Author Elin Hilderbrand delivers a compelling and satisfying finish to her beloved Paradise Trilogy with the aptly-titled Troubles in Paradise. Indeed, her endearing characters face numerous challenges as the story winds toward its conclusion.

Winter in Paradise set the stage and focused on exposition -- the characters' reactions to the shocking deaths of Russ and Rosie, and their struggles to come to terms with loss and the revelation of the nature of their relationship. The next chapter of their journey was examined in What Happens in Paradise. Irene found strength she never knew she possessed as she reviewed her life up to the point of Russ's death and realized that it was ultimately empty and unfulfilling. Cash left his failed Colorado business behind and began working on a tour boat with Ayers, his feelings for her growing. And Baker decided to move into Russ's villa and raise his son on beautiful St. John, while Ayers tried to convince herself that Nick could fully commit to her and be faithful.

But FBI agents descended on the island to investigate the helicopter crash and Russ's business dealings. As Troubles in Paradise begins, Rosie and her sons are shaken to learn that they have nothing. The government seizes Russ's assets, including the showplace home in Iowa that Irene spent so long restoring, the antiques she filled it with, . . . and the villa in which they are residing.

Of course, they are not without resources because over the course of the year they have established relationships on the island. Cash has the means, thanks, in part, to the settlement of his divorce from a successful physician, to check into a resort until he can find suitable housing. Determined to stay on the island, he proceeds with looking for employment, getting his son started in school, and getting acquainted with the mothers dropping off their children each morning. It's not easy and readers will relate to his parenting struggles and efforts to establish a new life. He also grapples with his feelings for Ayers, wondering if she is ready to move past her failed relationship with Nick. Hilderbrand's depiction of their interactions is charming and touching.

Cash has a job he enjoys on the tour boat, a new love interest, and finds a charming house to rent.

Maia, who lost both of her parents, yet inherited a whole new family, is growing up and sneaking around with her friends. In addition to breaking into the villa with her friends, they find another secret place to meet. Is she getting involved with the wrong crowd of kids and headed for trouble?

Irene moves in with Huck and Maia, and continues working on the boat with him. They care deeply for each other, but it is not all smooth sailing for the couple.

Ayers is harboring more than one secret with the power to change her life, as well as the lives of the Steele family. She knows she should turn Rosie's journals over to the FBI. They contain the story of Rosie's romance with Russ and she would like to preserve them so Maia can read about her parents when she is old enough. But they also hold evidence, particularly about Russ's boss, Todd Croft, that could lead to answers about the helicopter crash -- who was behind it and why. Rosie's words are Ayers' last remaining line of communication with her beloved friend who was taken from her so violently and without warning.

Hilderbrand compellingly delivers answers to all the questions raised in the first two installments of the story. In particular, she unravels the secrets that Russ was keeping. She introduces the people he was working for, how he got involved with them and, perhaps most importantly, why he continued. She compassionately examines the impact of those revelations upon Irene, a woman who thought her life was well-ordered, on a predictable trajectory, and stable. She thought she had a happy, loving, long-term marriage, and never could have imagined that her husband was a duplicitous cheater who fathered a child with another woman. But the things Irene learns help her to see that her life was illusory and not as satisfying as she once believed. And that Russ was inherently and completely human -- a flawed man who made bad decisions, and misjudged people to his own and his family's detriment. But still a good man in many ways. Will she be able to use that knowledge to heal and be able to enjoy what she has gained, despite her losses?

The island of St. John survived Hurricanes Irma and Maria in late 2017, and Hilderbrand notes that the island depicted in her trilogy is the one that existed before those devastating, category 5 storms tore it apart. But she also points out that the Virgin Islands have, in the interim, recovered and St. John is better than ever.

Hilderbrand's characters find themselves in the midst of an emotional and psychological hurricane that descends upon them the morning that the helicopter carrying Russ and Rosie crashes. It's as real as the actual hurricane that descends upon St. John near the end of the book. In the process of surviving both, they learn about resiliency and determination, and that life requires the ability to be flexible and pivot when circumstances unexpectedly change. They are served lessons in patience and acceptance of things that cannot be changed. The Steeles find a new family that includes Maia, Huck, and Ayers. Irene, in particular, delves deep within herself to decide if she is capable of forgiveness, as she reinvents herself and redesigns her life, concluding that it, like St. John, was badly damaged, but not destroyed.

Troubles in Paradise is a story of hope, personal power, and family. A fitting and emotionally resonant conclusion to an engrossing and entertaining story.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc of this book! I’m so sad to see this series wrap up… I love that this book features little tidbits about my town with accurate picture all the way down to Church Street having a historic homes in Iowa City,Iowa. I love the fact that Margaret Quinn shows up to tie the two trilogies together. I am also over the moon that this book has been optioned by Ellen Pompeo. Hopefully some great aspects of Iowa city are included in the story!

Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand is the final installment of the Paradise trilogy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the series as a whole. I tried not to read this too quickly so I could savor the series for as long as possible. This book takes us back to St. John with the story of Irene Steele from Iowa, a widow who found out her husband had a whole other life and family on the island. The story follows her friendship with Huck, Hurricane Inga, a new baby, and lots more. There is also a surprise visit from a prominent figure from another trilogy written by the same author. I enjoyed this story and was sad to see the end of the series. One question I have is about the Houston school wives, I wonder how they fared in the hurricane, they weren't mentioned past the hurricane being announced.

Omg! Of course, I absolutely loved this book. I have been waiting for this one to come out, and when I received a free copy here, I couldn't wait to read it.

I love Elin's books! I can't wait to see what else she comes out with.

To be very honest, the Winter in Paradise series is not my favorite Hilderbrand work. The third and final in the trilogy is not exception... it was just ok. Fast-paced, this story did deliver the answers I was looking for. However, I read the third story more out of obligation than interest.

*2.5 stars*

As much as I hate to admit it, given my love for the majority of Elin Hilderbrand’s work, the Paradise series overall was an unbalanced mess of sorts.

For me, the intrigue of the secrets and a new island to explore made Winter in Paradise (book 1) a promising start to the trilogy. Yet, What Happens in Paradise (book 2) presented itself as a missed opportunity, given the stagnant storyline. Worst of all, I found Troubles in Paradise (book 3) to be a hodgepodge of chaotic decision-making. What happened to Hilderbrand’s skillful character creation?

What sets Hilderbrand apart from other women’s fiction in the beachy space is her penchant for creating interesting characters. Characters that pour their hearts out to readers and command their undivided attention—regardless of their misdeeds (infidelity is a big one with her lately), gossipy nature, or their unwillingness step outside of their status quo. This time around, the wishy-washy feelings crowding every space, the declarations of love muttered all too easily, odes of marriage, and the continued naivety was absurd. An underdeveloped mess that left my head spinning with regret for subjecting myself to these people—again.

Troubles in Paradise picks up right where What Happens in Paradise ends, with the FBI kicking Irene out of the picturesque St. John compound her dead husband bought with dirty money. Her place in paradise gone, along with her bejeweled Victorian in Iowa and most of her worldly possessions. Far from what anyone would consider a surprise twist given the depth of Russ' misdeeds. Yet, readers are spoon-fed a dose of misconstrued shock as Irene and Cash scramble to find alternate accommodations.

One thing to be thankful for, Ayers finally making a decision when it comes to Baker and Cash. Yet, her indecisiveness and wishy-washy behavior continue to run rampant, this time with a Steele brother, an ex, and the predicament she finds herself in (a storyline arc I despise). And then there’s the messiness Irene finally decides to confront—her feelings for the stepfather of her dead husband’s lover. Three books in and she does an about-face, questioning his knowledge of the infidelity. It all felt a little too late.

A host of ridiculous antics, underdeveloped relationships, and a data dump to finish things off, left behind a lingering taste of regret. Hilderbrand chose to string readers along for a trilogy when the Steele story likely would have been more impactful housed in a single novel. I can't say there's a gaping hole in my heart left from the end of this series.

One thing I will always treasure is the time my husband and I spent in St. John. We booked a spontaneous holiday trip to the island in December 2018 after I devoured Winter in Paradise. Our time in St. John/St. Thomas proved to be one of our most treasured vacations. So, while these characters didn’t do it for me, the place certainly did. Now, if only I could convince my husband that we need to get to Nantucket. *wink*

This was the last book in the Paradise series and I wish I could say this was my favourite one but it wasn't. I did enjoy the book but that is the tricky part of reading a series sometimes, it is easy to compare books. I loved the mystery and we got some answers from a previous book in the series. I loved the ending and was very happy with it. Overall, it was good but kind of repetitive. Elin Hilderbrand writes fantastic books and I high recommend picking up her books to read. They are the perfect binge-worthy books.

This was the final book in a series of 3. I was lucky to get an ARC as I really wanted to see how the story ended for Ayres, Irene, Mya, Huck, Cash, and Baker. Elin Hildebrand did not disappoint.

I loved all of the St. John island descriptions. During the middle of quarantine, I found my self a bit jealous of these characters who were eating papaya jam at Jake, having cocktails with an ocean view and hopping on a charter fishing boat. I have stayed at the Westin St. John twice and could picture everything she was describing - A girl can dream about traveling again!

SPOILER

The series wraps up with a happy ending - Even in the aftermath of a hurricane. The mystery/murder resolution was satisfying as were the relationship elements - And a new baby to boot.

#NetGalley #TroublesInParadise
3.5 stars

As much as I've enjoyed this series, the finale just didn't really do it for me. We tied up the remaining mystery between Russ and Rosie but the book seemed a little too long to me. There were a lot of hard to believe moments and too many storylines among characters I honestly didn't care much about.

However, I was happy to travel back to the Virgin Islands one last time and did enjoy everything that the island had to offer.

I have read the previous two in the series in late January or February, where transporting myself to island life in my head seems most desirable. I didn't wait long into January for this one - it was the book I started on New Year's Day - and that was just as well because it was more about wrapping up loose ends and less about island life. It's fine. It was a good run. Free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I've read a couple of Hilderbrand's books, one of which I enjoyed and one of which I didn't finish, and this one was just fine. Eventually all her books seem to follow the same structure and narrative, which can feel too predictable and bland. I've also recently witnessed some incredibly harmful behavior (harassing readers who dared to give her books any less than a glowing review) and for that reason can no longer support her or her work.

I loved all three books in this series and devoured each one as soon as I got it. Hildebrand has a terrific ability to conjure up intriguing, multi-faceted characters in difficult situations, and make the reader care about every one of them, even those who aren't always good people.

The descriptions of the Caribbean, the house and the food are wonderful and evocative. Truly one of my favorite reads.

Not my favorite of the trilogy, but still a good book! I was super invested in all characters and was glad to get some closure, I hope this becomes a movie!

"Troubles in Paradise" provided the perfect ending to Elin Hilderbrand's "Paradise" series. I sped through this book, desperate to see what happened to characters I've grown to love. I love that each character's story came to a conclusion, and that there were many happy ever afters. Thankfully this one didn't make me cry, like previous Elin books! I also appreciate that Elin incorporated various viewpoints, including that of 3rd person narrator and news correspondent. This will definitely be a series I recommend to my friends!

An AMAZING end to the paradise series! I was totally hooked on each book in this series, and it was actually my first foray into Elin Hildebrand’s writing. My only complaint is that it had to end! Thank you, NetGalley For The ARC!

Finished Trouble in Paradise..the final installment of the "Paradise" series by Elin Hilderbrand. I so enjoy Elin Hilderbrand stories and I just by accident stumbled onto this series from my girlfriend mentioning It to me.
This is the last in the series of 3 books and I would say it was ok..I did like the charactors of the story and the friendships and closeness of the characters.
Even though if I may say I didn't completely fall in love with this book and series. I will always search and pick up an Elin Hilderbrand book because she will always share a good story.
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this novel.

The final book in the Winter in Paradise trilogy takes us back to the Virgin Islands to wrap up the story of the Steele family. Cash has a new girlfriend, the daughter of extremely wealthy people. Baker is getting ready to move to the island with Floyd. And Irene is coming to grips with the fact that not only was her husband a criminal, but she has lost everything due to his activities. As Irene and her sons adapt to life in paradise, they also have to adapt to the fact that Russ Steele was not the man they thought.
I love Elin Hilderbrand, but I really slogged my way through the "Winter in Paradise" series. Let's just leave it at that.

Bottom Line - As a devoted fan, I will read anything that Elin Hilderbrand writes, but I hope she stays away from these trilogies.

Details:
Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
On Twitter
Pages: 352
Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company
Publication Date: 10/6/2020
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the final book in the series of “Paradise” stories. I enjoyed this wrap up to the storyline and it was a fun read. The setting was, as always, such a treat and the character arcs were interesting all the way through. I will say that the first book, “Winter in Paradise”, was my favorite of the three and had the most engaging twists and turns. As the stories went along I felt that they started to lose their excitement a bit but this one is absolutely worth the read to find out the conclusion of the mystery. This is a great escapist read and will hold your attention until the very end. I am looking forward to checking out more of Elin Hilderbrand ‘s work.

Thanks to Elin Hilderbrand, Little, Brown and Company, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Irene Steele continues to unravel the mystery behind her husband duplicitous life on the beautiful island of St. John. Elin Hildebrand tells Irene's story in brilliant detail painting an enticing picture of island life, I found myself entranced by Hildebrand's prose and wanted to escape to St. John's immediately!

I enjoyed the third book in the paradise series. It was so nice to be back on St. John’s. I wanted more from certain storylines, but that’s just because I was so drawn to those characters. I always love that Elin’s books are drama-filled and the characters are so flawed. Somehow I find myself rooting for them anyways. Troubles in Paradise certainly lived up to the title. I wasn’t quite ready for this series to end!