Another great romance and suspense by Colleen Coble. The main character ,Bailey, has been going through some difficult times and then finds her husband has betrayed her and her mother has been murdered.She goes on the run to escape from her troubles and meets Lance who is an FBI agent searching for his missing sister. This is the third and final book in the Lavender Tides series but is easily read as a stand alone novel.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Definitely the best book in the series! I somehow managed to grab this one first before the second, but after having a big miss for the first book in the series, I wasn't super optimistic about liking more of the same characters. Instead of disliking it, I found myself coming back to the audio again and again and not wanting to stop listening to do other things.

Bailey was a great lead and her ending up in a crime scene because of having nowhere else to go was an unusual and intriguing twist. I had a hard time guessing how things would play out.

Content: 16+ because the plot line includes realistic mentions of what human trafficking means for kidnapped women (drugs, rape, etc), though it's kept as chaste as possible while getting the point across.

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

When one has a rather long TBR list, there are always a few books that keep getting pushed down, even ones you really want to read.
For me, this was one of those books. I'd read both of the earlier books in this series, and loved them. I knew I had to read this one. But I kept putting it off.
Until this past weekend.
I picked up the book and started reading. And couldn't get through it fast enough.
The story grabbed me, right from the beginning.
It helped that some familiar characters showed up.
I loved seeing the story line be finished in this book.
This series, Lavendar Tides series, is one of my favorites from Colleen Coble.
This book, Secrets at Cedar Cabin, was probably my favorite of the series.
I loved getting to know Bailey.
I liked her story, and how it all played out.
The action was riveting, the suspense top-notch.
All in all, an excellent conclusion to a delightful suspense series.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

This is book 3 in the ‘Lavender Tides Series’ and although I haven’t read the previous two books in the series yet, this one was an impressive first taste.

This contemporary novel was chock full of drama and suspense whilst focusing on the crime of human trafficking.

Thankfully, for me, the faith aspect of this book was minimal and the whirlwind mystery kept me guessing right until the very end.

“Secrets at Cedar Cabin” was a highly engrossing and exciting read with a clever plot and for this, I applaud the author Colleen Coble.

Her style of writing was most appealing and the story was very well developed. I appreciated that the romance element to this novel was of equal importance to the mystery.

The personalities of the characters were nicely thought out especially with regard to the strengths of the female ones.

Overall, this was a fabulous read and I will be looking to read the first two books in this thrilling series. A highly recommended and thoroughly enjoyable read! Rating: 5 Stars

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my own request from Thomas Nelson Fiction via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Lavender Tides Series, Book Three
Author Colleen Coble has mastered the Christian mystery. With each book I’ve read by this wonderful author, I grow more impressed.

Fast paced, complex mysteries that pull you in, along with a romantic relationship that develops, combine into a thrilling story. Generally there are several books in each series tied together by family or community.

In “The Lavender Tides” series, a woman searches for her brother and sister, separated many years ago when an earthquake struck. With that as the back story–a mystery in itself–the characters face danger in midst of murder.

Secrets
Bailey Fleming escapes to Lavender Tides after her mother is murdered. With the deed to a cabin and a frightening note from her mother, she runs as quickly as she can. Why someone might be after her she doesn’t know. Determined to find answers to her past and learn why her mother was killed, she soon learns much of her life was based on lies.

FBI Special agent Lance Phoenix is searching for a human trafficking ring that may have kidnapped his sister. When the hunt leads to Bailey’s cabin, the suspense rises as their discoveries overlap. The coincidences mount, involving Bailey’s ex husband, an elderly neighbor with dementia, and much more.

Bailey and Lance feel a growing attraction, but can they trust each other?

It’s a terrific mystery with multiple layers that the author brings together neatly with a satisfying conclusion. Written without explicit sex, violence and bad language, it’s a book everyone can enjoy and appreciate.

I received an advance copy of Secrets at Cedar Cabin as part of the virtual book tour currently underway for ms Coble. Hosted by TLC Book Tours you will find the author at many sites across the web. Check out the tour information below.

The Audio Version
Since the book was also available in audio I purchased a copy thst way as well so I could read and listen as time allowed. The book is very well narrated by Devon O’day. The same narrator for the series to date, Ms. O’Day has the timing and tension down so well. The pacing of each book is excellent, as are the voice variations. Do listen to the sample here. As is often the case when listening to the same narrator, the reader (listener) will look forward to hearing the familiar voice with each book.

However you read the book, it is one you won’t want to miss. It stands alone but I think you would enjoy reading the other books in order even more. The first is The View from Rainshadow Bay. You’ll find my review here.

From the titles you can see how the names and the setting attract as well as the story itself.

The Tour
Book Description:

From USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble comes the third book in her beloved Lavender Tides series.

Her mother lied about her identity and her husband wasn’t who she thought he was—can Bailey even trust herself anymore?

Running for her life in the wake of her mother’s murder, Bailey Fleming escapes to the only place she can think of—a remote, dilapidated cabin in Lavender Tides. Intending to finally get to the truth behind the lies of her past, Bailey only finds more questions when bodies are discovered near her cabin hideout along with traces of a dangerous human trafficking ring. In an unlikely partnership with FBI agent Lance Phoenix, Bailey races to understand the mystery surrounding her life and circumstances before the murderer tracks her down.

Meanwhile, Lance is determined to rescue his sister, Ava, who was abducted after running away from home as a teenager. An unexpected lead brings him to the remote cabin, and he wonders if Bailey—with her suspicious past and strange connections to his sister’s case—is really who she claims to be and if she can somehow lead him to Ava.

Filled with Colleen Coble’s custom blend of suspense and romance, Secrets at Cedar Cabin takes us back to the evocative landscape of Washington’s coast where nothing is quite as it seems.

About Colleen Coble

Best-selling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best.

She has nearly 4 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.



Connect with Colleen

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I love reading Colleen Coble’s books. Ms Coble writes light Christian, suspenseful, romance stories.

This book was very suspenseful and romantic. I didn’t want to put the book down! I do recommend reading the books in the Lavender Tides series in order to be able to understand the ongoing mystery that is resolved in this book. Once you begin reading Colleen Coble’s books you will want to read ALL her books. A beautiful story filled with faith, family, love and compassion for the elderly.

Secrets of Cedar Cabin by Colleen Coble is a very breathtaking, suspenseful book three in a series. It ties in the first two books in this series and carries on with a new mysterious plot. This story involves human trafficking and the horrors of all that. There are surprises, murder, guns, bones, kidnapping, and detective work included. Who can a person trust and who should they keep from. Her painting of the scenery that it’s placed in is beautiful, the Pacific NW. On the light side, she makes me want to make another pot of coffee. This author is not for the faint at heart and you have to love mystery, suspense, and some romance. If that’s what you like, pick up the book, take a seat, and hang on.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.


***Also posted on CBD, B&N

Colleen Coble is a must-read author for me, and her books just keep on getting better and better! I liked Bailey from the very first page as she was caring for her patient, her kindness and her true heart just shone through right from the start. As her story comes out in pieces, from meeting Kyle and their interaction and then the murder of her mother, my heart hurt for Bailey. Bailey is faced with all of this suddenly and she finds herself not even knowing what is true about her past, her life, herself. Lavender Tides is the place she goes to think, to try to uncover the secrets and find out the truth, but she finds even more than what she went for.

This is a novel that will keep you turning the pages as you try to uncover the truth and at the same time pray that Bailey is safe and everything will turn out fine. I could not read fast enough as I just wanted to know more and more of the story as I was reading. The storyline flows nicely with twists and turns and I love the romance and suspense that are interwoven together. The cover is absolutely gorgeous as well and that along with the descriptive writing had me right there in Washington with the characters. I highly recommend this book and this series by Colleen, you will not be disappointed!

SECRETS AT CEDAR CABIN may be my favorite Colleen Coble book yet! I liked how hurt and afraid Bailey was when we met her, yet she was a strong character. When we meet Lance, we are shown how skilled he is, yet he is deeply wounded by his missing sister that he has spent years trying to find.
There were so many secrets that the author released at just the right moments to keep me wanting to read more. I especially liked how tightly braided the plot and subplots were. Grab your copy of SECRETS AT CEDAR CABIN by Colleen Coble today!

This book has an outstanding cover (even though all know we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover). Coble has been writing books for years and is a household name in the Christian Fiction genre. Well-written and thought out, readers will be wondering when her next release is.

This is the third and final book in the Lavender Tides series. It can be read as a stand alone. Bailey Fleming is devastated when she learns her mother lied to her. After her mother's death she then discovers her husband isn't really married to her. She run away to Lavender Tides to a crumbling cabin and isolation to think about her life. This book explores the dark side of human trafficking and how it is more common that you would think. This story is a little more dark than romantic but there is a side story of Bailey and FBI agent Lance. Also updates from couples in the first two books. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

While a warm and fuzzy historical romance will always be my first pick for escapism when it comes to books, a close second is a fast-paced thriller or mystery and Colleen Coble always delivers in that genre. I’ve read a number of her titles in the past and find them enthralling and still manage to sleep at night. Win-win.


Drama & Suspense With A Good Dose of Romance
Secrets at Cedar Cabin is the third release in the Lavender Tides series and I read it as a standalone a few weeks ago without any issue. (I’m a little behind in posting my reviews… life has been a little hectic lately. Reading is a must. Reviewing was shelved.) This contemporary novel is rife with drama and suspense while focusing on human trafficking and the sex trade.

Of course, romance is entwined with all the excitement and the good guys win in the end. (If only real life were so tidy.) The whirlwind mystery left me guessing until (almost) the end. Likeable, flawed characters. Family secrets. Descriptive settings. Some kick-butt scenes. It has it all.

Coble is a Christian author and as such, her books are clean as far as content, but theme’s are still adult. I don’t find the faith aspect overdone, but appreciate the struggles and humanity of the characters. Easy to read and not too graphic – but still intriguing and sometimes infuriating – it was an entertaining book overall.

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

Publication Date: 22 Jan 2019
Publisher: Thomas Nelson

(Originally posted on my blog: lifelovelaughterlinds.home.blog)

Secret at Cedar Cabin by Colleen Coble is the third book in the Lavender Tides series. Bailey Fleming flees to a deserted cabin in the wake of her mother's murder. FBI agent, Lance Phoenix, is hunting for his sister who was pressed into service into a sex trafficking ring and lead takes him to the same remote cabin. In typical Coble fashion, secrets abound as Coble slowly reveals an intricate plot filled with suspense and danger. It also ties up loose ends from the other two Lavender Tides novels, which makes me want to reread the first two again to pick up on details that I missed.

This wasn’t my favorite Colleen Coble book. At the beginning, I found it a little hard to get into the story because of how many different POV characters there were. It felt like following several different storylines although they all connected in the end. I liked how it gives a nod to Rock Harbor where Coble has set a previous series before with one of the main characters living there at the start of the book. I found the plot was complex which I mostly enjoyed but I thought the plot wrapped up almost too nicely. I was left with several questions of how the ending would have worked if it were to actually happen.

I started to read this book, then realized I really needed to read the preceding books in the series. It might be able to stand alone, but there are some complicated relationships that are developed in the first two books in the series. This book, the third in the series, was my favorite of the three. It included a topic that has recently been in the news lately, sex trafficking. The suspense in the book kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

Secrets at Cedar Cabin is the third book in the Lavender Tides series by Colleen Coble. Due, I believe, to Coble’s talent and experience, SoCC can be read on its own; however, the books really come alive when read as part of the series. While all of the necessary elements of the previous stories are effortlessly recapped for the reader, knowing the full back story helps shape and inform the impressions and actions of each character.

As with most Coble’s books, the story was very well developed and the plot was paced perfectly. My mind never wandered and I felt fully engaged in the action throughout the book. There was a little bit of insta-love, but given the extreme stress in the characters’ circumstances, it’s understandable that strong relationships would be forged much more quickly.

The subject matter might, at times, be a trigger for some people. This writer does not shy away from tough subjects, and this book is no exception. I have read other books that include a storyline involving sex trafficking, but each time I learn more heartbreaking information. So, tread carefully if those types of circumstances are problematic for you.

The main characters in this installment are new to the scene, but are intricately woven with people from books 1 & 2. Their personalities are well developed and beautifully flawed. I specifically appreciated the female characters who seemed strong but reasonable. They didn’t need the men to take care of them, but didn’t pretend not to need help when the situation warranted it for the sake of appearing strong. True to life women.

My only complaint, and this is a little out there, but hear me out. I read books 1 & 2 via audiobook, as I was provided a paperback copy of SoCC for this book tour. The narrator for the first books, who was the same for this book, was annoying at times. It’s hard to put into words why her style bothered me, but the way she read certain lines made the characters either sound unintelligent or naïve. I don’t know how to describe my feelings, but I do know that it was consistent in both books and a real problem for me.

As always, I love Colleen Coble and her books. It’s nice to get a little dose of faith with my mystery.

* Special thanks to Colleen Coble, Thomas Nelson, and TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of Secrets at Cedar Cabin in exchange for an honest review.

I read one of Colleen Coble’s romantic suspense novels back in August 2018. It was the second book in the Lavender Tides series and I thought it was a really fun read and was eager to read more about this Pacific Northwestern coastal town.

Being from Oregon and loving the Oregon coast, is what initially drew me to this author. I love when places that I know and love are featured in books. Even though Lavender Tides is a fictional city, the descriptions of this little town are vivid and could easily be any Washington or Oregon coastal town.

Coble’s writing is suspenseful and thoughtful with the romance sharing the spotlight with the mystery rather than taking over the story itself, so when this third installment came up for review, I was happy to agree!

Summary

Six months after her wedding, Bailey Fleming discovers she wasn’t really married to Kyle Bearcroft. He’s already married to another woman and seems to be involved in a shadowy underworld. Kyle tries to pay her off by putting a cabin located in Lavender Tides, Washington, in her name. She doesn’t plan to accept his bribe but ends up fleeing there after her mother is found murdered and an attempt is made on her life too. Bailey was hoping for a quiet place to figure out who is after her, but she finds the cabin filled with secrets and even more danger.

FBI agent Joe Phoenix has been watching Cedar Cabin in hopes of bringing down a trafficking ring, one he believes has taken his younger sister. He doesn’t know what to make of Bailey’s sudden appearance. Is she part of the trafficking ring or someone he needs to protect? When the danger at Cedar Cabin increases, they have to join forces to save Bailey from the man who would do anything to keep a past murder buried, and to expose a trafficking ring that has enslaved young women, including Joe’s sister.

The investigation is further complicated when Bailey discovers nothing in her life is as it seems—not even her own identity. Everything points back to an earthquake on the day she was born, but why? With lies coming at her from every direction, can she trust anyone, even Joe? (summary from Goodreads).

Review

One of the things that I love about Coble, is that she doesn’t shy away from provocative mystery storylines. In the book I previously read, the mystery had to do with terrorism and drugs and this book’s mystery is about human trafficking. As a Christian writer, I would normally expect a more conservative mystery line, but she boldly steps out and writes with confidence about a difficult topic.

I also love that with this series, you don’t have to read the previous books in order to keep up with the story. Each one reads just fine on it’s own, the thing that draws them all together is the setting rather than reoccurring characters in the larger narrative. The other characters from previous books make appearances inch book, but they do not necessarily play a huge roll in the main narrative of each story—if that makes sense.

While Coble is a wonderful suspense/mystery writer, she is also a very good romance writer. I loved the romance in this book almost more than the second one. Bailey and Lance are both likable characters and their romance was more of a slow burn for me. In this book the romance wasn’t as big of a role within the story, but it was clear that Bailey and Lance had feelings for one another and watching their romance evolve was satisfying and genuine which made me really love their story.

This book was a great conclusion to the series. While there were elements in this book that seemed at first unbelievable, for example how Bailey ended up in Lavender Tides seemed almost a little too ironic, but I thought Coble did a great job tying everything together and explaining how and why she ended up just where she needed to be.

Book Info and Rating

Kindle Edition, 336 pages
Published January 22nd 2019 by Thomas Nelson
ASIN B07BB5C4M7
Free review copy provided by the publisher, Thomas Nelson, as part of the TLC virtual book tour, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Christian fiction, mystery, suspense, romance

This is the author's conclusion to the wonderful Christian based suspense Lavender Tides series. I enjoyed the entire series and recommend the series highly to fans of the author's writing. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the ARC. My opinion is my own..
I was completely riveted to this book from page one. it is pure action packed suspense . It is suspenseful and interesting as the author ties up all the stories from the previous in series.. . All of our favorite charcters from the previous books in the series are here and add to the story. This had a tremendous well crafted plot involving sex trafficking, murder, good detective work and even the author's signature spiritual content that makes reading her books so enjoyable. The author has included a bit of romance and as always a conclusion that is pleasing to the reader. A highly enjoyable read that I highly recommend.

I love this series! The characters are so lifelike and face circumstances that either me or people close to me face every day. It's right up there with the Rock Harbor books in my opinion! Colleen Coble never disappoints me. I'm an avid reader of her works and always on the lookout for the next book from her!

It was quickly obvious that I missed reading previous novels in this series. I would highly recommend that readers read Book No. 1 and 2 of this series because it was obvious that much had gone on before Secrets of Cedar Cabin. It took a few chapters to catch up on what was happening.

Bailey is given her mother's safe deposit box when she is murdered. She finds money and a letter warning her to flee before danger comes to her. She had been given a cabin in Lavender Tides; she goes there to hopefully find safety. She finds much more that she had never known or suspected. Bailey meets Lance, an FBI agent, who is hunting for his sister; he has been watching the cabin for possible illegal activity. Several bodies are found in and around the cabin.

Interesting characters and many bad guys are making a lot of money on human trafficing. Of special interest is Bailey's cat, her protector. It all moves along at a good pace with people looking for their loved ones possibly sold in the sex trade while Bailey is fearful for her life. Romance and mystery wrap the series answering all that was left unanswered in the two previous novels.

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