Tik Tok introduced me to this book. I saw people gushing over how romantic and how tragic this story was, and I’m not going to lie, I was immediately sold. I became quite curious about this, but I also started to feel a little afraid of what would happen if I didn’t like it. When a book that has received positive reviews falls short of my expectations, it is always a little disheartening. But in this particular instance, I’m incredibly delighted to report that I enjoyed Archer’s Voice immensely. Unquestionably, it ranks among the best books I’ve read in a long time; furthermore, I was really affected by this one-of-a-kind narrative.

When Bree Prescott first arrives in a lakeside town in Pelion, Maine, she’s hoping to escape her life for a while in hopes of finding one thing that she so desperately needs: peace. One day, her life manages to collide with a man that goes by the name of Archer Hale, an isolated man that grew up in the lakeside town his entire life, a man that is hiding from the world with an agony if his own, a man in search of some peace just like Bree. What neither Bree nor Archer expected was that the “peace” they where so desperately searching for was each other.

This is the first book by Mia Sheridan that I have read and I have already fallen in love with her writing. She beautifully balanced mystery with romance that made me laugh, cry, become so angry that I felt like smacking a few characters in the book, and then smile once more and sigh deeply like the love-struck teenager I am – all in the span of one single story! With brutal honesty, Mia depicts a scenario that looks all too true. She focuses on the fact that people seldom dare to go against culture and hardly ever try to take up the courage to actually stand out and understand, refusing to downplay the cruelty of mankind and society when they despise everyone and anything that they don’t understand. This book feels so significant now. Mia’s writing is straightforward, interesting, and emotional in such a way that I felt as though I was actually experiencing everything. Every step of the way, I was with Archer and Bree, waiting with bated breath and fervently praying for a happy resolution for these two cherished characters who had already grown to resemble close friends to me. I felt this urgency the entire time to make things right for them.

While Bree’s point of view dominates the narrative, Archer’s perspective is also shared in a few chapters. Once you begin reading this book, you won’t be able to put it down since the pacing is just right and it is so engaging. I had promised myself I would read only a few pages when I first sat down to read it, but I stayed up way past my bedtime (but I am a senior, so…). The characters are folks who, with their regular schedules and imperfect lives, seem all too normal. I fell in love with Archer right away since he is a real “wounded” hero, and I sincerely hoped I could meet and heal him. On the other side, Bree is self-sufficient, vivacious, and adorable. She is a regular girl, but because of her trauma, she has experienced hell and is continually repeating it. I wished for her to find true happiness because of her protective position in Archer’s life and his steadily growing but unwavering love for her. True love has the pleasure of making both partners more vulnerable and stronger for one another.

 Your heart will bear an enduring imprint from this book. A love affair that mesmerized me, kept me hostage, and then left me shocked and grinning silly. With the holidays around the corner, this is one of the best romantic books to read and give as a gift.  It pricks at our emotions, causes us to reevaluate how we treat other people, and ultimately inspires us to trust in the power of genuine love, the type of love that can heal all wounds.