Shadowed

Alaskan Courage #0.5

by Dani Pettrey

Adventure, romance, and danger collide when Ben McKenna, a young Alaskan fisherman nets the body of a Russian open water swimming competitor. Another swimmer, Libby Jennings, who'd been the dead woman's roommate years ago, is pulled into the search for answers as it grows more and more clear that something sinister is at play.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Romance, Mystery, Suspense, Fiction, Romantic Suspense

128 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2016

About the author

Praised by New York Times best-selling author Dee Henderson as “a name to look for in romantic suspense,” Dani Pettrey has sold nearly a million copies of her novels to readers eagerly awaiting the next release. Dani combines the page-turning adrenaline of a thriller with the chemistry and happy-ever-after of a romance. Her novels stand out for their “wicked pace, snappy dialogue, and likable characters” (Publishers Weekly), “gripping storyline[s],” (RT Book Reviews), and “sizzling undercurrent of romance” (USA Today).

Her Alaskan Courage series and Chesapeake Valor series have received praise from readers and critics alike and spent multiple months topping the CBA bestseller lists. Dani has also been honored with multiple awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award, two HOLT Medallions, a Christy Award finalist, two National Readers’ Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, and Christian Retailing’s Best Award.

She researches murder and mayhem from her home in Maryland. For more information about her novels, visit danipettrey.com

Reviews

[Susan Snodgrass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so glad I discovered Dani Pettrey's books. She is a wonderful writer. Her books are full of suspense, inspiration and totally believable characters. Her settings are tops, too. I loved her Alaskan Courage series, the story of each of the McKenna siblings. In Shadowed, we get to meet the parents of those wonderful McKennas and boy, is it ever great!

I loved every single minute of this book and I am now looking forward to Dani Pettrey's 'Still Life' in her new series.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the Sins of the Past collection.

Ben and Libby totally stole my heart. Reading this edge-of-your-seat tale (Russian spies in the Cold War...eeep!) made me want to instantly pick up other books in the series that I haven't read and finish the family's story.

[Oceana Reads Co. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh a separate novella? Yes please, add to my reading challenge, thank you.
Also I love Dani Pettrey and this series and these characters.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt that this middle entry in the Sins of the Past collection was easily the best one. Not only was the story exciting, but it's also historical fiction; it takes you back to 1979, when rainbow suspenders were popular thanks to Mork & Mindy, a longtime favorite show of mine. As someone who was born well into the "decade of excess," I've always been curious about what life was like before my time...and this proved to be an excellent portrait of those days. Now, I'm curious about this author's other books; I need to seek them out at my local library.

[CarolynB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good, and tense, introductory novella for the Alaskan Courage series. I really enjoyed getting to know Ben and Libby. I am looking forward to reading the series.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't know how she does it, but Pettrey KNOWS how to write romantic suspense that keeps her readers wanting MORE every time!!! Shadowed is the story of how the McKenna parents meet and fall in love, it also explains why their five kids are so awesome and adventurous in the Alaskan Courage series. I only wish I remembered what happens to Libby and Ben later on, but definitely a great story that Pettrey fans will love and easily read in one sitting.....love the McKennas and this prequel shows how their legacy began :)

[Abigail Hawthorne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this was really good! Honestly, from my experience with Dani Pettrey books, I just don't like the romance. Everything else is amazing! The suspense, mystery, characters, themes (a suspense book that actually had good themes that weren't preachy or too shallow :O), setting, writing everything.
Literally everything except the romance.
The romance . . . It isn't that it's bad. It's just a lot more fast paced and intense than I prefer. There were some sweet and funny parts (like the epilogue *star eyes*), but a lot of it was more like, "Will you two stop kissing and going googley-eyed over each other?!?!?" But, knowing about the series that comes after this novella makes it a little more worth it. Even if I am a little grossed out (I actually started making faces at the romance at one point XD), I really like that I know this relationship won't fall apart.<3
Content: Plenty of stuff related to the mystery that isn't for sensitive readers. A dead body is discovered and is a main piece of the plot, and, while it isn't described in detail, you get the idea that it ain't pretty. The bad guys are vicious and don't hesitate to kill or try to kill. But - nothing much out of the ordinary for a suspense book. There is a lot of intense romance with more detail than I'd like, but nothing "dirty" or really bad at all. No language, and nothing inappropriate beyond one comment by a random person (and it wasn't true). *Note: Near the first of the story, there is a situation where a girl and guy end up alone for a long time, even overnight (nothing bad whatsoever happens). The guy is known as so honorable that other characters don't even consider that anything bad happened. Just a heads up, bc this might bother some readers. While I seriously question the decisions that led up to that point, everything stays perfectly clean!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this prequel as much as the first one. Look forward to reading the rest of the series.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadowed #0.5 Alaskan Courage by Dani Pettrey

In Shadowed we learn how the parents of the McKenna clan met and why they are all so adventurous. 1979....the story is set in the Gulf of Alaska, off the coast of Yancey, Alaska. I can't imagine swimming in 42-degree water—shiver—like competitor Libby Jennings in the cold-open-water competitions tournament. There is more on her mind than swimming—is the person trying to kill her near? I like her strength, heart for others and her faith. Ruggedly handsome fisherman Ben McKenna soon stole my heart with more than his looks. He is a godly man, strong, his integrity and faith are only part of his charm. Watching the whales frolic in the water was exciting for Libby, however, what the Orca feeding pod brought to the surface was not—a body—a fellow swimmer in the tournament. As a result Ben and Libby spent a lot of time together trying to solve the murder, stay out of the evil that followed and keep Libby safe. This is a thrilling, on-the-edge-of-your-seat, suspenseful story that kept me turning the pages and trying to solve the mystery. I love the ending—great beginning to the Alaskan Courage series: Submerged, Shattered, Stranded, Silenced and Sabotaged. Added Shadowed to my 2016 favorites.

[Aerykah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well! This one certainly drops you right into the middle of the story! And then the first chapter comes along and takes you back to the "beginning" so you can understand more of what's going on. With mystery, suspense, and romance, this one kept my attention from beginning to end and is probably my favorite of the three.
And we get another McKenna story-- Yay!! :D Libby: "Four... or maybe five, a handful." -- Ben: "We have five adventurous kids who take after us, and we're definitely going to have our hands full."

May 2016-- Read in the Sins of the Past collection.

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great prequel to the McKenna siblings

I loved how this book showed us the beginning of the McKenna's and the reason for their determination, grit, and determination. The parent's love story was wonderful! The only downfall...it was too short! I felt I was in a cliffhanger not knowing what will happen with the paper. However, in a state of war you don't know who to trust which happened in this story. I was quite surprised by the turn of events at the end!

A great story, with lots of twists and turns that will make you wonder what will happen next.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping, gruesome, and...grinning? Yup, you read that right! This fast-paced novella sucked me in from the first chapter and kept me there. The murder was a yucky one, and the solving of it was heart-palpitatingly done. And the grinning? I can't help but think "Awwww" in regards to this story, as it unfolds the tale of the McKenna clan's matriarch and patriarch falling in loooove. So sweet. A must read for Dani Pettrey fans, or any romantic suspense lover, for that matter.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadowed reminded me why I love to read Dani Pettrey's books. The Alaskan Courage series is so good and it was fun to read Libby and Ben's story. We can see where their children got their love for adventure and working out mysteries with that bit of danger and murder loaded in the mix. It was fun to revisit the styles, foods and politics of the late 70's and the Cold War. I have to admit that I didn't see the surprise ending. Great novella filled with lots of action.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series. When I learned Dani Pettry had written a prequel, I had to get it. This tells the story of the McKenna siblings' parents and how they met. This is a short novella, so it just took a couple of hours to read. Things moved quickly. I'd have loved to read this fully fleshed out into a book. Still, it's good. 3 1/2 stars.

[Nola Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - This novella is a prequel to Dani Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series, and shows how the parents of the five drop-dead gorgeous McKenna siblings got together. It's set in Yancey, Alaska in the 70s, where champion long-distance swimmer Libby has come to compete in one of the toughest events of the season. On a rare afternoon off, she decides to go on a whale-watching tour. The inclement weather means that she and hunky skipper, Ben, are the only ones aboard. However, they get more than they bargained for when they find the dead body of one of Libby's Russian competitors in the water miles from anywhere. Was Russian swimmer Kat a spy, and if so, which side was she working for? She clearly had something her killer wanted, but they didn't find it. Now the bad guys are after Libby and Ben. Will our gorgeous heroes survive the Cold War that's happening in their own back yard?

I've read four of the Alaskan Courage books, and was looking forward to this prequel. It had a lot going for it - likable leads, a kookie conspiracy theorist, Alaskan wilderness, romance, suspense and a consideration of the role of faith in relationships. However, I felt the writing let it down a little. There was too much 'tell' rather than 'show' for my liking, especially regarding what the leads were thinking and feeling. Sometimes, passages of dialogue were slowed down too much by sidetracking into each of the character's thoughts. Then when some of the more suspenseful scenes took place, I felt they were rushed. I understand it's novella length and the story has to keep moving, but there were plenty of places that could have been condensed in order to allow more room for the suspenseful elements.

If you've enjoyed the Alaskan Courage series, you'd probably enjoy this book. It's also interesting to see the younger versions of some of the other characters (e.g. Doc). It's a good light holiday read, but I just didn't feel it was up to the same standard as Dani Pettrey's best.

[Monique the Book Geek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of the Sins of the Past collection and a prequel novella in the Alaskan Courage series.

Shadowed is set in Alaska, a place with deep Russian history, during the year 1979, when cold war tensions between the Russian Soviet Union and the United States intensified. The mystery and suspense in this book are tied to this dark history. There are also competitive swimming and cave diving themes.

Shadowed introduces two adventurous characters, Ben and Libby, that later become the parents of one of my favorite fictional families, the McKennas. I really enjoyed getting to know the beginnings of this couple.

This is a short, entertaining, well-written book with well-paced thrills that I highly recommend to romantic suspense fans.

[Abigail Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS
I found this novella after reading the novels in the series and it was so good! It dealt with spies, love, hate, and murder, quite a mix. The characters were wonderful, perfect, and well developed. The length of the plot was paced just right, surprisingly well, I say. I liked seeing the start of the stories and only wish that Ben and Libby were in the whole series.

[Wendy Sparkes · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was nice to read the story of the McKenna's parents, and also to have Agnes appear and play a part in the story.

Set in 1979 during the Cold War - perfect setting for this story.

As always, Dani writes a good story, and this was heading to be my favourite story in the Sins of the Past collection. Sadly, a swear word again appears in her writing, and so the rating reflects that. This is now the 3rd time I've come across this in her stories, so with Colossians 3:8-9 and Luke 6:45 in mind, I will not be reading this author's works again. (This is a shame, because she is talented in her story-telling.)

Read as part of collection.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading about Ben & Libby.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadowed- the prequel to Pettrey's Alaskan Courage series- introduces readers to the McKenna sibling's parents, Libby Jennings and Ben McKenna. After traveling to Yancey for a swimming competition, Libby and Ben meet when she seeks out some rest and relaxation through a whale-watching boat excursion led by Ben. On the outing, they come upon a gruesome discovery- a dead Russian swimmer, also in Yancey for the competition. As head of Yancey's Search and Rescue team, Ben works with local law enforcement and Libby to untangle the mystery behind the swimmer's murder leading them into the dark world of spies and national security secrets. Throughout the investigation, Ben and Libby find the attraction between them strengthening at a rapid pace resulting in a budding romance. And as they say, the rest is history (or is at least found in the Alaskan Courage series)!

This prequel only added to my endearment for Pettrey's series! Although the book's primary intent was to introduce readers to how the beloved McKenna clan began with Libby and Ben, Pettrey successfully wrapped their romance around an intriguing and mysterious murder suspense! Great story to set the stage for an even better series!

This review contains my own thoughts and opinions. I have not been compensated for this review in any way.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella had all the action and punch I came to enjoy with the other books in the 'Alaskan Courage' series. I liked the feeling of 'racing the clock', not only as Libby swam her race, but as she and Ben, and the law enforcement of Yancey tried to figure out what happened to Libby's co-competitor. The romance was definitely more stated in "Shadowed" than in Dee Henderson's "Missing", but that's okay, because I think Ben and Libby were downright adorable!
(I read this as part of the collection Sins of the Past)

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading Ben and Libby's story after reading the entire Alaskan Courage series.

Pettrey does a great job introducing and developing these characters. It was also fun meeting some of the characters as "youngsters" that we met during the Alaskan Courage series.

I love the chemistry between Ben and Libby. Both of them have a stubborn streak a mile long as well as a love for adventure and the great outdoors.

I did get a little "teary" eyed in the closing pages of this story. But definitely a great read!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book for Fans of The Alaskan Courage series

I thought this book was another great story by Pettrey! This is a fun, fast-past read. I loved getting to meet the parents and finding out some of the backstory from the other books in The Alaskan Courage series.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sooo good to see how the McKenna's started (and of course it was with a bang)

[Caryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I loved Libby and Ben's story. The danger, suspense and romance kept me turning the pages. I highly recommend this book.

[Kate Lendley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Dani Pettrey but it will not be my last.

I often find Novellas difficult to get into because the story is only getting off the ground when it comes to an end, in my opinion. I decided to read this one because it was the prequel to the Alaskan Courage series and it also gave me an excellent sample of Dani Pettrey's writing style. I am glad I took a chance on this one and have discovered a new author whose books will continue to take up space on my TBR pile for years to come.

In this novella, Pettrey introduces her readers to the small town of Yancey, Alaska and some of the residence who call it home. While leading a whale watching excursion, Ben McKenna and his loan passenger, Libby Jennings, discover the body of open water swimmer, Kat Stanic. Libby is in Yancey to compete the open water swimming tournament schedule to take place in a few days. Libby decides to keep Kat's watch and her swimming cap to return to Kat's parents in Russia. While stowing Kat's cap in her backpack, Libby discovers a piece of fabric that contains a quote. While it seems unassuming and more of an athletic superstition than a clue that will lead Ben and Libby to the person, or persons, who killed Kat, those who know what the piece of frabric contains will stop at nothing to recover it.

This was an excellent introduction to a new author and I am excited to read the other books she has written.

If you enjoy reading books by Dee Henderson, Colleen Coble, and Nancy Mehl, you will love Dani Pettrey. I highly recommend this author after only the small snapshot of her writing and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

A favorite Christian fiction series and family that I fell in love with was the McKenna's and the series Alaskan Courage. These books are set in Alaska and are romantic suspense with a Christian touch to them. In the main series, each book talks about one of the McKenna siblings as they meet their "one" and get a "HEA" but at the same time - they are challenged and have to survive. As those who have read the series, they would know that the parents have passed away and they are raising themselves as a strong sibling unit. Shadowed takes readers back to the year 1979 when the McKenna Parents meet and their rocky road #meetcute that surrounded a murder mystery and spies. Libby is here in town for a swimming competition and is one of the superstars to keep an eye on. Her competition is Russian swimmer Kat whom Libby also went to college with and for a while was best friends with and then they drifted apart due to a college scandal. Libby has on her day off decided to go and see the whales hosted by Ben McKenna who came home to look after his Dad and runs a boating tour business. While out and about, they see a dead body in the water, and when Libby realizes it's Kat, a murder mystery ensures, and Libby and Ben are thrust into a world of Russian spies, conspiracy, and mayhem as someone wants what Kat had and now Libby and Ben have it. Shadowed by Dani Pettrey was a quick fast-paced romantic suspense read and a great introduction to the Alaskan Courage series if you have read the Alaskan Courage series, then this is a great companion read, and see how the McKenna family came to be created.

[Nastassja Loots · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shadowed by Dani Pettrey is a prequel novella to the Alaskan Courage series making the reader privy to how the McKenna’s parents met and fell in love – a story they would never tell their children.

Competitive open-water swimmer, Libby Jennings, visits Yancey, Alaska for a tournament and meets local fisherman, Ben McKenna, on a whale-watching trip. While at sea Ben nets the body of Libby’s former roommate and fiercest competition in the upcoming tournament. Libby unexpectedly discovers a mysterious clue pointing to murder. As a link to the swimmer community, Libby becomes part of the investigative team, and as Ben and Libby team up to solve the mystery, Libby’s Alaskan adventure unexpectedly turns deadly when the killer sets his sights on silencing Libby.

Both Ben and Libby have strong faith and it carries them through their ordeal and closer to each other. Their respective relationships with God is beautifully portrayed and they have meaningful conversations about their faith. Their relationship progresses very fast, but Pettrey manages this in a surprisingly realistic fashion, and given the nature of the novella this is also understandable.

Though short, it was an absolute joy to return to Alaska. The mystery is gripping, the plot is thrilling, the romance is sweet and the faith is inspiring. All in all this page turner is a great introduction to the Alaskan Courage series, and it is easy to see how the McKennas came to be the loving, God-fearing, adventurous heroes that they are.

[TheModestMillennial · Rating 5 out of 5]

What starts as a relaxing break from the riggors if her profession quickly turns into a whirlwind and potentially life-threatening adventure for Libby Jennings when she and her tour guide discover a murder victim in the open ocean.

Ben McKenna loves the thrill of the outdoors, but almost from the instant Libby steps onto his boat and into his life, his adventures turn into something dangerous that he can't escape. Walking away would guarantee he'd lose the girl who made him realize he hasn't been living until she showed up.

Great vacation read or even a weekend read because of the length of the novella. Warning, you may get pulled in and have to read the entire series.

Find my full review including character, plot, and theme analyses at www.themodestmillennial.com

[Caryn Block · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was OK, although it suffers from a bit of "instalove" which I really don't like. It's one thing when it happens in a YA book, it's almost expected in that situation, but in an adult story I find it ridiculous and unbelievable. I really loved Submerged (book 1 in the Alaskan Courage series) and figured I should go back and read this novella prequel before advancing further into the series. I almost wish I hadn't. I just didn't enjoy this one as much. The plot was fine, but the pacing was so rushed (because it's a novella) and the characters just fell flat because of it - which made the relationship all the more difficult for me to care about. I do like Dani Pettrey's writing though, so I will continue on in this series.