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Fragile Designs
Family secrets can be the most dangerous of all. When Carly Tucker’s police-officer husband is killed during a home break-in, she knows that her side hustle finding the antique treasures at flea markets isn’t enough to support her and their infant son, Noah. So her grandmother’s proposal to have her and her two sisters restore the family’s waterfront Beaufort home into a bed-and-breakfast--that Carly will run--is immediately intriguing. But it’s equally daunting with the animosity that exists between the three sisters. What Carly never expected as she begins to go through the attic was to find a letter in a trunk, written in her husband’s handwriting . . . dated two days before his death. Eric had discovered that Carly’s grandmother was adopted--a fact Carly is certain Gram is not aware of--and had already begun trying to track down her birth family. Is it possible that Eric’s death wasn’t random after all? With few options, Carly reaches out to Gram’s neighbor Simon—and the older brother of her high school sweetheart--who is a local homicide detective. One of the items in the trunk is an enameled egg. If it truly is a Faberge egg, the value could set Carly up for life . . . and would certainly be worth killing for. The journey to find the truth and protect her family will have Carly delving deep into the lost treasures of Eastern Europe--if she and Simon can survive that long.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2024
556 people are currently reading
9543 people want to read
About the author
Colleen Coble
152 books6,127 followersUSAToday bestselling author Colleen Coble lives with her husband, Dave, in Arizona. She is the author of dozens of novels including the Rock Harbor Series, the Aloha Reef Series, the Mercy Falls Series, the Hope Beach Series, the Lonestar Series and two Women of Faith fiction selections, Alaska Twilight and Midnight Sea. She has more than 6 million books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 920 reviews
November 21, 2023
I found this a good entertainer. We, Indians, often tend to view stories from the prism of our film industry – Bollywood, for entertainment value. This is a story which is an ideal fit for a Bollywood film with separated twins, hidden treasure, murder, adultery, deceit, gangs and suspense.
Carly Harris goes to their garage and finds her husband Eric’s truck engine running. He is a police officer, and it has been 3 years since their marriage. To her shock, she finds Eric murdered at home. The story then shifts to 9 months later and Carly now has a two-month-old son Noah. She is now staying with her grandmother Mary Tucker. Mary suggests that with help from her younger sisters Amelia & Emily, they refurbish their home and launch an inn. They plan to engage their neighbour Ryan, who had in the past been Carly’s boyfriend, to remodel the place. In their attic, Carly finds her great grandmother’s letter which mentions that her grandmother Mary was adopted and separated from her twin sister Elizabeth during adoption. There also seems to be some treasure left behind for them. Eric possibly knew this as he had offered to help sort out their old stuff. Cary wonders if this has anything to do with Eric’s murder and asks Ryan’s brother Lucas, a police officer, if he can help. She also approaches Eric’s former partner Kelly to see if she knows anything about the matter.
The blurb for the book is far more detailed than what I would consider necessary. The book is fast paced with a lot of events / crimes, search for a treasure, uncovering of secrets and build-up to the climax. I liked Carly’s character, her strength, attempt to get on with her life and working to repair the misunderstandings with her sisters. I found her father’s character poorly developed. The later stages of the story are predictable, though there are twists and revelations.
A decent entertainer!
My rating: 3.5 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Thomas Nelson and the author for a free electronic review copy.
Carly Harris goes to their garage and finds her husband Eric’s truck engine running. He is a police officer, and it has been 3 years since their marriage. To her shock, she finds Eric murdered at home. The story then shifts to 9 months later and Carly now has a two-month-old son Noah. She is now staying with her grandmother Mary Tucker. Mary suggests that with help from her younger sisters Amelia & Emily, they refurbish their home and launch an inn. They plan to engage their neighbour Ryan, who had in the past been Carly’s boyfriend, to remodel the place. In their attic, Carly finds her great grandmother’s letter which mentions that her grandmother Mary was adopted and separated from her twin sister Elizabeth during adoption. There also seems to be some treasure left behind for them. Eric possibly knew this as he had offered to help sort out their old stuff. Cary wonders if this has anything to do with Eric’s murder and asks Ryan’s brother Lucas, a police officer, if he can help. She also approaches Eric’s former partner Kelly to see if she knows anything about the matter.
The blurb for the book is far more detailed than what I would consider necessary. The book is fast paced with a lot of events / crimes, search for a treasure, uncovering of secrets and build-up to the climax. I liked Carly’s character, her strength, attempt to get on with her life and working to repair the misunderstandings with her sisters. I found her father’s character poorly developed. The later stages of the story are predictable, though there are twists and revelations.
A decent entertainer!
My rating: 3.5 / 5.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher Thomas Nelson and the author for a free electronic review copy.
June 20, 2024
This was an easy, quick, fast-paced read once readers get in to it. It is a stand-alone, not associated with any of her other series. So, this book can be read on its own.
In true Coble fashion for anyone who has read this author before, you are going to have mystery, romance, complicated family dynamics, twists and turns, betrayal, murder and maybe even a happily ever after to look forward to, when all is finally figured out. If you haven’t read Coble before, this may be a great first time with her.
And, for those who may be curious about the infamous Faberge egg, there will be a mystery to be solved about that here, too.
In true Coble fashion for anyone who has read this author before, you are going to have mystery, romance, complicated family dynamics, twists and turns, betrayal, murder and maybe even a happily ever after to look forward to, when all is finally figured out. If you haven’t read Coble before, this may be a great first time with her.
And, for those who may be curious about the infamous Faberge egg, there will be a mystery to be solved about that here, too.
January 11, 2024
Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble - 4.5 Stars - A SOLID Romantic Suspense
Blog Post Review Here
Ya'll, Colleen does it AGAIN with another edge of your seat romantic suspense read! I was HERE for this from the very beginning and truly INVESTED! In this story we follow Carly Tucker, whose police-officer husband is killed during a home break-in. Her husband didn't know she was pregnant before his death so Carly is left to raise little baby Noah all by herself.
She's staying with her grandmother and has plans to turn the family's home into a bed-and-breakfast with her sisters --but the DRAMA and animosity that exists between the sisters is truly tragic. They think the worst of her all because of true misunderstandings but Carly is a character who just wants to take care of others and help everyone the best she can. Which leads me to her finding a letter in the attic from her husband that depicts how he discovered Carly's grandmother was adopted many years ago and the story starts to unfold here....
Carly reaches out to her grandmother's neighbor and the brother of her ex-boyfriend from high school, Lucas for help since he is a local homicide detective. After they find a Faberge egg in the belongings, worth millions, the journey to protect her family begins as it seems more people are aware of this mysterious egg than they thought.....
So the story took off here and I was sooo here for it because Colleen just knows how to keep you interested and in that "NEED TO KNOW" state when reading her books! We have this guy Lucas who is really getting to know the real Carly and this whole Russian Mafia set up thing with this egg that's worth SO much money -- mixed in with the family drama and TEA -- Colleen, sign us up honey because I had to KNOW what was gonna happen next!
Truly a favorite romantic suspense and I just can't wait to see what Colleen comes out with next. I didn't know anything about Faberge eggs until now and it just seems so interesting too!
As a side note, I did listen to this audiobook and the narrator did a FANTASTIC job with the narration! I loved her southern accent characters too! As a southern belle myself, the grandmother's voice was perfection! The narrator really kept me engaged in the story.
We also have a nice light faith thread here with prayers and discussions of God's plan etc. Enjoyed that part of it as it seemed very natural.
If you like a good suspense, pick this up. There is a good romance in this one, I just wanted a smidge more of their romance in this book but still as SOLID story! Full review to come on YouTube in my January wrap up!
Thank you to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Audio and NetGalley for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5/5 stars
Blog Post Review Here
Ya'll, Colleen does it AGAIN with another edge of your seat romantic suspense read! I was HERE for this from the very beginning and truly INVESTED! In this story we follow Carly Tucker, whose police-officer husband is killed during a home break-in. Her husband didn't know she was pregnant before his death so Carly is left to raise little baby Noah all by herself.
She's staying with her grandmother and has plans to turn the family's home into a bed-and-breakfast with her sisters --but the DRAMA and animosity that exists between the sisters is truly tragic. They think the worst of her all because of true misunderstandings but Carly is a character who just wants to take care of others and help everyone the best she can. Which leads me to her finding a letter in the attic from her husband that depicts how he discovered Carly's grandmother was adopted many years ago and the story starts to unfold here....
Carly reaches out to her grandmother's neighbor and the brother of her ex-boyfriend from high school, Lucas for help since he is a local homicide detective. After they find a Faberge egg in the belongings, worth millions, the journey to protect her family begins as it seems more people are aware of this mysterious egg than they thought.....
So the story took off here and I was sooo here for it because Colleen just knows how to keep you interested and in that "NEED TO KNOW" state when reading her books! We have this guy Lucas who is really getting to know the real Carly and this whole Russian Mafia set up thing with this egg that's worth SO much money -- mixed in with the family drama and TEA -- Colleen, sign us up honey because I had to KNOW what was gonna happen next!
Truly a favorite romantic suspense and I just can't wait to see what Colleen comes out with next. I didn't know anything about Faberge eggs until now and it just seems so interesting too!
As a side note, I did listen to this audiobook and the narrator did a FANTASTIC job with the narration! I loved her southern accent characters too! As a southern belle myself, the grandmother's voice was perfection! The narrator really kept me engaged in the story.
We also have a nice light faith thread here with prayers and discussions of God's plan etc. Enjoyed that part of it as it seemed very natural.
If you like a good suspense, pick this up. There is a good romance in this one, I just wanted a smidge more of their romance in this book but still as SOLID story! Full review to come on YouTube in my January wrap up!
Thank you to Thomas Nelson, Zondervan Audio and NetGalley for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5/5 stars
January 28, 2024
It is hard for me to admit that Fragile Designs was my first book that I have read by Colleen Coble. One thing that I can promise is that it will not be my last. I really liked so much about Fragile Designs. It had all the elements necessary for it to be a successful romantic suspenseful mystery. Fragile Designs was fast paced and well plotted. The characters were not only likable but so well developed. Of course, there were a handful of characters that were difficult to like, as well. I appreciated that Colleen Coble put a strong, capable and caring woman protagonist at the center of this story. From what I gathered about Colleen Coble’s distinctive signature aspects of her writing, Fragile Designs included a “clean” romance and also had elements that included distinctive Christian values that were apparent in the fictional characters in this book. Fragile Designs took place in both South Carolina and Georgia. I listened to the audiobook that was so well narrated by Karen Peakes. Her interpretation of and the distinction between the characters was outstanding.
Carly Tucker/ Harris had been married to her police officer husband, Eric, for three years when Carly discovered that she was pregnant with their first child. She had not worked up the courage yet to tell Eric her news. Perhaps today would be the day that she would tell Eric that he was going to become a father. Things had not been great between Carly and Eric lately. Maybe that was why she hadn’t shared her news with him yet. Carly was shocked by what she discovered when she arrived home and went to find Eric. When Carly found Eric, he lay brutally murdered on the floor of their garage. In that instant, Carly became a widow and she would become a single mother.
A little over nine months later, Carly was living with her beloved grandmother, Mary Tucker, in her old but rather large home in Beaufort, South Carolina. The home had been in Carly’s grandmother’s family for generations. It sat on scenic waterfront property but the house was in dire need of many repairs and updates. Carly’s grandmother had been contemplating a renovation and an idea of turning the house into a bed-and-breakfast. Mary Tucker thought that a bed-and-breakfast was exactly what would secure Carly’s and her infant son, Noah’s, livelihood and futures. Ryan, Carly’s high school boyfriend, who happened to live next door, agreed to do the needed renovations. Carly’s grandmother envisioned that Carly and her two younger sisters could all have a share in the planning of the bed-and-breakfast and its future. The sisters were informed about the plans and arrived ready to do their part. Carly and her sisters’ relationship was not one that was warm and loving. Her sisters resented Carly and blamed Carly for many things. They were downright nasty and even cruel to Carly. After their mother died and their father disappeared from their lives, Carly felt responsible for her sisters and practically raised them. Carly’s sisters showed no signs of appreciation or love for her.
Carly and her grandmother agreed that the first thing that needed to be done was cleaning out the house. There were so many pieces of furniture that Carly’s grandmother had inherited from her mother that had been stored in the attic. Since Carly had the knack and talent for recognizing valuable pieces and pieces that were not worth anything but sentimental value, she was tasked with cleaning out the attic. Carly would decide what to keep and what to sell. During Carly’s first attempt at this task, she discovered a letter in an old chest with life changing information. The contents of the letter revealed a long kept secret. Shaken by the contents of the letter, Carly continued to go through the abandoned items and furniture only to discover a true treasure. If the treasure was what Carly suspected it was, her life and perhaps her safety and that of her family could be affected. Carly began to wonder if her husband’s death could have had anything to do with the things she just discovered? All this was way beyond Carly’s comfort level and knowledge. She knew that she needed help but who could she trust with this newly acquired knowledge? Carly decided to seek out Lucas Bennet’s assistance. Lucas was Ryan’s older brother. He was a homicide detective and lived next door to Carly’s grandmother. Even though Carly believed that Lucas disliked Carly ever since she broke up with his brother back when she was in high school, Carly decided to take a chance on Lucas. Would Lucas be able and willing to help Carly?
I really enjoyed Carly’s character. She was strong, capable, determined, caring and always thinking of others before herself. Carly enjoyed taking care of others and she was a great mom to Noah. She held her discoveries close to her heart until she had enough evidence and proof that they were true. She did not want to lift hopes without verifying the facts. I enjoyed the relationship that blossomed between Carly and Lucas. It was unexpected for both but so undeniably beautiful. Both Carly and Lucas were faced with many challenges and questions throughout the book. Fragile Designs was about secrets, murders, long lost and recovered treasures, deceit, family dynamics and drama, gangs, Russian mafia and adoption. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to listen to the audiobook, Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble, through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Carly Tucker/ Harris had been married to her police officer husband, Eric, for three years when Carly discovered that she was pregnant with their first child. She had not worked up the courage yet to tell Eric her news. Perhaps today would be the day that she would tell Eric that he was going to become a father. Things had not been great between Carly and Eric lately. Maybe that was why she hadn’t shared her news with him yet. Carly was shocked by what she discovered when she arrived home and went to find Eric. When Carly found Eric, he lay brutally murdered on the floor of their garage. In that instant, Carly became a widow and she would become a single mother.
A little over nine months later, Carly was living with her beloved grandmother, Mary Tucker, in her old but rather large home in Beaufort, South Carolina. The home had been in Carly’s grandmother’s family for generations. It sat on scenic waterfront property but the house was in dire need of many repairs and updates. Carly’s grandmother had been contemplating a renovation and an idea of turning the house into a bed-and-breakfast. Mary Tucker thought that a bed-and-breakfast was exactly what would secure Carly’s and her infant son, Noah’s, livelihood and futures. Ryan, Carly’s high school boyfriend, who happened to live next door, agreed to do the needed renovations. Carly’s grandmother envisioned that Carly and her two younger sisters could all have a share in the planning of the bed-and-breakfast and its future. The sisters were informed about the plans and arrived ready to do their part. Carly and her sisters’ relationship was not one that was warm and loving. Her sisters resented Carly and blamed Carly for many things. They were downright nasty and even cruel to Carly. After their mother died and their father disappeared from their lives, Carly felt responsible for her sisters and practically raised them. Carly’s sisters showed no signs of appreciation or love for her.
Carly and her grandmother agreed that the first thing that needed to be done was cleaning out the house. There were so many pieces of furniture that Carly’s grandmother had inherited from her mother that had been stored in the attic. Since Carly had the knack and talent for recognizing valuable pieces and pieces that were not worth anything but sentimental value, she was tasked with cleaning out the attic. Carly would decide what to keep and what to sell. During Carly’s first attempt at this task, she discovered a letter in an old chest with life changing information. The contents of the letter revealed a long kept secret. Shaken by the contents of the letter, Carly continued to go through the abandoned items and furniture only to discover a true treasure. If the treasure was what Carly suspected it was, her life and perhaps her safety and that of her family could be affected. Carly began to wonder if her husband’s death could have had anything to do with the things she just discovered? All this was way beyond Carly’s comfort level and knowledge. She knew that she needed help but who could she trust with this newly acquired knowledge? Carly decided to seek out Lucas Bennet’s assistance. Lucas was Ryan’s older brother. He was a homicide detective and lived next door to Carly’s grandmother. Even though Carly believed that Lucas disliked Carly ever since she broke up with his brother back when she was in high school, Carly decided to take a chance on Lucas. Would Lucas be able and willing to help Carly?
I really enjoyed Carly’s character. She was strong, capable, determined, caring and always thinking of others before herself. Carly enjoyed taking care of others and she was a great mom to Noah. She held her discoveries close to her heart until she had enough evidence and proof that they were true. She did not want to lift hopes without verifying the facts. I enjoyed the relationship that blossomed between Carly and Lucas. It was unexpected for both but so undeniably beautiful. Both Carly and Lucas were faced with many challenges and questions throughout the book. Fragile Designs was about secrets, murders, long lost and recovered treasures, deceit, family dynamics and drama, gangs, Russian mafia and adoption. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to listen to the audiobook, Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble, through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 31, 2025
This is a Romantic Suspense. I got pulled into this story right away, and this book has really great characters. This book takes you on a crazy ride with a ton of action, suspense, and family drama. There was so much going on in this book, but it was done really well. This book was a great read. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.
November 22, 2023
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.
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.
January 21, 2024
3.5/4 ⭐ rating from me.
First off, I really enjoy reading books by Colleen Coble but this one has to be my least favorite so far. I'm disappointed because I was looking forward to reading a really good mystery, well, that didn't happen. However, I have to give her a lot of credit for always writing faith filled, clean stories based around God, family and friends!! 😁👏👏👏👏👏 More authors would do well to follow her example!
This story didn't even really start to get interesting until I was 43% through. I honestly felt like giving up, but I don't like it do that, unless there's a really good reason, and there wasn't one. I found this story was filled with too many characters and situations to keep track of! Also, the story is based around a missing Faberge egg which would have made a fantastic story, except I couldn't believe that only Carly, one of the main characters even knew what a Faberge egg was!! I couldn't believe it when everyone, including the police detective, Lucas, his boss, his partner and Carly's own family had no clue what it was!! Soon a distant family member knew what it was along with the people trying to steal it! Unbelievable!! I mean, I don't expect them to know that history behind it, but when they all repeatedly said " I never heard of it." I just laughed out loud and said " I couldn't believe it! Seriously!!! " 😂
At the 43% mark, when the story picked up, I found it hard to put down at first, but when I figured out who the killer was, everything thing else was too predictable. Also one thing that bothered me was that Carly was always two steps ahead of the police detective!!! I know that the book is fictional but I couldn't take it seriously.
There's a lot of glowing reviews out there and it you want to read this book, please read those. This is only my opinion.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨🥚
First off, I really enjoy reading books by Colleen Coble but this one has to be my least favorite so far. I'm disappointed because I was looking forward to reading a really good mystery, well, that didn't happen. However, I have to give her a lot of credit for always writing faith filled, clean stories based around God, family and friends!! 😁👏👏👏👏👏 More authors would do well to follow her example!
This story didn't even really start to get interesting until I was 43% through. I honestly felt like giving up, but I don't like it do that, unless there's a really good reason, and there wasn't one. I found this story was filled with too many characters and situations to keep track of! Also, the story is based around a missing Faberge egg which would have made a fantastic story, except I couldn't believe that only Carly, one of the main characters even knew what a Faberge egg was!! I couldn't believe it when everyone, including the police detective, Lucas, his boss, his partner and Carly's own family had no clue what it was!! Soon a distant family member knew what it was along with the people trying to steal it! Unbelievable!! I mean, I don't expect them to know that history behind it, but when they all repeatedly said " I never heard of it." I just laughed out loud and said " I couldn't believe it! Seriously!!! " 😂
At the 43% mark, when the story picked up, I found it hard to put down at first, but when I figured out who the killer was, everything thing else was too predictable. Also one thing that bothered me was that Carly was always two steps ahead of the police detective!!! I know that the book is fictional but I couldn't take it seriously.
There's a lot of glowing reviews out there and it you want to read this book, please read those. This is only my opinion.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨🥚
November 22, 2023
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.
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.
September 8, 2024
This book kept me captivated once it reeled me in.
I started this book unsure if I actually wanted to read it. Needless to say. I’m so glad I did. After the first hour of reading, I was HOOKED.
This story was like a puzzle with so many pieces and I was left turning page after page to get to the finish line. I wanted to know how all my little pieces produced the big picture.
The author did a wonderful job writing a story that made me lose myself at times. I found my self pulled in, feeling emotions for the characters as I was reading line after line. It was a perfect touch of soft romance, nothing heavy which was a nice touch. The MC becomes so incredibly likeable (even when I disagree with her at times) and helped me to think about the choices I would make in her shoes. It was a good sorry with a solid plot, an ending that I didn’t quite expect but a few unanswered questions. I would have loved for her to button some things up and then it would have been a 5 star read for me, but I don’t like feeling as if I have to assume how things get done. I don’t want to spoil anyone’s time reading it because I do recommend it, and you may not have those questions, but I certainly did.
If you like a mystery with amateur sleuthing, police detective work, and familia drama, this book will be a great one to cuddle up with.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I started this book unsure if I actually wanted to read it. Needless to say. I’m so glad I did. After the first hour of reading, I was HOOKED.
This story was like a puzzle with so many pieces and I was left turning page after page to get to the finish line. I wanted to know how all my little pieces produced the big picture.
The author did a wonderful job writing a story that made me lose myself at times. I found my self pulled in, feeling emotions for the characters as I was reading line after line. It was a perfect touch of soft romance, nothing heavy which was a nice touch. The MC becomes so incredibly likeable (even when I disagree with her at times) and helped me to think about the choices I would make in her shoes. It was a good sorry with a solid plot, an ending that I didn’t quite expect but a few unanswered questions. I would have loved for her to button some things up and then it would have been a 5 star read for me, but I don’t like feeling as if I have to assume how things get done. I don’t want to spoil anyone’s time reading it because I do recommend it, and you may not have those questions, but I certainly did.
If you like a mystery with amateur sleuthing, police detective work, and familia drama, this book will be a great one to cuddle up with.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2025
"Fragile Designs" held me captive from the beginning to the end. What a unique premise! The book had everything a Romantic Suspense story should have. I loved that there were numerous suspects. It was a challenge figuring out who the villain was. The action, suspense, mystery, family drama and romance kept me engaged.
Danger was constantly lurking around the corner. The main characters were always being followed. I enjoyed reading how Lucas and Carly traced through the birth records and genealogies. It was interesting reading about how Carly's grandmother (Mary Tucker) was adopted. I needed to know if Lucas and Carly would be able to find Mary Tucker's birth family. While reading, I could not wait to see how all the details of the story would come together. This part of the story was very mysterious and suspenseful. The Fabergé Egg that Carly found in the attic was a dangerous possession because of its worth. Murder after murder and home break ins definitely showed how the love of money is the root of all evil. It was fun and fascinating to learn about Fabergé Eggs and Russian history. I brought up pictures online to see what Fabergé Eggs looked like. They are lavishly decorated indeed.
The romance was a slow burn romance, and it was well-written. Lucas was more focused on his career as a homicide detective, wanting to avoid love because he thought he wouldn't have time to fully commit to marriage. Carly was more focused on caring for her baby (Noah), her younger sisters and her grandmother. She was also healing from the death of her husband. Despite the slow burn romance, the attraction between Lucas and Carly was very apparent. It was tasteful seeing how their attraction was not mainly based on physical attraction. They both recognized traits that attracted them to each other. Carly had a big heart and always put others before herself, and that is what Lucas found attractive about her. Carly was attracted to Lucas' protective nature and his instinctive connection with Noah. Any annoying characters? Yep, Carly's sisters! I wanted to shake them and tell them to grow up already!
Carly was my favorite character. There were many moments that could have made Carly crumble under pressure, but she only got stronger. I also liked her inquisitiveness. She always wanted to learn and gain information. Lucas and Carly were strong and intelligent main characters with endearing personalities. I loved how skilled Lucas was at putting pieces of information together in order to find the culprit. Lucas and Carly made the perfect team. My eyes definitely widened at the plot twist. The happily ever after ending was so beautiful. Colleen Coble penned this suspenseful novel skillfully. I love her writing and storytelling. I finished reading this book with a happy sigh. It is definitely a book that is worth reading.
A cool note:
Whenever a treasure or a piece of information was found in a house, I was taken back to being a kid and watching "Legends of the Hidden Temple" on Nickelodeon :-) That made my reading experience even more fun.
Favorite Quotes:
"Our lives are so fragile. Maybe it's by design so we look to God."
"I resolved to try to catch the joy in the small things. 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 we're thankful for it."
Danger was constantly lurking around the corner. The main characters were always being followed. I enjoyed reading how Lucas and Carly traced through the birth records and genealogies. It was interesting reading about how Carly's grandmother (Mary Tucker) was adopted. I needed to know if Lucas and Carly would be able to find Mary Tucker's birth family. While reading, I could not wait to see how all the details of the story would come together. This part of the story was very mysterious and suspenseful. The Fabergé Egg that Carly found in the attic was a dangerous possession because of its worth. Murder after murder and home break ins definitely showed how the love of money is the root of all evil. It was fun and fascinating to learn about Fabergé Eggs and Russian history. I brought up pictures online to see what Fabergé Eggs looked like. They are lavishly decorated indeed.
The romance was a slow burn romance, and it was well-written. Lucas was more focused on his career as a homicide detective, wanting to avoid love because he thought he wouldn't have time to fully commit to marriage. Carly was more focused on caring for her baby (Noah), her younger sisters and her grandmother. She was also healing from the death of her husband. Despite the slow burn romance, the attraction between Lucas and Carly was very apparent. It was tasteful seeing how their attraction was not mainly based on physical attraction. They both recognized traits that attracted them to each other. Carly had a big heart and always put others before herself, and that is what Lucas found attractive about her. Carly was attracted to Lucas' protective nature and his instinctive connection with Noah. Any annoying characters? Yep, Carly's sisters! I wanted to shake them and tell them to grow up already!
Carly was my favorite character. There were many moments that could have made Carly crumble under pressure, but she only got stronger. I also liked her inquisitiveness. She always wanted to learn and gain information. Lucas and Carly were strong and intelligent main characters with endearing personalities. I loved how skilled Lucas was at putting pieces of information together in order to find the culprit. Lucas and Carly made the perfect team. My eyes definitely widened at the plot twist. The happily ever after ending was so beautiful. Colleen Coble penned this suspenseful novel skillfully. I love her writing and storytelling. I finished reading this book with a happy sigh. It is definitely a book that is worth reading.
A cool note:
Whenever a treasure or a piece of information was found in a house, I was taken back to being a kid and watching "Legends of the Hidden Temple" on Nickelodeon :-) That made my reading experience even more fun.
Favorite Quotes:
"Our lives are so fragile. Maybe it's by design so we look to God."
"I resolved to try to catch the joy in the small things. 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 we're thankful for it."
March 18, 2024
I can count on Colleen Coble to craft a wonderful suspense plot. She keeps the romance clean, so this is not a traditional "Romantic-Suspense", but other than that this is a great book. I loved how the hero, Lucas, has to reevaluate his preconceived opinion of the heroine, Carly. It takes a real, honest man to admit he was wrong. I really felt for Carly and the way her family used her and gave her no respect and then she ends up with a first husband who treated her like a door mat and cheated on her. I was happy she found a decent guy in Lucas.
Carly Harris's husband, Eric, is murdered in their home and leaves his pregnant wife with few options. She moves in with her grandmother and after the birth of her son, starts planning for the rest of her life. Maybe she will return to her old career as an antique dealer or pursue her dream of becoming a novelist or perhaps join her grandmother, Mary, and turn her home in Beaufort into a Bed and Breakfast. Before her husband died, he was going through the endless boxes and antique furniture left to Carly by her great-grandmother. That task now falls to Carly and since her two sisters are waiting for a distribution from that estate, she needs to get it done. What she discovers has her questioning Eric and their relationship. She finds documentation that her seventy-year-old grandmother was adopted and that one of the few personal items from her birth mother could be a valuable Fabergé egg that has been missing from the Russian Revolution times and is worth millions.
Lucas Bennet has lived next door to Mary his whole live and she was a loving presence in his life when he needed one. He and his brother, Ryan, were often after thoughts in their home. Mary was there for them. When Carly comes to him for help, his first instinct is to turn her down because years ago she broke his brother's heart, but he couldn't turn his back on Mary's granddaughter no matter his feelings about her. When danger comes to Carly and her family Lucas has to use all his skills as a homicide detective to unravel the mystery and keep them safe. Because there are others interested in finding the valuable egg and people are dying.
My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
Carly Harris's husband, Eric, is murdered in their home and leaves his pregnant wife with few options. She moves in with her grandmother and after the birth of her son, starts planning for the rest of her life. Maybe she will return to her old career as an antique dealer or pursue her dream of becoming a novelist or perhaps join her grandmother, Mary, and turn her home in Beaufort into a Bed and Breakfast. Before her husband died, he was going through the endless boxes and antique furniture left to Carly by her great-grandmother. That task now falls to Carly and since her two sisters are waiting for a distribution from that estate, she needs to get it done. What she discovers has her questioning Eric and their relationship. She finds documentation that her seventy-year-old grandmother was adopted and that one of the few personal items from her birth mother could be a valuable Fabergé egg that has been missing from the Russian Revolution times and is worth millions.
Lucas Bennet has lived next door to Mary his whole live and she was a loving presence in his life when he needed one. He and his brother, Ryan, were often after thoughts in their home. Mary was there for them. When Carly comes to him for help, his first instinct is to turn her down because years ago she broke his brother's heart, but he couldn't turn his back on Mary's granddaughter no matter his feelings about her. When danger comes to Carly and her family Lucas has to use all his skills as a homicide detective to unravel the mystery and keep them safe. Because there are others interested in finding the valuable egg and people are dying.
My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
January 3, 2024
*sigh*. Listen, I LOVE crazy thrillers with unbelievable plots and premises, but this book was...I'll say it. It was just dumb. The writing was very poor, the characters were grinding, the romance was dull, the thriller aspect was boring as hell. I wish I could give a better review since I got this book for free as an ARC, but frankly, I want compensation for the time I wasted.
This was also not marketed as Christian Fiction on NetGalley and I didn't see that until looking on Goodreads after reading, but I feel like that might explain a lot of why I hated it so much. I grew up religious, I've read a lot of Christian Fiction, NONE of it is any good.
Anyway, sorry guys. I cannot in good faith recommend this to anybody.
This was also not marketed as Christian Fiction on NetGalley and I didn't see that until looking on Goodreads after reading, but I feel like that might explain a lot of why I hated it so much. I grew up religious, I've read a lot of Christian Fiction, NONE of it is any good.
Anyway, sorry guys. I cannot in good faith recommend this to anybody.
November 16, 2023
I loved this novel — the connection with a Faberge egg was such a fun approach. The hero and heroine are fantastic and I love the way they play off each other. They are both surrounded by a rich group of additional characters. There are some twists and turns and moments of taunt tension. Another great book from one of my favorite authors.
dnf
February 11, 2024Didn’t realize this was Christian fiction when I started it. Def not for me.
But also, who is the Simon who is mentioned in this book’s blurb?? The hero’s name is Lucas?? I’m so confused.
Also, the whole brothers sharing bit is… gross.
But also, who is the Simon who is mentioned in this book’s blurb?? The hero’s name is Lucas?? I’m so confused.
Also, the whole brothers sharing bit is… gross.
September 15, 2023
I was all in on the premise of this book: single mom recovering from heartbreaking loss, returns to her small hometown for a second chance at love, etc. Throw in mystery and the renovation of an old home and I was gathering my cozy blankets and settling in. All was good until about 1/3 of the way in. The characters were interesting and relatively believable, and the mystery was starting to shape up and then things went off the rails. Suddenly there are a bunch of side characters including estranged family members, long-lost relatives, former friends, another baby and…Russian mobsters? Then, the body count increases in an almost comical way and the dialogue starts to sound oddly archaic – a 30 something guy uses the word “heel” to describe a cheating spouse and apologizes for being a “player” in the past. Who says that?
Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 31, 2024
EEEEEK!!! This was WILD, bananas, bonkers, INSANE, all the words. I flew through this fast-paced, suspense-soaked glow bomb of a book. I for sure need to read more by this author. First of all, I just had to read this because the MC's name is my exact name, she looks like me, and is a caregiver/fixer to a fault (also me), which never happens. Secondly, the crazy crime suspense blew my mind and appropriately freaked me out (so maybe not to be read before bed), but that wasn't stopping me! And thirdly, the way Lucas stood up for Carly and bonded with Noah: I. WAS. MELTING!!! 😍 The cherry on top for me was the characters' faith and prayers, historical intrigue with the egg dealio and family reconciliation, and the legit coastal South Carolina southern vibes (shrimp and grits anyone?). I'm from the Wild West, but the one other region that I love reading in is the sweet South. Maybe I need to move there? 😜This one's not to be missed, so do yourself a huge favor and pick it up.
Also, if anyone has any recs on which of this author's books I should try next, hit me up; I know there's a ton of them!
Also, if anyone has any recs on which of this author's books I should try next, hit me up; I know there's a ton of them!
March 18, 2025
This one is definitely making it at the top of my favorite Colleen Coble books!
April 4, 2024
Fragile Designs is a romantic suspense novel set in the beautiful town of Beaufort, South Carolina.
This novel is a heartwarming story with a diverse range of elements such as great characters, family drama, humor, danger, and suspense. As I read it, I was immediately pulled into the story. The book takes you on a wild ride with a lot of action.
After Carly's police officer husband Eric is killed, she is lost and doesn't know what to do next. She has a newborn son named Noah and is living with her grandmother. One day, while going through the attic, Carly discovers a letter written by her late husband. It contains details about her grandmother's adoption, twin sister, and a Faberge egg. Knowing the value of the egg and the danger it could pose to her family, Carly seeks help from her neighbor Detective Lucas Bennett. Although hesitant, Lucas agrees to help despite not being a fan of Carly. The story was interesting and enjoyable. I recommend it.
This novel is a heartwarming story with a diverse range of elements such as great characters, family drama, humor, danger, and suspense. As I read it, I was immediately pulled into the story. The book takes you on a wild ride with a lot of action.
After Carly's police officer husband Eric is killed, she is lost and doesn't know what to do next. She has a newborn son named Noah and is living with her grandmother. One day, while going through the attic, Carly discovers a letter written by her late husband. It contains details about her grandmother's adoption, twin sister, and a Faberge egg. Knowing the value of the egg and the danger it could pose to her family, Carly seeks help from her neighbor Detective Lucas Bennett. Although hesitant, Lucas agrees to help despite not being a fan of Carly. The story was interesting and enjoyable. I recommend it.
April 5, 2025
This was a great mystery suspense that is fast-paced, tension-filled, and clean, one that didn't dissapoint.
After her police officer husband Eric is killed, Carly is lost as to the next steps in her life and how to support herself and her newborn son Noah while living with her grandmother. Her grandmother proposes that Carly and her two sisters help her restore the family home into a bed and breakfast, despite the tension among the sisters. When Carly begins to go through the attic she discovers a letter in her late husband's handwriting with details surrounding her grandmother's adoption, twin sister, and a Faberge egg. Carly turns to Homicide detective Lucas Bennett for help knowing how much the Faberge egg is worth and the danger it could create for her family. Although hesitant, Lucas agrees to help despite not being a fan of Carly after she broke her brother's heart years ago. They are cascaded down a path of mystery, secrets, danger, and the fight for Carly to protect her family.
I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook narrated by Karen Peakes and thought she did a wonderful job. I would definitely listen to more books narrated by her in the future.
Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson publishing for a free arc audiobook to honestly listen to and review.
3.75/5⭐️
After her police officer husband Eric is killed, Carly is lost as to the next steps in her life and how to support herself and her newborn son Noah while living with her grandmother. Her grandmother proposes that Carly and her two sisters help her restore the family home into a bed and breakfast, despite the tension among the sisters. When Carly begins to go through the attic she discovers a letter in her late husband's handwriting with details surrounding her grandmother's adoption, twin sister, and a Faberge egg. Carly turns to Homicide detective Lucas Bennett for help knowing how much the Faberge egg is worth and the danger it could create for her family. Although hesitant, Lucas agrees to help despite not being a fan of Carly after she broke her brother's heart years ago. They are cascaded down a path of mystery, secrets, danger, and the fight for Carly to protect her family.
I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook narrated by Karen Peakes and thought she did a wonderful job. I would definitely listen to more books narrated by her in the future.
Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson publishing for a free arc audiobook to honestly listen to and review.
3.75/5⭐️
July 28, 2024
Fragile Designs had good ratings and was recommended to me by someone who loves this author. I found it to be a simply written story that was enjoyable, but nothing super engaging. Some of the chapter endings seemed a bit trite, and I did not find it suspenseful at all.🤷♀️ I honestly expected more from an author who receives a lot of acclaim.
January 7, 2024
I listened to the audio book version of Fragile Designs and it was absolutely captivating! I really felt for Carly throughout much of the story as she dealt with some truly bad behavior from some of her family members. I enjoyed when she stopped letting herself get pushed around, realized that she had allowed herself to be treated badly, and finally made some changes to how she responded to certain people. I loved the way Lucas stood up for her at various times in the book.
The slow growth of romantic tension between Lucas and Carly balanced nicely with the suspense threaded throughout the story. There were details that I figured out before the main characters, but a couple of surprises, as well, keeping me listening intently through to the very end. I loved this story from start to finish.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...
The slow growth of romantic tension between Lucas and Carly balanced nicely with the suspense threaded throughout the story. There were details that I figured out before the main characters, but a couple of surprises, as well, keeping me listening intently through to the very end. I loved this story from start to finish.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...
December 14, 2023
I loved this book! I am a huge fan of Ms. Coble, and this story may be my favorite of hers yet. The action and suspense were nail-biting. The storyline was heart-wrenching, and the romance was heart-warming. It had all the elements for a 5 star read. I actually listened to the book, and the narrator did a fabulous job.
*I was given a copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers, and this is my honest opinion.
*I was given a copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers, and this is my honest opinion.
December 14, 2023
Is this mystery novel?
Is this action/adventure ?
Is this family drama ? Oh ! its all of the above.
Author categorises it as a basic story about 'love lost and found, life broken and restored'. But in my local language, we call it as 'masala'(spicy) entertainer. There is something from every popular trope : separated twins, sibling rivalry, estranged father, adultery, robbery, murder, mafia, lost treasure, and ofcourse, second chance at love. I am giving it a high rating because it has somehow managed to balance this mashup and chaos of genres and tropes. It doesnt feel rushed, and nor any of the sub-plots feel unnecessary introduced.
The blurb gives way too much away, including surprise element of separated twins during adoption and the found treasure. The slow burn romance is dealt maturely to an extent that they had not even kissed and had already confessed 'love' to each other. I though felt that Carly always look towards Lucas for protection, even from her family, even though her character is projected as strong, independent, responsible, seems little conflicting traits. Also, there are way too many characters and its been attempted to give all of them a happy ending.
Narration by Karen Peakes is quite entertaining and very well executed.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an Arc in exchange of honest review.
P.S. : Goodreads page mentions name of the male protagonist incorrectly, its Lucas not Simon.
Is this action/adventure ?
Is this family drama ? Oh ! its all of the above.
Author categorises it as a basic story about 'love lost and found, life broken and restored'. But in my local language, we call it as 'masala'(spicy) entertainer. There is something from every popular trope : separated twins, sibling rivalry, estranged father, adultery, robbery, murder, mafia, lost treasure, and ofcourse, second chance at love. I am giving it a high rating because it has somehow managed to balance this mashup and chaos of genres and tropes. It doesnt feel rushed, and nor any of the sub-plots feel unnecessary introduced.
The blurb gives way too much away, including surprise element of separated twins during adoption and the found treasure. The slow burn romance is dealt maturely to an extent that they had not even kissed and had already confessed 'love' to each other. I though felt that Carly always look towards Lucas for protection, even from her family, even though her character is projected as strong, independent, responsible, seems little conflicting traits. Also, there are way too many characters and its been attempted to give all of them a happy ending.
Narration by Karen Peakes is quite entertaining and very well executed.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an Arc in exchange of honest review.
P.S. : Goodreads page mentions name of the male protagonist incorrectly, its Lucas not Simon.
July 21, 2023
Wow, this book takes you on a wild ride! I was so excited to read this story because the history on Fabergé eggs is fascinating to me. Right from the first chapter the reader is caught up in a murder investigation. Carly is trying to take care of her son and start over with life and very strange things keep happening. I really like the setting and Lucas basically makes this whole story worth reading. He delivers some superb dialogue that had me cheering out loud. He isn’t wishy washy and is just a plain all around terrific hero. There are some pretty obvious things and situations that weren’t really suspenseful but did add to the layers that make up the plot. The romance is subtle as the main focus is the mystery plot. There are a lot of casualties in this story and I was really confused why the main characters weren’t more concerned for their lives. I am not sure the reactions in the story are very accurate. However, this is a good read that will hold your attention and surprise you in the end. I recommend for lovers of suspense and Colleen Coble.
Four Stars!!
"I received this book from NetGalley for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."
Four Stars!!
"I received this book from NetGalley for free. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review."
January 14, 2024
Fragile Designs by Colleen Coble is one of my favorite books that I've read in the past several years. This book has everything from treasure hunting, mystery, romance, family issues to the power of love throughout it all! I can't recommend this book highly enough and I'm sad that it's over for me! Carly Harris is a flea market and antique enthusiast who makes her living selling her amazing finds. One day she returns home and sees her husband's truck in the garage running with the door closed. This is very strange. As she enters the garage and opens the door, she yells for Eric. He's not there and the door leading to the house is open. Carly enters the house calling for Eric, but there's no response. As she makes her way from room to room she doesn't see him anywhere. She looks out in the yard and sees that the door to her shed is open.
Carly heads outside calling for Eric but still there's no response. She smells freshly cut grass and is happy that Eric has mowed the lawn. As she enters the shed she sees boxes have been rearranged and other stuff moved around, but still no Eric. When she walks back into the yard she decides to call Eric. She can hear his phone ringing and it sounds like it's coming from the shed. Carly goes back and hears it ringing from behind a pile of boxes. As she walks towards it, she sees Eric lying facedown with a huge wound in his back. There's blood everywhere. Carly tries to feel for a pulse, but can't feel one. She runs out into the yard and calls 911. The ambulance arrives, but it's far too late for Eric. Someone killed Eric, but why? Who would do such a thing?
Carly was excited to tell Eric that she was pregnant, but she never got the chance. After the funeral Carly moves in with her grandmother. She can't support her and her son on a salary of antiques and flea market finds. Carly's grandmother asks her if she'd be interested in helping her turn the house into a bed and breakfast. Carly says yes and is relieved she'll have a way to make a living while still being able to be home with Noah. Her grandmother wants Carly and her 2 sisters to work on the plans for the renovation. She wants Ryan, the neighbor across the street to do the work. He's like family and his brother Lucas is a detective for the local police force. They've been family friends since the girls were young.
When Carly is up in the attic going through her great grandmothers' trunks that were left to her, she makes a shocking discovery. She finds a letter from her late husband dated 2 days before his murder. Eric had found out that Carly's grandmother was adopted and that she had a twin sister that was adopted by another family. He was making inquiries to find her twin when he was murdered. Could it be related to this information? Why would someone kill over this kind of news? Maybe it wasn't a random burglary after all. As Carly continues to look through the trunk she finds an enamel egg. It's weird because it seems as if someone as painted the egg red to cover its real beauty. Why? Carly takes it to the sink and begins washing it and peeling off the red paint. Carly thinks the egg is a Faberge' and is extremely valuable. Why was it hidden in the trunk? Had Eric found it? Did he know what it was? Was he murdered because of the egg?
As Carly begins to investigate all of this, she asks Lucas, the detective neighbor for help. She doesn't want to get her grandmother involved until she knows that she really does have a twin. Why upset her grandmother if it's not true. The book gets more and more thrilling as you read. The layers to this book are unbelievably compelling and you will love every minute. I rate Fragile Designs 5 stars with my very highest recommendation. I'm so sad that I won't be in this world anymore because it was so much fun! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins Christian Publishing for an advanced copy of Fragile Designs in exchange for a fair review. #FragileDesigns
Carly heads outside calling for Eric but still there's no response. She smells freshly cut grass and is happy that Eric has mowed the lawn. As she enters the shed she sees boxes have been rearranged and other stuff moved around, but still no Eric. When she walks back into the yard she decides to call Eric. She can hear his phone ringing and it sounds like it's coming from the shed. Carly goes back and hears it ringing from behind a pile of boxes. As she walks towards it, she sees Eric lying facedown with a huge wound in his back. There's blood everywhere. Carly tries to feel for a pulse, but can't feel one. She runs out into the yard and calls 911. The ambulance arrives, but it's far too late for Eric. Someone killed Eric, but why? Who would do such a thing?
Carly was excited to tell Eric that she was pregnant, but she never got the chance. After the funeral Carly moves in with her grandmother. She can't support her and her son on a salary of antiques and flea market finds. Carly's grandmother asks her if she'd be interested in helping her turn the house into a bed and breakfast. Carly says yes and is relieved she'll have a way to make a living while still being able to be home with Noah. Her grandmother wants Carly and her 2 sisters to work on the plans for the renovation. She wants Ryan, the neighbor across the street to do the work. He's like family and his brother Lucas is a detective for the local police force. They've been family friends since the girls were young.
When Carly is up in the attic going through her great grandmothers' trunks that were left to her, she makes a shocking discovery. She finds a letter from her late husband dated 2 days before his murder. Eric had found out that Carly's grandmother was adopted and that she had a twin sister that was adopted by another family. He was making inquiries to find her twin when he was murdered. Could it be related to this information? Why would someone kill over this kind of news? Maybe it wasn't a random burglary after all. As Carly continues to look through the trunk she finds an enamel egg. It's weird because it seems as if someone as painted the egg red to cover its real beauty. Why? Carly takes it to the sink and begins washing it and peeling off the red paint. Carly thinks the egg is a Faberge' and is extremely valuable. Why was it hidden in the trunk? Had Eric found it? Did he know what it was? Was he murdered because of the egg?
As Carly begins to investigate all of this, she asks Lucas, the detective neighbor for help. She doesn't want to get her grandmother involved until she knows that she really does have a twin. Why upset her grandmother if it's not true. The book gets more and more thrilling as you read. The layers to this book are unbelievably compelling and you will love every minute. I rate Fragile Designs 5 stars with my very highest recommendation. I'm so sad that I won't be in this world anymore because it was so much fun! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins Christian Publishing for an advanced copy of Fragile Designs in exchange for a fair review. #FragileDesigns
January 11, 2024
Colleen Coble has penned another suspense not to be missed. As Carly follows the clues that lead to a lost family heirloom, she finds the heirloom not only has monetary value but historical value as well. With many mysterious break-ins and deaths, she finds that she needs help to solve the mystery.
Colleen Coble is not only the queen of romantic suspense, skillful at plot pacing, she also pens realistic characters that have fans routing for them until the final page has been read. She cleverly combines a mystery full of danger with a story of family, forgiveness and love.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Colleen Coble is not only the queen of romantic suspense, skillful at plot pacing, she also pens realistic characters that have fans routing for them until the final page has been read. She cleverly combines a mystery full of danger with a story of family, forgiveness and love.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 30, 2024
Fragile Designs was an easy read. I thought the suspense was intense, but not always believable to me how things turned out. I thought the storyline of the egg was intriguing and I liked the history aspect.
The characters and romance were likeable. I liked how there were some twists in this book. The ending was good and wrapped things up nicely.
All in all, I liked Fragile Designs. It was an easy, fast read and I look forward to seeing what Coble's releases next.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
The characters and romance were likeable. I liked how there were some twists in this book. The ending was good and wrapped things up nicely.
All in all, I liked Fragile Designs. It was an easy, fast read and I look forward to seeing what Coble's releases next.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
January 18, 2024
Good Read!
December 10, 2023
Wow, that was a great read ! At first I was horrified how Carly was being treated by her sisters and thought the book would be about them. Boy, I was wrong. I am very happy with how everything ended for everyone involved. It was quite a ride.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
February 19, 2024
An all-immersive romantic suspense filled with family drama, relationship drama, and mystery all set within beautiful Beaufort, South Carolina.
Coble is a genius of crafting a complex tale that has many different moving parts without loosing the reader to confusion or boredom along the way. It was really interesting to see how new information unfolded along the way, particularly with the family history component. I also learned a little bit about Fabrege eggs which was fun!
There were a few mentions of things that were a bit perplexing as to their inclusion in a Christian marketed book but they were brief mentions and mostly centered around a side character (he was described as a ladies man who was often out late doing things like bar hopping, and there were statements that he would he would never change and settle down--which I believe he would have as a Christian because we become new creatures when we surrender to Christ. I felt it was a missed opportunity for the believers in the story to address.) The male romantic interest is the brother of a man she'd dated in high school, which I'm not sure how I feel about. There were also a few situations or character reactions that I wasn't sure were quite realistic.
The FMC had a baby that, as a new mom, helped me connect with her character. I enjoyed reading parts that included the baby. And I just loved the setting, since it's my home state!
Overall, it was pretty engaging and a solid romantic suspense.
Content: infidelity, parent abandonment, parent death
Christian faith rating: 1/3 (while there was prayer included several times, particularly during trying times, there were some worldly things mentioned)
Coble is a genius of crafting a complex tale that has many different moving parts without loosing the reader to confusion or boredom along the way. It was really interesting to see how new information unfolded along the way, particularly with the family history component. I also learned a little bit about Fabrege eggs which was fun!
There were a few mentions of things that were a bit perplexing as to their inclusion in a Christian marketed book but they were brief mentions and mostly centered around a side character (he was described as a ladies man who was often out late doing things like bar hopping, and there were statements that he would he would never change and settle down--which I believe he would have as a Christian because we become new creatures when we surrender to Christ. I felt it was a missed opportunity for the believers in the story to address.) The male romantic interest is the brother of a man she'd dated in high school, which I'm not sure how I feel about. There were also a few situations or character reactions that I wasn't sure were quite realistic.
The FMC had a baby that, as a new mom, helped me connect with her character. I enjoyed reading parts that included the baby. And I just loved the setting, since it's my home state!
Overall, it was pretty engaging and a solid romantic suspense.
Content: infidelity, parent abandonment, parent death
Christian faith rating: 1/3 (while there was prayer included several times, particularly during trying times, there were some worldly things mentioned)
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