The Heart's Greater Silence is published by Riptide Publishing.
Mark isn't sure he believes in love, especially when he's torn between two very different men: his reliable boyfriend, Craig, and his illicit lover and priest, Richard. Mark knows what he should do, but he can't bring himself to give Richard up. The sex with Richard is unlike anything he's ever known with Craig, and he hungers for it as much as - if not more than - the truer intimacy he finds in his boyfriend's arms.
When Craig discovers his betrayal, Mark is forced to look at his life more closely, but the path to self-knowledge is never an easy one. Richard seeks the way back to God, but Mark finds no solace there. Can he ever discover the truth of his own soul, or is he too afraid of what he will - or won't - find inside his heart?
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Reviews
"Anne Brooke has written a somber and beautiful story of a man who had everything and lost it all because he coveted two very different men. It is dark and solemn and resonates with a sense of conflict and despair that wove the ideal atmosphere. It was moving and played beautifully against the knowledge that sometimes free will and human nature simply don't leave room for happy endings." (Read the rest of this 5 star review by Lisa at The Novel Approach)
"I always talk about short stories being worthy of novel praise and this story is one of them. Anne Brooke is an excellent writer with a gift of portraying emotions on the page. Sometimes we don't always get what we want and we leave behind the things that we need. … This story with just a few pages was able to share that with me the reader, and if that isn't excellent writing I don't know what is!" (Read the rest of this 4.5 star review at Pants Off Reviews)
"The author's strong command of language and the painful peeling back of emotional layers make this story one that is worth bleeding through." (Read the rest of this 4.5 star review at Between the Covers Reviews)
"The more I read this short story, the more I'm fascinated with the amount of detail the author squeezed into 31 pages. Every word counts and builds on the narrative allowing us to see what is under the surface." (Read the rest of this 4.5 star review at TWLIB Reviews)
"This was an intense and moving story that caught me up from the very start … it does a wonderful job of poking at that line between love and lust as Mark gets caught up in his two different needs and sadly finds they can only be satisfied by two different people." (Read the rest of this 4.5 star review at Joyfully Jay Reviews)
"Anne Brooke is one of my favourites. I love the picture she always paints in her books - of a town, the people, the streets, the body language of the characters. Body language is an integral part of communication and not every writer can do this well, if at all. I like the fact that her writing is quirky, realistic and (I believe) comes from someone with keen observational skills … Short, realistic, terrific read." (Read the rest of this review at On Top Down Under Book Reviews)
"Since I began reviewing some five years ago, I have noticed that there are certain authors that continuously deliver good reads. Anne Brooke is one of those and she never disappoints … Brooke has created an unforgettable character in Mark and in his despairs and conflicts. His desires ruled his decisions and the fact that he has two very different boyfriends shows that he is searching for himself. When the story is over, we are still not sure of what he plans to do but whatever it is, if Anne Brooke lets us, we will be there to find out." (Read the rest of this review at Amos Lassen Reviews)
