4.5/5

The start of a new trilogy from Kerry Lonsdale is cause for celebration for me, I loved her previous series and I’ve loved her standalones as well. This was such a strong start to a series, I cannot wait for the next two books!

One of the best things about this authors books is that they’re a blend of so many genres so there’s literally something for everyone. There’s a mystery surrounding both her nephews appearance and her sister’s disappearance, a romance between Liv and Blaze, and an emotional plot as family secrets are revealed. I loved seeing Liv connect with her nephew and build a familial bond over their concern over Lily and found Josh to be such a sweet kid. I found this to be such a page turner and I was invested almost immediately, definitely recommended as an engrossing summer read.

With each new novel, Kerry Lonsdale’s story and character development improve and I find myself becoming more and more captivated with each story. No More Words is no exception. This first book in a trilogy had me loving, hating, or feeling the angst of each of the characters, quickly.

The Carson and Whitman families, and cast of other characters, reveal dysfunction, betrayal, misunderstanding, loss, pain, and love all mixed in to engage the reader on all levels. This rather brief story allows the reader to experience all the feelings quickly but still leave us wanting more.

This suspense/mystery captures the imagination with inviting scenes by a lake, the ocean, and in various homes and neighborhoods, but also in the physical and emotional experiences of the characters. The plot itself offers complex - and often disturbing - family, friend, and love relationships that keep the reader guessing throughout. While there is some resolution at the end of this story, there is certainly room for more exploration and drama in the next two installments of the series.

I was able to read this story in just a matter of hours over a weekend. It is a quick read that leaves the reader satisfied but still wanting more, which is what one wants from the first in a series. I recommend No More Words and look forward to reading No More Lies, after reading the teaser at the end of this first installment in Kerry’s No More series.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing an advanced digital copy of this book for my review.

Olivia, Lily, and even Lucas really stole my heart in this one. I felt like I could relate to them all, even if just the tiniest bit. The writing kept me hooked, the twists kept me on the edge of my seat, and the reveal, while a bit predictable, still shook me.

I'm so happy to see there will be more in this series!

My ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I don’t know where author Kerry Lonsdale comes up with these amazing, unique ideas for each and every new book, but I hope she never runs out of them. The title of this book may be No More Words, but Kerry Lonsdale has great words and she builds great pictures with them. Words and pictures that are strong, powerful, and carefully chosen, expertly put together to craft another riveting story.

The story begins in 1995 with the Carson family – dysfunctional as they come. Parents Charlotte and Dwight treat their children Olivia, Lucas and Lily as more bothersome possessions than treasured, well-loved family. The bright spot of the year is when the children stay at the lake with family friends each summer. Those parents are caring and the Carson children feel welcome; their son Blaze and Olivia grow close as they grow up.

But, trite as it sounds, all good things must come to an end and events occur that put a stop to those special summers with the Whitmans. Life at the Carson house gets worse. Lucas is constantly in trouble, serious trouble. Because of the difference in their ages Olivia and Lily were never close, but now it seems Lily is going out of her way to make Olivia’s life difficult. So Olivia and Lily fight, Lucas acts out and their parents’ behavior borders on scandalous. Everyone grows apart, Olivia retreats into herself.

When Lily is 16 she becomes pregnant but refuses to tell her parents who the father is, so they give her a choice: abortion or adoption. And one day she’s just not there anymore. Olivia is a little sad that her sister is gone, but family life stinks anyway and face it, things are easier without Lily around messing with her stuff and getting on her father’s nerves.

Fast forward to the present. Olivia and Blaze are a couple, kind of, but she’s not looking for commitment; she has no dreams of that perfect picket-fence life. The Carsons have drifted apart and no one seems to really care. Olivia has received a letter from Lily with a picture of her son Josh every year except this one, but as with everything else in her life, Olivia is ambivalent. Doesn’t try to find Lily or make any connections.

So far so good. A solid story about a family. How things that happened in the past affected the present. Full of tension, sadness, very little hope.

And then one day a car drives up to Olivia’s house and Josh gets out. Wow. Not only is this the kid she’s received a photo of every year for the past 13 years, but he’s all alone. How did he get here? Why is he here? Well, those are good questions – and – Josh can’t answer them very satisfactorily, because he apparently recently suffered a head injury and has aphasia, a residual effect of brain trauma injury that affects speech, reading, and writing. But he can draw. Boy, can he draw. So he communicates a bit that way. And while rooting around in his backpack trying to figure out what’s going on Olivia finds a letter to her from Lily that begins, “In the event I go missing ...” Olivia feels a strong, strong connection to this boy, her nephew. She didn’t want to, doesn’t know where it’s coming from, but she is determined to do everything she can to find his mother, to find her sister Lily.

With that the story is transformed and we are transported into a world of mystery, suspense, secrets, betrayals, danger, hope, love, and family. The action switches back and forth between 1995 at the lake and the present hunt for Lily, each jump revealing a little more about who was up to what, what really happened, how things weren’t at all what they seemed.

No More Words is full of unimaginable events that author Lonsdale makes believable, full of deep, well-drawn characters that are irritating, intriguing, easy to understand and unable to fathom. The plot moves smoothly and quickly, explaining the present through the past, keeping you turning pages and on the edge of your seat because bad things have happened and they are still happening. The locations are so vividly described that you are in the story, fully immersed.

You will root for Olivia, for her to open up, to trust, to let that spark that wants to turn into a blaze with Blaze happen. And for Josh, you will be so full of feelings you will hardly be able to contain them. He’s bright, artistic, sweet, troubled, impatient with his disability – and a son who needs his mother.

Thanks to the author and Lake Union Publishing for providing an advanced copy of No More Words via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. This is another finely crafted, complex, satisfying, outstanding book by an outstanding author who is always at the top of my TBR stack. I thoroughly enjoyed No More Words, could not put it down, recommend it without hesitation and am eagerly awaiting the next two books in this trilogy.

What’s better than a new Kerry Lonsdale novel? The first in a new trilogy!

Another Kerry Lonsdale gem of a read, No More Words is packed full of family secrets, twists and turns.

Olivia Carson’s younger sister ran away in her teen years when she found out she was pregnant and her parents weren’t supportive, and Olivia hasn’t seen her since then. Until the day the child, now a teenager, turns up on her doorstep-without his mother. Which begs the question, where is Lily and what happened to her? And Josh, who has difficulty talking, struggles to explain what he knows.

As the mystery unfolds, we understand more of the past, of Olivia’s regrets, and why she struggles to allow emotional closeness with those around her.

I wouldn’t wish Olivia’s family on anyone, but what a fun page-turner. A fast thrilling read. Enjoyed this one so much!

There’s a reason Kerry Lonsdale is a bestseller. Page turners full of emotional drama, family secrets and mystery. Thoroughly recommend!

Initially, I was a bit skeptical about this book but soon, I was surprised at how good this book is!

No more words is the first book of the No More series. The story starts with Olivia, gets an unexpected visit from a boy named Josh who is supposed to be her younger sister, Lily's son. When Lily was pregnant with Josh, she ran away from home and Olivia hadn't heard from her since then. Josh cannot speak clearly due to an accident that happened to him and is seeking help from Olivia to find his mother. And Olivia finds that Lily has changed her name and must find her sister before it's too late.

The story divides between the present when Olivia tries to find her sister and the past. The plot was really good and the story starts building its tension and gets intense by the middle of the book. The writing was good and the author did a good job drawing the reader into the story. I was so hooked into the story that I couldn't actually wait to see, what really happened to Lily, when she was forced to choose between adoption or abortion, prompting her to runaway from home at the age of sixteen and that Olivia eventually finds many dark secrets back in the past. The characters to me are likable--I like Olivia as she is a dutiful sister who is concerned about her sister as well as taking care of her only nephew. Neverthless, I enjoyed this story and I couldn't wait to read the second book of the series!

The book worth five stars for it's twisty and unexpected turns you didn't expect!

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union for giving me the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Olivia's sister finds herself sixteen and pregnant. Left with no choice, she runs away from home in order to have the baby. Thirteen years later, Lily's son Josh shows up on Olivia's doorstep. She only knows it's him because of his striking resemblance to Lily and the yearly photo she receives in the mail as her only "contact" with Lily. Josh, due to a head injury, can't read or write and struggles with finding the right words. The one word he can use to describe his mom? Gone. He draws elaborate pictures in an effort to explain himself, and Olivia quickly realizes those pictures might have the clues to help her find Josh's mother - her estranged sister.

What a tangled web of family lies this one was! Right from the start, it is clear this family has some secrets and that they are serious enough to want to keep them quiet. The characters of Olivia and Josh were layered and interesting. Olivia is a damaged soul and you immediately want to root for her. You can feel Josh's frustration when he can't find the words he wants to say to make his aunt understand. I just wanted to reach in the book and comfort the poor kid - that's how good the writing was. This was fast-paced and engaging from the first page on. Excited to see where this series goes next!

Thank you to @kerrylonsdale for having me on Team No More!

No More Words, Kerry Lonsdale

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Romance 
Genre: general fiction ( adult), women's fiction

Sigh....women's fiction yet again. Outdated, publishers, lets get rid of it.

Anyway, the book. Well, its Kerry Lonsdale, I love her writing.
She delivers a story that I can get engrossed in, that's full of twists and surprises and keeps me guessing. And wow – this book did all that and more.
I didn't realise it was a trilogy when I requested, but I'm not ready to leave this family yet so I'm really glad there's more. As this story does end but there are lots of unanswered questions, I assume it'll be Lily and Lucas that are main characters in next books, that we see the story from their pov maybe? That will fill in some of those blanks.

When we first meet them we can see their family is one of those perfect on the outside, dysfunctional on the inside, where appearances and money are all. ( what my Nan would call silk purse and no knickers....)
We see them as children, with parents that really want the perfect family image wise, but not the actual bother of raising them, although Olivia's dad seems to adore her, and give her time he won't spend on her siblings. Even so they get dropped off/dumped on family friends for the whole summer at a very young age. Lily is only five the first time we meet them, being left with near strangers for six weeks! Maybe that's less shocking in US where summer camps are popular, but in UK that's certainly unusual.

Then we meet them years later, Olivia mainly, and Josh, Lily's son. He really was the star, his part so well written it was easy to believe in him, to feel his frustration, his fear for his mum, he really was a joy to read.
I liked how we see them change, how slowly Josh starts to trust Olivia, how she goes from wanting no-one in her life, to rely only on herself and yet by the end she and Josh are so close. It was good too seeing how her past impacted on her life, understanding why past actions of herself and others affected the person she is now. I hope we see that in the next two books, I'm really puzzled over Lucas, and of course I want to know where Lily and Josh have been all these years.

Stars: Five, another Kerry Lonsdale Classic and a real treat to read. Kept me engrossed, guessing ( wrongly mostly), on a mix of giddy highs when things went right, and tears when they didn't right til the end.

ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers

The first thing I need to say is that this is the first book of a trilogy.

Olivia Carson is an artist. She's absolutely stressed because of a deadline. If she adds to that the fact that she's evicting her boyfriend from her home, it's not her better day. It's then when her nephew arrives. A nephew she knew only by pictures. A nephew who is the son of her disappeared little sister. A nephew who struggles to talk fluently. A nephew who needs her help to find her mother.
This is a well developed story. A great mix of family dysfunction, resilience, false appearances and hidden secrets. Olivia plays a primordial part unraveling the past, unexpectedly welcoming Josh's help.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm very excited, waiting for the next one.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely read about revealing long hidden dark family secrets, and rebuilding the relationships that were strained, or worse, shattered by the web of lies to keep the secrets hidden. Olivia, Livy, is going through a lot when her nephew shows up on her lawn, unannounced. Josh has trouble finding the words to explain why he is there, how he got there, and where his mother is. The two embark on a journey to find Josh's mother, dredging up the long burried family secrets on the way. No More Words was a good read, but not my favorite work of Kerry's. I was surprised with the twist at the end, absolutely, but it took me a whiele to get there because I found myself easily able to put the book down. It didn't grip me like her other works have. But I did still enjoy the read! A great beach read.

The story is written in two main but very different time frames, the past and the present. It is the first novel in a series of three and my word, what a belter this first novel is.
In 1995 the Carson children are dropped off at family friends, the Whitman family. They are going to be staying in the lake house for the entire summer and it is no wonder there may be a few worries. Olivia, the firstborn looks upon it as an opportunity but Lucas is not so sure. Little Lily, the baby of the family, idolises her sister and is used to being mothered by her. Their parents are ambitious and are working towards being ‘upwardly mobile’. Their Dad is hoping to become a politician and Mum is building a career as an upmarket realtor. Truth be told, the children don’t come first. They are fed, kept clean but emotionally deprived.
The holiday is a roaring success. The children make friends and they love the freedom to roam and hike, to swim and laugh together, close knit and enjoying the company. The holidays become a regular occurrence to look forward to, until they are collected by their parents one day and taken home, never to return.
Then one night when Lily is 16 she confesses to Olivia that she is pregnant. When her parents discover the gossip about her secret pregnancy they are devastated. Their professional standing will be ruined and they will be forced to ride out the storm. Dad insists Lily either has an abortion or gives up the baby for adoption. Lily refuses to consider his ultimatum. She wants to keep the child. The parents bicker and argue and overhearing their fight, Lily decides to run away never to return to her family home. Every year though, she sends Olivia a letter and a photograph of her son Josh, until one year no letter arrives.
Fourteen years later, a car pulls up outside Olivia’s remodelled house. Joshua, now aged thirteen, is seated in the passenger side, but Lily is not with him. Joshua is in a real state. Hampered by brain damage and unable to talk fluently, he struggles to explain what has happened. However Josh has with him official documents awarding guardianship of him to Olivia and also his birth certificate. It seems that he and his mother took flight after Josh was abused, injuring his brain. They were separated on their flight from danger. Both Lily and Olivia are talented artists and Josh has thankfully inherited their gifts. He tries to explain his predicament in a flurry of beautifully drawn pictures, leading Olivia to his home, previously a secret. He and Lily set off to undertake their own investigations and hopefully to return with Lily. But will they track her down? Is she even alive? Read on to find out the answers to these questions.
This dramatic and breath taking novel is about a dysfunctional family, the secrets they keep and the lies they tell. It is about betrayal and emotional abuse, with a beautiful and tender forever love as well. It deals with modern issues with empathy, honesty and flair. The storytelling is fluent and exquisite, the storyboard full of tension, spills and thrills and shocking revelations. Best of all are the host of characters, eclectic, true to life and charmingly envisaged and further developed. I loved Josh best of all. He had so much to contend with yet his loyalty and concern for his mother melted my heart. I think this novel is a fantastic read and I am really looking forward to the next two novels in the trilogy. I received a complimentary copy of this story from Lake Union Publishing through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you so much for granting me my wish for a copy to read and review. These are my own honest opinions without any outside influences. I loved everything about ‘No More Words’ and in my opinion this novel is unmissable and a huge page turner. I’m already excited about what will happen next!

I devoured No More Words! It is simply unputdownable! No More Words is the first book in a new series by Kerry Lonsdale and it may be her best yet. It has mystery, romance and family drama all packed into a fabulous story! I can't wait for book 2!

Olivia has missed her sister Lily every day since she disappeared at the age of 16,, when she was pregnant with her son Josh. Lily has, however, sent Olivia a photo of Josh every year on his birthday. Then one day, Josh turns up at Olivia's home, unable to speak (he as aphasia from a no-spoilers injury) but able to convey through drawings that Lily is in danger. Olivia and Josh follow those drawings to find her. Their brother Lucas, a troubled man, doesn't figure much in this story of a dysfunctional family and I hope to read more of his story in the future. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. As always, Lonsdale is a good storyteller who has a way with emotional stories.

3 stars
This book is to be a sure hit for many people. Lonsdale is a master at writing characters people can connect to and either love or hate!

After not speaking to her sister, Lily, for 14 years, Olivia is dumb-founded to find her 13 year old nephew, Josh, on her doorstep. Why is he there? Why is he unable to form complete sentences? And, where the heck is her estranged sister?

No More Words, the first in a new series, is a fast-paced mystery/thriller about a deliciously dysfunctional family (the type that's fun to read about but not to be a member of haha). It focused mostly on Olivia, a graphic novelist, and her complicated relationship with younger siblings, Lucas and Lily. What happened during their childhood to cause so many fissures, and will they be able to heal their relationships?

Location: California (San Luis Obispo and Oceanside)

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Wow - this Series has started fabulously with a phenomenal characters and left me anxiously waiting for the next book.
Once I began the journey with Olivia through the family and their complicated situations, it was impossible to put this down.
Kerry Lonsdale is an author that you do not want to miss and especially this first book into a new Series.
I would highly recommend this novel !!

I received a copy of this from the author in exchange for fair and honest review.

The author truly captures dysfunctional families through her writing. Three siblings are torn apart by multiple lies told by their parents for their own personal gain. Characters and emotions are written with authenticity as the author weaves many twists and turns to captivate your interest. Family secrets are slowly revealed as Olivia searches for her missing sister Lily through her 16 year old son Josh who was deposited on her doorstep. He is unable to fully communicate but gives clues through his drawings. Olivia is also struggling to find a meaningful relationship through a life of turmoil. This is the first in a three part series so the family saga will continue! #NoMoreWords #KerryLonsdale #NetGalley

Simply outstanding! No More Words was a great start to another great series by Kerry Lonsdale. I inhaled this book as quickly as my eyes would let me read. Literally, I couldn't read fast enough. It was engaging from the first page and kept me intrigued all the way through.

We meet the Carson siblings - - Olivia, Lucas and Lily - - in 1995 when they are being dropped off to spend the summer with family friends at their lake house. The book then moves back and forth between the present and times in the past. The main character, Olivia has wonderful memories about time spent at the Whitman's lake house. Unfortunately, present day is difficult and she's struggling to find her way. As the book unfolds, you wonder what must have happened in their childhood to have put such a rift between these siblings and to create so much dysfunction in their lives.

This is such a well developed storyline. I look forward to seeing how it extends to the next two books. One thing I really was happy with regarding this book was that it didn't end in a true cliffhanger. It gave the reader a "for now ending" that leaves you satisfied with how things ended for the main character, Olivia. However, it's clear that there is a great deal more to be told regarding her two siblings. I can't wait to see what Ms. Lonsdale does with the remainder of this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review this book and the opinions contained within are my own.

This is Kerry Lonsdale as best novel yet! No More Words has left me wordless! It is a tight fast pace suspense. I thought I had it all figured out until it was all upended and I am left needing more words! This book has left me with more questions than answers so I can't wait for book two, No More Lies! Lily, Lucas and Liv are siblings with very interesting parents! All the characters are so interesting and I found myself thinking about what might be happening between readings! Absolutely a great read!

I loved everything about this book! The characters were very compelling. Numerous secrets and twists which kept my eyes glued to the page. I enjoyed that the story moved between past and present. So much happened in this book that it was shocking to realize that it all took place within a short period of time.