Shallow River

H. D. Carlton

Shallow River is a standalone dark romance novel by H. D. Carlton centered on River McAllister, a woman who escaped a brutal childhood only to find herself drawn into a dangerous relationship with her outwardly perfect but controlling boyfriend, Ryan. When Ryan's estranged brother Mako notices the warning signs, he becomes entangled in River's life and in confronting what Ryan is truly capable of. Told in dual first-person perspectives, the book is less a traditional sweet romance and more a raw, unflinching look at cycles of abuse, trauma, and survival.