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After years of abuse for being different, Isa finally escaped his family by going to college. Or at least he thought he had until he realized even moving to another state wasn’t enough to leave them behind.
Ultra-conservative, harsh, and extremely controlling, they were determined to force him to conform to their ideals. Even in public, he couldn’t escape their fundamentalist views, and they sought to end his private life. So, who was the silent giant who swept in and rescued Isa from being attacked by his sister? And why did he like to carry Isa around like his own, personal stuffed toy?
Briar’s fascination with Isa was unusual, but so was the way their very souls seemed to communicate. The connection between them is so consuming, the pair are caught unaware when a meddling fairy decides to release a previously unknown spell binding Briar - causing unforeseeable -but fascinating - consequences.
For a moment, Isa thought he had it all. Those few days of peace inspired the kind of hope he’d never allowed himself to hold on to, but with the return of his family, they could very well cost him the rest of his life.
This standalone, 18+, MM romance contains:
-Size difference
-Obsessive/possessive MC
-Hesitant but super into it MC
-Positive representation of autism!
-Manhandling
-Public claiming
Ultra-conservative, harsh, and extremely controlling, they were determined to force him to conform to their ideals. Even in public, he couldn’t escape their fundamentalist views, and they sought to end his private life. So, who was the silent giant who swept in and rescued Isa from being attacked by his sister? And why did he like to carry Isa around like his own, personal stuffed toy?
Briar’s fascination with Isa was unusual, but so was the way their very souls seemed to communicate. The connection between them is so consuming, the pair are caught unaware when a meddling fairy decides to release a previously unknown spell binding Briar - causing unforeseeable -but fascinating - consequences.
For a moment, Isa thought he had it all. Those few days of peace inspired the kind of hope he’d never allowed himself to hold on to, but with the return of his family, they could very well cost him the rest of his life.
This standalone, 18+, MM romance contains:
-Size difference
-Obsessive/possessive MC
-Hesitant but super into it MC
-Positive representation of autism!
-Manhandling
-Public claiming
308 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 26, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
May 27, 2024
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“You love . . . me?” Briar’s eyes blazed. “I think I do. If this is what love feels like. Wanting you safe. Happy. Here.” Briar’s hands tightened on Isa’s arms. “Always here. Never hurt. Never scared.”
I have now read/listened to this book four times and I thought for sure I had already reviewed it, but apparently not. I really, really love this book so much. There’s something really magical about it. It’s hot, the MCs have great chemistry, it’s got some past and present trauma, autism rep, hot spicy scenes, you name it. This was also my first ever Zile Elliven book, and his writing is just thoroughly enjoyable. I’m never bored while reading a Zile book, and the characters are the most lovable lil dudes.
“Um. Are you kidnapping me? Because I have a test tomorrow.” “Not kidnapping,” Briar started the engine and pulled away from the curb. “Relocating.”
I definitely recommend it if the tropes sound fun and you’re good with the content warnings. More people should read it. Oh, and Zachary Zaba did a great job with the audiobook.
Briar reached for the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head, and Isa could have sworn a choir of naughty angels burst into song.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
College
Past trauma
Autistic MC
Selective mutism
Size difference
Possessive and protective
Artist MC
Paranormal elements
Virgin MC
Love bites
Public claiming
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Religious trauma
Verbally and physically abusive family members (on and off page, past and present)
Explicit sexual content
MC held captive by family (on page)
MC beaten and injured by family (on page)
PTSD symptoms from abuse
Homophobic family
On-page situation of sensory overload (synaesthesia)
Use of homophobic slur
Penetration with minimal prep and no lube
MC threatened with psychiatric hospitalization (past)
MC blackmailed
Controlled and gaslit by family
Mild exhibitionism
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance w/PNR elements
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 18/19 and 20
Series: Interconnectd standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 308
Happy ending: Yes
By the time the sun came up, Briar was lying on the floor with a notepad on his face, listening to birds greeting each other. Cheerful little bastards.
If Isa had been a popsicle, he would have melted into a puddle on the floor. As it was, he was finding it very difficult to not sway forward and burrow into Briar like he was Isa’s personal teddy bear. He needed to get a handle on himself ASAP.
He'd tried to talk to Briar about it, tried to explain that he really wasn’t available for dating, but there was a problem with that. Every time Isa talked to Briar, Briar would talk back. And every time Isa heard Briar’s deep, sultry voice, his brain cut off and his libido kicked into overdrive.
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
“You love . . . me?” Briar’s eyes blazed. “I think I do. If this is what love feels like. Wanting you safe. Happy. Here.” Briar’s hands tightened on Isa’s arms. “Always here. Never hurt. Never scared.”
I have now read/listened to this book four times and I thought for sure I had already reviewed it, but apparently not. I really, really love this book so much. There’s something really magical about it. It’s hot, the MCs have great chemistry, it’s got some past and present trauma, autism rep, hot spicy scenes, you name it. This was also my first ever Zile Elliven book, and his writing is just thoroughly enjoyable. I’m never bored while reading a Zile book, and the characters are the most lovable lil dudes.
“Um. Are you kidnapping me? Because I have a test tomorrow.” “Not kidnapping,” Briar started the engine and pulled away from the curb. “Relocating.”
I definitely recommend it if the tropes sound fun and you’re good with the content warnings. More people should read it. Oh, and Zachary Zaba did a great job with the audiobook.
Briar reached for the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head, and Isa could have sworn a choir of naughty angels burst into song.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
College
Past trauma
Autistic MC
Selective mutism
Size difference
Possessive and protective
Artist MC
Paranormal elements
Virgin MC
Love bites
Public claiming
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Religious trauma
Verbally and physically abusive family members (on and off page, past and present)
Explicit sexual content
MC held captive by family (on page)
MC beaten and injured by family (on page)
PTSD symptoms from abuse
Homophobic family
On-page situation of sensory overload (synaesthesia)
Use of homophobic slur
Penetration with minimal prep and no lube
MC threatened with psychiatric hospitalization (past)
MC blackmailed
Controlled and gaslit by family
Mild exhibitionism
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance w/PNR elements
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 18/19 and 20
Series: Interconnectd standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 308
Happy ending: Yes
By the time the sun came up, Briar was lying on the floor with a notepad on his face, listening to birds greeting each other. Cheerful little bastards.
If Isa had been a popsicle, he would have melted into a puddle on the floor. As it was, he was finding it very difficult to not sway forward and burrow into Briar like he was Isa’s personal teddy bear. He needed to get a handle on himself ASAP.
He'd tried to talk to Briar about it, tried to explain that he really wasn’t available for dating, but there was a problem with that. Every time Isa talked to Briar, Briar would talk back. And every time Isa heard Briar’s deep, sultry voice, his brain cut off and his libido kicked into overdrive.
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
February 8, 2023
This series is so frustrating! The descriptions of each story sound really intriguing, but then you read them and nothing is explained so nothing makes sense.
There's now a new magical element to explain the bonded minds, but again there's no world building or explanation given to the magic apart from a couple of vague sentences. Tell me about the Fae, how their magic works etc. 😤
It's hard to be invested in the characters or their story when there's no real information for what enchantment they have, why they have it, or even how it works.
Isa's family and the whole behaviour and plot surrounding them at the end was just odd. It was just more trauma and drama for the sake of it and just made me dislike Isa for what he decided to do, knowing how distressing that would be for Briar.
I just didn't buy the connection between them when Isa was doing so much to push him away - this time it really felt like the relationship was only in existence on Isa's part because of the magic, and without that binding they never would have been together, but Briar was in it regardless.
Disappointing and frustrating!
There's now a new magical element to explain the bonded minds, but again there's no world building or explanation given to the magic apart from a couple of vague sentences. Tell me about the Fae, how their magic works etc. 😤
It's hard to be invested in the characters or their story when there's no real information for what enchantment they have, why they have it, or even how it works.
Isa's family and the whole behaviour and plot surrounding them at the end was just odd. It was just more trauma and drama for the sake of it and just made me dislike Isa for what he decided to do, knowing how distressing that would be for Briar.
I just didn't buy the connection between them when Isa was doing so much to push him away - this time it really felt like the relationship was only in existence on Isa's part because of the magic, and without that binding they never would have been together, but Briar was in it regardless.
Disappointing and frustrating!
December 29, 2021
What do you get when you mix:
_a small adorable pretty boy who in one instance fixes up a duck who hurt its leg, didn't know their gender and called it "Mx duck"
_a larger boy who barely physically talks to anyone except the smaller boy, and it's not because the latter doesn't understand sign language
_lots of obsessive possessiveness
_lots of staring. Literally staring at each other. Damn.
_lots of kissing
_lots of biting
_found family trope because smaller boy's biological family are a bunch of jerkwads
_a sprinkle of magic
I don't know what you get out of that, but for me it was tons and tons of entertainment. The magic aspect of it was a bit confusing and difficult to follow, but it also did not impact how much I loved the story. The way it's written, and the manner in which the narrative is conjured worked for me!!
Favourite quotes:
Now, Briar understood there wasn’t a difference between art and Isa. For him, they were the same thing.
Briar never did anything Isa wasn’t straight up gagging for.
“Briar, I want you to bang me like a screen door in a hurricane.”
There are many more but you get the idea 😂 Ultimately, 5 stars for the way this book kept me entertained 💚
_a small adorable pretty boy who in one instance fixes up a duck who hurt its leg, didn't know their gender and called it "Mx duck"
_a larger boy who barely physically talks to anyone except the smaller boy, and it's not because the latter doesn't understand sign language
_lots of obsessive possessiveness
_lots of staring. Literally staring at each other. Damn.
_lots of kissing
_lots of biting
_found family trope because smaller boy's biological family are a bunch of jerkwads
_a sprinkle of magic
I don't know what you get out of that, but for me it was tons and tons of entertainment. The magic aspect of it was a bit confusing and difficult to follow, but it also did not impact how much I loved the story. The way it's written, and the manner in which the narrative is conjured worked for me!!
Favourite quotes:
Now, Briar understood there wasn’t a difference between art and Isa. For him, they were the same thing.
Briar never did anything Isa wasn’t straight up gagging for.
“Briar, I want you to bang me like a screen door in a hurricane.”
There are many more but you get the idea 😂 Ultimately, 5 stars for the way this book kept me entertained 💚
June 30, 2023
Reread June 2023
I still love this series so much. I love the relationships.
Reread June 2022
I enjoyed this so much more this time for some reason so I'm bumping up my rating. I love Isa and Briar almost as much as Eli and Haruka.
Originally read December 2021
I was so excited when I realized Zile was writing another book. Psync was one of my top reads for 2021.
While I enjoyed Quiet, there was just a little something that was missing for me. I can't put my finger on it. I loved both Isa and Briar a lot, and I loved them together. Briar was the possessive, obsessive MC I absolutely adore. I can't get enough of books like that. But just something about the story as a whole didn't keep me enthralled the way Psync did.
Don't let my review stop anyone from reading it, though. It was still very, very good and I can't wait for the next one.
I still love this series so much. I love the relationships.
Reread June 2022
I enjoyed this so much more this time for some reason so I'm bumping up my rating. I love Isa and Briar almost as much as Eli and Haruka.
Originally read December 2021
I was so excited when I realized Zile was writing another book. Psync was one of my top reads for 2021.
While I enjoyed Quiet, there was just a little something that was missing for me. I can't put my finger on it. I loved both Isa and Briar a lot, and I loved them together. Briar was the possessive, obsessive MC I absolutely adore. I can't get enough of books like that. But just something about the story as a whole didn't keep me enthralled the way Psync did.
Don't let my review stop anyone from reading it, though. It was still very, very good and I can't wait for the next one.
February 17, 2022
3.75/5.
Quiet by Zile Elliven was a long-awaited second book in the Enchanted University series, this time featuring two soulmates drawn together through the magic of fae, and despite difficulties along the way, overcome the barriers keeping them apart to find their happily ever after.
For one, this is an OwnVoices book in which Briar is autistic, and so is the author. I, too, am an autistic reader and I did enjoy the depiction of Briar's autism. For one, we often do not see autistic characters are dominant or the ones to instigate their sexual or romantic desires, as there is a media infantilization of autistic people. However, Briar is clear in his want for Isa and that does not change. The descriptions of his synthesia and overstimulation were well-handled, and I enjoy how small parts of being autistic (good and bad, depending how the world accommodates for you) were mentioned casually as just part of the story. A big part of his autism is that he is often nonverbal, and while this changes with some people (including Isa), it is still shown that he will struggle with words. I do understand why Elliven chose to make it that he could talk to Isa , but I do struggle a bit with how I feel about that outcome. On the one hand it leans into the paranormal, soulmate aspect of it, and on another it is almost like a 'fix' to make their relationship smoother.
Isa's struggles have to do with PTSD and the trauma of his religious, conservative family. His father is a Reverend and there is the looming threat of the physical and mental abuse he had to endure and does endure within the book. Elliven often writes in a rather dramatic, OTT way - and I don't dislike it at all. I know that is the tone to expect in their writing, but if you aren't expecting it, it might catch you off guard. For example, the . If you're looking for some of that content to be held in realism and in-depth complexity, this is not the book for it.
Another issue that came up in the book for me is while the way fae magic was described and the poetic passages around it was awesome, I had a lot of confusion of how it actually worked and what all was occurring. This also did not continue the paranormal thread within Psync, which had more to do with soul-halves and ancient gods. I know that Haruka and Eli will be getting a sequel so I imagine it will be explained more, but I honestly expected this to continue that paranormal thread instead of going in a different direction completely. I think Elliven has really interesting paranormal ideas but struggles to manifest them. Here there was more on-page time with it, so I have hope in that the author will continue to improve on that aspect.
Writing wise, Elliven pulls in a lot of my favorite tropes: gentle giant, possessive, soulmates, size difference, swoony writing. There were no big editing errors as far as I could tell, and the pacing was well done. If you liked Psync then I definitely think you will like this book! I can't wait to read more in this series.
"When Isa’s mouth touched Briar’s lips, it was magic. It was the sweetest song, the hottest fire, the brightest star pouring from Isa to Briar. It was all he could do to not get swept away. He was only vaguely aware of the ground under his knees, his hand on Briar’s jaw, a faint gasp of wonder from one of them—or both. The only thing that mattered was their connection."
Quiet by Zile Elliven was a long-awaited second book in the Enchanted University series, this time featuring two soulmates drawn together through the magic of fae, and despite difficulties along the way, overcome the barriers keeping them apart to find their happily ever after.
For one, this is an OwnVoices book in which Briar is autistic, and so is the author. I, too, am an autistic reader and I did enjoy the depiction of Briar's autism. For one, we often do not see autistic characters are dominant or the ones to instigate their sexual or romantic desires, as there is a media infantilization of autistic people. However, Briar is clear in his want for Isa and that does not change. The descriptions of his synthesia and overstimulation were well-handled, and I enjoy how small parts of being autistic (good and bad, depending how the world accommodates for you) were mentioned casually as just part of the story. A big part of his autism is that he is often nonverbal, and while this changes with some people (including Isa), it is still shown that he will struggle with words. I do understand why Elliven chose to make it that he could talk to Isa , but I do struggle a bit with how I feel about that outcome. On the one hand it leans into the paranormal, soulmate aspect of it, and on another it is almost like a 'fix' to make their relationship smoother.
Isa's struggles have to do with PTSD and the trauma of his religious, conservative family. His father is a Reverend and there is the looming threat of the physical and mental abuse he had to endure and does endure within the book. Elliven often writes in a rather dramatic, OTT way - and I don't dislike it at all. I know that is the tone to expect in their writing, but if you aren't expecting it, it might catch you off guard. For example, the . If you're looking for some of that content to be held in realism and in-depth complexity, this is not the book for it.
Another issue that came up in the book for me is while the way fae magic was described and the poetic passages around it was awesome, I had a lot of confusion of how it actually worked and what all was occurring. This also did not continue the paranormal thread within Psync, which had more to do with soul-halves and ancient gods. I know that Haruka and Eli will be getting a sequel so I imagine it will be explained more, but I honestly expected this to continue that paranormal thread instead of going in a different direction completely. I think Elliven has really interesting paranormal ideas but struggles to manifest them. Here there was more on-page time with it, so I have hope in that the author will continue to improve on that aspect.
Writing wise, Elliven pulls in a lot of my favorite tropes: gentle giant, possessive, soulmates, size difference, swoony writing. There were no big editing errors as far as I could tell, and the pacing was well done. If you liked Psync then I definitely think you will like this book! I can't wait to read more in this series.
May 6, 2022
3.5-4 stars
I enjoyed this way more than book one. And this to me can be read as a standalone, yes Eli and Haruka make an appearance but you don’t need to know them to read this book.
I hope Cedar has a book 😉
I enjoyed this way more than book one. And this to me can be read as a standalone, yes Eli and Haruka make an appearance but you don’t need to know them to read this book.
I hope Cedar has a book 😉
March 23, 2022
3.5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶
Guh Isa was so damn cute. Eli and Haruka are still at the top of couples for me, but Briar and Isa were so adorable together. I mean, give me size difference, possessive MC's any day and I will love it. But beyond that, I love seeing where this series is going. I need more NOW.
2/5 🌶
Guh Isa was so damn cute. Eli and Haruka are still at the top of couples for me, but Briar and Isa were so adorable together. I mean, give me size difference, possessive MC's any day and I will love it. But beyond that, I love seeing where this series is going. I need more NOW.
December 26, 2021
Fantastic
I loved this even more than the first one. If you love big possessive guys taking care of tiny hurt ones, this is the book for you. The side characters are fantastic, too! This will be a reread for sure.
I loved this even more than the first one. If you love big possessive guys taking care of tiny hurt ones, this is the book for you. The side characters are fantastic, too! This will be a reread for sure.
May 31, 2022
*clears throat*
what the fuck.
this is one of the most wonderful romances i’ve ever read trapped in of the worst books.
romance wise, this is amazing. isa and briar are perfect together, their love story is beautiful and their characters are perfect, both together and alone.
this is a five star book up until the 50% mark.
after that this becomes an example of what a romance novel should NOT be.
first of all, in the blurb is not said, in any way, that this is a paranormal book. and it starts normal so you have no way to understand that there is magic here. when that fae showed up i honestly thought it was just a guy on drugs.
the magic sistem is ridiculous, not explained and so bland it made my head hurt.
it was terrible to read. it didn’t make any sense and it’s only purpose was to ruin a perfect book.
i honestly had trouble to rate this. if i think about the romance this is a five stars book. if i think about the paranormal thing this is a ZERO star book, so one star because that’s the minimum.
unfortunately, i can’t ignore the total disaster of this magic thing, so one star it is.
then i gave one extra star for the wonderful romance that was so brutally destroyed by that nonsense.
what the fuck.
this is one of the most wonderful romances i’ve ever read trapped in of the worst books.
romance wise, this is amazing. isa and briar are perfect together, their love story is beautiful and their characters are perfect, both together and alone.
this is a five star book up until the 50% mark.
after that this becomes an example of what a romance novel should NOT be.
first of all, in the blurb is not said, in any way, that this is a paranormal book. and it starts normal so you have no way to understand that there is magic here. when that fae showed up i honestly thought it was just a guy on drugs.
the magic sistem is ridiculous, not explained and so bland it made my head hurt.
it was terrible to read. it didn’t make any sense and it’s only purpose was to ruin a perfect book.
i honestly had trouble to rate this. if i think about the romance this is a five stars book. if i think about the paranormal thing this is a ZERO star book, so one star because that’s the minimum.
unfortunately, i can’t ignore the total disaster of this magic thing, so one star it is.
then i gave one extra star for the wonderful romance that was so brutally destroyed by that nonsense.
January 15, 2022
I read this primarily because it features an autistic MC and is written by an autistic author, and I go out of my way to read those. I really liked how autism was portrayed here, especially his difficulty with spoken communication and reliance on ASL, as well as the positives and negatives of his tendency to hyperfocus. I had trouble connecting either MC, though; the story was more instalove than I usually care for, and the plot felt very teen-soap-opera at times. I skimmed the last 40% because the story was meandering and it wasn’t clear what the conflict or stakes were at times. Not a bad book, but it just wasn’t for me.
January 1, 2022
3.5/5 ⭐️
May 20, 2022
Just as fun as the first one, and a bit tighter if a read, too. I did like the first book a bit better though.
These books are silly and a complete blast to read. Sometimes I’m a bit confused but still loving it. Isa is painfully cute and Briar is so possessive, it’s a great read.
I really enjoy the way the author writes, but I do feel bad for poor little virgin buttholes in this book. Spit is not lube 😳
Lastly, the supernatural/paranormal vibes are very mild, but I’m not sure they’re intended to be. It’s like there are great ideas in the author’s mind but they struggle to get them out on paper.
These books are silly and a complete blast to read. Sometimes I’m a bit confused but still loving it. Isa is painfully cute and Briar is so possessive, it’s a great read.
I really enjoy the way the author writes, but I do feel bad for poor little virgin buttholes in this book. Spit is not lube 😳
Lastly, the supernatural/paranormal vibes are very mild, but I’m not sure they’re intended to be. It’s like there are great ideas in the author’s mind but they struggle to get them out on paper.
March 18, 2023
The first part of the book was all kinds of sweet and cute with a very good depiction of autistic MC. Then something happened and the second part of the book turned into an absolute circus. Why do authors put so much irrelevant humor into situations that do not need it. *sigh* I had to skip read the last 25% of the book because it was becoming absolutely ridiculous. It was like two different people wrote parts of this story. I am on the fence about reading more from this author.
February 23, 2022
So, the duck was cute.
Obsession? Fated mates? Love
spells? Not my genre.
Obsession? Fated mates? Love
spells? Not my genre.
April 3, 2024
Dnf 80%. Die erste Hälfte des Buches war vielversprechend und wirklich gut geschrieben. Im Gegensatz zu anderen Rezensenten hatte ich aufgrund der Tags und Bewertungen mitbekommen, dass es wie ein Contemporary-Buch anfängt und später Fantasy dazukommt. Das wäre für mich kein Problem gewesen, weil ich auch gerne Fantasy lese.
Aber nach den ersten 50% war plötzlich der rote Faden einfach weg. Es wurde unglaublich viel angerissen, aber wenig davon konsequent verfolgt. Es war irgendwie...wie nicht zu Ende gedacht. Außerdem haben sich die Charaktere im späteren Handlungsverlauf teilweise merkwürdig und inkonsistent verhalten.
Sehr schade, weil mir der Anfang wirklich gut gefallen hat. Vermutlich wäre es besser gewesen, wenn die Autorin nicht so viele Probleme auf einmal in einer Story hätte unterbringen wollen.
Aber nach den ersten 50% war plötzlich der rote Faden einfach weg. Es wurde unglaublich viel angerissen, aber wenig davon konsequent verfolgt. Es war irgendwie...wie nicht zu Ende gedacht. Außerdem haben sich die Charaktere im späteren Handlungsverlauf teilweise merkwürdig und inkonsistent verhalten.
Sehr schade, weil mir der Anfang wirklich gut gefallen hat. Vermutlich wäre es besser gewesen, wenn die Autorin nicht so viele Probleme auf einmal in einer Story hätte unterbringen wollen.
January 22, 2022
I am so in love with this world and I'm living for the big protective brutes and the boys they adore. I can't wait to see more!
February 18, 2022
Tags: paranormal, homophobic religious family, autistic MC, college, theater and art
I’m really torn how I feel about the book! On one hand I loved some parts - the caretaking, the “relocating”, Isa and Briar both exploring their sexuality together.
I also felt like the plot was a bit scattered. There were a lot of things going on, and also a lot of side characters that (other than Will) didn’t get fleshed out much. The paranormal parts felt like side plot.
Overall I enjoyed the book and would read more in the series, but didn’t like this one quite as much as Psync.
I’m really torn how I feel about the book! On one hand I loved some parts - the caretaking, the “relocating”, Isa and Briar both exploring their sexuality together.
I also felt like the plot was a bit scattered. There were a lot of things going on, and also a lot of side characters that (other than Will) didn’t get fleshed out much. The paranormal parts felt like side plot.
Overall I enjoyed the book and would read more in the series, but didn’t like this one quite as much as Psync.
January 6, 2022
If it's not on your TBR, it needs to be!!
Isa and Briar are stunning characters. Briar has autism and it was represented perfectly. Isa is struggling to get away from his abusive family & the hurt and trauma is there and not glossed over. The slow burn & Briar's struggle not to go too obsessive was 100% believable and such a valid struggle for his type of character. Both men were possible and protective in the best possible way.
The writing here is....prose. It's beautiful. It's poetry. Not often does a single book give me goosebumps, make me sob, and make me laugh out loud. Quiet did it.
Favorite line:
"What he meant to say was, I don’t want to pretend it didn’t happen. I want this. What he actually said was, 'Briar, I want you to bang me like a screen door in a hurricane.' "
Y'all I SNORTED and almost got busted for reading at work. I may or may not be planning to use that line on my husband tonight.
Overall: 5 stars and the perfect birthday read.
Add it to your TBR right flipping now, y'all! I'm off to read the first in the series.
Isa and Briar are stunning characters. Briar has autism and it was represented perfectly. Isa is struggling to get away from his abusive family & the hurt and trauma is there and not glossed over. The slow burn & Briar's struggle not to go too obsessive was 100% believable and such a valid struggle for his type of character. Both men were possible and protective in the best possible way.
The writing here is....prose. It's beautiful. It's poetry. Not often does a single book give me goosebumps, make me sob, and make me laugh out loud. Quiet did it.
Favorite line:
"What he meant to say was, I don’t want to pretend it didn’t happen. I want this. What he actually said was, 'Briar, I want you to bang me like a screen door in a hurricane.' "
Y'all I SNORTED and almost got busted for reading at work. I may or may not be planning to use that line on my husband tonight.
Overall: 5 stars and the perfect birthday read.
Add it to your TBR right flipping now, y'all! I'm off to read the first in the series.
December 28, 2021
I really wanted to like this more. It was going smoothly for the first 50%. It held my attention even though I thought it was strange that they didn't really question their mental link. I mean they did but not strongly. I would've if I was them. But I pushed that aside and continued on expecting it to be explained. Then suddenly some strange fae pops into the story and it seemed so out of place. It did start the ball rolling on that explanation but still it was awkward. After that a lot happened fast then the story was over. I feel like there were missed opportunities of some directions certain parts could've gone in. Or characters that could've been used more but weren't like the strange fae dude.
January 30, 2022
A great character development for the mc and a possessive cute boyfriend it couldn't get any better..oh yeah and I love how Isa handle briar autism and Brian's mom and aunt so supportive of him and Fuck Isa's family except his uncle
Also I love the message from Isa's Pov and even tho the plot was all over the place for my brain to comprehend it was still good, some questions still left unanswered probably a set up for the next book on this series yeah it Is a set, overall it's a cute story between the two mc.
Also I love the message from Isa's Pov and even tho the plot was all over the place for my brain to comprehend it was still good, some questions still left unanswered probably a set up for the next book on this series yeah it Is a set, overall it's a cute story between the two mc.
January 4, 2024
4.5/5 stars ⭐️
Briar is autistic and with that comes complications but Isa never tries to change/“fix” him just wants to comfort him. Isa is Briar’s muse, he’s absolutely obsessed with him
Isa is a more complicated character bc of his home life and past trauma. But that doesn’t stop him from being an absolute sweetheart and loving MC.
They have a magical connection with each other that gets explained through the book.
Steam-2.8-3/5
Tw-threats of hospitalization, religious trauma, abuse.
Briar is autistic and with that comes complications but Isa never tries to change/“fix” him just wants to comfort him. Isa is Briar’s muse, he’s absolutely obsessed with him
Isa is a more complicated character bc of his home life and past trauma. But that doesn’t stop him from being an absolute sweetheart and loving MC.
They have a magical connection with each other that gets explained through the book.
Steam-2.8-3/5
Tw-threats of hospitalization, religious trauma, abuse.
December 18, 2022
No soy muy fan de este tipo de tropes, que uno sea tan posesivo y encima de alguien que apenas conoce no me agrada demasiado. Tampoco sentí que se conocieran, fue instant love y nunca hablaban entre ellos como para conocerse mejor. La magia también estuvo muy poco explicada, puede que eso sea culpa mía por leer el segundo libro sin leer el primero pero bueno... lo que más me gustó del libro fueron las amistades, aunque un poco raras me gustaron bastante.
November 27, 2022
I loved Briar and Isa's tale. It was interesting to see what the 'enchanted' twist was for this couple, and Isa's situation is truly heartbreaking.
Briar and Isa were so good together, and the story was well paced to keep me engaged on every page.
Although reading book one will give the best experience, Quiet could be read as a standalone, although I really suggest reading Psync first.
January 6, 2022
I'd love to have a Briar of my own 😏.
April 17, 2023
I wanted a big, quiet, deep-feeling hero in MM romance. Was that too much to ask??
BORING!
DNF 10%
BORING!
DNF 10%
April 4, 2022
Another fantastic book in the Enchanted University series.
I love this setting and I loved Isa and Briar. Both of these men had troubles and struggles throughout their lives, but in each other they found someone who could understand them.
Isa comes from a very religious family who treat him horribly. He’s always been too soft, not manly enough, and he has a secret that would put him in terrible danger with his family. He just wants to enjoy his time at college and experience a little life. Then he meets Briar…
Briar is a sexy, mysterious stranger who keeps running into Isa. Every time they’re near each other, they both feel connected, but Isa struggles with his family “lessons” and Briar doesn’t know how to navigate his attraction. He struggles to communicate, but somehow, Isa gets him.
This story is very emotional, at times sad but also at times hilarious. Isa and Briar are incredibly sweet together, especially as they both try to figure out how to make their first relationship work. There’s many twists and turns, and it’s fun and exciting.
I love this setting and I loved Isa and Briar. Both of these men had troubles and struggles throughout their lives, but in each other they found someone who could understand them.
Isa comes from a very religious family who treat him horribly. He’s always been too soft, not manly enough, and he has a secret that would put him in terrible danger with his family. He just wants to enjoy his time at college and experience a little life. Then he meets Briar…
Briar is a sexy, mysterious stranger who keeps running into Isa. Every time they’re near each other, they both feel connected, but Isa struggles with his family “lessons” and Briar doesn’t know how to navigate his attraction. He struggles to communicate, but somehow, Isa gets him.
This story is very emotional, at times sad but also at times hilarious. Isa and Briar are incredibly sweet together, especially as they both try to figure out how to make their first relationship work. There’s many twists and turns, and it’s fun and exciting.
February 1, 2022
Eh, it wasn't terrible, but for me it was too much like the first book with less of a mindlink (but still a bit of one). Big tough guy instantly getting protective of a small guy who just happens to be so beautiful that everyone around him is like tripping over themselves to hit on him like... this is just the same dynamic from the first book. Maybe some people like that, but it gets a little tiring to me. I was kind of hoping for this one to go more into the whole supernatural thing, and there were hints of it and that one fae guy seemed interesting, but he disappeared and that was it, and it didn't have the bizarre twist at the end like the first one that I enjoyed so much. I'm both interested to see what the next book will be like, but if the relationship is just the same again I might just drop it.
January 2, 2022
Quiet
I have to say that I went into this book completely blind. I'd never heard of the author and I had no idea what to expect. I am so glad that I did.
Quiet is an amazing book that is part romance, part affirmation of being who you are born to be, part positivity regarding mental health and autism, and particularly paranormal thrown around the mix. Briar and Isa are so perfectly suited for each other. Briar doesn't talk. At least not much. Suffering from a form of sensory autism, he finds his voice in sign language and his art. Isa comes from the deeply homophobic, religiously oppressive family, that has physically abused him his whole life for being "too femme", " too pretty", and giving the appearance of being gay. The facts that he is indeed gay is something Isa keeps well hidden after watching this father nearly beat his uncle to death for coming out. When Briar first rescues Isa from a beating by his family, who show up at his college, it starts out as nothing more than a good deed. But something about the pretty, waif-like boy wraps itself around Briar's brain and won't let go. As the two become closer outside forces are trying to pull them apart and only together will they be able to find a HEA.
This book has some many positive points that I just don't know where to start. It's a completely engrossing story with multifaceted characters and great world building. There are several background characters that you will fall in love with and they add the perfect blend of humor and support. There's definitely some angst when dealing both with Briar's mental issues and Isa's completely psychotic family, but it serves a purpose to the plot and isn't just added for shock. The paranormal aspect was a complete surprise and while part of me wasn't sure it was going to cut in the mostly contemporary story, it is actually sort of dropped in and then the author skitters away and lets it just simmer in the background - like adding a bit of spice to a soup. I found myself really intrigued by this and hoping that it is the foreshadowing of more books to come. I, for one, will be diligently watching out for more! In short, this is a beautiful book and I highly recommend it!
I have to say that I went into this book completely blind. I'd never heard of the author and I had no idea what to expect. I am so glad that I did.
Quiet is an amazing book that is part romance, part affirmation of being who you are born to be, part positivity regarding mental health and autism, and particularly paranormal thrown around the mix. Briar and Isa are so perfectly suited for each other. Briar doesn't talk. At least not much. Suffering from a form of sensory autism, he finds his voice in sign language and his art. Isa comes from the deeply homophobic, religiously oppressive family, that has physically abused him his whole life for being "too femme", " too pretty", and giving the appearance of being gay. The facts that he is indeed gay is something Isa keeps well hidden after watching this father nearly beat his uncle to death for coming out. When Briar first rescues Isa from a beating by his family, who show up at his college, it starts out as nothing more than a good deed. But something about the pretty, waif-like boy wraps itself around Briar's brain and won't let go. As the two become closer outside forces are trying to pull them apart and only together will they be able to find a HEA.
This book has some many positive points that I just don't know where to start. It's a completely engrossing story with multifaceted characters and great world building. There are several background characters that you will fall in love with and they add the perfect blend of humor and support. There's definitely some angst when dealing both with Briar's mental issues and Isa's completely psychotic family, but it serves a purpose to the plot and isn't just added for shock. The paranormal aspect was a complete surprise and while part of me wasn't sure it was going to cut in the mostly contemporary story, it is actually sort of dropped in and then the author skitters away and lets it just simmer in the background - like adding a bit of spice to a soup. I found myself really intrigued by this and hoping that it is the foreshadowing of more books to come. I, for one, will be diligently watching out for more! In short, this is a beautiful book and I highly recommend it!
April 27, 2022
Genre/Tropes: MM, Size Difference, Autism Rep
POV: 3rd, Dual
Series: Enchanted University, Book 2
STEAM LEVEL: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
——————
Another third person POV I fell deeply into and never wanted to leave. A wonderful depiction of Autism and inclusivity while carefully navigating a horrible homophobic blood family and a preciously overprotective found family. Add in a bit of obsessive boy love, a sweet af plot, some amazing steamy scenes, and some cameos from Eli and Haruka and I have to say I almost loved this story more than the first.
I LOVED Briar. His quiet personality was endearing and his intensity was swoon-worthy. There is something about an MM romance that gets me going when one MMC can pick up the other and maneuver them around with ease. The way Briar carried Isa around and dressed him and cared for him was SO FREAKING ROMANTIC. And hot af.
|| “𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙶𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚑 . . . 𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚞𝚙, 𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚛. 𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎!” ||
I LOVED Isa and how he immediately was drawn to the quiet, broody Briar. He could understand the broody man’s thoughts and never once looked at him like a burden. His self-sacrificing personality wore on me a bit, but the found family that fought for him more than made up for it.
Such a unique plot, a beautiful romance, a passionate love, and an uplifting story about acceptance and patience. And the prose was mesmerizing!
|| 𝚁𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚘𝚊𝚕 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸𝚜𝚊 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚟𝚊𝚜. 𝙾𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕. ||
November 22, 2022
The romance was good. I totally love Isa and Briar, their childhood, their insane friends, school life and all. And the hot steam of these two 🔥🔥🔥
What I totally get now and do not like is the paranormal stuff in this book. It totally came out from nowhere. I think I’ve read enough paranormal books to safely say this. Usually paranormal books build a new or old world. That was what is missing, for a reader like me, I need the author to build me that world, rather than just drop me a magic spell and expect me to accept it and not question it. (This is the same with book 1, I still cannot get over with the God’s entering the picture).
Eventhough part of my brain is not liking the other parts of this book, I am choosing to ignore them for now because I totally like the pairing of the MC’s. I think this series will do well already without the magic stuff, because they just made me feel weird in the end. And yes, I’m still looking forward reading the next book(s), in the hopes that the “paranormal world” will catch up in the future books in this series.
What I totally get now and do not like is the paranormal stuff in this book. It totally came out from nowhere. I think I’ve read enough paranormal books to safely say this. Usually paranormal books build a new or old world. That was what is missing, for a reader like me, I need the author to build me that world, rather than just drop me a magic spell and expect me to accept it and not question it. (This is the same with book 1, I still cannot get over with the God’s entering the picture).
Eventhough part of my brain is not liking the other parts of this book, I am choosing to ignore them for now because I totally like the pairing of the MC’s. I think this series will do well already without the magic stuff, because they just made me feel weird in the end. And yes, I’m still looking forward reading the next book(s), in the hopes that the “paranormal world” will catch up in the future books in this series.
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