Tidewater Inn: A Hope Beach Novel

by Colleen Coble

Paperback, 2012

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Publication

Thomas Nelson Inc (2012), Edition: Book 1, 312 pages

Description

Fiction. Romance. Suspense. Christian Fiction. HTML: A USA TODAY bestseller! "Old architecture, a missing woman, a sudden inheritance, and a great mystery with unexpected twists make this a hard-to-put-down book . . ." â??Karen White, New York Times bestselling author 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. "Colleen is a master storyteller!" â??Karen Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling autho… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member love2readnovels
Libby Holladay and her business partner (and friend) Nicole, love doing historical renovation. Libby is thrilled when she finds she's inherited a wonderful old hotel (Tidewater Inn) on the shores of Hope Island. She also finds out she has some family she never knew about. Then there is the
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good-looking Coast Guard Lieutenant, Alec Bourne, whom she finds herself very attracted to. She'd like to keep and renovate the Inn, but it doesn't take long to realize how much money it will actually take to renovate the Inn. Money she doesn't have. She's not sure why a father she never knew would will her the Inn without any funds to fix it up. The bother and sister she didn't know she had, are angry at her because they think she's trying to steal what should be rightfully theirs. To make matters worse, Nicole is kidnapped while Libby watches on video cam and now they think she's responsible. Even Alec seems to doubt her innocence. What else can go wrong? Oh, you'd be surprised! But when all is said and done, can God truly work all things together for good?

Tidewater Inn is an excellent romantic suspense and one that is difficult to put down once you pick it up. There were several unexpected turns and a few gasps along the way. The characters were true-to-life with all their faults. To me, that's realistic. While I was reading I truly felt like I was on Hope Island and was able to experience the beauty of the Island with Libby. I thought the author did a great job of getting the message across, that our behavior definitely makes a difference in other peoples lives. As we see with Libby, that's not always an easy thing to do, but God didn't call us to 'easy' now did He? That was a good reminder to me, that we need to be careful of the things we say and do. One thing I absolutely loved (and I know all Colleen Coble fans will too) is the surprise appearance of some beloved characters. That put the story over-the-top for me! I encourage you to read the book to find out who they are!!! If you are in the mood for a tropical vacation, I highly recommend you visit Hope Island. Do be careful though, you may run into some rough waters! Great Job, Colleen!
Print Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (July 17, 2012)
ASIN: B007D1TNYS
*I received this complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*
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LibraryThing member kaykwilts
Libby thought she was all alone in the world. Both her parents were deceased. Her mother had died a year before and her father has died when she was five; at least that was what was told by her mother. All this changed when she got a call from Nicole, her business partner. While on a business trip
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Nicole had discovered that Libby’s father had actually died only a month before and that he had left Libby the Tidewater Inn in his will. Tidewater Inn was a beautiful historic building that was badly in near of repair. Libby also learned that her father had remarried and that she had two half siblings. Nicole had hooked up a cam camera so Libby could see everything and also see her half sister but before her eyes she witnessed that Nicole was abducted by two strange men. Alarmed she immediately took a trip to Hope Island to try to find her friend and business partner and to also find out about the will and her father. The local authorities did not believe her that her friend was abducted. They thought she had something to do with Nicole going missing and nothing would convince them otherwise. While there she met Alec who worked for the coast guard and he eventually believed her. She also met her siblings who were very hostile to her in the beginning, particularly the sister.
I really liked the has the mystery was solved in the story. Really like it that some favorite characters from the Rock Harbor series were brought in to help solved the mystery. It was so good to see Bree and her famous search and rescue dog Samson back in action. I also liked how Libby had to answer to the Holy Spirit on the right thing to do concerning her siblings. Her head told her one thing but the Holy Spirit told her another. The theme was WWJD.(What would Jesus do).

Looking forward to reading more books in this series. I hope the next one focuses on Vanessa, the sister.

Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson books for providing me with this ebook to review.
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LibraryThing member BooksCooksLooks
This book is full of suspense and was a real page turner for me. I love old houses and found that, like the heroine Libby I would have loved to own any of the old buildings they were describing. Libby is left the inn of her dreams by a father she thought died when she was five. She also finds out
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that she has a sister, brother and aunt that she did not know existed. They resent her receiving the inn and the land even though they received a large inheritance from their father. Libby's dilemma is while she loves the inn and sorely wants to keep it she can't afford to. She is being pressured by a developer who thought he had the purchase in the bag after the death of Libby's father.

Other mysteries abound including the one that causes the kidnapping of Libby's best friend and I don't want to spoil plot points but know that not all is as peaceful as it seems on Hope Island and not all that are seeming kind truly are.

Ms. Coble builds her story slowly and lets her bad guys be bad enough without a lot of the gore that pervades modern books. The hero is heroic and human all at the same time which makes him a delight. I generally prefer a historical novel but I did enjoy this tale of love and suspense set in old buildings in modern times.
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LibraryThing member Robin661
Tidewater Inn
Colleen Coble
Publisher Summary: Welcome to Hope Beach! Where the sea breeze is fresh, sun sparkles on sand . . . and trouble appears with the force of a hurricane. Inheriting a beautiful old hotel on the seaward shore of Hope Island could be a dream come true for Libby. The inn cries
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out for her restorer’s talent and love of history. She’s delighted to learn of 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 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 new found brothers and sisters are convinced she’s there to steal their birthright. Worst of all, her best friend and business partner has been kidnapped before her eyes, Libby’s under suspicion for the crime, and her handsome lieutenant clearly doubts her innocence. Libby’s dream-come-true is becoming a nightmare. Can she find her friend and establish her innocence? Must she sell Tidewater Inn and lose her family again? Or can she find a home for her heart on the beautiful shores of Hope Island?
Review: I loved the characters in this book. Libby was great a person who had a mysterious past that even she did not know of. The love and kindness she showed her siblings even though they tried and tested her all the way was a great show of Christ's love without being preachy. I found the mystery of Nicole's kidnapping and the murder attempt on Libby to be just enough of a who done it to compliment the learning about this parent she never know and how all these things came to be. The shady land developer and his front man, new found siblings that hated her and all the people in the town were well placed to the point that I never was able to guess who was behind everything. That was the very best part I never figured out who was behind it. I had ideas and suspicions and yet they were wrong. Well played Ms. Coble. Thanks for this fantastic read. I love tales of finding out that the life you thought you knew was not quite accurate it makes for a great what if.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.
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LibraryThing member Justjenniferreading
This one was pretty good. It had excitement, romance, and mystery. All of which were combined wonderfully to create a compelling story. As the story starts out Libby and her business partner Nicole, are both working, but not in the same area. Nicole is set-up to be the business savvy partner who
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takes care of the financials and Libby is the creative part of the business. This dynamic is established early on and explains their actions through the rest of the story. Once the story gets going Libby’s creative – and somewhat more emotional – approach to things really compelled me to keep reading.

I liked Libby a lot. She’s thrust into a horrible situation – trying to find her friend while the whole town suspects her of being behind the disappearance. Libby does use logical thought, but for the most part her actions are driven by emotions. As she starts to get an idea of who the people are around her she also uses her building faith to guide her decisions. That was what I liked most about her. She was new in her faith and still unsure of how walking in faith could guide her life. “What Would Jesus Do” becomes almost a mantra for her by the middle of the story. That really made me connect with Libby – my faith is also somewhat fresh and I’m still learning how to walk in faith. That and I tend to be very emotionally driven, so I could really relate to Libby. I also liked Alec – I got the impression that in a town where everyone depends on everyone else Alec can be a rock for those in the community. He’s compassionate and caring and tries to do what he feels is the right thing.

The story itself was pretty good. There were a few intense moments, but for the most part it was a fairly light read. While faith played a central role in the story there was so much more going on than inner turmoil. I thought I had the mystery pegged from the beginning, but as the story went on I kept second-guessing myself. And while I did have it right to begin with by the time the mystery of why and who took Nicole was revealed I had been on a totally different train of thought. I liked that it wasn’t clear-cut from the word go – as Libby uncovered new secrets and tried to prove her innocence I fell in line with her thinking. I liked that I was kept guessing – made me want to keep reading.

Overall it was a pretty good book and was very well written. I liked that faith kind of drove the story without overpowering the plot. It showed that even in faith we might make mistakes, but that we just keep going and doing what we think is right.
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LibraryThing member MandaT
I recently read Colleen Coble's book Tidewater Inn. Libby Holladay and her friend Nicole were in partnership together for their business Holladay Renovations. Their business is involved with restoring old, historic properties for clients. Nicole happens to be out in the outer banks working to get
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things established with a client when she learns some very interesting news. While at a local outer banks attorney's office she happens to mention Libby's name and come to find out, the attorney has been looking for a Libby Holladay. Libby then finds out her dad who she thought had died long ago when she was five, had only died a month ago. And with his passing, he left Libby some valuable land. As you can imagine, Libby has a lot of digging to do in order find out the truth about her past. Another shocking piece of information...Libby has a half sister, Vanessa. Nicole says she is meeting Vanessa and sends Libby a link to the beach cam located where Nicole and Vanessa are meeting so that Libby can see Vanessa. What Libby witnesses instead is the abduction of her friend Nicole! Libby races to the outer banks to find Nicole and to discover the family she didn't even know existed.

Colleen Coble has written another fantastic novel, and I really enjoyed reading this book. I like her style of writing and how she keeps things moving in her stories. Her characters have depth and are really believable. The element of mystery is always intriguing in a storyline and I think that Colleen Coble succeeded in accomplishing that in this story. I liked that the setting was in the outer banks. My family took a vacation there not too long ago and it helped me identify with the area. Colleen Coble's book will not disappoint, and I highly recommend this book!

***I received this free e-book from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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LibraryThing member jbarr5
Tidewater Inn by Colleen Coble
ISBN: 9781595547811
Love that this takes place on a barrier island in the Outer Banks of NC. Have only seen movies in the same location and it's beautiful.
Libby Halladay and her friend Nicole own and run the historic preservation company.
Nicole set out to look over an
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inn on Hope Island
Libby's father left her most of the island in his will. She has a step brother and a step sister who got money from their father upon his death.
The senator wants to buy the property and had a deal with the previous owner and wants to bulldoze it to build a resort.
Nicole was taken while Libby watched via the web camera on the island.
There are a few others that come into play in this book: a Coast Guard rescue worker, Alec Bourne and his teen nephew just a few weeks ago came to live with him.
The local sheriff Tom as he investigates the disappearance of Nicole.
God and faith have a huge part in this book, how things work out.
Love the necklace Libby got from her father and the inscription says it all: WWJD
All sounds pretty cut and dry and you know the ending and all the outcome but a hurricane touches down and things begin to get even more complicated as the days go by.
Mystery of the caves is very interesting to hear about.
Articles of clothing and other things that Belong to Nicole have washed up on shore and that makes those in charge put the investigation forefront.
There is a family with a search and rescue dog with them that agree to help out while on vacation to the island. They try a few islands off the coast to no avail.
Letters from Libby's father come to light which bring more heartache to her and others in the family.
Aunt Pearl helped them to understand what had happened and to show Libby what her father loved to do with his time.
When some have questions about death and hurt, others have the response of God and certain scriptures thus making it all add up.
Just when they think they are getting close to solving the mystery other things hamper them and more comes into play where you think it will never get solved.
Besides helping to find Nicole, Libby is also being pressured to sell the inn for 10 million dollars that would help with her step brother as he's disabled on the mainland and the rest could go to her company. There is just no way she'd be able to afford to fix the inn up.
Love the things I learned in this book and the places I was taken to.
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LibraryThing member mchwest
I was excited to read this book because there is also a second in the series that came out in July. Unfortunately the main plot was good but too drawn out to make the story move along. Way too slow for me. I really wanted more of the historical home renovation detail. Too many subplots, none
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covered well , only one readers opinion. I might still get the next in the series.
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LibraryThing member jnut1
Loved that Sampson was back and played a big part (Rock harbor series). The rest kept my interest for the most part but a few things I am still shaking my head about.

Libby learns a lot of lessons in this book - what the term family really means, love, when to (if ever) give up.
The inn is a place I
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would love to go visit and spend a weekend- great detail to make me fall in love with.

Goodreads writes:

Inheriting a beautiful old hotel on the seaward shore of Hope Island 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 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.
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LibraryThing member harrisbruce
Didn't know this was a CHRISTIAN book when I bought it on sale via Kindle Books - just thought it was a romance read for a beach trip. Story was good but it was just too much in your face God stuff (in the middle of a romance scene, yet). Won't read this author again.
LibraryThing member Tammy.Ford.Cuevas
When Libby's business partner, Nicole, goes on ahead to Outer Banks to check out the property sought by potential investor Lawrence Rooney, neither of the women imagine the life-changing events that will unfold on Hope Island. As Libby watches in horror via webcam, Nicole is kidnapped, drugged, and
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taken away from the island in a boat. Libby rushes to the island to aid in the search for her friend, only to discover that she is the prime suspect. Things get even stranger when Libby discovers her long-lost father and uncovers the family secrets. When a handsome Coast Guard lieutenant tries to help Libby, she begins to believe in Hope.

Here is something I have not been able to say regarding a novel in a long time: I read it in one sitting. I could not put it down. It was a perfect mix of mystery, romance, and history with a Christian accent. I have always been interested in the Outer Banks area, so that piqued my interest. One slight complaint; from the beginning of the novel, it drove me crazy that no one ever asked the one character who could have solved the mystery in Chapter Two. Of course, if they had, it would have been a short story, and not a very good one, at that. All things considered, it was an enjoyable read and I have to give it 4 stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Litfuse Publicity Group book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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LibraryThing member vintagebeckie
Somehow I missed the first book of Colleen Coble’s Hope Beach series, Tidewater Inn. With books 2 and 3 already read, I decided to remedy the problem with an audiobook that accompanied my morning walks. It proved a good choice in providing mysterious doings set on an island in the Outer Banks of
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North Carolina. This one is a good choice for fans of romantic suspense.

The summer time setting of an island was perfect for staycation reading. Tidewater Inn provides the smell of salt, the sound of waves, plenty of fresh seafood, and a small beach town vibe. I liked the main characters’ instant chemistry that grew as they faced a truly puzzling mystery. The reader is let in on some of the elements of the whodunit, but there were enough surprise twists to keep the pages turning. Kidnappings, murder accusations, and a threatening hurricane amp up the suspense factor. Romance and suspense are equal partners in the book, and readers of this genre will not be disappointed. And if you are fan of Coble’s other works you will enjoy the character crossover from the Rock Harbor series. As always the author weaves a faith message into the story line. The struggle to act in a Christ-like manner, even in the face of rejection and hostility is portrayed in Libby’s relationship with her new-found family.

While I read this book in the midst of summer, Tidewater Inn is worth a trip to Hope Beach at any time of the year. And if this is your first visit, you are in for a treat with all books in the series published. Binge-reading worthy? Oh, yeah!

Recommended.

Audience: adults

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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LibraryThing member Maydacat
Nicole and Libby are partners in rescuing and restoring ruins. On an assignment, Nicole informs Libby by phone that she met a woman who looked remarkably like Libby, and that she made other fascinating discoveries. Libby has a brother and sister, half siblings from her father’s second marriage,
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and Libby has inherited an inn. Nicole has arranged a meeting with the sister under a security camera, so Libby can tune in and see her sister. But things go horribly wrong, and instead of seeing her sister, Libby watches as Nicole is abducted by two men and hauled into a boat. Author Colleen Coble has written a suspenseful thriller, infused with Christian morals and sprinkled with romance. With strong and well-developed characters and an intricate and intriguing plot, readers will devour each page of this debut novel of a promising new series.
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LibraryThing member judyg54
A story that takes you to the Outer Banks and makes you want to go there in person and explore.

Libby loves to restore old buildings; so when she finds out she has inherited a beautiful old hotel on the Outer Banks you would think she would be happy. But her best friend has gone missing on the
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island, and some think Libby might have done away with her friend. Then she finds out she has a brother and sister and that her father never did die when her mother told her he did when she was small. Her world is revolving faster than she can take it all in. Only one person, Coast Guard lieutenant Alec, believes her and tries to help her any way he can. But it is an uphill battle to find her friend, and try to seek harmony from her siblings.

There was a lot going on in this story and it held my attention all the way through. I must say I was a little surprised by the "bad guy" at the end of the story. And the attraction between Libby and Alec was also enjoyable to watch. But having characters visit the island from another one of this authors books, was most enjoyable!!! A good lesson on how to behave in a Christ-like manner, even when hostility is given in return.
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LibraryThing member classyhomemaker
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
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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.
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Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2012-07-16

Physical description

312 p.; 8.5 inches

ISBN

1595547819 / 9781595547811

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