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All the Missing Pieces
Sometimes the last thing you expect is exactly what you need, the final missing piece. And sometimes it comes in the form of a towering, broody sheriff, determined to get in your way at every step.
Ridley Sawyer knows what it’s like to miss someone, to feel like a piece of her vanished—because it happened to her the night her twin sister disappeared.
Now, Ridley channels that loss into hope, traveling the country covering cold cases for her true crime podcast. She might not have found justice for her sister but that doesn’t stop her from finding it for others.
Until Sheriff Colter Brooks gets in her way.
Colt knows what it’s like to have reporters descend on his town in the wake of a tragedy, and he’s not about to let a fiery podcaster stir up trouble. It doesn’t matter that her haunting blue eyes tell him there’s more to Ridley’s story or that he can’t stop imagining what it would be like to touch her.
But when Ridley’s cold case turns hot and she’s thrust into the crosshairs, Colt has no choice but to step in. Suddenly, Ridley’s living at his house, drinking his whiskey, and stealing his dog’s affections. But she’s also proving that she’s so much more than his first impression.
And as they get closer to the truth, the game they’ve been playing might just turn deadly…
Ridley Sawyer knows what it’s like to miss someone, to feel like a piece of her vanished—because it happened to her the night her twin sister disappeared.
Now, Ridley channels that loss into hope, traveling the country covering cold cases for her true crime podcast. She might not have found justice for her sister but that doesn’t stop her from finding it for others.
Until Sheriff Colter Brooks gets in her way.
Colt knows what it’s like to have reporters descend on his town in the wake of a tragedy, and he’s not about to let a fiery podcaster stir up trouble. It doesn’t matter that her haunting blue eyes tell him there’s more to Ridley’s story or that he can’t stop imagining what it would be like to touch her.
But when Ridley’s cold case turns hot and she’s thrust into the crosshairs, Colt has no choice but to step in. Suddenly, Ridley’s living at his house, drinking his whiskey, and stealing his dog’s affections. But she’s also proving that she’s so much more than his first impression.
And as they get closer to the truth, the game they’ve been playing might just turn deadly…
391 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2025
4731 people are currently reading
67008 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Cowles
56 books28.8k followersWriter of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,512 reviews
February 7, 2025
Outlier island…again.
2.25 Stars
I REALLY wanted to like this book, and I'm sure many people will. But it just didn't work out so well for me.
We follow our FMC, Ridley - she's a murder podcast host who travels around the country to report on cold cases that are similar to the one she has a personal connection to.
Our MMC, Colt, is the town's sheriff. Initially he's not thrilled with the arrival of Ridley in their small town. They 'banter' as 'enemies to lovers' for a few chapters and then it's a little insta for me.
It might not even be super insta but it all felt so formulaic. I felt like I'd read this before. I've only read one other Cowles book and it felt just like this one lol. There's a Hallmark undertone to these stories that I don't like. The dialogue is trite. The characters are cheesy.
The suspense was alright but it felt overshadowed by all the romance so the balance felt off to me.
I do still recommend this one - if you've enjoyed Cowles previously, you'll likely enjoy this one as well.
Also! Audio girlies! This one is narrated by Andi Arndt and Sebastian York - they did a fantastic job! 👏👏
And the cover is freaking gorgeous!
Expected Release Date - 01/07/2025
╰⪼ 💜True Crime Podcast FMC
╰⪼ 💗Sheriff MMC
╰⪼ 💜Grumpy ✘ Sunshine
╰⪼ 💗Forced Proximity
╰⪼ 💜Lovable Three-Legged Cat
╰⪼ 💗Small Town
╰⪼ 💜Romance ✘ Suspense
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
✨ Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the complementary advanced audio copy, all thoughts are my own. ✨
2.25 Stars
I REALLY wanted to like this book, and I'm sure many people will. But it just didn't work out so well for me.
We follow our FMC, Ridley - she's a murder podcast host who travels around the country to report on cold cases that are similar to the one she has a personal connection to.
Our MMC, Colt, is the town's sheriff. Initially he's not thrilled with the arrival of Ridley in their small town. They 'banter' as 'enemies to lovers' for a few chapters and then it's a little insta for me.
It might not even be super insta but it all felt so formulaic. I felt like I'd read this before. I've only read one other Cowles book and it felt just like this one lol. There's a Hallmark undertone to these stories that I don't like. The dialogue is trite. The characters are cheesy.
The suspense was alright but it felt overshadowed by all the romance so the balance felt off to me.
I do still recommend this one - if you've enjoyed Cowles previously, you'll likely enjoy this one as well.
Also! Audio girlies! This one is narrated by Andi Arndt and Sebastian York - they did a fantastic job! 👏👏
And the cover is freaking gorgeous!
Expected Release Date - 01/07/2025
╰⪼ 💜True Crime Podcast FMC
╰⪼ 💗Sheriff MMC
╰⪼ 💜Grumpy ✘ Sunshine
╰⪼ 💗Forced Proximity
╰⪼ 💜Lovable Three-Legged Cat
╰⪼ 💗Small Town
╰⪼ 💜Romance ✘ Suspense
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹
✨ Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the complementary advanced audio copy, all thoughts are my own. ✨
![Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1626057011i%2F10717098._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
January 3, 2025
All the Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles is a romantic suspense that took me completely by surprise! I have long loved Catherine’s books. But this one takes things to an even higher level. I loved everything about these characters, this little town, their pets, EVERYTHING!!!
Ridley Bennett is twenty seven years old. Five years previously from where this story begins, Ridley lost her twin sister. Lost as in taken, as in vanished, never found. Now, Ridley travels the country taking on cold cases of missing people and sharing her information on her podcast, Sounds Like Serial. Her podcast has become well known. Ridley is good at what she does. But she has never given up hope that somehow she’ll figure out what happened to her sister. Her latest case brings her to the small town of Shady Cove in Northern California. It’s a picture perfect little town but her first run in with the town sheriff didn’t go very well.
Colter Brooks has lived in Shady Cove all his life. He is now the Sheriff and takes the job of protecting the people of his town very seriously. Especially when a snarky trouble maker pulls into town in her crazy van asking questions that will only stir up trouble. If he had his way, she’d get right back into that van and head back out of town.
These two together were like oil and water. But, the more Colt got to know Ridley, learned her story, the more he softened towards her. And when danger found her, he knew he would do anything to keep her safe, including taking her home to stay with him where he could protect her.
As usual, Catherine takes us on a wild ride of twists and turns that keeps us guessing until the very end. She ends the story with a wonderful epilogue that left my heart full! Ridley is so smart, so confident, so snarky, so brave, so stubborn, and has the softest heart. The whole town falls in love with her. Colt is protective and stubborn and a bit grumpy. He is the perfect match for our Ridley. You are NOT going to want to miss this book. I could not put it down.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
January 7, 2026
soooo so so good!!!!
January 9, 2025
3.75 stars! 💫 Okay, so let’s talk about this small-town, crime-solving, grumpy-sheriff-meets-sassy-podcaster gem! 🕵️♀️🎙️ I ate this up like it was the last slice of pizza. We’ve got suspense, swoony moments, and enough small-town charm to make me want to pack up and move to Shady Cove.
Ridley, our fearless true crime podcaster, is SUCH a vibe. Her determination to bring closure to victims? 💪 Chef’s kiss. Colt, on the other hand, is your classic grumpy sheriff with a protective streak a mile wide—but sometimes, I wanted to shake him like, “Dude, trust her already!” 🙄
The mystery kept me guessing, though I did have a couple of suspects pinned. Did I guess right? Nope. Catherine had me fooled (again)! The suspense moments? 🔥 My heart was racing, and I couldn’t put it down.
Now, the romance... it was cute, but it felt a bit mechanical at times. Where’s the slow-burn tension or the stolen glances that make me swoon? 😕 I did enjoy their nicknames for each other, though, and how they supported one another through their traumas.
The side characters? 🐱🐶 Tater the tooth-hugging cat and Bowser the snuggly dog OWNED my heart. Plus, Emerson, and Trey added so much depth to the story—I’m dying for more of their stories!
If you’re into:
🌟 True crime vibes
🌟 Grumpy x sunshine romance
🌟 Small-town secrets
🌟 Emotional healing arcs
🌟 Twist-you-didn’t-see-coming endings
...then this book is worth picking up. Just don’t expect the romance to steal the spotlight—it’s more about the mystery and suspense.
CW: Abduction, loss of a sibling, past trauma, mentions of murder.
📖 Verdict: A fun, suspenseful read, but I needed more passion in the romance. Still, Ridley’s badassery alone makes it worth the read! 💥
Ridley, our fearless true crime podcaster, is SUCH a vibe. Her determination to bring closure to victims? 💪 Chef’s kiss. Colt, on the other hand, is your classic grumpy sheriff with a protective streak a mile wide—but sometimes, I wanted to shake him like, “Dude, trust her already!” 🙄
The mystery kept me guessing, though I did have a couple of suspects pinned. Did I guess right? Nope. Catherine had me fooled (again)! The suspense moments? 🔥 My heart was racing, and I couldn’t put it down.
Now, the romance... it was cute, but it felt a bit mechanical at times. Where’s the slow-burn tension or the stolen glances that make me swoon? 😕 I did enjoy their nicknames for each other, though, and how they supported one another through their traumas.
The side characters? 🐱🐶 Tater the tooth-hugging cat and Bowser the snuggly dog OWNED my heart. Plus, Emerson, and Trey added so much depth to the story—I’m dying for more of their stories!
If you’re into:
🌟 True crime vibes
🌟 Grumpy x sunshine romance
🌟 Small-town secrets
🌟 Emotional healing arcs
🌟 Twist-you-didn’t-see-coming endings
...then this book is worth picking up. Just don’t expect the romance to steal the spotlight—it’s more about the mystery and suspense.
CW: Abduction, loss of a sibling, past trauma, mentions of murder.
📖 Verdict: A fun, suspenseful read, but I needed more passion in the romance. Still, Ridley’s badassery alone makes it worth the read! 💥
February 26, 2025
Loved the mystery part of this romance! I found myself actually more interested in the case than the romance actually. I thought it was such a good read but it didn’t get 5 stars from me because it was predictable and didn’t give me the shock factor I was looking for but overall I really enjoyed it
April 12, 2025
"Loss and hurt could turn you bitter or it could make you appreciate love and life that much more"
This was such a beautiful read and experience as it's my first try with her books and I'm excited to read more. The story was so cute and heartfelt, I have a soft spot for plots based around characters that cross paths with someone and end up healing together from their traumas-- it doesn't matter how predictable the plot is it'll always hit🫠
Plot Summary
Ridley Sawyer, a true-crime podcaster who heads to a small town to investigate an old case that might be linked to her sister’s disappearance, thats when she crosses paths with the grumpy but protective sheriff, Colt Brooks. While sparks fly, danger creeps closer, forcing them to work together and maybe heal from the ghosts of their pasts.
This was such a beautiful read and experience as it's my first try with her books and I'm excited to read more. The story was so cute and heartfelt, I have a soft spot for plots based around characters that cross paths with someone and end up healing together from their traumas-- it doesn't matter how predictable the plot is it'll always hit🫠
Plot Summary
Ridley Sawyer, a true-crime podcaster who heads to a small town to investigate an old case that might be linked to her sister’s disappearance, thats when she crosses paths with the grumpy but protective sheriff, Colt Brooks. While sparks fly, danger creeps closer, forcing them to work together and maybe heal from the ghosts of their pasts.
July 16, 2025
⋆. 𐙚 ˚two / five stars ✰
i went into this with zerooo expectations because i’ve never read a romantic suspense before (other than mindf*ck i guess?) and i hear mixed things about catherine cowles. so the mind was open okay! i was prepared to either love it or hate it!
what i wasn’t prepared for, however, was how bored i would be from nearly page one.
for those who don’t know: this book follows ridley, who has a true crime podcast in which she explores unsolved cases in an effort to bring attention to it and/or solve it, after her own sister disappeared years ago when they were in college. she takes this case thinking it’s somehow related to her sister, and in this small town, enter colter, town sheriff, who she of course ends up falling in love with while solving the case.
ᯓ i hated both of them. colt, specifically in the first half of the book, was genuinely pissing me off so bad. he is so selfish and standoffish and rude. the book tries to convince us that it comes from a good place in his heart – okay, fine, i didn’t entirely buy that but whatever – but that doesn’t change the fact that he had me fuming at his attitude. and even when he “comes around” (if you can call it that) he’s still such an asshole. how am i expected to cheer for him? am i supposed to care about his feelings? do we really think he deserves my empathy?
and sure, guilt and grief and trauma affect people differently and make them act in certain ways. i get that. but the exploration of that in colt wasn’t done well imo, which is why, like i said, i just wasn’t buying that the attitude and demeanor was solely because of those things.
ridley was a little more tolerable, but i felt so indifferent towards her and got annoyed with her at times. ultimately i think both characters suffered from being flat and having a lack of personality traits.
ᯓ if i can’t connect to or root for the characters, of course i’m not going to like the romance either. it wasn’t a slow burn, but it wasn’t instalovey, but it wasn’t well-paced either. i’m not even really sure when the romance happened honestly? it’s like, the book was going along, then at 60% i was like oh hey there’s romance! either way, i didn’t feel any chemistry or connection between ridley and colt, to the point that i had to skip the two or three spice scenes because it made me want to barf.
note: she calls him “law man” unironically. because he’s the sheriff. my face is like 😐 rn. he calls her “chaos” which would’ve been cute if she was chaos but she wasn’t and it was forced.
ᯓ as for the mystery, it was very weirdly paced. it didn’t feel like we really had any grand revelations except for the one (mostly irrelevant) one with kerr towards the end. the “investigation” consisted of colt and/or ridley scouring over files and talking in circles. a few interviews that were useless to the reader and speculation from ridley that had absolutely zero supporting evidence. the big “twist” of who the unsub was was really ... sorta predictable, but mostly just really anticlimactic and unrealistic.
ᯓ tldr: this was a letdown for me, and you should save your time and not even look in this book’s direction. bad romance, bad mystery, just a really boring and, you guessed it, bad book. can’t say i’ll be reading more catherine cowles after this experience i fear.
𐙚⋆.˚pre-read
did i say i was gonna only read physical tbr books this month? yes. did i suddenly get an urge to read a romantic suspense? yes. so did i listen to the mood reader in me and am now reading my first catherine cowles on my kindle instead? yes.
but that was life. there couldn’t be true happiness without grief, no pleasure without pain.
i went into this with zerooo expectations because i’ve never read a romantic suspense before (other than mindf*ck i guess?) and i hear mixed things about catherine cowles. so the mind was open okay! i was prepared to either love it or hate it!
what i wasn’t prepared for, however, was how bored i would be from nearly page one.
for those who don’t know: this book follows ridley, who has a true crime podcast in which she explores unsolved cases in an effort to bring attention to it and/or solve it, after her own sister disappeared years ago when they were in college. she takes this case thinking it’s somehow related to her sister, and in this small town, enter colter, town sheriff, who she of course ends up falling in love with while solving the case.
ᯓ i hated both of them. colt, specifically in the first half of the book, was genuinely pissing me off so bad. he is so selfish and standoffish and rude. the book tries to convince us that it comes from a good place in his heart – okay, fine, i didn’t entirely buy that but whatever – but that doesn’t change the fact that he had me fuming at his attitude. and even when he “comes around” (if you can call it that) he’s still such an asshole. how am i expected to cheer for him? am i supposed to care about his feelings? do we really think he deserves my empathy?
and sure, guilt and grief and trauma affect people differently and make them act in certain ways. i get that. but the exploration of that in colt wasn’t done well imo, which is why, like i said, i just wasn’t buying that the attitude and demeanor was solely because of those things.
ridley was a little more tolerable, but i felt so indifferent towards her and got annoyed with her at times. ultimately i think both characters suffered from being flat and having a lack of personality traits.
ᯓ if i can’t connect to or root for the characters, of course i’m not going to like the romance either. it wasn’t a slow burn, but it wasn’t instalovey, but it wasn’t well-paced either. i’m not even really sure when the romance happened honestly? it’s like, the book was going along, then at 60% i was like oh hey there’s romance! either way, i didn’t feel any chemistry or connection between ridley and colt, to the point that i had to skip the two or three spice scenes because it made me want to barf.
note: she calls him “law man” unironically. because he’s the sheriff. my face is like 😐 rn. he calls her “chaos” which would’ve been cute if she was chaos but she wasn’t and it was forced.
ᯓ as for the mystery, it was very weirdly paced. it didn’t feel like we really had any grand revelations except for the one (mostly irrelevant) one with kerr towards the end. the “investigation” consisted of colt and/or ridley scouring over files and talking in circles. a few interviews that were useless to the reader and speculation from ridley that had absolutely zero supporting evidence. the big “twist” of who the unsub was was really ... sorta predictable, but mostly just really anticlimactic and unrealistic.
ᯓ tldr: this was a letdown for me, and you should save your time and not even look in this book’s direction. bad romance, bad mystery, just a really boring and, you guessed it, bad book. can’t say i’ll be reading more catherine cowles after this experience i fear.
𐙚⋆.˚pre-read
did i say i was gonna only read physical tbr books this month? yes. did i suddenly get an urge to read a romantic suspense? yes. so did i listen to the mood reader in me and am now reading my first catherine cowles on my kindle instead? yes.
January 9, 2026
A laugh burst out of me, the last sound I was expecting. "Is it fitting that I'm laughing and crying when I've told you I love you?"
He pulled me into him. "Baby, you're chaos. Of course it is."
4.5 stars
I absolutely DEVOURED this.
This book was exactly what I needed after some slightly disappointing books, and romantic suspense is usually a homerun for me, ESPECIALLY when it's Catherine Cowles.
Ridley was a pretty good FMC. She was really smart, empathetic, and treated her job with care and grace. She didn't take shit from anyone and let the MMC have it several times, which I really enjoyed. Wasn't super sold on her nickname for him, but what can you do.
But I super loved Colt's nickname for her. Chaos 😂I think Colt is a little more gruffer than CC's previous MMC's, but with a lot of good reason. But I liked seeing his character development once Ridley was there to pull his head out of his ass.
And I enjoyed the storyline as well. Sometimes in CC books there can be a lot of different storylines going against the main protagonists and so it can get overwhelming, but this one I think dialed that back and bit and made it more centralized.
And ho boy I cannot wait for Trey and Emerson 😍
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
He pulled me into him. "Baby, you're chaos. Of course it is."
4.5 stars
I absolutely DEVOURED this.
This book was exactly what I needed after some slightly disappointing books, and romantic suspense is usually a homerun for me, ESPECIALLY when it's Catherine Cowles.
Ridley was a pretty good FMC. She was really smart, empathetic, and treated her job with care and grace. She didn't take shit from anyone and let the MMC have it several times, which I really enjoyed. Wasn't super sold on her nickname for him, but what can you do.
But I super loved Colt's nickname for her. Chaos 😂I think Colt is a little more gruffer than CC's previous MMC's, but with a lot of good reason. But I liked seeing his character development once Ridley was there to pull his head out of his ass.
And I enjoyed the storyline as well. Sometimes in CC books there can be a lot of different storylines going against the main protagonists and so it can get overwhelming, but this one I think dialed that back and bit and made it more centralized.
And ho boy I cannot wait for Trey and Emerson 😍
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
January 20, 2025
📚'𝙼𝚈 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝚂'📚 can also be found on my blog: ╰┈➤KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
'𝐀L𝐋 𝐓H𝐄 𝐌I𝐒S𝐈N𝐆 𝐏I𝐄C𝐄S' Is a mystery, romantic suspense full length book by new to me author 'Catherine Cowles.'
'ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴇʟᴘᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ғɪɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪ𝚜𝚜ɪɴɢ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇ𝚜.
ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ𝚜 ɪ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇ ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ.'
SOOOOO I've seen this pop up on my GR feed a time or two, not my normal type of read, (but hey I never liked zombie books either, now look at me)
Once I #oneclicked this, I dived right in..Forgot about breakfast, lunch zoomed by and dinner is a thing in the past, that flew by too..lol And I didn’t even notice, other than the rumbling of my stomach…
Anywho..stating the obvious once I started, I couldn’t put it down..It just seemed so effortlessly how easily I was drawn into this book, from the get go I was hooked.
Ridley is a popular true crime podcaster going where the calling takes her, putting her skills and knowledge to the test and cracking cases wide open. It became personal for her when her sister went missing with no leads and slowly became another cold case statistic. With a feeling deep in her gut she arrives in the sleepy town of Shady Cove to investigate another cold case. This one also hits close to home due to her sisters own case, she also has a niggling feeling that a serial killer grabbed his first victim from Shady Cove who so happens to be Colt's sister.
Oh how I loved Ridley, how she didn't let tragedy define her, it became her driving force and strength to help others like herself find closure.
Colt is the small town sheriff who constantly suffers from foot and mouth disease, as soon as these two cross paths he stuffs up.
I really enjoyed this one, all those feels wrapped up in a giant knot of wool, the giggles came freely when it came to her over the top spoilt cat, the sadness of wanting closure for her twin, the banter between the hero and our heroine, definitely brought those grumpy and sunshine vibes, then both connecting on a higher level when it came to their siblings.
This author definitely has a way with words, and I’d really like to read something else by her if you’ve got any suggestions hit me up. Because this won’t be the last book I read of hers.
February 16, 2026
4.5⭐️
I swear on my entire life, Catherine Cowles has yet to not deliver a banger of a book!! I don't know what it is about her books, but they're so addicting and fun and so heartfelt. I have yet to read a book of hers that I don't like and honestly? I truly don't think she has a bad book and I'm determined to read everything else she's ever written.
The characters in this book were absolutely incredible. I really loved our FMC, Ridley, and her personality. She was such a strong main character and if I ever had a chance to meet a fictional character, I just know I'd get along with her. She's one of those characters that you just can't help but love and appreciate. I wasn't a massive fan of our MMC, Colt, but I did like him overall. This was very much a grumpy x sunshine book, but I did feel that he was more of an asshole rather than a typical grump. HOWEVER!!! His character is really redeemed as the book goes on and it took me a while but I inevitably fell in love with him. He has a tough exterior but inside he's just a marshmallow. 🙂↕️
I did have some issues with the chemistry between the two, though. I felt like the angst and yearning was a but superficial and it didn't flow as smoothly as I wanted it to, but by the end of the book I was all in and I appreciated how they were tied with a pretty bow by the end. I can't talk about this book and not mention all the side characters. PRINCESS TATER WAS MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IN THIS WHOLE BOOK AND IT WAS A DAMN CAT. 😭 Don't care she topped all of them! But with that being said the side characters were also amazing and they really did carry this book into what it was. All the diverse personalities and unique quirks they all had was just the cherry on top.
I couldn't help but absolutely ADORE the plot of this book!! Another thing that Catherine Cowles does is put together the perfect mix of romance and suspense/mystery. This felt so different from the other books of her if I were to compare, but I was just as invested. This book hooked me from the very beginning and I loved it every step of the way. It was fast paced and engaging and CRAZY (but in a good way). The writing was super easy to digest and everything was explained really well. There was a LOT going on at all times so it took a bit to keep up with it all, but it was so worth it.
After finishing this book, I just want to dive in head first into her backlist of books. This author is quickly becoming one of my favorites of all time at this point if it's not obvious by my reviews. 😅 Her books are just so addicting and so amazingly easy and fun to consume so you best believe I will be reading every book she has published. Can't wait to see what other journeys Catherine takes me on!!
ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ Qᴜᴏᴛᴇꜱ:
"It wasn't that light-your-soul-on-fire love. It was comfortable love," I admitted. "You deserve that burn-everything-to-the-ground love."
"Law Man," she started cautiously. "You okay?"
"Who. The. Hell. Did. This. To. You?"
"Be safe, Chaos. It's going to piss me the hell off if you end up dead." She grinned up at me.
"You say the sweetest things, Law Man."
"It's a bad idea," I rasped. "We'd be playing with fire." Those ocean eyes sparked.
"Then let's watch it burn."
But I went. Because not going would be admitting just how weak I was when it came to Ridley Sawyer Bennett.
"Should've told you before now. You look beautiful. A kind of beauty that would make any man stop in his tracks. But it's only matched by your fierceness." Those brown eyes sparked gold. "Show no mercy, Chaos."
"Haven't you figured it out yet, Chaos? You've had me breaking all the rules since the first day I met you."
"Colt, you helped me find all the missing pieces. Even the ones I didn't realize I needed."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: 🚐💜
It's been a long time since I've read a Catherine Cowles book but this one actually sounds so good?
I am still in the middle of the sparrow falls series and I absolutely adore it so I hope that this is as good!!
I swear on my entire life, Catherine Cowles has yet to not deliver a banger of a book!! I don't know what it is about her books, but they're so addicting and fun and so heartfelt. I have yet to read a book of hers that I don't like and honestly? I truly don't think she has a bad book and I'm determined to read everything else she's ever written.
The characters in this book were absolutely incredible. I really loved our FMC, Ridley, and her personality. She was such a strong main character and if I ever had a chance to meet a fictional character, I just know I'd get along with her. She's one of those characters that you just can't help but love and appreciate. I wasn't a massive fan of our MMC, Colt, but I did like him overall. This was very much a grumpy x sunshine book, but I did feel that he was more of an asshole rather than a typical grump. HOWEVER!!! His character is really redeemed as the book goes on and it took me a while but I inevitably fell in love with him. He has a tough exterior but inside he's just a marshmallow. 🙂↕️
I did have some issues with the chemistry between the two, though. I felt like the angst and yearning was a but superficial and it didn't flow as smoothly as I wanted it to, but by the end of the book I was all in and I appreciated how they were tied with a pretty bow by the end. I can't talk about this book and not mention all the side characters. PRINCESS TATER WAS MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IN THIS WHOLE BOOK AND IT WAS A DAMN CAT. 😭 Don't care she topped all of them! But with that being said the side characters were also amazing and they really did carry this book into what it was. All the diverse personalities and unique quirks they all had was just the cherry on top.
I couldn't help but absolutely ADORE the plot of this book!! Another thing that Catherine Cowles does is put together the perfect mix of romance and suspense/mystery. This felt so different from the other books of her if I were to compare, but I was just as invested. This book hooked me from the very beginning and I loved it every step of the way. It was fast paced and engaging and CRAZY (but in a good way). The writing was super easy to digest and everything was explained really well. There was a LOT going on at all times so it took a bit to keep up with it all, but it was so worth it.
After finishing this book, I just want to dive in head first into her backlist of books. This author is quickly becoming one of my favorites of all time at this point if it's not obvious by my reviews. 😅 Her books are just so addicting and so amazingly easy and fun to consume so you best believe I will be reading every book she has published. Can't wait to see what other journeys Catherine takes me on!!
ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ Qᴜᴏᴛᴇꜱ:
"It wasn't that light-your-soul-on-fire love. It was comfortable love," I admitted. "You deserve that burn-everything-to-the-ground love."
"Law Man," she started cautiously. "You okay?"
"Who. The. Hell. Did. This. To. You?"
"Be safe, Chaos. It's going to piss me the hell off if you end up dead." She grinned up at me.
"You say the sweetest things, Law Man."
"It's a bad idea," I rasped. "We'd be playing with fire." Those ocean eyes sparked.
"Then let's watch it burn."
But I went. Because not going would be admitting just how weak I was when it came to Ridley Sawyer Bennett.
"Should've told you before now. You look beautiful. A kind of beauty that would make any man stop in his tracks. But it's only matched by your fierceness." Those brown eyes sparked gold. "Show no mercy, Chaos."
"Haven't you figured it out yet, Chaos? You've had me breaking all the rules since the first day I met you."
"Colt, you helped me find all the missing pieces. Even the ones I didn't realize I needed."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: 🚐💜
It's been a long time since I've read a Catherine Cowles book but this one actually sounds so good?
I am still in the middle of the sparrow falls series and I absolutely adore it so I hope that this is as good!!
January 8, 2025
This is a tropey mess with a weak climax, cringeworthy dialogues, and the author gaslighting me into believing this bland heroine is so captivating that she ropes in allies in a single day. The mystery somewhat kept me engaged, but the rest? Stupid and half-baked.
November 16, 2024
If you love true crime and podcasts and romantic suspense, you HAVE to pick this book up! Catherine uses her magic touch to combine all of those elements into one of my new favorite romance novels she's ever written!
Ridley is a true crime podcaster who is visiting Shady Cove where she thinks a serial killer had his first victim. Unfortunately, Colt is the sheriff in town and doesn't want her sniffing around and bothering the people in his town and bringing up old trauma. Ridley is determined to find the truth, though, so she breaks down the case and Colt finds himself helping her along the way.
The hate to love tension between Ridley and Colt was EVERYTHINGGGGGG and I loved how Ridley slowly broke down Colt's walls until he couldn't resist her anymore. This suspense kept me on the edge of my seat and I was SHOCKKEEDDD by the villain. But it's Catherine Cowles, so why would I be expecting anything else!?
We had a fun cast of characters in this small town and I loved discovering the town along with Ridley as she was digging deeper into this case. I also loved Colt's sister and his best friend!
Everything about this book was perfection and I couldn't recommend it enough!!! You HAVE to pick this up when it releases in January!
Ridley is a true crime podcaster who is visiting Shady Cove where she thinks a serial killer had his first victim. Unfortunately, Colt is the sheriff in town and doesn't want her sniffing around and bothering the people in his town and bringing up old trauma. Ridley is determined to find the truth, though, so she breaks down the case and Colt finds himself helping her along the way.
The hate to love tension between Ridley and Colt was EVERYTHINGGGGGG and I loved how Ridley slowly broke down Colt's walls until he couldn't resist her anymore. This suspense kept me on the edge of my seat and I was SHOCKKEEDDD by the villain. But it's Catherine Cowles, so why would I be expecting anything else!?
We had a fun cast of characters in this small town and I loved discovering the town along with Ridley as she was digging deeper into this case. I also loved Colt's sister and his best friend!
Everything about this book was perfection and I couldn't recommend it enough!!! You HAVE to pick this up when it releases in January!
January 16, 2025
𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆.
First Catherine Cowles' book, and the way I’m hitting myself for not reading her sooner! This was utter perfection, and to those girlies who love mystery/true-crime & romance: this one is for you! 🕵️♀️💕
You have Ridley, a true-crime podcaster, who hits up a small town 🌾 to get into the nitty-gritty of a cold case that may be the missing piece to her true motive: finding out what happened to her twin sister the night she disappeared. What she least expected was meeting the Sheriff of the town, Colt Brooks, and, well, you know, FALL IN LOVEEEEEE 😍
𝑰 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕. 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕, 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔, 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒉 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑮𝒐𝒅𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄.
This book is filled with trauma that Ridley experienced due to her sister’s disappearance, but it also shows how resilient she is with her past and how she fights with it every day. But let’s not forget Colt, he also has trauma from his own experiences. Aka we see both of them heal, and it’s so beautiful and raw
𝑯𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝑰 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏.
The banter, the tension, and let’s not forget the connection between these two really hooked me even more into the book besides the mystery elements that had me dying to know more DUH 🔎. I loved it so much!! The author really gave us the best of both worlds with this book!
“𝑳𝒂𝒘 𝑴𝒂𝒏…𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕?” 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒃𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒎. “𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒚, 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒐𝒔.” “𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒚,” 𝑰 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅, 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈. “𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕.”
Does this book have spice? YES, IT DOES!!! So read accordingly 😉🔥
tropes
🌾 small town romance
🌾 mystery genre elements
🌾 fmc true crime podcaster x mmc town's sheriff
🌾 dislike to lovers
🌾 forced proximity-ish
🌾 no third act breakup
🌾 grumpy x sunshine
Thank you Netgalley and Catherine Cowles for an opportunity to review this book in exchange for an eARC!
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚ my first book from Catherine Cowles and all I heard is amazing things from her! fingers crossed this one delivers!
First Catherine Cowles' book, and the way I’m hitting myself for not reading her sooner! This was utter perfection, and to those girlies who love mystery/true-crime & romance: this one is for you! 🕵️♀️💕
You have Ridley, a true-crime podcaster, who hits up a small town 🌾 to get into the nitty-gritty of a cold case that may be the missing piece to her true motive: finding out what happened to her twin sister the night she disappeared. What she least expected was meeting the Sheriff of the town, Colt Brooks, and, well, you know, FALL IN LOVEEEEEE 😍
𝑰 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕. 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕, 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔, 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒉 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑮𝒐𝒅𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒄.
This book is filled with trauma that Ridley experienced due to her sister’s disappearance, but it also shows how resilient she is with her past and how she fights with it every day. But let’s not forget Colt, he also has trauma from his own experiences. Aka we see both of them heal, and it’s so beautiful and raw
𝑯𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝑰 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏.
The banter, the tension, and let’s not forget the connection between these two really hooked me even more into the book besides the mystery elements that had me dying to know more DUH 🔎. I loved it so much!! The author really gave us the best of both worlds with this book!
“𝑳𝒂𝒘 𝑴𝒂𝒏…𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕?” 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒃𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒎. “𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒚, 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒐𝒔.” “𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒚,” 𝑰 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅, 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈. “𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕.”
Does this book have spice? YES, IT DOES!!! So read accordingly 😉🔥
tropes
🌾 small town romance
🌾 mystery genre elements
🌾 fmc true crime podcaster x mmc town's sheriff
🌾 dislike to lovers
🌾 forced proximity-ish
🌾 no third act breakup
🌾 grumpy x sunshine
Thank you Netgalley and Catherine Cowles for an opportunity to review this book in exchange for an eARC!
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚ my first book from Catherine Cowles and all I heard is amazing things from her! fingers crossed this one delivers!
January 8, 2025
4.5 💫 the perfect palette cleanse doesn’t exi- NEVER F**KING MIND IT DOES AND I FOUND IT <3
the character dynamics, the writing, the MAN, the PLOT, THE MAN???? Colter Brooks #1 stan idfk you guys never have I felt this way about a hot cop before. down astronomically bad. this was the most unique lil’ contemporary romance I’ve read in so long! it’s giving Elsie Silver but make it Criminal Minds!
ashamed of myself quite frankly - catherine cowles I was NOT aware of your game. reminds me of Indigo Ridge tbh but I loved it even more
the character dynamics, the writing, the MAN, the PLOT, THE MAN???? Colter Brooks #1 stan idfk you guys never have I felt this way about a hot cop before. down astronomically bad. this was the most unique lil’ contemporary romance I’ve read in so long! it’s giving Elsie Silver but make it Criminal Minds!
ashamed of myself quite frankly - catherine cowles I was NOT aware of your game. reminds me of Indigo Ridge tbh but I loved it even more
January 15, 2025
3⭐️
Ohh I had such high hopes for this one but I think it really fell flat :( I found that I wasn’t gripped by this book, or excited to pick it back up at any point, it wasn’t bad by any means just not high stakes or exciting enough for me to be hooked on it!
This follows Ridley, a true crime podcaster who visits Shady Cove to try and solve a string of abductions and murders over the last decade, as she believes it’s the same person who took her twin sister. It’s a small town, everyone knows everyone’s business and people don’t take to kindly to her at first, especially not the sheriff Colt, who happens to be the victims older brother.
It has really good tropes-
Grumpy x sunshine
Small town
Romantic suspense
Dislike to love
However I just did not feel connected to Colt or Ridley at all throughout this and I didn’t believe in there initial connection either. I did like Ridley’s character she was so fiery, and I liked that about her, but I didn’t think the balance of romance and plot worked well
I thought the twist felt SO flat, I thought it was going to be something twisty and clever but it just revealed someone who you may not have seen coming and that to me felt average 🤷🏽♀️ I didn’t find the investigating or anything exciting or page turning it was a bit slow I think for me!
Ohh I had such high hopes for this one but I think it really fell flat :( I found that I wasn’t gripped by this book, or excited to pick it back up at any point, it wasn’t bad by any means just not high stakes or exciting enough for me to be hooked on it!
This follows Ridley, a true crime podcaster who visits Shady Cove to try and solve a string of abductions and murders over the last decade, as she believes it’s the same person who took her twin sister. It’s a small town, everyone knows everyone’s business and people don’t take to kindly to her at first, especially not the sheriff Colt, who happens to be the victims older brother.
It has really good tropes-
Grumpy x sunshine
Small town
Romantic suspense
Dislike to love
However I just did not feel connected to Colt or Ridley at all throughout this and I didn’t believe in there initial connection either. I did like Ridley’s character she was so fiery, and I liked that about her, but I didn’t think the balance of romance and plot worked well
I thought the twist felt SO flat, I thought it was going to be something twisty and clever but it just revealed someone who you may not have seen coming and that to me felt average 🤷🏽♀️ I didn’t find the investigating or anything exciting or page turning it was a bit slow I think for me!
December 6, 2024
oh catherine cowles the woman that you are!!!!
CC has always been one of my favorite suspenseful romance authors, i think she is absolutely phenomenal at creating all sorts of scenarios that have you guessing the entire time what in the hell is happening, with this one the twist at the end absolutely knocked me on my ass lol my jaw was on the FLOOOOOR.
i really enjoyed the concept of this book, this is my first book where a MC is a true crime podcaster and it was super fun, i liked that she had a really big stake in her career and one hell of a reason for doing what she does. i have been a big true crime person since i was around 12, forensics really caught my intrigue back then so naturally i became a listener of tc podcasts and i feel like you can definitely tell who is in it for the weird or wrong reason and who is genuinely doing this to help others. so for ridley to be super passionate in the way that she was i loveeeeed
this was a phenomenal grumpy x sunshine, colt was such a fucking asshole lol and all ridley gave him was sassy cheer and killed him with kindness, it made their interactions a ton of fun!!
im so excited to see where this series will go, i think its off to one hell of a start 🤠
CC has always been one of my favorite suspenseful romance authors, i think she is absolutely phenomenal at creating all sorts of scenarios that have you guessing the entire time what in the hell is happening, with this one the twist at the end absolutely knocked me on my ass lol my jaw was on the FLOOOOOR.
i really enjoyed the concept of this book, this is my first book where a MC is a true crime podcaster and it was super fun, i liked that she had a really big stake in her career and one hell of a reason for doing what she does. i have been a big true crime person since i was around 12, forensics really caught my intrigue back then so naturally i became a listener of tc podcasts and i feel like you can definitely tell who is in it for the weird or wrong reason and who is genuinely doing this to help others. so for ridley to be super passionate in the way that she was i loveeeeed
this was a phenomenal grumpy x sunshine, colt was such a fucking asshole lol and all ridley gave him was sassy cheer and killed him with kindness, it made their interactions a ton of fun!!
im so excited to see where this series will go, i think its off to one hell of a start 🤠
February 6, 2025
A true crime podcaster with a take-no-prisoners attitude walks into a small town and immediately clashes with the grumpy local sheriff? Yeah, I was hooked.
Ridley is bold, curious (in the best way), and dead set on cracking a cold case that might be tied to her sister’s disappearance. Then there’s Colt, a walking thunderstorm who wants nothing more than for her to pack up and leave. Spoiler: she's not going anywhere. The tension between them? So thick you could cut it with a knife. But their bond, forged through shared trauma, felt so real—especially Colt’s initial hesitance, given how protective he is of his family.
Plus, the mystery kept me on my toes, had me suspicious of everyone and second-guessing every theory I came up with—only to be wrong every single time. And that twist at the end? Yeah, I did not see that coming.
I loved the true crime podcast element, which was such a unique way to unravel the story. This was a fantastic intro to Catherine Cowles’ books, and it definitely won’t be my last!
Read this if you like:
❤️🔥 Small Town
❤️🔥 Romantic Suspense
❤️🔥 Grumpy x Sunshine
❤️🔥 Podcaster x Sheriff
🚨🚨 TW: Kidnapping, violence, grief, murder, sexual assault
Ridley is bold, curious (in the best way), and dead set on cracking a cold case that might be tied to her sister’s disappearance. Then there’s Colt, a walking thunderstorm who wants nothing more than for her to pack up and leave. Spoiler: she's not going anywhere. The tension between them? So thick you could cut it with a knife. But their bond, forged through shared trauma, felt so real—especially Colt’s initial hesitance, given how protective he is of his family.
Plus, the mystery kept me on my toes, had me suspicious of everyone and second-guessing every theory I came up with—only to be wrong every single time. And that twist at the end? Yeah, I did not see that coming.
I loved the true crime podcast element, which was such a unique way to unravel the story. This was a fantastic intro to Catherine Cowles’ books, and it definitely won’t be my last!
Read this if you like:
❤️🔥 Small Town
❤️🔥 Romantic Suspense
❤️🔥 Grumpy x Sunshine
❤️🔥 Podcaster x Sheriff
🚨🚨 TW: Kidnapping, violence, grief, murder, sexual assault
January 8, 2025
There are some thriller writers who attempt to inject romance into their work, and romance authors who try to dabble in thrillers. But Catherine Cowles has done the remarkable here - created a true romantic thriller where not one genre nor the other steals the show.
While there are significant amounts of romance in this one, the missing person cases were incredibly engaging and very eerie, and as we follow Ridley as she uncovers more and more details about what may have happened to her sister, the thriller vibes ran deep. But just as things feel a little too creepy for comfort, Cowles leads us right back to the fun grumpy x sunshine romance involving the local hottie sheriff, providing the perfect juxtaposition to the more serious.
I’m not the first person to say this, but I have to agree that this is Cowles best book yet. And if you are a fan of audiobooks, I’d suggest that route given the podcast nature and the fan favorite narrators, Andi Arndt and Sebastian York.
Read if you like:
▪️romantic suspense with thriller vibes
▪️true crime podcasts
▪️small town
▪️grumpy x sunshine
▪️forced proximity
Thank you Catherine Cowles and Dreamscape Media for the gifted copies.
While there are significant amounts of romance in this one, the missing person cases were incredibly engaging and very eerie, and as we follow Ridley as she uncovers more and more details about what may have happened to her sister, the thriller vibes ran deep. But just as things feel a little too creepy for comfort, Cowles leads us right back to the fun grumpy x sunshine romance involving the local hottie sheriff, providing the perfect juxtaposition to the more serious.
I’m not the first person to say this, but I have to agree that this is Cowles best book yet. And if you are a fan of audiobooks, I’d suggest that route given the podcast nature and the fan favorite narrators, Andi Arndt and Sebastian York.
Read if you like:
▪️romantic suspense with thriller vibes
▪️true crime podcasts
▪️small town
▪️grumpy x sunshine
▪️forced proximity
Thank you Catherine Cowles and Dreamscape Media for the gifted copies.
January 4, 2025
5 STARS
When a book brings you to tears at just the dedication, you know you're in for a 5 star. And you know what? I was not wrong. This book had me in a full chokehold from the minute I picked it up and to the minute I finished it. I loved every bit of this story, from the main characters, the small town, the suspense, the fun secondary characters, the sweet pets, and everything in between.
I knew from the second Ridley appeared on the pages that I would love her. This woman is the epitome of strength and I loved how she used the most unimaginable tragedy to drive her to help others find peace. For the past 5 years, her paid has fueled her purpose. And her latest purpose drives her to a town that she is convinced holds the missing piece to finally unraveling a 5 year old tragic mystery.
Colt is the town sheriff who from the second he meets Ridley, manages to put his foot in his mouth at every turn. I loved the antagonistic chemistry between these two almost as much as I loved their bickering. And boy was there bickering. This was only made better by Ridley's adorable three legged cat with a penchant for biting her affection.
I loved the slow burn chemistry between Colt and Ridley. I love Ridley's tenacity and Colt's protectiveness. And god did I love them together.
The romance was seamlessly woven into the suspense plot and it was sheer perfection. It amplified everything about the story and I couldn't get enough of these two together. The story kept me glued to the pages, eager for answers but also dreading to be done. I was instantly enraptured by this town and its citizens and I was so sucked into the mystery that I was completely incapable of setting the book down for even a minute.
If you're looking for a romantic suspense with just the right amount of spice, you need to check this one out.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
As if Ridley had a radar for my emotions, her gaze cut to me. “Law Man,” she started cautiously. “You okay?”
“Who. The. Hell. Did. This. To. You?”
When a book brings you to tears at just the dedication, you know you're in for a 5 star. And you know what? I was not wrong. This book had me in a full chokehold from the minute I picked it up and to the minute I finished it. I loved every bit of this story, from the main characters, the small town, the suspense, the fun secondary characters, the sweet pets, and everything in between.
I knew from the second Ridley appeared on the pages that I would love her. This woman is the epitome of strength and I loved how she used the most unimaginable tragedy to drive her to help others find peace. For the past 5 years, her paid has fueled her purpose. And her latest purpose drives her to a town that she is convinced holds the missing piece to finally unraveling a 5 year old tragic mystery.
Colt is the town sheriff who from the second he meets Ridley, manages to put his foot in his mouth at every turn. I loved the antagonistic chemistry between these two almost as much as I loved their bickering. And boy was there bickering. This was only made better by Ridley's adorable three legged cat with a penchant for biting her affection.
Colt stared at me, jaw going slack. “Tooth…hugs?”
I nodded. “It’s how she shows affection.”
I loved the slow burn chemistry between Colt and Ridley. I love Ridley's tenacity and Colt's protectiveness. And god did I love them together.
“Don’t,” she whispered.
“It’s a bad idea,” I rasped. “We’d be playing with fire.”
Those ocean eyes sparked. “Then let’s watch it burn.”
The romance was seamlessly woven into the suspense plot and it was sheer perfection. It amplified everything about the story and I couldn't get enough of these two together. The story kept me glued to the pages, eager for answers but also dreading to be done. I was instantly enraptured by this town and its citizens and I was so sucked into the mystery that I was completely incapable of setting the book down for even a minute.
If you're looking for a romantic suspense with just the right amount of spice, you need to check this one out.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
January 13, 2026
Catherine Cowles is a new author to me and after reading this book she now has another fan. I liked that this book was set in a small town because we all know small towns have their secrets, and who doesn’t love reading about them?
The romantic suspense in this story added another element to the plot, which was well written, and I enjoyed getting to know each character. A delightful and entertaining read. Highly recommended.
The romantic suspense in this story added another element to the plot, which was well written, and I enjoyed getting to know each character. A delightful and entertaining read. Highly recommended.
March 7, 2025
So good.
He nicknamed her Chaos and her cat routinely attacked him.
I’ll write a better review for this at some point but it was a perfect mix of mystery, enemies to lovers, emotional backstories and great side characters.
Also I want a three legged attack cat now.
He nicknamed her Chaos and her cat routinely attacked him.
I’ll write a better review for this at some point but it was a perfect mix of mystery, enemies to lovers, emotional backstories and great side characters.
Also I want a three legged attack cat now.
January 16, 2025
yeahhhhhhhhhh catherine devoured
September 24, 2025
Reread, Sept 2025:
I’d been wanting to reread this one for a while and finally got back to it. I love the audiobook for this one and getting back to Shady Cove, Law Man & Chaos, Tater the cat, Emerson, and everyone else! If romantic suspense is your jam, this is a great one to get to with a dash of small town romance between a true crime podcaster x grumpy town sheriff!
1st Read, Dec 2024:
All the Missing Pieces is a new, romantic suspense from Catherine Cowles and this delivers on small town, true crime, and suspense!
“Colt, you helped me find all the missing pieces. Even the ones I didn’t realize I needed.”
Ridley is a true crime podcaster (Sounds like Serial) who investigates cold cases hoping to find answers for families. She ends up in Shady Cove for a story she wants to work on that she has a personal attachment to as well. There she meets Colt, the grumpy sheriff in town who is not happy with her poking around in town. He has personal reasons why he doesn’t want her in town stirring things up, but he also isn’t a fan of anyone trying to come in town and exploit their tragedy. Over time, they both figure out more about one another and as Ridley breaks down the walls, he starts to help her on the case instead!
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Chaos? You’ve had me breaking all the rules since the day I met you.”
I’m always a sucker for a Catherine Cowles book, she does romantic suspense so well and I couldn’t wait to see how this story played out! The prologue immediately grabbed my attention and I was along for the ride with Ridley. The personal, emotional connections both Ridley and Colt have to the story was just so well done. I really enjoyed this one, plus fell in love with another small town and slew of characters Catherine wrote! All the moments: Law Man and Chaos, Tater the cat, glow in the dark stars on the ceiling, Emerson (oh how I love her), Bowser the dog, all the side characters, the true crime aspect! Another win from Catherine Cowles, I hope we get more in Shady Cove! 👀
I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own!
I’d been wanting to reread this one for a while and finally got back to it. I love the audiobook for this one and getting back to Shady Cove, Law Man & Chaos, Tater the cat, Emerson, and everyone else! If romantic suspense is your jam, this is a great one to get to with a dash of small town romance between a true crime podcaster x grumpy town sheriff!
1st Read, Dec 2024:
All the Missing Pieces is a new, romantic suspense from Catherine Cowles and this delivers on small town, true crime, and suspense!
“Colt, you helped me find all the missing pieces. Even the ones I didn’t realize I needed.”
Ridley is a true crime podcaster (Sounds like Serial) who investigates cold cases hoping to find answers for families. She ends up in Shady Cove for a story she wants to work on that she has a personal attachment to as well. There she meets Colt, the grumpy sheriff in town who is not happy with her poking around in town. He has personal reasons why he doesn’t want her in town stirring things up, but he also isn’t a fan of anyone trying to come in town and exploit their tragedy. Over time, they both figure out more about one another and as Ridley breaks down the walls, he starts to help her on the case instead!
“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Chaos? You’ve had me breaking all the rules since the day I met you.”
I’m always a sucker for a Catherine Cowles book, she does romantic suspense so well and I couldn’t wait to see how this story played out! The prologue immediately grabbed my attention and I was along for the ride with Ridley. The personal, emotional connections both Ridley and Colt have to the story was just so well done. I really enjoyed this one, plus fell in love with another small town and slew of characters Catherine wrote! All the moments: Law Man and Chaos, Tater the cat, glow in the dark stars on the ceiling, Emerson (oh how I love her), Bowser the dog, all the side characters, the true crime aspect! Another win from Catherine Cowles, I hope we get more in Shady Cove! 👀
I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own!
March 6, 2026
Ok fine. I get it. I fully understand the Catherine Cowles obsession. I'm fucking hooked. The way this book sucked me right the fuck in from page one. I didn't want to put the book down. Responsibilities? Who is she? She didn't exist when this book was in my hands.
Listen, before you roast me for waiting so long to read a Catherine Cowles book 🫣 I had my reasons. One of which, I always fear very popular books and authors won't live up to the hype for me. But I will admit, I have FOMO. Seeing all of my friends rave about Catherine and their suspects lists gave me such FOMO, I knew it was time for me to take the plunge and dive right in. Now I choose All the Missing Pieces because it's a standalone and didn't want to be stuck in a series and let me tell you... I'm FULLY sat! OBSESSED! Like I stated above, the way this book sucked me and wouldn’t let me go til the very bitter end. I loved everything about this one and it was exactly what I needed to pull me out of a reading slump. So yeah, I fully understand the Catherine Cowles obsession because I am now part of the fandom. Good luck getting rid of me now!
This book was so damn good! I love a very plot heavy book that will continue to have me guessing to the bitter end and if do as well, then this is the book for you! There is not a single thing about this book that I would change. I loved the plot. Loved the suspense. I loved my suspect list. I loved Ridley and Colt. These two have such tragic pasts and little do they know, those tragic pasts are connected, which only further had me invested on how this book was going to play out. I also really loved the meddling small town.
What I was not expecting? Crying. I did not in a million years expect Catherine to make me cry at the end of this book. Ridley has spent years trying to solve the disappearance of her twin sister through her true crime podcast. The grief that she has every day but how she decided to live her life to the fullest for her twin sister who would never see another day made me teary eyed, I won't deny that. I just really enjoyed reading how everyone was able to find peace with their tragic and traumatic pasts. Watching Ridley, Colt and Emerson heal was truly beautiful. Bringing Avery home was truly a beautiful ending 🥹 Ok now I'm getting teary eyed just thinking about it.
You should most definitely read this book if you like:
- Small Town Romance
- True Crime Podcasts
- Romantic Suspense
- Sheriff x Podcaster
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Hate to Love
- Hurt/Comfort
- Tragic Pasts
- Who did this to you?
Listen, before you roast me for waiting so long to read a Catherine Cowles book 🫣 I had my reasons. One of which, I always fear very popular books and authors won't live up to the hype for me. But I will admit, I have FOMO. Seeing all of my friends rave about Catherine and their suspects lists gave me such FOMO, I knew it was time for me to take the plunge and dive right in. Now I choose All the Missing Pieces because it's a standalone and didn't want to be stuck in a series and let me tell you... I'm FULLY sat! OBSESSED! Like I stated above, the way this book sucked me and wouldn’t let me go til the very bitter end. I loved everything about this one and it was exactly what I needed to pull me out of a reading slump. So yeah, I fully understand the Catherine Cowles obsession because I am now part of the fandom. Good luck getting rid of me now!
This book was so damn good! I love a very plot heavy book that will continue to have me guessing to the bitter end and if do as well, then this is the book for you! There is not a single thing about this book that I would change. I loved the plot. Loved the suspense. I loved my suspect list. I loved Ridley and Colt. These two have such tragic pasts and little do they know, those tragic pasts are connected, which only further had me invested on how this book was going to play out. I also really loved the meddling small town.
What I was not expecting? Crying. I did not in a million years expect Catherine to make me cry at the end of this book. Ridley has spent years trying to solve the disappearance of her twin sister through her true crime podcast. The grief that she has every day but how she decided to live her life to the fullest for her twin sister who would never see another day made me teary eyed, I won't deny that. I just really enjoyed reading how everyone was able to find peace with their tragic and traumatic pasts. Watching Ridley, Colt and Emerson heal was truly beautiful. Bringing Avery home was truly a beautiful ending 🥹 Ok now I'm getting teary eyed just thinking about it.
You should most definitely read this book if you like:
- Small Town Romance
- True Crime Podcasts
- Romantic Suspense
- Sheriff x Podcaster
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Hate to Love
- Hurt/Comfort
- Tragic Pasts
- Who did this to you?
April 21, 2025
Not a new plot by any means, but enjoyed it. Full review soon.
January 12, 2025
This didn't work for me at all.
Repeated words:
burnt oranges/oranges = 14
Nickname Law Man = 32 (insert eyeroll)
Nickname Chaos: 52 (so frigging annoying)
Execution is everything. I liked the plot but I called it. I like my heroines to have flaws and Ridley was just too perfect.
Repeated words:
burnt oranges/oranges = 14
Nickname Law Man = 32 (insert eyeroll)
Nickname Chaos: 52 (so frigging annoying)
Execution is everything. I liked the plot but I called it. I like my heroines to have flaws and Ridley was just too perfect.
September 1, 2025
Half mystery/thriller, half romance...this really took me back to my Sandra Brown days. If you enjoyed her books, this would probably be up your alley. This, though, has a cozy element to it. Less gritty than Sandra, in a wholesome-adjacent small town setting of Shady Grove with all its interesting personalities with only one bar, one café, etc. This isn't cozy though; the subject matter is rough.
I liked the main characters; however, there were soooo many side characters. On one hand, it was useful to the 'whodunit' twist to have that many names in the hat. I actually was surprised at the end, so there's that. It does, for me, leave me a little unsatisfied that all these characters were introduced and never seen from again.
The romance was fine. A love/hate thing that makes me wonder how anyone could be so lustful for the other. If I had to hear one more time about Ridley's walls during a sex scene 🙄🤮.
3.5⭐️, rated down. It is a good fast-paced slump buster if you're in one. I don't think there's a lot of depth here that will stick with me long-term.
I liked the main characters; however, there were soooo many side characters. On one hand, it was useful to the 'whodunit' twist to have that many names in the hat. I actually was surprised at the end, so there's that. It does, for me, leave me a little unsatisfied that all these characters were introduced and never seen from again.
The romance was fine. A love/hate thing that makes me wonder how anyone could be so lustful for the other. If I had to hear one more time about Ridley's walls during a sex scene 🙄🤮.
3.5⭐️, rated down. It is a good fast-paced slump buster if you're in one. I don't think there's a lot of depth here that will stick with me long-term.
May 31, 2025
3,0 ✨✨✨
(Audiobook)
(Audiobook)
January 21, 2025
I am slightly biased because Tater, the three legged cat, is named after *my* cat Tater, but I absolutely loved this!!!!
I always have the best time reading Catherine's books, but I loved the podcaster spin on this one!
I always have the best time reading Catherine's books, but I loved the podcaster spin on this one!
July 22, 2025
all the missing pieces
⌗ jul. 20 - jul. 21
⤿ 4 stars
༉ thoughts - spoilers ahead
this book was fun and i honestly didn’t even see the plot twist coming.
the mystery was interesting and i don’t think that the romance ever overshadowed the plot at any point. the romance involve considering that this is classified as a romantic suspense was a bit of a worry for me but i enjoyed it.
the story of the kidnapping/murders was so intriguing. ridley’s job as a podcaster was so fun and not something that i have read before. colt was rude at the beginning but i honestly understood as the book progressed
i saw some mixed reviews from many people but i think i had a good understanding of what this book was about going in and i enjoyed the story.
༉‧₊˚. pre - read
this is more suspense and mystery with romance than thriller but i want to expand my book taste further than just fantasy and romance. heard this was a good book so i’m excited to get into it :))
⌗ jul. 20 - jul. 21
⤿ 4 stars
༉ thoughts - spoilers ahead
this book was fun and i honestly didn’t even see the plot twist coming.
the mystery was interesting and i don’t think that the romance ever overshadowed the plot at any point. the romance involve considering that this is classified as a romantic suspense was a bit of a worry for me but i enjoyed it.
the story of the kidnapping/murders was so intriguing. ridley’s job as a podcaster was so fun and not something that i have read before. colt was rude at the beginning but i honestly understood as the book progressed
i saw some mixed reviews from many people but i think i had a good understanding of what this book was about going in and i enjoyed the story.
༉‧₊˚. pre - read
this is more suspense and mystery with romance than thriller but i want to expand my book taste further than just fantasy and romance. heard this was a good book so i’m excited to get into it :))
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