AMBUSH The Sanctuary Book 1 by Colleen Coble & Rick Acker
This is an unusual story with a wild exotic animal sanctuary, (a first that I have found that particular plot) but it is very enjoyable well written story. This is a murder mystery, romantic suspense, drama and great characters. It is also a Christian fiction book. This is 5 stars.

I listened to the audio version of this story. Karen Peakes does a great job with the narration.

This is a Mystery with a Second Chance Romance, and this is the first book in the Sanctuary series. I listened to the audiobook for this book, and I really enjoyed the audiobook. I got pulled into the story riggt away. I loved getting to know all the characters and the animals. I loved the mystery, drama, and suspense in this book. I loved reading this book. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.

Ambush by Colleen Coble is the first book in her new series. Paradise has suffered so much with the death of her parents, her Aunt wouldn’t Leo her and sent her into foster care where she was sexually assaulted, then stacked by a big cat where she is a wild animal vet. She returns home to Pelican Bay to recover and work at the Sanctuary wildlife preserve. Blake her former boyfriend from high school also works there with his mom. Things keep happening. Danger seems everywhere. As they work together can they solve the mystery before someone is hurt? Thank you to #Thomas Nelson & Zondervan Fiction Audio , the author and #NetGalley for the audio arc read. I would definitely recommend this book and can’t wait for the next one in the series. This is my honest review.

Whoa! I’ve read a ton of Colleen Coble’s books (not all, but a lot) and this one might be my absolute favourite. I just loved everything about it. The way the suspense elements are evenly paced out – intense all the way through without being completely overwhelming. I was on edge, waiting for the next ‘thing’ to happen but still able to enjoy the quieter, thoughtful moments with these characters. And the emotional fireworks too, of course!

A second chance romance sparks from doomed puppy love fifteen years earlier. Both Blake and Paradise have coped with their share of trauma through the ensuing years, but they are stronger for it. And even more stubborn! Clashing wills, gnarly reckonings, and oh my heart hurt so much for Paradise when all is revealed! But they are soon united in their quest to save the wildlife refuge from an unknown threat.

And that sanctuary setting! Such an exciting backdrop for the story. It added even more intensity to the plot and was peppered with intriguing insights into the animals and their habitats and a very creative way to up the danger too!

Coble is a master at character development – and not just with the hero and heroine. Every secondary character is fleshed out in a memorable way and kept me emotionally engaged all the way through the read. Sometimes happy feels (Blake’s mother and little brothers…sooooo cute!); sometimes seething with rage (there’s one character in particular…) and the whole gamut in-between. I love feeling my way through a story and I did that with this amazing read. In a word: unputdownable.

I was blessed to listen to the audio edition of ‘Ambush’ and was thrilled with Karen Peakes’ performance. She brought distinctive voices to all the characters – especially loved the way she portrayed the little boys – and the way she used her voice to build tension was phenomenal. Highly recommend this audio book.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of ‘Ambush’.

I had the pleasure of being approved for both the ebook and the audiobook advanced reader copy of Ambush by Colleen Coble.

The narrator was a fantastic edition to this story.
It's about 2 thirty-something's that come back to their hometown. One to help and the other to heal and find her father's killer. They are working at a wildlife sanctuary when weird things start happening. There's a dead woman in the horses stall, the lion's gate is open, the vet meds are broken into,, security cameras are erased and many other odd and unexplainable things. It's also a story of 2 people that dated in high school becoming friends again and trying to work together to solve why the sanctuary is being targeted. It's a great story with many surprises and some lovely friendships that are built throughout the story. If this becomes a series< I will jump at the chance to read the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Ambush by Colleen Coble
I loved this one – mystery, suspense, romance, murder, and an animal sanctuary! Wow!
Paradise returns to her hometown, now as a veterinarian for the animal sanctuary. She has questions to answer about her past and maybe some fences to mend in old relationships. With strange mishaps at the animal sanctuary, it seems that someone wants to send a dangerous message.
Blake has guarded his broken heart for a long time. Now he’s back to help his family and run the animal sanctuary. With lots of unanswered questions about close calls at the sanctuary, it’s up to Blake and Paradise to find the truth,
Loved, loved, loved it!
Murder, romance, mystery, an animal sanctuary- all welcome back some favorites from Pelican Harbor!
Imaginative, suspenseful, Colleen Coble impresses me with every new story! This one has it all and you won’t want to put it down! Christian fiction at its finest, I loved it!
The characters are so relatable and well developed, I was with them in the story. The audio narrator did an excellent job giving the characters individuality and definition. The audiobook was so well done! I can't wait to buy a hardcopy for my personal library!
I would like to Thank NetGalley and Colleen Coble for the wonderful opportunity to review an ARC of the audiobook and the eBook! 5/5⭐

I read as an audiobook. I enjoyed the author! This book reminded me of a Hallmark movie set in Africa with a twist! If you enjoy romance, lust and mystery, this is for you.

I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Colleen Coble has always been one of my favorite authors so when I knew this would be good. And I was totally right!
This book was extremely hard to put down because it immediately drew me in. I loved how this author incorporated the wild animals into this story line. This was definitely a first for me and I loved it. This book was very fast paced, action filled, suspenseful and was a total shock at the end. I loved how the past of Paradise was incorporated into this book as well, which helped explain her insecurities and why she is the way she is. I highly recommend this book to anyone!

Thank You Netgalley and Colleen Coble for another great mystery. I received the electronic and audio ARC. My favorite way to read books are as a tandem read. I would say this book was a second chance romance with a mystery involved. The mystery part wasn't cheesy and was very real. I loved the safari feel of the book and enjoyed the whole thing. This is a Christian tagged read so if any mention of the big guy bothers you, I would pass. As always, the narrator, Karen Peakes was great. I loved Paradise and Blakes story.

Ambush is a thrilling adventure set in a wildlife sanctuary. The story is captivating, the characters are inviting, and the location is perfect. There are multiple layers to the plot, so each page is gripping and satisfying, but not complete, which meant the pages kept flying! Like Paradise, I wanted answers, and I wanted closure. Instead, I received an adventure with a little bit of both. I love that this is a series starter, so I know there is more to come. In the meantime, this story is brilliant and a satisfying intro. I don’t want to divulge any details, so if you enjoy thrilling adventures, mystery on multiple layers, romance, and small town living amid a wildlife sanctuary, you are going to love this.
I also had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook version and the narrator did an excellent job of capturing the characters: personalities, accents, and emotions.
I received a copy from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

This contains an audiobook review.

This is the first book in a new series by Colleen Coble. I would classify it as a Christian mystery/light suspense, kisses only romance. I did not read the blurb before starting this book, but I did know where the story was going to be set. That really appealed to me. I wasn't disappointed either.

The main characters have a history that we learn about as the story unfolds. There are actually several storylines that are taking place throughout the book. Sometimes it seemed too unbelievable that there was another dead body or catastrophic event taking place. How many events can these people endure? So in that respect it was a bit unrealistic. But it was entertaining.

What really helped bring the story to life for me was the audio narration. I thought that the female narrator did an amazing job at reading the book and giving all of the characters their own distinct voice, from child to older woman. She did a fabulous job. I did listen at 1.5 speed, if that makes a difference to you. I also appreciated that the author's note was read in the audiobook. That is important to me.

I was given an advanced audio copy of this book by Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Ambush is the first installment in the Sanctuary series, and also marks the first book I’ve ever read from Colleen Coble. I can tell that it lightly connects to other series she’s penned, one completed and one ongoing: Pelican Harbor and Tupelo Grove, respectively. This book was mysterious, intense, emotional, and propulsive. I was intrigued by the characters at first meeting, and then I quickly became completely invested in their stories, from the pain of their pasts to the romance of their present. Ambush excites me because, not only am I incredibly interested to see where Sanctuary goes from here, I’ve been introduced to a new-to-me author whose writing I really enjoy and who had a huge backlist for me to dig into while I’m eagerly awaiting the second installment in this series.

Paradise Alden, our female main character, is a vet struggling through PTSD after suffering an attack by a jaguar. She’s facing her fears on multiple fronts by taking a job at a wildlife refuge, The Sanctuary, in her hometown—a place she ran from 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’s also Paradise’s ex-boyfriend, the one who broke her heart fifteen years ago. After this betrayal and the murder of her parents, she fled Nova Cambridge, Alabama, and lost her trust in men and God and even herself. This job at The Sanctuary is her chance to find some answers and lay some things to rest. But maybe, just maybe, it will also be a sanctuary for her. Maybe here, she can start to heal.

The Sanctuary specializes in providing refuge to exotic pets who have been mistreated and abandoned. From chimps and wolves to tigers and parrots, The Sanctuary is a safe place for them to recover from their mistreatment and live a happy, comfortable life for the rest of their days. It’s a fascinating setting, one that I found so fun and unique. It provided Coble with a lot of room for interesting tension and plot twists. The Sanctuary was the first element of the story with which I fell in love. But then there were the characters. Not only did I grow to love Paradise and Blake, I was also charmed by Blake’s mom and his two young half brothers. Coble did a great job capturing the voices of these five and seven year-old boys without making them overly cutesy or too well-spoken. She struck a balance with them that felt believable and sweet.

As is coming to be the case with so many Christian romantic suspense authors I’ve had the pleasure of reading recently, Coble does a wonderful joy weaving faith into her writing without every coming across as preachy. Paradise’s faith journey was an important component of this book, and it was handled beautifully. The faith here managed to be both vital to the story and understated; it added without ever taking anything away from the plot. I’m eager to see if Coble’s inclusion of faith is always this expertly handled.

The book has an ending that satisfies without wrapping up completely. There are still some deep mysteries to be addressed, and more growth and development to be seen in the characters and their relationships. My guess would be that further installments in the series would continue to largely follow Paradise and Blake.

Ambush is a phenomenal series starter. It’s well paced, well written, and well balanced. The setting is unique, the characters compelling, and the mysteries at its core intriguing. There wasn’t any element of this book that didn’t work for me. I’ll be counting down the months until I can see where the story takes Paradise, Blake, and the rest of the Sanctuary gang next!

(Side note: The audio narration was excellent. Peakes made a propulsive story even more gripping!)

Ambush
Colleen Coble
This is the first book in Colleen Coble’s new series. The focus of this series is second chance relationships and returning to the past out of fear and anxiety. The main character in this tale is Veterinarian Paradise Alden.
Life has not always been kind to Paradise; she grew up in Pelican Bay, Alabama. Her home life was destroyed by her parents’ murder. She was sent to Foster Care where she was abused, she was betrayed by her best friend and first love, Blake Lawson. She left Pelican Bay 15 years ago and never intended to return but when she was offered the position of veterinarian for an exotic animal/wildlife refuge. Paradise accepted the position because she needed the money, and she needs to heal both physically and emotionally. The Sanctuary was run by Blake, his mother, Jenna, and two young brothers. On the day she arrived at The Sanctuary a body was found. Odd, dangerous things begin happening at The Sanctuary, placing her life in danger and the lives of the people she comes to think of as family. Blake Lawson was Paradise’s first love, and she still loves him despite his betrayal. A deputy in the sheriff's office is determined to pin the crimes on Blake.
Author Colleen Coble does it again. Her books are beautifully written, they are clean romance and she subtlety adds faith and Christianity. In Ambush our heroine is Paradise. She is a strong female lead, one that has been through a lot in her short life. Paradise is a courageous young woman although she doesn’t realize how strong and courageous she is.
There are three points I would be remiss if I did not mention them:
The Bible is our North Star; it helps us navigate life.
We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond.
God never moves—we do.
I eagerly await the next book in this series.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC

I am so glad I found the author Colleen Coble, it is a joy reading her stories. I loved this book. I enjoyed the narrator aswell. I loved all of the characters (well the ones that weren't a creepy cop 😂, that one gave me the absolute ick) I was a tad disappointed in myself not to have realised it is the first book in the series that meant of was left craving answers that will no doubt be revealed in the next books.

Thanks for letting me listen, can't wait for the next one!

“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.
I really enjoyed the narrator. She did a great job portraying the emotions in the story.