What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand- Battle of the Book

As one could guess by the title of this post, I'm bringing back the Battle of the Book!!
I just found out from Jessica what her stance on the book was and I think that warrants the different opinions on the same title.  

Why not at least make it fun to blog, you know?

What Happens in Paradise is the second book in the Paradise series by Elin Hilderbrand.  The first book in the series is Winter in Paradise.  This series is marked as being a trilogy but it seems that the second book has the flexibility of almost being a standalone novel.  You're able to read this book if you haven't read the first one- you'll be able to understand what's presented and you won't feel like you're missing anything. 

The first book in the series is Winter in Paradise.  This series is marked as being a trilogy but it seems that the second book has the flexibility of almost being a standalone novel.  You're able to read this book if you haven't read the first one- you'll be able to understand what's presented and you won't feel like you're missing anything. 

Starting back in Iowa, the reader catches up with Cash and Irene.  Cash wakes up in his mother's house, jobless and Irene is starting to make notification about Russ's death.  

While Baker is in Texas coming to terms with Anna's request to file for divorce. 

In a strange twist of fate, these three Steele’s find themselves back down in St. John’s as a way to heal. 

Cash picks up a job with Ayers on the boat giving tours and Irene helps out Huck by going to work on his fishing boat. Baker’s reason to be down there seems a little far fetched for me but if it works, it works. 

While there was some soul searching being done at Little Cinnamon, there was some searching that Ayers was doing on her own. 

Ayers was given the opportunity to help with Rosie’s belongings. In doing so, Ayers stumbles upon diaries that had been kept by Rosie, from the time that she 18 until when she died. Rosie didn’t write down everything that happened everyday but she wrote down some major and pivotal events. 

What Ayers learns turns everything upside down. 

There are more twists and turn in this book than in the first one but I liked this one more.  I say that because I liked reading Rosie's journal entries.  I liked the complexities of Russ's life and finding things out. 

There's one character that I didn't care for in the first book and I didn't care for that character now is Baker.  I found him to be whiny and pretentious and I don't like how he's uprooting him and his young son to be close to a girl who doesn't seem to be super interested in him? (Though I'm happy that Cash seemed to have found someone).

That's my only complaint!

I would definitely recommend this book and for that.... 5 coffee beans out of 5! :) 

- Jillian