Two Reasons to Run by Colleen Coble is the second book in her latest series, The Pelican Harbor series. I was completely wrapped up in the first installment; however, this second novel wasn’t quite up to par with the first. However, I did enjoy reading it. We continue to find out more about Jane’s past, which is the most intriguing aspect of the story. I find Reed’s character to be somewhat flat and unrealistic; I would like to see him with more flaws and intricacies. Overall, a good second book and I am looking forward to the final book.

This was an intriguing read. Both Jane and Reid are challenged by the ghosts of their shared past as children of cult members and their shared parenting of their son, Will. They are loving parents and though they are not a couple, they clearly have unresolved feelings for each other. Family dynamics play a key role in the story.

I must say that when a book’s description talks about the need to foil a terrorist plot, I kind of expect it to be a main focus of the drama that runs alongside the elements of romantic suspense. However this book was more about the complicated relationship and romantic tension between Jane and Reid than about the plot to blow up the oil rig, which could have been better developed.

Note: I dove into this book, without reading the first book in the series and thus found myself playing catch up on the back story. Might be best to read them in order.

Book 2 of the Pelican Harbor Series a great follow up to book 1 One Little Lie. Two Reasons to Run continues to follow Police Chief Jane Hardy through the adventures of a harbor town with the complications of a tumultuous past private life. When a man is lost at sea and presumed dead off the monstrous oil platform, Zeus, Chief Hardy's family is pulled in to the cross hairs and the Chief has to decide how to protect them while keeping the harbor safe. Will she put her family before the needs of the community? Or will she find a way to protect both?
Coble pulled me in again and kept me captivated. I'm anxious for book 3!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you, Thomas Nelson Fiction and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book!

This is the second book in the series, and I really suggest you read the series from the beginning to get the full story. The suspense and mystery continues for Jane and Reid. Again there is a lot going on, but they are fierce and up to the challenge. There are some sweet moments, but several suspenseful moments as well. I enjoyed it, but am anxious to read the next book and see how the story ends.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley and this is my honest review.

Two Reasons to Run is the second book in the Pelican Harbor series, although I did not realize that until I had started to read this one. I did enjoy this story, but recommend that you read the first one before this one. I will be going back to read One Little Lie, so I have the full story.

This story opens with a young man being thrown off an oil platform and drowned. We know it is not a suicide, but why was he killed? Can Jane Hardy find out what really happened? Is there some kind of conspiracy? This series is set in Pelican Harbor, on the gulf coastal area near Mobile, Alabama. It is a small town and Jane Hardy is the chief of police. She was recently reunited with her son, Will and his father Reid. Jane had been told that her son had died fifteen years earlier and is now trying to develop a relationship with Will. When Will disappears after receiving a message from the missing/presumed dead man, Jane and Reid work together to save him and find out what is going on.

The story is action packed and suspenseful. I wish I had connected to the characters more, but once again, I think that is because I did not read the first book. I liked how well Reid and Jane worked together and began to get to know each other again. Two Reasons to Run is a page turner with realistic and likable characters and interesting plot. I did not guess who was behind the threats, so that always makes a book more appealing to me. This book is a romantic suspense and while there is not a true romance, there is an undercurrent of feelings that I am sure will be sorted in the next book.

This is the second book in a series. While it reads relatively well on its own, the first in the series should be read first to enjoy the full impact of this one. You can read my review of One Little Lie here.

There is a mystery involved in the plot in the form of an attack on an ocean drilling platform. Jane and Reid, their back story revealed in the first book in the series, work together to find out who wants to damage the deep water facility. Another aspect of the plot is an attempt to harm their son with the goal of getting them to stop their investigation.

Like the first novel in this series, the largest part of the plot deals with the relationship between Jane and Reid. They deal with past issues as romance is rekindled. Also a large part of the novel deals with both Jane and Reid as they continue to try to unravel the truth of their family's involvement in a cult.

There is much suspense in the latter part of the novel. I thought the plot to destroy the drilling platform was a little overkill for what the nefarious person wanted to accomplish. I also thought the continued pursuit of family history in the midst of a potentially devastating event was a little odd. I did appreciate the continued development of Jane's spirituality. We are definitely left hanging with respect to relationships so will be waiting for the next in the series.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Two Reasons to Run Review:
I’ve enjoyed reading Colleen Coble suspense for quite some time. I don’t know how, but I managed to miss the first book in the Pelican Harbor series and am disappointed to start with book #2.

Let me start by saying Two Reasons to Run is a great mystery!

I love as you’re reading you’re wrapped into the lives and emotions of each of the characters… even the criminals. It’s enlightening and helps to pull you into the story even more. I also really enjoy how the pieces pull together. I’ve always loved guessing who the hidden perpetrator is and it was especially fun in this book!

The only negative thing I can say about Two Reasons to Run is that, while it can be read as a stand-alone book, it’s better to have read book 1 first. I felt like I was still catching up on the personal stuff mid-way through the book.

I really enjoyed the first book in Colleen Coble's Pelican Harbor series and the unusual storyline of reuniting of occult members fifteen years after escaping from it. But, I didn't enjoy Two Reasons to Run as well as it seemed unrealistic in parts of it. An example is when a mother lets her teenage daughter go with a family in a RV when they are trying to hide from a terrorist trying to kill their son.. The ongoing story of reconciliation of Reid and Jane is what keeps me reading, not the suspense storyline of them trying to stop terrorism on an oil rig. Even though, I didn't find this book as riveting as the first, I am looking forward to the final book and seeing how their story ends up being told and the element of finding Jane's mom.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Picking up where the last book left off, Reid and Jane find themselves fighting for the life of their teenage son, while trying to come to terms with their presence in each other's life.

Can they stop the environmental terrorist and save their son's life?

A dynamic read, filled with action, great relationship building, and faith. A quick read, with great tension, in this race against time. It also does a great job of exploring the complex relationships due to Jane's tangled past. I really liked the man that Reid has become through all of this, he is a great father, and I admired his strong faith.

Jane is a strong protagonist, with a complicated past. I liked that she is coming to terms with her new life and the choices that were made for her when she was young.

Overall this is a great installment to the series, with a high stakes mystery. Suspenseful, and hard to put down! I liked how this book continues to deal with the things that unfolded in the previous book, as well as how we continue to follow Jane and Reid as they work through what they are now. This did not disappoint, and I can't wait to read book three!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

this is the first book I read in this series. I would recommend reading the other ones first. it was a good read but you can get more info if you read the first two but would recommend, it was a good book. I really liked it.

I really enjoyed One Little Lie so I was very much impatiently waiting for this one to release so I could jump back into Jane and Reid’s world and see how they were doing. In true suspense fashion though, things weren’t exactly calm and peaceful haha. Once again I was quickly gripped and couldn’t put it down. The drama and suspense kept the pages turning themselves.

A character who really intrigued me during this installment is Charles, Jane’s father. Even in the first book he was a character you want to figure out, but in this one I found myself desperately wanting to get inside his head and sort through truth and motives.

My heart continued to go out to Jane in this one as well. Talk about a woman who has been through the wringer and gets tossed back in for yet another round! She is an easy heroine to root for and hope for true happiness and peace. I hope by the end of the series that she gets it..

Although the plots are action-packed and intriguing, I think the characters are what is golden in this series. You can’t help but want to get to know them more and discover how their lives continue to unfold. I still think this may be my new favorite Colleen Coble series so far. Now to sit and wait impatiently for the next one!

*I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

I wasn't sure what to expect in this novel.

I enjoyed it and seeing the healing relationships throughout the story, I really loved seeing Jane, Reid, and Will become a family, I was lost at some points and I realized after reading it that it was the second book in the Pelican Harbor series, oops! And that was slightly saddening, however, I still enjoyed the book though I was lost at some spots.

As far as suspense goes I liked that there was more than the main suspense plot. As our main characters search for answers in regards to what had happened in the past it was intriguing for them to have pasts that aren't that normal but are sadly so very possible.

I don't recommend this book to younger readers since it deals with cults, death, murder, stalker, and other things. 17 up unless the reader is sensitive.

I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary e/copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Excellent book!

Two Reasons to Run is book two of the Pelican Harbor Series. You definitely need to read book one to enjoy the book to its full extent.

Police Chief Jane Hardy was recently reunited with her won Will, and receives a threat while investigating a potential terrorist plot, “Stop or Will Dies.” This book is action packed and I absolutely couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Jane and Will’s dad, Reed. I’m already counting down to the release of book 3 to see if the two are able to reconcile, or if the past is just too much to overcome.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Let me start off my saying that if you haven’t read One Little Lie, the first book in this trilogy, you should probably do that, because I didn’t, and I spent most of this book trying to figure out what the heck was going on and why exactly Jane Hardy hadn’t murdered the man who kept her son from her for 15 years, and hidden his body in a shallow grave. Because as a mother, frankly, this is exactly what I would have done, not allowed him back into my life. There’s a weird backstory where Jane and Reid both grew up in a cult and were married when Reid was 18 and Jane 14 (and that’s a big yikes, even hinted at). The whole cult thing gets explored a bit here, but was obviously really detailed in the first book. Here unfortunately I think it actually derails the main thread of the story, a plot to blow up an oil rig off Mobile Bay which Jane and Reid must investigate. They are constantly getting derailed by other things, and honestly it feels like it’s because the main plot doesn’t have enough meat to it to sustain a full book. Certainly the final resolution is something of a let down.

I don’t quite buy this as a romantic suspense either, because frankly, there’s not enough romance in it. There’s one kiss between the two leads and that’s it. It’s a mystery/thriller with a romantic subplot, and not much of one at that. There’s more overt evangelising than romance, and frankly I found that annoying because it’s not what the blurb ‘sold me’ on.

This definitely isn’t a standalone, and I really don’t think you can jump in here and enjoy the series because there’s just too much confusing backstory. The fact that it fails as a romantic suspense too means I’m just not interested in reading any more of the rest of the series. Two stars and frankly, I’d hesitate before picking up anything else by this author because the overt evangelising isn’t really to my taste either.

One of the advantages of series with the same lead characters in each book is the character development. And in the second book of Colleen Coble’s Pelican Harbor series, readers get to learn more about the pasts and relationships of Jane and Reid. All while rooting for the two of them to come together in the present.

Of course, since Two Reasons to Run is a romantic suspense, there is plenty that gets in the way of that. A murder, a terrorist plot, and threats to Jane’s newfound teenage son keep everyone on the edge and scrambling to uncover the mystery before someone is hurt.

While enough details are given about the first book in the series, reading them in order will enhance the overall experience. Plus, you won’t have to wait months for the second book like many of us did.

Kudos to Coble for pouring the time into these characters and I will continue to root for Jane and Reid in the third book (and any more after that the author would like to write).



Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This was just as great as the first book. The end may have wrapped up too quickly but it was a very enjoyable read that I'd definitely recommend. Provided that you have read the first book, that is.
I was a bit lost at the beginning since I read the first book in April. *thanks Goodreads* Once I read a bit, I remembered what had happened but you will be very lost without knowing the backgrounds of the characters, which was really only explained in One Little Lie.
The writing style was easy to read and natural. That combined with the characters was what really pulled me into the story, as opposed to the suspense aspect.
This review is all over the place but I'm going to end by saying that Two Reasons to Run is worth the read. I'll be on the lookout for the third and final book sometime next spring.

Rating: 5/5
Language: n/a
Romance: 2 kisses, mentions how Will was born to 14 and 18-year-old parents
Spiritual: a little but not prevalent
Violence: death, getting shot, murder, stalker

*I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

Review will be published to the blog in October.

Colleen Coble delivers another fascinating tale that continues Jane Hardy’s story. I was so pleased to get accepted to read this awesome book! She never disappoints with her stories and they’re worth a reread. I do that cause sometimes you might miss something the first go around.
Well rounded out characters and an awesome plot that I totally enjoyed!
This is definitely a can’t put down read and time will fly by before you know it.
Coble describes her scenes so well that at times I actually thought I was in the story with Jane Hardy and her family.

There is never a dull moment in Colleen Coble’s books. The characters are well thought out with lots of action. Another page turner that is hard to put down

Jane Hardy is a police chief in a small town and will do anything to keep her town safe. When a local resident comes to her claiming her son is missing and she believes there is foul play at large, Jane jumps on the case. When she starts investigating, she finds that her ex husband Reid is also hot on the trail. Can she put her feeling for Reid aside and let Reid help her solve this case?

Reid Bechtol, a documentarian is back in town with his teenage son Will and is trying to reconnect with Jane. He has hidden Will from Jane all these years and is trying to get her to understand why he did what he did. When he gets an email about a possible threat on an oil platform, he decides to go undercover under the guise of doing a documentary to find out what is going on. When he finds Jane is also on the case, he is excited to spend more time with her. Will he be able to get closer to Jane and gain her trust?

Jane and Reid are racing against the clock at every turn. When the killer threatens their family, they must make the decision to back off the investigation or keep digging up long buried secrets. Can they solve the crime and keep their family safe?

This was a fast action suspense that kept me on the edge of my seat, and I could not put the book down. I loved Colleen Coble writing style and how she draws you right into the story with the depth and dimension of the main and supporting characters. This is the second book in the series, and I did read it with as a stand a lone novel and had no trouble catching up on the backstory. I do plan though to go back and read the first novel to get the full story. I cannot wait for the next book in the series! Thank you so much to the author Colleen Coble, Thomas Nelson Publishing and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Another action packed mystery, second in the Pelican Harbour series. The Police Chief, Jane Hardy is reunited with her son that she thought had died only to uncover an environmental terrorist plot in her town . An quick and enjpoyable read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.