Steffi doesn't talk, but she has so much to say. Rhys can't hear, but he can listen. Their love isn't a lightning strike, it's the rumbling roll of thunder.

Steffi has been a selective mute for most of her life - she's been silent for so long that she feels completely invisible. But Rhys, the new boy at school, sees her. He's deaf, and her knowledge of basic sign language means that she's assigned to look after him. To Rhys, it doesn't matter that Steffi doesn't talk, and as they find ways to communicate, Steffi finds that she does have a voice, and that she's falling in love with the one person who makes her feel brave enough to use it.

From the bestselling author of Beautiful Broken Things comes a love story about the times when a whisper is as good as a shout.

4.5 Stars

This book is a joy! Steffi is such a strong character that moves this book forward. I've never heard of selective mute it made this book just a neat read. I haven't related to a characters mental health as much as I did with Steffi. Her anxiety was spot on for me. It's written so well and makes me understand her and her anxiety. The push and pull that flows through, makes it a quick read. But what I love most about this book is that Rhys is deaf and uses sign language. I wasn't sure if that would read right. However, when I was reading I was 'seeing' them doing sign language, not just talking. I know a little ASL and still learning but these characters use BSL so I know some of the signs are different, but I know what it looks like.

This YA Contemporary story has a main role for family within it I like the family part of this book. How she has two different homes, how both her parents are different from each other. I like how we get to see how each parent sees her, how each of them treats her different. I also like the different sibling role as well.

The friendship between Steffi and Tem felt real. Not fake, not push, just what real friendship is like, the ups and downs. There's no stabbing each other but 100% caring and understanding of who each other is.

Sara Barnard writing is great. She's a new to me author, and I will be keeping an eye out for more books by her. Her plot and characters are well balanced. It's a bubbly cute read, while still being a powerful, truthful.

I received a NetGalley ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it. So, this is a 100% honest review by me.