"Cold water rose from below. Deeper water. She dove, bullets straying farther from her. . . Her breath nearly burning in her lungs, she swam as fast as she could towards shore."
There was death in those shallows, and Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler knew exactly what was riding on reaching solid ground, and then . . . she would have very little time to figure out the "what next"; her body had been brutally abused, plus, she had seen one of their faces. Under extreme duress, when she thought her life might end then and there, the name that whispered from her lips had been . . . Noah. . . would they ever have a conversation about "what next".
CGIS Special Agent Noah Rowley had a lot on his plate; a mass shooting, a toxic waste dump, a highly classified weapons theft . . . and Brooke. The fact that she had been through such a traumatic experience broke his heart, making Noah more determined than ever to stand by her side; forever, if she would let him. Unfortunately, Brooke didn't have all the facts about Noah's past, totally his fault. Would knowing more keep their relationship in the "good friends" category? He sincerely hoped not, but time would tell.
What I enjoyed most about this book were the relationships, they were woven deeply and securely into everything that happened, definitely softening the jagged edges of a plot line that included more body bags than I could count. It's always nice when a series closes on a very high note!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I also purchased a copy. The opinions stated above are entirely my own. 3.5 stars
It was great re-connecting with the team in this third book in the Coastal Guardian series.
As usual, Ms Pettrey starts out with a highly toxic situation when a mass shooting disrupts a graduation on base. It only ramps up from there. It was non-stop action with the team going in several directions at once and wondering if all the clues were connected in some way.
This time there are two couples that we follow on their romantic journey: Austin, head of her own detective agency and Caleb, a CGIS agent. Their banter was classic and fun. And Noah, a leader at CGIS and Brooke a Coastguard flight medic. These tense situations bring out the hero in Noah but he has some issues to work through before he can declare himself to Brooke.
I like that there is a large group who are connected by faith and friendship and that they are almost like family.
A suspenseful follow up to the first two books and makes me want to go back and reread them. Ms. Pettrey is a master at Romantic Suspense. I look forward to her next book.
* I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Reviewers group. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*5 stars and a solid faith thread
BackCover Blurb:
A deadly attack.
A stolen weapon capable of immense destruction.
A painful secret that threatens to tear two hearts apart.
CGIS
Agent Noah Rowley is rocked to the core when several of his valued team
members come under fire on his Coast Guard base. He and his remaining
team race to the scene and end the attack, but not before innocent lives
are lost. Furious and grief-stricken, he vows to do whatever is needed
to bring the mastermind behind the attack to justice.
Stunned by
the ambush, Coast Guard flight medic Brooke Kesler evacuates in a
helicopter carrying the only surviving gunman. The gravely wounded man
whispers mysterious information to Brooke that immediately paints a
target on her back.
As Brooke and Noah race to uncover answers,
emotions between them ignite. Noah struggles to protect Brooke at all
costs and to conceal the secret that prevents him from becoming what he
longs to be--the right man for her.
Everything is at stake as a horrifying truth emerges. . . .
The attack wasn't the end game. It was only the beginning.
