Hi, friends!
I rented this ebook copy from Libby, and it was my first time reading this author. I loved the cover and had heard good things online about the series, so I gave it a chance. And honestly, I really liked it.
Tattered Stars by Catherine Cowles
Synopsis: As a child, Everly made the terrifying choice to turn in her father for a heinous crime that impacted another family. She was ostracized by her community and forced to run away. Fifteen years later, she returned to the community, hellbent on fixing the past and turning something awful into healing.
Hayes always blamed himself for what happened, so he’s shocked and angry to find that Everly has returned. He doesn’t want her hanging around, reminding everyone of the event that rocked his family forever. Pretty soon, he realizes she’s not to blame for her father’s mistakes.
Story: The story is honestly the strongest element to this novel. It’s dramatic and well told. I found myself wanting to know what was going to happen and feeling for the characters. The author did an amazing job of providing depth and drama without slowing the story down or making the characters overreact. It wasn’t phoned it. It was well done.
Characters: Everly is a complex character. Her insistence on being independent got rather frustrating at certain parts, but the reader also understood where she was coming from with it. Her actions made sense for her character.
Hayes was a perfect combination of growly and sweet. He comes off like a jerk in the beginning, but then he turns into a total sweetheart as the story developed. He sometimes took away from Everly’s moments by becoming enraged over the past, but I also feel like that’s pretty standard in romance.
Spice Scenes: There weren’t many and they weren’t very descriptive. They did feel passionate and like they were a part of the story though. I prefer more explicit but this book held my attention well enough that I wasn’t really bothered.
Pros:
- Interesting story
- Compelling characters
- Plenty of high stakes conflict
- Twists and turns
- Thriller elements done well
- Family dynamics were realistic
Cons:
- Could have been more sexually explicit
- Hero became angry instead of helpful sometimes
- Heroine was a little too stubborn
Book Rating: 5/5
Spice Level: 3/5
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Madison Diaz Writes 