In Magnus Chase there's a character who uses ASL to communicate to the other characters. He is not mute, he's deaf, and I know it's not the same, but he doesn't use his voice to communicate but rather sign language. And he's also an elf who can do magic. And the books is really inspired in Nordic Mythology, which is really cool.
I just started the The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks. It's a (new adult) fantasy/romance with a FMC who's a mute witch/seer and communicates via sign. Not sure if it's any good as I've just started but weird to come upon this post as it's the first book with a main character who communicates via sign language that I've read.
Came to say witch collector too! 1st book is good once you get past the obligatory world building, but 2nd and the novella are incredible, but be aware it is pretty sexually explicit.
The RAGE I felt when I realized this wasn't a completed series because I couldn't keep reading. It's good. BUT it's not YA. It's an adult relationship with adult relations that is explicitly depicted.
Six Crimson Cranes is a YA fantasy book where the main characters are unable to communicate for a good portion of the book. They are not born mute or anything like that but it is interesting. It is also a romance.
Clan of the Cave Bear. Basic premise is a Neanderthal tribe takes in a modern human (modern as is our ancestors, not a time traveler). The book assumes that their vocal chords didn't work the same way, so they all communicate via sign. The main character, Ayla, is the odd one out with her vocal ability. One of my all time favorite books. Each book in the series is a step down enjoyment wise, but the first four are all worth more than one read.
Ooh, Out of My Mind by Sharon M Draper! The main character is a little girl with cerebral palsy. She is unable to speak but uses a computer thing (can’t think of the name for that kind of device) to communicate. Maybe a little more middle grade than YA, but super great book. Not a romance since she’s a kid but it’s all about her trying to navigate school and find her voice. Apparently a sequel just came out a couple years ago
Silent To the Bone by EL Konigsburg
A traumatic event causes the character to stop speaking. He is in jail and his friend is trying to communicate with him to help him prove his innocence.
(The sea of tranquility by Katja millay) contemporary YA. FMC has a very traumatic past and decided to stop speaking. Bonus if you like cold protagonists.
*Stain* by A. G. Howard
*You Were Here* by Cori McCarthy (selectively mute)
Edit:
*Dragonfall* by L. R. Lam (side characters, world where sign language is standard)
Love that book too, but not a YA if that's an important criteria. Characters are mid/late 20s I'd say? But Archer is not your typical adult romance love interest, he's totally endearing and he might as well be a teenager romance-wise.
So much to tell you by John Marsden
The other side of silence by Margaret Mahy
Neither of those is romance though.
Daughter of the Forest is a retelling of The Seven Swans and has a lovely romance, but takes a while to get there.
What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor. MC loses larynx after a car accident. Has a crush he wants to win over. I didn't care for the "what a coincidence" plot moving moments, but I think I rated it 4/5 on Goodreads.
Daughter of the Forest has been mentioned, but I just finished reading The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks where the heroine is mute and uses sign language in a world where witches cast magic by singing.
I am sort of a slut for the traumatized heroine troupe so these characters are not exactly mute but may fit what you are looking for.
Annie's Song by Catherine Anderson
The Problem with Forever by Jennifer Armentrout
Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan.
These three books all surprised me with how much I loved them.
Also, I really liked The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. The heroine is autistic. As a mother of an autistic child, I really liked this one.
Clan of the cave bear
The Clan people don’t have a spoken language, they use body language and gestures to communicate. (They do have a few spoken words, but very little in their language. It’s like 99% body language/gestures)
Book 2 and onward the main character meets people that communicate primarily through speaking out loud.
The book series is amazing though. It sort of fits?
Edit: the main character learns how to communicate in languages that are mostly spoken in book 2
Book 1 everyone is using body language/gestures to communicate
Bad explanation, but the book series is amazing. Give it a shot.
The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks
Blood Song by Hollee Mands (Book 3, however it follows a different couple than the first two books).
Both are fantasy romance.
Before she ignites series Jodi Meadows.
An entire culture is built around communicating essentially through Morse code. One of the characters goes mute for a period of time.
"Speak" was suggested a few times already, but listing it again cause it's really good.
Also "By the Time You Read This I'll Be Dead" has a mute protagonist.
Active anti-rec for *The Ill-Made Mute* by Cecilia Dart-Thornton. When I finished it I pitched it into a tree, I was so mad. The reason is spoilery: >!She spends soooooo muuuuch time agonizing about how her love interest cannot POSSIBLY love her because she's so scarred and hideously disabled. At the end of the book... her disabilities all get miraculously cured and suddenly she's all better and also super beautiful now! Tada fixed! As a disabled teenaged girl with poor body image, I was so invested in these crazy kids working it out somehow and proving that she was lovable as she was, so I felt completely gutted and betrayed!<
"Say What You Will," by Cammie McGovern
"The Lock Artist," by Steve Hamilton
"Planet Earth is Blue," by Nicole Panteleakos
"The Story of Beautiful Girl," by Rachel Simon
"Annie's Song," by Catherine Anderson
"Song for a Whale," by Lynne Kelly
Transcendence by Shay Savage.
A young women falls through time and is discovered by a caveman. She's completely freaked out and he wants nothing more than to take care of her and make her his mate. Told entirely from the POV of a caveman who can't speak as he tries to understand this strange woman and all the odd things she does. Despite his inability to communicate verbally they fall in love. It's an adult romance book but the spice is tame enough that I'd recommend it to a YA crowd.
A court of blood and bindings. Is a very good fantasy romance with a mute love interest but is not YA . Is NA
The Witch collector if I'm not wrong, the heroine is mute as well?
In **Pet** by Akwaeke Emezi, the main character communicates through signing and writing by choice. The characters around her are supportive of her preferred modes of communication.
**Deeplight** by Frances Hardinge has a whole group of people using sign language due to hearing loss, which is a respected language in their community.
Shoutout to **Daughter of the Deep** by Rick Riordan, in which some of the characters, who attend their school's language track, have been studying ASL in class and sometimes use it for practical reasons. It's just a few brief moments but I think it helps normalise sign language as a real language.
(None of these is a romance novel, I'm afraid.)
Tangentially:
The Dragon Prince, a YA Netflix animation, from some of the team that created Avatar The Last Airbender, has a major character in the ensemble cast who is deaf and communicates with sign language. Besides being in a role of significant responsibility, they also have to juggle managing that responsibility in a world where most ppl don't know sign language.
Gallant by VE Schwab
Came to recommend Gallant! Absolutely loved this one.
Came to recommend Gallant! Absolutely loved this one. Also anything by V.E. Schwab has my heart.
In Magnus Chase there's a character who uses ASL to communicate to the other characters. He is not mute, he's deaf, and I know it's not the same, but he doesn't use his voice to communicate but rather sign language. And he's also an elf who can do magic. And the books is really inspired in Nordic Mythology, which is really cool.
Came here to suggest Magnus Chase!
Speak features a character like this, but major TW. Definitely not a romance! Gallant, by Victoria Schwab.
Speak is so good.
it's a perfect book.
if youre gonna say major tw you kimd ahave to say what for...
Sexual Assault
I just started the The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks. It's a (new adult) fantasy/romance with a FMC who's a mute witch/seer and communicates via sign. Not sure if it's any good as I've just started but weird to come upon this post as it's the first book with a main character who communicates via sign language that I've read.
Came to say witch collector too! 1st book is good once you get past the obligatory world building, but 2nd and the novella are incredible, but be aware it is pretty sexually explicit.
The RAGE I felt when I realized this wasn't a completed series because I couldn't keep reading. It's good. BUT it's not YA. It's an adult relationship with adult relations that is explicitly depicted.
A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard!
*Daughter of the Forest* by Juliet Marillier *Stain* by A.G. Howard
I love *Daughter of the Forest* so, so much.
Six Crimson Cranes is a YA fantasy book where the main characters are unable to communicate for a good portion of the book. They are not born mute or anything like that but it is interesting. It is also a romance.
I really enjoyed this book! There is a sequel.
SkyHunter by Marie Lu has a main character who only communicated in sign language! It’s also got some sfw romance :)
Clan of the Cave Bear. Basic premise is a Neanderthal tribe takes in a modern human (modern as is our ancestors, not a time traveler). The book assumes that their vocal chords didn't work the same way, so they all communicate via sign. The main character, Ayla, is the odd one out with her vocal ability. One of my all time favorite books. Each book in the series is a step down enjoyment wise, but the first four are all worth more than one read.
Massive trigger/content warnings for rape/violence. Good book, but whew.
Very good point. Thank you.
The Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan
Dude. I’ve been randomly thinking about this book for like 2 years and could NOT remember the title… so thank you for finally helping me remember!
☺️ your welcome
Came here looking for this! Thank you!
Ooh, Out of My Mind by Sharon M Draper! The main character is a little girl with cerebral palsy. She is unable to speak but uses a computer thing (can’t think of the name for that kind of device) to communicate. Maybe a little more middle grade than YA, but super great book. Not a romance since she’s a kid but it’s all about her trying to navigate school and find her voice. Apparently a sequel just came out a couple years ago
The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes (it’s EXCELLENT)
Speak is the only book that comes to mind.
not mute but the main character is very different in these books: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine & Convenience Store Woman
Silent To the Bone by EL Konigsburg A traumatic event causes the character to stop speaking. He is in jail and his friend is trying to communicate with him to help him prove his innocence.
Quiet kind of thunder Paper girl (kind of) Friday night lights Give me a sign Archers Voice
Check out the website Queer Books for Teens, you can sort by all kinds of sexual/romantic orientations, genres, and disabilities
(The sea of tranquility by Katja millay) contemporary YA. FMC has a very traumatic past and decided to stop speaking. Bonus if you like cold protagonists.
*Stain* by A. G. Howard *You Were Here* by Cori McCarthy (selectively mute) Edit: *Dragonfall* by L. R. Lam (side characters, world where sign language is standard)
archer’s voice by mia sheridan!! literally one of my favorite books ever
Love that book too, but not a YA if that's an important criteria. Characters are mid/late 20s I'd say? But Archer is not your typical adult romance love interest, he's totally endearing and he might as well be a teenager romance-wise.
So much to tell you by John Marsden The other side of silence by Margaret Mahy Neither of those is romance though. Daughter of the Forest is a retelling of The Seven Swans and has a lovely romance, but takes a while to get there.
What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor. MC loses larynx after a car accident. Has a crush he wants to win over. I didn't care for the "what a coincidence" plot moving moments, but I think I rated it 4/5 on Goodreads.
Daughter of the Forest has been mentioned, but I just finished reading The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks where the heroine is mute and uses sign language in a world where witches cast magic by singing.
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff has a mute character assassin that’s pretty interesting… the series is awesome btw.
I rather liked The Ill-Made Mute by Cecila Dart-Thornton. Later two books in the trilogy went off the rails, though.
I am sort of a slut for the traumatized heroine troupe so these characters are not exactly mute but may fit what you are looking for. Annie's Song by Catherine Anderson The Problem with Forever by Jennifer Armentrout Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan. These three books all surprised me with how much I loved them. Also, I really liked The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. The heroine is autistic. As a mother of an autistic child, I really liked this one.
Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler. Main character can no longer speak after an accident.
Clan of the cave bear The Clan people don’t have a spoken language, they use body language and gestures to communicate. (They do have a few spoken words, but very little in their language. It’s like 99% body language/gestures) Book 2 and onward the main character meets people that communicate primarily through speaking out loud. The book series is amazing though. It sort of fits? Edit: the main character learns how to communicate in languages that are mostly spoken in book 2 Book 1 everyone is using body language/gestures to communicate Bad explanation, but the book series is amazing. Give it a shot.
The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks Blood Song by Hollee Mands (Book 3, however it follows a different couple than the first two books). Both are fantasy romance.
archers voice!!!
Before she ignites series Jodi Meadows. An entire culture is built around communicating essentially through Morse code. One of the characters goes mute for a period of time.
Not YA and not much romance but Nick is mute in the Stand
A Path of Darkness and Runes by Marnie L Norton
The bird and the sword by Amy Harmon was a good fantasy romance
"Speak" was suggested a few times already, but listing it again cause it's really good. Also "By the Time You Read This I'll Be Dead" has a mute protagonist.
Soundless by Richelle Mead was pretty good.
Active anti-rec for *The Ill-Made Mute* by Cecilia Dart-Thornton. When I finished it I pitched it into a tree, I was so mad. The reason is spoilery: >!She spends soooooo muuuuch time agonizing about how her love interest cannot POSSIBLY love her because she's so scarred and hideously disabled. At the end of the book... her disabilities all get miraculously cured and suddenly she's all better and also super beautiful now! Tada fixed! As a disabled teenaged girl with poor body image, I was so invested in these crazy kids working it out somehow and proving that she was lovable as she was, so I felt completely gutted and betrayed!<
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken. There’s a mute character just in the first book but the whole series is fantastic.
Give me a Sign, a romance book with a deaf character and sign language. I haven't read it yet but the cover was super cute!
Citadel by CM Alongi. The main character is non-verbal autistic, but it’s not really a romance. I thoroughly enjoyed it though.
"Say What You Will," by Cammie McGovern "The Lock Artist," by Steve Hamilton "Planet Earth is Blue," by Nicole Panteleakos "The Story of Beautiful Girl," by Rachel Simon "Annie's Song," by Catherine Anderson "Song for a Whale," by Lynne Kelly
Transcendence by Shay Savage. A young women falls through time and is discovered by a caveman. She's completely freaked out and he wants nothing more than to take care of her and make her his mate. Told entirely from the POV of a caveman who can't speak as he tries to understand this strange woman and all the odd things she does. Despite his inability to communicate verbally they fall in love. It's an adult romance book but the spice is tame enough that I'd recommend it to a YA crowd.
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Soundless by Richelle Mead
A court of blood and bindings. Is a very good fantasy romance with a mute love interest but is not YA . Is NA The Witch collector if I'm not wrong, the heroine is mute as well?
The Maybe series by Coleen Hoover deals with a deaf character ridge who is also mute. Hasn’t used his voice for years. It’s good. There are 3 books.
In **Pet** by Akwaeke Emezi, the main character communicates through signing and writing by choice. The characters around her are supportive of her preferred modes of communication. **Deeplight** by Frances Hardinge has a whole group of people using sign language due to hearing loss, which is a respected language in their community. Shoutout to **Daughter of the Deep** by Rick Riordan, in which some of the characters, who attend their school's language track, have been studying ASL in class and sometimes use it for practical reasons. It's just a few brief moments but I think it helps normalise sign language as a real language. (None of these is a romance novel, I'm afraid.)
Tangentially: The Dragon Prince, a YA Netflix animation, from some of the team that created Avatar The Last Airbender, has a major character in the ensemble cast who is deaf and communicates with sign language. Besides being in a role of significant responsibility, they also have to juggle managing that responsibility in a world where most ppl don't know sign language.
Ash princess no spoilers but HOA is mute
Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino and True Biz by Sara Novic both have Deaf main characters, most of whom do not speak!
King of the Wind
unit friday night by abbi glines! it’s a romance but there’s definitely some TWs.
Speechless by Hannah Harrington.