I want to thank Net Galley and Random House Publishing-Loveswept for the ARC copy for my honest review. This is number 4 in a series but it read like a stand alone book. I loved the characters. I found them to be fun and it was a quick cute read. I would recommend it with a 4.

This is one of my favorite Lauren Layne books! There was tons of emotion and humor and lots of sexiness!

I Knew You Were Trouble was just reason 100 why I LOVE Lauren Layne! I adored this book and the characters. It’s an enemy to roommates to friends to lover’s tale, and it was addictive from the beginning to the end. Taylor has just started a job at Oxford. For those of us who have read the previous novels in the series, we all know how sexy the men are. One of the first ones she encounters is Nick. He gets under her skin from the very first time she sees him. He looks at her as though he gets her, and that definitely unnerves her.
Taylor doesn’t let anyone in. Of course, they get off to a rocky start…attraction, hate, bad timing, until they end up as roommates. As they spend more time together, the attraction ramps up and who could believe it, but they actually begin to like one another. As you can imagine, this is quite the love story!

One thing I really liked about this book was that it took place over a long period of time. In Layne’s very capable hands, it never drags, and it allows the reader to really get to know Nick and Taylor. They are extraordinarily complex characters. Layne describes them perfectly:

“He was too much like her---likely dying to know her thoughts, but too proud to lay himself bare in front of his nemesis.”

Because of their love/hate relationship, there were so many times I laughed out loud.

“Never pegged you as a reader.” ~ Nick
“What did you think I did in my spare time, killed cats?” ~ Taylor
“Nah. Men.” ~ Nick

With that banter, the sexual tension between these two just jump off the pages. I, like their co-workers, just want them to do the deed and get it over with. But, the wait is well worth it. With all that chemistry, there is a sweetness that also develops between them. Nick has seen parts of her no one has. Deep down, Taylor doesn’t believe she is worthy of love because of her childhood. Nick is somehow able to penetrate that strong armor and show her she is worthy. Little did he know when he told her someone would love her, it would be him. SWOON!!!!

Speaking of Nick, it’s hard not to love him. Taylor always does things with a plan and safety, alas her relationship with jerk, Bradley. Nick shows her how to just enjoy life. He only works part-time at Oxford. He is also a legendary bartender and writes fiction. Yet, he’s able to enjoy life. He wants to fix the broken part of Taylor and wants her to be able to enjoy living. Of course, he’s by no means perfect, but he is perfect for her! GAH…I just love these two!

As with Layne’s books, readers get to see the other characters from the series. Through them, you see Taylor finally able to form meaningful relationships with other people, Brit and Daisy. In the beginning, she was so closed off. By the epilogue, she a completely different woman! Layne also gives us a hint of her future book in the series which I hope is about Brit and Hunter. That one is going to be epic!!!!

***Read and Reviewed for Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews***

Loved, loved, LOVED, this book, as with all the others in the series! Cannot wait for the next one.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I just found it hard to get into as I've not read the previous books but will be giving it ago in the future when I'm all caught up in this series. Think it might be a good read in the future. Thanks again for the chance at reading your book means a lot to this reader.

You know how you read some books and you just have this feeling in your chest? The feeling of something-is-gonna-happen to the OMG! feeling to the WOW, I didn’t see that coming? The story that makes you feel an array of emotions? If that’s what you need, I Knew You Were Trouble is the book for you.

In most books I’ve read, the couple meets, one chases the other, they have sex, they fight, fall in love, THE END. I Knew You Were Trouble tells you the truth, that timing doesn’t always work out between two people. It’s more of a real life situation.

Nick Ballantine and Taylor Carr have a love/hate relationship. There’s teasing, flirting, snarky comments…all until Taylor finally asks Nick to dinner. His response was not what I expected. AT ALL. Hurt from the rejection, Taylor asked someone else in the office out to dinner. Right then and there, everything changes between the two of them.

What follows from there on had me at the edge of my seat. The emotions, the tension, the frustration, the sorrow. It was an amazing read!

Taylor and Nick were such a wonderful couple. Their chemistry, flirting, sarcastic comments, while entertaining, were so very real. They were themselves with each other because they hated each other. No need to impress the person you despise…right? I enjoyed the emotional aspect of the book which I was just not expecting.

I truly appreciated where the author took this story. It was a REAL situation. One I’ve seen happen when I used to work in an office and this book brought me right back to that. Taylor and Nick’s story was fun, sexy and emotional. I had not read the other books in the series prior to this one and I felt that I could follow along without doing so, but I will be going back to read them all!

I really liked this book.

I Knew You Were Trouble is quintessential Lauren Layne. Her witty banter is why this author never seems to get old. I’ve been following the lives of the workers at Oxford for awhile. And even though many are not front and center like they were in other books, the characters are still there on the side reminding us of this world Layne has created, a world where everyone knows your name.

What do I love about Layne’s books so much? It’s the wit in the conversation. Hell, if I could say have the things that Layne’s characters say, I’d have my own sit-com. Alas, I am but the reviewer. A very happy and amused reviewer at that.

This is your classic enemies to friends trope and lets add once more of my favorites, roommates to lovers. Which makes this the enemies and roommates to lovers. Does it get any better than this?

Nick Ballantine is a drifter of sorts. Not one to stay put, he thrives on his independence. Hence he repeatedly turns down offers to work at Oxford and opts for the flexibility of contract work and his job at a bartender. Oh, and he’s a bit shaggy, not shaving and letting his hair grow a bit too long.

The exact person that Taylor Carr goes for. She’s fairly new at Oxford and looks and appearances are everything. But opposites attract! Did I mention this other fun trope that makes it into this novel? Yep. Taylor and Nick are opposites. And despite the attraction between them, the timing for them dating is never right. Either one or the other is taken.

Until the day they’re both single. And yes you know, happy reader, sparks fly! And thus Nick is at this point none other than Taylor’s roommate after the love of her life leaves a “Dear John” letter the day of Talyor’s move-in. Thus all this time, Nick has been living with Taylor despite the timing of their romance being ill at best.

Taylor was about to snap at him that she wasn’t digging the silent treatment. But before she could, he reached for her hand, twining her fingers with his.

The gesture was sweet and unexpected, and she was so busy trying to figure out if it translated to I like you too that she didn’t even realize they were back in their apartment until he was shrugging out of his jacket.

Which leads us to the banter that we’ve come to know and love so much.

“Okay, Ballantine,” she said, peeling off her own coat and tossing it on a back of a chair. “I realize I’m not very good at all this, but you’re apparently you’re not very good at it either. What are you thinking?

As Nick walked toward her she started to step back. Instead, though, she decided to hold her ground, and she lifted her chin stubbornly.

“I’m thinking” —he reached out and took her face in his hands—“that it’s time you and I stop playing games. That we stop letting whatever’s happening to be about a timeline or sticking it to Calloway, or getting over Calloway, or winning some sort of stupid battle.

“I’m thinking,” he continued, stepping closer, “that we do what we want. What we both want. Not because it’s a certain time, because it’s right.”

And we all know where it leads. Yes, you’ll get your HEA and yes you’re rooting for them to work out in the end. Can I get me Nick Calloway?

3.5 stars

I am a fan of the Oxford Series, and I knew I had to read I Knew You Were Trouble as soon as I could! That being said, this was not my favorite book in the series,

Taylor has it all. Good Job, Boyfriend. Life is good, Until she gets dumped the day she is to move in with her boyfriend. Her leaves her a "Dear John", leaving her stuck. She has to move in and needs a roommate. Enter Nick.

I liked Nick (most of the book). Him and Taylor has a love/hate relationship. It kept you on your toes. You knew from page one that they would end up together... and I loved seeing them get there (the long roundabout way!).


I liked Nick more than Taylor at times, but then there was times I didn't care for Nick either. It was overall a decent read for me. I just didn't love it like I usually love this series.

There is no one who writes stylish, hip and sexy romances like Lauren Layne does. She writes the kind of heroines that you see yourself drinking cocktails with and the kind of heroes that you find yourself fantasizing about. Every time I read one of her romances I think that she has achieved the epitome of her career, but than her next book comes out and she outdoes herself. Over and over again! The Oxford and Stiletto series are romance classics in my opinion and should be read by every romance fan. Thankfully, Lauren has given us another addition to this amazing series, and just like all the other men of Oxford, Nick Ballentine is to die for ;)

Nick Ballentine is a freelance writer who occasionally comes into Oxford to write pieces. He has had his eyes on the sassy advertising exec since the first day she walked into the office - a hot as sin body with a ice princess attitude. They may be at eachother's throats every time that they are together, but as everyone knows, there is a thin line between love and hate...

Taylor Carr never expected to find so many drop dead gorgeous men at her new job. But there is one man who seems to get under her skin no matter how bad she tries to get away from him, Nick Ballentine is bane of her existence. Every encounter with him is war and blood shed seems imminent. Thank god for Bradley Calloway, her co-worker/ boyfriend. But when Bradley turns out to be nothing like she imagined him to be, she finds herself having to live with the last person she ever thought she would.

I loved how Lauren Layne started out the story with one year ago and gradually brought us to the present day and how Taylor and Nick's relationship evolved in the meantime. We all know how enemies make the best lovers and this book proves that perfectly. Taylor may not be the most likable heroine, but once you find out about her past and her upbringing, you can't help but love her. As for Nick, I have to say that I pretty much fell in love with him from page one!

So if you are looking for a truly amazing and entertaining book with enough steam to make you blush, than this is definitely the book for you!

Nick Ballantine and Taylor Carr are so perfect for each other but it not only is the timing off for a while but they rub each other the wrong way. Watching these two circle each other along with the rest of the gang at Oxford was not only enjoyable it was so much fun! They started as enemies then reluctant roommates and then finding their way to friendship and finally to a relationship. The dialogue alone was worth reading this one!

This one can be read as a standalone.

I highly recommend this one!

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

Funny, witty, always bordering on snarky and hot romance is something you can count n with a Lauren Layne book so I Knew You Were Trouble fits the bill. It is book 4 in the Oxford Series, so if there are glimpses of the previous couples scattered throughout the book, but it is not necessary to have read their stories before this one.


The frenemies-to-lovers trope works well for Taylor and Nick. I must admit I liked Nock more than Taylor even with her straight forward approach to people. The story could easily fit on the big screen with the ups and downs as well as push away then pull together that this couple does. Adding in an ex who you really don’t want to see Taylor with, you have a Lauren Layne hit. I Knew You Were Trouble is a fun summertime read with the right guy getting the girl.


An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.

The Stiletto/Oxford series is always a good one if you are looking for some fun and entertaining reading and I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE was everything I expected it to be: fun, lighthearted, sweet and a really enjoyable story.

From the very first page Nick and Taylor will have you wanting more of the snappy dialogue and sizzling chemistry they share and with the boys at Oxford to play a supporting role, you just can't get enough.

Unfortunately for Taylor and Nick, even with the chemistry between them, their timing is terrible and they just keep dancing around each other. Until they somehow end up sharing an apartment, which should make it easy for them to get together, right? Wrong.

Taylor may appear to have it all - the perfect job, man and apartment - but her breezy confidence is a cover for a deep-seated vulnerability that was really heartbreaking. Losing her parents at an early age and being raised by an aunt who frowned on emotions of any kind, Taylor doesn't trust her feelings and prefers to work with her brain, but getting involved with Nick means letting go and opening herself up to the possibility of finding the love that has always evaded her and the risks that she could also get hurt.

Nick likes his life carefree with no commitments or so he would like you to think, but he really is a relationship kind of guy. He is also very sweet and easygoing, and gave as good as he got from Taylor. Their relationship was mostly antagonistic (think cats and dogs) and their dialogue filled with clever quips, but when they lay down arms, they were so good together.

While this story was lighthearted, there were also some emotional moments that moved me to tears for the woman who never really knew love, even the parental kind and didn't know how to recognize and accept it when it was offered; and the man who had given everything to a woman who was undeserving of his love and was now struggling to let down his guard before he lost the best thing that had ever happened to him.

This was a really good addition to the series and I hope that Ms. Layne will give us more hot couples and soon.

Another miss from this author.. I should just learn my lesson

copy received courtesy of Netgalley
Another fun, sexy book in the Oxford series. This series never disappoints. Taylor and Nick are great characters. They start out as enemies and work their way to friends then lovers. Again the romance is something they work toward. It is not a instant love or sex. I love that the characters get a chance to get to know each other and grow together. Taylor thought she was unlovable due to her upbringing, and she came off as a little cold. Nick dubbed her "the ice princess". That started the enemy portion of the book. They were attracted to each other but the timing was off. When they do finally get together it is fun and sexy. We get the funny lines and scenes that play out in all the Oxford books. I never get tired of this series! Love it.

4 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

This one honestly is probably even maybe a 4.5 stars (rounded down), but for reasons I cannot explain, I just was not having a good reading day today, and so I kept getting drawn out of the book.  I honestly don't think it was the book this time, but I still rate based on personal enjoyment, hence I'm sticking with 4 stars.

OK, weird caveat out of the way, I LOVED Nick and Taylor!  I had no idea what to expect from them given the few glimpses we got from them in Someone Like You, but I do suppose I expected a bit more animosity.  And we did get a bit of that enemy vibe, with them snarking back and forth.  But it didn't go on too long.  It was always mixed with curiosity and good feelings.  It was like they needed to each be smacked.  Yet somehow they managed to smack themselves, without too much help.  What I found interesting about their "dislike" is that there was, sort of, a bit of meanness there.  It wasn't intentional necessarily, it was like bantering gone too far, or barbs that unintentionally hit too close to home, you know?  I'm not always a huge enemies to lovers trope reader, but I appreciated that it wasn't fake animosity, you know?  Unintentional, yes.  Fake, no.

I feel like we got a bit more from Taylor than Nick in this book.  And I really ended up feeling a lot for Taylor, she really broke my heart.  She had kind of a tragic upbringing, in a totally different way than I'm used to reading.  And it really damaged her, despite good intentions.  And I think that's where the real heartbreak comes in, her Aunt wasn't trying to damage her, and with no other influences, Taylor was really left floundering, unable to fully conform to who her Aunt tried to raise, but not feeling as though she should be pursuing anything other than what she was used to.  Not sure if that makes sense.  But I really did hurt for her, and while I cannot personally vibe, I felt like Ms. Layne really exposed Taylor's underbelly and made you understand her.  Taylor really ended up being such a strange heroine, because she was part strong, snarky, forthright mixed with vulnerable, damaged, and with so much love to give.  My only gripe is that I wanted to see more done to showcase her turnaround on the major obstacle in her and Nick's relationship.  I didn't quite buy it, and I feel like there was a bit of a missed opportunity there.

And while we didn't get quite as much from Nick, he really did have his own damage to overcome.  Perhaps it's that we didn't learn he had damage until maybe the middle of the book, and so we kind of didn't get to know all of Nick up until that point.  It doesn't really leave a lot of time, you know?  But I did enjoy his gruffness, his cockiness, his sweetness.

And I truly felt like they complimented each other as a couple.  I loved their interplay, I loved how they didn't let each other get away with shit.  And I definitely felt their chemistry, though honestly their steamy scenes were some of the moments where my mind wandered as mentioned above.  So take from that what you will.

And I can honestly say that I appreciated the climax and resolution more in this book than in the past few.  It felt less campy, and while still quick, I didn't feel quite as rushed.

I loved that we got to see a few of the characters we've fallen in love with (the Lincoln, Cassidy and Nick exchange in Lincoln's office was gold), but that we weren't overwhelmed by the whole cast of characters.  AND I loved that we got new characters to fall in love with!  My fingers are crossed for a Brit & Hunter novel, and I would personally love to see Ms. Hayes get a HEA as well.  She deserves it after Bradley the douchecanoe.

So yeah.  Thoroughly enjoyed myself, despite my brain's efforts to derail me.  :)  You can always count on Ms. Layne for solid romance goodness.

This is another outstanding book by Lauren Layne. The Oxford series has been full of wonderful strong and spunky women, this story is no exception. The sexual tension between Taylor and Nick has been an undercurrent even in earlier books but it is off the charts in this story and is very well written. This is not a typical hate-turns-to-love story and the characters are well developed and compelling. This is probably one of my favorite books so far by Layne, if not my favorite, and highly recommend to anyone who loves smart romance books.

I really enjoyed reading I Knew You Were Trouble….even though it was book 4 in the Oxford series. Reading books out-of-order from the series that they are in usually annoy me. Unless they are standalone and I Knew You Were Trouble is definitely stand alone. While the other people from the other stories are in the book, they do not overwhelm the book with their stories. Instead, Taylor and Nick’s story is allowed to follow its own path.

What really made this book enjoyable to me was that the author took the time to have Nick and Taylor build up their relationship by starting the story almost a year before their relationship took off. You got to see them both grow into their feelings for each other. Honestly, on that, I didn’t think that they would. They were like oil and water and there was always verbal fallout when they got together. You did get to see a softer side of Nick and Taylor when her aunt died but that was the only niceish interaction until Bradley chickening out and breaking up with her by letter (who even does that????) scene.

I liked Taylor but I didn’t like how cool she was with Nick. You could feel the sexual tension every time they were together, regardless if they were in relationships or not. There was one point in the book, before the trench coat scene, where I kinda wanted to reach through my Kindle and shake her. Why? Because she was fighting her attraction to him and I thought she was being stupid. So I was pretty happy when the trench coat scene happened. I am going to say that I think that she could have handled Bradley showing up unexpectedly at her apartment a bit better. Look what happened. A huge misunderstanding that almost cost her the man that she needed.

I love Nick. He was such a wise guy and kept Taylor on her feet. He also was the only one who was there for her when her aunt died and then again in different parts of the book. It didn’t take me long to see that he was falling for her (I think I figured that out before he did). Another thing I liked about him was that he was a nice guy. A genuinely nice guy who got hurt pretty bad by his ex. So I wasn’t surprised at his reaction to Taylor’s news. Honestly, I wouldn’t have expected him to act any other way.

I was a little taken aback by certain events involving Taylor and Nick. Honestly, I didn’t see Taylor’s news happening and but, like I said above, I could see what Nick reacted the way he did. I just think that maybe a week was too long but then again, Nick needed time to process what he was told. He did make it right but I was so afraid that he was too late. Of course, the book wouldn’t have had its happy ending if he didn’t but still I worried.

The end of the book and the epilogue was perfect. Not going to give anything away but I loved…..well you need to read the book to find out what I loved about the epilogue (haha).

How many stars will I give I Knew You Were Trouble: 4

Why: Sweet romance with likable characters that had oodles of sexual tension

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse

The mere fact that I pulled an all-nighter just goes to show how much I liked this standalone in the Oxford series. And even though the narrative is in third person past tense…not a favourite storytelling technique of mine, I still couldn’t put it down. I really liked the way the author began the book. Substituting the prologue for a flashback and then how back months led up to the first chapter was more than original. This writing strategy put me in the female protagonist’s story and of course, learning how she felt about her new surroundings and who she’d be working with helped give the book that office ambience. But I’ll get back to that later, for now I have to say how much I liked the author’s character development and although the premise of the story is not new (shacking up novels are noticeably trendy at the moment), I was kept glued to the pages. I’ve read a couple of her books, one of them being in this standalone series; however, this one has something that really stands out, the banter.

“Taylor here wants to share her original crown molding with someone.”
“Yes, it seems I unexpectedly have a free bedroom and more rent than I can afford. If either of you knows anyone looking for a roommate. . . “

Two people who cannot tolerate each other have an awful lot to say to each other when they’re together! It’s a cat and mouse game which could have easily run out of steam and worn the reader out, but fortunately this wasn’t the case. Even though I found the build up a tinsy-winsy slow, the author literally took me where she wanted pacing the story to a climax worth waiting for. If there was one thing that irritated me, it was at the beginning of the story when the usage of the adverb / adjective ‘far’ in its conjunctive form kept popping up. I think with the help of a thesaurus, this could have easily been avoided. Still, this setback didn’t spoil Taylor Carr, Nick Ballantine and I have to say it but please don’t get the wrong idea, Bradley Calloway’s story. I wouldn’t have mentioned Bradley but he plays an important part in what is by no means a love triangle, more like a hate triangle with a difference. It’s a bit like you can’t have your cake and eat it too, which gives that added touch of interest to the main protagonists’ story.

“I already have enough going on in my life without adding in the effort of not getting arrested for killing you.”
“Too much going on. . . like what, Carr, you're thriving love life?”

Nick’s lovable. He’s also drop-dead gorgeous and more important, a real do-gooder. So why Taylor gets his hackles up is an interesting concept because she’s not who he thinks she is. She’s tough on the outside and a real softy on the inside. Like me, he just had to see that part of her and I’m quite sure half our problem was solved in one very touching scene. If I were saddened to see her in such a state, Nick was even worse than me. But we both came round slowly. How could we not? Taylor’s feisty, quick-witted and can stand up for herself. That’s the way she’s been taught, never to show others her weaknesses. What makes her one of those book characters you know you’re never going to forget quickly or if at all, are those very weaknesses. The author’s character development is exceptionally good, but she’s gone to town with Taylor’s traits.

“Taylor’s complicated?”
“Hell yes,”
“All women are complicated,”
“True,”

I didn’t care for Bradley. And I’m very happy to say Nick didn’t either. In fact, no one in the office cared for him. An office where I might add, gossip thrives to such an extent that nothing is sacred. Yet I couldn’t help feeling a tad sorry for him. He knows what he’s done, how he did it was abominable and he still thinks he can do no wrong. Yep, dear ol’ Brad certainly rattled my cage, the sly so-and-so.

“I think . . . I made a mistake, and -”
“Which time?”

So let’s get back to Nick. I was cheering for him throughout the read. I had high hopes for him and I’d be damned if I can tell you whether he triumphed or not because I really would put my foot in it. You see, we’re talking about two people constantly clashing and who don’t want to back down. Little does Taylor know though. Nick has more experience with the ways of women than she’d ever bargain for and it’s not what you’re thinking. Ms Layne’s construed some engaging secondary characters who entertained me no end with their office banter, bitching, yes men do bitch, and comebacks in some really good laugh out loud scenarios. I can’t say how pleased I was to see Taylor with a four-legged friend; nonetheless, the reasons behind her having a pet weren’t exactly sad, just heart-warming. And the twist; blinkin’ marvellous, no way was I prepared for it! Maybe it’s me being greedy but I thought the ending lacked detail. I’m not saying I didn’t like it, I did, I just wanted more. This read is light on angst, so easy to read, realistic and so unputdownable. Bravo Ms Layne!