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Fragile Sanctuary

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Fragile Sanctuary

By: Catherine Cowles
Narrated by: Zachary Webber, Andi Arndt
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About this listen

The scowl should’ve been my first clue to stay far away from Anson Hunt. The sexy smirk and the fact that he’s my brother’s best friend? Reasons two and three. Not to mention, he’s the new contractor working on my house.

He’s everything I’m not: grumpy, rude, and more than a little attached to his solitude. It doesn’t matter how many times I try to kill him with kindness; the man simply won’t crack. Until he sees me shatter. Because when my world comes crashing down around me, Anson is the one catching me as I fall. And as so-called accidents start plaguing every part of my life, it’s Anson who steps in to keep me safe.

As he does, I can’t help but feel a flicker of heat. And it only takes a single moment for that spark to ignite into flames, engulfing us both. But Anson’s a man with secrets, and they have a price. When they’re revealed, neither of us will make it out unscathed…

©2024 Catherine Cowles (P)2024 Catherine Cowles Contemporary Romantic Suspense

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All stars
Most relevant  
Beautiful story about love and loss with a heavy dose of mystery.

Anson is A grumpy , protective mysterious mmc who just can’t seem to stay away from Rhodes our mmc.

Both characters have been through a lot in their lives , the book does revolve a lot around the loss of loved ones and trying to move on from that.

Both narrators do an amazing job of portraying the grief , anxiety and the lust when our characters just cannot resist each other all the while holding us captive throughout the mystery of the book.

My only complaint is I’ve picked this up before any more books in the series are available me so now I have to wait , with the amazing found family in this story I know I would have binged them all

Romance with mystery

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Listener received this title free

4.5✨

“You gave me air when I thought I’d never breathe again. You gave me color when my world had gone black. You see every part of me.”

Catherine Cowles started off a new series with a serious bang (pun fully intended). Anson and Rho were everything!
I love me a delicious grump of a man, Anson was the epitome of it. I couldn’t wait to get past those walls and when I did, goodbye because I was an absolute goner.

I’ve read many Catherine books so even though I anticipate the gut punch prologue, my heart never fails to race as if I’ve ran multiple marathons back to back. Before I even got to the first chapter, my mind was already running with so many theories (none of them right) and my heart was aching. And when the ish hit the fans, you could’ve knocked me over with a feather, I was shook!

Rho was resilient…after everything she’d be through, she was still all smiles and sunshine. She still carried heartbreak but she didn’t let it rule her life. She had a heart of gold.

There was some unspoken between her and Anson. They saw each other in a way no one else saw them. Their pain was tangible, seeping through the pages. If “what’s understood doesn’t have to be explained” was a person, it’d be these two. Their compassion, their love, their bond, it hooked and captivated me. The chemistry was brewing something fierce and Mr. Anson had some filthy tricks up his sleeve. Will be looking at belts real differently from now on.🤭

Grandma Lolli brought the humor and laugh out loud moments. The family and found family bond speaks to me leaving heart overflowing with joy. The little nuggets that hinted at what’s to come has me desperate for the rest of this series. My heart is nervous but oh so ready.

Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber, these two are a true dream team that can do no wrong. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect pair to bring this beautiful story to life in an incredible performance.

“Home is wherever you are,” he whispered. “You’re my sanctuary. Where I feel peace. Where I feel seen. Don’t want anything more.”

Anson and Rhodes Are 🤌🏾💋

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Listener received this title free

Every time. I can always count on Catherine Cowles to help me escape into a new world and just enjoy the time. This is a new series, and while I have loved all the others, this one is going to be special . Rhodes was taken in by her best friend Fallon's mother when the unthinkable happened. Her house burned down, taking her family with it. Now years later, she is ready to face the tragedy head on and restore the family home. Anson is Rhode's brother's best friend and is the fire reconstruction expert. This broody man has caught her eye. Why? Probably the same reason he is taken with Rho. But he has no intention of acting on it. Until it becomes impossible not to. Cowles took me on the most romantic of stories all while weaving danger and suspense into the plot. I was completely captivated and could not stop listening until I knew all the answers. And just when I thought I knew, she pulled the rug out from the bottom of me and left me with a shocking ending. This small town romance is phenomenal and only leaves me wanting more. More of the unmistakable family that has formed with the foster family Rho is in, more of the fantastic things that happen in a small town and more of the romance that only Cowles can give me. This is an amazing start to the series.

Making it even better is Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber. These two always give amazing performances and this is no exception. Finding the essence of their characters and bringing them to life, the positivity, the grumpiness, the fear, the passion and the love all there for the taking. This is a wonderful listen, grab yours soon!

How does Catherine Cowles always do it to me?

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4,5 ⭐️

After reading “All the Missing Pieces” I decided to read “Sparrow Falls” series next. “Fragile Sanctuary” is the first book in this series.

Tropes:
- hate to love
- age gap
- grumpy/sunshine
- forced proximity
- brother’s best friend
- broken hero
- hilarious Grandma
- found family
- ex profiler
- serial unaliver

Romantic suspense became one of my favorite genres last year. Even if the books follow a similar plotline, I like the fact that it is not predictable and the balance between romance and mystery/suspense.
Rhodes’ past left her with anxiety and trauma. Anson’s past is a mystery in the beginning and it was nice to slowly find more about him.
I love the way Rhodes’ found family are protective and helped her a lot. Her grandmother is hilarious and makes people uncomfortable a lot with her paintings. The fact that Rhodes takes care of abandoned animals is very sweet.

I listened to the book and even if it is dual narration, both narrators managed to bring the characters to life, add to the emotions of the story and enhance my experience with the book.

I already started the next book and I am looking forward to continuing the series.

Romantic suspence

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Summary

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Spicy rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️2.5/5

Fluff rating: 💖💖 2.5/5

If all Catherine Cowles books are this good then I am super mad it’s taken me so long to start reading her work!

I didn’t read the blurb before starting this book and I’d highly recommend going in blind because straight off the bat I was surprised and thought… holy crap where is this going next! I devoured this in 24 hours. It was addictive, I loved the prose and the underlying suspense element was so intriguing and actually didn’t guess the culprit correctly which says a lot for me!

Rhodes and Anson were both tortured and struggling in their own way and I loved watching them come together and grow in to something new. Anson’s development in particular was great and felt genuine. The small town and found family dynamic was cute and believable at the same time.

I’m dying for the next book in the series now.

If you like small town romantic suspense with a protective MMC, with a side of grumpy x sunshine and brothers best friend then you’ll love this!

God this was just so good!

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Listener received this title free

Wow, I love, love, loved this book, Catherine Cowles never ceases to amaze me with her brilliant mind and ability to create stories that not only captivate my attention, but tug at my heartstrings, too, a story that will stay with me for a very long time. “Fragile Sanctuary” is the first book of her new “Sparrow Falls” series and is a small-town romantic suspense featuring Rhodes and Anson. There are some great secondary/support characters and I am looking forward to their stories, too. Rhodes suffered from a devastating loss when she was 13 and her life was forever changed. Fourteen years later, she is ready to face her past and returns to her childhood home with plans to bring it back to its glory. She has her brother Shep working on the house and he brings in his friend Anson, a restoration specialist. Rhodes and Anson’s first interaction did not go so well, the man is a grump like no other, but Rhodes does not let that bother her. Rhodes is living on the property while the house is being worked on, so she gets to see Anson often, and she sees beyond the facade he has put up. Anson has had his share of loss and not only did he build a wall around his heart, but he prefers to keep his distance from everyone. Despite everything Rhodes has been through, she has a sunny disposition, which warms Anson's icy demeanor. It was wonderful to watch their relationship blossom, and I thought they were great together and for each other. When her past comes back to haunt her, he goes into protective mode. And when his past comes back to haunt him it, he remembers why he never allowed himself to get close to anyone and his guilt surfaces over what happened in the past. I loved how everything played out in this book, all the layers to the story and the complexity of the characters. As always, the writing, plot and world building are phenomenal, as are the character growth and development. The story has the perfect balance of drama, angst, mystery, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. The suspense storylines are well crafted; each time I thought I had it solved, I was proven wrong, resulting in a surprising ending. Catherine Cowles, thank you for another amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride. 

🎧📚🎧 Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life and did so with a complete understanding of who they were portraying, and I loved how they took each role and made it their own, sounding believable and just as I imagined the characters to sound. Webber’s Anson was spot on, perfectly grumpy, and he grew as his character did. Arndt was just as amazing as Rhodes, grasping her sunny demeanor. Both were fabulous performing the roles of the secondary characters, too. They set the right tone for the story, captured all the characters’ emotions and had you feeling them all. These two entertaining storytellers are a pleasure to listen to and their performance elevates this already amazing story to another level. Thank you for another fabulous listen.

Exceptional Story & Listen🎧 Riveting & Emotional!

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Pre-ordered this on Wednesday evening as a recommendation through instagram. I’ve never heard of this author before but wow! I loved this book. I finished it within two days of starting. I like how the author writes and kept feeling like i was living through these characters whilst listening. Will 100% be getting the next release!

New favourite author!!

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Very good descriptive writing that kept the suspense high. Some was repetitive but excusable because the story was intense

Never er ending tension

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Listener received this title free

I am obsessed with this story. Not only the story itself, but the characters involved. Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber have done a truly fantastic job in bringing the characters to life with their narration talents. It is a pleasure to listen to these two as they truly seem to become the characters they portray.

The story kept me gripped from the start, and it was intense as the story progressed, keeping the reader/listener guessing what was going to happen next.

A wonderful start to the Sparrow Falls series in the Catherine Cowles universe. I can’t wait for the next story in the series… and the ones after that.

Another Amazing Story From Catherine Cowles

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Listener received this title free

Anson is struggling with his pay by keeping it hidden, and Rhodes life was changed in an instant after a fire that killed her family. As she struggles to rebuild her life and her home she finds peace and love with Anson. As with every Catherine Cowles both there's a serial killer in the mist. The story of survival and redemption is one of the best.

Another Catherine Cowles Gem

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