Beyond the Shadows: Their exotic global romance has an evil stowaway...

by Dixie Carlton

An obsessed lover stalks her ex. How can a new romance even begin when dark spirits are intent on destruction?Under a romantic Sorrento Moon, Erik once again meets the alluring Penny. Looking to enjoy some romance, and maybe more, their growing friendship is threatened when Erik's twisted former lover, Helena, resurfaces with malicious intentions. As their long-distance relationship becomes more complicated, Penny must navigate her own life as a single mother in Australia while also dealing with the relentless pursuit of Helena.From the windswept coast of Cornwall to the bustling streets of London, this chilling tale will leave you wondering about long-lost loves from your own past. But just when things seem to be going smoothly for Erik and Penny, a shocking turn of events threatens to tear them apart. As tensions rise and secrets are revealed, both must confront their own fears and insecurities if they want to move forward in their relationship.If you enjoyed the suspense and steamy romance of "A Dangerous Affair" by Natasha Lester., you'll love the twists and turns in Beyond the Shadows... Don't wait, buy now before the price changes and get lost in this captivating tale of love, betrayal, and the supernatural.By the time Penny emerged from the water, her make-up was a mess, her hair dripping with salty water, and she felt not only emotionally spent, but had managed to find anger was simmering below her frustration and she was more than willing to bring it up to the surface to help get her through the rest of the day in Erik’s company. Now here they stood, and she was hurt, and he was embarrassed, neither knew how to move on from this impasse of rejection, each nurturing a deep need for reassurance from the other.“Look, I don’t know what I’ve actually done to deserve so much anger from you today, really I don’t, but would you please listen to me now? I have been unsure about how to get closer to you all week, but each time I try, I get stuck, not sure how to do this. I’ve never been very good at knowing how to make a first move, and I really don’t want to do something wrong with you.” She softened her look a little. He took that as an encouraging sign and stepped a little closer. “You think I’d not want to be with you?” He asked the question so quietly it was almost a whisper...This is a spicy holiday romance with two people who think 'friends with benefits' might be a great idea, and living on opposite sides of the world makes it even better, but it's far more complicated when one of them has a mysterious former lover who can't let go, from even further away and long ago.

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 20, 2014

About the author

Dixie Maria Carlton has been a renowned business book author and an invaluable resource for authors worldwide since 2004. Her award-winning expertise in business and authorship has led to many of her clients becoming multi-award winners and receiving widespread recognition for their brands and stories. Dixie provides unique publishing and marketing services specializing in non-fiction writing. In addition to business and marketing, she also writes about self-publishing and various topics on life and its unusual quirks.

Dixie's fiction titles primarily revolve around the biographies or stories of real people who have inspired her. By presenting them as fiction, Dixie can delve deeply into the reasons behind their behaviors and personalities. Her novels are famous for being well-paced page-turners with engaging sexual and dramatic contexts.

Reviews

[Jamie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

We meet Penny and Erik as they are about to embark on a unique long-distance relationship. Reminiscent of Same Time, Next Year, they plan to meet at a different location on the globe every six months while they maintain their relationship electronically in between. Penny is an Australian single mom of adult children while Erik is a forty-something-year-old who lives in Amsterdam. They initially met at a Las Vegas convention and shared an attraction, making them both want to keep in contact long distance. After 18 months of just digital communication and an occasional phone call, they decide to meet physically twice a year. During their first time together in Italy, Erik questions whether he wants to take the relationship further physically, as he has some fear of losing her as a friend.

All of this is complicated by Helena, a past former lover of Erik’s. She is the jealous sort and doesn't appreciate him getting involved with another woman, and she is able to cause problems.

The book goes back and forth between their visits as well as the times they are at their homes. I would have liked to have seen a bit more balance in the amount of time the author spent at each of their worldwide destinations. A great deal of time was spent in Italy and England, but Fiji was only touched on briefly. Fiction is such a fun way to experience the world, and it would have been more fun to spend a longer time globe-hopping with this couple.

As in other books I've read by this author, there are significant issues with grammar, punctuation, and usage, though some of that may stem from her being Australian and me being an American copyeditor; I am not too sure of Australian rules for such. It was, however, a little distracting at times, though it didn't diminish my overall enjoyment of the novel.

The book is definitely a steamy read, as they do decide to become lovers. The book has a paranormal twist that I didn't see coming in a work that is otherwise fully grounded in this world. It is nice to be surprised when reading, though, as it doesn't happen often, especially in romance.

This book is a very unique take on one way to approach long-distance relationships. If you enjoy steamy reads about more mature characters and don't mind a little bit of the paranormal, you might find this to be a page-turner.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

Read my other reviews at https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com.

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st book I've read written by Dixie Carlton; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I will definitely be reading more of her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I loved the chemistry between the characters.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond the Shadows by Dixie Carlton is an amazing story that I have read. This is an amazing story that I have fallen in love with and I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about cozy mysteries , holiday and dark romances.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tania Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once they've made the leap from friends to lovers, Penny and Erik's physical relationship has plenty of sizzle. Add long distance and a disgruntled ex-lover into the obstacles they must overcome and Dixie crafts a story that keeps you turning the pages