The final book in the Paradise series wraps the story up nicely. Like most Hilderbrand books, this series was initially written off as chick-lit, but there is always more depth behind the story. There is depth to the characters and the storylines.

I am such a fan of Elin Hilderbrand. Though she often gets written off as a "beach read" or "chick lit," there is always depth, thoughtfulness, and emotion to her books. She also lightly (VERY lightly!) touches timely issues like politics and #MeToo just enough to let you know these characters are living in our current world, feeling what we feel.

This is the third book in the "Paradise" series, and while it's probably better to read the other books first, it's not at all necessary. (I had read the first one and am on to the second one after this, the third and final installment.)
This series is pretty perfect for our current pandemic/political/crazy atmosphere - Hilderbrand always provides a glamorous escape to a beautiful locale (here, St. John in the Virgin Islands) with problems that are at once a world away from your own, yet also totally relatable.

While 28 Summers remains my favorite recent Hilderband novel (a MUST read!) this series will also provide you with a tropical escape from your quarantine couch complete with yachts, money, secrets, sex, baby daddies, and intrigue. There were a lot of characters (even more than the first book) but Hilderbrand somehow gets you invested in all of them. She also does such a great job of describing the lifestyle and beauty of St. John that it's impossible to finish this book without wanting to go there. But really all of HIlderbrand's books are primarily about relationships and family (both biological family, and the family you choose). She is also pretty great at the fan service and you may see a character from another book pop into this story.

Basically just a feel-good (and sometimes sad and cathartic), emotionally rewarding, island getaway in book form, which for me is just what the doctor ordered right about now.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown for the ARC. I can always count on Hilderbrand to pull my heartstrings.

This was the final book in a wonderful three book series! I really enjoyed the characters throughout and how I was pleased at how their stories were closed off at the end!

I don’t want to spoil the plots of the last two books but we find our characters once again in a paradise even though the circumstances that bright them there has greatly changed! Romance and emotional challenges abound!

I was in a serious reading slump and this book brought me back! I needed something light and enjoyable and diving back into the vivid paradise Elin Hilderbrand creates in this series was just the ticket.

Diving back into the stories was like going to visit old friends. There’s romance, mystery and lots of drama so it was a quick read for me!

Highly recommend this series as it made me a true fan of Elin Hilderbrand and I will no doubt read more of her!

Escapist fiction, literally

I like Elin Hildebrand's books and, having read the first two books in this series, was very interested in how she would wrap up all the strands of spaghetti that were left dangling from the other books. I was very satisfied! Mind you, this series is not her usual Nantucket romance, it is a bit wilder and set in, where else, Paradise aka the US Virgin Islands. Lots to think about amidst the action, like what is love, human frailty, forgiveness and ethics/morality. I highly recommend this book; I suggest you read the whole series in order. It's a great set of escapist novels but with twists, interesting characters and messages.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-constrained e-arc via Netgalley; I am under no obligation and this review is my own opinion.

Summary:

Irene Steele had just began to settle in on the beautiful island of St. John when the FBI wrecks the stability her life was beginning to finally have.

Irene, Cash, and Baker try to begin to set up some kind of life and routine with the help of their newfound friends.

New lives, new beginnings, and a new hurricane all combine together to bring closure to the Paradise trilogy.

My Thoughts:

I loved this trilogy, and they are all quick reads that are perfect for vacation or some down time. I read every one when they were released in the fall, and reading them makes me want to go sit next to an ocean again!

I love the characters in this trilogy, and I really hope they show up again at some point in one of her upcoming books!

Seeing the special guest appearance of a beloved news reporter seen in the Winter Street trilogy tugged at my heart. I fall in love with all of Elin Hilderbrand’s characters, and I absolutely love when I get to reconnect with past characters.

This book will be released on October 6, 2020. I was lucky enough to be given a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hildebrand is the concluding novel in a trilogy. I have not read the earlier two books but had no trouble making sense of this one. Hildebrand explained what I needed to know. It was a little different than the Hildebrand books I have read previously. I was captivated by the individual stories, which all wrapped up nicely. I love it when that happens. The larger picture is this: a fairly non-descript man moved to the Virgin Islands, got involved with money laundering (on over his head) and fathered a child with a woman other than his wife. Years later, as he is on his way to turning the mastermind in, his helicopter explodes, killing himself, the other woman, and his partner. This book is the aftermath, for many people.

This has it all: murder, sex, love, the FBI, disappointment, #metoo, a baby, a hurricane . . .The characters are well written, even the lesser ones. The situation of the hurricane changes things for people as tragedies often do. The story comes together, not until it takes twists and turns and has too many people living in too small houses. It was a fascinating read, telling all sorts of stores, some long, some not. It was a possible plot with possible people. Hildebrand is nothing if not a gifted storyteller and she put all her talents to use in this entertaining conclusion to what was, no doubt, a whirlwind of a trilogy. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of Troubles in Paradise by Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #troublesinparadise

This is a Netgalley ARC review. All opinions are solely my own.

Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand is book 3 of the Paradise series. I highly recommend just doing a binge of all 3 books. Elin Hilderbrand is a master at describing a place and making the reader feel as if there sitting right there. This book/series is no exception.

Irene and her family have begun rebuilding their lives. They are all in a better, yet different place than they ever thought they would be. Life is giving them many joyous surprises in the face of the unknown outcomes that Russ has caused. In spite of the unknowns they are thriving.

A trilogy about the Carribean wouldn't be complete without a tropical storm to throw a hurrican into the mix.

Overall, I really enjoyed this series. I really liked the way the trilogy was wrapped up. It really reminds me of a game of six degrees of separation and the butterfly effect all rolled into one.

Elin Hilderbrand has another hit trilogy on her hands.

Troubles in Paradise is the perfect ending to Hilderbrand's Paradise trilogy. Over the past 3 books the audience has fallen in love with all of the small town/island characters, and Hilderbrand's writing allows us all to magine ourselves on the sandy beaches St. John's. A must read if you are ready to learn exactly how the story ends. I would suggest however to read the first 2 novels in this series before taking Troubles in Paradise on. The reader does get a quick recap in the beginning of the novel, but in order to get the full picture and enjoy the most out of the characters, read the books in order.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my review.

Irene Steele & her two sons journey continues in the third & final book in the Paradise series.  Finally Irene & her family get closure & get their lives back on track after the disastrous journey her dead husband sent them on.

Troubles In Paradise is the 3rd & final book in Mrs Hilderbrand's Paradise series.  These are NOT standalone books. I must recommend that if you haven't read one & two you need to read them first. Otherwise you'll be a little lost.  This was the perfect ending for this amazing woman & her family. I highly recommend this book and all of Elin Hilderbrand's books lol.

I love Elin Hilderbrand's latest books (28 Summers and Summer of '69), but I just didn't love this series as much. There were way too many points of view, and the drama pretty much never stopped. It felt like as soon as one thing was a bit resolved, something even worse happened. It was a little exhausting. I did really like a lot of the characters and there was so much growth, but it just wasn't my favorite read.

This was a satisfying end to a wonderful series. I would recommend this series to anyone looking for a beach read in winter.

What a lovely wrap-up to the Paradise series! It was a lovely escape to St. John. I always appreciate the mix of romance and suspense in a book. The whole story line has “hard to believe moments” but that’s what Elin is all about. Bring on all the twisted family drama! Overall a lovely trilogy that was an easy read and will keep you entertained throughout. Note: definitely recommended to read all three in order as reading this as a stand alone may cause confusion or not be able to fully appreciate the story.

My favorite part…? Margaret Quinn making an appearance?! YES! My favorite Elin series were her winter series and I highly recommend delving into these four books this upcoming winter too!!!

Pub day is TOMORROW! 10/6. If you’ve read the other two books then get ready to get your hands on this one!

Fav quote: “Bad things can happen, terrible things. You can lose [a lot] And despite this...the sun will continue to rise”

Thank you Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review.

Loved the last in the Paradise Series! I hated to say goodbye to Huck and Irene and their families but thought the story all came together to end beautifully. The right amount of mystery mixed with love added with a twist that I didn’t see coming and it made for the perfect end to a series I couldn’t put down.

Elin NEVER lets me down! This is the 3rd and final book in the "Paradise" series and boy, oh boy, is it good. Irene, Cash, Baker, Ayers, Huck, and Maia have become like family to me in the years leading up this release. The plot is gripping and astounding, leaving me turning pages well into the night. Irene is forced to make some decisions about her future when new information comes to light about her husband, Russ, and his shady dealings. The characters each have to figure out where they fit in this "new normal" life in paradise.....together or apart. The series is set in the beautiful US Virgin Island and because Elin travels there to write each year, her description of the island, locales, and residents is like that of a native, not a tourist. I am sad that this is the end of the series, but Elin has a delightful gift when it comes to writing sequential books. Each one is better than the last and they always leave the reader fulfilled and satisfied with the way the story lines wrap up. I can't wait to see what else is on tap for this prolific writer....keep 'em coming, Elin!

Troubles in Paradise is the third book in Elin Hilderbrand’s trilogy set on the island of St. John in the US Virgin Islands, a departure from her normal setting of Nantucket, but just as full of unusual characters and entertaining hijinks.

In Winter in Paradise, Irene Steele learns her husband, Russ, has been killed in a helicopter crash off the coast of St. John. She’s shocked to learn he not only owns a private villa on the island, he also has a mistress and a daughter there. Irene and her grown sons, both dealing with some personal issues of their own, travel to the island, only to fall in love, both with St. John itself and some of its inhabitants.

The story continues in What Happens in Paradise, and wraps up in Trouble in Paradise as Irene and her sons learn the truth about Russ’s involvement in the illegal activities that brought him to the island frequently, settle their romantic lives, and survive a hurricane, based on the real hurricanes that hit the island in 2017.

While I thought Winter in Paradise was a good wrap-up to the series, I wish we had seen more of some characters and less of others, as there are a few new players in this book that I felt weren’t necessary. I did like the cameo by one of the characters from the Winter series, which I loved.

The island of St. John and its neighboring islands are once again front-and-center in this book, and having visited the area several years ago it definitely made me want to go back. My husband and son were fortunate to visit the USVI this summer and even ate pizza from the Pizza Pi boat mentioned in the books, so that was a fun link.

As this is the third book in a trilogy, I highly recommend reading the first two books first to fully understand the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Troubles in Paradise.

Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hildernbrand is book three in her Paradise series. The author does a great job of catching you up on what’s happened with these characters since book 2. Irene and her family are still reeling from the sudden loss of her husband as well as the unearthing of his secret island life. Now Theresa hurricane quickly approaching that could alter the course of their lives even more. I enjoyed seeing namesfrom other series pop up in this book. Read and enjoy!

Last book in this trilogy is a WINNER!! I absolutely loved this departure from Nantucket to the beautiful islands of the Caribbean for a story that is more about the bonds of family than the privileges of wealth. And I loved the cameo appearance by a fave character from the Winter Street series at the end! You’ll have to read it to find out who shows up on the island.

A nice, happy, satisfying ending to this series. I definitely needed something light and fluffy with all that's going on in the world right now and this was perfect. Nice to revisit characters I have grown to enjoy and even one from another series thrown in there at the end.

Elin Hilderbrand's third "Paradise" book did not disappoint! Irene, Baker, and Cash Steele have all moved to St. John to begin new chapters in their lives. Each of these characters is relatable and I found myself constantly rooting for them. It's hard to review the book without giving away spoilers, so I'll just end with if you like Elin Hilderbrand's novels, you should definitely check out this trilogy. And if you've read the first two Paradise books, then you have to read this book to find out how it ends for the Steel Family!

Troubles in Paradise is the 3rd and final instalment of the Paradise series. We catch up with all our favourites - Huck, Maia & Irene, Baker & Floyd, Cash and Ayers, and a couple other new characters and old faces who keep things interesting. The Steele condo has been expropriated by the FBI, leaving the family scrambling to find places to live, as the mystery behind Rosie & Russ’s death begins to come to light. Add in a pregnancy and a hurricane on the way and you have a heartwarming, humorous and happy conclusion to the trilogy.