Review: Before I Knew by Jamie Beck

Before I Knew

by Jamie Beck

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Pages: 354

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  On the second anniversary of her husband’s suicide, Colby Cabot-Baxter is ready to let go of her grief and the mistakes made during her turbulent marriage. Her fresh start comes in the form of A CertainTea, the restaurant she’s set to open along Lake Sandy, Oregon, with help from her family. But when her executive chef quits just weeks before the grand opening, Colby is pressured to hire old family friend Alec Morgan. His award-winning reputation could generate buzz, but their friendship has withered since her husband’s reckless dare cost Alec’s brother his life.

Distracted by guilty secrets concerning the tragedy that changed his and Colby’s lives, Alec self-destructed and lost his famed restaurant. With his career in tatters, he’s determined to use this opportunity to redeem his reputation and to help the woman he’s loved from afar find happiness again.

But secrets have a way of coming out. When Alec’s do, they might destroy the new life he and Colby have rebuilt together.

Kritters Thoughts:  Colby Cabot-Baxter has had a trying few years and she is making some personal changes to hopefully turn her life in a new direction and change.  She is opening a restaurant and with that she needs a chef and in walks someone from her past and is a part of those trying years and the past will return, but hopefully there is a future.

What a great book!  The reader is easily told the events of the past, but the story doesn't sit there long and quickly and easily moves into the future and I loved that.  I loved how the author gave us all the details, but it didn't slow down the pace of the story.  

I also loved that there were secrets between the two main characters, but the reader actually knows before the characters do and it isn't over done about all the secrets.  The way she unfolded the story just worked right.  

I know the story was completely contained within this one book, but I wouldn't mind a sequel or another story set with these characters in this town.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2017 Challenge: 34 out of 50

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from PR By the Book.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.