Review: Beautiful Exile by Catherine Cowles (Sparrow Lake #4)

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.

"Why do you have to be so perfect?" I asked, a mixture of warmth and annoyance filling my tone. 

"Because I live to piss you off."

Just when I think Catherine Cowles couldn't possibly impress me even more, she gives readers the story of two individuals who are dealing with the actions their parents made in the past and who the trauma and consequences of the abovementioned have shaped their lives. I'm talking about Beautiful Exile, the fourth novel in Cowles's addictive Sparrow Lake romantic suspense series featuring the Colsons, specifically the seven siblings--two biological, one adopted, and four foster--and how they find love, peace, and resolution in their little picturesque hometown in Oregon. This newest book centers on Arden Waverly, a highly regarded mixed media artist, and Lincoln Pierce, a billionaire who owns a successful company, as well as the hockey team Arden's brother plays for. Both have their cache of secrets, and to have a future together, they will have to deal with their pasts.

Arden Waverly (25) prefers the solace of her workshop surrounded by the art she creates rather than having to deal with the complexities of everyday life beyond those four walls. When she's approached by a stranger in her brother's gym, her protective instincts kick in and she's soon got her switchblade at the man's neck. It turns out Lincoln Pierce (37) is quite known by her siblings, considering he was not only the billionaire owner of Gardien and the Seattle Sparks but also her brother Cope's best friend and a soon-to-be homeowner in Sparrow Lake. She wants to avoid the guy and the feelings he stirs up in her, but with him temporarily living in Cope's house, he's a constant presence she can't quite ignore for long. Something else she can no longer turn her back on--the secrets of a past that looks to be coming for her.

Welp, Rhodes and Anson have just been dethroned by Arden and Lincoln as my favorite couple of this series. I still adore the former, and I love Thea and Shep, as well as Sutton and Cope, but goodness gracious me, how Arden and Linc had me in the palm of their hand. I was obsessed with these two and their story. They were prime examples of two people who deserved more than to survive; they earned their right to thrive. There were a number of times I grew teary-eyed, and then there was the one conversation Arden had with Nora that had the tear ducts letting loose. I loved seeing Arden finally feel safe and secure enough to open herself up to and embrace the life that she had and the love that Linc had for her. And that twist? Gah! How everything was resolved and came together was beautifully understated. I also highly recommend checking out the bonus scene after you finish reading the book. Beautiful Exile is a must read and receives five-plus stars. 

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Read my reviews for the Sparrow Falls series:

Fragile Sanctuary (book one) - five-plus stars - My Review

Delicate Escape (book two) - five stars - My Review

Broken Harbor (book three) - five stars - My Review

Beautiful Exile (book four) - five-plus stars - My Review (posted above)

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Release Date: 18 March 2025

Date Read: 09 March 2025

Learn more about Catherine Cowles.

Pre-order Beautiful Exile on Amazon.