Thank you to Catherine Cowles and her team for the advance reader copy of Delicate Escape, the second interconnected standalone in the Sparrow Falls series.
Baby’s first Catherine Cowles ARC! I could not be more excited to scream from the rooftops about how much I loved Shep and Thea’s story and how much I never want to leave this Sparrow Falls era.
Trust doesn’t come easily when you’ve been running for as long as I have, which is why moving in with a man I barely know is such a bad idea.
Shepard Colson is all golden-boy charm and devastating good looks. But I know what it’s like to be taken in by easy smiles and the promise of forever—I have the scars to prove it.
Only the handsome contractor won’t stop coming by the bakery and prying little truths from my lips. Those amber eyes of his seeing far too much. And when all the secrets come crashing down, he’s determined to keep me safe. Even if it means moving into my rundown cabin to do it.
Now, Shep isn’t just rebuilding the walls of my home, he’s working his way into my heart. Suddenly, he’s everywhere: shirtless in my garden or in a towel coming out of my bathroom. And my resolve is no match.
Only it’s more than his golden looks. It’s him. The way he watches for my wounds but tells me I’m stronger than anyone he’s ever known. And I can’t help but fall.
But I should’ve known better than to think I could be happy. Not when a ghost from my past still has me in his sights. And when he finds me, he’ll do anything to tear my life apart, even if it means ending it for good…
Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
- Characters: Once Thea stepped onto the page in Fragile Sanctuary I wanted to know everything about her. The hero is Shepard Colson, the next sibling in the Colson family. He was adopted by them quite young and only knew them as family, a large wonderful found family with a lovely sassy grandmother. Shep runs a successful construction company and can use his skills to help fix Thea’s house. He is interested in her from the get-go, unable not to see her and wants to know more. Thea has had to keep her identity hidden, working under the table at the bakery and nursey and having no records of who or where she is. Throughout the story Thea has to work on breaking down tough walls she’s erected around not just her life but her heart. Shep is this adorable golden retriever to Thea’s black cat.
- Setting: Sparrow Falls is a not-so-sleepy Oregon town where serial killers and kidnappers cannot leave anyone in the Colson family and their inner circle alone. The best part of Sparrow Falls is the wider cast of characters from the Colson family with their group chat and their endearing found family vibes. Along with the circle of women who come together to support Thea, including Rhodes from Fragile Sanctuary and the single mom Sutton who runs the bakery and will be the next heroine (counting down the days until her story with Cope).
- Pacing: Once I started I never wanted to finish reading this. The suspense elements were impeccable as always, I almost wish she threw even more at Thea and Shepard as I did wonder if the end wrapped up a bit too easily. I will say yet again that I can never guess who the big bad is, every time I think I have a handle on the best suspect she surprises me once again.
- Romance: I loved Thea and Shep’s love story! This was a bit of a slower burn but it made it so much more worth it when they came together. Catherine just keeps pushing the spice with each book and I love it, but it still has that signature Cat Cowles sweetness. Shep is so damn respectful in and out of the bedroom. Shep made Thea feel so valued and loved along with all these little steps he made towards breaking down her walls. Together they don’t just find a way to love again, but a way to live bigger and brighter than ever before.
Delicate Escape is 4.5/5 stars
You can pick up the story here.
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Thank you again to Catherine and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!
