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Words Unsaid

by KG MacGregor

As parents, Anna and Lily’s guiding principle is to help their children reach their potential and capture their dreams. Ten-year-old Eleanor is a STEM whiz already building apps for her mobile phone, while her twin brother Georgie is climbing the youth tennis rankings in Southern California. Andy continues his love affair with cars, but his dream is threatened when Anna decides to sell her empire of dealerships and move on to her next career challenge.

At her wits’ end with sixteen-year-old Andy, Anna can’t fathom how he got to be so strong-willed and stubborn. Lily has a pretty good idea, but she’s mostly keeping those thoughts to herself. Now a family court judge, her experience playing peacemaker is coming in handy at home.

What they need is a family vacation, a chance to draw closer and reaffirm their love for one another. Those plans are suddenly upended when Andy goes missing.

Don’t miss Words Unsaid, the fifth installment in KG MacGregor’s ground- breaking, award-winning Shaken series.

eBook

$9.99

Paperback

$16.95

In stock

Genre Romance/Fiction
Length 234 pages
Publication Date April 15, 2021
Publisher Bella Books
ISBN 9781642472813e
Editor Katherine V. Forrest
Cover Designer Kayla Mancuso

Extras

GCLS Goldie Awards
Words Unsaid — Finalist, General Fiction.

FROM THE AUTHOR

"I never planned to write another book in the Shaken Series after Mother Load. When the twins came along, Anna and Lily’s family was complete. What better point to send them off on their Happy Ever After?

I’ve been blessed with loyal readers of this series, going back almost twenty years ago when it was first posted as fanfiction that imagined Xena and Gabrielle meeting again in a future life. I hated to disappoint fans by saying Mother Load would be the last one. Instead, I fell back on my usual response to questions about sequels: “I have no plans at this time for a sequel, but if I get a good story idea, I promise I’ll write it.”

When I first got the inspiration for Words Unsaid, it was to be a standalone romance with fresh characters, but it languished for months while I tried to develop women who would fall in love against the backdrop of a more dramatic plot I wanted to weave through the story. The characters just wouldn’t talk to me—not a peep out of the women or the teenage boy at the center of the drama. I almost quit on it. Then suddenly I realized I already knew their voices—Anna, Lily and Andy—and this was a crucial chapter of their ongoing story. And since I’d promised…well, I had to write it."

—KG MacGregor

Reviews

NetGalley
Mikhila - This book is a continuation of the Shaken series by KG MacGregor which started as two women trapped in a mall after an earthquake and slowly falling in love. In this book we get a further look into their family.

Everything about this book was perfect to me—from more of my favorite characters to even more character development and to top it all off a gut punch of reality. We see Anna struggle with what many parents fail to even notice they’re doing and that is forcing their wants onto their child. She wants Andy to do everything her way and the satisfaction of her facing that adds on to my enjoyment of this book.

It’s been awhile since I’ve been unable to put a book down and admittedly for the first few pages of this book I had already made up my mind to give it four stars out of my lack of excitement but as I approached the climax of the book I found my self all over the place in emotion. As someone who’s previously read up on the topic of ICE methods there was not a doubt about the realism of the story which helped add to the emotions that I felt.

Five stars! My only complaint is that it wasn’t longer because I would’ve loved more parenting scenes with them and their other two kids.

NetGalley
Bonnie K. - This is a great family drama that touches on issues that are currently going on today. As the story progress it really sheds a light on immigration, ICE, politics and what some families might be facing today in this country. The page turner is beautifully crafted and well written. I recommend 5 stars.

NetGalley
Nutmeg - Fantastic 5th instalment to the Shaken series. I was surprised and could not believe that the author gave us another book for the series. Before I delved into this book, I went back to the previous 4 and basked in the love of Anna and Lily once again. For those who have not read the series, the ladies met while trapped under the debris and fallen structure of a mall due to an earthquake. What started as an oven toaster romance grew into a family with kids added into the mix.

This time around the spotlight is on Anna and Lily’s kids and some changes to Anna’s car dealership empire. What stands out for me in this book is the bond between Anna and Lily. The pair has gone through so much in the previous books yet the love and support that radiates through the pages cannot be contained. Andy, their eldest son who was adopted when his birth mother (Lily’s sister) died, is 16 now. He has eyes on being the successor to Anna’s business but has not quite developed the fortitude and maturity to do so. In this book, Anna has her hands full trying to manage her expectations of Andy and the sale of her empire. Lily, the ever nurturing parent, who has left her career on the sidelines to care for her children and family is finally a judge. You see her at her best, presiding over family matters and no doubt terrorising parents due to her personal experience and knowledge of the system.

5 stars. You cannot miss this series of love, family and life. Although this latest addition does not focus as extensively on the couple, it is a natural progression of their great relationship and a very welcomed update of their family life.

NetGalley
Dianne K. - KG MacGregor is one of my favorite authors, and her Shaken series is right at the top of my favorite work of hers. I love the characters of Anna and Lily and was so happy to read more about their journey together. MacGregor has a knack for adding socially conscious information into her books and this one was very timely (immigration and how children are detained by ICE).

Wrapped around this whole story though was the continuing love story between the two women. They may bicker and snip at each other now and again, but it felt good to read how solid their relationship has become and how firm their love is.

Loved it—is it too much to hope that there may be yet another installment?

The Lesbian Book Blog
This is a fantastic read. The storyline is gripping, well-told and perfectly paced. The main characters, unsurprisingly, are lovely as ever. Anna and Lily have always had this charming appeal, and Words Unsaid really spotlights it. They drive this story and its difficult subject matter home in ways that lesser characters would fail. This is a top-notch story and I highly recommend it. If you haven’t read the other four books in the series, I’d suggest that you do. They are all too good to miss.

Customer Reviews

2 reviews for Words Unsaid – eBook

  1. LACUSFPHD (verified owner)

    Darned good book!
    The prologue threw me for a loop! But KG MacGregor took me on a ride through the Kaklis family history from the end of Small Packages and into the turbulent “former guy” years. (and yes, I did go back and re-read the previous books a couple of weeks ago). It’s a roller coaster ride that you don’t want to miss. Read this book!

  2. Kathleen (verified owner)

    Whew, what a wild read!
    Words Unsaid, the latest in the Shaken Series, goes full throttle from the start and doesn’t let up. Twelve years have passed, and the Kaklis family has had its share of loss. Some hit harder than others…not ashamed to admit my heart hurt a few times.
    The action ramps up quickly, and it’s a seesaw of emotion as KG hits hard on current events and the horrific consequences of having a soulless megalomaniac in power. Terrifyingly relevant.
    Still, the love of family and the devotion that Anna and Lily share is right out in front…two badass women who will literally stop at nothing to get their son back home.
    And Andy’s growth during a hellish ordeal was intriguing to watch.
    This is an edge of your seat book…in the absolutely best way.

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