Stranded (#03 in Alaskan Courage Series)

When journalist Darcy St James is asked to join her friend Abby undercover on a cruise ship in Alaska, she knows something big is afoot. However, Abby goes missing before she has a chance to tell Darcy what's happening. Why are the crew reluctant to talk about the woman who went overboard and why is it so hard to track down the rescue crew? Meanwhile, hunky Gage McKenna has joined the crew to run adventure excursions through the company he and his siblings operate out of Yancey, Alaska. Can he learn to trust Darcy and risk getting close to her? And can he save her from the bad guys when everything goes pear-shaped?\\n\\nThis is the third in the Alaskan Courage series featuring the McKenna siblings. It was enjoyable enough, though I didn't like it quite as much as the first two. I got a bit annoyed that Gage took so long to give Darcy the benefit of the doubt and see her for the person she was. I also felt that there were some obvious opportunities for suspense that went begging. When Darcy does get into trouble, it's resolved a bit too quickly and neatly. It does go into some more serious issues though and I liked Darcy's persistence at finding her friend regardless of the cost. I'd put the book in the 'good holiday read' category, though it might not be the best choice for your next cruise

The tip of the iceberg (the prologue) will have you invested as it goes straight to the heart of the story. I love how Dani brings to life each of the characters, including from the past books. I love being part of the McKenna family as they are just so real - trust issues, banter, expectations. Personalities are so well rounded, everyone so unique (just like in reality). Gage and Darcy have a history that is very palpable, even from the others. Their chemistry exposes their jealousy to reveal just how in love they are. Dani does a fantastic job at tackling the sex-trade problem. Whilst being very sensitive, Dani exposes how ingrained, rehearsed, and manipulative the criminals are - but who is guilty? A thrilling read.

I was given the first book of the series as a Christmas present and was immediately hooked to the 'Alaskan Courage'\\r\\nI really enjoy the emphasis and important placed upon family ties and relations in the books. \\r\\nPettrey painted Gage as the perfect gentleman, caring for Darcy even when he was mad at her. \\r\\nDarcy's loyalty shows the depth of her friendship, and creates empathy as you are drawn in emotionally throughout the plot. \\r\\nAs I progressed through the book I kept wishing I could read faster and faster so that I could find out what would happen next, and was kept on the edge of suspense the entire time. \\r\\nThere was also a touch of reality when there was an ending which you wouldn't expect

I was really excited when this book arrived from the US. I love getting Amazon orders - it's like Christmas several times a year! I've been enjoying Dani Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series and was happy to delve into Darcy and Gage's story. I enjoyed the book but Darcy got on my nerves a little. She was simply too pushy and nosy for me to truly engage with. Even though I'd read Shattered (my favourite so far in the series), I had trouble remembering the connection she and Gage had in that book. As a result I was struggling to place where they were in their relationship - were they together, did they talk about a relationship before this book? and so on. This impacted on my ability to relate to them as a couple. Oh and yes, I could have reread Shattered to find out but I couldn't find my copy!\\r\\n\\r\\nI found Gage a character I could understand more, his journey to faith was one I was happy to see through till the end - boredom is sometimes most often used by God if we let him! As much as I struggled with Darcy, her faith is something I liked. She clearly was working on things in her life, trying not to cross moral boundaries, but struggling all the same. Such a human trait!\\r\\n\\r\\nAs usual with this series the whole McKenna clan gets involved and as each book goes by it's easier to keep track of them all! I was confused though by the various cruise liner characters. They had minor roles and some very important roles, but they were very interchangeable and I didn't know…