Ashes by the Shore

A Small Town, Reverse Grumpy Sunshine, Romantic Suspense (Deep River, Book 2)

By: Nyssa Kathryn

Narrated by: Vanessa Edwin, Jason Clarke

He wants her safe. Someone else wants her silent.

Polly Mack has convinced herself she’s happy with her books and flowers and coffee. She doesn’t need a man. Never has, never will. Watching her mom get her heart broken in a series of marriages has taught her that love is a lie and men are temporary at best. And even if they weren’t, cocky Joel Dawson—the stupidly gorgeous new thorn in her side—would be last on her list of prospects.

Nope! She’s perfectly fine alone, running her shop…and solving the mystery of the old phone she just discovered under her floorboards.

Ex-SEAL Joel Dawson has relocated to a small town in Montana. Reunited with his teammates, they’ve formed a search and rescue crew, and he loves spending his days working side by side with his brothers-by-bond…and getting under the skin of the cute local coffee shop owner. He must be part sadist, because he lives for Polly’s eye rolls and sharp wit. They’re a great distraction from his own problems, including a past he tried to leave behind in Houston. A past that is determined to track him down all the way to Deep River.

The more Polly tries to keep him at arm’s length, the more Joel resolves to stay close, especially when she decides she’s a one-woman PI, determined to solve the mystery of a recent disappearance—which quickly turns into a homicide. There’s a killer on the loose…and if Joel can’t keep her safe, Polly might be the next victim.

A Small Town, Reverse Grumpy Sunshine, Romantic Suspense by Bestselling Author Nyssa Kathryn.

©2026 Nyssa Kathryn (P)2026 Blue Nose Publishing, Nyssa Kathryn

Steam, Mystery, and small town charm

I was excited about Polly’s book since I first met her in book 1, and she was so much better than I expected. Polly is the quintessential single girl. Watching her mother have a series of bad relationships for her entire life, she believes that men always leave. So when her playful hatred of playboy Joel from the search and rescue team takes a turn toward romantic, she is determined to keep him at arm’s length. But Joel is considering something he never has before, having a real relationship with Polly, the woman who drives him crazy and draws him in. So when the disappearances start to happen a little too close to Polly’s orbit, he is determined to protect her.

What I love about book 2 in the Deep River Series: The ongoing mystery the missing women takes an unexpected and interesting turn in this book, and this installment had some twists I didn’t see coming. Joel’s past comes to town in some inconvenient ways. We meet more townspeople, and Polly has to deal with the new man in her mother’s life.

I was able to listen to the audio narrated by Jason Clarke and Vanessa Edwin, and they were fantastic together. I love what Vanessa brought to Polly, her “Nancy Drew” nature, and her hesitation in her growing relationship with Joel. Vanessa brings all those emotions to this audio. Who doesn’t love Jason Clarke? His gravely voice has just the right urgency and intensity for the complex character that is Joel. I loved the audio and this story.

Ashes by the Shore: Joel & Polly

Nyssa Kathryn's 2nd book really ratchets up the action, drama, and suspense in the Deep River series. I absolutely loved it and could not put it down!! Listened in a single session. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite romantic suspense series ever! And the duet narration by Vanessa Edwin and Jason Clarke was spectacular! Grade A+++ acting that delivered a dramatic, riveting, and heartfelt experience. One hell of a good -- no, make that great --listen!!

No notes!

I really enjoyed book one, and book two was even better!

Vanessa Edwin & Jason Clarke in duet is an absolute dream — they are fantastic casting choices for Polly and Joel. It was a great reverse grumpy/sunshine — Polly keeps herself guarded and Joel is so patient and determined to wait for her to catch up to his feelings.

This story has such a great balance of romance and mystery, and the minimal (but delicious) spice was the perfect fit.

Good Story

Good mystery with a few mildly warm romantic scenes between the MMC and FMC. Love their characters and their relationship, so cute! Story begins and he's already gone for her and there isn't much tension building, which I definitely missed.

The mystery and SEAL aspect is pretty good and enjoyable.

The narrators are top tier and the duet makes it that much better!

Definitely worth a listen but not quite steamy enough for me.

Her Grumpy to His Sunshine to an HEA!

Ashes by the Shore is Book 2 in Nyssa Kathryn’s Deep River Series and the mystery was top notch! It is very rare that I don’t figure out who the bad guy is before he’s revealed but this one took me by surprise. The book is a wonderful “he falls first, reverse grumpy/sunshine” story with family trauma on both sides. Joel’s parents are perhaps the worst book parents ever! I loved how Joel and Polly learned to trust each other and their feelings as the book progresses. As usual, Ms. Kathryn gave us a wonderful love story amidst a thrilling mystery and left us eager for the next book’s characters. I enjoyed the audio production of this book performed by Vanessa Edwin and Jason Clarke. They both do a wonderful job bringing the characters to life. Jason does a particularly fantastic job with multiple male voices, and his bad guy voice was downright chilling. Overall, a 5-star read and performances and 2.5 spicy peppers.