Braedyn Winslow will do anything to find her best friend,
Nova, who vanished without a trace during their hike a year
ago. Her search leads her back to the quiet, mysterious town
of Starlight Grove. Local law enforcement offers little
help, her eight-year-old son struggles to adjust, and her
focus is dangerously pulled toward her new neighbor, a
charming, glasses-wearing hacker who might be her biggest
distraction yet.
Dexter Archer is finally home after resigning from the
FBI, hoping to rebuild his life alongside his brothers, his
great-uncle, and his niece. But Starlight Grove hasnβt
forgotten who his father was, a notorious serial killer, and
the Archer name still carries a shadow. The last thing Dex
expects is Brae, a determined woman whoβs impossible
to ignore and impossible not to help.
As Brae and Dex team up to uncover what really happened
to Nova, sparks ignite, and so do warning signs. Because
someone in Starlight Grove is desperate to keep the truth
buried. And theyβll do whatever it takes to stop
anyone who gets too close.
ACROSS THE VANISHING SKY is the first book in Catherine
Cowlesβs Starlight Grove series, and with it,
she launches another gripping small-town romantic suspense
story. While the romance follows familiar and predictable
beats, Cowles truly shines in the suspense. Readers are kept
guessing about the villain until the very end, and as
always, the culprit is the person youβd least
expect.
Brae and Dex share sizzling chemistry, and their romance
is one of the highlights of the book. Dexβs four
brothers are intriguing characters, clearly set up as
protagonists for upcoming books in the series. The Archer
family dynamics feel organic and warm, and the
brothersβ group chat is especially fun to read.
That said, the frequent use of words like bro and bruh
was a bit irritating, and the authorβs tendency to
over-explain Gen Alpha slang felt unnecessary. Cowles could
have easily left that out, as it may feel dated or jarring
to readers a decade from now.
A heart-stopping small town romance from USA Today bestselling author Catherine Cowles, the first in a brand-new series.
Braedyn Winslow never expected to return to Starlight Grove—the town that took everything from her. Not after her best friend, the one who'd sacrificed so much for her, vanished without a trace. But with a young son to raise and a past that won't stay buried, Brae is back…and determined to uncover the truth.
She just didn't count on the brooding, reclusive mountain man living next door.
Dex Archer is the stuff of local legend—silent, rugged, and surrounded by whispers of his and his brothers' violent father. But Brae sees through the scowl and his parentage to the man beneath: fiercely loyal, unexpectedly kind…and just dangerous enough to protect her when someone starts warning her off her search.
The closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to stay away from Dex. And as things get more perilous, Brae realizes the only person she can rely on is the one man who swore never to trust again.
Only someone isn't happy that Brae has been digging, and they'll do anything to stop her. But Dex? He'll do anything to save her, even slip back into the dark…
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