Ambush

A murder, a lonely protagonist, a wildlife sanctuary, and threatening events are brought together in Colleen Coble’s first book in the Sanctuary Romantic Suspense series. Ambush is a story of betrayal, healing, family, and much more.

Paradise Alden grew up in Nova Cambridge, Alabama and had a wonderful childhood until the night her parents were murdered. When family wouldn’t take her in, she ended up in the foster care system where she suffered abuse and felt she was betrayed by her high school boyfriend. This was followed by a jaguar attack that has nearly destroyed her veterinarian career.

It’s been fifteen years since she left her hometown, but she’s returning to get her life back together. She’s accepted a veterinarian job at a wildlife sanctuary that she hopes will heal her fear of big cats as well as unlock her memories of the night her parents died. However, things don’t start smoothly. A body is discovered on the sanctuary and this is followed by multiple threatening events. Additionally, the family that owns the refuge is that of her high school boyfriend, Blake Lawson, who has been helping his mother care for the animals and his two young half-brothers for the last six months.

Paradise distrusts men, is lonely, and hates conversations that get too personal. She projects a strong, confident manner, is a deep thinker, and comes across as reserved. Blake was a Marine combat paramedic before the death of his stepfather brought him back home to help his mother. He relates easily to most people, loves the Sanctuary, and tends to protect the underdog. He has a quiet confidence, kind manner, and is selfless.

The level of suspense and danger are a constant factor as the story progresses. The mysteries add intrigue. Building on this are family dynamics and romance, which give the story a multi-layer plot that will hold a reader’s attention and keep them turning the pages. The author adds enough twists along the way to keep readers guessing. While I thought I knew the antagonist, I was only partially right. Tack on good world-building transporting readers to the wildlife refuge and excellent characterization, and you get a great start to a new series.

Overall, this was an entertaining and suspenseful novel that kept me fully engaged. Themes include betrayal, trust, murder, love, family, threats, and much more. While the main mystery was resolved, there are several threads for future books in the series. I can’t wait to see what is next.

Thomas Nelson Fiction and Colleen Coble provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 4, 2025.