If you know anything about me, it’s that I love all the books by Dani Pettrey, and her latest, The Deadly Shallows lives up to my expectations and love of her stories.

The Deadly Shallows follows Brooke and Noah Rowley, as Noah hunts a killer while that same killer is hunting Brooke. If you are looking for a nice leisurely read, this is not the book for you, from the very beginning you will dive into adventure and mystery with twists and turns at every corner. Be prepared to not put this book down until the very end.

I am sad that this is the final book of the Coastal Guardians Series but I’m excited for what comes next. So pull up a cup of tea (I’m sorry Dani! I don’t like coffee, please don’t kick me out!) and dive into the perfect summer storm read!

I received this book complimentary from the publisher @bethanyhousefiction through @netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I know we're not supposed to pick favorites, but too bad. This is my favorite book in this series.

I usually start out talking about the storyline or the characters, but something that is incredibly powerful in Dani's books is she's not afraid of her faith being shown through her characters. It's not done in an "in your face" kind of way, but in a way that feels very true to the characters. Her characters pray out loud and give God the honor He is due. So, so good!

While this story is mostly about Brooke and Noah, I really enjoyed that it was about the entire team. Caleb and Austin get a lot of page time and I enjoyed getting to know both sets through the story. While each of the characters has their own struggles they work well together and respect each other.

There were a couple of storylines going on in the book that certainly keeps the reader on their toes. I guess bad guys don't know to let the team finish one crime before a new one starts. Good thing is, they've got a great group of people working together. I loved seeing them have each others' back and work cohesively. The suspense of the story had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

Now we just need a story for Logan and Emmy! And I'm ready for it!!

*I received my book for review. This is my personal opinion.

When I read the synopsis of this book, mass shootings, stolen weapons, and deeply rooted secrets that require revenge I knew this was a book for me. I enjoy Christian suspense and this one did not disappoint. From the first page to the last I was hooked. I loved the characters and their relationships with God.
This was my first Dani Pettrey, but won’t be my last. Thank you NetGallery for my ARC.

I always looks forward to new Dani Pettrey books and The Deadly Shallows did not disappoint.

This is the third book in the Coastal Guardians series. While it could be read as a standalone, I would suggest reading the previous books first, to get a sense of the characters and relationships. There isn’t really much recap and I found it took me a bit of time to remember what they all did and how they were connected.

The mysteries were interesting and kept the plot moving along quickly, but I thought they could have been a little more developed. I was never that invested in trying to figure things out and I kind of felt like Pettrey was the same. There were several good action-y scenes, but it kind of felt like everything was just kind of filler for the romance plotlines.

But, I’m not complaining about that because I was all in for the romances. I was already shipping Noah and Brooke in the previous book and I loved them here. I also really enjoyed seeing Austin and Caleb spend more time together and fall in love. There were so many sweet, sappy moments in this book and I was here for them. I was hoping to see more of Emmy and Logan, but hopefully they’ll be the focus of the next book.

Overall, I enjoyed The Deadly Shallows. I liked the characters and really enjoyed the romance. I also liked how the characters’ faith was an integral part of their daily lives. I really look forward to this series continuing.

This is a story that I have been anxiously awaiting! If you have read the first two books in the series, you will enjoy diving back into another harrowing adventure with Noah Rawley’s Coast Guard team. If you haven’t read any of the other books in this series, I believe that you could still enjoy this one, however, both of the love stories that are primary in The Deadly Shallows have been slowly simmering in earlier books, so reading the other novels adds to the depth in their relationship.

Everything about The Deadly Shallows made it hard for me to set down. I liked that there were two different relationships that progressed from friendship to more as the team solved not one, but two cases.

I really felt for Noah as he struggled with the feeling that he shouldn’t pursue a relationship with Brooke due to something from his past, even as he realized that he was already in love with her. I appreciated that the author had these characters openly discuss their concerns in a way that showed how important good communication is.

I really enjoyed Austin and Caleb’s budding romance, as well. These two had bickering down to an art form in earlier stories, yet they also were a good example of talking things through when their feelings began to grow.

The Deadly Shallows was a great story, packed with intrigue and romance. I’m looking forward to Emmy and Logan’s story next.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

My main issue with this book was that it was utterly unmemorable: I read it a month or two ago and now, sitting down to write the review, I remember effectively none of what happened in the book. Even after skimming through the book again, I still have trouble thinking of what the plot was. Part of it is my own issues with reading comprehension (I get easily confused when there are many side characters, and I can’t follow plots with multiple POV changes easily), but I also think that this book was just confusingly written, because I was much more confused in this book than I usually am.

There were at least 4 or 5 POVs, and 2 romances going on, as well as about a half dozen other characters that also made an appearance in this book, so needless to say, there was a lot going on all the time. Even though it has been the same cast of characters since the first book, keeping all of them straight didn’t seem to get any easier in this book.

On top of everything, there was a lot of gore. The book opens with a mass shooting, with graphic descriptions of blood and people dying. While it wasn’t particularly visual, it was shocking and overall had more blood and murder than I’ve been used to in Christian suspense.

The actual suspense/mystery part of the book was good: I thought that the chase and suspense built up well and kept me reading. However, the parts where there was suspense fell second to the interactions between the characters and the romantic plotlines. While there was a lot of suspenseful moments, overall I think the suspense could have been done better.

Overall, this is the third book by Dani Pettrey that I’ve read and overall, I think that I am not cut out for books by her. As much as I enjoy a fast-paced suspense book, something about the writing style and the number of characters in her books leads me to not enjoy her books as much, and I don’t think I’ll be picking up her books from this point forward.

Reading a Dani Pettrey novel always puts me on the edge of my seat because I never know what is going to happen next. And then I'm up way too late reading because I need to know who is behind it and why. Lost sleep as a result of a book is the only reason I like to lose sleep and this was worth working with brain fog after not getting enough sleep! I've looked forward to Noah and Brooke's story since book 1 so this was a highly anticipated read for me. Insert happy sighs here because it was perfect. I can't wait for the novella next!

The Deadly Shallows is so so good. I suppose I should expand. But really just go buy the book. Grab the entire series if you haven’t read them all. Each story stands alone but it’s more fun if you read them all because you feel like you’re hanging out with friends.

The Deadly Shallows is the third in the excellent Coastal Guardians series. Full disclosure: Dani is a dear friend and also, more recently, my writing mentor. However, my husband and our bookish bills will tell you I was a huge fan of her work long before she and I became acquainted.

Anyway, book three. We finally get to see Noah Rowley, who leads the CGIS team, face his growing feelings for Coast Guard Flight Medic, Brooke Kessler. But while he’s busy trying to avoid those emotions, a mass shooting rocks their base to the core. As the team scrambles, alongside other agencies, to figure out what’s going on, before the body count rises, Noah focuses on keeping Brooke alive after she overheard something that makes the killer want her silenced forever.

If you’ve never read a Dani Pettrey novel before, here’s what you should know: A tightly woven plot that twists and turns and where you typically can’t guess the actual culprit until quite near the end. Characters who go on an emotional journey together and grow while tackling the crisis at hand, and make you care about or, really, befriend them, in the process. And a sense of loss when it all ties up and you read the end.

If you enjoy romantic suspense, Dani Pettrey is highly recommended.

I received a copy from NetGalley, the opinions are all my own.

The Deadly Shallows by Dani Pettrey is one of her best books yet. She excels at writing the final book in a series and wrapping things up beautifully.

We have all been waiting for Noah and Caleb’s stories and it did not disappoint. Noah and Brooke have been friends so long Brooke was about to give up that he really cared for her. The mass shooting helped Noah realize how important she is to him.

Caleb and Austin have been fun to watch as they go from trying to one up each other to understanding their feelings for each other. Austin is a PI and a tough cookie. She is a great character.

The plot line was very well done and kept the action moving. I thoroughly enjoyed their case update meetings. It was like watching the mystery unfold from everyone’s perspective.

Dani is an author to follow. I read her books without even needing to read the description. She does an amazing job balancing the human side of the story and the mystery/suspense.

Sexual content - kissing,
Violence - a lot of people die, these villains were merciless. And one of the team members is tortured but no details are given.


I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

I could not put this book down, from the first page to the last. This author has a way of putting you on the edge of your seat and makes you feel like you are right in the middle of the madness. I really liked Brooke she was such a fighter and loved wholeheartedly. Noah was a protector of anyone who he truly cared about. The book did keep me guessing for the first part of the book until everything started playing out, but even with all the piecing together the author kept you guessing to what was going to happen next. This book is amazing and I can not stop recommending this book.

Noah Rowley, Coast Guard Investigative Service team leader, struggles with his feelings for Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler. He thinks she wants their relationship to move from friendship to something more permanent, but he’s sure if he shares the secret from his past, she’ll walk away. It’s happened before.

When someone attacks the Coast Guard base graduation ceremony, Noah and his team rush to neutralize the threat. Only one shooter survives, and when he whispers something to Brooke as they load onto the helicopter, he puts a target on Brooke’s back.

Brooke, Noah and his team race to unravel the mystery of who attacked and why, but the casualty count keeps mounting. Will they uncover the truth before another Coast Guard member goes down?

Why I Loved This Book

Pettrey continues her Coastal Guardians series with action-packed suspense and enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing from page to page. The sweet love story provides relief from the action scenes, as Noah and Brooke’s relationship deepens as they struggle to find the killers and stay alive.

Although part of a series, readers can enjoy The Deadly Shallows as a standalone novel.

Pettrey knows how to get you invested in her characters. I’ve been a fan of Noah’s for a while now, and I’ve been anxiously awaiting his story.

From the beginning, Pettrey drops you into a story with high stakes and fast-paced action. As her characters scramble to put the pieces together, they have these organic interactions that build the romances in a realistic way. I wasn’t expecting Caleb’s romance to be in The Deadly Shallows too, but I loved the chance to see his relationship with the spunky private eye progress.

Though the reader gains some knowledge quickly, Pettrey still holds a lot back. She drops breadcrumbs here and there for the reader to gather as they try to put the pieces together. There were plenty of surprises and plot twists.

The faith threads are subtle but present, with the characters often reaching out to God for help multiple times.

Overall, The Deadly Shallows is a gripping tale that provides two sweet romances. Romantic suspense fans will enjoy Pettrey’s newest tale.

(Note: I received a complimentary copy via NetGalley for review. All opinions expressed are my own.)

Thank you to NetGalley, Bethany House Books and Ms. Pettrey for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This is my first time reading a Christian romantic suspense thriller. It's also my first time with Ms. Pettrey. You can enjoy the book without having read book #1 or #2 as the established relationships are made clear and the relationships between team members are also well delineated.

Overall I enjoyed the book, but I do think it would have benefitted from less going on. There was not one mystery but two. Furthermore, there were two different romantic relationships. I think the narrative would have benefitted from at least one of those four elements being reduced or removed. I'm not a frequent reader of Christian novels so I won't comment on that element other than to note that the many pauses for prayer in the initial chapters, while understandable, did have the unfortunate effect of grinding the urgent, fast-paced situation to a crawl. I also was a little doubtful that the entire team would be fervently Christian (or clearly on the path to becoming so, i.e., Logan), as well as all intermarrying, but OK, sure, why not.

I don't come across Christian thrillers too often, professionally, so it's always a plus to have one on the radar. I'll keep this one on tap for readers looking for faith-based, very low-heat romances plus a little action.

It was difficult to decide which drove this story, the romance or the suspense. There was a lot of both. In this book two new couples are formed as they each collaborate on their own case. I am a big fan of Dani Pettrey, but I must say that this is not in my top three favorites of her books, although I enjoyed it enough to feel comfortable recommending it to others. It's just a personal preference for me to have the scales tip a bit more to the suspense storyline than to the romance one.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Deadly Shallows from Bethany House without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Deadly Shallows races through disaster and drama faster than any other book in the Coastal Guardians series! You won’t be able to keep up with CGIS Agent Noah Rowley as he tries to stop the violence that’s happening all around Wilmington.
Rowley is a man to be admired, and that’s clear from the lengths to which he goes to try to find answers to the attacks on his team. I love reading about men of honor, and Rowley is one of the best.
What takes this story to a whole new level is the way that Rowley and the other characters interact. Rowley and Brooke are dancing around their mutual interest, but other characters are, too, and they also interact with characters from past books, and that makes it so much better.
I like the way that Pettrey uses the setting almost like another character. Wilmington, North Carolina is a vibrant city full of history, beachy vibes, and coffee shops – and the author plays them all up. I’ve visited there many times, and it’s fun to read about places I’ve been and being able to picture the backdrop makes the book even more exciting.
If you like suspenseful reads full of romance and heart, make The Deadly Shallows your next summer story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.

This is suspense at it’s finest. In this third book there is suspense at it’s finest. Pettrey has created characters that will reach out and grab you. You will keep turning the pages. A ring of killers that will stop at nothing and no one. Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler, is brought to the concern of the killers because she evacuated by helicopter, the only gunman that survived the ambush. They could not afford to let her live because they do not know what he may have told her. Thus begins this hold-on-to-your-seat suspense…. An early copy of Coastal Guardians Book 3 was received through Bethany House Publishers, Baker Publishing Group and NetGalley. These comments and impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

Deadly Shallows
Coastal Guardians #3
By Dani Pettrey

It was a celebration of achievements and new beginnings when an attack turned it deadly. But the lost lives and the traumas were just the beginning and something even more insidious was taking place.

When an attack occurs on the Coast Guard base CGIS never realized just what they were about to take on. The killers had an ulterior motive and they weren't about to be stopped. And when Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler becomes a target of these merciless killers she may become their next victim. But if Noah Rowley has anything to say about it Brooke will never leave his sign as long as the threat exists.

While everyone is trying to wrap their heads around this attack and potential fallout another case all but falls in their lap - this one has the potential to have a major environmental impact. Can the CGIS team handle all of this chaos and emotional upheaval while bringing down criminals who seem to be far ahead of them with few clues to direct their investigations? Well, they are certainly going to try - but to find out whether or not they succeed you have to read the book.

The book is fairly well-paced throughout. And we have not one but two potential romances on the horizon between first Noah and Brooke and second Caleb and Austin. So plenty of romance and suspense in this one. There are quite a few murders but no graphic descriptions to keep you up at night. Nope, the only reason this book will give you a late-night is because you can't put it down. This book is the third book in The Coastal Guardians series but you could read it as a standalone book (there are a few references to previous actions but nothing to keep you from enjoying the book).

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.

This is the third book in the Coastal Guardian series. It's not necessary to read the first two books in the series. But it would be helpful to keep the characters straight.

During a graduation ceremony for the Coast Guard a group opens fire. Several are killed and more wounded. Attending the ceremony are several of CGIS Agent Noah Rowley's friends and colleagues. Brooke Kesler is one of them. She is a medic and is task with evacuating in a helicopter with the only surviving gunman. He whispers something to her which makes her a target. Noah and his team ramp up their investigation into who was behind the attack as well as trying to protect Brooke.

This is a fast-paced book which I highly recommend. I found myself reading when I should have been doing something else.

I was given this book by Bethany House Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

Coast Guard Investigative Service Agent Noah Rowley is astonished when his team comes under attack on his Coast Guard base. The adrenaline is peaking and Noah and his remaining team members rush to the scene in an attempt to end the attack. Many innocent lives are lost and Noah vows to bring the leader of the attack to justice. Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler, evacuated by helicopter, the only gunman that survived the ambush. While in flight the gunman tells Brooke some information that immediately puts her in danger. Brooke and Noah team up to get any answers they possibly can about the ambush.

This is the third installment in the Coastal Guardians Series. It was every bit as good as the first two books. I love these characters, they are very believable. The story is written with such compassion and emotion from the author that the pages literally pull you into the story. This unputdownable Mystery, Suspense with a dash of romance is absolutely perfect. I couldn’t read it fast enough, it had me so engaged until the very last page. Wow…amazing!! This book can be read as a standalone but is enjoyed best as part of this wonderful series. This is a definite must read, and I highly recommend this book.

Thank you Dani Pettrey for such a wonderful, gripping and completely phenomenal suspense. I thoroughly enjoyed it and Coastal Guardians is a fantastic series. I loved it from cover to cover.

The Deadly Shallows has two mysteries the team must solve and focuses on Noah Rowley and Brooke Kessler and Caleb Eason and Austin Kelly. There’s a lot more romance in this installment than in the previous books, but since I’m a romance lover I liked it. I enjoyed the twists and turns as the team worked to solve the crimes. The bad guys are bad, and I wanted them to pay for what they’d done. Pettrey does a really good job in creating a believable story with just the right mix of criminal details. I like that the women are strong and capable and both the male and female characters need rescuing at times. There’s a lot of action and because of the detail, you’ll think you’re right there sifting through the clues with the team. I’m a fan of faith threads in stories and there’s a solid one in this book, but it isn’t preachy. Everything gets resolved in the end, and while I would recommend reading the books in order, you will not be lost if you read this one first. I received an advance copy for review; however, I did purchase the paperback for my Dani Pettrey collection.