Deb’s Dozen: Scuba Diving Can Be Dangerous—Investigating Murder on an Oil Rig? Deadly
Dani Pettrey has a wonderful new series in Coastal Guardians. The Crushing Depths, the second book in the series, continues the stories of the delightful characters we met in The Killing Tides. Coast Guard investigators Rissi Dawson and Mason Rogers star in this book. Rissi has a very protective squad who bristle when they realize Rissi and Mason had a previous relationship, albeit strained at the moment.
Rissi and Mason are sent to investigate a death on a big oil rig. On the helicopter flight to the rig, the copter goes down, and one person is lost. Tempers flare on their rescue flight to the rig. Environmental activists are harassing the rig and could be the cause of both accidents. No one is who they seem to be. Rissi and Mason are soon deep into the investigation but find no crushing clues that would allow for an arrest. More mayhem follows.
While the investigation proceeds mostly unhampered, the remaining member of the squad are tangled in tentacles of their own. Personal interplay between the obvious couples or going to be couples is witty and fun to read. You find yourself rooting for the romances to succeed.
Because the characters are so well written, and the story is so absorbing with the main plot accompanied by several subplots, I give The Crushing Depths four and a half stars.
Dani Pettrey has written several award-winning series—The Alaskan Courage series has been my favorite to date. She has won multiple awards. Dani says she plots murder and mayhem from her home in the Washington, DC metro area. Find out more at danipettrey.com.
Bethany House, a Division of Baker Publishing Group, gave me a copy of The Crushing Depths, but I was in no way obligated to write a review. As an Amazon Associate, I may receive a small commission on any books sold through this page.

"Living in the past only gives people who've hurt you more power over you. It's best to forget them and move forward, never looking back."

It's another winner from Dani Pettrey. The author clearly knows how to write engaging romantic suspense with plenty of action and thrill in the plot, supported by captivating characters. In this book, there is also a secondary plot of suspense and mystery which is completely separate from the main plot but works nicely to introduce Brooke, whom I'm assuming we'll see more of in the future. I recommend that you read The Killing Tide first before reading this second novel in the series since the cast of characters in this Coast Guard Investigative Service office is large but every character is unique and worth getting to know.

Rissi and Mason share a haunted past of surviving traumatic childhoods in a group home for orphans. Now Rissi is a master profiler and has become a strong, independent, determined woman of faith who is excellent at her work. Mason is a diving expert who has just joined Rissi's team and their unspoken young love for each other from their teenage years blossoms into something deeper and more meaningful. As they reconnect, they are also thrust into a volatile situation between an environmentalist group and an oil company when unexplained mechanical failures and untimely deaths on an oil rig call for CGIS to investigate. While this is happening out at sea, a Coast Guard medic Brooke is targeted in her home and Noah works to protect her and catch the one responsible. Both of the plots have plenty of surprises that will have you scratching your head one minute and gasping in realization in the next.

This book is also a nice set up for the next books in the series; it delved a bit more into Logan and Emmy's workplace friendship and introduced another character who may be a possible match for Caleb....but that remains to be seen.

If you enjoy romantic suspense, Dani Pettrey will thrill your suspense-seeking soul with this series. I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishing via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

An intriguing suspense that keeps heightening the crimes and intensifying the ongoing investigations, this novel offers plenty of action and too many suspects. The thriller keeps throwing things at you—I mean at the Coast Guard investigators trying to solve the damage and murders on an oil rig and the other threats and incidents involving some of the team on land. Some crew members believe an old curse is the cause, but the CGIS members doubt there could be any truth to that rumor. Multiple threads intertwine, making the story complicated like a challenging jigsaw puzzle. This second book in the Coastal Guardians series is exciting and tense as the team members fight against evil and try to bring the guilty to justice. The characters and people seem true to life, but not anything I want to experience in person. Fans of Dee Henderson and Susan Sleeman should enjoy this. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

The Crushing Depths is only my second experience with a Dani Pettrey novel, so I feel like I’m still getting used to her unique writing style and structure. I did enjoy a large majority of the storyline in The Crushing Depths, but I must admit that I prefer book 1. I was slightly disappointed in this, but it’s not enough to keep me from future Pettrey novels.

What did I LOVE about The Crushing Depths?

The suspense and mystery — there are three mysteries happening at one time. It is glorious! I was so kept on the edge of my seat during all of the suspense/mystery portions of this novel that at one point I had to tell myself to breathe. LOL! These three mysteries, and the twists and turns they take, are excellent. It is staggeringly clear that Ms. Pettrey is Queen of Suspense/Mystery storytelling. SO, so good! I would actually re-read the book for these three mystery plots, they were that engaging.

Rissi and Mason’s romance — you get a tiny glimpse into Rissi’s past in book 1, which made me so excited for The Crushing Depths. Rissi is such a superb character I just had to know more about her! Individually, Rissi and Mason are amazing characters, but together they make an awesome team. It’s clear from the very beginning that they have massive feelings for one another that run incredibly deep. But, I appreciate the pacing of their romance. I feel like it developed realistically over the course of the story.

A father’s love for his daughter — not going to say much on this topic because I don’t want to spoil anything. Suffice to say, there is a father. He loves his daughter. This father does something out of love. I won’t forget this moment for a very long time! That’s all I can say, but I do think this one topic, more than any other idea discussed in this novel, would make for a stellar book club discussion. If you are in charge of a book club, you may want to suggest this novel to your members.

What did I struggle with in The Crushing Depths?

The MULTIPLE romance set-ups — maybe it’s just me, but I can’t handle more than two relationship stories in any given novel. One should be the main romance, the second should be subplot. Perhaps it carries into a sequel, perhaps not. The point is when an author adds more than two romances/romance set-ups I get overwhelmed and lost. In The Crushing Depths, there is the main “Rissi and Mason” romance, which is excellently written, but then there are set-ups for three more potential relationships. I’m not against these future relationships — they actually make me excited for future novels in the series — but to have them all starting in this novel took chunks of time away from the actual murder mystery, which then made me forget pertinent details because I was trying to remember all the couplings/future couplings. Four romance lines in a Romantic Suspense is just too many for me. This is actually what took my 5-STAR rating on Goodreads to a 4-STAR.

Even with my one minor struggle, I’m still a fan of the Coastal Guardians series and I very much look forward to the next novel. I’m hoping it’s Brooke’s and Noah’s story! 🤞 I do highly recommend The Crushing Depths, but recommend reading book 1, The Killing Tide, first. I feel you will miss pertinent details if you don’t begin with book 1.

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from NetGalley via Celebrate Lit. I also purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on August 9, 2020, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Amazing! I’ve really been enjoying the Coastal Guardians series! ❤
More than the amazing suspense we know Pettrey can write, each book presents real characters who have a background story, who carry fear, guilt and regrets. But also memories of joy and belonging. These are a few of the themes going along Missi’s story — I mean, Rissi and Mason 😉

The Crushing Depths by Dani Pettrey is book 2 in the author's Coastal Guardians series. This series is a fascinating look at the dangers faced by the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), a group that is extremely in demand in this series! With its beach and ocean setting, this is a great summer beach read, but it is action-packed from start to finish! Having read book 1, I enjoyed seeing the continuing story of the characters from that book, but I do think this book could be read as a standalone novel. This book is full of twists and turns and nearly everyone seems a suspect. This is the hallmark of a wonderful author. I read this genre frequently and often figure out mysteries before the end of the book. This book was very difficult to figure out and I definitely guessed wrong! I highly recommend this novel to readers that love mystery and suspense with just a bit of romance thrown in. It is a delightful read and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

A very intense story with the Coast Guard Investigators involved. Care is usually taken to avoid accidents working on an oil rig but the Dauntless seems to be getting more than the normal run of accidents and deaths. An environmental group close by protesting what they are doing seems to be the logical culprit but there is also a local known curse many attribute to bad things happening.
The investigative team all work well together and each person has their own area in which they excel. I just felt smarter listening to their banter and expertise discussing each new revelation they discover. The responsible person(s), was hard to figure out, I was totally floored!
I enjoyed this story with like-able characters, much suspense and intrigue and lots of sweet romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review.

The Crushing Depths, by Dani Pettrey, is book two in the Coastal Guardians series. Mason is new to the Coast Guard Investigative Services and is teamed up with Rissi. As teens they were in the same foster home and Mason looked out for Rissi. Now years later they pick up their friendship as if they had not been separated.

While this is part of a series and some of the characters carry over, this is a great stand alone story. There are a lot of characters in this story to keep track of, but once the story developed, they were easy to follow. This is a fast moving, action packed Christian romantic suspense story. The writing is so clear it is easy to imagine the danger the team is in. I liked the way Mason and Rissi worked together and looked out for each other. I enjoyed reading this story, I enjoyed the suspense and the way the team worked together.

I received an e-book copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

The Crushing Depths is book 2 in Dani Pettrey’s new Coastal Guardians series and I strongly recommend reading book one, The Killing Tide, first. I didn’t, and I struggled to make sense of the beginning. It’s clear that as a team the characters were introduced in book one.
I’m a fan of Dani Pettrey’s books, and The Crushing Depths included everything I love about her stories. The characters have all come through deep, personal struggles which not only makes them relatable, but also admirable. Rissi and Max grew up together in a group home and their background leads to a quick romance between the two. The story also has several other romances going on between other members of the team, and outside the team.
I love how Dani keeps the suspenseful moments vague enough that the reader gets the idea but isn’t met with gruesome or horrific visuals. I fear for the characters without internalizing that fear and I love that about her books. I recommend this series for those looking to be introduced to the romantic suspense genre.
There were a few things I didn’t like such as the use of the words, dang and he—. While I understand the author’s use, I don’t like to read them, and it rubs me the wrong way. Also, there are a couple scenes that slow the story pace. Many others are short and bounce between characters rapidly, with almost no transition—some readers may find this difficult to follow.
I recommend this book for those who enjoy romantic suspense involving members of the American military, namely Coast Guard.

This is book 2 of the Coastal Guardian Series -- I have read book 1 - so I was excited to read the sequel. However, this book can be read as a stand a lone. In this book, we meet Coast Guard Investigator, Rissi. She is a talented profiler - who is at the top of her game. We also meet Mason. He is an expert diver. They are some of the best of the best - and they have a history. They have similar pasts and were in the same foster home when they were younger - They are being sent to a oil rig that has had a string of bad luck. In this instance, they are investigating a death of an oil rig worker. The more they investigate - the more I got thrown off the path. Was it the environmental activists that do not want to see an oil rig working?
I learned a lot about oil rigs during this book - I did not realize how much goes into the process.

I like that Rissi and Mason have a past - I feel like it made their chemistry believable.

Now, I want to note - that be prepared to get lost in this book. It starts out with a bang - and gets your adrenaline going and you will not want to stop reading.

This author writes real feeling characters. They come to life through the pages. They are always well written. The author has done a great deal of research. I feel more knowledgeable about oil rigs. The story line grabbed my attention with the first chapter. I look forward to what comes next for this author.

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program --- all thoughts are my own.

The deafening silence of the abyss engulfed her.

What an incredible way to begin a book that keeps you guessing right up till the end. The danger, suspense and non-stop action forced me to mentally update my suspect list more than once. I must admit, the actual perpetrators came as a surprise. The mark of a wonderful suspense writer!

Book 2 in the Coastal Guardians series introduces us to a new member on the CGIS team. A former foster brother of Rissi has joined them from Kodiak, Alaska, bringing a whole new positive dynamic to the group. For Mason and Rissi the reunion after so many years is delightful to observe. Learning more about the other members just whets the appetite for the next installment in the series. I love how they all work together to help, protect and encourage each other. Their faith shines through in everything they do.

This ARC was received through Bethany House Publishers, Baker Publishing Group, NetGalley and CelebrateLit. The impressions and comments are my own and were in no way solicited.

Oh my was this an exciting read. The author gets right into the adventure as soon as you start the book. I really enjoyed reading about the Coast Guards like in the first book of the series. This time we go along as Rissi and Mason are front and center in this thriller. I kept thinking as I read the book that it was a cross between NCIS and Criminal Minds.
Being out at sea for a long period of time does not sound very fun for me. There are many that do it though for the thrill and money. I just wonder how hard it would be to be stuck there without seeing your family. The story revolves around a mysterious death on an oil rig. What I really liked was the “curse” that many believed that caused accidents and deaths to happen. The background on the curse was very intense and it added a bit of mystery to the story.
Rissi and Mason go to investigate and find themselves in danger. I loved how the author stacked unexplained accidents on top of another that delivers a real puzzle to solve. I was so sure I knew who was behind everything, but I was very wrong. There are many twists in the story which kept me digging more into several suspects. There is romance in the book but for me it was not distracting from the story. The faith element is good and just the right amount to know that a few of the characters prayed for wisdom and safety.
With an activist group wanting to stop the completion of the structure, bodies turning up and unexplained accidents, the author delivers a well written story that had me reading as fast as I could. I really liked the characters and how they were up against weather, danger aboard the rig and threats without giving up. Rissi and Mason are a good combination and compliment each other at work . Their ability to untangle a very complicated case was nothing short of brilliance. I love the authors’ way that she tells a story with details, intrigue and non stop action. Get ready for an adventure where nothing is as it seems.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

The Surprising Bad Guys!

Are the equipment malfunctions, food poisoning and deaths on an off-shore oil rig because of a century’s old curse, bad luck or outright murder? While this has been going on, environmental activists have been on shore protesting the drilling, and are determined to have it stopped. They have also placed a boat by the platform, and members on board shout their complaints constantly. Coast Guard Investigators Rissi and Mason have been teamed up to get to the bottom of it.

Even though working together is new, the investigator’s mutual history goes back to when they were mistreated orphans in an abusive children’s home. Rissi always loved Mason for helping her get through it, but she never shared how she felt. They lost touch with each other for ten years, but now they are back in each other’s lives.

Additionally, Brooke, a Coast Guard medic, is being stalked by someone dangerous. Her home has been broken into, a lethal trap was put into her car, and her most prized possession was brutally vandalized. The most likely suspect is her ex-boyfriend, but if it is not him, then who?

There is lots of edge of your seat excitement in this book while trying to figure out the identity of the bad guys. The sand surfing was fun to hear about, and imagine doing. This 5-star clean story is told from a Christian viewpoint. I recommend it to fans of romantic thrillers.

NetGalley has provided bookreadingtic with a complimentary copy of, The Crushing Depths, for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Dani Pettrey is a must-read author for me. I love the suspense. I love the romance. And I love how perfectly she strikes a balance between the two. From the first time I picked up one of her books, I have always anticipated the next one.

The Crushing Depths, Book Two in the Coastal Guardian series, was no different. I eagerly waited to get lost in the story of Rissi and Mason—and I was not disappointed. Having met as teenagers, they find themselves face-to-face years later. Part of the investigative team that must unravel a mysterious death on an oil rig, while untangling never-forgotten feelings for one another, Rissi and Mason keep the action going and the chemistry sparking. Quick-paced and unpredictable, this story kept me up far past my bedtime and gave me a satisfying conclusion, both with the romance and the investigation.

I received a free copy of The Crushing Depths for review purposes. My opinions are my own.

There is never a dull moment in Dani Pettrey’s books. Edge of your seat action in a race against time and unknown threats will keep you glued to the book from start to finish

The Crushing Depths is the second installment from Dani Pettrey's Coastal Guardians series. I really enjoyed the first book, the Killing Tide, but I think I enjoyed this one even more. It was a fabulous read. It was far from being predictable. I never knew what was going to happen next. It was full of danger, action, mystery, suspense, and romance. I loved every single page. So so good.
I am giving The Crushing Depths a very well deserved five plus stars. I can not wait for the third addition of the Coastal Guardians series to be released in the near future. I recommend it to readers who love to read clean romantic suspense. It should not be missed!
I received this publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Another great read from Dani Pettrey. In this one, we get to spend time with many characters from other books, while also delving into the growing relationship between old friends Rissi and Mason. They were each other's lifeline in foster care before aging out of the system separtated them. Now they both work for Coast Guard and are paired to investigate the sabotage of an oil rig. I pride myself in my ability to figure out what's happening in a book, and this one kept me guessing to the end. A really enjoyable read.

I enjoyed this read! It wasn't my favorite, but it met my expectations and was a fun book!

This is book 2 of a series, and like many Christian fiction series, the main characters are two that were introduced in book 1. The main characters in this one are Rissi and Mason, who were introduced in The Killing Tide (at least, I know Rissi was in it; I'm not sure about Mason). I really enjoyed their romance and getting reintroduced to each other: they were so sweet and it was so fun to read. Like the previous book, the two main characters already had a relationship, and they also . . . kissed a lot? Nothing /too/ visual, but definitely the hands-in-hair, back-against-the-wall, his-mouth-enveloped-her-mouth kind of kiss which . . . was kind of a lot? I didn't mind it but I know a lot of people who read my reviews might, so I wanted to put that out there.

In terms of the actual suspense plot line, I liked it a lot better than in The Killing Tide: the scenario seemed a lot more believable, and the amount of people involved seemed adequate for the situation (whereas in the other book, it felt like 7-10 people solving a case of that magnitude was a little unrealistic, and for me it required a bit of suspension of disbelief). I enjoyed watching people from various fields working together to solve the case, and my favorite was probably Austin, the lawyer! She was just . . . REALLY COOL.

Speaking of the characters, though, I feel like the characters were . . . really boring? I finally understood them a little better (in The Killing Tide it felt like the whole time I was trying to piece together who each of the characters were and what they did, because there are so many of them!), but as I got to know them, I realized that they . . . really didn't have any personality traits? Their only distinctive feature seemed to be their position at work, and nothing much aside from that. Even the main characters, Rissi and Mason, seemed really two-dimensional and simple (and the rest of the characters even more so).

trigger warning: child abuse, an allusion to sexual assault

I really enjoyed Rissi and Mason's backstories though! I wish we could've heard more about it, especially since it's such an heavy and deep topic that has a lot that can be discussed. Instead, most of the discussion just skirted around the topics that could've actually been really nice to have unpacked.


Overall, I thought this book was really fun! I enjoyed reading it, and while I got confused by the characters a lot, the storyline was really fun! Will I be reading it again? No, probably not. Will I be reading the next book in the series? Yes! At this point I'm too invested to back out. It wasn't my favorite, but I did enjoy it.

Dani Pettrey has done it again, bringing an amazing story to readers who love romance with a heavy dose of suspense. I love how the characters are woven together, and although the story is about Rissi and Mason, everyone else is still pertinent to the plot and story.
Can't wait for the next book!
In The Crushing Depths, you'll find a good deal of mystery surrounding the oil rig, who's guilty, and will they be stopped in time. You're also given a deep look into Rissi and Mason's troubled past, and the way they found each other was nothing short of God's timing.
That has to be one of my favorite aspects to this story. The author is not afraid to let her characters pray. Short and sweet prayers for the safety of the team and for live in general, it has a genuine feel that a lot of authors lack and I'm thrilled to see the depth and attention given to Christian values.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I have been waiting for this book for what seems like forever, although it's only been a year. Oh Pettrey pens a great story, full of suspense, action, kissing (swoon!), and characters that you just love being around. She even throws some surprises in every now and then, and I have to admit that I cannot get enough. I knew I was going to devour this book, so it took a lot of strength to force myself to read it slowly. I wanted to savor as much as I could for as long as I could.

Rissi and Mason! Yeah they are a fantastic couple. But what I really loved was their backstory. They had a connection unlike any other, and it really touched my heart. Right from the beginning you knew there was something different about these characters, and yes it was emotional to read about their past. But Pettrey reminds readers that God can turn something horrible into something amazing, which is exactly what He did in the lives of Rissi and Mason. Have your tissues ready...you are going to need them.

Like with every Pettrey novel, there is the fun game of figuring out the whodunnit. She gives you just enough info to keep you guessing, and then brings a surprise at the end. I loved this just as much as I loved visiting the characters again. There are quite a few to keep track of, so I highly recommend reading book one first to get to know them. But once you do, it's like being amongst old friends. This series is a must read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.