A fast-paced tale of crime and Coast Guard investigations, this compelling novel weaves an intricate web of intrigue and danger. If you like an intense thriller, this should fit the bill. All the threads, short scenes that quickly jump to another situation, and numerous characters (including two men whose names start with the letter F) make it complicated and sometimes hard to follow. This is a book where I wish a cast of characters was included at the front to help keep everyone straight. I felt like I couldn’t get to know so many characters well so didn’t sense the depth or connection that offers a more powerful emotional reading experience. They have lots of back story, but this is the first book in a new series. This mystery does stand alone, but the Coast Guard Investigative Service continues in the sequels. It is the first book I have read by this author, and if I read another I want a paper copy and not an ebook so it’s easier to flip back and forth. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. all opinions are my own.

If this was a movie, I would be on the edge of my seat.

I hang my head in shame at the knowledge that I have never taken the time to read a Dani Pettrey book. And I kick myself for missing out on this amazing storyteller’s talents until now. Do you forgive me? Good. Thank you.

The Killing Tide started with intensity and only kept pushing me to the edge, wanting more with every turn of the page. I didn’t even want to turn on the television because this was more entertaining. If it wasn’t the “who-done-it” suspense it was the growing romantic tension. Even though there were various POV’s, once I found the rhythm it was easy to get lost in the unfolding story.

I love it when I can tell that the author spent time researching her facts. It was very clear that she has extensive knowledge on The Coast Guard and various branches of the investigative teams. She painted a vivid picture of the lay of the land so that I could see in my mind where the characters were.

Now, I will say, I wish I saw more of the building romance (because that’s what I enjoy) because Gabby and Finn had an obvious attraction and I wanted to feel it too. I like to see the chemistry bubbling over between a couple. The author gave me a peek of it but not much.

Overall, I would say The Killing Tide is a fantastic read and worthy of any Back Porch with a glass of ice cold tea or lemonade.

**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher through CelebrateLit. The views expressed are entirely my own and a favorable review was not required (but freely given).

An action-packed suspense with a bit of romance woven in. This story has everything one wants in the Thriller/Suspense. The intrigue, danger, all the twists and turns. Interesting characters to go along with the edge of your seat plot. The only issue I had was the large cast that we were introduce to almost immediately, it became hard to keep who's who straight at times. Lots of interest going on to lead into the next book.

The Killing Tide by Dani Pettrey was my first read into this author’s works, but it most definitely will not be my last. This story is stellar! It’s an edge-of-your-seat kind of read that kept me so engaged I read well past my bedtime. I very much enjoyed the cast of characters, and found the deep sense of camaraderie and loyalty among the Coastal Guardians to be endearing. What a team they make! The plot is great and kept me guessing the whole time. I found the romance the perfect blend of realism and passion. There are a couple of kisses that made me a tad weak in the knees! And, I very much appreciated the thematic discussions weaved throughout. All in all, I find The Killing Tide a must-read Romantic Suspense story.

Gabby is quite the go-getter as an investigative reporter. So much so, she’s constantly willing to put herself in seriously dangerous spots to get her story. I’ve never understood purposely putting myself in harm’s way for a good story, but it was fun to watch Gabby do her thing. There are quite a few nail-biting scenes in this book. But I have to admit, there were moments in the story where Gabby frustrated me. I found myself wishing her character would take a second to think of others before she acted. And this point is actually made by a couple of the characters. Gabby believes that investigative reporting is her calling. God put the drive in her to seek out the truth, therefore it must be the path He set her on. Gabby has gotten to the point, though, where she is willing to sacrifice EVERYTHING and EVERYONE for the truth. Both Noah — her super cool brother — and Finn — her totally hot, James Bond-esque boyfriend — scold her a little because of her myopic self-focus. When one person critiques you, perhaps take their words with a grain of salt, but when more than one of your loved ones scolds you for the same thing, it’s probably God trying to get your attention. In fact, Gabby realizes that in all her searches for truth she’s never once consulted God to see if this truth searching was even the path He had for her. She just assumed that because the passion burned so deeply in her it must have been put there by God. I really love this self-reflective moment as it made me think about my own passions. How many times have I jumped into something absolutely positive that it was God’s will for me, but never actually took the time to ask if it was? Passions can be great. They can make life fuller. But passions left unchecked can cause some serious issues not just to oneself, but to our family, friends, and other loved ones. Of all the facets of this novel, this discussion of checking one’s passions against God’s will is quite thought-provoking.

I very much enjoyed The Killing Tide and heartily look forward to book number 2 in the series, The Crushing Depths. If you have not yet read The Killing Tide, and you enjoy a great Romantic Suspense novel, then I cannot recommend this book enough. Purchase your copy today. You won’t be disappointed that you did!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via Celebrate Lit. I also purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on June 17, 2020, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Hello! Are you in need or want of a great book of intrigue? Dani Pettrey's new book "The Killing Tide" is waiting just for you !! As you swim through the pages of this sitting on the edge of you seat story, you will dive into the the lives of a coast guard and a reporter. A great pairing don't you think? But these two have a past that neither are sure about and whether they want to rekindle what they have lost. First, they have a murder to solve a murder, keep Gabby safe from danger (she's a reporter, it comes with the job). Can Finn keep her safe while he works endlessly to find out who murdered his fellow coast guard workers?
READ THE BOOK!!

Blessings,
Karen
Rating 5*
I requested a copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book and an not wait for the next one in the series! The Killing Tide has everything from a sweet love story to the suspense we have come to love from Dani Pettry as well as the well thought out characters. I feel like I know them and am looking forward to more stories about these characters. The fun part is trying to figure out who did it and the twists and turns were so unexpected!

This is a wonderful author who is a favorite of mine. In fact, I have to admit that I’ve already read this book twice now! It’s that good. I could stop right there and just say I’ve read it twice and you should grab a copy and read it but maybe I should tell you why.

Finn and Gabby are characters who will grab your heart and not let it go. Finn has a lot on his plate trying to figure out who killed his friend and coworker. And then Gabby comes back. He loves her. He has for a while. She’s also the sister of another coworker. But she left before and he’s worried she’ll leave again. That is if he can keep her from getting killed now.

Gabby is being stalked by someone she put in jail. But he’s in jail so how can he be reaching her. After she’s shot at and chased her boss and her brother make the executive decision that she go into hiding. She can’t say she’s pleased and she definitely doesn’t want to put her family in danger. And then there is Finn. She’s not sure how she can face him and leave him again.

Wonderful read! Lots of suspense and action plus some romance and fun. You’ve got multiple characters that try to steal the show and I’m pleased to know that their own books are coming soon. In fact, I might have already read book two in this series and it’s just as good or better!!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

I hope you are ready for an adrenaline rush because this story blasts off with intense heat and never stops til the end. My oh my has the author delivered a very tasty bit of intrigue mixed with drug smugglers, Coast Guard, an inquisitive reporter and murder. I loved reading about the Coast Guard. I don’t hear much about them, but they patrol the waters keeping us safe from people trying to sneak in with merchandise that is illegal. The author shows her homework with how much detail she shares about the Coast Guard.
I can’t imagine the danger they face everyday having to board vessels not knowing what they will find. When one of their own is found dead on a boat, Finn goes into action to start the investigation. Finn has his hands full trying to keep The Coast Guard name from getting slandered by accusations. He also has to deal with Gabby. They don’t have a nice past together but here they are working together. Gabby was not my favorite because she seemed to not be able to do what she is told. Her life is in danger, yet she wants to get in the middle of Finn’s investigation. I thought it was a bit selfish of her to push her way around and having Finn constantly watch out for her.
The mystery is quite good and I liked how the twists keep readers guessing who is guilty. If only Gabby would stay out of the way, or maybe she has a vested interest in solving the death of a Coast Guard. The deeper Finn digs into what happened on the boat where someone died, the more danger comes his way. It is a story that captures the thrills of chasing the bad guys while trying to unravel all the people involved. Get ready for a bumpy ride as we travel on sea and land to catch the killers before they destroy more lives.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

I read the first few books Dani wrote when she began her career and I liked them but didn’t love them. But it had been a few years since I read her books so I thought why not give it a try again.

This was a good book but, like the others, I didn’t love it. There was so much going on and POVs that I had trouble really connecting with the characters. I will say as the book went on I got more engaged in the plot but never really with the characters themselves.

I believe I have signed up to review the next book so maybe now that I know the characters I will feel differently in second book.

One thing I really do like about her books are the short chapters, for me that makes it feel like the book goes much quicker.


A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own.

An incredible beginning to a new series

Wow! Be prepared to read until you reach the last page and then wonder how you missed figuring it out. This thriller had me on the edge of my seat, wondering what on earth could happen next. Gabby Rowley is a well-known journalist that has put herself in dangerous positions to get all the facts. In fact, she nearly died for one of those stories. In this situation she should be safe...after all the perp is in jail, right?

Noah, her brother, and his team work with the CGIS or Coast Guard Investigative Service. Sent to stay with the team as a precaution, Gabby finds herself involved in an investigation that has so many twists and turns, never mind the danger, that one has to wonder if she will be any safer. I found myself wishing I could take Gabby and shake her, hoping to dislodge her fixation on figuring everything out by herself, no caring about her safety. As she learns more about herself, will she begin to rely on God to lead her? The author has introduced us to a wonderful set of characters that I look forward to getting to know better.

What a fabulous beginning to the Coastal Guardians series. This digital copy was received through Baker Publishing Group, Bethany House Publishers, NetGalley and CelebrateLit. All impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.

Okay, I'll admit, the cover is what grabbed my attention first. After that, the blurb. But then, from the first page, Dani Pettrey swept me away on a wild adventure.

This book came at the perfect time. Through The Killing Tide I found an escape from everyday existence and tumbled down a rabbit hole of action, romance, and beautiful dialogue. I'm a sucker for the dialogue, and this one ticks all the boxes for my perfect read.

No joke, I binge read the book in one sitting then started looking for book two. I love the characters and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Finn and Gabby have a past romance to overcome if there's to be any hope for their future, and although a happily ever after is the name of the game, the journey is the best part.

I requested a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book was incredible! Lots of heart pounding suspense and action and from beginning to end. Clean romance between Finn and Gabby throughout the story. I couldn’t put the book down!

I was immediately drawn in by the story line and interesting characters. I was somewhat frustrated by Gabby and her lack of judgement sometimes which made her an easy target. I can not relate to wanting to investigate a story or solve a crime so much that my life doesn’t matter. I also felt like at times she was leading Finn on like she had done in the past-knowing she liked him and was drawn physically to him; but not wanting to invest in a relationship or jeopardize her own character path. She wasn’t my favorite character because of that.

I really liked reading about the Coast Guard officers and some of their rescues and day to day obligations. I especially liked Finn and Noah (Gabby’s brother). They both took their jobs seriously and with protecting their family members and loved ones.

I hope there will be more “Coastal Guardian” books! I really enjoyed it!!

I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

The Killing Tide
by Dani Pettrey
Book 1 in the Coastal Guardians series
Rating: 4/5

If you are in need of a fast-paced thriller, look no further. I am a huge fan of Dani Pettrey's Romantic Suspense and I was not disappointed with this first book in a new series. Ever since watching the movie, The Guardian, with Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher, I have been in awe of what the Coast Guard rescue teams do. I was excited to catch a glimpse into their world and the author did not let me down.

After a traumatic rescue mission, special agent Finn Walker is forced to retire from his Coast Guard rescue team but joins the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) as a second chance to help others. He is driven by a past that haunts him and his ability to save others. When tragedy after tragedy strikes, he knows that something is wrong and is determined to keep those he loves as safe as possible while unraveling the mystery.

Fearful after an attempt on her life, Gabby Rowley's older brother forces her to come back home where he and his CGIS team can protect her. Gabby, an investigative reporter, is stubborn and hates that her independence is being taken away, but her real fear is seeing Finn again after she walked out on their relationship to pursue her career. She has a knack for sniffing out a story and when the CGIS loses a team member, she is determined to get to the bottom of the story despite the threat on her life. Will Gabby and Finn be able to do their jobs, stay safe, and work together without reigniting that chemistry? Can Gabby find a way to pursue her dream job and her dream of finding love?

This story was jam-packed full of interesting characters and storylines. As the first book in the series, the author is definitely trying to set up some of the next few books in the series while doing justice to the current story. I love that her characters are flawed and relatable. They have a sixth sense about investigating crimes and weaving all the clues together, but they have their own hardships and trauma to deal with. I am excited to read what comes next.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys clean romantic suspense.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley and CelebrateLit for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

From the time that this book released nearly a year ago, it has been sitting in my TBR. I was drawn in by the stunning cover, but further intrigued by the story line. Still, it always seemed to get pushed aside as something else came into my pile. Upon hearing the second book in this series would be releasing soon, I knew it was now the perfect time to check it out.

Right from the start, I was drawn into the action. It seemed like with every turn of the page, something else was happening to keep me reading on. The mystery and suspense aspect of this story was absolutely fantastic and I could not get enough. This is one where I absolutely didn't see the ultimate bad guy reveal coming. In fact, once it was revealed, it took me some time to register and put it all together. That being said, I did have a little trouble getting into other areas of the story. First of all, we are introduced to a wide variety of characters and get a glimpse of their perspective as well. I believe this was in part to help introduce the key players not only in this story but also in future books of the story as well. While this certainly makes sense, I did find that it slowed me down a bit trying to remember who was who and where they fit in. I also really just didn't seem to connect well with Gabby's character. She seems to constantly and senselessly get herself into danger, and the overly cautious person I am just really didn't understand that at all. I did however really enjoy Rissi's perspective, and look forward to getting to read more about her story in the next book.

Overall, despite my hesitations about this particular character, I still enjoyed this story very much... and with it's lead in to book number two, I truly cannot wait to read more. If you enjoy Christian romantic suspense, this is certainly one to check out.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

I was super excited to hear that Pettrey had a new series coming out and I jumped at the change to read this beginning book to the series. However, as I as reading I kept asking myself, "Is this the first book? Am I missing something? Was there a book before this one that I missed?" There were sooo many characters, and a lot of the story felt like I should already know something about some person or relationship. It was kinda hard to keep track of it all.

Gabby was a hard sell for me. As as a main character, that's rough for a story. I liked her okay, but I didn't connect with her at all. There was too much, "protect me, but dont' protect me because I have a job to do." I still read the story quickly, because the suspense really does drag you in and you have to keep reading until everything is concluded (Which Pettrey does an amazing job at).

I liked the minor characters probably more than the main characters, so that breeds hope for the next book in the series. I'm hoping Noah gets a book soon, even though I'm sure Rissi's book is next. I'm just wondering if to enjoy the next book I'm going to have to go back and reread this one to try to get everyone straight again.

Anything written by Dani Pettrey is bound to great, and I'm not wrong about this book! Every time i open one of her stories I need to make sure i have a few hours to kill because i cannot out it back down.
Finn and Gabby made a great beginning for the Coastal Guardians series. Can't wait for the next one.

“A corpse that only leads to secrets.
An old flame with danger written all over her.
Things are about to get very complicated.”

Once again Dani Pettrey delivers! She’s one of my top inspirational romantic suspense authors and I’ve read every book she’s written. “The Killing Tide” is an exceptional tension filled story that had my sleuthing abilities on high gear. I was trying to piece things together along with the characters. The ending was shocking! Or at least the culprit behind everything. I also loved learning about the Coast Guard Investigative Service; something I didn’t even know existed until now. But I suppose it makes sense that each branch of service has its own unit for crime investigation.

The only thing I didn’t like in this is the amount of characters Pettrey introduces in the beginning. I never did really figure out who was who by the end; only Finn and Gabby. I tend to get overwhelmed with a lot of people in the story and their roles aren’t clear in my mind. It took a bit of the enjoyment factor out for me. I’m sure some readers don’t mind and would not find this to be a problem.

Pettrey is a solid suspense author with an eye for detail and accuracy. Her characters show how it’s supposed to be as a team working together and her procedurals are top notch. I also admire how she interweaves faith and Biblical truths as if it were a natural part. Pettrey fans will applaud this beginning to a new series “Coastal Guardians”!

*I received a complimentary copy from the author and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. *

I enjoyed this book. It got me hooked form the very first page. A lot going on. However I did feel a smidge lost like I was missing another book but all in all a good read.

I enjoyed this book but there were a few elements that threw me off. The characters already have a past together so when you start the book you feel like you missed something and it takes a little while to get a feel for them and really get into the story. The story is well written and paced, with likeable characters but I just couldn't really get into it.

Wow! This book is actioned packed from the first page until the last. Somehow with solving a mystery and the tragic loss of life, Dani Pettrey is able to squeeze in a love story.



I loved how the author was able to give just enough information to keep me engaged. She did a wonderful job of keeping me guessing who was behind the murders until the last page. She also didn't reveal why people were dying, just that the characters were involved in some illegal activity.



I really loved the characters, setting, and plot. This book has great pacing and is a page-turner.



Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.