Beautifully Broken Life (The Sutter Lake Series)

When I saw this book land on my Kindle, all other reading came to a screeching halt. (My apologies to the dozen other books I committed to read first.) And when I saw forty-seven chapters, I got a little giddy, hoping this book would go on and on. I was already excited for Tessa and Liam's story and suspected it would be one I never wanted to end. And let me tell you, it was! Beautifully Broken Life is a heartbreaking, inspiring read, with so much emotion I drowned in it, and enough intense suspense that I was hooked on every word.

This book is a thing of true beauty, an invaluable piece of art, from the first word to the last, from its lyrical prose that are vividly picturesque to its impeccable editing, with authentically flawed and eternally endearing characters, and a storyline that's pure perfection. It drew me in and held me spellbound so that I experienced everything this story offers, resulting in plenty of my own incidents of breakage along this journey with Tessa and Liam.

Cowles created an amazing hero and heroine in Liam and Tessa! He's a world famous rockstar who's never been much of a bad boy or cared for fame. He has a heart of gold, and they way he interacts with Tessa is a thing of beauty. He's so gentle and caring, knowing just when to encourage her or simply be there for her. We knew from the previous book that Tessa was on the run and hiding from something, and she's as skittish as the wild mustangs she loves so much. But she realizes that the way she's living is nothing more than existing. She decides to face her fears and empower herself, with Liam by her side every step of the way. And Tessa taking control of her life and determining her own destiny? That may be the most beautiful part of this stunning story.

If you haven’t read this author yet, you need to remedy that today! Cowles is one of the most promising fresh voices in contemporary romance today and I’m thrilled to be along for the ride. Each book is better than the last and I can’t wait to watch her talent grow. Tessa and Liam's story is as beautiful as it is phenomenal, with every emotional element you can imagine, and you absolutely don’t want to miss it!

*I reviewed an advance copy of this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.

This book was so good! I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did as it was a very slow burn but once things started to come about with Tessa, the burn was so worth it.

Tessa is working really hard to get away from her past as she has some serious secrets that she is trying to not only keep buried but not poem her to someone opening those secrets and her being found.

Liam is a musician who is on the hunt to write his next album and he’s come across a little bit of writers block. He’s trying to keep a low profile since he’s also hiding from a secret from his past and he doesn’t want to be found.

Them coming together was not what either of them expected but it opened them both to seeing what life could really be like when you open yourself to another person who truly loves you. It took Tessa a long time to be open to Liam but when she cracked the door open she was enthralled. She wasn’t expecting Liam to be so perfect for her as she was hurt so badly in the past.

Things got a little cray but you know what, that what happens when secrets are kept away for so long. Some people don’t want those secrets hidden and will do whatever they can to make them come out. Nasty people. He got what he deserved I’ll tell you that much.

SO GOOD! Starting the next one asap.

I think is going to be my favorite in this series. I love Tessa and Liam. Liam is so amazing and sweet. He is kind and patient with Tessa, knowing that she needs slow, calm, and steady. Tessa is so strong to get away from her past and try to make a better future for herself. I think I have read this book like 3 or 4 times already and I love it more each time. Tessa is in hiding from a past so volatile that if she is found, she would most definitely not make it through to see another day. She runs to Sutter Lake which has always had a special place in her heart even though she knew nothing about the connection to the small town and a part of her past. She kept her head down and kept to herself as much as possible. That is until Liam comes crashing into her life literally. There is just something about him that drew her eyes to him. He didn’t scare her; he made her feel safe. Liam lived in Los Angeles. His face was known to almost everyone and was constantly dogged by the paparazzi as well as some overzealous fans. He was never given and sense of privacy. Liam knows there are 2 sides of fame, the high he gets when he performs, when he made music, and the dark side. When that dark side catches up to him, as well as his label pressuring him to write, he needs to escape. His friend Taylor now lived in Sutter Lake, and he had loved the peace and quiet there when he visited her. So that’s where he headed. The music started to come to him thanks to a lovely baker worker named Tessa. He knows he must be careful with her. That something had happened to make her so afraid. He was determined to do whatever it took so she would trust him. He protects her at all costs, but when his past and her past collide can he save both himself and Tessa?

⭐ 10/5 🌶️ 2/5 🚫Content warnings include, but are not limited to: -Domestic Violence -Stalking -Suicide Attempt (discussed, not on the page)

And she did it again! This author just got bumped up on my favourite list. I'm a total baby for these books 🥹🥹 I loved this book so much. It was so beautifully heartbreaking and healing at the same time.

In this book we follow our lovely Liam( who we have already met in Book 1) and mysterious Tessa ( also in Book 1). Both of them are hiding out from bad stuff that happened in their lives. Liam from a delusional fan and Tessa from an abusive ex....

These two broken souls literally melted my heart! Cries Tessa really went through some bad stuff and my heart breaks for her I just want to hug her and hide her away from the world... And then our Liam! He has so much going on and I don't think he realizes that he is going through stuff too and that he also needs the help. But he is all green flags !

Heartbreakingly beautiful is the words I would use to describe this book. It's just ugh. I loved it! I'm officially moving there( if only I could!!😩😂)

Even the spice is beautiful.....

There is also a bonus scene and 🥹🥹🥹

Tropes:

• Heroine on the run/Hidden Identity
• Famous Hero
• Opposites attract
• Romantic Suspense
• Small Town
• Dual POV
• Cinnamon roll boyfriend

4.5 Stars

Tessa’s in hiding and it’s important that no one know who she really is or where she came from, her life and those that know the truth would be in danger. Liam is also in hiding; he needs a break from the spotlight, and he needs to find his voice again

It’s been two years and Sutter Lake has become a safe place for Tessa. She’s got place of her own, she’s got two jobs she loves, her boss (and friend) is amazing and never pushes. But is she really living? She doesn’t go out, she doesn’t let people in, and seeing those around her experiencing life is getting harder each day.

One of Liam’s best friends found piece in Sutter Lake, so maybe this is the perfect place for him too. He knows he should probably stay away from Tessa; she seems a little hesitant to interact with others, but there’s just something about her that he can’t stay away from. Can they find a way to be together? Or will the danger in their lives tear them apart?

I really enjoyed this story. The characters were well developed and written with great growth throughout the story. The suspense of the story was perfectly paced and kept me guessing till the end and the relationships developed throughout the story were fantastic. I love getting the introductions to characters that will be the focus of future books and getting glimpses of the characters from previous books. Liam was a great male lead with so much understanding of Tessa and such a big heart and watching Tessa grow throughout this book was great.

I will definitely be continuing with this series and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the following:

✔️ Small Town ✔️ New in Town ✔️ Celebrity ✔️ Hidden Identity ✔️ Mystery/Suspense ✔️ First Person Dual POV ❕️ Check TW

The men in these books obliterate me. First Walker and now Liam. Don’t get me wrong, the women are strong and fierce on their own, but the men just run away with the story. They’re flawed, of course, but perfect for the women in their lives.

Tessa ran from her past and ended up in Sutter Lake working at Jensen’s tea shop. Liam was hiding from his rockstar life after a crazy fan made him realize he might not love the life he was living as much as he should. He was in Sutter Lake to try to cure his writers block, but found more than just inspiration in Tessa.

As Tessa starts to open up to Liam and let the Coles in, Liam realizes how deep Tessa’s trauma runs. He is so patient with Tessa and never pushes her. He finds ways to make sure she’s comfortable but also pushes her comfort zone just enough for it to start to expand. He was truly perfect for Tessa.

On top of all that, the suspense was perfect. There was the suspense of Tessa’s ex finding her on top of the suspense with Liam’s stalker. It made for the perfect storm and allowed Liam’s protective instincts to rise to the surface. I loved the way everything resolved.

This was a great read and the perfect mix of romance and suspense.

Seemed to follow the flow of many of Cowles’ other books—maiden stalked, kidnapped, nearly killed, man cries at her bedside. This was a good story seeing Tessa gain strength and learn to trust, but Liam felt a little flat to me. Also got kind of tired of how often he complained about manliness; that felt a little immature. I liked Jensen, interested in her story