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loverofromance 's review for:
Beautifully Broken Pieces
by Catherine Cowles
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ
World Building:πππππ
Cover:πππππ
Hero: π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»
Heroine:π¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈ
Intimacy Level: π₯π₯π₯π₯
Relationship Building: ππππ.5
Heart & Feels:πππππ
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: ππππ
Page Turner Level:πππππ
Ending:π§§π§§π§§π§§.5
Overall View: β¨β¨β¨β¨.5
First Impressions
Beautifully Broken Pieces is the first book in the first series by Catherine Cowles. I have been making my way through this authors backlist and now this is the last series before I am fully caught up. In this one, we are brought to a setting that features a small town with a lake and mountain setting in Oregon. I really love these type of settings, (as I live in Utah and I can easily relate to this type of setting) and I really had so much fun with this book. It was so endearing and delivered on such raw emotion that I easily related with. We have a strong sense of family, of loss and grief and of learning to reconnect with living life again. And with typical Catherine Cowles fashion, there is also well plot building with impactful suspense themes to it.
First Line
Did you know that when you choose to take someone off life support, they mute the heart monitor?
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Walker
Law Enforcement officer, Alphamellow, Protective, Loves to laugh
The Heroine: Taylor
Originally from LA, recovering from her mother passing away from cancer and dealing with anxiety from the loss.
Summary
Taylor loses the only family that she has left to cancer, her mother who was her rock. And even though she has some good friends, she isn't handling the loss very well and she needs some time from the city and from the life that she has known to recover from the loss. When she and her friends arrive to Sutter Lake, she instantly falls in love with the town and when she spies a man with a laugh that warms her from inside out, and his family offers for her a place to live on their ranch, she feels the inclination to say yes. As she starts to live her life in Sutter Lake, and trying to work through her grief, she feels a deep connection to Walker. And when some mysterious deaths happen in the area, Walker is determined to find the cause and when dangers begin to threaten the woman he loves, the culprit will be someone that they will least expect...
What I Loved
Beautifully Broken Pieces was such a heartfelt story that strikes deep. I truly was instantly endeared to this one, and if you as a reader, has had any loss, you will easily be able to relate to this heroine especially. Seeing her go through the journey and all the steps of what happens when you lose someone like she does, it makes your heart just break for her. You especially see the anxiety and some form of depression that begins to affect her and the relationships around her. I really adored seeing this element being portrayed and what we find with our heroine and her growth.
Walker is such a wonderful hero because of the way he is standing by her and being the strength that she needs to get through it. I loved his character because he is so attentive, protective and stands up to her when she needs that. She tends to push people around her away, and sometimes needs that firm hand of someone that loves her no matter how much she hurts them. We see the fear that she feels of being hurt, but seeing her take a risk on Walker was beyond poignant and the author really wrote this in such a way that you are so endeared by these characters.
The side characters that we see within this story were such a blast. I absolutely adored Walker's family, and most especially his nephew and grandmother, they were a hoot and brought some laughter to the story to really balance out the more serious toned portions of the story.
What I Struggled With
There wasn't too much that I struggled with in this one. I would say the third act with the heroine and the way in which she keeps pushing the hero away, I wasn't a fan of. I mean you understand the grief, but the way that she treats the hero at times, I wasn't encouraged by. He is such a honorable hero and she never even did a grovel for how she treats him.
Overall View
Beautifully Broken Pieces is a installment that pulls the reader into a story of heartfelt emotion, strong family bonds, and a thrilling plot bound to curl your toes and keep you on edge that will keep you wanting more...
Favorite Quote(s)
Walker Cole had me wrapped up in a spell so strong, so intricate, that I knew it would take me years to unravel it.
"I want you. You're mine remember."
"I'm broken Walker."
"Well, then all your beautifully broken pieces are mine."
You are here for me. You made me smile on a day when I thought that would be impossible. And when I feel your body next to mine, my sould settles somehow. I feel at peace. So, you are here for me in every way I need.
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance,, Romantic Suspense
Character Types: Law Enforcement, Alphamellow/Cinnamon Roll, Protector, Book Boyfriend
Themes: Small Town, Pining Hero, Danger, Family Bonds, Heart/Touching, Laughs, Tear Jerker
Tropes: Unrequited Love
Book Perspective
Duo POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A mix of both
Song This Book Inspires
Love Me Back by Bebe Stockwell
Recommendation For Reading Order
You can read Catherine Cowles as standalones or in order, its your preference but you can do either.
Steam/Spice Explanations
Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ
World Building:πππππ
Cover:πππππ
Hero: π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»π¦Έπ»
Heroine:π¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈπ¦Έπ»ββοΈ
Intimacy Level: π₯π₯π₯π₯
Relationship Building: ππππ.5
Heart & Feels:πππππ
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: ππππ
Page Turner Level:πππππ
Ending:π§§π§§π§§π§§.5
Overall View: β¨β¨β¨β¨.5
First Impressions
Beautifully Broken Pieces is the first book in the first series by Catherine Cowles. I have been making my way through this authors backlist and now this is the last series before I am fully caught up. In this one, we are brought to a setting that features a small town with a lake and mountain setting in Oregon. I really love these type of settings, (as I live in Utah and I can easily relate to this type of setting) and I really had so much fun with this book. It was so endearing and delivered on such raw emotion that I easily related with. We have a strong sense of family, of loss and grief and of learning to reconnect with living life again. And with typical Catherine Cowles fashion, there is also well plot building with impactful suspense themes to it.
First Line
Did you know that when you choose to take someone off life support, they mute the heart monitor?
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Walker
Law Enforcement officer, Alphamellow, Protective, Loves to laugh
The Heroine: Taylor
Originally from LA, recovering from her mother passing away from cancer and dealing with anxiety from the loss.
Summary
Taylor loses the only family that she has left to cancer, her mother who was her rock. And even though she has some good friends, she isn't handling the loss very well and she needs some time from the city and from the life that she has known to recover from the loss. When she and her friends arrive to Sutter Lake, she instantly falls in love with the town and when she spies a man with a laugh that warms her from inside out, and his family offers for her a place to live on their ranch, she feels the inclination to say yes. As she starts to live her life in Sutter Lake, and trying to work through her grief, she feels a deep connection to Walker. And when some mysterious deaths happen in the area, Walker is determined to find the cause and when dangers begin to threaten the woman he loves, the culprit will be someone that they will least expect...
What I Loved
Beautifully Broken Pieces was such a heartfelt story that strikes deep. I truly was instantly endeared to this one, and if you as a reader, has had any loss, you will easily be able to relate to this heroine especially. Seeing her go through the journey and all the steps of what happens when you lose someone like she does, it makes your heart just break for her. You especially see the anxiety and some form of depression that begins to affect her and the relationships around her. I really adored seeing this element being portrayed and what we find with our heroine and her growth.
Walker is such a wonderful hero because of the way he is standing by her and being the strength that she needs to get through it. I loved his character because he is so attentive, protective and stands up to her when she needs that. She tends to push people around her away, and sometimes needs that firm hand of someone that loves her no matter how much she hurts them. We see the fear that she feels of being hurt, but seeing her take a risk on Walker was beyond poignant and the author really wrote this in such a way that you are so endeared by these characters.
The side characters that we see within this story were such a blast. I absolutely adored Walker's family, and most especially his nephew and grandmother, they were a hoot and brought some laughter to the story to really balance out the more serious toned portions of the story.
What I Struggled With
There wasn't too much that I struggled with in this one. I would say the third act with the heroine and the way in which she keeps pushing the hero away, I wasn't a fan of. I mean you understand the grief, but the way that she treats the hero at times, I wasn't encouraged by. He is such a honorable hero and she never even did a grovel for how she treats him.
Overall View
Beautifully Broken Pieces is a installment that pulls the reader into a story of heartfelt emotion, strong family bonds, and a thrilling plot bound to curl your toes and keep you on edge that will keep you wanting more...
Favorite Quote(s)
Walker Cole had me wrapped up in a spell so strong, so intricate, that I knew it would take me years to unravel it.
"I want you. You're mine remember."
"I'm broken Walker."
"Well, then all your beautifully broken pieces are mine."
You are here for me. You made me smile on a day when I thought that would be impossible. And when I feel your body next to mine, my sould settles somehow. I feel at peace. So, you are here for me in every way I need.
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance,, Romantic Suspense
Character Types: Law Enforcement, Alphamellow/Cinnamon Roll, Protector, Book Boyfriend
Themes: Small Town, Pining Hero, Danger, Family Bonds, Heart/Touching, Laughs, Tear Jerker
Tropes: Unrequited Love
Book Perspective
Duo POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A mix of both
Song This Book Inspires
Love Me Back by Bebe Stockwell
Recommendation For Reading Order
You can read Catherine Cowles as standalones or in order, its your preference but you can do either.
Steam/Spice Explanations
Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.