Echoes of You by Catherine Cowles

Narrated by Jason Clarke and Erin Mallon

2nd in a series but can stand alone. Romantic Suspense.

Catherine Cowles is one of the few authors whose books I will read without even looking at the blurb, and she never fails me. Echoes of You is the second in the Lost and Found Series, but you don’t really have to read Whispers of You first. It will just help because you will know all the side characters that play pretty heavily into this story.

As always with Catherine Cowles, the prologue grabbed me and never let go. We meet Nash and Maddie, best friends since they were 5 years old, when Nash started protecting her. Maddie grew up with an abusive father, so the Hartley family became her second family.

“It was my favorite feeling in the world, being engulfed by Nash—his comfort, his protection, his care.”

Maddie has always been in love with Nash, but never thought there was any hope of him returning her feelings. Not being able to watch him date others, Maddie moved away and got engaged to someone else. But that guy ended up being as abusive as her dad, so she ran back home to Cedar Ridge.

“I’d loved Nash for most of my life. I’d loved him with silent words echoed in the dark. I’d loved him with whispered words carried on the wind. I’d loved him every single day, even when I thought there was no hope of him ever returning the feeling. I would love him now, too.”

Nash loved Maddie as well, but the friendship was so important to him that he never wanted to take that step. But when he had to stay with her to keep her safe, resistance was futile.

As always, Catherine kept me guessing. Just when I’m sure I have figured it all out, she throws another surprise at you, keeping me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I love the Hartley family and friends, and the town is great. I am so excited for the rest of the books in the Lost & Found Series!

“…Even when you were gone, the echoes of you still lived inside me, and I would play them over and over in my mind just so I wouldn’t lose the sound. I’ve loved you in every incarnation, and that will never end.”

Likes:

The prologue sucked me in and didn’t let go.
I love how protective Nash was.
The whole Hartley family.
Though the romance was slow-burn, you felt their connection from the very first page.
The suspense and mystery had me on the edge of my seat.
Just when you think you know…you don’t.

Dislikes:

I finished this book about 2 weeks ago, and I had to review my notes and re-read a little because it just didn’t stick with me as much as I thought it would (that could totally be a me thing, I’ve had a lot of personal shit going on).

The Narration:

Erin Mallon is my favorite narrator, and this book would have been amazing with just her (her male voice is so awesome), but I absolutely love Jason Clarke as well, so you couldn’t have picked better narrators. I think they enhanced the story, and I highly recommend the audio version.

The Down & Dirty:

I love Cedar Ridge and the Hartley family, and I am so excited there will be a lot more books in this series, though hasn’t this poor town seen enough? And it’s just beginning! Seriously, I loved the connection that the couple had and the mystery kept me on my toes. I am counting down the days for Glimmers of You, the next book in the Lost & Found series. If you haven’t read Catherine Cowles yet, YOU NEED TO.