Broken Silence

Rock Bottom, Book 1

By: Felice Stevens

Narrated by: Michael Pauley

Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

Justin Molina has secrets. He’s served his time but remains a prisoner of his past, unable to forgive himself for failing his family when they needed him most. Justin’s grief is overwhelming, but he keeps silent and focuses on his goals. About to graduate college, he tries to keep his head above water - no matter how many times life keeps knocking him down. When he’s forced to register for a poetry writing class, Justin discovers putting words to his feelings might be exactly what his fractured heart needs to heal. Or is it the older professor with the bow ties and gentle smile who gives him a chance when no one else will?

Professor Foster Faraday Harding is a broken man. His divorce is final, and he’s reverted back to the safety of his books. Even his poetry no longer brings him joy; he’s sleepwalking through life. The raw emotion of Justin’s poetry awakens Foster to desires he thought long buried in the ashes of his marriage. When he discovers Justin is struggling financially, Foster offers him a solution that benefits both of them. Soon it’s Foster who’s struggling with emotions he can’t understand: Justin is his student. And a man. One crazy night years earlier doesn’t mean anything. Foster is straight. 

After months of denying the growing attraction between them, an unexpected kiss changes everything. Justin and Foster are no longer only professor and student - they’ve become lovers, but the strain of hiding their relationship increases with each passing day. Words have the power not only to hurt but to heal the greatest pain. If Foster and Justin listen to what their hearts are saying, they might break through their silence and live their own love poems - together.

©2019 Felice Stevens (P)2019 Felice Stevens

An amazing start to a new series!

This is book 1 in the series and can be read as a standalone.

I loved this sweet opposites attract age gap romance.

Justin and Foster were sweet together and I liked how their relationship grew and evolved.

This was an enjoyable listen with medium angst and all the feels.

Michael Pauley performed a phenomenal audio delivery and narration.

Gah! My 'effin heart!

Story: Broken Silence, book 1 of the Rock Bottom series, is an mm romance story about a young man, Justin Molina, who, after serving a short time in prison for a petty crime, hasn't been able to forgive himself for not only failing himself, but his family too. He only has one year left of college and is keeping his emotions on lock and focuses on finishing school and being the first to graduate, only problem is, he needs to fulfill a humanities course in order to do this, and registering for a poetry-writing class seemed like the easiest step he needed to take in order to reach his goals and push through all the bad in his life. What he didn't expect was Professor Foster Faraday Harding; his poetry-writing professor and a broken man, piquing his interest and stirring up emotions inside him. Professor Harding, newly divorced, who lived the kind of life you read about in poetry, is now just a shell of a man, sleepwalking through his life, going about the motions. One day, he blindly asks his class to read their poetry assignment out loud and when Justin stands up to read his, Forester is not only impressed and blown away, but something about Justin's poetry awakens something he thought was long gone and buried in the ashes of his marriage. Soon after, Professor Harding discovers the financial struggle that Justin is in, he offers him a solution that benefits them both, ignoring the struggle he's currently having regarding his emotions towards Justin that he doesn't understand, because Forester is straight (that one night years ago doesn't mean anything). A low angst love story between two men, professor and student, who turn to each other after denying their growing attraction to one another, to share an unexpected kiss and possible future? Between Justin’s overwhelming grief and Forester's insecurities and broken heart, the strain of hiding their relationship increases with each passing day. Can their emotions for one another and the shared interest in writing poetry be enough for these two lost souls? You'll have to read to find out!

Performance: I will never, ever, get sick of Michael Pauley! Like I said before, I'll say it again, Michael Pauley can read me the obituary and I will still swoon! Gah! The way he narrated Justin and Forester was so perfect and so Michael..any way, as far as performance goes, Michael Pauley nails it and then some. He's spoiled me for a lot of narrators because you can tell when he gives voices to each of the characters and stays consistent, which I appreciate.

Overall: I have no more words except maybe; beautiful, raw, emotional, sexy, sweet, awe, angsty, hot and poetic, I'm beyond happy that I got Broken Silence because Felice Stevens knows how to pick em and when I say pick up, I mean pick em. Not only has she created two beautiful characters, she's managed to write a story about how our words have the power not only to hurt but to heal the greatest pain and Michael Pauley nails it! Five beautiful stars for Broken Silence. I can't wait to listen to Imitations of Life. Happy listening all!

Perfect.

I loved Justin and Foster in this age gap student teacher trope. Two men deeply hurt and lost in life that fit together like perfect puzzle pieces

And Michael Pauley. Let me just say perfection. He made the chAracters come alive and as Foster gave me butterflies in my stomach

High grade performance of professor/student romance

The central characters are well drawn and the narrator brings them alive. The prof. is a little older but the stud-ent wants him anyway. There is some angst and hesitation along with a dose of miscommunication but otherwise it’s a satisfying and sexy story.

There is NO cliffhanger

After reading reviews, about 1/2 of the story, I was worried about this being a cliffhanger. I e-mailed the author. She gave me the name of the second book and told me this book ended as a complete book. After finishing the book, I have to agree. It is a sweet romance of 2 people who deserved love!

It moved me

I loved this audiobook very much. I see other reviewers couldn’t Finnish it, but for me I found even the poems inspirational. I was hooked from the start. The end felt rushed to me and yes it did end in a cliffhanger. I look forward to the next book in this series.

Love comes in different form and age.

From the moment these two protagonist met each other things started to change, there was a ningering feeling that things were never going to be the same.
They judged each other by their Outward appearance not knowing what their both buried dap under the surface.

Justin a college student, thought his profesor was stuck up just like the other professors are until he found out who he was.

Professor Foster Harding, saw Justin and thought he was a rich kid with tattoos, raggy clothes and shoes who wanted to play with the cool kid, not knowing that was for from the truth.

This is an age - gap, professor/ student, Bi-awakening Story with real life struggles and some heartfelt poetry that touches that inner soul.

I like how a few of Felice Steven's books Crossover into each other.

Thank you author I enjoyed every word, every minute of Justin an d Foster's story.
Thank you narrator for g iving them a voice.
Excellent job.

Good book overall

This book was fun and engaging. I had lots of laughs and enjoyed the story a lot

against the odds survive and thrive

I liked Ross and empathized with him. He was a great friend to Foster . Foster was so raw and real and I loved him and Justin. I liked the initiative, perseverance. and integrity of Justin as an adult. He was a motivated ho getter. Foster and Justin were so sweet together. Great couple and great ending. I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this and am giving an honest review. The narrator did a good job.

This book is mre than its Title. listen to it.

ot only is this a very touching story wit great characters, but the narrator was what pulled me into characters words,especially the poetry. Kudos to the author to making her words in the mouth of a male poet and his words so believable and emotionally available. To be honest it caught me by surprise, and took me back to my 20s remembering those feelings
Jay

beautifully written and beautifully narrated

listening to Michael paulie bringing justin and foster to life was such a incredible feeling

he made me feel every emotion from justin and foster's storyline and made the little poems sound so heart felt and so beautiful and made my heart happy


felice stevens words were moving meaningful and powerful just perfect

Emotional story

Beautiful story about Justin who goes to college after spending a year in jail, and ending up in a poetry class.
Foster a teacher who is alone and having had a painful divorce.
A relationship which shouldn't happen
Beautifully narrated with emotion

Wow!

Story: A great story with a brilliant set of characters. A student/teacher romance with plenty of issues and insecurities addressed in a sensitive, yet very realistic way. Really great!

Narration: A pleasant voice and great range adapter for the various characters. Just what you need to enjoy a book.