Tuesday, September 8, 2020

AUDIOBOOK SERIES REVIEW - Pelican Harbor Books 1 & 2


In this blog post, I will be reviewing the first two books in the Pelican Harbor series by Colleen Coble.


Title:  One Little Lie
Publisher:   Thomas Nelson
Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers
Format:   Audiobook
No. of pages:    352
Date of Publication:  March 3, 2020
Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

It started with one little lie. But Jane Hardy will do everything in her power to uncover the truth. 

Book one in a gripping new series from USA TODAY bestselling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble.

When Jane Hardy is appointed interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor, Alabama, after her father retires, there's no time for an adjustment period. He is arrested for theft and then implicated in a recent murder, and Jane quickly realizes she's facing someone out to destroy her father.

They escaped from a cult fifteen years ago, and Jane has searched relentlessly for her mother—who refused to leave—ever since. Could someone from that horrible past have found them?

Reid Bechtol is a well-known journalist who makes documentaries, and his sights are currently set on covering Jane's career. Jane has little interest in the attention, but the committee who appointed her loves the idea of the publicity.

Jane finds herself depending on Reid's calm manner as he follows her around taping his documentary, and they begin working together to clear her father. But Reid has his own secrets from the past, and the gulf between them may be impossible to cross.

It started with one little lie. But Jane Hardy will do everything in her power to uncover the truth.  

MY THOUGHTS:

Jane Hardy hardly has time to get her feet wet in her new job as interim sheriff in Pelican Harbor as her father has been arrested for theft. What is more is that it seems like he is connected to a recent murder. It doesn't take Jane very long to see that someone is trying to set her father up. While Jane begins her investigation thoughts of her past are never far from her mind. Fifteen years previously she escaped a cult with her father, never seeing her mother again - as well as someone incredibly endearing to her. Could what is happening to Jane's father be connected to their difficult past? 

Meanwhile Jane is suddenly being shadowed by Reid Bechtol, a popular journalist who is now focused on covering her career. One thing Jane doesn't like about her new job is the political aspect, and how it makes her have to agree to be followed by Reid. So, while Jane pursues leads to clear her father, Reid begins his questions as he digs into her past. 

This is where composing this review could be a bit problematic. There is a connection between Reid and Jane that begins to come to light - something that involves shocking lies and secrets. That is about all I can say about that.

What a thrilling story! I have the second book in this series for review, Two Reasons to Run, and boy am I glad that I headed to my library to get and read this book first, because this book has critical information that is necessary to be able to fully enjoy the series as a whole. The third book in this series, Three Missing Days, is scheduled for release in April 2021.

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Title:  Two Reasons to Run
Publisher:   Thomas Nelson
Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers
Format:   Audiobook
No. of pages:    352
Date of Publication:  September 8, 2020
Rating:   5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Gripping romantic suspense from USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble. 

A lie changed her world.

Police Chief Jane Hardy is still reeling from the scandal that rocked her small-town department just as she took over for her retired father—the man who wrecked her life with one little lie. Now she’s finally been reunited with her presumed-dead fifteen-year-old son, Will, and his father, documentarian Reid Bechtol. 

A crisis looms. 

When a murder aboard the oil platform Zeus exposes an environmental terrorist’s plot to flood Mobile Bay with crude oil, Jane and Reid must put their feelings for each other behind them and work together to prevent the rig from being sabotaged. 

A killer targets her son. 

Then the terrorist puts her son Will’s life on the line. Protecting him could be the common ground they need . . . but then ghosts from the past threaten to ruin Jane and Reid for good.

She’s got plenty of reasons to run. But what if she stays? 


MY THOUGHTS:

In the first book in this series, One Little Lie, Jane Hardy, Pelican Harbor's police chief, learned the truth behind a secret held for fifteen years. This rocked her to her very core. However, this also brightened her future beyond belief. She had already been in a precarious situation after taking over the job as police chief after her father retired, and then had to be investigated for serious crimes.

However, something, or someone, brought light into Jane's world. She was reunited with her son, Will, whom she long thought dead. His father, documentarian Reid Bechtol is someone Jane needs a lot of time to deal with, in order to accept decisions Reid made involving Will.

Meanwhile, there is a terrorist plot in action, and the situation forces Jane and Reid to work together yet again, thus forcing the difficult feelings about their situations below the surface. When the killer hones in on Will, then Jane and Reid must work fast and hard in order to protect their son.

The first book in this series left things hanging between Jane, Reid and Will. For that reason I do not think this book, Two Reasons to Run would work as a standalone. There is too much history that is explained in the first book, and then added to in this second book. Also, the first book clearly explains Jane's reticence when it comes to Reid, another factor that might not have as much impact if the other book is not read first. What is more is that this book leaves readers wanting for much more, and that won't happen until at least April 2021, with the upcoming third book in the series, Three Missing Days.

While I had this book as an electronic ARC, I also received an audiobook for review, so that is what this review is based on. The narrator was Devon O'Day, and since I listened to the first book as well, this gave me two opportunities to hear Ms. O'Day perform the stories. She did an exceptional job with the voices, emotions and how she was able to convey the depth of the book. Her narration was impeccable making the book that much more compelling.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Best-selling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 4 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana. Visit her website at www.colleencoble.com.



6 comments:

  1. Amazing review Robin this book series looks and sounds absolutely fantastic. I am really glad you fully enjoyed this series so far. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post and for putting this book series on my radar.

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  2. Knocking it out a double - excellent job, Robin

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  3. Looks like a great series! I’m glad they were both 5 star reads for you.

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  4. I’m starting to really enjoy thrillers and mystery’s will have to check these out, great review

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  5. I do like the look of this series. I love a good thriller. Great reviews.

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  6. i keep adding thrillers to my to-read list and has been a while since i read the last one.. these sound well, thrilling!

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