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Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble Review

Hello Everyone :)

I hope you're all doing well, and I want to thank you for joining me for another book review here on The Preppy Book Princess.

One of perhaps the most exciting things is when one of your favorite authors has a new book release. Even more exciting is when you get the opportunity to read the book before it officially releases.

I couldn't wait to dive into Colleen Coble's upcoming release when I got it from NetGalley, and now that I've finished it, I can't wait for it to release so that you guys can all experience this amazing story as well!

Strands of Truth by Colleen Coble:



Source: Publisher Via NetGalley

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: September 10th, 2019

Genre: Christian Fiction/Suspense/Mystery


Synopsis:


Suspense melds with romance as the past meets the present in this engrossing new novel from USA TODAY bestselling author Colleen Coble.
Harper Taylor is used to being alone. Her mother passed away in a car accident when she was an infant, she never knew who her father was, and now even the widowed grandmother who raised her is gone. She’s done just fine investing her marine biology degree and her energy into her pen shell business.
The last thing she expects is for the DNA test she took to reveal a likely half-sister. And when she and Annabelle meet, there are striking similarities in their stories. Is it just coincidence that both their mothers died tragically without revealing Harper and Annabelle’s father’s name?
When Harper’s business partner has a stroke, his son Ridge steps in to help. Before long, he's spending more time with her than the business would dictate . . . and Harper finds she doesn’t mind in the least.
When yet another tragedy strikes close to home, though, Harper and Ridge realize that the secrets of the past can’t stay there. They’ll have to unravel Harper’s past before they can secure their future.

(synopsis from goodreads)



My Review:

Strands of Truth may just be Colleen Coble's best work to date. This riveting, suspenseful drama will keep readers glued to the page as they work they try and solve the complex mystery that starts right from the very first pages.

Harper Taylor has always felt alone. Her mother died shortly after giving birth to her, and she found herself being bounced around from foster home to foster home. A chance encounter with a successful businesman, Oliver Jackson,  as a bitter teen gives her the support system she's always wanted, but she knows that the rest of his family doesn't feel the same way about her that he does. As an adult, Harper has become interested in mollusks and pen beds, and Oliver has become her business partner and greatest supporter. As the head of a successful pharmaceutical company, Oliver sees potential in the mollusks as ingredients for successful medications. He approaches Harper and his son Ridge with the idea of them working together on the project, and while both are hesitant to want anything to do with each other, they decide to go ahead with the project since it means so much to Oliver.

Around her mollusk research, Harper has also decided to take part in DNA testing, to see if she has any biological relatives from the family members she grew up knowing nothing about. The results reveal that she has a half-sister named Annabelle, who's quite a bit older than Harper, and the two women are over the moon when they finally get the chance to meet. However, the meeting also seems to open a can of worms, and soon both women are at the end of attempted kidnappings, break in attempts, and druggings. Annabelle's mother also died when she was an infant, and soon Harper is wondering if there is more to her mom's story than what she always believed.

With the help of Ridge, and Annabelle's two sons, the two sisters will stop at nothing to discover what's truly going on, but the consequences may be more than either is prepared for.

I've read a lot of Colleen Coble's books over the years, and I've enjoyed each and every one. However, this one really stood out for just how unique the story line, the setting, and the mystery were. DNA testing is becoming all the rage; and it was really interesting to read a story about the negative outcomes that can come to light when such information that's been hidden for so many years is finally brought to the surface. I also really enjoyed learning about Harper and Ridge's work with mollusks, and the process of how sea silk is woven and made into usable materials. I always appreciate with Colleen's books that the faith element always plays an integral role; and I found it extremely refreshing that both Harper and Ridge turn to their faith in times of doubt and trial, rather than relying entirely on their own devices. 

I have to comment on just how much I enjoyed the romance as well. The slow burn element worked perfectly with this couple, and I especially appreciated the way that the friendship emerging between the two of them also helps to heal the hurts they experienced growing up jealous of one another as teenagers.

For as long as I can remember, I've loved time slip novels, and since I wasn't expecting that with this one, it was an added treat. The reader gets to see glimpses of parts of the story that occurred in the 1960's. Even more intriguing is that these clips often focus around the Weeki Wachee mermaid attraction, which I've always been fascinated by. 

Lastly, I definitely have to comment about how much I love when I haven't yet pieced together a mystery by the time it is revealed to the reader, and that was the case for me with this one. With how many mystery books I read, this doesn't always happen to me, so extra props to Colleen Coble for writing a mystery that left this reader guessing right until the very end.

Final Rating: 5/5


I couldn't have enjoyed this more, and it gets the highest recommendation from me! Definitely pick this one up if you're a fan of mysteries or suspense novels.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the opportunity to advance read this!


I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review. 

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