Silence After the Storm

A five-hundred-acre island is a small place when its inhabitants are at odds and both inside and outside forces throw them together. Roger Whitney needs to find forgiveness for past mistakes, in and out of bed, but keeps making them. Kit Wales needs a father, but another woman is in the way and her mother doesn’t seem to care. She’s got bigger problems, money problems, and no way to solve them except for a sketchy and dangerous plan that seems destined to backfire. Then there’s Joe. Still on patrol in Nam. Still looking for his buddy. “Silence After the Storm is an intriguing tale and a worthy follow-on to Adrian Magnuson’s debut novel, Taking Flight. The combinations of love in Silence are odd, numerous, complicated and engaging. We see into Roger’s heart and mind – he speaks to us even when, literally, he cannot speak. His is the first person voice, but the author also gives us the perspectives of the other “inmates” on Limpia Island. I’ll never forget spirited Kit, mysterious Allie, wise Doc, lost Joe, stranded Lea and toughest of them all, island owner, Kat Wales – the sixth generation of Kat’s to command, protect, and frustrate all island dwellers. And let me not forget to mention Mr. B, Magnuson’s first portrayal of Man’s Best Friend – a not-so-Golden Doodle whose antics help connect the other characters in ways they could not have imagined. This book is about love, forgiveness and redemption. The author delivers on all three. One bit of warning to lovers of Taking Flight: this book has more edge. The pace is faster with even more challenging characters to come to love and embrace. If you are put off by occasional profanity or by intimate scenes, maybe you should take a pass on this book, but if you do, you’ll be missing something wonderful.” Sarah E. Mackaman, author of Darling Edith, Dearest Wayne - Yearning: WWII Correspondence of Two Lovers.