Fragile Designs pulled me into the story in the first chapter. I immediately felt for Carly and her situation. The other characters are also introduced through the natural flow of the plot. ! I enjoyed the growth of the relationship between Lucas and Carly and the changing relationship between Carly and her two sisters. I also appreciated how faith was woven throughout the book. That plot has twists and turns to keep its reader on their toes. This is not one of those books that you're going to read a little before bed, no, you're going to finish it. Plan accordingly! I would definitely read more from author Coleen Coble and would feel very comfortable recommending Fragile Designs to friends and family that enjoy excellent romantic suspense.
I received a complimentary copy through NetGalley from the publisher and am sharing my opinion of this very well-written book.

Fragile Design is a classic Colleen Coble, in all the best ways. The suspense part of the book is a total page turner. It leads the story at a quick pace, and made me want to know what was coming next. While I did figure out a couple parts of the suspense story, there were still quite a few surprises throughout the book. The underlying love story was sweet. As the characters got to know each other, they saw the true person and personality underneath the outward exterior. For me, I loved the theme of living in God's grace, and accepting that bad things that happen are not punishment from God. He is not waiting to take something away from us because we didn't live up to expectations. The character development is great, and I learned more about the personal stories of the lead characters throughout the whole book. It wasn't just all dumped on me right at the beginning. I highly recommend Fragile Design! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

** “Our lives are so fragile. Maybe it’s by design so we look to God.” **

Colleen Coble delves into the world of lost Faberge eggs with her latest standalone novel, “Fragile Designs.”

Still reeling from her husband’s murder, Carly Harris is living with her newborn son and grandmother. She finally decides to go through the antiques left to her by her great-grandmother. While searching through the contents, she makes a stunning find — an item that has historical impact and great value, as well as information that will change her family forever. But suddenly horrific events begin occurring, so she turns to Gram’s neighbor, Lucas Bennett, a homicide detective, for help. As they dive deeper into the intriguing case, will they be able to safely resolve the situation, determine who is after them, and admit to their growing feelings for each other?

As usual, Coble creates a mind-blowing thriller with twists and turns. She also develops great characters — some relatable and flawed that the reader will fall in love with, some evil and twisted. She also fills “Fragile Designs” with some great themes, like the need to look to God for guidance and help; always having hope; overcoming assumptions and misconceptions; and “unknown treasure is out there waiting for us.”

Fans of romantic thrillers and authors like Lynette Eason, Irene Hannon and Patricia Bradley will love this story.

Five stars out of five.

Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

I've been a huge fan of Colleen Coble for awhile now, but Fragile Designs took it to the next level! So good! I absolutely loved the character development of Carly. The romance between Carly & Lucas developed in such a believable way. It was complicated from the start, with Carly being a single mother and still grieving over the murder of her husband. Lucas just happened to be a cop and living next door, which makes helps when Carly's life is in danger.

I loved all the twists and turns, and romantic suspense. The clues woven into the story added such intrigue. I was really rooting for Carly and Lucas the entire time. The added element of faith and concept of redemption is why I'm so drawn to Colleen Coble's writing, and this story was no exception.

Fragile Design is an intricately plotted story by consummate mystery/thriller author Colleen Coble. Carly Harris deals in antiques and flea market finds with a legacy load of merchandise from her great grandmother to sort through. The furnishings she has been tasked with organizing and selling to share with her two sisters, Amelia and Emily. However, the chest was left especially to her along with all of its contents.

While on a weekend flea market trip her police officer husband Eric is supposed to be helping her by organizing the items in her storeroom on their Pawleys Island property. When Carly returns she finds ominous clues that something is amiss. When she finds Eric, it is face down in a pool of blood in the back of the storeroom with boxes ransacked around him.

A year later, Carly and her infant son Noah are living in Beaufort with her grandmother, Mary Tucker. When strange things begin happening, Carly turns to the police detective next door, Lucas Bennett, with her concerns. Lucas is not a fan of Carly’s after the teenage breakup of her with his younger brother Ryan, as well as the complaints of Eric before his death. However, her concerns have merit and when a nighttime intruder disrupts a quiet evening, Lucas is all in.

The mystery surrounds paperwork, provenance, and a priceless antiquity left by her great grandmother that leads to unraveling murders, attempted murders, other break ins, and the Russian mafia. With well drawn characters, picturesque setting, and plot twists galore all I can say is just Wow! All of Ms. Coble’s novels have been well written but this one tops them all! I was so engaged I finished it in one day! I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

Fragile Designs has a wonderful plot including a missing Fabergé egg, murders and attempted murders, break-ins, and a kidnapping. Coble has created interesting characters that readers will root for: Carly, a young widow; Lucas, the police officer that lives next door; Mary, Carly's boho wearing grandmother; and many more. Where this story lost one of its stars from my review was in the details that did not line up with one another, or that did not line up with how the real world works, a pet peeve of mine. If you are looking for a quick read with lots of action, and are not one to get bogged down in the small details, this will be a great choice for you.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Fragile Designs from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

MURDER, BETRAYAL, INTRIGUE, AND RESCUE

One of my favorite genres is romantic suspense. Fragile Designs is an excellent example of a novel where the suspense drives the romance. Colleen Coble includes murder, betrayal, and intrigue and provides rescue in the form of homicide detective, Lucas, who is a neighbor of the main character, Carly. Together, they form a bond and forge a common goal to solve the crime committed against Carly. This crime started when her husband discovered and stole an expensive family heirloom and was murdered for it. This novel has a plot that is full of surprises and no one will expect the major tie-in to big crime this heirloom will have!

I was provided a complimentary copy of this novel by Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own and without influence.

Carly Harris had planned to tell her husband that she was pregnant, but arrives home to find that he has been murdered. Eric was a police officer; could his death involve one of his cases? Leaving their home, she and their son Noah move in with her grandmother. During the remodel of her grandmother’s house, she finds what she believes could be a Faberge Egg. Ryan Bennett, their neighbor, is in charge of the remodel and lives next door with his brother Lucas, a detective. When Carly hears someone in the house, she calls Lucas and it ends with the intruder’s death. What was this person after? If it was the egg, how could they have known about it and who else will be coming after it? Carly deals with her sisters’ issues, searches for information about her grandmother’s past and receives disturbing information about Eric. As Lucas vows to keep her safe, the threats continue. Will they eventually solve a seventy-year-old mystery? An exciting, twisted mystery! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Have you ever watched the Antiques Roadshow and wondered if you have something of value that you didn’t know about? I have! Carly’s husband is found murdered in their attic after he begins to clean out her grandmother’s things. Was he killed for what he found or was it something else? I loved the mystery involving family secrets, a possible priceless Faberge Egg, and many suspects figure that kept you wanting to read more.

The love story of Carly and Lucas made the story. Neither of them were expecting to be in a serious relationship, but investigating and facing danger together can bring clarity to who and what’s important.

Other things I enjoyed were:
an adorable baby
generous and selfless Lucas
caregiving and compassionate Carly
the faith of the characters
letting go of the past

I was given a copy of this book through the publisher and NetGalley. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.

Carly's life is turned upside down when her husband is murdered, but things go still more crazy when, sorting her great-grandmother's old belongings in her grandmother's attic, she uncovers what turns out to be one of the lost Faberge eggs. At first, it's exciting - but as she works to uncover related secrets, it becomes clear that someone is after the egg and will stop at nothing to find or steal it. Lucas never had a very good opinion of Carly after she dumped his brother, but as a cop, he puts aside old feelings when it becomes clear she's being targetted. As things progress, though, he begins to realise just how much is at stake, not only for her, but for his heart. Will they be able to unravel the various mysteries in time? And will Lucas be willing to look past fear to see possibilities?

This felt like somewhat of a change of pace after the author's last series, though I struggled to identify how or why - but I actually enjoyed the change. This is a standalone (I think!) story and I appreciated having everything tied up in one book rather than needing to remember the main threads between books read months apart. I also just enjoyed the story itself. Carly's family dynamics did start off very frustrating, but the resolution was satisfying and definitely added to the story. Some good action and suspense, but never over the top (and no graphic violence) - a definite page-turner with some interesting quirks as well as an enjoyable romance - not to mention cute babies. Recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Carly's life is torn apart when her husband is killed and, pregnant, she moves back to her grandmother's house. Wishing to free her home from the antiques left by her great grandmother and making some money she starts to spool a thread of lies that lead to more killing, danger to herself and family, finding love again in the most unexpected partner, and solving a great puzzle involving her family. Fragile Designs has a good plot and easily captures the reader's interest. Good entertainment!
I thank Ms. Coble, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Colleen Coble's books have been an automatic read for me for many years and Fragile Designs is another reason why. This one pulls on the heartstrings with a suspenseful, edgy story, including a romantic flair and touch of inspiration and faith. Carly moved in with her grandmother after losing her husband before he knew he was to be a father. Carly always puts her family first and when she finds what she thinks is a Faberge egg in a chest left to her by her great grandmother, she wants to include her ungrateful, selfish sisters in the event that it brings in money. What she didn't expect is to be in danger along her loved ones. Her neighbor, Detective Lucas Bennett, comes to her rescue but he has not liked her since she and his brother broke up years ago. He realizes pretty quickly that he was wrong about Carly. This is a page-turner with lots of action, danger, suspense, and mystery. This one has a great setting of low country of South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. A full slate of likable and some unlikable characters, including Carly's sweet baby Noah.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

Fragile Designs is a stand-alone book. This focusses on family and a series of secrets some are current and some are decades old.

Carly Tucker returns home after shopping. She finds her husband's vehicle running which she finds odd since he is a police officer. She calls out to him, but he doesn't answer. Carly heads out to the back yard where her flea market items are being stored and she finds her husband dead.

Several months later she is living with her grandmother and her newborn son. Caring for herself and her son has been more than she could deal with after her husband died. Her grandmother proposes renovating the house into a B&B with Carly running it so that she has something to look forward to. She suggests having her two sisters be involved to restore the family’s waterfront Beaufort home. Carly agrees but is nervous about working so closely with her sister's and their animosity but is willing to give it a shot.

Carly begins to go through the attic and finds a letter in a trunk, written by her husband dated two days before his death. Eric had discovered that Carly’s grandmother was adopted a secret that was kept from her. With few options, Carly reaches out to Gram’s neighbor Lucas, a local homicide detective for advice.

Carly also finds an important highly coveted artifact that will put the family in danger. The more she researches and tries to protect the family the more danger they find themselves in.

I really enjoyed this story. I loved the history surrounding the artifact especially intriguing. This story takes plenty of twists and turns until the reveal of all the secrets. It held my attention firmly from the beginning until the end.

Wow! Colleen Coke has a winner in thus standalone romantic suspense story. Carly, an antiques dealer, discovers her husband's body when she's on the way to tell him she's pregnant. He was a police officer and his death was chalked up to someone he might have attested who held a grudge.

But as strange things start occurring, Carly, fears that her discovery of a rare Faberge egg is behind the mayhem that's invaded her life. She came to her grandmother's large Victorian home to recuperate after her husband's death and the subsequent birth of their son. She approaches grandma's next door neighbor, a detective and brother to her old boyfriend. Lucas comes to realize Carly is very different from how he imagined.

As they work together to uncover the mystery behind the egg, unearth family connections, and rebuild family relationships they embark on a journey of mystery, suspense, murder, and redemption. I couldn't put the book down all while crying and laughing along with Lucas and Carly. A five star story that you'll want to add to your TBR pile.

Although I received a free ARC ebook from Net Galley and the publisher, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Carly inherited her great-grandmother’s possessions to sell after her passing. However, her husband, Eric’s abrupt passing delays the process even more. Just before Eric’s death, she learns she’s pregnant. Nine months later, she’s had the baby and moved back in with her grandmother. Her grandmother tells her, she wants Carly and her sisters to turn her home into a bed and breakfast, pushing Carly to finally sell her grandmother’s possessions to prepare for renovations. Carly finds a chest containing documents and items Carly has never seen before, nor does she think her Grandmother has. Could any of the items be related to Eric’s death? Are her and her family in danger being in possession of any of the items? During the twists and turns following Carly uncover the meaning of the items she found and Eric’s death, we find out.

#FragileDesigns #NetGalley
A plot with twists at every turn. Carly is a collector of family heirlooms, an old chest reveals a family secret and with it a string of unlikely deaths and intrigue. An old letter, a Russian shawl and a colored egg all find there way into this suspenseful story. Colleen Coble and her way with words kept me turning pages.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is my first Colleen Coble book and I would like to say that I have been sleeping on her. The book follows Carly the most selfless woman ever whose husband does mysterious. She moves in with her grandmother and discovers a priceless heirloom. With the help of her neighbour and ex-boyfriend's brother homicide detective, she manages to protect her family as well as heal.. Fragile designs has everything from romance to suspense and everything in between. What a wonderful read

I have to say this book has it all. Looking for a thriller? You got it. Looking for a mystery? You got it. Looking for some romance? You got it. Looking for family drama? You got it. I loved it. Carly Harris finds her husband dead. He was looking through all her family antiques. She becomes a single mom real fast. She starts to look into the trunk and finds a mysterious piece that looks like an egg painted over. So the story starts. The cop neighbor next door who helps Carly hide her find because it seems like there are quite a few different parties looking to kill for it. The letter that she finds and shows her grandmother. Grandma never knew she was adopted! This suspenseful novel kept me wanting more. The characters were well developed and likeable and the whole story was just too good to put down. I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to #netgalley, #thomasnelson and @collencoble for an ARC of this great thriller.

Richly drawn characters, a compelling plot, a puzzle and a history lesson make this mystery a must read for readers who enjoy romantic suspense with plenty of intrigue.

Carly Harris is living in Beaufort with her grandmother and her young son, Noah, after the murder of her husband. The mysterious death of her husband, Eric, is still unsolved. When Carly's grandmother proposes that they turn the home into a bed and breakfast, Carly is on board. First, she needs to go through things. She is an antique dealer and knows value when she sees it. When she finds a letter from her husband showing that her grandmother was adopted and she has a twin, she is shocked to her core. She also finds a very valuable piece of art that someone will kill to have in their possession. She believes this may also provide some clue as to what happened to her husband.

Her grandmother suggests that she ask for their next door neighbor's assistance. Lucas is a detective who also happens not to like Carly. He feels that Carly broke his brother's heart many years ago. However, he is a good man and a law enforcement officer, so he agrees to assist her in finding out how more about the letter and seeing if it ties into her husband's murder.

Their hunt for more information is going to take them on a dangerous road where no one can be trusted. At the same time Carly is battling two bratty sisters who take advantage of their sister in every way possible. She is a giver, and they are definitely takers. As Carly and Lucas gather more information, the puzzle gets more complex. There are several earth shattering things that come to light while they are working this case together. Jaw dropping information that will leave you with a gaping mouth. Lucas is beginning to realize that Carly is not a bad person. She is actually one of the most giving, unselfish people he has ever met.

Colleen Coble never disappoints me with her mysteries. The plot line of this one was very interesting with a mystery at its core, but I also received a history lesson as well regarding Faberge eggs. Carly was a wonderful character that I would love to have as a friend. Her sisters needed a lesson in manners, which they will soon learn. This was a lesson that sometimes what we learn from our past can enrich our future, even if it is a painful lesson at first. I loved the way this book wrapped up in the end. I was very surprised and pleased as well. This one is well worthy of five stars.

Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is a great Christian thriller! Often the books I’ve written from a Christian perspective are a bit cheesy, but this one is well done. I really enjoyed the suspense and the romance!