Beneath the Surface of Content: A Forbidden Romance Novel

Discontented #1

by T. Atkins

Shawna Hall, the picture-perfect housewife, has meticulously crafted a façade of happiness over the past 17 years. Her life, to an outsider, seems idyllic—a two-story home in a charming neighborhood, designer clothes, and a seemingly doting husband. Yet, beneath this carefully constructed exterior, Shawna's life is a tempest of hidden turmoil.

Her husband, Greg, is not the caring partner he appears to be. He is a controlling, abusive cheater who is ready to take away the one person who is keeping Shawna’s life from falling apart, her best friend, Trudy.

So, when Greg leaves for his 2-week deployment, Shawna seizes the opportunity to break free from her routine and seek out a taste of adventure. Unfortunately, her little adventure puts her directly in the path of a few unsavory characters and a very close call with danger. Yet, amidst this chaos, she encounters Patrick, a man who might just hold the key to a new chapter in her life, one that could redefine her and her self-worth.

But what does that mean for her life when Greg returns? Although Patrick is offering her the world, can she trust him? And even if she could, she questions if she’s worthy enough to accept it.

Will this be a second chance at love?

Genres: Romance, Erotica

248 pages, ebook

Published September 9, 2024

About the author

T. Atkins' born in Charlotte, NC, began writing in the 3rd grade. Through her love of poetry and of all genres, ranging from horror, to drama, to romance, her passion for storytelling has led her to create her own stories. T. Atkins returned to school in October of 2016 and received a BA in Creative Writing and English in March of 2020. She has several works in progress, including poems, short stories, a memoir, and, of course, her duology Discontented Housewives series. T. Atkins still resides in her hometown of Charlotte, NC, with her boyfriend, two sons, and her 3-month-old Cavapoo, France. She now spends her time doing what she loves, giving voice to the characters of her supernatural and realistic fiction novels.

Reviews

[Theresa Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book in the series. Shawnas story. It could possibly be read as a stand alone, but I'd advise reading Trudy's story first "The Edge of Discontent".

Trudy and Shawna have been friends since childhood.

I loved both of these books! Very realistic,and moving. You find yourself hurting along with them and hoping they can find peace and happiness.

We all know of someone (s) who have experienced at least some of what Shawna (and Trudy) have gone through.

Shawna is in a marriage that is abusive. Her husband is a cheater. She's lonely and isolated. Her self worth is very low.

When her husband goes away for 2 weeks for Reserve training, she decides to break out of her misery and try to experience life - at least for a short while.

What follows turns her life as she has known it, upside down. She has choices to make which scares her.

If I could I'd rate both books much higher then 5 stars.

Additionally, I'd love a follow up story on both Shawna and Trudy a few years later, even if its just a short novellette.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kayla · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐ - 1.5/5 - ⭐ (rounded down due to sheer ridiculousness)

Shawna is a married woman living in a loveless and abusive marriage. Her husband cheats on her constantly and has recently left her with a colorful black eye. When her husband leaves for 2 weeks, she decides to experiment a little, and heads to a fancy hotel for a live music night. She doesn't expect anything to happen, she just wants to do something for herself. However, a sinful one night stand changes her life in ways she never thought possible.

I don't even know where to start with this book. The premise was intriguing. Always love a good 'good for her' book, but this wasn't it. From the start, we see a beaten woman who finally manages to have some time to figure herself out. In this time, she meets and falls in love with a handsome stranger. This fling ends with a trip to the emergency room and a surprise baby.

In the beginning, Shawna is just trying to survive, but throughout the book, her decisions and actions leave much to be desired. She treats her 'best friend' like crap through out everything, and she makes rash decisions that affect more than just her, leaving chaos in her wake. She's a shallow and selfish character.

I know the author tried to point her motivations being based on be the victim of abuse, but this is not realistic. To be honest the entire book is so far from realistic, it's almost funny. The one lick, slide in and orgasm...come on...

The world building left me wanting, and the supporting characters that come in through the book were about as bland as flour. The plot, world building, and character development were almost non existent outside of 'she's escaping an abuser'. It's labeled as an erotica, but not even that was done well.

Overall, not a great read. I really hate to disparage books this much, but it could have been so much better and more realistic. I get what the author was trying to do, but failed at doing so.

Thank you to #netgalley and #victoryediting for the ARC of this book and giving me the opportunity to read and review it.

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to be more positive about this book. It was well written and had all the elements of a phoenix rising. Shawna is in a horribly abusive marriage to her (surely a narc) husband Greg, who not only cheats on her continuously, but physically abuses her, particularly if he is challenged on his outrageous behaviour.

Sadly, these are the realistic circumstances of many women (and men) worldwide and this has a premise that could have really sent a strong positive message of hope. The heroine, for me, started off with just the right level of resignation, brow beaten by abuse and gaslighting and really drew me in with her plight but as the story progressed her decision making became way too erratic and she turned into a lousy friend to someone who had stood by her through thick and thin. This didn't wash with her at the beginning in my view and I felt the author lost her way with the character. After all Shawna went through, I thought she would have been more empathetic with her friend rather than neglectful and surely she would have clung onto her as a life raft?

She also made some utterly eye rolling choices, however on the bright side, her ability to orgasm to order was at least her secret superpower, so there's that. 3 stars for the writing quality. This could have been amazing but t fell woefully short.

Read the trigger warnings before beginning
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shawna is a board housewife and frustrated with her husband when she finds out that he is cheating. While she should be super upset about it, she really isn't because it seems as though she's done with her husband and his abusive ways. So one night she decides to go out to a bar to listen to some music, while he is away, and ends up meeting a man named Patrick. They have a one-night stand that ends up leading to more, making her feel like someone truly cares for her. When one day she finds a text message from some other woman on his phone she leaves and decides that she doesn't want anything to do with him. She finds out that she's pregnant with his baby and goes back to her family. When she realizes that she made a big mistake will things get better with them or will she go back to her husband?

While the concept of the story was interesting and something that I don't read everyday, I couldn't help but feel as though I wish that I knew more about Patrick and more about Shawna. I felt like a little bit more backstory on Patrick would be really amazing. I also felt like there was a lack of communication and it got frustrating during a main part of the story. All in all this was a good story and I would recommend though.

Thanks to NetGalley, T. Atkins, and Victory editing group for allowing me the opportunity to review this ARC!

[Kendra Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

How fast life changes

It is amazing how fast a person's life can change from bad to good. This book did it from an abusive relationship to one full of love.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Incredibly random and unrealistic. The narrator is apparently able to orgasm instantaneously upon being penetrated (this happened more than once) with no foreplay beyond a single lick and absolutely no clitoral stimulation. The writing is also bad; there are multiple spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes throughout. The author also has a wild habit of bringing in dramatic information with no warning or prior clues that this was even relevant to the story; there are characters who randomly appear and drop major information bombs and then disappear, and the story shifts gears to being something like a Hallmark movie about 4/5 of the way through before randomly becoming erotica again. The author also randomly dropped near the end that the narrator is Cajun (or more likely Creole?) and did the worst thing any author can do, which is to write out how people talk instead of just saying a character has an accent--not to mention that the accent she wrote out sounded more Caribbean than Cajun/Creole. I've given it 2 stars because [1] it made me laugh at multiple points (even though I'm positive that was not the writer's intention), and [2] it's sort of nice to see a story with a happy ending even if it was unbelievable.

[Bri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent book;The author managed to really make you feel true sadness and helplessness for the main female character during her abusive relationship with her husband. There were some inconsistencies and timeline issues that didn’t really make sense but overall there was a good plot and a nice “wrapped in a bow” ending! I would love to see another book featured on Naomi (her sister) and her husband. I do wish they delved more into Patrick and who he was as a character, there could have been a lot more depth for the characters but nonetheless it was a good read

[Alanna Fowler · Rating 2 out of 5]

NetGalley gave me a copy of this book to read and review. I did read it quite fast but I found myself hating all of the characters and hating Shawna’s actions. Also, who orgasms at the instant peen insertion? She needs to be studied.

[Aubrey Cleeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Shawna’s story, especially having read Edge of Discontent previously. Although this leads on from the first book, it can be read as a standalone.

The plot was good but a little basic. I could see where things were going and there was nothing which caught me off guard. I enjoyed the meeting with Patrick, their story developing together, but the conclusion left me wanting more.

The author uses emotion well and I did feel for Shawna, her plight, and her internal conflict. Her isolation was something that was extremely well described in her abusive marriage and her attempts to break free from it were encouraging. I did find Shawna flawed and inconsistent at times, which was a little frustrating. I didn’t get a sense of how she ended up in this sad situation, as she certainly felt like she had the traits to get out on her own accord. She was a little one dimensional, in being a victim of abuse governed everything in her life, even down to her relationship with Patrick. I get it is a defining factor to who she is, but I would want to know her beyond that.

This is a good book with a serious point, and I would recommend it to some. I do think it needs to narrow down who it is aimed for and what sort of book it wants to be.

[Shakella "The Singing Bibliophile" Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me in my feelings because her husband needed to be handled!

Shana Hall is a bored, abused housewife who has become a pro at making her tragic marriage look picture-perfect to those looking in from the outside. All the while, her designer clothes and beautiful home, are covering up a life of isolation and despair. Her philandering husband of 17 years, Greg, has separated her from her mother, and her sisters and now has insisted that she get rid of her lifelong friend Trudy.

After finding picture proof of Greg's extramarital affairs a physical altercation between the two of them, leaves Shawna with a black eye, Greg informs her that he must go out of town goes out of town for a week on business and leaves her with sorry-I-blacked-your-eye-money.

This week alone completely changed Shana's life!


This is a nicely written book with believable characters, tastefully written intimate scenes, and natural moving conversation.

Thank you Netgalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and T. Atkins for the ARC of this book. The review given is done so voluntarily.

[Hildred Cherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hold to your seat it's going to be a bumpy ride

Beneath the Surface of Content is the second book that follow after the first book is called The Edge of Discontent both written by T. Atkins. The book is main character is Shawna who is a friend of the main character of Trudy on the first book.

This story is about Shawna looking for contentment in her life. Leaving a bad situation, sometimes is like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire so to speak. There were mistake and lessons to be learned. I like the different characters, such as the overbearing relatives and controlling spouse. People was well thought out and written so you could understand them. There were places visited and the detailed made you want to go to a grand hotel and a beautiful garden. If love romance and family drama or just want to see what happen to Shawna. Take a journey in reading Beneath the Surface of Content

[Steve Cripwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shawna Hall, the picture-perfect housewife, has meticulously crafted a façade of happiness over the past 17 years. Her life, to an outsider, seems idyllic—a two-story home in a charming neighborhood, designer clothes, and a seemingly doting husband. Yet, beneath this carefully constructed exterior, Shawna's life is a tempest of hidden turmoil.
Her husband, Greg, is not the caring partner he appears to be. He is a controlling, abusive cheater, who is ready to take away the one person who is keeping Shawna’s life from falling apart, her best friend, Trudy.

This is a remarkably well written book. The erotic scenes are tasteful and believable and the characters are three-dimensional. Its an enjoyable read.

[Leah May Lim-Atienza · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, there I was again, expecting one thing and getting another. Don’t judge me, but when I saw this book labeled as “erotica” on NetGalley, my mind immediately said, “oooh, spicy.” But I got more than that.

I got a gut-wrenching yet heart-warming story of a woman who rediscovered herself after years of emotional, financial, and some physical abuse. Delving into her life, her pain, and her (mis)adventures made me appreciate my life more. The book made me cry in anger, sadness, and joy. I didn’t expect that out of an “erotica” book.

Well, yes, there were sex scenes for sure. But they were somehow made beautiful by the care Patrick showed to Shawna. Everything was made pure by Shawna’s redemption and the love she got from Patrick, her best friend Trudy, and her sisters Naomi and Clara.

If you want a story that will make you experience a deluge of emotions, then Beneath the Surface of Content is for you. I read it in one sitting. Maybe you will, too.

**This review was made voluntarily and in appreciation of the beautiful mind of the author and NetGalley.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn't what I expected and it kept me on my toes. I was talking to the characters and laughing out loud. I love it when a book can actually make me respond outwardly. It tells me that I'm truly enjoying it. I hate Greg. The characters have body, were consistent, the dialogue was crisp. The sex scenes were good. Tasteful and believable. The abuse and suicide scenes weren’t too gritty. Quite digestible really, nothing too graphic. Yes, we smile, we’re quiet, we’re loud...but there is always something much deeper beneath the surface. For our protagonist...she had a lot beneath the surface.

I received an arc copy and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.**

[Bailey Pendleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shawna is married, but marriage doesn’t always mean love, happiness, or contentment. Abuse permeates Shawna’s marriage, and when her husband is gone for training she takes the time to re-explore life and seek some adventure. As Shawna takes on great risks in pursuit of freedom and passion, will she find great rewards or great regret?

Atkins takes family dysfunction, domestic violence, estranged relationships, a lost sense of self and turns it into a spicy story of love and freedom and new beginnings. She created a sense of emotion that the reader could take on as you read, and I had some hold my breath moments wondering what would happen next.

The story was realistic and relatable, and that’s coming from someone who rarely reads romance novels or spicy books. Atkins keeps the main thing the main thing, on the development of Shawna, and the romance and spice she experiences are not focal points where you feel everything else suffers because of them and I loved that! They are central to the plot but without taking away its progression, she uses each encounter as a launching point to the next event in Shawna’s life.

There are a few time jumps and I like when those get labeled typically, but she so clearly explains the events and other relevant things that express time that I didn’t feel lost. It’s a very redemptive storyline and the end is the perfect bow on top. For a non-romance reader, Atkins had me enjoying some romance!

I was able to read this ARC thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing. It releases September 9th 2024!

[Amy Vida · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of Beneath the Surface of Content in exchange for an honest review. This is a story of a wife that has been in an abusive relationship for over 17 years and took advantage of an opportunity to break the mold of her day-to-day ritual which eventually led her to meeting Patrick. So many issues, and yes everyone wants to see an abused individual overcome their adversity and find a safe environment, but is the first "best thing" always the right choice? Great read. Would highly recommend.

[Jennifer Arrants · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars
.
First almost DNF in a long time. The story started off strong and then just fell apart.
Grammatical errors, a crazy plot, unrealistic story. The FMC is unlikable and so much of it is trying to blame the abuse she endures by her husband, but she has no redeeming qualities as the story progresses. She up and runs away, gives awful advice to her best friend and then goes dark on her for 7 months. Feels like the whole thing needs a rewrite.

[Gabriella Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book surfaced trust issues I didn't know I had because every time a neighbor would ask Shawna if she was okay I'd start to wonder if they truly had her best interests in mind. I loved the moments she had with Kendra and felt the relationship with Patrick could have been explained a bit more. Need to find the garden because it was described so beautifully!

[Brittany Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

The was a good book and written well. The story just drove me insane.
So this story was written well and I hated how the FMC was treated but it made me so mad because she just kept taking all the abuse. I was upset so much during this book but I felt like enough was enough. This is a second book but can be read as a standalone. I love Trudy’s book more than this.

[Monica L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I had to read the first book before I read this one. When I read this, I did not know that there was a first to this book. Maybe it would have affected my rating. I didn’t love this book but I didn’t hate it. Would I read it again? Probably not unless I read the first book first. I am glad that I had the opportunity to read this book.

[Yetsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story had a slow, sad start. Wasn’t sure if I was going to continue but I’m glad I did. It finished on a good note. I would recommend reading TW.