Book Review: Archer’s Voice – Mia Sheridan

Natasha Boyd, an American Romance Writer I met in December last year revealed in one of her Facebook posts her awe in reading a Mia Sheridan novel and how she’s become one of her favourite Authors’. I immediately googled her books and found sterling reviews on all of them and knew I had to follow suit.

I selected Archer’s Voice. From the moment I held the smooth book in my hands, appreciating the innocent yet seductive cover, flipping to read the blurb at the back with delight, I was bubbling with excitement.

The only reading time I have is during my lunch hour at work. I lock myself into my office, sink into my red leather chair with a steaming cup of tea, immersing myself in the story. Bree Prescott runs away from her life to settle in Pelion, Maine, a quiet town set along a serene lake to escape the tragedy of losing her father.

On her first day of arrival in town, she comes into contact with Archer Hale. She is taken aback by his unkempt appearance, unsightly beard, yet he has the warmest whiskey eyes with an admirable frame of note. She is drawn to him and attempts to hold a conversation, with no response forthcoming. Bree is intrigued by Archer, enquiring from the locals the reason for his withdrawn behaviour and low self-esteem.

Archer Hale is a forlorn character, having lost his entire family in a freak accident and worst still, being shot in his vocal cords at a tender age of seven. He was taken in by his uncle until he too had passed on, leaving Archer to fend for himself. He never interacted with the town folk, they ridiculed him and he didn’t bother to set them straight. He kept himself busy taking care of his property, reading everything in sight, building a cocoon for himself. He thought he would never find love, until Bree walked into his life.

Mia Sheridan writes beautifully, simply and straight from the heart. Time whizzed by reading this book and I struggled to put it down and tear myself away. She pulled out all the stops in denouement, one moment I was reeling with delight, the next she yanked the carpet right under my feet and just when I thought it would all work out in the end – I was balling my eyes out!

Archer’s Voice engraved in my mind the reason why I love the romance genre. Writers like Mia Sheridan convince me time and time again that matters of the heart are the most magnetic, alluring and heart-wrenching stories readers will never become bored of. And when you discover a treasure trove in the form of Mia Sheridan, you know you’ve struck gold.