Romance Review – FRAGILE SANCTUARY by Catherine Cowles

Fragile Sanctuary by Catherine Cowles

Series: Sparrow Falls #1
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on November 12, 2024
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 384
Source: the Publisher
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FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via the Publisher. All opinions are my own.

 

 

Fragile Sanctuary is the first book in Catherine Cowles’ new romantic Sparrow Falls series, and if this first book is any indication, this is going to be a phenomenal series!

The story opens with a heartbreaking prologue that immediately hooked me and had me fully invested in the well being of Rhodes (Rho), the female main character. Her life has just been filled with pain and loss, and my heart just hurt for her. I also truly admired her though even after all she has been through, she’s just so upbeat, resilient, and determined.

I’m a sucker for a good grumpy-sunshine romance and when Anson, a gruff and broody former FBI profiler, crosses paths with Rho, and the two of them exchange a few witty barbs, I was sold on the possibility of them as a couple. I love some snarky banter, and I also love chemistry that feels authentic, and Rho and Anson have exactly that. Rho gets under Anson’s skin from the moment they meet, and slowly but surely, she breaks through his walls to the kind, caring, and very protective man underneath. I really enjoyed watching them grow closer.

Cowles really excels when it comes to writing romantic suspense. There were several unpredictable twists and turns that had me just as engaged in the suspense plot as I was in the romance, especially since the suspense angle not only impacts the present day events in the books, but it also draws on Anson’s former career and gives us some insight into his painful past.

Lastly, I absolutely loved the whole Colson family and can’t wait to get to know them better in future installments in the series. Grandma, in particular, was just cracking me up!

If you love romantic suspense, or even if you are new to it and would like a good starting point, you can’t go wrong with Fragile Sanctuary.