WRECKED PALACE (Wrecked #3) by CATHERINE COWLES

‘Her touch, her words, they seeped into my bones. The warmth of them was so hot it burned. And I never wanted to forget the feeling.’

This was our third book in the Wreckage Series by Catherine Cowles, (Reckless Memories the first, – Perfect Wreckage the second) and once again this author has delivered a heart-warming and incredibly beautiful slow burn romance with a wonderful small-town community atmosphere.

Wrecked Palace is a story of betrayal, loss, love and family. With Griffin Lockwood, Caelyn O’Connor and the ‘tiny terrors’ completely stealing our hearts. This really was a story of sacrifice and immeasurable love. The children Will, Mia and Ava entertained us and seized our hearts – Griffin and Caelyn captivated us with their selflessness and giving souls and their moving love story.

‘We barely knew each other; had only kissed. Yet somehow, it felt as if I’d known Griffin for a lifetime. That he could see inside every nook and cranny of my soul. And with that knowledge and vision came the potential for devastating hurt….’

On a little side note, one of our personal highs is discovering how the book title is woven into the story, and in Wrecked Palace, we have to say, we couldn’t have thought of a better title. It was perfect!

“You have a kind heart, Griffin Lockwood. Even if you’d rather people didn’t see it.”

Mixed in with the beauty of the story was a touch of suspense, the wonderful small-town vibe we adore, and a gruff, solitary and soulful hero who had known so much loss and pain, we wished with every fibre, he would find someone to love him the way he deserved. Oh Griffin, what a man!

‘Too many folks on this island talked about the mysterious man behind his back.’

Enter Caelyn and her brood of siblings – the strong, sweet, and diligent Will, the effervescent Mia and the quiet contemplative Ava, three children Caelyn would give her life for. Griffins gruff exterior quite literally melted when around the O’Connor family and we ate up every part of it.

‘They either stare and whisper, morbidly curious about him and his family, or they try and get something out of him.’

At only 21, Caelyn O’Connor had to drop out of college and take on the momentous task of raising her 3 young siblings, when their parents’ drug habits brought danger to their door. Overnight Caelyn’s life changed, but it was a decision that came easily, being with her siblings was the most important part of her life. For Caelyn this meant giving up on her dreams, but the love and care of Will, Mia and Ava were paramount in her priorities. Their welfare and happiness fell on her shoulders.

Watching the trust, friendship and relationship develop between Griffin, who had lost everything when his family died under tragic circumstances when he was very young, was written with so much care and devotion to the characters, we couldn’t help but fall in love and become invested in their story. At times, on the edge of our seat, other times with tears in our eyes and an ache in our hearts, we were equally swooning and smiling. A beautifully heart-warming story we adored, and we can’t wait for our next visit back to Anchor Island in Reckless Refuge in May this year.