What We Hide

What We Hide is a wonderfully suspenseful start to a series! I was hooked from the beginning until the end! I read it in two sittings! Savannah and Hez have separated after tragedy and grief wreck their lives. Mystery and intrigue surrounding stolen artifacts keep them working together. This second chance romance was beautifully written. The ending was superb and left readers wanting more right away! I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in trade for my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.
YouTube Review: 06/19/2024
YouTube Handle: KeenCat

Hold on for a wild ride! High stakes, raw emotions, accurate legal descriptions and process, and an all-out captivating mystery with extraordinary writing. Colleen Coble and Rick Ackers are a dynamic duo. Start with the characters. Savannah is trying to move on with her life after multiple losses. She has maintained her friendly countenance and enjoys working with students and completing her research. She has friends and she is moving on with her life. Hez is complex and much more open with his struggles. He has made poor choices in the past and he is successfully taking steps to rebuild his life. He is determined to rebuild with Savannah, but her quick rejection leaves him unsure about his next steps. When Savannah needs Hez to represent her and a complex case ensues, the story becomes impossible to put down. The legal intricacies, the historical details of the artifacts and the school, the relational dynamics of all the characters, and the twists are just enthralling. While I was fairly suspicious of who the guilty party was, the development, buildup, and delivery were so well executed.
I particularly enjoyed the audiobook narration. Karen Peaks was able to effectively capture the characters, male and female, as well the nuances in a way that carried the story and brought it to life in my mind’s eye.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

I really didn’t want this book to end! What We Hide is a great story written by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. It is about a couple who experience a tragedy and the recovery process. The same couple is also thrust into a murder and theft investigation though, which draws them even closer. Very well written and very good. I really liked it. Hope to read more by them!

This contains an audiobook review as well.

This is my first book by Colleen Coble or Rick Acker. I had decided that I was in the mood for a bit of a romantic suspense story. I wasn't sure how "scary" this was going to be, not having read anything by either author. I picked this one simply for the fact that it is the beginning of a series. I hoped I wouldn't be lost or confused by characters that I had been introduced before. I don't like thrillers, but I can take some mild suspense/mystery. This book delivered perfectly.

I'm not one that necessarily tries to figure out mysteries. I tend to enjoy being led by the author and having the surprise revealed to me naturally. I did find myself taking some guesses in this book though. It was fun. I will say that I was a little lost in parts of the more detailed legal moments, but that didn't affect my enjoyment at all.

I did listen to the audiobook. It is read by a single narrator that is female. She does a fantastic job! There are several different accents that she nails perfectly. There are characters of different ages, that she performed so well. I was cheering her on as I was listening. I highly recommend this audiobook!

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this book. I am happily and voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I am so thankful to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, and authors Colleen Coble and Rick Acker for this ARC audiobook and the chance to give my own honest opinion.
The narrator was great! 4.5 stars on narration. Loved her character voices. The "unknown" voice was a little hard to distinguish but other than that really great narration!
Savannah Webster and husband Hezekiah "Hez" Webster have been estranged for over 2 years after tragedy and grief tore their lives into two different directions. After initially denying Hez's request for another chance, Savannah finds herself running to him for help. A body is found at Tupelo Grove University, the college where Savannah teaches and is up for tenure. Hez is the best defense attorney out there and Savannah desperately needs him to represent her. Their investigation takes turns they could never have seen coming. This case runs far deeper than one murder. Can they solve it before Savannah ends up in jail - or dead?
Colleen Coble is exactly the author I have been searching for! Clean content, Christian values, and an amazing plot with twists that had me gasping! I love thrillers and I love investigative murder books and I found this was absolutely the best of both of those worlds! Amazing murder investigating content but also many scenes where I was gritting my teeth and holding my breath. Not to mention an epilogue that has me BEGGING for the next Tupelo Grove novel!

Edited review: First, let's talk the narration and then the story. I read the book first and then I listened. Let me just say the narrator nailed it! The book on its on was fantastic, but add the narration and it took the novel to an even higher level. The narrator brought the book to life for me. I could see the scenes in my mind's eye and felt the emotions of it. This trio of writers and narrator was a win win for me and I think it will be for any book lover of romantic suspense!

Now, the story review.

“God doesn’t always call us to understand, though, does he? But he always calls us to trust him."

When I saw the collaboration of Colleen Coble and Rick Acker writing a book, I knew I had to get my hands on it. This book was everything I was hoping for and more. The setting was in the gulf in Alabama and some of Coble's characters from Pelican Harbor made appearances. Yay! Also, a character from Acker's book made an appearance as well! Double yay! This book as you would imagine has legal suspense, mystery, and a second-chance romance!
Twists and turns like crazy! The end blew my mind! I absolutely loved it and look forward to more books from this dynamic duo!!
*I was given. A copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers and, this is my honest opinion.

When I started this book I was prepared to not like it because the first few chapters were very hard to follow as far as who is who and what they do for the story. But it soon absolutely redeemed itself! I hated when I had to put this book down to return to real life.

Many of the whodunnit books can be so slow moving that you can start to lose interest but this was pretty fast paced and extremely enjoyable.

I received a free copy of this digital book from NetGally.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC audiobook for an honest review.

I loved this book! Savannah and Hez both were broken by a shared tragedy. Their marriage crumbled under the depth of grief as Hez turned to the bottle. Now Hez wants a second chance as he has finally got his life together...just as Savannah is finally ready to let the marriage and her pain go. Hez must win back her trust and show her he is a changed man even as Savannah fights against the softening of her heart. Oh, the heartbreak of these two characters who despite it all still love each other. This was more than a second chance romance. There is murder and mystery galore as Savannah turns to Hez to get her out of legal trouble as she is accused of murder. Twists and turns throughout! My only complaint is now I have to wait for book two...sigh.

5 stars

What We Hide is an old fashioned whodunnit set in modern times. The slow burn mystery kept me guessing with every page turned. I rooted for Hez and Savannah to see their way through their grief and back together where they belonged. The last chapter was a shocker and makes me want to count down the days until book 2 releases.

I have read many books by Colleen Coble but this is my first book by Rick Acker, it won't be my last. I was rooting for Savanah and Hez and can't wait for the next one to come out. It is a strong mystery/suspense story with just the right amount of faith content. Great writing team!

The narrator did an amazing job with this audiobook! I hope it becomes available in large print as well. This book can be recommended to many of our patrons as long as it is available in multiple formats.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio, and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this book.


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6620669184

I inhaled this book from beginning to end. I could not put it down. It grabbed me from the very first chapter. Colleen Coble is one of my favorite Christian authors. I was not in the least bit surprised that I would love this book. The co-writing between her and Rick Acker was phenomenal. I immediately fell in love with all of the main characters. I am a Christian fiction reader although if I wasn’t I would still have enjoyed this book. It did not force Christianity on the reader. It was suspenseful, thrilling, and romantic all tied into one amazing story. It will have you guessing until the very end. I anticipate the next book in this series. I am sure I will devour it as well. I hope these two authors continue their collaboration because the results are tremendous. I would absolutely recommend this book to friends and colleagues.

Savannah Webster is grieving the loss of her child and the demise of her marriage. Her husband, Hez Webster, fell apart because of the grief and guilt. When Hez comes back in her life, Savannah knows she isn't truly over him. When she is under suspicion for a crime, she knows Hez's lawyer skills will be needed.

This book is full of suspense and mystery. This second chance romance is filled with action and the ending.... Well you will have to read it to find out.

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration. I definitely recommend you give this book a read.

A captivating and intricately woven story that makes me thrilled it's the first in the series.

What We Hide is a great mix of a family drama with work suspense that leaves on a fantastic cliff hanger right after thinking it's all resolved. Very much looking forward to more books by these authors.

What We Hide was so so good! I usually enjoy Colleen Coble books but she really hit this one out of the ballpark when writing with Rick Acker! The mystery behind it was just great. I listened to it in one day and now I can't wait for the next in this series!

Karen Peakes is a wonderful narrator who did amazing voices for everyone.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 2 July 2024

A great suspense that grabs you from the beginning. Savannah and Hez are estranged after losing their child 2 years ago. The death put Hez in a spiral, and he becomes an alcoholic that forces Savannah to move out. Now Hez is back, clean on track, back in a place to a man he wants to be for Savannah, but she quickly rejects him. But Svannah get embroiled in a murder and asks to represent her. The case becomes interesting, someone is stealing artifacts amd there's a lot of money being siphoned. Another person is killed and Savannah and her sister are in danger. With plot twists and fast pace, the book was captivating.

What We Hide by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. It is a terrific collaboration of the two! It had me guessing throughout the book of what was going to happen next. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am looking forward to another book from them.

Savannah Webster is not sure what her future holds.. She and her husband, Hez, have been separated since tragedy tore them apart. He numbed his grief with alcohol. She returned to Tupelo Grove University, which her family helped found over a century ago, to teach history. When a death happens on the campus, is she to blame? Will Hez come to her aid? The only way to survive is to help each other and put the past behind them.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for the advanced reader copy.

I'm normally not attracted to books with religious overtones, but Colleen Coble is an exceptional author. While there are subtle references to God and religion, it's not overt and I think anyone would enjoy this mystery/romance/legal novel. The story involves a couple who have been separated for years, following the tragic death of their small daughter. The attorney husband returns to the town where his wife is teaching and asks for a second chance, since he's in recovery from alcohol/drug addiction. She's reluctant to be hurt again. But, as she becomes a suspect in the murder of her university president, he is asked to defend her and together they investigate some artifact thefts at the school.

This book has several facets which make it attractive to a wide audience. There's the whole legal aspect of attorney defending an innocent person and investigating events. And, there's the personal interactions between an estranged couple, between a woman and the controlling man who pursues her, and between two sisters. Finally, there's the whole mystery of what's happening to the artifacts being stored at the university, as well as the question of who killed two people. And, it doesn't all come out as one would expect or hope. Thus, it makes for a very intriguing novel, the first of what will become a series focused on these characters. I'm anxious to see what comes next!

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

This gripping suspense is one of the best by Colleen Coble and first I've read by Rick Acker.! I finished it within 24 hours because it was too nerve wrecking to to set aside. I can't wait for book two! So many plots, suspicious people and a cute British boy that will steal your heart despite all the unintended trouble he causes. A must read, if you like legal suspense, family secrets, and broken relationships! I rate a 5 out of 5. This is one of my fave reads this year, hands down!!

I enjoyed this audio book more than I was expecting I would.

I loved the story line and the way this author writes. This is the first time I have ready anything from this author, and I am so glad I did! I will for sure be buying this in paperback to add to my collection.

Will recommend to all my friends and suggest we read this in our book club!

I have been a fan of Colleen Coble's for YEARS. Her romantic suspense always captures my attention and makes her stories some of the best out there. Add Rick Acker to the mix, and you get a story with authentic legal procedure added in.
What We Hide gripped my imagination from the first page and ramped the suspense straight through to the end. I loved the second chance romance for Hez and Savannah.
I listened to this on the NetGalley app and thought the narrator was stellar. Would definitely recommend, whether you read the book or listen to the audio book. I'll definitely be watching for book 2 in this series!

(っ◔◡◔)っ 🖤🔮💜 𝛪 𝒓𝖊𝑐𝖊༏Ṿ𝖊ⅆ 𝖙𝕙༏𝒔 𝔸℟Ͼ 𝖙စ 𝒓𝖊Ṿ༏𝖊𝕨, 𝕓𝔘𝖙 𝖙𝕙𝖊 𝖙𝕙စ𝔘𝔤𝕙𝖙𝒔 𝑎𝒏ⅆ စ𝖕༏𝒏༏စ𝒏𝒔 𝖊𝕩𝖕𝒓𝖊𝒔𝒔𝖊ⅆ 𝑎𝒓𝖊 𝒔စ𝖑𝖊𝖑𝕪 𝑚𝕪 စ𝕨𝒏💜🔮🖤

I LOVE thrillers and I LOVE romances but I find it hard to love most thriller romances. Typically I'll find that it's not really thrilling or suspense and more just romance with some oh sh*t moments.
With this book it wasn't like that. It was more of a thriller and suspense and the romance was put into it, making it a really amazing combination in my opinion. This book really made me feel in a lot of ways, I was screaming at her, at him, and at the kid in a ton of wtf moments. Don't get me started on the dad 🙄😒 I was hooked from beginning to end and whenever I thought it was going to turn into a regular romance, it didn't. It really felt like I was watching a movie. I am going to find more of what Colleen coble writes because I just loved it. I'd love to have a epilog that said what the kid ended up being when he grew up. Definitely worth the read!

This mystery by Colleen Coble was so well-planned out and an enjoyable and quick read. Savannah Webster and her husband Hez are separated after a tragedy in their family tore them apart. Because of the guilt Hez felt he turned to alcohol and she became more of a workaholic after returning to Tupelo Grove University (TGU) as a history professor.

Savannah stumbles upon a murdered person and becomes the main suspect, so she calls Hez who is what she believes to be the best attorney there is. At first he didn't want to help because he'd just gone back to ask her for a second chance but she wasn't having it. However, he finally gave in after
certain events/evidence came about. The evidence the police had was pretty much too easy, but Hez believed her life was in danger so he knew he was best to help her.

Later, someone very close to Savannah became the one they suspected because the evidence they found on that person was black and white...good as gold...or so the police thought. Savannah once again convinced Hez to help this other suspect and he did until he was lied to and the other person withheld information that blew up on them in court. The suspects secret was a shock to everyone!

The narrator, Karen Peakes, did an excellent job with her voice inflections and the pacing of the reading. She knew which parts to slow down, speed up, speak more quietly or with more urgency, etc. I will definitely listen to her narrations in audiobooks again.

I read the hard copy of What We Hide and enjoyed it so much I decided to listen to the audio version.


It’s the same wild ride with voices! Colleen Coble and Rick Acker are a dynamic duo. Be sure to listen to Coleen at the end, explain how she and Rick got paired up through Pokémon. I won’t summarize this intriguing, captivating story but will say listening the second round I caught some things I missed earlier while reading.
The audiobook narration certainly does the book justice. Karen Peaks was able to deftly capture the characters, male and female, as well the nuances in a way that carried the story and brought it to life. I wasn’t crazy by the demeanor of Hez. I felt a prosecutor would have come across louder and more forceful. But she did portray Hez as a calm and in control guy, at least where his lawyering was concerned, not so much his husbanding or parenting.

I assure you won’t go wrong with either version or just do as I did devour them both!

Now I must trot off and read I Think I Was Murdered. This also by the dynamic duo!

Giving this one 5 out of 5 stars! Page turner!

This was a great book. One new shock after another. The characters were very well developed and the protagonist was so believable. I was convinced she had nothing to do with the murders. This was Coble and Ackers best book yet. You won’t be able to put it down. Oh, and don’t forget to read the epilogue, you won’t believe it…. I didn’t….