Stevie‘s review of Signs of Attraction by Laura Brown
New Adult Romance published by Avon Impulse 14 Jun 16

I take a peripheral interest in Deaf Culture: mainly through friends who have BSL as a second language, although I’ve never managed to learn more than a few basic signs myself. Perhaps because of that, I’m always heartened to find a book with a Deaf or Hard of Hearing hero or Heroine. This book gives us both, along with a number of background characters who use ASL – whether they are directly affected by hearing loss or have learned it to communicate with their friends. It also shows us a very broad picture of Deaf Culture and the range of people within it.

Carli has been brought up to hide the fact that she relies on hearing aids, and has never met anyone else her own age who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing. She’s coped well through school and college, but her new lecturer has a voice and speaking manner that she’s unable to decipher – and she needs to pass his class in order to complete her studies. Just as she’s resigning herself to missing most of what’s going on, her attention is caught by two women – interpreters for a Deaf student who has just joined the class. Carli is too shy to introduce herself to the newcomers, but fortunately they spot her, and the new guy comes over to assist her when her hearing aids develop a fault.

Reed has been Deaf since birth, and was adopted as a toddler by parents who gave him every encouragement to communicate and take advantage of any adaptations necessary to function amongst hearing folk. He quickly realises that Carli is in need of friends, and contrives to introduce her to his peer group of ASL users. Carli is inspired to take an ASL class, and to learn more about Reed’s plan to teach full time in a Deaf school – she is also hoping to become a teacher. Neither of them has a perfect home-life however; Reed’s adoptive father died in what was apparently a suicide and he has since been contacted by his birth father, who he is reluctant to reply to. Meanwhile Carli blocks out her memories of the worst abuses committed by her violent and domineering father and avoids going home as much as possible.

As Reed and Carli’s relationship develops, they learn about the causes of Carli’s hearing loss, and about other issues related to the same trauma – issues that Carli has always assumed were just personality quirks. Carli has to struggle with rediscovering who she is, and what the future holds for her, following a diagnosis that is devastating to her self-esteem. Reed, meanwhile, has to find a way to convince Carli that she’s still capable of achieving her ambitions and maintaining a relationship with him, no matter how troubled the road ahead might appear.

I enjoyed this book a lot, although I would have liked to see a little more indication of how ASL grammar works in the signed conversations. I’m definitely going to look out for more books from this author.

Grade: B

Read Kristie J’s review here.

Summary:

Do you know what hearing loss sounds like? I do.

All my life I’ve tried to be like you. I’ve failed.

So I keep it hidden.

But on the day my world crashed down around me, Reed was there.

He showed me just how loud and vibrant silence can be, even when I struggled to understand.

He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever known. His soulful eyes and strong hands pulled me in before I knew what was happening.

And as I saw those hands sign, felt them sparking on me, I knew: imperfect could be perfect.

Reed makes me feel things I’ve never felt. It’s exciting . . . and terrifying.

Because he sees me like no one else has, and I’m afraid of what he’ll find if he looks too closely.

The only thing that scares me more than being with him? Letting him go.

Read an excerpt.