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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
WOW. Just when I thought I knew the play twist, I was WRONG. This book was phenomenal.
3.5 ⭐️
Mystery plot - 4⭐️
Romance - 3⭐️ — just fell a little flat for me.
Mystery plot - 4⭐️
Romance - 3⭐️ — just fell a little flat for me.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
If you’re into true crime, podcasts, and romantic suspense, this book is an absolute must-read! Catherine Cowles has seriously outdone herself, blending all those elements into what might just be her best novel yet. It had me hooked from start to finish, with just the right mix of suspenseful mystery and swoony romance.
The story follows Ridley, a true crime podcaster who’s come to the small town of Shady Cove to investigate what she believes is a serial killer’s first victim. Enter Colt, the grumpy local sheriff who wants nothing to do with Ridley poking around his town or stirring up old wounds. Naturally, sparks fly as Ridley’s determination and Colt’s resistance clash, and let me tell you, their hate-to-love tension is EVERYTHING. Watching Ridley break down Colt’s walls with her sass and sunshine was so satisfying—I couldn’t get enough of their banter!
But the romance isn’t the only highlight. The mystery kept me on the edge of my seat, and just when I thought I had it figured out—BAM! That twist knocked me flat. Seriously, my jaw hit the floor. The balance between the eerie, suspenseful vibe of the missing persons case and the heartwarming (and sometimes hilarious) romance was spot-on. Cowles really knows how to keep you guessing while delivering all the feels.
And let’s talk about Shady Cove—it’s the kind of small town that feels alive, with a cast of side characters you can’t help but love. Discovering the town alongside Ridley was so much fun, and Colt’s sister and best friend brought even more charm and depth to the story.
If you love grumpy x sunshine romance, small-town vibes, true crime podcasts, or forced proximity tropes, you need to pick this one up. It’s Catherine Cowles at her best, and I’m already calling this one of my top reads of the year.
The story follows Ridley, a true crime podcaster who’s come to the small town of Shady Cove to investigate what she believes is a serial killer’s first victim. Enter Colt, the grumpy local sheriff who wants nothing to do with Ridley poking around his town or stirring up old wounds. Naturally, sparks fly as Ridley’s determination and Colt’s resistance clash, and let me tell you, their hate-to-love tension is EVERYTHING. Watching Ridley break down Colt’s walls with her sass and sunshine was so satisfying—I couldn’t get enough of their banter!
But the romance isn’t the only highlight. The mystery kept me on the edge of my seat, and just when I thought I had it figured out—BAM! That twist knocked me flat. Seriously, my jaw hit the floor. The balance between the eerie, suspenseful vibe of the missing persons case and the heartwarming (and sometimes hilarious) romance was spot-on. Cowles really knows how to keep you guessing while delivering all the feels.
And let’s talk about Shady Cove—it’s the kind of small town that feels alive, with a cast of side characters you can’t help but love. Discovering the town alongside Ridley was so much fun, and Colt’s sister and best friend brought even more charm and depth to the story.
If you love grumpy x sunshine romance, small-town vibes, true crime podcasts, or forced proximity tropes, you need to pick this one up. It’s Catherine Cowles at her best, and I’m already calling this one of my top reads of the year.
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This follows Ridley, a true crime podcaster who arrives in Shady Cove to speak to the victim of a botched kidnapping attempt a decade earlier, as Ridley believes that incident was the unsub's first foray into violence and that the same person is responsible for multiple abductions and murders since then, too. Shady Cove is a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business, and people don’t take kindly to Ridley at first once they learn why she is there, not Sheriff Colt, who happens to be the reclusive victim's older brother and doesn't want some podcaster coming in and upsetting his baby sister, but especially not the unsub themselves, who soon sets their sights on Ridley.
Another case of "I liked it but didn't love it." I enjoy Catherine's work, I like her writing style and characterization, and find her plotlines entertaining, if not a bit formulaic. This was entertaining; I liked the town, the characters, and the premise of the story, but it just didn't grip me the way I hoped it was going to. The "twist" was a straight line for me; I saw it coming a mile off. There was one brief moment where I thought Catherine was going to take this down a surprisingly twisty road, and had she done so, I would've been seriously impressed. But alas, no rug was pulled from under me, and therefore I found the ending a bit meh.
The romance and chemistry between Ridley & Colt was okay, again a bit too rushed for me, and they went from constant bickering to friends with benefits, but the bickering was about topics too serious for them to just be able to sweep it aside for a visit to pound town, ya know? Like, what do you mean, one second Colt is accusing you of doing something seriously shady, and then the next you're hopping on the good foot and doing the bad thing? Maybe it's just me and my ability to hold a grudge that means I can't see how that would happen. Lol
Andi Arndt and Sebastian York deliver stellar performances as always and were a joy to listen to. I just wanted more from this than it gave, I think, even though I liked it and was entertained by it; it just didn't hit the spot the way I thought it would.
"That was the thing these monsters didn't realize They thought they were only ending one life, but it was SO many more. The ripple effect of cruel violence that would live on for generations to come, all of us still breathing branded by it."
"Julie never recovered from what happened to her little girl,'" Celia whispered. "Even though she got her back, she saw monsters everywhere."
"It's easy to do when you've seen the evil out there,"' I told Celia. "It just means we have to hold onto the good that much more. The only thing that can cast out darkness is light."
"Damn it. I was a sucker for a woman who appreciated a good sunset. Even more for a woman who had a taste for my whiskey. I stared at Ridley for a long moment, knowing there wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop her unless I put her in a jail cell. Even then I wasn't sure the bars would hold her. So I did the only thing I could.
"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."
Another case of "I liked it but didn't love it." I enjoy Catherine's work, I like her writing style and characterization, and find her plotlines entertaining, if not a bit formulaic. This was entertaining; I liked the town, the characters, and the premise of the story, but it just didn't grip me the way I hoped it was going to. The "twist" was a straight line for me; I saw it coming a mile off. There was one brief moment where I thought Catherine was going to take this down a surprisingly twisty road, and had she done so, I would've been seriously impressed. But alas, no rug was pulled from under me, and therefore I found the ending a bit meh.
The romance and chemistry between Ridley & Colt was okay, again a bit too rushed for me, and they went from constant bickering to friends with benefits, but the bickering was about topics too serious for them to just be able to sweep it aside for a visit to pound town, ya know? Like, what do you mean, one second Colt is accusing you of doing something seriously shady, and then the next you're hopping on the good foot and doing the bad thing? Maybe it's just me and my ability to hold a grudge that means I can't see how that would happen. Lol
Andi Arndt and Sebastian York deliver stellar performances as always and were a joy to listen to. I just wanted more from this than it gave, I think, even though I liked it and was entertained by it; it just didn't hit the spot the way I thought it would.
"That was the thing these monsters didn't realize They thought they were only ending one life, but it was SO many more. The ripple effect of cruel violence that would live on for generations to come, all of us still breathing branded by it."
"Julie never recovered from what happened to her little girl,'" Celia whispered. "Even though she got her back, she saw monsters everywhere."
"It's easy to do when you've seen the evil out there,"' I told Celia. "It just means we have to hold onto the good that much more. The only thing that can cast out darkness is light."
"Damn it. I was a sucker for a woman who appreciated a good sunset. Even more for a woman who had a taste for my whiskey. I stared at Ridley for a long moment, knowing there wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop her unless I put her in a jail cell. Even then I wasn't sure the bars would hold her. So I did the only thing I could.
"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."
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book surprised me in the best way. I expected the suspense and small-town charm (because it’s Catherine Cowles! 🏡), but what stuck with me most was Ridley—how she carried her grief like a mission, not a burden. Turning her sister’s disappearance into a reason to help others through her podcast? That hit deep. 🎙️💔
The tension between her and Colt was such a great slow burn. He’s the classic grumpy sheriff with a heart of gold 🖤 and their emotional push-and-pull had me hooked. Their banter, their healing, the dog—and yes, even the cat—made everything feel real and layered.
And speaking of the cat… Tater completely stole my heart. His toothless “hugs” 🐾 had me laughing out loud in between all the emotional gut punches. Cowles always nails those small, cozy details that make a story feel like home.
I didn’t see the twist coming (and I always try to guess 😅), and the ending left me in tears. This wasn’t just a romance—it was about loss, justice, and finding your footing again when everything’s changed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)
The tension between her and Colt was such a great slow burn. He’s the classic grumpy sheriff with a heart of gold 🖤 and their emotional push-and-pull had me hooked. Their banter, their healing, the dog—and yes, even the cat—made everything feel real and layered.
And speaking of the cat… Tater completely stole my heart. His toothless “hugs” 🐾 had me laughing out loud in between all the emotional gut punches. Cowles always nails those small, cozy details that make a story feel like home.
I didn’t see the twist coming (and I always try to guess 😅), and the ending left me in tears. This wasn’t just a romance—it was about loss, justice, and finding your footing again when everything’s changed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No