Ambush by Colleen Coble
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A nice PG romantic suspense filled with hope, working through past trauma, and forgiveness. I have liked all of Coble’s books I’ve read so far and this was no exception. I especially loved the connections to characters in her last book I read.

Thank you @colleencoble, @netgalley, and @thomasnelson for a free ARC of this ebook. All opinions are honest and my own.

#netgalley #closeddoorromance #ambush #sanctuaryseries #colleencoble #goodreads #bookstagram #literarypearlsof25

Paradise is coming back to her home town in Alabama and the scene of the double murder of her parents. She has had plenty of trauma in her life and now she is going to be a veterinarian at the local animal preserve. Before she came, she was mauled by a panther and now experiences anxiety around large cats. She hopes that working with them again will help to regain her confidence around them. On the first day on the job, a woman is discovered murdered. The woman had been leading a protest group about the preserve. The problems continue to add up, from arson, unlocked cages, shooting, and falling objects, it seems that someone is sending a loud message. The local police officer decides that the owner's son is responsible and doesn't even investigate. Blake, the son, and her decide it is up to them to clear his name.

A lot of plot happens in this book. Paradise questions her faith, investigates her own parents' murders, and begins to fall in love. If you are looking for action and some romance with a faith element, then Ambush should be a great read. Not all is tied up and so you will want to look for Book #2 in the series when it comes out. The ending seemed abrupt, but sometimes a series ends this way as it builds for the next book.

Paradise Alden has returned to the town she grew up in after fifteen years. Nova Cambridge, Alabama. She is now a veterinarian and has returned to work at the Sanctuary, a that is home to bears, hyenas, giraffes, big cats-as in tigers, jaguars, leopards, and so many other wild animals. Did I mention hippos? Paradise bears the scars of a not-so-long-ago attack from a big cat. Scars on the outside as well as on the inside. She loves the big cats and realizes she needs to overcome her fear of them. She hopes she can do this at the Sanctuary. Another reason for coming back to her hometown, is that her parents were murdered when she was a child and the murder was never solved. Whoever killed them is still out there.
The Sanctuary is owned by the mother of the one (Blake) who Paradise feels turned his back on her at the worst time of her life. This led to her being sent away from her hometown. However, Paradise and Blake will be working together so they will have to learn to get along.
Things get crazy as soon as Paradise arrives. A dead woman is found in a horse trailer. She was murdered. Then, other things happen. Someone left the gate open to the hyenas and they are advancing on Blake. One thing after another happens and the local policeman seems a bit too big for his britches and has quite the attitude. He does not give attention to all the incidents that he should. He wants to believe Blake is doing all of this himself. Did I mention that before Paradise got to the Sanctuary that Blake's stepdad died due to a fall from the hayloft in the barn? He seldom had reason to go up there, and he'd had railings installed as a safeguard for his two young sons. There is someone wanting to purchase the Sanctuary, but Blake's mother, and his stepdad prior to his death turned the offer down. All these events bring bad publicity to the Sanctuary, and they make income from giving tours. Could all these things be done to put them out of business so they are forced to sell?
This story is full of suspense and action, with some romance. Well developed characters. Love the story line in this book!
I was given an advanced ecopy from the publisher, Thomas Nelson through Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

It’s a great romantic suspense. It’s a roller coaster of suspense Following along the clues was a twist road. It kept me glued to the pages. The conclusion of the book still leaves us with a mystery. I look forward to the next book to see what happens next

This was honestly kind of a mess.
The premise of Ambush grabbed me right away—a wildlife sanctuary setting, a murder mystery, and a veterinarian with scars both physical and emotional, a gorgeous cover with moody atmosphere. Unfortunately, the execution didn't live up to what the concept promised.
I found the book painfully slow to get going. The first hundred pages dragged as Paradise and Blake circled each other with their unresolved past. Just when I thought the pace would pick up with the discovery of a body, the plot seemed to meander rather than gaining momentum.
Things got confusing as more characters and subplots were introduced. I had trouble keeping track of who might be targeting the sanctuary and why. Was it related to Blake's stepfather's death? Paradise's parents' murder? Some grudge against the sanctuary itself?
Eh. I lost interest quickly and just got through it because I said I would read it.
For a book marketed as a thriller, Ambush lacked the tension and urgency that should have kept me up reading past midnight. Instead, I found myself setting it down for days at a time with no burning desire to pick it back up.
I did enjoy the animal scenes. Those felt authentic and showed Coble had done her research. The romance felt predictable, with Paradise forgiving Blake's betrayal too quickly. I do like drama and mess though, so......
The book does set up an intriguing series with the unresolved mystery of Paradise's parents' murders, but I'm not invested enough to continue with future installments.

Ambush is another gripping romantic suspense by Colleen Coble. I've been a fan of hers since I discovered her books several years ago. This new book did NOT disappoint. I think one of my favorite things about this book is that we get to see characters from two of her previous series. And it wasn't just that these characters were mentioned, they play important roles in this story.

Ambush introduces us to two new main characters, Paradise and Blake, as well as Blake's family, plus additional family, friends, and a host of characters who COULD be the ones responsible for the dasterdly deeds taking place at the wildlife park, The Sanctuary owned by Blake's mother, Jenna.

There are a couple of main storylines taking place. Mysteries that need solved. In addition to helping Blake find out why someone seems to be saboutaging The Sanctuary, Paradise is back in the town where she grew up to try to figure out something of great importance to her, even though it meant being in close proximity to Blake, her ex who she hasn't been able to forgive all these years.

I loved the animals in the Sanctuary and the interactions with them, even the hyenas.

There was a point when I was reading that I was thinking, hey, this could even make an enjoyable action movie. Danger coming from multiple sides, both natural and from humans, intrigue, mystery, dangerous animals not fully contained at times. And of course a redemption thread, with faith and learning to trust the Lord.

Now, to wait impatiently for the next book. If you aren't a fan of cliffhangers and not-fully-resolved storylines, you may just want to wait for the next book to come out before reading this one. You've been warned.

I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. These are my own honest thoughts.

A murder, a lonely protagonist, a wildlife sanctuary, and threatening events are brought together in Colleen Coble’s first book in the Sanctuary Romantic Suspense series. Ambush is a story of betrayal, healing, family, and much more.

Paradise Alden grew up in Nova Cambridge, Alabama and had a wonderful childhood until the night her parents were murdered. When family wouldn’t take her in, she ended up in the foster care system where she suffered abuse and felt she was betrayed by her high school boyfriend. This was followed by a jaguar attack that has nearly destroyed her veterinarian career.

It’s been fifteen years since she left her hometown, but she’s returning to get her life back together. She’s accepted a veterinarian job at a wildlife sanctuary that she hopes will heal her fear of big cats as well as unlock her memories of the night her parents died. However, things don’t start smoothly. A body is discovered on the sanctuary and this is followed by multiple threatening events. Additionally, the family that owns the refuge is that of her high school boyfriend, Blake Lawson, who has been helping his mother care for the animals and his two young half-brothers for the last six months.

Paradise distrusts men, is lonely, and hates conversations that get too personal. She projects a strong, confident manner, is a deep thinker, and comes across as reserved. Blake was a Marine combat paramedic before the death of his stepfather brought him back home to help his mother. He relates easily to most people, loves the Sanctuary, and tends to protect the underdog. He has a quiet confidence, kind manner, and is selfless.

The level of suspense and danger are a constant factor as the story progresses. The mysteries add intrigue. Building on this are family dynamics and romance, which give the story a multi-layer plot that will hold a reader’s attention and keep them turning the pages. The author adds enough twists along the way to keep readers guessing. While I thought I knew the antagonist, I was only partially right. Tack on good world-building transporting readers to the wildlife refuge and excellent characterization, and you get a great start to a new series.

Overall, this was an entertaining and suspenseful novel that kept me fully engaged. Themes include betrayal, trust, murder, love, family, threats, and much more. While the main mystery was resolved, there are several threads for future books in the series. I can’t wait to see what is next.

Thomas Nelson Fiction and Colleen Coble provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 4, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

This is the first book in a new series by Colleen Coble and it was a great read. It was interesting reading about an animal sanctuary and the wild animals they take care of. This books is full of action and romance and brings you in from the very beginning.
I definitely recommend you give this a read and if you haven't read all of Colleen Coble's books, this will make you want to read them all.

I really enjoyed a new start to Colleen's new Christian romantic suspense series! This has ties to the Tupelo Grove series with her and rick, which I really enjoyed What We Hide and seeing Hez and Savannah back in this book. You can read this though without reading What We Hide.

This is about Blake and Paradise. Blake Lawson is the man who broke Paradise Alden's heart many years ago. (So this is a second chance romance and I realllly liked how it was done!) Paradise has been through so much in her life - from the murder of her parents to assault - she has certainly had trauma in her life. It's 15 years later when she is back in town in Alabama and she is seeking a fresh start and also wants to figure out who was involved in the murder of her parents. While she is there, she finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation on Blake's family sanctuary preserve. Blake is helping his mother (widowed) take care of his little brother's on the preserve while Paradise waltz back into his life and old feelings emerge between them as they are walking through this troubling investigation and past.

I really liked the animals, the sanctuary, small town and family vibes in this one. I think the setting was actually really unique because I have not seen that before in a book. I think this was more romance than suspense, which I liked. Blake and Paradise had a TON of interactions with them and the family - it was just great.

Oh, and the faith content was well done. I loved seeing Paradise grow in her faith and take action when she felt like the Lord was leading her.

Looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Content warning: brief mention of past sexual assault

Paradise Alden is returning home after being gone for 15 years after her parents were murdered. She is hoping she can put her past to rest. She can't remember a thing about that night. As soon as she arrives back in town, a lot of events start happening that threaten her life. Blake Lawson is the son of her boss and she has known him for awhile. This book kept me reading as Paradise struggles to remember what happened to her parents and find out who is trying to silence her. This book also brings in people we have read about from previous books.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing via Net/Galley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat. It has a wonderful cast of characters and is full of action, suspense drama and sweet romance.
I loved the setting of this book, a wild animal sanctuary, it made it so interesting learning about the care of the animals. I loved everything about this book and highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Paradise Alden's childhood in Nova Cambridge, Alabama, was idyllic until the night her parents were murdered. Since then, life has left her scarred. The abuse she suffered in the foster care system, her first love's betrayal, and the jaguar attack that nearly destroyed her career have led to an unshakable distrust--in men, in God, and maybe even in herself.

She returns to The Sanctuary run by mother and son duo Blake Lawson and Jenna Anderson. She will be a Vet to the exotic animals that have been rescued and face her fears after being mauled by a big cat. She also wants to find out what happened when her parents were murdered when she was a child.

I felt as though the story was not finished, however, and hope that it is in the next book.

I was gifted this copy by Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review

After a betrayal by her first love sent her away from Nova Cambridge, Paradise planned never to return, but circumstances have conspired to force her back, not only to Nova Cambridge, but to Blake and the wildlife refuge his family runs. She hoped to heal, but a series of incidents that increasingly clearly appear attacks, coupled with a deputy who'd like to pin them all on Blake, make for a far from restful return. However, enforced time with Blake is clearing the air about the event that separated them and showing why they got on so well in the first place. But with a potential killer around, will they live to try to forge a new relationship?

A definite edge-of-your seat read, with a very mysterious and furtive antagonist who's eager to make things look like accidents... This totally kept me guessing, with no particularly clear suspects and the potential for a tie to various previous events muddying the waters. Throw in a deputy with sub-ideal motives and no interest in the truth, and you can be confident nothing will be easy. At the same time, having to work together against a common enemy does help force Blake and Paradise to work things out, so I guess there's a silver lining. Discussing the truth of Blake's betrayal is hard but necessary, and I loved the way they were eventually able to make peace. Blake's two young half-brothers are a great addition to the story, too, even when they're not going places they shouldn't. All in all, a great read and I'm looking forward to the next book.

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

"A big truck barreled past them, and it backfired as it drew alongside Blake’s pickup. He jerked at the loud sound before he could cover it, and his heart rate accelerated. He hid the calming breaths he took before Paradise could notice. Noises like that took him right back to that last ambush."
Providing sanctuary to wild animals can be complicated. Especially if someone is out for revenge. This latest romantic suspense book by Colleen Coble is fantastic. But I'm not sure that it's one you want to read right before bed. You do definitely want to read it if this is your genre.
I have been to the zoo many times in my life. After reading this book, I will never look at the cages and habitats in the same way. Man against beast adds another layer of suspense to a book that goes beyond the typical man versus man.
But I do love the characters in this book. So many great themes as well. Loss. Redemption. Moving on from the past.
The book did wrap up some of the mystery portion. But I missed the fact that this book is part of a series. Many unanswered questions remain. I will definitely be reading the next book.
I did get to read an early version of this book on NetGalley. I read all of Colleen's books, And I wanted to review this one. All opinions are my own.

I read ebook and listened to the audiobook of Ambush by Colleen Coble. It was a fast read, with lots of action. Perfect for those who love a 'who done it" story.
The over arching theme is about redemption and finding family and God through the despite the struggles of life.
If you love christian mystery, this book if for you. There is a lot of reference to the christian god.

This is the story of a women named Paradise, a veterinarian with lots of trauma from her childhood. Her parents were murdered when she was sixteen and forced into foster care. Wanting to finally put the case to rest and justice to be served, Paradise goes back to her small town to work at an animal sanctuary and investigate her parents murder. Her estranged high school boyfriend Blake and his mother Jenna own the sanctuary. Is she ready to forgive Blake and move on with her life? When she gets to work, one unfortunate event after another keep happening. Something fishy is going on and Blake and Paradise try to get to the bottom of it, despite Sheriff Creed not being very helpful.

If Colleen Coble writes it, I’ll read it… she’s that good at crafting riveting romantic suspense with layered characters I really come to care about. So needless to say, picking up Ambush was a must for me. Bonus points because it starts a new series, and double bonus points because it’s set near some of her other series so we get to hang out with familiar fave characters as well as the new ones!

There’s something about wild animals and severe weather that make suspense novels feel even more ominous, raising the stakes and keeping me braced for the next shoe to drop, and Ambush brings both of those elements to the mix. I loved that it’s set on a wildlife refuge in Alabama, complete with lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) and hyenas and foxes and panthers and hippos and a host of other creatures. Adding to that amped-up tension that comes with the mere presence of these potentially-dangerous animals is Paradise’s past big-cat-related trauma (I really felt her battle with fear, particularly in a couple of key scenes) and the fact that someone is trying to sabotage The Sanctuary and is willing to kill to do so. Throw in the unpredictability of Alabama’s unsettled weather patterns, and Paradise’s romantic history with Blake Lawson, and you need to be prepared that you’ll likely have to remind yourself to breathe more than once.

That said, I also appreciated how Coble achieves a great balance of acknowledging the wild nature of the animals at The Sanctuary and the need to always keep that danger in mind, while still giving them loads of fun personality, particularly in their interactions with Blake’s family and Paradise. Coble also finds this balance in conveying Paradise’s very valid fears and, in contrast, emphasizing the peace of God (and the courage it provides) that’s available to her when she asks. The scenes that bring this into focus are so well-written and were really touching to this former anxiety girl who empathized with Paradise’s journey. And I could talk for hours about how much I loved the subplot involving the ripple effects of Paradise’s following the nudging of God toward a difficult side character.

Bottom Line: Ambush by Colleen Coble grabbed my interest from word one and not only held it through the whole story but also has me champing at the bit to see how the arc involving the murder of Paradise’s parents – and the secrets she uncovers in this book – will play out over the course of this new series. I loved everything about this story, from Blake & Paradise’s relationship (and all its complex layers from the past) to the well-crafted, edge of your seat suspense plot, Blake’s endearing little brothers & their big-hearted mom, the unique setting, and the moving notes of grace. It was also fun to get to hang out with familiar faces from a couple of her other series, though this reads just fine as a standalone if you haven’t read her Pelican Harbor or Tupelo Grove (written with Rick Acker) series yet. I can’t wait for the second book – November can’t get here fast enough!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

I found this latest book by the author has a great plot, a touch of mystery and romance. It caught my attention from the beginning as it. builds to the ending. I recommend this stand alone book. Given arc copy by Net.Galley and Thomas Nelson

Ambush by Colleen Coble is a fast paced read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. With twists and turns in perfect timing, Coble knows how to hold her reader’s attention. I loved the multiple dimensions of this story: romance, baggage from the past, intrigue, and danger. Plus, the setting of a wildlife refuge was fascinating in and of itself!

I have never been disappointed by a Colleen Coble book. Her storytelling ability is spot on, and her characters are easy to relate to. When is comes to romantic suspense, Coble is at the top of my list!

I received this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own

paradise returns back to her hometown to uncover what happened to her parents, who were brutally unalived. but little does she know that her new boss at is none other than her ex and childhood love, blake. what ensues is a whirlwind of danger, rekindled emotions and the journey of self discovery.

𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
i loved the unique setting of the small town alabama and wildlife sanctuary workplace!

i loved paradise and blakes compassion for animals, each other and their second chance romance was so endearing. but what really caught me was the thriller aspect intertwined. it was non stop and it kept me guessing who the culprit was.

fun, captivating and wildly suspenseful!

thank you to thomas nelson fiction, colleen coble and netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

When her life's challenges leave returning to her hometown to work in an animal sanctuary as her only choice, Paradise Alden moves back to Alabama with a wary heart. Home to her best memories and her worst, Paradise will work closely with the people and animals to keep this last piece of her past free from danger. Colleen Coble is a prolific author. I've read many of her back library and enjoyed them. AMBUSH is the first book in a new series. Coble has built a community and populated it with a cast of characters that should keep the series running for many years.