Reviews

Beautifully Broken Life by Catherine Cowles

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mssnicolee's review

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adventurous challenging emotional inspiring mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

4.75

lilyya's review

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4.0

4.5 stars.

The way Catherine Cowles has to drawn damaged heroines with shy personalities and no faith in men is sheer ecstasy.

Tessa was running from an abusive ex while Liam was running from his success. Something ugly happened with one of his fans and he wanted to pull away before the media get a hold of the story and twist it. They both end up "hiding" in Sutter Lake.

I was intrigued and wanted to know more about Tessa since her first appearance in the previous book. And I certainly wasn’t disappointed in her character. She was so kind and gentle even after all what she went through. Tessa was always searching for ways to hide or blend into the crowd. Up until Liam, who saw LITERALLY through her.
He was so perfect for her. Patient, understanding and so
attentive and caring, thoughtful around her. (I can go on and on praising Liam

ri_ri's review

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4.0

“Sometimes, it takes life breaking apart for it to get you where you’re truly meant to be.”

Catherine Cowles is now one of my favourite small town romance author. I can never get enough of her books, stories, characters and her alluring mysteries. This is my third book by her and I am hell bent on reading every book written by her.

Just like this book's title, the story is beautiful and broken, it's about two broken people who are running away or hiding away from their life that gave them nothing but pain and hurt. Tessa the fmc is a heroine in hiding, she's been living in Sutter lake for two years, built a safe life for herself, sworn off men after running away from her abuse ex-fiance. Liam is also hiding in Sutter lake after the tragic incident that made him scared of his fame, he is in writer's block but feels motivated to write some music whenever he sees Tessa.

“Why do you put up with…” She trailed off without finishing, as though she couldn’t find the right words.
… “Because I think you’re worth knowing.”

Tessa is Liam' muse and his newly found passion and hope, but she is desperately trying to stay away from Liam because she has no faith in men. She wants him but can't have her because of his famous status. But there is a connection between these two that's hard to ignore and Liam is determined to make Tessa see that he is one of the good guys. Between the horseback riding lessons, self-defense sessions to going on little dates with their furry kitten and to taking care of each other, they developed a strong and compassionate friendship but Liam wants more and he will do anything to prove Tessa that he will never be careless with her heart and her soul.

➸ Tessa: Tessa is this kind, shy, scared but also a strong woman who had ran away and come through hell but she alone had made sure she was safe and now she is trying to get her life back. Her story broke my heart and I loved how she broke the walls she built around her heart and life to protect herself one by one by herself but also with the help of the people who loved her. I liked her personal growth and healing journey and how she's now trying to live her life to the fullest without any fear of being caught.

“You’ll find your voice again. And I can’t wait to hear what you have to say.”

➸ Liam: I loved Liam and his sweet and tender and kind-hearted personality. How he was so patient with Tessa and helped her regain her confidence about herself and how he earned her trust little by little, how he just waited and didn't pushed Tessa until she let him in her life. He was so devoted, attentive and understanding and the way he paid attention to Tessa and her triggers just so he could make her feel safe and loved. It was precious and endearing.

“She might not recognize it, but there was a whole slew of people on her team now, and I planned on being the fucking team captain.”

╰┈➤ Tessa and Liam

I loved the romance and the chemistry between Liam and Tessa was tangible and amazing. They are perfect for each other and not just because how they helped each other heal from their trauma but also because of how well they understood each other. Their relationship was so well constructed and they go from strangers to friends to lovers and it was a beautiful, slow and steady transition. I enjoyed every moment of how they fell in love with each other and how they opened up to each other about their past that had broken them. They both needed someone to trust and love and even though this was the slowest of slow-burn with how they both intended to stay as friends for the most part of this book, it was perfect the way it was. The epilogue was the cutest and the perfect ending for Liam and Tessa's story.

“Never apologize for sharing yourself with me. Hard things you've been through, amazing things you've experienced...I want to know everything. I want it all. Every last piece of you.”

I am so excited to read the next books in this series but especially I am excited to read Jensen and Tuck's book! Single mom and brother's best friend? I already know I am gonna love their book.