Sometimes, books are on my radar for literal years. Somehow, I won’t get myself a copy or pick them up for the same amount of time. Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan, my final read of 2024, is one of these examples. Years ago, this book and I crossed paths, what led to a new addition to my TBR. However, this book seemed to be quite underrated until recently. I’ve started seeing it being mentioned on several social media platforms, which was a wake-up call for me. I finally bought an ebook copy and read it quite soon after. Did this book stand the test of time?

About the book

Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan
Series: Where Love Meets Destiny #1
Published by Forever on November 1, 2016
Pages: 388
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, General fiction, Romance

Fall in love with this emotional New York Times bestselling romance between two tortured souls who find their chance at happiness in the most unexpected way.
I wanted to lose myself in the small town of Pelion, Maine. To forget everything I had left behind. The sound of rain. The blood. The coldness of a gun against my skin. For six months, each breath has been a reminder that I survived — and my dad didn’t. I’m almost safe again. But the moment I meet Archer Hale, my entire world tilts on its axis . . . and never rights itself again.

Until I trespass into his strange, silent, and isolated world, Archer communicates with no one. Yet in his whiskey-colored eyes, something intangible happens between us. There’s so much more to him than just his beauty, his presence, or the ways his hands communicate with me. On me. But this town is mired in secrets and betrayals, and Archer is the explosive center of it all.
So much passion. And so much hurt. But it’s only in Archer’s silence that we might just find what we need to heal . . . and live.

My review

Before reading

Romance has been my go-to genre for 2024, and we can categorize this novel into this genre as well. However, this author seems quite underrated, and my reading tastes have been evolving since this book’s publication in 2016. However, I already read Most of All You by Sheridan in 2019 which I rated 4 stars. I therefore expected to enjoy Archer’s Voice as well. This particular novel deals with serious trauma, according to the blurb. This gave me the impression that the story would be character driven, which I prefer. These assumptions only add up to my already high expectations. I needed something different from fantasy and was very certain that this book was what I needed right now.

Characters

We alternately follow Bree and Archer. Both characters have dealt with a lot in their life, which is clear from the start. The book starts with Bree who seeks refuge from her old life in the small town of Pellion, Maine. Throughout the first chapters, the author reveals why she is determined to get away from her old life, but we don’t know the whole story until much closer to the end. Bree suffers from trauma and PTSD. Both are obstructing her life in some way or another. It is not long after her arrival she runs into a mysterious man who seems to ignore her. After asking her neighbours about this rude yet intriguing man, they can’t really tell her much about him. However, Bree is definitely intrigued by him and when a silly incident leads her to run into him again, she’s determined to find out more about him. This man happens to be Archer, who is mute since an accident in his young life. Later on, we learn more about the circumstances that led to his mutism. Since Archer is mute, the fellow inhabitants of Pellion seem to ignore him, they don’t bother including him in anything. This leaves Archer pretty isolated, as well as protected. He hardly leaves his estate because he doesn’t think he is worth it. Communicating is tough for him. With Bree however, he might find his purpose, because she invests time in getting to know and understand him. In the end, we witness both characters deal with their trauma and healing, because they both have their fair share of it. They bring out the best in each other, but their bond also leads to individual growth. This process is going gradually, the one has more growth to undergo than the other. In the end, they both show massive character development, without it being unbelievable. All characters are written well. Their struggles are clearly visible, and they all have to grow in some way. They have to come to terms with how they treated Archer for nearly all his life, and we see that many are willing to give him a chance.

Writing

The novel is written in an accessible way. It’s easy to follow and the language used isn’t that difficult. The chapters are relatively short. Sheridan switches POV regularly, but this happens more from the halfway mark onwards. When POVs are switched, they are clearly indicated. There are flashbacks as well, which are necessary to understand the story. These are also indicated. This multiple POV narration is a valuable element in this novel, because it really showcases the characters, their trauma and their healing process.

Plot

As stated before is this novel very character driven. The plot is built around the characters and therefore the character development is pretty much exposed. The atmosphere of this novel changes a lot. It’s definitely tense for the most part, but there is also room for lighter moments. The tension is mainly caused by the themes such as grief and trauma. Furthermore, there’s sexual attraction which makes room for spicy content. This spice is pretty present and graphic. However, it is relevant for the development of Bree’s and Archer’s relationship. Moreover, the sex contributes to the character development which already has been mentioned a lot in this review. I found this process very intriguing. I wanted to continue reading to find out how it all would evolve.

Final thoughts

I’m glad I finally picked up Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan. I really don’t understand why it has been staying under the radar for so long. I think it still quite does, although it gains increasing popularity on social media and mostly TikTok. If you enjoy character driven books with more serious themes and trauma, this novel is definitely suitable for you. It is a romance novel with spice set in a small town, but the characters and growth is more important than this setting. The earlier mentioned spice is necessary and contributes to the character development. I was intrigued by this process and wanted to keep reading. But I just couldn’t because of the time period I was reading this book in. I hardly read during the holidays and the days between Christmas and New Year’s, so that’s the mere reason why it took me so long – for me anyway – to finish this book.