Tattered Stars

This was so unexpectedly dramatic!!! What a way to introduce this series and it's characters.

Everly returns to her old abandoned home 15 years after a horrific incident that rattled the town, and especially one other family.

After her return, the new sherif Hayes, comes to see who dares step foot on that tainted land.

Hayes isn't happy with Ev's return - it brings back old memories he would rather forget. But she is trying to find her peace and do something good on that property.

This was heartfelt and heartwarming. Hayes is so protective of his family, and the new girl in town. He's so drawn to her but she's fiercely independent and wants to do this alone. But she learns just because she can doesn't mean she needs to.

So many twists turns and drama filled moments in this small town

3.5 Stars


“Be brave. Just for sixty seconds. Twenty breaths.

It took every ounce of my courage to return to the small town I fled all those years ago. But I should've known he'd hate me. How could he not when my father's blood still runs through my veins?”

Everly's dad did something bad and she's held a lot of
guilt for it. The backstory is really interesting and surprisingly thrilling. Everly was raised in a Cult like Militia group that causes her a lot of trauma.

Hayes and Everly work on there trauma together and fall in love. This book focuses on Family, understanding, grief, and trauma.

I liked if, but one part that wasn't clear, was Jacey, her older sister? Didn't check on her, Or didn't state if they had the same dad. But otherwise great book.

4.5 stars

This is my first book by this author and it wasn't even on my radar until my Lost in Romance Book Club cohost suggested it as a book we read and I'm so glad she did because I ended up really enjoying it. 

This is a romantic suspense book and I don't tend to read very many of these mostly because the ones I've read don't balance the two genres very well but there are some I have come across that do it perfectly this one being one of them. When Everly was 11 she turned her dad in to the police. Her family was one of those doomsday prepper type but they also don't trust anyone outside of there community and because Everly turned in her father she was punished by those closest to her so she had to leave and live with her oldest sister. When she's older she returns to that small town to try and find peace again. 

At first I was worries that this was going to be one of those small town romances where everyone in the town hates the main character for the majority of the book but by the end they all love her but luckily that was not the case. Yes one person was mean to her when he first met her but that was quickly remedied. Like I said there was great balance between the romance aspects and the suspense aspects. This book is also heart breaking because of everything that Everly has endured and kind of continues to endure as well as other characters. By the end I was invested in not only the main characters but the side characters as well and I can't wait to continue on with the series. One thing I will mention is that the who done it was kind of obvious in a way but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.

This was my first time reading a book by Catherine Cowles and I was really impressed!

It's safe to say that I will very likely enjoy any book which is set in a small, rural, mountain town with a strong community and families for our main characters. I just eat these types of books up and this is exactly what we got here.

It was actually a bit deeper and darker than I originally expected, with the history surrounding Everly's father kidnapping Hayes' younger sister in the past, as well as Everly's awful family and the abuse described.

On a lighter side, I loved that Everly's dream was to create an animal sanctuary on her inherited land and really liked how this helped Shiloh find her place again.

My only critique is that some of the dialogue felt a bit repetitive by the end and there was a couple of odd wording choices which stuck out to me, but all in all I really enjoyed it and will definitely be continuing on in the series.

Pretty standard for the genre. Great suspense. Romance fell a little flat for me but was still thoroughly enjoyable. Plenty of suspenseful situations that drive the main characters together.

I enjoyed the small town setting and getting to know the Easton family.

Can be read as a standalone but seems to set up the next book nicely.