Waves of Fiction: Blog Tour Audio Review: Hidden Waters by Catherine Cowles

Friday, June 24, 2022

Blog Tour Audio Review: Hidden Waters by Catherine Cowles

Hidden Waters (Torn & Tattered #3) by Catherie Cowles

Publication Date: June 21st 2022 by Pagesmith LLC

Audio Book Length: 9 hrs 13 min

Narrator: Ava Erickson and Sebastian York

Pages: 324

Source: Publicist

Rating: ★★★★

My Thoughts:

Addie is out on her own after being under the harsh authority of her father and trying to live a normal life. However, living in the same town means she’s bumping into him or his friends whenever she’s in town and it put me on edge for her!

Beckett has just come back to his hometown, serving as the new town doctor, and needs a place to stay while his house is being built. Addie is staying at his brother's old house, but as the house is huge, they suggest he stay with Addie. At first Addie isn’t happy, but soon they’re friends and she can’t imagine not having him in her space. They get close and protective of each other, feeling of attraction growing deeper every day.

Hidden Waters was harrowing at times with an undercurrent of suspense through the story because of the constant threat of her father and his workers lurking about. I hated him and the ideas they had towards women, and it seemed like their way of living off the grid, shunning government and community made it easier to get away with their appalling behavior!

I enjoyed seeing Addie take back her life one experience at a time, empower herself against the vile men who had far too much control over her. Beckett helping along the way. I did wish Addie would’ve taken Beckett up on his offers of protection and rides more, because the threat against her was real and constant. I do get she wanted to be independent and that there was no way someone could be with her 24/7 but still, why not take all the precautions when and where you can? I loved the relationship between Beckett and Addie. They both had past demons to deal with. They were solid friends before anything more happened and it felt like a natural progression when they became everything to each other.

This is my first experience reading Catherine Cowles but won’t be my last! I would love to go back and read the previous couples’ stories too and I look forward to Laiken’s story next!

I listened to the audio version of Hidden Waters narrated by Ava Erickson and Sebastian York. Their performance was excellent and enhanced an already lovely romance! I highly recommend!

4 Stars

Keep reading for a look inside Hidden Waters!

Excerpt:

“You deserved so much better.”

“I’m getting it. I’m making that beautiful life now. And I’ll appreciate it so much more

because of what I’ve been through.”

It wasn’t enough for me. It never would be. But I admired how Addie could view her

past. I struggled not to hold her too tightly. The urge to burn the world down around me

was too strong. I wasn’t good the way Addie was. I still wanted to start with Allen.

“Beckett,” she whispered against my ear. “I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt. The skin is ugly

but—”

I reared back. “Nothing about you is ugly.”

Her cheeks flamed. “It is. It’s just facts. I don’t care. There are so many more important

things.”

“Show me.” I was already climbing to my feet.

“W-what?”

“Show me.”

Addie stood shakily. “I don’t want you to see it.”

My gaze locked with hers. I poured everything I was feeling into that one look. “Please.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, searching my face for something. Then she

nodded and turned around. Slowly, so painfully slowly, she unbuttoned her blouse.

When she was done, she simply stood there, not lowering the shirt. Her ribs expanded

and contracted in ragged breaths. Then she let the fabric fall to the floor.

Angry slashes crisscrossed her back. They were varying tones, shapes, and depths. In

that moment, I knew Allen had done this to her over and over. My hands fisted so tightly

I was in danger of breaking a knuckle.

I moved closer and then sank to my knees again. “It’s just me.” My hands went to

Addie’s hips. She gave a slight jolt. I stilled. “You okay?” She nodded, the movement

jerky, her breaths ragged. I slowly swept my thumb across a patch of raised skin. Then I

bent forward, my lips going to the worst of the scars. I ghosted them over the flesh that

had been torn apart but had come back together stronger than it had been before.

“Beauty in the strength that carried you through. Beauty in how you refused to be

broken. Beauty that you never let yourself become cruel like him. Addie, there isn’t a

thing about you that isn’t beautiful.”

Book Description:

My family tried to break me. But, somehow, I made it out alive, even though the wounds from that survival are forever carved into my bones. Now, my only wish is for…normal. To know what it’s like to have friends, a job, a home.

The last thing I want is for my new roommate to see the scars I’m so desperate to keep hidden, especially not the ruggedly handsome man who steals my breath and sends my heart into overdrive.

But something tells me that Beckett has demons, too. I see it in the shadows haunting his gorgeous eyes and the way he looks at me with gentle understanding.

As our unlikely friendship becomes so much more, forces from my life slink out of the shadows. And we could both lose everything we’ve fought so hard for—down to our very last breaths…