The Killing Tide

With a series title of Coastal Guardians and the book title of The Killing Tide, it was a for sure add to my reading list. Dani Pettrey is an author I have read time and time again. She does a superb job of writing suspenseful romance and creating series where you learn about all of the characters lives. But with that said, The Killing Tide didn't quite hit the same mark for me as some of her other series. The storyline follows Gabby (the main female character) as she goes back to her home town for safety after her life is threatened. Finn Walker, who works under her brother as a Coast Guard Investigator, is working on a horrible crime and the bodies keep piling up. Gabby and Finn have a rocky past, but he is in charge of keeping her safe. Meanwhile, she just can't stop her investigative instincts as a reporter. She is consistently putting herself and others in dangerous positions to get the story.

First, let me state that the author does an excellent job of capturing your attention with intensity and suspense from the first chapters. But along with that you are introduced to many characters and scenes that you are trying to keep straight and figure out. So, while I did like that it started off with a bang (literally), it was confusing at times. Once you get further into the chapters, the story is easier to follow and keeps you on edge. You will want to read to the end and won't be disappointed!

Most of the characters are easy to relate to and I do look forward to learning more about them in the next book. In this book, Gabby's character was one that I just did not like. But I don't think you should like every character in a book, even if they are the main character. It just makes you engage with the character in a different way. Her constant disregard for people and their safety was unnerving. She truly only cared about getting the story, no matter the cost. And her idea of being a friend was not my definition of friend. Her behavior goes against my grain, and although I didn't like that in her character it was also a way to see things from a different perspective.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the suspense. It may not be my favorite book by this author, but it's worth a read.

*I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

2.5 stars

Dani Pettrey writes cool, outdoorsy suspense books, which is what first drew me to them. I loved her Alaskan Courage series and have been looking forward to trying her later works. This is her latest series, following members of a Coast Guard Investigative team in North Carolina.

The Christian fiction sub-genre of Romantic Suspense can sometimes fall into a trope-y, predictable pattern, but as long as the mystery/suspense plot is solid, I tend to enjoy them. The Alaskan Courage series had strong mystery plots, and the setting was awesome. And this book had a lot going for it, too: rescue swimming, underwater retrieval, lots of suspicious activity, etc. The plot was compelling and fast-paced, and I read it really quickly to find out what was going to happen next.

However, there were a couple things that made me like this less than I could've:

1) There was a lot of romance. I don't mind a little romance, but there was a lot of talk of physical attraction, lots of kissing/making out, angst, etc. It was a bit too much for me.

2) The ending made me a little squeamish. The bad guy was smuggling things into the US, including exotic animals. Gabby is bitten by a poisonous snake *shudder* and when she's captured, they try to feed her to some hungry sharks. When she's rescued, one of the bad guys falls into the water with the sharks, and you can imagine what happens from there... Later, someone comes after Gabby with an ax. I was not expecting that level of violence, so it caught me off guard.

3) Gabby annoyed me a little. She constantly insists she can take care of herself, and doesn't seem to care that there's a criminal after her trying to kill her. She makes dumb decisions and puts her life, and others', at risk, all in pursuit of a story (she's an investigative reporter.) Finn, the love interest, accuses her of putting the story above all else, including herself and the people she loves (this is accurate.) She blows it off at the time, but then at the end decides to stay to pursue a relationship with Finn. I don't know why I'm marking this as a spoiler, because it's so predictable. So basically, because she's in love, her character flaws vanish. Sorry, but that's not how it works. I would've liked to see some more growth in her as a character, some acknowledgement that people are more important than her career. But it doesn't happen. Sigh.

I know I went on a bit of a rant, but I didn't hate this book. It had some good aspects and some not-as-good aspects. If you're a big fan of Christian Romantic Suspense, I'd still recommend this (I would recommend her Alaskan Courage series more, though). And I've already started book 2, The Crushing Depths, so here's hoping I enjoy it!

Finn and Gabby were an interesting couple. It's always a challenge for an author to show a couple with history meeting again after a space of time, and Pettrey mostly did a good job compensating for all the things we didn't see about their history.

The danger starts right up on page one and the story is off to a thrilling start. Gabby's got a target on her back and her brother doesn't hesitate to call his buddy Finn to help keep Gabby safe. I really enjoyed Noah's protective streak and how determined he is to make sure his sister lives through this threat.

Finn was a likeable hero who won me over pretty fast. He's a man's man and takes his job seriously. I have a nephew in the Coast Guard, and I love finding stories whose protagonists are also. Their investigative service (CGIS) plays heavily into solving this mystery and the thrills never stop as the plot twists and turns on itself countless times. I read it all in a single sitting!

18+ for heavy romantic attraction and focus on romance
Clean with a bit of violence.

Thanks to the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.