He can’t save her from her past, but he can wait to be her future.

Music was her driving passion and the truest expression of her faith, but three months before her wedding, twenty-year-old Kasia Bernolak can’t even pick up her guitar. Feeling like a fraud who will ruin her dad’s pastoral reputation, she can barely meet his eyes. When Kasia finds the strength to break off her engagement, she still doesn’t realize the dangerous truth: Blake Hamilton isn’t ready to say goodbye. And he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her.

Alexander “Zan” Maddox has seen what a domineering man can do to an unsuspecting woman, and Zan is sick of injustice. He gave up a college baseball scholarship so he could protect his sister from her abusive husband. When he rescues Kasia from her ex-fiancé, he instinctively appoints himself her personal bodyguard. Now, all he has to do is keep from falling for her himself.

Kasia and Zan become fast friends, but true healing and justice might cost more than either of them is willing to pay.

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Endorsements

“Honest, raw and relatable, Strains of Silence shatters the stigma of shame, abuse and regret in one beautifully written novel. You can’t help but find a little bit of healing for yourself in every page.”

~ Betsy St. Amant, author of All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes, and Love Arrives in Pieces

“Strains of Silence gives poignant words to an unprecedented epidemic young adults face—partner abuse. Set here and abroad, readers will grow to love Kaczmarek’s well-drawn characters and appreciate unique storytelling.”

~ Mary DeMuth, author of The Muir House

“Fearless to write about tender subjects, Bethany Kaczmarek pens a poignant story of redemption, forgiveness, and glorious unconditional love. Readers will be held captive by her vivid imagery, honest writing, and precision in guiding them through the trials and triumphs of these real-to-life characters.”

 ~ Jessica R. Patch, author of the Seasons of Hope Series, Fatal Reunion & Protective Duty

“Bethany Kaczmarek has a knockout debut novel. Strains of Silence produces intense emotion, deep characters, and forces the reader into a voracious desire to continue turning the pages. I look forward for more from this breakout novelist. A must read – a glad you did novel.”

~ Cindy K. Sproles, Best-selling author of award-winning Mercy’s Rain

“Bethany Kaczmarek’s clean prose and deep understanding of her characters work together to create Strains of Silence, a novel at once charming and terrifying. Her portrayal of abuse is both believable and chilling, and yet she handles the subject with confidence and unflinching courage. Her protagonists are far from perfect, but they each find hope in their respective darkness. Strains of Silence is a gripping novel that arrests the reader from the beginning and holds them through to the end.”

~ Aaron D. Gansky, Author of The Hand of Adonai Series, Write to Be Heard, and The Bargain

“Author Bethany Kaczmarek weaves music with her words. The Strains of Silence immediately captures the reader with a compelling story and characters who step off the page. She approaches real-life situations with believability and grace. She offers hope and honesty in such a way that makes us all remember we are loved. Definitely an author who has moved to the top of my favorite’s list.

  ~ Edie Melson, Author of While My Child is Away & Director of Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference

“A lyrical and timely novel. Bethany Kaczmarek drew me into Kasia’s spiritual conflict, her relationship struggles, and her ethnic culture all within the first paragraphs and swept me into a story I’ll be pondering for a long time. Strains of Silence is moving, intimate, and universal, a breath-taking story that will deepen your appreciation for the young adults in the booth beside you at the coffee shop or in the next pew. It may even help you love the young adult staring back from your mirror. Don’t miss this relevant and engaging read.”

 ~ Lori Stanley Roeleveld, author of Jesus and the Beanstalk and Running from a Crazy Man

“Bethany Kaczmarek’s debut novel is a well written and captivating gem. It was an encouragement to read despite its tough subject matter. Strains of Silence takes believable characters and weaves them into a story that is not only beautiful, but also timely. Not afraid to tackle a very real subject, Kaczmarek’s story speaks truth and wisdom about a situation that too many young adults find themselves in these days. Well written and captivating, I look forward to more delightful stories from this new author.”

~ Tamara D. Fickas, columnist for Broken but Priceless Magazine

“Bethany Kaczmarek’s debut novel, Strains of Silence, will grab your heart and not let go until the last page! Kasia struggles to escape an abusive relationship and regain her sense of self, even while she faces up to her own devastating choices. Kaczmarek’s heroine is transparent and genuine, and her journey mirrors that of 1 in 4 women in America. With a story that keeps the reader engaged, the author depicts the devastating impact of being sucked in to such a relationship, but leaves the reader encouraged that God can redeem even this. This is more than simply an entertaining story, it is a rallying cry to any woman who finds herself trapped in the cycle of manipulation, abuse, and promises-that-are-never-kept. You are loved! You are strong enough to escape! You are brave enough to face your abuser and see justice done! And God is with you.”

~ Felicia Bridges, author of CzechMate