I absolutely loved this book! I was hooked from the beginning and all the way up to the end. It had so much heart and depth. It was an emotionally charged read that had me tearing up by the end!

How is this my first Catherine Cowles book? A lot of my booksta friends and favorite authors gush about how much they love her. My bad. I’ll be rectifying that asap.
I found this to be the perfect blend of plot, mystery, and romance. The light and heavy parts were so well balanced. I loved Ridley and Colt. Both have traumatic parts and have taken different approaches to healing. Check your tw, I got chocked up in the prologue. I definitely was bamboozled and did not guess the ending.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for my arc. All opinions are my own.

LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF THIS ONE.

THE GASP I GASPED. This book was Catherine Cowles at her very best! 5 stars!

Thank you to Catherine Cowles, Sourcebook Casablanca for the eARC and Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this one! These are my honest thoughts.

I ADORED this story. Ridley is on a mission. The tragic loss of her sister has been motivating her career as a true crime podcaster. She's become quite successful and learned how to navigate the kidnapping/loss that these families are facing as they either search for or mourn the loss of someone important to them. After all, she knows exactly how it feels.

She shows up in Shady Cove in hopes of uncovering enough clues about a man who took a local girl, who found a way to escape. What she finds is a half-brother who is protective... and not only that, but also a cop. Colt doesn't want the attention on his sister's case, and he doesn't want Ridley's production coming into his town and stirring up trouble.

But along the way, Ridley inserts herself into the community, and Colt gets to watch as she handles things in a caring and heartfelt way. Digging, but not pushing. Uncovering, but sensitively. And he can't help but appreciate what she's doing (begrudgingly or not). The community embraces her and then begins to help her uncover clues that might be leading to finding more about this person... and maybe his connection to other murders.

Colt and Ridley have so much chemistry, and their unique experiences bring their connection to sizzling levels. I love how Ridley stands on her own two feet, but she also allows Colt to see the real her. They build a trust that's powerful. And Ridley brings out a softer side of Colt that disappeared when his sister was kidnapped. This balance is... wooooo. Hot. So good.

This book also had so much tension and drama, and the twists were TWISTY. Loved it.

The audiobook was AWESOME. Highly recommend! Andi Arndt and Sebastian York both nailed their performances! I loved that it was dual-narration and that we got both Ridley and Colt's voices! Really brought this story to life! 5 stars!

Catherine Cowles does it again!!

This book drew me in just as I had hoped it would. I really enjoyed how the mystery of the book took more of the main focus and the relationship seemed to be more secondary. I found as the mystery slowly unraveled it built up the suspense and allowed you to bond more with the characters through their own trauma and experiences.

Ridley was everything I hoped she would be. This book made me want to drop everything for vanlife and go solve crimes. I loved how she used her own pain to help support and heal others. Her determination and care with survivors and their family was perfect. The way she made friends and her fierce love of the wonderful Princess Tater were perfect. Colt was her perfect balance. I adore a good grumpy/sunshine trope and these two brought it together beautifully. The enemies, to friend to lovers through line was perfect.

As always Catherine kept me guessing until the very last page! I loved how she brought it together and the epilogue was beautiful. This was another fanatastic romantic suspense and I absolutely cannot wait to see what comes next from Catherine's amazing mind.

Loved the dark and suspenseful set-up and Ridley’s backstory. A podcaster that travels the country with an eventual aim to solve her own twin’s murder/disappearance. Fantastic.

I also liked Colt and his motivations, how they slot into Ridley’s story despite never having met. They really fit each other so well, professionally and romantically. It’s great overall character establishment.

What let it down though was all the details and especially Ridley’s actions. Ridley constantly saying “I know what I can handle. I’m prepared.” And then taking absolutely no safety precautions at all. And then pouting, “How come you get to do it but not me? Not fair!” And Colt rightfully saying “I’m a trained officer… you’re not.” I’m paraphrasing, but it was an incredible letdown and turned what could have been a strong woman character into a weak cliche.

I also had some issues with the end but they’re all spoilers so I’ll just leave it at that. Overall, it was barely okay but the promise of it was so much more.

CATHERINE DOES IT AGAIN!!! WOW the suspense had me on the edge of my seat! I can never guess who the bad guy is! The romance was so swoony too! Thank you so much netgalley for the ARC!

✨||"'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.'"||✨

[5 Stars🤩] All the Missing Pieces was an incredible book, and I couldn't get enough of Colt and Ridley's story! The dynamic between Colt and Ridley took me back to Hayes and Everly from Tattered Stars (an all-time favorite), and I loved every minute of this journey! Here are just a couple of things that I loved, but you should know that this book was literal perfection and there were no missing pieces for me 😜:

Mystery heavy, romance light.
I enjoyed the case and the mystery being the focal point in All the Missing Pieces, letting the romance simmer in the background until it had its moment. It felt like a throwback to Catherine Cowles's earlier series! I'm convinced no one can craft a story like Catherine Cowles because the twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat until I had all the answers!

Ridley.
I LOVED Ridley's persistent yet empathetic pursuit of the truth. She was a fierce FMC who knew herself and wasn't afraid to draw boundaries (I'm looking at you, Colt...) and stand up for what she felt was right while at the same time respecting the town and it's people's stories. She *might* be my favorite Catherine Cowles FMC!

Colt.
Hayes 2.0 and I ate it up.

Tater.
I want Tater to stare at me disapprovingly and then give me a tooth hug. Catherine Cowles writes THE BEST furry sidekicks and I loved Tater and Bowser so much.

All the Missing Pieces was another stunning and entertaining book by Catherine Cowles that I couldn't put down and walk away from, but now I'm over here hoping and praying that we'll get an announcement for another book set in Shady Cove because I want to know how Emerson and Trey's story ends too! She's definitely my favorite author for a reason, and I loved reading yet another masterpiece.

+Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Catherine Cowles and her team for the ARC of All the Missing Pieces! All thoughts in this review are my own.
____________________________________
Details:
💘Contemporary romance
🫣Romantic suspense
🚨First responder romance
>>>👮Police romance
🏡Small town romance
👀Dual, first-person POV
🌹No third act breakup (but a little drama)
🙌Would re-read
🌟2024 Favorite

Characters and tropes:
🌪️Broody MMC
⚔️Enemies-to-lovers
>>>🥊Dislike-to-love
📍Forced proximity
>>>🗝️Under one roof
🧲Opposites attract
>>>🌤️Grumpy/sunshine
🤐Secrets

Spice:
🧨Slow burn
🔥Explicit content (hot)
____________________________________
Emoji Ranking System:
🤩Excellent to Fantastic (4.75-5.00)
😍Very Good to Great (4.25-4.50)
😊Good to Really Good (3.50-4.00)
😒Just OK to Decent (2.75-3.25)
😑It's A No (1.00-2.50)
🚫DNF

“I want to make sure they all get a voice. All the ones who lost theirs.”

Catherine Cowles is only capable of writing and creating pure gold.

Seriously. When I think it can’t get better, she starts a completely new series that blows me out of the water. And every single time, I am never able to figure out the bad guy! HOW DOES SHE DO IT‽?‽

Ridley Sawyer is the kind of person I wish I could be. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t wish to experience her past and her traumas, but she knows who she is and isn’t afraid to chase after it. She is proud, sure of herself, and knows that what she does is meant to help others—no matter how much pain it might cause her in the process.

As the story—and the true crime component—unfolded, I fell for both Ridley and Colt, their baggage, and what drives them. I loved watching them try to uncover the truth while simultaneously becoming closer and closer to one another.

And while I love every character Catherine introduced us to, in her truest nature, she also made me question nearly every single one of them.

“You helped me find all the missing pieces.”

I loved every moment, every page, every sentence of this story. It’s a masterpiece and I will be thinking about for a long time to come.

If you haven’t read a Catherine Cowles book yet, you’re missing out. And this is a phenomenal place to start. In all honesty, I blew through this book and then beat myself up for letting it end so quickly.

Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- Nicknames
- Romantic suspense
- Only you
- Touch her and die vibes
- True crime
- Podcaster x Police Sheriff
- Mental illness rep

3.25 ⭐️

This book follows Ridley, a true crime podcaster, as she travels across the country helping families find peace through solving cold cases. All with the motive to finally solve the cold case of her own twin who was murdered in college. When Ridley lands in the small town of Shady Cove, not everyone is as welcoming, including the sheriff, whose sister is the case she’s working on. As she gets closer and closer to solving the case that she believes is tied to her own sister’s case, threats against her life become more abundant.

While I understand this is a romantic suspense and have read many Catherine Cowles books, the intense INSTA feelings between Ridley and Colt felt super rushed. And, I’m just not a fan of a friends/enemies with benefits situation, which is how their relationship starts. It just made their relationship lack the depth that was trying to be portrayed.

What did I love? I loved that Ridley was a strong, independent, pull no punches kind of FMC, but at the same time tender to families and victims she interviews. I loved the protectiveness of the MMC, Colt. He was protective of his town, his sister, but most importantly his sister’s case that he’s worried Ridley is working on. The protectiveness at the same time becomes a flaw the character must work through. Working through it, you see the real man underneath and understand him more. And what I loved the most, as with most Catherine Cowles books is that everyone you come into contact with is a suspect, but I didn’t even remotely guess who the killer was.

I’ll definitely continue to read Catherine’s books, but this one just wasn’t my favorite. I love depth of story many of her books offer, but I think maybe it’s because this was a standalone and not a series.

Thank you NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and Catherine Cowles for allowing me to read an advanced complimentary copy of All the Missing Pieces. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Catherine Cowles does it again!! I was so drawn in as soon as the prologue finished, even with the tears crowding my eye sight. Is it even a Catherine Cowles book if you trust no one and tear up in the slightest.

Law Man and & Chaos are probably one of my top Catherine Cowles couples. The tension was TENSIONING between the two. When they finally gave in it was HOT HOT HOT!

I loved the dynamic of them working together to figure out who was behind the serial killing that Ridley had tracked to this small town where it first started. AND I AUDIBLY GASPED WHEN I FOUND OUT WHO IT WAS! Again, I suck at guessing and will never guess correctly 🤣

Catherine Cowles is the ELITE romantic suspense author and this was no different! She had been teasing us with this for so long I was getting antsy and it definitely lived up to the hype! She’s also excellent at the small town law enforcement male character!

What a fun and unique female character as a true crime podcaster as well. I enjoyed this story very much and of course did not guess the twist as usual! Cannot wait for more from CC!

this book was so much fun! i loved ridley and cranky colter. i enjoy true crime podcasts, so this was so much fun to read a book about a podcaster. and it was still a true cowles book. trust no one and suspect everyone, and boy did i ever suspect EVERYONE! i would love another book with some of the side characters! and about dean's own podcast!

Catherine Cowles has done it again!

I love all her books because they are romantic suspense, but this story brought that to a whole new level in my opinion.

Ridley is a podcast host who tries to solve unsolved cases. She ends up in Shady Cove on her next mission, which is to get more information on a case that’s been on her mind for a while.

We meet Colt, the broody cop who has a problem with Ridley from the beginning. He doesn’t like that she’s snooping around and wants her out of his town.

They end up coming together to help solve this case and in turn, they become closer. Their banter was perfection, and so was the nicknames they gave each other. They both helped each other heal from the past, and in turn, helped each other focus on the present.

I really love that in this story, we get more of a “suspense” throughout. I felt like I was helping Ridley solve this case, and I wish her podcast was real, so I could tune in!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Catherine Cowles for this ARC! All the Missing Pieces comes out in January! Please make sure to add this to your TBR for the new year!

3.25⭐️

I wanted to love this soooo bad, and I just didn’t. At least not as much as I wanted to. Part of that is due to my squirrel brain. I could not focus for the life of me while reading this. Or maybe it just wasn’t holding my attention. 🤔

I loved how the romance wasn’t IN YOUR FACE like it is with a lot of other romance books. Its was something where you saw the feelings develop over time instead of insta-love/lust.

Tatter was hilarious and kinda want some tooth hugs from her 🤷🏻‍♀️ I wanna squish her she so adorable!

This was very much slooow paced. I thought I would like that, but just felt there could been more to keep the reader engaged. There could have been more interviews or evidence being found that pointed the reader to certain suspects. I didn’t even know who to suspect because we didn’t really meet or get to know anyone deep enough to have suspicions.

I didn’t understand Colt’s nickname for Ridley. *mini spoiler here* I just don’t see how Ridley is chaotic. She seems very put together to me and not at all- all over the place. She’s not spastic by any means. She just has a light about her, but that (to me) isn’t chaos.

The romance felt more like a subplot for a good chunk of it. When it got going there were some good moments but over all, I didn’t really connect with them. They were cute, and Colt is just a teddy bear but I needed more.

I will still be purchasing a trophy for my shelf 🥰

*NetGalley gave me this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Will post review to TikTok, Instagram & Goodreads on release day.

Synopsis: After the disappearance of her twin sister at a college party, Ridley has made it her mission to investigate cold cases to give families the answers she never got. Her latest case brings her to Shady Cove, where she clashes with Colt, the broody small town sheriff.

Thoughts: BRB, running to grab Catherine’s entire backlist. Seriously, why did I wait so long to read one of her books?! This was SO GOOD. This book really hit the sweet spot for me between true crime podcasts, suspense and romance. The prologue had me immediately hooked, and I was basically on the edge of my seat biting my nails the rest of the book. The suspense and pacing is so well done. Let’s talk characters - I love Ridley and her sass and determination. Colt is the ideal broody, grumpy sheriff. The way these characters butt heads at first and then connect on such a real and deep level is perfection, and I feel like the spice in this book actually reflects/complements that. The depiction of grief and healing is thoughtfully handled and definitely had me tearing up a time or two. Oh and I can’t talk about the characters without a shoutout to Tater the three-legged cat. 🐱 I HIGHLY recommend picking this one up in January! A note on the audio: I love a dual POV book with two narrators and Andi Arndt and Sebastian York are fantastic!

Read this if you like:
🎙️ podcasts
🎙️ true crime
🎙️ romantic suspense
🎙️ small town
🎙️ grumpy/sunshine
🎙️ dual pov
🎙️ cats

5.5 stars

"We'd be playing with fire."
"Then let's watch it burn."

Within the first few pages of this book I was hooked and by chapter two I was completely addicted. Catherine Cowles has already dominated the romantic suspense trope but this story truly sees her writing shine as it focuses more on the suspense with a side of romance. Now I'm not saying this isn't a romance - the relationship and chemistry between these characters is seriously amazing - but the mystery and suspense are the shining stars. The twists and turns had me glued to the pages, my only goal was unraveling this mystery. Spoiler alert, I didn't.

I adored these characters, from the bubbly heroine to the grumpy sheriff to the quirky inhabitants of the town. And my absolute favorite, Tater, and her tooth hugs! This story truly has it all - the mystery kept me on the edge of my seat, the banter had me laughing throughout, and the chemistry had me fanning myself - and I absolutely loved it.

I am truly blown away by this boo. I’ve never really gotten vested in the “true crime” genre but this book absolutely fascinated me. The author did a phenomenal job developing these intense characters and weaving in one of my favorite plot twists ever into this dark, heartbreaking, and beautifully healing story.

I absolutely loved this story! Being a fellow true crime podcast lover, the whole concept of the book was right up my alley. There were interviews, multiple suspects and logical methodology that are typically included in a good true crime podcast, but put into a romantic suspense story! Basically, many things that I love were incorporated.

Another aspect of the book that I love was the setting and characters. With its stunning lakes and mountain views, I felt like I was right there experiencing the sites. I couldn’t get enough of Ridley’s cat, Tater and her “tooth hugs”! Additionally, the enemies-to-lovers trope was full on between the two MCs. The two’s chemistry was sizzling and I was here for it. The cast of secondary characters deserved an Oscar. They had depth, strategically contributing to the story by keeping the pacing of the story running along and making me want to know them all as friends.

Overall, this felt quite different than a lot of Catherine’s stories and she did a spectacular job in crafting this story.

I LOVED this book so much! This was my very first Catherine Cowles book, and I truly don't think I could have chosen a better one to start with. I didn't want to stop reading this once I started and stayed up two nights in a row into the wee hours of the morning to read as much as I could.

A true crime junkie will devour this book whether they listen to podcast or watch the documentaries. The suspense, the romance, the constant who done it, so so good. I, for one, was completely shocked with the "who done it" and didn't figure it out on my own. That is how you know you it's a great suspense story.

Ridley and Colt's constant push and pull of angst was perfection. I have so much respect for Ridley and Emerson, for that matter. Both women are braver than I ever thought about being. There's so much heartbreak, loss and grief, determination, and grit, love, and loyalty wrapped up in the pages of this book. I highly recommend this one!!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own!!

✨You look beautiful. A kind of beauty that would make any man stop in his tracks. But it’s only matched by your fierceness.” ✨

First off, I absolutely loved this book! Ridley was such a sweet girl and I just loved everything about her! She’s definitely one of my favorite FMC written by Catherine. 😍 This is a small town romantic suspense that features a podcaster who’s trying to find out how her sister disappeared. Along the way she meets a broody town sheriff who’s not to happy she’s in his town but soon things turn. 🤭🤭

✨ “Be safe, Chaos. It’s going to piss me the hell off if you end up dead.”

“You say the sweetest things, Law Man.” ✨

Once Colt finds out more about Ridley, he gets so protective over her and omg my heart just melted. I loved that this book had so much suspenseful plot and when the spice hit, it was just the perfect amount. 🙌🏻

✨ “Don’t,”

“It’s a bad idea,” “We’d be playing with fire.”

“Then let’s watch it burn.” ✨

Also the cute pets in this book?!? Like ugh I love them.🥰 As I was getting towards the ending of this book, I definitely got teary and felt so much emotions for these characters. ❤️ Thank you so much Catherine for the ARC! Forever grateful 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

✨ “Love you, Chaos.”
“Love you, Law Man.”✨

Tropes:
•Small Town Romance
•Podcaster/Sheriff
•Hate to Love
•Romantic Suspense
•Forced Proximity
•Grumpy/Sunshine