It’s been said that there’s a fine line between love and hate, and no other couple exemplifies this more than Nick Ballentine and Taylor Carr. Truly, theirs is the epitome of the love/hate relationship. In this fourth addition to her Oxford series, author Lauren Layne injects a new twist to her standard romance formula by writing adversarial characters that enjoy nothing more than hurling insults back and forth. But in between the insults, sparks also begin to fly.

Bad timing keeps this pair from connecting early on. When their romantic situations change--and the timing is finally right--Nick and Taylor come together under the most unusual of circumstances. But they each have complicated back stories, which keep them both on guard. So, is it possible for this extremely combative pair to find their HEA wrapped in each other’s arms? Or will they continue to “fight” against their attraction every step of the way?

Fun and flirty, Nick and Taylor’s story is low on angst and highly enjoyable.

I loved this book! Taylor's man dumps her on the day they were set to move in together, after they signed the lease of course. She can't really afford the apartment so she decides to advertise for a roommate. The last person she wants living with her is Nick, the hot guy she loves to hate from the office. Taylor is too much trouble for Nick but the chemistry is red hot and soon these enemies become something else. Outstanding!

This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lauren layne's books means a permanent smile on my face...like this 😀😀. I knew you were trouble is book 4 in Oxford series and like the other 3 books it made my day.

This book starts of with some serious bad timing for Taylor and Nick. They start off from the wrong foot..although for them it was lust at first sight. Taylor is a damn tough women and is what - you - see- you- get type of girl, never afraid to speak her mind. Nick is a charm your pants (panties in this case 😉) off guy. He's a freelance writer /Bartender. They bicker all the time in the office and are always ready to bite each other's head off. After breaking off with Bradley, Taylor's in search of a roommate and Nick volunteers. And starts the dancing around each other part. Their chemistry is volcanic and as the story continues you'll like more and more of .....no...make it LOVE NICK...

For me it was 4 stars. I really enjoyed it and as always looking forward to more of LL's beautiful work.

For more teaser update give a shout out to my Instagram account 👇👇
https://www.instagram.com/crazy_bookaholic_/

Oh my gosh! It seems like every book I read by LL they just get better. I have read all the books in the Stilleto/Oxford series and I love them all. The boys are all different but LL always has the best heros and Heroines.

This book is about Taylor Carr and Nick Ballentine. Nick and Taylor's story starts on Taylor's first day. To say they get off on the wrong foot would be a huge understatement. They actually work together/fuss fight a year before their story really starts.

Taylor and Nick have a few run in at the office kitchen but one day she ask him out and he
Tells her he is seeing someone. Taylor is embarrassed and hurt so she goes and asks out Bradley. Bradleys accepts and they adore
For a while and sign a lease agreement on a condo together. Taylor is so happy because you life is fantastic. Well that all comes to a screeching halt when she sees a note from Bradley saying he will not be moving in and he is breaking up with her. Well that doesn't set well with Taylor because that was not in her "plan". Taylor thinks Bradley will come to his senses but in the mean time she will get a roommate. Well, Nick sees her flyer
About a roommate and ask they are taking about it Bradley walks in. Nick figured out Bradley was suppose to move in, so he decides to tell Taylor he wants to move in to mess
with Bradley. Nick really doesn't care for
Bradley and he really does want a new place . So it's a win for him because he can move out of his place where his ex won't move out and make Bradley mad as well. Taylor really doesn't want Nick to move in because they hate each other but she does need the rent. So she
Lets Nick move in.

At first Nick and Taylor fuss and bicker but they eventually both realize their fussing is really attraction. Nick starts seeing a different side of Taylor and the side he use to not like he actually likes it too. The same thing with Taylor the more time she spends with Nick she realizes she judged him to early and he isn't a slacker and he is a great guy.

I love this book! I hope there are more books to come in this series. This is a sweet, funny and sexy book with dual POV that moves at a good pace and they don't rush into anything. You will not want to put this book down once you start reading it!

I received a free copy for an honest review.

Taylor was raised by a non-emotional aunt and that coolness became a part of Taylor's persona. Nick can see through the chilliness and thus begins a delightful, funny tale of discord and love. Totally enjoyable.

***ARC Provided by Loveswept and Tasty Book Tours***

There are some books that just work. The writing is perfect, the characters are the balance of good and flawed, the way real people are, they have chemistry, and the actions are believable.

This book had all of this, and then some. It also kept me up until 3 am. When I have to be up for work at 6. Because there was NO way I was putting it down. Absolutely no way.

Wow, was this one excellent. Really, really excellent.

Nick and Taylor don't like each other. Well, it isn;t that simple. The attraction between them sparks instantly, but there are complications. First, he is not available, and then she isn't. By the time both of them are available, Nick has started to realize that he wants more from Taylor than to be a rebound, a fling.

There are some lovely scenes with the guys from Oxford, and it is nice to hang out with old friends, especially as the book runs simultaneously with some of the events from previous books, so it was fun to glimpse the other side of the same thing, so to speak.

The chemistry with Nick and Taylor. Wow.

Wow.

Wow.

It is definitely there. Taylor is a little cold to him, and as a reader you know why, but Nick doesn't. And, what you get to see is him like her anyway, for who she is not in spite of it, if that makes sense. Some of their scenes, where Taylor is a little cold or hurtful, as a reader you are allowed to glimpse Nick's emotions. And, her words hurt. Probably more than he wants to admit, as there are things going on in his life.

I loved this aspect of it. Yes, it is a little different to have a romance that has the characters with other people, but in this one it works, and so very well. The scenes where they navigate the timing of their attraction, and their reasons for not being able to pursue it will break your heart.

Then you get your heart out back together. While they take a while to admit it, they love each other and honestly have for years. And, you see this in their actions, in their encounters, and in the ability they have to hurt one another unintentionally.

When the slow burn finally flames, it is an explosion. What a ride, what a romance.

You get all the feels from this book. I have about 20 books on my shelf of "All Time Favorites" and, this book is going on it.

I will read it again, and I am sure it will be just as amazing.

I recommend this title.

Here’s the deal: I love – as in really, really love – Lauren Layne’s Stiletto and Oxford series, and I am ecstatic whenever there is a new book out. I know it means that I’ll be able to catch up with some of my favorite fictional characters, who now feel like old friends, and that I will get to return to the world Ms. Layne has created, one I simply adore. Frankly, I was half in love with I Knew You Were Trouble, the fourth book in the Oxford arm of the series, before I read the first page.

If you haven’t read all the books in both series, you’ll be fine jumping in at any point, because they are all stand-alone reads. Of course, I think you are missing out on a singular and stellar reading experience if you haven’t already read them all.

I Knew You Were Trouble returns to the New York offices of Oxford men’s magazine with two new additions to the payroll – Taylor Carr and Nick Ballantine. Taylor has recently been hired full-time in the marketing department, and Nick is a temporary writer contracted as needed. They meet on the job, and the sparks fly – but not in a good way, because they’re opposites who rub each other up the wrong way. She’s serious, stoic, guarded and happy to climb the corporate ladder. He’s irreverent, gregarious and laid back, and he prefers an untraditional career path, consciously choosing to work part-time as a bartender and part-time as a writer.

Nick instantly realizes that teasing and needling Taylor will drive her crazy, and he’s right. She bristles under his playful joking, but she dishes it right back with pointed barbs and veiled insults. These frenemies push each other’s buttons at every opportunity, but beneath all their snarky banter and heated exchanges, is an unexpected connection and an electrifying chemistry.

They continue to drive each other nuts and fight-flirt for the next year as both have on-and-off again relationships with other people. (By the way, there is no need to worry that our protagonists spend the majority of the book apart, because this time period is condensed and is basically an extended prologue.) Taylor has recently become serious with someone and they’re planning to move in together, but he suddenly gets cold feet and backs out on the very day they were to take possession of their new apartment. She’s hurt, angry and without a second income to share the rent.

Nick steps up to the plate and offers to be her roommate, and she reluctantly agrees. Now there are no boyfriends or girlfriends and they’re sharing close quarters, but they’re still most comfortable in their roles as adversaries. As they slowly get to know one another and see each other in a whole new light, being so different starts to feel like a good thing. The attraction between them grows exponentially as they share intimacies, and the pull between them is a palpable force that both try to resist. Taylor has emotional walls that have been constructed over a lifetime, and Nick has relationship baggage that makes him leery of love. Both are reluctant to let down their defenses and be vulnerable.

Taylor and Nick are mesmerizing to watch as they dance around their feelings and attempt to fight their fate. The sexual tension builds to a fever pitch as Ms. Layne masterfully develops their relationship and their evolution from enemies to lovers. There are a few coincidences in the plot that might feel too convenient to be believable, but they never detract from the love story’s charm or enjoyment. I might be a bit biased considering how much I love the Oxford series, but I can objectively and without reservation recommend I Knew You Were Trouble. It is a fun and flirty battle of the sexes that will leave you giddy over the sheer romance of falling in love. - Mary Dubé, All About Romance

Three and a half stars.

Was it the jet-lag kicking in? For some reason I didn't adore this latest book in the fabulous Oxford series. It was ok, for someone other than the divine LL it was probably very good but it just felt a little like LL (whispers) dialled it in.

Taylor Carr is an orphan, brought up by her single career-woman aunt. Her Aunt Karen wasn't very maternal or loving, although she did look after Taylor and teach her (after her own fashion) about life. As a consequence, Taylor can seem a little aloof, unfriendly and standoffish. At the end of her first day in her new job at Oxford magazine, she gets into a lift (elevator) with Nick Ballantine, a contractor for the magazine, Nick mistakes her natural reserve and shyness for personal dislike and calls her an Ice Princess. That name is a hot button for Taylor which starts a period of enmity between the two of them.

Fast-forward a year and Taylor is dating a colleague, Bradley Calloway, but on the day they are supposed to move into their new apartment together she comes home to a note telling her he has changed his mind. Now she has no boyfriend, she has signed a lease for a two bedroom apartment that she can't afford on her own AND she has to work with her ex-boyfriend. But Taylor isn't despondent, she thinks Bradley just got cold feet, heck she doesn't want a husband, kids and a white picket fence so he has nothing to worry about. Once he has calmed down he will realise his mistake, all she needs to do is wait for him to come to his senses. In the meantime she needs a short-term tenant to help with the rent.

Although they have an antagonistic relationship, Nick still fancies Taylor so when he sees her upset in the office with a flyer advertising a room available in her new apartment he sees this as his opportunity to 1) give the finger to Bradley who he DOES NOT like, 2) maybe get into Taylor's pants and 3) get away from his ex-girlfriend who has moved in and refuses to believe they are over.

But, as Taylor relentlessly plots to get Bradley back she starts to see a different side to Nick. But should she take a chance on the man right in front of her or continue to pursue the one that got away?

I think the reason I am ambivalent about this book is that I didn't really like Taylor or Nick. Bradley was portrayed as such an unpleasant guy that I didn't understand why Taylor was so relentless in her pursuit of him, it made me think less of her. Also, Nick did something I really didn't like, (view spoiler).

This book did make me want to reread the previous Oxford books and I expect there is a future book for Brit and Hunter which I am already excited about.

Oh Taylor and Nick...I have waited for you, and you in no way disappointed me. This book was as close to perfect as a book can get. Romantic and sexy with the right amount of angst. They might both be a little bit of trouble, but they are definitely worth it!

The day Taylor Carr meets Nick Ballantine it is hate at first sight. Someone who is such a jerk just shouldn't be that good looking. But when a moment of weakness leads to a slight softening of her strong anti-Nick feelings, she and her nemesis discover they might not hate each other so much after all.

Nick isn't a commit-to-the-9-to-5 type of guy. If people (ahem, Taylor) think he is juvenile for his less-than-stable career, then she can go on thinking what she wants. Luckily, while being in the right place at the right time, Nick uses an awkward moment to get as close to Taylor as he could possibly get... as new roommates.

When Taylor and Nick start to spend real time together, and start to see past their mutual  first impressions, will they finally realize they want to be with the other, or will their time ever be right?

This was another lovely Lauren Layne book! What starts out as a slow burn, love/hate storyline, develops into tentative friends, roommates, and eventually... more? Taylor and Nick both realize they are attracted and interested in each other, but with their bad first impression coupled with their mutual relationships, they just never seem they will ever be in the right place. 

I absolutely love the Stiletto and Oxford series, and this book, while set in the Oxford series almost feels like the start of a new series on its own. We were introduced to Nick and Taylor previously, and I am so glad that we got their story!

As usual I loved all the characters! We got very small glimpses into some of the original Oxford men, and I loved Taylor's friendship with Daisy and Brit! Fun, witty dialogue coupled with fantastic writing makes this book a must read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

This is the fourth book in Lauren Layne’s fun series of novels about the romances among the employees at a sophisticated men’s magazine - sort of a GQ-type magazine. In this one we get the story behind Nick Ballantine who has been seen in previous books as the sexy part-time writer who is also a bartender but keeps resisting offers of a full-time job.

Taylor Carr has joined the marketing division at the magazine. She has a reputation as a sort of ice princess because she adopts a mask of review to hide her inherent shyness. Immediately, she and Nick notice each other and strike up a relationship of exchanging witty insults. They’re the only ones who don’t seem to realize that their supposed animosity hides their sexual attraction to each other.

Since Taylor’s jerk of a boyfriend chooses to dump her in the most insensitive way possible, Taylor and Nick end up rooming together. It’s convoluted, but just go with the flow. They continue their pose as enemies, but she comes to recognize that Nick is actually just the very nicest guy one can imagine. And he gets her and has begun to see through the masks she wears. Plus he finds her super sexy.

As they slowly go from enemies to frenemies to lovers, the reader can enjoy Layne’s typical witty repartee. I loved Nick and thought Taylor was too prickly, but she has a backstory to explain the walls she’s put up. Once those walls start coming down, we can root for her to find her HEA with dreamy Nick.

I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, but I would have been happy to have paid for it and I’m hoping that Layne will continue writing more books in this series.

It's just like elementary school when the boys pulled on pigtails or called the girls names, only the grown up version corporate style. In Someone Like You we met Taylor and Nick, obvious then they had a very antagonistic relationship. The beginning of the book offers a bit of overlapping and then the cold war really begins. The two of them make me antsy and excited like one of them is either going to punch or kiss the other one. Taylor's got an ex that is just a terrible person and Nick has an ex that made a cowardly decision that almost ruined him. The two of them eventually manage to survive each other's existence but it's still heated. L.L. always manages to create wonderful relationships between the guys group and the girls group in the Stiletto and Oxford series. It's just one big family and getting bigger.
*I received an ARC from Netgalley and this is my voluntarily written review.

Every book in the Oxford/ Stiletto series has been a great read and this latest book is no different. Co-workers Nick and Taylor go back and forth between liking and tolerating each other. Their timing never seems to be right to act upon the sparks that are between them. When Taylor's boyfriend dumps her by letter on the day they were supposed to move into their new place, Nick jumps in and becomes her new platonic roommate.
Proximity gives these two the chance to really get to know each other and they finally give into the temptation that has been under the surface since they met. Of course, there will still be some turbulence in the waters but they finally get their HEA.
One of the best things about this series, besides the steamy romance, is the interplay between the Oxford guys when they are talking about their relationships. Ms. Layne has written some of the snarkiest yet funny dialog I have ever read. Her books are so very satisfying to read!
This is supposedly the last book in the series but there are certainly open-ended relationships that could be developed if Ms. Layne decides to change her mind.

This is the fourth book in the Oxford series which is itself a spinoff of the four book Stiletto series.
I have now read all eight of those books.
Actually, I have read every book Lauren Layne has written and that includes an ARC of a book coming out in August.
This whole paragraph was just to point out that I am not new to Lauren’s writing.

In this book, we focus on Taylor Carr and Nick Ballantine. From the moment they met, those two set off sparks, except they mostly antagonize each other, constantly sniping at each other….

Anyway, what I like most about Lauren Layne’s books is that no matter how different all her characters are, I can always relate to them in some ways which means that I’m always, instantly in. I can feel what they feel, whether it’s pain, butterflies, etc…
I mean this book made me laugh out loud, tear up, made me angry but also gave me crazy ass butterflies, as if I was there, alongside them…

I basically read this in one sitting, I simply couldn’t stop.

“Why isn’t it a five star book then?”, you ask?

“This is a very good question, thank you for asking it.” (excuse the crazy, it’s 5.30am)

Well this isn’t a five star read because something bothered me. Gender stereotypes were mentioned waaaaay too often and that’s a huge turnoff for me. I couldn’t stand all the “women this”, “women that” or the “it’s a man thing”.... It drives me crazy.

Shame, it would have been perfect otherwise.

Hate is such a strong emotion. It doesn't take much to turn it into love. In Nick and Taylor's case I was wondering if one was going to kill the other before that happens. The sex was off the charts, probably because her passion to hate him had to have another outlet. I Knew You Were Trouble, is a great addition to the Oxford series.

From the start, I’ve always enjoyed the interplay between the characters of Oxford and Stiletto, and this novel brought plenty of moments from old favorites back for interactions. Fast paced dialogue, clever twists and a touch of static electricity from the attraction between Nick and Taylor will steam up your ereader, just before you find yourself laughing with another quip or smart-aleck comment.

Taylor is a bit difficult to get to know – she’s a hedgehog with all its prickles out: hurt before and sure that it meant she’ unlovable, she’s not particularly open to a relationship, particularly when it will end badly: and she knows it will. Yeah, she was a bit melodramatic where she and the thought of relationships are concerned, and meeting Nick just set all of her red flags waving. The connection sparked between them like lightning, and she felt it – and was scared by it. And then discouraged as the timing just wasn’t right.

But Nick – oh goodness – a bartender and freelance journalist with Oxford is just adorable – and patient, curious, friendly and not able to hide the fact that he wants more from Taylor than just friendship. And, when the time is right, he’s willing to take that chance. He likes her spunk, her loyalty and determination and the friendships that she’s made – she’s not incapable of a relationship, she’s just scared. And he realizes it – and sets out to plan his way into her life.

Oh this was cute, and despite a few minor bumps in the road, mostly lighthearted and feel-good summer reading. As a reader, we get to see both perspectives on the budding relationship, and see that Nick is just what Taylor needs, even as she is doing her best to run him a merry chase. But, when she takes that chance – OH THE STEAM….. it was slow to fire up – but then you need ice, hoses and plenty of water! It’s not easy to pick a favorite couple in this mix – but this was a Lauren Layne book – meant to tease you almost as much as it pleases.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” http://wp.me/p3OmRo-93B/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I need to stop reading Lauren Layne - either I've aged a lot suddenly or her characters have become more and more immature. Here Nick, a part-time contractor for Oxford magazine, and Taylor, a full-time member of the advertising department, are endlessly and needlessly rude to one another. (This is when they are not mentally assessing the attractiveness of every other character they encounter - "hotness" seems to be a defining personality trait in this book.) It was petty and unpleasant to read - not "banter". Nothing happens at all plot-wise apart from people having relationships and breaking up with people and then getting back together with them etc etc. Bradley, a sometime love interest of Taylor's, who she comes to realize is "boring", is the character on whom the storyline hangs. Literally nothing happens until about a third of the way into the book, when things pick up slightly.

I disliked the last few chapters in many different ways. I just don't think this is a match made in heaven.

Ahhh! The Oxford series is one of my favorite series ever! Witty, sexy, and so much fun. This latest installment is no different. The banter between Taylor and Nick was so engaging, I couldn't wait to see what they would throw out next at each other. I truly loved the way these two fell together. It's the classic "enemies to lovers" trope at it's best. I also just really loved the way Nick was with Taylor. He knew what she needed and he loved her just the way she was. That's what made this book and it definitely made me swoon.

LL is a 5 star author guaranteed. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping we get Brit and Hunter's story because I NEED to read that one. ;)

Nick took one look at her and knew she would be trouble for him. Taylor is prickly like a porcupine so he must approach her carefully. Loved the banter between these two characters. It is like oil and water and will never mix. If you want them to blend together, you need a great emulsifier ~ love and trust.

Great story with characters that grow and change just as life would do to real people. I loved that they were able to find common ground and help each other. Beyond the initial negative reaction, there were deeper emotions at play. They just did not know it.

I am now going back and reading some of the other stories in this series. Loved the writing style!

I am voluntarily reviewing this book.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Lauren Layne's books. They are, quite literally, ChickLit. Very good ChickLit, but still ChickLit. The perfect story to read when you're in the mood for something light, sweet, and a little hot with memorable characters and HEA's. I really connected to the main characters this time around- especially Taylor, who I understood completely and ADORED! I don't always like the male leads in her book, but Nick is probably my favorite (Lincoln is in a whole other category- I love Lincoln). I wish there was more about the whole thing with Nick's ex and more of Nick's family and the ending was a tad rushed but perfectly adorable. In short, it's a book to love and to read, easy to come back to and easy to cheer you up and recommend it.