Staggered Cove Station

While this story is certainly a romance as are all the stories in this line it is also full of mystery and intrigue. While both men are unsure of the other they both realize quickly that they can trust each other. There is also a measure of heartache that must also be worked through. I love how these two mean are quickly there for each other.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/M Military Romance, Thriller
Triggers: Attempted murder, drugs

Karl and Dan don't necessarily hit it off right away. Karl is a seasoned veteran at the station and when he is assigned Dan, there is a distrust right away due to Karl being attracted to Dan.

Dan is there to work, but he also has other motives – Dan is there to figure out a mystery. He is steady and a hard worker. Over the course of a few weeks, he wins over much of the base, but is still a little reluctant to share his entire reason for requesting Alaska with Karl, despite their growing attraction.

I enjoyed this story a lot because it was a lot of mystery and a little romance thrown in. There was action, but not over the top. I also liked how Karl and Dan's relationship was built on more than just their attraction. There was mutual admiration for each other and friendship to start with.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is an exciting romance set in the Alaskan Wilderness. Karl is an experienced Coast Guard officer and Dan is the new rescue swimmer assigned to his station. Compared to most of the Dreamspun Desires books, this has a much more complicated, action-filled plot. I really enjoyed the thrilling Coast Guard rescues and the darker mystery of Dan’s brother’s suspicious death.

Both Karl and Dan are gorgeous hero types but there isn’t a whole lot of character development or traditional romance in this story. I don’t mind the lack of romance – though it is odd for a Dreamspun Desires title – but I would have liked a little more emotional depth to the characters and a little more of their pasts. The insta-love doesn’t completely work between two men who are otherwise quite guarded. While Dan and Karl are both likeable characters, the action adventure storyline is definitely the best part of this story.

Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

reviewed by Jenn for Diverse Reader

When I read this blurb, I was all over this book. Search and rescue swimmers, remote Alaskan location, romance and a mystery! Yes!

Dan Farnsworth has come to freezing, bleak Staggered Cove Station as a SAR swimmer from sunny California. Dan isn’t just here to work though, he has a secret.

Karl Radin is a native Alaskan and has been working SARS for some time. He is intrigued by Dan when he meets him, although you can tell he doesn’t want to be. He is also pretty suspicious of him, but doesn’t know why. When Dan is assigned to be his roommate, Karl seems ready to run. He’s definitely not prepared to share space with the younger, handsome man. As these two work together and some secrets come to light, two things can’t be denied, their attraction and their lack of trust.

This book was really well written, the mystery is done well and keeps you guessing. The relationship is a slow burn and that actually works really well for Dan and Karl. I love that the author takes care with the work of search and rescue, you can tell that the research has been done. I am always happy when I get a really good romantic suspense and this one delivers. I have so much respect for the men and women who put themselves in harms way for others and it feels like Elle Brownlee does as well!

This was a good one

**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.**

Staggered Cove Station is the first book in Elle Brownlee’s Coast Guard Rescue series. The story takes place in Alaska, with both MC’s working in the Coast Guard. Karl is Alaska born and loves it. Karl is a hard worker, a good guy, caring and very conscientious in his work ethic. He understands the dangers of living and working in Alaska. Dan joins the rescue station to replace a lost member. He’s grown up in the water, but will have to learn the dangers in Alaska. But Dan isn’t only there to work, he’s there to find out who’s responsible for the death of his brother. Dan’s investigation leads him to unexpected answers. It also leads him to Karl, and an unexpected attraction.

It took me a little while to get into this story, but once I did, I was swept away with the mystery and dangers of working and living in Alaska. The author does a great job of building the story, creating the mystery and trying to keep the reader on their toes while following Dan and Karl’s investigations. What did happen was not unexpected by me but I still enjoyed reading and figuring out alongside both men.

I loved the story of Alaska and the people who lived there. The author did a great job of building this town in my imagination and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series! This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed her writing and characters.

Rating: 4.5 stars

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR & 1/2 - STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
A man standing in a rather standoffish position with water, snowcapped mountains and a USCG helicopter in the background. Nothing particularly eye-catching about it. The author was an unknown to me name as well. It was only the synopsis, provided by the publisher, that intrigued me into wanting to read this one.

> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third-person
That's it? It's Over?? Nooo!!!!!
I could have easily devoured another 100 pages and still not had enough of this story.

Dan joins the Coast Guard and graduates at the top of his class. When his Alaskan Coastie big brother and mentor is presumed dead, lost at sea, he specifically asks to be stationed there in an attempt to uncover the truth of Axe's accident.
Karl is sure the new Coastie is up to something and thinks it has ties to Neal, the member they'd recently lost at sea. He's determined to fight his attraction to his newly-assigned roommate until he ferrets out the truth.
The closer they come to uncovering the truth, the more dangerous things become. What started out as minor incidents and malfunctions become a deadly game of cat and mouse.

The characters were so easy to like and their compatibility was strong. The chemistry felt natural, as did their interactions. Dialogue was smart and mature. The secondary characters were entertaining and I enjoyed the depth they added to it. The plot was rich and dynamic, I did not want to put it down! Sex scenes were not detailed and explicit. Predictability was low.
The conclusion felt a bit abrupt and not quite as solid as I'd have preferred, but it was a satisfying-enough implied HEA.
.
Rating: [PG-13] ~ Score: 4.425 ~ Stars: 4.5, if I could!!!

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⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐