Signs of Attraction by Laura Brown (Interview + Guest Post)
Signs of Attraction
Laura Brown
233 Pages
Releasing June 14th 2016
Avon Impulse
Book 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.
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Interview with Laura Brown
Hi Laura! Thank you so much for stopping by Okie Dreams Book Reviews today.
Thank you so much for having me!
For those who aren’t familiar with your work, can you tell us a little about yourself and your writing journey?
I’m a hopeless romantic and have always loved romances. I’m also Hard of Hearing. After writing books with hearing main characters, I decided it was time to write a book featuring hearing loss. I wrote this novel unagented and am still blown away by all the love I received when I started to share SIGNS OF ATTRACTION. This one novel gained me writing contest attention, my agent, and my publisher. It’s been a labor of love and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience!
What led you to write Signs of Attraction? Was writing the story as difficult or as easy as you thought it would be?
I wrote SIGNS OF ATTRACTION after reading a book with a main character who was Deaf. The author had a lot of respect for hearing loss, but I still found many inaccuracies. It was the push I needed to write about hearing loss myself. The words flowed at times, but I always struggled from the midpoint to the end. Carli has concentration issues and since the novel is in first person, I can never see things clearly when she’s struggling. It took me a long to figure out Carli was the reason why the ending was always the hardest part to work on.
If there is one thing for readers to take away in Signs of Attraction, what do you hope it is?
I hope readers learn something about hearing loss. There are so many assumptions on what it means to be hard of hearing, or deaf, or wear hearing aids. I’ve found that public knowledge is mostly inaccurate, and that can be frustrating at times when you always have to explain yourself. So while I hope my readers fall in love with Carli and Reed as much as I did, I hope they learn a little something in the process.
Do you have a favorite scene or moment in the book you can tell us about? Why do you think it appeals to you like it does?
The first thing that comes to mind is the black moment. And I think that’s because black moments have been a learning curve for me! In my earlier novels my black moments were weak. I worked hard on SIGNS OF ATTRACTION, then my editor told me: make it better. I knew this request was coming, and with the help of her suggestions the whole moment just popped. I obviously don’t want to share too much, but I loved the way I was able to really bring out the weaknesses and fears in Carli and Reed, and play them up.
What’s up next for you? Anything you can tell us about?
I’m always writing! After everything with SIGNS OF ATTRACTION, I now plan on continuing with main characters—at least one of them—with a hearing loss. I’m currently putting the finishing touches on a novel where both main characters are Deaf, a friends to lovers story, one trope I always love reading!
My Thoughts
*ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review*
Wow. I knew going in, Signs of Attraction would be a challenge for me because it was so different from what I’m used to reading, with both leads dealing with hearing loss, but it was exactly the kind of book I love, with unique, well-layered characters who tugged at my heartstrings in the best of ways. Learning to let go of the past and learning how to accept yourself, exactly as you are, are two of the hardest lessons we learn in life, and both Carli and Reed dealt with that here.
This book was so well done. Not only extremely well-written, but also engaging and gripping and one-hundred percent the type of book I love to read the most. Because it stands out. The hero and heroine stand out. The storyline and setting stand out. The writing stands out. Everything about this book is unique and special, and I loved it so much.
Angsty, sweet, humorous, stunning, and emotional, Signs of Attraction offers a distinctive look into the hearts and minds of two strong and tortured people. Their connection is natural, the writing is flawless, and the story…beautiful, heartfelt, and breathtaking.
Final Analysis
Belongs on any contemporary romance lovers keeper shelf!
5 “Must Read” Stars
About the Author
Laura Brown lives in Massachusetts with her quirky abnormal family. Her husband’s put up with her since high school, her young son keeps her on her toes, and her three cats think they deserve more scratches. Hearing loss is a big part of who she is, from her own Hard of Hearing ears, to the characters she creates.
