Troubles in Paradise
Paradise #3
Fiction
Little, Brown and Company
October 6, 2020
Hardcover
352
Purchased
After uprooting her life in the States, Irene Steele has just settled in at the villa on St. John where her husband Russ had been living a double life. But a visit from the FBI shakes her foundations, and Irene once again learns just how little she knew about the man she loved.
With help from their friends, Irene and her sons set up their lives while evidence mounts that the helicopter crash that killed Russ may not have been an accident. Meanwhile, the island watches this drama unfold -- including the driver of a Jeep with tinted windows who seems to be shadowing the Steele family.
As a storm gathers strength in the Atlantic, surprises are in store for the Steeles: help from a mysterious source, and a new beginning in the paradise that has become their home. At last all will be revealed about the secrets and lies that brought Irene and her sons to St. John -- and the truth that transformed them all.
My review:
First things first......be aware that this is book #3 in a trilogy! I would highly recommend reading the series in order. The author explains briefly the gist of what is happening at the beginning of this book, but I think the reading experience will be diminished if you have not followed the story from the start. Having said that, I do feel that this book was probably not necessary. The major reveal with what was going down with Russ is explained in a few paragraphs, probably could have tacked on another fifty pages to book two and called it a wrap. I did still enjoy the descriptions of St. John, and it was fun to "catch up" with the characters a year later (each book in the trilogy was published a year apart, so I began it back in 2018). I do really like Hilderbrand's writing style, I find myself taking very little time to devour her books no matter the length. My favorite part of this one is when a character from a former book makes an appearance (no spoilers!)! A satisfying ending was the icing on the cake for this series.
Although I wanted more from this book, I still enjoyed my time with these characters and the island of St. John. If you are torn with which series to read though, I would definitely recommend the Winter series over this one. Although if you live in a snowy cold climate, you may just want to escape to the islands and dream!
