If you’re looking for your next binge-worthy suspense read, put Where Secrets Lie by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker at the top of your list. I just finished it—five stars, no hesitation. I couldn’t put it down.

The story follows Savannah Webster, a professor at Tupelo Grove University who’s trying to move forward after a painful divorce. But when her ex-husband Hez shows signs of slipping back into trouble, and a dangerous smuggling ring threatens the university her family founded, she finds herself caught in a high-stakes tangle of secrets, lies, and buried history.

What really stood out to me? The intricacies of the plot. Coble and Acker clearly did their research—this story has layers. From legal twists to small-town politics to family drama, it all clicks into place without ever feeling forced. The mix of suspense and second-chance romance hits just the right note.

The ending delivers a serious cliffhanger—and while it left me hanging (in the best way), the next installment isn’t expected for a while. Here’s hoping time flies, because I’ll be first in line when it drops.

** Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for comps of the eBook and audiobook. The opinions are my own.

This series is great! The characters are well developed, the setting so well described I can smell the beignet's cooking!

The stories within the stories work so well together - I can't wait for the next book!

The secrets surrounding Tupelo Grove are only half the story. This book also tackles some complicated emotions like betrayal, addiction and revenge. Hez and Samantha are in the process of rekindling the relationship and doing so from a good place so when Hez is setup to look like he is still drinking, there are a lot of feels moments especially those that involve a certain little girl. This is just one insistence where the book does not shy away from laying emotions bare and tackling touch real life issues . That makes the story real while the mystery adds a element that keeps readers turning the page. We read to escape so reading about addiction does not feel like an escape until we throw in some hacking and smuggling and family rot.
The author did a nice job of rebuilding the love Hez and Samantha felt and making them feel like a true unit by the end of the tale. It took that strength and togetherness to hold onto a legacy for the town, students and staff. The author also did a nice job of building a layered a complex case for our pair to solve. Along the way we got a visit from the couple from the Sanctuary series. All in all this was a good book but it is also a book that leaves some threads tangling perhaps for book 3.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction | Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Return to Tupelo Grove in this second installment, picking up where the first book ended with the university and family in more danger. The romance, suspense, family drama, and legal entanglements are ramping up to an explosive confrontation. Savannah and Hez are moving forward together, but trust is so fragile and tests are coming. A former enemy rises to the top, threatening both their new relationship, the university's future, and the lives of everyone within touching distance.
The added detail to the characters and their messes and problems, takes this story to the next level. Colleen Coble and Rick Acker build on what the reader already knows and fills in such rich detail that I didn't want the story to end. Secrets and lies are catching up and when they do, the explosion could pull them all in.
The reader also gets to know more about the university and charming town it resides in. I loved getting to revisit Tupelo Grove and the interesting history it holds.
This story has suspense and danger around every corner. Just when the coast seems to be clear, another threat rises to threaten everything they thought they knew and those they love. Who will be the next casualty in this war for money and power? And how many will have to fall before it is finished? I highly recommend this series and can't wait for the next installment from Colleen Coble and Rick Acker. It is already on my TBR pile! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

After reading the first book in this series, I have been eagerly awaiting this second one. I would suggest reading the first one in order to get the full picture of the couple's relationship. I really appreciate that this is a wonderfully suspenseful story without crass language or detailed intimate scenes. I also like that the main romance is between a previously married couple.
I recommend it!
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to read it in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This is a fast paced book full of intrigue and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the beginning until the cliff hanger end! Savannah and Hez are trying to save their beloved college, TGU, that Savannah's family has been a part of since she was a child. There are a lot of crooked people that are trying to bring the college down along with Savannah and her family. When her sister, Jess, is murdered, Savannah takes in her 10 year old son, Simon. Savannah and Hez are trying to solve her murder along with many other mysteries that arise. There are so many twists and turns in this story. Buckle up your seat belt for a wild ride! I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own. #netgalley #wheresecretslie #thomasnelsonfiction

Readers who have read the first book of the Tupelo Grove series will enjoy this second book. All the main characters are back and the university is under collapse as Hez and Savanah race to find answers to the financial. crisis. This is definitely a series to be read in order.. Such hatred lies within this family. Who is behind the smuggling? Lots of questions to be answered in this latest installment. Recommended.

In Part Two of A Tupelo Grove series, university professor Savannah Webster and her ex-husband Hez attempt to begin a new life together. But shadows from the past cause Savannah to question the wisdom of renewing their relationship. Add in scandals, scheming, and smuggling, and Coble and Acker have crafted a story that kept me turning the pages and trying to figure out who was behind it all.

Richly drawn characters and top-notch plotting make this a fabulous read! Note: Where Secrets Lie is a much richer story if book one is read first.

The 2nd installment in the Tupelo Grove series by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker picks up where
What We Hide left off.
Once again we are taken to a small private university in Alabama.
The corruption story at TGU continues and we began to see more and more of it permeate Hez and Savannah's personal life as one of the main players in the corruption seek to keep Hez and Savannah apart.
Their relationship is put to the test by the attempted sabotage.
Rather than allowing the challenges to tear them apart, they handle the difficulties by growing personally and taking the steps needed to begin to deal with the issues that are revealed through these events.

The character's in this series are easy to get to know and like (or not).
The author team of Coble/Acker is a good one, telling the story with seamless writing.

It is refreshing to read a good novel without all of the "spice" and language that is par for the course in so many of today's books.

I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a great story in which to get lost.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction, the authors and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is book 2 of the Tupelo Grove series - I have not read book 1 and didn't find that impacted on my enjoyment or ability to follow the story (though I imagine it would have been even better had I read book 1).  This book and series have some deep story lines of love, deceit, family history and greed. It is not a quick read but rather a book to be savoured as you read it to really understand and enjoy the complexity of the story and feeling the emotions of betrayal, relief, grief,  hopelessness, victory and love alongside Savannah and Hez.
Savannah and Hez are working to rebuild their relationship but keep getting slammed with unexpected challenges. Can they pull together to overcome these or will they be too much to conquer alone, let alone together? You will have to read the story to find out - I don't want to give anything away!
This book ends in a good space but also leaves you hanging for book 3 in the series as there are a few loose ends to tie up. The title sums up the book well - where secrets lie - throughout the story secrets come up from multiple places and not always where you expect. We all know secrets have a way of coming out and usually not in a good way and as I was engrossed in the story I felt the pain of those secrets, but also the strength of character and relationship as Savannah and Hez (and others) were able to work their way through their impact.
I definitely enjoyed this book and recommend you read it. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book Review
Where Secrets Lie by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker

The mystery continues in book 2 of the Tupelo Grove series. We continue to follow Hez and Savannah and the artifact smuggling surrounding Tupelo Grove University. The first book ended in a cliffhanger and the sequel doesn’t waste any time getting right to the answers we seek while still adding new questions.

The author team of Coble and Acker is such a smart combination. Their styles weave together to create just enough romance combined with the high action suspense and intrigue that keeps me guessing.

The second half is where this book shines. I understand the need to story build the first half for readers that might not read book one in the series, but the suspense didn’t pick up until about 45%, after that, I was drawn into the story more.

I look forward to more collaborations between these authors. I have enjoyed all of them so far.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own. Book releases on June 3, 2025

Where Secrets Lie is book two in the Tupelo Grove series and this is one that must be read in order. It picks up right where What We Hide left off and I feel if you don't read that one first you'll be missing out on so much! Savannah and Hez are working on their relationship, her sister Jess is, as my kids would say, "acting sus", and there's artifacts being smuggled. This is pretty fast paced and I was so into it that I listened to it in just one day. Can't wait for book 3 now!

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and listen to the audio of Where Secrets Lie. Karen Peakes did a great job narrating! All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 3 June 2025

Where Secrets Lie picks up shortly after the end of What We Hide. Savannah’s duplicitous sister, Jess, is determined to destroy Tupelo Grove U out of vengeance. Savannah and Hez are reconciled and planning to get remarried. But the smuggling is still happening and the university is still struggling.

Hez and Savannah face some really tough issues - grief, alcoholism, financial woes, job uncertainty, family drama. They don’t always deal with them graciously, but they ask for help, communicate, and eventually respond in love. Jess is a complex character, eaten up with hate but fiercely loving her sister and son. This time, the mystery isn’t who Dunnit, but will Hez and Savannah figure out what’s happened and be able to stop it in time. That causes it to lose a little of the tension. There are a couple of major twists along the way, and even though this storyline wraps up, there is one more twist at the end with a “to be continued” added in.

This is Christian fiction so expect prayer and discussions about God and faith.

Family friendly with some non-graphic violence.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have read both books in Coble and Acker's Tupelo Grove series and though they could be read as stand alones, I think you will get more out of the overall experience of reading these books if you read them both and in order. I love all of Coble's books and this addition of writing with Acker has elevated her books to levels that I didn't know was possible. The suspense of this book is my favorite aspect. I also love the characters in this series and how we see them change and evolve. I would give this book 5 stars!

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

Where secrets lie is the second book of the series. I had not read the first one. Where buried. So this one was hard to follow. But if you enjoy mystery and suspense, you will enjoy

A really great story. It had a lot of great twists and turns. And the ending. I can't wait for the next book.

Back to Tupelo Grove picking up with Samantha, Hez, Jess, and Simon. The suspense kept me turning the pages. As Sam and Hez learn to trust each other again, Jess works to tear them apart. The story picks up where book one leaves off, so you really ought to read it first. The twist at the end sets up book 3. It’s a story of hope, redemption, and second chances that will leave you rooting for Sam & Hez.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own

I am so excited to share that Savannah and Hez are back! Once again, Colleen Coble and Rick Acker have teamed up to bring the us back to Tupelo Grove University and they do it in the true explosive, engaging style they are both known for. (BTW, these two working together to create stories is brilliant!) This story picks up pretty close to where the first one left off amps up right away. There are layers to the challenges the school is facing, and Hez and Savannah believe they are up to the task. While they have different strengths and opportunities, they are committed to the school and to each other. I love the way Hez and Savannah are open to rebuilding their marriage, and despite the many threats and intruders that test their new resolutions, they do work together in a beautiful way. There is honesty, forgiveness, and newfound hope for their life to come. They are honest about the difficulties and what they have to work through to succeed this time around. There are plenty of twists that moved my mind in new directions, but always with the undercurrent of hope and redemption.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

This is the second book in the Tupelo Grove series. I highly recommend you read the first book before reading this one but it can technically be read as a stand alone. This book continues the story between Hez and Savannah as they try to continue to rebuild trust in their relationship. They are also working on saving Tupelo Grove University from a artifact trafficking ring.
I really enjoyed this read. It was interesting and had some twists I was not expecting. This was a great suspense novel I recommend you give it a read!
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

I enjoy this author duo's writing. It's crisp and clear with good pacing. The characters are relatable and the story is compelling with a mix of mystery and slight romance. The plot was easy to follow yet not predictable. There were plenty of twists and surprises.

I found it to be an enjoyable book