Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5

Catherine Cowles does it yet again; every Catherine Cowles book I read is better than the last making my “favorite CC book” change every few months with the newest release. This book is a romantic suspense masterpiece. Initially, I was hesitant to start this book only because this was my first ever ARC read so I was nervous about that responsibility, but oh my was this truly an honor to read. Right off the prologue, I was instantly gripped by the FMC’s tragic story with her twin sister. The magic of Catherine Cowles is she transports you into this amazing small town worlds and makes you feel like Nancy Drew. A quarter in, I thought I had the culprit and was a bit disappointed that it was “so easy to guess” as I was so sure that little clues were pointing to my first suspect as the book continued. Then 84% in, I doubted my primary guess as, again, it couldn’t possibly be that easy; so, I picked a second guess I was so sure of. Then, a chapter later, when the climax was starting, I went back to my first pick. Nothing could’ve prepared me for when the real culprit was revealed— I would have never guessed! And THAT is why Catherine is a genius.

The mystery storyline took center stage, and gripped me in for majority of the book as the romance slowly developed; but honestly, I didn’t even need the romance because I was so invested in the main and side characters. Don’t worry though, the romance doesn’t disappoint. Not only is this book more spicy than some of her other works (a little kinky🍑🌶️), but the transcendent bond of our MCs Ridley and Colt healing their traumas together is immensely beautiful. ❤️‍🩹

My other favorite things about this book were the underlying topic of animal rights and healthy eating. Celia is my spirit animal! I also went to a Thai restaurant and ordered extra tofu because of Ridley. I would gladly accept a tooth hug from Princess Tater.

If you want an immersive murder mystery in a loving NoCal small town with sizzling and healing romance, this should be your next read! It might also make you want to buy a camper bus and/or adopt a pet.

I am such a Catherine Cowles fan so I was thrilled to receive this ARC! I am a sucker for all podcast related storylines and this one delivered. I loved Ridley’s determination, sass, and empathy. She was a great FMC. I didn’t love the relationship between the FMC and MMC. I almost wish they hadn’t been “enemies with benefits” because I felt that cheapened their connection. I also loved Emerson’s character and hope we get to see more from her. Overall, this was a hit!

As a lover of all things true crime podcasts I devoured this book! Ridley and Colt had me laughing, swearing, and on the edge of my seat. I loved the characters and the friendships Ridley made in her small town adventure. There was enough suspense that kept me turning the page and in usual Catherine fashion, my jaw DROPPED at the reveal. 15/10, my new favorite Catherine book!

Tropes;
Serial Unaliver
Small Town Suspense
enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Grumpy sunshine

This book was absolute perfection, beginning to end!!
I was caught into the mystery from the get go. I felt like I wanted to start one of those who-done-it walls with names and information put up so I could keep track of who I thought was the bad guy (however, I still dont think I would have guessed correctly haha).

Ridley shows up in the small town of Shady Cove for her podcast - a serial true crime podcast where she digs into cold cases in hopes of finding those responsible and bringing justice to the families who desperately want closure. Upon arriving, she has a run in with the too hot for his own good Sheriff who is less than pleased with her arrival - especially when he realizes exactly why she is in their small town. And how it directly effects both him and those he loves. But what he doesn't know is the real reasons for why Ridley is searching for answers - and the way this all effects her as well! However, what will happen as her digging for information brings the killer out from hiding and it will effect not just those who are victims already - but maybe even her also? And what will Colt, the Sheriff, do when he realizes she is so much more than the pesky podcaster searching for answers?

I truly loveddddd the dynamic between Ridley and Colt, as well as the entire town. The process of them going from strangers, to hating each other, to FWB, to so much more - it was perfection. It made me want to never put the book down, because I just needed more and more and more. All the way until the very end, when my face was streaked with tears and my heart was so full!!
I have read so many Catherine Cowles books, and this one felt so special in such a new way and truly may be one of my most favorite of all time!

I was lucky enough to score an early ARC copy of this book from NetGalley. I say this every damn time that Catherine does not miss in any book she writes. This story was a true crime podcaster looking for answers in a small town and putting the pieces together of the all the missing girls, including her twin sister Avery. It’s a heartbreaking, beautiful story with love and spice! Colt was the golden retriever sheriff who was a tortured soul due to his little sister Emerson getting abducted but then escaping and he had a whole lot of guilt. Ridley was a sassy take no bullshit FMC and she did kick ass and take names. She was on a mission to help the missing girls be found and closure brought to their families, including her own. It was a beautiful ending that was peaceful. I wouldn’t mind another book in this even though it is listed as a standalone. I need more! I need Trey and Emersons’s story!!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

A laugh burst out of me, the last sound I was expecting. "Is it fitting that I'm laughing and crying when I've told you I love you?"
He pulled me into him. "Baby, you're chaos. Of course it is."

4.5 stars

I absolutely DEVOURED this.

This book was exactly what I needed after some slightly disappointing books, and romantic suspense is usually a homerun for me, ESPECIALLY when it's Catherine Cowles.

Ridley was a pretty good FMC. She was really smart, empathetic, and treated her job with care and grace. She didn't take shit from anyone and let the MMC have it several times, which I really enjoyed. Wasn't super sold on her nickname for him, but what can you do.

But I super loved Colt's nickname for her. Chaos 😂I think Colt is a little more gruffer than CC;s previous MMC's, but with a lot of good reason. But I liked seeing his character development once Ridley was there to pull his head out of his ass.

And I enjoyed the storyline as well. Sometimes in CC books there can be a lot of different storylines going against the main protagonists and so it can get overwhelming, but this one I think dialed that back and bit and made it more centralized.

And ho boy I cannot wait for Trey and Emerson 😍

All the Missing Piece by Catherine Cowles
This was a 4

Catherine Cowles once again delivers a captivating tale with All the Missing Pieces. Honestly she is the master at intricate plots and unexpected twists! I swear she just picks the most out their twist and THEN writes the book around that haha.

I loved the FMC, Ridley. I found her to be resilent, caring and a little stubborn haha. At times I was like oh please make smart choices and be safe - but those were few and far between. She thankfully didn’t act like a “white girl in a horror movie” (come on, you know exactly what I am talking about hahaha). Unfortunately, the MMC, Colter, falls short. He is the first Cowles man I haven’t fawned over. His repeated missteps and questionable behavior hinder his character development, making him unlikable for me. I maybe an judging him harshly, but I was disappointed that he didn’t seem to grow and kept making the same asshole moves over and over.

The story is amazing though and I loved found family aspect that is always so integral to Catherine’s stories.
Despite Colter, All the Missing Pieces is a solid addition to Cowles’s impressive body of work. The suspenseful storyline and surprising revelation of the villain made it more than worthwhile!
Troupes: grumpy X sunshine, law enforcement MC, enemies to lovers, who did this to you, truecrime podcaster FMC, romantic suspense, animal sidekick
Spice 2/5
Plot 4.5/5
Pace 4/5
Character Personality 3/5
Character Growth 4/5
Writing Style 5/5
World Building 5/5

This story completely consumed me. Catherine has this magical way of capturing the human experience in all of its rawness while providing levity with the wonderful side characters, shout out to Tater, love you Princess Tater.

I feel like All The Missing Pieces was a love letter to grief and all of its complexities.

Ridley has dedicated the past four years to helping people find peace through her true crime podcast. And she's tried to live life to the fullest and for herself and her sister.

Colt has dedicated his life to serving and protecting and ultimately trying to make up for not being there for his sister when she needed him most. And one woman has the power to upend his world.

The way Colt and Ridley understand each other is on a molecular level, they've both experienced trauma and grief, and I think that's initially why they butt heads. But you can feel the sparks from their first meeting.

And in a shocking turn of events ---no spoilers--- I was wrong...again.

Catherine Cowles’ continues to SHINE! Listen, I had my suspect list with details for each one. The ONE character I brushed off... *sighs* I never learn. The suspense kept me glued from beginning to end! And the ROMANCE!! Ahhh! Love it! Love the entire small town. Everyone is amazing! AND THERE'S A "GRAB THE HEADBOARD" SCENE!

Full review to come

- friends with benefits
- grumpy x sunshine
- romantic suspense
- true crime podcast
- small town
- "eyes on me"
- "grab the headboard"

This was such a fast read for me. It was totally a page-turner!! I loved that this was such an emotional story and not just because of the romance. Ridley has a very personal reason for becoming a true crime podcaster and that connection fuels every aspect of her life.

I loved the antagonistic relationship between local sheriff, Colt, and Ridley as she comes to investigate a local abduction. But Ridley wins everyone over with her backstory, intelligence and empathy. I so enjoyed the progression of Colt and Ridley’s relationship and how he gained respect for her, even as his romantic feelings deepened.

Ridley is the type of character you can’t help but root for. She has been through so much and chooses to fight for others. I was so surprised that she was from Dayton, OH because that’s where I was born!

I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story and how good Cowles is at providing red herrings so you never know who the bad character is!

I will never pass up an opportunity to read a Catherine Cowles book early. This book has romance, mystery, a kick ass female and a grumpy MMC who wanted to throttle and protect Ridley (and his sister) at every turn. I never see the bad guy coming in Catherine’s book and this was no different. Always recommend

This is one of Catherine’s best books. While she writes some of the best romantic suspense, this complex story leans more heavily into the suspense and investigative story than her other series, especially with both MCs working to find out the truth. It is also a heartfelt story about healing and finding love when you least expected it and weren’t looking for it. This story has vital elements of hurt comfort and a large cast of characters that you can’t help but love. It is at times sad, hopeful, steamy, sweet, and thrilling; all wrapped up in a page turning story that will take you hostage. I was elated to get my hands on an early copy of this story, and once I started reading, it was impossible to put down. This small town, grumpy x sunshine, romantic suspense was fast paced and kept me on my toes from the first page.

The events of Ridley’s past drive her to help those who were taken and have no voice. When her sister went missing, it sparked a drive in her that led her to the small town where a girl was taken, but escaped her attacker. Using her podcasting platform, Ridley covers missing person cases, hoping to reveal new truths. Sherif Colter Brown wants nothing to do with this woman stirring up trouble in his small town and captivating him with her determination and fire. But when her investigation goes from cold to hot and she’s placed in danger, he steps in to keep her safe. But no one ever said he would keep his heart safe too.

I adored Ridley. She’s probably been one of my favorite FMCs this year. She is such a strong character pushing back against everyone who tried to stop her from uncovering the truth and telling her what she should do. She is immensely kind, but also gives as good as she gets and her verbal sparring with Colt was fantastic. I really wanted their HEA after learning their shared backstories and the guilt they carry daily. The way they dealt with that guilt is where their grumpy sunshine dynamic came in and I’m always a sucker for that trope. As with all of Catherine’s books, this story was fantastically tricky and kept me glued to the plot. I sincerely hope that she writes even more books like this one because it seems that no matter what Catherine writes, I can’t get enough!

I absolutely loved this book! Catherine Cowles has written yet another great book! This book was the perfect mix of suspense and a great romance between Colt and Ridley! I loved Colt! He's a new favorite book boyfriend for me!

She does it again I couldn’t put the book down read it till I finished at 1am. Ridley and Colt I love them so much. Ridley has a strength to her that’s so darn inspiring. I loved all the side characters in the book too they all made the story just come together. Can’t forget to mention Tater and her mouth hugs that was one of my favorite parts of this book. With most Catherine books you think you know who the bad guy is and then when it gets to the reveal you’re like wait what, I had an inclining but was like no it can’t be and then was like holy cow it is. I really hope we get some more of Emerson and Trey in a future book. This is going to the top of my favorite books by her.

All The Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles is bone chilling suspenseful romance at its finest!

I love Catherine Cowles and her books but All The Missing Pieces takes her thrilling stories to another level. I love that this book takes the mystery as first storyline and we see mystery solving, plot twists, and it is shocking and surprising. Her mind takes us to places we would never imagine or guess the culprit. Catherine always manages to throw me for a loop but I also really liked that this story touches on victims and how they live past that. What it's like to live day to day after surviving something horrible. It shows us what its like to live with guilt, grief and how sometimes being afraid holds us back but also giving a voice to them and listening to their stories and doing them justice and what its like to feel helpless. With all that there's a romance blooming between. A podcaster and a sheriff, a dynamic duo you would think but they couldn't be more opposite and start off as enemies and slowly become unlikely accomplices to help others and what later forms into a friendship that blooms into love through all that which shows there's always light at the end of a tunnel. A compelling story that takes you on thrilling and chilling stories but will always. make you smile at the end of it. A Must read!

4 stars

This is a great book for fans of true crime, romantic suspense, and small town romance.
I enjoyed the small town setting and all the side characters. they added a lot to the plot and to Ridley’s investigation. I also liked how Colt was so protective of Ridley even when he didn’t like her. He’s your typical grumpy, small town sheriff and I really enjoyed that. I also liked how the investigation played out and the resolution we got to that storyline. I was able to guess the ending but that might be because I’ve read so many Catherine Cowles books and kind of get the formula, rather than it being obvious or predictable.
I am personally not a big fan of true crime, especially true crime podcasts, so that kind of automatically made me not love Ridley or the premise of this book as a whole. They do address some of the issues with the genre and Ridley takes care with how she handles things but still, not really my vibe. If you are a true crime fan, however, that might make you enjoy this book even more!
As always, if Catherine Cowles writes it, I will read it and I definitely enjoyed this book!


Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the ARC!

I’ve never met a Catherine Cowles books I didn’t like! She always packs a sucker punch into the gut and just leaves you breathless.

Catherine has this way of keeping you on your toes the entire time you’re reading and you always feel like you need to be looking over your shoulder.

Another fantastic job by CC!

I love love love Catherine Cowles book. They are always a great blend of mystery with romance!!!! This once is heartfelt and suspenseful. Loved it!!!

I love romantic suspense books. I love Catherine Cowels books. This book, I loved.

Ridley lost her sister a number of years ago and has taken on being a podcast host trying to help people similar to her. At her next job she hopes to find answers she has long seemed. She doesn’t expect to find love too.

I loved this book. I loved the mystery. I loved the romance. The steam was excellent. The story was touching and written in a thoughtful way.

Thank you SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and NetGalley for the ARC.

It’s no secret how much I love Catherine and her books. But this one was on a different level. I can’t wait for everyone to feel all the emotions with this one. Yes, I did in fact cry.
No one does romantic suspense like Cat.
Ridley and Colter will forever hold a special place in my heart including everyone else in Shady Cove and the animals are included in that statement 🙂‍↕️.
More to come because this one comes out next year 01/07/2025 and it will be my entire personality so prepare to be sick of me 😌.