The Killing Tide (2019) — A Celebrate Lit Tour: A Guest Post, My Thoughts, and a Giveaway

About the Book

Book:  The Killing Tide

Series: Coastal Guardians #1

Author: Dani Pettrey

Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Release Date: August 2019

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?

Click HERE to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Praised by New York Times best-selling author Dee Henderson as “a name to look for in romantic suspense,” Dani Pettrey has sold more than half a million copies of her novels to readers eagerly awaiting the next release. Dani combines the page-turning adrenaline of a thriller with the chemistry and happy-ever-after of a romance. Her novels stand out for their “wicked pace, snappy dialogue, and likable characters” (Publishers Weekly), “gripping storyline[s],” (RT Book Reviews), and “sizzling undercurrent of romance” (USA Today). She researches murder and mayhem from her home in Maryland. For more information visit www.danipettrey.com.

More from Dani

Pettrey kicks off her new Coastal Guardians series with an intense blend of suspense, love, and faith. The Killing Tide features romance that’s as thrilling as the action, and faithful characters integrated seamlessly into a complex web of crime.

Kate Campos, BookList

The Killing Tide is the first book in my Coastal Guardian series. My husband was Navy, so why am I writing about the Coast Guard? Because I think their mission to keep our waters and our country safe should be highlighted more. Before I started writing The Killing Tide, I’ll admit I knew little about the Coast Guard. I had a friend in high school who joined the Guard right after graduation, but that’s about the depth of my experience with them. Then, my husband and I watched a movie called The Finest Hour.

If you haven’t seen it, I highly urge you to. It’s the true story of one of the most dangerous and daring rescue attempts in Coast Guard history. Boatswain’s Mate First Class Bernie Webber takes a small team to rescue the crew of the Pendleton T2 oil tanker, which split in half off the coast of Cape Cod during a brutal nor’easter in 1952. I won’t ruin the ending for you, but let’s just say it’s a wonderful testament to courage in adversity. After watching it, I knew I had to write a series about the Coast Guard. I began researching and came across the Coast Guard Investigative Service and my interest was highly peaked. After talking with Coast Guardsmen, both newly in the service and those long retired, I began to see the story weaving together like a movie in my mind. I hope you enjoy reading the CGIS Wilmington teams’ adventures, cases and…of course, romances.

My Thoughts

The Killing Tide by Dani Pettrey was my first read into this author’s works, but it most definitely will not be my last. This story is stellar! It’s an edge-of-your-seat kind of read that kept me so engaged I read well past my bedtime. I very much enjoyed the cast of characters, and found the deep sense of camaraderie and loyalty among the Coastal Guardians to be endearing. What a team they make! The plot is great and kept me guessing the whole time. I found the romance the perfect blend of realism and passion. There are a couple kisses that made me a tad weak in the knees! And, I very much appreciated the thematic discussions weaved throughout. All in all, I find The Killing Tide a must-read Romantic Suspense story.

Gabby is quite the go-getter as an investigative reporter. So much so, she’s constantly willing to put herself in seriously dangerous spots to get her story. I’ve never understood purposely putting myself in harm’s way for a good story, but it was fun to watch Gabby do her thing. There are quite a few nail-biting scenes in this book. But I have to admit, there were moments in the story where Gabby frustrated me. I found myself wishing her character would take a second to think of others before she acted. And this point is actually made by a couple of the characters. Gabby believes that investigative reporting is her calling. God put the drive in her to seek out the truth, therefore it must be the path He set her on. Gabby has gotten to the point, though, where she is willing to sacrifice EVERYTHING and EVERYONE for the truth. Both Noah — her super cool brother — and Finn — her totally hot, James Bond-esque boyfriend — scold her a little because of her myopic self-focus. When one person critiques you, perhaps take their words with a grain of salt, but when more than one of your loved ones scolds you for the same thing, it’s probably God trying to get your attention. In fact, Gabby realizes that in all her searches for truth she’s never once consulted God to see if this truth searching was even the path He had for her. She just assumed that because the passion burned so deeply in her it must have been put there by God. I really love this self-reflective moment as it made me think about my own passions. How many times have I jumped into something absolutely positive that it was God’s will for me, but never actually took the time to ask if it was? Passions can be great. They can make life fuller. But passions left unchecked can cause some serious issues not just to oneself, but to our family, friends, and other loved ones. Of all the facets to this novel, this discussion of checking one’s passions against God’s will is quite thought provoking.

I very much enjoyed The Killing Tide and heartily look forward to book number 2 in the series, The Crushing Depths. If you have not yet read The Killing Tide, and you enjoy a great Romantic Suspense novel, then I cannot recommend this book enough. Purchase your copy today. You won’t be disappointed that you did!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author via Celebrate Lit. I also purchased a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com on June 17, 2020 in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

---

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate her tour, Dani is giving away the grand prize package of a Kindle, $20 Amazon gift card, and a signed copy of The Crushing Depths!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!

Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fcce/the-killing-tide-celebration-tour-giveaway

---

BLOG STOPS

Through the Fire Blogs, June 17

Back Porch Reads, June 17

Losing the Busyness, June 17

Older & Smarter?, June 18

Genesis 5020, June 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 19

Worthy2Read, June 19

For Him and My Family, June 20

deb’s Book Review, June 20

Inklings and notions, June 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 21

Texas Book-aholic, June 21

Pause for Tales, June 21

Betti Mace, June 22

Read Review Rejoice, June 22

Spoken from the Heart, June 22

KarenSueHadley, June 23

Ashley’s Bookshelf, June 23

The Christian Fiction Girl, June 24

Life of Literature, June 24

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, June 24

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 25

Blossoms and Blessings, June 25

A Good Book and cup of Tea, June 25

Emily Yager, June 26

Splashes of Joy, June 26

Just the Write Escape, June 27

Blogging With Carol, June 27

Moments, June 27

Stories By Gina, June 28

Cathe Swanson, June 28

Daysong Reflections, June 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 29

Mary Hake, June 29

Lights in a Dark World, June 29

With a Joyful Noise, June 30

Inside the Wong Mind, June 30