A Book Review: {Submerged} by Dani Pettrey

About the book:
A sabotaged plane. Two dead deep-water divers.
One single clue.
Bailey Craig vowed never to set foot in Yancey, Alaska, again. She has a past, and a reputation–and Yancey’s a town that doesn’t forget. She’s returned only to bury a loved one killed in the plane crash, but then dark evidence emerges and Bailey’s own expertise becomes invaluable for the case.
Cole McKenna can face dangerous rescue dives. He can face the fear a murderer may be threatening his town. But facing the reality of Bailey’s reappearance is a tougher challenge. She broke his heart…but doesn’t seem to be the same girl who left Yancey ten years ago. And he’s not the same guy she left behind.
Racing against the clock and a rising body count, Bailey and Cole must move beyond the hurts of their pasts to work together until the truth of what is hidden in the depths finally surfaces. 


Star Rating: 4 Stars

My Review:
For fans of romantic suspense, Dani Pettrey's debut novel, Submerged, fits the bill!  It's not often that I read half of a book in one sitting, but that's exactly what happened with this novel!  In book one of the Alaskan Courage series, Dani Pettrey has crafted a unique plot, unlike any other book I've read in the Christian fiction market.  It held my interest from the very beginning, and kept me turning pages into the wee hours.

There is a great cast of characters, and I like the fact that you get a good introduction to them here, since they'll play a more prominent role in future books in the series.  There is a strong sense of family, and I love the fun, easy, and natural dialogue that takes place throughout the book.  The characters are believable and easy to relate to, as well.

The story is packed with action, suspense, mystery, and intrigue!  Once things really get going about half way through the book, there is never a dull moment, and several moments that had my heart racing a bit.  I was never able to figure out exactly what was going to happen next.

There is an incredible amount of detail throughout the book relating to Alaskan and Russian history, that I found very interesting.  Pettrey has definitely done her research, and done it very well!

The faith message is woven into the story beautifully, and I enjoyed seeing Bailey grow and change through the story, as she worked to come to a place where she could completely accept God's forgiveness for her past mistakes . . . and forgive herself.

I found this to be a very enjoyable read, and I'm really looking forward to Shattered, Book 2 in the Alaskan Courage series that releases in February 2013!