Probably 3.5 stars

I won't give you the blurb what this book is about but I'll give you my highlights. Of the two main characters, Harley was my favourite. I enjoyed her relaxed larrikin exterior, a veneer for painful memories not that far away.

Harley comes in to investigate a crime that brings her into Lauren's orbit at Heron Bay Resort. There are no sparks - at least from Lauren's perspective, but Harley works to break down the barriers as she's working to solve a case.

Both characters open up and share more with us, and with each other. The spark builds but there's also a dangerous fire (figurately) raging which must be stopped.

The plot was reasonably paced, perhaps a little slow towards the latter stages of the book. It's interesting enough. The characters are appealing enough, but maybe a little more of everything would benefit a more engaging read.

Loved this story.
The thing about Gerri's book is that you cannot guess who the criminal is.
I did not know till the very end.
She writes the interest between main characters so well, that you can feel it yourself.
I love reading her books.

Gerri Hill is a master storyteller; readers always look forward to her new books. Why? Because she’ s in a league of her own when it comes to blending romance and crime. Red Tide at Heron Bay is no exception. It’s the perfect mix of romance, crime, and drama. What’s more, it has a light-heartedness to it that makes it quite fun.

The story grabs readers’ interest immediately. Vandalism on Lauren Voss’s family’s resort prompts Lauren to call the police, and Detective Harley Shepherd is sent to investigate. Lauren is hardly impressed with Harley during their initial meeting and she promptly writes off her sleuthing abilities. Harley pays no mind to it though, setting up the tone for this romance perfectly. Readers immediately see they are in for some good back-and-forth, because the spark—it’s undeniable.

Relationship development is something Hill excels at, and it’s at work big-time with Lauren and Harley. These two showcase her knack for making relatable and likable couples. Readers need no convincing that these two leading ladies belong together. Lauren and Harley have baggage, but that’s what makes them so appealing. Lauren is cute but a tad serious. Harley is all charm and easy-going nonchalance. When the two interact, Harley seems to step in it, and it causes Lauren to bristle. Or eye roll. Or lose patience. Readers see it for what it is, though: a budding romance. And when Lauren and Harley see it, too? Well, that’s when things get interesting.

Final remarks….

Hill has written over 30 novels since she began penning them in 2000, yet her stories are always fresh. Red Tide at Heron Bay is another fine example of this. The storytelling is meticulously plotted and the romance is interwoven with intrigue, drama and mystery. Clever little clues are nicely dropped, making it all quite compelling. All and all, this is an engaging, entertaining read, top to bottom. A big thumbs-up all the way.

Strengths…

Well-written
Engaging plot
Fun romance
Likable characters
Entertaining read

The romance and mystery in Red Tide at Heron Bay are evenly balanced. Harley Shepherd comes to Heron Bay Resort to investigate a case of vandalism. Lauren Voss is the manager of the resort, which is owned by her grandmother. Even though both women have been living in the town for a while, this is their first meeting. Harley is friendly and casual, but Lauren immediately finds her annoying. Of course, they both have pasts. Lauren had a bad breakup; Harley has come to the small town after an incident when she was a homicide detective in San Antonio.

The mystery was interesting. Of course, the vandalism is just the tip of the iceberg. First a dead bird, then a dead body is found. There’s a killer at Heron Bay and Harley will need Lauren’s cooperation to find them. The clues were tucked in well and Harley was a competent investigator. Once Lauren realizes the danger, she is reasonable and doesn’t take unnecessary risks. The clues are tucked in well, and the suspense is well done.

I found the romance enjoyable. Lauren and Harley make a good couple and the author did a good job moving them from annoyed to attracted. Their interactions were believable and they were likable people. I’m never quite sure though how people manage to do so much flirting and fantasizing while there’s an actual murderer on the loose, putting both their lives in danger, but that’s what this subgenre is built on.

This is the first Gerri Hill book I’ve read but I may just have to look up more of her crime/romance books.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hill is a long time favourite of mine, and even though I’m more partial to her romances, her crime dramas are always well written and engaging.

This features Harley, a cop who moved to a small town after losing her cop partner during a horrible case. She meets Lauren, owner of a family owned resort after what looks like a break in. The two have great chemistry and are interesting characters together and separately. I enjoyed watching their relationship unfold, especially as they both had ‘baggage’ for different reasons and helped the other move through it. I also liked Lauren’s grandmother and Harley’s boss Brian and his wife Marsha, who I felt added to the story (and provided some of the exposition).

The downside for me was the ‘mystery’ since I found the bad guy to be telegraphed early and not particularly scary, even though he should have been, but crime stuff doesn’t do much for me at the moment, I think I’m just burnt out on all the crap happening in the world, so it may have just been my mindset.

Regardless, a Hill book is always worth the read, and this is no exception. 4 stars.

I kept waiting for something to happen and I eventually lost my interest. Sorry, not my favorite book from this author.

Harley Shephard has only lived in Rockport for a year but in that time she has come a long way from being the broken woman she was at the first. Having lost her partner Travis, had taken a toll on her. Both worked In San Antonio as police officers and their last case involved the hunting down a serial killer that continued slipping away from them. Now here she was after taking up her friend Chief Carrington’s offer on a job in the small town of Rockport.
Feeling almost human. Fresh air, living by the bay will do that to a person. Harley didn’t miss the constant cases involving murder. Here she got light cases involving mischief, a few break-ins, nothing involving murder. That was until she got a call from Heron Bay Resorts reporting a break-in but when she got there she had a feeling that this was not the usual.
Lauren Voss has been in Rockport for three years now. She’s been coming for years to visit and help her grandparents run their resort but after finding herself alone after a bad breakup with her girlfriend she decided it was time for a move. Now with her grandfather dead and her Nana living in a retirement home the business, Heron Bay Resort’s was hers to operate. The idea of finding anyone to spend her time with wasn’t anything she wanted a part of. She was happy with her life. That is until someone breaks into the resort causing some damage.
Ms Hill writes about characters that you can’t help but like and root for. Great plot, nicely paced means another best seller for Ms Hill. Excellent read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bella Books

I stumbled upon Gerri Hill's writing only this year but I can't seem to get enough of her books. I enjoyed this one, but mainly for the setting and it's mystery storyline.

I really enjoyed the murder-mystery storyline, and thought this part of the story was developed really well. There got to a point where I knew I was near the end of the book but had no idea how it was going to end. This is my personal sign of a great mystery novel. The setting of Heron Bay really added to this storyline as well, and I could clearly picture the town and Lauren's resort, which kept me really engaged in the novel and story.

In saying all this, I have to admit that I wasn't particularly moved by the relationship between Lauren and Harley. For a good chunk of the book, I felt a bit weirded-out by the romantic side of this novel. Lauren did not seem interested in Harley at all, and she provided no mixed messages to Harley, but to me it felt like Harley just kept badgering her until finally Lauren showed a smidgen of interest. Then, once Lauren showed this tiny bit of interest, the relationship development then grew very quickly. It left me scratching my head a bit.

Regardless, I still really enjoyed this novel and will continue to read anything and everything by Gerri Hill.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bella Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

3.50 stars. Yet another solid romantic suspense by Hill. She focuses more on building the relationship between resort owner Lauren Voss and Detective Harley Shepard. Though I'd say it isn't as adversarial as the blurb advertises, they start their relationship off somewhat cooly. I liked that dynamic, especially since it seems like recent slew of murders in the town of Rockport, Texas are connected to one of them.

While Hill is a good romance author, I always enjoy her thrillers/ supernatural thrillers more. She does such a good job building the tension and escalating the sense of danger. Her antagonists in these books feel actually dangerous, too. In this one, it doesn't always feel that way, though, which was a good and bad thing. Because Rockport is a tourist town, the danger is that the perpetrator to all theses awful murders could just disappear themselves after they were done. But there are times when that sense of unease is dissipated a little too easily for me. At other times, that lull feels earned and when the 'surprise a bad thing' happens, it is a huge punch to the gut. I think it is mostly focused on Lauran and Harley flirting/ not flirting with each other, so sometimes the sense that there is something wrong is lessened as the women dance around each other, then learn each other.

Like I said, this is a solid above average read. It's not quite as tension packed as I thought it would be, but I am a sucker for Hill's romantic suspense/ thrillers, and this doesn't disappoint at all. It is not her best one, but then again for one of these Hill books, it is a high bar.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a wonderful read. The crime storyline, while slightly predictable, kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. Both lead characters were strong yet vulnerable, and I instantly connected with Harley as she tried to cope with her former partner's death. The setting of the seaside hotel was so vivid I could picture the pool with Lauren's bright flowers. The author had created a lovely little community that I wished I could be a part of. A really enjoyable read.

This is exactly why Gerri Hill is a master in suspense and crime and romance books! Sooo good!

Lauren Voss is happy living her quiet and uneventful life managing the Heron Bay Resort on the Texas coast. Coming back to her grandmother's resort after ending a relationship, was the best decision she ever made. Now she has no interest in dating or meeting new people. She is quite happy on her own and with her new life. However, all of that changes when she finds a gruesome message in written in blood in her clubhouse which brings her to meet the new detective in town. Harley Shepherd moved from the big city to the small town following her captain and wanting to leave behind the memories of the tragedy that almost consumed her. When she takes lead on the case of vandalism at Heron Bay Resort, her life starts taking a turn she was not expecting, both personally and in the case.

This book was a brilliant slow burn in both ways, the romance and the crime. The suspense was also on point. This is the kind of book you do not want to put down. Both characters were incredible and complemented each other in unexpected ways. This book was entertaining, touching and unexpected. Definitely one of the author's best!

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another brilliant gripping crime thriller from Gerri Hill, couldn't put it down and read in one sitting! The characters are introduced with care so from the start you know who they are and like them and what to get to know them more. Detective Harley Shepherd annoys Lauren Voss when she arrives to check out the vandalism at her resort, her bright Hawaiian shirts particularly irksome on a Police Detective. Obviously that sets the sparks flying but soon they find themselves caught in a scary chain of events. The setting is beautiful, I always really feel like I can see and smell the settings of her books and this his no exception, the geography is clearly laid out so I can imagine the connection. I have a sense of the beauty of the place too, this really adds to my enjoyment of the book and shows her skill as a writer, I would also add the the backstory is also excellently explored and there are also fully fleshed out supporting characters which are so important, adding to the overall depth of the book. A gripping storyteller at her best.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ms. Hill has certainly done it again. I was hooked from the beginning to the end. This is a murder, mystery, romance with loveable main characters who are fully developed and has great chemistry. You just cant help but love Harley in her obnoxious Hawaiian shirts. The secondary characters we just has lovely. Nana is by far my favorite SC. Ms. Hill just as a way with her writing style and I love how the sceneries are so clear, You can actually picture yourself at the setting watching the story unfold. This is now one of my favorite books. I definitely recommend getting a copy. Its a must read. 5 stars


Thank you NetGalley and Bella Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I began reading published WLW novels, there were a few authors that really caught my attention. I found myself looking for these writers’ works, and snatching up any of their new books. Gerri Hill is one of these authors. In fact, she is close to the top of the list. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I would ask to read Red Tide at Heron Bay, or that I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

This is a finely crafted romance/mystery and intrigue novel. The story is set in the small fishing village of Rockport, Texas with most of the action centered around Heron Bay Resort, a small cottage style resort right on the beach and run by Lauren Voss, one of the main characters. She meets Detective Harley Shepherd when the resort’s clubhouse is vandalized. At first, Lauren is not impressed with the detective at all. Harley reminds Lauren of her ex…and she wears unpleasantly wild Hawaiian shirts. The two are thrown together more and more as the initial vandalism becomes something much more dangerous and deadly.

The mystery part of the novel is well-written. The author keeps the reader guessing at the five W’s (who, what, when, where, and why), and even after we figure out the who, there is still the element of danger to the main characters and others. The romance fits well into the mystery as do the main and secondary characters. I could see the chemistry between Lauren and Harley even before they did. The setting is one of the best parts of the story, at least for me. It’s obvious Ms. Hill loves this area of Texas. It shows in her descriptions and her portrayal of the area in this book.

The author is great at using “red herrings” in her mysteries to divert attention or make the reader question who the real bad guy is. This is what I expect from a good mystery writer. There was one red herring in this tale that for some reason was never resolved. The characters talked about it for a chapter or two, and then it seemed to just disappear from the story. The problem is I got hooked by that red herring for a while and felt like something was missing when it wasn’t resolved. I know that this happens in real life. I’m probably just being picky, but it feels like a loose thread that someone forgot to tuck into a piece of knitting or crochet. The loose thread won’t unravel the whole piece, but it can be irritating.

Other than that one instance, I had a wonderful time reading this novel. I recommend it to all mystery and romance lovers, and especially to those who, like me, love Gerri Hill’s stories.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

Rainbow Reflections: http://rainbowreflections.home.blog/

Love the Hawaiian shirts and the person wearing them. This romantic intrigue had my attention from the beginning. Detective Harley Shepherd, upbeat yet sad as she deals with the loss of someone close to her. Lauren Voss, resort manager, shying away from relationships as she continues to deal with a relationship that went off the rails. Both women "ran" to Heron Bay to heal. Little did they know that tragedy would be waiting for them right around the corner. I enjoyed the flirting and teasing. some of the comments had me chuckling and laughing out loud.

I loved this book-it has murder, mystery, creepy dudes, an adorable grandmother and of course wonderful wlw main characters. We have Lauren who basically grew up in Heron Bay, since she stayed with her grandparent so much growing up, and Harley who is basically a transplant trying to recover from a tragic loss. I found that I fell for both characters right away, especially Harley since she got under Lauren's skin from day 1 and thereafter just loved to bug the heck out of her. Both characters are very well written, you just feel for both of them more and more as the story goes along.

One of the best things I love about Ms. Hill's writing is she takes the time to describe the environment and surroundings within the story, not so much as to stall the storyline but more to enhance the feeling of really being there with the characters (someday I want to visit Rockport)-in my mind's eye I really do have a feel for what is going on and where, even down to picturing wild Hawaiian shirts.

Ms. Hill does a wonderful job of blending mystery with a love story (reminds me of Devil's Rock and Hell's Highway) and she did it justice again in this book. It is not over the top graphic but just the right amount to really understand what Harley is seeing and feeling, which has her being pulled back to her past that she has tried to overcome. I find Ms. Hill is a master at blending this kind of genre (mystery/love story) that keeps the reader so engaged (I started the book and when I looked up again hours had past that I didn't even realized I was that engaged with the story).

I look forward to many more stories from Ms. Hill, she is always an auto buy for me when she publishes-It would be so cool to someday have a story that has Andrea and Cameron, CJ and Paige, Tori and Samantha have a reason to come to Heron Bay Resort to work a case with Harley and Lauren-a girl can dream can't she <smile>

I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, but would have written the same opinion if I had come across this author on my own.

To see my Amazon review, it is under CC-Mystery and love-another HIT from Ms. Hill

Good murder mystery, warm slow growing romance and great characters. Gerri Hill always aims to please and she did again in this book. I highly recommend it.

𝗠𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝘆.

I know Gerri Hill has written a ton of books but I've actually only read a handful of them. I skip over many of them as they are mystery romances and as a pure romance reader, those aren't my first choice. But I want to diversify my reads this year so I try to pick up mystery romances when a good ARC like this one comes along.

I like this book because I think it balances the mystery and the romance pretty well. Both are given time to develop and are interesting enough to hold my interest. The mystery starts with a cryptic message written in blood and then a dead body that could possibly be linked to it surfaces. There's some suspense in it and the mystery unfolds at a steady pace. This case brings Detective Harley Shepherd to Lauren Voss who runs her grandmother's resort in the quiet Heron Bay and a relationship forms between them in the midst of it all. The romance is a pleasant read despite both women having pasts as they help each other through them.

If this book appeals to me, it will definitely interest the mystery romance readers for sure.

Red Tide at Heron Bay is the romantic mystery of my dreams! Such an engaging and suspenseful read, and the perfect blend of thrills and romance.

You can’t go wrong picking up a romantic intrigue novel written by Gerri Hill. This author pulls you into the lives of her characters, allowing you to look for clues while watching their relationships develop from strangers to friends to something more.

In Red Tide at Heron Bay, an act of vandalism brings Detective Harley Shepherd to the Heron Bay Resort. Harley has been in town for a year hoping for a less stressful job compared to her previous position as a homicide detective in San Antonio. She shows up at the scene of the crime wearing her usual loud Hawaiian shirt assuming this will be a simple case with the added bonus of a beautiful resort manager she can charm as she processes the scene. Manager Lauren Voss is not impressed with Harley’s cavalier attitude about the damages done at the resort and she really despises Hawaiian shirts because they remind her of her ex. When a message on a mirror (scribbled in blood) is found, this simple act of vandalism turns into something more sinister. Can Lauren move past her instant dislike of Harley and learn to trust her judgment? Can Harley put the clues left behind by the vandal together in time to discover the true nature of this crime?

I found the mystery aspect of this story more interesting than the developing relationship between Harley and Lauren. Both have returned to Rockport weighed down with personal baggage. Lauren isn’t always as forthcoming with answers Harley needs to solve the case and Harley is not willing to let Lauren know much about her past. This slows down the pace of the story but is essential to understand motive when acts of violence begin to escalate around them. While this is not my favourite Gerri Hill novel, I did enjoy watching this story unfold and enjoyed the thriller ending.

3.5 stars

A copy of this book was received from the publisher via NetGalley for review.