All the Missing Pieces by Catherine Cowles

Narrated by Andi Arndt and Sebastian York

Standalone (for now) Romantic Suspense

Thank you to Catherine Cowles and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book for review purposes. Though this post contains affiliate links, they do not influence my opinions of the book.

If you’ve looked at my “Best of the Year” lists since 2021, you already know—Catherine Cowles dominates them. I haven’t met a Catherine Cowles book I didn’t love.

Because All the Missing Pieces isn’t self-published, I expected it to feel a little different from her other books. But honestly? This is absolutely a Catherine Cowles book. If you hadn’t told me the author, I still would’ve guessed it, probably by the prologue. And that’s not a bad thing. I love the comfort of knowing exactly what I’m getting because Catherine delivers every single time.

Even though I know her writing style, she still manages to surprise me. I’m suspicious of everyone in her books, but I never guess who the bad guy is.

“Haven’t you figured it out yet, Chaos? You’ve had me breaking all the rules since the day I met you.”

Ridley is a true crime podcaster with a talent for cracking cases wide open, but her obsession is personal. Her twin sister disappeared years ago, and Ridley hasn’t stopped searching for answers. Her latest case takes her to Shady Cove, where she suspects a local woman was the first victim of the same man who took her sister.

Colt, the town’s sheriff, is immediately suspicious of Ridley’s arrival. He’s spent ten years trying to protect his sister and solve the case, and the last thing he wants is an outsider stirring up trouble. But when Ridley becomes a target, Colt has no choice but to step in.

“Law Man,” she started cautiously. “You okay?”
“Who. The. Hell. Did. This. To. You?”

The romance builds as they’re forced to work together, and while Colt is all gruff protector, Ridley brings lightness and chaos to his carefully controlled world. Throw in some adorable dogs, a three-legged cat named Tater, and a small town full of secrets, and I was hooked from start to finish.

“Colt, you helped me find all the missing pieces. Even the ones I didn’t realize I needed.”

Likes

No relationship angst.
I loved the town and all the characters.
Enemies-to-lovers banter.
As always, the prologue grabbed me and never let go.
While it crossed my mind (because let’s be real, it could have been anyone), I never guessed the bad guy/girl.
There seems to be a setup for another story.
A crazy three-legged cat named Tater who hugs with her teeth.
Perfect amount of sex to story.
No crazy exes.
The nicknames “Chaos” and “Lawman.”
Loved the epilogue.

Dislikes

It was missing humor. The pets had funny moments, but all the characters had such tragic backstories that it felt a little heavy.
I expected it to feel a little more different than her other books.
I would have liked more time with them as a couple, falling in love instead of just jumping straight to being in love.

The Narration

Sebastian York and Catherine Cowles? Yes, please. These two amazing narrators were perfect for the characters and absolutely brought the story to life.

The Down & Dirty

All the Missing Pieces is classic Catherine Cowles. If you’ve loved her romantic suspense before, you’ll love this too. The true crime podcast angle was a fun twist, and I liked how the heroine was chasing the bad guy instead of running from him.

It has everything I expect from Catherine Cowles—romance, suspense, small-town charm, and lovable characters. It’s familiar in the best way and still managed to keep me guessing right up until the end.