Book Review: Nonverbal (Love Beyond Words) by Raina Ash

Nonverbal (Love Beyond Words) by Raina Ash is a contemporary romance. Paige—a bubbly, autistic woman obsessed with EDM—is lost when it comes to finding a man to connect with. But when she moves in with her best friend's brother, the chemistry is instant. Is there room for love in her fight for independence? Paige yearns for one thing: release. But physical barriers make that wish seem impossible. Thanks to a shattered home life, she also doesn't know how to trust. Especially those she loves. Paige isn't expecting a spark with her bestie's brother, Brody. He's gigantic, protective, and makes her feel something she hasn't felt in a long time: safe. Brody wants to keep his relationship with Paige platonic, but he can't get the troubled woman out of his mind. Maybe it's the way she makes him question his entire stance on relationships. But his sister, Amber, warns him to stay away. He needs to listen. For everyone's sake. As Paige struggles to navigate her tumultuous feelings and legal troubles, words fail her. How can she understand her heart when her past left her damaged? And what if revealing the truth means losing Brody forever?

Nonverbal gives readers a good look at how one nonverbal, autistic woman feels and what she has been through. Her search for a life, and an orgasm, is the foundation of the book. I loved the relationship with Brody, and how organically it is formed. I also love that the book contained honest looks at how addiction and trauma effects people, and how being willing and ready for change is just as important of every other aspect of growth. I felt like Paige, Brody, and Ashley all grew a great deal in this story, and that even secondary characters that we only saw glimpses of are on their own journeys- not just scenery for this one story. There is talk about abuse and trauma, and a great deal of honesty thoughts and conversation about sex. If any of these things are triggers for you, or something you just do not want to read about, then I would skip the read. However, I thought all of the hard topic included in the book are tacked with honesty and respect, which I greatly appreciated. 

Nonverbal is a engaging and emotional read.

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