Running Target

Coldwater Bay Intrigue #4

by Elizabeth Goddard

A routine patrol turns deadly when marine deputy Bree Carrington’s boat is sunk by men carrying illegal weapons. Fleeing a barrage of bullets, she’s suddenly rescued by DEA agent Quinn Strand—her ex-boyfriend. Quinn’s return threatens more than Bree’s heart…because he’s the one the men are really after. As criminals hunt her to get to him, can Quinn and Bree take down a drug ring?

Genres: Romance, Love Inspired Suspense, Christian Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Contemporary

221 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2019

About the author

Elizabeth Goddard is the PW, ECPA, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of over sixty novels, including the Missing in Alaska and Rocky Mountain Courage series. Her books have sold more than 1.5 million copies. She is a Christy Award, Carol Award and Reader's Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she's not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website.



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Reviews

[Susan Snodgrass]

Elizabeth Goddard continues her Coldwater Bay Intrigue series with this offering and she does not disappoint! When an author hits the ground running from the very first sentence, you know you're in for a good one! And we are. Goddard continues the same way she starts out through the entire novel. There is virtually no down time at all! Suspense all the way.

Marine Deputy Bree Carrington and her partner's routine stop of a vessel turns into a desperate battle for life. What they thought was illegal weapons turns into a deadly drug ring. She flees into the woods and is rescued at the last minute by her ex boyfriend, DEA agent Quinn Strand. As the criminals continue to chase both of them, can they stay safe and bring down this drug ring at the same time.

If you like inspirational suspense and a lot of it, this book is for you. Recommended.

*My thanks to the author for a preview copy of this book. The opinion expressed here is entirely my own.

[Andrea Cox]

The first half of this book was fantastic. Complex regrets in both leads hooked me in. Unpredictable plot twists and plenty of action kept me interested.

Until things ground to a halt. Both leads went on and on and ON about why they could never be together. Bree was a melty, weepy mess through the second half of the story, so I couldn’t believe she’d made it through the police academy, let alone that she was “tough” and “the best” at her job. At the halfway point, the plot became completely predictable to me. Several big-action events were thrown in at random, with no clue that the bad guys had those devices, explosives, or skills.

This was a tale of two stories that ended up losing my interest at the halfway mark and never regaining it. I wish the amazingness and unpredictability and originality of the first hundred pages would have continued throughout. Those pages showed me that the author has huge potential.

[Kara]

ANOTHER excellent book from Goddard, this one will DEFINITELY keep you up past bedtime!! Bree and her partner, Jayce, are about to call it a day when they do what seems to be a routine stop of a suspicious boat. EVERYTHING changes in an instant and just like THAT, Bree is running for her life.

Quinn, an unwelcome surprise, is waiting nearby and somehow helps Bree survive the next suspense-filled chapters. Not your typical hero, Quinn is trying to clear his own name in a corrupt situation and unknowingly leads the bad guys right to Bree's home. He has never stopped loving her, but will he be able to save Bree AND her family?

Truly loved that after Jayce gets hurt, Bree is horrified he has been killed (ohmygosh, what a scene). We don't even know these characters at this point, but your heart goes into your throat wondering if Jayce is okay and if Bree can get help. I don't think I fully breathed until Bree was safe and even then the story keeps you on your toes the entire time!

"Wow. He really was the pain-maker. He hasn't realized just how important it was for Bree to believe him. To believe in him. How could that be when he'd repeatedly distanced himself from her, knowing that he couldn't be the man she needed? The friend she needed?"

Running Target could have easily been a Die Hard movie with its non stop action, hold your breath moments until this person is safe, clean romance (okay so there is no romance in Die Hard but Goddard brilliantly includes it here to make the reader's heart skip a beat in a different way from the suspense), and a deputy who will stop at nothing to keep her family safe while trying to solve this craziness. Don't know how Goddard does it, but EACH book in this series causes my heart to pound more than the previous one just enough to remind me how much I enjoy Love Inspired Suspense books :)

I received a review copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review, the thoughts and comments are my own.

[Suzie]

When a patrol on the river turns deadly, Bree Carrington takes to the forest to save her partner. Little does she know someone from her past is watching out for her as well.

The Coldwater Bay Intrigue series finale brings the long-lost Strand sibling home. And oh boy, has trouble followed Quinn there. The kind of trouble that has zero qualms about leveraging the people Quinn care about most, starting with his ex-girlfriend. And while Quinn can’t trust anyone from the DEA, can he put his trust in the God who never left him?

While I would have loved it if Goddard had pulled in some of the Strand family sooner (several of them are in law enforcement/protection, after all), the author’s high-stakes, pulse-pounding story grabs ahold of you and drags you along for the ride from the very first page.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Melissa Henderson]

Be ready to hold on to your seats. Action, mystery, twists and turns and more are found in this story. Who to trust? How to handle situations? Questions to be answered. A powerful story. I received a complimentary copy of the story. No review was required.

[Mark]

I have enjoyed this series, and actually have book #3 to read yet...read the last one before it by accident. This was a great read, with a lot of action and suspense.

[Carol]

Very good read. Moves fast. Realistic characters.
A dirty agent, killing, kidnapping and super smart
honest people who are trying to be stopped.
Exciting from the first page to the conclusion.

[Glenda Parker]

My review today is on the Love Inspired Suspense, Running Target. This is the fourth book in the Coldwater Bay Intrigue Series. Elizabeth is one of my favorite authors. I'm always thrilled when I receive one of her books in the mail. This book is well written, action packed and full of intrigue. Faith is interwoven through out the story like a beautiful tapestry. I know you are going to love it.

Deputy Bree Carrington and her partner stop a fishing boat. They appeared to be having trouble and she plans to assist them. What should have been a routine stop turns into an illegal gun bust but the men managed to turn things around and Bree's partner is shot and Bree is running for her life. She is rescued by her one time boyfriend Quinn. He finds her and gets her to safety.

DEA Agent Quinn Strand is hiding out in the forest. He was working undercover but it blew up in his face. Now he has led them to the only woman he has ever loved. He saw the police stop the boat. He runs to help Bree as she struggles through the forest to get away from these killers. He manages to catch up with Bree and lead her to safety knowing she would report what happened and would bring officers out here. How was he to stay hidden and save Bree at the same time? How can he explain that he's really the one these men are after.

A difficult journey through forest lands; killers chasing them on all sides. They must forget the past and trust each other, leaning on their Lord and Savior. God has a plan for these two; a plan for a hope and a future. God has a plan for you too, a good plan and not for evil. Give Him your heart and watch Him move in your life.

[Anna Marie]

Marginally better than the first book in the series that I read, but... just marginally.

I think it's the sheer number of law enforcement, branches, and criminals in one place that drives me crazy. She's deputy in a marine division. He's ex-Marine. His brother in law is ex-CIA. His back-up is DEA. It's just... too much. And then Bree says, "Here in this county, we don't come across crime that often..."

WE'RE ON BOOK *FOUR* Of Coldwater Bay, hello...!!!

And Goddard has him doing *THE* stupidest things. If all he has is his backpack, he's not gonna just leave it on the ledge, hello. If he's protected them from the blast of an exploding *HOUSE* and "endured the pain of the blast - pain upon more pain until he almost felt numb from it all" - he's not immediately gonna be open for a bear hug... yet the author says he is. !!!

I do have to say I like the title of the book. Half the time the titles are just bland, often they're complete misnomers. But 'Running Target' was actually witty, on several levels, so there's that.

I'll keep it, but I wish I'd liked it more.

[Valri Western]

Another book in the Coldwater Bay saga. Each one can be a standalone book, this one especially. From page one of this book, the action begins and doesn't stop! A couple times I had to just look up from the book and take a breath because I felt like this was a movie I was watching and I was so involved in it! Bree is a marine deputy (which I hadn't actually heard of before this book!) out for a routine patrol when her boat is sunk by thugs with illegal weapons. They kidnap her and take her into the woods by the water and she is miraculously saved by DEA agent Quinn Stand who just happens to be her ex-boyfriend and she finds out that those thugs are really after him! What ensues is a life and death pursuit that can't even be described! You have to read the book! It involves all of Bree's family eventually and it's breaking her heart...and Quinn's! They have a lot of tangled history! These thugs are relentless and you never know what will happen page by page. Pick up a copy today and find out!

[Michelle Morgan]

Running Target by Elizabeth Goddard
Running Target is part of the Coldwater Bay series and the best yet. It can be read as a stand-alone. But be prepared to be taken on the adventure of a lifetime. Bree Carrington and her partner were making a routine water patrol when their world was turned upside down by drug running hit-men. Running for her life she is found by Quinn Strand with the DEA. He happens to be family friend and ex of Bree. Together they run for their lives, trying to protect her family and clear Quinn’s name. Running Target is well written, the characters are well thought out. It is action packed page turner that will keep you at the edge of your seat. It also has a few twists and turns that were truly unexpected. Elizabeth Goddard has done a superb job with this 5-star book. I look forward to her next one.

[Toth Jo-Ann]

I really love reading Elizabeth's book. This is the 4th in the Coldwater bay series. I love the beginning for it draws you right into the story. I enjoyed Bree Carrington's character. For she wasn't afraid to admit that she had questions about things. I also liked Quinn Strand. He loved his girl but was afraid to commit because of the work he did. The story has lots of action and definitely suspense. It keeps you guessing as to what will happen next. But you will never question how either feel. There is definitely mystery as to work is behind everything that is going on. It a great book and will have you curious enough to turn the page to see what is happening next. I'm curious as to what will be next. Looking forward to it.

[Kav]

Grab your oxygen tank (and a spare) before you dare start reading Running Target! Aptly titled as your pulse will be racing straight through to the end. Great opening scene! Fast-paced and action packed and it just doesn't let up. Love the wilderness aspect which adds even more tension and drama. And really loved that Bree is a kick-butt, never-say-quit heroine, even when she's scared out of her mind! And, believe me, she has plenty to be scared about! Including losing her heart...again...to Quinn Strand who is quite the heart-throb and another reason you might need that second oxygen tank. :-) Running Target is breath-snatching perfection!

[Paula Dunaway]

Herione a little over the top

I liked this book, the last in tbd Goldwater Bay series. However, the female heroine gives female law enforcement a bad name. Since that is what I did for thirty years, I would have expected someone who at the minimum knew what to do even given license to the book being a work of fiction. But, at first I hated her! She couldn't even shut up and do what was expected of her in a serious situation. I think the Arthur should have had her guilt her job and do something else! Seriously, she sucks! But in the end, love conquered all and the ending was well written. I liked the storyline other than your leading lady.

[Cat]

Running because you are afraid to lose someone is not the way to live!

This book was great! So full of intrigue and deceit and non stop action it was hard to put it down. We had been hearing about Quinn in the other Coldwater Bay books and I am so glad we got to hear his story. Elizabeth did an outstanding job with each character and the books. I wish it was a bigger family so there would be more books! Maybe a book about Quinn and his sister’s Aunt or one about Bree’s Dad could happen. I love books that are in a series because the families always become my family. An excellent book and so worth the read!

[Amanda]

Elizabeth Goddard’s next Coldwater Bay Intrigue, Running Target, is defying, dangerous and deadly. I was riveted by the danger Bree found herself in. I rooted for her and Quinn to find their footing in the deadly pickle they’d gotten themselves in. Fast-paced, high-octane suspense and great writing made this a highly enjoyable read. I devoured this book in a matters of hours. Because I just had to know what happened in the end!

Highly, Highly Recommended
5 Stars

[Hannah]

Finally, Quinn's story and the last of the Coldwater Bay series. Too bad they don't have more siblings to follow, because I'd have gladly kept reading this series for quite a while longer! Quinn's been camped out in the woods for awhile, watching for evidence to clear his name and convict the true inside man, but when Bree is almost killed, he blows his cover to rescue her, and chaos ensues. This was definitely a pulse-pounding conclusion to a five-star series for me.

[Mary Lawson]

Running Target (Coldwater Bay Intrigue)
Elizabeth Gooddard

An action packed adventure of the bad guys continually chasing the good guys from start to finish. Will they be strong enough to defeat the evil and overcome the betrayals?
Strong characters that pull you into a story that keeps you from putting it down until the end.

[Nancy Fredenburgh]

Bree, a deputy in Coldwater Bay, and her partner Jayce come across a boat with 3 men supposedly having trouble. A closer look points to illegal guns, not engine trouble. Trouble ensues and shooting begins. Quinn, a DEA agent rescues Bree and sees an old friend. The men are also after Quinn and trouble gets deeper. Easy reading.

[Patricia]

this is a good story if you like supsense and romance you will want to read the book, he is undercover she is a deputy , her and her partner try to take in the bad guys but does not go very well, he has to save her , a good story got my book from harlequin this is an honest review.

[Kati Driban]

Excellent finish

An amazing end to a satisfying series. I rarely am surprised by a story but totally did not see the final betrayal coming. Series is definitely better in order but are all engaging as stand alone books.

[Andy]

This was just okay. I was never really able to get invested in Bree and Quinn as people or as a couple. The story was very up and down. I enjoyed some scenes, but then there were whole sections that just seemed to drag.

[Sharon]

This book seemed fairly typical of the genre but I was pleased to discover at least one surprising plot twist.

[Linda Klinedinst]

Running Target by Elizabeth Goddard

This book was okay...it was kinda boring though cause it mostly talked about how she kept running away from her Target.

Happy Reading :)

[Elaine Applebury]

This book was full of danger and suspense! I couldn't keep up with all of the bad guys! Good read!

[Wilani Wahl]

Suspense at its finest. Had me sitting on the edge of my couch. Absolutely loved this book.

[Clara K Page]

Good Book

This book is fast paced and keeps you guessing how it will end. Sometimes you almost feel out of breath. Not sure who is the good guy and who is the bad.

[Theresa]

Two and a half stars. Plot is ever twisting. Main characters are inconsistent in thought, word, behavior.

[Marla]

I enjoyed reading this book.

[Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review]

It was quite good. I felt it slowed down a bit after a while, though.