I have loved Dani Pettrey books for years and the Coastal Guardian series is no exception. The Crushing Depths is the second in the series. One thing I love about her books is she hooks the reader from the very beginning. The Crushing Depths starts out with the mysterious death of a crew member on on oil rig off the coast of NC. Coast Guard investigators Mason and Rissi are sent in via helicopter to investigate. As if the death they were investigating was not enough, the opening line of chapter five..."Mayday!Mayday! We're going down,". Okay, heart pumping and I am officially hooked. Readers are drawn in to multiple plot lines as Mason and Rissi try to get to the bottom of what is going on. Other mysterious events take place on the rig and many believe that everything is tied to a curse while others believe it is the environmentalist group that has vowed to do whatever it takes to stop the drilling. What is really going on? Who is behind all this? You'll have to read to find out.

Dani Pettrey is a master of writing page-turning suspense while giving readers just the right amount of romance. I really liked that Rissi and Mason had known each other as teenagers when they both lived in a children's home. They had supported one another as teenagers through some horrific situations, had gone their separate ways, and were brought back together as adults when Mason was assigned to the team Rissi is on. They have a beautiful love story many years in the making.

Although this can definitely be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend starting with the Killing Tide. Since that is the first in the series, readers are introduced to the entire team who we get to know even better in The Crushing Depths. This book also provides updates on Gabby and Finn who were featured in the Killing Tide. I am definitely looking forward to the rest of the series. Without giving too much away, there is a side story with Noah who ends up protecting a woman who is in danger. Fingers crossed, there will be something more between them in a future book in the series.

Many thanks to the author, Bethany House Publishers, and Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This story had me all in and invested from the very beginning and didn't let up. It's that 'hold on tight because you know this will be a fun ride' feeling. I love when that happens.

Even though there is a strong forward momentum, the author does a good job of giving me space to know the characters. Rissi and Mason have history together from when they were children. It's not a great shared history but I enjoyed how their story unfolded and expanded my understanding of their relationship and their connection. Rissi and Mason are both excellent characters and I enjoyed them so much.

There is danger, there is intrigue. The mystery is swirling all over in this book making me anxious with anticipation. It was good stuff. There is another developing plot happening between some side characters and I'm hoping they will be in the spotlight for the next book. It's shaping up to be good!! Oh! And as a side note, I never want to be an oil rig worker. Or even visit an oil rig. That's some scary stuff and I'm grateful for the people who do the hard jobs for people like me.

This series is about a group of people and they are all present in each book so it would probably help to read this series from the beginning for the best character development, but I honestly think this book can stand on it's own.

Content: peril, death, mild violence, kissing, mentions of physical abuse.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Dani Pettrey does it once again. She quickly pulls you into the story with fast paced chapters that make you feel like you are right in the middle of the action. Pettrey combines the perfect amount of suspense with romance to keep you turning the pages long into the night. The characters in this book are honorable and courageous. They help you to once again have hope and trust in others.



This is a story filled with the encouragement of God’s redemption story of horrific times in a person’s past. It also shows belief in God’s sovereignty and trust in Him through prayer even in the hardest times a person could face. This is a book that will fulfill your appetite for thrilling suspense and romance while encouraging you to dive deeper into a relationship with Christ. A much needed book for me in this season of life!!! I can’t wait for the next one in this series!

The second book in the Coastal Guardians series will have readers so deeply invested in the characters it will be difficult to come up for air!

After a death on an oil rig off the coast of North Carolina, the Coast Guard is called in to investigate. Rissi Dawson and Mason Rogers are sent out to determine if it was foul play or just an accident. There are rumors the oil rig is haunted and a group of environmental activists are trying to do whatever they can to shut the rig down. When their helicopter crashes on the way to the rig and they run into trouble with every turn they take, the evidence points to foul play in the death of the oil rig worker. They have to tread lightly to determine who the killer is without putting themselves in the crosshairs. Before they can finish their investigation, a tropical storm heads their way trapping them on the oil rig with a killer.

After reading the Alaskan Courage series, I didn’t know if Dani Pettrey would be able to top it. However, the first book in this series started out great and now the second continues to make this series one of the best. I loved the dynamic between Rissi and Mason; the history they shared was very powerful and one of the aspects that kept me glued to their story as it unfolded. A few moments throughout the book left me underwhelmed, I could tell what was about to happen and it just didn’t feel right with the story. But most of the novel had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how things would turn out. While this book focuses on Rissi and Mason, readers get a little more insight into characters from the first in the series and see a set up for the next. I’m guessing the Book three will center around Brooke and Noah, or at least that’s what I’m hoping! I would recommend readers read the first book in the series before starting this one, but if picked up it could be read as a stand-alone novel. Readers that enjoy romantic suspense novels will not want to miss this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinion expressed within are my own.

Complete review coming soon! Thank you to Netgalley and Dani Pettrey for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

And the action continues with the second installment in this exciting suspense series from Dani Pettrey! This book picks up right where the last one left off, so I do recommend that you read the series in order, but this series has been great, so that should be no trial! I liked Rissi and Mason a lot in the first book and was excited that they took center stage in this second novel. They share similar painful pasts, which makes their relationship that much better. I love how the characters are flawed and real. Like the first book, the story starts with multiple characters, which takes a few chapters to keep straight, but this eventually allows there to be multiple potential villains and the plot less predictable. I suggest that you make sure your laundry is done and your house is clean before starting this book, because once you start, you will not be able to put it down! I enjoyed the suspenseful plot. I definitely recommend this series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This book is action packed from the opening chapter. Rissi and Mason are excellent as investigators and people. The story was fast paced and kept me guessing until the very end! There are few times, when I don't figure out who the culprit is, but this book got me.

Looking forward to what's next in this series.

I have been a Pettrey fan since the moment her debut released and I have devoured everything she has written since. Unfortunately the first book in this series didn’t quite live up to what I’ve come to expect from this author so I had a little bit of hesitation heading into this one. Thankfully though that worry was for naught and I thoroughly enjoyed this story!
The oil rig setting was one I haven’t really seen in books before but I thought it was really interesting! I will admit I had some flashbacks to the Psych episode with the Coast Guard and the oil rig but that just allowed me to visualize this story better!
Rissi was one of my favorite characters from The Killing Tide and the little we got of Mason intrigued me so I was excited for their story! I loved the fact that they had spent some years together when they were younger, giving a grounding to their relationship and avoiding the whole “instant relationship” trope that’s often found in romantic suspense. Their romance was more a finally realizing how each other felt and see what that meant now that they were adults. I loved the way it played out and it felt authentic. And while their backstory was sad, I loved the way they had looked out for each other and kept each other sane despite the cruelty they had to endure.
I also really liked the little bit we got of Brooke and Noah and I’m really hoping we get their story next! And Caleb and Austin as well as Logan and Emmy seemed like they’d make fun couples so hopefully there will be more stories to come!
The mysteries and suspense kept me guessing the entire time and you just never knew what was going to happen next!
All in all this was a great story that was much more like the Dani Pettrey I’ve come to love!

This was a FANTASTIC read by Dani Pettrey! There were several mysteries going on in this book that kept the pages turning!! I love that Rissi and Mason have found their way back to each other too. Thank you for another great read! Dani Pettrey does not disappoint!!

HIGH OCTANE INTENSITY!

Author Dani Pettrey’s, THE CRUSHING DEPTHS (Coastal Guardians Book #2), is nothing short of High Octane Intensity! She has chosen the setting to be the first drilling platform off the coast of North Carolina. A tragic accident has occurred and two CGIS Agents, Rissi Dawson and Mason Rogers, have been sent to investigate. Pettrey knows how to get readers attention and keep it and she does so early by dropping little hints of an Environmentalist Group’s threats, a drunk’s mention of “a curse on the rig” and the helicopter that was transporting Rissi and Mason crashed! This is just the beginning!! Readers better be prepared to get their drink of choice, find a comfy spot and kick back because they are not going to want to leave until the final page is read! Be prepared to see greed, deceit, cunning and all other manner of evil lead up to multiple murders. A first rate book and I highly recommended it!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

I have read every one of Pettrey's books and this one continues to show why she is a first-class suspense writer. There are so many things going on yet she brings them all together for a satisfying conclusion. The characters are developed. After a short while, I felt like I knew them. If they were in a room, I'd be able to pick each one out.

I loved their team. I can't wait to read more about them, especially Logan and Emmy. They had a unique, spicy competition that promises to be a lot of fun. I liked the fact that Mason and Rissi had a past history together. The speedy progression of their relationship makes sense knowing that.

There was a lot of action and danger. There was an excellent pace to the book. It was exciting and hard to put down. I'd highly recommend it. Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.



Coastal Guardians series:
Book 1: The Killing Tide
Book 2: The Crushing Depths

The Crushing Depths is non-stop action from start to finish. This is the second in the series, but probably could be read as a stand-alone (but if you follow me, you know I refuse to read a series out of order.) Someone is sabotaging an oil rig. An old curse surfaces as CGIS agents Mason Rogers and Rissi Dawson search for answers as the body count rises higher than the tides. Meanwhile Noah Rowley finds himself in an adventure of his own as he tries to protect Brooke from a stalker.

Mason and Rissi’s story dials up the emotional intensity as they share a very broken childhood together, but lost touch over the years after Rissi disappeared to flee the bad situation. Mason resurfaces in the prior book, The Killing Tide, and Rissi finds herself fighting old feelings. The two are paired up on the oil rig investigation and sparks fly. I loved Rissi from The Killing Tide, and her reconnection to Mason is filled with all kinds of romantic tension. Based on their shared past, their feelings don’t take long to surface. And Noah also has a love interest of his own. But outside of the developing relationships, the story line is quite complex and kept me hooked to the end trying to figure out not only the culprit but the motivation behind all of the attacks. The book does a great job of blending the romance with the suspense of all of the investigations the CGIS agents are working.

I highly recommend The Crushing Depths for romantic suspense fans. There’s just so much action and suspense packed into this novel along with characters readers will love.


Overall: 5 stars (I loved it, couldn’t put it down)
Suspense: 5 stars (Non-stop edge-of-your-seat suspense from start to finish)

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Talk about suspenseful! This brings our attention to a member of the team from book one of this series. We get to get to know her better but we also get a blast from her past coming into the team as well. Can she work with him without all her old feelings coming back? And what if he doesn't like her anymore?

Rissi and Mason have a past. They grew up in a foster home together that was bad, not just bad, but the worst. Mason aged out and Rissi never saw him again. He had been her constant and her protection. She's never been quite the same since he left.

And now he walks back into her life as a new member of her team. Not just a member but her new partner!

When they're assigned to an oil rig death they don't think too much of it. Until the plane they're flying out on crashes for no reason. And then all the unexpected things starting happening. Will they make it off the oil rig alive? Can they solve the case?

This is definitely a book that I recommend. I cannot wait until the next book in the series comes out so I can continue following this great team and their suspenseful cases.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

This may be book two, but I didn’t realize it until after I read it, so it stands on it’s own. Great book about oil rigs, very suspense filled, ending was a twist I didn’t pick up on, the characters were all had interesting stories of their own. I would give this book five stars.
I received this in the kindle format from NetGalley.com. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #TheCrushingDepths #DaniPettrey #NetGalley
Description as found on NetGalley:
When an accident claims the life of an oil-rig worker on the first drilling platform off the North Carolina coast, Coast Guard investigators Rissi Dawson and Mason Rogers are sent to take the case. Tensions surrounding the oil rig are high and the death has everyone on edge. Environmental activists are threatening to do whatever it takes to stop the structure from being completed, while rumors are being whispered about ancient curses surrounding this part of the ocean.

Mounting evidence shows the death may not have been an accident at all. Was he killed by one of the activists or, perhaps more frighteningly, a member of his own crew? Rissi and Mason have to sort through not only a plethora of suspects, but also their own past and attraction to each other.

Just as the case seems like it'll break open, worse news arrives. A tropical storm has turned their way and soon they're cut off from any rescue--and right where the killer wants them. It's a race to discover his identity before he eliminates the threat they pose.

The Crushing Depth by Dani Pettrey is a suspense filled story about the Coastal Guardians. The second in a series about Coast Guard Investigators.

The death on an oil rig brings CGIS agents Rissi Dawson and Mason Rogers to investigate. Having a history since teens years, they are reunited on this case, resurrecting feelings after the lost years. Bringing more interest into the story line are the secondary characters, Logan and Emmy. Noah and Brooke's story also adds to the suspense.

Good faith content, and clean fiction always draw my attention. As a stand alone story, I found I had to gain an understanding about some of the characters. The first book in the series, The Killing Tide, introduced many of them. Finding out who the killer was kept you in suspense until the very end.

I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

3.5 stars, rounded up
This is the second book in Pettrey's Coastal Guardians series. It's not completely necessary to read the first book The Killing Tide first, however you'll miss many of the character introductions and since there are so many, you might be lost.
Pettrey is a master at romantic suspense. She balances the developing romances incredibly well with the suspenseful tension in such a way that it blends into a seamless story.
The one quibble I have about this book is the same one I had with The Killing Tide: there are way too many characters to keep straight. Chase and Caleb and Jayce were particularly difficult for me to remember who was who because of the same first letters or rhyming names. The sheer number of characters and how they fit into the larger scheme of the storyline gets confusing.
I love Pettrey's settings. They are so unique and original for Christian fiction novels. Of the myriad books I've read, I don't think I remember one set on an oil rig before. The short chapters served to ratchet up the suspense and kept me invested in the story to see what would happen.
Overall I enjoyed the reading of this novel and can't wait to see what happens in the next installment.

The Crushing Depths by Dani Petrey is the second book in the series and I enjoyed it so much more than the first book. The first book was good but very overwhelming with the introduction of all the characters.
In this book Rissi and Mason were introduced in the first book however we see them develop a relationship and we get to know more about their past in this story. Their past was difficult to read for me. They grew up in an abusive foster home. Their feelings for each other and relationship was beautiful and so sweet. They could’ve been the only couple in the book and I would’ve absolutely loved it.

Mason and Rissi work an investigation on an oil rig that was fascinating. You learn about what all happens on the oil rig and how the environmentalist hate them. Even though this was the second book in the series I feel like you could read it on its own. You may get a little bit more of Rissi’s background if you read book one but I feel like you could absolutely start with this one. There are several characters in the book as you can tell from my review but you’ll enjoy each one of them and they each have their own quirks about their personality that make you love them.

Emily and Logan‘s interesting interactions is the second couple we see more of. I’m curious if they will be the next book in the series. Another possibility for the next book in the series is Caleb. He’s had a crush on Rissi and had a hard time watching her relationship with Mason. However he and the private detective, Austin look like they could have a fabulous relationship as she gets him out of his stickler of a personality. Another storyline was Brooke and Noah. Brook has someone harassing her and Noah comes to her defense because she’s a friend of his sisters.

This is a book where you really like all of the characters. At first I wasn’t sure about Caleb but once he met Austin they were adorable. I would highly recommend this book. This is Dani at her best.

Sexual content – kissing
Violence- there are deaths on the oil rig, however the violence that bothered me more was the flashbacks to Rissi and Mason’s past in Hank’s house.
Drinking – there was a scene where Caleb is upset and drinks a six pack.

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

This is the second book in her coastal guardian series, as an NCIS fan I enjoy her take on CGIS (Coast Guard Investigative Services) The team dynamics and family like relationships are my favorite part of her series.

The romance in this book is between main characters Mason and Rissi. They share a past, largely set up in the first book, but you will still follow easily enough if read as a stand alone. I found the investigation to be interesting and the tension between the main characters to be authentic.

I am looking forward to book 3.

Pettrey has a gift for exciting and intricate books. This book definitely had me guessing about who the bad guys were and had me jumping at some of the scenes.

This book does continue from The Killing Ride, but can also be read as a standalone. I loved reading them in order though. It is like revisiting old friends. It was great to meet Mason and spend more time with Ris. I loved their relationship.

I also loved how Pettrey worked salvation stories into this book. It was great reading about how Mason and Ris came to Christ.

As much as I loved the main relationship, I really loved Noah in this book. He is such a wonderful hero. Always there to help people that are important to him, ever loyal, and selfless.

This book did have a lot of characters to keep straight. And my mind was busy trying to solve the mystery too. But I did very much enjoy this book and can't wait to read more in this series.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Story Line: 3 Stars
Depth: 4 Stars
Faith: 3 Stars
Love Story: 4 Stars
Overall: 3.5 Stars


CGIS Agents Rissi Dawson and Mason Rogers and their team are back in book two of Dani Pettrey’s newest series, this time to investigate a suspicious death on an oil rigger off the coast of North Carolina.

At the end of book one, The Killing Tide, Rissi and Mason are shocked to come face to face with each other after sharing a traumatic, complex history and having no communication for years. As they try to sort through the jumble of emotions upon seeing each other again, they must narrow their focus on the investigation at hand: the death and other strange occurrences on the oil rig, which is rumored to have a curse surrounding it.

As she usually does, Dani gives the reader an excellent storyline to dig into. We alternately weave through the mystery and the relationships with eagerness and savor each morsel of intrigue. Mason and Rissi share a past as foster kids in a group home, and some darker subjects from this time in their lives are mentioned but not explored heavily. Their love story is touching, and had us cheering for them both all the way.

However, this read fell short of our usual standards and Dani’s usual slam bang finishes. Although the storyline was excellent for the first three quarters of the book, we couldn’t help but feel the end was anti-climactic - there didn’t seem to be a climax, and the answers to the mysteries left us disappointed. In short, the end feel flat for us. We kept waiting for the, “oh no!” moment that never came.

That being said, we are eager for the next book in this series and being able to revisit some characters we have grown to love. We still need to hear Noah, Emmy and Logan’s stories and we genuinely look forward to those! !