Cover Image: The Killing Tide

The Killing Tide

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I never am disappointed in Dani Pettrey's books, and this one is no exception. The story line is fabulous, love the characters and it keeps you enthralled to the very end.

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Another backlist NetGalley done! 🙌🏻 Thanks to Bethany House for the free book.
This book was fast paced and the action never stopped. I enjoyed seeing how the author pulled all of the elements together slowly, leading to a satisfying story. The characters also had faith that felt genuine and was used well in the story. One day I’ll make my way through the rest of this series because I’m excited to see the other characters in action.

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I haven't read from this author before, and was excited to start this book. It started a little slow and at times I found it hard to get in to. I was worried it was going to be a DNF for me for the first third or so, but then it began to pick up the pace. I'm glad I finished it, but I'm not sure I would buy a final copy.

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If you’re looking for a book that has you holding your breath in suspense- this is the one for you! Pettrey has a way with words that has you coming back for more. You don’t want to miss out on this one!

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I loved the characters and the storyline development of this book. It was absolutely one of my favorites so far and I can't wait to delve in to the next one that this author writes. The storyline was simple, enjoyable, and entertaining.

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A favorite Christian fiction author of mine who often has her characters set in the world of Rescuing is Dani Pettrey. After devouring and loving her debut series Alaskan Courage, I decided to get back into her books as been wanting to get back into reading Christian Fiction. The Killing Tide is set in the world of Coastguards and NCIS. The NCIS references made me smile as NCIS is one of my favorite tv series - I have watched all of NCIS, NCIS: LA, and NCIS: New Orleans. The other thing I loved was the role of Gabby who was a journalist and when we discovered her childhood role model was Carmen Sandiego - my love for her rose ranks as I also was a big fan of Carmen Sandiego growing up in the mid to late '90s. In Coastal Guardians, we have two storylines - we have Gabby trying to find a haven, as a drug dealer she put in jail - Fuentes has put a hit out on her. The other storyline is that a handful of the town has been running drugs, stolen items, and now - someone is cleaning house in the smalltown of Raleigh. This book ended on a cliffhanger as well and I am now looking forward to reading Book #2 as during Book #1 - one of the side characters Rissi, we caught several glimpses of her awful childhood and her foster-brother Mason whom we see arriving in Book #2 - The Crushing Depths.

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I've always enjoyed Dani Pettrey's books in the past and this one was no different. It was fast paced and the characters were real and flawed. Sometimes a little too flawed. I always get frustrated when a character (usually the heroine) just can't seem to help but walk into dangerous situations. I was happy that Gabby was able to get herself out of most of them, but come on, use some common sense. Also, sometimes it felt like there was too much going on. I liked the points of view of the different characters, but it was a lot to keep track of. I felt like this could have been two different books. Like, how much trouble can one person get into? A lot, apparently.

The writing was good, and I really enjoyed Finn's patience. I was glad to see Gabby's growth, and I do look forward to reading other books in the series.

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Great story with mystery and suspense elements. Recommendable to those who like this genre. It was my first by Dani and I will check out some more of her books in the future.

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This story opens up and plunges you in, sink or swim. has a huge cast of characters and I have a feeling we will get to know some of the others in later books in the series. Don't get overwhelmed by that, just keep reading. After a little bit had locked me into a nice rhythm. With plenty of action and some suspense, we follow Gabby as she makes some crazy choices trying to stay alive and get some answers to her predicament. Her life is very entangled in her job as an investigative reporter, and this book shows how that was working out for her. I liked Finn. He put the past aside and worked on the future and protecting Gabby without missing too many beats. I must say that Gabby made me a bit crazy. She doesn't follow common sense thinking and in real life, I can't see this happening without some other major consequences. However, I still enjoyed the book and I'm planning on reading the rest of the series.

My copy came from Celebrate Lit. My review is my own, left of my own volition.

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One misstep and they may be swept away...

I just have one question. Why did I wait so long to read this book?! Seriously, what I was I thinking?! Clearly, I wasn't. I've been a fan of Dani Pettrey since reading her first two novels fairly close together back when the second was new. I've stuck with her through two wonderful series', and, with The Killing Tide, into a third. And what a slam-bang start it was to her Coastal Guardians series!

Danger, romance, murder, intrigue, betrayal...this book has it all! Add on some fascinating scuba diving scenes, and two different cases that may have some convoluted connections, and you have a pretty exciting story! I think my two favorite things about The Killing Tide is that it's a little on the grittier side and it features Coast Guard investigators. Trust me, in my reading experience the Coast Guard is very under represented and I honestly had no clue that they even have an Investigative Service.

From its lovely cover until the last page The Killing Tide was so hard to put down. Dani Pettrey's trademark suspense and romance are fully present and accounted for. The story will keep you guessing and will definitely throw a surprise or two your way. But then, I've come to expect nothing less from a Dani Pettrey novel!

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

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It isn’t every day I read a book that features the Coast Guard. Y’all, this book was a treat, simply because of that. The suspense and thriller aspects were fueled by a high body count, fairly brief chapters, and an action-packed plot. The murder mystery angle was intriguing to me, and the drug running and money laundering aspects felt realistic.

What was concerning to me—and disappointing—was the profane word, expletives, and sensual content. These things cast a lewd shadow over the story for me, and for this reason, I cannot grant more than three stars.

Content: profane word, expletives, sexual terms and innuendo, drugs, alcohol, tobacco

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I love a good suspense/thriller, and this was a really good one to read! Gabby has threats on her life so her brother brings her home to stay with a neighbor friend, Coast Guard Investigative Service special agent Finn Walker. Who was involved in searching for the killer of two good friends. The thriller judt keeps getting better.

I have read many book by Dani Pettrey so I knew this one was going to be a good one. The realistic characters were easy to fall in love with. Well, Gabby did get on my nerves a bit because she couldn’t seem to listen to anyone. But she was still likeable, for me. There are several murders going on here, drug dealers, things that are usually involved in thrillers, and the author handled these things well. A few things were a little graphic and I had to skim through those parts, but again, things that happen in suspense/thrillers! Just want you to beware! And the story will sure keep you on the edge of your seat! I read this one in less than two days. I hated having to put it down in order to do other things but I had to!

Dani Pettrey is an awesome writer, one of the best when it comes to this genre! And I appreciate that she does weave faith in the lives of her characters. If you enjoy a good thriller, this one is for you. I highly recommend The Killing Tide to anyone who loves this genre.

A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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I can judge my self-care routine by the number of fiction books I take the time to read. When my stack of fiction books gets too tall, I know I haven’t been taking time to truly rest. Lately, my stack has been getting tall again. But I cleared the reading stack when Dani Pettrey’s new book, The Killing Tide, showed up in my mailbox!

During our summer of craziness last year, I got the chance to drive out to a book signing by Dani Pettrey for the end of the Chesapeake Valor series. It was so fun to meet Pettrey in person, and hear a little bit about her writing process. And of course, we heard a little teaser for The Killing Tide!

Now, I’ve gotten the chance to devour The Killing Tide. It was everything I had hoped it would be. Pettrey tells the story of Gabby Rowley, investigative reporter as she asks questions about the crime her brother Noah and his counterparts at the Coast Guard are seeking to solve. When crimes keep piling up, the Coast Guard investigative team keeps pushing forward and asking questions, unearthing an elusive killer.

Pettrey kept me guessing through this entire book. I didn’t see the ending coming! Those are my favorite fiction books to read. The Killing Tide kept me up late, gripped in suspense. I felt connected to the characters, and am already anxious to learn more about these characters and continue this series.

I’ve read so many fiction books centered on the FBI, CIA, police officers, lawyers. But I’ve never read a book focused on the Coast Guard. I loved getting a glimpse inside the way the coast guard operates. This is one fiction book you don’t want to miss!

I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. This review is my own, honest opinion.

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This story was exciting from the first page. I love the Coast Guard, and my family's closest friends are in the Coast Guard. So when I read that one of my favorite authors was writing a series about the Coast Guard, I knew I definitely wanted to read this newest series. This story begins with a lot of characters on the CGIS team and flips around a lot by telling the story from several point-of-views. At first that was difficult to navigate and maybe that was due to me reading this as an e-book. But after I realized the story was shifting back and forth, I was able to recognize the change more readily. I think that all of the switching around for the point-of-views may be annoying for some, but I found that it gave a glimpse into each character to set up the rest of this series in future books. I like that Dani writes about a group of people and then gives each main character their own spotlight in a separate book. It creates that feeling of family. I also liked how Dani wrote in many of the silent prayers the team members had throughout the story. I thought it was a great way to communicate their relationship with God and show their dependence on Him as they lived their lives.
Gabby is quite the character, and can make even the most tolerant reader frustrated. She does go through a good change though as the story moves along. I will say that it's pretty unlikely that an investigative reporter would be allowed in on a CGIS investigation even if they are family. That seemed a little unbelievable for me.
Overall, the story was good, and many of the characters have interesting histories, so it will be fun to see what Dani does with that in future books. While I enjoyed reading this book and the fast-paced story, it was not my favorite of Dani's books. I'm hoping the next book, The Crushing Depths, is a better read.

***I received this e-book from netgalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

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Dani Pettrey has started off her new Coastal Guardians series with a bang! Be ready to block off some time because this plot is extremely compelling and once you start reading it, you will want to stay with it. Her characters are complex yet come across as very believable. Her descriptive imagery will have you feeling as though you are right where the action is taking place. Her villains and the evil they plan and inflict are totally realistic. A truly spectacular book that will keep you reading all night!

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This was such a fun book! I’m always down for a Christian suspense novel, and this one was definitely one that I enjoyed! I had heard good things, so I was really looking forwards to reading it, and it delivered!

The storyline was fastpaced and interesting, and I got really wrapped up in the story really quickly. The suspense and mystery started off pretty much on the first page, and continued like that all the way until the very end (I literally did not expect the last thing that happened!). The antagonist was also a HUGE surprise that I didn’t expect AT ALL. The whole story was very well developed and I enjoyed reading it a lot.

(Although I’m not 100% sure about the believably of it all?? a. it seems like there were way less people than should be involved in a crime as big as the one that happens in the story, and also b. I’m not sure how some of the reality is for some of the investigative parts, so there was a little bit of suspense of disbelief that had to happen for me, but it really fun suspenseful read)

On the other hand, a piece of criticism that I have is that there are a lot of characters to keep track of: it’s a weak point in my reading comprehension, but all the characters together were quite easily confused, and at times made the story less clear. In addition, there was a fair bit of backstory that each of the characters had, and it was a lot to keep track of at the beginning. Because of that, it felt pretty hard to accurately form a mental image of what each character’s personality is like. However, once I got the hang of each of the characters, I really enjoyed following along in their lives.

Also, there was quite a bit of ~attraction~ going on: compared to a lot of other Christian fiction books I’ve read, the two main characters were pretty much making out at times during the book. While we did get that they had already developed a relationship before the book started, that dynamic was kind of weird??? From the reader’s perspective, they kissed, then said I love you, then immediately began calling each other baby, then got engaged? So that was a little jarring, and would also probably not be okay with some of my more conservative Christian friends.

Overall, it was a really fun book that I enjoyed! The story was engaging, fast-paced, and exciting, and the suspense was really fun. The character development left something to be desired, but for a exciting suspense book, this was a book that I really liked!

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Pettrey continues to amaze with her latest series, Coastal Guardians, as a huge fan of her previous series I wasn't sure if I was ready for new characters, but Pettrey has once again proved me wrong and taken me on a suspenseful journey that has me falling in love with the latest characters and can't wait to read more.

The Killing Tide is book 1 of the coastal guardians series and takes you on a thrilling tale of mystery, limits are pushed and a killer is on the loose. This is a book you will dive into and won't come up for air until the last page.

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Dani Pettrey writes tightly-plotted, complex stories. They are always interesting, with surprises and plot twists that feel plausible. Because The Killing Tide is the first book in a new series (Coastal Guardians), there was a lot of information and many characters to introduce. It was just a little confusing at the start, but it straightened out quickly. It’s fun to start the first book in a new series, knowing that you will be with that cast of characters for several books and each of them will get their own story.

The hero of The Killing Tide, Coast Guard Investigative Service special agent Finn Walker, is a solid, charming character. He’s steady. The heroine… not so much. If we’re going to have a character grow and change over the course of the story, she has to start out flawed. I get that. Gabby does improve, Her spiritual growth and personal change are handled beautifully. But I just didn’t like Gabby. An ambitious reporter, her willful and reckless behavior put other people in danger and upset her family. She even exploited a new widow, dragging her along into danger, just to get her news story. By the time she had her “epiphany,” I’d lost interest in her and was wondering why Finn didn’t find himself a nicer girl.

That doesn’t mean I didn’t like the book. I DO like the book. The setting and Coast Guard situation were interesting. The plot was great. I look forward to reading all the other books in the series. As usual, I will probably listen to them on audio. The narrator, Nina Alvamar, handled male and female voices nicely. Her reading was smooth and pleasant, neither dull nor overly dramatic.

My favorite thing about Dani Pettrey’s writing is that she’s not afraid to write books with real Christian characters. They talk, think, and act like real Christians. They interact with other Christians and non-believers in a realistic way. She’s not preaching; she’s portraying life. I love that.

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This is book one of the Coastal Guardians Series. There is mystery, suspense and romance in this book. It is about the team of 6 members of the Coast Guard Investigative Services and the circumstances each face in their lives from work to their personal life. We also are introduced to Gabby an investigative reporter that has a past with Finn one of the team members. Gabby is in danger and Finn is assigned to watch over her, but she has her own mind and ideas. Gabby has her own agenda and is strong willed to say the least about her own ideas of her life ways. Can Finn and Gabby work together? Will Gabby be able to control her way of investigating? Who can you trust?

I would recommend this to all those that enjoy that drama, suspense with a touch of romance read. Do not start reading this book at bed time.... you will not want to go to sleep until you finish. Each chapter leads into a twist, turn or plain I need to know what happens mode. I found alot of characters in the book and it was ok as I like a fast page read, but I felt as a series, it could have been a few each book and bring more characters in as the series goes along. But that was not a miss for me, as I enjoyed the book alot and do recommend it for those that like the drama.

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Gabby Rowley is a magnet for trouble. Her passion for pursuing a good story has gotten her into deep water and she is now forced to hide out in a small coastal town. But going back means seeing Finn, the handsome Coast Guard investigator who she had once broken his heart.
As Finn works to keep Gabby safe and investigate several murders, a sinister plot threatens both their lives and the passion between them.
I enjoy the authors fast paced writing style and her complicated plots. Even getting to know the other characters who will no doubt have their own story in the series. I enjoyed the coastal setting and a glimpse into the life of those who serve in the Coast Guard. The mystery was well done.
However, the romance between Gabby and Finn seemed to have taken place more in the past and not so much in the present. Maybe the emotional connection between reader and characters was lost in all the action. While I like my romances clean, I didn't see a noticeable character change in Gabby or Finn that resolved their conflict.
Overall, I likes the setting and the mystery. So, if you like more a good mystery, action pact story this will definitely work for you. But if you are looking for a strong emotional roller-coaster ride - maybe not.

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