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.
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Recently discovered this author. Lived the suspense and her character development so much I immediately ordered the other books in this series. Great books can see a movie being made from the series.
A perfect blend of suspense and “best friends to lovers” romance. FIVE BRILLIANT STARS!
I’m so glad this amazing story landed in my Kindle and introduced me to Catherine Cowles and the Sutter Lake Series! I love a book that grabs me on page one and doesn’t let go, and OMG! Tuck and Jensen’s story did exactly that. I literally held my breath in places, and the beautiful epilogue left me in tears. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series, since the folks of Sutter Lake almost feel like family to me now.
Here’s a bit of the plot, but no big spoilers. As the title implies, this is a story of two broken people–Jensen and Tucker (Tuck)–who grew up on adjoining Oregon ranches and were close friends as children. Tuck called her “Little J,” and he always tried to protect her from harm. But Jensen grew up and made bad choices in her romantic relationships, and now–as the single mother of a 9-year-old son (Noah)–she’s determined to never trust another man. She lives in a guest house on her parents’ ranch, owns a tea shop in town, and cares for her son and a small herd of rescued mustangs. (I loved her close connection with those magnificent horses!)
Tuck–an officer with the Forest Service–is a one-night stand guy who avoids serious relationships, afraid he’ll become just like his father, a drunken womanizer who hurts Tuck’s mother with his philandering. Tuck swears he’ll never marry, and he tries to resist his feelings for Jensen as their friendship slowly changes into something more intense. After all, Jensen is the little sister of Tuck’s best buddy (Walker), and therefore strictly off limits. A romance between them is unthinkable, right?
Nature has other plans, of course. When Jensen and Tuck take refuge from a snowstorm at a bed and breakfast with only one vacant room, nature takes over and our best friends become lovers, entering into a secret “friends with benefits” relationship. But it’s hard to keep secrets in a small town like Sutter Lake. How will Walker react when he learns of their love affair?
You’ll find plenty of steamy sex in this romance, but the story is also wrapped in several layers of danger and suspense. Jensen’s ex-boyfriend (Cody)–the jerk who ran off when she became pregnant with Noah–suddenly resurfaces to stir up trouble. And she gets involved in the conflict between local ranchers who lease grazing land, and animal rights activists who seek to protect the wild horses on those lands. It doesn’t take long before certain men decide that killing mustangs isn’t enough; they need to eliminate Jensen, the woman who loves and protects the horses. Will Tuck arrive in time to save her life, only to lose his own?
I’m going no further with this. Grab a copy of this unforgettable story about two best friends who find love and healing in each other’s arms. With immersive scenery, realistic dialogue, likeable characters (except the bad guys, of course), and a gripping plot, this book is a keeper! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
A beautiful, thoughtful and touching story of forever endearment!
Terrible! F-Bomb on almost every page & so unnecessary to the story.
Catherine Cowles has produced a wonderful series of lovely stories that intertwine beautifully. Read one and had to buy the others to know that everyone got their happily ever after.
Everyone woman should read this to get insight how to handle a rape situation but was too long a read
Childhood friends become lovers. Procrastination of man. Involvement with wild horses. Too much explicite sex.
really good book, just don’t read it where crying isn’t an option.
This is a wonderful book! Take a day and love it! This book is a reminder that life is rarely as honest or as simple as what we read here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Great series I have read so far 3 of the 4 books so far
The hidden feelings make for a round about love story
Loved the story of Tuck and Jensen. Best friends amend have grown up together. Him being best friends with her older brother. They ha e always been each other shoulder to cry and lean on. Loved watching their progression. Only thing I didn’t like was the slump she was in at the beginning and how she shit him out. It was a little annoying how she refused to accept help and see what wasn’t her fault. So many plot twists. Monsters hunting the mustangs. An evil from the past back to stir trouble. But he would always protect his ‘wilder’.
I love this entire series but I think this one might be my favorite.
I loved this brother’s best friend/friends to lovers romance! I was curious to find out more about Tuck and Jensen after the little hints about them in the previous books. I am so happy with their story! Jensen is a strong, loving, and caring person. She has such a heart for people and animals that other people wouldn’t. Tuck is caring, protective, and is so sweet with Jensen. As always, Cowles’ writing is beautiful, drawing, and had me on the edge of my seat with this book!
Jensen is a driven single mom, business owner, and lover of wild horses. She’s had trouble with letting men into her life who end up betraying her trust and letting her down. She also blames herself for the string of kidnappings that happened in Sutter Lake, and struggles with accepting the fact it wasn’t her fault. Jensen has always had feelings for Tuck, but respected her brother and didn’t want to risk the potential crumble of hers and Tucks friendship if things between them didn’t work out.
“Being around Jensen was the most beautiful form of torture.”
Tuck has always closed himself off from relationships. He doesn’t think he can give someone what they deserve. It doesn’t help that his father seemed to instill that idea in his head from a young age and he’s convinced he will be just like him. Since they were kids, Tuck had an eye for his best friend’s little sister and always tried to keep her at arms length. But when events lead him and Jensen into each other’s space, he finally takes her in his arms.
”He was comfort and fire all at the same time.”
Tuck and Jensen have always had a special connection. They have a unique way of communicating with each other, and their friendship is strong. When their feelings for each other begin to surface, they can’t deny it. But just when things are going well, it seems it might be too good to be true. Someone from Jensen’s past tries to make their way back into her life, and they might just stand in between her and Tuck’s future.
Oh my heart!
I knew it! I just knew Jensen and Tuck’s story was going to be emotional, and boy what a ride it was.
Much like her horses, Jensen is a wild spirit that has been knocked down and broken. Yet she still has that wild soul, just bursting to break free!
Tuck has sat back and watched Jensen go through all these knocks, and heartbreaks; but when the opportunity comes for them to be together, they can’t deny it.
We soon learn that Tuck is just as broken as Jensen is.
This couple are wonderful. Their journey is epic and beautiful. Along for the ride is the hilarious 9 year old Noah and his ninja-skilled grandmother! Providing us with the perfect comic relief in between a the drama and pain.
What the author has managed to achieve with this series is amazing, and with each new release the stories just get better and better.
Beautifully Broken Spirit drags you in from the start and takes a piece of your soul with it.
I look forward to see what she comes up with in the next book!
5 stars will never be enough!
Finally, a book about Jensen and Tuck! Beautifully Broken Spirit revolves around Jensen Cole and Tucker Harris whom are first introduced in book 1 of the Sutter Lake Series. Jensen and Tucker have grown up together all their lives. Tucker being the best friend of Jensen’s older brother, Walker (one of the two main characters in Beautifully Broken Pieces). Jensen has always been more than just his best friend’s little sister. Tuck at first may seem like a womanizer but the behavior is due to family issues. They both share a love for the mustangs that run wild around Sutter Lake. There’s a mystery with the killings of mustangs. There’s a twist in the end that I almost figured out. I truly enjoyed reading how these two best friends develop into something more. I enjoyed it so much I finished the book in less than 6 hours.
I love this series so much, I just can’t say it enough. The friendship between Tuck and Jensen is EVERYTHING. They have cared about one another and loved each other since childhood and their love story is beautifully written in this book. I loved how they both fought their deeper feelings for each other but just couldn’t help falling deeper and deeper as the story goes on. They have such a special bond with each other and I love that they both share such a strong feeling and bond with the land and horses too. And the relationship between Tuck and Noah is adorable. These two were definitely meant for each other. Tuck’s protectiveness when it comes to Jensen is swoon worthy, especially when her past comes back to haunt her. Once again this story had it all and I couldn’t put it down!!
** spoiler alert ** Jensen is ready to give up on love. Tuck doesn’t believe he will ever settle down. Years of friendship is put to the test. Will Jensen get her dream? Will Tuck realize what he has before it is too late?
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED these two! I didn’t blame Jensen for being scared after her track record, but loved how she still took that chance and put herself out there. I have to say, I loved how Tuck showed those around him he cared even if he couldn’t say it and with the way he was raised, I understood his fear. Great read!
I was so excited to read Jensen and Tucks book and it didnt disappoint. You get a great love story with a touch of suspense. I was hooked from the very beginning! I couldnt put the book down. I would definitely recommend this book and the rest of the series!!
This was an incredible read! And that ending was action packed!
Jensen and Tuck have been friends since they were born. This was the perfect friends to lovers/brothers best friend read. Their chemistry in the story was so good it was angsty and left me yelling at them in my head to get together already!