Elizabeth Goddard keeps readers on edge with Perilous Tides, the second book in the Hidden Bay series. If you didn’t read the first book, you could certainly follow this story without having read it. However, the relationships between the characters make more sense when you have the backstory.

The irony of this series is that Hidden Bay is a place people go to hide or find peace and yet every book is packed full of scenes of disruption and peril. This is not quite a full speed ahead, never stop sort of tale, but it is not a relaxed jaunt through the peaceful woods either. Readers will want to keep reading in order to figure out what is happening and why.

It was a little obnoxious to have the two main characters basically rehash their former issues as though no progress had been made in the previous book. It would have been nice to see a new element of their relationship rather than more of the same. Nevertheless, readers will want Jo and Cole to figure out not only themselves, but everything else as well.

A few times the book seemed to lag, but Goodard writes in such a way that readers are not quite certain when the next action scene will happen. It is just enough to keep readers on edge and also provides enough of a break to allow readers a brief respite.  Little hints of romance are sprinkled throughout.  Currently, this is a two-book series and it does feel as though the first two books wrap up the story of Jo and Cole pretty well.

Review of an Advance Reader Copy provided by the Publisher

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: None

Violence/Gore: A person witnesses someone being killed; it is referenced often throughout the book; character is trapped in a car underwater; character sees a dead body; many references to people who have been murdered; a character is grabbed by an assailant and she kicks the person to escape; a person’s car is rammed intentionally; several incidents where something explodes or is set on fire intentionally; many detailed scenes where people shoot at others, blood is mentioned; characters are tied up.

Sex/Nudity: Woman mentions parents were not married; non-married characters kiss and embrace.

Mature Subjects:

Death of parents, post-traumatic stress disorder related to war.

Drug/Alcohol Use:

None