Give me perilous tides, storms, and northwest terrain, add in suspense and romance and I’m nestled in for the long haul. Elizabeth Goddard’s second book in the Hidden Bay series is more than a thrilling suspense, it is a who-done-it mystery with eddies and whirlpools that tossed me back and forth trying to figure out, well, who done it! Goddard’s contemporary romances are must reads and PERILOUS TIDES demonstrates it smashingly!

THE STORY: Forensic artist Jo Cantrel’s mother’s dying words – “You won’t see danger coming . . . until it’s too late.” – were not spoken idly. Three years after her mother's suspicious death, Jo is in hiding, working at a storm-watching lodge along the Washington coast. When her father sends her a disturbing and cryptic message, Jo leaves the safety of the lodge to find him. But during the ferry crossing, Jo witnesses a murder—and becomes a target.

More surprising to Jo than being in danger is the identity of the person who steps in to protect none other than her ex, former Green Beret Cole Mercer. Now a private investigator, Cole has been looking into her mother's death. If he can just uncover the truth, maybe Jo can end her self-imposed captivity and the two of them can pick up the pieces and build a future together.

As Cole and Jo search for answers, the past rushes in like a dangerous tide to sweep them away before the truth can be revealed.

I don’t think there’s a family that doesn’t have secrets, but Goddard takes family secrets to an epic level. She pulls out the stops for this book, I can’t wait for the next in the series!

Highly recommended for fans of Elizabeth Goddard, suspense, mystery, family dynamics, bravery, heroes, Christian fiction, clean romance, faith journeys, and descriptive stories located in the northwest.

I received an ARC from #netgalley and Revell for my honest review.

This book was incredible. I was drawn in from the beginning and didn't want to put the book down. I felt very invested in the characters and their lives.

I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Elizabeth Goddard's latest book is definitely fast-paced suspense! Set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, the female protagonist is Jo Cattrel, a forensic artist whose mother died three years ago in what Jo suspects was murder! Perilous Tides starts with action and an attempt to drown Jo after she witnesses a murder! You will wonder about Jo's biological father who she only recently met and what he is up to! Cole Mercer, a former Green Beret and now a private investigator, shows up to help protect Jo. There is danger and action on every page of this book! I recommend Perilous Tides to those who enjoy reading suspense! I received complimentary copies of Perilous Tides though Revell and Net Galley. This is my honest opinion.

Perilous Tides is just that: perilous. From the first chapter, the tension is high. Jo was under threat over and over again.
I love second chance romance and this book did it so well. Cole left her hanging with no explanation and now her dad is missing too.
I so enjoyed this story and cannot wait for the next in the series.

'Perilous' definitely describes this story! I love the unusual premise of the book--something you don't find out about until later on in the story!! The pace is quick, the characters are great, and it'll keep you guessing!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

A 2025 Fav♡rite

Perilous Tides kept me guessing! I love when a suspenseful story doesn’t giveaway its secrets too quickly, and this author never disappoints. Goddard is a master at crafting realistic characters that I grow to love and creating a suspenseful atmosphere that I can feel deep in my bones.

I found myself easily connecting with Jo and Cole—perhaps even more so with Cole. Both characters are dealing with so much, and I longed for them to find answers, heal from their pasts, and to rebuild their lives.

I really liked both main characters and have a soft spot for second-chance stories. While the story has light touches of faith, it was the action, suspense, and romance that captivated me the most.

With its rich layers of mystery, restoration, and second chance romance, this page-turner is just as thrilling as the first book in the series. I can’t wait for the third book, Deadly Currents, coming this winter!

#CoverLoverBookReview received a review copy of this book. Opinions are 100% my own.

Perilous Tides dives deep into the aerospace industry with engaging characters and a compelling storyline. In the beginning of this novel, I felt somewhat disconnected due to an overload of information, finding the plot extremely complex. I struggled in the early pages of the book, but soon got up to speed and found the book interesting and suspense-filled.
Elizabeth Goddard painstakingly covered this novel with the proverbial breadcrumbs so that readers could try to determine the villain in Perilous Tides - not that the breadcrumbs helped this reader! LOL The detailed setting in Washington around the Olympic Peninsula inspires me to visit!
All in all, the author tied up all the moving parts of the storyline and gave us a clean romantic suspense novel that I thoroughly enjoyed!
4 stars

Perilous Tides is another thrill ride from Elizabeth Goddard that kept me turning pages from start to finish. I was so invested in the mystery, trying to figure it out with the characters. Some very harrowing scenarios befall Jo, and it’s a good thing Cole is back in her life to help her- even though she’s still really hurting and confused why he even left her life to begin with.

The second chance romance, the thrills, the mystery… if you love romantic suspense don’t miss it! You won’t want to put it down.

I received a complementary copy of this book from the author and publisher. I was not asked to leave a positive review. My opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved all the twists and turns in this wonderful romantic suspense. I love Cole and Jo and how they help to keep each other safe. I love all the fantastic action and the suspense. I love the descriptions of the landscape and the storms. I could not put the book down. I enjoyed learning all of the secrets each character was hiding. I received a copy of the book and gave an honest opinion.

Buckle up! A forensic artist in hiding, a former Green Beret looking for a second chance, & a killer determined to snuff out his enemies at all costs. Perilous Tides starts off with a bang & doesn’t let go! This thrilling new romantic suspense from Elizabeth Goddard was impossible to put down. Full of nonstop action, a complex mystery, a lovely second chance romance, & subtle faith thread, this story grabbed hold & didn’t let go!

Jo Cattrel’s been in hiding on the Washington Coast ever since her mother’s suspicious death. When she receives a strange message from her father to meet her in the city, she doesn’t find him, but instead witnesses a murder, & finds herself knocked unconscious & trapped in a car being pushed off a ferry. The man who comes to her rescue is the last person she expected to see again.

When former Green Beret Cole Mercer sees a car going off the ferry with a person inside, his first instinct is to dive into the cold, icy waters. When he realizes the woman he saves is Jo, who despite everything still holds his heart, he’s determined to find whoever did it. Cole’s now a private investigator & returned to Hidden Bay to investigate Jo’s mother’s death. He’s hoping to uncover the truth so Jo can stop hiding & they can rebuild their relationship. But, with Jo’s life in constant danger, can he solve the mystery before it’s too late?

Wow! This fast-paced story was so full of twists & turns. Just when I thought I had things figured out, there was another layer. The action was nonstop with a determined killer out to get Jo. But, the mystery is so much bigger than Jo & enjoyed how it involved her father’s career.

Loved the chemistry between Cole & Jo. Jo’s immediately skeptical of Cole since he left without a good explanation & is reluctant to trust him again with her heart. Cole had his reasons for leaving & wants to win her back. It’s a beautiful second chance romance filled with unraveled secrets & all the longing. I also appreciated the faith thread subtly woven throughout.

Highly recommend to romantic suspense fans! Though it’s the 2nd book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. I received an advanced copy from the publisher with no expectation of a review. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.

Panic engulfed her as fast as the rising water.

I was hooked from the opening pages of Perilous Tides and I do love that Elizabeth Goddard was able to get me involved, curious to know what comes next and next and next. I also love second chance romances, so, when Jo Cattrel’s ex, former Green Beret Cole Mercer made his appearance, I sat up and took notice. Now, the danger is really going to come at them and it does. Hard and fast.

Jo Cattrel had been hiding out on the Washington coast, until a message from her father had her hightailing it away from the safety of the lodge, determined to track him down. She doesn’t even make it off the ferry before witnessing a murder, making her a target.

Perilous Tides by Elizabeth Goddard is a complex, convoluted mystery with bullets flying and bodies dropping and the danger rising as Jo and Cole search for answers. The pacing moves at a steady clip, sometimes not even giving me enough time to catch my breath. I find it hard to believe I haven’t read any of Elizabeth’s work, but she is now on my radar.

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Perilous Tides is an exciting, fast-paced thriller that is full of twists and turns that keeps the pages turning. The past has come to haunt the present life of Jo, a forensic artist who has gone into hiding. Former Green Beret, now PI, Cole, has arrived to help find out the mystery of her parents' past life. There is danger, murder, near drowning, fire, and much intrigue. Will Jo and Cole be able to get to the answers they need and be able to stay alive while searching? With a thread of faith and forgiveness, Perilous Tides is a complex mystery with a second chance romance to boot! Readers who enjoy high-stakes suspense will not want to miss this one. I read a complimentary copy of the book through NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own.

This was such a great mystery! I loved the cold case elements and the mystery of the past of Jo’s parents. I also loved the drama of the relationship between Jo and Cole. All of that put together made for a read that was near impossible for me to put down. Excellent read and I am super excited for book 3 in this series!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and also purchased my own Audible copy. I was not required to post a positive review and all thoughts are my own.

Perilous Tides is an interesting, fast-paced Christian Romantic Suspense. It's full of questions needing answers, danger, intriguing characters, excitement, and set in the Pacific Northwest - a place I would love to visit.
I highly recommend this second book in Goddard's Hidden Bay series.

Many thanks to Revell Fiction, Baker Book House, and NetGalley for an advance copy (both ebook and paperback) of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

"You won't see danger coming... until it's too late " These words that Jo's mom told her echoes thoughout the book and it was so true! Throughout the story, there is a so much that keeps you on the edge of your seat and keeps you glued to the book. The main characters, Jo and Cole are so dynamic and so well written. They have so many layers that we get to peel back and seeing them grow in the midst of everything going on, added so much to the story. In the book, we get to see Jo get pulled into the mystery of her mom's murder and now her dad's mysterious messages and disapperance. Not to mention that Cole had disappeared from her life several months ago, and is suddenly back - as if she didn't have enough to deal with! I loved the first book in the Hidden Bay series, but this one in my opinion beat it. I really couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting (started in the afternoon and read to the wee hours of the morning!) Overall, highly recommend it and give it 5 out of 5 stars!

Wow! Elizabeth Goddard dives right in and takes the reader on a fast-paced ride filled with tension, intrigue, and romance. Jo Cattrel has been hiding out since her mother’s death three years ago. After witnessing a murder Jo is plunged into all kinds of danger. Why is someone out to get her? Her help comes in the person of her ex, Cole Mercer. He is doing everything he can to keep her alive.
I thoroughly enjoyed this action-packed novel. I found Jo’s occupation as a forensic artist an interesting part of the story. Goddard seamlessly incorporates Jo’s skills and observations into the unfolding of the solution to all the mysterious goings-on. The story moves quickly from one incident to another. I found it difficult to take a reading break. I loved having the point of view of both main characters as well as the appearance of characters from the first book in the series.
I was given a copy of the book by the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Romantic suspense books can become very patterned and predictable. Elizabeth Goddard avoided that quite well when writing Perilous Tides with a quite unpredictable, original plot. Jo Cattrel has been hiding out in the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state for three years, ever since her mother's telling Jo to hide if anything ever happened to her, followed not long afterward by her murder. Having connected with her biological father following her mother's funeral, Jo had settled down into her new life, her real problem being the rejection by her almost boyfriend, well that and always feeling like she had to look over her shoulder. There is a reason for the saying about being paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't after you, and after her they are! Now Jo is ready to take a stand and hunt down the person who is hunting her. There will be a lot of pain along with the danger she will face while tracking down this threat.

This intense story is filled with twists, turns, and dead ends. Sometimes it is difficult to discern whom should be trusted and whom should not. Throughout, the reader will be thoroughly enthralled. I highly recommend Perilous Tides and the Hidden Bay series of which it is the second book. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

4.5 stars

I loved the subplot/events featuring Cole and Jo in book one of the Hidden Bay series so I was really excited to find out that their second chance at love was the topic of Perilous Tides. I mean… that, along with Jo witnessing a murder (and nearly being a victim herself) and becoming a target of possibly more than one villain, of course. Because Elizabeth Goddard excels at blending sweet & swoony romance with edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting suspense. I knew we were in for a heart-racing fight for survival in this book, and I was very happy to be right. She certainly keeps Cole, Jo, and readers on their toes in Perilous Tides, but she also gives them (and us) moments to catch their breath, explore their still-there feelings for one another, and rely on God who holds their lives and their hearts in the palm of His hand.

From the very first line – “You won’t see danger coming . . . until it’s too late.” – I was invested in this story. As we learn more details about why Jo’s in hiding, dig deeper into her mother’s death, investigate why Jo’s father has cryptically disappeared, and try to stay ahead of the people who want Jo dead, I really did feel like I was right there in the middle of it all with them. Jo’s former career as a forensic artist added compelling layers to both her character and the suspense plot; in fact, the more pieces of the puzzle we connect, the more compelling her backstory – and that of her parents – becomes. And then there’s Cole whose own history is intriguingly multifaceted in its own right. The combination of the two of them together – as friends, as exes, as survivors, as people still in love with each other – made the suspense more high-stakes and created a relationship for us to root for, heart first.

Bottom Line: Icy plunges into the water, bombs set to explode, barrages of bullets… just another day around Hidden Bay. Perilous Tides by Elizabeth Goddard delivers an engaging story that you won’t be able to put down… and may want to read with all the lights on! Cole and Jo are vibrantly-sketched characters you’ll enjoy getting to know, and their search for answers – and safety – will keep you on the edge of your seat. I stayed engrossed in the plot from stunning beginning to riveting end, and I would have been just as invested even without the romance, so that should tell you a lot about how well written the suspense is. Delightfully, though, there IS a tender romance that made my KissingBooks heart happy, along with a naturally-incorporated faith thread that touched me too. I can’t wait for book three!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review
When Jo's mom died 3 years ago, she may have just believed that it was an accident like the police claimed. But the fact that her mother warned her shortly before the accident that if anything happened to her Jo was to disappear and take on a fake identity, coupled with her apartment being ransacked, she believes that someone murdered her mother. Feeling like someone is watching her she runs, and meets her biological father who finds her a safe haven. Now 3 years later, her dad disappears with a text warning her she's in danger. Leaving her safe haven for the first time since she got there, she tries to find her dad, only to find herself being a witness to -and near victim- of a murder. When Cole, the man who she thought she was in love with until he left without a note, saves her, she can't decide what she feels. Cole leaving Jo the way he did, and now he wants to get back with her. First though, he has a job to do. Hired to investigate what really happened to Jo's mom by the sister of the man suspected of killing her, he's determined to solve both that case and the reason why Jo's dad disappeared. Maybe if he can help her finally feel free, she will forgive him for leaving her and take him back.
This was the second book in a series. I haven't read the first one and while it may have cleared a few things up, I wasn't feeling lost at all. Overall I would recommend the series, and I would even go back and read the first one again.

Perilous Tides was a fantastic book!! I really liked the first book in this series, but this second book is even better!!!!
Jo Cattrel is in hiding after her mother's death, which she believes was no accident. Then she gets an odd message from her Dad, whom she has just reunited with. On the way to meet him, she witnesses a murder and the murderer is trying kill her! And this is just the beginning of the story.
Enter Cole Mercer, her ex who just happens to be there and as she saves her life, Jo can't help but wonder how he knew where she would be. Little does she know he is investigating her mother's death and keeping a watchful eye on her at the same time.
Why did someone kill her mother and why is her father being so mysterious? What is really going on and why are they after Jo. Cole and Jo must figure out the answers together, but can she trust him after he broke her heart once?
This story had the best twists in it and the ending was so exciting. It was such an easy read because you kept turning pages to find out what happens next.