The House at Saltwater Point by Colleen Coble is the second book in the Lavender Tides series. It could be read alone as a stand alone novel, but several of the story's subplots would not be as clear or as meaningful. The main character, Ellie, spends her time buying and renovating houses including a house that sits atop Saltwater Point hence the title of the book. Her world is completely rocked as she discovers her sister, Mackenzie "Mac" is missing and presumed dead. If that was not bad enough, a Coast Guard officer named Grayson shows up and accuses her lost sister of traffiking in cocaine. Seeking to clear her sister's name, Ellie and Grayson discover her sister's disappearance is much more complex and linked to terrorist activity. In typical fashion, Coble has once again weaved an intricate plot that will have the reader flipping pages quickly to find out what will happen next.

Beautiful Lavender Tides is harboring more secrets, this time with international ties and the potential for huge consequences. Ellie Blackmore has been building a name for herself as a house flipper. But, when her sister, Mackenzie, disappears, she finds herself unable to concentrate on anything but finding out what happened to her. Her only clue is the huge bloodstain left behind on Mackenzie’s boat. Ellie knows that her sister wasn’t on the best of terms with her ex husband, Jason, but he wouldn’t her her, would he? Coast Guard Intelligence Officer, Grayson Bradshaw, believes that Mackenzie faked her own death after stealing a seized cocaine shipment. Ellie and Grayson team up to find the truth, but truth is often more complicated than it appears, especially when family is involved!

The House at Saltwater Point is the second novel in Colleen Coble’s Lavender Tides series and I really enjoyed getting to visit with my favorite characters from book one and getting introduced to new faces, like Ellie and Grayson. I love that Shauna is finally finding her long lost siblings and seeing how happy she and Zach are. The story was very interesting and I couldn’t put this book down once I started reading. Colleen is an excellent storyteller and I’ve enjoyed everything that I’ve read by her, so far. Her descriptions make you feel as if you’re actually there on Puget Sound, I can just see it in my mind’s eye. I’m definitely looking forward to reading book three and continuing on the adventures in Lavender Tides.

Ellie is "Hammer Girl." She buys and remodels homes to flip. Her sister, Mac sometimes helps, and Mac's x-husband, Jason is an employee of Ellie's.
When a huge amount of cocaine is missing, Coast Guard's Grayson is sent to investigate. Grayson has been on the hunt for a terrorist who is believed to be involved in the cocaine. Then, a large amount of blood, Mac's, is found on her boat and she is presumed to be dead.
One of the unbelievable things about this story was how Grayson was constantly sharing information in the case with Ellie and even taking her with him to question people.
I have loved all of Colleen Coble's books and expected nothing less from this one, but I just couldn't enjoy it as much as her other ones. While it was good, there was something lacking. While still a good story, just not as enjoyable for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Try as I might, I had trouble getting into this book.

Ellie and Gray's story certainly had mystery and intrigue, but as a voracious romance reader, I felt like the romance was underdeveloped here. I simply did not feel the chemistry between these two. At times it seemed like Coble was "telling" us about Gray and Ellie's feelings instead of "showing" us. As a result one of the central themes of the book (a good romance) just felt flat.

The mystery involving Ellie's missing sister was extremely interesting. Although I had trouble keeping all of the characters straight in my mind and I found myself skimming pages towards the end of the book, I appreciated the varied settings and the ever-changing plot.

I adored the first book of this series, so I'll keep trying new Coble releases. This one just wasn't for me, though.

**Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to review this book. My opinions are strictly my own.

As always Colleen Coble steps up her game in this fascinating novel of intrigue, drug trafficking and family. A house flipper with a missing sister, an ex-husband suspected of murder, and a dashing Coast guard stuck in middle, Coble's new book centers on family secrets and loving someone even when you suspect the worst of them.

I have always enjoyed books in the genre and by this author. Her characters are well developed with great backstories as well as beautiful settings that make you melt into the pages. She weaves in faith in God and keeps from revealing too much spice allowing younger readers to enjoy the story as well. I am always looking forward to her next tale.

Once again Colleen Coble gives readers an excellent story of suspense, mystery, and a dash of romance. We are back in Lavender Tides but this time we have missing cocaine and a missing sister.

Loved Grayson. Strong, smart, loyal but searching trying to determine who he really was. Ellie was okay. I did loved the fact she wasn’t a “girlie girl” and didn’t mind getting her hands dirty. Just not my favorite heroine. They did have good chemistry together and I did enjoy their story.

The story was good. I didn’t feel like the author gave a lot of clues to help me solve who the “bad” guy was so I didn’t figure it out before the reveal. The action was good and moved quickly. A solid read.

This is book two in the Lavender Tides Series. You can read it as a stand alone and not be lost. (Of course I personally prefer to read them in order)

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Blogger and home renovation expert, Ellie Blackmore, responded with fierce loyalty to the accusations and rumors connected with the disappearance of her sister Mackenzie (Mac). She continually assured herself that the copious amount of of blood on Mac's tall ship's deck did not automatically mean that she was dead. Nor did the evidence that was piling up mean that she was a drug dealer. There must be more to the story.
     What a coincidence that Grayson Bradshaw of the Coast Guard Investigative Services was sent to investigate a theft of cocaine that had been previously apprehended in the same small town where he had just learned that he had been adopted from. The appearance of his biological sister, Shauna Bannister, and her new husband in the town where he was visiting his parents, with her bombshell news that he was adopted and was her long lost brother was distracting him from the case at hand, a case that needed his full attention. Shauna and her news were not the only distractions; there also was the sister of his lead suspect.
     Colleen Coble has crafted yet another spell-binding mystery. Her ability to reveal facts and unforeseen connections and to plant plausible red herrings, always places her mysteries among my favorites. While this one is not the first book in her current series, it works well as a stand-alone read. If you are a fan of mysteries, whether a fan of Christian fiction or not, you will enjoy the master storytelling of Colleen Coble. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Warning: When you start this book you won't want to put it down, so make sure you have plenty of time, or that you don't need much sleep. I stayed up late into the wee hours of the morning because I had to find out what happened.
Ellie and Jason are partners in a house flipping business. She can swing a hammer as good as or better than any man and has innovative ideas in design. Her sister Mackenzie is a college professor but has purchased a ship and has renovated it. She turns up missing with an extreme amount of her blood found on the deck of her ship. Ellie is devastated and won't give up looking for her sister or believe the horrible rumors going around about her.
Grayson shows up, working for the Coast Guard, and trying to find missing cocaine that he thinks Mackenzie has stolen. Many layers are involved, including terrorists, North Korea and drugs. Not all the characters are who you think they are. I began to wonder who are the bad guys and who are the good guys. Sometimes it was hard to tell, the best kind of suspense!
The cover was so beautiful that I wished I was there. I'm looking forward to the next Lavender Tides novel.
I received a complimentary ebook copy of this novel from the publisher through Netgalley but was not required to write a review.

Okay. I liked this book a little better than the first in the series, and I want to read the third book. A good romantic suspense.

This is a great second story addition to the Lavender Tides series that takes place in Lavender Falls, on the coastal area of Washington state. Ellie Blackmore and Jason Yarwood, own Lavender Farm Homes, a construction company that buys and remodel houses for resell (flips houses). Her younger sister, Mackenzie, and Jason don't get along real well but Mac helps out with the remodeling from time to time. Mac is a professor specializing in Asian languages including Korean. She has a sailboat that she loves to sail and was instrumental in getting a regatta in their area but before the race takes place, she disappeared on the night of her birthday celebration. Ellie found quite a bit of blood on the deck of her sailboat but no body and Jason is the first suspect. The medical examiner said that there was too much blood for Mac to survive without medical care. The townspeople turn out to look for her or her body but she is not found.
Coast Guard investigator Grayson Bradshaw is in town to investigate the disappearance of some cocaine that the Coast Guard confiscated. Signs point to a connection to Mac and a known terrorist but Ellie nor any other person who knows Mac can believe that she is responsible. Ellie and Gray team up and put their heads together to try to find Mac and if she is connected to Gray's case. Someone tries to break into Ellie's house while she is sleeping and it seems that they think that she knows something. The mystery goes deeper than the cocaine disappearance and maybe has some sort of connection far more sinister. There are a lot of questions to be answered and one is to find out where Mac is and pray that she is somehow alive.
One a side note, Gray grew up in North Carolina but finds out information about a family that he didn't know that he was part of and has ties to Lavender Falls. This is a mystery with many twists that keeps the pages turning and enough surprises to be unpredictable. Colleen Coble is a master of telling stories full of likable, real characters, lovely sounding locations and great suspense.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is another thriller by Colleen Coble. The story is intriguing and suspenseful, and in her usual fashion, keeps you guessing until the book is almost finished. This is clean, entertaining fiction with no bad language or embarrassing scenes. Ellie and Grayson make a great pair as they race against time to find Ellie’s missing sister and thwart a terrorist attack. Once you begin reading this book, you’ll want to stay with it until you finish. There’s never a dull moment in a Colleen Coble story, and that’s why we are always eagerly waiting for her next book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

As far as Christian Suspense goes, Colleen Coble is the best.

Ellie has never forgiven herself for her part in the death of her youngest sister and subsequently her mother so she has always "mothered and babied" her other sister Mac. When her sister goes missing and is accused of stealing cocaine Ellie takes it upon herself to prove the Coast Guard wrong. Can Ellie save her sister and her sister's reputation as her heart falls for the man trying to find and arrest Mac?

The Lavender Tides series is the Christian suspense series to be devoured. I thought The View from Rainshadow Bay was as edge of your seat reading as you could get but The House at Saltwater Point proved me wrong. My heart was racing through most of the book as Ellie was racing to find her sister. I enjoy learning as I read and appreciated how terrorism was handled in the book.

I adore how Colleen Coble can write stories within the story and not lose the importance of any of the stories. My interest has been piqued for the Hope Beach series. I see more books being added to my TBR pile.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

The House at Saltwater Point is defiantly a page turner.  Cobble has written another great suspense novel with a strong plot  and strong characters, First we have a missing sister very likely murdered, then a young man with a prosperous happy life finds out from a stranger that she is his sister and that he was adopted. Then a huge supply of cocaine is missing/stolen. The main heroine refuses to believe her missing sister is dead in spite of the huge amount of blood that was found on her boat. How does all these events tie in together?                                                                               This book was amazing. So many twists and turns. I did not see how everything could be resolved to bring about the ending. Cobble did not disappoint on this one. I loved every gripping, action filled page. ............I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Have you ever read a book that captures your attention and is written so well that it keeps you guessing the entire time? Yea, that’s this book!!! I was not able to predict what would happen next. It keeps you on your toes. It’s definitely a book you could finish in a day or so because you can’t put it down. I loved that I didn’t know what would happen next. The characters were authentic and lifelike. They had real emotions, real interactions, and were overall well developed. I loved the little bit of romance included but did wish there was a tad more. There were storylines within the story and lots of depth to the plot. It’s helpful to have read the first book in the series but this book can be read without having read it. I can’t wait for book 3 in the series. Colleen Coble is an author you don’t want to miss. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Ascetically speaking, the covers of the books in the Lavender Tides series are so pleasing to the eye. They are gorgeous.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher. I was in no way obligated to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

The House at Saltwater Point by Colleen Coble is a romantic thriller with a whodunit edge. The book also reminds us how much we think we know about our family is not always as much as we think. There are always secrets, some you know, some you do not. Ellie Blackmore and Grayson Bradshaw are the main characters in this second book of the series Lavender Tides. The book focuses on their families and how their life brings them closer and closer as they investigate. Ellie’s sister is missing and there are all sorts of rumors about what she did and how she is a criminal. Grayson is expected to investigate what happened to the missing coke and how Ellie’s sister stole it. Meanwhile, Ellie is desperate to learn the truth about her sister and Grayson finds out - well his family is not what he thought!

The book twists and turns with the intrigue and surprises. It is not necessary to read the first novel first, although I have read the previous novel. Colleen Coble is known as a Christian novelist, however I did not find the books preachy or too religious, but a solid romantic thriller with a religious edge that shows up more at the end. The House at Saltwater Point by Colleen Coble was a good read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Going into this book, I didn't know what to expect. I am not an avid reader of "Christian fiction", so I was a bit wary, even though the synopsis sounded very interesting. However, I must say I was very pleasantly surprised. I was getting into a slump whilst reading The Night Women by Sara Blædel, but then I picked this one up and finished it in just a couple of days! The writing is so pleasant, it reads like a dream

There are two main points of view: Ellie's and Grayson's. Ellie's sister, Mac, disappears, leaving a trail of blood on her boat. Ellie is worried sick and thinks her sister might be hurt. Grayson, a Coast Guard, is following a lead on stolen cocaine and is convinced that Mac is involved and that she faked her own death. Besides these two, there are occasional POV of other characters as well, which shows us what is happening on all sides of the story.

"She pressed her ear to the latch and heard the faint trickle of water. No amount of screaming would lift her voice out of this deep hole, so she didn’t waste her strength."

I really liked the main group of characters that we follow, they were a joy to read about. Oh, and I finally found a character who thinks in tricky situations and doesn't just act out of their overwhelming emotions. Thank you, Colleen Coble, I love me a smart character

This story involves drug trafficking, terrorism and assassinations, and that makes for a super gripping story that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Also, a lot of current themes and issues we're facing right now are mentioned, which just makes the book even more real and relatable, in a sense.

"I’ve never really met anyone who tugged at my heartstrings.” He kissed her palm again, then moved up to her wrist. “Until now, that is.” He lifted his head and reached for her at the same time she moved toward him. His lips covered hers with a gentle yet masterful touch, and she was lost."

Throughout this year, I have barely read anything with romance in it and, to my surprise, this is a mystery with romance!! Oh my, I really missed reading about people falling in love - and now it's all I want to read... Additionally, this is very good romance. No insta-love, no mental abuse, no manipulation, none of those tropes! The only "trope" that is present here is the "girl who doesn't realize how beautiful and amazing she is" - but there's a reason behind that! It was just so wonderful to read about the couples in this, I'm so happy I picked this up

I did find an issue with consistency, namely regarding a character's eye color. Most of the time, she has "golden-brown" or "amber" eyes but, out of nowhere, someone mentions her "blue" eyes. I won't hold that against the book though since this is an ARC and I'm sure they corrected the mistake. Also, we're human! But I did notice it, so I thought I should mention this tiny lapse.

One of my favorite parts of this story was the secrets that were revealed, stuff from the characters' past. I'm always a sucker for a good book with tragic backgrounds and shocking revelations, and this was no exception, loved it!

I also loved the setting, it takes place in Lavender Tides, which is a coastal area. This makes for a wonderful background, full of houses right by the water, giving us summer vibes. This book is downright refreshing - in every sense of the word!

In conclusion, I am now a fan of Colleen Coble's writing and I can't wait to read more of her books. I might pick up the first book in this series, which follows one of the great characters I met in The House at Saltwater Point. I hope my review gets you pumped to pick it up, it'll be out in the US in just a couple of days!

This is my second Coble book and she comes highly recommended from a good friend, so I wanted to give her another chance. I just don’t like the way she writes. The mystery was OK but the idea of all the intricate military grade details was just too far-fetched. It wasn’t realistic, and I’m a military wife so I feel strongly that I might have a good sense of what is real and what just would not happen. The terrorism, the drugs, the disappearing act, it just didn’t sit well with me and it made the story very difficult to read. The only thing I liked about the entire novel is that they flipped houses, That was pretty much it’s only saving grace. Simply not for me, but others may find it palatable.

Thoroughly enjoyed The House on Saltwater Point by Colleen Coble, one of my all time favorite authors. If Colleen Coble writes the book, you know it is bound to be a good read!

This story is well-written with an engaging plot that includes family ties; romance; terrorism, and, of course, lavender fields. Can’t you just smell the lavender? The characters are developed with depth and dialogue that moves the story to its amazing end.

Ellie Blackmore is a houseflipper and is quite good at what she does. Her sister’s former husband, Jason, is Ellie’s employee and friend, using his significant skills at making the house flipping business the success that it has become.

When Mackenzie mysteriously disappears from her boat, a sailboat she restored herself, leaving behind a large puddle of blood, Ellie is determined to find out what happened on the boat. Enter Grayson Bradshaw, a Coast Guard intelligence officer, who strongly believes that Mackenzie was mixed up in something unsavory.

Sparks fly as Ellie and Grayson, both determined to find answers. Ellie holds out hope that despite the amount of blood found on the boat, her sister is still alive and innocent of any wrongdoing. Grayson, on the other hand, is convinced that not only is Mackenzie dead but is also guilty of terrorism.

When Ellie finds herself a target by whoever took her sister, she refuses to quit looking for answers. As an intelligence officer, Grayson is privy to information that Ellie is not. When he is pulled off the case without explanation, he continues his efforts to protect Ellie.

When a reader can smell the lavender and sea salted air; hear the sounds of the ocean and ocean bound birds, see acres of lavender and the tall ships in the harbor...you know you’ve found an awesome story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Another fun and entertaining suspense novel from the pen of Colleen Coble. Although I don't have anything in common with "Hammer Girl", I did enjoy this title in the Lavender Tides series.
Grayson Bradshaw is the perfect hero. Maybe a bit too perfect to be believable, but he certainly is a sweet and caring hunk. :-) I had a bit of trouble remembering who was who when it came to secondairy characters, so the plot was a bit confusing in the end. All in all, I did enjoy the suspense. It was wonderful to relax with this novel after a day of hard work.

Have read several books by this author and have always enjoyed them. This book was no exception. I recommend this book.