What you might want to know:
Stands of Truth is a contemporary suspense. Harper’s mother died shortly after she was born, leaving her alone in the world. When a friend encourages her to do a DNA test she is shocked to find a half sister. However from the moment she get the results of her DNA test she finds herself in danger. Ridge Jackson has always been suspicious of Harper's relationship with his father, but when he finds them in danger he realizes there may be more to Harper that he has ever thought.

What I enjoyed most:
I was hooked on this book from the first pages. Coming from a large family I can’t imagine being alone in the world, however even with a large family I was excited to get my results from my DNA test and had fun exploring some unknown connection, I am however thankful mine did not bring danger like Harper’s. I loved the little bits of history and science that were beautifully woven into the story. Coble has written a story that kept me engaged from the first page to the last.

Who will enjoy this ( just to name a few):
Fans of Suspense
Fans of Mysteries
Fans of Christian Fiction

I received a complimentary copy for this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Colleen Coble’s latest stand alone story is a complex telling of mystery, murder, searching for family, and finding a place to call home.

This was one of those stories that will take you a while to get through. Not because it is boring or droning, but because it has so many pieces that have to be understood and explained before the story can progress further. It is the kind of story that you have to read again to see it from another perspective and try to wrap your mind around how you missed seeing the culprit the first time around. The story begins with a young woman named Harper who has recently submitted her DNA to an ancestry site to discover her family tree. Orphaned at a young age, Harper has always felt alone in the world and she hopes to change that if possible. With the support of her mentor and surrogate father, she has made stable life for herself as researcher of Marine biology. Her work gives her purpose and her mind a way to focus on something more than the hurts of her past. When her DNA submission reveals that Harper has a much older sister living fairly close to her, Harper sets out to see if they might have a good connection. But the discovery brings along with it unexpected danger when attacks begin happening to those around Harper after her visit to her sister. What possible reason could anyone have to keep Harper and her sister apart? Could it be that someone knows more than they told about the mysterious deaths of both Harper and her sister’s mothers? As Harper begins her own investigation into the past, she will find herself a frequent target for an unknown assailant. But she refuses to give up when there are so many unanswered questions. She will need help, however, so the initially inconvenient arrival of her mentor’s son, Ridge, will afford her the sounding board necessary to work out her family puzzle. Ridge is not at all happy that Harper is still very much in his father’s life. She was the cause of much angst in his younger years, with her unusually close relationship with his father. He has always suspected her of being out to get his father’s money but as he gets to know her better, he will see that all she ever wanted was a family to belong to. Harper also challenges him to heal the rifts that have formed between him and the rest of his family, a challenge that is both painful and relieving. When danger becomes a daily threat for Harper, Ridge will find himself drawn to her even more as she faces it all with courage and grace. He will also discover that Harper is the person he has been looking his whole life to love and cherish. There is so much more in this book than the little I have described here. It will challenge your brain to untangle the mystery, challenge your heart to believe in real love, and challenge your soul to understand the grace and mercy offered to those who least deserve it. I will certainly be rereading this one very soon as it was so well written. I loved the characters and the intense journey they went on to find a place to belong. Their story was impactful because it is the story of so many people we meet; those hurting from the past and hoping to find someone to love them as they are. I am certain readers will find a character to identify with which makes it that much better of a read. I will definitely be recommending this story to others as I truly believe it will be one that others need to read. It might help some let go of hurts and others understand that they are loved by God no matter what anyone else may say. Well done with this one, Ms. Coble!!

I received a temporary complimentary copy of this E-book from Thomas Nelson Fiction via NetGalley in order to provide a review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Suspense tangled up in secrets that bring up some very interesting links through a DNA test. I really enjoyed how the story took some very interesting turns as some serious attacks lead us to some family drama that held me in suspense right up until the end.
I was gifted a copy, no review was required. My review is voluntary.

Colleen Coble never disappoints! I love the way she weaves a story with suspense, romance and faith.
Harper Taylor lived a rough life for many years. Her mom died shortly after Harper was born, and she never knew her father or who he was. She lived with her grandmother until she also passed away when Harper was only eight years old. While being raised by her grandmother wasn't the ideal situation, she was family-all Harper had. So she thought. She then went to foster homes, and we all know some are good, but others are far from it. She ran away from one at the age of fifteen and was caught by Ridge when she was stealing his sleeping bag from the garage. Ridge brought his father, Oliver out to deal with the culprit. Fortunately, Oliver had mercy on Harper. He got her into foster care with a friend of his and he became Harper's mentor. Ridge always resented Harper, feeling she was no good and only wanting to take advantage of his dad, while longing for his dad's attention himself.
Fast forward to the present. Harper is all grown up an a marine biologist helping Oliver with his pen shell research.
Harper still longs for a family of her own, so she did a DNA test to see of any relatives would show in her results. The test led Harper to find a half-sister, Annabelle. They share the same father, and neither young woman know who their father is. They also share the fact that they both lost their mothers. Annabelle, lost her mother in a murder when she was only five months old. This information leads Harper to do some investigating of her own in an attempt to find her birth father. As they say, 'sometimes it's best to let sleeping dogs lie.'
Once she connected with Annabelle, things began happening to both women, attempted kidnapping and home break ins. Could these things be somehow related to their father?
Then, Oliver is attacked. Ridge still wants to believe the worst of Harper. Is he beginning to see that he may have been wrong about her?
Harper, desperate for a family of her own, adopts an embryo in hopes of becoming pregnant. Is she not trusting in the God she professes to believe in to bring her family in His time?
Action packed story. While I discovered early on who would be the romantic couple in the story, I had no idea who was behind the attacks on Oliver, Harper and Annabelle. Great writing!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This author is one of my favorites, but not every book lives up to expectations, even among my favorites. Happily, this one did that and a bit more. It's hard to put this one down! It has three time-frames, which makes things more interesting when dealing with murders. It has Florida and ocean life, which I know a good bit about oceans and their inhabitants and I was thrilled to read that in this book. Mystery and some suspense, murder and science, DNA all with a super ending; all I can say is that I want more and I greatly enjoyed this read.

5 Stars because you can't have more than 5. Thanks to Celebrate Lit for my copy.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book for my honest opinion. This is a great and disturbingly realistic novel that looks at what could happen if DNA information gets into the wrong hands and how decisions made by one or two people have far reaching generational impacts. There are lots of twists and turns and I enjoyed the read but I was left feeling a little let down by the lack of details in the ending since the beginning and middle had so many twists and turns with lots of information. I had several questions when I finished and hope there could be a sequel at some point.

It was an easy and a quick, light hearted read. I enjoyed the DNA aspect, especially after reading the author's note afterwards. The twist wasn't as unexpected as I hoped, I had my suspicions. But it was still a good one. There were quite a lot of characters, and was more confusing than helping the story.

The trope enemies to lovers, was a bit over the top especially in the end. That did not seem realistic. I just rolled my eyes at that.

Overall a change of pace, and a pallet cleanser kind of book. Loved the light hearted messages such as learning who the person actually is, forgiveness, trust, etc. But not something I would pick up again.

I enjoy Colleen Coble books, and was eager to read Strands of Truth. It certainly did not disappoint! This is a fascinating mystery set in two time periods, well written, and (as always with Coble books) suspenseful!

Strands of Truth is a modern-day mystery novel written by Colleen Coble.
Summary: Harper Taylor was used to being alone and taking care of herself. Until she met Oliver Jackson, she figured that was just the way it was going to be.
But Oliver becomes a father figure in her life-giving her a taste of the family she never had, and an avenue to pursue a career she is truly passionate about.
When tragedy occurs, Harper has no idea where to turn. What has happened to Oliver? And what about his bitter son Ridge? He seems bent on blaming Harper for Oliver’s accident.
But why would anyone want to hurt Oliver? And is someone coming for her too? Can Harper and Ridge get past their differences and piece together the truth of her past-before it’s too late?
My Thoughts: This book was very good. It had interesting characters, a fascinating plot, and a mystery that kept me thoroughly entertained until the very end.
I did not want to stop reading until I knew the truth myself, which is always the sign of a great book! I would definitely recommend this one-especially if you enjoy a good thriller or mystery.
As always, I would like to thank Thomas Nelson for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my review. Thank you!

I had a lot of trouble reading though this book. The story line was great and the side drama was written well, I was genuinely invested in the relationships presented in the story and the outcome. However the Christian undertones came at me unexpectedly, at some points it was very overwhelming.

First off, thank you to Thomas Nelson for the ARC copy and for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are mine alone.

As always Colleen Coble has taken a mystery and romance story, and turned it on its head. In this book, Harper Taylor searches for the truth of her family all the while trying to solve an attack on her mentor, Oliver. Filled to the brim with edge of your seat intrigue while spinning a web of romance among its fibers, this story will satisfy both mystery and romance lovers alike.

I love Colleen Coble's mysteries. Her research is spot on and she rounds out her characters to make them very believable. I am always glad to read and review this author most wonderful books. Please pick this one up. You will not be disappointed.

Harper Taylor's mother died at her birth, due to complications from a traffic accident. She was passed from foster home to foster home until Oliver Jackson took an interest and rescued her. She had always wanted a family of her own but Oliver's children couldn't stand her. She loved Oliver for seeing in her a young woman who needed to be saved. He had been her mentor and friend.

Ridge Jackson was Oliver's son. He didn't trust Harper Taylor. He always felt that she was after his father's money. His father had always hoped that he, his sister, Willow, and Harper could be friends and get along. Ridge and Harper had similar interest in marine biology and Oliver had set up research lab so that Ridge and Harper could work together. The more time Ridge spends with Harper, the more he realizes he didn't really know the real Harper and the more he wants to know her better. Will the secrets in their lives tear this fragile friendship apart?

This book has romance, suspense, murder, intrigue, subterfuge, evil and so much more. This is a clean romance without foul language or descriptive sex scenes. Colleen Coble is one of my favorite authors but this book is like nothing else I have ever read by her. I enjoyed it and it and the story held my interest until the very end.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.

Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble was a wonderful read. This was my first book by this author but certainly will not be my last. Suspense/thrillers and romantic/suspense are some of my favorite genres to read, and this certainly falls into that catergory. I found this to be a very well written book to read and was one that kept my interest throughout the whole book. What could 2 women over 20 years apart possibly have in common, actually alot more than we think. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that loves this genre of book.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

A masterfully crafted story that hooks you so quickly you can’t put it down. How can DNA be used to find your relations? Harper does DNA test in hopes of finding out about her family. Some times when you look at the past the present can be at risk. Will she find her family?

I was given a complimentary copy. The thought and opinions are my own.

A fast and very enjoyable read! Recommend!

Strands of Truth is full of intrigue, romance and secrets that span generations. DNA testing is as easy as ordering a kit or picking up one in the store. However, you never know what secrets you will uncover. This is the case for Harper Taylor. Harper has had a hard childhood, not knowing the identity of her father, and basically being alone in the world. However, Oliver Jackson takes it upon himself to take her under his wing and provide her with love and opportunities that she did not have access to. Like many others, though, Harper still wishes for a family of her own. Enter DNA testing. The discovery of additional family not only brings happiness, but it also introduces into Harper’s life, a great deal of danger. The past comes back to haunt Harper and her sister Annabelle in the present.

This book by Colleen Coble will keep you on your toes and wanting more. It is a definite page-turner that you will not want to put down until the very end. I would love to see a sequel to this novel. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to review this book.

My respect goes out to authors and the level of research that goes into their works of fiction! In Strands of Truth, Colleen Coble seems to do a masterful job of this as her latest book involves embryo adoption, pin shells, malacology, and sea silk. I don't know that I've ever heard the term malacology before!

This novel is a heart-pounding, romantic murder mystery involving not one, but two cold cases. The writing is superb, the characters interesting, and the plot moves along well. I recommend this latest work of Colleen's and am thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for this my honest review.

Strands of Truth is another amazing book by author Colleen Coble. I'm a huge fan of this authors work and her newest release did not disappoint. True to Coble fashion, I did not figure out the villain until he/she was revealed, even when I thought I knew. I loved the unique plot elements regarding the DNA testing, embryo adoption, and the mermaid shows. This book is exciting and edge of your seat thrilling. I loved it and highly recommend this book for mature readers.

I love Colleen Coble's books so when I read the synopsis for this book, I knew I had to read it.

Harper Taylor takes a DNA test and discovers that she has a possible half-sister name Annabelle. A sister with an eerily similar history to hers. Both tragically lost their mothers and never found out who their fathers were. Is this simply a coincidence or is there more to the story?
Despite her tragic backstory, Harper is doing well for herself. With a degree in marine biology and a pen shell business, she's doing what makes her happy. Even so, she's lonely and longs for a family of her own.
When Oliver - Harpers mentor who took her in as a teenager - is attacked, he asks his son Ridge to step in and help with her business. Ridge does so grudgingly with the intent to prove once and for all that Harper is just after his dads money. It's not long before he realizes he misjudged her and feelings begin to develop between the two.

I liked the use of DNA research in the storyline. Harper had no more family but with the use of a single DNA test she finds a possible familial connection which is certainly nerve-wracking but exciting for her. Until of course, bad things begin to happen. Shortly after meeting, both Harper and Annabelle are victims of attempted kidnappings. Realistically, I would have liked for the police to have been a bit more involved but...it's a book so naturally the main characters are the ones doing a majority of the crime solving.
I enjoyed the mystery aspect but not the romance. It just didn't feel believable to me. I usually adore enemies-to-lovers but in this case Ridge and Harper didn't seem right for each other.

Not my favorite read. This story had great characters, which was my favorite part about the book. The storyline was a little much for me. The mystery was interesting and definitely unusual. The ending was pretty good. Overall I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it either.

I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

Harper learns of her half-sister through a DNA testing website and, suddenly, both their lives are in jeopardy. This book, a blend of shallow romance and mystery, is fairly predictable and surface. The storyline feels familiar and character development is about an inch deep. A fast read and mostly enjoyable on a cold, rainy weekend.