrives back home, for what? to face more abuse. Hard to understand or even comprehend.
Rachael's only constant in her life is her best friend Jackson who she'd known since elementary school who suffered a similar upbringing to her so they share a bond that gives them strength to battle through their daily lives.
But still you don't really feel their love or bond.
Then the story takes a huge jump (and you wonder what happened the years in between, twelve years later - Aged 26)
The twist in the story seemed unthought out, it didn't really in the large scheme of things make a hell of a lot of sense, undeveloped plot twist that didn't really go any where.
This starts off with the heroine being relatively young, not even in her teens but too swiftly jumped up through the ages as the story progressed. There were also too many gaps within the story and you kind of wished the author had elaborated more on certain scenes before jumping onto the next. I loved the backbone of this story but in some places it just felt too rushed, with these gaps in the story it threw up so many questions that were never answered. But all in all there were some parts of this book that I really really enjoyed, the love between the two sisters, how Sara was such a nervous child to a complete flip of a switch to being a tough sailer talking character which we never saw when she was younger. I loved this new side to her.
I enjoyed this one quite a lot. That said, I also had a few issues that lowered my rating a bit. I'll start with the good. I found this one to be fairly well written and paced. The author has a very readable writing style. The plot was engaging and kept me turning the pages. This isn't a romance at all, more a psychological thriller in my opinion. So there weren't any sex scenes. I enjoyed the two sisters and felt the author did a fairly good job fleshing out their characters and backgrounds.
Which leads me to the issues I had with this one. I didn't think there was enough fleshing out of a certain character to support the twist at the end. We skip from when they are kids to twelve years later, and I wished the author had spent a bit less time with the characters as kids and gave us some insight into what all the characters were doing in the twelve intermittent years. I needed to be able to at least buy into the twist and I just couldn't because we get no details on how we got from point A (kids) to point B (twist). On top of that, I felt the ending was rushed. With really no explanation as to the "why." It left me confused as to the motive. We are also left with some loose ends that are never explained. And what about justice for the loved ones who lost people?
So yea, this one is a bit of a pickle to rate. Like I said, for most of the book I enjoyed it a lot. I was intrigued and excited to see where it was headed. But...sigh. The underdeveloped twist and the ending really let this one down for me. I am going to go with a 3.5 for this one and call it good since it pretty much falls right between 3-4.
Infelizmente esse livro não me conquistou. Algumas coisas eu gostei e outras nem tanto... Tive a impressão de que tudo foi meio corrido e sem muita elaboração, o final foi apressado e acabei ficando sem respostas pra várias questões que surgiram no decorrer da história. Sem contar que o ponto alto não me surpreendeu em nada, porque eu já tinha essa suspeita...
This book started off as your usual dark fiction novel and edgy book with a poor-ish family whose stepfather Duane is abusive. I have to admit that the mother in this book annoyed me as seriously Duane abused her and then she cries when he's not here. She suffered from Battered Women's Syndrome and also a bit of Stockholm Syndrome. The book starts with the family and the main character Rachael at 14 years old and suffering the abuse from her stepfather. She also had her first boyfriend Jackson who also came from an abusive family. During this time, Duane ended up in an accident. Then the novel jumps 12 years into the future and Rachael is now 26 years old, and she is married to Jackson. He has turned similar to his father and become a drunk. During this time, there is a murderer about, and Rachael notices that the young teens that were murdered are younger versions of herself and Jackson. She believes that Duane is coming back to get his revenge. Is Duane back out and killing to get closer to Rachael? Or is someone else killing to mess with Rachael's mind and if so, Why? I have to admit I didn't see the twist coming at the end and personally when all was revealed I felt a little letdown with the book as I was like seriously, what reason. If you want a dark romantic suspense with a hint of murder, then check out Hush by Nicole Hart.
From the beginning I knew this book was going to be completely different from anything Nicole has ever written, and I thought I was prepared, but there is no way to prepare yourself for this emotional roller-coaster. Every page draws you in and keeps you invested into what happens next. Each time you think you have it figured out the next chapter shows you how wrong you were. This book is like nothing you have read before but that makes it all the more better
Oh boy... What to think of a tittle like this and a cover like that? Well... Coming from this amazing author I knew that this book would be a very intense reading. Just think about it before you start reading it. Nicole has a dark, intense and full of meaning writing that will make you feel every single word. Her previous books made me feel a bunch of stuff and this would be another one. Hush is her latest release and will portrait Rachel's rollercoster life. Rachel is a sweet girl that lives in constant fear of her step-dad. She and her sister endure what no kid should but it's the life they have, the terror of living in constant fear. Years go by and now she's a grown up woman with a bad past and a big secret... Jesus what a book... What a story... The plot is superb, very well written and the interaction between the characters is intense, beautiful and scary sometimes. This story presented us with love, family, friendship as well as crime, abuse, madness and so much suspense. The way the story progressed left me nervous as hell but I needed to keep reading and reading until I could get the answer the questions that were popping out with the flick of the page. Oh Nicole, I've read a few books from you but this one was something especial alright. The theme that you approached needs to be taken more seriously but it isn't. Will we have more books about Rachel or Sarah? Fingers crossed because I love this two. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
“Darkness surrounds me. Flames engulf me. Born from the ashes, like the phoenix I will rise.”
At times poignant Hush is a story of survival but at times also being a victim. Fear holds her prisoner as she struggles with the hand fate dealt her and those she loves. Bad choices, poor decisions and an apathy for her own existence makes it difficult to love the female lead in this story. I wanted to shake her at times as she’s achieved so much yet can’t she her own worth until it’s too late...The twist in the take was a little left wing and had no real explanation or detail. It felt a little like it was a sudden change and I was waiting for the defeat of her nemesis and instead was a little let down. There was no closure, no redemption and I would have liked to think there had been a little more karma for certain individuals. Again it’s sweet that a childhood love saved her from completely surrendering to the darkness of her youth but how quickly that became sour without a real exploration was almost like the true story hadn’t been revealed. Is embracing the darkness always the default behaviour for one that’s suffered? I guess I felt at times it was a little cliched. Overall this was an engaging story that I definitely enjoyed reading and still think it’s worth at least four stars. It was the first by this author and I would read more of her work.
Intense, suspenseful, very interesting. I absolutely enjoyed reading this book. This was a new writer that I had the privilege of getting an ARC from. I knew nothing regarding this book going it . I can say it did indeed keep me on the edge of my seat. I never believed it would turn out the way that it did in the end. Rachel was an interesting character . She was having to be strong since she was a kid and even when she becomes an adult she tries so hard to be strong. But her love for Jackson becomes her downfall until she realizes that Jackson is no good for her anymore. I absolutely loved the relationship Rachel has with her sister and mother. Throughout the whole story you can easily see that the three characters have a strong bond. This is just one of those books that is gripping from the beginning with a story line that everyone can relate to in one way or another. I enjoyed reading this book very much.
I am in awe. This was a tough one to read. As a victim myself, reading stories like this always feel all too real. The memories come back. BUT, I am so damn glad that I read this.
Rachel, Sara, and her mother were victims. Point blank. One day their demon left. Life could go back to normal right? The fear, the pain, the scars...they all disappear right? Sadly that's not the case. As a victim you will always forever be changed. It's just the honest to god truth.
-Sara, she found her strength and her HEA. Her character grew into a wonderful woman. -Their mom was haunted. -Rachel, her character showed some growth..but then I feel it went down hill. BUT at the end, it was good to see how her character blossomed. It's kinda like a flower, if you water it and give it proper sun it will grow and bloom, if you over water it or don't water it at all and keep it in the dark it will shrivel up and lose its beauty. Rachel went through that process.
-Jackson, lets just say he was a liked character and then it went downhill for me. Lol
Now. That plot twist Nicole threw in there was #mindblowing My jaw hit the floor and I remember saying "fuck"
This is my first book by this author and will not be my last. I went into this book blind. I am so glad I did I did not know what to expect but I really enjoyed the book. The writing was good the story kept me on the edge my seat I kept guessing what was going to happen but my guesses were wrong. Loved the characters they were so well written I do not want to give anything away. There is a couple of twists I did not see coming. My heart was with Rachael and Sara. I could understand Rachael pain and wanting to protect her sister and mother. I loved her strength great character...
Darkness surrounds me. Flames engulf me. Born from the ashes. Like the Phoenix, I will rise.
Hush by Nicole Hart is one of those books that I had to sit with for a bit before writing my review. It’s not a story with butterflies and rainbows. It’s a powerful tale of secrets and misdirection, of lies and falling into cycles. It has twists and turns and windy roads.
This is one of those books that I just wanted to SCREAM at some of the characters and others I wanted to wrap up in a hug. At times it’s extremely detailed and others it’s fade to black for which I was extremely grateful.
At the end of the story I was left with questions and the desire to know more about certain characters and I absolutely recommend it.
This is the first book by this author that I've read. This is such an intense and suspenseful story. I was hooked from the first page till the very last one. I really enjoyed the characters, they were interesting and well developed. The ending is not what you expect at all but still good. This story will keep you on the edge of your seat. I can't wait to read more by this author in the future. Highly recommended I voluntarily reviewed an advance rader copy of this book
I like the twist and the learning curve for the main character. She is dedicated to her family and strong to no end. And through the pages of this book you see her learn to depend on no one. It focuses on the subject of abuse and there are some questions left unanswered by the end of it but it will still satisfy you because you read the two extremes of what could happen for the future of a victim of abuse. Some become survivors others monsters.
This book has an emotional impact. The first part is heart breaking watching what Rachel and Sara had to go through. Each chapter had me holding my breath waiting to see what happened. The second part gives you hope. Just when that happens the rug is swept out from under you and the fear and horror starts again.
I don't want to give anything away but will say this will have you biting your nails or sitting on the edge of your seat just waiting for hopefully some happiness. This is one heck of a rollercoaster ride.
This book is very different from any other books this author has written! With that being said... O M G!!! This is a must read! Dark read! Phenomenal read! It will keep you on the edge of your seat!!!! You will not be able to put it down. If i could give 10 stars i would! Don't miss out! How do you tell your truth?
Wow - this was a book full of twists and turns that I honestly did not see coming.
I loved the character of Rachel and felt so bad with what she and her mom and sister had to endure at the hand of Duane. He was such an evil man and deserved what happened to him.
When Rachel got older you saw the change in everything that she held dear. I felt awful for her that Jackson was drinking when you knew how much she hated what happened with Duane and how mean he got when she drank. I was so disappointed in the change in Jackson and hated what he became.
I loved Sara and how close her and Rachel were. I thought it was amazing that she and her husband, Jake, took care of ehr mother. I loved that Sara was there for Rachel and was freaked when they saw what was happening with the murders and how everything might tie together.
The ending totally threw me for a loop and I was shocked for sure! Such a great book and I definitely look forward to more from this author!
Rachel Fisher did not have an easy go of growing up. She was abused by her step-father Duane as was her mom and sister, Sara. Yet she had a friend in Jackson who was always there for her.
But one day everything changes and their lives are no longer the same. But years later when Rachel is married to Jackson she learns that things have taken a turn towards the worse and maybe their past has come back to haunt them.
Wow - this was a book full of twists and turns that I honestly did not see coming.
I loved the character of Rachel and felt so bad with what she and her mom and sister had to endure at the hand of Duane. He was such an evil man and deserved what happened to him.
When Rachel got older you saw the change in everything that she held dear. I felt awful for her that Jackson was drinking when you knew how much she hated what happened with Duane and how mean he got when she drank. I was so disappointed in the change in Jackson and hated what he became.
I loved Sara and how close her and Rachel were. I thought it was amazing that she and her husband, Jake, took care of ehr mother. I loved that Sara was there for Rachel and was freaked when they saw what was happening with the murders and how everything might tie together.
The ending totally threw me for a loop and I was shocked for sure! Such a great book and I definitely look forward to more from this author! - By Rebecca
This story drew me in with the blurb. I was immediately curious. It has dark elements, that promise this big story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. That, unfortunately, didn’t happen for me. The writing style was great, and the words were easy to read, but the story fell flat for me. There was a time jump that made things a little awkward, and the twist was not exactly believable enough for me. I see potential in this story, but I think it needs a little more. The chemistry between some characters needed more, too. I didn’t hate the story, but I also didn’t love it. It was ok for me. I will be the first to admit that I’m a little spoiled when it comes to stories, so my bar is unbelievably high. I will also say that it takes a lot to write a story, And although this story was good it wasn’t for me, it might be and epic tale to someone else. Not everyone will love every story written, and that happens. I will always suggest the books that I read, and this story is still worth giving a chance.
I was literally counting days down for this book. Just because I feel the writing was going to be so different than what Nicole started with. This book had me hooked from the beginning, it had me flipping thru pages nonstop until the very end. Her style of writing for this one and really every book she has put out is fantastic to say the least. Maybe it was the dark tones of the book and writing that had me hooked, but even the characters were amazing. And neither one of them took anything away from the other. All characters I felt could literally stand on their own as a matter of fact I wished she could write a book of each one of them so I can know their thoughts and what they felt at the moment in the story. Hush was such an intense book that it had my feelings all over the place, the only think I do wished was that we knew what happened in that time gap of adolescents and adulthood with the girls. Of course that’s just my personal thoughts and me being greedy..lol Just me wanting to know what else the girls went thru with their mom. But overall this was an over the top 5 stars!!!
Wow, this is a very different book but really packs a punch!
I've heard good things about this author but this is the first book of hers I have read, I can say I really liked her writing style and will definitely be reading more of her work.
Rachel and Sara live with their mother and stepfather in a run-down house with basically only the bare necessities, if that! Jackson is Rachel's friend who gives her comfort knowing the lifestyle she lives and the fears she has every day are similar to his own.
I'm not going to say too much about the storyline as I don't want to give it away. This is not a story for the faint-hearted but it is a story of hope and love.
It is a fast-paced story and although the topics are more intense it is easy to read, the suspense factor pulls you right in and you find yourself needing to know the outcome. Nicole Hart certainly knows how to describe her characters well, including the evil ones where you feel the fear the other characters feel.
Hush by Nicole Hart was a great read! This story revolves around 2 girls, Rachel and Sara and their mom who live with an abusive man Duane, who beats them and leaves them terrified whenever he is home. He makes their life a living hell. Then Duane has an accident. The main character has a best friend named Jackson who has a similar home life who helps her leave her home when they are of age. Then the story jumps ahead 12 years. Jackson and Sara are still together and all of a sudden murders start happening that tie back to their childhood and they find out some disturbing news about Duane. Is it really Duane back in her life to terrorize her again or is it someone else? This book is very good, but I feel like the author could have given more details about the 12 years in between the jump in the story, that would have made this story exceptional! I was given an ARC for my honest review.
This is the 3rd book by Nicole Hart that I have read and it was so different from the previous two, not in a bad way, just different. I devoured this book in less than 24 hours reading a fast as I could to find out what was going to happen. Parts of this book hit very close to home for me and were very difficult to read, but the emotional roller coaster is worth it in the end. Hush was so well written and heartfelt which could only come from someone having lived some type of abuse. Thank you Nicole for being brave enough to tell this story and show people they can come out the other side and be stronger than they ever thought possible. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book.
Real plain and simple this book is REAL My emotions are all over the place. This author never holds back with her words and makes each of her books stick with you in ways you cant imagine. So much heart goes into her words. I've had this book forever and just finally read it.... Rachel goes thru more in her life than any one person should. But she's courageous , determined, strong, independent, and fierce ... This book doesnt end with your typical HEA... It will make you sob angry tears, hurtful tears, and happy tears.... Life isnt always rainbows and glitter, sometimes its bruises, scars, and hurtful words that cut deeper than any wound. Rachel is my hero ....
This is the first time in reading this author with the darkness that it promises that lurks within drawing me to this. The characters- Rachel and Sara have a difficult life that while I was reading at times I get perturbed with how they along with mom go on. Rachel is the one that is the focus it seems though in strength. This is actually one that keeps a steady pace with the thrills and the drama it brings you through the years also. You are pulled to the edge a time or two with this author pulling the strings.
Hush is a heart-wrenching and emotional psychological thriller. Rachel's story is dark and gritty, and absolutely impossible to put down. The abuse that a child suffers often torments them into adulthood, and in this case, it comes hurtling back with a vengeance. Nicole Hart gives us a wonderfully written, edge of your seat thriller that begs the question of how people deal with trauma. How does one person move on while another's mind bends in ways that are unimaginable? There is quite the twist at the end and while I did see it coming, it doesn't take away from the book for me.
I knew this book was going to be different but I didn't expect it to feel so real. It sucked me in and I read it all in one sitting. The hurt I felt for these girls was crazy. I just wanted to protect them from all the pain. My main concerns were the skipping of 12 years without knowing what all happened during that time and the "why" of the murderer. I understand the author had a hard time writing this story so I totally get why it seems rushed but I felt this just needed a few more details. Overall though it's a fantastic story and deserves to be read.
This book was so emotional! Made my heart hurt! Rachel and Jackson both come from abusive homes and are best friends. They go through a lot together. I can't say much because I don't want to give anything away but OMG! That twist! Did NOT see that coming! I just want to know why? WHY???!!!! And I was NO! NO! NO! Well written with a good storyline that was suspenseful, emotional, deep and heartbreaking! Looking forward to more from this author!