Shallow River

This book is amazing. I just loved it so much. I recommend it, it is an amazing book. I loved everything about it, an honest to be I font’s have words to describe how much I loved it. Recommend it 100% This book graphically details an abusive relationship between one of the MMC and the FMC. However, one thing I think H.D. does beautifully is writing about real like traumas and situations. The plot twists that followed were so intense and powerful. I was emotional for so many different reasons while reading this book. But I was cursing and clapping my hands for River the entire time. Absolutely read your trigger warnings before reading. But I definitely read this book for some healing and peace. 🖤🖤🖤💀💀

Dark in the best and worst way. The trigger warnings are absolutely a necessity and there were a few times reading this I had to look away emotionally, but it paints a good picture as to what real abuse can look like and what the terrible tug can feel like, luckily the blossoming romance in this read felt healthy and a clear juxtaposition between good and evil. In a weird way I wish it were longer only because I would have liked to see the main couple get to know each other a little bit more, but I understand why we couldn’t see too much of that. A heavy (read again, heavy) but compelling and good read.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Favorite quote: "I understand you more than you think I do, River" Tropes: Dark romance (check TWs) | Angsty | Boyfriend's brother | Mystery | Dual POV

The story is very heartbreaking and filled with angst. It is written in a very alluring and captivating style that will make you glued to the pages until the very end. I also enjoyed reading from the character's perspective to get a deep insight into their thoughts and feelings. Overall, it is a solid dark romance book with many triggers; nevertheless, I cannot wait for Hailey's next book.

this story ripped my heart out and put it back together again. those are the only words I can think of. this book is nothing short of amazing!

Jacob Morgan and Michelle Sparks are earning their spots as my favorite narrators. they are capable of so much emotion and bring the characters to life.

this is a tough read because of the domestic violence plot line, but if you can, without hurting your own mental health, read this. listen to it. H.D. Carlton is amazing.

This is definitely a tough read and all the trigger warnings should be read in full detail. That being said, I’ve never read a book that had me on an emotional roller coaster quite like this one. I don’t want to spoil anything but there’s a a lot to unpack in this book and I often found myself crying or upset right along with the MFC . This book is not for the faint of heart but I would definitely recommend it.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this book! I absolutely LOVED Mako and was pretty disappointed that we didn't get much of him.

It honestly felt like the relationship with Ryan was being dragged on too long with the way the blurb was written to make it seem like she could and would handle him herself. I don't think I would have felt that way if River's character didn't come across a bit wishy-washy towards the end of most of her chapters or sections. If her character didn't flip from being that abuse victim who was truly being manipulated, which is completely understandable and really well done in this book, and has that mindset of it all being her fault and he truly loves her to a one-liner at the end of a section/chapter talking about how he should fear her. Then immediately going back to victim mentality/mindset at the start of the next chapter with no indication that she has any idea he is manipulating her and actually abusing her. At the start, I thought it was all going to be an act and she was going to either kill him or leave him because she saw what was happening, and then she would just go down this spiral of being fully within that mindset and covering for him, so it made her character feel unreliable and unrealistic and frustrating half of the time. I honestly thought she was going to leave him earlier on and go to Majo and then Ryan was going to become one of the big bads and go off the deep end and kidnap her or something and then it would all go down similar to how it ended, and I think it would have made her character feel more realistic if that had been the case because we wouldn't have had that weird back and forth where she felt like she was scheming and then submitted to him and allowed him to continue with his abuse and assault.

I will say that I really did enjoy the majority of this book besides those instances mentioned above taking me out of it. I loved Amelia and her husband. I loved to end up hating Matt, even though I don't think it was necessary to have made him a bad guy in order for Ryan to be bad, but I do love how it shows that some monsters are really good at hiding their faces and how abuse can be something that is be passed on theoigh trauma. I was sort of hoping that the psychology professor would have more of a role after that quick chat because I liked the guy lol. And I did really think that the portrayal of an abuse victim was well done and seeing how she thought was so freaking sad.

Rating: 3.5⭐️

I’ve read Haunting and Hunting Adeline and some of her other books, so I thought I was prepared. This book was DARK. I had to set it down a couple of times just wrap my brain around what I was reading. My heart broke for the FMC but the ending was fantastic. And I was hooked till the end.

Be prepared for a lot of twisted and sad situations in this book. If you have experienced DV or childhood trauma before, consider if you’re ready to read a book that may bring up a lot of memories. Definitely read the warnings before you start and take them seriously.

This is a good story with a HEA, but the horror you going through to get there is intense. I personally don’t have triggers to worry about, but if SA or Physical Abuse of an adult or child are your triggers you may just want to skip this one. It’s not a “one instance” either, it’s the whole dang book. I think the author did a good job describing someone who is a survivor/victim of abuse. You feel sorry for them, but you also want to yell “leave him”. It’s a very frustrating situation as an outsider looking in, but it gives insight into the mindset that you deserve what is happening to you or it’s okay because they love you. There is a FF scene that I don’t feel enhanced the story any and I could have done without it.

Spoilers**********

River has been sexually and physically abused her whole life. Her mother is a drugged out prostitute, who has never protected or properly loved her child. River gets out of this bad town and goes to college where she falls in love with Ryan, but he’s unobtainable because he’s dating Alison. When he breaks up with Alison, River makes her move and soon she and Ryan are dating. He’s now a lawyer in his father’s company, she’s finishing up school and has moved in with him. He doesn’t want her to work. Alison tries to warn River about Ryan, but it feels like she’s just trying to break them up. Ryan becomes increasingly more condescending and aggressive with River. It soon becomes clear that he is gaslighting her and alienating her from the outside world. She goes to dinner with him and his family only to discover that he has a brother, Mako. This is weird because Ryan always said he was an only child. During this dinner it’s clear the brothers do not like each other. When they get home Ryan hurts River and accuses her of liking Mako. Throughout the story there are many times that Ryan hits, throws, rapes, and sodomizes River. He even drugs and then rapes her as well. He later admitted that he had been slipping her antibiotics to counteract her birth control. During this time, Mako who is a detective and knows his brother and what he’s capable of, tries to catch River away from Ryan and convince her to leave him. River, not wanting to be a damsel, refuses his help, but starts to feel differently towards Mako. After River is brutally attacked and raped by Billy, her abuser from her past, Ryan ignores her and is angry at her for “getting” herself in that position. When he leaves her stuck on the couch and forced to wet herself, then hits her for it. She decides it’s time to leave. She calls Mako who rescues her and takes her to his house, but unfortunately, a few remorseful words from Ryan and she’s back with him a week later. He’s better for a bit, but then reverts back to his true self. He explains that because she left him he cheated on her with his secretary. He makes her feel as though it’s her fault, and that it cancels out because she let Billy rape her. His anger and distance continues on and eventually one night he tells her to get dressed up nice that they were going out. When he takes off his shirt she notices red lipstick and realizes that he’s still cheating on her. This somehow breaks the hold he has on her and she’s ready to fight back. The next time he attacks her she fights back grabs a knife and knocks him out with the drugs he had been using to knock her out. She drags him to the attic and strings him up. While he’s tied up she goes to Alison’s house, confesses that she’s killed him(he’s not dead). Alison calls Mako and suggests that he check on River. He goes to the house when Ryan doesn’t answer the phone and when no one answers the door and he hears noises he goes in the house expecting River to be hurt. He find River and a tied up Ryan. He agrees to help her kill Jim and get rid of Ryan. Ryan confesses that his father had raped him since he was eight and when he was thirteen that’s when they adopted Mako, but their father wouldn’t touch Mako because he knew Mako would report him. This is why Ryan has always hated Mako and never considered him a brother. However, when River starts to feel compassion for Ryan and thinks she shouldn’t kill him, he states that he still would’ve done what he did to River because she was weak and let it happen. River kills Ryan and her and Mako feed his body to the pigs. During this whole story, there was a side story about the Ghost Killer. Mako was the detective on the case and it comes out that the Ghost Killer had killed Mako’s real father, then comes out that River knew who he was all along and didn’t tell Mako. Mako mad by this revelation leaves her home alone, where Billy, the Ghost Killer, attacks and kidnaps her. He takes her somewhere and repeatedly punches and rapes her then confesses that he is actually her father. She, with the help of Mako and his partner, shoot and kill Billy. Mako and River get married and it ends two yrs later with her pregnant.

This book was not on par with Carlton's other books. It was a decent story, but it just didn't draw me in like the others. One problem I had was it was plagued with errors that should have been caught during editing. Words were written together, words seemed to be missing, word tenses were off, and sometimes things were worded awkwardly in my opinion. I also HATED River. I could not sympathize with her at all. I know that sounds horrible considering everything she went through, but her personality was awful, and again, in my opinion inconsistent. It really grated on my nerves when she would tack on the "sweet Ryan" on the end of her thoughts. It just made her sound smug, but stupid. I also think I could have went along with her college major being almost anything other than psychology. I know it was supposed to be ironic that she was going through these things and was somewhat educated about it, but couldn't keep from getting sucked into it anyway, however, I'm pretty sure she would have been failing her classes because what little she did talk about was off. Another thing that bothered me in this book was the timelines. Her graduation date never made sense. It sounded like she should and was suppose to graduate soon during most of the book, then Mako said she was taking psychology 101? She was in her freshman year at the beginning, assuming she is 18. She was having no problem with getting into bars and getting drunk at this point by the way. She was around sophomore year when she started with Ryan. She was with him for a little over two years, was 22 years old. She should have been a senior and I would hope further in her studies than psychology 101. Still, Ryan asked her if she was going to graduate next May and it was unclear how far off that was. I know these are minor details, but they are very distracting for me. Mako's adoption at 13 was also odd and never explained well either, as well as Matt and Ryan' s relationship. It was just a lot of little bits and pieces thrown out there but not completely woven into the story with a clear reason or with satisfying resolutions. Lastly, I listened to part of this book on Audible and quit. I feel like the narrator did a good job depicting River's personality, but it only made her completely intolerable for me. Several months later, I started over on Kindle and finished. I realize it may sound like I did not like this book, but I do think it's a decent one time read. The somewhat harshness of my review is not based on this book compared to other books in general, but compared to her other books which I LOVED! "Does It Hurt" is easily in my top three reads so far this year. This book is down towards the bottom of my list.