The stunning locations and well written characters, along with the interesting mysteries, made this book so enthralling. I literally could not put it down because I needed to know what was going to happen next.

Shanna is still healing from her husband's accidental death when her friend is murdered after telling her she may be in danger. As the bodies start piling up she turns reluctantly to the man she blames for her husband's death in a climbing accident, for help. Together they set out to solve the mysteries and perhaps repair their broken friendship.

I look forward to reading more in this series.

Shauna is a young widow with a little boy to raise. She has faced her husband's death in a climbing accident with courage but she knows she has a long way to go facing life on her own.



When her mentor and close friend is also murdered in a planned explosion, Shauna knows that there is danger around. When his wife too is killed, investigations then begin to find whether there is a link between Jack's death and these two deaths along with the death of the couple's daughter which had been ruled as a drug overdose. What is driving the murderer and what is he looking for.

Zach was Jack's friend and partner but the one person whom Shauna has avoided since she blames him for Jack's accident. He is however the only person she can trust with her son and her own life because everything she has known now seems to have hidden secrets. Unraveling the lot is time consuming not knowing what they are looking for and each accident that happens brings Shauna and her son more and more into danger.

The plot was fairly predictable and men being overly protective of their womenkind was a little too pronounced but generally it was a pleasant read. Shauna herself was a helicopter pilot so was no shrinking violet herself but the impression given was that she needed protection. This was the bit that I found a bit too over the top!

The element of romance was inevitable and predictable as well.

Goodreads and Amazon reviews posted on 17/3/2018. Review on my blog end of April 2018

Another exciting suspense from Colleen Coble.
This was that I just didn't want to put down!
I had a suspicion about who might be the villain, but I sure enjoyed the journey.
There were numerous plot twists and completely unexpected events.
I also enjoyed the characters, especially Shauna and Zach.
I look forward to reading the next in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fun romantic, dangerous story with hidden secrets. Shauna is a likable character and this book is lots of fun.

After her husband, Jack, dies in a climbing incident, Shauna lives to provide for her five-year-old son by continuing with her helicopter charter business. This is definitely a novel of escapism and unreality but as you read on you are thankful for that. A great holiday read!

This book was hard to put down!! I'm adding Colleen Coble to my list of authors to look for online and at my library. Shauna, Zachary, and Alex quickly reveal themselves as the type of people one wants to know or even have as family. Coble creates believable characters lucky enough to live in a truly beautiful area. I was intrigued by her use of science as the basis of the mystery. She also added enough plot twists to keep the reader guessing about the cause of all the violence in such a small town. I don't read a lot of "Christian" fiction, but I found Coble's approach relatively low key until the end. At that point, it was a bit too preachy for me, and I removed a star from my rating. I look forward to seeing where Coble will go next with this series!

The View from Rainshadow Bay was the first book I’ve read by Colleen Coble. I really enjoyed it and will be reading her books in the future. I mus mention that the cover was stupendous! It caught my eye immediately. I love the lavender fields which are included in the story.

If you love mystery, murder and a little romance in the mix this book is for you. Shauna is a widow who is raising her son, Alex, with the help of her mother in law. Zach, her nemesis, was her husband’s best friend whom Shauna has not forgiven and blames for his death. Shauna who has no one else to turn asks Zach to help her and Alex when her life is in danger. They work together to figure out who is trying to kill Shauna and who has killed others she is close with. Meanwhile becoming close. I love a good mystery that I can’t figure out before the author discloses it. This story offered that and who doesn’t love a good romance in addition?

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I’ve expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.

This is the first book I read from this author and I really liked it.

The story was intriguing and kept you engaged. The main characters were likesble and the romance wasn't inyout face but was introduced slowly and gave the reader time to focus on the actual issue. I would certainly recommend the book. Thanks for the ARC.

I have to say that the cover caught my attention right away. The author always has appealing covers that gravitate readers to her books. Her writing style keeps readers coming back. The story is a very intricate and decisive plot. I loved the cat and mouse type theme with the main characters trying to stay one step ahead of the killer. The author pulls out all the stops to give a well written intense story that proves her skill of details that keep readers guessing.

Shauna was a well thought out character. Her burdens seemed overwhelming with the death of her husband while trying to juggle work and raising her son. The author gives subtle hints of underlying questions surrounding her husband’s death. Not everything is as it seems when houses explode and vandalism follow Shauna. Is there anyone she can turn to for help? I really enjoyed learning more about her childhood and a mystery that could answer a lot of questions about her family. The author had me hooked right from the beginning and continued till the very end.

Zach was a complex person to me. He blamed himself for his friend’s death but was willing to do anything to help his widow out. There wasn’t a warm reception between Shauna and Zach at first. I understood her hesitation in trusting him and enjoyed reading how they tried to let go of bitterness . With Zach being a daredevil it seemed to be his outlet for guilt. Sometimes guilt can eat you up if you aren’t careful. The story is filled with mystery that puts lives in danger and a need to protect loved ones. I highly recommend this book to readers who love a great mystery with non stop action that leads to an ending you won’t forget.

I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild. The review is my own opinion.

This book has more turns than a meandering country road, and though I figured out who the murderer was midway through the book, the mystery was worth the journey. The storyline is complex and quite detailed and Zach and Shauna’s complicated history plays a huge part in the book as this murder mystery evolves. My problem with the book is that while the author told me about the hate that Shauna feels toward Zach because of her husband’s tragic death, both characters seemed emotionally disconnected from the action throughout much of the story. As a result I didn’t feel an emotional connection to the characters until the last few chapters of the book and, for me, the sudden revelation of Zach and Shauna’s feelings for each other came out of the blue. This may just be a matter of personal taste, but I thought this was just an okay reading experience. I read a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

A widow still trying to move forward, a friend who feels at fault for the death and some quick mysterious deaths start this book in an interesting spot. A mystery/thriller with a complete women's fiction turn, this book is perfect for a reader of women's fiction who wants a little more in their books.

Shauna was such a great character. I loved having her as the guide through this story, she was such a real character and I loved the range of emotions in this book. My favorite thing is when I wish that a character were real and I could become friends with her, I felt this way about Shauna.

I have read quite a bit of Colleen Coble and whether you like the story or not her writing is nice and easy to read. It is easy to get into the story, but also the perfect read if you have a few distractions to easily put down and pick back up again later. Her writing time and time again is just smooth and makes me enjoy an afternoon with her story.

After finishing this book and thinking about it, I have to say I felt as though the book revved up really fast. It almost went from 0 to 80 in 2 seconds and I felt a little out of control. It took a bit for me to settle in and enjoy, almost like too much happened too quickly! In the end, I would say I loved it, but I would have loved a little more in the beginning.

I liked the premise of the book. At its core, the idea for this book was solid. I really wanted to know the backstory between our two main characters, and I wanted good things to happen for them in the end. However, the execution just wasn't there. I felt like I was reading a book written for adults but at the high school level. Everything we were supposed to know or feel, we were told outright. We didn't have to figure it out for ourselves. There was no mystery or suspense to the relationship between our two main characters. Even though they were adults, the writing made them feel immature. In addition to this, somehow the plot devolved from a murder mystery into some sort of terror plot where people were creating earthquakes? There was a lot going on, and the complexity of the plot didn't jive with the simplistic writing style. There is absolutely potential here, but I wouldn't recommend this book in its current writing.

First time I have read Colleen Coble. Loved the book. I haven’t read a mystery in a long time. I always figured the ending out too soon. Not that with this book. Twists and turns kept the pages turning. The romance was a given, but I am giving four stars.

This was my first read from Colleen Coble. While the book wasn't my favorite, I did enjoyed it and I plan to read more by this author. The story itself was good but I felt that some parts were choppy, some parts rushed, and other drug on too long for my liking. There was a 'character' who was already deceased and I felt the draw-out of what happened went on for too long. The two main characters were good and I liked them but I wasn't a fan of them as a couple. Shauna went from hating Zach to being in love with him within a week. I think my favorite character in the book was 5-year-old Alex! He was adorable.

Like I said, I did enjoy the book and gave it 4 stars.

Shauna lost her husband, Jack, in an unfortunate accident while he was scaling a cliff of ice with his best friend, Zach. She has blamed Zach and held him responsible for goading Jack into doing a host of dangerous things which ended in his death. She was struggling to make it as a single mother, making money to keep their lives afloat and being both mother and father to their son, Alex. Flying chartered trips in her helicopter just wasn't cutting it. When tragedy strikes the life of a dear friend, she is thrust into danger.

Zach lived with the guilt that he challenged his best friend, Jack, to a race up on ice slope which ended in his fall and death. He tried to numb the pain by doing the next crazy adventure... skydiving... BASE jumping; he had scheduled a volcano surfing trip next month. Unfortunately, the adrenaline wears off and doesn't dull the ache inside. When Shauna and her son, Alex, are in danger, Zach feels that he owes it to them and to Jack to protect her with his own life.

The View from Rainshadow Bay is a Colleen Coble romantic suspense novel. The characters were easy to like, and the story was sweet and redemptive. Both of the main characters had gone through an immense loss and were living with grief and bitterness, angry at themselves or others. Brought together because of the danger, both Zach and Shauna began to work through their issues, forgiving themselves and others. That is a beautiful part of the story. The story is suspenseful and I didn't want to put the book down so I could find out how it ends. I was less impressed on the suspense part of the novel. The villain was creepy and unpleasant, but I was totally surprised at who the culprit was. I like a good twist as much as the next reader, but I went back through the novel and looked at all of the conversations that included that character, and I couldn't find any clues pointing me to him/her. I'm of the opinion that there should be some small clues and hints pointing me towards the villain, so I was disappointed to have this person identified as the culprit all of a sudden. To me, it felt like a random choice without good background and motivation. I enjoy Colleen Coble's novels, but I would not say that this is one of her best.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions above are my own.

A wonderful story filled with suspense, intrigue, and love. Wonderful charecters, very well written, a book I would read again. I wpuld enjoy more stories written about the other charecters in the story.

The View from Rainshadow Bay by Colleen Coble

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Colleen Coble gifts her readers with an exciting new series that starts with a story so dangerously tense you will have to read it cover to cover before you put it down.

I really enjoyed this book. From its beautiful cover to the excellent writing inside, there was so much about this book to love. And to make it even better, it’s a mystery, which is my favorite type of book. Ms. Coble has been one of my absolute favorite authors since I first read her Aloha Reef series and she reminded me once again why that is with this new series she is writing – the stories just keep getting better! It is hard to write in the same genre without being repetitive or cliche and even harder when you are writing for a Christian audience. Ms. Coble takes this in stride, though, and offers up a deeply suspenseful story while also giving readers a challenge to examine their reasons for long-held grudges or bitterness. Shauna McDade had all she ever wanted in life: a loving husband, a sweet little boy, a wonderful home, and her dream job piloting her helicopter for business and pleasure trips. And then a year ago, with the tragic death of her husband, her world spins out of control. To make matters worse, all evidence points to his death being an accident that happened because he was racing his best friend up a rock face – said friend also being Shauna’s best friend Zach Bannister. Feeling deep anger and resentment towards Zach and his continuous desire for dangerous adrenaline challenges, Shauna has worked hard to avoid him whenever possible. Problem is, her son misses his uncle “Zachster” and is upset at him not being around. Loath to let him near her son, Shauna prays for the courage to let Alex spend time with Zach, as long as it’s under safe conditions. But more tragedies are coming to strike in this small community, beginning with a couple who have been surrogate parents to Shauna since she returned home from serving in the Navy. Clarence and Lucy Glennon have gone through some rough days since their daughter’s supposed drug overdose a year ago. But they are hoping work things out and Shauna spends time with both of them as much as she can. When she stops by to visit Clarence one afternoon, he asks her deliver a package to Lucy and keep an eye on her. He is going away for a while as he has learned something that is putting his and Lucy’s lives in danger. Shauna agrees but only if he will tell her whats going on as soon as possible. Clarence reluctantly agrees and Shauna heads out to find Lucy, never dreaming his home will explode into flames seconds later. Unable to help in any other way, Shauna goes to see Lucy and offer comfort. Lucy is beside herself with grief and looks beyond exhausted. She had been planning to move back home the next day and deeply regrets not going sooner. Upon receiving the box from Shauna, Lucy opens it to reveal maps, letters, paperwork and a locket necklace that looks remarkably like the one that Shauna’s mother was wearing when she was killed. Not able to make sense of what is in the box, Lucy suggests they turn it over to the Sheriff for investigation. But someone is after that box and they will kill anyone in their way, starting with Lucy. What follows next is an incredibly tense journey into the past to figure out who is so desperate to get their hands on the box and why. Along the way, Shauna will have to work through her bitterness and anger if she is going to be able to keep her son safe and find love again. Zach will also have to move beyond the guilt he has let control his life and stop seeking thrills that are a danger to his very life. Both will have to find the forgiveness and trust they both need in God and in each other if they stand a chance of catching the culprit before he takes away everything they hold dear. Ms. Coble took this story, which had many possible plot lines available, and wove together a story that was both complex and engaging. She carefully chose her details and revealed them in just the right order and timing to keep me holding my breath and sighing in relief repeatedly. I was pleased to see that she made Shauna’s journey to forgiveness and surrender a real struggle and didn’t just have her casually set it aside. It made for a better connection with me that Shauna was “real” enough to need time and soul searching to move beyond her deeply held emotions into the peace that comes only from God. Zach too, offers a character for me to identify with as he struggled to move beyond the guilt he carries over Jack’s death. While I have not had that particular experience, there have been multiple times I have hung on to guilt over an experience that honestly was not mine to hold on to. It was a good reminder to read of Zach’s surrender to God, giving him the chance to move into a better relationship with Shauna and eventually find love. I’m very excited to see where Ms. Coble will take this series next. I’ve got a feeling there are several characters from this story that will be back front and center soon and I, for one, will be putting their stories on my “must read” list.

I received this E-book free of charge from Thomas Nelson Fiction via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation from either company for this review.

Another winner from Ms. Coble. Excellent characterization and plot development.

The cover of this book is gorgeous, the mountains in the background just gives a great feel. The View from Rainshadow Bay is the first book in Colleen Coble's new Lavender Tides Series. I found this book to be very plot driven, right from the beginning the action starts and I will admit to being a little overwhelmed here, lots happened fast. I was intrigued with the mystery and that's what kept me turning the pages. That being said, there were spots I found slow and some of the scenarios didn't match the drama (things that wouldn't have happened in real life).

Life is hard for Shauna as she is still adjusting to life since the sudden death of her husband. While caring for her young son she holds a grudge against his best friend, whom she feels is responsible for his death. This is where I also struggled somewhat, I realize grief is different for everyone and I would have loved to feel her struggles and that of her mother-in-law rather than being told.

There was closure in the ending but at the same time opened the door for future stories. I will continue with this series as I have found with this author, she gets better with each installment.

The View of Rainshadow Bay is a story of forgiveness, mystery, secrets and second chances.

Thanks to the publisher (via Netalley) for an advanced copy and TLC Tours for the opportunity to review this one.

The View from Rainshadow Bay is the first book in a new series by Colleen Coble. The opening scene steals your attention and doesn't let up. Shauna is a single mom raising her 5 year old son. Her occupation was interesting as the owner of a helicopter charter business. I enjoy reading about women with interesting professions and skill sets. I was disappointed that she blamed Zach for her husband’s death and was downright mean to him. (Admittedly I have not been in a situation like that but I hope I would not react that way).
Zach is a great guy both to her and her son and the community. He immediately agrees to protect her and Alex and to help her find out what happened to her business partner who was like a father to her. Her father is a drunk after her mom passed away. I found the story line unusual which is refreshing when you read so many books. There are lots of characters and lots of suspects. Coble has a reputation of sprinkling in surprises and plot twists throughout her stories and this is no exception.