Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Tides of Change
SERIES: Seacliffe Cove #2
AUTHOR: Lisa Linden
PUBLISHER: Winding Way Books
LENGTH: 248 Pages
RELEASE DATE: August 12, 2025
BLURB:
A stranger with secrets. A deputy with doubts. And a danger that’s closing in…
Garrett Whitlock has two priorities: his job as a deputy sheriff and raising his son. He doesn’t have time for secrets or distractions, and the town’s newcomer is both.
Ethan Cole is a bestselling thriller author who never expected to be living inside one of his own plots. He’s come to Seacliff Cove looking for anonymity, but the town’s tempting deputy watches him too closely. When the trouble Ethan thought he left behind catches up to him, Garrett is the only person he can trust.
The more time Ethan and Garrett spend together, the harder it is to resist what’s building between them. But when the threat to Ethan escalates, Garrett is caught in the crossfire.
Can they survive the menace drawing closer? And what will it mean for their hearts?
Tides of Change is a heart-pounding, heartwarming, small town, slow burn MM romance with a single dad, a bi-awakening, and romantic suspense.
REVIEW:
Ethan is running from a stalker who is mimicking scenes from books Ethan has written. He plans to lie low in Seacliffe Cove until the threat subsides. But when he encounters Deputy Sheriff Garrett Whitlock, sparks ignite. Meeting Ethan stirred his ingrained sense of protectiveness and feelings that Garrett had kept long buried. Both could get him into trouble.
There is some confusion about whether this is book one or two in the series. Amazon states that ‘Tides of Redemption’ is the first book, whereas the cover of ‘Tides of Change’ lists this as book one. Anyway, each book appears to stand on its own within the series. While reading, it felt as though the story was in two parts. The first half introduces the characters against a background of stalking, while the second half deliciously intensifies all aspects. Although the ending is superb, and the story is fast-paced, which will suit many readers, I had some issues with the police work.
The story is told in the first person from the viewpoints of Garrett and Ethan. Technically, it is in good order, although there are plenty of ‘my gaze was drawn to’ statements, which suggest autonomous parts, which are a no-no among professional editors. Why not just say ‘I was drawn to’? There are plenty of gut feelings, zings up the arms, and repeated lines, which are staples for many romance novels. However, some obvious actions didn’t need to be reinforced by thoughts, too. It was a bit like saying, the door was wide open, so I didn’t need a key. Sometimes less can be more, but as this is a new author, some of those things will come with experience.
Garrett is a deputy officer and a single father who hasn’t looked at another man since school. He has a natural tendency to protect others and is an all-round, likeable, good man. While I usually avoid stories involving children, his son is a friendly lad and doesn’t overly dominate any scene – a detail I appreciated.
Ethan is a writer, running scared. He is out and proud with an attraction to Garrett that he can’t explain, yet understands that, with a stalker, their liaison could be dangerous for the man and his son.
Now here is my ‘what’ moment. Given that Ethan is a crime writer, Garrett is a cop, and the stalker easily finds the hiding Ethan in the small town, why is there no mention of trying to find a tracking device on Ethan’s car? Especially considering that only a handful of people knew Ethan was leaving in the middle of the night. There is also no mention, even to rule it out, of checking management for publicity stunts. Was it budget, lack of experience? These details may turn out to be irrelevant in the larger context. But any fan of crime stories will want answers to these questions – and they aren’t addressed.
Lisa Linden is a promising new author with some excellent ideas. With more experience and refinement, she could become a significant force in writing. I enjoyed the page-turning ending—however, as an inquisitive reader, I was left with unanswered questions and some elements that disrupted the overall consistency.
RATING: 
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