This book has a beautiful cover, and there were occasional references to lavender throughout. Basically, this was a murder/kidnap/chase story which had elements of a super read but then lurched into events or people that were just too convenient to be true. Shauna, the main character and helicopter pilot worked well for me, but I could not relate to some of the others, namely her father. I will not spoil the ending which could happen, but not for me. The fact that I read it very quickly must mean something, but I could not give it five stars.

I really liked the Washington setting of this book, but thought that the story itself was slow. The characters were good ones, and I liked the balance between the romance and the suspense. I'll continue the series, but hope the next one moves along a little more quickly.

I am excited that this is the first of a new series by Colleen Coble, one of my all time favorite authors. This series takes place in a beautiful coastal area of Washington state where we see small town life with lavender fields and forest land.

As always, the book takes off with action and suspense that carries throughout the story. Shauna McDade is a widow with a five year old son to support. Shauna owns a helicopter that she uses to fly customers around and also uses the flights as a platform for aerial photography. She is grieving the loss of her husband Jack to a senseless accident that claimed his life when he was mountain climbing with his friend Zach. She is bitter toward Zach and holds him responsible for encouraging competition between Jack and himself that led to the accident. But after the deaths of her mentor Clarence and his wife Lucy and it becomes apparent that she may be in the killer's sight, she has no where to turn for protection but Zach. As they deal with events that lead to clues about what is going on, it turns out that they are dealing with a more far reaching situation that they expected.

Shauna lost her mom to an earthquake when Shauna was eight years old. She also lost her little brother and baby sister in the disaster. Her father has never gotten over the event and has become a drunk. Despite his faults, Shauna loves her father but there are questions that she has surrounding the event that took their family.

The View from Rainshadow Bay has suspense, danger, natural disasters, charged emotions and threads of faith mixed in. I am looking forward to the upcoming books in this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to read this ARC and give an honest review.

This is the first book I have read by Colleen Coble, I really enjoyed it and will look to read more.
It is a well constructed and intricate plot which deals in part with how the main character, Shauna McDade and her five year old son Alex, have been been coping with life after the death of Shauna's husband Jack in a climbing accident a year previously. I found it easy from the start to obtain a mental image of the town, Lavender Tides, where Shauna lives, as the author described it as looking like " it had been plucked from a Thomas Kinkade painting". As I like Thomas Kinkade's paintings, this enabled me to picture strongly what the town would look like and really set the scene for the story to come.
The book also explored how the relationship develops between Shauna and Zac, who had been Jack's closest friend and was with him when he was killed. Shauna blames Zach for Jack's death, and finds it hard to trust him.
A murder mystery combined with the gradual piecing together of the characters back stories, including the struggle of being a single parent, and the financial struggles this can involve, plus a burgeoning love story,make this a multi faceted interesting novel and one I thoroughly recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The View From Rainshadow Bay by Colleen Coble is set in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest. Prior to reading this book, I had not realized that lavender is harvested in this area of our country! The plot of this books centers around Shauna and her son, Shauna's mother-in-law, and Shauna's husband's best friend. Shauna's husband was recently killed, and Shauna is still reeling from this event while trying to help herself and her young son heal from their tragic loss.

I loved this book for a few specific reasons. First, I enjoyed reading about a part of the country that I had never visited. I learned a lot about the landscape from the author's vivid descriptions, as well as from the fact that the main character is a pilot who flies over the gorgeous landscape. There is also a fascinating aspect of the plot that I won't mention as it would be a spoiler; suffice it to say I have never read a book that included this idea. I also loved that the characters in this book seemed so true to life. I was able to relate to each of them as I learned their stories.

My favorite part of this book, though, was the theme of forgiveness that permeates each page. Shauna had to forgive Nate, her husband's best friend, who was there when he was killed. Nate had to forgive himself, as well. And in a sense, both of them had to forgive Shauna's husband for leaving them so tragically. Colleen Coble developed these ideas tenderly and with care.

I would highly recommend this book to fans of Coble's as well as to new readers of her work. Colleen Coble is an excellent storyteller and I found this book hard to put down.

What secrets are hiding in the forest of the Pacific Northwest? The View from Rainshadow Bay by Colleen Coble is the story of Shauna, a helicopter pilot/photographer in Puget Sound. She is still reeling from the accidental death of her husband Jack while trying to raise their five year old son on her own. She suddenly find herself in danger and has to turn to her late husband’s best friend Zach, the man she blames for his death. The story continues with many twists and turns—you will not be able to put it down! Colleen Coble fans and any fans of mysteries/thrillers will not be disappointed! I love how Colleen Coble skillfully weaves messages of hope and faith in her books while never being preachy. I especially loved the meaning of the title and its message of God’s care for us as it is explained in the book. This book is the first in a new series called Lavender Tides. I cannot wait for more books to be released. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Altogether this book was okay. I would have preferred it to be less slow but the writing was understandable and logical. At points so much so that I saw plot twists coming before they actually came.
I also know that for those who love Christian romance more than I do, this book will be perfect. In this case, it was me, not the book. It just didn't tug at *my* heart strings.
My detailed review can be found on my tumblr blog.

Loved the new series, characters and setting. Look forward to more from this series.

This is book number one in a new series by Colleen Coble. This book follows Shauna, a newly widowed mother with a 5 year old boy as her husband was killed in a climbing accident. When Shauna’s business partner and mentor is murdered, she turns to help from Nate, her husband’s best friend and the man she blames for his death. As more questions arise from who is behind the murder and why, along with other suspicious deaths from the past, Nate and Shauna put their differences aside to solve the mystery.
This was a great start to this new series by Coble. The way she writes makes it hard to determine which character is behind everything until she wants you to figure it out and it is great. So many twists to the story and little hidden clues about who the real killer is. The person I had my suspicions about, turned out to not be the killer and a book always gains extra points if I can’t figure out the outcome as easily.
This is a fantastic suspenseful book that I ended up reading in one sitting and couldn’t put down.

Shauna McDade is a helicopter pilot struggling to keep her finances afloat after the death of her husband, Jack, in a climbing accident she blames on his best friend Zach Bannister. Her world starts to implode when her mentor and surrogate father, Clarence, is killed in an explosion she is sure was started deliberately. This starts a chain of events that finds her and her son, Alex, in serious danger. The only person who is willing to help them is, Zach, the person she has been avoiding since her husbands death.

This story is full of twists and turns but I must say I was surprised at the number of deaths along the way. There are clues as to who may be involved, in reality it has to be someone known to Shauna and the victims. This story has a Christian thread running through it.

An exciting start to a new series! Set on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, this one starts with a suspenseful scene, and builds towards an action-filled ending, with a mystery, a bit of romance, and inspiration sandwiched in between.

This author knows how to spin a suspenseful tale so well, mixed with just enough tension and human struggle to keep it real. I didn't figure out the mystery until it was revealed towards the end. I love the setting of this new series, in an area close to where I live, making it easy to picture the beautiful scenery, including the lavender fields with the mountains as a backdrop and the saltwater bay in front. The mention of earthquakes in the area is totally realistic too, as we have had a remarkable number of significant tremors this year alone.
The main characters are still trying to find a way through their loss of a loved one, while in the middle of a new tragedy. The stress was palpable. Finding someone to blame when bad things happen to loved ones seems to be a common way of coping with grief and loss, as Marilyn and Shauna did. Learning to forgive and trust God was shown well in Shauna's situation, as she tried to reconcile how a good God allows bad things to happen. She courageously faced her fears and stepped out in faith to trust Zach to help her. He was very kind and encouraging to her. "You can't let fear rule your life, Flygirl...None of us knows what the future brings. We only know we are safe in the Lord's arms."

Looking forward to the next one in this series as the characters were heading towards Maine. Readers who enjoy suspense with some romance and faith will probably enjoy this book. 4.5 stars

The View From Rainshadow Bay (Lavender Tides #1)
By Colleen Coble

A Gripping Read !

Shawna McDade a aerial photographer and her friend Nate Bannister try to uncover the secrets in the mysterious death of her business partner, while trying to protect her five year old son and save her failing business.

A gripping plot , with a love / hate chemistry between protagonists.
5 Stars

I received this ARC through Netgalley for a honest review.

Intriguing and fast-paced, there was never a dull moment for this read. Colleen Coble did a great job with this book. I could smell the lavender and the characters were just right. The touch of romance was perfect. Definitely recommended.

Could you pick a better setting for a novel than this? I don't think so.

This book starts out exciting and keeps up the momentum until the very last page. I get tired of romance novels that have no plot to speak of other than boy meets girl, but this book is not like that at all. There is plenty going on to hook you and keep you interested, even if you aren't a huge fan of romance. This might be the book to change your mind.

These characters have a depth and background story that is unusual to most romance novels and that made me like them enough to care what happened in the story. I wanted to see things work out for them from the early stages of the novel and I never felt disconnected from the events. I didn't know what to expect at the end, and that made it all the more satisfying.

The attraction between the main characters felt very realistic and was intense. I liked the way the author made them struggle to overcome their fears and work together to resolve the issues. This is a very original, intriguing book that was worth the time and effort to read.

I liked it and am happy to recommend this to other romance readers.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Excellent,enthralling and engaging.
Review scheduled for publication date.

I'm really coming to love Colleen Coble's warm, but not quite cozy mysteries, so I was please to have an opportunity from NetGalley to read this first book in her new series, in return for a fair review. This new series holds lots of promise with the variety of characters and the locale of Washington state islands area. In this novel, Shauna is a widow with a young son, her husband having been killed in a rock climbing accident with his best friend Nate. Their long friendship turned icy as a result. She's a helicopter pilot, spiriting ecologists and tourist around the island and inland areas. On one trip they spy what looks to be a dark spot of unknown origins in the waters. Shortly thereafter, some loved ones turn up dead and the mystery is on. When Shauna finds herself questioning her husband's death, her safety and her feeling we're in for a solid and quickly paced novel that combines mystery, romance and new characters. Ms. Coble's writing is far better than the average cozy mystery, although I wouldn't characterize her books in that category, nor in the mystery only genre as her books have a Christian slant as well. In any event, I'm looking forward to the next installment in this series.

Excellent 4 stars.
Enjoyable murder mystery/romance.

Light quick read with a pleasant quick pace. It is a page turner. Full of mystery and suspense.

The novel had a fast pace and was full of excitement and adventure. It is a 'who did it" novel.

Yes, I would highly recommend to my friends.

Excellent character development.

Love the book cover, beautiful field of lavender.

Unfortunately, I figured out the antagonist in the first chapter. This book had unnecessary plot rabbit holes and an ending that felt rushed and slapdash.

The story is a gentle whodunit, a romantic suspense. Shauna McDade, a widow, with her son Alex, is trying to make a living by flying passengers on her helicopter, to and fro between Vancouver and her town Lavender Tides. A year ago, her husband died in a climbing race with his best friend, Zach Bannister egging him on. Shauna hates Zach and blames him for her husband's accidental fall. But it takes a loose killer bombing her mentor Clarence, stabbing his wife Lucy, ransacking Shauna's home, for her to realise that the safe haven for both her and her son is with Zach.
Their investigation into the various deaths and strange environmental occurrences, increase their proximity and trust till all emotions blossom into love in the finale along with unmasking of the killer. From the safe haven of Zach's home to the safe haven of Zach's arms, this story is romance personified.
The characters of Shauna and Zach are well etched by the author. But I, especially liked Zach for his honesty and his dignity and the way he doesn't allow others' behaviour affect his own. His love for the McDade family sometimes makes him take risks even at the cost of his own safety.
We girls need a Zach in our lives...
Colleen Coble is a fantastic author, who writes light Christian romance with a dash of suspense and mystery. Her English is flawless and the way her story flows is like a crystal clear stream making its way from the mountain top.
What I really liked is the richness of emotions in the book, the love that the main characters Zach and Shauna feel and the way they conduct themselves, including their friendships between different workmates.
Colleen believes in God and that is evident in her writing, in the passages that her characters recite from the Bible. There are many characters in this book, along with a few subplots which will probably form the basis of the rest of the books in this series. All these characters have a part to play to take the story ahead.
The only part I did not like was the killer, not because he was a killer but I guessed his identity earlier on and the reasons for killing were a little flimsy. There was also a part where there was a dark shadow in the sea which worried the scientists, but results of their investigation was not revealed in this book.
So, all in all, I enjoyed this book thoroughly, it was a light read, fun with mystery suspense romance relationships friendships.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publishers, Thomas Nelson and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

The View from Rainshadow Bay is the first book in the Lavender Fields series. You can count on a Colleen Coble romantic suspense novel to grab you from the get go and this one did not disappoint. In the first few chapters there are several murders. I had to keep turning the pages to see who was responsible.

Shauna McDade is a widow raising a five-year old son. She blames Nate Bannister for the death of her husband but she must learn to trust Nate in order to keep her and her precious son safe. Someone has already murdered a few people in their community and she could very well be the next target.

This book kept me guessing. I think I may have read every single novel that Collen Coble has written and I have been able to figure out who the villain was in many of her books but this one had me stumped. I never did figure out who it was until the characters figured it out. Maybe I re-read this book and see if I missed any clues! There is a mystery that was not resolved in this book and I suspect it will be resolved in a sequel. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. The View from Rainshadow Bay is due to be released on January 23, 2018.