A review by sarahs_spoilers
Shadows of You by Catherine Cowles

4.5

🚨 This is not a review. It’s a list of plot events to help me remember the story. Spoilers abound! 🚨

🌶️

  • Roan: Grumpy, isolated from family
    beat up badly when town thought he had something to do with shooting Wren
    — genesis of his distrust in others
  • Aspen: BIL is in jail for murdering her sister and attacking her; has  guardianship of niece, Cady

  • Hiding from media with new name bc of the terrible harassment from case
  • Meets Roan trying to save injured deer
  • Works at cafe;
    received scary note about revenge and taking Cady back; gets bouquet of flowers with similar message -both in John’s handwriting
  • Podcasters show up wanting to interview her bc they think she lied and BIL is innocent - asks them to leave and the regulars help her out
  • Animals mysteriously start getting murdered, followed by two people, one being the “nicer” podcaster
  • Old newspaper writer, who was the #1 harasser, shows up - he’s posed bc he lost his job bc of following her for the story
  • In the meantime,
    Roan starts staying over to make sure the girls are safe (Cady finds them in bed and is jealous of their sleepover!)
  • Cady calls Roan Mr. Grizz
  • He goes to ballet with her to scare away her bullies
    đź©°
  • Culprit:
    Elsie, one of the regulars, whose real name is Iris and who fell in love with John while he was in prison - like those crazy TV shows

  • “Everyone needs a place to belong. Somewhere they feel safe. I like being that for them.”

  • I was so damn alone. But I needed to be. It was the only thing that was truly safe. So, I slipped away into the shadows of that loneliness all over again. 

  • “Mr. Grizz?” Nash asked with a choked laugh. Cady grinned at my little brother. “He’s grumpy like a grizzly bear after hibersnation. Mama and I think he needs a snack.” 

  • “We can’t always carry our own load. Sometimes, we need help. It doesn’t make us weak. It makes us human.”

  • Nothing could happen to these two. They were lights in a world of darkness.

  • “There’s something powerful in finding purpose to the pain.”

  • Lawson just rolled his eyes, not put off by my bellow. “Sorry, but any time Nash offers to part with food, you know you’re in a bad way.” 

  • “I panicked,” Nash defended. “I don’t want him going over the edge and punching us both.” 

  • I grabbed the box and flipped it open. “Just for that, I’m taking the Boston Cream.” 

  • “Hey! I was saving that one.” 

  • “I know. That’s why I’m taking it.” 

  • Nash turned to Lawson. “You’re right. I think I liked him better when he just brooded silently.”

  • I took a huge bite of the donut in answer. 

  • Lawson chuckled, then patted Nash on the back. “I’ll get you some more tomorrow.” 

  • “I wanted it today,” Nash grumbled.