I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley for my unbiased opinion of the book. I enjoyed this book, however, it took me a lot longer than the St. James series. I still look forward to reading the rest of the series!

Before I Knew, written by author Jamie Beck, is the first book in the new Cabot series. Jamie Beck always writes from the heart, and once again, she proves why she is the "go to author" for so many readers...including me!

Colby Cabot-Baxter has not had it easy the past two years. She lost a dear childhood friend (Joe Morgan), and then several weeks later, her husband Mark committed suicide. Deciding it is time to move on and make a fresh start, she is preparing to open a restaurant located in Lake Sandy, Oregon. A CertainTea is on track for the grand opening...well, it was on track until her executive chef quit. Her brother (Hunter) has found a new chef for the restaurant...an executive chef that will surprise everyone involved.

The Morgan's and the Cabot's have been neighbors and friends for many years. The children grew up together and remained friends even into their adult lives. All of that changed when Joe Morgan died in a freak accident resulting from a dare. Friendships ended, the neighbors no longer talked, the finger of blame was easily pointed, and lives were drastically changed.

Alec Morgan has loved cooking since he was a child. While his friends were outside playing, he was in the kitchen being creative, and Colby was always his food taster. Colby and Alec had an amazing friendship growing up...and Alec never had the courage to tell Colby his true feelings because he didn't want to lose her friendship. Their friendship lasted even after high school...it lasted until his brother Joe died. Losing Joe was hard enough, but keeping secrets concerning his death only made it even harder to deal with. Alec was an award-winning chef and had his own restaurant. He once had an amazing reputation, but his grief took him on a downward spiral and he lost it all. He has just been offered a chance to redeem himself...a second chance to follow his dream of being a chef. Alec knows second chances don't come around often, and accepts the job. There's only one problem...he has just accepted the executive chef position at A CertainTea.

Wow....where do I begin without revealing too much? Jamie Beck is a gifted storyteller...she beautifully weaves together the characters, their emotions, and their stories...giving the reader a perfectly woven tapestry in the end. You will become fully invested in this story and the characters from beginning to end. She knows how to perfectly balance a wide range of emotions, giving you insight into each character...and leaving you feeling as if you truly know each and every one of them. Colby and Alec are both looking for a second chance...looking to start over and leave the grief and secrets they each carry behind them. The one thing that truly makes this book so wonderful is the fact that it focuses on the relationship itself...not the sex. The story begins on a dark note...death, suicide, and secrets...but ends on a bright note...love, hope, forgiveness, and courage. This story is heartbreaking, but it is also heartwarming. As I stated previously, Jamie Beck writes from the heart and brilliantly captures all of the emotions we experience on a daily basis...which in the end, gives us characters and a story we can all relate to. I honestly have to say that this is a powerful and uplifting start to a new series!! I am now patiently waiting for Hunter's story, which will be told in the second book of the Cabot series, All We Knew ( scheduled for release on January 30, 2018).

I would like to thank Montlake Romance and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. My views are my own and are in no way influenced by anyone else.

Normally I love Jamie Beck's books, but somehow this one didn't quite live up to the previous ones. The story is really well done and the characters are great, the flow is just not quite there and I had a hard time getting through the book. For whatever reason, I just couldn't seem to care enough about the characters to want to know what was going to happen next. There is actually a lot going on in this book and the characters are really well written so it may have just been too deep of a subject matter for the frame of mind I was in when I was reading it.

I have enjoyed almost every book I've read by Jamie Beck, and while I enjoyed this book it was a little slower than others. Colby and Alec are dealing with a lot of guilt surrounding the death of Colby's husband's suicide. I felt the story just kept getting stuck on this guilt, and it could have evolved a little faster.

All that to say, I loved the found-again friendship between Colby and Alec, and enjoyed reading about THEIR story even more. I'll continue to read the series as books are released because Beck normally doesn't disappoint in her books.

I loved, loved, loved Before I Knew by the amazing Jamie Beck, book one in her new Cabots series. Ms. Beck truly knows how to create a wonderful story between two people with secrets and feelings of guilt. Colby Cabot knew the Morgans, next door, all of her life. So when her brother asked her to give their friend Alex a job as head chef for her new restaurant, she knew she had no choice. As the sparks fly, Colby and Alex need to share their secrets, with each other, before they the love between them can grow. I have to share my favorite quote from this story; “And some wise women have convinced me that it’s never too late for love.” This really sums up this awesome story with all of its twists and turns, before allowing many of its characters to find peace with the life they were dealt.

I really loved reading this book and had trouble putting this book down. Ms. Beck is a wonderful story teller, drawing me in and not letting go until I read the last page. I highly recommend this book to other readers and can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

3 Stars Wow... This was a lot to take in. We have two families who are on opposite sides of a tragedy. This main issue colors everything and everyone. We have our gal just wanting a restaurant to be the best it can be. That means bring in a chef who is part of this family odyssey.

We have these two who have a real history fall hard and they have to overcome all the turmoil thrown at them.

Colby is opening a restaurant with her brother, and her father who is more of a silent partner. Colby is a widow, whose manic-depressive husband committed suicide by jumping off their balcony. The guilt of his death, including the death of a childhood friend he may have had a part in (accidently) follows her wherever she goes. She also has the stress of her mother who is still angry over the divorce of her husband decades ago. Colby has to keep the peace between her mother and father, including be a mentor of sorts to her younger half-sister who doesn't have any responsibilities and acts like a spoiled brat. Things may become even more difficult when Alec, a popular chef, and her former friend is hired to be the chef for her new restaurant. Alec was once her neighbor and childhood friend. His younger brother was the one who died. His father blames Colby and her dead husband for his son's death, and constantly puts down Alec, even though he is successful and respected in his field.

Because no one knows the truth behind Colby's husband's death, she constantly worries. Alec is like a stranger to her who doesn't know how to act around his retired cop father, who is consumed with anger, and his mother who pretends everything is fine. Colby is relying on Alec to make her restaurant a success even though she feels he blames her for his brother's death, which he doesn't. Alec does had a dark secret regarding his feelings for Colby, but it's more along the lines of lust and love. He doesn't just want her as his boss, but something more intimate. But it feels like the whole world is against them.

Before I Knew is a deep novel about secrets, lies and guilt that spans years. Colby and Alec are caught in the middle of their family's drama. It looks like there are many roadblocks against these two getting together. The path to their HEAs is difficult, even when they confront the past in order to have a future together.

Colby and Alec have great chemistry together, and the story will keep you hooked, especially after Alec's father goes past a certain point that in some eyes may be unforgiveable. The consequences of everyone's actions here are spotlighted, and resolved in ways that aren't complete solved, but fixed in a manner that leads to Colby and Alec's happiness.

Before I Knew has a great romance/women's fiction feel to it, and a lot of depth, especially to serious topics such as emotional abuse and mental issues that should have more awareness in the book that are being published.

Before I Knew (Cabot #1)
Jamie Beck
My Book Review: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Jamie Beck is one of my favourite authors, and I'm always excited when she brings out a new book. Before I knew is the start of a new series, The Cabots.

Books dealing with grief are not my favourite, especially when it is one of the main themes in a story. However, with this said I still enjoyed this book. It has a lot going on, and the story was really interesting.

Colby Cabot-Baxter lost her husband 2 years ago and has never recovered. It's not because he was the love of her life, or she can't imagine life without him. She can't get over the circumstances surrounding his death. Growing up she has always been close with the boys next door, Joe and Alec. Her husband and Joe were involved in an incident that leads to both of their deaths. Joe accidentally kills himself taking part in a stupid dare, and Mark, her husband committed suicide as an after effect. Colby's relationship with Alec became non-existent, and they both lost everything. 2 years later they are both ready to try, and fix their life's and families. Colby starts a restaurant, and her brother hires Alec as the head chef. They need to work together to save them both.

4 stars out of 5. *ARC received, however, I read this book view Kindle Unlimited* I've read all of Jamie Becks books, and I'm a huge fan. Her writing style sucks me in, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Kindle Edition £3.49 or Free for Kindle Unlimited, 354 pages

Published August 22nd 2017 by Montlake Romance

I did find the story a bit tedious and slow at times, but in the end it redeems itself and is a good overall story. I look forward to the next in the series.

Every so often you find that certain book by a favourite author that just resonates with you & it becomes that favourite book by that author. This book by Jamie Beck has become that book for me. This story is of compounded grief not only of 1 person but of 2 families. This story of love, loss, tragedy & the strength to finally move forward was so well written that it had my heart in a vise & a knot in my stomach throughout almost the entire story. The devastation of losing someone is compounded when the loss is tragically doubled. A son, a brother, a husband, a friend that is what is lost in this tragedy when we meet Colby who has been grieving the loss of her childhood friend in a stupid accident & the loss of her seriously ill husband to suicide. Secrets were kept that surrounded an illness that could've been treated. Secrets were kept about a letter received that might've delayed or stopped that suicide. Secrets were kept about the unravelling of a family due to the untimely death of a beloved son & brother. What I found most profound in this story was how everyone wanted to keep the secrets hidden even after all the damage had been done for fear that any pity or unkind light be shed on the poor soul with such a damaged life, or that the feelings of those left behind be hurt any further. The journey from the darkness of depression was a challenging one for Colby & for Alec in different ways. Colby watched her husband take his own life, where as Alec watched his life deteriorate due to the death of his brother & the secrets he held. I love how Jamie Beck not only focused on the journey of Colby & Alec , but also on the slow sometimes back stepping journey of Alec's family trying to put their lives & family back together. This book was such an emotional read from start to finish. I haven't found too many books that have phrases or sayings jump out at me & make me think but this one did. Alec's mother reminds him "Don't let history define your future." I think that we all in some way do let that happen as we repeat mistakes over & over. I definitely recommend this book as a must read, you won't be sorry.

4 Heartfelt Stars

Before I Knew by Jamie Beck was an emotional and heartfelt read.

They storyline was well written, it was easy to follow and hard to put down.
Watching Colby and Alec come together was both heartwarming and painful.
They both had painful pasts that they needed to deal with so they could find true happiness.
These two were easy to love and I really enjoyed reading their story.

Before I Knew is a lovely start to the Cabot Series by Jamie Beck, looking forward to Hunter and Sara's book in All We Knew coming January 30th 2018.

Get your copy of Before I Knew here ~ https://www.amazon.com/Before-Knew-Ca...

*Thank you to Montlake Romance via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

Colby Cabot-Baxter is determined to finally push past her grief and the guilt she's held since the death of her husband. Two years is long enough, and hopefully her fresh start comes with opening A CertainTea and building the restaurant into a success. However, being forced to work alongside old family friend Alec Morgan is harder than she thought, especially when her husband's reckless dare cost Alec's brother his life and set Alec on a path of self-destruction. Can Colby work with Alec to achieve her dream and help him redeem his reputation as an award winning chef, or will the secrets they're hiding keep them from ever finding happiness together?

What an incredibly-written, fast-paced, mesmerizing read Ms. Beck has delivered in this story, which entertained me from start to finish due to the wonderful main characters that have such a harrowing history between them; the dialogue that had me charmed by the heroine's determination to help the hero with the tenuous bond he has with his father and the hero's determination to help Colby make her restaurant a success; and the ending that had me wondering whether everything would work out for the best for this couple, as the hero believes he isn't good enough for the heroine. Will Colby be able to prove him wrong? Will Alec finally realize that second chances are worth fighting for?

The way this story started with the prologue had me sympathizing with the heroine and her husband, yet at the same time, I could understand the anger of the Morgan family. However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time in this story that had me hooked, as there's so much bad history between them because of what happened to the heroine's husband and the hero's brother. Will Colby and Alec ever be able to get back the easy friendship they once shared?

As for the dialogue, it was riveting and I loved the banter between the hero and heroine, as they had plenty of good times when they were younger, and it's hard not to remember when they shared such a close friendship. Moreover, the dialogue was intense due to the main characters back stories; the tension between Alec and his father that had me feeling sorry for the hero; and what happens to Alec's mother that had me liking her because of the decision she made. She needed time out from her husband before the man did something he'd regret and wouldn't be able to make right.

Both the main characters were fantastic and I loved their back stories, the history between them that's created so much animosity between their families, and their growing relationship that had me cheering for this couple's happy ever after. Furthermore, the heroine is resilient, courageous and I liked how determined she was to make the change that she has for her life, because she realizes it's time to finally do something to help her heal. I also liked how she handled the people in her life, especially her mother; a woman that's needy and will do anything to have someone's attention. Yet, what I liked most about the heroine is that she would do anything for the hero, which is proven by what she does when it comes to his family.

While the hero, I couldn't help but sympathize with him due to everything he's been through from losing his brother to losing his reputation as one of the best chefs. However, I liked that he was determined to pick up the pieces of his life. He's strong and brave by taking the job at Colby's restaurant because it means facing his past while hopefully trying to cement his future. I also liked how kind and caring the hero was when it came to dealing with the heroine's mother. Why not show the woman that people care about her, even when she's determined to drive Colby crazy? Yet, what I liked most about the hero is how passionate he was when it came to his career as a chef and how willing he was to help Colby achieve her dream.

Overall, Ms. Beck has delivered a worthwhile and enchanting read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was off-the-charts. The way this story ended had me worried that for this couple's happy ever after, as Alec is stubborn in believing he's not good enough for the heroine, even though she does everything to convince him otherwise. However, in saying that, I liked that Alec realized he could have it all - happy ever after with Colby, successfully getting his career back on track and hopefully being able to finally repair his relationship with his father. I would recommend Before I Knew by Jamie Beck, if you enjoy second chance romances; the friends to lovers trope; or books by authors Erin Nicholas, Catherine Bybee, Tamra Baumann and Barbara Freethy.

This book was amazing! Incredibly emotional and angsty, I felt like my heart was being ripped apart at times and the writing was fantastic. Loved this story and can't wait to read whatever this author writes next!

This romance grabbed me immediately and never let go. I did not want to put it down for anything. I think part of that was that the novel focused on relationships not the sex. It was very thoughtful and went deep into the emotional components of the story. I found that satisfying and a relief. Sometimes, romance can start to feel like they’re all about sex. It was nice to read one focused on a relationship as a whole. Now, there is a lot of angst here by nature of the story itself (loss, grief, suicide, etc.). It’s not necessarily a happy romance although it ultimately gets where you want it to go. This is nitpicky but the main character’s name – Colby – kept throwing me as it felt like a masculine name and yet she’s a woman. Other than that there isn’t really a thing wrong with the story that I can think of. I loved this reading experience and feel like it was a romance with heart and soul. I’m eager to see what’s to come with this series (this is the first in a new series).

Before I Knew is a very well written book about second chances and friendship. I loved the plot and enjoyed this author's writing. I look forward to future books in this series. I recommend to readers who enjoy a good romance.

After the death of a family friend and the suicide of her husband, Colby is trying to move on with her life. Unfortunately, for Colby her brother has hired Alec to be the head chef at the restaurant Colby is opening up. Although Colby has known Alec since childhood he is the brother of her friend who died in an accident that was caused by her late husband. Alec is happy to work with Colby, but his old feelings for her may get in the way.
I am a fan of Jaime Beck's writing and thought that this book was a good read. I look forward to reading more in this series.

This first book in the Cabots series was heartbreakingly wonderful.

Two years ago, a stupid dare leads to a lot of tragedy for two families. Colby lost her friend and her husband and Alec lost his brother.

Fast forward to the present and Colby is attempting to move on from the demons of the past two years and open a happy place for people to come, A CertainTea. Also looking for a fresh start is Alec after losing his restaurant and his award-winning reputation. With all of the hurt between them, can they work together and find success?

There was a ton of angst and drama in the book but I loved every second of it. Sometimes I just need a book that going to absolutely gut me and that is what I got with Before I Knew. I enjoyed how realistic this story is. I'm loving this new series so far and I can't wait to see what's next for the Cabots.

*This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*

I love Jamie Beck's books. She writes with so much emotion. This book will make you laugh, cry and heartbreak for the 2 families the tragedies when through. Bringing to light how much lies hurt all that are involved small ones to big ones. 2 broken souls falling in love and families reconnected. Amazing writing and you will fall in love with all the family. A must read book and can't wait for Hunters book to come out.
5 stars of Love.

Going in you should know this book is HEAVY on the emotional drama. Family and friends are hiding secrets from one another, there’s lots of anger, blame, sadness, suicide, accidental death – it’s an emotional wrenching story that if you have any empathic bones in your body will leave you drained.

That also goes to show the author’s ability to write her characters and storylines in such a way that they feel believable to the point you can feel what they feel because the line between fiction and reality becomes blurred.

Ultimately the story is about Alec and Colby. Alec is tightly wound and has little to no self-confidence in his personal life so his professional life is what receives the explosion of all the emotions he can’t process elsewhere. Colby has beaten herself up so badly for taking on the responsibility of other peoples problems that she turns that anger onto Alec. These two are both an emotional mess plagued by family with even deeper emotional problems. Dr. Phil could have a field day with these people lol.

The only part of Alec’s storyline I had trouble with was the ‘secret’ he was keeping from Colby as I didn’t feel it was strong enough to warrant the emotional turmoil he put himself through and I felt Colby’s reaction to it was overblown as she is the last person who should blame anyone for what happened.

The romance aspect of this story was really good but honestly felt this book is perfect to showcase why people need therapy and to deal with grief properly.