This is my second book by Coble, and I was not disappointed. This is a little bit of mystery, a little bit of thriller (there are some more death-defying action scenarios toward the end), and a little bit of romance. Second-chance romance, to be exact. So this story follows two MCs the primary is Paradise. Paradise is an exotic vet who was viciously attacked by a jaguar she was caring for, leaving her with pain, scars, and PTSD. Paradise returns to Nova Cambridge to work at The Sanctuary and to determine who murdered her parents. Our second POV is Blake, Paradise's high school sweetheart who broke her heart. Blake's mom runs The Sanctuary, and Blake quit the Marines when his stepdad died to help her mother run the business and take care of his two little brothers. As soon as Paradise arrives in town, a dead body is discovered, and lots of near-fatal accidents occur. Can Blake and Paradise figure out who the culprit is before it's too late?
Ok, so this is an interesting story, mostly because of the setting. I like the idea of this being set in an exotic animal Sanctuary. A real sanctuary where the keepers are there to rehabilitate or rescue, not Tiger King where we cage these poor animals and sell tickets to their meager existence. I believe there is an author's note that says she was inspired by a real-life sanctuary that she visited. Anyway, just having the backdrop be these huge predators like tigers, grizzlies, hyenas, etc. And the cute little fennec foxes, along with elephants and other animals. It is just interesting, and the fact that yes, they are captive, but they are still wild and will hurt you if you aren't careful. Even in a fictional story, it's nice to see.
The romance is kind of awkward but sweet. The relationship broke up when Paradise moved away, but the two characters always held a torch. But that heartbreak went away a bit too quickly, especially since Paradise felt "betrayed". Not only is there a romance blooming, but a family is budding as Paradise moves into the main house and gets to know Blake's mom and brothers she cements all of them into herself. Paradise starts the story with PTSD from an animal attack. I've witnessed the care of a zookeeper gored by an elephant, and that keeper did not get over that trauma, nor did she come close to the progress our character does in such a short time. I mean, this would be a lifetime struggle, and in a few short weeks, she's just about right as rain.
Now, this is Christian fiction, and a lot of times in Christian fiction, it has no real faith aspect, at least in the more mainstream books. They may mention God, or they are just clean fiction and published by a Christian publisher. What I liked about this is that faith is a big part of the story. Finding faith in God, and the people, learning about the power of prayer, and listening when spoken to. It may not be something everyone likes, but when I read Christian Fiction this is kind of what I'm expecting. So, kudos for this and for having a lot of parallels between the world and God.
The narrator did a great job, as always. With more than one POV, I would prefer a narrator for each one. However, Peakes did a wonderful job bringing the intense scenes and the other scenes to life.

This was so good! As someone who loves anything involving animals, I was excited to dive into this book, and it did not disappoint! It was engaging, and had a meaningful faith element that added depth to the story.

While I appreciated the theme of salvation woven throughout the narrative, I would have liked to see this aspect developed a bit more. It had so much potential to be even more impactful, but it was still good as is.

The audio narration was excellent, bringing the characters and story to life in a way that made the experience even more enjoyable. I truly hope they continue with the same narrator for future books in the series!

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and is worth checking out! Thank you, NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Thomas Nelson, for the opportunity to listen and review this advanced copy.

Thanks netgalley for the ARC! I love being able to try out new authors and a new style of book. This was still sort of a thriller but also a contemporary. It wasnt my usual type of story and I really like it. Maybe because it had to do a little with animals as its based on an animal sanctuary and I loved when the animals and their personalities were brought into the story. It had some suspense to it but not the usual thriller suspense that I have read in the past. This was in a way real life suspense. It had some romance and I am not a romance type person but it was just enough to make the story but not too much that I was like ugh enough already. Perfect for a girl who isnt big on the romance books. Overall it was a quick read that kept me intrigued and anxious and wanting to know more while feeling for the characters. It sent me thinking in certain directions that were wrong and then in the end going AH that makes sense now! I definitely will continue on with the series when the next books come out.

Once again, Colleen Coble proves why her books are always best sellers in Christian fiction! Ambush is by turns terrifying then heart-wrenching then back to terrifying. As always, she weaves many different story threads into a masterful tapestry that wraps readers in until the final page is turned.

Paradise Alden's life has been a train wreck since her parents' murders. Dropped into foster care when her only living relatives refuse her care. she is placed in home after home where she is either neglected or abused. She learns early on that men are not to be trusted and that God must have been looking the other way all her life to allow the suffering she has endured. Now a veterinarian, she is on leave from her zoo job as she recovers from a jaguar attack that left her right arm scarred and weakened when she receives an offer to care for the animals at the Sanctuary Animal Shelter in her hometown of Nova Cambridge, Alabama. The Sanctuary is the one place she always felt needed and she hopes it is also the place she can get over her fear of the big cats. The only problem she sees is that she will have to work with her former boyfriend, Blake Anderson, on a daily basis as he is the shelter's official director. Can she work with the man who orchestrated her removal from a home she was tolerating in a town she loved to a home where she was in even more danger in a town where she knew no one? She hasn't even unpacked her car when a dead body is found on the property. As incident after incident piles up, is the Sanctuary under attack, or does someone want her as dead as her parents?

Blake Anderson gave up a lucrative career when his step-father dies. Someone has to help his mother run the Sanctuary and care for his much younger brothers. When Paradise walks back into his life, he sees her distrust and knows he deserves it, but the love he felt for her fifteen years ago is still there. As they battle activists, arsonists, and land developers, can he prove to her that he can be trusted with both her safety and her heart?

I loved so many things about this story. First, it is set in the same town with some of the same characters as Coble's Tupelo Grove books with Rick Acker. In fact Hez Webster from What We Hide is instrumental in finding information for Blake and Paradise. I also loved the second chance romance for Blake and Paradise, and the suspense is stellar. (Watch for the scene with Blake and the hyenas. Yikes!)

Readers who love suspense with a side of romance will love Ambush! Coble fans will not be disappointed, and new Coble readers will find a book they can't put down. If you get a chance to listen to the audio version, I highly recommend it. The narrator is great.

This was my first book by Colleen Coble and it won’t be my last! I enjoyed the storyline and connection between Blake and Paradise. Coble did a great job of sharing their pasts and connecting it to the present storyline. The book kept me engaged and trying to figure out who was involved in the crimes. The themes in the book are suspense, second chance romance, healing from the past and faith.

I listened to the advanced audiobook. The narration was very well done. It was very engaging and fit the story/characters well. I was able to listen to the book at 2X speed without issue.

Looking for answers from her traumatic past, Paradise returns to her hometown, only to come face to face with her past love, Blake. Before even starting work at her new job at a wildlife perserve, a body is found and suspicions fly. When Blake is suspected of the murder, the two need to stick together and find the real murderer. This book is action packed as mysterious things keep happening! The romance was so sweet! There was also a good amount of faith mentioned which I appreciate. I really enjoyed it! I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in trade for my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.

This one took me a bit longer to read but was worth the read! Paradise who struggles with trust, lost her parents to murder. She is so eager to find the answers to all her questions that she is willing to work along side the one who broke her heart years earlier.

Ambush, the first novel in The Sanctuary Series, delivers a unique setting, compelling characters, and a steady dose of suspense. I especially enjoyed the wildlife-centered sanctuary theme, the well-developed characters, and the clean, heartfelt romance. The strong family bonds and small-town setting added to its charm.

The story is packed with action, unfolding in a continuous stream of events. However, some plot threads remain unresolved by the end, which I found somewhat disappointing.

Karen Peakes’ narration was outstanding, bringing each character to life with nuance and energy. For me, her performance was a perfect 5/5.

While Ambush lands at a 3.5-star rating for me, the setting and characters have drawn me in, and I’m eager to continue with the series.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

This was an engaging and suspenseful read! The mystery had me hooked from the start, and I loved the mix of small-town secrets, danger, and second-chance romance. Paradise was a strong and determined main character, and her past made her journey even more compelling. The tension kept building, and the twists were well done, even if some parts felt a little predictable. The setting was also really atmospheric—I could almost feel the eerie presence of danger lurking beneath the moss-draped trees. If you enjoy romantic suspense with emotional depth, this one is worth picking up!

Masterful author Colleen Coble has begun a new series called The Sanctuary. I was delighted and honored with the privilege to read the ARC.

Ambush is the title of the first installment. This story is mysterious, intense, emotional, and thrilling. I felt a connect with ALL the characters at my first meeting, and their personal their stories, ranging from the pain of their pasts to the current situation, including a bit of romance.

So what’s going on in The Sanctuary? Here goes…

Paradise Alden, our female main character, (very cool name), is a veterinarian struggling through PTSD after suffering an attack by a jaguar. Paradise has recently secured a position at The Sanctuary, located in her hometown, also the place she fled many years ago. Blake Lawson is a former Marine paramedic who has come home to help his mom manage The Sanctuary after his stepfather’s death. He is also Paradise’s ex-boyfriend. Blake broke her heart 15 years ago. For this reason as well as the murder of her parents, she ran away to Nova Cambridge, Alabama. Paradise is floundering and even feels like God may have abandoned her. She us taking a big step and a chance that this job at The Sanctuary may provide some answers to who took her parents lives and lay some things to rest, so she can begin to heal.

The Sanctuary specializes in providing refuge to exotic animals that have been mistreated and abandoned. They care for chimps, wolves, tigers, parrots and so much more. Here is a safe place for them to recover from their mistreatment and live happy, comfortable lives for the rest of their days. The cute but dangerous animals make for interesting tension and plot twists.

Ambush is simply a wonderful Christian romantic book of suspense. Coble deftly weaves faith into her writing without coming across as preachy.

I found the ending satisfying as she wrapped up all the loose ends completely. Colleen Coble has nailed Ambush as the series starter. Readers will like the unique setting, with compelling characters with their mysteries and intrigue.

The audio narration was excellent as well. I’m amazed at how one reader can manage so many different voices. I’d love to be a fly in the wall watching Karen Peakes navigate and keep the many voices separate as she performs this book.

There is so much wonderful about this book!

I came across this one on the read list of GR friend, Pam, and thought it sounded really good and definitely my kind of story and immediately requested it. I love stories about animal sanctuaries and the “Perfect for fans of Allison Brennan” mention in the book summary was the clincher. I like Allison Brennan and I am a fan of her work. I didn’t notice the Christian label until after I received it and reminded myself, again, to always check labels before requesting a book. Not being religious, at all, I had some concerns about it but decided to check it out anyway. I was pleasantly surprised that the religious passages were far and few between and very brief and not at all preachy or offending, at least not to me.

The book summary introduces the different storylines of Paradise, a veterinarian coming back home after 15yrs (a scenario that always makes for a lot of drama) to start a new job after being attacked by a jaguar at her previous job. She’s also back in the same town where her parents were killed and she was left orphaned and homeless when relatives refused to take her in. Now, she’s trying to find out what really happened to her parents and why they were killed, as well as why the rest of her family refused to take her in afterwards. She also wants to try and make amends with her first love, Blake, so that she can move on with her life. There is also a secondary storyline of someone trying to drive Blake and his family out of business by sabotaging the sanctuary.

The story flips back and forth between Paradise and Blake, who are secretly reinvestigating the murders of Paradise’s parents when the current Sheriff, Paradice’s cousin, kind of drags his feet on providing her info on the old case. They are also investigating all of the sabotage going on at the sanctuary after the local Sheriff’s department refuses to recognize that all of the attacks are related and also won’t acknowledge that the death of Blake’s stepfather was murder and not an accident.

There’s a lot going on and Coble was really good at building intensity and suspense when moving from one incident to another that Blake and Paradise found themselves in as they go digging into old family history and suspects as well as dealing with new attacks on the sanctuary and possible culprits. They are also attempting to deal with (and failing miserably) their still present attraction to each other. It’s a case of not being over that first love that has them still drawn to each other as much as ever. The end seemed to come fast in some really scary and intense scenes.

The character development of Paradise and Blake was well done and good on a few other characters. Would have loved a little more background on Blake’s mom as well as Paradise’s relatives. The pacing was steady and the storyline very interesting. This is the first book I have read by Coble, but she is a good writer and storyteller and I may check out her other work. I also liked Coble’s Author’s Notes about her inspiration. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.3 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins Christian Publishing for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #HarperCollinsChristianPublishing #Ambush

I enjoyed this book and its clean cliché romance and crazy mystery. I enjoyed the characters and appreciated no spice. If you enjoy Christian mystery/romance this one is for you!

Ambush is the first book in the new Sanctuary series by Colleen Coble. It is a faith based romantic suspense story starring Paradise and Blake. These two main characters have a history together dating back to their teenage years. They have both now returned home for different reasons. Paradise is the new veterinarian for the wildlife refuge that Blake and his family run. A lot of mysterious things start to occur once Paradise arrives to work. Paradise and Blake need to work together to solve this mystery. At the same time, Paradise wants to discover who murdered her parents. Blake and Paradise manage to rekindle their relationship during this time.
This book has a wonderful sense of found family. Paradise fits in well with Blake’s mom and brothers. There is tension, drama, mystery, suspense and some romance.
Karen Peakes did an exceptional job narrating this story. She portrayed all characters superbly. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook.

I am becoming a big Colleen Coble fan. Every book I've read (or listened to) has been an enjoyable mix of romance and mystery. When I first started this book, about an exotic animal vet who's lost some confidence after being attacked by a jaguar, I wasn't sure I'd really like the setting in an exotic animal sanctuary in the south. But, I quickly became engrossed in the story of this woman who's come back to her hometown in order to try to regain that confidence and also find out who killed her parents many years ago. To do so, however, she must work closely with her first love, someone who she felt betrayed her back then and wasn't ready to forgive.

An added bonus to this story is the inclusion of some characters from her previous book in this series ("What We Hide"). The funny thing is that I didn't even realize it for quite awhile--very cleverly woven into this story. I also thought it was quite educational, incorporating education about the behavior of the various exotic animal species. Overall, a great audiobook! Can't wait to read the next one!

Thank you to HarperCollins Christian Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance review copy of this audiobook. My opinions are my own.

Ambush
by Colleen Coble
Narrated by Karen Peakes

Ambush is Book 1 in a new series by Colleen Coble. This is the story of Paradise returning to her hometown, the town where her parents were murdered and the town where she lost her first love. Blake is now helping his mom run the animal sanctuary, the same one that an outside force is trying to get shut down by any means, including murder. The clock is ticking as Paradise and Blake end up teaming up to try to figure out who is behind everything. This story was decent. It wasn't as exciting as the summary made it sound. The narration is done well and I enjoyed listening to Ms. Peakes perform the various roles. .

As for this being published by the Christian division of HarperCollins, I have to say that the Christian part of the story just felt kind of thrown in there. It added nothing of value to the story IMO, and just feel like it was put in there just to have a Christian aspect in the story. It could have been left out and the story would have been the same.

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, and the author for the chance to listen to and review this ARC!

Paradise lost her parents at a very young age, but never knew the truth around their murders. She finds herself back in her childhood hometown working for her former love and his mom at their animal sanctuary following an accident at her previous job. Paradise has a lot of unresolved trauma and emotions from her childhood; through this book she works on resolving these issues by trying to find the truth behind her parents’ murder and by letting her guard down and letting her former love, Blake, back in. After Paradise touches ground in her childhood hometown, a whole string of bad events kicks off that threatens herself and everyone she now holds near and dear to her. Paradise and Blake work together to solve every mystery and problem that come their way and even find their way back to each other romantically after so many years apart and their own rocky history.

I feel the same way I did about Conor’s other book WHAT WE HIDE after reading this - this was meh, but a little better. What I liked most was Paradise’s efforts to heal her past while creating a future, her relationship with Blake - it felt way more focused on their connection and partnership not the physical aspect which I appreciated - it was sweet, and Blake’s younger brothers - they were absolutely adorable.

Overall, this is not the most amazing book I’ve listened to, but I did like it for the most part.

I received an advanced audio copy of "The Ambush" by Colleen Coble and although this was my first book by this author, I really did enjoy it. I thought it had an interesting storyline and did keep me intrigued. As far as a thriller, I would classify this more on the realm of mystery and slight suspense. I didn't mind the romantic aspects of the book although it was slightly obvious as to where it was going.

The narrator was great and I did enjoy her take on all the different southern accents, because of this it did make me want to keep listening. There where certain parts in the book where I did feel like it dragged on a bit and I figured out the "twist" way before the ending. All in all, I give this 3 Stars overall and would love to see what else this author comes out with.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, and Colleen Cobble for this ARC.

Colleen Coble is one of my favorite authors and always a must read!

Ambush is everything you love about Colleen's books and then some - this read has something for every reader for sure. The main female lead, Paradise started life out great with loving parents the boy "next door" and then "Life" happened and everything she knew & loved was gone and the worst kept happening. Fast forward, she returns to her childhood home and mysteries abound and murders too. Secrets are unfolding and right when you think some answers are coming to light... THE END - is book two ready yet? Can't wait to see Paradise's story continue and learn more about those hidden secrets coming to light.

Disappointing mystery with forced religious elements and a flat narration. Felt more like a Lifetime movie than a thriller. Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC.

What a ride! This is my first book of Cable’s and it was so good. I was hooked from the start. There was danger lurking in every page, from human and animal. I loved the tension and suspense. This book is well done.

Paradise returns home to try to find her parent’s killer from years ago. It brings with it complications of a past relationship and hurt. Not only from their murders, but what happens to Paradise after. There is so much to this story. I enjoyed the behind the scenes glimpse of an animal preserve. Even though these animals aren’t in the wild, the author does a great job of showing the that they are still smart, skilled predators and quite dangerous. Even behind the fences.

I enjoyed the relationship of Blake and Paradise and I appreciated the forgiveness shown and how the reader was able to see their relationship grow and develop in the book. Jenna and the boys were also great. Each character helping Paradise trust again. As well as help in healing past trauma.

There is a great sense of found family through the book. And the author does a great job of keeping the suspense and sense of urgency through the story. There is a great balance of tension, while bringing in romance. I am excited to read another book from Colleen Cable.

The narrator was fabulous. There is a variety of southern accents that were expressed well for the needed characters. Peakes’ performance was perfect for the setting and the variety of tension needed for each situation. From young boys to older characters, each was done well. I was completely invested in the story.

I received a NetGalley approval for the audio from the publisher. All views are my own.