I love the saint squad series by Traci Hunter Abramson, so I was thrilled to get to read Jim and Katherine. We get know them as the parents and side characters for most of the series. Reading about them and how they fell in love was a treat. I love that we know their "happy ending" so the angst I felt during conflicts in their story was mitigated by the known outcome. Jim was just a younger version of the amazing dad and politician I grew to know from the series. Katherine was more unknown to me so it was delightful to get to meet her. Their love story was sweet and met all the expectations I had going into the book. I love the characters even more now that I know their back story!

Jim and Katherine is a story showcasing the romance of the mother and father who are prominent characters in Ms. Abramson's Saint Squad series. Some might call it a near-history fiction, since it takes place in the 80s, but it doesn’t seem so long ago! I admit, it was fun to remember some of the things from that era like floppy discs, classified ads, and landlines.

Jim Whitmore dreams of being president one day. He becomes acquainted with a Congressman’s daughter, Katherine, and is intrigued by her down-to-earth demeanor and easy sense of humor. They soon become close, but Katherine isn’t sure she can date someone with political aspirations. It’s difficult enough being the daughter of a Congressman when all she wants is a private life and her own bakery. (And readers will definitely be craving cinnamon rolls after reading this book!) But Katherine’s pull to Jim is something she can’t ignore, even when he’s accused of theft. Will they be able to weather this storm together or will it push them apart?

This is a sweet romance with plenty of hints toward what awaits them in future books, giving readers a glimpse into events that shaped Jim and Katherine and what they had to overcome. Jim is perfect in every way, honest and upright, and anxious to do all he can to win Katherine’s love. Katherine is trying to find her own way, reconciling her own hopes with what is expected of her. Jim is a good support to her in that respect, showing her the options, and helping her feel strong enough to face hard things in her life. The theft and other accusations against Jim add a nice element of suspense and readers will enjoy unraveling the mystery of who is behind everything right along with the characters. Fans of the Saint Squad series will definitely enjoy this tender love story between their beloved Jim and Katherine.

Senator James “Jim” Whitmore and his wife Katherine are fixture side characters in so many of Traci Hunter Abramson’s books. I think between the Undercurrents series and Saint Squad series all of their kids have been married off. (I’ve read them all.) They’ve also welcomed others as part of the family without blood ties. This is the chance to tell how they met and fell in love.

Jim is invited by his friend Abigail to her family home for a weekend when her boyfriend is unavailable. There he meets Abigail’s sister Katherine. Their father is a congressman and Jim has political ambitions himself. But for now he is in college with plans for law school before a life in politics. Katherine loves her family but is careful around anyone she sees who might be interested in her because of her dad. There is some extra drama when Jim is accused of something he didn’t do that may have an impact on her father’s next campaign.

This is easy to read and enjoyable. It is a gentle, clean, kissing only romance. I think I would have enjoyed a few more 80s references to firmly set the time period but there are some. I thought the cover was a nice photo but it looked more European than Virginia or Washington DC where the book is set. This can be read on its own but it is a gift to Abramson’s readers who know Jim and Katherine as wise and doting parents and honest political leaders.

I loved reading about Jim and Katherine, characters that appear in several of Traci Hunter Abramson's series of books. Jim and Katherine each have different ideas of summer jobs even though Katherine's father has already lined her up with a job. Katherine longs to work in a bakery instead of being a secretary for a financial firm. Jim finds an advertisement for a bakery that hires Katherine, and Jim takes the job at the financial firm. When Jim finds discrepancies things start to get crazy. 1I stayed up way too late until I finished the book,

I loved this new book by Traci Hunter Abramson! Jim and Katherine Witmore are reoccurring characters throughout most of Abramson’s books. I really loved getting to read their story of how they met and fell in love.
If you are a fan of Traci Abramson this is one you don’t want to miss.! It also is great as a stand alone since it is a prequel to Abramson’s other books.
Give this one a try. You won’t regret it!