"Submerged" by Dani Pettrey

Bailey Craig never wanted to return to Yancey, Alaska.  The place where she lived her final few teen years with her beloved great-aunt, her life changed for the better when she moved off to college and met Jesus.  When her aunt dies in a tragic plane crash, however, she is forced to return - and must confront Cole McKenna, the handsome boy she once loved.  With the death toll rising and Russian antiques missing, could this be a simple case of forgetfulness on the part of an older woman, or is something more sinister at work?

Submerged kicks off a fantastic new series that will keep your heart pumping and your mind racing.  Set in the wilds of Alaska, this book features challenges against nature as well as the two-legged variety, which definitely adds to the suspense.

The other major mysterious element in the book is the way that the plot spirals.  Pettrey writes masterfully, beginning the book as a seeming romance, a novel in which a woman with a dark past must learn to forgive herself and move on when confronted by a former love interest.  It's not until the pressure of facing her fears  begins to build that Bailey catches a glimpse of anything else wrong.  With the sparks flying between Bailey and Cole while she tries to put the past into perspective and solve her aunt's mystery, there's action on every side.

I loved both the drama and the mystery of this book.  With a fascinating historical mystery converging with a very real issue that so many of us face - dealing with sins of the past - I could totally identify with Bailey.  Pettrey paints such colorful pictures of emotion and action together that I wanted to step into the story and help search for the treasure.  To me, this is the very best kind of book:  where you can see yourself in the lead character, maybe even the best and worst parts of you, and you laugh and cry along with her as she travels through the story.

This is one series I can't wait to continue.


I received a free copy of Submerged from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.