"I love you. I think a part of me loved you from the first moment I saw you. Some part of me recognized that you were the one person who could understand me. Who could help me find my way back." - Catherine Cowles, Wrecked Palace
Well, I have to tell y’all... I am not surprised... I loved Wrecked Palace!
I am so glad I stumbled on this series recently because I have fallen in love with every single story in this series! Catherine Cowles wrote another amazing book, filled with characters that are hard not to love. This book tells the story of Caelyn and Griffin, though you can’t mention them without talking about Will, Ava and Mia.
I don’t think I’ve ever fallen in love with kids in a story quite as much as I did with these “tiny terrors.” I loved the family dynamics and that this book was so family focused! I loved that we as readers really got to know every member of this family and there was something that drew me in about each of them. Will just broke my heart and made it smile. He is so loving and so protective and tries so hard to hold everything in to protect his siblings, but doesn’t allow himself to be the kid that he is. Ava reminds me of myself. She is quiet, unassuming, a big bookaholic, and an internal thinker and feeler. This doesn’t mean she doesn’t have big feelings, but she usually has to process it by herself before sharing with others. Mia is glitter, rainbows and unicorns. She clearly brings joy and happiness to anyone in her world. All of these kids and how amazing they are are that way in big part because of their big sister Caelyn who’s been the Mom none of them ever had.
Caelyn sacrifices herself over and over for the family that she loves and her friends who are the best family she’s ever known. She has a heart of gold and like Mia, spreads joy to anyone she can.
Enter, Griffin. Griffin is gruff and quiet and little know anything about him because he prefers it that way. Griffin thinks if he doesn’t open himself up to people, he won’t be hurt again. He lost his family in a tragic, traumatic event that he still has nightmares about years after their loss. He has taken to renovating their family home on Anchor Island, but the house feels...empty, and he feels alone. There's one spark of joy that Griffin has in his life, though... his daily run in's with the Island chef/grocery store manager, Caelyn.
Then, as they say, the rest is...
Reading these two characters stories come together was so good. I read this book in 24 hours. I loved the vulnerability Griffin struggled with throughout this story- the possibility of opening himself up to others and potentially getting hurt or risking losing them again. I love Cae Cae's heart. She loves her siblings, she loves her friends, she even loves her no good biological parents, but who loves her? Sure, her friends and family do, but Caelyn is desperately wanting someone who will put her first. The two of them together...
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