Wow! At first I thought to myself, well that was anticlimactic. Then wham!!! The story takes you on a wild ride. This was definitely my favorite of this series so far. Fast paced and full of action and suspense. Finally the mystery surrounding Sam is solved and I didn't expect we would get that resolution so soon. Cate and Henry's relationship is progressing and some decisions about the future are made. I know there are at least two more novellas to come and I really can't wait to see where these authors take us.

Great continuation of the Widow’s Island series! Love the location,, fast paced romantic suspense - wish they were longer but looking forward to more by Kendra Elliot. Thank you NetGalley.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read this Arc.
What an amazing follow on by Kendra Elliot to Whisper of Bones by Melinda Leigh. Two fantastic novellas.
Bred in the Bone was so emotional and had me literally in tears. I only hope that there are follow on ones. All of Kendra Elliot's books are brilliant and this one was no exception!! I would highly recommend it.

Bred in the Bone is the fourth book in this series written by Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh. I suggest reading the first three books in this series first to learn the background of the characters. I have really enjoyed this series and am waiting for the last two books which are coming out next year

Best book in the series!!! Loved it. Honestly, I didn't think we would learn about Sam's fate until the very last book, so glad I was wrong. A hit and run accident leads Cate and Tessa to finally discover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of their best friend all those years ago. At the same time, Cate's medical leave is almost over and it's time for her to head back to the mainland and her job with the FBI. Cate hasn't completely healed from the shooting, she still has anxiety about knocking on doors. Plus, she loves Henry and doesn't want to be away from him or her beloved island.

Definitely recommend the book, but you need to read the previous three books in the series. I can't believe I have to wait another year for the next two books in the series. I'm sure there will be more murders to investigate.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Montlake Romance through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fear can be a deadly thing, it sends your mind into dangerous waters and because of one woman giving in to her fears, two decades of secrets started unraveling with present dangers of course. A great fast-paced storyline with excellent characters, entwined in intrigue and mystery, that captivates your mind. Cate and Tessa never gave up on finding closure for their friend who went missing twenty years ago. An interesting and mind-boggling book that keeps you wondering about the mental state of some folks and the lengths family members would go to cover up.

I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N on Oct 29. 2019

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. This is my fair and honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book, I have read several of Kendra Elliot's books but none from this series. Although it is the 4th book of the series it definitely can be read as a stand alone. This was a super quick and simple read but so much was packed into it, I loved the characters in the book, and will definitely go back and read the other books in the series. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

I have really enjoyed the Widow's Island Series and now that the mystery of what happened to Samantha has been solved, I wonder where the last two books of the series are going to go. This novella is very short and rushed. It definitely needed more pages to flesh out the current murder mystery, the mystery of Samantha and the romance between Cate and Henry.

Cate is an FBI Agent who is home on Widow's Island for medical recuperation after being shot and her partner killed. During this time home she and best friend, Tessa, have been looking into the disappearance 20 years ago of their friend Samantha. They have uncovered a clue that has finally given them a direction in their search for answers.

At the same time a Widow's Island bad boy is killed in a hit and run. Even his father is not mourning his death. But is it a coincidence or something else that the murder victim may have had information about Sam's disappearance?

Well I just didn't see this coming! This is an absolute MUST read for the Widow's Island series. I feel this one you definitely needed to have read the other 3 books of this series first. Do it, you'll love them!

This book had me in tears! Awesome story and writing! I can't say anything else without spoilers, so I won't? I'll just leave it's a must read!

Another nicely written instalment in this series - number four. This is quite a short novella and involves another murder and the ongoing investigation of the disappearance Cate and Tessa's friend Samantha, 20 years ago. There's not much romance to speak of, but Henry (Cate's man) does appear in the book, but this story mostly features Cate and Tessa. You really need to read this series in order and this is not a stand alone. Lots of things were resolved but the romances are ongoing. I think there are a couple more books out in this series next year, but for now this novella wraps things up well.

Excellent book!! This book starts a bit slow then BAM the author throws in a huge shocker and before you know if you have finished the book and your stunned at the ending. Absolutely great mystery and conclusion to what has happened to Samantha! Loved this novella and love this author! If you love to read a great thriller with great characters read any book by Kendra Elliot. I highly recommend this book and any book she has written. I would if I could give this book more than 5 stars !

A wonderful follow up to Whisper of Bones (book #3) by Melinda Leigh. Cate Wilde has some decisions to make. Will she return to the mainland and her career at the FBI, or remain on Widows Island with her friends, family and Henry. She assists her friend, Deputy Tessa Black, in the investigation of a hit and run death which leads the two women to possible evidence in the twenty-year old unsolved disappearance of their friend Samantha. Can they hope to finally find out why their friend disappeared? They know that after this much time she must be dead, but they and her mother deserve to know what happened. There are at least two more books planned for this series and I can’t wait! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

First off, this is book 4 in a series, and while book 3 stood on its own, book 4 requires you at least read book 3 before diving in. The reason I say this is because this book resolves a huge part of the previous 3 books, and while you’ll understand the mystery and the case on its own, it won’t have as much of a punch if you don’t have some previous knowledge of how the case has been working.

For me this story focused on one main character, Cate, which was very different from book 3 which was a dual perspective type police procedural with hints of romance. I was expecting more of what I saw in book 3 but I really appreciated how book 4 was different, as it had more of the character development, inner monologue, and emotion I was hoping for earlier in the series.

I don’t want to give too much away but this book really packed a punch. By the middle I thought it was resolved and a little anticlimactic, but little did I know that the real story happened in the second half. There’s lots of action, dramatic twists, and great character development. I really enjoyed the ending, which feels like the last of this series, but there’s also room to write at least 2 more books given the other characters in the story.

I enjoyed getting to know Cate and I’m eager to read the previous books in this series that she’s the lead in, as her backstory is very interesting and plays a large role in the rest of the series. Again I was hoping for more romance, but given that these books are novellas there isn’t a ton of space for the relationship to bud as much as in a full length book.

I would definitely read more works by this author and I’m looking forward to enjoying the rest of Cate’s story, both in the previous books and as a reader hoping for more.

Bred in the Bone



Kendra Elliot


Kendra Elliot's Bred in the Bone is the fourth novella in the Widow's Island series, which is set on an island in the Pacific Northwest. After reading the third installment, I went straight to the fourth and finished the novella in one sitting. This story centers on Cate, an FBI agent on medical leave, and Henry, the island's only doctor. Like Whispers of Bone (Widow's Island #3), this novella contains two mysteries: a present-day murder and the disappearance of Cate's childhood friend, Samantha. Both murders help move the cold case forward and in this book it's fully resolved.

Though I picked up the overarching storyline quickly in Whispers of Bone , I would recommend reading that novella before tackling this one. I had a few issues with novella #4 and at least some of them may have been lessened had I downloaded all of the books in order. As I mentioned in my review of Whispers of Bone, novellas are deceptively hard to pull off—I'm often left feeling like the mystery resolves too quickly or the romance seems rushed. In this case, I ended up having both those experiences. I got a good sense of Cate and liked her character quite a bit. But I had no real idea who Henry was and their romance did nothing for me. The plot also didn't work for me because there was so much going on that the story seemed chaotic and rushed in the second half. Part of the problem was that Cate had to solve not one but two mysteries in fewer than a hundred pages, which is a daunting task for any author. After becoming interested in Samantha's disappearance in Whispers of Bone, I was left wanting more.

I haven't read many co-written series and was surprised I reacted so differently to Leigh's and Elliot's stories. I do like the premise for the series, the Pacific Northwest setting and both authors' writing styles. Reading the other reviews, it also seems I've had a very different response to Bred in the Bone so I may just take this as a warning to start interlinked series at the beginning.

Much thanks to Montlake Romance and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


3 stars

This was a nice ending for a good series of novellas. At least I think it's the ending with the mystery of Samantha wrapping up. Although I've got to say I clearly did not see that twist coming till it was presented to us. Considering it was a novella and also like it's predecessors the stories were short and impactful and managed to give a story short and sweet. A good short read for mystery lovers.

I received Bred in the Bone from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Bred in the Bone is the fourth installment of the Widow's Island Novellas, by Melinda Leigh and Kendra Elliott. The pair make for a powerhouse collaborative writing duo as both are compelling storytellers in their own right.

Bred in the Bone picks up the story of FBI Agent Cate Wilde, childhood best friend of Deputy Tessa Black, who is featured in Melinda Leigh's side of the novella series. Cate has returned to Pacific Northwest Widow's Island where she grew up to heal and spend her medical leave after being shot in an on the job incident. While Cate is home, she and Tessa are determined to solve the disappearance of Samantha Bishop, their other childhood best friend who disappeared in the middle of the night 20 years prior. Tessa found Samantha's necklace in an unexpected place while solving an unrelated murder and the location suggests she may have disappeared from completely different place than originally thought.

When the town drunk is killed in a hit and run while riding his bicycle, it seems the case will be open and shut, but unexpected additional information about the crime may lead Tessa and Cate to finally finding out Samantha's fate.

Due to ongoing storylines and callbacks to the previous novellas, I do not recommend reading this novella as a standalone story.

This story was incredibly fast-paced and compelling and I flew right through it, easily reading it beginning to end in a single sitting. I eagerly await the next set of novellas in the series.

As always, Elliot delivers. Suspense and great characters. This is a pivotal novella is the series and really best enjoyed in order. I read this and the previous (released together) in one afternoon. And now I'm sad and have so long to wait for the next two!!

Book 4 in the Widow's Island collection

Twenty years ago, Samantha Bishop disappeared without a trace. Her best friends Cate Wilde and Tessa Black, never forgot her and always vowed to discover the truth of her disappearance. In book 3, new evidence was uncovered that may have a bearing on the decades old mystery. But first Cate must solve a present day crime. Who hit and killed a bicyclist on a rural island road?

On leave after being shot during a routine investigation, Cate Wilde has come home to Widow's Island to recuperate. Since being home and reconnecting with her childhood friend Tessa, she is slowly getting her strength, and her courage, back. Helping with this is new to the island doctor Henry Powers, her new boyfriend and the island's coroner.

Being called to the scene of a hit and run is only one of the many unsettling things that have happened to Cate since being back home. Determined to uncover more clues to her friend Samantha's disappearance, she is side tracked by several murders, but one of them has lead to a promising clue. Can she and Tessa truly discover what happened to their friend all those years ago?

These two ladies continue to delight me with their writing. Kendra Elliot and Melinda Leigh, tag teaming this series, makes me so happy! The character development, spot on dialogue, and intriguing plots all combine to create stories that will grip the reader and leave you wanting more.

I devoured this in one sitting. This story focuses on Cate, an FBI agent on leave after her partner was killed. She has been seeing our local doctor Henry and focusing on re-investigating the disappearance of her and Tessa’s childhood friend Samantha. When a hit-and-run case Tess works soon gives them a lead. Had I read the synopsis I might have known we would get answers but I enjoy going in cold.

Cate is scheduled to go back to Seattle after the holidays and I wondered how that would impact the growing relationship with Henry. I will leave you to discover that for yourselves.

Intense with twists and surprises I enjoyed Bred in Bone and look forward to reading the next two novellas Below the Bone and Broken Bone.

Review will post Nov 1, 2019 @ Caffeinated Reviewer and will be shared on all social media, Goodreads and Amazon.

This is the first novella format book I've read of Kendra Elliotts . The premise was interesting , but I prefer her full-length books where there's more time to flesh out the characters and develop the plot at a more leisurely pace . It's not a bad book at all , I just prefer more detail and a lengthier read.

Thanks so much for sharing this gallery with me !