4.5 stars

I really enjoyed When You Knew by Jamie Beck.

From the first few pages I was hooked, the storyline is entertaining, it's well written and the drama just enough to keep you turning the pages.
Gentry and Ian are strong, passionate characters that truly belonged together. They were able to bring brightness, love and respect into each others lives and they warmed my heart watching them come together.

When You Knew is the third book in The Cabots series, each book can be read as a standalone and I highly recommend them all.

*Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

Well, this was lovely.

This time we meet Gentry and Ian. She’s kind of the odd man out of her family, so she find it really hard to ask for help when the time comes to raise her son. There were also family expectations she felt the need to fulfill and I hated she felt inferior a lot of times.

Anyway, she does end up asking for help and in that she hires Ian to be the nanny of her child, he’s a doctor in need of money and something to do before he heads back to Haiti to help.

I liked Gentry and really felt for her and situation. Yes, she didn’t have financial troubles so in many ways she had a bit easy, however I hated that everyone kind of expected her to fail at this motherhood thing. I felt that at first they didn’t give her a chance, which sucked because she really wanted a good life for her and her son, even when she made mistakes.

As for Ian, I wasn’t much of a fan of his at first. To me, he came off incredibly judgmental towards anything Gentry and her world, it pissed me off. At least he gave her a chance and saw that she wasn’t what he expected.

There were also other issues here and there, but mostly it was about Gentry finding what made her happy and what was best for her son; and for Ian to see things are not just black and white, you’re not just good or bad.

All in all, a lovely read and a great addition to the series.

*Thank you to the author for providing a copy for which I’m giving my honest opinion*

Another amazing Jamie Beck book out of the Cabot Series. I read the previous 2 books and have been anticipating the newest book for months and it 100% didn’t disappoint. The characters are believable and well formed, having read the previous 2 books I was familiar with the characters but in my eyes this book can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone as well. I inhaled every page and loved that Gentry got her happily ever after in the end after being the wild child in the previous books.
I’m looking forward to many more Jamie Beck novels in the future. Keep going Jamie :)

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance

Gentry has always been on the outside, looking in. She was envious of her half siblings and even though they have never had a close relationship, she has always tried to get their approval. She has also sought the approval of her mother – something she has wanted her whole life. When Gentry winds up pregnant from a fling, everyone in her family seems to have an opinion. Gentry knows that she has to step up and be the mother that she never had. When reality sets in and she realizes how difficult it is, she knows that her family will be all too willing to say, "I told you so."

When Colton needs to see a doctor, at the behest of her sister-in-law, Gentry allows for Ian, an EMT that Sarah knows, to come and check Colton. That starts this strange relationship between Ian, a person who has dedicated his life to serving others, and Gentry, someone who was given a lot, but never the thing she truly wanted.

Ian judges Gentry's lifestyle right away. Having grown up under the direction that luxury is something to be ashamed of, he has a difficult time even sleeping on a bed. What he begins to realize, when he spends more time with Gentry is that even though she might have a luxurious life in things, her life is poor in love and relationships. When Gentry questions Ian about his reasons why he has lived his life in service, Ian is not quite willing to look in on himself – he's not liking what he's concluding.

This is a story about learning that sometimes, you have to do what is right for you and your own family. Sometimes, seeking approval will only result in disappointment and finally, standing up for yourself is absolutely necessary. Ian and Gentry's journey was a push-pull of grey areas and in the end, both have to decide if being together is truly what will be best for themselves and each other.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third book in the Cabot series, and each builds wonderfully on the last. For that reason, I would definitely recommend that you read them in order. Here we get Gentry’s story now that she is a new mum. Having changed her mind and kept her baby, she is always worrying that she did not do the best for her son.

Gentry has so many hang-ups from her childhood, many of which seem entirely justified I must say! Her half siblings are so together, and her parents run Cabot Tea with one of them. She feels obliged to work there too, but it is not what she wants from life, especially now she is utterly in love with her baby son. When fate decrees that she needs a temporary nanny, Ian comes to mind. He is soon to leave for Haiti, but as an EMT he will care well for Colt.

Ian has been following his father’s dream for decades, and can see no way past it, even though his feelings for Gentry (and Colt) have grown as he lives with them. There is just too much he still has to do in Haiti.

As these two people try and work out what is going on between them, other forces come into play. I love the chaos and yet they rely on each other for calm. We also get an update on Sara and Hunter, and get to enjoy Colby and Alec’s wedding. Gorgeous new installment, thank you.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
Gentry's decision to keep her son has caused waves in her family and she doesn't know if there's any calm in this storm. She's determined to be a better mother than her own, to give Colton everything she didn't have.

From the outside looking in, people would wonder what that might be. Gentry grew up in a wealthy family, with a mother and father who are leaders in the business world and two successful siblings. What she didn't have was the attention she craved from her mother, the closeness that she's seen other brothers and sisters have or the proud looks she's seen fathers give their daughters. Instead, she's been criticized, overlooked, and talked down to.

Her greatest fear is being a bad mother, so when her sister-in-law suggests that Colton needs to see a doctor, she gives in and allows Sara to call the EMT who helped deliver Colt. Ian arrives and suggests that she call the doctor. When the doctor confirms an ear infection, Gentry feels like a failure until she hires Ian as the nanny until Colt is well enough to go to daycare.

Ian is only in town to collect his things from his ex-fiancée before heading back to Haiti. He works in disaster areas, carrying on his father's legacy of helping others. When he agrees to help Gentry, its only to save enough money so that he can purchase a plane ticket back to Haiti to continue his relief work.

As he gets to know Gentry and Gentry asks questions about his own childhood, does he realize that he is not so different from her after all.

Loved Gentry and Ian. Gentry is the third child in the Cabot family, the wild one and not the rule follower. She is now a single mom, raising Colt, a colicky baby while facing the demands of the family business. She wants to prove to her family that she has matured and can handle both. Ian is a humanitarian worker, and trying to raise funds for Haiti. He is only home temporarily when he meets Gentry. He has agreed to be the nanny for Colt. They both can't deny the chemistry between them but both have different dreams for their future.

Loved how Gentry has matured and grown through out this series. Ian is just awesome all the way around. Always wanting to do the best, but so happy on his final decisions. It was great to catch up with the other members of the Cabot family, it's hard to say good bye.

I highly recommend this book, part of series but can be read as a stand alone.

Gentry's was the story I was most looking forward to out of all the Cabot's. I knew there had to more than the rule-breaking, tattooed, wild child and that was definitely true!!

I was heartbroken for Gentry and Sarah during All We Knew and I thought that this book was going to be full of drama because of the events in the previous book. While yes, there's some drama (duh, it's Gentry), I was surprised by how little of it there is. This book was all about growth and becoming the person you are meant to be, both for Gentry and Ian. Their journey is a pleasure to read. I'd be happy to never see an end to the Cabots series but this book truly was the perfect end to this family's story.

When You Knew was thoroughly enjoyable!! A new to me author, Jamie Beck created a story that was both heartwarming and filled with just the amount of humor. I loved getting to know Gentry Cabot and her unconditional ways. She is a true maverick in every single way and her spirit is infectious. Ian Crawford as her unexpected love interest was quietly charming and had the compassion not only for his selfless work in Haiti but for the bedraggled Gentry and her newborn son. They had a chemistry that although slow to fully simmer, was evident even from the start.

I found myself enjoying all the details the author divulged with respect to charity work in impoverished nations such as Haiti and her research gave hope for the Haitian people. Ian had his heart clearly in two places and it was hard at times watching as he tried to deny his feelings for Gentry and the adorable Colt while wanting to do right by his late father. Not to mention Gentry's mother always making her feel inept and unqualified to be a part of the Cabot Tea empire.

Although they may have not planned to ever be a part of each other's lives, fate clearly had a hand in Gentry and Ian's lives and the author used that in the most clever of ways throughout this book. I loved the titles and dictionary explanations for each chapter and how they relayed to Gentry's life at that moment.

My only issue is the 3rd person narrative. It held me back more than once from really knowing these characters through and through but I will admit the author's writing is impeccable and it kept my interest. But it was hard to get into at first, not fulling being inside the character's heads.

I will not hesitate to read more from this author and perhaps I will even venture to grab the first two books in this series to get the whole story of the family Cabot.

A solid 4 stars!

I reviewed this book through Netgalley. This was my favorite of the Cabot series. I didn’t think I would be excited about Gentry’s book at first, because she was pretty unlikable in book 2. But she won me over, and I was happy to see her become a mother, and the ways it made her mature and grow. She was forced to think about someone other than herself, which is what she spent the first two books doing.

I liked Ian, as well, and his complicated backstory. This wasn’t just a guy afraid of commitment. He had issues to match Gentry’s, and I was glad to see them both work them out so they could be together.

I liked the added suspense of ‘Will Gentry find the father of her baby, and how will he fit into life she wanted with Ian?’

This was a very well-written book, as I’ve come to expect from Jamie Beck. She is one of my favorite authors and I am very satisfied with the ending of the Cabot series.

I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I liked Gentry, now that she’s a mom. Having read the previous books in the series, I had my doubts as to whether or not the birth of her son would make her grow up emotionally. Baby Colt brings out a softer side of Gentry and made her very likable for this reader.
I liked her chemistry with Ian, who himself was a very likable character and the perfect opposites attract foil for Gentry. My only complaint where Ian was concerned wasn’t about Ian himself, it was more about the constant references to Haiti and how he needed money to get back there. Yes, he’s a humanitarian, but I understood the first time it was mentioned.
My complaint about book 2 was that the family drama overshadowed the couple’s (Sara and Hunter) story. I didn’t feel that way with this book. Maybe because I liked this couple more? Not totally sure.
Overall, a very enjoyable read, glad I finished out the series on a high note.
Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.

Gentry is a single mother struggling to fit in with her family of over achievers. She's trying to fit in with the workers at her family's tea company. Ian is struggling to live up to his father's name & reputation. He's trying to get a humanitarian organization setup & running in Haiti. Ian moves into help Gentry with her colicky son, Colt, & earn some money to help with his mission. Neither expected the chemistry & attraction to flare up.

I enjoyed this book. Gentry & Ian are both searching for their place in life. They both have blinders on thinking the path they are taking is the only way to get what they want. I love that the opened each other's eyes to other possibilities but at a realistic time frame rather than an immediate agreement. The interactions between each of the main characters & their families were very telling about why they act & react the way they do.

What fun to return to Portland, Oregon and the Cabot family. Jamie Beck does such a great job of capturing the character's emotions and making you instantly a part of the Cabot family. I wanted to laugh and cry right along with Gentry Cabot. You get to watch Gentry grow up as she cares for her new baby who has colic. You can feel her anguish at juggling going back to working in the family tea business and being a single parent to Colton. You can also identify with her being the baby in her family and having two older half siblings who still sometimes think of her as the baby sister who makes mistakes. It is so hard for her to get along with her mother too. You have to read this book and the other books in this series. You will not be disappointed! I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

bookshelves: 2018-reading-challenge, read-2, winners

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley for my unbiased opinion of the book. I really enjoyed the second book in this series. The first one I thought was lacking. This book made up for it. Hunter Cabot is overdriven when it comes to the family business and his wife Sara main goal is to get pregnant. She is trying to keep the marriage and family together after a few miscarriages and possible sale of the family business. Hunters ambition will cause a serious rift in the marriage. I do not want to say much more. I could not put this book down read in less than a day! I look forward to Gentry's book.

​​​​​When You Knew by Jamie Beck, is about the trials and tribulations of the Cabot family. The primary focus of this story is on Gentry Cabot, her infant and colicky son Colton, and Ian Crawford, a humanitarian worker and EMT. Gentry is a single mom, working on a new launch for her family's tea company. She doesn't like her job very much, and would rather earn a living developing her amazing photography talent, while expanding her blog for new mothers. She meets Ian through her sister-in-law, and they share an immediate attraction. Ian is back home in Oregon after spending a lot of time helping the less fortunate in Haiti. He needs money to support himself, while finding sponsors to support his humanitarian efforts. He ends up becoming Colton's temporary nanny, which results in he and Gentry falling into longing and love.

I liked this book and Ms. Beck does a terrific job of introducing and developing the characters. However, this story did not capture my attention in the same way that the earlier books did. I found the pace to be slow and the plot to be repetitive. This is the third and final book from the author's Cabots series and it can be read as a standalone.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

I liked this book in the series better than the last. There wasn't as much doom and gloom and emotional lows as in the second book. It felt more like a romance. I loved Beck's portrayal of Gentry as she dealt with a baby with colic all by herself. The male character, Ian, comes to her door and she is in a ratty bathrobe with spit up and other related gross baby things adorning her body that hadn't seen the shower in days.
I also loved the honesty of Gentry feeling so inadequate as a mother when other's seem to be able to handle her son and everyday life at thebetter than she does. Beck hits on the insecurities of all mothers. Gentry also has feelings of inadequacies and seclusion from her family.
Ian helps her take huge steps in helping her deal with things. Unfortunately, as the "temporary nanny", he is falling in love with Gentry, her son and a way of life that he just doesn't believe he can take part in. He struggles with his own feelings of inadequacy and must come to terms with those before he can be a permanent part of anyone's life. The question is whether or not they can deal with their issues and heal themselves enough to have a life together.

It’s sweet, heartwarming and full of hope. It’s well written with characters you will love. I enjoyed the connection and chemistry between the characters. I enjoyed reading their journey as they overcome insecurities. This story will pull at your heartstrings as it has you feeling all sorts of emotions and reading those heartbreaking moments. It’s an enjoyable read. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book.

When You Knew is the third book in The Cabot series and a great addition. When I received an invitation from the publisher, via Net-Galley, to read and review, I eagerly accepted since I enjoyed the first two books in this series a great deal. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

I thoroughly enjoyed When You Knew from the first page to the last. Ms. Beck’s writing is emotional and pulled at my heartstrings a lot. The plot is realistic and kept me flipping the pages on my Kindle, breathlessly waiting for what would come next.

I met Gentry’s character in the previous two books and found her an interesting character. She has a fun-loving, ready for anything side, but when she takes on motherhood, she craves acceptance from her family. She wants to be the best mother, a good sister and an accomplished business woman in the Cabot family business, although, her heart isn’t in it. I fell in love with her character and truly wanted her to find her happy ending.

Ian is a guilt-ridden hero with lots of baggage but in the most interesting way. I liked him from the start and loved his tender care of Gentry’s son. The infant is not easy since he is colicky and cries all the time. Ian is torn between his growing love for Gentry and her son and his determination to follow in his father’s footsteps, a man who was very much an absent father. Fortunately, he comes to his senses before it’s too late!

While Smith doesn’t have a big part in this story, his subplot is important since he is Gentry’s baby’s father. Gentry is torn between doing what is best for her son and following her heart. Her family puts pressure on her at work and her personal life choices. This makes for emotional reading at its best!

I truly loved Gentry and Ian as a couple. They are perfect for each other. The chemistry between them is blazing hot. The love scenes are well-written, focusing on the emotion and instead of the actual physical act. I loved this. I was so glad when they found their happy ending.

If you enjoy an emotionally-charged romance with engaging characters, then you will love When You Knew as much as I did. While this is the third book in this series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend reading the other two books since they are excellent as well. Happy reading!

When You Knew by Jamie Beck is the third book in a series about the Cabot family. The books focus on each sibling/family member in each of the different books. This book focuses on Gentry and Ian - and Colt, the baby.

Gentry Cabot thought she knew how motherhood was going to go, but she was wrong. It was much more exhausting than she ever realized. She knows her family is just waiting for her to fail and now she has to go back to work for the family and leave her precious baby. Colt is not ready for day care as he is running a fever. Gentry is able to come up with an unusual solution to move forward.

Ian Crawford is waiting to go back to haiti where he is working on starting an ambulance corp to help people stricken with illness and now way to get to help. The problem is he is out of money and needs to move forward. When Gentry asks him for help as a nanny, he jumps at the chance for the money, even as he feels guilty for the luxury her home offers him. Colt is a fussy baby who will grow out of the colicky stage soon, so why not take advantage of the money and the classy living.

The problem, they like each other a lot! Gentry doesn’t really want to work for her family and her mother is a pill. Ian is struggling with where and what form his life should take, living for his father’s dream or his. I enjoyed the characters and liked the story line. I actually went online and purchased the two previous novels knowing I would enjoy them.

When You Knew by Jamie Beck is a good read.

Well, I’m finally getting around to writing a review! Today I have a cute contemporary new adult/adult romance that is coming out tomorrow, called “When I Knew“ by Jamie Beck. To be noted, it is the third in a family series by Jamie Beck. You do NOT need to read the other books in order to read this one, in fact that’s what I did. I read this one first, not knowing there were other stories that connected, and I was actually sitting there wanting the background stories for the other couples mentioned. Luckily for me, there were, and I am in the middle of the first book in the series, “Before I Knew“.

Also I would like to thank Amazon Publishing for letting me have access to this title early, and getting able to read/review.

For starters, I am pretty much now hooked on this author’s books, and am going to try to read every single one of them. This book is one of those feel good contemporary romances filled with so much angst and sexual tension between the characters.

This story takes place with a young, single, and brand new mother. As the synopsis above says, Gentry’s prior life of being a bit of a rebel ends when she ends up having a baby. She wants to be the best mom for her son, and has trouble balancing being a mom and her own life. Ian Crawford, a friend of the family, comes around and Gentry hires him as her Nanny. The two of them, despite being extremely different, end up falling head over heels.

And this romance…oh this romance is so adorable. I absolutely loved the two characters interactions. Both characters have pretty extensive character development throughout the book, and they impact each others journeys to a sort of self discovery, who they’re meant to be. Not only are there romantic relationships, but this book also has heavy family relationships, as this is a series about the Cabot family. Gentry interacts with her brother and sister, and her mom and dad. I loved seeing a close family dynamic like I have at home, and seeing realistic family problems that they have to solve.

The writing style is very simple and easy to read, a perfect blend of dialogue as well as descriptors. I also was not bored at all whilst reading this book, I found myself extremely immersed in the story, wanting to be on my phone reading this book at all times. I’m really glad I discovered that there were other books in the series, and I’m almost done with the first in the series, and I probably will eventually make it to book two as well, and then read Jamie’s other series.

If you’re looking for a cute contemporary to read for the summer, this book is perfect. It does have sexual scenes and some parts are more appropriate for older readers.

Thank you again amazon for letting me review!

Wonderful read.
Gentry has always been a wild-child rebel and family loner. After a one night stand results in a pregnancy, Gentry decides to keep baby Colt. She embraces motherhood and struggles to do her best with no example. Realizing the importance of family for her son she sets out to build / rebuild.

Fans of Catherine Bybee's Not Quite series will enjoy the next entry in Jamie Beck's Cabot family series! When You Knew focuses on Gentry Cabot who is tired of being her family's black sheep. When Ian Crawford becomes her son's manny she learns that it's better to live for herself and her son rather than fold herself into an image only her family will appreciate.

I loved this story because Gentry and Ian were total opposites but helped each other become the best version of themselves. Gentry helped Ian to open up and remember that he can help others, carry on his father's legacy, and still have fun and enjoy life. Ian bolstered Gentry's confidence in motherhood and opened her eyes to a life where she doesn't have to beg for her family's affection, but can strike the perfect balance of mutual respect. This contemporary romance is heartwarming with big personalities. The characters are realistic from their insecurities and their expressions of a range emotions. It always kills me when I read stories where the characters are super nice to each other even when situations call for some expressive actions, so it's excellent to see these characters tell each other off or really talk through their feelings. It makes them more realistic and relatable.

I believe contemporary romance fans will enjoy When You Knew because it focuses on family. Gentry's circumstances are not ideal but she makes it work because she's concerned about her son's future and doesn't want history to repeat itself. Readers can jump right into the Cabot series even if you haven't read the previous novels. I haven't and I still felt like I got a good picture of the family dynamics up to this point. I was still able to get emotionally invested in Gentry's story so this works as a stand alone. This is my first time reading Jamie Beck, but I'm more than ready for more of her work!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*