Shallow Hill is where souls suffer slow and miserable deaths. When River McAllister escaped from Shallow Hill, she left her innocence behind - and some of her sanity, too. Now she's rebuilding her life with her dreams man and life couldn't be better. Ryan Fitzgerald is everything you'd want in a man. Attractive, rich, an aspiring lawyer, and would do anything to keep River. But that's not the only thing that attracts her. It's his attentiveness, his possessiveness....maybe not so much his temper. When her relationship takes a dark turn, Ryan's estranged brother, Mako, is the only one who sees it. He knows exactly what Ryan is capable of, and it's not the first time he had to be a knight in shining armor. River came from Shallow Hill, though. She's never needed saving before. What Mako doesn't see, is that River is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. The only one who should be scared is Ryan. Shallow River by H.D. Carlton was published in November 2020.
Two words about this book. HOLY CRAP!!! I thought Haunting Adeline was bad but this book took a whole new level. Not in the smut but how dark and trigger attacks. When I say, make sure to read a trigger list in a book you need to do it. Especially this book. This book is super hard to get through and I am not sure if I would have pushed ahead to get past a lot of stuff triggering me if it wasn't that I was apart of a book club reading this book with. So let's start with talking about the amazing characters in this book. River is such a complex character throughout this book. She has so much pain in her body from her history of growing up and yet she is strong because of it. I loved how we were in her head at times but yet also wished I could wrap that girl up in a hug (mom side of me). She is well rounded with her emotions and they make you feel for her so much. Alright, let's talk about the huge elephant in the room, Ryan. He is one sneaky guy who you hate so much that you wish you could climb into the book to destroy him. There are times that I wanted to believe him when he talks sweet to River and then I am like "What the hell..." Alright let's talk about the other lead male, Mako. HOLY HOTNESS! I feel like Mako is the bad boy that we were all warned about but yet he has the soft side that keeps us protected. I love how Mako was following the lead of River even though there were times I am like, 'Just kidnap her!" I also love the little foreshadows that H.D. Carlton hid about Mako throughout the book. The author is a sneaky who ends up wrapping everything up into a present at the end. All the characters felt like they were real and it was tempting to go find River or slap Mako for not getting the girl out sooner.
Let's talk about the plot in this book. Triggers Triggers Triggers. I push this to the extreme with this book because I didn't know that it would be an issue with me and it was. My Mom was a victim of DV from my birth father when I was a baby to a toddler. So I don't remember that at all. But, I was a victim of mental abuse by her second husband (my adoptive dad). So the things that Ryan said to River in this book hit me hard. But also it was also an eye opening experience for me to see what kind of what my mom went through. Why she didn't get out after the first hit. How they can go sweet to abusive. This book was really eye opening to me to know how lucky I have it with my own husband as well. The plot in this book was so well written that you don't want to put the book down. You have to know if River got out of the situation. I was only suppose to read to chapter 14 in two weeks and I finished the book. Actually a lot of women in the book club finished the book as well. We had to get to the other end and find all of the doors go shut. I have to share one quote up here because I loved it so much. It is the first thing in the book.
My fist connects with the fucker's nose. The crunch of bone is satisfying as it gives beneath my knuckles. I haven't even pulled my fist from his face yet, and I already want to do it again.
This paragraph just helped me understand that River was not someone to not back down. That she was a tough cookie and I couldn't wait to dig in further. Before I let you go....there is a massive smut scene towards the end of the book. You thought Zade was unique....hahaha
I highly recommend checking out this book just make sure it's the right book for you. Also don't be nervous to put the book down and take breaks or put it down and never pick up again. It's intense and it's not for everyone.
Quotes That I Highlighted
He sucks you in, body and soul, with no chance of escape while he destroys every last bit of you.
"It'll be sexy to see it running down your face after you suck my cock."
"He's like a fucking chihuahua, a small little shit that acts like they have a big bark and tries to lord over everyone bigger than them. For most of Ryan's life, it's worked too.
Abusers don't only manipulate their victims, but they get off on making other's believe that they're upstanding people. They trick them into thinking that they would never hurt a fly, so when accusations come to the surface, they're considered outrageous.
I have as much interest in getting to know Mako as I do getting to know a shark. They're both perfectly capable of eating me alive.
"He's good. I'll give him that....He's broken you so effortlessly, the pain hasn't even hit you yet."
"If you end up in my handcuffs, it won't be because I'm arresting you."
"Then give that privilege to a man who deserves it. If you want a man to own you, then let him. But that's no something he has a right to without your consent."
"I think your pee smells like roses...."
....
"This is the weirdest conversation I've ever had."
"It only gets weirder from here, baby."
I stare at it in fascination as I nibble on my cookie. -Amazing and Funny scene
"What the fuck are you waiting for, old man? Didn't make a big enough impression scattering your little Ghosts around, so you gotta come pick on your daughter?"
Tropes
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