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

This is the second book in the Tupelo Grove series. I recommend reading the first book prior to reading this book. Where Secrets Lie is even better than the first book. There are a lot of twists and turns that will leave you guessing. I didn't want to put the book down. I'm eagerly waiting on the third book in the series to come out.

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

4.5 stars
Oh my gosh! So good, I couldn't put it down. This series needs to be read in order, as it's a continuing story, and I CANNOT WAIT for book 3, if it was available now, I would read it next.

Author Colleen Coble and Rick Acker have written this story and this series so seamlessly, it's hard to know where one's writing begins and the other one's ends. What a riveting story!

Where Secrets Lie picks up where What We Hide leaves off, with the sweet second chance romance between Savannah Webster and Hezekiah Webster. Swirling around them are a possible relapse into alcohol, a family member’s involvement in the smuggling of artifacts, impending foreclosure on the college that has been in the family for decades, their sweet nephew Simon, two dogs, Savannah’s dishonest and uncaring father, a long-standing family feud with the Willards, attacks that involve hospitalization, and lots of suspense. The cliffhanger at the end surprised me, explained a lot, and has me impatient for the next story!

I highly recommend each story in the Tupelo Grove story.

Thank you to publisher Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

I did not enjoy What We Hide (book 1) as much as I had hoped. But after absolutely loving I Think I Was Murdered and Ambushed, I decided to give Tupelo Grove another try. While it was better, it did not hit the mark for me.
Where Secrets Lie picks up where book 1 left off. Like book 1, the first half dragged, while the second half was much more suspenseful and faster paced. I did not remember many details from book 1, but there was enough recap in book 2 to see me through. Much of it is still fuzzy however. Overall, I had a very hard time picturing the people and places in the story, and I reached a point of just wanting to get it over with. But the characters this time are more believable. And the epilogue opened up a whole can of worms that now makes me want to find out what happens in book 3.
This book does not stand alone, as a lot of things from book 1 would not make sense in book 2 without the background. I am thankful the authors remained very clean with a smattering of Christian references amidst the romance and violence of the story.
Coble and Acker knocked it out of the park for I Think I Was Murdered so I know they have what it takes. I hope they can bring that WOW factor back again for book 3.
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Disappointing. I remember wanting to know what happened in the next book after reading the series opener, but I didn't enjoy this one. It was slow and depressing, and killing Jess just didn't flow with the book. I'm still mad about it. Would have given a 2 because somehow I was still interested in the series and the main characters, but then they just tacked on a random cliffhanger at the end that was clearly just to have a cliffhanger. I'm really really tired of that. It's a huge turnoff from any story that it.

FYI This is published by a Christian publishing house and is quite Christian. It's done well but just in case that's something a new reader would want to know.

Just like the first book in this series, you will be holding your breath, and really not expecting what is about to happen.
So much hate, and spreading it to the next generation, sad. In the end, people are no longer there that we loved and cared about. The epilogue tells of the next book in this series, and it looks like the evil doesn't end.
I loved being back in Tupelo, and with Savannah and Hez, and of course a sweet little boy. There is so much going on here, and old hurts that go back a long way, keep reappearing!
I kept wondering if Savannah and Hez were going to be able to remarry? The stumbling blocks keep falling!
Now I'm waiting for the third book in this series!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

A solid 4.5 stars.
This is the second book in this series. I really enjoyed this one. The main characters are flawed and not everything gets wrapped up all nice and tidy. They have issues. But their love for each other is shining brighter and brighter. There is a couple of twists in the story I wasn’t expecting and the mystery builds. I had a hard time putting this one down. I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are my own. Highly recommend this book

This is the second in a series about a university in Alabama. And this one doesn't disappoint!

Haz and Savannah have made it through what they thought was a difficult time, and we're ready to move forward repairing their life together. But the problems that plagued the university did not go away, they were just masked for a while. And the danger is escalating along with deceit from family members.

This definitely leaves a cliff hanger for the next book! I can't wait!