This is a sweet, action filled story of love, secrets, family and second chances all with a mystery wrapped around it. I loved the characters, flaws and all. They seemed real with feelings that are genuine and true to the situations each found themselves in. I wish Paradise had more closure, but that should come in the next book....I hope! Overall a fast paced, action packed book that hooked me from the start. Loved it!
I received an advance copy of this. book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a Christian suspense with underlying romance. Paradise lost her parents while she was very young in an unsolved murder. She is then thrown into the foster system and has a history of being abused by men. Her faith is shaken and she does not feel God is looking over her at all and she falls away from her faith. She returns to her home town as an adult with the intentions of finding peace in her solve by hopefully solving her parents murder. She finds a job at a place called the Sanctuary which is owned by a family that had a special place in her life at one point. The story is a slow burn with other mysterious things happening at the Sanctuary and her friend Blake is in the midst of it. While they are finding themselves intertwined a romance maybe blooming. The characters are likable and relatable and it is not too much faith in religion forward which allows for the story to flow and it is more complimentary to the story. I really liked the little boys and how they are cared for and bring a smile to the readers. Additionally the romance doesn't always flow into a happily ever after but does show how romance and connection is a basis for a good relationship with the ups as well as the downs. Many thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley.

I love Colleen Coble’s books and her latest book. Ambush was no exception. Excellent plot and relatable characters. I definitely recommend this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley. This is my unbiased review.

Animals, mystery, romance are hallmarks of this first book in the new sanctuary series by Colleen Coble. The characters were complex and worked through their issues over the course of the book which was something that I really appreciated about it.

I enjoyed the Christian elements of the story. It had some really good themes including that God never abandons you. While most of the mysteries were solved, it was obvious that there was going to be a book 2 as one of the side stories has not been tied up. Looking forward to seeing where the author takes the story from here.

I receive complimentary books for various sources including, Netgalley, Authors, and other such sources. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received compensation.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a fast paced thrill ride. The intrigue kept me guessing until,the end. It is so refreshing to read a heart filled thriller that has flawed characters doing what is right. I loved this book!

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

Colleen Coble has long been my go to for Christian suspense! She does not disappoint in her latest novel, Ambush. I don't know how she can still turn out great reads time and again. But as long as she does, I"ll read them!

In Ambush, we meet Paradise (who names their kid Paradise?) who has overcome great difficulty in her life. From her parent's unsolved murder, being betrayed by a teenage boyfriend, and attacked by a panther at her job, Paradise has had her full share of heartache. Nevertheless, she clings to her faith and trusts that God has all things under His control. She accepts a new job at an animal park in her hometown as a veterinarian to exotic animals. She hopes by coming home she can overcome her fear of big cats. This job also puts her in the company of her previous boyfriend, Blake. Blake doesn't understand what went wrong with him and Paradise, but he still thinks she is the prettiest thing he has ever seen! When dangerous and unexplained accidents occur at the animal park, Blake and Paradise must put their differences aside and work together to discover if someone is trying to close the park, kill Blake, or Paradise.

I enjoyed Ambush very much. It was kind of slow at the beginning but I pushed though. I'm glad I did because it got very exciting and I had to find out who was behind all the accidents. I really liked the characters. Paradise is vulnerable, but strong. Blake wants to be her knight in shining armor. Blake's mother is very kind and Blake's kid brothers are fun.
I think any readers of Christian fiction will enjoy Ambush by Colleen Coble.

Paradise has mixed feelings about returning to the town where her parents were murdered. She is even more unsure about working with her first love. But, she is also sure this is the only way she can get her life on track. Wonderful Christian suspense.

Wow! This book is captivating and full of surprises! There's suspense, intrigue, and a mystery. I never would have suspected the one perpetrator.

The characters are written brilliantly! Paradise is Amazing! Her strength and tenacity are admirable. Blake, sigh, I picture Steve Irwin here! He takes care of everyone and everything in his care! The family and community are very supportive, and I hope many of them are in future books!

I particularly enjoyed the parts of the book that involved faith in God! Blake and his family are not shy about their faith, and that helps Paradise realize her need for God. It's especially cute when Levi and Isaac chime in with their cute insights!

The whole animal sanctuary is fascinating to me. It amazes me to think about the love and care that the workers instill to the creatures in their care.

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have read Colleen Coble’s books for many years. Just when I think she can’t get better, she does!
I loved this book. The interaction between the characters, the events of the past and the cutest little boys made this my new favorite.
I liked Blake and Paradise and the fact that they didn’t stay mad at each other through the whole book. That was refreshing to see them become friends again.
I did not figure out the killer until it was revealed. Good job keeping several people on the suspect list.
Thank you Colleen for a great book that kept me up late!

“If people don’t stand up against evil, what kind of world will we be living in?”

I’m already a dedicated fan of Colleen Coble, so when I heard she was starting a new series, I was all in, no questions asked. I didn’t even read the synopsis!

I love that Coble gets her story going and then sprinkles her introductions. Knowing what the characters are experiencing and their emotional responses hooks me, and by the time the author formally introduces them, I’ve already forged a connection and I care about what happens to them from then on.

Coble’s new series focuses on second-chance relationships and returning to the past due to desperation rather than choice. Paradise Alden (read to find out why she was given this name!) is forced to return to the town she grew up in and fled, simply because she needs the work. She’s lost everything and is not in a position to be choosey. Coble uses this to examine courage and the need to forgive ourselves. She weaves the thread of first love together with the heartache of loneliness and desperation and crafts a compelling arc. Coming to work with someone who ‘destroyed’ her life creates tension and Coble harnesses it exceptionally well. Coble’s characters face moral choices and readers get to see how the shadows from their past reach out to shape their future. Watching them deal with disappointment in each other and in God strengthens our connection to them. Patching what’s broken is never easy, especially when one’s financial success depends on it. Regardless, readers will see that experiencing loss and pain has softened Paradise and that affects how she treats others.

The setting is spectacular! I’m already wishing I could visit Sanctuary Wildlife Preserve. What’s not to love about caring for beautiful creatures? Who would have thought this would be the perfect backdrop for mischief and nail-biting tension?!

Three things I’ll remember:
1. Seeing the Bible as our North Star; it helps us navigate life
2. God is never the one who moves
3. We can’t control what happens to us, but we can choose how we respond

I was entertained, I fell in love with the characters and the setting, I’ve built memories with Paradise and Blake and I hope to spend time with them in Prowl, book two in the Sanctuary series.

A start of a new series by one of my favourite go to authors. Paradise has had a difficult and complicated upbringing but as she returns home to find out more about her parents death and also try to overcome a traumatic event she is reunited with her first love but can he also be a new love? I loved reading about the animals and how they are cared for at the sanctuary. The action kept me on my toes and I was unsure where the author was headed with the outcome but it ended on a slight cliffhanger which has made me feel eager for the next book.

To be honest, this isn't my favorite book by this author and yet it was still enjoyable. I like the two main characters in the book, and fell in love with the two little boys. I love mysteries and even though this wasn't the best mystery story, I still had to read to see what happens in the end. There seemed to be times where the book was a bit rushed and maybe missing a few pieces. This is the first book in a series, and there's a bit of a story line that I imagine will follow through in the other books. I do look forward to reading the other books and hopefully be able to follow-up on the characters.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and wasn't required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Colleen Coble is fast becoming one of my favorite new to me authors. Each story is great and full of detail and very well-written. I really enjoyed her latest, Ambush. Paradise's life was beautiful until the day her parents were murdered. Now, everything is a mess. Returning to her hometown several years later, she is trying to put her life back together. But there is still danger around as well as possible romance. What will happen next!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishing for an arc of this book. I received this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts are entirely my own.

Paradise Alden had come back to her hometown of Nova Cambridge Alabama to work at The Sanctuary in exchange for room and board while working there. And turns out her childhood sweetheart helps run the sanctuary after his stepfather died six months previously and came back from the Marines to help his mom and little brothers. Paradise wants nothing to do with him until they finally settle their differences and get back together. On Paradise’s first day a woman is found murdered in a horse trailer that was being sent to the sanctuary. Other mysterious things happen including a fire, hyenas getting lose, Paradise getting attacked, and the murder weapon ending up in a van after church. Everyone teams up to find the truth and learn that Owen Shaw who was the stepfather Hanks partner at the vet clinic he used to work out before buying the sanctuary was in financial trouble and learned about gas that was on the property that was worth a lot of money and with the help of Lacey who worked at the Sanctuary they would have succeeded. Paradise also is trying to figure out who murdered her parents and figures out two suspects and ends up clearing them both of suspects even after finding closer in regards to one of them having killed her parents and is no closer to finding the truth but does learn that she has a sibling. This book was very interesting and had some heartfelt moments but was also thrilling and kept me wanting to read more until I found out what all happened. Can’t wait to own a physical copy.

What an intriguing story Colleen Coble has dropped us into!

I loved the setting. A small zoo for rescued animals? How fun! The characters were all wonderful and it's second chance romance, which is one of my favorite plots :) We also have a super close family and two ADORABLE little boys who melted my heart!

Let's not forget the mysteries. That's right, plural! We have one that is clearly going to be threading through the series and then one that is wrapped up within this book. To be honest, the mystery just for this book fell a little flat for me. The whole ending, as far as that mystery is concerned, felt maybe a bit rushed? Only one person even seemed suspicious and even then, it didn't fit well, to me. I almost wonder if that mystery needed to be spread out too. But it wasn't enough to make me not love the book and be super excited to keep reading! I can't wait to explore more of Paradise's family mysteries and I'm hoping we find out what the heck is up with Creed.

: "I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." I want to thank Colleen Coble and her publisher for giving me an Arc copy of this book. I am super excited to read this book, I've heard so much about this author.

We meet Paradise, a veterinarian that specializes in exotic animals (lions, elephants etc). She returns to her hometown to be the onsite veterinarian for a wildlife sanctuary. She still has some scarring from her past. The owner of the sanctuary, that offered her the job, is the mother of her high school love interest (Blake), who has recently returned to the family business.  A suspicious death discovered on the grounds overshadows Paradise's return. When the local detective seems set on implicating Blake in the murder, Paradise and Blake set out against all odds to uncover tge truth. Set on beautiful gulf coast of Alabama, this non spicy romance thriller will leave you wanting more.  Good thing, its a new series from the wonderful Colleen Coble.

Wild ride involving a wild animal refuge will keep you on the edge through this book. Colleen Coble never fails to write the book you can't put down. Another fantastic read! This book was provided by #NetGalley, the publisher and author, #Colleen Coble, for me to read. The opinions expressed here are my own thoughts. #Ambush

Ambush
You can go wrong with a Colleen Coble book and Ambush is no exception! This will grab you from the first page and keep you intrigued to the very end!

My thoughts - I've read every book written by Colleen Cable and this is my all time favourite. I love the strength of the two main characters Paradise Adin and Blake Lawson. You will see how Paradise is struggling with the past and Blake is there to support Paradise in overcoming all the obstacles. You'll see the strength they have for each others and others around them. It is a story I never wanted to end. It has compassion, love for the Lord, romance and mystery.

Disclaimer - I received this advanced readers copy from the publisher for a honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my and mine alone.

Paradise Alden returns to her hometown after many years in order to take up the position of veterinarian at a local wild animal sanctuary. At the time she left, she felt betrayed by Blake, her first love. Though he is helping his mother run the sanctuary, Paradise returns anyway, in order to overcome her fear of big cats. When a body is found on the compound, and a series of frightening events takes place, Paradise and Blake seek to find the truth about who is behind the various attacks, and why.

This book has just enough drama and mystery to keep the reader engaged, without being exactly heart racing. The main characters are believable though some of the secondary characters seem a bit stereotyped. I felt that the story ended abruptly. I wanted to flip to more pages, but there were none. Perhaps Ambush is intended to be the first book of a series. Overall, an enjoyable read and an author to be followed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.