Worth the Trouble (St. James #2)

I enjoy reading love stories and historical romantic fiction in my retirement. i chose these book (all three of the St.James siblings\’ stories) because I like also to see where the characters\’ stories go after the conclusion of the book. So far as the storyline was concerned, it was really good, as were those of the other two siblings, but I didn\’t think the episode of explicit sex when David and Vivi finally come together was necessary. And I thought it disturbed the tapestry of emotional and social upheaval that Beck had created. She did this in the other two sequels as well. I would caution those contemplating the book to go with the understanding that, if explicit sex bothers you, dont buy these!

The second book in the St. James series features Cat, the supermodel sister. She\’s coming to the end of her career as a model and decides branding, using her name, to promote products is the way to go. She also receives some devastating news that makes her doubt settling down in a relationship and having a family. Meanwhile, Hank Mitchell, the carpenter and furniture-maker who works for Cat\’s brother, is still fascinated by her though she blew him off in the past. I loved the first book but had some trouble with Cat and her attitude in that story. She\’s a little better here, but not by much. Hank was a sweetie and here he continues to be a guy any woman would love. Their relationship never seemed all that real to me. I never really got what they saw in the other that would lead to a long-term relationship. After a lot of angst between the two, the author never resolved that for me either. All of a sudden, everything is fine again without a lot of discussion about the issue that is the crux of Cat\’s problems. Honestly, I\’m more interested in Jackson\’s story, the next book. This was just okay for me.

This is the second of the St. James series, and I have to say it was not as enjoyable, to me, as the first book. In this, the characters have way too much manufactured angst. It got to be a little annoying, and slowed down the story considerably. Model Cat is getting long in the tooth for her career at age 28, and has just been given a troubling diagnosis. Carpenter Frank is desperately juggling care and funding for his alzheimer-ridden mother and his college student sister. I could only read a chapter or two at a time; I just couldn\’t sustain interest in these troubled people.

Worth the Trouble was a great follow-up to the peek at Cat and Hank we got in the first book in this series (Worth the Wait). Hank was pretty much the good guy I expected him to be, but Cat surprised me. Aloof and sarcastic in her brother\’s book, her diary entries and other actions in this story showed us her softer side and all of her insecurities. Although these two don\’t have much in common on the outside, they had exactly what the other needed. Cat could pamper Hank, who is always taking care of others. She also pushed him to take risks and make himself a priority now and then. Meanwhile Hank loved Cat for the person she was rather than what she looks like (which was a new experience for her). He gave her confidence that she had more to offer than her \”pretty face.\” I loved that it was so bumpy, and that their business venture didn\’t turn out all rosy. I also thought the topics of Alzheimer\’s and infertility were realistic and handled with sensitivity. And now that we know more about why Jackson had started drinking so much in book one, I can\’t wait to see what he does next, and who will love him enough to save him.

I love this author\’s work! Another really good story about the St James siblings and their trials and tribulations in finding true love. This time it\’s about Cat, who is afraid to allow herself to even look for love because of all the bad choices she\’s made before in men. She had a short-lived flirtation with her brother, Jackson\’s friend/employee but she had botched that up the previous year when she went running back in to a really bad relationship. Now she gets the chance to try again with Hank (said brother\’s friend/employee) and this book is about their business venture and personal relationship. I read this book in one sitting because I couldn\’t put it down…. I highly recommend this book.

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