Member Reviews

Great book, love this author and how they can keep my attention to the end! The plot is well developed, characters are believable and they obviously paid attention to detail to make the story worth your time to read.

Was this review helpful?

This book had all the right pieces to make it a great and interesting read, however, I could not stand Sara. She was a self-entitled witch and Hunter could have done so much better, It was really frustrating to dislike a character so much.

Was this review helpful?

What do we really know? About ourselves? About others? About relationships we are involved in and ones we observe? What judgments do we make? Where do we place blame when things go wrong? Who do we give credit to when they go right? What is true compromise? Is there ever a true 50/50 compromise?

So many questions that don’t always have easy answers. Sara and Hunter have hit a rough patch in so many areas of their marriage and life. They have lost their way together and individually. They hold grudges, don’t feel heard, are angry, sad, judgmental, and don’t seem to be able to truly connect with one another. When Sara leaves, both she and Hunter have to face many truths about themselves and about each other and about their marriage.

“All We Knew,” asks the reader to question their own values, beliefs, situations and relationships as they go through Sara and Hunter’s journey. A realistic read with relatable characters. A great stand alone abs addition as the next novel in this series.

Rating: 4.7
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

** I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

***This review originally appeared with RT BOOK REVIEWS***

Second in Beck’s The Cabots series, _All We Knew_ works better as women’s fiction than a traditional romance, but it does work. This Cabot couple is luckier than most people: they have a relationship to envy, supportive family, and a lifestyle of moderate wealth. But they’ve reached a point in their marriage where their expectations are not panning out, and their individual desperations come into conflict. Told in alternating points of view, Sara’s voice rings a little truer but it’s a fitting device to tell the story of two people who have come apart, and how they find their way back together. There’s a touch of “The Gift of the Magi” in Hunter and Sara’s search for grace. Readers may find the main characters a touch one-dimensional, and the characterization would benefit from more action and less introspection.

SUMMARY: What happens after the happily ever after, when nothing is turning out the way you thought it would? Sara’s dreams of a big cozy family falters when she and Hunter begin to struggle with infertility, and Hunter’s expectation of taking the helm of the family business turns into a fight he didn’t expect. _All We Knew_ is a moving examination of that moment in a marriage when the couple must decide if their commitment is to a vision of married life… or to each other.

Was this review helpful?

This book was an emotional read for me. IVF is such a personal thing to go through and Sara and Hunter broke my heart as they navigated through their journey. Marriage is hard and when you meet in college and 14 years pass, you change as people and as a couple. Hunter and Sara have some tough things to face in this book and my heart went out to them. I thought the writing was great and I definitely shed a few tears. The Cabot family is one that is pretty dysfunctional, but yet, they love each other. I can't wait to see what Gentry's book brings and where this family is headed. I've really enjoyed the first two books in the series. This could be read as a standalone, but I think you get more out of it, if you read book 1 first.

Was this review helpful?

I didn’t get a chance to read this book. I have the first one and will read it then read this one. I’m very very sorry for this. I wish I would have checked before asking then I would have known to read book one first.

Was this review helpful?

What a great addition to a great series. A truly emotional book. It has its ups and downs. Marriage is hard work and this book will bring you through the highs and lows. Family fights and happy endings. 5 star read.

Was this review helpful?

This is a great addition to the Cabot series that is sure to make you shed a tear or two. This installment follows Hunter and Sara who are facing difficulties in their marriage stemming from infertility issues and the family business. We are taken along the roller coaster of a journey as the family deals with their individual issues and how they affect those around them. Sometimes what is best for us isn't what is best for everybody else and this story really explores that. Jamie Beck does a marvelous job creating characters that we can relate to and sympathize with even when we don't agree with them. This is an enjoyable read that touches on all your emotions!

Was this review helpful?

Sara and Hunter Cabot have loved each other for a long time. But the years of trying so hard to become parents have taken a toll on their marriage. The strain has been added to by the time Hunter devotes to the family’s international tea business. The love between them is as strong as ever but with Hunter under siege at work from his manipulative step-mother and Sara feeling as though he’s never around, things seem to be falling apart. Can they find a way to stay together and move past all the obstacles pulling them apart?



The first time I read about Sara and Hunter in the first The Cabots book, Before I Knew. Hunter and Sara had issues that real life couples face, making in turns heartbreaking and uplifting. Jamie Beck penned a story of two people who love each other with true depth but have a marriage that is failing from different stresses. Watching them find their way back to each other made for great reading. The Cabots series is not to be missed and I’ve just loaded up the third book in the series When You Knew and I can’t wait to get started.

Was this review helpful?

This book was fascinating! It kept me riveted until the very end. All the feels are here, elation, despair, hope, anger and desire of revenge. In the previous book, I loved Hunter and Sara, so I was very happy to read their story. It was as angsty as the previous one, with the happy addition that the characters in this one are much nicer, and the general vibe is happier with a side of angst.

Hunter and Sara have been married for fifteen years and have had a fantastic marriage. Hunter is very involved in his job as CFO of Cabot Tea and at the moment is dealing with a tense sellout attempt by his father and his second wife Jenna. A lot of his attention is diverted towards his effort to stop the sale, but at the same time, Sara is undergoing fertility treatments. She waited a long time to get pregnant because she and Hunter had decided to enjoy their marriage and when they decided to procreate, her body didn’t cooperate. For the past two years, Sara’s priority is to get pregnant. So from the get-go, we know there’s going to be conflict between these two.

As the book progresses, Hunter’s and Sara’s communication deteriorates because each is pulling to their side, they each understand that their goal has a higher priority. Sara had always been able to pull Hunter away from work and force him to participate in family stuff, but since his father and stepmother are the ones pushing to sell, there’s an all out war that is pulling the family apart.

Sara is such a beautiful character; considerate, funny, loving, generous, kind.  Hunter knew he was lucky to have her.  Hunter was intense, driven, and he loved his wife with all his being.  I loved to read about how Sara was his world.

In the middle of all the family strife, Colby, Hunter’s sister, is happy with Alec and their restaurant is enjoying success. As before, she is supporting to Hunter and sides with him in all Cabot Tea issues. She’s also very supportive to Sara and shares with her all her hopes and dreams. She’s very diplomatic and tries to help everyone. Gentry, the flighty and irresponsible younger half-sister, throws a wrench in the middle of the battle.

All the issues go in a crescendo mode, where Sara feels abandoned by her husband in her quest, her failures and her new interests, Hunter feels harassed by everyone in his family who wants something from him and he’s too stressed and busy to satisfy any demands, and he feels sort of abandoned and betrayed by his wife, who looks at all the side and sees the pros and cons. Hunter has turned obsessive towards one goal in detriment to all the other goals they had as a couple. At one time, I thought they were both being too obsessed by their personal agendas and selfish and blind to the other’s needs and desires. It was a very tense and volatile period and I just wanted something to give because the pace of the book was relentless. I got a little tired of Hunter’s controlling manner too.

I won’t comment on what happens because it would spoil the story but suffice to say that there are very intense and emotional moments. The family strife doesn’t let on for a lot of the book. Everyone had a lot of growing to do: Hunter, Sara, his father, Jenna, and Gentry. In a sudden moment of clarity, when Hunter was touching the bottom of despair, I loved how he allowed his emotion to clear the way towards Sara. I loved that throughout the whole book, the love and devotion that Hunter and Sara felt towards each other never flagged, there was never any doubt that they loved and were loved. They were just lost for a while. I totally loved this book, it was heartfelt and angsty and loving. This author writes great characters, with flaws and strengths and humanity. Can’t wait for Gentry’s book!

Was this review helpful?

A tense return to the Cabot Family world.
Emotions and mixed signals run high in a frustrating turn in the characters marriage.
A great storyline and premise, though I found it repetitive at times. Refreshing to read a story about after the ‘I Do’

I look forward to reading Gentry’s story with anticipation.

Was this review helpful?

​​​​​All We Knew by Jamie Beck, is about the trials and tribulations of the Cabot family. The primary focus of this story is on Hunter Cabot and his wife Sara Daly Cabot. They met in college and fourteen years later, they are still madly in love. I was able to identify with the couple's struggle with infertility, as well as the many pressures that arise as an executive in the corporate workplace. This is the second book from the author's Cabots series and it can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Hunter is the CFO of his family's successful international tea company, with the dream of taking over the reigns at the time of his father's retirement. Hunter never thought he would be fighting for his marriage or his job at this time in his life. Sara had no idea that getting pregnant would be so difficult, so with her dream of having a family fading, she immerses herself in other things, which includes being a thorn in Hunter's side at times.

This is a well-conceived novel with an engaging plot and nicely-defined characters. I found Sara and Hunter to be intelligent and real, and I admired how they supported each other through both thick and thin. Due to great descriptive writing, I was able to engross myself in Hunter's stepmother's antagonistic nastiness, his father's dormancy, and his stepsister's lack of accountability. Overall, this is an exciting and slightly emotional novel that twists and turns in all the right places.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Was this review helpful?

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars
M/F Rekindling Romance
Triggers: Infertility, Adoption, Drug addiction.

This is a story that is wrought with emotion. I cried more than once during this book and it was an emotional rollercoaster.

Hunter and Sara have been married for a while and are ready for their next adventure. Sara's desire to be a mom is overwhelming for her. Unfortunately, they are met with infertility. It's crushing for both of them, but Sara is much more outwardly upset about the outcomes.

Meanwhile, Hunter is trying to figure out why his father is going back on a promise to keep their business in the family. He's frustrated, hurt, and only knows that his legacy is in jeopardy.

Throw in Hunter's crazy family dynamic, and Sara can't help but be the calming voice for all. The dynamic between Hunter and Sara is strained throughout this story and it's like watching a car wreck, but unable to look away.

When Sara finds something that she's passionate about, she throws herself in to it. However, disappointment is again shadowing her life.

Hunter is under more and more pressure to keep his company in the family, but his father becomes ill and then it's a struggle to show loyalty to his father or ensure that the company stays in the family. His dad's new wife and daughter, Gentry, throw in their own drama and you can't help but feel sorry for Hunter. His family is a mess.

Feelings are hurt, people taken for granted, and lives are upended. This book puts you through an emotional ringer and in the end, it's up to Sara and Hunter to figure out whether or not love truly is enough. Sometimes, love just isn't enough.

I hope that Gentry gets a book, as she seems to need some grounding. This was an emotional read, but it was well developed and kept you on your toes.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
This book was a true and honest look at relationships and how, at times, love does not conquer all. I thought the emotions portrayed by both Hunter and Sara were genuine and real. Each person had a unique view of how others’ behavior affected them, yet not seeming to realize that their behavior could be hurtful to the other.

Seeing Hunter and Sara work through their problems, the realness of it all, came through loud and clear.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars of moving, emotional, and complicated real life

This is the second book in the series. I would definitely recommend that you read them in order, as you will understand the family dynamics better, and meet Hunter and Sara before the story focusses on them. It is also a very good emotional read about Colby's past, present, and future.

What Ms. Beck has a great talent for as a writer, is getting under the skin of the lead characters, and laying their emotions open to the reader. Every layer gets unpeeled and somehow neither Hunter nor Sara come out on the right or wrong side. They just have such a different viewpoint and have lost the ability to empathise with the other. They are protective, nurturing, and clearly love each other, but somehow they have lost the ability to communicate their own needs, wants, and desires. It is beautifully written, and deeply saddening as their difficulties pile up and start to bury them.

All of the family members matter in these books, both in the family tea business and their relationships, and have significant impact on how the stories progress. The exchanges can be really valuable, but also really painful. After reading the book, I was quite relieved not to have such complicated interactions with my kin!

At the heart of this book is a love story between two people which has lasted fourteen years, and as it hits a really rough patch, they need to dig deep, and work at continuing to be a loving, happy couple. The struggle is real, the resolution is hard won on both sides, and the outcome is perfect. Thank you, Ms. Beck.

Was this review helpful?

An emotional read to say the least. Love that Cabot family.
There are issues such as infertility and drug use. When things don't go as planned its always a difficult situation
In reading this I so wanted to give Sara and Hunter hugs.

Was this review helpful?

An awesome emotional journey that you will go on with Sara and Hunter. Sara and Hunter have been in love since college, they had their lives planned out until there was a derailment in their plans. Sara could not get pregnant and Hunter became more invested in his father's tea company now that his dad is considering a buyout. They both can't deny they are in love but there is a distance growing between them and is love enough?

This is book that I could not put down, so much family drama along with the loving romance of Sara and Hunter. Please have a box of kleenex handy, they will be needed. I'm so looking forward to Gentry's story. This is book 2 in Cabots but can be read as a stand alone. I highly recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

Why in hell is this book labeled a romance?!?! GAH! This gut wrenching, heartbreaking story of family dysfunction and infertility had me unable to turn my Kindle off. If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted, amusing story about a couple finding their way back to each other, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. What you’ll read instead is a page-turning, angst-filled drama of epic proportions.

Sara and Hunter are college sweethearts, together for 14 years. But lots of things have played havoc with their once-happy union: difficult extended family situations, the family business, and perhaps the most stressful - Sara’s inability to get pregnant. We don’t get to see much of the happy part of Sara and Hunter’s past, and watching things deteriorate from not good to really bad was so hard. Yet, I couldn’t put this book down - there’s nothing like having a front-row seat to a trainwreck to keep you riveted and engrossed!

Like I said, I’m not sure how this is a romance. I see All We Knew (and the whole The Cabots series) as more of a family saga. This book happens to focus on the middle Cabot child - Hunter - but there’s so much involved with Sara and Hunter’s relationship that has to do with the whole Cabot family. At every twist and turn there’s more and more hurt and heartbreak, and I really wasn’t sure if everything was going to turn out okay. (Spoiler alert: it does! So maybe it is a romance after all…)

Their story was also an interesting look at what happens when a couple loses their dreams and has to cope with a life different than the one they planned for. Sara has always wanted to be a mother, but after failed fertility treatments has to figure out what is going to give her life meaning. Hunter has spent his whole life planning to have a career at the family business working side by side with his father, but when that’s threatened, it sends him into a tailspin. While I certainly felt for Sara and her situation, I felt even more for Hunter - his career was in jeopardy, and things at home were falling apart faster than he could mend things. It was easy to sympathize with them both because everything in their lives was so stressful and complicated.

This was my first Jamie Beck book, but it most certainly won’t be my last. The plot was riveting, the characters compelling, and I loved the realistic portrayal of a couple in love who has hit a really rough spot, and how they worked through things. This is the kind of story I love to read - even if it was a much deeper, heavier story than I was expecting!

*thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

Heartfelt Stars

All We Knew by Jamie Beck is an emotional and heartfelt read.
The writing is well done, the storyline brought out the feels and the characters Hunter and Sara were passionate people who needed to take a step back from real life and remember that without honest communication their relationship would never survive everything that had been thrown at them.

All We Knew is the second book from The Cabots series by Jamie Beck, each book can be read as a standalone and I highly recommend them.

*A big thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy*

Was this review helpful?

Jamie Beck is a great author and I've read her books before. I felt this wasn't quite up to her norm.
Aside from tackling some very difficult issues which she did so well, the book lacked for me.
The characters weren't likable, I did like Hunter's father. The man of few words and dealing with his illness was an excellent portrayal of exactly how unpredictable that disease can be. That was perfect.
While I understand fully what it's like to be unable to conceive, I thought Sarah was totally over the top. Hunter was selfish and self centered and Gentry..... was Gentry. There was just too much going on to fully appreciate this story's plot line. I felt she threw too many things into the story, I found them distracting. Again, she writes well and some of that translates well so that's a huge plus.
The dialogue, redundant. Those two have been married for 14 years and their problem? Failure to communicate. On both ends. Leave out the crazy family crap and her family and the rest of it.
The story boiled down to the two of them. Wrapped up a little too tidy for me also,but that's ok. Leading into Gentry's story was a good loop.

**arc from NetGalley and Montlake in exchange for an honest review**

Was this review helpful?

Hunter Cabot is really married to his job, his wife Sara is trying to pull him back to her. They are dealing with fertility issues and she feels she is losing him. Sara decides to volunteer in order to deal with her issues. While Hunter is dealing with trying to keep his fathers company. There are real issues in this story but in the end they all turn out the way they were meant to be.
This is the second book in the series and can be read as a stand alone

** I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Was this review helpful?