Shallow River
Shallow River is a standalone dark romance by H.D. Carlton. River McAllister escaped the horrors of her past at Shallow Hill, and is rebuilding a life she thought was safe with her boyfriend Ryan Fitzgerald. When Ryan's charm curdles into control and violence, his estranged brother Mako is the only one who sees it happening — but he has no idea River is far more capable of protecting herself than anyone realizes. Told in dual first-person POV, it is a raw, unflinching look at the psychology of an abusive relationship, and at what happens when the person everyone assumes is the victim turns out to be the one worth fearing.
This title is a standalone novel and does not require reading any of the author's other series or books to understand the plot.
The narrative portrays a realistic and often frustrating depiction of the psychological cycle of abuse, specifically focusing on the protagonist's initial tendency to rationalize her partner's behavior and accept blame before her eventual shift in perspective.