125 reviews for:

Fragile Designs

Colleen Coble

3.81 AVERAGE

bethnbaker's review

3.0

I started the year with a bunch of non-fiction and thought maybe a change of pace would be nice. I think the book was a little cheesy and cliched. But I am not sure if my "meh" attitude was the book's fault or maybe just that I am enjoying fantasy and thrillers more than romance lately.

dotvz's review

5.0

History, mystery, family reunification, detective work... What's not to love?

Looking for an inspirational read? Like action adventure? Need a pacey read with a HEA?

You’ll like this one, then.

In short, it’s about a young widow with a child who finds a mysterious memento in her grandmother’s attic, and the discovery results in dangerous escapades.

This book has a little of everything
✔️a character with a secret past
✔️a dash of historical fiction
✔️puzzle pieces of a mystery to put together
✔️thrills from dangerous escapades
✔️second chance romance
✔️an old trunk in the attic containing something precious
✔️murder, stalking, Russian mob
✔️family drama


You’ll love to root for Carly Harris - she’s the heroine who overcomes. She’s had quite a past and present and there are still roadbumps ahead, but her past danger has made her strong and she relies on that strength for courage.

I’ve come to love Colleen Coble’s books because not only am I assured a clean read, but I’m always challenged by the different perspectives she presents. I appreciate the chance to work on empathy and sympathy when I see others facing battles I’ve never faced. I can always count on her books to circle back to the theme of forgiveness - for ourselves and for others. Sometimes it’s just the nudge I need to get out of the rut I’m stuck in personally.

As with each of the five Coble books I’ve read, this one is inspirational, it challenges and entertains and always leaves me with hope.

What a fantastic title!

This book may have been many years in the making but it was worth waiting for, Colleen Coble. I think it may be my favourite one so far!

I was gifted this copy by Thomas Nelson and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

After reading through several holiday romance stories and some young adult titles, I was ready for something different. Collen Coble has written a wonderful mystery that weaves in some romance as well.

Carly discovers what she believes to be a lost Fabergé egg that would be worth millions. Soon she realizes that her family is in danger and that her husband's death may have been tied to it. Thankfully, she has a neighbor, Lucas, who is also a homicide detective, willing to help her figure out what is going on while also helping keep them safe.

Along the way, they begin to develop feelings for each other.

Overall an enjoyable read where the intrigue and mystery balance out any romantic storyline.

leimbl's review

3.0
lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced
Strong character development: No

ruthszp's review

3.0

Solid novel from Coble, although I have enjoyed her recent collaborative work more. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced review copy!
debstubb's profile picture

debstubb's review

4.75
adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
fast-paced
challenging hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

amanda1988's review

5.0

What I Thought About the Book:
Fantastic! This book was my first Christian mystery and suspense, and I loved it. Also, this was my first time reading this author, and it won't be my last.
I was gripped the entire book and could not put it down. The characters were likable. I am not a fan of characters in thrillers- 95% of the time. The romance was sweet. This book had it all.
I enjoyed reading a thriller with faith woven in and no junk. The Characters were Christian. Therefore, there were times in the book they referenced their faith and prayed.

Quotes:

"Joy. That's a word we don't use much. "I know. It's not happiness, because that comes and goes. It's that inner peace we have when we take every day God gives us and are thankful for it."

"She needed to make sure her son became a man of morals and integrity. Taking him to church wouldn't be enough- she'd have to teach him to love God and care about other people."

"Our lives are so fragile. Maybe it's by design so we look to God."

"She had to cling to her faith to even be able to put one step in front of the other."


Book Descriptors:
Mystery
Suspense
Romance
Page turner
Christian

TW: Murder, very mild violence.