"Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh, my!" No, I'm not reviewing 'The Wizard of Oz'—but 'Ambush' is an intriguing suspense set on a wildlife refuge which protects exotic, but frightening animals such as lions, tigers, jaguars, laughing hyenas, and bears! Oh my! 😳

Once attacked by a black jaguar, Paradise Alden accepts a position working as a veterinarian on a wildlife sanctuary in her hometown. Suffering from more than one trauma in her life causes her to be somewhat withdrawn and defensive at first, but her courage and fortitude causes her character to evolve tremendously. And Blake is just about perfect . . . godly, compassionate, brave, loving, and selfless.

I enjoyed learning about the wild animals in their habitat—even the BIG cats have a way of greeting their caretakers in an affectionate manner and who knew hippos liked whole watermelons? Interesting stuff! Although not preachy at all, the author included a faith thread throughout which served to enhance the novel for me. It's actually a mystery within a mystery as a major whodunit is solved and others are left unresolvable for future books, I presume. Cannot wait!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review.*

Colleen Coble has written another nail-biter plot in “Ambush.” The whole story takes place around a wild animal sanctuary down south, and the descriptions and such make me wish I could visit an animal sanctuary for myself! Blake, his mom, Jenna, and his two young brothers run the wildlife sanctuary. Strange events and attacks have been happening at the sanctuary. Paradise Alden comes to town to fill in as vet at the sanctuary, and for her it is coming home to a place that holds good memories and bad ones. We see so much growth in Paradise as a person throughout the book. She is real to life, and her life experiences make the reader’s heart ache for the tragedies in her life. Paradise, led by Blake and Jenna, grows spiritually as well. Blake is a calm and steady presence, despite the repeated attacks on the Sanctuary, the family, Paradise, and himself. The mysteries are deeply embedded in this plot. The ending doesn’t even reveal the solution to all of the mysteries! Ms. Coble does an amazing job weaving a plot that keeps the reader pushing through to the end. I highly recommend this book, especially to those who enjoy suspense stories.

I requested a copy of this book for review. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

The overall mystery portion of the story was good. This starts off really fast paced. I love the setting at an Animal Sanctuary - that felt really unique. The characters are well developed. I picked this book up not realizing that it is faith based - and that is really just not for me. There wasn't an initial mention of religion during the first parts of the story - but as it was incorporated more and more it felt forced and overt. I feel like I can generally be subjective when it comes to these elements - but this just didn't appeal to me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story had just the right amount of intrigue, danger and romance. I enjoyed this character driven story about Paradise, Blake and his family. The history the characters had with each other, including past and present traumas, and current mysteries made for an exciting story. The character arcs and the romantic feelings between Blake and Paradise were believable. I look forward to further books with these characters.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel by Coble! She has outdone herself in my opinion. I really enjoyed the location living in Alabama myself. I love that it was wild animals and that there was a redeeming quality with the main female character having experienced some trauma with big cats before. I love that it’s just the start of a whole series and can’t wait to read more! I loved the little boys and truly felt all the emotions as though I was reading a true account. Really well written, exciting novel!

Ambush by Colleen Coble, book 1 of her Sanctuary series, had me glued to my chair, lost in this fictional world of danger and secrets. Amongst love and tragedy, animals—some cute and fuzzy, some definitely not—and so many action-packed shenanigans, I was trying to catch my breath. Seriously, it was exciting. Colleen’s writing is every bit as intriguing and intricate as any of Agatha Christie’s mystery. Don’t miss this suspenseful read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions expressed are completely my own.

When it comes to romantic suspense, Colleen Coble is one of my go tos. She never fails to create unique stories that will keep me at the edge of my seat from start to finish, while also weaving in romance and faith effortlessly. This one was no exception. The last thing that Paradise expected when she returned to her hometown to work at a wildlife refuge and learn more about her parents' murder was... well, another murder. A murder that it seems someone is trying to pin on her first love. Despite their initial rocky reunion, the two find themselves dodging danger and trying to discover the truth behind both murders... all while those old feelings start to creep back in. This was definitely an exciting read. The setting of the wild animal sanctuary really added an extra sense of danger to the story too--- not only do we have to worry about the human killers, but also the added risks that these animals brought with them. I'm always a fan of second chance romances as well, so that definitely drew me in as well. While the primary mystery is solved in the end, there are definitely some questions that go unanswered, leaving me looking forward to seeing what is to come next in the series. If you love Christian romantic suspense, this is definitely one to check out.

(Please note, there are some brief, non-descriptive mentions of sexual assault in the past which could be triggering for some readers.)

**ARC received via Netgalley for consideration. All opinions are my own.

Interesting characters. Second-chance romance. Wild animals with danger from them and humans. Lots of challenging mishaps. Nice that this is the beginning of a series. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary. Four-and-a half stars, rounded up.

This is an interesting second chance/romantic suspense book, with the emphasis on the suspense. The small Southern town and characters are well written. This is part of a series and is Christian fiction.

Ambush is the first of a new series set in the coastal area near Gulf Shores, Alabama. This was hard to put down with lots of action, danger, mystery, and suspense. It is a sweet story of new faith and a second chance at romance with great characters and setting. Paradise and Blake, high school sweethearts, have to work together on Blake's mom animal reserve when Paradise returns to work as the reserve veterinarian. She is also trying to find who murdered her parents. But there are more pressing matters with a body found and numerous incidents that endanger the people and animals. This edgy story kept me engrossed to the end with all the things going on and possible suspects, and with some real surprises from the past. It was fun seeing characters from other series show up. This is another winner by one of my favorite authors. Looking forward to the next one. I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

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. 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⭐

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I really enjoyed it. Her writing style has a smooth flow to it that I thought made this story an easy read. The story started out slowly and towards the ending the pace picked up and it turned into an edge of seat adventure. It was unpredictable a time or two. I was drawn into the book from the first chapter and my interest was peaked through out the story. It was entertaining and definitely a page turner. The characters were strong and didn’t give into letting their fears control how they lived their lives. The book ended with some things left in the air. I will be waiting eagerly to read book two in this series to find out if these questions get answers.
The two main characters, Paradise Alden and Blake Lawson dated in High School. Life hasn’t been kind to Paradise. She became an orphan at an early age and later in life suffered a traumatic experience that both physically and emotionally scarred her. Blake and Paradise come together again when she comes to work at the wild life sanctuary that Blake and his mother Jenna own. The reunion is not pleasant as far as Paradise is concerned. She has agreed to work at the sanctuary in hopes that it will help her heal physically and emotionally from her recent experiences . She wonders if it was a mistake to return to her home town where painful memories from her past are so strong. Can she overcome her fears and find healing at the wild life Sanctuary?
I highly recommend Ambush to readers of Suspense And romance books. It’s the first book in a new series so it’s a good opportunity to start at the beginning. This book is scheduled for release on 3/4/25.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#Ambush #NetGalley

I had the pleasure of being approved for both the ebook and the audiobook advanced reader copy of Ambush by Colleen Coble.
I would read listen to the book during the day when I could and read it at night in bed. I didn't want to put it down.

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.

This book kept me guessing the whole way through. I had suspicions and a couple were right but not in the way I expected. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the growth of Paradise throughout the book. Her relationship with others and with God was inspiring. I loved Blake as well and how he was such a good son, brother and friend. I am excited to see the continuation of Paradise's search for answers.

“I don’t want you to trample my heart again, Paradise, but I’m afraid you might.”

This story is the whole package! Colleen Coble knows how to tear out your heart while dangling a thread of mystery and suspense. Usually, I love the suspense in romantice suspense. And while only a select few authors create romances that fully captivate me—Coble is the goat.

Coble hits on everything:
~ Suspense and action with twisty authentic scenes surrounding an animal habitat. (I never knew so much about hyenas, and the alpha female gives me the creeps!)
~ Faith and inspiration. Every story branded as Christian fiction should have a takeaway, and this one reminds us not to beat down on ourselves. “I wish you could forgive yourself as easily as your God forgives you.” And another quote that hit home especially for me was… “It’s somehow comforting to know events are outside my control and that’s okay. It makes me realize I never had the control I thought I had.”
~ And the romance! Blake is simply perfect. And Paradise simply needed the love he had to offer. He let her know that her struggles have made her stronger. A man should always uplift his counterpart.

The tiny supporting characters—Isaac and Levi—were the cutest! When Paradise loses all that she had, which isn’t much, the conversation about teddy bears was funny and sad and amazing!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All words are my own.

Paradise Alden is returning to Nova Cambridge, Alabama after leaving during her teenage years. Her parents were murdered in this town; she is returning to work at The Sanctuary to work as a vet. She was injured by a jaguar and is recovering from the attack. When gets to the wildlife refuge she finds her teenage boyfriend helping his mother run the refuge.
There is strange things happening at the refuge and Paradise is also trying to solve her parents' murder. Blake Lawson loved Paradise as a teenage; but he betrayed her trust, and she is not happy to spend time with him.
There is a lot going on in the story, but overall, it is a great suspense story.

Ambush
Colleen Coble
March 04, 2025

Paradise Alden traveled down the roads to her old home of Nova Cambridge in Alabama. She had not been back in years. She accepted a job as a vet to work for Jenna Anderson, who owned and operated the large farm that housed The Sanctuary. Paradise would be caring for the animals who are injured or sick as well as administering vaccinations. It sounded well and good but she would also be working for Blake, Jenna´s oldest son. The duo were high school sweethearts but things fell apart. She went off to college to become a veterinarian, and he joined the Marines. Jenna´s two younger sons, Issac and Levi lived with their mom and brother in the large home. Paradise had a small cottage to live in. Although wages were lower than most she had a home. She was starting again after suffering from a horrible arm injury while caring for a large animal.
Ambush will be published by Thomas Nelson on March 04, 2025. I was able to read Coble´s latest novel via NetGalley. This is another unsettling story. The fate of the sanctuary was being threatened by someone. Aside from the daily work of caring for the farm and the animals, caretakers needed to find who was attacking the family and farm buildings. Once again, Colleen Coble gives readers a heart-pounding tale. It is truly a page-turner, exceptionally written. Be certain to pick up Ambush, and do enjoy!

Veterinarian Paradise Alden has scars. She hopes returning to The Sanctuary will help heal at least some of them, maybe the ones that turn her blood cold at the scream of a big cat and just maybe some of the ones that started stacking up the night her parents were murdered. Blake Lawson, however, is not a scar she is ready to heal so quickly. But Paradise has ties to The Sanctuary and to Blake’s mother, Jenna, that are just strong enough to bring her back into his orbit. Those ties are tested when Jenna’s home and livelihood become the target of a war of attrition. One by one, the strange and sometimes deadly attacks stack up to shake confidence in The Sanctuary and the people involved there. And those attacks feel quite real to the reader, as Colleen Coble works the literary magic that has solidified her place in the realms of romantic suspense royalty over the last seventy-five breathtaking novels. Hit by hit, the reader rolls along with Paradise and Blake, unraveling the mysteries of the attacks on their home and of what happened to her parents so many years ago. Put on your big girl boots, because this story is not a trek for the adventure averse!

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

Buckle up for a wild ride! This book will capture your attention from the beginning. Paradise and Blake have known each other since they were teenagers. Paradise's parents were murdered and the murder remains unsolved. Paradise and Blake haven't seen each other for 15 years, since they were 15 years old. Paradise returns to Blake's home to work as a veterinary for his family's animal sanctuary that he runs along with his widowed mother. It soon becomes apparent that someone is sabotaging their business and trying to force them to sell. A lot of mystery surrounds the death of Blake's stepdad, too. As they try to solve all of these mysteries and attempts on their lives, will they make it out alive? Will they be able to save their livelihood and the Sanctuary? Will Paradise and Blake be able to get past their differences and forge a life together? Read this fast paced book to find out! I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed are completely my own. #netgalley #ambush #thomasnelsonfiction

Ambush by Colleen Coble is the first book in the Sanctuary series. Blake Lawson who is one of the main characters was introduced in the Tupelo series. He appeared as Hez's first cousin. Blake Lawson's mother is running a sanctuary for wild animals that her late husband established. He tragically died earlier and Blake is helping his mother run the sanctuary. Her mother is raising Blake's half brothers. Paradise Alden previously lived in the Alabama small town and returns after 15 years as a veternarian for the sanctuary. Her parents died some 15 years earlier. Shortly after she arrived someone dies and other dangerous things begin to happen at the sanctuary. With Blake's help they begin to unravel what is happening there. I can usually guess who the villian is but I was stumpted until the end on this story.

There was also a side mystery going on what happened with Paradise's parents. That mystery will be solved in future books.