She’s always been his safe place to land.Jensen has shared a special bond with Tuck for as long as she can remember, their friendship a language that never needed words. But as life threw her one curveball after another, that secret language turned to stony silence. He’s always been her protector.Tuck has looked out for Jensen since the day she was born. As his best friend’s little sister, he’s … friend’s little sister, he’s tried to keep her firmly in the friend category. But she’s always been more.
All it takes is one moment of weakness to send Tuck’s fiercely guarded walls crumbling to the ground. As a new fire burns between them, someone watches. Someone who doesn’t like the new life Jensen’s building for herself.
And they’ll stop at nothing to keep her in the dark.
more
REVIEW: 4.5 STARS
“Couldn’t stay away, Wilder. You’re like a drug.”
I must admit, Catherine Cowles surprises me. With each release of hers I’m reading, I’m falling more and more in love with her voice, her style of writing – her stories in general. She has such a unique flow to her words. There’s a real intimacy to her small town romances and she completely sucks me in from the first page. The innocence and the familiarity of the town and its people, that’s what makes me love her. This being my fourth book of hers, I am completely devoted to her stories now. Might as well plan my calendar around her releases now….I’m a goner.
There’s such a softness to her words, and she tells the story as if it was one passed down over the years, generation after generation. I can feel the sense of awe in her words when she talks about a love so powerful that there is no denying it. A beauty your eyes can’t put into words, but the vision steals your thoughts. A land so majestic that the stories, you can hear them on the wind. Her storytelling is like that, for me. I love the pace, the story, the visuals, and the love between her characters.
Was I watching Jensen grow from a worried, lost girl who had her heart broken into a tough, no effs given badass? Yes. Yes I was. And boy, was that a journey. I loved her strength, but I also loved her vulnerability, even though she wanted to hide behind it. There was so much reality and truth to her fight and her emotions that I couldn’t help but connect with her on a deeper level. Her sarcasm made me giggle, but I also loved the way she didn’t give up and kept fighting for HERself. She definitely gave me a better mental picture of a strong woman.
But, saying how strong Jensen was, it definitely took a confident man to know when to stand next to her and when to carry her. A man smart enough to know that difference is seriously the sexiest thing to ever read or see in a man. Tenacity. Strength. Adoration. Tuck had it all and gave it out so generously to Jensen, but watching their relationship morph from one level to the next definitely had its growing pains. I couldn’t put this book down and it read so smoothly and easily.
“You don’t fight fair.”
“Never said I would.”
The visual alone, the one Cowles gave my mind’s eye a view of – that was perfection. I envisioned Tuck and his comforting arms holding her. The strength in his convictions and the protective side of him showing while he ground his jaw together in frustration – I saw that muscle in his cheek jump. And with Jensen? I could see her hair floating on the breeze, and her running around ragged at the Kettle while trying to think about Noah and her horses. I saw the excitement of those horses and the worry they shared; the fear their pacing provided. Cowles gave me a story that I could envision AS it happened, and that’s all because her words were descriptive and flowed amazingly clear.
”Being around Jensen was the most beautiful form of torture.”
I won’t even begin to be able to put into words how this book affected me; how it made me feel – let alone, the reading experience was pure joy, no matter how hard Tuck and Jensen had it. This love had the perfect balance of give and take. The hidden smiles, the real fears, the angering reality, but it also had the true love. Oh gosh, that love!! This kind of love is what love stories are made of.
This little town has some seriously crazy antics happening in and around it – aka, drama. But while that all happened – for me, the drama didn’t detract from the story. It brought out the family strengths and the truth of their love for one another. It brought out the realization of a love someone wasn’t too sure they were good enough for. Yes, drama was in the storyline, but it had its place and I really enjoyed this story as a whole. This was definitely a romantic suspense, so the drama fit the storyline for what it was.
My favorite part, besides their whole love story? Their nicknames. I laughed so much!
I love when books are centered around my own home state. With Cowles’ words, I could picture the foothills of the mountain, the hills and rocky crags that littered the valleys. And I could most definitely sense the hitch in my breath at the beauty before me standing atop a mountain. Our state is absolutely beautiful, and I feel Like she blended beauty with her words exceptionally well. She gave me a ‘picture’ to see while I was reading this book. I am so in love with this series and I cannot wait for Beautifully Broken Control. Like, I am ridiculously giddy for that one.
”He was comfort and fire all at the same time.”
~BEE
Amazon (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/2PufPR9
Every book I’ve read in this series left me wanting more and this really did that. Jensen and Tucker were just meant for each other even though it seeded neither would do anything about it. Both were afraid of ruining a great friendship. Jensen seems not to have any luck at relationships or picking men. Tuck was a major player. The way the author gives the characters background and path to something more than friendship kept my attention. This series is better read in order since some of the characters and situations addressed are from previous stories. There is a touch of mystery and the author does a great job of answering everything. My only complaint is that I’d like to have more of this relationship after they are together. Do they have more children? How is the future interaction of Tuck with his parents? It is just a series that I wish would just keep going on and on.
Tuck and Jensen stole my heart from the very first page and I never got it back even at the end. Amazing story, love the friends to lovers with the mystery and suspense. Her books never disappoint!
This series has become an all time favorite of mine and I honestly didn’t think anyone could top Walker, then Liam came alone, then Tuck is here, and he is my favorite. Tuck is a beautiful soul, that is funny, charismatic, loyal, loving, and is afraid he will become his father. Tuck has made the Cole family his surrogate because of issues with his own family so he grew up being best friends with Walker and therefore being attached at the hip to Walker’s sister Jensen. He is very protective of her, he is her best friend, they can read each other so much more than anyone else can, and they have a love that is familial until now. Jensen has been through a lot in her lifetime and recently she is finding it hard to move on and live, Tuck notices how her sparkle has went out and he doesn’t like it at all so he sets out to help her find her fire again. The more time they spend together their relationship starts to change into more of a romantic capacity and they start to fall in love but Tuck is still doubtful he can be what Jensen and Noah needs. I loved everything about this book, Tuck being a wonderful and loyal man to Jensen being a tough and humble single parent, and the suspense especially towards the end. Three hand squeezes and three forehead kisses (swoon)
BROTHER’S BEST FRIEND ROMANCE. FRIENDS-TO-LOVERS. SLOW BURN.
It’s always a pleasure to find a new author who continuously rocks your world through her stories- Catherine Cowles is that author for me. Beautifully Broken Spirit is the third standalone in the Sutter Lake series. These novels all feature different characters, each one as lovable as the last. In this one, readers will meet Jensen and Tuck- two people who have been friends for a long time but have been fighting their feelings for each other because of life circumstances.
Tuck stole my heart. There are no words to describe just how much this man (and his ex playboy tendencies) seeped into my soul. I could feel the heart aching love he felt for Jensen, even though he could never do anything about it because she’s his best friends sister.
Jensen. She’s got quite the emotional story and her life was never easy. Being a single mother and in love with her brother’s best friend doesn’t make it easier either. But the fire, the slow burn, and eventually an ignition to the flame brings these two together and the rest is history.
I love a book that makes my heart ache and smile at the same time and Beautifully Broken Spirit did this for me. The story is emotional, one that is definitely going to have an effect on any reader, but it’s so worth the pain. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, Catherine Cowles is an amazing storyteller and her words are hypnotic to me. I love the way she weaves a heart stopping romance with a little suspense in the mix, all the while making me CRAVE for more. If you haven’t had the chance to read this AMAZING SERIES you are seriously missing out. I highly recommend it.
Catherine Cowles
I have really looked forward to Jensen and Tuck’s story from the first book i read in this series!!
Jensen is a single parent, struggling with the weight of guilt she feels, and doubting herself that her bad decisions are the cause.
Tuck has known Jensen all his life, a complex man with his own issues of trust and betrayal. This couple are obviously meant to be together, but their transition isn’t a light decision for either of them, Jensen’s brother is Tucks lifetime best friend, her family is his “family”, and i loved how they grew, laughed and the steamy hotness!! OH yes !!! I’d be more than happy to whip Tuck away from Jenna!!!
This author writes a story you really can escape into, feel every emotion and be totally involved with the characters. She doesn’t give you an easy journey, she brings you in so deep, keeping you in suspense from beginning to end. The chemistry flaming, the passion smouldering and the tension gripping. I may have really wished i could extinguish the life of a couple of characters along the way !!
Sometimes reading a new author to you is taking a chance, but i can assure you, with this authors books your on a sure thing !!!!
Tuck and Jensen’s story had so much depth, I loved every minute! It is the perfect friends to lovers, single parent or brothers best friend romance that you simply can’t put down!
I love Catherine’s writing style, she pulls me into the story from the first chapter and doesn’t let me go until the very end! I can’t wait to see what’s next from this incredible author!
Tuck and Jensen have always had a special bond. They grew up together since Jensen’s brother and Tuck have been best friends since before they could talk. After two bad relationships have left Jensen swearing off relationships and Tuck never wanting to get married for fear of ending up like his dad. After dancing around their attraction, they finally decide friends with benefits is what they both need. But does that ever actually work?
They both quickly realize there is more, but neither wants to admit to it. To add to their personal relationship, there is someone from Jensen’s past that starts causing trouble, along with someone killing the wild mustangs that Jensen loves so much.
Can they figure out how to be together with all the outside forces causing issues?
I so enjoyed this installment in the Sutton Lake series from Catherine. This group of characters never bore me and keep me entertained. And Catherine’s writing just keeps getting better and better. I can’t rave enough about her and her books.
-Strong, independent heroine? CHECK
-Overprotective, stubborn hero? CHECK
-Lusty, heartwarming relationship? DOUBLE CHECK!
WOW! The third installation to the Sutter Lake series did NOT disappoint. Since day one I’ve been aching for Jensen’s story, knowing it would tug at my heart strings that much more. And believe me it was so worth the wait.
Jensen, our heroine, struggles with the daily grind of motherhood and past demons she refuses to let go. Its through her childhood friend, Tuck, that she gets the push she needs to live life again without the weight of the past holding her back. Tuck wants nothing more than to help his friend find her light again but through the journey he realizes he finds his joy through her. Will love prevail? Or are some demons to hard to overcome?…
This story had so much chemistry in it! These two characters both broke my heart yet set it on fire throughout the whole book! was so drawn into this story since the previous books in the series and the build-up did not disappoint at all! This book had me in tears and yet it was gorgeous and beautiful. As always, the side characters were awesome in this book as well. I seriously can’t wait for the next one! A must-read whether you have read the series or not!
If you’re an ugly-cry reader then batten down the hatches, board up the windows and buy out your local warehouse store’s supply of facial tissues. I rarely cry over books, just as I rarely cry over events in real life, but this one, gah! I think it must be the perfect storm for me. A cute kid who stole my heart, lifelong friends who finally see what’s been right in front of them all along, and strong, symbolic bonds between humans and animals.
I’m not sure which is more devastatingly beautiful, the romance between best friends, Tuck and Jensen, or the romance between Jensen and her mustangs, all of them damaged or broken in some way. And Jensen desperately needs some enchantment in her life, something to bring back the spark of life in her eyes and the joy of everyday blessings in her heart, because misguided guilt is eating her alive. Her family went through a terrifying ordeal not long ago and Jensen feels responsible. It’s all she can do to fake her way through each day and battle her nightmares alone in the dark. The only thing that centers Jensen is spending time with her beloved mustangs, when she can find the energy to visit them. Everyone in her family is concerned about her, but none more than her best friend, Tuck.
Tuck and his father have always had their issues, and thanks to the Cole family’s acceptance and love, it was easier for young Tuck to spend his free time on their ranch rather than his family’s. Jensen and her brother grew up alongside Tucker, with Walker and Tuck inseparable in their mischief and the younger Jensen trailing behind. The friendship has always been effortless between Jensen and Tuck, and she says: “We always accepted each other just as we were. No pretense or pressure. When we were together, we could just be.” They show each other their authentic selves and know the other better than they know themselves. Don’t tell Jensen and Tuck, but that looks a lot like love to me.
For a writer with so few books under her belt, each one of them is rich, deep and captivating, eliciting a vast array of emotions from the reader. You don’t simply read a Cowles book. You live it and breathe it, immersed and ensnared in a world you never want to leave. This book is no different, and Jensen and Tuck’s story hits all the right notes – humor, angst, bitterness, desperation, drama, suspense, yearning, longing, desire, and most of all, love of a lifetime. Then there’s the beautiful, stunning symbolism of Tuck’s touches and Jensen’s rescues that reached to the deepest part of my soul. Parts of me that will never be the same.
My secret wish is that this talented, gifted wizard of words has a long, illustrious career ahead of her because I can’t imagine a world without her writing. If you haven’t yet had a chance to read her work, this book is a terrific one to introduce you to her. These books all stand alone and can be read in any order, or if you prefer, you can start at the beginning. However you choose to read them, don’t delay in getting your hands on this series. Once you visit, you’ll never want to leave Sutter Lake!
I have been waiting for Jensen and Tuck’s story since I read book 1!! It was so rewarding! I loved everything about their relationship and the special bond they share. Tuck has been with her through everything and she considers him her best friend. There is no one else I’d rather have in my corner when things are about to go down! Total Dreamboat
Jensen and Tuck was a book I’ve been waiting for since the first Sutter Lake book and it did not disappoint. Plenty of heat and angst between Jensen the Tuck, so worth the wait. Catherine Cowles writes about broken souls beautifully which has a reader coming back for more. Jensen has had awful taste in men and cannot trust herself or her feelings for Tuck. He has his own personal troubles and is unwilling to pull her into them. But the pull between them is irresistible. Eventually, they both learn to trust themselves and their love to gain their happily ever after. A beautiful story about two beautifully broken spirits.
Jensen and Tuck was a book I’ve been waiting for since the first Sutter Lake book and it did not disappoint. Plenty of heat and angst between Jensen the Tuck, so worth the wait. Catherine Cowles writes about broken souls beautifully which has a reader coming back for more. Jensen has had awful taste in men and cannot trust herself or her feelings for Tuck. He has his own personal troubles and is unwilling to pull her into them. But the pull between them is irresistible. Eventually, they both learn to trust themselves and their love to gain their happily ever after. A beautiful story about two beautifully broken spirits.
5 “More Than Friends” Stars
I read the first two novels in the Sutter Lake Series last year and was utterly charmed by them. It was more than time for me to dive back into this series and finally read Beautifully Broken Spirit. I still can’t believe I let that much time passe before reading Jensen and Tuck’s romantic story! This novel is hands down my new favorite in the series.
There was the perfect balance between emotional, steamy and suspenseful. This couple was seriously so perfect for each other and after years in denial of their feelings, to finally watch them giving a go at something more than frienship was amazing. Jensen is truly a beautiful soul. She’s always there to lend a hand at others, she’s caring and a devoted single mom. Under all this lovely personality, she still dreams of finding true love. In fact, love has always been there in the form of her long time best friend, Tuck.
That man had me melting! He was so perfect for Jensen with the way he cared and was so protective of her. Even if he acted like a true friend, his deeper feelings were so apprent in his every action. I felt sad watching him deny himself a relationship with the girl of his dreams for years. I was more than ecstatic for them to embark on a friends with benefits relationship that could only lead to them exposing their real feelings long kept hidden.
This romance was lovely and kept me on my toes with thrilling mysteries happening in Sutter Lake. The whole cast was once again what made this read so captivating! I won’t make the mistake again of putting the series aside, I’m starting book four of the series right away!
Jensen blames herself for incidents that have happened to her loved ones. She has been barely functioning since then, just going through the motions of taking care of her son, running her tea shop and taking care of her rescue/rehab horses. But Tuck, her life long friend and her brother’s best friend, is the only one that can break through her walls to wake her up from her fog. But Tuck, can’t be anyone’s forever – his dad had beat that into him time and time again that he can’t be the forever guy but Tuck has always wanted Jensen to be his forever.
I love me a good older brother’s best friend book. It is my kryptonite and this one did not disappoint. Did I want to throat punch Tuck a few times? Yes. Did Jensen make me annoyed at times? Yes. But I loved them and I understood their struggles/issues. I loved them. I have been cheering for them since Walker’s book so I was beyond excited to get to their story. But man was it a doozy. So much going on but it was such an amazing story.
Good story about love and animal protection rights
Tuck and Jensen are the couple you want to keep reading.
I love the bond they share, yet they don’t completely own the connection until it all but slaps them in the face.
Childhood best friends, brother’s best friend, small town, and suspense… yes, please.
Jensen and Tuck have shared a special bond as long as she can remember. Their friendship is a language that never need words. As life threw her once curveball after another, that secret language turned to stony silence. Tuck has looked out for Jensen since the ay she was born. As his best friend’s little sister, he tried to keep her firmly in the friend category. She has always been more. It only takes one moment of weakness to send Tuck’s fiercely guarded walls crumbling to the ground. As a new fire burns between them, someone watches. That someone does not like the new life Jensen is building for herself. They will stop at nothing to keep her in the dark. – I loved Jensen and Tuck. Their bond was special, and they were great characters. A prior incident was referenced several times, but sufficient info was not given for us to know what happened. It was apparently something that happened in books 1 or 2. That was a disappointment. I liked the way the relationship between Tuck and Jensen developed. The story is interesting.
First time reading this author’s book, definitely recommend! Loved loved it!