“I’ve always admired musicians who are able to tune out everyone and everything around them and pour all of their focus into their music. To be able to shut the world off and allow yourself to be completely swept away is something I’ve always wanted the confidence to do, but I just don’t have it.”

Sydney observes Ridge from a distance as he plays his guitar, admiring his musicianship. It is music that draws Sydney and Ridge together even before they officially meet. Throughout the novel, Sydney gains confidence in herself through her relationship with Ridge and learns to embrace her own talents as a songwriter.

“I run my hands up my arms, rubbing away the sudden onset of discomfort washing over me. I feel as if I’m watching my future play out in front of me. I’m not so sure I like what I’m imagining. Am I ready for this? Am I ready for this guy to be the guy I bring dinner to every night when he gets home from work?”

Recalling her boyfriend Hunter’s desire to move in together, Sydney grows overwhelmed with discomfort. Before discovering Hunter’s infidelity, Sydney already experiences dissatisfaction with her relationship due to her desire for independence. She asks herself rhetorical questions regarding her willingness to continue a relationship with him, which vary the rhythm of the prose. Her relationship with Ridge teaches Sydney that she does not have to settle for a life of complacency, but that she can find both love and independence.

“I can’t help but appreciate the fact that she doesn’t respond to my being deaf the way I expect her to. Most people become uneasy once they aren’t sure how to communicate with me. The majority of them raise their voices and talk slowly, sort of like Bridgette. I guess they think being louder will somehow miraculously make me hear again. However, it does nothing but force me to contain my laughter while they talk to me as if I’m an idiot. Granted, I know people don’t do it to be disrespectful. It’s just simple ignorance, and that’s fine. I’m so used to it I don’t even notice anymore.”

Ridge remarks on how others treat him when they discover he is deaf. He notes Sydney’s lack of discomfort, which is novel to him. Throughout the novel, Ridge demonstrates the complexities of living as a person who is deaf, with nuanced emotional experiences that affect all humans. Hoover does not define Ridge by his deafness while also honoring the unique life experiences of being deaf.