A weaponized heartbreak. A soul held hostage. A war that feeds on broken promises.When Quin Merrit exposed a conspiracy turning love into chains, he thought he'd saved the Bureau of Amorous Compliance. He was wrong. Someone just turned his victory into ammunition-and now broken vows are powering siege engines.Welcome back to the Bureau, where treaties require magical verification, heartbreak can be weaponized, and the Silence Perimeters meant to contain war magic are collapsing entire cities into enforced quiet. Also, humming is still punishable by decapitation. The Bureau takes sound ordinances seriously.Former Senior Auditor Quin Merrit (currently flagged "Anomalous Heart") has been forcibly un-retired for one mission: negotiate a peace treaty to end the Heartbreak War. Check compatibility clauses. Verify no coercion. Survive diplomatic dinners where the soup is politically neutral but the appetizers want you dead.He's never failed a negotiation.Until he's partnered with her again.Perfect for fans of: T. Kingfisher's Swordheart (fantasy romance with real stakes)Terry Pratchett's Small Gods (questioning institutional power)Alix E. Harrow's Starling House (Gothic fantasy with bureaucratic horror)The Goblin Emperor (political fantasy with genuine kindness)Legends & Lattes (but make it war crimes)If you've ever wanted to read: Fantasy romance where "I'm escrowing my soul to protect you" is peak devotionTerry Pratchett but make it war and consequencesA middle book that's actually about somethingFound family but make it four invisible auditors judging your life choicesSlow-burn romance where filing proper revocation paperwork is foreplayA book where the real enemy is weaponized bureaucracyComedy that understands trauma but still finds hope...then welcome to the Heartbreak War.Reader Reviews: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I ugly-cried over a tuning ribbon. Author owes me an apology and also my soul back."⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This book made me understand that 'I filed an emergency injunction to prevent your soul's liquidation' is the most romantic sentence ever written."⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "The Silence Perimeters are legitimately creepy. Like, surprisingly affecting for a book about magical paperwork."⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Bittersweet doesn't begin to cover it. I'm emotionally compromised and the Velvet Whisper Quartet knows it."⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Warning: Contains actual war, actual consequences, and a romance that earns every single feeling."⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "The middle book that doesn't coast. Jafar said 'buckle up' and I did not buckle up enough."THE VELVET WHISPER CHRONICLES: Book 1: Paperwork of Destiny (recommended but not required-there's a "Previously in..." summary)Book 2: Treaties of Echoes (you are here!)Book 3: Auditors of Eternity (coming soon)Each book escalates the series stakes while delivering complete romantic arcs. But honestly? You're going to want to read them in order for maximum emotional damage.Continue your bureaucratic romance adventure today. Form 14-N (Consent to Extended Heartbreak) may be required for this installment.Content guidance: PG-13 romance (fade-to-black), fantasy warfare, institutional critique, soul escrow (temporary), and one very concerned Quartet.