ALL THE MISSING PIECES
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Catherine Cowles
Release Date: January 7, 2025
Sometimes the last thing you expect is exactly what you need, the final missing piece. And sometimes it comes in the form of a towering, broody sheriff, determined to get in your way at every step.
Ridley Sawyer knows what it’s like to miss someone, to feel like a piece of her vanished—because it happened to her the night her twin sister disappeared.
Now, Ridley channels that loss into hope, traveling the country covering cold cases for her true crime podcast. She might not have found justice for her sister but that doesn’t stop her from finding it for others.
Until Sheriff Colter Brooks gets in her way.
Colt knows what it’s like to have reporters descend on his town in the wake of a tragedy, and he’s not about to let a fiery podcaster stir up trouble. It doesn’t matter that her haunting blue eyes tell him there’s more to Ridley’s story or that he can’t stop imagining what it would be like to touch her.
But when Ridley’s cold case turns hot and she’s thrust into the crosshairs, Colt has no choice but to step in. Suddenly, Ridley’s living at his house, drinking his whiskey, and stealing his dog’s affections. But she’s also proving that she’s so much more than his first impression.
And as they get closer to the truth, the game they’ve been playing might just turn deadly…
As if Ridley had a radar for my emotions, her gaze cut to me. “Law Man,” she started cautiously. “You okay?”
“Who. The. Hell. Did. This. To. You?”
When a book brings you to tears at just the dedication, you know you’re in for a 5 star. And you know what? I was not wrong. This book had me in a full chokehold from the minute I picked it up and to the minute I finished it. I loved every bit of this story, from the main characters, the small town, the suspense, the fun secondary characters, the sweet pets, and everything in between.
I knew from the second Ridley appeared on the pages that I would love her. This woman is the epitome of strength and I loved how she used the most unimaginable tragedy to drive her to help others find peace. For the past 5 years, her paid has fueled her purpose. And her latest purpose drives her to a town that she is convinced holds the missing piece to finally unraveling a 5 year old tragic mystery.
Colt is the town sheriff who from the second he meets Ridley, manages to put his foot in his mouth at every turn. I loved the antagonistic chemistry between these two almost as much as I loved their bickering. And boy was there bickering. This was only made better by Ridley’s adorable three legged cat with a penchant for biting her affection.
Colt stared at me, jaw going slack. “Tooth…hugs?”
I nodded. “It’s how she shows affection.”
I loved the slow burn chemistry between Colt and Ridley. I love Ridley’s tenacity and Colt’s protectiveness. And god did I love them together.
“Don’t,” she whispered.
“It’s a bad idea,” I rasped. “We’d be playing with fire.”
Those ocean eyes sparked. “Then let’s watch it burn.”
The romance was seamlessly woven into the suspense plot and it was sheer perfection. It amplified everything about the story and I couldn’t get enough of these two together. The story kept me glued to the pages, eager for answers but also dreading to be done. I was instantly enraptured by this town and its citizens and I was so sucked into the mystery that I was completely incapable of setting the book down for even a minute.
If you’re looking for a romantic suspense with just the right amount of spice, you need to check this one out.
