I have read every book that Dani Pettrey has written, beginning with Submerged in 2012. I have just finished The Deadly Shallows and it is awesome how Dani has gone from a wonderful author to a fantastic storyteller. Her books simply draw you in causing the world to fade away. I love the way she always weaves faith through her characters' lives. The deadly Shallows brings to a thrilling conclusion the Coastal Guardians series and I am sincerely sorry to say goodbye to these characters. And the situations the folks find themselves in are so realistic, that I find myself ducking in order to avoid danger. I do recommend you read the first two books in the series before reading the Deadly Shallows.
Grab a pitcher of tea and curl up for an awesome adventure!

I was given a copy of Deadly Shallows by NetGalley with no expectations. All thoughts are my own!

The Deadly Shallows
By: Dani Pettrey

Story Line: 4 Stars
Depth: 3 Stars
Faith: 3 Stars
Love Story: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

Another solid series by Dani Pettrey! The Deadly Shallows finishes up this suspenseful trilogy, and it was nice to see the conclusion to Noah and Brooke’s story, with a little nod to Caleb and Austin as well.

This book begins with a bang, right as a mass shooting is about to take place at a military graduation. Author Dani does an excellent job bringing the reader right into the middle of the story and quickly letting us know her main characters. As per her usual pace, Dani keeps us turning the pages as the military mystery unfolds in the aftermath. The storyline was excellent, except for the sheer number of characters we sometimes had trouble keeping straight.

Several of the characters we met in the first two books have long had romantic sparks flying and it’s about time we see these couples finally get somewhere. The two love stories definitely got our hearts fluttering a few times!

Overall, this was a good series if you are looking for a little mystery, suspense and satisfying romance.
Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review.

At long last, the third installment of Dani Pettrey’s Coastal Guardians series is here! I enjoyed this suspenseful ride and the complicated case with its many threads, along with the romance developing under pressure. Well-crafted with her signature pacing and dialogue, The Deadly Shallows was everything I’ve come to expect from Dani Pettrey’s romantic suspense. Primarily focused on CGIS Team Leader Noah Rowley and flight medic Brooke Kesler, this book also serves as CGIS Agent Caleb Eason and Private Investigator Austin Kelly’s love story.

The action starts right away, plunging us into the villain’s perspective and worried about the danger about to happen. And we find Brooke and Noah at an impasse- Brooke looking for a deeper connection than Noah seems willing to give. But as a mass shooting on the base, the theft of plans for a weapon of mass destruction, and an abduction drive our characters together in the opening chapters, everyone’s feelings are pushed into the open. But it takes the rest of the book to connect all the threads and unpack all the feelings and eliminate the extreme danger. I read it quickly, eager to figure out how everything would turn out.

As always, I enjoyed the team dynamics, checking in with the main characters from the previous books, and trying to figure out the mysteries (of which there were several!). On these more intricate cases, I’m glad when the team recaps things together in order to keep everything straight. The North Carolina setting was subtle but felt authentic with names of restaurants and other nuances. I enjoyed getting to know Noah and Brooke and Caleb and Austin so much better. Their struggles, worries, and relationships rang true, especially knowing their previous connections from the first two books. Though, to a newcomer, things might seem a little hasty without the back-knowledge.

My only complaint is minor. I’ve read (and loved) the first two books in this series, and while I remembered the characters, it had been awhile with lots of books read in-between. I wish Pettrey had done just a little more in the early pages of the novel to remind me who was who and provide some character descriptions. For example, it took me thumbing back through the book to Chapter 9 for the first mention of Caleb’s last name, which I couldn’t remember for the life of me when I started my review. Caleb himself is mentioned first in Chapter 6, plunging right into the action, but a brief introduction sentence would have helped me immediately place him, instead of floundering a little. Same can be said for Austin at the beginning of Chapter 5. It definitely took me a minute to remember Austin was the female PI. It was easier for Noah and Brooke, since they had scenes in Book 2, and I remembered more of their history. There was also very little in the way of character descriptions- and I don’t feel like that is something I’ve lacked in a Dani Pettrey book before. If I was binge reading the series I’m certain there would have been no issue, but I worry those who haven’t read the first two might have felt a bit lost because there’s about ten team members heavily involved in the story.

That being said, to get the most out of this great suspense novel, I do recommend starting with Gabby and Finn in The Killing Tide and Rissi and Mason in The Crushing Depths. All three books have been excellent and I’m really hoping Book 4 is coming about Logan and Emmy… their character development has had me chomping at the bit since the beginning. All the powerhouse tech geek dream team vibes of Eric and Nell (NCIS LA) and Fitz and Simmons (Agents of SHIELD)! They might end up being my favorite.

Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for this early review copy. All my opinions are my own.

Action from beginning to end in the third novel of the Coastal Guardians Series!

Following a mass shooting at a Coast Guard Graduation Ceremony, Special Agent Noah Rowley commits himself and his team to figuring out who was behind the attack. Flight Medic Brooke Kesler is equally committed to helping how she can after seeing her friend shot at the graduation.

Loved peeling back the layers as the villain and motive were revealed. I was definitely in the dark and didn't guess who was behind the attack until the very end.

After the mass shooting, Noah re-evaluated his feelings for Brooke and their romance began to blossom. It was great to get caught up with other characters in the series.

The Deadly Shallows is an explosive sequel to Dani Pettrey's Costal Guardians series which continues her knack for leading her readers on a suspenseful adventure one breath shy of a heart attack! Ms. Pettrey fills her pages with shocking plot twists, scary situations, intricate storylines and a wealth of carefully developed characters. The result of this combination is a thrilling suspense complete with themes of romance, faith, strength, perseverance, and family. Ms. Pettrey delivers again with this fast paced work sure to delight her readers.
When a mass shooting occurs at a Coast Guard base, what looks to be a horrific tragedy soon turns into a much more grave and complex situation with far-reaching consequences. Coast Guard Investigative Agent Noah Rowley and his team respond to the mass shooting and are horrified by the tremendous loss of life. Noah and his team soon discover that during this shooting, plans for a top secret and deadly weapon were stolen. On top of those dangers, one of Noah's friends, Brooke is missing and suspected to have been kidnapped. Brooke Kesler is a Coast Guard flight medic and is a strong and determined force for good. Can Brooke escape or be rescued from her captors before it is too late? What is truly going on behind the scenes? Who is orchestrating these attacks and thefts and what is the ultimate goal of the criminal mastermind? Can Noah and his team prevent more innocent lives from being taken? Will they be able to find and rescue Brooke? Can they prevent another tragedy? Read The Deadly Shallows to find out for yourself.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this book besides the obvious excellence in adventure and suspense, was the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed Brooke's personality, as she has a fire for life with a strength and determination that inspires others. I also appreciated Noah's drive for justice and his firm determination to be a protector and defender of others. Both Brooke and Noah were excellent characters with their own weaknesses, strengths, humor, and heartaches. Another aspect of this book I enjoyed was the great dynamic between the main and minor characters throughout each chapter. This Coast Guard Investigative group definitely holds a wide range of skills and personalities, which adds to the humor and intrigue in this book. Overall, I was impressed by this work and would recommend it. I enjoyed The Deadly Shallows and I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy it as much as I have. Happy reading!
Disclaimer: Bethany House Publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and part of an unbiased review.

The third book from Dani Pettrey's "Costal Guardians" series offers actions, twists and plenty of romance. While part of a series, this could easily be read as a stand alone book. The opening to the book presents a mass shooting, so if you get triggered by this sort thing, I suggest reading one of the other books in the series. That said, this book avoids gory details.

I loved the mystery element of the story and was in fact why I chose it. The romance was a side benefit but felt that there was a lot of of it going on with up to three couples mentioned - I did wonder if the rest of the books were going to be combined into this story. However, that doesn't appear to be the case and the abundance of romance didn't bug me.

I got this book in exchange for an honest review. I am adding to my libraries collection. As I said, I really enjoyed the mystery and look forward to reading more books like this - this one has been my favourite in the series thus far.

The Deadly Shallows by Dani Pettrey starts with a bombing at a military graduation ceremony, and then takes off from there. Of course, fans of romantic suspense novels will be excited with all the suspense and the dead bodies appearing everywhere. There is a smaller mystery to go along with the initial bombing in the opening scene that needs to be solved also. On the other hand, the romance is a little too Hallmarky for me. Too many emotions. It took over the suspense a lot. It made the suspense appear not as important as the budding relationship between two separate couples. When Pettrey did show the scenes with the couples and their relationship, I usually skimmed through until I reached the suspense part. Not a fan of much romance in my stories. It is okay to deep the characters, but when there are bombs going off and dead bodies piling up, that should be the focus of the overall story, not the romance. Speaking of things that Pettrey does well is her ability to craft a suspenseful scene with plenty of action and nice description to see the action as it plays out in a reader’s imagination. The final climactic moment was nicely detailed and came to a quick and effective resolution. Overall, The Deadly Shallows by Dani Pettrey does fit nicely in with her previous novels and the romantic suspense genre, but the romance was a little over the top for me. If readers enjoyed her previous stories, then I suggest readers dive into this one too.

I received a complimentary copy of The Deadly Shallows by Dani Pettrey from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

Oh so much going on in this book! I found it to be exciting and suspenseful in parts which I really enjoyed. There seemed to be two main events that the team was investigating. Both interesting but I wish that the author had only focused on one. And focused on one relationship. There were times that I felt a bit lost as to who was who and what case they were on. Not that it was hard to understand, but just that I would get distracted while reading, so it was hard to keep up. I enjoyed Brooke and Noah’s relationship that developed, but then there was Austin(who is a girl which took me a few to figure out) and Caleb’s relationship and a case that they come across. I enjoyed both Noah and Brooke and Austin and Caleb’s relationships and both of their cases were interesting and exciting, but I wish they had had separate books. I would have liked to have been able to focus on one couple and one case. Since I received my copy of The Deadly Shallows from Netgalley I am hoping that there will be some tightening up of the story. I love the way Noah’s team interacts with each other. They are solid and trustworthy and good at their jobs. I’m hoping that the next book will focus on Emmy and Logan’s relationship. There is a lot of flirting going on there and the potential romance has me piqued. The Deadly Shallows is an exciting read with engaging characters and exciting events that I have come to expect from author Dani Pettrey. I definitely recommend!

It continues to surprise me that Christian romantic suspense is a solid subgenre in romance. The Christian themes in this book are very strong - and all the characters spend a good amount of time with God and finding their way through their relationships both with each other and with God.

The series has centered around a Coast Guard Investigative Service Team in North Carolina led by Noah. This book focuses Noah and Brooke. Brooke is a medic - who has been interested in a relationship with Noah for some time - but feels like he doesn't see her the same way. When a mass shooting happens at graduation for the coast guard trainees - their relationship takes a fast track into romance.

The book also tackles the relationship between Caleb and Austin. Caleb is a team member and Austin is a Private Investigator who often works with the team. Both of them are very cautious when it comes to starting a relationship - but they are seriously sweet together.

I enjoyed a lot about this book - and thought it did a really good job of balancing the romance and action parts of the book. The details of the investigation also seemed realistic and as intense as you might expect. There are a lot of heavy topics covered too - in addition to the domestic terrorists murdering a bunch of innocent (and some not so innocent) people. This include giving up a child to be adopted, infertility, and abuse.

I had not read any of the other books in this series - but I definitely didn't feel like I needed to. I think I might have felt more strongly about the relationship between Noah and Brooke if I had that history - but I definitely still enjoyed their relationship and was fully invested in them as a couple.

I received this as an ARC via NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

THE DEADLY SHALLOWS is the third novel in the Coastal Guardian series by DANI PETTREY and in it we again come across members of the Coast Guard in Wikmington North Carolina. This time they are dealing with the theft of a large amount of cryptocurrency and the blueprints for a high tech laser weapon from the military, and also pollution from a poisonous chemical being dumped in the water.
The story starts with a horrific shooting at a graduation ceremony, with many casualties, and not many leads for the members of the CGIS team who work day and night under Noah Rowler to solve the case. When Brooke Kesler is abducted things get very exciting……
I guarantee you will not be able to put this book down! The Deadly Shallows has everything you need for an enjoyable read - nail biting suspense, some great characters, a well executed plot, romance and a strong Christian message. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley by Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Coastal Guardians #3 focuses on Coast Guard flight medic, Brooke Kesler, and CGIS Agent Noah Rowley in a fresh suspense with unique storyline, unknown villains and a ton of twisted opposition to the team and other agencies. The icing on this tasty treat includes continued and additional interaction with this group. Many miles and dangers separate page one from the conclusion and are well worth the time and effort. Dani Pettrey's written descriptions add substantial imagery to characters and scenery, making this a welcome addition to the series.

I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation. This review is my opinion.

CGIS Agent and team leader Noah Rowley is tasked with figuring out who and why is behind the mass shooting on the Coast Guard base. When Coast Guard flight Medic Brooke Kesler finds herself in the enemy's crosshairs she is befuddled. She was simply doing her job and stepping in where needed, taking the only surviving gunman for desperately needed medical attention, who knew his desperate whisper would put a target on her back?
Noah teams up with Brooke to try to figure out what they're missing. His investigative team jumps in to assist in each of their areas of expertise. They work tirelessly even as they're continually called on to review more and more evidence and follow more and more clues.
Book 3 of the Coastal Guardians series, The Deadly Shallows, is my favorite of the series so far. I enjoyed how Pettrey navigated this story while simultaneously pulling in another one. I like how the team interacts and their continual dependence on God to help them navigate the day to day. I like these characters. Their personalities, insecurites, and determination to get to the bottom of whatever is going on is always intriguing. It takes a very talented author to pull off so many idiosyncrasies without dropping the ball on anyone. Pettrey does an excellent job, again! I'm anxious for Logan and Emy's story ... I'm sure it will prove to be dynamic!
There were a few things that didn't follow but all in all they get lost in the big picture of the drama and mystery so they weren't too important.
Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House for the opportunity to review this saga. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t even know I was in the mood for a good suspense novel when I started Deadly Shallows but that’s exactly what I got.


Noah and his CGIS team are called to the scene of a mass shooting on the Coast Guard base. He is dismayed to realise that Brooke, his sister’s friend and the woman he’d so dearly love to call more than friend, is a witness. As she races to help the other medics to tend the wounded, Noah and his team begin their investigation into who is behind the attack. When the sole surviving gunman shares something with Brooke, it puts a target on her back and soon the whole CGIS team are racing to piece together the threads of a case that just seems to get bigger and bigger.

I really enjoyed the investigation that drives the plot of this book. The body count and emotional toll is high but there is never a dull moment and the author does well to fit two romances, a whole lot of awesome team work and two very serious investigations into the story without anything feeling rushed or contrived. The suspense is great and left me quickly flipping the pages.

At first the romance seemed a little instant. I think that’s because many of the relationships start in the previous novels in the series and it’s been a while since I read the last book, so I had forgotten the characters and the lead-in to the relationships. But it makes sense for the plot. The characters already have a good relationship so them building that and falling deeply in love makes more sense in terms of what’s going on, including a massive investigation into a mass shooting, continuing connected murders, kidnapping and some pretty serious scenes. And by the end we have solid relationships with awesome chemistry between the characters. We also have two romances in this book, Noah and Brooke and Caleb and Austin. There are also pieces of a building romance between Logan and Em, so that is sure to feature in the next book.

I’d definitely recommend reading the Coastal Guardians in series order, just to keep all the characters straight and to get the most out of the development of the romantic relationships. I’m looking forward to the next book.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Coast Guard Flight Medic Brooke Kesler and CGIS Agent Noah Rowley work together to solve the case of who shot multiple people at a graduation on base. The plot thickens and other situations seem to be tied into the crime. This books is Dani Pettrey's work at its finest. I have enjoyed this series so far as well as all Dani P's previous series. There is a lot of action and a lot of questions to be solved. The characters are likable and multi-faceted. No one tells a tale quite like Dani and I love the the coast guard stories in this series.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my own honest opinion.

"The Deadly Shallows" is a Christian romantic suspense novel. It's the third in a series. You don't need to read the previous novel to understand this one, and this one didn't spoil the previous novel. There were two mysteries to investigate: one romantic pair investigated why dogs were falling ill from houses next to the water. The rest of the team focused on who was behind the mass shooting and why. The suspense was high due to the danger of getting killed. The bad guys were quite willing to kill innocent bystanders and even their own men. They kidnapped Brooke to discover if she knew something important. Happily, she was able to outsmart the bad guys and escape. The torture was not described but her injuries were mentioned when she's at the hospital.

The team worked well together to find answers to the crimes. The characters were engaging, complex, and reacted realistically to events. Both couples liked each other from the beginning. One couple grew to care more deeply for each other as they spent time together. However, even though Noah admired and cared for Brooke, he kept holding back on a relationship with her because he felt that she deserved more from a marriage than he could give her. (And he didn't intend to explain his reasoning or give her a chance to decide. Grr.) Some of the characters prayed to God to help them. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this suspenseful novel.

The suspense in this book seems to be neverending and keeps you turning the pages. From a mass shooting, to kidnapping and torture, a prison break, and killings keep piling up, it keeps you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what is going to happen next and how it all fits together. The romance between the two main characters plays a secondary role but is also delightful.

The race to uncover secrets…mass shootings…murder and intrigue…the main characters are great at their jobs…solving the case…finding out the why and who…in the midst of the tragedies, friendship abounds…the characters are likable…some not so much…more murders happen…why?..that is what is difficult to ascertain with so many red herrings…keep reading and even though the story moves slowly at times, the ending is satisfactory…this author is gifted at writing a story that reads sometimes like true crime…this book was sent to me by Netgalley electronically for review.

3.75 ⭐️

What do mass shootings, stolen weapons, and deep secrets have in common? A lot, in fact. The Deadly Shallows follows the stories of CGIS agent Noah Rowley and Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler work to find the culprits who instigated the mass shooting, took the lives of innocent people, and threatened harm to loved ones. When a traumatic situation hits close to home for Noah and the case brings him and Brooke closer, he realizes he needs to confront his secrets before he can unravel the secrets behind the case. Can he, will he? You’ll have to read for yourself to find out!

There were a few things I appreciated about this book:

One, the emphasis and relevance of faith in the story. It’s not often you read a suspense book, even under the Christian genre, that has elements of faith to it.

Two, the importance the author stressed of being honest, even when it may cost you something you desperately want. Noah’s character wrestles a lot with this because he knows his secrets may cause him something he wants more than anything, but living a lie won’t only hurt him, but the woman he loves. It’s only when we’re brave enough to let others into our hurts and pain that we will experience true freedom and healing.

Three, there were some scenes the author could have made pretty gory/graphic. However, she avoided this by not describing the scene in full and instead having the character give a brief recap of what happened. I appreciated this so much because I feel like a lot of suspense books are really heavy on graphic scenes were something bad is happening, like torture/abuse, etc.

A few things that kept me from giving this book a higher rating:

One, the romance. We’ve got Noah/Brooke and Caleb/Austin, so needless to say, this book has more romance than others because it’s covering two stories and relationships. However, some of the scenes felt very similar/redundant between Noah and Brooke. Literally the dialogue was the same two or three times, and I felt like it took away from their relationship. This, of course, is just my personal opinion and others may not agree, which is completely okay.

Two, some of the inner dialogue between Noah and Caleb felt very similar when it came to their thoughts for Brooke and Austin. I felt like a distinct voice was lacking and, without knowing which POV the chapter was coming from through the chapter heading, it would have been very easy to confuse their characters. This was the case for me, at least.

Overall, my dislikes from the story were a matter of my personal opinion and not a problem with the storyline itself.

If you enjoy Christian suspense-filled reads with exciting (but not too dark/gory) storylines and romance, I’m sure this will be a good read for you!

I was hooked from the get-go. My heart was immediately involved with the weights that Noah and Brooke carried. I have felt like both of them in different ways so I could really relate to each character.

The characters in this series are fantastic! I love their camaraderie and how close they all are. It adds so much to the story.

There were two storylines and two plots going on simultaneously. Pettrey did a good job with it, but, as much as I loved Caleb and Austin's story, it kind of distracted from Noah and Brooke's story and that whole case. I would have preferred Caleb and Austin get their own book. But it was fine.

With the case that Noah and the team are chasing down, I was quite surprised at how Pettrey worked a plot twist in at the end. Scott was involved, as we knew from very early on, but he did not have any clue as to the scope or depth of the plot his dad had formed.

My one other issue with this book was how often Caleb and Noah thought about how hard they were falling for their girls. It got to be a lot. I mean, I get it, but it became a little repetitive.

This book has a lot of romantic scenes with a lot of kissing (hazard of two couples in one book). Nothing too steamy, but something to be aware of. A character is also tortured and is not raped but it is brought up as a question. Because of these elements, I would only recommended for mature readers.

I felt like this book was different from the previous two but it was still good and I would read it again. I'm really hoping for at least one more book in this series because I need Logan's story!!