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Aloha Reef #1
Distant Echoes
In the land of aloha and paradise, dark secrets lurk just below the surface.
When a tragic accident downs a tourist boat off the coast of Hawaii, dolphin researcher Kaia Oana is one of the first in the water, risking her own life to try and save others. She’s enlisted to help the U.S. Navy find out what really happened – utilizing her specially trained dolphins to help
Kaia and Lieutenant Commander Jesse Matthews team up in the investigation – but as they edge closer to the truth about the incident, their own lives are threatened. Will a spirit of grace and forgiveness prevail or will it be overshadowed by the distant echoes of past pain and the imminent danger from a cold-blooded killer?
Set on the breathtaking Hawaiian island of Kauai, this novel provides an intoxicating mix of romance and suspense with the rhythms of island life.
When a tragic accident downs a tourist boat off the coast of Hawaii, dolphin researcher Kaia Oana is one of the first in the water, risking her own life to try and save others. She’s enlisted to help the U.S. Navy find out what really happened – utilizing her specially trained dolphins to help
Kaia and Lieutenant Commander Jesse Matthews team up in the investigation – but as they edge closer to the truth about the incident, their own lives are threatened. Will a spirit of grace and forgiveness prevail or will it be overshadowed by the distant echoes of past pain and the imminent danger from a cold-blooded killer?
Set on the breathtaking Hawaiian island of Kauai, this novel provides an intoxicating mix of romance and suspense with the rhythms of island life.
306 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2005
384 people are currently reading
2292 people want to read
About the author
Colleen Coble
147 books6,313 followersUSAToday bestselling author Colleen Coble lives with her husband, Dave, in Arizona. She is the author of dozens of novels including the Rock Harbor Series, the Aloha Reef Series, the Mercy Falls Series, the Hope Beach Series, the Lonestar Series and two Women of Faith fiction selections, Alaska Twilight and Midnight Sea. She has more than 6 million books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
April 27, 2024
“It feels like paradise, but deadly secrets lie beneath the waves off the coast of Kauai.”
We are docked in Kauai today and I’m on the lookout for Nani, the bottle-nosed dolphin!
Hawaiian native and dolphin researcher, Kaia Oana, is enlisted by the U.S. Navy to determine if a missile accident resulting in the deaths of several tourists was an accident or something more sinister.
Core in Hawaiian culture is the concept of ‘ohana’ or family. Understandable, then, is the chasm that continues to separate the Oana family when one of their own leaves the family. As the years pass, bitterness takes a firm hold and forgiveness looks impossible. When the ‘prodigal son’ returns twenty-five years later, the Oana family wrestles with their ability to accept the returning member. This is a beautiful redemption story and Coble brings alive the resentment and anguish for each family member.
I’ve read many books by Hawaiian authors and books set in Hawaii, but I’ve never been pulled into the island setting like I was in this book. Coble pulled together the Hawaiian culture, language and traditions and wove it with a compelling story and vivid descriptions of Kauai. Her threads of faith sparkled throughout and her characters added to the theme of second chances.
I loved the focus on dolphins and their intelligence as much as I enjoyed the mystery and romance!
We are docked in Kauai today and I’m on the lookout for Nani, the bottle-nosed dolphin!
Hawaiian native and dolphin researcher, Kaia Oana, is enlisted by the U.S. Navy to determine if a missile accident resulting in the deaths of several tourists was an accident or something more sinister.
Core in Hawaiian culture is the concept of ‘ohana’ or family. Understandable, then, is the chasm that continues to separate the Oana family when one of their own leaves the family. As the years pass, bitterness takes a firm hold and forgiveness looks impossible. When the ‘prodigal son’ returns twenty-five years later, the Oana family wrestles with their ability to accept the returning member. This is a beautiful redemption story and Coble brings alive the resentment and anguish for each family member.
I’ve read many books by Hawaiian authors and books set in Hawaii, but I’ve never been pulled into the island setting like I was in this book. Coble pulled together the Hawaiian culture, language and traditions and wove it with a compelling story and vivid descriptions of Kauai. Her threads of faith sparkled throughout and her characters added to the theme of second chances.
I loved the focus on dolphins and their intelligence as much as I enjoyed the mystery and romance!
June 8, 2020
My second read of Distant Echoes was just as enjoyable as the first. Five stars all the way.
This book was delightfully complex, with lots of twists and unexpected surprises. I enjoyed the theme of family, and it was woven in well throughout. The suspense was great. Not too scary, not too light. It really felt like the perfect amount of suspense for my mood the past couple of days.
The dolphin was amazing. She brought so much sparkle and happiness to this story.
Content: one mention of goddesses
This book was delightfully complex, with lots of twists and unexpected surprises. I enjoyed the theme of family, and it was woven in well throughout. The suspense was great. Not too scary, not too light. It really felt like the perfect amount of suspense for my mood the past couple of days.
The dolphin was amazing. She brought so much sparkle and happiness to this story.
Content: one mention of goddesses
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May 29, 2022I got to chapter 5 and it’s just not it for me. The writing wasn’t easy to read, the characters felt flat and boring, plus there were a lot of them! I found the plot slow and I just don’t care about the mystery. I won’t give up on Colleen Coble but this was a major disappointment for a first read from her.
December 28, 2020
A great start for the Aloha Reef series set in Hawaii. The lady is a native Hawaiian, while the man is a son of missionaries, born on the island but not of native heritage. (His cousin is the hero of the Rock Harbor series, and there is a small spoiler if you haven’t read the third book of that series yet.)
A missile detonation system and a dolphin training project are the main threads of the story and play a strong role in the mystery. A subthread features Kaia’s past with her mother’s desertion and another one features Jesse’s young niece.
Overall, a story I really enjoyed.
A missile detonation system and a dolphin training project are the main threads of the story and play a strong role in the mystery. A subthread features Kaia’s past with her mother’s desertion and another one features Jesse’s young niece.
Overall, a story I really enjoyed.
March 18, 2023
A fantastic read all about the power of love and forgiveness. I fell in love with the characters and the charming Hawaiian setting immediately. I love the suspense and the mystery of it all and Kaia and Jesse's connection. Also Heidi is amazing and hilarious. Fantastic romance with emphasis on Christian love and God's forgiveness.
August 22, 2020
I am giving this book 3 and 1/2 stars. I like it and get had me wondering who is doing the crime, but I have to admit after awhile I began not to care as much. I felt like they took to long to get to it. Also I didn't feel the chemistry of the 2 main characters. I like though that before they started their relationship that they will forgive those who hurt them. I think we all can learned to do this in any situation of our life. I like the child in the book. She was a breath of fresh air throughout the novel. This is my second book by Colleen Coble and I am looking forward to reading more of her work. Even with these problems I recommend this book!!
October 14, 2014
Let me just start by saying that I absolutely LOVE Colleen Coble. Her writing never fails to captivate me from the beginning and leave me wanting more at the end. I loved this book. I couldn't put it down! View my full review here.
March 27, 2016
SUMMARY: Sometimes Kaia Oana thinks her dolphins are more humane than humans. As a mammal intelligence researcher, Kaia has learned a thing or two about the goodness and intelligence of dolphins—and as a natural scientist in close proximity to weapons developers, she’s learned a thing or two about humans as well.
When a tourist catamaran explodes off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, Kaia and her trained dolphin, Nani, rush to aid the search and rescue effort. After hours of searching, an exhausted Kaia is pulled from the water by Lieutenant Commander Jesse Matthews of the U.S. Navy.
Lieutenant Matthews is accustomed to following protocol—and a civilian-dolphin rescue is not typical operating procedure. But when his colleagues ignore the possibility that missile research had something to do with the sunken catamaran, Jesse recruits Kaia and her dolphin to help him conduct his own investigation. The olive-skinned mermaid had impressed him—in more ways than one.
As their rogue investigation takes them into the waters surrounding the sunken boat—and their personal chemistry takes them into other uncharted territory—Kaia and Jesse discover that they have become targets themselves. Someone doesn’t want them snooping around that wreckage . . . someone desperate enough to kill.
REVIEW: This is the first book of Colleen Coble's Aloha Reef series. It takes place in Hawaii, has plenty of suspense, a touch of romance, a pod of dolphins, fast-paced adventure and is written by Colleen Coble. Add that together and you know that it is going to be a winner. This one definitely made my 2016 Favorites list, and I've already requested Book 2 Black Sands from my library.
The plot is a page turning riveter from start to finish. Coble obviously researched (probably on site) the island of Kauai and Hawaiian culture. I loved learning how the hula can be used as a praise or worship to God and about the family council. Her characters are full of depth and each is unique with their own strengths, weaknesses, and problems. The relationship between Kaia, her brothers and her grandfather was well done and made their family come to life. The respect they showed to their grandfather in all their dealings was so tender. The inclusion of the dolphin pod, particularly Nani, and their ability to understand and communicate with humans was extremely interesting and added an unusual aspect to this story. I have to admit that it was about two-thirds of the way through the book that I began to suspect who was behind all the sabotage and the role that Faye would play. Thanks Colleen Coble for another great start to a series.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "I've always believe things happen for a reason, Kaia. God might be shutting this door and opening another opportunity for you to reach Nani. One that will work."
"That's the trouble with being a human on this earth. We can never fully enter into how another person feels."
"God will never let you build your life on another's misery."
"..we are all human and share a common frailty..We all have a weakness, an area where we are most prone to sin. Hers is no worse than yours or mine. As God forgives us, we are to forgive others. Free aloha. No strings attached."
When a tourist catamaran explodes off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, Kaia and her trained dolphin, Nani, rush to aid the search and rescue effort. After hours of searching, an exhausted Kaia is pulled from the water by Lieutenant Commander Jesse Matthews of the U.S. Navy.
Lieutenant Matthews is accustomed to following protocol—and a civilian-dolphin rescue is not typical operating procedure. But when his colleagues ignore the possibility that missile research had something to do with the sunken catamaran, Jesse recruits Kaia and her dolphin to help him conduct his own investigation. The olive-skinned mermaid had impressed him—in more ways than one.
As their rogue investigation takes them into the waters surrounding the sunken boat—and their personal chemistry takes them into other uncharted territory—Kaia and Jesse discover that they have become targets themselves. Someone doesn’t want them snooping around that wreckage . . . someone desperate enough to kill.
REVIEW: This is the first book of Colleen Coble's Aloha Reef series. It takes place in Hawaii, has plenty of suspense, a touch of romance, a pod of dolphins, fast-paced adventure and is written by Colleen Coble. Add that together and you know that it is going to be a winner. This one definitely made my 2016 Favorites list, and I've already requested Book 2 Black Sands from my library.
The plot is a page turning riveter from start to finish. Coble obviously researched (probably on site) the island of Kauai and Hawaiian culture. I loved learning how the hula can be used as a praise or worship to God and about the family council. Her characters are full of depth and each is unique with their own strengths, weaknesses, and problems. The relationship between Kaia, her brothers and her grandfather was well done and made their family come to life. The respect they showed to their grandfather in all their dealings was so tender. The inclusion of the dolphin pod, particularly Nani, and their ability to understand and communicate with humans was extremely interesting and added an unusual aspect to this story. I have to admit that it was about two-thirds of the way through the book that I began to suspect who was behind all the sabotage and the role that Faye would play. Thanks Colleen Coble for another great start to a series.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "I've always believe things happen for a reason, Kaia. God might be shutting this door and opening another opportunity for you to reach Nani. One that will work."
"That's the trouble with being a human on this earth. We can never fully enter into how another person feels."
"God will never let you build your life on another's misery."
"..we are all human and share a common frailty..We all have a weakness, an area where we are most prone to sin. Hers is no worse than yours or mine. As God forgives us, we are to forgive others. Free aloha. No strings attached."
March 14, 2016
This book is the first novel in a Christian suspense and romance series called The Aloha Reef series, as it is set in Hawaii, and, in addition to that, the books all have at least some connection to the sea, shown either through diving, normal swimming, or boating. Anyhow, in this book, we are introduced to the Oana family, particularly to the sister in the family, Kaia who works with her friend Nani, a rescue dolphin, as well as a few others from Nani's pod, trying to establish better dolphin-human communication. I thought the book was well-written and entertaining, and the twists and turns of the plot due to the element of suspense/mystery were quite fun, and I even eventually guessed who the villain was before it was fully revealed, which rarely happens, so I was pleased with myself about that. In any case, I also loved the characters in the book and thought they were portrayed well. It has certainly earned its place on my favorites' list.
December 11, 2019
Excellent! 👍
September 25, 2024
This was my first Colleen Coble, and despite my mediocre rating, I will still pick up more from her. I know this is one of her older series, and I'm sure she's honed in more on her craft in her more recent.
I just felt that the relationships were very surface, and I didn't feel the connection to them, but the mystery was pretty interesting, and I loved the island setting and the dolphin research.
I just felt that the relationships were very surface, and I didn't feel the connection to them, but the mystery was pretty interesting, and I loved the island setting and the dolphin research.
September 4, 2007
Plot Summary: What happens, When & Where, Central Characters, Major Conflicts[return]Kaia loves her life in Hawaii and her work with dolphins--especially Nani. Nani even helps her rescue several people when an errant missle hits a pleasure boat. Unfortunately they weren't able to save her cousin Laban who owned the boat. Kaia then gets involved with Jesse, a navy security officer who is convinced recent security breaches at the base are connected to the missle mishap. He wants Kaia to patrol the waters with her dolphin. She reluctantly agrees and they are off on an adventure that involves a suspicious Hawaii secessionist group, Jesse's neice Heidi, a new boss who wants to turn the research facility into a theme park, and the reappearance of Kaia's mother, who abadoned her when she was a little girl. Oh, and a romance between Kaia and Jesse.[return][return][return]Style Characterisics: Pacing, clarity, structure, narrative devices, etc.[return]A lot going on, the suspense and the dolphin angle are very good. The characters are believable but not extremely well developed. The plot moves along at a good clip, though there are lots of tangents. The point of view shifts from character to character but there is no problem following the story. Some parts I found unbelievable--the ability of the search dog to track a character taken away in a car. The main characters go through a lot and I felt that the exploration of their emotional response was minimal. There is a good message about forgiveness and the Grandfather character is memorable. The romance seemed superficial as well.[return][return][return]How Good is it?[return]A good romantic suspense and escapist read, especially for the reader who loves animals and the culture of Hawaii.
April 22, 2017
Vintage Coble and I'm loving it. Suspense with so many possible suspects that I got dizzy trying to keep up! Lots of twists and turns and gasp-out-loud moments! This author knows how to keep a reader's attention right to the nail-biting end.
And I absolutely loved the island setting! Fascinating glimpses into Hawaiian culture thrilled me to my toes. Kaia and her brothers (eeep -- they each get their own story in this series) and their sage grandfather captured my heart and I look forward to renewing our friendship when I read the rest of the books (which are now on hold at my library!)
I think Colleen Coble must be a kindred animal lover because her books often feature critters. I fell in love with Nani the dolphin. Playful and coy and oh so clever! And there`s even a Bree and Samson (of Rocky Harbor fame) cameo appearance. I squealed when Samson went into rescue mode!
Another stellar romantic suspense from this award-winning author.
And I absolutely loved the island setting! Fascinating glimpses into Hawaiian culture thrilled me to my toes. Kaia and her brothers (eeep -- they each get their own story in this series) and their sage grandfather captured my heart and I look forward to renewing our friendship when I read the rest of the books (which are now on hold at my library!)
I think Colleen Coble must be a kindred animal lover because her books often feature critters. I fell in love with Nani the dolphin. Playful and coy and oh so clever! And there`s even a Bree and Samson (of Rocky Harbor fame) cameo appearance. I squealed when Samson went into rescue mode!
Another stellar romantic suspense from this award-winning author.
July 11, 2015
I enjoyed the book overall. I find Colleen Coble's writing to be a little choppy which is why I usually only give her 3 stars.
I love dolphins so I naturally loved the parts with the dolphins. It was neat to read how Nani & the other dolphins assist in a couple rescues.
I took a guess fairly early on about who the bad guy was & was pleased to be right :). I have to admit I had a few moments of doubt though & did wonder about one of the other characters once.
I also enjoyed the Hawaiian culture & native words that CC added to the book. That was a nice touch.
I love dolphins so I naturally loved the parts with the dolphins. It was neat to read how Nani & the other dolphins assist in a couple rescues.
I took a guess fairly early on about who the bad guy was & was pleased to be right :). I have to admit I had a few moments of doubt though & did wonder about one of the other characters once.
I also enjoyed the Hawaiian culture & native words that CC added to the book. That was a nice touch.
May 22, 2012
I am a fan of Colleen Coble's Mercy Falls series, so when I needed a book set in Hawaii for a challenge I am doing, it was a no brainer that this is where I was heading.
Compared to her Mercy Falls books, I found the character development in this book to be lacking and superficial. The book had a really difficult time keeping my attention, because the characters were so bland and the story line was so-so.
Will it stop me from reading this series? Yes. Will it stop me from reading CC books? No.
Compared to her Mercy Falls books, I found the character development in this book to be lacking and superficial. The book had a really difficult time keeping my attention, because the characters were so bland and the story line was so-so.
Will it stop me from reading this series? Yes. Will it stop me from reading CC books? No.
September 22, 2014
Enjoyable book. I was over the moon with the brief appearance of Kade and Bree! Jesse and Kaia were adorable. I really enjoyed learning about the Dolphins. The storyline was good. I went back and forth trying to decide who the bad guy was - he was one of the two that I had chosen. I was a little disappointed with the lack of romance in the book, but the happily-ever-after ending makes up for some of the disappointment. Looking forward to book two in the series.
April 12, 2016
I really enjoyed this book! I was pulled in by the suspense, drama and romance. The characters were realistic and believable. I also loved learning about Hawaii and Hawaiian words (the pronunciation guide in the back was very helpful). This is book 1 in the Aloha Reef series, but works fine as a stand alone book. However, the next book does mention these characters so if you would like to know what happens to them, I would recommend reading the rest. Plus they are great books!
December 28, 2022
I enjoyed the second read of this story just as much as I did the first time. This time I connected Bree and Samson from the Rock Harbor series, so it was fun to be more in the know of who they were.
I loved the dolphins as part of the mystery and how everything evolved.
*I listened to the audiobook on Scribd.*
I loved the dolphins as part of the mystery and how everything evolved.
*I listened to the audiobook on Scribd.*
April 4, 2022
Another new author who can help me get through my work days as i work from home. This was an amazing start to this fantastic series and i loved that it was clean, suspenseful and had a lovely christian aspect to the romance and story. I also like the fact that the romance was built in as part of the plot with the two characters getting to know each other while working together. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series and more books by this author. My work days for the next few weeks should fly by.
June 27, 2024
Was unsure about a few things along the way but this turned out to be a great mystery and a lovely story of love and forgiveness.
December 3, 2024
The Navy talk, all the Hawaiian words, the dolphin stuff, and the slow pace of the book made me skip a lot of the book just to get to any good parts😂 Will I finish the series? Probably.
May 29, 2025
Way too predictable.
June 27, 2024
This was the first Colleen Coble audiobook I’ve listened to, and I didn’t read the description or anything… so I honestly had no clue what to expect, but this was SOOOO GOOD!
Buckle up for a mystery with twists and turns that will have your head spinning. The narration was good, the story was great and the combination didn’t disappoint! This was a very engaging and enjoyable listen and I’m so excited to start the next book in the series!
Buckle up for a mystery with twists and turns that will have your head spinning. The narration was good, the story was great and the combination didn’t disappoint! This was a very engaging and enjoyable listen and I’m so excited to start the next book in the series!
September 25, 2024
100% Clean, family drama, romance, mystery, Hawaii, faith, all the good stuff!
June 16, 2019
Colleen’s books are always amazing and they speak to your heart. This book is action packed and I can honestly say I was wrong about people more than once in this book. This book makes you look inside yourself and forgiveness
February 7, 2013
Kaia lives on Kauai and works with dolphins, trying to teach them to communicate. When there is an accident that claims the life of her cousin, the navy enlists her help, along with Jesse's. There is a mystery to solve and Kaia and Jesse are racing against time to do so. They are also fighting against a mutual attraction to one another and need to forgive things from their pasts before they can move on.
First of all--I LOVE the name Kaia. That was in the running for the name of my last baby. Had I read this book before she was born, I might have pushed for that one. Kaia is a nice, strong character. I loved the descriptions of Hawaii and would love to visit that area. I loved the dolphins. I liked the relationship that Kaia and Jesse had, but would have liked to see a little more romance. It was kind of gradual, yet it was suddenly there. I also thought a little more emotion could have been shown at the time of the accident. All in all, it was a fun escape read and I really enjoyed it.
Content: some mild, not very descriptive violence. There are Christian themes, but it's not overly preachy. No language or sex.
First of all--I LOVE the name Kaia. That was in the running for the name of my last baby. Had I read this book before she was born, I might have pushed for that one. Kaia is a nice, strong character. I loved the descriptions of Hawaii and would love to visit that area. I loved the dolphins. I liked the relationship that Kaia and Jesse had, but would have liked to see a little more romance. It was kind of gradual, yet it was suddenly there. I also thought a little more emotion could have been shown at the time of the accident. All in all, it was a fun escape read and I really enjoyed it.
Content: some mild, not very descriptive violence. There are Christian themes, but it's not overly preachy. No language or sex.
October 30, 2016
Tem um enredo muito, mas muito bom mesmo - um míssil da Marinha que alguém desconhecido sabota de modo a atingir um barco de recreio cheio de pessoas; uma mulher que trabalha com golfinhos e que ajuda, acabando por ser recrutada também pela Marinha para ajudar na patrulha das águas em busca de inimigos; uma mãe que abandonou a sua casa e filhos pequenos há anos e que regressa. O único problema é que os desenvolvimentos foram descritos de uma forma muito simples, o que não me convenceu na totalidade.
Adorei os protagonistas - Caia e Jesse e a forma tão ingénua como o seu romance se deu - este é a minha segunda incursão pelo romance cristão e dou por mim a apreciar um romance mais inocente. Também gostei muito dos irmãos de Caia - Mano e Bane.
Mas sobretudo o que mais me fascinou foi ler sobre o Havai, especialmente a linda ilha de Kauai e sobre os golfinhos e as tentativas de Caia de estabelecer contacto e fazê-los comunicar consigo.
Adorei os protagonistas - Caia e Jesse e a forma tão ingénua como o seu romance se deu - este é a minha segunda incursão pelo romance cristão e dou por mim a apreciar um romance mais inocente. Também gostei muito dos irmãos de Caia - Mano e Bane.
Mas sobretudo o que mais me fascinou foi ler sobre o Havai, especialmente a linda ilha de Kauai e sobre os golfinhos e as tentativas de Caia de estabelecer contacto e fazê-los comunicar consigo.
June 15, 2017
Set on the exotic Hawaiian island of Kauai, Colleen Coble has penned another breathtaking suspense tale -- replete with oceanic beauty, marine life, dolphins, and the beautiful young trainer who loves them, Kaia Oana. When she unwilling becomes involved in a dangerous investigation with Lieutenant Commander Jesse Matthews, will the magical allure of the island ignite a precarious romance as well? Not so much a creepy suspense as it is a mystery, Coble lovers everywhere will enjoy this well written novel of mystique and peril!
August 24, 2023
When a boat accident occurs out at sea, Kaia and her trained dolphin, Nani, hurry to the rescue. A Navy officer helps with the rescue, and it isn't long until they begin to take notice of each other. However, there are strange and dangerous things happening on the Hawaiian island. When Kaia and Jesse begin to investigate, they and their loved ones' lives are in danger as well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews