What a way to kick off this new series! While I believe this is the first of Rick Acker's books I've had the pleasure to experience, I always know when I see Colleen Coble's name on a cover, I am in for a thrilling read. This was absolutely no exception! Right from the start, this one drew me in and kept me guessing right through to the very last pages. When I thought I'd have something figured out, something else would happen to make me think I had been wrong to start and so on the circle of guessing continued! There are a lot of twists that I don't want to give away, but believe me, this one will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat! Of course, I always adore a second chance romance, so I loved that aspect of the story too. Savannah and Hez have been through a lot, so seeing them brought back together--- even despite the circumstances really drew me in too. I will say that this book DOES end on a pretty major cliffhanger, so if that is something that will bother you, you might wait until the next book is out as well. It certainly has me very much looking forward to seeing what's to come!

This story does have mentions of addiction and death of a child, which could be triggering for some readers.


**I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley for consideration. All opinions are my own.

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

Colleen Coble joins forces with Rick Acker to deliver an incredible thriller with “What We Hide,” a story of finding the truth and overcoming grief.

Savannah Webster teaches about antiquities at Tupelo Grove University, a school where her family has deep ties. Her sister Jess is even the CFO there. But when her soon-to-be-ex-husband Hez Webster shows up looking to start a Justice Center at the university, she’s not too happy.

But when deadly occurrences begin to happen at the school, she must join forces with Hez to figure out what’s happening, who is behind it, and what it has to do with the school’s Willard Treasure antiquities collection.

Coble and Acker do an incredible job of creating a fast-paced, intense plot filled with twists and turns, leaving the reader guessing until the end, including a shocking ending. They also create delectable characters, including some old friends from Coble’s Pelican Harbor series.

“What We Hide” also includes several great themes. In addition to themes of overcoming grief, finding forgiveness and seeking the truth, it also reminds us that nothing is impossible with God; power of second chances; trusting God; bringing evil to light; and masking one’s true nature (“handsome on the outside and rotten under the facade”).

Five stars out of five.

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

Savannah's marriage fell apart after her daughter's death and her husband Hez's descent into alcoholism. She's finally ready to move on, including having sent him divorce papers, when Hez turns up claiming to be clean and eager for a second chance. But her plans to refuse are derailed when she finds a murdered man at the university where she works, and ends up a suspect - in urgent need of Hez's skills as a lawyer. In throwing them together. could this be the second chance he's been hoping for - or the death of any dream of redemption? Worse, it soon becomes clear that there's a lot more going on under the surface than either of them realised, and more than just Savannah is in danger. Can they uncover the secrets of the university and discover the culprit - or culprits - before it's too late?

An enjoyable read that was a definite page-turner. There's a lot going on and it all dovetails in beautifully, fortunately also leaving room for relationship development and baggage resolution between Savannah and Hez. At the same time, I have to admit, I kind of wish I hadn't read the Epilogue. Because part of me definitely likes things - or characters - to be more black and white than it presents. I'm partly looking forward to the next book and partly uncertain whether I want to continue, because of that particular character - but realistically, the first part will probably win! :-) Maybe we can look forward to more of a redemption arc? All in all, a heart-warming second-chance romance alongside a mystery/suspense storyline which together kept me reading far too long. I'm sure I should regret it... 4.5 stars.

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

An edge of the seat read. Artifacts are being sold off and people are being murdered. Is anyone safe? Is anyone innocent? Who can be trusted? Definitely had me guessing on who was all involved. Worth the read. Another enjoyable Colleen Coble read.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This is the first in a new series and Colleen has done it again. Finding a dead body on campus that leads you down a very interesting path was something I totally got lost in. This book had things I didn’t see coming and I was here for it.

What We Hide is the newest novel by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. It is the first in a new series called Tupelo Grove. In the story, Savannah is a college professor at a university her family has run for decades. In her quest for tenure and writing of a book, she unwittingly discovers a dead body at the university that leads her down a path of stolen artifacts and embezzlement.

I have read several of Colleen Coble’s books and enjoyed all of them. This one was no different. It is fast paced and kept me reading through twist after twist. I hope there are more Tupelo Grove books coming to continue the story!

What a great start to a new suspense series! Savannah Webster is moving on with her life, a tragedy has caused her to separate from her husband, Hez. Suddenly things begin to happen, Hez, a former DA, asks for her help on a project, she finds evidence that artifacts are being stolen from the university where she works and she finds the president of the university dead. Savannah becomes a suspect in his death and she turns to Hez for help.

The authors have created well drawn out characters, a suspenseful plot and a cliff hanger ending. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. I can't wait for the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for an ARC. The review is my own.

"The only hope they’ve got is each other, and they’re going to have to put their past behind them if they’re going to stay alive long enough to uncover all that’s hidden."
What We Hide is a suspense mystery book written by two authors about Savannah Webster who is trying to find her way foward again and she works at Tupelo Grove university as a history professor. Savannah and her husband Hez have been separted since tradgey tore them apart but when he shows up asking for a second chance she rejecets that idea but 24hrs later she is under suspicion for murder and since Hez is the best attormey she knows she asks him for help. Want to find out what happens then make sure to pick this book up on July 2nd. These two authors wrote this so well and this book had me turning pages till the very end. I loved the characters in this book and really enjoyed Savannah. The book also has twist and turns that will keep you guessing until the end. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I am looking foward to the second in the series. I would recommend this to any reader but epesically to readers who love a good mystery or romance. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this book in exchange of my honest review of What We Hide.

This was quite the story! I’ve always enjoyed this author’s book. I wasn’t sure what I would find when she wrote with another author.
I did think it started out slow but really ended with a bang. There’s lots of twists and turns and some surprising secrets. I was not surprised by the ending.
Definitely looking forward to the next one in this series

This is the first book I’ve read by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. It started out a bit slow, but then it got really good! I couldn’t put it down. There was a crazy twist at the end that I wasn’t expecting. I will anxiously be waiting to read the second book in this series! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Mystery with a dash of romance has been one of my favorite genre these days…
I really want to like this one but I have mixed feeling about it. I’ll tell you why…

First of all, the mystery is actually pretty interesting and I really enjoy seeing one of the main characters – Hez shows his skill at courts and following clues by clues to defend his client.
This story also has a couple unexpected twists that I didn’t see coming at all…

However, one thing that really take me out of the story from reading this book is that some parts feel repetitive like the romance between the main characters – Hez and Savannah. Their lack of communication can be very frustrating to see.

The ending tells that things are far from over and I’m still curious enough to see what happens next!
I’ll keep an eye out for the 2nd book in this series!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: child death, grief

Wonderful beginning of new series. This team of authors are well-matched, with prose that flows easily, melding into one voice. The multi-layered mystery quickly grabbed my attention from the first chapter. I love that the story is told from three POVs, that of Savannah, Hezekiah and the villain. The excellent plot pacing and the skillfully dropped clues, as well as a few plot twists kept me engaged in the story.

I enjoy a good second chance at love romance, and Savannah and Hezekiah's story tugged at my heart. But first, they need to unravel several mysteries, with an unsolved murder and the mysterious embezzlement of artifacts from Tupelo Grove University.

Coble is known for having individual mysteries solved in each book of a series, as well as having some that arc throughout. While the main mystery was solved, there are still some loose ends. There is some foreshadowing dropped in the final chapter, hinting at what is in store in the next addition to the series. Can't wait!

****I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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.

Colleen Coble and Rick Acker’s new book, What We Hide, introduces a fresh setting that differs from Coble’s usual stories (and Acker is a new author to me). I imagined a thrilling story set at Tupelo University, filled with suspenseful scenes and hidden secrets. The introduction of the first person POV character was a clever move—I was completely caught off guard, despite my suspicions about their hidden secrets. I mistakenly believed the perspective belonged to another character (no spoilers, I promise).

The second chance romance in the story intrigued me the most, despite my usual preference for suspense. I really wanted Savannah and Hez to hash it out earlier.

Despite the lack of a “Hatfield and McCoy” angle with Savanah’s family and the previous owners of the college, which I anticipate will be addressed in book two, I enjoyed this story. To sum up, I’m filled with anticipation for the next installment in the series.

I received this book through Net Galley and was not required to give a positive review.

Love the Pelican Harbor series. Great mystery - had me completely fooled. Did not figure this one out and can't wait for the next one!

I have always enjoyed books by Colleen Coble, especially the Pelican Harbor series. Rick Acker is a new author for me. This was a great second chance, romance between Hez and Savannah, with a lot of intrigue and suspense on the campus of Tupelo Grove University, where Savannah has a family history. The mystery of artifacts disappearing from the museum stockroom was interesting, and it got tense when her sister Jess was accused of murder. I had a bit of trouble believing that 10 year old Simon could act the way he did. I appreciated the faith talk that Hez had with his cousin. I thought Hez and Savannah needed to have a talk about their history and impending divorce sooner. The suspense was well written, and there were several people who could be candidates for the bad guys, and I did guess one of them. This book set up the next in the series and hints at being quite the suspenseful plot, I will certainly be looking for it.
*I received a complementary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone.*

Sinopsis en español:

Savannah Webster está intentando encontrar el camino a seguir. Ella y su esposo, Hez, han estado separados desde que la tragedia los separó y él comenzó a adormecer su dolor y culpa con alcohol. Regresó a la Universidad Tupelo Grove, que su familia ayudó a fundar hace más de un siglo, para enseñar historia.

Cuando Hez aparece en su salón de clases pidiendo una segunda oportunidad, rechaza la idea de inmediato. Pero veinticuatro horas después está bajo sospecha de asesinato y, dado que Hez es el mejor abogado que conoce, le pide ayuda de mala gana. Sospechan que el asesinato está relacionado con alguien que vendía los artefactos precolombinos de la universidad, pero los secretos son mucho más profundos de lo que creen.

La única esperanza que tienen es el uno al otro, y tendrán que dejar atrás su pasado si quieren permanecer con vida el tiempo suficiente para descubrir todo lo que está oculto.







Lo disfute, tiene muchos elementos que se pudieron explotar, pero se dejaron a medias. Por ejemplo, Hez se supone que regreso para conquistar a su esposa, sin embargo, no hizo nada más que ayudarla con su caso ¿cómo se supone que ella vea que y no es el hombre de hace dos años si no pasan tiempo juntos?. Otro ejemplo, la verdadera razón por la que su matrimonio implosiono (la cual no diré para no dar spoilers) jamás se abordo ese tema y no se hablo sobre sus sentimientos acerca de ese suceso.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Holy flipping!!! This is one of the best mystery/thrillers I’ve read in a long time. I thought I had it all figured out…and omw, the ending. I. Can’t. Even.

I finished it while getting a pedicure and had to tell the technician all about it, haha—for my own catharsis!

Can’t believe I have to wait until who knows when for the next one, haha! But, it’ll absolutely be worth it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What We Hide is a compelling beginning to the Tupelo Grove series! The fast-paced, suspenseful plot with expertly orchestrated twists kept me guessing all the way to the puzzling “to be continued” ending! The characters are skillfully crafted and realistic. I am a long time Colleen Coble fan, but Rick Acker is a new author to me. Their writing styles blend seamlessly. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. I recommend this book as a must read for contemporary romantic suspense fans
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Colleen Coble is a favorite romantic suspense author and the collaboration with Rick Acker added a great legal aspect to the story. Set on the Alabama coast in the fictious town of Pelican Harbor, this is a great setting with characters from Coble's Pelican Harbor series making an appearance. The emotional story is about a second chance at a marriage damaged by a tragic loss, a workaholic who turned to alcohol and pills to escape the pain, and a general lack of communication. Savannah, a history professor, asks her estranged attorney husband Hezakiah for help when she is suspected of murdering the university president where she teaches. But more is going on and that's obvious right away. This story has tons of secrets and surprises, twists, sabotage, suspense, and mystery that kept me engaged to the end, where we are left with a cliffhanger that makes me anxious to read the next story.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.