TATTERED STARS (Tattered & Torn #1) by CATHERINE COWLES

“I’m here.”
“You always are.”

Catherine Cowles has cemented herself as one of our favourite authors for the wonderful small-town ambiance she brings to her stories and the characters who always worm their way into our hearts.

Tattered Stars is the first book in her new Tattered & Torn series, which, at its heart is the smalltown of Wolf Gap, Oregon, and the Hayes family whose lives were forever changed over five days fifteen years ago. It was a traumatic event that would forever mark this close-knit family.

‘I wanted more. All of it. The whole story.’

For Everly Kemper, Wolf Gap elicits painful memories and misplaced guilt, and now, after an absence of just over fifteen years, she is returning to make a new life for herself and hopefully put those demons behind her. But is it that easy, and will the town be accepting of her after all this time, and so much hurt?

‘Anyone can be brave for twenty breaths. And in that time, you can do almost anything. Or at least take the first steps you need to get there.’

Hayes Easton, Wolf Gaps town Sherriff, has lived those five days, every day, for the past fifteen years, and Everly’s emergence in Wolf Gap, initially sends him reeling, but he soon realises his memories of that harrowing time, may just be a little skewed.

“You deserve to be happy.”
‘Happy. It felt too dangerous to reach for.’

Catherine Cowles has again delivered a beautiful slow burn – sort of enemies to friends/friends to lovers, smalltown romance complete with suspense and tension, and whilst we did ‘solve’ the case early on, it didn’t impact the reveal when it happened.

“I wish I could take away every last bit of pain you experience. I’d give anything.”
“But you can’t. And you can’t ask me to pretend it doesn’t exist.”

We adored Ev and Hayes and the Hayes clan. We felt the warmth and love seeping off the pages and can’t wait to read more in this new series. Catherine Cowles never disappoints – no wonder she’s a TBB favourite!