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St. James #3
Worth the Risk
A Woman’s World Book Club pick. When Jackson St. James decided that six weeks in Vermont’s Green Mountains would help him get his life together, he didn’t anticipate replacing his craving for whiskey with a craving for his alluring new landlord, Gabby. Now, instead of prioritizing his sobriety and the resolution of the lawsuit threatening his business, he’s making excuses to spend time with the spunky young landscaper whose candor is more than a little addictive. Gabby Decouteau refuses to let her pill-popping mother and unreliable baby daddy turn her into a cynic, so she doesn’t fight her attraction to her enigmatic new tenant. Although Jackson’s smile rarely reaches his eyes, his generosity and dependability make her willing to overlook his demons. But once she convinces Jackson to give in to temptation, Gabby’s jealous ex threatens to disrupt the life Gabby has built for herself and her son. With so much at stake, Gabby and Jackson must decide if love is worth the risk.
303 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2016
2494 people are currently reading
1774 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Beck
22 books2,621 followersJamie Beck is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of 18 novels, which have been translated into multiple languages and have sold more than three million copies worldwide. She is a two-time Booksellers' Best Award finalist, a Women’s Fiction Writers Association STAR award finalist, a National Readers' Choice Award winner, and critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work "smart," "uplifting," and "entertaining." In addition to writing novels, she enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking and hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family.
Fans can learn more about her on the web (www.jamiebeck.com). She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook (www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks) and Instagram (@writerjamiebeck).
My newsletter subscribers get monthly fun tips, a chance to win a reader gift box, and other exclusive content. Sign up now! https://bit.ly/JBeckNewsletter. For updates on discounts and new releases, follow me on BookBub at http://bit.ly/2GBcLM3. NO SPAM--EVER.
Fans can learn more about her on the web (www.jamiebeck.com). She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook (www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks) and Instagram (@writerjamiebeck).
My newsletter subscribers get monthly fun tips, a chance to win a reader gift box, and other exclusive content. Sign up now! https://bit.ly/JBeckNewsletter. For updates on discounts and new releases, follow me on BookBub at http://bit.ly/2GBcLM3. NO SPAM--EVER.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
May 28, 2017
ARC requested through Netgalley, and kindly provided by Montlake Romance in exchange for an honest review.
I have become quite attached to the St. James siblings since the first book in this series. Full of secrets, heartbreak and betrayal, the St. James have had a lot to overcome since the death of their mother. This is the final book in the series and the one I have been most looking forward to. Younger brother to David and older brother to Cat, Jackson seemed to be getting more an more out of control with his drinking.
An intervention brought him temporarily to Vermont and serendipitously into the path of Gabby Bouchard, his new landlord. Jackson, knowing a relationship during this rocky time in his life was not a good idea, tried really hard to stay away from Gabby. This proved very difficult due to his ingrained helpful nature. To help fill the time in between counseling, he helps out Gabby and her father around the house and with their business. He also bonds with Gabby’s three year old son, Luke.
I thought Jackson and Gabby were quite good for one another, despite their age difference. Gabby was a young single mom trying so hard to show everyone she had grown up and was not the impulsive teen she once was. She pursued Jackson, even though he resisted.
Without giving away any spoilers, I will say that the challenges that threatened to get in the way of Jackson and Gabby finding their happily ever after together were heartbreaking. Jackson had a lot of issues to work through and Gabby had a dead-beat ex to contend with. I loved how they each worked their way through all of the issues, while making mistakes and moving past them.
Loved the conclusion of this series and I loved Jackson and Gabby. Great read!
I have become quite attached to the St. James siblings since the first book in this series. Full of secrets, heartbreak and betrayal, the St. James have had a lot to overcome since the death of their mother. This is the final book in the series and the one I have been most looking forward to. Younger brother to David and older brother to Cat, Jackson seemed to be getting more an more out of control with his drinking.
An intervention brought him temporarily to Vermont and serendipitously into the path of Gabby Bouchard, his new landlord. Jackson, knowing a relationship during this rocky time in his life was not a good idea, tried really hard to stay away from Gabby. This proved very difficult due to his ingrained helpful nature. To help fill the time in between counseling, he helps out Gabby and her father around the house and with their business. He also bonds with Gabby’s three year old son, Luke.
I thought Jackson and Gabby were quite good for one another, despite their age difference. Gabby was a young single mom trying so hard to show everyone she had grown up and was not the impulsive teen she once was. She pursued Jackson, even though he resisted.
“Because flings are what you have with people you can’t see yourself caring about, and that’s not the way I feel about you.” His flattery, so unpracticed and sincere, swaddled her heart with hope.
“If that’s true, then maybe this,” she gestured between them, “is worth the risk.”
Without giving away any spoilers, I will say that the challenges that threatened to get in the way of Jackson and Gabby finding their happily ever after together were heartbreaking. Jackson had a lot of issues to work through and Gabby had a dead-beat ex to contend with. I loved how they each worked their way through all of the issues, while making mistakes and moving past them.
Loved the conclusion of this series and I loved Jackson and Gabby. Great read!
August 18, 2020
The first 30%, the plot is promising. I was expecting a slow sweet tender romance between Jackson and Gabby. The characters are also promising. Jackson as a much older alcoholic. And Gabby a single mom.
Then after 30%, it started to go flat. I was expecting a lot from Jackson to be mature. Sadly his character developed to be a reluctant, defensive hero. It took forever for him to acknowldege his problem. He was in denial as alcoholic big time.
I still can tolerate Gabby. Even though she is sometimes needy and childish. But she came out much stonger than Jackson. The insta lust/ love happened so fast without pramble.
Overall, I think this book is still OK. Tolerable.
3 stars
Then after 30%, it started to go flat. I was expecting a lot from Jackson to be mature. Sadly his character developed to be a reluctant, defensive hero. It took forever for him to acknowldege his problem. He was in denial as alcoholic big time.
I still can tolerate Gabby. Even though she is sometimes needy and childish. But she came out much stonger than Jackson. The insta lust/ love happened so fast without pramble.
Overall, I think this book is still OK. Tolerable.
3 stars
February 7, 2018
This series was so cute, steamy, and adorable.
Worth the Risk was about Jackson St. James and I was really happy I finally got to read/listen to it. Jackson was interesting to say the least. I liked him but I have no idea if it was my favorite book out of the trilogy but it was enjoyable.
First, I didn't really like the narrator for the kindle version. Yeah, for some reason my audible app just didn't want to work today so it was kind of frustrating. The guy just kind of seemed bored reading the book to me that at times I would just stop the audio and read the book myself.
Jackson has a drinking problem and it's mostly due to the huge family secret. Which of course isn't a secret anymore, really. Then there's Gabby who was kind of a toss up for me. I kept switching from liking to hating her quite a lot. Between the two of them is Noah, who omg I have no words to describe him. I'm just kind of meh about his character overall and didn't really care about him. Although he was a douche bag and I'm okay with that.
Overall, I liked the book but I guess I was just expected more since the first two were really good.
Worth the Risk was about Jackson St. James and I was really happy I finally got to read/listen to it. Jackson was interesting to say the least. I liked him but I have no idea if it was my favorite book out of the trilogy but it was enjoyable.
First, I didn't really like the narrator for the kindle version. Yeah, for some reason my audible app just didn't want to work today so it was kind of frustrating. The guy just kind of seemed bored reading the book to me that at times I would just stop the audio and read the book myself.
Jackson has a drinking problem and it's mostly due to the huge family secret. Which of course isn't a secret anymore, really. Then there's Gabby who was kind of a toss up for me. I kept switching from liking to hating her quite a lot. Between the two of them is Noah, who omg I have no words to describe him. I'm just kind of meh about his character overall and didn't really care about him. Although he was a douche bag and I'm okay with that.
Overall, I liked the book but I guess I was just expected more since the first two were really good.
June 15, 2017
This was barely OK...
I have no idea why this book got so many 5 star reviews because it was as depressing and silly as hell. I mean, why did Jackson drive from Connecticut to Vermont and rent a family’s carriage house and see a doctor there when he could have done it at home? And, holy crap, it was about time the “big” secret came out, since it was being held by David and his father through all three books. A secret that caused a rift in the family. A secret that sent Jackson spiraling into the beginnings of alcoholism. Really? A secret that David promised his dying mother he wouldn’t tell his two grown siblings, no matter how it worked to destroy the family? A secret so stupid that when I first read it in the first book I nearly laughed myself silly?
…SPOILER… Let me tell you what the secret was: The siblings’ father cheated on their mother! That's it! I thought, at the very least, dear ol’ dad had killed someone when the kids were young and David was keeping the secret from the little ones then carried it through their adulthood. So, Jackson’s therapist wanted a meeting of the father and the siblings to get to the bottom of Jackson’s drinking and when his father confessed the big secret Jackson took off like a kid having a temper tantrum. Totally ridiculous.
And how about Gabby? Occasionally, she talked like she was a grown-up but sooo often she acted and talked like a sex-starved 16 year old. She was 23 and Jackson was 30 but the immaturity of both of them showed throughout the entire book. And it was mentioned too often how young she was, making her immaturity even more obvious.
And then there’s Noah! Wow, what an absolute idiot he was. He’s the father of Gabby’s son, Luc, and he’s a cop. He walked out on Gabby 3 years before when she got pregnant, because he was a conceited jerk who needed more than a pregnant girlfriend on his arm. Now that Jackson was in Gabby’s life Noah was jealous and threatened to take Luc away from Gabby if she let Jackson anywhere near Luc, and the stupid girl believed him.
Jackson was only supposed to be in Vermont for 6 weeks then he and Gabby began having sex, and having sex, and having sex, and… You get my point, but all the while they were growing close but Gabby was thinking about Jackson continuing to drink and being around Luc, could she trust him? Because her mother left years ago, a drug addict who preferred her drugs to getting help. It really was a depressing story. The only time she or Jackson were EVER happy was when they were having sex.
Every time I think a book of Beck’s sounds good I’m disappointed. So, I guess I’m done with her. I’ve tried 3 other books by her and the most I gave them was 3 stars and that’s not really good enough to try more.
They had sex about 4 or 5 times and it took up several pages but all they did was have intercourse, nothing explicit, really. And the F-bomb was used 12 times.
As to the narration: Scott Merriman did a good job. As long as women sound like women I’m good. Not much emotion from him but I’d listen to him again.
I have no idea why this book got so many 5 star reviews because it was as depressing and silly as hell. I mean, why did Jackson drive from Connecticut to Vermont and rent a family’s carriage house and see a doctor there when he could have done it at home? And, holy crap, it was about time the “big” secret came out, since it was being held by David and his father through all three books. A secret that caused a rift in the family. A secret that sent Jackson spiraling into the beginnings of alcoholism. Really? A secret that David promised his dying mother he wouldn’t tell his two grown siblings, no matter how it worked to destroy the family? A secret so stupid that when I first read it in the first book I nearly laughed myself silly?
…SPOILER… Let me tell you what the secret was: The siblings’ father cheated on their mother! That's it! I thought, at the very least, dear ol’ dad had killed someone when the kids were young and David was keeping the secret from the little ones then carried it through their adulthood. So, Jackson’s therapist wanted a meeting of the father and the siblings to get to the bottom of Jackson’s drinking and when his father confessed the big secret Jackson took off like a kid having a temper tantrum. Totally ridiculous.
And how about Gabby? Occasionally, she talked like she was a grown-up but sooo often she acted and talked like a sex-starved 16 year old. She was 23 and Jackson was 30 but the immaturity of both of them showed throughout the entire book. And it was mentioned too often how young she was, making her immaturity even more obvious.
And then there’s Noah! Wow, what an absolute idiot he was. He’s the father of Gabby’s son, Luc, and he’s a cop. He walked out on Gabby 3 years before when she got pregnant, because he was a conceited jerk who needed more than a pregnant girlfriend on his arm. Now that Jackson was in Gabby’s life Noah was jealous and threatened to take Luc away from Gabby if she let Jackson anywhere near Luc, and the stupid girl believed him.
Jackson was only supposed to be in Vermont for 6 weeks then he and Gabby began having sex, and having sex, and having sex, and… You get my point, but all the while they were growing close but Gabby was thinking about Jackson continuing to drink and being around Luc, could she trust him? Because her mother left years ago, a drug addict who preferred her drugs to getting help. It really was a depressing story. The only time she or Jackson were EVER happy was when they were having sex.
Every time I think a book of Beck’s sounds good I’m disappointed. So, I guess I’m done with her. I’ve tried 3 other books by her and the most I gave them was 3 stars and that’s not really good enough to try more.
They had sex about 4 or 5 times and it took up several pages but all they did was have intercourse, nothing explicit, really. And the F-bomb was used 12 times.
As to the narration: Scott Merriman did a good job. As long as women sound like women I’m good. Not much emotion from him but I’d listen to him again.
September 24, 2019
"What if is the worst kind of regret"
Jackson St James will sein Leben wieder in den Griff bekommen, das Gefühlschaos, dass er in Whiskey ertränkt hat, bis er die Kontrolle verloren, seinen Arbeiter angegriffen hat. 6 Wochen in Vermont, Therapie bei Doc um den Tod seiner Mutter, den Streit in der Familie und die Trennung von seiner Ex zu verarbeiten. Womit er nicht gerechnet hat, ist Gabby.
Gabby, die arbeitende, junge, allein erziehende Mutter, die sich um ihren Vater kümmert muss aktuell ihren unzuverlässigen Ex auf Abstand halten, der plötzlich doch Interesse an seinem Sohn zeigt und sich wieder in ihr Leben drängen will. Genauso wie ihre Mutter, die sich nach Jahren der Abwesenheit und Drogensucht, wieder meldet. Das Letzte was sie braucht ist ein Mann mit Problemen. Aber der attraktive, rätselhafte Jackson hat es ihr angetan.
Mehr als um Liebe, geht es hier um Familie, Freundschaft, Vertrauen, Sucht, Vergeben und Neuanfänge. Das romantische Abenteuer von Jackson und Gabby gibt dem ganzen aber einen tollen Ramen. Natürlich mit etwas Kitsch aber ohne übertrieben schnulzig zu werden, obwohl die Anziehung von Beginn an da war.
Das war ja mein größtes Problem mit dem ersten Band in der Reihe. Der war aber gleichzeitig am Unterhaltsamsten.
Trotzdem merkt man, wie sich die Autorin mit den Folgebänden gesteigert hat. Man kann toll in die Geschichte eintauchen. Docs Analysen waren super und endlich wurden auch die Konflikte innerhalb der Familie aufgerollt und reiner Tisch gemacht, Genau das was ich im zweiten Buch vermisst hatte und hier wirklich gut gemacht.
Nur bei der Charakterisierung hatte ich mehr erwartet. Während Jackson Schwächen hat, Ecken und Kanten zeigt, was ihn nicht perfekt aber umso liebenswerter macht, ist Gabby mir etwas zu glatt. Sie hat keine schlechten Seiten - bis auf die Tatsache, dass sie 8 Jahre jünger ist als Jackson und als junge Mutter finanziell anders gestellt. Eine starke Frau mit Prioritäten, allen voran ihr Sohn, die mit ihrer freundlichen, direkten Art überzeugt. Aber zu glatt.
Insgesamt aber ein richtig guter Abschluss für diese schöne Reihe.
Jackson St James will sein Leben wieder in den Griff bekommen, das Gefühlschaos, dass er in Whiskey ertränkt hat, bis er die Kontrolle verloren, seinen Arbeiter angegriffen hat. 6 Wochen in Vermont, Therapie bei Doc um den Tod seiner Mutter, den Streit in der Familie und die Trennung von seiner Ex zu verarbeiten. Womit er nicht gerechnet hat, ist Gabby.
Gabby, die arbeitende, junge, allein erziehende Mutter, die sich um ihren Vater kümmert muss aktuell ihren unzuverlässigen Ex auf Abstand halten, der plötzlich doch Interesse an seinem Sohn zeigt und sich wieder in ihr Leben drängen will. Genauso wie ihre Mutter, die sich nach Jahren der Abwesenheit und Drogensucht, wieder meldet. Das Letzte was sie braucht ist ein Mann mit Problemen. Aber der attraktive, rätselhafte Jackson hat es ihr angetan.
Mehr als um Liebe, geht es hier um Familie, Freundschaft, Vertrauen, Sucht, Vergeben und Neuanfänge. Das romantische Abenteuer von Jackson und Gabby gibt dem ganzen aber einen tollen Ramen. Natürlich mit etwas Kitsch aber ohne übertrieben schnulzig zu werden, obwohl die Anziehung von Beginn an da war.
Das war ja mein größtes Problem mit dem ersten Band in der Reihe. Der war aber gleichzeitig am Unterhaltsamsten.
Trotzdem merkt man, wie sich die Autorin mit den Folgebänden gesteigert hat. Man kann toll in die Geschichte eintauchen. Docs Analysen waren super und endlich wurden auch die Konflikte innerhalb der Familie aufgerollt und reiner Tisch gemacht, Genau das was ich im zweiten Buch vermisst hatte und hier wirklich gut gemacht.
Nur bei der Charakterisierung hatte ich mehr erwartet. Während Jackson Schwächen hat, Ecken und Kanten zeigt, was ihn nicht perfekt aber umso liebenswerter macht, ist Gabby mir etwas zu glatt. Sie hat keine schlechten Seiten - bis auf die Tatsache, dass sie 8 Jahre jünger ist als Jackson und als junge Mutter finanziell anders gestellt. Eine starke Frau mit Prioritäten, allen voran ihr Sohn, die mit ihrer freundlichen, direkten Art überzeugt. Aber zu glatt.
Insgesamt aber ein richtig guter Abschluss für diese schöne Reihe.
May 17, 2025
3 stars
I am happy that I finally got round to reading this one off my TBR. Since I loved the first book in the series, Worth the Wait, I thought I would love this one too. Unfortunately, it didn't have the same magic for me.
The writing was very good but the story did not work for me, I think because the romance plot took a back seat in the overall scenario. It read more like a slice of life, with a good look (not a deep psycho-babble one though) into addiction and its spectrum, and the consequences on relationships. On that angle the book delivered because the depictions felt genuine. But since I did not come to it for that, I don't count on re-reading this one. The first half was a bit too slow imho, but the pace got better in the second half. The main characters had layers that echoed well RL situations, and I welcomed getting glimpses of David and Vivi from the first book. The epilogue was not totally a romantic HEA, but it had a positive outlook - again fits with a slice of life book.
I would totally recommend this book for readers of slice of life books in small town settings.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2016
These St. James siblings have been through the wringer and each has handled life's challenges in their own way. Jackson St. James tried to lose himself in a bottle of booze. After an altercation on a jobsite and a family intervention, he is finally working to straighten himself out. Leaving the city and his troubles behind for a while and vacationing in Vermont is how he plans to get his life straight again. His life seems to get very interesting though when he meets the feisty and gorgeous daughter of his landlord. Gabby Bouchard has had hard times in her life to but she faces things head on and with a strength that amazes Jackson. Is she the one that will finally get through to him or will his problems be more than she is willing to take on??
This was a very good read and definitely one I am recommending to everyone.
This was a very good read and definitely one I am recommending to everyone.
September 14, 2016
I would like to thank NetGalley and Montlake Romance, Publishers for the ARC for "Worth the Risk" by Jamie Beck. I enjoyed this romantic novel and would recommend it. The characters are flawed but likeable.The author deals with issues such as addiction, trust, family, love and friendship,as well as a strong support system. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
September 20, 2020
Great end to a cute series!
October 21, 2016
It is no secret that Jamie Beck is one of my favourite authors and so far I haven't read anything by her that I would rate any less than 5 star quality. I think she could even make an IKEA manual interesting if she wrote it. I'm a hooked fan and always look forward to what she has come up with.
Worth the risk is part of the St James series. It can be read as a standalone however I probably would not recommend it because you are then going to want to go back and read the other books. This book is about Jackson however the other characters from the series life progress in this book.
Jackson decides to take a long vacation in Vermont green mountains. This idea is to get away from his everyday life and get some much needed closure. Since his mother died a few years ago he hasn't felt he can depend on anyone. He needs to get back to his roots and clear his head.
Gabby is an unexpected find on his adventure and although he isn't looking for a fling he see things in her he just can't resist.
Gabby hasn't chosen the easy path through life. She had big dreams which were put on hold when she got pregnant. She wouldn't swap her son for the world. She works as a gardener, lives with her dad and they rent out a small space on the property to vacationers. Her sons dad is in the picture but only just. Jackson their new tenant for the next 6 weeks turns out to be the perfect distraction and the help she needs when things don't quite go to plan.
5 stars out of 5. This book was gifted to me via Netgalley. It will be £4.00 kindle price or £8.99 paperback. It is free for kindle unlimited user just like her other books.
Worth the risk is part of the St James series. It can be read as a standalone however I probably would not recommend it because you are then going to want to go back and read the other books. This book is about Jackson however the other characters from the series life progress in this book.
Jackson decides to take a long vacation in Vermont green mountains. This idea is to get away from his everyday life and get some much needed closure. Since his mother died a few years ago he hasn't felt he can depend on anyone. He needs to get back to his roots and clear his head.
Gabby is an unexpected find on his adventure and although he isn't looking for a fling he see things in her he just can't resist.
Gabby hasn't chosen the easy path through life. She had big dreams which were put on hold when she got pregnant. She wouldn't swap her son for the world. She works as a gardener, lives with her dad and they rent out a small space on the property to vacationers. Her sons dad is in the picture but only just. Jackson their new tenant for the next 6 weeks turns out to be the perfect distraction and the help she needs when things don't quite go to plan.
5 stars out of 5. This book was gifted to me via Netgalley. It will be £4.00 kindle price or £8.99 paperback. It is free for kindle unlimited user just like her other books.
September 22, 2017
I really liked the writing and all the plots in this book. It isn't just a romance where the characters go on and on about how beautiful the other person is and then have some cliche moments of jealousy. This one, both characters had a good background and their relationship developed on a good story line. Would definitely read all the other books in this series because the writing is just really nice and really glues you to the book.
October 26, 2017
4 good series stars
I liked this 3rd book as the story made sense and wrapped everything nicely. Of course I would like to keep knowing what's happening with all the characters but I'm satisfied.
Again it was good dialogue, and wasn't afraid to say the tough things or have the conversations that we know what we want them to say. Basically they weren't stupid. It was realistic and interesting.
Will read more by this author
And I enjoyed the audio readers as well.
I liked this 3rd book as the story made sense and wrapped everything nicely. Of course I would like to keep knowing what's happening with all the characters but I'm satisfied.
Again it was good dialogue, and wasn't afraid to say the tough things or have the conversations that we know what we want them to say. Basically they weren't stupid. It was realistic and interesting.
Will read more by this author
And I enjoyed the audio readers as well.
June 1, 2017
My Musings
I have really enjoyed this series. Gabby and Jackson are perfect for each other. This novel has a surprising amount of substance. Glad I found this new to me author. Happy reading 📚!
I have really enjoyed this series. Gabby and Jackson are perfect for each other. This novel has a surprising amount of substance. Glad I found this new to me author. Happy reading 📚!
January 23, 2019
I loved the first two books in the series. I could empathise with both sets of protagonists and was rooting for them throughout. But this book and its characters...
First Gabby.
Of the two protagonists, I like her better. At twenty two, I was in a bad relationship myself and was nowhere near capable of making good life choices. So I can kind of understand, if not approve of her choices. But her choices were dicey. You are the sole parent available to your child. Why would you, as a mother leave your toddler alone in a virtual stranger's care even if for a few hours? Because at that point in the book she had known Jackson only for a week or two. She knew he had a drinking problem and virtually nothing else. I don't judge her for being attracted to him and wanting to pursue a physical fling. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But how wise was it to bring him in contact with her son? At that point there are so many ways the story could have spun out. Jackson had not yet shown one sign of finally growing up and owning up to his mistakes to the readers, much less Gabby. He did help Gabby and her father out, but that in no way proved his trustworthiness. Gabby keeps making excuses for Jackson for almost the entire book. She takes him at his word that he's not been drinking. I mean you know the guy for hardly two weeks and yet you're willing to blindly trust him. That screams gullible instead of strength and confidence. In fact even at the end I am not convinced they will be happy together in the long term. He is the king of denial, terrible at owning up and she, too willing to wear blinders when it comes to getting what she wants.
Jackson is the least likable hero I've come across in some time. He's selfish, emotionally unstable and cripplingly needy. In the end I got the creepy sense that he wanted a mother more than a partner. All his talk of unconditional love and trust and betrayal made me think of my four year old when he wakes up in the morning and is at his crankiest. Like my son refuses to accept that he cannot wear his favorite jeans to school because he dirtied it the previous day, Jackson refuses throughout the book to really own up to his mistakes. Like my son starts bawling every time I refuse him a lollypop or new toy, Jackson throws a fit every time, he perceives a slight. Everything is about him. His father cheating on his mother, Allison making a decision about her body, Hank wanting to be more than just his employee, Gabby wanting to protect her son, its all part of a big conspiracy to hurt him. In the last ten percent of the book, the author makes some mention of Jackson realizing that "maybe" he had also made mistakes, that "maybe", he was also responsible for his crappy situation.
There is no way I can see these two having a HEA. Gabby, to me at least, came off as being desperate to escape the limbo her life was in. Enough to screw on the blinders I mentioned earlier and accept the first decent proposition that came her way. And Jackson, he came off to me as one of those Peter Pan characters, who refuse to ever grow up. So I guess its not surprising that in the end, it was Noah who I kind of preferred to Jackson. He was a manipulative asshole but at least he was a consistent asshole and not a hypocrite. And he did begin to show some signs of growing up towards the end.
Two stars only because the book was well written and I love David and Vivi.
First Gabby.
Of the two protagonists, I like her better. At twenty two, I was in a bad relationship myself and was nowhere near capable of making good life choices. So I can kind of understand, if not approve of her choices. But her choices were dicey. You are the sole parent available to your child. Why would you, as a mother leave your toddler alone in a virtual stranger's care even if for a few hours? Because at that point in the book she had known Jackson only for a week or two. She knew he had a drinking problem and virtually nothing else. I don't judge her for being attracted to him and wanting to pursue a physical fling. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But how wise was it to bring him in contact with her son? At that point there are so many ways the story could have spun out. Jackson had not yet shown one sign of finally growing up and owning up to his mistakes to the readers, much less Gabby. He did help Gabby and her father out, but that in no way proved his trustworthiness. Gabby keeps making excuses for Jackson for almost the entire book. She takes him at his word that he's not been drinking. I mean you know the guy for hardly two weeks and yet you're willing to blindly trust him. That screams gullible instead of strength and confidence. In fact even at the end I am not convinced they will be happy together in the long term. He is the king of denial, terrible at owning up and she, too willing to wear blinders when it comes to getting what she wants.
Jackson is the least likable hero I've come across in some time. He's selfish, emotionally unstable and cripplingly needy. In the end I got the creepy sense that he wanted a mother more than a partner. All his talk of unconditional love and trust and betrayal made me think of my four year old when he wakes up in the morning and is at his crankiest. Like my son refuses to accept that he cannot wear his favorite jeans to school because he dirtied it the previous day, Jackson refuses throughout the book to really own up to his mistakes. Like my son starts bawling every time I refuse him a lollypop or new toy, Jackson throws a fit every time, he perceives a slight. Everything is about him. His father cheating on his mother, Allison making a decision about her body, Hank wanting to be more than just his employee, Gabby wanting to protect her son, its all part of a big conspiracy to hurt him. In the last ten percent of the book, the author makes some mention of Jackson realizing that "maybe" he had also made mistakes, that "maybe", he was also responsible for his crappy situation.
There is no way I can see these two having a HEA. Gabby, to me at least, came off as being desperate to escape the limbo her life was in. Enough to screw on the blinders I mentioned earlier and accept the first decent proposition that came her way. And Jackson, he came off to me as one of those Peter Pan characters, who refuse to ever grow up. So I guess its not surprising that in the end, it was Noah who I kind of preferred to Jackson. He was a manipulative asshole but at least he was a consistent asshole and not a hypocrite. And he did begin to show some signs of growing up towards the end.
Two stars only because the book was well written and I love David and Vivi.
April 18, 2018
Finallyyyy i finished this book..
Almost 3 days. Just a bad record for me.
Huh
It started with solid 4 stars, than 3, I finally 2.. o less
Annoying heroine (the H has problems with alcohol, she asked him every second if he have been drinking.. every fucking second), just for this I was about to strangle her.
Jackson was pretty good, ex manwhore, alcoholic, but good guy, patient.
This book was boring, too much inner dialogues.. huh... I should dnf but..
Almost 3 days. Just a bad record for me.
Huh
It started with solid 4 stars, than 3, I finally 2.. o less
Annoying heroine (the H has problems with alcohol, she asked him every second if he have been drinking.. every fucking second), just for this I was about to strangle her.
Jackson was pretty good, ex manwhore, alcoholic, but good guy, patient.
This book was boring, too much inner dialogues.. huh... I should dnf but..
July 12, 2017
I was really excited to read Jackson's story but what a let down. This was definitely my least favorite of the series. I really didn't like Gabby, she was selfish and unappreciative. I think there was a lot that should have been wrapped up to finish the series and it was left hanging in the air. the story was dry send undeveloped. big disappointment!
July 12, 2018
It was good but my least favorite.
Jackson's story; to be an alcoholic or not? All of this book is wrapped around an issue that really doesn't seem to be an issue. I just didn't get it. The sex scenes are all alike in all of these books; no imagination, and too much of it to the point of skipping it over until the actual storyline kicks back into place. Disappointed.
Jackson's story; to be an alcoholic or not? All of this book is wrapped around an issue that really doesn't seem to be an issue. I just didn't get it. The sex scenes are all alike in all of these books; no imagination, and too much of it to the point of skipping it over until the actual storyline kicks back into place. Disappointed.
January 14, 2018
This was my least favorite in this trilogy. It served the purpose of wrapping up the siblings’ stories; however, I did not think Gabby fit Jackson at all.
Cat’s story was good, but I would not choose this series to read again.
Cat’s story was good, but I would not choose this series to read again.
September 8, 2018
4.5 stars.
I was very glad the secrets came out. :) this was a fun easy read. Love the style of writing from this author. All her books so far are well written. :)
I was very glad the secrets came out. :) this was a fun easy read. Love the style of writing from this author. All her books so far are well written. :)
March 28, 2019
4/5 Sterne
Für allezeit dein
Die St. James Family, Band 3
von Jamie Beck
Amazon Publishing Deutschland
"Von Bestsellerautorin Jamie Beck: Das neue romantische Abenteuer um Liebe, Geheimnisse und zweite Chancen.
Jackson St. James hat sich selbst eine Auszeit im fernen Vermont verordnet. Der Plan: weniger Whisky trinken, sich um Geschäftliches kümmern, keine Eskapaden. Als er auf der Fahrt dorthin im strömenden Regen anhält, um einer jungen Frau bei einer Reifenpanne zu helfen, ändern sich diese Pläne allerdings. Und das könnte das Beste sein, was ihm je passiert ist.
Die hübsche Landschaftsplanerin Gabby Bouchard ist unerschrocken und hat Biss: Sie steht mitten im Berufsleben, kümmert sich um ihr Kind und ihre kranke Mutter, und hält ihren eifersüchtigen Ex auf Abstand. Daher hat sie eigentlich für den attraktiven, etwas rätselhaften Jackson keinen Platz in ihrem Leben – und in ihrem Bett erst recht nicht. Doch vielleicht ist Jackson St. James genau der Mann, den Gabby braucht?"
Ich bedanke mich bei Netgalley und Amazon Publishing für das Rezensionsexemplar des Buches.
Ich habe schon die ersten beiden Teile in dieser Serie gelesen und sie beide sehr lesens- und empfehlenswert gefunden und daher war ich auch auf dieses Buch sehr gespannt.
Jackson ist ein Mann, der sehr mit seinen eigenen Dämonen zu kämpfen hat und sich damit endlich auseinandersetzen muss um sein Leben wieder in den Griff zu bekommen. Daher entschliesst er sich einen krassen Schnitt zu machen und für eine Weile an einen neuen Ort zu gehen um sich seinen Problemen zu stellen. Unterwegs lernt er dann Gabby kennen. Diese ist eine taffe junge Frau, die ihre Prioritäten klar definiert hat. Ihren Sohn. Doch ihr Ex besinnt sich plötzlich, seiner Vaterschaft und drängt sich nun auch wieder unvermittelt in ihr Leben. Jackson hingegen bestimmt ihr Denken und Fühlen, auch wenn sich es sich eigentlich nicht erlauben kann ihnen nachzugeben.
Das Buch ist wie seine Vorgänger sehr angenehm geschrieben in einer leicht verständlichen und eingängigen Schriftsprache, die dem Leser das Lesen leicht macht und ihn vollkommen in das Geschehen eintauchen lässt. Wunderbar wurde auch wieder der Zusammenhalt innerhalb der Familie dargestellt, so dass man miterleben kann wie wichtig Jackson allen ist. Dieses Buch geht zu Herzen und ist wirklich ein gelungener Abschluss dieser Serie. Auch wenn man vielleicht noch gern mehr über diese liebenswerte Familie lesen wollen würde, kann man sicherlich darauf hoffen, von der Autorin bald wieder neue Werke lesen zu können. Worauf ich mich sehr freue. Ich gebe dem Buch sehr gute 4/5 Sterne.
#liebesroman #newadult #belletristik #rezension #rezensionsexemplar #roman #bookstagram #jamiebeck #amazon #montlakeromance #bücherliebe #booklover #reading #fürallezeitdein #diestjamesfamily #leseratte #bücherwurm #lesen #lesenmachtglücklich #instabooks #booknerd #readingtime #ilovebooks #netgalley #netgalleyde #ichliebelesen #buchnerd #ichliebebücher
Für allezeit dein
Die St. James Family, Band 3
von Jamie Beck
Amazon Publishing Deutschland
"Von Bestsellerautorin Jamie Beck: Das neue romantische Abenteuer um Liebe, Geheimnisse und zweite Chancen.
Jackson St. James hat sich selbst eine Auszeit im fernen Vermont verordnet. Der Plan: weniger Whisky trinken, sich um Geschäftliches kümmern, keine Eskapaden. Als er auf der Fahrt dorthin im strömenden Regen anhält, um einer jungen Frau bei einer Reifenpanne zu helfen, ändern sich diese Pläne allerdings. Und das könnte das Beste sein, was ihm je passiert ist.
Die hübsche Landschaftsplanerin Gabby Bouchard ist unerschrocken und hat Biss: Sie steht mitten im Berufsleben, kümmert sich um ihr Kind und ihre kranke Mutter, und hält ihren eifersüchtigen Ex auf Abstand. Daher hat sie eigentlich für den attraktiven, etwas rätselhaften Jackson keinen Platz in ihrem Leben – und in ihrem Bett erst recht nicht. Doch vielleicht ist Jackson St. James genau der Mann, den Gabby braucht?"
Ich bedanke mich bei Netgalley und Amazon Publishing für das Rezensionsexemplar des Buches.
Ich habe schon die ersten beiden Teile in dieser Serie gelesen und sie beide sehr lesens- und empfehlenswert gefunden und daher war ich auch auf dieses Buch sehr gespannt.
Jackson ist ein Mann, der sehr mit seinen eigenen Dämonen zu kämpfen hat und sich damit endlich auseinandersetzen muss um sein Leben wieder in den Griff zu bekommen. Daher entschliesst er sich einen krassen Schnitt zu machen und für eine Weile an einen neuen Ort zu gehen um sich seinen Problemen zu stellen. Unterwegs lernt er dann Gabby kennen. Diese ist eine taffe junge Frau, die ihre Prioritäten klar definiert hat. Ihren Sohn. Doch ihr Ex besinnt sich plötzlich, seiner Vaterschaft und drängt sich nun auch wieder unvermittelt in ihr Leben. Jackson hingegen bestimmt ihr Denken und Fühlen, auch wenn sich es sich eigentlich nicht erlauben kann ihnen nachzugeben.
Das Buch ist wie seine Vorgänger sehr angenehm geschrieben in einer leicht verständlichen und eingängigen Schriftsprache, die dem Leser das Lesen leicht macht und ihn vollkommen in das Geschehen eintauchen lässt. Wunderbar wurde auch wieder der Zusammenhalt innerhalb der Familie dargestellt, so dass man miterleben kann wie wichtig Jackson allen ist. Dieses Buch geht zu Herzen und ist wirklich ein gelungener Abschluss dieser Serie. Auch wenn man vielleicht noch gern mehr über diese liebenswerte Familie lesen wollen würde, kann man sicherlich darauf hoffen, von der Autorin bald wieder neue Werke lesen zu können. Worauf ich mich sehr freue. Ich gebe dem Buch sehr gute 4/5 Sterne.
#liebesroman #newadult #belletristik #rezension #rezensionsexemplar #roman #bookstagram #jamiebeck #amazon #montlakeromance #bücherliebe #booklover #reading #fürallezeitdein #diestjamesfamily #leseratte #bücherwurm #lesen #lesenmachtglücklich #instabooks #booknerd #readingtime #ilovebooks #netgalley #netgalleyde #ichliebelesen #buchnerd #ichliebebücher
March 28, 2019
4/5 Sterne
Für allezeit dein
Die St. James Family, Band 3
von Jamie Beck
Amazon Publishing Deutschland
"Von Bestsellerautorin Jamie Beck: Das neue romantische Abenteuer um Liebe, Geheimnisse und zweite Chancen.
Jackson St. James hat sich selbst eine Auszeit im fernen Vermont verordnet. Der Plan: weniger Whisky trinken, sich um Geschäftliches kümmern, keine Eskapaden. Als er auf der Fahrt dorthin im strömenden Regen anhält, um einer jungen Frau bei einer Reifenpanne zu helfen, ändern sich diese Pläne allerdings. Und das könnte das Beste sein, was ihm je passiert ist.
Die hübsche Landschaftsplanerin Gabby Bouchard ist unerschrocken und hat Biss: Sie steht mitten im Berufsleben, kümmert sich um ihr Kind und ihre kranke Mutter, und hält ihren eifersüchtigen Ex auf Abstand. Daher hat sie eigentlich für den attraktiven, etwas rätselhaften Jackson keinen Platz in ihrem Leben – und in ihrem Bett erst recht nicht. Doch vielleicht ist Jackson St. James genau der Mann, den Gabby braucht?"
Ich bedanke mich bei Netgalley und Amazon Publishing für das Rezensionsexemplar des Buches.
Ich habe schon die ersten beiden Teile in dieser Serie gelesen und sie beide sehr lesens- und empfehlenswert gefunden und daher war ich auch auf dieses Buch sehr gespannt.
Jackson ist ein Mann, der sehr mit seinen eigenen Dämonen zu kämpfen hat und sich damit endlich auseinandersetzen muss um sein Leben wieder in den Griff zu bekommen. Daher entschliesst er sich einen krassen Schnitt zu machen und für eine Weile an einen neuen Ort zu gehen um sich seinen Problemen zu stellen. Unterwegs lernt er dann Gabby kennen. Diese ist eine taffe junge Frau, die ihre Prioritäten klar definiert hat. Ihren Sohn. Doch ihr Ex besinnt sich plötzlich, seiner Vaterschaft und drängt sich nun auch wieder unvermittelt in ihr Leben. Jackson hingegen bestimmt ihr Denken und Fühlen, auch wenn sich es sich eigentlich nicht erlauben kann ihnen nachzugeben.
Das Buch ist wie seine Vorgänger sehr angenehm geschrieben in einer leicht verständlichen und eingängigen Schriftsprache, die dem Leser das Lesen leicht macht und ihn vollkommen in das Geschehen eintauchen lässt. Wunderbar wurde auch wieder der Zusammenhalt innerhalb der Familie dargestellt, so dass man miterleben kann wie wichtig Jackson allen ist. Dieses Buch geht zu Herzen und ist wirklich ein gelungener Abschluss dieser Serie. Auch wenn man vielleicht noch gern mehr über diese liebenswerte Familie lesen wollen würde, kann man sicherlich darauf hoffen, von der Autorin bald wieder neue Werke lesen zu können. Worauf ich mich sehr freue. Ich gebe dem Buch sehr gute 4/5 Sterne.
Für allezeit dein
Die St. James Family, Band 3
von Jamie Beck
Amazon Publishing Deutschland
"Von Bestsellerautorin Jamie Beck: Das neue romantische Abenteuer um Liebe, Geheimnisse und zweite Chancen.
Jackson St. James hat sich selbst eine Auszeit im fernen Vermont verordnet. Der Plan: weniger Whisky trinken, sich um Geschäftliches kümmern, keine Eskapaden. Als er auf der Fahrt dorthin im strömenden Regen anhält, um einer jungen Frau bei einer Reifenpanne zu helfen, ändern sich diese Pläne allerdings. Und das könnte das Beste sein, was ihm je passiert ist.
Die hübsche Landschaftsplanerin Gabby Bouchard ist unerschrocken und hat Biss: Sie steht mitten im Berufsleben, kümmert sich um ihr Kind und ihre kranke Mutter, und hält ihren eifersüchtigen Ex auf Abstand. Daher hat sie eigentlich für den attraktiven, etwas rätselhaften Jackson keinen Platz in ihrem Leben – und in ihrem Bett erst recht nicht. Doch vielleicht ist Jackson St. James genau der Mann, den Gabby braucht?"
Ich bedanke mich bei Netgalley und Amazon Publishing für das Rezensionsexemplar des Buches.
Ich habe schon die ersten beiden Teile in dieser Serie gelesen und sie beide sehr lesens- und empfehlenswert gefunden und daher war ich auch auf dieses Buch sehr gespannt.
Jackson ist ein Mann, der sehr mit seinen eigenen Dämonen zu kämpfen hat und sich damit endlich auseinandersetzen muss um sein Leben wieder in den Griff zu bekommen. Daher entschliesst er sich einen krassen Schnitt zu machen und für eine Weile an einen neuen Ort zu gehen um sich seinen Problemen zu stellen. Unterwegs lernt er dann Gabby kennen. Diese ist eine taffe junge Frau, die ihre Prioritäten klar definiert hat. Ihren Sohn. Doch ihr Ex besinnt sich plötzlich, seiner Vaterschaft und drängt sich nun auch wieder unvermittelt in ihr Leben. Jackson hingegen bestimmt ihr Denken und Fühlen, auch wenn sich es sich eigentlich nicht erlauben kann ihnen nachzugeben.
Das Buch ist wie seine Vorgänger sehr angenehm geschrieben in einer leicht verständlichen und eingängigen Schriftsprache, die dem Leser das Lesen leicht macht und ihn vollkommen in das Geschehen eintauchen lässt. Wunderbar wurde auch wieder der Zusammenhalt innerhalb der Familie dargestellt, so dass man miterleben kann wie wichtig Jackson allen ist. Dieses Buch geht zu Herzen und ist wirklich ein gelungener Abschluss dieser Serie. Auch wenn man vielleicht noch gern mehr über diese liebenswerte Familie lesen wollen würde, kann man sicherlich darauf hoffen, von der Autorin bald wieder neue Werke lesen zu können. Worauf ich mich sehr freue. Ich gebe dem Buch sehr gute 4/5 Sterne.
September 12, 2018
Absolutely "worth the risk". In this conclusion to the St James series, Jackson, middle son, is dealing with the repercussions of the end of Worth the Trouble and has decided to leave town for a few weeks to sort out his issues. He heads to Vermont, and just as he is getting into town he almost literally runs into Gabby during a thunderstorm. He's a mess, and she has a kid. But this is a romance novel, and these are our leads, so you know where this is going. As always in this series, very real handling of the various situations, and I really do love the decisions Jackson ultimately comes to. Great conclusion to a great series.
April 10, 2018
I enjoyed this book, but thought it was a little predictable. I liked the characters and enjoyed how Jackson interacted with the little boy. Even though it was a happy ending, the ending wasn't really satisfying for me. I think it's because things seem to go so easy.
October 7, 2024
Das Ende kam zu schnell :( tolles Buch!
August 22, 2018
Below is my review of all 3 books in Jamie Beck’s St. James series
I’ve read dozens of modern romance series including two others by author Jamie Beck and I have to admit her St. James series is unique. What’s unique about it that the three St. James siblings, David, Jackson and Catalina whose romantic lives the three book series is based upon are not the heroes of the stories. Oh the St. James siblings are decent people for the most part but they are emotionally closed off, damaged millennials. The real heroes of their stories are the individuals they fall in love with Vivi, Hank and Gabby whose inner strength open hearts, patience and faith in them help them overcome their own insecurities and find love.
David (Worth the Wait) the oldest, is completely thrown off kilter when he discovers his father is having an affair while his beloved mother is dying of breast cancer. She over hears David’s argument with his father and swears them both to secrecy so they don’t reveal his infidelity and destroy the close knit family after her death. His mother’s insistence that David keep the secret is a key factor in each of the stories. David can no longer bare to be around his father and fears he’ll reveal the secret to his siblings so he takes a career opportunity and moves to Japan for 18 months. While there he pretty much closes himself off from Jackson and Cat and also Vivi who is Cat’s David’s BFF. Vivi has held and unrequited lifelong crush on David which everyone including David is aware of. His sudden unexplained withdrawal from his siblings leaves them feeling abandon and upon his return their previously very close relationship has degraded. David returns to Connecticut with co-worker/lover in tow. David doesn’t really love this woman but his father’s affair has soured him on the idea of love and marriage and he feels they have enough in common to be a suitable match. So David has kept Vivi close for a dozen years doing and saying just enough to keep her hopes up that someday David will love her the way she loves him. David has strung his co-worker along even allowing her to transfer to N.Y. with him in the belief that they have a future together. Nice guy right? The story besides introducing us to 5 of the 6 main players in the series revolves around the ups and downs David and Vivi’s relationship with several flashbacks to give us the backstory of their history.
Catalina (Worth the Trouble) is the youngest of the St. James siblings and a world famous fashion model. In the first book she’s involved with an abusive lover Justin, for reasons I never totally understood. In this story Catalina has broken off her relationship with Justin but is struggling with a heartbreaking medical diagnosis. At 28 years old she’s also looking at the downside of her modeling career. Catalina or Cat struggles with insecurities because her father (whom I think is an ass that never gets his comeuppance in this series) has made her feel her only worth is her pretty face. Hank is her brother Jackson’s right hand man in his home remodeling business and his best friend. Hank is a great guy who helped raised his sisters after his father died young of a massive heart attack. He’s still supporting his youngest sister who is finishing college while caring for his mother who is in the final stages of Alzheimer’s Disease which she contracted at only 52 years old. Cat met Hank at one of her brother’s parties while she was briefly broken up with Justin and they shared a few flirtatious stolen kisses. Hank tries to pursue Cat in the following days but she’s reunited with Justin and ignores his attempts to contact her. Cat discovers Hank has a passion for designing and building furniture. Looking for a new career beyond modeling and to prove she’s more than just a pretty face, she decides to convince Hank (whom she is attracted to) to quit his job with her brother and go into business with her. He’ll build the furniture and she’ll use her name and connections to market it. She rationalizes that its only business so poaching her brother’s best friend and key employee shouldn’t upset Jackson all that much. Hank is smitten with Cat and has always dreamed of working for himself designing and making furniture so it doesn’t take too much arm twisting to convince him to go along with her plans. The story is pretty much Hank wooing Cat and help her overcome her insecurities while trying to be the financial and emotional rock for his family.
Jackson (Worth the Risk) is the middle St. James sibling. We’re told that he was more like his open, extroverted mother than his two siblings. But Jackson had a relationship with a woman Allison which resulted in an unplanned pregnancy. He wanted to get married she didn’t. He wanted her to keep the baby or at least birth it and give it to him to raise and she didn’t. She has an abortion and Jackson is shattered. Add to that his older brother David whom was his best friend and idol growing up has gone to Asia leaving him feeling abandoned. Because as you read this book you discover that for Jackson, although basically a good guy, everything is about him and nothing is ever his fault. So broken hearted and without his brother or mother to lean on Jackson begins drinking heavily and having a lot of meaningless one night hook ups. When David returns Jackson can’t get past the fact that David won’t tell him what led to the disagreement with their father even though David tells him he’s sworn to secrecy and believes Jackson is better off not knowing the details. Again, because it’s all about him Jackson feels his brother’s refusal to share is a betrayal. Then of course there’s Cat who pooched his friend and employee Hank to begin a business Jackson had never proposed he go into with Hank even though he knew Hank loved making custom furniture. Because, it’s all about Jackson, his wants and needs. Jackson’s family concerned about his drinking holds an intervention and convinces him to seek help. Even though he doesn’t believe he has a drinking problem, Jackson decides to go to Vermont for a few weeks to get his head together and even agrees to meet regularly with a psychologist to sort out his personal demons. While in Vermont he meets Gabby a 22 year old unwed mother of a 3 year old son Luc who was fathered by a local cop Noah who then abandoned her and her son. Gabby runs her own landscaping business and lives and works with her dad who is a caretaker for several vacation properties in the area. Gabby’s mom became a heroine addict and abandoned her when she was only twelve. Gabby reminds me a lot of Vivi in her strength, openness and directness. I wish the author had found a way to put the two together for more than one scene in the final epilogue. At any rate Gabby although ten years his junior is far more emotionally mature than Jackson and helps him get his life back together while of course falling in love with him. The story lines are Jackson’s struggles with drinking (or accepting he has a drinking problem) his relationship with Gabby and Luc, Gabby’s relationship with her estranged mother and Noah’s attempts to win Gabby back.
All in all this was a nice little series as Ms. Beck is a talented author whose strength is presenting the opposing views of her characters and showing us the gray areas of their disagreements. She manages to keep the romances sexy without making her sex scenes quite as graphic as other romance authors. My only real complaint is all of her stories follow the same story arc like a blueprint. You know at what point in the book the characters will finally give in to their attraction and get naked together. You know at what point the big even they will have to overcome to get their H.E.A. You know almost to the number of days it will take before the issue is resolved and the lovers get back together.
I’ve read dozens of modern romance series including two others by author Jamie Beck and I have to admit her St. James series is unique. What’s unique about it that the three St. James siblings, David, Jackson and Catalina whose romantic lives the three book series is based upon are not the heroes of the stories. Oh the St. James siblings are decent people for the most part but they are emotionally closed off, damaged millennials. The real heroes of their stories are the individuals they fall in love with Vivi, Hank and Gabby whose inner strength open hearts, patience and faith in them help them overcome their own insecurities and find love.
David (Worth the Wait) the oldest, is completely thrown off kilter when he discovers his father is having an affair while his beloved mother is dying of breast cancer. She over hears David’s argument with his father and swears them both to secrecy so they don’t reveal his infidelity and destroy the close knit family after her death. His mother’s insistence that David keep the secret is a key factor in each of the stories. David can no longer bare to be around his father and fears he’ll reveal the secret to his siblings so he takes a career opportunity and moves to Japan for 18 months. While there he pretty much closes himself off from Jackson and Cat and also Vivi who is Cat’s David’s BFF. Vivi has held and unrequited lifelong crush on David which everyone including David is aware of. His sudden unexplained withdrawal from his siblings leaves them feeling abandon and upon his return their previously very close relationship has degraded. David returns to Connecticut with co-worker/lover in tow. David doesn’t really love this woman but his father’s affair has soured him on the idea of love and marriage and he feels they have enough in common to be a suitable match. So David has kept Vivi close for a dozen years doing and saying just enough to keep her hopes up that someday David will love her the way she loves him. David has strung his co-worker along even allowing her to transfer to N.Y. with him in the belief that they have a future together. Nice guy right? The story besides introducing us to 5 of the 6 main players in the series revolves around the ups and downs David and Vivi’s relationship with several flashbacks to give us the backstory of their history.
Catalina (Worth the Trouble) is the youngest of the St. James siblings and a world famous fashion model. In the first book she’s involved with an abusive lover Justin, for reasons I never totally understood. In this story Catalina has broken off her relationship with Justin but is struggling with a heartbreaking medical diagnosis. At 28 years old she’s also looking at the downside of her modeling career. Catalina or Cat struggles with insecurities because her father (whom I think is an ass that never gets his comeuppance in this series) has made her feel her only worth is her pretty face. Hank is her brother Jackson’s right hand man in his home remodeling business and his best friend. Hank is a great guy who helped raised his sisters after his father died young of a massive heart attack. He’s still supporting his youngest sister who is finishing college while caring for his mother who is in the final stages of Alzheimer’s Disease which she contracted at only 52 years old. Cat met Hank at one of her brother’s parties while she was briefly broken up with Justin and they shared a few flirtatious stolen kisses. Hank tries to pursue Cat in the following days but she’s reunited with Justin and ignores his attempts to contact her. Cat discovers Hank has a passion for designing and building furniture. Looking for a new career beyond modeling and to prove she’s more than just a pretty face, she decides to convince Hank (whom she is attracted to) to quit his job with her brother and go into business with her. He’ll build the furniture and she’ll use her name and connections to market it. She rationalizes that its only business so poaching her brother’s best friend and key employee shouldn’t upset Jackson all that much. Hank is smitten with Cat and has always dreamed of working for himself designing and making furniture so it doesn’t take too much arm twisting to convince him to go along with her plans. The story is pretty much Hank wooing Cat and help her overcome her insecurities while trying to be the financial and emotional rock for his family.
Jackson (Worth the Risk) is the middle St. James sibling. We’re told that he was more like his open, extroverted mother than his two siblings. But Jackson had a relationship with a woman Allison which resulted in an unplanned pregnancy. He wanted to get married she didn’t. He wanted her to keep the baby or at least birth it and give it to him to raise and she didn’t. She has an abortion and Jackson is shattered. Add to that his older brother David whom was his best friend and idol growing up has gone to Asia leaving him feeling abandoned. Because as you read this book you discover that for Jackson, although basically a good guy, everything is about him and nothing is ever his fault. So broken hearted and without his brother or mother to lean on Jackson begins drinking heavily and having a lot of meaningless one night hook ups. When David returns Jackson can’t get past the fact that David won’t tell him what led to the disagreement with their father even though David tells him he’s sworn to secrecy and believes Jackson is better off not knowing the details. Again, because it’s all about him Jackson feels his brother’s refusal to share is a betrayal. Then of course there’s Cat who pooched his friend and employee Hank to begin a business Jackson had never proposed he go into with Hank even though he knew Hank loved making custom furniture. Because, it’s all about Jackson, his wants and needs. Jackson’s family concerned about his drinking holds an intervention and convinces him to seek help. Even though he doesn’t believe he has a drinking problem, Jackson decides to go to Vermont for a few weeks to get his head together and even agrees to meet regularly with a psychologist to sort out his personal demons. While in Vermont he meets Gabby a 22 year old unwed mother of a 3 year old son Luc who was fathered by a local cop Noah who then abandoned her and her son. Gabby runs her own landscaping business and lives and works with her dad who is a caretaker for several vacation properties in the area. Gabby’s mom became a heroine addict and abandoned her when she was only twelve. Gabby reminds me a lot of Vivi in her strength, openness and directness. I wish the author had found a way to put the two together for more than one scene in the final epilogue. At any rate Gabby although ten years his junior is far more emotionally mature than Jackson and helps him get his life back together while of course falling in love with him. The story lines are Jackson’s struggles with drinking (or accepting he has a drinking problem) his relationship with Gabby and Luc, Gabby’s relationship with her estranged mother and Noah’s attempts to win Gabby back.
All in all this was a nice little series as Ms. Beck is a talented author whose strength is presenting the opposing views of her characters and showing us the gray areas of their disagreements. She manages to keep the romances sexy without making her sex scenes quite as graphic as other romance authors. My only real complaint is all of her stories follow the same story arc like a blueprint. You know at what point in the book the characters will finally give in to their attraction and get naked together. You know at what point the big even they will have to overcome to get their H.E.A. You know almost to the number of days it will take before the issue is resolved and the lovers get back together.
October 25, 2016
I stumbled upon the St. James family in February and the moment that I finished the second book, I went searching for the third and then marked the release date for it on my wall calendar – Worth The Risk was a “must read”. Having the kind of anticipation that I did for this book, I was nervous to read the ARC copy that I requested and let it linger on my Kindle for a week before I opened it because I was afraid it wouldn't meet my expectations. After reading all of her other books and knowing the incredible writing talent that she has, I should have known to never doubt Jamie Beck.
This book is not only my favorite book of this series, it is my favorite book of 2016. It was exactly what I had wanted for Jackson St. James.
Jackson is the epitome of a beautiful but damaged soul, and I agonized along with him on every step of his journey back to physical and emotional stability. The way that his addiction and his emotional damage was handled was spot on, and I so enjoyed seeing him allowing himself to be vulnerable with Gabby and Luc, and watching him grow and learn about himself. Even though I was sure that he'd get it together, there were times when I wondered if he would ever truly find the level of self-awareness that he needed to truly move forward, and Ms. Beck did a beautiful job of writing his growth.
Gabby was a wonderful character. I was so impressed with her strength and the way that she loved and cared for her son and her father, and even her mother, and that she still managed to have such a positive outlook on life. She was exactly the person I would have wanted Jackson to end up with – someone as perfectly imperfect as he was. The resolutions to the conflicts surrounding Gabby were perfect. I don't want to get too specific and spoil anything, but the thing I enjoy about this series - and this book in particular - is that while there is a happy ending, nothing is ever white-washed to be “ridiculously book perfect”.
I didn't want this book to end. Even though it was a very substantial book and everything was fleshed out perfectly, when I reached the end I wanted more – even now, hours after finishing the book, I can't stop thinking about Jackson, Gabby, and Luc. I will very much miss St. James family and their messy version of love. This book is one that I will definitely re-read.
If you enjoy books that make you both think and feel, this book (and the entire series) is a must read.
This book is not only my favorite book of this series, it is my favorite book of 2016. It was exactly what I had wanted for Jackson St. James.
Jackson is the epitome of a beautiful but damaged soul, and I agonized along with him on every step of his journey back to physical and emotional stability. The way that his addiction and his emotional damage was handled was spot on, and I so enjoyed seeing him allowing himself to be vulnerable with Gabby and Luc, and watching him grow and learn about himself. Even though I was sure that he'd get it together, there were times when I wondered if he would ever truly find the level of self-awareness that he needed to truly move forward, and Ms. Beck did a beautiful job of writing his growth.
Gabby was a wonderful character. I was so impressed with her strength and the way that she loved and cared for her son and her father, and even her mother, and that she still managed to have such a positive outlook on life. She was exactly the person I would have wanted Jackson to end up with – someone as perfectly imperfect as he was. The resolutions to the conflicts surrounding Gabby were perfect. I don't want to get too specific and spoil anything, but the thing I enjoy about this series - and this book in particular - is that while there is a happy ending, nothing is ever white-washed to be “ridiculously book perfect”.
I didn't want this book to end. Even though it was a very substantial book and everything was fleshed out perfectly, when I reached the end I wanted more – even now, hours after finishing the book, I can't stop thinking about Jackson, Gabby, and Luc. I will very much miss St. James family and their messy version of love. This book is one that I will definitely re-read.
If you enjoy books that make you both think and feel, this book (and the entire series) is a must read.
September 19, 2016
I received an advance copy of WORTH THE RISK in exchange for an honest review.
WORTH THE RISK was quite an emotional read. Well written with believable characters, Jamie Beck presents readers with a book which will keep their attention from beginning to end.
This author has the uncanny ability to put her finger on the pulse of timely, sensitive issues which many people deal with in their daily lives. She treats these issues with compassion, understanding and realism.
Jackson and Gabby are characters who do not shy away from dealing with the ups and downs of the issues in their lives; alcohol abuse, single parenting and being the child of a drug abuser. The hard work each character, as well as their strength, are keys to how Jackson and Gabby seek to accept and move forward with their lives.
Leaning on each other to make themselves better and happier, Gabby and Jackson captured my heart and I rooted for them harder than any two characters. They navigated their relationship on a road marked with numerous highs and lows. Ms Beck does not allow Jackson's or Gabby's journey to be neat and clean. She allows readers to see the ugliness, the hardships and the tough, tough decisions each need to make.
Each book in Ms Beck's St. James Series is a five star read, but WORTH THE RISK is my favorite. I highly recommend this book as well as the two books in the St. James series.
WORTH THE RISK was quite an emotional read. Well written with believable characters, Jamie Beck presents readers with a book which will keep their attention from beginning to end.
This author has the uncanny ability to put her finger on the pulse of timely, sensitive issues which many people deal with in their daily lives. She treats these issues with compassion, understanding and realism.
Jackson and Gabby are characters who do not shy away from dealing with the ups and downs of the issues in their lives; alcohol abuse, single parenting and being the child of a drug abuser. The hard work each character, as well as their strength, are keys to how Jackson and Gabby seek to accept and move forward with their lives.
Leaning on each other to make themselves better and happier, Gabby and Jackson captured my heart and I rooted for them harder than any two characters. They navigated their relationship on a road marked with numerous highs and lows. Ms Beck does not allow Jackson's or Gabby's journey to be neat and clean. She allows readers to see the ugliness, the hardships and the tough, tough decisions each need to make.
Each book in Ms Beck's St. James Series is a five star read, but WORTH THE RISK is my favorite. I highly recommend this book as well as the two books in the St. James series.
January 1, 2024
I want to thank Jamie Beck, author and Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for the ebook Kindle copy of 'Worth the Risk ~ St. James ~ Book 3' that I won in the Giveaway.
Both Jackson and Gabby have family issues. They handle them in totally different ways and both want to move on and find happiness, peace and contentment. They meet on a mountain road when Gabby has a flat and no spare tire. Jackson drives to cell reception and gets a tow for and goes back to wait for the tow. He keeps doing things to gain her trust as they learn to trust each other and a relationship develops.
Jackson and Gabby continue helping one another until they both make the changes to find happiness together. Lots of emotions, outside trouble and a cute little boy named Luc made the plot full of ups and downs and worth reading.
Both Jackson and Gabby have family issues. They handle them in totally different ways and both want to move on and find happiness, peace and contentment. They meet on a mountain road when Gabby has a flat and no spare tire. Jackson drives to cell reception and gets a tow for and goes back to wait for the tow. He keeps doing things to gain her trust as they learn to trust each other and a relationship develops.
Jackson and Gabby continue helping one another until they both make the changes to find happiness together. Lots of emotions, outside trouble and a cute little boy named Luc made the plot full of ups and downs and worth reading.
February 6, 2017
Loved this trilogy!!!
I really like these books. Great storylines, the characters were lovable, and I found myself identified with some of them and the circumstances they were facing and struggling with. Besides the great story, these books are excellent for reflection.
Loved them!!
I really like these books. Great storylines, the characters were lovable, and I found myself identified with some of them and the circumstances they were facing and struggling with. Besides the great story, these books are excellent for reflection.
Loved them!!
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