Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was my first Colleen Coble book, and I greatly enjoyed the story. It was very easy to read and really captivating, and I wanted to know what was going on from the very beginning. I also loved the details about the Faberge eggs. I had heard of them but never really knew what they were, but they sound so interesting now!
I related to the FMC, Carly, in many ways. Her fear of others’ unhappiness or discomfort and her tendency to blame herself for her family’s feelings are traits I struggle with to this day. I appreciated how Lucas tried to protect her and even pointed it out to her sisters. I appreciated how it showed that, sometimes, an outsider’s perspective can change how we see our own family’s dynamics.
Because this was such an easy and fast read, I did sometimes wish that the book was more fleshed out. Some sections felt short, and I wished we had gotten more details or meat to the story. I also got lost in some of the details of the investigation, as there were too many strings to this story. That did take me out of the story a little!
Nonetheless, I am so glad I read this story and would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick and fun story that won’t be too heavy but will still keep them entertained. I look forward to trying more of Colleen’s books!
Content Guide:
Language: No Language
Spice: Level 1: Kissing Only
TW: Death, gun violence (not graphic), murder, Sexual Assault (implied, not graphic), affair, kidnapping
Content Considerations: None
adventurous
dark
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Rounding my review up a star because this was originally presented to me as a mystery/thriller, which was only fractionally true. The premise was interesting to me, but read much more like a romance novel than a thriller or mystery to me.
The entire middle and ending was filled with more details than necessary, and I thought a lot of the story was lost on half-hearted character introductions and "what-ifs" from the main characters. It always seems a bit cheap to have the characters vocalize what they think is going on in their own story.
The redeeming quality of this book was that it made me think about the logistics of discovering a lost artifact worth a lot of money:
- Who do you contact to sell such an item?
- How do you confirm that the buyer is who they say they are?
- Do you allow the buyer to know where you live/etc?
Big thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me an advance copy of this audio book!
The entire middle and ending was filled with more details than necessary, and I thought a lot of the story was lost on half-hearted character introductions and "what-ifs" from the main characters. It always seems a bit cheap to have the characters vocalize what they think is going on in their own story.
The redeeming quality of this book was that it made me think about the logistics of discovering a lost artifact worth a lot of money:
- Who do you contact to sell such an item?
- How do you confirm that the buyer is who they say they are?
- Do you allow the buyer to know where you live/etc?
Big thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me an advance copy of this audio book!
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a very enjoyable read, and I loved the characters in it. The lead is an excellent character that I want to know more about, and I love that the narrative challenges us to see how both sides of a marriage can contribute to it's downfall, even if one person has done more trust breaking.
It was a lot more overtly Christian than I realized it would be (a bonus for me, though I know others may not like those bits). I felt like the talk of God and praying flowed naturally and wasn't in situations where it felt forced or contrived, so well done. More people died than I was expecting, neither good or bad, something I'm realizing as I review the book.
This is a book I'd definitely recommend to folks, it was a wholesome cozy mystery that dealt with deeper issues in ways that are approachable for PG+ audiences.
It was a lot more overtly Christian than I realized it would be (a bonus for me, though I know others may not like those bits). I felt like the talk of God and praying flowed naturally and wasn't in situations where it felt forced or contrived, so well done. More people died than I was expecting, neither good or bad, something I'm realizing as I review the book.
This is a book I'd definitely recommend to folks, it was a wholesome cozy mystery that dealt with deeper issues in ways that are approachable for PG+ audiences.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This chaste Christian romantic adventure mystery was a page turner. There was a very large cast, in part because there was a large family and in part because there were so many suspects and so many victims.
At the beginning of the story, I had to overlook my disbelief that a precious pair of gifts would be given with twins surrendered for adoption just after birth, but the explanation at the end made it a bit more plausible. At the climax, it seemed like a goof that a character wasn't where they should be, but that was explained, as well.
Some of the twists were predictable and others weren't. Either way, it was a fun ride with all the emotions. While the faith element wasn't integral to the story, it showed up in all the right ways at all the right times.
The family dynamics span from functional through a full spectrum of dysfunctions. Still, there is hope and new beginnings.
The romance is a mature, well thought out, slow burn, a different kind of a second chance romance where the two thought they knew each other well but realized later that they had misconceptions based on other people's biased perspectives. It was sweet thatbaby Noah heard about Lucas' feelings first . The culmination was everything the reader has been hoping for. The brother's relationship with the FMC was icing on the cake.
At the beginning of the story, I had to overlook my disbelief that a precious pair of gifts would be given with twins surrendered for adoption just after birth, but the explanation at the end made it a bit more plausible. At the climax, it seemed like a goof that a character wasn't where they should be, but that was explained, as well.
Some of the twists were predictable and others weren't. Either way, it was a fun ride with all the emotions. While the faith element wasn't integral to the story, it showed up in all the right ways at all the right times.
The family dynamics span from functional through a full spectrum of dysfunctions. Still, there is hope and new beginnings.
The romance is a mature, well thought out, slow burn, a different kind of a second chance romance where the two thought they knew each other well but realized later that they had misconceptions based on other people's biased perspectives. It was sweet that
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced