Beyond the Sea

A Modern Gothic Romance

By: L.H. Cosway

Narrated by: Shelley Atkinson

On a lonely cliff beside the vast blue sea there is a house.

In the house there lives a girl, and in the girl there lives a dream.

Soon she'll be as free as the fishes that swim beneath the water. But until then she bides her time and lives quietly, her every move ruled over by an uncaring, heartless stepmother.

The hope for freedom is all she has to hold onto. So close she can almost taste it. But when her stepmother’s estranged younger brother comes to stay, he presents a mystery that lures her in.

The girl doesn’t understand that beneath the allure of the unknown sometimes all we find are horrors. And in searching for the truth, her heart is in danger of falling like a rock to the bottom of the deep dark sea.

Beyond the Sea is a stand-alone gothic romance set in modern times.

©2020 L.H. Cosway (P)2020 L.H. Cosway

L.H.Cosway & Shelley Atkinson equals a Wonderful collaboration

I read this book prior to listening to the Audible version. I had already Loved the story and all the mystery it held.
Having heard it through Ms. Atkinson’s Narration Definitely brought a Voice to the cast of characters in this intriguing story. I absolutely loved it and would strongly recommend this Audible book!
Well done!

Emotional and engaging

Wow - this is a compelling novel. It's a little different from what we have seen from LH Cosway in the past, a little darker and grittier, but it is so well-written and emotional. And the narration by Shelley Atkinson really enhances the story, too. I read this novel months before I listened to it. It was still just as compelling as an audiobook, and I loved the connection to the emotional parts of the story.

Estella is living sort of as a modern-day Cinderella, but more of the Grimm's fairy tale type than the Disney type. She is 18, living with a wicked, alcoholic stepmother that mistreats her. Her father loved her deeply and was loved, but that love died along with him. She lives in darkness - no love, no hope, nightmares and mistreatment. But her faith and her religion help her make it through.
Noah is her stepmother's younger brother. He is dark, mysterious, and Estella is drawn to him to help him find light and get them both out of the darkness that mires them down.
Angst abounds in this book, and along the road that they travel, Estella gets stronger and more confident, and Noah comes out the other end definitely transformed.

This is much different from your typical LH Cosway books. Much different, but an engaging and consuming story.And as I mentioned, the narration was very good and added to the emotional nature of the material.

Beyond The Sea

LH Cosway is a wonderful storyteller! I was drawn in from page one and found myself unable to put the book down.

The characters were interesting and mysterious and the story atmospheric and engaging. The book is entirely from Estella's point of view which added to the tension as the plot played out and motivations are revealed and twists uncovered. This story was a great in audiobook and I felt immersed in the plot as I listened.

Beyond the Sea is different than most of the books I read, but it was so well done I loved every minute of it.

Hauntingly beautiful story

I’ve read this book prior to listening to the audio and I just absolutely love the story! It is haunting, poignant and utterly beautiful. The setting, and the trials and tribulations that the characters went through really brought out the gothic theme and I found the relationships really interesting to experience. Lots of mystery and revelations, as well as some darker scenes.
Shelley Atkinson did a good job with the narration. It took me a couple of chapters to get into it, as I thought her voice sounded a bit old for Estella, but as Estella is mature for her age and has gone through so much it ended up making sense as to why she sounded older. Her narration definitely added an eerie quality to the story that enhanced the gothic theme and added depth to the listening experience.

A moody, romantic journey

First off, I loved the narrator’s voice. It was simultaneously soothing and also a bit eerie, which fit the story perfectly. I enjoyed the journey this story took me on. The characters were complex, which I loved, and the twist was very much unexpected. I liked and related to Estella (as a former Catholic school girl myself,) and Noah was a fascinating hero. I didn’t know how to feel about him for quite a while, and the pay off was worth it. The setting was both creepy and romantic (which sounds odd to say!) I felt transported to the sea while reading this. My first gothic novel, and now I need to read more!

Outstanding Story & Listen🎧Beautifully Haunting!

Consider me wowed, this is one powerful, mind-blowing story that captivated my mind to the point where I could not tear myself away from it. The story is original and unique, it is beautifully written with interesting and compelling storylines. It is a step away from my usual genres but I loved every minute of it. The characters are complex and well developed, they are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with. I adored the lead character, Estella, an eighteen year old girl, losing her Dad in an accident when she was sixteen she is left living with her not so nice stepmother, Veronica aka Vee. Her life resembles Cinderella’s without the sinister stepsisters or the Prince Charming. Estella is set to inherit some of her fathers money when she finishes school so she is just biding her time and has plans to leave and live her life. Veronica’s mother also lives in the house, she is wheelchair bound and needs constant care. A big part of the story is the house, it was Veronica’s family home, an old seaside Victorian, I’d like to say there was a charm about the house but it was quite the contrary and Estella could feel it, there is an eeriness lurking within the walls. Estelle is thrown for a loop when Vee’s mysterious younger brother, Noah, shows up. She does not know what to think but she is intrigued by him, heck I did not know what to make of him either. L.H. Cosway keeps you wondering, she brings you to the edge of your seat at times and you’ll feel goosebumps on your skin as well as a chill up your spine. The story is cleverly plotted and there is never a dull moment, there is plenty of drama, a bit of angst, mystery, some mind blowing twists and turns that you never see coming, thrilling and suspenseful moments, heartfelt and heart-wrenching moments and a surprising and unlikely romance. I can not praise this book enough, it is a hauntingly beautiful story and I would recommend to anyone who loves great books, this is definitely one of them. L.H. Cosway, thank you for this amazing story, the journey and the emotional rollercoaster ride, I loved every minute of it and every word.

Shelley Atkinson is a fabulous narrator and voice artist. She brings the characters to life, gives each their own voice and personality. She does a great job portraying each character, capturing their persona and humanizing them with their emotions which can be heard in her performance. She is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this great listen🎧

a beautifully written modern gothic romance

It’s been a while since I’ve read an L.H. Cosway book and I was really excited to pick this one up. Beyond the Sea is a beautifully written modern gothic romance and I enjoyed it lots.

Estella’s story starts off much like a version of Cinderella (without the stepsisters). After the death of her father a few years ago, she’s living with her evil stepmother. Estella is eighteen and in her last year of school, but has nowhere else to go, she she has to stay put. Her life’s the same mundane day by day until Noah shows up.

Estella’s life hasn’t been easy, but Noah’s has been torturous. Noah is her stepmother’s much younger brother and he hasn’t been home for a long time. The house they live in is creepy at best and holds the most unpleasant of memories for Noah. Noah and Estella form a bond. Noah’s past is dark and Estella is there for him in ways no one else has been.

I listened to the audiobook of Beyond the Sea and it was narrated by Shelley Atkinson. She did a great job voicing Estella. This story was hauntingly beautiful and I was intrigued from the start. I loved Noah and Estella and I love that they weren’t your typical characters. I loved watching their relationship build and finding out new things about them both and their histories.

This book was addicting and original. It was definitely a slow burn romance and forbidden in a way as well. It was heartbreaking, angsty, and made me feel. I love that L.H. Cosway writes unique romances, and this was no exception.

Five Stars!

Beyond the Sea is even better in audio. This narrator did a fantastic job of bringing this modern day gothic romance to life. Noah, Estella and the world they live in are very well built. This story is dark and unique, with an air of mystery surrounding Noah. I read this story before hearing the audio, but even though I knew what was to come, I did not expect to feel this same energy while devouring this audiobook. I hope this author writes more in this genre.

This is the first audio I've heard from this narrator, but I was in no way disappointed. This narrator brought this story to life, and I felt like I was watching everything unfold before my eyes.

It was wonderful.

It was done wonderfully by this narrator. The book and this story are one of my favorites. I had already read the book, but listening to it was even better. I can't recommend it enough.

Exceptional!!!

Audiobook: Narrator - Shelley Atkinson

What an amazing job this narrator did bringing what was already an incredible book to life in a deeply emotional way! Her voice was pure perfection as she gave just enough accent when needed as well as added to the characters as they spoke and responded vocally. This was my first by Ms. Atkinson but holy heck, I hope it’s not my last!


This is quite an unusual romance for sure. As a modern Gothic romance, it certainly lived up to my expectations. With an air of mystery and an undercurrent of something dark and dangerous always in the background of the story line, I was pulled into this book pretty quickly.

Estella is sweet and innocent but has been dealt a bad hand in life. She’s trying to hold on until she can finally escape from the home and life that has kept her captive. Written completely in her point of view it doesn’t take long to realize that she is more than a virginal teenager. Haunted by dreams that seem to have moved into her reality, we experience every emotion she feels as she processes what’s happening.

Noah kept me on my toes. I wasn’t sure how bad this bad boy was or what his ultimate agenda involved. No doubt he was delicious and the chemistry between him and Estella was always present but we didn't really get into the heavy action until the last part of the book. His mystique is definitely what carries this story more so than the house or the heroine’s dreams. I didn’t mind.

This has lots of threads that lead to different revelations and I must confess, I never saw how this was all going to end. I absolutely loved how this all came together with a nice epilogue to tie it all up nice and juicy like.