Cover Image: The Killing Tide

The Killing Tide

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Member Reviews

Try as I might, I could not get into this story. I think it is because I really did not like Gabby at all. I've been a journalist and the things Gabby did are things that could have gotten me fired from my job. Recklessness as depicted here and in other things such as movies and TV is not admired in journalists and reporters. So be aware of that mindset when you see I gave this only two stars.

Please understand I really enjoy Dai Pettrey novels. She's a great writer and good researcher, but she fell down on this one. But then everyone has a right to fail at least once.

This review is on Goodreads, has been facebooked, tweeted and is on my blog.

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I loved the Alaskan Courage series by Dani Pettrey, so I was thrilled to have the chance to read The Killing Tide before it hits the shelves. I must say, it does not disappoint! As always, Ms Pettrey creates characters that are immediate new friends for her readers. I was drawn into the plot and found it difficult to put this book down. (My only areas of criticism were: 1) the Blue Fire Reader app through which I was first trying to read The Killing Tide - after I switched back to my more friendly Kindle app, things went much more smoothly *I realize this wasn't a criticism of The Killing Tide*; and 2) I became very aware of a high usage of the word "brow" around chapter 50. My brain had a hard time getting over it.). All in all, I can't wait to see more from Dani Pettrey and specifically, more from the Coastal Guardians series!

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I would give this book a solid 3.5 stars. I may enjoy it more if i read it once it comes out and is in paperback, but it was a bit hard to follow. I was a huge fan of Dani Pettrey’s Alaskan courage series and the Chesapeake Valor series however, this book was very hard to follow. There were a lot of characters that played a big role in this book, and i mean a lot. Too many that it was very hard to keep track of. The main story i thought was supposed to be about Finn and Gabby, but there were major parts about other characters and this made the book hard to follow. And it felt like there could have been a story before this book, about what happened to Gabby before she went to go live with her family and what happened with Fuentes. Dani did tie everything together at the end and the plot together made sense, but to me it felt a little forced. I loved Gabby’s drive and passion for her job and career, it was inspiring.

Overall, a solid read, but not one that I will probably keep on my shelf to read again. I enjoyed the bit of suspense that was there, but again, a little hard to follow. I like how the author explores different places and types of jobs and integrates that into her stories, i just think it would be a little more enjoyable to read without some of the extra fluff characters.

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I love when a book's villain is not who I expect it to be. The ending of this book took me by complete surprise! With this being the first in a new series, there's a lot of new characters to meet and get to know but the action starts right with chapter 1 and doesn't stop until you've reached the end! You may even recognize one of the characters from the Chesapeake Valor series. It's always so much fun when a character spins off into a new series! I'm looking forward to the next in this series for sure!

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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.

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When one Coast Guard officer is found dead and another goes missing, Coast Guard Investigative Service special agent Finn Walker faces his most dangerous crime yet. His only clues are what little evidence remains aboard the dead officer's boat, and the direction the clues point to will test Finn and the Guard to their limits.

When investigative reporter--and Finn's boss's sister--Gabby Rowley arrives, her unrelenting questions complicate an already volatile situation. Now that she's back, the tug on Finn's heart is strong, but with the risks she's taking for her next big story, he fears she might not live through it.

Thrown together by the heinous crime, Finn and Gabby can't ignore the sparks or judgments flying between them. But will they be able to see past their preconceptions long enough to track down an elusive killer, or will they become his next mark?

Another great book by Dani Pettrey. Gabby is running for her life from a mob hit. Finn has the perfect place for her. His guest house. The only problem is that he is still in love with her from when she stayed there several months ago. Gabby's brother is Finn's boss. They work for the Coast Guard Investigative Services. The team rotate watching Gabby while trying to solve a double murder of their Coast Guard team mates. The only problem is Gabby keeps trying to snick out and try to solve the crime herself.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes a great mystery.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

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This was the first story by Dani Pettrey that I didn't finish the book and think it was awesome. It was good, don't get me wrong, but it's not one I would necessarily pick up to read again. 

The story started off well enough, but it made me wonder why Gabby who was under protection had no regard for any of her friends and family. She was determined to shoot off and do her own thing, her selfishness shined through. In turn, while I was interested in the story I wasn't keen on the way it happened.

The end was interesting in how the pieces were brought together, but even so there was so much death and sadness that it just didn't jive with me. I haven't given up on her as an author, however I probably won't be reading very many in this particular series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

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Gabby Rowley is an investigative reporter. And as such, her life is threatened by a major drug lord she helped put away in prison. Her brother Noah seeks the help of his friend CGI agent Finn Walker to protect her. But keeping an eye on Gabby turns out to be a bit of a challenge.

The Coast Guard Investigative unit, are investigating a murder of one of their own.
Gabby feels certain that she can fend for herself as she tries to find clues in the investigation.

Dani Pettrey always writes such interesting novels. Reading The Killing Tide and how these agents risk their lives every day, helping people at sea, is pretty mind boggling. I have a growing respect for the men and women in all sections of military, sacrificing their time and lives on our behalf.

Ms Pettrey will be donating 10% of the profits of the sale of this book to the Coast Guard Foundation.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

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I've been hearing so many good things about this book! And when I remembered that I could grab it on NetGalley... oh happy day! The Killing Tide has to be one of my favorite books by Dani so far. The setting of the Alaskan Courage series had me hooked, and the danger from her Chesapeake Valor series was thrilling, but I was so invested in the characters of this new series! Especially Rissi. (I was going to be pretty upset if her story wasn't next, but it looks like I'm safe ;) ) The setting of this was also pretty great, although I'm not so sure that I'm too excited for our next trip to Topsail *insert nervous laughter* By the ending I'm pretty sure I was reading faster and faster with each chapter. I couldn't help being a little nervous for Gabby and Kenzie and Finn and Noah as they all got into some pretty tight scrapes! And I'll confess to a little horror at the freaky bad guys at the end. (But an admiring horror... that she could write something so deliciously scary!) Don't let the short chapters fool you into thinking that you are going to find an easy stopping place. If you put it down for anything other than food (I always get hungry reading Dani's books cause the characters are always eating!) then I don't know what to tell you except that you're off your rocker crazy. As a navy girl at heart, I still know that you guys are going to LOVE the Coast Guards in this series! 5 Bright Shining Stars!!!

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The Killing Tide is a fast paced romantic thriller involving a cast of characters from the Coast Guard's CGIS. This particular book features Finn and an investigative reporter named Gabby. I have to admit it took me a quick minute to get into it because of the many characters in the book. But once I got a few chapters in, I felt I knew them all and they were my good friends. I'm excited because this is the first in a series and I am already anxious to read the next book about Rissi.
*I was gicen a copy of this book by the publisher and this is my honest opinion..

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The Killing Tide was very slow in the beginning and had multiple characters that were hard to keep track of. I finally got it in my head who all the people were, but I have to admit I got confused in the end (it was probably because I skipped pages). I just never felt involved in the plot so much I couldn't put it down.

You would think I would give this book just one star but yet it had a great mystery (some one would love) and a good romance with faith based quality writing. I did love the ending.

I guess it just wasn't for me.

I received this book from Netgalley and all opinions expressed are my own.

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This has a composite cast with the set up for book two. Like other Dani Pettrey books there’s action, romance, and a host of characters working together. A truly enjoyable read.

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Knowing that Dani Pettrey was going to write a new series was like a real gift to me since I love all of her books. This one, like the other books in her other series, is a clean read with romance, suspense and not a few thrilling scenes. Finn Walker is a member of CGIS and is busily engaged investigating the death of another member of the Guard. Then he is tasked with keeping investigative reporter Gabby Rowley safe since she is being targeted by a drug kingpin. There is a lot of action in this tale and many new characters for the series are introduced. I enjoyed getting to know Gabby and about her trauma in Sudan and Finn and his feeling of hopelessness since he has not been able to save everyone in danger. The stories of Rissi, Noah, Mason and Emmalynne all promise to keep the series alive and burning in the readers’ hearts for several years to come. As the quintessential hero, Finn will long live in the hearts and dreams of those who read this book and see him for the Godly man that he is. I highly recommend this book to fans of Dani Pettrey and to anyone who loves a good romance without all of the bad language and graphic sexual scenes!

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Gabby Rowley, reporter for the Raleigh Gazette, finds herelf in need of a safe harbor once again when drug kingpin Xavier Fuentes tries to kill her. She has two choices. Enter protective custody with the government or stay in Finn Walker’s guesthouse—again—a leave her protection up to her brother, Noah, and his coworkers.

Gabby choses her second option—even if it means dealing with an overprotective older sibling and close contact with the man she has feelings for. Feelings she doesn’t trust because of trauma in her past.

Hanging around Noah and the Coast Guard Investigative Services team seems like an interesting, but safe, option. Until Gabby gets sucked into a murder investigation full of confusing clues and shadowy suspects.

Although Finn Walker hesitates to let Gabby stay at his guest house, he knows it’s the safest place for her. Of course, his emotions feel anything but safe around Gabby. Just when he started to fall in love with her, she chose a job in Raleigh over deepening their relationship. Evidently, he’d read her wrong.

To make matters worse, people he’s known and worked with for years seem to have double lives as well. And those double lives have extracted a high price. Will he and the other CGIS team members find the killer before he strikes again?

If you’re looking for a new series filled with action, suspense, and intrigue, Dani Pettrey’s new Coastal guardians will fit the bill. Pettrey shines at weaving suspenseful plots and secondary characters that eventually star in their own books.

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Just when I think Pettrey can’t do any better, she blows me away with a new story line. This debut of The Coastal Guardians has the makings of her best series to date. The Killing Tide is a Christian Romantic Suspense that will rope you in from the very first page. Action packed and fast paced, you won’t be able to put this one down.

This book contains the breadth of lovable characters Pettrey is known for. They are likable, dynamic, and quirky, a unique gift Dani continually brings to each and every story. Finn is a bold, but soft hero; One you fall in love with from the very start. Gabby is a fierce, independent heroine whose sometimes brash decisions keep you guessing.

I enjoyed the unique structure of this book. It kept you guessing and wasn’t the a + b = great Chrisitian romantic suspense formula. Pettrey breaks the rules in all of the right ways. I would gladly recommend this to any of my friends. Another A+ for Dani and her team.

I was given an early copy of this manuscript through NetGalley for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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“The Killing Tide” is another great read by Dani Pettrey! I have loved all of her books, and this one was no different. I was hooked from the first page to the last page. This book had a lot of suspense and some romance thrown in along the way.

This book follows Gabby and Finn. Gabby is an investigative reporter and she is put on temporary leave from her work because of an evil man who could be coming after her. Therefore, she goes back home to be protected by Noah (her Coast Guard brother) and Finn (her ex-boyfriend Coast Guard). There is another mystery going on while Gabby is there. I love how Dani is able to capture this romantic tension with them, yet she keeps everything clean.

My favorite quote is: “He was drawn to her like the tides were to the moon.” How romantic is this?
I highly recommend this book to everyone out there who enjoys romantic suspense books. This book won’t disappoint.

I received this book from the publisher for my honest opinion.

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One thing I love about Pettrey's books is that when you flip open the page expecting romantic suspense/adventure, you get it. In spades. The Killing Tide was no different.

The action picks up right from the get-go and is seriously non-stop the whole way through. Warning: the chapters are short, so it's easy to "just one more" yourself all the way to the finish without realizing how much sleep you've lost. (Ask me how I know!) I blame the engaging story and likeable characters, with Pettrey's signature style of weaving plot lines and making readers crave more of the characters in action and interaction alike.

I'm excited to see what this new Coastal Guardians series brings, as this book had one of the best buildups to the next book I've read in a long time. It wasn't so much a cliffhanger at the end as it was a stunning way to set up The Crushing Depths (book two) without detracting from the impact of The Killing Tide's resolution. It left me in awe of the first book and ready to dive into the next.

I definitely recommend The Killing Tide. Might as well add The Crushing Depths to your TBR, too.

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“He was drawn to her like the tides were to the moon.”

“He’d done exactly what he vowed not to do. He’d fallen in love with her all over again.”

The Killing Tide, the first installment in Dani Pettrey’s new Coastal Guardians series, is an action-packed romantic suspense novel that takes readers on an extremely dangerous and thrilling ride and keeps them highly invested in the storyline until the very last page. Dani Pettrey is a favorite author of many romantic suspense readers because of her thrilling storylines, her swoon-worthy heroes, and her ability to weave the characters’ faith seamlessly into her novels.

Gabby Rowley finds herself in extreme danger after her work as an investigative reporter leads to $30 million in cocaine being seized by the DEA and a major drug dealer being sent to prison. After Gabby faces an attempt on her life, her brother Noah, a special agent in the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and other members of his team are enlisted to provide protection for her. As Noah, Finn, and the rest of the CGIS team investigate the suspicious death of a Coast Guard officer, the case becomes more complex and dangerous than they ever anticipated. Sparks continue to fly between Finn and Gabby, as unresolved feelings from the past resurface. The chemistry between Finn and Gabby is off the charts, and the romantic storyline will have readers swooning.

Readers will become familiar with the entire Coast Guard Investigative Service team in the novel, and it is heartwarming how this team of special agents has a family-like dynamic and supports each other during the good times and the bad. There are many new characters introduced at the beginning of the novel, which is typical in the first book of a new series, but readers will quickly fall in love with the entire CGIS team. These characters will undoubtedly be featured in future installments of the Coastal Guardians series. Gabby and Finn’s faith helps them face the difficult situations they encounter in their daily lives, and even in their deepest struggles and moments of doubt, God is always with them.

The Killing Tide is highly recommended for readers of romantic suspense, especially those who enjoy books by authors such as Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, Rachel Dylan, Natalie Walters, and Elizabeth Goddard, and fans of TV shows such as NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, and Hawaii Five-0. Readers will be eagerly anticipating the second book in the series, The Crushing Depths, to discover more about their favorite members of the Coast Guard Investigative Service team.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.


Additional Quotes:

“The ocean settled her soul like nothing else. Being near God’s creation reminded her of His sovereignty and majesty. Setting the moon in the sky to control the tides . . . it awed her. Jesus walking on water, calming the storm . . . Knowing He tamed something so wild and free settled her soul in a way nothing else did.”

“God had most definitely made a masterpiece with Finn Walker. Combining his stellar physique with green eyes, a strong jaw, and chiseled cheekbones made it hard not to sigh when he walked in a room.”

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What a thrilling romantic suspense! Dani Pettrey has sure made quite a beginning for this new series.

Gabby Rowley is an investigative reporter who just had an attempt on her life - forcing her to hide for a while. Unintentionally, the situation leads her back to where she spent her winter recuperating from a disastrous stint in South Sudan, Finn Walker`s loft. Despite tending a broken heart and even though we're only given snippets of their time together, it`s obvious why Finn was able to crawl under Gabby's barriers.

I guess it was a risk to start a series with characters who have a history together rather than hinting in a previous book about past hurts. I was wary I'd feel something was missing, that I'd be thrown into their story. Let me make it clear this was not the case! Dani Pettrey was able to develop each character very well, leaving no space for doubt that we know these characters well.

I love the dynamics between the dive team and the Rowley family. I hope Noah gets his story so we can hang out with them. For now, I'm super excited about Rissi's story!!

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Wow this book was amazing. It drew me in from the first page and had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page.

The writing was vivid and I felt like I was actually in the story. It had my heart racing many times, and breaking in a few. I loved how well the romance, suspense, and faith melded in this story. None overpowered the other and they flowed beautifully.

I love these characters! They are all so sweet and interesting. I am so glad this is a series because I can't wait to get to know all of them better.

I highly recommend this book and new series to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense. You will no be disappointed.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of the book mentioned above in the hope that I would review it on my blog. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

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