I am an avid reader of Laura Griffin and a lover of thriller books. Deep Tide is labeled as a romantic thriller, however, I would consider it more of a romance than a thriller. Don't get me wrong, there is definitely some police procedure in the book when it comes to the crime scenes and the kidnapping. But if you are a lover of thriller books, like me, then this is most likely not going to be the book for you.

For me the book was a slow burn. I finished the audiobook because the story did keep me wanting to know more about what happens between the FBI agent and the local barista. I was hoping for more thriller though and it fell flat for me in that area.

I was a big fan of the ending. I would consider picking up the next book in the series, if there is one, just to find out what happens next.

The narrator did a fine job in telling the story. Honestly, if it was not for this being an audiobook and the narrator's reading of the book, I don't know if I would have finished it.

I am going to give this book 2 stars because it just did not do it for me. There was nothing wrong with the book, I was just hoping for more thriller than romantic thriller when I picked it up. This book focuses more on the romance aspect of it and that is just not for me.

Deep Tide is book 4 in the Texas Murder Files series. It works as a standalone, but you would probably get more enjoyment out of it, if you read the others, as some characters are reoccurring. I have read all 4 and must say that Deep Tide is the weakest in the series for me so far.
My main gripes are:
1. I never quite understood why Leyla is our main character and not Nicole (the detective actually investigating the murder)
2. The romance didn't click for me. It had insta-lust vibes, rather than insta-love, and I just didn't buy into their chemistry
On the plus side, the setting is great as usual, which makes for a fun summer beach read. The narrator did a pretty good job, tho I must admit I sometimes struggled noticing the switch between the Leyla and Nicole chapters, as there really isn't a distinctive change in voice.
In conclusion Deep Tide is not a bad book by any stretch and I will continue to read the series, if more are released, but overall it was just pretty middle of the road. Hence the 3 stars.

A wedding meet-cute with a handsome stranger takes an unexpected turn when there's a murder. I love Deep Tide by Laura Griffin so much I highly recommend it!

Layla lives in a small beach town with little crime and lots of tourists. The night of her brothers wedding she meets a mysterious man named Sean. The next morning she opens her bakery to find one of her workers murdered. Sean begins to see connections with the murder and the case that brought him to town. As everything begins to unfold his attraction to Layla grows, but he has to keep her out of his investigation.

This is the 4th book in the Texas Murder Files series. I absolutely loved this book and finished it in a couple days. The book can be read as a standalone, but I will definitely be adding the rest of the series to my TBR.

I really enjoyed the combination of mystery and romance and I appreciate that, despite being the fourth book in a series, Deep Tide reads well as a stand-alone. However, neither the mystery nor the romance had the intensity that I was hoping for leading to an entertaining, but ultimately flat, read.

The murder mystery is far more complicated than it appears as it connects to a much larger case. Though I appreciate the complexity that this added to the story, it took the focus away from our main characters. Nicole almost got more attention and character development than Leyla which was very strange for a romance book.

The romance felt far more like lust or insta-love and I don't feel like enough time was spent developing their relationship. With all of the other characters taking up parts of the story, there is very little time spent getting to know Leyal and Sean as individuals or as a couple.

I am interested in checking out some of the other books in this series, but this one didn't quite deliver what I hoped it would.

Deep Tide by Laura Griffin offers readers a captivating blend of mystery and romance. Set against the backdrop of a mysterious murder behind a bakery, the story revolves around the sister of a cop and delves into the complexities of their relationship. While the book introduces elements of a police procedural to justify the presence of a love interest, it predominantly focuses on the development of a romance. As a result, readers looking for a crime-centered narrative may find themselves surprised by the book's heavier emphasis on romance. Nevertheless, Griffin's writing skillfully weaves together the crime subplot and the central romance, offering a unique reading experience that appeals to fans of both genres.

Deep Tide was the perfect mix of suspense and a bit of romance. Caterer Leyla is part of an investigation after a barista was found dead at her store. Undercover agent Sean is smart and protective. The story unfolded very nicely and the book was very entertaining. We also got some really respective from the point of view of Nicole, a local detective. The story moved seamlessly between multiple perspectives.

Excellent narration!

Deep Tide by Laura Griffin
Narrated by Teri Clark Linden
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers, Romance
Published: April 25, 2023

Deep Tide is the 4th book in The Texas Murder Files series by Laura Griffin and I absolutely loved it!

The story was fascinating. I loved the characters and seeing how this relates to the previous books in the series. This can be read as a standalone mystery or as part of the series. I loved that this is set in Texas, as it allows me to visit other places in the state I live.

The mystery was fascinating and had me on the edge of my seat. I also loved the romance!

I enjoyed the narration by Teri Clark Linden. She did a great job bringing the book to life.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Well looks like I need to go back and read the first 3 books! I loved this book. The suspense, the romance and even the family drama. It has it all!

Sean has shown up to Leyla’s brother’s wedding. This is the first time that Leyla has ever met Sean. But she immediately knew he lied to her. Then one of her workers is found dead in the alley. And all of a sudden, Sean is in the middle of her life and all up in her business. And then Leyla’s life is in danger and Sean breaks all barriers to save her.

Leyla and Sean have a great connection and I adored both of them. Leyla is a sweetheart, until she is not. She can definitely take Sean down a peg or two when she wants to. And Sean is a strong, charismatic character with a strong sense of right and wrong. I love how the intensity builds over time between these two.

Now, this is true romantic suspense…it is predictable, intense and in some places overly dramatic. But, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Teri Clark Linden is the narrator and she is super! She did a great job with all the characters and the intensity.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Deep Tide is the fourth book in The Texas Murder Files series, but can easily be read as a standalone story. I will be reading the previous books in this series, as I was really pulled in to this story. Leyla Breda runs a coffee shop in the small beach town of Lost Beach, Texas. With two brothers on the police force, she is aware of the rising crime rate, but she never expected to find one of her employees murdered in the alley behind her shop. When a new law enforcement officer in town begins to circle her place of business, her instincts only sharpen, not aware that he is an undercover FBI agent working on a huge case involving several crime syndicates. He becomes intrigued with Leyla and eventually, they begin working together using her connections and his skills. Will they be albe to remain safe while investigating some serious crimes.

Leyla Breda is a great character. She is a hard worker, busy with a new business, a great boss, smart, but takes a few too many chances. She is attracted to Sean, but is not interested in a relationship. Sean is smart, protective, handsome and has an insta-crush on Leyla. He wants to pursue the attraction and when they end up getting together it is a bit steamy. I am not a big fan of insta-love, so that is why a bit of a lower rating. The characters are well developed, and the story has a fast paced, gripping plot that pulled me in. If you enjoy crime, police procedurals, FBI investigations, and hot romance, a fast pace, and a page-turning story, then pick up Deep Tide. I listened to this book narrated by Teri Clark Linden. She did a good job with the various voices and her expression and emotions made the book even more suspenseful. The pacing kept me listening and added to my enjoyment.

I didn't realise this was part of a series but it read well as a standalone. The pacing was great and the characters were strong. The story wraps up very neatly - the romance ascept of it was nearly too sweet. Good read overall.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was part of a series but was fine reading as a standalone- I've not read any of the previous books but didn't feel like I was missing too much because of that. Overall pretty engaging read and even though I did not like the narrator's voice for Leyla's speaking voice that was my only complaint for that.

First I want to thank Dreamscape Media for providing me a copy of the audiobook in exchange of my honest and fair review.

I am a huge fan of Laura Griffin and all of her books and when I saw the audiobook of her newest in the Text Murder Files series was available on NetGalley I requested it ASAP. I had never read any of her books via audiobook previously so I was really excited for this experience as I am such a big audiobook fan.

What I loved:
- Lost Beach, I love the majority of this series as been set in this Texas costal town. I have spend a lot of time in similar towns growing up and I can imagine everything about this town when I'm reading
- Leyla, she is an amazing main character who has all the attributes of having older brothers and doesn't take crap from anyone. I also love that she is a small business owner and cares so much for her people
- Nicole, we have met her before but I really liked how she played a big role in the investigation and the story as a whole. She is the only female detective and I love how she brings in a different perspective
- Family, this story has a lot of different families and I love how the different groups interact with each other and not always in positive ways
- Mystery/Bad guy, I am love a suspense/thriller and once again this story had a well developed mystery which I am hoping can lead to more books for this series.
- Narrator, this being my first audiobook of this series I was pleasantly surprised with the narrator (Teri Clark Linden) there are some weird town and county names in Texas and she did a great job with those as well as changing her voice for all of the different characters.
- Series, I love a book series especially when you can read each book as a stand alone and you absolutely can with Deep Tide. Quick FYI if you do read this one first just know there is a spoiler or two from the previous books.

Overall this was a fantastic addition to an already amazing series. If you are a fan of romantic suspense set in a costal town with a lot of great characters, mystery and overall good stuff I would absolutely recommend picking up this book. Also, if you enjoy a good audiobook this one was such an enjoyable and quick listen, bonus points if you listen to it while driving through Texas like I did ;).

Deep Tide is the 4th in The Texas Murder Files. This is my first by Laura Griffin and will not be the last. Luckily for me this book can be read as a stand alone. If you like mystery, detective, books with a side order of romance you like this book.

Leyla Breda has two brothers in law enforcement, so she is aware of the potential dangers that can lurk, even in the small beach town in which they all call home. As the owner of a blossoming business, Leyla never thought that tragedy would strike and affect her both personally and professionally. Complicating matters is the arrival of Sean Moran, reportedly in town for the wedding of Leyla's brother. On an undercover mission, will his work with the FBI become entangled with Leyla's personal tragedy?

Deep Tide is a romantic suspense novel with elements of a police procedural. The audio version of the book is well narrated by Teri Clark Linden, whose voice gives life to Leyla and her story. Some of the novel is unnecessarily complicated by the sibling relationships, but the overall flow of the novel is good. Though not all of the story wraps up neatly, the romantic aspect is too easy. I almost wish that Deep Tide ended differently, as it would have been more realistic. Readers who like romantic suspense will probably like this novel.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Audio Version of Deep Tide by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

I really liked the book, but it could have been like 100 pages shorter. The twists and turns were good, but because the book dragged on so much, I was as into them as I should have been.

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Griffin, and Dreamscape Media for an ARC copy of Deep Tide.

It's an engaging story that combines mystery, suspense, and romance. The main characters Leyla and Sean were interesting and likable. I wish that Nicole would have had more of a role in the story. She was the lead detective and I liked her personality.

It was an enjoyable read and I recommend adding it to your summer reading list.

When I got this book I did not realize I was jumping into an established series, I do my best to double check that I don't pick reads that aren't deep into a series. I failed here! Luckily this series each book can be read as a stand alone. I am assuming the previous 3 books follow a different character in this fun island paradise of Lost Beach, Texas. Also positive we have another Texas author! Yay!

After having a panic of starting this book and worried that I would have no idea what was going on I have discovered that I could read this safely, though reading the previous books would give you more insight to the side characters and the history of Lost Beach.

We have three main characters in this story, all with their own POVs. First we have Leyla a baker/business owner who discovers the dead body of one of her employees. Then there is Sean, the FBI agent who happens to be in town for Leyla's brothers wedding. Then there is Nichole the fairly rookie police detective. All 3 of the characters are trying to hunt down the killer of Leyla's employee. Leyla happens to be the sister of the town's major police detective (Owen who the previous book is about) and though is a baker finds herself getting mixed up into things she shouldn't.

Sean is indeed in town for the wedding where he first sees Leyla and has some very lusty intentions, though unsatisfied. He happens to also be the lead on a case against a crime faction out of Texas. Let me tell you when I think about Texas I don't think about islands. Have I been to our islands? Yes. Does this state make me think of island towns, nope. Though these islands are high in crime. Which actually makes sense. You've got the gulf and then a quick boat, helicopter, or drive and you're in Mexico. Well this crime syndicate is apparently targeting these small Texas islands for ease of access and all the oil rigs off the gulf. Which is pretty smart, it makes sense. So anyway Sean is trying to take down some big bads, and who gets in the way? Leyla of course.

Nichole is our last main character. I feel like she does the most to move the story along even though the story doesn't centralize around her. She does the most leg work, discovers the turning point info for Sean. Meets a reporter who talks about another reporter going on a helicopter ride over the Gulf and not coming back because he knew too much. (I wonder how often this happens IRL?) She is very interesting, a great asset to the story. I hope she has a book and finds her love.

The love story is sweet between Sean and Leyla, there is no insta love, but there is immediate attraction. The crime and mystery part was fun. Sean did some stuff that got him beat to heck, but we don't ever know what that is because he goes off on a mission, we cut to Leyla the next day and never know about the mission that is supposed to end Sean's case.

I think the narrator did a pretty good job with the story and everything was light and easy to follow. There wasn't too much off anything, not too much violence, romance, or mystery, I would call this a quick mystery beach read.

Deep Tide is twisty and mysterious without being over the top, as are most of Laura Griffin's titles. I particularly enjoyed the character of Leyla. She's well thought out, relatable, and has a few hilarious moments interacting with Sean. A great beach read that I highly recommend!