Paradise came back to her hometown of Nova Cambridge Alabama to work as a zoo vet for the Sanctuary wildlife Refuge.
Her former boyfriend, Blake Lawson who let her down after her parents were murdered when she was 9 works at the Sanctuary too and doesn't know she's coming.
The Sanctuary had been harassed by a group of protesters who used intimidation and violence to try and put the Sanctuary out of business.
The day Paradise arrived, one of the protestors, Ms. Mason was found dead in a horse trailer on Sanctuary property with a knife wound and Blake and his mother, Jenna were being blamed for it.
Then a group that was touring the park Blake was leading started shooting towards a grizzly bear and cubs, Paradises home was set on fire and a child was rescued from a tigers cage when the gate was left unlocked.
Who is responsible - you will be guessing until the end of the story!




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

This is a newly discovered author to me. I'm happy to have discovered her as she wrote a book that made me to continue to read into the wee hours of the night. I look forward to reading more of this authors books.

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins Publishing /Thomas Nelson Publishing for an early copy of Ambush by Colleen Coble

Returning to a place that harbors negative feelings can be traumatic, but Paradise Alden carries on with such grace and goodness that things just have to work out. When she faces her former love, her former employer and estranged family, Paradise finds a multitude of ways to deal with the past and look positively to the future.

Although it has been fifteen years since Blake Lawson has seen Paradise, it is as though no time has passed. Even with the twists and turns of each of their lives, they are able to reconnect stronger than ever. With murders from the past along with a murder in the present consuming them, they are able to work the cases with smarts and instincts while building their own personal relationship.

The action is centered around a wildlife refuge owned by Blake's mother. Blake has returned to help his recently-widowed mother and two young stepbrothers. Paradise is hired as the veterinarian/helper while she heals from a large cat attack.

The characters in Ambush are strong in their convictions, including a meaningful faith life that keeps them grounded and aids them in finding solutions.

Author Colleen Coble plans Ambush as Book 1 of a trilogy entitled Sanctuary. Readers will be looking forward to the next installment as matters left unsolved will be faced.

Ambush by Colleen Coble is the start of a new series that follows Paradise Alden as she moves back to her hometown to work at the animal sanctuary of her first boyfriend’s family. In addition to working, Paradise wants to find answers to the brutal murder of her parents when she was a child. Once there, it becomes clear that someone is targeting the animal park and Paradise and Blake work to uncover who is responsible.

I have read and enjoyed several Colleen Coble books and this was no different! I look forward to future books about these characters!

This was such a good book. I haven’t read a lot of Coleen Coble books but will definitely be reading more. The story was fast-paced and kept my attention. The setting was different than others I have read which was a nice change of pace. Highly recommend this book and hope there is another in the series.

I received an ARC ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ambush is an intense, gripping read from start to finish. The story follows Paradise Alden, a woman haunted by her past and determined to uncover the truth about her parents’ murder. The emotional weight she carries from growing up in foster care, suffering betrayal, and surviving a jaguar attack makes her a complex and relatable character. Her return to her hometown for a fresh start quickly turns into a suspenseful journey when a body is found on the wildlife refuge she works at.

What I loved most was how Paradise’s distrust, particularly toward Blake Lawson—the man who broke her heart years ago—evolved over the course of the story. The tension between them is palpable, and as they work together to solve the mystery, I found myself rooting for them despite their painful history.

The suspense is relentless, with arson, shootings, and break-ins piling up, all pointing to Blake. But Paradise, determined to find the truth, proves she has the strength and tenacity to uncover the real killer, even if it means confronting her own fears.

Colleen Coble does a fantastic job of blending mystery, romance, and deep emotional moments. The setting in the Alabama wilderness adds to the tension and atmosphere, making the mystery even more immersive. I’m excited to see where the series goes from here!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
This was a great Christian based book. You can feel the pain and struggle that Paradise is going through, but she still is willing to help others. She is mentally and physically at the end of her rope. One day event changes how she views her whole life and circumstance. You see and feel the change in her. Blake is the perfect person for her. The love he has for Paradise and his family is what makes him that way. Through everything going on at the sanctuary Blake doesn’t lose his faith in God.
You kinda see who maybe the culprit with some of that persons actions. But the twist with the villain I did not see it going.

Would highly recommend.

Paradise Alden hasn't had life easy. Now that she is grown and has a veterinarian career to move forward with, she decided to come back to the town of her childhood. At this point in life, she needs to find out who murdered her parents. She has taken a job at Sanctuary Wildlife Preserve even though she may have to be in contact with Blake Lawson. She will never forgive him for betraying her.
Six months ago, Blake returned home to help his widowed mother with his little brothers and the sanctuary full of exotic animals that she runs. He is trying to do everything possible to keep the place going so the family has an income and help them keep their home. He is astounded to learn that Paradise is the new vet that his mother Jenna Anderson has hired. She broke his heart years ago.
I received an advanced reader's copy of Ambush from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley and this is my own unsolicited opinion about the book. I really like it. I got caught up in the story right away. I love the faith that Blake and Jenna shows and understand the bitterness Paradise lives with. The story is a good demonstration of the painful life a child can go through with the loss of parents and being put in foster care. There is mystery, suspicious activity and danger. Blakes devotion to his sweet young brothers is touching. The animals and their characteristics lend a really interesting portion to the story. The hyenas are so creepy.
I love that this is the beginning of the series and look forward to more mystery being solved for the characters and the sanctuary. This is for all who enjoy reading clean mysteries with action and a spark of romance.

3.75/5 stars

The first in the Sanctuary series, this contemporary mystery is set in a commercial wildlife refuge and revolves around a cold case double murder.

While I did appreciate the spirit of the story, the exciting denouement, the surprising villain, and the location setting (which was well-researched and drawn), I really wanted more character development here. I felt like I was being told about the mains past connection rather than being shown enough and felt a bit at sea at times with their past history. They both seemed like lovable characters, but just didn't feel the deeper connection that I wanted to.

One other frustration was the amount of time that it took for the mains to begin fighting back against all the sabotage and danger going on around them. I felt like multiple (5+) instances of threats to their lives/livelihood would have spurred a quicker response and defense than it did.

Overall, I found it a good, easy read with wholesome good spiritual content (hard to find these days) and will look into future endeavors in this series.

My thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing the free early arc of Ambush for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

“But her only answers were here in this place, where shadows from the past still reached out to shape her life.”
Colleen Coble is one of the authors that is on my automatic read list, and this book demonstrates the reason perfectly. She does an amazing job creating suspense while peppering in details from the characters’ backstories. She sets the scene so well that it’s almost like I’m experiencing everything with them. The first book in the Sanctuary series focuses on forgiveness, second chances at love, and how God uses even the bad things that happen in our lives for good. I felt so bad for everything Paradise had been through. Even after everything she had faced, she managed to stay kind and gentle. I can’t imagine being suspected of the things Blake was being accused of and I loved how he and Paradise supported each other through everything. I did guess one of the conspirators but the twists made me doubt myself. The ending was so surprising and suspenseful and I absolutely cannot wait until book 2 comes out.

Thank you, Ms. Coble, for allowing me to be on your launch team. This story was wonderful and I was not ready for it to end.

Ambush by Colleen Coble

Paradise Alden was doing the one thing she swore she would not do, go home. Nova Cambridge held horrible memories for her, this was the place where her life blew up.
But when Jenna Anderson, who owned the animal sanctuary in town, called her and told her she needed a full time vet and that she knew that Paradise needed a change of scenery since her attack, Paradise agreed. But as she got closer to the sanctuary, she wondered how Blake, Jenna's son, would feel having her on site. She also wondered if she would be able to do the job.

Blake Lawson had loved Paradise with all of his heart but they did not part on good terms. Now his mother is telling him that she has agreed to be their vet for the next year, why hadn't his mom told him before now, before he was blind sided? The sanctuary did need a full time vet so who better? He knew that if nothing else, Paradise loved animals and would fight to keep them healthy and safe.

The day that Paradise arrives at her new job, a body of a woman is found on the property. She had no idea that her life was about to be turned upside down again.

This book is full of danger and action. Paradise returns home and immediately there's a murder. Mishap after mishap occurs and she and Blake are thrust together to try to figure things out. The differences and betrayal between them are dealt with relatively quickly which I was glad for. I hate to see misunderstandings and hurt linger through an entire book.

There are a lot of possible villains and just when you think it's moving in one direction, there's a big twist. I like reading about the animals although I think I'd get rid of the hyenas. such troublesome creatures. There are a lot of loose ends to be tied up in the coming books. I'll look forward to seeing how things resolve.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

My first book of 2025 and I loved it! There is an intensity to everything that is happening to Paradise and Blake. Both have returned to Pelican Bay because they have to, and now they wonder if they might have a second chance at love. First they have to survive everything going wrong at the sanctuary for exotic animals that Blake and his mom runs much is happening, but this redemptive story will keep you coming back for more. I highly recommend it!

Ambush by Colleen Coble is the first book in A Sanctuary Novel series. It is a well written, easy to read and imagine Christian suspenseful romance story. This is a very good story that I found very difficult to put down. This story is filled with suspense with things that keep happening at the wildlife refuge.

I enjoyed this story so much. I enjoyed the interaction between Blake’s family members. I especially enjoyed how Paradise and Blake went about rebuilding their friendship and trust in each other. I found how she got her name to be interesting. The background story of Blake’s family is very touching.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

Wow! This was a marathon for me. Intense is not even descriptive enough for this mystery. Gripping the arms of the chair and nail biting were involved as I blew through this book. The characters were fighting those with two legs and some with four legs at various times.

Paradise has seen the worse that life has to offer. Foster care and unsolved murder have scarred her life. She trusts no one, especially men. Now to top it all off, a jaguar attack has left her scarred both physically and mentally. She needs something new, which is how she ends up back home at The Sanctuary, which is a sanctuary for exotic animals.

Blake's mother, Jenna, is determined to make The Sanctuary a success. When Blake realizes that the vet his mother has hired is none other than Paradise, he is not happy. They have not seen each other in many years, and their last meeting was not a good one.

When a dead body is found the first day Paradise arrives, they realize they will have to work together and put their past behind them. This is just the beginning as so called accidents continue to happen and things get a little hairy at times. I accused everyone at some point and time, as the author just kept throwing in another twist.

Colleen Coble does a phenomenal job of building the characters so that you can know them, blemishes included. It was an emotional story as Paradise fights against the trauma that has held her captive. Blake is fighting a shadow from his past where he feels responsible for someone. Both need to find inner forgiveness. Jenna's faith was so strong. She was a determined prayer warrior whose faith kept her going. The current crisis has only strengthened their resolve. There were so many touching scenes that I cannot even begin to touch on them. Just be ready to dive into the world of exotic animals and all that entails.

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

this was a really good book. and it was really different to any ive read recently. actually it stood alone as different from anything ive read. and that is stellar stuff. and made it so unique i enjoyed it all the more.
thats not to say it didnt follow all the right formats for a brilliant read.
it had all the parts we want and need. it was also so much more than one genre. the romance was there just enough to soften the edge of the content and also it was such a thoughtful and tender relationship that was based on past and futures healed. and also our MCF healing herself. and believing in trusting others which must be hard given her past.
paradise upbring has been a smidge away from horrific. to say shes still fighting on each day is a minor miracle if you ask me. her parents were murdered and there followed miserable years in the care system. of course a lost love didnt help things.
coming home after 15 years she determined to find out what happened to her parents. but when she gets there twisted events start happening. putting her in possible danger. with the help of her old friend(should be much more if you ask me) together they figure out whats going on.
the author bought the locations and characters to life. and i thoroughly enjoyed this book. i shall be looking for more from this author for sure.

I was given the opportunity to read this book by Netgalley and its publisher.
This book was good. I found that I could completely imagine this story being real, and it was written as if it was playing out in live time in front of me. It was suspenseful, and yet romantic in its own right.
Paradise returns back to the place she grew up to solve her parent’s murder that took place as a child. She ends up taking a veterinary job at the Animal Sanctuary that her first love’s mom owns. From there it quickly dives into various crimes happening, someone being murdered, break ins- all while trying to get over her past trauma with the big cats. Can she handle it, will she move on from her trauma and attempt to start fresh and accept the love from those who want to take her in or will she call it quits and walk away from the love she has of animals?
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for this opportunity

** “Those struggles you’ve endured have made you strong. A warrior really. You’ve been able to stand on your own and forge your course. That’s remarkable when you think about the challenges you’ve overcome to do it. I believe God was loving you, steering you, even when you didn’t sense him there.” **

Colleen Coble begins another new series in a big way with “Ambush.”

After suffering a serious injury by a jaguar, veterinarian Paradise Alden returns to her hometown to work at the Sanctuary Wildlife Preserve — which just happens to be owned by the family of the boy her broke her heart 15 years ago.

But as more and more dangerous and potentially deadly occurrences happen on the Sanctuary, Paradise must help Blake in determining who is the actual target, and why. Can they overcome their past losses and traumas, as well as their personal history, to figure out what’s truly happening? And can they remain safe while saving the family business?

As always, Coble provides a story filled with twists and turns and many heart-thumping moments, both suspense-wise and romance-wise. She creates very real and relatable characters, as well as a couple of adorable little boys and some sweet animals, and visits from characters and places from her other series, like Pelican Harbor and Tupelo Grove.

The author also fills “Ambush” with several great themes, like we have to be willing to let people, as well as God, into our lives (“Allowing no one into your inner circle is a tough way to live. We all need other people. And God”); feeling like you fail the ones you love and how to overcome that; God can heal our hurting places; we need to learn to forgive ourselves as well as others; and struggles can make us stronger.

Fans of Lynette Eason, Kelly Irvin, Terri Blackstock and Irene Hannon will love this novel, which is due out March 4.

Five stars out of five.

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

Another knock it out of the park by this Author!! Her stories make you feel like you are right there with the characters too! Perfect blend of romance and danger!! Pulse pounding in every way!!

Paradise's parents were murdered when she was a child and she was abused in foster care. Upon returning to her hometown 15 years later, she hopes she can start over in a new veterinary job. This was a fast paced ride with arson, a dead body, and a shooting to name a few. This is my second Colleen Coble book and I do enjoy her writing.