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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
The House at Saltwater Point
A Lavender Tides Novel #2
By Colleen Coble
First off this is a Lavender Tides series book - but SURPRISE there are links to both Rock Harbor and Hope Beach (Not saying anything else so as to not spoil the story).
Ellie Blackmore is making a living buying, remolding, and selling homes. Her latest project is going well with another prospect just waiting to be purchased. But when her sister MacKenzie, or Mac as everyone calls her, disappears from her ship leaving only a trail of blood behind Ellie's life is thrown out of whack.
Grayson Bradshaw has just had his own world rocked and add to that he is on the trail of a seized shipment of cocaine that he believes was stolen by MacKenzie. But Ellie is certain that her sister would never do any such thing and no Coast Guard intelligence officer is going to convince her otherwise. And if not for her promise to Shauna Bannister to help Grayson settle in at Lavender Tides on his current assignment. Grayson feels that Ellie's blind trust in her sister is admirable yet misplaced especially as his investigation progresses.
All too soon it appears that something bigger is going on and that the missing cocaine is but the tip of a much bigger problem. But no one is offering anything concrete in the way of evidence. And someone seems determined to end this investigation now even if it means taking Grayson and Ellie's lives to do so.
Character-wise I like most of the characters. Ellie is smart and yet too hard on herself. Grayson seems dedicated to doing his job and feels deeply the current situation he finds himself in with his family. Jason, Ellie's business partner and ex-brother-in-law, one just has to feel sorry for him what with the rotten situation Mac put him in. And then there is Ellie's sister Mac whom doesn't give readers a warm fuzzy feeling as more is revealed about her.
Fans of Colleen Coble's work won't be disappointed in this latest offering that takes us to Lavender Tides, Washington. Romance, suspense, betrayals - yes this one has them all woven together in a story that will hold your attention especially as the danger rises. Perfect reading to beat the summer heat.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review ~ all opinions expressed are my own.
A Lavender Tides Novel #2
By Colleen Coble
First off this is a Lavender Tides series book - but SURPRISE there are links to both Rock Harbor and Hope Beach (Not saying anything else so as to not spoil the story).
Ellie Blackmore is making a living buying, remolding, and selling homes. Her latest project is going well with another prospect just waiting to be purchased. But when her sister MacKenzie, or Mac as everyone calls her, disappears from her ship leaving only a trail of blood behind Ellie's life is thrown out of whack.
Grayson Bradshaw has just had his own world rocked and add to that he is on the trail of a seized shipment of cocaine that he believes was stolen by MacKenzie. But Ellie is certain that her sister would never do any such thing and no Coast Guard intelligence officer is going to convince her otherwise. And if not for her promise to Shauna Bannister to help Grayson settle in at Lavender Tides on his current assignment. Grayson feels that Ellie's blind trust in her sister is admirable yet misplaced especially as his investigation progresses.
All too soon it appears that something bigger is going on and that the missing cocaine is but the tip of a much bigger problem. But no one is offering anything concrete in the way of evidence. And someone seems determined to end this investigation now even if it means taking Grayson and Ellie's lives to do so.
Character-wise I like most of the characters. Ellie is smart and yet too hard on herself. Grayson seems dedicated to doing his job and feels deeply the current situation he finds himself in with his family. Jason, Ellie's business partner and ex-brother-in-law, one just has to feel sorry for him what with the rotten situation Mac put him in. And then there is Ellie's sister Mac whom doesn't give readers a warm fuzzy feeling as more is revealed about her.
Fans of Colleen Coble's work won't be disappointed in this latest offering that takes us to Lavender Tides, Washington. Romance, suspense, betrayals - yes this one has them all woven together in a story that will hold your attention especially as the danger rises. Perfect reading to beat the summer heat.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review ~ all opinions expressed are my own.
This is my first attempt at this author, and I honestly hope she doesn't always write this way. There are two reasons why I'm not giving this one star. First, I'm putting this in the DNF pile so it's possible that it gets good at the end. Second, Grayson's character saved the book for me. I thought his struggling with his identity and his families was genuinely compelling and interesting. Him dealing with that while also searching for cocaine smugglers and terrorists made for some real intrigue. I would've read a whole book just about that.
Ellie as a main character is decent, but she's also kind of an idiot. Her tires get slashed, she almost gets run off the road, and her house is broken into. And she tries to pass all these things off as coincidences for a while, or act like they're not a big deal. She somehow forgets to ask her sister's ex to stay with her. If I had all those things happen to me, I would make having someone stay with me a priority! Then, when Grayson invites himself to stay, she tells him to take the upstairs guest room. Girl, why don't YOU take the upstairs guest room? You're farther away from the front door and Grayson can be right there to face a potential attacker.
But what really irritates me and made me DNF this book is how Ellie is looked down on because she's unmarried and wears glasses. Her friend thinks something like "wow I can't believe she's never been married before". Keep in mind that Ellie is in her mid-twenties. Same friend also ponders over why Ellie would wear glasses and that it "hides" her beauty. I swear I wanted to slap this person. As if wearing glasses detracts from a person's physical attractiveness! Also a nitpick, but I noticed a lot of blonde hair and blue eyes popping up.
The thriller/mystery/intrigue portions were written competently enough, I guess. It was just hard to feel any sort of tension when the main character didn't take any of it seriously and didn't even act afraid when someone slashed into her house WITH A KNIFE. Like I said, this is my first book from this author so I don't want to judge her work as a whole. I'm just hoping they're not all like this.
Ellie as a main character is decent, but she's also kind of an idiot. Her tires get slashed, she almost gets run off the road, and her house is broken into. And she tries to pass all these things off as coincidences for a while, or act like they're not a big deal. She somehow forgets to ask her sister's ex to stay with her. If I had all those things happen to me, I would make having someone stay with me a priority! Then, when Grayson invites himself to stay, she tells him to take the upstairs guest room. Girl, why don't YOU take the upstairs guest room? You're farther away from the front door and Grayson can be right there to face a potential attacker.
But what really irritates me and made me DNF this book is how Ellie is looked down on because she's unmarried and wears glasses. Her friend thinks something like "wow I can't believe she's never been married before". Keep in mind that Ellie is in her mid-twenties. Same friend also ponders over why Ellie would wear glasses and that it "hides" her beauty. I swear I wanted to slap this person. As if wearing glasses detracts from a person's physical attractiveness! Also a nitpick, but I noticed a lot of blonde hair and blue eyes popping up.
The thriller/mystery/intrigue portions were written competently enough, I guess. It was just hard to feel any sort of tension when the main character didn't take any of it seriously and didn't even act afraid when someone slashed into her house WITH A KNIFE. Like I said, this is my first book from this author so I don't want to judge her work as a whole. I'm just hoping they're not all like this.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The second of the Lavender Tides series by Colleen Coble, The House At Saltwater Point follows on from The View From Rainshadow Bay (book review here). Though reading the first isn’t necessary as Shauna and Zach aren’t a large part of this story, I enjoyed seeing how their relationship is developing. Ellie, a house flipper and close friend of Shauna, is the focus of the novel along with Grayson, Coast Guard intelligence officer and Mackenzie, Ellie’s sister.
The book begins as Grayson finds out he’s not who he thinks he is and Ellie discovers Mackenzie has disappeared. Their worlds collide as Grayson suspects Mackenzie of a crime Ellie cannot believe she could have committed. I love the parallel of Grayson coming to terms with who he is as Ellie reframes Mackenzie’s behaviour in an effort to understand it! The intrigue is multilayered from the start and the more I read, the more interesting it became. Once again, I had to read it in one sitting! The twists and turns are surprising, I so love how Colleen Coble writes! Don’t miss out on this great thriller – five out of five!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The book begins as Grayson finds out he’s not who he thinks he is and Ellie discovers Mackenzie has disappeared. Their worlds collide as Grayson suspects Mackenzie of a crime Ellie cannot believe she could have committed. I love the parallel of Grayson coming to terms with who he is as Ellie reframes Mackenzie’s behaviour in an effort to understand it! The intrigue is multilayered from the start and the more I read, the more interesting it became. Once again, I had to read it in one sitting! The twists and turns are surprising, I so love how Colleen Coble writes! Don’t miss out on this great thriller – five out of five!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This is a very fast-paced book that made me want to ignore all of my life to read. This is my first book by Colleen Coble and it will not be my last. For fans of Dee Henderson & Terri Blackstock, you will enjoy this author. It was a refreshing change with a clean wholesome book that did not make me cringe with the main characters' language or behavior.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own
Collen Coble is an author who keeps putting out quality Christian fiction, especially in the suspense/mystery genre'. I am always sad to see a series of hers end, but happy to see a new one start. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series, and this one was just as good, if not better.
At the center of the series, is Shauna's search for her missing brother and sister who she has not seen since an earthquake when they were small children. In addition to the main plot of this book, the story also revolves around her finding and being reunited with her long lost brother who was adopted and never knew it. I found Coble's account of what that kind of revelation might be like for a person, and the struggles faced as he tries to deal with having a new sister he never knew existed.
The main plot was very good, and had me guessing as to what was really going on. A missing girl...was she dead or alive, and was she guilty of what it looked like she was guilty of? I liked the two 2 main charters that the story revolved around, and enjoyed Grayson's reactions to the news given to him early in the book.
It was also cool to have the people from the first book back, and I again enjoyed the setting for the series that Coble picked out. This was a definite page turner that I couldn't put down, and enjoyed every minute I spent reading this great new novel of Collen Coble's.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
At the center of the series, is Shauna's search for her missing brother and sister who she has not seen since an earthquake when they were small children. In addition to the main plot of this book, the story also revolves around her finding and being reunited with her long lost brother who was adopted and never knew it. I found Coble's account of what that kind of revelation might be like for a person, and the struggles faced as he tries to deal with having a new sister he never knew existed.
The main plot was very good, and had me guessing as to what was really going on. A missing girl...was she dead or alive, and was she guilty of what it looked like she was guilty of? I liked the two 2 main charters that the story revolved around, and enjoyed Grayson's reactions to the news given to him early in the book.
It was also cool to have the people from the first book back, and I again enjoyed the setting for the series that Coble picked out. This was a definite page turner that I couldn't put down, and enjoyed every minute I spent reading this great new novel of Collen Coble's.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ellie has a home remodeling business in Washington state. She is a perfectly sweet character and always sees the best in others. After her sister goes missing, suspected of stealing a large amount of cocaine, Ellie refuses to believe Coast Guard intelligence officer Grayson Bradshaw's theories and sets out to find out the truth. I definitely enjoyed this interesting plot.
I give the new Colleen Coble book “The House at Saltwater Point” 3.5 stars.
Coble is truly a gifted author. I was immediately immersed within the book, the characters and the plot. It is a solidly written romantic suspense book. As usual with a Coble book, there are many characters and many layers to each character to learn about, remember and even catch up with some old ones from some of her previous books.
That all said, I am truly struggling to review this book. I was hooked from the first page, but I am not sure why now as I stop and reflect on the book. It was exaggerated and unrealistic. Coble had me hooked from the first page. I enjoyed the premise, but I feel like much was left out of the story while at the same time to much fluff was in the book.
The finding of Shauna’s brother was just too neat. Grayson didn’t struggle much with finding out he was adopted as a toddler and never told by his parents. Seriously?? I don’t understand the adding of the cat Mia. What was the point? North Korean terrorists leaving multiple potential witnesses alive to escape is ridiculous.
Colleen Coble is undoubtedly a talented author but this book is just outlandish. A few examples include an earthquake kills a mother, a stolen baby, a toddler adopted and never told, an absent father, a jealous sister who hooks up with a terrorist. The FBI and the Coast Guard can’t find the terrorist; however, a college professor who is in her early 20’s(really?) and her house flipping sister save the day. It all just such a big stretch, yet I finished it and liked it until I stopped to think about it and write this review.
In all, I can see the appeal and enjoyment, this book will give to a great many people.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Coble is truly a gifted author. I was immediately immersed within the book, the characters and the plot. It is a solidly written romantic suspense book. As usual with a Coble book, there are many characters and many layers to each character to learn about, remember and even catch up with some old ones from some of her previous books.
That all said, I am truly struggling to review this book. I was hooked from the first page, but I am not sure why now as I stop and reflect on the book. It was exaggerated and unrealistic. Coble had me hooked from the first page. I enjoyed the premise, but I feel like much was left out of the story while at the same time to much fluff was in the book.
The finding of Shauna’s brother was just too neat. Grayson didn’t struggle much with finding out he was adopted as a toddler and never told by his parents. Seriously?? I don’t understand the adding of the cat Mia. What was the point? North Korean terrorists leaving multiple potential witnesses alive to escape is ridiculous.
Colleen Coble is undoubtedly a talented author but this book is just outlandish. A few examples include an earthquake kills a mother, a stolen baby, a toddler adopted and never told, an absent father, a jealous sister who hooks up with a terrorist. The FBI and the Coast Guard can’t find the terrorist; however, a college professor who is in her early 20’s(really?) and her house flipping sister save the day. It all just such a big stretch, yet I finished it and liked it until I stopped to think about it and write this review.
In all, I can see the appeal and enjoyment, this book will give to a great many people.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.