A swoony, suspenseful small-town romance from USA Today bestselling author Catherine Cowles...
Fractured Sky, a moving and passionate, small-town contemporary romance from USA Today bestselling author Catherine Cowles, is out now!
Damaged. Broken. Destroyed. I’ve heard it all. A single moment of trusting the wrong person shattered my life into pieces, and my family has never looked at me the same. It’s impossible to convince them that I’m anything more than the broken girl they rescued all those years ago.
Until I meet him.
Ramsey’s surly demeanor and menacing scowl scare most of the world away. But not me. Not when I’ve seen his gentle hands soothe an abused colt or comfort a terrified mare.
And when I finally get up the courage to strike out on my own, Ramsey’s there. Roommates felt like such a safe proposition until Ramsey’s lingering touches and wicked smile light a fire in me I don’t think will ever be extinguished. And he feels it, too…
But just as my new life begins to take root, an evil from my past emerges from the shadows, casting a darkness on my newfound freedom. And this time, they won’t settle for pieces of me. They want everything…
“Live with you?” she squeaked. “We’ve only ever spoken twice.”
My world tilted sideways at that truth. I didn’t let people I didn’t truly know onto my property, let alone invite them to live there. But I kept right on talking. “I’ve got a guest cabin.”
I’d let one other person live there—a friend of someone I’d known from prison. It was a favor I’d only done for the brother who’d watched my back in that hellhole. But Boden had moved out months ago into some fancy lodge with his fiancรฉe, Laiken. The guest cabin was just sitting empty.
I saw Shiloh turn the idea over in her mind. “I don’t want to make you do that. I know you don’t like people on your property.”
I hated it. But Shiloh wasn’t people. She was something else altogether. The truth was, she’d become a touchstone over the last several years. And I had a burning urge to help. To protect. Maybe because I knew how it felt to believe there was no way out. Maybe because I saw those wings of hers that had been so badly clipped. The offer might’ve been reckless, but I couldn’t find it in me to care.
About Catherine Cowles:
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
Fractured Sky, a moving and passionate, forced proximity, grumpy hero contemporary romance from USA Today bestselling author Catherine Cowles is coming on October 25th, and we have your first look!
Ramsey
My skin prickled, an awareness and phantom energy washing over me as I stroked the gelding’s back. My gaze pulled to the ridge. But Shiloh wasn’t there. It was the flash of her long braid in the breeze that cued me into her new location.
My breath caught in my throat at seeing those light blue eyes close-up. They could steal every last semblance of sanity from a man’s brain. I froze, standing stock-still.
Shiloh didn’t say a word, just watched from her seat on the ground right outside the pen. Her gaze locked on my hand on the horse’s back. He twitched in place, and I let a few silent curses fly.
I wasn’t easily distracted. I prided myself on my focus and ability to tune out the rest of the world when I worked with the horses. My jaw clenched as I zeroed in on the task at hand. But I was aware of my dog making his way over to her—the traitor.
Sliding my palm across the gelding’s back, I gave him a good scratch. He pushed against my hand, wanting more of the contact. That hunger for connection was a good sign. I backed away, reaching for the blanket on the fence rail. The horse shied away from me a few steps.
I stood where I was, rubbing my hand against the fabric. I wanted him to see that he had nothing to fear. I waited for the shift—the one I could feel from across the pen. The one that meant an easing in his energy. As soon as I felt it, I stepped forward.
The gelding’s gaze locked on the colorful, woven blanket. It was one of my favorites. Made by a local woman, it reminded me of a sunset—the colors of a brightly painted sky. Slowly, I lifted the blanket and let the horse sniff it. It was freshly laundered, so it didn’t have the scent of any other animals.
He inhaled and then huffed out a breath.
“See, nothing to worry about.” I lifted the blanket to his neck and rubbed gently.
The horse braced himself at first, muscles locked and seemingly ready to bolt. But as no pain came, he eased a bit. The gelding’s acceptance of the something new happened in slow shifts. I lost track of time in the dance. There was only him and me.
Finally, he stood in a relaxed posture, the blanket on his back as I scratched behind his ears. “Not so bad, right?”
The gelding’s ears twitched.
“All right, enough for today.” I pulled the blanket from his back and moved to the fence. My steps hitched a bit as I caught sight of Shiloh again. She didn’t move from her seat as I slid between the rails and placed the blanket back on the top.
I waited for her to bolt, but she didn’t show any signs of leaving. My pulse beat a rapid rhythm in my neck. Dangerous. Too damn risky. To be this close to her… To see how the gold woven through her light brown hair caught the light. To capture the spark in those blue eyes.
“What’s his name?”
Everything in me locked. It was the first time I’d heard Shiloh’s voice. It had just a hint of rasp to it. Some huskiness. An edge that I swore I could feel skating across my skin.
“No name yet.”
Her gaze turned to me, her eyes glinting in the afternoon light. “Don’t you think he deserves a name?”
“He deserves the right name. That takes time.”
I saw something in Shiloh’s expression, a hint of surprise and something that looked a lot like longing. “He does deserve that.” Her hand sifted into Kai’s fur, and he leaned against her.
Shiloh rested her head atop his, cuddling him to her chest. I’d never seen anything like it. Kai sought me out for affection, but not like this. He was a goner for the woman, and I couldn’t blame him.
“You want to meet him?” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.
Shiloh’s gaze flew to mine. “Really?”
“Sure. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to get him used to other people.” It was the part of the process my operation lacked since only Lor and I were ever here.
Shiloh nuzzled Kai and got to her feet. “I’ve worked with plenty of horses, but never one that’s been hurt the way he has.”
“Calm and steady. Don’t let his actions make you react.” I ducked between the pen’s rails and stepped inside.
She followed, moving slowly and evenly. She kept her gaze on the horse but didn’t stare. The gelding pawed at the earth as if marking his territory. Shiloh stilled.
“Breathe through it. He’ll feel your tension if it’s in you.”
She let out a long breath, and I watched hints of unease bleed from her muscles. The horse stopped pawing. His gaze didn’t leave us, though. It was two against one, and he wasn’t a fan of those odds.
Want to read more? Check it out here >>> https://geni.us/FracturedSkySneakPeek
Damaged. Broken. Destroyed. I’ve heard it all. A single moment of trusting the wrong person shattered my life into pieces, and my family has never looked at me the same. It’s impossible to convince them that I’m anything more than the broken girl they rescued all those years ago.
Until I meet him.
Ramsey’s surly demeanor and menacing scowl scare most of the world away. But not me. Not when I’ve seen his gentle hands soothe an abused colt or comfort a terrified mare.
And when I finally get up the courage to strike out on my own, Ramsey’s there. Roommates felt like such a safe proposition until Ramsey’s lingering touches and wicked smile light a fire in me I don’t think will ever be extinguished. And he feels it, too…
But just as my new life begins to take root, an evil from my past emerges from the shadows, casting a darkness on my newfound freedom. And this time, they won’t settle for pieces of me. They want everything…
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
Shattered Sea, a sexy, suspenseful, small town romance from USA Today bestselling author Catherine Cowles, is out now!
I’ve known every kind of pain. Of the heart. Of the body. Of the soul. All I want now is the freedom that comes from making my art.
The last thing I expected was Hollywood royalty to waltz into my gallery in a small town in the middle of nowhere and see me.
A man like Boden Cavanaugh shouldn’t understand me. Shouldn’t be able to soothe my most ragged edges. Even worse, he makes me want the one thing I can’t have. Him.
All it takes is one spark, and friendship catches flame. But as our attraction burns bright, there are forces desperate to send us back into the darkness. And they’ve already killed before…
Keep reading for a look inside Shattered Sea!
The way Boden’s muscles tightened told me the little he’d shared was only the tip of the iceberg. That tension called to me, and I reached out, kneading the flesh along his shoulders. His head fell to my own shoulder, and he sighed. “I’ll only let you do that forever.”
I chuckled. “I do have the magic touch.”
“You could be making millions with those hands.”
“I only use them on very special recipients. They aren’t for sale.”
Boden straightened, but as he did, he came closer. Our faces were close. Lips just a breath away. The urge to lean forward, to know what he felt like, tasted like, was strong. Boden’s hand skated up my arm to my neck to tangle in my hair.
I knew that Boden Cavanaugh was more than dangerous. But like a moth to a flame, I kept getting closer.
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
"Everything amazing about a small town romance...family, secrets, old wounds, unforgettable connections, plus the sweetest love story that had my heart soaring. An absolute must read! Addie and Beckett were magic together!"–A.L. Jackson New York Times Bestselling Author
Hidden Waters, an all-new touching and heartfelt friends to lovers, small-town romance from bestselling author Catherine Cowles, is now available!
My family tried to break me. But, somehow, I made it out alive, even though the wounds from that survival are forever carved into my bones. Now, my only wish is for…normal. To know what it’s like to have friends, a job, a home.
The last thing I want is for my new roommate to see the scars I’m so desperate to keep hidden, especially not the ruggedly handsome man who steals my breath and sends my heart into overdrive.
But something tells me that Beckett has demons, too. I see it in the shadows haunting his gorgeous eyes and the way he looks at me with gentle understanding.
As our unlikely friendship becomes so much more, forces from my life slink out of the shadows. And we could both lose everything we’ve fought so hard for—down to our very last breaths…
“I’m getting it. I’m making that beautiful life now. And I’ll appreciate it so much more because of what I’ve been through.”
It wasn’t enough for me. It never would be. But I admired how Addie could view her past. I struggled not to hold her too tightly. The urge to burn the world down around me was too strong. I wasn’t good the way Addie was. I still wanted to start with Allen.
“Beckett,” she whispered against my ear. “I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt. The skin is ugly but—”
I reared back. “Nothing about you is ugly.”
Her cheeks flamed. “It is. It’s just facts. I don’t care. There are so many more important things.”
“Show me.” I was already climbing to my feet.
“W-what?”
“Show me.”
Addie stood shakily. “I don’t want you to see it.”
My gaze locked with hers. I poured everything I was feeling into that one look. “Please.”
She didn’t say anything for a moment, searching my face for something. Then she nodded and turned around. Slowly, so painfully slowly, she unbuttoned her blouse. When she was done, she simply stood there, not lowering the shirt. Her ribs expanded and contracted in ragged breaths. Then she let the fabric fall to the floor.
Angry slashes crisscrossed her back. They were varying tones, shapes, and depths. In that moment, I knew Allen had done this to her over and over. My hands fisted so tightly I was in danger of breaking a knuckle.
I moved closer and then sank to my knees again. “It’s just me.” My hands went to Addie’s hips. She gave a slight jolt. I stilled. “You okay?” She nodded, the movement jerky, her breaths ragged. I slowly swept my thumb across a patch of raised skin. Then I bent forward, my lips going to the worst of the scars. I ghosted them over the flesh that had been torn apart but had come back together stronger than it had been before.
“Beauty in the strength that carried you through. Beauty in how you refused to be broken. Beauty that you never let yourself become cruel like him. Addie, there isn’t a thing about you that isn’t beautiful.”
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
—Samantha Young, New York Times bestselling author
Falling Embers, an all-new must read moving romance from Catherine Cowles, is available now!
I’ve loved Calder Cruz from the moment he taught me how to fly. Racing down a mountain and giving me the release I so desperately needed. My understanding. My safe space.
Hadley has fought for a life of her own ever since her sister’s kidnapping. When she was drowning in expectations and family pressures, Calder was always the one who understood her.
Until one night changed it all. From best friends to strangers in a single breath.
She’s like a fire that lives inside me. Even when I thought it was all burned out, there were still embers that lived in my bones.
Calder knows what it’s like to almost lose the people he loves most. He’ll never make that kind of mistake again. Working at the fire station and taking care of his daughters are the only things he needs.
All it takes is a single moment to make him realize how wrong he is. A split second of coming close to losing the woman he has always loved.
But as long-buried embers light anew, there are those who lurk in the shadows. And they’ll do whatever it takes to extinguish that flame for good…
Heat flared to life in Hadley’s eyes, a mix of anger and frustration. She whipped her shirt over her head, leaving her in nothing but a pale pink lacy bra. I wasn’t blind. I knew that Hadley had curves, that she was beautiful, but the sight in front of me had my mouth going dry. I fought the urge to lean in closer.
“Cat got your tongue?”
I scowled at Hadley through the mirror. “Took me by surprise is all.”
“Sure.”
I returned my focus to her back, cleaning each scrape meticulously. “Hold your shirt to your chest?”
“Too much boobage on display for you?”
I chuckled, the sound a little rougher than normal. “I need to unhook your bra. That might be too much boobage for you.”
Hadley rolled her eyes but held her t-shirt to her chest, keeping her bra in place. I unhooked the little tines, letting it fall open. I cleaned the rest of the gashes and moved for the antibiotic ointment. As gently as possible I spread it over the worst of her scrapes.
Hadley trembled slightly.
“Did that hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.”
But her breathing was more shallow than usual. Her gaze focused on the counter in front of her. Apparently I wasn’t the only one affected.
About Catherine Cowles:
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
Hawken Trent. So polite. So sweet. Such an upstanding young man.
A virgin, too, I hear. He never gets naughty with a girl. Probably because Jesus told him not to.
And now here he is, trying to be the hero by protecting another girl from me.
He calls me a bully. ๐๐ณ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ. ๐๐ฏ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฃ๐ญ๐ฆ. ๐ ๐ค๐ณ๐ช๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ. He can call me anything he wants, I’ve heard worse.
And he can try to stand between me and my money, but he’s never had to fight for food. That rich, clean, school boy doesn’t have what it takes.
That is until I realize I ๐ฎ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต’๐ท๐ฆactually gone too far this time.
She’s there. I’m there. The scene of the crime.
It’s dark. The police show up.
We have no choice. We run. Down High Street, into Quinn’s bake shop, and I pull her through the entrance to the old speakeasy that everyone forgot was here decades ago.
The door locks, the cops circle the building, never knowing we’re right here, and I’m hidden in plain sight, indefinitely, with someone who's awful.
We sit in silence, me forcing my eyes closed when I really just want to watch the door of the garage. He taps away on his phone before turning on the music.
But after a few, he’s antsy. “This doesn’t feel right,” he murmurs.
“It’s only been three minutes.”
“We shouldn’t have sent her in there,” he tells me. “Another fucking mistake. All I’m doing is making mistakes.”
I open my eyes, staring ahead at the garage down the street. “I’m going to remind you one last time before I beat it into you,” I grit out and then look at him. “No one needs you. Reaction is still action, and you broke the law too. Don’t put this all on me. I’ll use you like you’re using me, but make no mistake, I’d get it done without you.”
“You’d be in jail already or dead if I didn’t show up last night,” he says, looking down at me.
I just snicker. “This isn’t my first adventure, Pirate. I got along before you, and I’d still be kicking the shit out of your friends right now if you hadn’t come along and stuck your goddamn nose into everyone else’s business, like I’m quite sure you have a habit of doing because you’re a control freak who needs to insert himself to feel superior.”
He just laughs, shaking his head. “This conversation is tedious.”
I tip my head back, staring up through the sunroof as I mock back. “This conversation is tedious.”
“Stop acting like a child,” he growls. “And I’m not a control freak.”
I turn my head, gazing over at him. “You watch everyone in town. Like God.”
He can’t argue that, can he?
“Do you get hard when you do it?” I ask.
He goes still.
“Knowing where everyone is at any moment?” I go on. “Who’s skipping classes? Which spouses are cheating? Who stopped off at a liquor store, three sheets to the wind, before climbing behind the wheel of a car? Having the power to ruin a life whenever you want?”
He’s clearly smart if he knows how to gain access to that surveillance, but it’s still not clear what he’s doing with it. Or with that place. I searched the rooms. There’s only one bedroom with clothes, personal items, and a bed that looks like it’s been slept in. He’s not sharing the hideout. He stays there alone.
“I wouldn’t blame you,” I admit. “It would feel good to have some power like that. But don’t worry. I know it doesn’t turn you on.” I lay my head back again and close my eyes. “That’s not why you do it.”
It takes him a few moments, but eventually he speaks. “Why do I do it?” His voice is soft, like it was last night when he patched me up.
I smile, not sure I’m ready to play that card yet. Or that he’s ready to hear it.
When I don’t answer, he exhales hard and then I hear him open his door. “She hasn’t texted,” he says. “She’s supposed to text every five minutes.”
I open my eyes, immediately spotting something ahead.
“I’m going in there.” He starts to climb out of the car.
I grab his arm. “Wait.”
He looks back at me, but I’m looking out the front windshield. “There she is,” I tell him, sitting up.
She taps away on her phone, looking at ease like I told her to, and then she passes Hawke and climbs into the backseat.
“What’s the matter?” I ask her.
“Are you okay?” Hawke slams the door and turns in his seat, looking back at her.
She just nods, pulling on her seatbelt. “Yeah. It’s done.”
He and I exchange a look.
“Already?” I blurt out. “I told you to take your time. To relax. To blend in.”
“Are you sure no one saw you?” he questions.
She just laughs under her breath. “Most people don’t.”
We both stare at her, but I glance behind me to make sure no one’s following her. Hawke turns and loads the camera onto his laptop.
“Don’t worry,” she tells me, relaxed. “We’re good.”
But I’m still on the fence, looking behind me once again for any sign that she was followed. Just walking in and out like that is suspicious.
But then Hawke just laughs. “Well, shit.”
I follow his gaze, seeing the workroom appear on his screen, the camera positioned just like we told her. Two guys play pool, but the flood of activity that usually happens at night has quieted. It’s a pretty clear picture. I look up at Hawke. Where else does he have his own hidden cameras posted? I would post them everywhere. This is kind of fun.
Tommy clears her throat. “You’re welcome,” she sing-songs.
I smile, and Hawke flashes her a warm look in the rearview mirror. “Thanks, Dietrich.”
If that was this easy, we might use her again. One camera might not be enough.
“So, what do I get?” she chirps, doing an excited little bounce in her seat.
Hawke meets her eyes again, like he hadn’t expected her to demand anything other than the pleasure of hanging out with him today.
She looks at me. “I mean, I should get paid, right?”
“Yep.” I cast a look at Hawke.
Like the Joker said, if you’re good at something, never do it for free.
She grins, gazing at Hawke again. “I want to go to the Loop.”
♦ ♦ ♦
Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her books have been translated into fifteen languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil's Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, and Credence. Please look for Tryst Six Venom and Motel, as well as the Hellbent series, coming next!
She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their daughter.
