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A review by sienasummerrreads
Beautiful Exile by Catherine Cowles
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
Diving straight into this review—if you’ve read Catherine’s work, you know she writes a lot of small-town suspense romances. The last twelve books I’ve read by this author have followed this pattern, with similar ways of revealing who is responsible or behind the attacks. As I’ve mentioned in many of my reviews, I would not want to be a woman in these small-town romances because they are always the target.
I have to be honest—I feel like maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace while reading this one. Don’t get me wrong, I love Catherine’s work, but I don’t know if I’m burning out from the same book setup every time, just with different execution. I will say I love how the FMC was a strong character this time that really stood out.
But I didn’t find myself invested in this storyline or its characters. There were some beautiful moments, great spice, and strong family dynamics, but I really struggled this time with seeing the same patterns play out. I’ve also become frustrated with the reveal of who is behind the attacks. Every time, it’s someone you don’t see coming—usually not even a standout character in the story—which leaves me feeling deflated and frustrated when it’s revealed. This has happened many times in other books I’ve read from Catherine.
That said, this is all personal preference and a “me” problem, so read if you wish. I do recommend the audiobook, though—it was fantastic.
I guess I just want to see something different from Catherine.
Genre/Type: Suspense Adult Romance 18+
APK: Audiobook
Audiobook Length: 11hrs 43mins
Narrators: Sebastian York and Samantha Brentmoor - Dual
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Series or Standalone: Book Four In The Sparrow Fall Series
Tropes or Themes: Brothers Best Friend, Billionaire, Forced Proximity, He Falls First, Slow Burn, FMC In Hiding, FMC Artist, MMC Obsessed, Taken Care Off, Mine, My Girl, Trauma, Panic Attack, Nightmares, Death Of Parent, Medical Content, Gun Violence, Injury Detail, Sexual Content, Dirty Talk, Impact Play, Gym Scene, Shower Scene and Outside Scene.
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫
All Round Romance Reader
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
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I have to be honest—I feel like maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace while reading this one. Don’t get me wrong, I love Catherine’s work, but I don’t know if I’m burning out from the same book setup every time, just with different execution. I will say I love how the FMC was a strong character this time that really stood out.
But I didn’t find myself invested in this storyline or its characters. There were some beautiful moments, great spice, and strong family dynamics, but I really struggled this time with seeing the same patterns play out. I’ve also become frustrated with the reveal of who is behind the attacks. Every time, it’s someone you don’t see coming—usually not even a standout character in the story—which leaves me feeling deflated and frustrated when it’s revealed. This has happened many times in other books I’ve read from Catherine.
That said, this is all personal preference and a “me” problem, so read if you wish. I do recommend the audiobook, though—it was fantastic.
I guess I just want to see something different from Catherine.
Genre/Type: Suspense Adult Romance 18+
APK: Audiobook
Audiobook Length: 11hrs 43mins
Narrators: Sebastian York and Samantha Brentmoor - Dual
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Series or Standalone: Book Four In The Sparrow Fall Series
Tropes or Themes: Brothers Best Friend, Billionaire, Forced Proximity, He Falls First, Slow Burn, FMC In Hiding, FMC Artist, MMC Obsessed, Taken Care Off, Mine, My Girl, Trauma, Panic Attack, Nightmares, Death Of Parent, Medical Content, Gun Violence, Injury Detail, Sexual Content, Dirty Talk, Impact Play, Gym Scene, Shower Scene and Outside Scene.
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫
All Round Romance Reader
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Fable | Everand | Amazon | Audible Reviews 💫
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual content, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail