My rating: 3.5/5 stars
Last year, I read a lot of Catherine Cowles, and I loved her books and style. Her romance, combined with mystery and action, were some super element that brought dynamics to the plot, and I really enjoyed going through it all. Her books are a true ride to enjoy, so if you have the chance to try them, please don’t hesitate.
This series is very similar to the one I read last year, Sparrow Falls, but unfortunately, you can feel the differences between then and the lack of experience Catherine had in this. The idea was great, but the book was a little too long, the dialogues were a little too boring sometimes, and the rekindling of the characters felt unnatural, to say the least.
Wren and Holt have been in love their whole lives, but then tragedy struck, and Holt couldn’t handle the guilt and left. After 10 years, he is back in town and determined to prove Wren wrong, but she is not the same girl anymore. The aftermath of the events that split them 10 years ago had been devastating, and therefore, Wren is cautious to never get hurt again. But the heart wants what it wants, and it will be very difficult to look Holt in the eyes and not let her feelings speak.
The whole idea behind the story is family and friendship, but the second-chance trope is alive with Wren and Holt trying to move on, restart that flame, and trust each other to never be apart again. The trust issues are very difficult to handle, which is why I’m saying that it felt rushed and unexplored. Maybe it was me, but it didn’t have the intensity as in the Sparrow Falls series. More than that, the plot that generated the fatal incidents was not very well explained, and I really didn’t understand them to their full extent. I really didn’t understand Holt either – he is a very good man, in love with Wren, but to be away for 10 years is something that I cannot imagine, and cannot imagine being Wren and forgiving him… If I put myself in Wren’s shoes, there are a lot of things that don’t click for me in the book. 🙂
The plot twist is shocking, yes, but it was not enough to keep me alert and to put all the pieces together. From my POV, the plot was sloppy, and it didn’t make much sense to trigger something of this magnitude. Maybe I didn’t understand it to its full potential, but it was the truth for me. The other characters are also intriguing, but I am going to pause the series a little, because it didn’t enlighten something in me to make me continue.
Ramonisme 