Wellll....this wasn't really my cup of tea. I did like the mystery element and didn't have it figured out when it was revealed, so that was good.

There were a lot of plot holes, questions and things that were too good to be true. For instance, the MC is a real estate renovator who wants nothing to do with "the money side of things" but she can hack into a beach camera in seconds? When seconds before, she didn't even know where it was located??

Why did it take like a week for anyone to question how the kidnappers knew where Nicole was supposed to be meeting Vanessa? In fact, now that I think about it, did that question ever actually get answered? This is not rocket science or a "plot twist"...just a big shiny DUH. Nothing is really mentioned about questioning Vanessa about the disappearance.

I thought it was weird that they allowed the old man to pack his gun before heading to get medical help. I doubt he'd be able to actually possess a gun in any kind of medical establishment.

The absolutely biggest DUH is---four days into the disappearance, Vanessa suggests someone contact the media and everyone thinks, "hey! Great idea!" WHAT???!!! Ugh. UGH. Yeah, or we could have done that like, I don't know, right when a woman was kidnapped in front of witnesses???

In fact, the whole premise of this book is too ironic to be true. Libby and Nicole happen to be interested in a property on the very island her previously-unknown-to-her family lives on---oh, and then she just happens to have inherited everything? I don't know...maybe I just missed like EVERYTHING about this story, or maybe it's ... just... not my cup of tea. ( )

58252

Have found an amazing new author. I love this book and plan to keep reading/listening to her books. highly recommended.

FROM AMAZON: Welcome to Hope Beach. A place of intoxicating beauty...where trouble hits with the force of a hurricane.

Inheriting a beautiful old hotel on the Outer Banks could be a dream come true for Libby. The inn cries out for her restorer’s talent and love of history. She’s delighted to learn of the family she never knew she had. And the handsome Coast Guard lieutenant she’s met there on the island could definitely be the man of her dreams.

But Libby soon realizes that the only way she can afford the upkeep on the inn is to sell it to developers who are stalking the island. The father who willed her the inn has died before she could meet him, and her newfound brother and sister are convinced she’s there to steal their birthright. Worst of all, her best friend and business partner has been kidnapped before her eyes, and Libby’s under suspicion for the crime.

Libby’s dream come true is becoming a nightmare. Her only option is to find her friend and prove her innocence, or lose everything on the shores of Hope Island. ( )

Libby finds out not only did her father not die when she was five but recently. He has left her with a brother and sister she didn’t even know she had, but also his beloved Tidewater Inn. This is a great story of forgiveness and living your life continually asking, “What would Jesus do?” The mystery had so many twists, the guilty person was the last person I’d have suspected! This was well written and teaches us about God’s plan when we obey, forgive and open our hearts and minds to amazing possibilities. ( )

Title: Tidewater Inn (The Hope Beach Series #1)
Author: Colleen Coble
Pages: 360
Year: 2012
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Tidewater Inn is a novel with a rich historical backdrop along with suspense that is nonstop and a touch of romance. Libby Holladay receives an inheritance from a father she was told died a long time ago. Libby owns a restoration business with her partner, Nicole, when their world is rocked off its center.
Libby witnesses Nicole’s abduction, but the video that she was viewing it on disappears. Now, she is a suspect and finds out that a family Libby wanted doesn’t welcome her with open arms. While trying to handle the inheritance of an historic inn that needs lots of work and finding Nicole, she meets Alec. Alec is in the coast guard, and he is one of the few islanders who believes she had nothing to do with Nicole’s disappearance. Can Libby help unravel who took her friend and business partner before becoming a victim herself? Can Libby and Alec have a future together with so much unsettled in their lives?
I enjoyed reading the novel again after a decade; it was just as exciting as the first time I read the book. Libby’s inheritance isn’t just material but spiritual and that leads her to deepen her own walk with the Lord. The romance was a nice touch to the suspense-filled tale, and Libby’s Aunt Pearl is a character that seemed lifelike. The novel has many twists and turns so expect the unexpected! Here is a book a person can curl up with on their favorite chair and read for hours of enjoyment! Book two in the series, Rosemary Cottage, is next on my TBR list. Look for my thoughts on this book soon!
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. ( )