Review: Shattered Sea by Catherine Cowles #BlogTour #NewRelease

Catherine Cowles has truly wowed me with her Tattered & Torn series and she quickly secured a spot on my list of must-read authors. Shattered Sea is the fourth book in this remarkable series and, while it can be read as a stand alone, do yourself a favor and read the whole series. You don't want to miss anything!

Shattered Sea, a sexy, suspenseful, small town romance from USA Today bestselling author Catherine Cowles, is out now!

He was the last person she expected to fall for…

I’ve known every kind of pain. Of the heart. Of the body. Of the soul. All I want now is the freedom that comes from making my art.

The last thing I expected was Hollywood royalty to waltz into my gallery in a small town in the middle of nowhere and see me.

A man like Boden Cavanaugh shouldn’t understand me. Shouldn’t be able to soothe my most ragged edges. Even worse, he makes me want the one thing I can’t have. Him.

All it takes is one spark, and friendship catches flame. But as our attraction burns bright, there are forces desperate to send us back into the darkness. And they’ve already killed before…

Fall in love today!
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Welcome back to Wolf Gap, Oregon. In this fourth entry to the Tattered & Torn series, Catherine Cowles has delivered another emotional, suspenseful, and unputdownable story. It’s a testament to Cowles’ amazing gift with characters that I was shedding tears by the end of the prologue. (And not just misty-eyed, we’re talking a full-on ugly cry.) So there was that. And my emotional attachment to these characters only grew.

Laiken Montgomery knows what it’s like to live with pain. The physical kind – the chronic pain in her back and legs, and the emotional kind – from devastating loss and grief. At twenty-eight, she lives in her hometown of Wolf Gap and manages a local art gallery. Her own photography provides an outlet for her inner turmoil, an artist showing what she keeps hidden from others.

 If you always leaned on someone, you became dependent. When they weren’t there anymore, figuring out how to walk on your own again was the hardest thing you’d ever have to do.

Boden Cavanaugh is known worldwide. An actor and Hollywood heartthrob, Boden has come to Wolf Gap not only to do research for an upcoming role, but also to escape the scrutiny of the paparazzi in Los Angeles and continue to deal with the aftermath of a loss in his life. Meeting Laiken was not part of his plan, but as their paths continued to cross it was obvious there was something in them that spoke to one another. And Boden wasn’t willing to walk away.

 “What are you scared of?”
“Getting used to having you here.”
“What if I want you to get used to it?”

After that prologue (you remember, the one that made me cry), I started this story feeling just as broken and raw as Laiken. While there were friends and people she cared about in her life, there was also pain and loneliness – two things she hid from others as much as she could. Boden, however managed to see through that façade and with him she could truly be herself. Boden was persistent in his pursuit of Laiken, but never aggressive or pushy. I loved his openness with her and how he never hid his feelings or played games. He was completely up front with how he felt, and it was so heartwarming and refreshing. When the suspense aspect came into play, Boden was protective without being overly so. He was such a swoony hero!

 “You don’t have to take care of everyone. Or fix things for everyone. Sometimes, it’s enough to simply be. To hold their hand and walk alongside.”

Speaking of the suspense, Cowles always manages to blend the perfect mixture of romance and suspense, never sacrificing one for the other. Here in Shattered Sea, I could feel the tension as things escalated and it became apparent that the deaths of those involved in a decade-old tragedy were not accidents. I had my theories and yet Cowles still managed to surprise me.

 And in that moment, I knew this was how it could always be. A give and take. A sort of messy perfection that was the most incredible thing I’d ever experienced. And I’d do anything to protect it.

With each book in this remarkable series, I proclaim a new favorite character, a new favorite couple… but the truth is, each book has been filled with memorable characters, a moving romance, and riveting plots. I was glued to every page of Shattered Sea, unable to put it down, only to be sad it was over. Shattered Sea, and the entire Tattered & Torn series, are not to be missed by any fan of small-town romantic suspense. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

 

What warmed my heart: Laiken’s connection with Hayes, Boden’s relationship with his father, Gizmo (Laiken’s dog on wheels). ❤

Keep reading for a look inside Shattered Sea!

The way Boden’s muscles tightened told me the little he’d shared was only the tip of the iceberg. That tension called to me, and I reached out, kneading the flesh along his shoulders. His head fell to my own shoulder, and he sighed. “I’ll only let you do that forever.”

I chuckled. “I do have the magic touch.”

“You could be making millions with those hands.”

“I only use them on very special recipients. They aren’t for sale.”

Boden straightened, but as he did, he came closer. Our faces were close. Lips just a breath away. The urge to lean forward, to know what he felt like, tasted like, was strong. Boden’s hand skated up my arm to my neck to tangle in my hair.
I knew that Boden Cavanaugh was more than dangerous. But like a moth to a flame, I kept getting closer.

About Catherine Cowles

Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.

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