When I began this book I didn't realize it was the second in a series. As I read through it, I keep getting clues that it wasn't the first book so I checked, and sure enough it is the second in this series. It reads totally fine as a stand alone, but I am definitely going to get the first book, as well! It was a great novel with suspense and intrigue throughout. The story is tied up nicely....and yet leaves you hanging *just a little* and eagerly anticipating the third installment. The narrator did a really good job, as well.

I really enjoyed this book. It is book 2 in a series and I didn’t realize this going to it, but I don’t think it made a difference. This book captivated me. The narrator was good and easy to listen to. Another great book by these authors. I will be looking at reading the first one in this series. I am thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ALC of this book.

As authors, Colleen Coble and Rick Acker are each best sellers. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with!

Where Secrets Lie picks up where What We Hide left off. Professor Savannah Webster is awaiting word whether she will receive tenure at Tupelo Grove University, or be cut loose. As if this isn't stressful enough, just as she decides to give her ex-husband, Hez, another chance, she finds an empty bottle of his favorite wine in his trash. Is he drinking again, and if he is, how can she trust him? When she loses tenure but is offered the presidency of the university instead, she jumps at the chance to stay on, only to discover that the university is hanging by a fraying thread.

For his part, Hez is determined to prove to Savannah that her trust isn't misplaced. As he works to mentor law students at the university, he puts them to work to help save Tupelo Grove University. Can they figure out who is working behind the scenes to topple the university they love before everything falls apart?

This story grabs readers on the first page and digs its claws in until the very end. I listened to the audio version and it was "radio theater" at its best! The suspense is gripping, and the love story within leans heavily on the power of forgiveness.

Colleen Coble fans will want to snap this up, and really, anyone who enjoys suspense with a side of romance, will enjoy this. I do recommend reading book 1 first, as there are many situations in book 2 that actually happen in book 1. I can hardly wait for book 3!

This was a solid second book in the Tupelo Grove series. The narrative picks up with Savannah Webster and her ex-husband, Hez, attempting to rebuild their relationship amidst personal and professional challenges. Savannah is unexpectedly offered the presidency of Tupelo Grove University, a position that places her at odds with her father and entangles her in a web of financial turmoil and corruption. Meanwhile, Hez leads a group of law students in uncovering a dangerous international artifact smuggling ring linked to the university. And at the center... Savannah's sister and her newly rediscovered son. Whether you're a fan of legal thrillers or romantic suspense, this audiobook provides an engaging experience that sets the stage for the series' next chapter.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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.

Karen Peakes captures the tone of the story in her narration. It has a bit of mystery and suspense to it. I would have liked Hez's voice to be a male narrator but once I got into the story I got used to it. This is the second in a series and I suggest reading the first to get the full picture of the main character's relationship. If you like clean, mystery/suspense with a touch of second chance romance you will enjoy this one.

I received an ALC from Netgalley in exchange for my thoughts, all of which are my own.

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 wonderful job narrating! All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 3 June 2025

This is the second book in the Tupelo Grove series, and I really enjoyed it! It’s a well balanced mix of suspense, second chance romance, and small town secrets. The story follows Savannah and her ex-husband, Hez, as they team up to uncover corruption at a crumbling university and of course, there’s way more going on beneath the surface.

The legal angle was a standout for me. It gave the story weight and a unique edge. Some parts were a little slower and info heavy, and the pacing dipped slightly in the middle, but I stayed interested the whole way through. The ending delivered with some solid twists I didn’t see coming.

It’s a clean, quieter kind of suspense thriller with just enough emotion and mystery to keep you turning the pages. Bonus points for the setting, I could feel the tension in that small town academic world unraveling. If you’re into second chances, courtroom drama, and slow burning suspense, add this to your TBR.

Expected to release June 3rd, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 STARS ROUNDED UP)

This is the second book in a series. Family secrets, revenge, and jealousy added to real life problems and trauma of the characters as they are developed further from the first book. The narration was great and added a lot to the story. I did enjoy it but it wasn't something I found myself eager to get back to. If there are more books in the series I think I'd skip them.

Colleen Coble is one of my favorites. Hez and Savannah have so much to deal with. Their relationship is strained. Hez and Jess(Savannah's sister) have a strained relationship. TGU is about to go under and Savannah is trying to save it.
So many twists and plots in this one!

Thank you @tnzfiction and @netgalley for my early listening copy of Colleen Coble + Rick Acker’s 2nd installment to the Tupelo Grove Series, WHERE SECRETS LIE, publishing June 3, 2025.

I like this series, y’all! It is set on a small college campus in the deep south, and involves artifact smuggling, tenure, and suspense/mystery to be solved on a timeline.

I also like that it features characters from past Coble series, specifically Jane, the chief of police- she’s a fun character!

Savannah is a history professor with a father that has connections. While she’s turned down for tenure, this allows her to step into place as interim university president to try and guide them through a financial struggle. So, at this point you kinda have to suspend belief, because this would not be something that happens, buttttt it works for the storyline, so roll with it.

From here, Savannah and her ex-husband Hez have to work to determine who is trying to sabotage them in the attempt to right the university’s troubles.

I enjoyed trying to figure out which character was responsible for the troubles, and I like the fact it is a clean series. I can definitely tell that Coble + Acker are more comfortable writing together with this second round- it is a smooth read!

Where Secrets Lie by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker
Book 2 in The Tupelo Grove Series
3.5 to 4 Stars

We are back in Tupelo Grove with Jess, Hez and Savannah - and dramatic as ever. This picks up right where What We Hide left off. This second installment has all the romantic suspense, family drama and legal intrigue we had in book 1. Savannah and Hez are on their second chance at love but a lot of trust issues still remain.

As they navigate this second chance and their upcoming re-marriage to come, the university corruption continues...with the villain we experienced at the end of book 2 at the forefront here.

If you like legal thrillers and romantic suspense, check this series out. There isn't much I can say since it's the second book in the series, but a few things:

- I liked the suspense around 40% with where things went with Hez.
- I liked the complexity with the university corruption.
- I liked the legal subplots going on.
- Love the narrator of this series, she really keeps you engaged.
- While the big moment in this book of chapter 30 made me cry and feel such impact from the Jesus moment....I was sad there wasn't more of a resolution between this character and a main character. Trying not to give spoilers haha
- I didn't love the trust issue stuff with Savannah constantly worried about Hez and his drinking starting back up. It went on a bit longer than I would have liked.
- Wanted the pacing to be a bit quicker with the stuff with our villain group.

Regardless, I enjoyed my time with this and look forward to more in this series. We are left with another somewhat cliffhanger of another investigation / secrets to be revealed, and I need to know!

Thank you to the publisher for an audio listening copy for honest review. All thoughts and 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 also had the privilege of listening to the audiobook version. Karen Peaks captured all the character’s personalities, accents, and nuances perfectly!
Whether you prefer to read or listen, you are guaranteed an excellent book that will keep you engaged from start to finish.
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!

The narrator can make or break an audiobook and this narrator did a great job. I enjoyed listening to this book and recommend this narrator as well

Where Secrets Lie by Coble and Acker audiobook had me listening all day and night. A great story that pulled you in with a great story line and characters working through tragedy. The twists and turns kept me intrigued and wanting one more chapter. A great read and recommended. I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opinions are my own.

I will start by saying that I was away this was the second book in the series but now I have the first book added to my list to read! This second one can be read as a stand along book. I didn’t feel like I missed anything while reading it.

The story is about Savannah and her ex husband Hez ready to give their relationship another chance. They have to navigate through many difficult situations to see if their relationship can survive. A college that is going under, an artifact smuggling ring, and deep family secrets. As they discover more to uncover the truth everyone they love ends up in danger.

At first I wasn’t truly invested knowing Jessica her sister right off the bat was involved in the take down of the school and in the smuggling ring. It left me disliking her character and wanting more for her son, Savannah, and Hez. This truly kept me off my game and intrigued on how she could play such a major role against her family. It was the twists and turns as the book went on that kept me wanting more as Jessica’s character started to fizzle out and developed more background into the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve read a few of Colleen Coble’s books and one with Rick Acker. I’m never disappointed. we follow Savannah and Hez in their journey through betrayal, stolen artifacts, family secrets, and more.

I love the writing. Colleen always writes solid characters and a plot that ties together. She ties God into the pages but doesn’t overshadow the plot for those who aren’t Christians. The book I read by both authors before was similar. Oftentimes two authors means a broken story, like it’s being pulled in two ways. These two don’t do that. They seem in sync, and that makes their books more enjoyable.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

Contains an audiobook review.

This is the second book by this set of authors in the Tupelo Grove series. Rather than being a standalone story, it is more of a continuation of the previous book. I really recommend reading this series in order.

I would classify this as more mystery/suspense with perhaps a small side of romance. But the romance is one that is carried over from book 1 and not a new one introduced here.

This series has twists and turns and keeps the reader invested in what is going on and who is involved from beginning to end. I don't really want to stay too much because I don't want to spoil anything. I personally don't read many suspense books in relation to the amount of romance books. I usually want the romance over any other aspect. BUT, I was invested in this story with or without romance. And I am going to need more.

It is a little grittier than what I remember from book 1.

The audiobook is read by a female narrator. It is the same one that read the first book and again I thought she did an excellent job. She can do many voices well. I enjoy listening to her read to me.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this book. I am leaving an honest review voluntarily.

What I liked

Fast and exciting
Savannah and Hez are so in love
Simon is adorable, as is the dog
Hez's team. They rock.
The narration was done well.

What I disliked

I am not a big faith reader, so that was not interesting to me
Savannahs perpetual trust issues, although she addresses it, so that's a start
I hate Jess. She's so off-putting

A solid 3.5* read

#netgalley #WhereSecretslie

This new book by @colleencoble is packed with secrets, second chances, and a whole lot of drama in the best way! Unfortunately, I didn’t realize when I made my @netgalley request that this is the second book in the Tupelo Grove series… Oops! While I could still follow the main storyline without a problem, I definitely wish I had read the first one to better understand the characters and all their layered histories! But… I’m sure that extra background information would have made the emotional moments hit even harder!

Savannah and Hez’s second chance romance had me rooting for them the whole time, even when doubts and secrets kept popping up. There’s a realness to their struggles that made the story even more relatable! And once the action kicked in, I couldn’t put it down!

Family drama, danger, and a few unexpected twists kept the pace moving, and now I definitely need to go back and read book one!

Huge thank you to @netgalley @thomasnelson and @zondervan Fiction for the advanced copy of this audiobook, all thoughts and opinions are my own.