Midnight Sea

The first chapter had me locked in thinking this would be a thrilling page turner, but then it slowed up. And only got slower. I made it to chapter 15 and barely read through chapter 14… so anyway I didn’t finish it. The character nicknames were annoying too. Hard to keep track of who was who. I wish it was better. Parts were really good, but I just couldn’t get into it.

I enjoyed the first 3 books in this series, and this one is wonderful! The characters are people that I want to know more about, plus there is a connection to characters from the other books. Once I started reading, I had to keep going to find out what happened, so start this book when you have a good chunk of time to spend with it!

I love Colleen Coble's books and this one certainly doesn't let you down. If you love intrigue with a splash of romance, this is a must read.

In this book, Colleen Coble crafts another tight suspense plot filled with twists and turns and rich characters. She transports readers back to Hawaii, the setting for her Aloha Reef series. While this book stands completely on its own, if you read and enjoyed the Aloha Reef series, you will enjoy the reappearance of characters from that series. Lani is faced with something I think most of us fear - she wakes up one morning unable to see anything. In the midnight sea of darkness, she must learn to cope and strive for some independence. Ben reluctantly agrees to help her learn how to use a guide dog and adjust to her new world. However, he's heard too much about her to be drawn in by her beauty. The characters struggle with real questions about how their faith can sustain the circumstances of life. And they are brave enough to ask the questions many of us would love to scream to the heavens. As they wrestle with the mystery and their doubts, they also develop a relationship that could extend beyond friendship if they could let go of their pasts. The book is rich with layers of characters and plots. And Coble does a fantastic job bringing all the layers together into a cohesive and compelling book. And if you're looking for a book to transport you to the beaches of Hawaii on a cold afternoon, this book is the one for you. Coble again creates a vivid setting and a story that could only be set in Hawaii.

Midnight Sea is Colleen Coble's latest Women of Faith novel and draws on characters from her Aloha Reef series. Leilani Tagama is making every effort to lay to rest her reckless past, working on her aunt's coffee farm and pursuing her love of floristry design when she is blinded by a bullet in an attack against a fellow worker. Ben Mahoney reluctantly agrees to help Lani as she comes to terms with her blindness as he has a special affinity for those without sight, stemming from his past and the guilt that eats away at him. He introduces her to Fisher, a golden retriever he is training as a guide dog, and Lani falls in love - with the dog! The mystery surrounding the shooting looms larger as Lani's life is threatened again, she befriends a young Tongan boy she fears is being abused and she discovers a treasure people are willing to kill for. Colleen Coble has written a terrific romantic suspense, one I would rate as up there with her best. The setting in Hawaii is again captivating and her detailed descriptions have you smelling the coffee and hearing the surf. Lani and Ben are fascinating and substantial characters and while they struggle with the usual issues of guilt and a sad past, Colleen's writing is refreshing and totally absorbing. The suspense will have you anxious to turn each page but hoping the story doesn't end. A number of the secondary characters are calling out for their own stories to be told - I hope Colleen gets a chance to write them!

With the help of a handsome ex-cop, a blind woman searches to find the man who did this to her before he comes after her again. Like all of Coble's books, Midnight Sea has an endearing animal (a golden retriever who makes me want to hug my dog!) and is filled with fascinating characters, unexpected twists and a pace that leaves you breathless from start to finish. This is a keeper!