I loved seeing other characters from past series pop into this book. So fun! I forgot how expertly Colleen can weave in more than one mystery into a book. She starts a cliffhanger that will get resolved at the end if the series. This had a lot of plot twists as to be expected, and the ending was so intense I couldn't stop listening! The ending was 5 star quality and my emotions were all over those chaptets.The narrator was awesome as well!
Some of the first half the book felt bit soap opera-ish especially when the character Lacey entered. Overall and maybe due to the spectacular ending I give it a 4.5.

Ambush is a thrilling adventure set in a wildlife sanctuary. The story is captivating, the characters are inviting, and the location is perfect. There are multiple layers to the plot, so each page is gripping and satisfying, but not complete, which meant the pages kept flying! Like Paradise, I wanted answers, and I wanted closure. Instead, I received an adventure with a little bit of both. I love that this is a series starter, so I know there is more to come. In the meantime, this story is brilliant and a satisfying intro. I don’t want to divulge any details, so if you enjoy thrilling adventures, mystery on multiple layers, romance, and small town living amid a wildlife sanctuary, you are going to love this.
I also had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook version and the narrator did an excellent job of capturing the characters: personalities, accents, and emotions.
I received a copy from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

Thank You Netgalley and Colleen Coble for another great mystery. I received the electronic and audio ARC. My favorite way to read books are as a tandem read. I would say this book was a second chance romance with a mystery involved. The mystery part wasn't cheesy and was very real. I loved the safari feel of the book and enjoyed the whole thing. This is a Christian tagged read so if any mention of the big guy bothers you, I would pass. As always, the narrator, Karen Peakes was great. I loved Paradise and Blakes story.

I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Colleen Coble has always been one of my favorite authors so when I knew this would be good. And I was totally right!
This book was extremely hard to put down because it immediately drew me in. I loved how this author incorporated the wild animals into this story line. This was definitely a first for me and I loved it. This book was very fast paced, action filled, suspenseful and was a total shock at the end. I loved how the past of Paradise was incorporated into this book as well, which helped explain her insecurities and why she is the way she is. I highly recommend this book to anyone!

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson Publishers, and Colleen Coble for the ARC of this book. I listened to the audiobook version. All opinions are my own.

Ambush is the first in a new series by Coble called "Sanctuary". In this first novel, main character, wildlife veterinarian Paradise Alden returns to her roots on the Gulf Coast of Alabama to both heal from a jaguar attack and search for answers related to the murder of her parents almost two decades earlier. With wounds from living in abusive foster homes, she is emotionally, physically, and spiritually fragile when she comes back to what was once truly "home" to her with the seemingly idyllic family and supportive community, before the death of her parents. With an invitation to work at the wildlife refuge owned by family friends whose son was once her crush, she decides to return in hopes of finding healing and stability. However, upon her arrival a body is found, break-ins are happening, and the suspense and danger continues to build. Will she ever be able to recover from all the loss and unpredictable events in her life that seem to continue to haunt her? And will working with her past boyfriend be a distraction or a comfort? Can she find faith again? I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, from the setting of the wildlife refuge and the beautiful descriptions of the animals and area, to the lovely Gulf Coast, to the twists and turns within the pages, to the suspense and drama, to the relationships of support and trust, and to the struggle to heal, this book has it all. I look forward to the other books in the series and hope to find out more about Paradise's story in future installments.

To be totally honest and open, I probably would have enjoyed this book if I was more of an animal lover...yeah yeah lower your pitch forks. Colleen Coble is relatively new to me and her books seem to be pretty "low risk" as far as romance and entertainment are concerned. You can pretty much call her books from page one. But that won't stop me from reading them, I enjoy a more "clean" romance and the Christian messages she weaves into her books. My most favorite aspect of this book was having Hezichiah from my first Coble book.
The mystery in this books (who killed the woman at the beginning) felt like it got lost in the budding romance, attacks on the sanctuary and Paradise searching for her parents killers. With all the plot lines I never felt totally compelled to find out the outcome of any of the plots....but it was a good book to past the time.
Last thing, despite what Coble stated in her authors notes, the name Paradise is stupid.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson publishing for allowing me to review this advanced copy. These are my own thoughts and opinions, I was not influenced or paid.

I liked this novel, but unfortunately I ended up not being as invested in it as I had hoped. There are a lot of characters, a lot of action, a lot of suspects, a lot of suspense and a whole lot of melodrama. And honestly, I think that excess melodrama might be the main reason I didn't connect as much with it. Also, please note that this is a Christian novel, so it's definitely lighter on the romance side. The audiobook narrator did an excellent job, considering how many different male and female characters there were.

3.5 stars for my first Colleen Coble book. The setting was good, the storyline was intricate, and the progression of the romance felt natural. There were plenty of thrilling moments that helped to keep the story moving forward. But ultimately something about it just didn't fully capture my interest enough to want to constantly keep reading. It fell a bit flat for me but I'd like to try another title from this author.

This mystery had some unique and intriguing elements, particularly the wildlife sanctuary setting, which added depth and originality to the story. The vivid descriptions of animal interactions and behaviors were clearly well-researched and thoughtfully integrated, enhancing both the suspense and the sense of danger.

I enjoyed the main characters and appreciated how the author introduced them. However, with so many intertwining character storylines and motivations, I sometimes found it challenging to keep track of everyone’s roles and relationships.

The book had a mix of cozy, Hallmark-like moments while still maintaining a strong sense of suspense, striking an engaging balance between warmth and tension. Overall, it kept me curious, and I’m definitely interested in continuing the series!

Another good Colleen Coble book! I received an advance copy of the audio book and finished this one pretty quickly. I like that her books are more wholesome, yet you still get a good story. I certainly do t think highly of hyenas, or cheating gamblers, but Paradise and Blake are winners.

This was a really enjoyable audiobook. It has some suspense and action and a little bit of romance. Nothing was overdone. I loved the setting of the safari preserve and the exotic animals. Has a great plot to it. I’m looking forward to more books in this series as I see it is listed as book one.
Great narration as well. Just a really good book and enjoyable to listen to.

When Paradise moves back to her hometown to work along side her teenage love, Blake, she thinks she can separate her feelings from the past. There are things she still hasn’t forgiven him for, but she’s strong enough to keep her distance. Or is she? Can she compartmentalize her feelings when she sees him again? Or when she sees her childhood home? When it becomes apparent that Blake’s step father’s death may have not been an accident, the stakes are set higher. Mysterious things keep happening around the animal refuge, and if it keeps up, there’s no way for them to stay open. They have to get to the bottom of this, but that also means digging into the past.

TW: There is mention of childhood trauma for Paradise after she goes into foster care, and she’s worked half her life trying to sort those feelings while simultaneously never trusting anyone. She finds out Blake has never stopped loving her but she’s resistant to it because of everything that happened to her.

There was a lot I loved about this book. The way Paradise’s faith grew, and how she learned to trust God. She faced her past and was able to look forward without being bitter.

The romance between Blake and Paradise was a slow burn, but in some ways it felt as if it was rushed. I felt like she got over her past feelings way too soon. The mystery aspect was great but I felt there were just too many moving pieces and characters involved. In some ways it reminded me of a hallmark movie. A little bit of romance, little bit of mystery, and a feel good ending. I kept waiting for there to be a plot twist but there really wasn’t one. Still, I think there were a lot of positive aspects to this story and I’m interested in reading the next book! I love that it’s clean fiction that I can happily share with my teens and not have to worry about what they’re reading.

I read Ambush as an audio book and enjoyed the narrator and the way she portrayed the story.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. I rate this book as 4 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Christian Publishing for an early audiobook edition of “Ambush” by Colleen Coble, narrated by Karen Peakes for an honest review. Karen Peakes did a good job with the narration.

The plot of this story was good, with strong character development. It is the story of Paradise Alden who returns to her childhood town of Nova Cambridge, Alabama, to work at an animal sanctuary owned by her high school sweetheart Blake Lawson. She returned to heal. However, shortly after arriving a woman is murdered, and someone is trying to kill Blake. Paradise jumps in head first to help Blake find the killer. Together they uncover other mysteries, opening the window to the next in the series.

What I did not like about the book, was that Paradise arrives in Nova Cambridge, angry and afraid, but within days all is forgiven, her fear is subsided, and she finds and embraces God with her whole being. It doesn’t work that fast! Paradise had a lot of things to work through, not something that happens in days. The transition from not believing in God to the full embrace was too abrupt. In addition, the references to the greatness of God are too frequent, you can incorporate the importance of faith, without constantly referencing it.

It felt like the author had to get the characters to the end so that she could start the second book. I am hoping that now that the main characters are where she wants them, that the next book will proceed at a more realistic pace.

While there are some suspenseful moments, especially during the climactic flood, there are way too many melodramatic moments that bring down the plausibility and kind of killed my investment in the story.

I read as an audiobook. I enjoyed the author! This book reminded me of a Hallmark movie set in Africa with a twist! If you enjoy romance, lust and mystery, this is for you.

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. The audio narrator did an excellent job giving the characters individuality and definition. The audiobook was so well done! 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⭐

I had the pleasure of being approved for both the ebook and the audiobook advanced reader copy of Ambush by Colleen Coble.

The narrator was a fantastic edition to this story.
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.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook!

I didn't realize this was a Christian novel when I requested it and they honestly don't really start with God and church until about half way through but it gets so much worse from there and ended up ruining it a bit for me.

The overall thriller at a wild animal sanctuary was really fun setting and premise for the thriller, the twist was a bit of a let down, the book starts in so fast and there's so much going on with several unsolved murders and then the end outcomes are just sort of fine I guess. I was expecting more shocking twists. I also loved the random animal facts dispersed throughout.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to listen to an advanced copy of this book.
This was my read by Colleen Coble. I did like the reader but the story was just so exhausting. I'm glad I got the chance to read it but it wasn't for me.

Whoa! I’ve read a ton of Colleen Coble’s books (not all, but a lot) and this one might be my absolute favourite. I just loved everything about it. The way the suspense elements are evenly paced out – intense all the way through without being completely overwhelming. I was on edge, waiting for the next ‘thing’ to happen but still able to enjoy the quieter, thoughtful moments with these characters. And the emotional fireworks too, of course!

A second chance romance sparks from doomed puppy love fifteen years earlier. Both Blake and Paradise have coped with their share of trauma through the ensuing years, but they are stronger for it. And even more stubborn! Clashing wills, gnarly reckonings, and oh my heart hurt so much for Paradise when all is revealed! But they are soon united in their quest to save the wildlife refuge from an unknown threat.

And that sanctuary setting! Such an exciting backdrop for the story. It added even more intensity to the plot and was peppered with intriguing insights into the animals and their habitats and a very creative way to up the danger too!

Coble is a master at character development – and not just with the hero and heroine. Every secondary character is fleshed out in a memorable way and kept me emotionally engaged all the way through the read. Sometimes happy feels (Blake’s mother and little brothers…sooooo cute!); sometimes seething with rage (there’s one character in particular…) and the whole gamut in-between. I love feeling my way through a story and I did that with this amazing read. In a word: unputdownable.

I was blessed to listen to the audio edition of ‘Ambush’ and was thrilled with Karen Peakes’ performance. She brought distinctive voices to all the characters – especially loved the way she portrayed the little boys – and the way she used her voice to build tension was phenomenal. Highly recommend this audio book.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of ‘Ambush’.