Read-2-Review: February 2026

Guilty Silence
Silence, #3

later in life romantic suspense book cover

Book blurb banner for romantic suspense and later in life book Guilty Silence.

Bess Choi is proud of what she’s accomplished. Owner of Strange Brew, a popular coffee shop in Silence, she’s worked hard and has overcome many obstacles to build the life she has. It’s a good life, one that includes work she loves, an apartment to call her own, and plenty of good friends.

But an unexpected phone call comes as a brutal reminder of a time she thought she’d left far behind. Suddenly, she’s faced with the choice to turn her back on the beautiful life she created, or break her guilty silence.

Chief Deputy Hugo Alexander isn’t sure when exactly he started seeing the quiet coffee shop owner as more than simply a good friend. It’s hard to pinpoint the moment when she went from a supportive friend to him and his teenage son, to the woman who features in his dreams and fantasies.

Unfortunately, Bess Choi seems to have him firmly locked in the friend zone, and it’s not until worrisome things start happening around her, she cautiously starts lowering the barriers.

But when he discovers she might be in far more danger than she’s been willing to let on, he’s done tiptoeing around.

AMAZON | APPLE BOOKS | NOOK | KOBO

The Book Junkie reads . . . Review of . . . Guilty Silence (Silence, #3) . . . ☕ Guilty Silence: A 5-Star Blend of Suspense and Soul!

Freya Barker continues to be a powerhouse in the world of inclusive romance! Her true understanding of "love with no boundaries" shines in this third installment of the Silence series. She doesn't just write romance; she recognizes the complexities of the racial world we live in, making Bess and Hugo’s journey feel deeply authentic and necessary. ☕🛡️✨ ☕ The Coffee Shop Owner and the Deputy Bess Choi is a heroine to admire. She’s built a beautiful life with her shop, Strange Brew, but she’s haunted by a "guilty silence" from a past she thought was buried. When that past comes calling, she has to decide if she can risk the life she’s built to do what’s right. I loved her strength and the way she cautiously lowered her barriers! ☕🛡️ Chief Deputy Hugo Alexander is the ultimate protective hero. A single father who realized his "supportive friend" was actually the woman of his dreams, he’s tired of being in the friend zone. Once he realizes Bess is in danger, the "tiptoeing" is over! Watching a later-in-life romance where the stakes are this high is incredibly satisfying. 🚓👨‍👦 ✨ Why This Installation Wins: The Multi-Racial Dynamics: Freya Barker’s inclusivity is top-tier. She crafts a world where different backgrounds blend seamlessly into a beautiful, high-stakes narrative. 🌏💖 The "Later in Life" Realism: There is a maturity to Hugo and Bess’s connection. It’s not just about "instalove"; it’s about friendship, shared history, and the protective instincts of a man who has something to lose. Heroine in Peril: The suspense kept the pages turning! The "secret past" trope was executed perfectly, making the romantic payoff feel deeply earned. My Final Verdict Guilty Silence is a 5-star masterpiece of Romantic Suspense! It’s "sizzling," grounded, and perfectly highlights why we love Freya Barker. Hugo and Bess prove that no matter how long you’ve been "just friends," or how dark your past is, love has no boundaries when you finally decide to speak up. 🚓☕🔥 Bess and Hugo were such a powerful pair!

Reasons I enjoyed this book: Easy-to-read Entertaining Great world building Page-turner Realistic Wonderful characters Small town Community

Meet the Author banner for romantic suspense and later in life book Guilty Silence.

Freya Baker Romantic Suspense and Later in Life Romance Author

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We've Read All Year Award for "Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

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