𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦. 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥. 𝘮𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭…✨

🔍true crime podcaster x sheriff
🏞️small town
🔍enemies to fwb to lovers
🏞️three-legged sassy cat
🔍suspense
🏞️grumpy x sunshine

all the missing pieces is my no.1 book by @catherinecowlesauthor 😍

this book was quite emotional so please read tw because it deals with feelings of grief which were quite hard to read at times💗

ridley is a true crime podcaster with a tragic past, her twin sister went missing and she won’t rest until she knows what happened to her. it is ridleys mission in life to try and help victims and their loved ones get some closure by investigating unsolved cases, often involving missing people💗

colter brooks is a grumpy cop in a small town, with an equally tragic past. he’s not a fan when ridley comes storming into his small town bringing chaos in her wake, and what it might mean for the people he loves most💜

these two had a rocky start but the tension was tensioning from the start🤭 there was so much passion and fire between these two, they were inevitable. they just needed to let the other in and realise that they shared the same goal, and what they could accomplish when they worked together👀

overall this book was a classic catherine cowles small town, suspense that had me questioning EVERYONE. i swear, i have trust issues because of this woman!!! as usual, i did not guess the unsub correctly 😂 but would it really be a catherine cowles book if i could?🤭

thank you @catherinecowlesauthor for an ARC & ALC of this book, the narrators did a fantastic job bringing colt & ridley to life 🫶

Ohh I had such high hopes for this one but I think it really fell flat :( I found that I wasn’t gripped by this book, or excited to pick it back up at any point, it wasn’t bad by any means just not high stakes or exciting enough for me to be hooked on it!

This follows Ridley, a true crime podcaster who visits Shady Cove to try and solve a string of abductions and murders over the last decade, as she believes it’s the same person who took her twin sister. It’s a small town, everyone knows everyone’s business and people don’t take to kindly to her at first, especially not the sheriff Colt, who happens to be the victims older brother.

It has really good tropes-
Grumpy x sunshine
Small town
Romantic suspense
Dislike to love

However I just did not feel connected to Colt or Ridley at all throughout this and I didn’t believe in there initial connection either. I did like Ridley’s character she was so fiery, and I liked that about her, but I didn’t think the balance of romance and plot worked well

I thought the twist felt SO flat, I thought it was going to be something twisty and clever but it just revealed someone who you may not have seen coming and that to me felt average 🤷🏽‍♀️ I didn’t find the investigating or anything exciting or page turning it was a bit slow I think for me!

All the Missing Pieces is the first book in the Shady Cove series by Catherine Cowles. This is the first book I’ve read by the author, and I really enjoyed it!

As much as I enjoy mysteries, I’ve never gotten into the true crime podcast space, but I was very curious when I saw this book! This actually made me want to find a new podcast to listen to!

I thought this book was fascinating! I read it in a day because I had to know how things would work out! As this book unfolded, I found myself more engrossed and on the edge of my seat.

This was more NSFW than I expected, but not in a bad way! It was definitely part of the character development! I really liked the characters and hope we’ll get to know them more!

I loved the narration by Andi Arndt & Sebastian York!

I look forward to what will come next in the Shady Cove series. This book seemed to be tied up nicely with a bow, so I’m very curious to see where the author will take us next!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

All the Missing Pieces (Shady Cove #1) by Catherine Cowles
Narrated by Andi Arndt & Sebastian York
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: General Fiction (Adult)
Published: January 7, 2025

Catherine, imo is the queen of romantic suspense and with the added element of a true crime podcaster with a deep drive from a life experience made this a very bingable book!
I loved the MC’s so much! The tension was amazing and when it turned to “enemies with benefits”. I adored the unfolding story of a similar pain and finding healing together.
As always you also fall in love with all the side characters and pets.

I loved this book so much. I am so thankful that I got to read this book. I loved the themes, and I thought that a normal person solving an incredible missing persons case was incredible. I really loved our relationship between our grumpy sheriff and our happy true crime podcaster. Catherine Cowles always writes amazing love interests and has great twists and plot points! She is INCREDIBLE!

New Favorite Catherine Book! I'm a fan of true crime documentaries and podcasts, so this book spoke to me on that level as well as an emotional one... Because boy does Catherine put us through it in this one. I knew what was going to happen the moment we started the prologue. Catherine put my heart in a vice grip and didn't let it go until the end of the story.

This is an Enemies to Lovers, small town suspense. Our FMC runs a true crime podcast and helps solve cases along the way. An opportunity presents itself to Ridley, which brings her to shady cove, as well as our Grumpy Sherrif Colt. Ridleys case brings these unlikely two together, can she help Colt solve his sisters attack? can these two learn to work together?

I loved, seeing Colt start to warm up to Ridley, even though Shes been through trauma and loss, Shes still more of the sunshine when it comes to her and Colt. seeing these two become closer and the relationship grow, I completely loved!

Also in true Catherine fashion, I was wrong with my guess' for who the bad guy was.

Gosh I absolutely adored this book. It also might be my new favourite by Catherine.
The grumpy sunshine and low key rivals to lovers. The barber was FANTASTIC! The working together and the way he protects her once he relaised he’s being a giant oaf haha.

Plus the mystery and the side characters. One thing I love about Catherine’s books, is that the characters are explained so well, down to their quirks and mannerisms, that you’d think they were real. I read these books and I’m like, there’s no way this isn’t real.

Catherine puts so much detail into her characters, they jump off the page and leap right into your heart.

I also love that the FMC has her podcast about cold cases and serial unalivers. And then he is the sheriff. Perfect coupling right there. And the nickname “chaos” ughh love:
4.8⭐️
1.5-2🌶️

All the Missing Pieces
by: Catherine Cowles
5 stars
1.5 spice

the suspense. THE SUSPENSE IN THIS BOOK YA'LL. whew I will go on the record I will never be able to guess a Catherine villain correctly and I'm not even mad about it.

When you read the prologue and first chapter in this book, you're already so invested because of the shocking sadness. The FMC and the MMC cross paths because she is trying to solve a cold case, and she feels like there is a connection in the small town. AND BOOOYYYY IS THERE.

Not only is there a grumpy MMC there but there is all kinds of other connections as well. No matter how hard they try to push each other away Ridley and Colter have a pull between them neither of them a shake and i. am. here. for. it.

I gasped, was shocked. all the above. One of my fave suspense books she's written to date.

Thank you Catherine and team for the ability to read and review!!

This might just be my favorite Catherine Cowles book to date.
I loved the Podcast aspect of this book. It was true Romantic Suspense at it finest.

Another book by Catherine where she deserves a chef’s kiss for another amazing book written. She blows me away with her storylines and characters. I always try to play cop and figure out who the suspect is, another wrong prediction on my side.

Ridley had a tragic loss her senior year and from there she decided to dedicate her time to running a podcast to helping others find peace in cold cases. She arrives in the small town, Shady Cove, and she is ready to jump on in on a case. The small town had so much charm and I loved all the side characters in town. Ridley lives in her VW bus so staying at a camp ground was totally fine with her. I loved that her 3 legged cat would paddle board with her!

Colt is the town’s Sheriff. He’s all grumpy and broody. Ideal MMC! He’s also very protective over his sister, who happens to have connection to Ridley’s new case. Ridley and Colt have not the best friendship in the beginning. If anything they didn’t trust one another and hated each other. Over time their hate turned to lust to friendship.
This story was soo good! I didn’t feel like it was rushed at all, the storyline kept me on my toes and I loved all the characters!

Tropes:
Small Town
Slow Burn (62%)
Grumpy/Sunshine
Protective Sheriff/Fiesty Podcaster
Enemies to Lovers
Secret Identity
Forced Proximity
Romantic Suspense

This book had it all, including a heavy dose of heartbreak. Ridley and Avery's story broke my heart as well as Emerson's and Colt, and despite all the sadness the quirky amazing characters add so much to this book and help to lighten the mood a bit, the perfect bit. I never saw the ending coming, and I usually figure it out. The audio book was amazing, love me some Andi Arndt.

Apparently I haven’t learned my lesson to trust no one in a Catherine Cowles romantic suspense novel because once again I was guessing anyone but the actual villain.

All the Missing Pieces was another 5⭐️ read from this author. I loved every minute of it starting with the meet cute that involved a three-legged cat named Tater who gives “tooth hugs”. I will be adopting his language for my cats from now on.

I really enjoyed the true crime podcaster angle and the why behind Ridley chasing down older cases even though I’m not a fan of podcasts in real life. The banter and snark between Ridley and Colt was fantastic and the sparks between them were electric.
This one sucked me in immediately and I didn’t want to stop listening.

@offmicandi and @sebastianyork_official
were fantastic choices as narrators.

🎙️ small town romance
🚔 enemies to lovers
🎙️romantic suspense
🚔 grumpy/sunshine
🎙️ forced proximity
🚔 sheriff hero who she calls Law Man
🎙️ true crime podcaster heroine who he calls Chaos

I can never guess who the serial killer is in a Catherine Cowels book. Her writing is so clever and always has the twists and turns coming for you.

Years after Ridley’s twin sister is kidnapped, she finds herself as a True Crime podcast host and slowly putting together clues to find out who was behind her sister’s disappearance. Which leads her to a small town where she meets our grumpy protective MMC, Colt.

I think this book is a standalone but what I would give for an Emerson (colt’s sister) and *spoiler* book!!

The romance was a little rushed to me?? Which I’m surprised I’m saying that because I don’t think they kiss until 60%. I wanted more tension or angst between the couple. Ridley moves in with Colt (for safety purposes) and then we jump to 2 weeks later.

Also the fact that she moves in with this man after knowing him for maybe a week?? It’s a little ironic that the FMC is searching for a series killer but has no regard for her safety by moving in with a guy she barely knows (even if he’s a sheriff and we know he’s the good guy/MMC).

I needed more longing tension filled romance moments to bump this up to a 5 star!

♾️⭐️. No notes.
This was simply perfect.
From the more heavy focus on the case throughout the entire book (which made my little true crime loving heart happy) in comparison to Catherine’s other books, to the mystery of whodunnit that I never was certain of until it was revealed, to all the people in the town that you just couldn’t help but love even when trying to remind yourself that **everyone** in a Catherine Cowles book is a suspect, to the true companionship and love and healing that Ridley and Colt found in each other.
And also to Tater the tripod cat that holds an extra special place in my heart because she reminded me so much of my own tripod kitty, Barry, who we unfortunately lost on release day of this book.
Wouldn’t change a single damn thing.

🎧 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 🎧

Can Catherine Cowles write a bad book? The answer is NO. She cannot! I have read her entire backlist multiple times and each book is a solid five-star read! Her ability to write a fictional world where you can’t help but lose yourself and fall in love in love with the characters is pure magic. The feeling I get when reading a Catherine Cowles book is addictive and it has me coming back for more. This beauty was no different!

✽ 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: Andi Arndt & Sebastian York

You’ll enjoy this book if you like these tropes… ♡

ꕤ 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀 ꕤ

♡ Grumpy/Sunshine
♡ Tortured Hero
♡ Small Town
♡ Forced Proximity
♡ Enemies-to-Lovers
♡ True Crime Podcaster Heroine
♡ Fun & Quirky Secondary Characters
♡ Undeniable Chemistry
♡ Cat Lover
♡ Romantic Suspense
♡ Swoonworthy
♡ Sexual Tension
♡ Sheriff MMC
♡ Lovable Three-Legged Cat
♡ Romantic Thriller
♡ Sassy, Sarcastic & Witty FMC

Ridley is a podcaster who spends her life travelling around and learning about and researching unsolved crimes. It has grown into somewhat of a passion/obsession of her since the disappearance of her twin. Her twin was reported missing and presumably dead just before they were about to start college and to help her deal with so many unanswered questions, she needed to find something else to focus her attention and time on so researching unsolved crimes became somewhat of a passion and an obsession to help her cope with. She’s dedicating her life to finding justice travelling around the country trying to get answers to unsolved questions and trying to solve unsolved crime.

Ridley finds herself in a small town called Shady Cove. She’s working on a case with a victim called Emerson. Emerson narrowly escaped being attacked and when Ridley is working on her case things are a lot more serious and it may be connected to a larger case involving a serial killer. So Ridley gets to work, diving in and trying to get information, she butts head with the local sheriff in town Colt. He will do all he can to protect his small town which means derailing Ridley’s plans to get the information she needs.


Even though they hardly knew a thing about each other, these two had some pretty intense chemistry together the moment they were around each other. The banter and the back-and-forth comebacks they would throw at each other are pure gold. It’s exactly why I love enemies-to-lovers trope so much. The sparring and push and pull, the tension, the chemistry, the sexual tension, the frustration… It all comes together and in the end, they can’t fight it any longer. It was evident from the moment they first crossed paths that they were each other forever.

It was so amazing to witness these two together. I was obsessed. I say this a lot and I’m saying it again. Colt has now taken 1st place as my favourite Catherine Cowles book boyfriend. If I’m honest. ALL of her book boyfriends are my favourites.
She just has a way of writing a male character you can’t help to go weak at the knees and swoon for. She’s a master at her craft and each book she writes proves that!

Sit back, relax, maybe grab some chocolate and a glass of wine and read watch their journey unfold and their love blossom. It’s breathtaking.


FIVE STARS
✰✰✰✰✰

4.5 ⭐️s

Thank you so much for approving me this title!

A podcaster who's trying to solve her twin sister's disappearance and a cop who's sister might be linked to the said disappearances?!! Wow wow wow. Catherine Cowles did it again. I read this in one sitting and gosh i ate it up.

CC just does romantic suspense so well and this book might be one of my fav of her specially with the suspense aspect. I love listening to true crime podcasts but hate UNSOLVED cases. This book actually ending with the MCs getting closure makes my heart so happy. I was invested since the beginning and guess what 0g I WAS WRONG WITH GUESSING THE VILLIAN. AGAIN. Ughhh i didn't see it coming!

here catherine goes again making me think i'm the greatest detective but i never guess who did it. if i was an actual detective i would get fired.

another small town to obsess over. i love being able to be in catherine's head when she is writing out these small towns and the characters and every single detail that she puts out there. Ridley and Colt have my entire heart. I love them and their pets. NO BC TATER WAS THE REAL STAR. HER AND HER TOOTH HUGS. i cackled with her and colton i really did.

ridley and colt and their banter as enemies to becoming enemies w/ benefits to being that missing piece that they were both missing in each other's life and the way that they healed each other. no bc why did I think it was trey up until like the 83% mark. i really played myself. who i did want to know more about of is emerson. she is such a unique character and what she went through breaks my heart and to see all the guilt that colt has been carrying on his shoulder really broke a piece in my heart, but in catherine fashion she was able to piece it back together. get it....

i need a book about trey and emerson now. the way that man protects her ughhhhhhhh. swoonyyy. a job well done catherine no notes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Catherinefor the e-ARC and the ALC!

Tropes:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Romantic suspense
- True Crime Podcaster Heroine
- Sheriff MMC
- Small town romance

5 ☆

Catherine Cowles at her finest! If you are a romance + true crime podcast fan, this one is definitely for you! I loved the setting, the #vanlife, forced proximity, and hate to love. The twists just kept me guessing and I definitely did not figure out the end!!

I know this is supposed to be a standalone, but I need more of these characters and town!!

This is a great book for anyone who wants a suspenseful romance or a mystery romance! It revolves around a true crime podcaster who is trying to find her sister's abductor, which leads her to a small town. As she begins to unravel the case, which the help of the hunky sheriff, she gets deeper and deeper into the web and gets involved with some shady people.

Thank you to Catherine Cowles for the eARC and ALC copy of this book!

I DEVOURED this book. This book had everything I was looking for, small town, romance, suspense, and found family. The story was so freaking good and my girl Ridley was a bad ass. So many complex characters with backstories that made this book even better. Ugh I love.

Okay so basically we are following our girl Ridley who does a podcast where she looks a missing people’s cases/ or cold cases, and does research in the town talking to locals. The reason she does this is because her sister was taken/suspected to be unalived and they never found the bad guy. So she gets a case in the small town of Shady Cove where there is actually a girl that got away from a kidnapper who she thinks is connected to like 24 other cases😳 She starts getting the vibes of the town and talking to locals and our grumpy cop MMC who also happens to be looking into this case YEARLY is not too happy with her arrival because his SISTER was taken as well and is actually the person from the case that Ridley is there investigating.

If that all sounds intriguing to you, you should def read this book, such an easy 5 star read for me. Also the ENDING, I need book 2 for my girl Emersyn!!!