"The Killing Tide" by Dani Pettrey

The Killing Tide (Aug. 6, 2019) by Dani Pettrey.*

There have been two attempts on her life in less than a year. When the second one occurs, Gabrielle “Gabby” Rowley’s boss gives her an ultimatum: Go with her brother and let him protect her or be fired. Reporting is Gabby’s passion, and job offers have been scant since the ordeal with Asim Noren destroyed her international reporting career. Gabby’s brother, Noah, is a lead Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS) agent. He doesn’t want Gabby anywhere unless at least he or Finn Walker are present, and her heart is in trouble with Finn around. She broke his heart to keep pursuing her passion for reporting, but it was hard on her, too. It doesn’t help now that she’s staying at his loft. Too close. But there are other volatile situations in play for the both of them. It’s suspected that Xavier Fuentes is still after Gabby, and foul play is obvious after a Coast Guard officer and friend of Finn’s is found dead. For better or for worse, Gabby and Finn have been thrown together again. Will they track down the killer before more are killed?

            Book One in the Coastal Guardians series, “The Killing Tide” is a romantic suspense, inspirational fiction novel. It is rife with mystery, faith, investigation and budding romance and is also anchored with those things, plus studded with a little rivalry between teams, stubbornness and time in (and on) the water. It’s another winning novel from Pettrey, but I admit that I did find Gabby to be frustrating.  I realize she’s very passionate about her job without seeming regard to her safety, but I get the impression that she’s always put herself first, put her work first. That didn’t sit well with me with Finn’s upstanding self pretty much pining for her. Fortunately, I feel she redeemed herself by the conclusion.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly 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.”