Beyond the Stroke: A steamy, marriage of convenience, black cat/golden retriever romantic comedy (Carolina Current Book 1)

Name: Beyond the Stroke: A steamy, marriage of convenience, black cat/golden retriever romantic comedy (Carolina Current Book 1)
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.3 (690 reviews)
Author: Erin Hawkins

by Erin Hawkins

Contemporary Fiction Romance

4.3 (690)

4.3 stars from 690 reviews. Top 93% of Contemporary Fiction books we track.

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Last checked: May 24, 2026

Price history: $2.49 – $4.99

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Perfect for you if...

You love banter-heavy romances where opposites genuinely challenge each other and the chemistry builds through witty back-and-forth.
You're drawn to marriage of convenience plots that feel earned, where the fake becomes real through genuine emotional connection rather than just physical attraction.
You enjoy contemporary romance set in beach towns with a cast of interconnected characters you'll want to follow through a series.

Maybe not for you if...

You prefer slow-burn romances where the couple takes their time before admitting feelings, as this heats up faster than a competitive swimmer.
You're looking for a book that avoids tropes, because this leans hard into several (marriage of convenience, fake dating, black cat/golden retriever dynamic).
You want serious emotional stakes or dark themes, because this is fundamentally a lighthearted romantic comedy despite the spice.

About this book

After years traveling, Summer settles in Coral Cove to paint quietly. When a mermaid cosplay goes wrong, Rory Shields—a world champion swimmer and local golden boy—rescues her from the ocean. Their chance meeting develops into friendship, but when Rory's parents and ex-girlfriend pressure him, Summer impulsively announces they're married. Though Summer's parents' failed marriage taught her to avoid commitment, she agrees to the fake marriage to help Rory focus on training for the upcoming summer games. As they play husband and wife, the line between pretense and reality blurs. Summer finds herself falling for Rory, while he fights to convince her their connection is real—despite her disbelief in marriage and happily ever after. Beyond the Stroke is a black cat/golden retriever marriage of convenience romance featuring an age gap, forced proximity, sports romance centered on swimming, and a small coastal beach town setting. It is book one of the Carolina Current series, a collection of interconnected stand-alone spicy romantic comedies.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$2.49 – $4.99

Currently free. Price has dropped 1 time over the last 16 months.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #78K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Sales have softened 27% recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.3★ from 690 reviews

Gaining approximately 50 new reviews per month. Steady word of mouth growth. Rating has dipped slightly from 4.4 to 4.3.

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