Cover Image: A Stranger's Game

A Stranger's Game

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I loved the twists and turns of this book. There were a few mystery's to solve in this book and I enjoyed trying to figure out each one. The characters were well written and complex. An overall enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

Torie is back on Jekyll Island after her childhood friend is found dead. Everyone believes she drowned, except for Torie. So she returns to her childhood island, undercover to see what she can uncover.
She meets Joe and his young daughter. There is attraction early on, although they both tried to ignore it !
This book has action right from the start.

This author has quickly become my go to for romantic suspense and she never disappoints!

Was this review helpful?

Wow! This is a great book! The author brings alive Jekyll Island, training sea lions for the Navy, along with a large dose of suspense and mystery.
Torie is desperate to find the true reason for her best friend’s “suicidal” death. Her friend who was digging into the eighteen year old death of Torie’s mother. Attracted to a widower, Joe, and his young daughter Hailey, only widens the circle of those targeted by the murderer.
Added to the stress of an unknown criminal taunting and killing, are some serious threats to the US Navy.
The story is very family oriented but danger will keep you turning the pages.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?

I can always count on Colleen Coble’s books to capture and transport me on a journey of suspense, drama, and romance and this book does just that!

Set on Jekyll Island, we follow hotel heiress Torie Bergstorm as she tries to discover who murdered her best friend. She quickly discovers it will not be as easy as she thought as she encounters danger and must face her past to find answers. Torie meets Joe and his daughter, Hailey, when she arrives on the island. Together, they work to discover what dangers are lurking on the island.

I found the different storylines explored very intriguing from the family dynamics, Federal Reserve, and Navy sea mammal training. This story will capture the readers heart with lovable characters and send it racing as they encounter danger. The twists and turns kept me guessing until the end of the book and thinking about it long after I closed the book. This book is a must read!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?

A Stranger’s Game by Coleen Coble is a romantic suspense. I enjoyed that the main character had a different background. I chose the book because it was set in Jekyll Island and my sister loves to vacation there.

Torie is hotel heiress who came to town to investigate her best friend’s drowning. She didn’t believe it was an accident. So she comes here to find out what really happened. She is hiding her identity which causes problems when she becomes interested in Joe, who is part time security for the hotel.

Joe is a single father which made for some adorable scenes between him and his daughter. This was one of the highlights of the story.

Sexual content – kissing
Violence – nothing graphic but there are some murders and attempts on people’s live.

Was this review helpful?

This new mystery by Colleen Coble is fast-paced and compelling. There were plenty of twists and turns, suspense, romance, as well as a look at family relationships and discovering what’s really important. There are great characters and a bit of real history. It was a riveting read and I enjoyed every page! "I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Was this review helpful?

A Stranger’s Game by Colleen Coble hits all the requirements of a romantic suspense. Filled with hints of danger to the heroine and a romance blooming between the hero and the heroine, the story takes off through the numerous twists and turns. While I enjoy a good suspense novel with hints of romance, this novel was okay for me. Not one of my favorite suspense elements. A little too predictable, yet not that mind blowing either. Wanted more suspense in the story. Similar, the romance seemed a little too out of touch with reality. The hero and heroine started feelings things for each other within the first meeting, then it just kept becoming the focused from then on out. I wanted less romance to the plot. The writing was top notch. I had no problem visualizing the setting that Coble had crafted for the readers. Readers will understand the emotions and the thought process. Overall, A Stranger’s Game by Colleen Coble was an okay romantic suspense novel. Not one of my favorites. However, I believe it would be hard to keep readers guessing after how many novels that Coble has actually crafted.

I received a complimentary copy of A Stranger’s Game by Colleen Coble from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

Was this review helpful?

Another one of Colleen's books that will keep you awake reading long after you. should be sleeping.
I loved the main characters. This book held my attention all the way through and it had a wonderful ending.
You don't want to miss out on this one!

Thank you, NetGalley, Colleen Coble, and your Publisher for getting this early book to me to read and review, in my own words.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoy reading mysteries and especially mysteries by Colleen Coble. The story is suspenseful not only as to who the murderer is but also in other parts of the story. I liked the interaction between the 2 main characters and also with Hailey.
Our library will be buying this title!

Was this review helpful?

The main character tries to find clues to prove her friend did not drown accidentally…she enlists the help of others to determine what actually happened…in the meantime, the group saves baby turtles…the story moves somewhat slowly but does come to a definitive conclusion…the characters are likable…friends…nature…love…murder…solving a mystery…these themes abound…this book is difficult to put down…I can’t wait to read more from this author…I loved the setting also…this book was sent to me for review electronically by Netgalley.

Was this review helpful?

Enjoyable new romantic suspense novel from Coble. I want to visit Jekyll Island now. :)

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley--all opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Well written and plotted, memorable characters you care about and story pacing that keeps you wanting and anticipating throughout.

Was this review helpful?

Great for those into Christian suspense novels. I'm sure the author's fans will be happy. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this story! The setting was interesting, and the characters were unique. The plot was good, but it seemed disjointed. I did enjoy the mystery, seeing what happened to the characters, and their interactions. Colleen Coble does not disappoint!

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

Was this review helpful?

While I usually love Collen Coble’s books (like, a lot!), I was a bit disappointed in this one. The story line was definitely different and intriguing and I enjoyed the characters, but the resolution was a bit anticlimactic and seemed pretty farfetched. I will give this one four stars because the writing is up to par with what you’d expect from this author, but I wish it had a different, more suspenseful ending.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book. The only complaint I had was that she was able to hide her true identity. Other than that I loved her and Joe teaming up and all the crazy things that they had to endure. I was on the edge of my seat throughout. The author didn't wonderful job keeping the reader engaged and wondering. I love when a book draws me in so much that I find myself reflecting on it days later which is exactly how I felt after this.

Was this review helpful?

I have read most of this author's books and enjoyed them all. This one didn't quite feel the same to me. I didn't connect with the characters like I usually do in the author's other books. And the suspense wasn't as exciting and page-turning as I'm used to with her books.

Over all it's still a good book and I'm glad I read it.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book.*

Was this review helpful?

I love Colleen Coble's books!
Her books are a good escape for me.

I was happy to read this ARC and start recommending.

A friend has to make it right for her friend's honor.
There are ripple effects to making that happen.
Those ripples will keep you reading.

Was this review helpful?

I had a lot of trouble with this book, from the very beginning. Everything about it felt flat and unbelievable to me. No one connects “Torie Berg” with “Victoria Bergstrom?” Torie, asking a lot of very obvious questions that the police really should have asked themselves? Then characters saying, “I hadn’t thought of that,” when the math added up for me like 2+2=4. I just…didn’t like it.

I didn’t like the characters. Torie annoyed me, and Joe did nothing for me. Hailey was cute, but a lot of kids are. No one really had any depth to them, outside of the tragic backstories. Why do so many novels have sad backgrounds for their characters? You don’t need to have heartbreaking, unexpected, dramatic deaths to draw in readers. Dead wives, dead mothers, and a “wicked stepmother”-like aunt. One character, misunderstood, with a lot of money. Meanwhile another who has to scrape by. Too many clichés. Not a fan.

The mysteries are secondary to the romance in this novel. And I didn’t even like the romance. The plot moved along by forced danger that didn’t seem to truly fit with the story. And at one point, the novel talked about catching a bad guy who committed suicide…but then later in the novel, he revealed his motives? How could he, I thought he died? Or was there a second bad guy? The plot in which this bad guy was involved…didn’t even add anything to the story. It was like Coble had to have some excitement just for Joe, separated from the “big mystery” surrounding Lisbeth’s death.

Nah, I wasn’t a fan of this novel. I wish I could be, but I can’t. I didn’t like the author’s voice or writing style—personal preference, to be sure. I didn’t like the ineptitude of so many of the characters. I didn’t like the plot…not inclined to read any other work by this author.

Was this review helpful?

A STRANGER’S GAME by COLLEEN COBLE has everything that makes up a most enjoyable romantic suspense novel, complete with some lovable and authentic characters whose emotions are well portrayed. I also like to see Joe Abbott’s faith in God and the way he reminds his daughter, Hailey, that the Lord is always with her, and can bring good out of bad things.
The story takes place on Jekyll Island in Georgia where Joe trains sea lions which are used for apprehending suspicious divers and finding bombs. He is not sure what to think of Torie Berg, the latest hire in the IT department at the prestigious hotel where he works part time in security, especially when she starts asking questions about the recent drowning of a young woman who used to work at the hotel. Things are not as they seem, especially when someone starts playing games with Torie, breaking in to her cottage and leaving her strange messages.
There is a great deal more to the story, but I do not want to spoil the read for you, so I will stop there.
I highly recommend A Stranger’s Game as a thrilling and altogether most enjoyable read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Thomas Nelson. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Was this review helpful?