All the Missing Pieces is Cowles at her best! This romantic suspense is beautifully and carefully woven together by an author at the top of her game! Catherine Cowles is one of those authors that always works for me! Cowles's writing style is extremely engaging, her characters are wonderfully complex, and her plot has the perfect blend of tension and chemistry. I know when I pick up a Cowles novel I am going to be instantly transported into a world of complexities and discovery. All the Missing Pieces is currently a standalone novel for Cowles, but I am so intrigued with some of the supporting characters that I would not mind a novella or novel of there own so I know they get their happily ever afters!

All the Missing Pieces is truly an investigation into a cold case and many others that seem to be connected. This novel features our heroine Ridley who is a true crime podcaster who has taken the tragedy of her twin sister's disappearance and used her inquisitive nature to help bring justice to many silenced voices. Ridley might seem like a thorn in Colt's, the local sheriff, side but soon it becomes apparent Ridley's intensions and Colt's need for justice for his sister's attempted abduction might just be the perfect pairing to bring down a serial killer. Ridley and Colt have this delicious chemistry that leaps off the page. Cowles really has a way of developing tension between the romantic couple and paralleling this with the danger of the situations around them. This small town suspense also a richness of community and people that really hold a lot of the heart to this story. I loved watching Ridley fall in love with this town and its people. I love that this novel really shows Ridley finding a home for herself amongst these people who learn to respect and value her. Colt is also a wonderful hero who only wants the best for his sister and watching him learn from Ridley the strength his sister has is truly gratifying.

I so highly recommend this novel and Catherine Cowles. This is a perfect place to start if you have never read her before! Suspense, romance and the strength of family and friends is truly at the heart of this novel and Cowles is definitely an author you should be reading if you love all of these things!

This story packed the emotional punch I’ve come to love about the author’s stories, but it also had the fun witty banter between main characters that make you smile even during the hard times and that to me was perfection. Ridley is a true crime podcaster that takes her job very seriously with delicate care of those victims and their family, and there are times she steps on toes, but she is always putting others first. She has her own reasons for her career path, and her tenacity when it comes to finding justice, but while her mom and dad either shoved their feelings away or screamed them from the mtn tops she knew she had to try to live her life the best she could and that brings her to Shady Cove. A mystery, a grumpy sheriff, a town that doesn’t trust anyone, and you have an intense story with tension that bleeds off the pages. I loved Colton and Ridley they both complimented each other so well and Ridley showed him that it was not his fault and the guilt he carried was not his to carry.

All the Missing Pieces just might be my favorite Catherine Cowles book yet!

I love the way this author write suspense romance and this one had me hooked from the start. Cold case podcaster, Ridley, came to town for one story and ended up with something I never saw coming. Her first meeting with Sheriff Colt was a funny one and I loved how these two worked together. I tried fitting all the pieces together but of course I was wrong! Such a great story and one I'm sure to reread again!

This was my first book from Catherine Cowles and I totally understand all the hype around her! All The Missing Pieces is a romantic suspense following true crime podcaster, Ridley Sawyer, and small town sheriff, Colter Brooks. After the disappearance of her sister the night before their college graduation, Ridley has thrown herself wholeheartedly into finding answers and closure for others in similar situations, all the while trying to find the truth about what happened to her sister. When her newest case takes her to Shady Cove, she finds herself up against the grumpy and oh so tempting town sheriff. As their tension gets higher, they soon come to find they have more in common than they realize and begin working together to try to find answers. But someone really doesn’t want Ridley finding that truth and they will do anything to keep her from getting it.

As a huge fan of true crime podcasts, the set-up of this book was perfection for me. Sawyer is busy trying to draw light back onto cold cases of missing people and the way this book is written, it almost felt part podcast with how much background information we were getting on the cases! I loved how this perfectly balanced the suspense of a thriller with a hot and steamy romance. Sawyer and Colt have allll the chemistry and I loved their banter and tension. They also had some of the best nicknames - “Chaos” and “Lawman”. There was a lot of depth to the story as well, with both characters dealing with trauma and survivors’ guilt.

The mystery of the novel had me engrossed the whole time, and I was trying to see if I could figure out whodunnit. Props to Catherine because while she laid out clues throughout, I NEVER suspected who it ended up being! You can also see strings of future books and relationships throughout, and I am so excited to read more of Catherine’s works, hopefully within Shady Cove!

Thank you NetGalley for the copy of this book!

READ IF YOU LIKE
📚 small town romantic suspense
📚 grumpy x sunshine
📚 hurt x comfort
📚 three legged cats
📚 forced proximity

All the Missing Pieces eARC review🧩🔎

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoy romantic suspense & Catherine always does it every time! I knew when I saw the tropes and cover I would absolutely love this story and I DID!

Ridley Sawyer is a true crime podcaster who travels and covers missing persons cases on her podcast however this one in Shady Cove hits close to home as she thinks it may be in relation to not only her sister but Emerson our MMC sister.

Colter Brooks is the small town Shady Cove’s sheriff who doesn’t want anyone meddling or reawakening town trauma. What he doesn’t know is Ridley doesn’t back down.

I also have a tooth hugger at home so I loved to see more animals in stories ✨

These characters were enjoyable and this was a QUICK and easy read. I recommend this if you love

🧩 Broody Sheriff
🔎True Crime Podcaster
🧩 Small Town
🔎 Grumpy X Sunshine
🧩 Forced Proximity
🔎 Enemies To Lovers

Thank you Catherine for this eARC, Happy Release Day♡
https://www.instagram.com/p/DEiW4cgy8lI/?igsh=Y3hhZmQxdTA3aXZy

I"ve read almost all of Catherine's books and have loved them all, but this one.. this one takes the cake.

True crime podcaster and sheriff trope? Yes please
Cute setting in an idyllic mountain town? Yeah I want to move there.
Feisty cat and lovable dogs? I'll adopt them all

All the Missing Pieces wasn't missing anything! This was the perfect book to curl up with on a snow day and lose yourself in the thrill. Following Ridley, a true crime podcaster seeking for her own truth, follows her latest story to Shady Cove, a mountain small town with quirky residents, and a surely sheriff, Colt. Both main characters are strong headed in their own way, making their chemistry perfection and builds their romance up.

Catherine knows how to keep you guessing the whole time about who the villian is and this one was a huge twist at the end, giving Criminal Minds level chills! I will never not eat up one of her books and this one is at the top of the list now.

Thank you for the ARC and everyone enjoy on KU!

Emotions running rampant. Ridley has been through so much. She took a piece of my heart, no pun intended. Colt, Sheriff, Alpha and needed a smack upside the head a time or two. Add a killer, dog and small town and you have a winner. Thank you for the advanced copy. I freely volunteer my honest thoughts and opinions. #AlltheMissingPieces #CatherineCowles #SourcebookCasablanca #NetGalley

4.5/5 Stars 2/5 Spice

Tropes:
🏘️ Small Town
🖤 Romantic Suspense
🌦️ Grumpy x Sunshine
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Forced Proximity

🎧 Narration: adored this one one audio. andi arndt & sebastian york absolutely killed it. i loved the way the brought to life law man & chaos. sebyo as colt was *dreamy* he just perfectly captured that rugged sheriff vibe perfectly. & andi, of course, was the perfect casting for ridley. i listened at 2.5x & both narrators were easy to understand & kept a natural cadence.

“you gave me back all the missing pieces.”

this book was so damn good. chaos & lawman were so fun & the story had me locked in with all the twists & suspecting everyone. & even on high alert i was absolutely 🤯🤯 at the villain. like what?!? the reveal was so good. this was such a fun read. i loved the vulnerability & mental health game in this book. even if it wasn’t talked about the themes of guilt & moving forward & finding joy were so well ingrained to the story. ridley was such a dynamic character. i really loved her whole vibe. & colt was hot af. give me a hot grumpy sheriff anytime 🤣 overall, i loved this one. definitely recommend grabbing the audio!

this is absolute perfection- give me all of the true crime and romantic suspense! this was everything that I wanted from a Catherine Cowles novel and more. Ridley's sister goes missing after a party on one of the last nights of college. years later she is living her best life in a VW van and hosting the Sounds Like Serial podcast. she travels all around the country and follows true crime cases. she finds herself in Shady Cove, California and on her new case when she meets Colt. the broody sheriff and also brother of the the girl who escaped from being kidnapped and the center of her new case. the banter and chemistry of this book is so stinking good. this one really kept me on my toes and I had a running list of who I thought the unsub would be. the whole town and the other characters were so good too. I loved seeing how much the town cared for everyone- community truly does bring everyone together. and of course it came down to the wire and wow the plot twists! I really think that everyone needs to go and read this one asap. what a work of art.


“Colt, you helped me find all the missing pieces. Even the ones I didn’t realize I needed.”

read if you like:
- romantic suspense
- grumpy x sunshine
- forced proximity
- small town sheriff x true crime podcaster
- small town

I received an arc through NetGalley for my honest opinion. Thank you <3

I want to add before I drop my review that I am a huge Catherine Cowles fan. I have read all of her series and I may even be wearing my Lost & Found series hoodie. I was so excited to hear she was releasing a whole new small town traditionally.

One of my favourite novels from Catherine was Tattered & Torn's book 1, Tattered Stars. I had read some of her other books before that - but something switched with this one. She altered my DNA with that book. Since then, Catherine has been an auto-buy author for me and I quickly read the rest of her catalogue.

Since reading through her catalogue, this was the first book to give me the same feelings that I got with Tattered Stars. For those who read or know both sets of characters. I could see that they may be compared when you first see the parallels between the two. Small-town, MMC works for the police department, someone in the town who was kidnapped - but the stories are quite different after that. Our FMC is completely different. She has no bad ties to the town and while I loved the FMC from TS, Ridley is just a strong and fun character. You can see she has a fun sense of humour and she is extremely compassionate. She's also very smart but has her demons and insecurities that she battles with. She is a wonderful and well-rounded lead.

Colt... I love him. He's not as broody as other uniformed MMCs that I have come across in books. He's still got a bit of a hot head like all our grumpy men, but I find his behaviour more understandable.

The banter between Colt and Ridley right from the first interaction had me swooning. The meet-cute was pretty adorable despite the plot of the story. def some giggling happening during that. The way they challenged each other, listened and supported each other made my heart melt.

The plot moves at a good pace and even though you meet a lot of characters, I found I never lost track of who anyone is. You get a good idea of who they all are to each other and there are always so many cute furry sidekicks to adore. It also gave us lots of fun characters I hope to see get their own stories in the future...

Catherine's good at making you guess who the "bad guy" is, and you start suspecting everyone quickly into the story. The best part about Catherine's books - is she sprinkles in enough doubt with each suspect, that you never really truly can pinpoint who "dun it"

Overall, this was one of my top 3 Catherine Cowles novels - if not the best. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes true crime, suspense, and small-town romance. And if you love this and it's your first CC book - check out the Tattered and Torn series (which will be traditionally re-published in 2026)... but I promise, all of her books are fantastic.

“News flash, Law Man. Life isn’t safe. Someone could hurt you crossing a busy street in broad daylight. We can’t protect ourselves from everything.”

@catherinecowlesauthor you have done it again. I loved Colt and Ridley together. Their banter was top tier, but it was their broken pieces that brought them closer and fit them together perfectly. They balanced each other out in all the best ways. I loved seeing them open up to each other. But I also loved how Ridley made the town fall in love with her with her determination, sassiness and stubbornness.

I really thought that I was going to get the bad guy right this time. And I did not. I’m hoping that more of these characters get books because I really enjoyed them. They made me want more!

4.5/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🔥

No one does cozy romantic suspense like Catherine Cowles! How does she so deftly write love stories so soft, tender and dreamy and juxtapose them so seamlessly with adrenaline filled “who dun it” danger?! All the Missing Pieces is among my favorite she’s written- it captured my whole heart and had me glued to the pages. It’s effortlessly romantic, wonderfully swoony, and addictively page turning.

Like always, Catherine leaves us gobsmacked after a devastating opening chapter- but this one hit deeper than normal. A punch in the gut- one broken hearted heroine, and her missing sister. Our story picks up years later as Ridley, a very skilled and adored true crime podcaster makes her way to the most charming small town to dig into her next case. To outsiders, she’s a plucky and brilliant investigator who has an uncanny ability to both connect with people on a personal level and uncover those “missing pieces” that have left crimes unsolved. But there are deeper missing pieces Ridley is trying to put back together- the ones in her broken heart, as she seeks out murders and disappearances that are similar to that of her missing sister. That’s the one mystery she’s never been able to solve. She knew getting the trust of the victim of the attempted kidnapping that’s the focus of her latest episode might be challenging, but she did not expect the formidable resistance she gets from the victim’s brother, the mercurial, no nonsense town sheriff Colter….who, like Ridley, has his own baggage relates to his sister’s trauma. But as these two butt heads, the tension AND the plot thickens….because suddenly someone is after Ridley too.


Gah the emotions in this one- I felt the weight of them so intensely in this story. From beautiful love to deep heartbreak, Catherine serves up a truly emotionally affecting love story, one balanced with a truly gripping murder mystery. The small town backdrop as always adds plenty of charm and charisma, the chemistry is somehow both intense yet gentle, and the podcast framework adds some great dramatic flair. Add in my favorite microtrope of a sassy cat (I LOVE TATER, and CC always gives me the best animal co-stars) and this was basically my catnip (pun intended). I adored both Ridley and Colter, and their emotional connection over the shared trauma of what happened with this sisters makes for some great romantic tension and catalyzes a really emotively rich connection. And the mystery?! Yup, this time I was way off- the big twist and big baddie reveal had my jaw dropping. The suspense plot has a bit of a darker menace in this one, and it really amplified the stakes (and my adrenaline).


Truly, this is about so many missing pieces. The puzzle of trying to uncover just what happened to Ridley’s sister and where she is, just who tried to harm Colter’s sister all those years ago, most of all, putting back together the shards of both Ridley and Colter’s hearts cause by what happened to both of their sisters and their intensely weighty guilt. Both seem at odds, but when the truth comes out it’s clear their share the same north star- both have spent much of their adult lives trying to make right what they blame themselves for. Trying to help others, protect others, and most of all, do right by their sisters. The pain they’ve buried- one that Ridley addresses with stoic fixation and one that Colter buries in his icy detachment- has prevented them from being able to put their own pieces back together. And, in many ways, from them moving on. And it’s so sweet and fulfilling ot see them find the courage in each other- to address what’s broken with in them, and to start to heal those pieces…even when that means confronting painful memories and trauma.

I ravenously consumed this one- so obsessed with this story!

About this Book/Tropes
🧩 True Crime Podcaster x Sheriff Hero
🧩 Grumpy/Sunshine
🧩 Forced Proximity
🧩 Lovable Three-Legged Cat
🧩 Small Town Suspense
🧩 Hurt/Comfort
🧩 Hilarious, Meddling Townsfolk
🧩 Enemies to Lovers
🧩Quirky small town and side characters

@catherinecowlesauthor delivers another unputdownable romantic suspense with All the Missing Pieces!

This book perfectly blends mystery, heartache, and undeniable chemistry between two unforgettable characters. I didn’t want it to end so much I read it twice in a month! 🤣

Ridley and Colt couldn’t be more different—she’s the fiery true crime podcaster chasing justice, and he’s the broody small-town sheriff who’d rather avoid the chaos she stirs up. Yet, their shared wounds from past tragedies create a powerful bond that makes their character journeys so fascinating! Watching them clash, connect, and ultimately heal together was so rewarding!

The mystery? It kept me flipping pages late into the night. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, another twist would send me reeling. And let’s talk about the romance—Ridley and Colt’s chemistry leaps off the page! 🔥They’re like oil and water but can’t resist falling for one another. Their banter, tension, and eventual tenderness made my heart melt. (The nicknames “Chaos” and “Lawman”? I can’t even! 🫠)

If you love grumpy sunshine dynamics, true crime podcasts, small-town charm, quirky animals, and suspenseful mysteries with a hint of danger, you need to pick this up!! Cowles has once again crafted a story that hits all the right notes. Highly recommend!

Ps- my second read was on audio and the performances were A+!! If audiobooks are more your jam don’t miss this one!

Thank you @sourcebookscasa as well as @librofm for the ARC and the ALC!! I can’t recommend both formats enough!!

A perfect combination of romance and suspense!

Catherine shines in this new novel. It packed everything you could’ve wanted it to be: small town vibes, humorous animals, silly side characters, a shocking twist and an emotional love story.

This story follows Ridley, a true crime podcaster, who has personal ties to a case she is covering in a new small town. The sheriff of said small town, Colter, makes assumptions about the new girl in town which leads to a tumultuous start between the two of them. This enemies to lovers packed a punch- you could see the distrust and frustration in the enemies portion, and also the caring and trust in the lovers portion.
The story brings you through twists and turns, you feel as if you are a part of the investigation. Clues are dropped and suspects are brought forward. I had 2 guesses for who I think the perpetrator was and I was WRONG. I’ve read Catherine’s books before and feel like by now I know how she writes but she bamboozled me with the killer in this one which made me love it all the more

I devoured this in a couple of hours! I absolutely love all of Catherine’s work and can confidently say she keeps getting better with each book.

I typically enjoy an insta-love romance, but this one felt forced, lacking the depth and complexity I’ve come to expect from Catherine Cowles.

The story follows Ridley, a true-crime podcaster driven by her twin sister’s unsolved disappearance. Her latest investigation brings her to Shady Cove, where she meets Colt, the local sheriff. While they initially clash, they soon find themselves working together to solve a case with ties to Ridley’s past.

What Worked:
Ridley’s character: Her determination and personal stakes made her an engaging protagonist.
The mystery: The cold case investigation kept me intrigued, even if it wasn’t groundbreaking.
The cover is absolutely stunning and eye-catching.
What Didn’t Work:
The romance: The enemies-to-lovers banter quickly turned into insta-love, but the emotional connection between Ridley and Colt felt underdeveloped. Their chemistry seemed forced and didn’t evoke the swoony moments I hoped for.
The dialogue: At times, it felt cheesy and unnatural, which made it hard to connect with the characters.

The balance: The suspense plot was overshadowed by the romance, yet the romance didn’t have enough depth to carry the story on its own.

As a fan of Catherine Cowles, I know she’s capable of delivering layered, emotional romances, but this one didn’t hit the mark for me. While the mystery had some compelling moments, the romance fell flat, making the overall story feel formulaic.

If Catherine Cowles writes it, I'm gonna read it. I knew going into this book that I would enjoy it and I was wrong, because I didn't just enjoy it, I absolutely loved it. Literally everything about this book was amazing.

Highlights for me:
- Colt. I loved him so much. He was the perfect male lead to this story. I loved his grumpy tendencies and how he cared for those around him.
- Ridley. Such an amazing female lead. She is the definition of strength and I loved how she turned such sorrow into something profound.
- The relationship between Ridley and Colt. I loved how the relationship between the two of them developed over the course of the story and I loved how the two of them just really wanted to support the other. I love how they came to care for each other and I love how they supported each other.
- The suspense. Catherine knows how to write a suspense plot that keeps you guessing until the last moment, and this one is no exception. I did not see the reveal of the bad guy coming until it was already in my face.
- The side characters. I so badly want this book to become a series because I want to know more about the side characters. Catherine has a way of getting me attached to everyone in the story, no matter how minor a part they play...well, at least the characters I'm supposed to like anyway.
- The whole story. This might be cheating to put this here under a list I'm titling 'highlights', but seriously, this whole story was a highlight. The pacing was perfect, the writing was amazing, the characters were griping, and the story was just phenomenal.

This will easily go down as one of my favorite books.

✔️ Grumpy/Sunshine
✔️ Hate to Love
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Sheriff MMC x True Crime Podcaster FMC
✔️ No Strings/Fling
✔️ Romantic Suspense
✔️ Small Town
✔️ First Person Dual POV

🧩🎙️ALL THE MISSING PIECES🧩🎙️{arc/alc review}

♾️/5 ⭐️

I’m so excited that this book is out in the world! It’s no secret, I’m a huge Catherine Cowles fan. I love romantic suspense and she can craft a story like no other!

All The Missing Pieces might just be my favorite CC book so far! The chemistry and banter between Colt and Ridley(aka Lawman & Chaos) was absolute perfection from the start. I’m always amazed at how Catherine hooks a reader into her characters’ lives from the very beginning. From prologue to epilogue, you are taken on the best journey of grief, resilience, growth, healing and love that you never want to end!
As always, my mind was blown in the best way with the twists and turns in this book! I absolutely loved the true-crime aspect. I thought I had it all figured out and was way off the mark! I live for plot twists like that!
I can’t recommend this book enough! All The Missing Pieces will forever have my heart and I’m really sad that it’s a stand-alone. I need to be transported back to Shady Cove!

“He saw things in me that no one had ever taken the time to recognize. He understood the colors I painted my world with because he spoke the language of my pain.”

2-sentence synopsis: A nomadic true crime podcaster meets a tortured and grumpy small-town Sheriff when she arrives in town with the goal of solving a cold case that turns out to be personal to them both. As they work the case together, they battle with complicated feelings, discover new leads, and find comfort and peace in places they never expected.

Review:
I had such a great time reading this book. From the very beginning, I was hooked and I had such a hard time putting this down! Colt and Ridley’s story pulled at my heartstrings in the best possible way.

Our main characters were built so well and I really enjoyed reading about flawed people with the best intentions. Colt was hot-tempered and judgmental and it was refreshing to see a hero who had those flaws and learned from them, while also being able to understand why those flaws existed. Both characters’ motivations were very clear from the beginning, and made sense for what they had been through. I also loved that we got to see them build a working relationship and friendship before the romance began, even though the clear attraction was there all along.

This dislike to lovers trope was done SO WELL, as they had understandable reasons to be at odds. And by the end, you really understood why they fit so perfectly together.

The pacing was perfect, and the plot twist had my jaw on the floor. For my first foray into romantic suspense, this absolutely did not disappoint and I’m so excited to read more of Catherine’s work!

ARC provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca.

“Love you, Chaos.” “Love you, Law Man.” 🥹🥹⁣
⁣
My favorite Catherine Cowles book that I’ve read so far!! If you’re a true crime podcast fan, this is one you shouldn’t miss! Even if you’re not, pick this one up!⁣
⁣
A great meet-cute brings Colt and Ripley together over a three-legged cat and a van and their banter didn’t stop the entire time. They had immediate chemistry and I loved them together! ⁣
⁣
But more than loving the couple, I LOVED this story!! It kept me guessing the entire time. My theories people-hopped through the characters and I was wrong with every one. ⁣
⁣
Expect:⁣
🎙️ Small Town⁣
🚐 Grumpy/Sunshine⁣
🎙️ Enemies to lovers⁣
🚐 Forced Proximity⁣
🎙️ Romantic suspense⁣
🚐 Who did this to you?⁣
⁣
Andi Arndt and Sebastian York did a fantastic job with the audiobook! They made me feel like I was right there in the story with them! ⁣
⁣
I know this is supposed to be a standalone, but I can’t be the only one hoping Emerson and Trey get a book, right?! Please! 🙏⁣
⁣
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an eARC of this book and to Libro.fm for an ALC. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given.

All the Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles is a wonderful grumpy x sunshine story.
This is a really fun read, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I loved the chemistry between the characters.
I adored the writing and the setting was just amazing.
This story was so riveting and unique, that I'm still thinking about it.
It was realistic and relatable. I absolutely loved everything about it
A wonderful contemporary romance.

Thank You NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!