No More Words is another home run by Kerry Lonsdale. Olivia Carson's family was fractured when Lily, Olivia's younger sister, became pregnant at 16. Their father forces her to choose between abortion and adoption and Lily leaves, never seen again. She sends Olivia a picture of her son Josh once a year. The family never speaks of Lily and have all but erased her from their family. Not receiving a picture during Josh's 13th year Olivia is stunned to find Josh at her front door. Where is Lily? While Josh has difficulty communicating verbally he has a talent for art and Olivia realizes he's trying to tell her what happened. Olivia frantically tries to link together the past with Josh's artwork but is horrified by what she's discovering about her family. Can Olivia find Lily before it's too late while protecting Josh from danger? Pick up No More Words to find out!

Told with Lonsdale's trademark pacing, secrets and twists I am so excited for this next series. The reader is taken on a thrill ride with this newest release and will not be disappointed!

Than you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

With No More Words, bestselling author Kerry Lonsdale launches her "No More" trilogy.

Lonsdale says that the heart of the series is her attempt to answer this question: "Does a parent’s dysfunction prevent the younger generation from having a normal life, or have circumstances fated them to live with their trauma?" No More Words focuses on three siblings: Olivia, her younger sister, Lily, and their brother, Lucas. Olivia is a successful graphic novelist, living in their hometown on California's beautiful Central Coast just west of San Luis Obispo. As the book opens, she is in the process of breaking up with her boyfriend, Blaze, because she believes he has been unfaithful to her. Tumult in their relationship is nothing new.

Suddenly, Olivia's nephew, Josh, shows up at her house. Olivia is stunned when he is dropped off. She has never met Josh, although she has received a photograph of him every year from Lily, who ran away when she was just sixteen years old and pregnant. She never returned and Olivia has no idea where she lives or how she supports herself. At the time, their father, Dwight, told Olivia that the father of Lily's unborn child was Olivia's twenty-one-year-old boyfriend, Ethan. That revelation shattered Olivia's relationship with him and she has not been in touch with him in many years, either. Olivia has long struggled to trust anyone.

At first, Olivia finds Josh's behavior odd and unsettling. But she soon realizes that Josh isn't simply choosing not to communicate with her. He is unable to speak more than a few words at a time, and his efforts to do so cause him to become frustrated and angry. Olivia also notices a scar on his scalp, suggesting that he has undergone a procedure fairly recently. He's unable to explain how he got to Olivia's home, where he and his mother live, or why he has arrived there alone. Naturally, Olivia fears the worst -- that something horrible has happened to Lily. And, of course, she becomes determined to learn the truth. She has to know if her sister needs help and, perhaps, if it is now her responsibility to finish raising Josh. When she realizes that he is a talented artist, she suggests that he draw pictures to relate what he can't articulate.

As children, Olivia, Lily, and Lucas spent summers with Harold and Rhonda Whitman and their sons, Theo and Ty, at the Whitman's cabin. Until something happened and they were returned home, never to enjoy more carefree days swimming in the lake, hiking, and sleeping in tents in the cabin's loft. Appearances meant everything to Dwight and Charlotte. Dwight had political ambitions until a scandalous and tragic event derailed them. The children, reluctant at first, came to love the time at the cabin.

Josh's sudden appearance drudges up old conflicts, alliances, resentments, and secrets. Lonsdale has crafted a cast of characters whose lives will be forever changed by Josh's introduction into their lives. The first volume of the trilogy is devoted primarily to Olivia -- her history, relationships with her family members, as well as Ethan and the Whitman boys, and the way that her childhood experiences inform the woman she is today. She has achieved professional success, but her personal life has remained unsettled. And as she grows increasingly fond and protective of the nephew she is only now getting to know, she must piece together a fourteen-year-old mystery: What exactly happened to Lily, and why was she treated differently by their parents than Olivia and Lucas? Is Ethan really Josh's father? If not, who is? And why did she leave, cutting off all ties with her family? And, more urgently, what happened to Olivia herself? Did she witness and experience things years ago that she is only now able to understand? The Carson family's life seemed idyllic to outside observers but, in reality, appearances are deceiving. As Olivia grapples with clues to the truth, she has to decide what her newfound knowledge means and find a way to move forward.

No More Words is a gripping, emotional concoction of domestic drama and psychological thriller rolled into one. Lonsdale is at her best in this novel, deftly interspersing glimpses of the past with Olivia's present-day efforts to solve multiple mysteries. The pace of the story never slows, and Lonsdale's characters are fully developed and multi-layered. Charlotte is particularly exasperating. She's a woman who wants to maintain the facade of perfection, literally shutting down to avoid confrontations, but Olivia spares no mercy when she realizes that her own mother may be complicit in harboring dark family secrets and covering up damaging truths. Josh is particularly endearing, of course, because of his age and vulnerability. He is an adolescent adrift. Away from the mother who has raised him without the benefit of a loving, supportive extended family, he is frightened and worried, thrust into the midst of family members has has never known, and grappling with his inability to express his emotions except through his drawings. Readers will take him into their hearts and cheer for him to be reunited with his mother. Lucas was a bit wild as a young man, but paid dearly for incidents that took place years ago. He hasn't forgotten and there may be no space in his life for forgiveness . . . for himself or anyone else.

The Carson family saga continues in volume two, No More Lies in 2022. Which is not soon enough.

Kerry, how I love thee. Her stories, I swear. She hooks you immediately. Every time. I absolutely love the psychological situations that go into her novels. And the words she weaves around them, wow.

Lonsdale is the master of Psychological Suspense. No More Words left me with no words. I cannot wait for book 2.

I always enjoy Kerry Lonsdale's books, but this one has a decidedly more sinister edge than her others. As an avid thriller reader, this pleased and surprised me. I enjoyed the character development, and the dual timeline that slowly exposes decades of family secrets and lies. A fun read!

No More Words is one of those books that knows how to keep the reader in suspense.
At the age of sixteen, Olivia Carson's sister, finds herself pregnant and is forced to choose between abortion or adoption.
Lily chooses to run away, but continues to maintain contact with her sister Olivia, through an annual letter and a photo of her son.
Until the letters stop and Olivia finds herself at the front door of the house Josh, Lily's son.
Josh is terrified, has difficulty speaking and cannot read or write. All he has with him is a statement from Lily: "In case I disappear..."
Olivia has no idea where her sister is and Josh, at first is no help at all, but thanks to his amazing creative talents, through his drawings, he tells a story.
This story is his and Lily's, so Olivia uses Josh's drawings as a map and retraces their journey.

As I mentioned at the beginning, No More Words was a book that kept me on the edge of my seat. Along with Olivia, I was trying to decipher Josh's drawings as well. I will tell you, it would have been another if the depictions had been present as well. They would have given the story an extra edge.
I can't wait to read the sequel!

After reading and loving Kerry Lonsdale's "Everything" trilogy I was super excited to read her newest novel "No More Words" which is the first book of a new trilogy.
Told in dual timelines this well-written suspenseful mystery is the story of a dysfunctional family and their dark (it seems never ending) secrets.
I have mixed feeling about this book only because parts didn't feel plausible to me. However, it did leave me wanting to read the next book to see how the author ties up the loose ends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Kerry Lonsdale is not talked about enough in the book world. Everything she writes is absolute gold and this is no exception! Five glorious stars!

Family secrets, lies & the ULTIMATE BETRAYAL are just the beginning of the story for Olivia Carson & her family. The book got my attention immediately as Josh, Olivia’s nephew (whom she has never met) mysteriously shows up on her doorstep. Now forced to find her estranged sister Lily, Josh’s mother… Olivia’s journey into her past & present begin to reveal some unsettling truths. Scarred from betrayal early on in her life Olivia is forced to re-examine her childhood. What enfolds are family events past & present that have Olivia questioning her entire childhood.
The book is well written. I loved the alternating chapters of past & present with complex characters constantly evolving… always revealing just a bit more. Lots of twists & turns along the way. Just when you think you have it figured out… another twist that all build up to the OMG ending!
This was my first Kerry Lonsdale novel & will definitely not be my last. I cannot wait for book number two in this series!!
Highly recommended for those who enjoy a suspenseful thriller. Thank you #NetGalley, @Kerry Lonsdale, #NoMoreWords & Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This is a story of a dysfunctional family with secrets and lies and while you might be able to figure out some of it, the rest will come as a surprise.

The story centers around Olivia Carson and her siblings, Lucas and Lily. We meet her parents, Dwight and Charlotte, and the life that they are trying to portray to outsiders. It is a case of living larger than their income. The only solace for the children is being able to visit the Whitman family during the summer at their lake cabin. This is where Olivia and Blaze really fall for each other as teenagers but because of some events during Olivia's childhood, she has a hard time trusting anyone. This fear torpedoes all of her relationships until the present day. Life is going along until all of a sudden a new arrival appears on Olivia's doorstep, her nephew Josh who she has only seen in photos for the last 12 years. Due to an accident, Josh has a hard time speaking and expressing his thoughts and sharing what happened to his mother, Lily. From there it is a search into the past to uncover where Lily is and what happened to her.

This book totally sucked me in and since it is a trilogy, I can only assume that the other two books are about Lucas and Lily. There are many secrets that so many people are keeping from each other and as each is uncovered, it might change how you think about the various characters. Dwight, the father, is a scumbag and treats his children all differently. While I suspected why on one front it wasn't confirmed until near the end. Charlotte, the mother, is a basket case and I honestly don't know why the two of them ever became parents. Neither of them acts as if they like their children other than Dwight and Olivia's relationship. However, as you delve deeper into the book you might wonder why they have that sort of relationship.

I liked that while there could have been a cliffhanger or two at the end of the novel, the author does wrap up the few dangling pieces which makes sense if the other books are about the siblings and what has happened in their life. There are some interesting twists with Lily's life and I am curious to learn more about how she handled having a child and raising him on her own at the age of 16.

We give this book 5 paws up and can't wait for the next two installments to see how this whole story plays out for the Carson family.

Riveting!

Kerry Lonsdale held me spellbound with this one! I was completely engrossed into this story. Completely mesmerized. Her words were like magic. They flowed so easily and took me away. I couldn’t put this one down.

No More Words is filled with twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. I enjoyed this book immensely! I can not wait for book 2!

(Thank you to the author and publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book! All wording is of my own opinion.)

No More Words
by Kerry Lonsdale

This story definitely led up to its title! Kerry Lonsdale did a great job keeping your attention and keeping you guessing! I loved the characters. They all brought their own influence to it in different ways! My favorite part of the book itself, was each of the different chapters being told from another's point of view and the jumps back in time to add background to the current time! I personally became attached to the character of the 13 year old, Josh, due to situations in my own personal life as a mother to a special needs child! And, the surprise ending- wow!! It was not at all what I expecting, even though some of the clues led to who really did what and how.

The only drawback for me was the language and sex scenes thrown in throughout the story.
However, that won't stop me from reading her other books, because I think Kerry Lonsdale is a great writer and author!

This was a great read and I am looking forward to book number 2 in this series!

I'm embarassed to say that I've had the Everything trilogy by Lonsdale for AGES as I had heard nothing but good things about it and now, after reading NO MORE WORDS, I understand why people rave about her writing. And OMG, THE FAMILY DRAMA. This feels like a light contemporary domestic thriller... and kind of exactly what I needed at this moment. The Carson family has got a lot going on! What would you do if your 13 year old nephew, whom you had never met, showed up at your door all of the sudden? He also has difficulty communicating so much patience is needed and the quest to find your sister (who ran away at 16) begins... but in this quest is a deluge of family secrets and we get to learn about them all.

Olivia is a fun character. She definitely resonated with me in certain ways and I enjoyed watching her and Josh's relationship grow. You just can't help but fall in love with Josh too - my heart. I'm not going to say much more as I think you should just read this and find all the goodies layered within. This is a page turner and a great way to lose yourself for an evening. A fantastic first in a series novel that has me very curious where it will go from here.

The family drama, the twists and turns, the ways parents treat their kids differently and the reasons they do it are all explored in this fast paced book by Kerry. Loved every minute of it and can't wait for the next two books of the series. #netgalley #teamnomore

I have read and loved several of Kerry Lonsdale's books. I have to say this is my very favorite and I can't wait for the next book in this series. Edge of your seat thrills and so much more.

This book is full of emotions. From a thriller to a love story and all between you won't want to put this one down. Talk about family drama.. This one is full of that and more. The characters, Olivia, her sister Lily, brother Lucas, parents Dwight and Charlotte, are about as messed us as a family can get. From the beginning you meet the children when they are small. When their dad drops them off at the Whitmans for the summer. Not camp exactly, but a summer of fun that lasts several years. The Whitmans have two boys, Theodore/Blaze and Tyler. The children all form a bond each year. The bond between Livy and Blaze is the one that will give you the most pleasure. They are just great together. I really loved them.

This story starts with the arrival of a boy. A boy that Olivia/Livy has never met. But she knows who he is. He's her baby sister's son, Josh. Why is he here? What is Lily thinking sending him? Did Lily send him? What is going on? There are many questions throughout this book that will keep you guessing. From who Josh's dad is to where Lily is. What is going on. Olivia hasn't seen her sister in fourteen years and now her son has just shown up. He has a speech problem and it's next to impossible to get information from him. Olivia and Josh do form a bond that will test both of them. The strength of family is proven beyond limits in this book. What happened between Olivia and Lily all those years ago can possibly be mended finally.

There is also a love story going on here. The one between Olivia/Livy and Theodore/Blaze. He wants to be called Blaze as he hates his name. Blaze and Livy have a past and hopefully finally a future. If only he can make her believe that he is there for the long haul. He's not going to betray her and he would never hurt her. She has many trust issues that you will learn about.

There is a lot of action in this book to keep you on the edge and turning the pages. Olivia and Josh are determined to find Lily and leave no stone unturned. The back story of the children when they were young and the present when Olivia finds out so many things about her family that she had no idea about. Or had buried. From the things that their parents did to the things that happened to each of them. This book is very heartwarming and heartbreaking too. In places I did manage a chuckle also. But the story of these children and their friends is great. From the time they are just kids until they are grown adults there seems to be a bond. But there is also a distance with the siblings. They all have issues to overcome. The Whitman children are not close either. There is a lot of family drama here also. A few instances of unfaithfulness. A whole lot of lies and big secrets.

I loved almost all the characters but most certainly did not like Dwight or Charlotte. Dwight was a bit cruel to Lily and well he was a liar. Charlotte was not a good mother even if she did try to make you think she was. She was very self centered and so selfish. She was only ever out for herself. Dwight was no better. I think he had some mental problems and I'm not saying that lightly. I think his anger was horrid. At least toward Lucas and Lily. Olivia was his princess and he seemed to treasure her. When he needed too that is. He did have motives for that though.

This book was great from start to finish. It's well written and the characters are so realistic. You can picture the lake and forests. The things the children did when they were young. As they grew and things got bad you feel strong for them. It's an emotional story. A very good one. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one. I want to get to know more about what Lily went through raising Josh on her own. I hope to learn more about each character but mainly Lily and Josh.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #KerryLonsdale, #lakeuntionpublishing for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

5/5 stars and would be more if possible. Grab this one and dive right in. It's great!!

This book just was not for me - I gave it several tries yet never could get invested in the story. I am likely in the minority with this opinion as some of my friends loved it.

The first in a trilogy, No More Words reads like a standalone that I recommend not waiting on. There's no need for the next two books to be out, Kerry Lonsdale delivers a solid family drama full of mystery, secrets, and love. Told predominantly from the perspective of oldest sibling, Olivia, No More Words follows Olivia as she faces her fear of love and trust, takes in her nephew, and searches for her long missing sister.

I can't give away more, I think the blurb already gives away too much, but I will say this is a complex family drama that I could not put down. Olivia is a fantastic character, she's just adult enough to be aware of her flaws, but also has enough trauma to not want to face them. Somehow Lonsdale manages to tackle all of Olivia's own personal issues with family and men, while also tackling the family drama that surrounds the Carsons. I loved the storyline with Josh, her nephew, it changed her so much, and allowed her to finally let love in. This one is a must read and I am looking forward to the next two.

The first in a new trilogy from Kerry Lonsdale.
Do you enjoy reading about families that are (hopefully) more dysfunctional than yours? Then this is the book/series for you. The Carson family has more secrets than they know what to do with, and I can’t even imagine how many more there are to come! Characters are easy mostly to relate to, aside from wondering “what we’re they thinking?” every now and then. Being the first book of 3, there is enough of a cliffhanger to bring you back for more, but I also didn’t feel like the book was incomplete either.
Can’t wait to see what happens next with Olivia, Lily & Lucas!

OMG!!! I would give this book 10 stars if I could.
Once I started to read I could not put it down.
Didn't realize when I started it that this is the first in a trilogy. I don't know how I can wait for the second part to come out in Summer of 2022
An action packed domestic drama that has so much depth of family, lies, deceit, romance and all round psychological mayhem.
Oh and just when you think you have this saga figured out, guess again!!
Love Kerry's writing style but this one is superb.
Thank you to the Author Kerry Lonsdale, Netgalley and Lake Union publishing for the honor of allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kerry Lonsdale has once again blown me away with her storytelling. No More Words is exactly the ride I was expecting, it's gripping and tragic. The twists and turns and suspicion builds so well you're not sure who to trust, and by the end, I had more questions than answers. I absolutely loved the journey and I'm extremely curious to see where this series will go.

Overall rating: ★★★½

Fourteen years ago, Olivia's pregnant sister Lily ran away. Every year, Lily sends Olivia a picture of her son Josh, but they don't have any contact beyond that. One day, Josh shows up at Olivia's door, without Lily. Because of a head injury, Josh has trouble speaking, reading and writing. The only thing he manages to tell her is that his mother is "gone". It's up to Olivia now, to find out what happened. Why did Josh turn up here all alone? How did he find her? What happened to Lily? Where is she? And most importantly: is she still alive?

"This boy is identical to her baby sister, Lily, when she was his age.
A sister Olivia hasn't seen in fourteen years."

This book is the first in a new trilogy and it is full of suspense, family drama, some romance, intrigue and a whole lot of mystery. The story is told over two timelines: the past (Olivia's childhood summers) and the present. From the start, you can just sense that there's a lot of secrets between the family members and as I was reading I just couldn't wait to find them all out! (Or at least some of them, because I assume there are more things to unfold in the next 2 books.) What I loved most about this book is that there's plot twists right up until the end of it and I think I only saw one or two of them coming! You will definitely be on the edge of your seat right up until the end.

I also really loved Liv's character development. The way she learns to open up to people and forms a deep bond with her nephew, Josh, really moved me. And the way Lonsdale writes about Josh struggling with speech, reading and writing just felt so real to me. I could just picture him right in front of me and I just wanted to wrap him in blanket and comfort him. He's so strong and resilient and honestly, he deserves the world.

"Olivia felt like she's been tackled from behind while at a full sprint.
It knocked the wind from her, leaving her gasping
as decades of old hurt and sorrow flooded her lungs.”

This book was pretty hard to put down, and I ended up finishing it late into the night when I originally meant to go to sleep early. But that's just proof to me that it was a good book, because I simply HAD to find out what was going to happen next. And then there was the little sneak peak for her next book at the end, my god! I can't wait to see what's going to happen with that storyline!

I would like to thank Netgalley, Lake Union Publishing and Kerry Lonsdale for giving me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Her family has its share of dysfunction, but damn. This is ridiculous.”