Beneath a Midnight Moon

Starlight Grove #3

by Catherine Cowles

The limited deluxe edition includes designed edges

He’s spent years trying to outrun his tortured past. She’ll do anything to forget all he was to her. But one reckless plea will change everything for good… Marry me.

Aster Carrington wasn’t sure she’d ever return to Starlight Grove—the town that broke her trust and destroyed everything she once believed in. But when her grandfather needed help on the ranch, the therapist known for helping others heal had no choice but to face the ghosts she had buried long ago. What she never expected was the man she once loved to be waiting in the shadows for all these years…and that marrying him might be the only thing to keep her and her beloved ranch safe.

Maverick Archer has built a life in the flames: smokejumper, firefighter, adrenaline junkie—anything to outrun the shadows of his family’s violent legacy and the grief of losing the only girl he’s ever loved. But when Aster surges back into his life, the fire he’s fought to snuff out roars back to flame. Only this time, the danger isn’t just in his blood. It’s coming for her.

As long-buried secrets surface and a killer’s obsession threatens to destroy everything they’ve rebuilt, Aster and Mav must decide if some scars are reminders of survival or warnings of a past that refuses to stay buried.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Small Town Romance, Fiction, Second Chance

448 pages, Paperback

Expected publication November 17, 2026

About the author

Writer 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.

Reviews

[Catherine Cowles]

🌕𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝑴𝒊𝒅𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑴𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒂𝒍🌕

Now that you know book 3 is Maverick and Aster’s story, how about I show you the STUNNING covers for this one?! I’m so in love with this one! The horses just make me emo. 🥹 And when you see Aster’s bond with them and this ranch you’ll understand why.

If I had to describe this book in three words it would be this: ROLLERCOASTER, YEARNING, FIERY-BANTER. (yes, I cheated on that last one)

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://catherinecowles.com/pages/ben...

A huge thank you to @cigarsinthesummertime @booknmoods for the stunning paperback cover and @trcdesigns for the couple cover magic! I’m so obsessed with these book babes!

[Halo]

Honestly, I don't know if Catherine Cowles sleeps at all.
3 books in a year?! Yes Romantic Mystery Queen, I will read them all.

[Salma (inactive)]

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

˖ ֹ੭୧pre-release:⊹ ࣪ ⑅

Aster and Maverick are giving me Kennedy and Isaiah vibes. 🤭 I bet his story will hurt a lot; it's always the funny ones.

⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ starlight grove
✦︎☆┇ Across the Vanishing Sky - 4.25 stars
✦︎☆┇ Into the Fading Twilight -5 stars

[Melissa]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME WITH THAT TROPE REVEAL AT THE END OF INTO THE FADING TWILIGHT!!!!!!!

Ahhhh I knew Maverick & Aster were gonna get a book and I’m right 💜

[Casey Reads 🌸]

Maverick is my favorite character so can’t wait for this!

[The Bern Book]

Rating: ★★★★★
ARC Review: Yes
I received an advance copy of this book from Bloom Books in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: November 17, 2026

Standalone or Series: Book 3 in a series of interconnected standalones (Starlight Grove)
POV: First Person, Dual
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Pacing: Medium
Third-Act Breakup: No
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Cliffhanger: No
Reread-worthy: YES YES YES

Tropes:
✵Childhood Friends to Enemies to Lovers
✵Marriage of Convenience
✵Found Family
✵Forced Proximity

Synopsis: Aster never thought she’d return after running from Starlight Grove, but when her grandfather calls for help on the ranch, she returns to the place that holds lots of trauma for her. One of those traumas revolves around Maverick, her childhood best friend who she thinks abandoned her during her worst moment. Maverick has been running from his past for as long as he could remember; finding thrills in any adrenaline inducing activities. Returning to Starlight Grove means her life is now intertwined with Mavericks again, but she refuses to be sucked into his orbit again. But when marrying the man who haunts her past is the only option to save the ranch, Aster will do whatever she must to protect her grandfather’s legacy.

My Thoughts: Wow. Catherine Cowles has never let me down. When the main trope of this book was revealed at the end of Into the Fading Twilight, I knew this would be my favorite book in the series. I was already in love with Maverick from my glimpses of him in the first two books of the series, but I was even more sucked in when I got to see more of his personality. Despite his dark past, he still had a goofy side to him.

I am such a sucker for marriage of convenience, and when you add an enemies to lovers element to it I am SOLD. Seeing how Aster and Maverick slowly moved from hatred to reluctant friends to love was so sweet. Aster was such a strong FMC despite everything she has been through, and I was so broken hearted for her. She did not let her past define her future and I loved how she continued to push forward and work towards helping others with her therapist career.

The storyline flowed so flawlessly in this one, and all the pieces fell together perfectly in the end. This was another Catherine book where I did not guess the unsub. The twist in this one made me gasp out loud. I had a slight inkling about who was sabotaging but I was very much wrong. There were so many twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat.


This was such an easy 5 star read, and I flew through it. I am now so eager for book 4.

Although this is technically an interconnected standalone and can be read first, I very much recommend reading the first two in the series first.


Follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more!

[Amelia Blackmon]

Title: Beneath a Midnight Moon
Author: Catherine Cowles
Series: Starlight Grove, 3

Format: Edelweiss ebook
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️
POV’s: Aster (FMC) & Maverick (MMC)

What to expect:
*Second chance romance
*Marriage of convenience
*Family rivalry & trauma

Safety:
On page child abuse and neglect. On page house fires. Attempted murder. Slight OW/OM drama, no cheating. No third act breakup.

Review:
Another fabulous story in the Starlight Grove series! Maverick and Aster never had an easy upbringing, both suffering immense pain and torture from those who were supposed to love and take care of them. Oddly enough, what ripped them apart is what brings them back together. This time, stronger and more determined to make it work with each other!

But as always, there is someone working to keep them apart. Someone that doesn’t think they deserve love and happiness. Someone that will do everything possible to keep them apart forever.

I truly thought I had it figured out, it was right there, I had finally been able to figure out who the “bad guy” was in a Catherine Cowles book!! Then I got to chapter 49. Ms Cowles said bitch please, sit down and finish reading the story!

Thank you to the author, Bloom Books, Sourcebooks, and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review this title!

[Aeman]

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

Pre-release:
Alright, its time to start getting ready to witness the comedian turn into a tragedian.

[Alex]

Listen I don’t know how she keeps doing it, but she gets me every time! What sorcery do you yield, Catherine Cowles?!?

[Jessi]

5 ⭐️
Ebook 📖 - ARC courtesy of Edelweiss+ and Bloom Books

Tropes:
Marriage of Convenience
Enemies-to-Lovers
Second Chance
Childhood Friends
Found Family
Hurt/Comfort
Small Town
Romantic Suspense

This is by far my favorite in the series! Rarely do I find middle books in a series shine the way “Beneath a Midnight Moon” does. I devoured it in a day. I loved diving into Maverick and Aster’s love story - two kids who find each other at a time when they need their own “hero.” Catherine Cowles wove a beautifully deep story about love lost and how love can find its way back again.
Couple that with much suspense, horrible family (hers), and a marriage of convenience, this book somehow wove it all together. As for the mystery of what drove them apart - I guessed it early on but still shed tears when it played out on the page. I’m not one who loves the miscommunication trope but Cowles handled it with a skilled hand!
Our beloved Archer family returns in all their glory! We also met some of Maverick’s firefighting friends and Aster’s ranch hands. [Side note: I would love little side stories with HEAs on some of these characters!] We also meet and fall in love with Aster’s nephew Eli who lights up the page and a great addition. I also can’t forget a few new furry family members (Scout will have you laughing)!
I believe this book is also setting up a plot for the next book - a missing person case the Archer company was looking into. I’m pretty sure it also shows that Livie is the FMC is for Wylder in the next book and it might be a enemies-to-lovers (or at least dislike-to-lovers) and maybe with a dash of close proximity. I can’t wait to continue diving into the world of Starlight Grove!

Thank you again to Edelweiss+ and Bloom Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Reighlynn Parsley]

First of all I cant even being to explain how thankful I am I got to read this book and read it so early.

When I tell you I knew this was my man from the moment I met him on page.. (AND ORION) I was NOT WRONG. And ASTER?=ME.

10/10. This was absolutely incredible. I don’t want to spoil to much. But this SLOW BURN, Friends to Enemies to Lovers was absolutely perfect.

First of all, the PROLOUGE….. I read that and immediately put the book down for A WEEK. I needed a second, I was not expecting that. And I needed to COMPOSE MYSELF before I picked this back up.

These two characters were written so perfectly, the fire and ice between them worked soooo well, the storyline that was created for these two past and present kept you hooked the entire time.

Everything that came inbetween, PERFECT.

The ending HEARTBREAKING, PERFECTION, EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER.

Being so invested in these two characters and them as a whole made me SO DAMN PROUD when I realized who the bad guy was and getting this right. I will be a MENCE moving forward about this. I AM DANG PROUD. I have 3 pages worth of notes regarding this book…lol

As always catherine knocked this out of the park. I CANT wait for the next book…… AND IM SORRRRY I CANT FREAKING WAIT FOR ORION…. OMFG.

[Elizabeth Neal]

Thoughts:

1. I don't want to miss a minute with this family, yet there have been implications in the previous books that this will be second chance(ish) and that, while apart, Maverick moved on...a lot. Sometimes while taking a shot on another woman in FRONT of Aster. That's a dick move.

[Morgan 📚]

ARC Review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️/5

YALL! This is the twistiest, plot twist after plot twist Catherine book yet! Like the amount of twists this book took at the end had me SHOCKED! I guessed none of it, and my jaw was dropped!

Maverick and Aster had history, and it was so emotional watching them work through it. Also Maverick holds the #1 spot for my favorite Archer! (Until Orion’s book!)

This whole book was full of plot and so many moving parts, and Catherine really knows how to write it all so smoothly. I’m forever a Catherine Cowles fan, and this book further solidified it.

I loved getting the peek at Wylder’s girl and I have questions after that ending.

(Also the amount of times Orion watched stuff from the tree line has dark romance me hoping we get some light stalking from him)

[Whispering Chapters]

Every time I think Catherine cannot possibly surpass her previous books—because they’re already amazing and mind blowing with the twists and connections—she does.

Beneath a Midnight Moon was absolutely wonderful in its writing, plot, characters—all-around entertaining, heartfelt, and thrilling.

The writing had a softness to it that I don’t think I’ve encountered in Catherine’s previous works.

The plot was so expertly crafted, never losing the sense of the story while adding more points that, to anyone else might’ve been hard to keep up, but Catherine handle it so well. I’m still reeling from the reveal and how it all connected—seriously, I was like, “Oh my gosh, of course! It was right there!” But Catherine truly has a way of luring and entertaining her readers so well, that it makes you really feel the shock.

What can I say about the wonderful cast of characters that I haven’t already said in her other books? The Archer family is so supportive. They really are the kind that would help you hide a body, no questions asked. They’re so loving and caring, always ready to lend a helping hand.

I loved the romance! Aster and Maverick’s bickering and back-and-forth was hilarious to read, while also painful because you could just imagine what might’ve happened between them to lead to where they’d ended up.

The romance felt slower than the others, which I appreciated. It felt so natural and organic, almost like Aster and Mav had their own timeline. All the time I was reading, I felt like I was being wrapped in their love.

Overall, another absolute banger by the queen of small town romantic suspense!

I received an eARC for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Heather]

Listen. Look. Look and listen. The scream I gave when I got the notification that I was approved for this ARC was a bit much. But I have loved the other books in this series - and pretty much all of Catherine Cowles books. I was so stoked to get to read Maverick and Aster's book. The tease at the end of the one before it just made me all the more eager for it.

Truthfully, I devoured this book. And I knew I would, so I had to wait to read it for when I knew I'd have time to just sit and read it. I had to wait for a good bit because ~responsibilities~ and other life stuff. I'm glad I didn't have to pause. This book was quite the ride. I loved that it was a slower burn, and we got to see some of Aster and Maverick's friendship from when they were kids. The tension in this book, for the plot and the romance, was perfect. All of the little details were really well done, and the more sensitive plot points were handled with care.

I am still waiting for the day that I guess who did it, though this one did have a couple different culprits. One was obvious, but I was very wrong about the other. Maybe in the next book. Catherine Cowles just manages to do a perfect romantic suspense. All of the plot elements and characters are well-balanced and things develop at a reasonable pace and in a believable manner. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC. So far, I'm three for three in this series, and I hope I can get the others as well. I'll probably end up buying them all as well. I've already bought the first two.

[Jaidyn]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This might actually be one of my favorite Catherine Cowles books ever. Aster and Maverick were just 🤌🏻 chef’s kiss.

The past betrayal. The hate to love. The marriage of convenience. The history and tension between these two. I ate every single bit of it up. There’s just something about two people who have every reason to stay far, far away from each other being forced into close proximity while carrying around YEARS of hurt feelings that really does it for me apparently.

And, as always, I played my favorite little game when reading a Catherine Cowles book: Can I figure out who the bad guy is before she tells me?

AND GUYS. I WON.

Do you understand how rarely this happens?! Catherine usually has me confidently pointing fingers at someone completely innocent while the actual villain is lurking in the background. 😂 This time, I called it!

But because she apparently couldn’t let me have the victory completely, there was still a little something extra thrown in that had me going, “WAIT. WHAT?!” So yes, I technically won…but Catherine still got the last laugh.

And the AUDIO?! I loved that each brother had his own male narrator. Having a full cast for them made each character feel so distinct and added so much to the listening experience. The female narrator was fantastic too, and overall this was such a fun production to listen to.

Aster and Maverick might officially be one of my favorite Catherine Cowles couples. The angst, the history, the chemistry, the forced marriage…I loved it all.

🎧 I received an advanced listening copy of Beneath a Midnight Moon in exchange for an honest review.

[Jeraca]

I am absolutely loving this series by Catherine Cowles! It's my first dip into her books but I have a feeling I'll be reading the whole backlog soon.

I really enjoyed Maverick and Aster's story! With the amount of passion they've shown in book 1 and 2, I knew they would have a dramatic novel to get through the past issues. This is a very slow burn and had a bit of a different vibe than the previous books since it had a different overarching story line. The banter and sarcasm between these two were top notch. Still has the Archer drama of course, and getting bigger with each book!

I YET AGAIN did not see the prime suspect coming until right before the reveal. I'm not sure what magic Catherine Cowles has, but I'm always surprised by who the culprit is for each book so far and I'm LOVING that!

I did, however, predict the couple for book 4 way before that reveal so I was pleased with myself at that moment :)

This series has been in my head since I read book 1 and I don't foresee that changing until we get to the end of the series. I'm not sure why I love it so much, but I adore everything about them including the suspense/mystery story line, the Archer family and their upbringing, WAYLON and his shenanigan's. It's a great mix of so many pieces that blend really well together and leaves a lasting impression on me. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this and now I will be waiting forever for the next installment since I was blessed enough to read this story so early! Definitely a must read series for me!

[Hannah]

I always devour a Catherine Cowles novel, and BENEATH A MIDNIGHT MOON was no exception—I finished it in less than 24 hours. I genuinely could not put it down.

A marriage of convenience, childhood friends to “enemies” to lovers, AND a second chance romance? All of my favorite tropes paired with Catherine’s signature romantic suspense made this such a fantastic read.

The Archer family continues to be one of my favorite parts of this series. All of the brothers have such distinct personalities and their own struggles, and I love getting to see all the different shades of this family as the series unfolds.

I had been SO curious about Maverick and Aster’s story, and Catherine absolutely did not disappoint. I love how expansive the world of Starlight Grove is becoming, and I’m hoping we get to keep exploring it—and spending time with all of these characters—as the series continues.

I’m also loving the overarching mystery surrounding the Archer brothers and Starlight Grove. I need to know what is going on, and I especially cannot wait to see what’s in store for Wylder and Orion in the next two books!

BENEATH A MIDNIGHT MOON releases 11/17/2026.

Thank you to Bloom Books for the advance reading copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Abigail]

Thank you Bloom Books and Catherine Cowles for the ARC and ALC of the third book in the Starlight Grove series.

I inhaled this book! It had so many delicious tropes (marriage of convenience, touch her and die, friends but also enemies to lovers, found family) and no one writes a down bad man like Catherine Cowles.

I went through a full range of emotions reading Beneath a Midnight Moon, often within the same chapter. It is a tough story to take in, full of senseless cruelty and pain, but also so beautiful in its healing. I loved Aster from the first time we met her, and have been so excited for hers and Mav’s story. It was feisty, intense, spicy, funny, and full of so much love.

Favorite quote: “You showed me all the different colors love could be, and painted the damn rainbow all around us.”

I absolutely adore the Archer brothers, Uncle Waylan, and the families they’ve built - their little community feels like coming home every time I read a new book in the series. I can’t wait for the next one!

🎧: I’m obsessed with this entire series being multi-cast narrated by the same male narrators, so the Archer brothers voices remain consistent.

[Kyler]

A slow burn from Catherine Cowles? This is my dream... I've had enough of the insta-love romances lately, so this was perfect for me! I've been loving the Starlight Grove series so far and they keep getting better.

Aster and Maverick may have been childhood friends, but one traumatic night broke them apart and started a decades long rivalry. When people from Aster's past threaten to take her ranch from her, Maverick proposes a solution (literally). Cue the fake engagement, forced proximity, and the inevitable confrontation out of what really happened between them all those years ago.

This was the first Catherine Cowles book that I didn't guess the ending! I'm excited to see what story comes next... I've got my money on Wylder.

(I could have done without the 800 mentions of the dog humping Maverick's leg? That was so weird and pointless)

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloom for this eARC!

[Stefanie]

Like always, Catherine Cowles knows how to write a page turner. My expectations on how the story would progress was very different than how it played out but I still really enjoyed it.

This was a very slow burn. I'd thought we'd hit the ground running with how the last book ended but it took us till about 30% to get there. Even though it wad unexpected, I enjoyed how thr story flowed.

Are the nicknames getting better or am I being worn down? I did chuckle a few times with Aster's nicknames for Maverick. I still wish they would not be used as frequently.

The ending was wild. There were a lot of pieces to this story that I wasn't convinced would come together in the end but they did nicely.

Even though this book can be read as a standalone, I reccomend reading these in order or at the very least reading the first book. There are very big spoilers for other stories.

Rated 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

[Kayla Huebner]

Mav and Aster’s story!!! I am OBSESSED.

The freaking twists and turns had me completely hooked, and I genuinely did not want to put this book down. Watching the youngest brother finally get his happily ever after was THE BEST. I’ve been so invested in these brothers from the beginning, and I’m loving watching them grow into this adorable little family unit with their wives and kids. My heart just can’t handle it.

I am truly obsessed with Starlight Grove and these families, and I am absolutely not ready for my time there to end. Catherine, please just keep them coming because I will happily stay in this world forever. I mean can't Eli have his happy ending in 15 years?

Also, I NEED Wylder’s story ASAP! Book 4, hurry up!!!

Favorite Quote: "Take care of my best girl, since I can't" really ripped out my heart with that one, huh Catherine?!

Thanks to Catherine Cowles and Bloom Books for this ARC.

[Erin]

Thank you to Edelweiss for this ARC. I've read everything Cowles has written and this one certainly doesn't disappoint. While the slow burn of this book was VERY slow, it was worth it to see the happy ending. Aster and Maverick have a very complicated history and abandonment on both sides made trusting hard for both of them. Maverick being there for Aster no matter what either of them felt was peak green flag material. He's definitely a cinnamon roll hero with more than a touch of Cowles' signature alpha male protecting his love! As always, the brothers came in clutch for each other when it was needed and their love for each other and Waylon is always so obvious. I'm so excited for the next one and can't wait to see who falls next.

[Lindsay Jenkins]

🌙 Beneath a Midnight Moon by Catherine Cowles ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Catherine Cowles did it AGAIN. 😭 The yearning, tension, banter, and emotional healing between Aster and Maverick completely pulled me in. Their complicated history made the second-chance romance feel so satisfying, while the marriage of convenience added even more delicious tension.

And of course, the suspense! Just when I thought I had things figured out, Catherine threw another twist at me. The Archer family, the small-town atmosphere, the ranch, and all the emotional moments made this such an addictive read.

A slow-burn romance packed with angst, chemistry, mystery, and ALL the feels. Maverick and Aster absolutely stole my heart. 🖤🌙

5/5 ⭐️ | Highly recommend!

[Jamie]

I have really been enjoying this series and was so excited to get the arc for this one, and the only reason it is not 5 stars is because this is a slooooow burn, so if that's your thing, this book is for you. This is a second chance romance so I guess there had to be some build up, but damn did it take a while! The other two books really set the stage for this book and I recommend reading them first to understand all of the context. The characters and the chemistry was so believable that I was so invested and impatient for them to get together. The suspense was woven in to the story well, although honestly the twist at the end was a little much. If you like some romantic suspense, second chance and some enemies to lovers, then check this out. I really like this series and can't wait to read more.

[McKenzi]

This book was absolutely amazing. The prologue gives us a hint on why Maverick and Aster don't get along but I never expected that to be the issue! I loved seeing Maverick and Aster slowly reform that close connection we see in the prologue and overcome the hurdles coming at them. Each chapter truly gave us a better feeling of each character. All I have to say is WOW and in typical Catherine fashion, she made my jaw drop at who the villain was. I truly did not see it coming at all and I really thought I nailed it in this book!

Thank you to Edelweiss and Bloom for granting me an eARC of this terrific book!

[Jxmineeflowers]

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ (If I could give 10 stars I would)
ARC REVIEW:
When I tell you I can't begin to explain how excited I was to be approved for this arc and boy did it NOT disappoint.
I knew from the back and forth between Mav and Aster in both ATVS and ITFT that I was going to absolutely love their story and I was 10000% correct. The slow burn; The misunderstanding; The longing; The love/hate relationship, it all had me completely sat and unable to put it down. Not only do we get the past love, we get the new love and every single time I thought I couldn't be shocked more; I was proven wrong.
Now I can't decide if I need Wylder or Orion next.

[Mary]

Aster Carrington 📌Maverick Archer

[Samantha]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the advanced reader copy! I devoured the first two books in this series without realizing the third wasn’t out yet and was devastated until I remembered that NetGalley exists and I could potentially get access to the third book on here! And thankfully I did!
I love a friends to lovers, second chance romance and this book delivered on that. Cowles does a great job of weaving together romance and intrigue. Always layering small town crimes, protective MMCs and twisty finales in a way that is so consumable. Once again I find myself wishing I had access to the next book in the series already!

[Annie]

I just love this series so much! The twists and turns are exactly what you expect from Catherine but are still so surprising every time. I love a good second chance romance. The yearning and the heartache were top tier. Aster broke my heart with all she went through in her childhood. Maverick is so much deeper than his thrill seeker persona lets on. They need each other just as much now as they did in their youth. Watching them find their way back to each other was so satisfying. I always recommend Catherine Cowles and this book is exacly why. I recieved an advanced copy of the audio book.