Review: Chasing Shelter by Catherine Cowles (Sparrow Falls #5)


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

Spending a rainy day reading a grumpy/sunshine romance set in a small town? Umm, yes, please. If it happens to be written by Catherine Cowles and part of her ongoing and highly addictive Sparrow Falls series? Well, I'd be crazy to not read it! Chasing Shelter is the fifth--and the penultimate--novel in the aforementioned series, and we have single dad and Sparrow Falls sheriff Trace Colson (36) with a full slate of responsibilities--to his six-year-old daughter, Keely, the town he serves, and the family that he's been a part of since he was twelve. Being the eldest among his siblings isn't why he's as protective as he is. He prefers having structure and knowing that rules are in place and followed to a T. Which is why living next to a sassy and alluring woman like Eleanor Pierce is messing with his carefully organized life.

At twenty-six and having recently ended her engagement, Ellie is trying to find her footing, so what better place to do it than the town that's become her older brother's home with the woman he loves. Maybe her interior designer skills fit Manhattan better, but soon, Ellie feels like she's a part of Sparrow Falls. Sure, her neighbor is a grump--even if Trace is a gorgeous one at that--but precocious Keely is her bestie after all. The more time they spend together, the more Trace's and Ellie's lives become intertwined. However, not everyone is hoping for these two to live happily ever after, with zero qualms of doing so at all costs.

There's a lot to love about Catherine Cowles's stories and characters, but one of my absolute favorites is that she never skimps when it comes to the histories of her main cast in a series. The Colsons are a unique family, with each of the children dealing with their own traumas. Trace's journey to becoming a part of that family was harrowing, and you could feel his love and gratitude for each member. There are reasons why he is the way he is, and it took someone like Ellie to make him accept that he truly was worthy of love and the good things that come with it. Keely was an adorable scene-stealer, Lolli was a hoot, and Nora was, as always, lovely. Chasing Shelter gets five stars, and I cannot wait for the last book!

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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

Chasing Shelter (book five) - five stars - My Review (posted above)

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Release Date: 22 July 2025

Date Read: 14 July 2025

Learn more about Catherine Cowles.

Purchase Chasing Shelter on Amazon.

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