Colleen Coble: Because You're Mine

By Kelly Bridgewater



Alanna has been plagued by tragedy. So it should come as no surprise that in the beauty that surrounds Charleston, all is not as it seems.

When her husband is killed by a car bomb while their band is on tour in Charleston, Alanna doesn’t know where to turn. Her father-in-law is threatening to take custody of the baby she carries, but the one thing she knows for sure is that she can’t lose the last piece of Liam she has left.

Their manager offers her a marriage of convenience to gain her U.S. citizenship and allow her to escape her father-in-law’s control. It seems like the perfect solution . . . but her doubts begin almost as soon as she arrives at Barry’s family home, a decaying mansion surrounded by swamp.

To make matters worse, Liam’s best friend survived the car bomb. She’s never really liked Jesse and now she can’t seem to get away from him. When he takes Liam’s place in their band, it’s almost more than she can bear.

But then things start happening. Things that could easily cost Alanna her life—or the life of her unborn child. Are they merely coincidences? Or is there something much more sinister at work?

From Amazon

My Review:

Colleen Coble has written plenty of books in a number of genres: Contemporary romantic suspense, contemporary, historical,  and historical suspense. With that many novels published, Coble is guaranteed to have some books that hit it right out of the park and have some books that miss the target. I have found both of them in Coble's books.

Coble is a great writer who really understands how to write concise and clear. She stays in each individual character's perspective and staying there. She does not head hop. Coble really understands the emotions of the characters and portrays them accurately to the reader. I completely empathize with their personal and physical struggles. As for the setting, I could completely visualize this huge house in the middle of nowhere, hidden from the eyes of anyone. Just like Barry wanted. I really enjoyed the setting. Nice and secluded.

The characters of Alanna Connolly, Liam, and Barry were unique and different. From the start, I really enjoyed getting to know Alanna. She was different than most characters I have encountered in any book. She knew who she loved and wanted the best for their relationship. Barry, on the other hand, is a master at manipulation. He is a good husband who loves his wife, BUT he is controlling and doesn't allow Alanna to be completely herself.

While the characters were nice, I had a hard time with the plot. Probably because it was completely predictable and has been done a number of times. I pretty much had the ending figured out pretty early on in the story. Coble led me down the path to end at the result I believed pretty early on. There really wasn't that much suspense in the story, but I did enjoy the story and flew through the story.

I can't say if I remember if there was much spiritual elements in the story. A good story that anyone of any age could read. I recommend Because You're Mine to fans of Coble's other stories and fans of romantic suspense.

In conclusion, Coble's latest, Because You're Mine, is filled with characters you want to know and hang out with in person, a beautiful, secluded setting. While the plot has been overdone, I really had a hard time putting down the story because of Coble's ability to draw me with her writing. I recommend Because You're Mine.

I received a complimentary copy of Because You're Mine by Colleen Coble from Thomas Nelson publishing and the opinions stated are all my own. 

My Rating: 3.5  out of 5 Stars