I felt this was Harlequin Romance meets beach reads sprinkled with Christian literary fiction and suspense. It went way beyond a reasonable suspension of disbelief. No one just happens to find a $40 million Faberge egg. Also what happened to Isabelle and their father. There’s a happy ending for everyone but themShe goes for a baby bottle, and we never anything about her again. She was Mary’s granddaughter just like the other three. She and the father wasn’t even in the epilogue. although he’s in jail and maybe going to prison.

Even the fact that their cousin Lainey and her husband would end up adopting Caroline’s baby. As soon as Cara meets Lainey and she tells her Cara was lucky to have her son, the reader knows how that is going to end. Also that the other sis’er’s husband is a scoundral is obvious to everyone except her. This is definitely a novel that is for anyone who wants an easy feel good read.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

This was such an intense read with lots of twists and turns. Well written and it will keep you glued to reading as I finished it in one day.

Carly was dealt a bad hand and when she finds her husband dead it leads her on quite the journey. Enter Lucas who is not fond of Carly but while trouble finds Carly his protective side kicks in. He realizes that maybe he wrong about Carly. He falls more in love with just Carly too…. Little Noah is hard to resist.

Lots of mystery and suspense in this read and definitely one I would recommend.

I enjoyed how this book made me feel like I was a part of the action. So many twists and turns that keeps you guessing along the way. I love a good intense clean mystery that grips you from page 1.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All words are my own.

We are taken into the world of the Fabergé Eggs, It's interesting to learn more about them. I know this book is fiction, but the one thing that disturbed me most was how Carly treated her baby. She was nursing him so she took him everywhere. She had the baby with her even when she knew she was going into a very dangerous situation. That just seemed very unreal to me. The story flowed nicely and the ending had a twist I didn't see coming.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This book had a great premise and I loved how the characters really felt like real people, especially Carly with her baby. The tension built up throughout the novel, and it was gripping. By the time I reached the end of the book, I was racing through the pages. I would give the plot 5/5, honestly!

I did have a few things that stood out to me though. First off, this is marked as Christian fiction but it hardly mentions God or a really deep theme beyond "faith". I was disappointed mainly because I know the novel could've been so much deeper and impactful considering its awesome plot. I did notice the two MCs gawked at each other a few times, but they did have good reasons (personality) to fall in love, so I could forgive the characters noticing the rippling muscles and delicate curves.

In any case, I would rate this 4/5, as I did enjoy it and I would like to see more of Coble's novels. :) Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to review the book for free in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is set in Pawleys Island, North Carolina, a small town (I googled it) with a population of about 103. Pawleys Island itself is "4 miles long and mostly 1 house wide" (Pawleysisland.com), so having the info helped me to understand some of the plot and to visualize it better.

Carly Harris is the MC who currently goes to flea markets and other such places to earn an income, which isn't enough. She's always had a dream of writing a novel but has yet to do so. Life becomes complicated when (view spoiler) and as she is going through things she finds something that she recognizes as one of a kind and extremely valuable, if it is in fact authentic. Carly also finds some documents that will change the entire family, a long kept secret that she has to decide who to tell and when. All of this takes her back to live with her grandmother, Mary, where Carly gets help from Detective Lucas Bennett, the brother of a long ago boyfriend of hers.

The item of value that she found is potentially the cause of murders, so she is concerned for her family and that they are in danger. There is possibly a Russian mob behind the murders happening and she has to find out in order to know if she and her family are safe.

I don't want to say more, but was engaging, fast paced, and held my interest throughout. I love how many connections were made and family involved. It definitely kept me on my toes!

The narrator of the audio version was excellent, had really good voice inflections, and was easy to follow. I would absolutely listen to this narrator again.

Fragile Designs by author Colleen Coble is a contemporary, Christian, romance, mystery, suspense novel that is fascinating. I was immediately invested in the characters and their lives. This was a definite page turner.

This is the story of Carly Harris. I loved her! After a life changing tragedy, she moves to South Carolina. There she lives with her grandmother and two sisters. They are going to turn the house into a Bed and Breakfast.

So much happens in this riveting story! I was immediately invested in this book and all of the beautifully crafted characters. The author has a warm style of writing that drew me in immediately. I felt like a fly on the wall as I read. It was like I was there. Everything played out like a vivid Hallmark movie!

I highly recommend this brilliant novel. A copy was received by the publisher and Net Galley, but these are all my honest words. It receives a 5 out of 5 star rating from me.

“Since her police-officer husband Eric’s mysterious murder, Carly Harris has been struggling to support herself and their infant son. Her career as an antique dealer isn’t sustainable, nor is her dream of becoming a novelist. So when her grandmother proposes she and her two sisters restore the family’s large Beaufort home and turn it into a bed-and-breakfast, she immediately gets to work clearing out the house. In the process, she uncovers a family secret that Eric kept hidden. And an heirloom that the wrong person wouldn’t hesitate to kill for”

One of the most intriguing romance suspense book I’ve ever read!

This novel, unlike Coble's earlier works, starts off slow. The characters are many and hard to identify. The plot takes a long time to develop. However, once it starts moving, the story is compelling.

This book has something for everyone! Mystery, family dynamics, history, and plenty of twists. Of course when you start out with two characters who dislike each other, you just know they'll end up madly in love. So there were a few predictable parts but plenty of surprises too. The book is well written with believable characters and a story that pops up on the page and keeps the reader on edge wondering what will happen next.

I don’t think there is a book by this author I haven’t enjoyed. Another great story and one I thing I never have to worry about is the sexual content. Reading stories from Christian writers leaves me with an encouraging and uplifting spirit.
I enjoyed the writing and the characters in this story. Thanks for an advanced copy.

Colleen Coble hit it out of the park with this book! I’ve been a huge fan of her books and this was fantastic.
Gave me the romantic suspense that I look for in a book 5 stars!

Fragile Design
Colleen Coble

Carly Harris had just discovered that she was expecting when her husband was murdered. Since Eric's death she's been living with her grandmother. Single parenthood was not something she expected to do, but someone took away her choices. And when her grandmother comes up with a solution for Carly to support herself, turn their home into a bed-and-breakfast, Carly is willing to try. Of course, this means major renovations to their home - que the former boyfriend who just happens to be in construction. No, old feelings aren't rekindled.

But when Carly comes across something that could have a bearing on her husband's murder she turns to Lucas, the brother who didn't think she was good enough for his younger brother. Lucas calls upon his police skills and agrees to help Carly, who surprises him because she's different than he was expecting her to be. What's more he really finds there's a lot about Carly to like.

When Carly and Lucas dig deeper, they discover a long-held secret and a possible reason for Eric's murder. Soon everyone's life is in danger and the deeper they go for answers the closer it gets.

Anyone who has read any of Colleen Coble's Contemporary Romantic Suspense books in the past will not be disappointed in this newest title. There are layers that must be peeled back to discover the truth - a truth that has been hidden for nearly a lifetime. And at the root of everything is family - the ties that bind us together and the secrets that can tear us apart. This is reads as a standalone book but it could easily become a series starter. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes long nights filled with the broken promise of just one more chapter because this is just such a book.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Colleen Coble is definitely my go-to author for a great book, and she nailed it with Fragile Designs! A romantic suspense with some major family drama certainly makes for a relatable connection with this book. Plus, I share her fascination with Faberge eggs! I wasn't expecting the "whodunit" twist near the end but absolutely loved it! I will be recommending this book to my reader friends and look forward to Colleen's next book.

Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble is book about mystery, intrigue and a love story.

The story itself is well thought out. It is interesting but quite long in my opinion.
There are also a lot of characters to keep track of and at times it got a bit confusing.
At times it was really far fetched and a bit unbelievable.
I liked the main character and her grandmother a lot. There were nice and funny and very supportive of each other.

Nice and easy read.

Fragile Designs
by Colleen Coble
Pub Date 02 Jan 2024
Thomas Nelson--FICTION,Thomas Nelson
Christian| Mystery & Thrillers| Romance

Netgalley and Thomas Nelson sent me a copy of Fragile Designs to review:




Carly Harris has been struggling to support herself and her baby since her police-officer husband Eric was murdered. Her career as an antique dealer isn't sustainable, and neither is her dream of becoming a novelist. So when her grandmother suggested they turn the family's large Beaufort home into a bed-and-breakfast, she immediately started clearing it out. By doing so, she uncovers a family secret Eric kept hidden. And an heirloom the wrong person wouldn't hesitate to kill for.


Lucas Bennett isn't big on his neighbor, not since she broke his brother's heart. Lucas can't help but get involved when Carly asks for help because she thinks she's found a Fabergé egg worth millions of dollars that could put her family's lives in danger. Eventually, they're entangled in a mystery with Russian mafia ties.


Lucas is in deep, and while he trusts he can protect Carly and her family, he realizes he is vulnerable to an unexpected kind of danger. There's nothing he can do to stop the freefall. Working together, Carly and Lucas realize they may have found something more valuable than gold. But it's only a matter of time before Carly-or someone she loves-gets hurt.


I give Fragile Designs five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

After Carly Harris' husband is murdered, she's left to raise their son on her own. As an antiques dealer, she doesn't make much but she knows how to spot a good find and that's just what she does amongst some belongings bequeathed to her. When Carly finds a genuine Fabergé egg in the attic of her grandmother's house, her life turns upside down.

I found nearly every bit of this book to be unbelievable and over the top. I've read many books by the author and this almost didn't even seem like her writing. It was bizarre, to say the least, and I just did not enjoy my time reading it. There were a few redeeming things - two of the characters. Carly's grandmother and great aunt were wonderful and sweet which was lovely to read. Carly's character, her love interest, her siblings, her former love interests were so over the top and, at times, insufferable. The common thread amongst Colleen's characters, for me, has always been an overwhelming sense of faith and hope. Not necessarily that they were always fearless or the strongest people but they had strong faith and hope. These characters either didn't have that or it wasn't conveyed well, and I just didn't enjoy them as much as others. It's possible that I had too many expectations going in, but this one wasn't for me. I will definitely keep reading this author, but just won't recommend this particular book.

Colleen Coble is so good at romantic suspense. I loved this story. It pulls you right in. I loved the mystery and history aspect of this story. I love Russian history and have always kicked myself that I didn't buy a fake Faberge egg when I visited Russia. They really are beautiful. This story had so many layers and twists and turns. It kept me second guessing. I loved seeing the relationship between Carly and Lucas change and develop. It was really sweet. Carly's growth during this story was beautiful. The story got really intense at times, but it was so good.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley and this is my honest review.

I loved this. This is not normally my genre of book. I don’t like Lifetime movies or cheesy romance. I love mystery/thrillers but non Christian ones are usually riddled with cursing and other inappropriate content that we are meant to guard our minds from so I gave it a chance. I’m glad I did.

It was mysterious and tense, yet heartwarming and hopeful. I really loved Lucas and Carly. I definitely recommend this and plan to buy my mom a copy as soon as it’s released because this type of book is the only thing she reads.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an advance copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

I have been a fan of Colleen Coble for quite some time and I think this is one of the best books I have read by her in recent years. This story was full of romance, family secrets, surprises, and an amazing coastal setting. I think what I liked best about the story is the unique aspect of the plot which centers around what is believed to be a Faberge egg. I really enjoyed learning more about the story behind the valuable Faberge eggs. Carly, the main character, who finds the egg quickly figures out there are others who will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. She seeks help from her neighbor, Simon, who is a homicide detective as well as the older brother of Carly's ex. This makes for an interesting dynamic as their relationship grows throughout the book. This story is full of dangerous situations and a surprise ending that will keep lovers of suspense on the edge of their seats.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.