About This Episode

Perilous Tides Book Club Recap: Suspense, Faith, and Second-Chance Romance in Elizabeth Goddard’s Hidden Bay Series

Danger strikes fast in Perilous Tides. Elizabeth Goddard’s second Hidden Bay novel opens with a ferry crossing gone terribly wrong, and the tension never lets up. Our LiteraryScape Book Club dove into this Christian romantic suspense pick, and the conversation was every bit as gripping as the story itself.

What Perilous Tides Is About

Three years have passed since artist Joe Cottrell’s mother died under suspicious circumstances. Since then, Joe has hidden away at a storm-watching lodge on the Washington coast. Everything changes, however, when her father sends a cryptic and unsettling message. Determined to find him, Joe leaves the lodge behind. During the ferry crossing that follows, she witnesses a murder and instantly becomes a target herself.

Rescue arrives from an unexpected source: her ex-boyfriend, former Green Beret Cole Mercer. Now working as a private investigator, Cole has spent months quietly digging into the death of Joe’s mother. Together, the pair must chase down answers before the past catches up with them both, because in Hidden Bay, the truth rarely stays buried for long.

A White-Knuckle Opening Scene

Few thrillers open with as much intensity as this one. Joe wakes up trapped in a car, zip-tied to the gas pedal, with a dead body in the back seat. Moments later, the vehicle is pushed off the ferry and into open water. Our book club members agreed: this scene hooks readers from page one. As one host put it, survival instinct kicks in fast, and so does the fear.

Cole Mercer’s Battle With the Water

Cole isn’t exactly comfortable around water either, and for good reason. During a past mission, his entire special ops team died in a helicopter explosion moments after he dove clear. That trauma follows him throughout Perilous Tides, yet he dives back in, twice, to save the woman he loves. Our hosts called this one of the most emotional threads in the book, proof that real courage means moving forward despite fear, not the absence of it.

Suspects, Secrets, and a Shifting Investigation

Between Braden Sanders’ cold bedside manner, a shady character named Merrick, and a suspicious figure called Mason Hyde, this installment keeps readers guessing until the very end. Was Joe’s father involved? Could Braden be one of the bad guys? Our panel debated every possibility, and honestly, so will you.

Faith, Forgiveness, and Letting Go

Beyond the mystery, Joe wrestles with anger and resentment toward the people responsible for her pain. Rather than carrying that weight alone, she turns to God for help releasing it. This moment resonated deeply with our hosts, who agreed it’s a struggle most readers can relate to in their own lives.

Book Club Ratings for Perilous Tides

Using our signature lasso and coffee-strength rating scale, here’s how the hosts scored this Hidden Bay sequel:

• Mystery & Suspense: Latte
• Inspiration: Espresso to Mocha
• Drama: Latte
• Romance: Espresso
• Overall Rating: 3 Lassos out of 3!

Should You Read Perilous Tides?

If you enjoy Christian romantic suspense with a slow-burn, second-chance romance woven through nonstop danger, this book delivers. Fans of Elizabeth Goddard’s Hidden Bay series will especially appreciate how the history between Cole and Joe adds depth to their relationship, rather than rushing straight into new romance.

What’s Next in the Hidden Bay Series

Coming up next, we’re heading into Deadly Currents, the third and final book in Elizabeth Goddard’s Hidden Bay series. Expect higher stakes, tighter tension, and an ending worth the wait.

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Listen to the full episode above, and discover more of Elizabeth Goddard’s books on her website.

Visit Elizabeth Goddard’s website