3 stars

A charming must-read for library defenders, involving a world in which common sense and a well-built community triumph over panicked reactionaries seeking to block services for those who truly need it. In that sense it’s a cute little fantasy, one that provides the reassuring sense that nothing will truly go wrong in the course of the story and goodness will prevail, which is exactly the sort of escapism I think a lot of us need right now.

The plot, inspired by The Music Man, follows the expected beats, and the obligatory romance novel third act breakup is thankfully brief. Props go to Schwartz for two good depictions of autism, which are neither stereotyped nor overdone. Our female lead’s pushiness can get a little uncomfortable in the novel’s first chapters, but she gets better over time. The dialogue suffers from heavy therapy speak, but I think that’s again part of the comforting fantasy that the book is trying to feed you, even if it comes off a little scripted.

It's not my favorite, but it’s cozy and cute, and I appreciate that it didn’t let me ever feel anxious about things ending happily for all.

I didn't get the chance to finish this book but the things that drew me to this were the fat representation, the librarian main character, and the small town romance vibes. I really want to finish this title.

This was a decent read with an interesting premise and some enjoyable moments. The characters had potential, and there were a few engaging scenes, but it didn’t fully pull me in. The pacing felt a bit uneven, making it hard to stay invested at times. It’s an okay read if you’re in the mood for something light, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

I didn’t hate it but I also didn’t love it. Definitely won’t think about or have any desire to reread.

Despite being a con woman by trade, Harmony Hale has principles. To avenge a betrayal that triggered her father’s downward spiral to an untimely death, Harmony needs to pull off her biggest con yet, which brings her and her flashy red convertible to the tiny California town of Brookville. It is in Brookville that Harmony encounters Preston Jones, a skeptical, autistic, activist-librarian who appears to be immune to her charm. Harmony needs Preston’s cooperation for her elaborate con to work, but while trying to get his signature for her scam, Harmony discovers Preston’s genuine goodness and the battles he fights as the guardian of an autistic child, while being autistic himself, all while staving off book censorship battles from local parents. As Harmony gets closer with Preston, she begins to reconsider what a successful life would look like, and whether the revenge she sought would be worth it after all.

As a fat librarian with an autistic partner, this book hit very close to home for me. I often saw Preston and Harmony behaving in ways my partner and I behave, which speaks highly to the author’s understanding of the social aspects in the book. L.A. Schwartz expertly handles some extremely sensitive topics, like autism, bullying, parental loss, queerness and homophobia, fatphobia, and church abuse of minors, all of which are noted in a content warning at the beginning of the book. Despite the intense topics, this book was written in a way that made it easy and fun to read; throughout the story, I could picture myself in Brookville with Harmony, Preston, and the rest of the gang.

My primary critiques would be that Harmony sometimes feels like a caricature of herself as the voluptuous, vivacious blonde con woman, but I think that characterization is intentional and more a matter of personal taste than actual issue. The ending seemed to come together a little too conveniently, with Preston’s random celebrity connections and the forgiving nature of the people of Brookville. I love a happily ever after, but definitely had to suspend belief toward the end for it all to wrap up so smoothly.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to adult readers looking for a romantic comedy that does not shy away from some of the unpleasant realities of our world. I do, however, highly recommend any potential readers check out the content warning before beginning to avoid potential triggers.

My Kind of Trouble was the kind of book I was looking for as a palette cleanser and to get me out of my reading slumps. It didn't do that. If anything, it put me further into a reading slump.
Now, to be fair, at first I was hooked. The characters are likeable and you instantly became engrossed in their story. But then the plot holes started popping up left and right. And with so many plot holes, came even more questions. I wanted to like this book so much but it fell flat for me.

This was a cute gender-swapped modern reimagining of The Music Man! The middle (once they got together) fell kind of flat for me, and I found myself skimming a lot, but I really enjoyed the beginning and end and the little homages to the musical throughout!

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

My Kind of Trouble by L.A. Schwartz is a fun story with a good plot and a fast pace. I enjoyed the character development throughout the story and it touches some interesting points, such as autism and the negative effects of banning books. The spice was good and the ending was enjoyable. However, i felt like Harmony's confession was a bit rushed and it made things happen a bit to fast. But overall, i enjoyed this story and continue to recommend it.

What happens when a conwoman and Autistic librarian and piano teacher met? You get my kind of trouble Harmony's a conwoman who needs to run a con but in order to do so she needs the person who owns the land for a fake festival enter Librarian Preston. What can I say I'm a sucker for a librarian hero. And I loved the whole opposites attract.

Loved this story. It was a fun mix of The Music Man and Heartbreaker. Had a few small twists that I didn't predict. I wish we saw more of Preston's interactions and relationship with his sister. The discussion of autism was something I didn't know I needed in this book.

I entered this book with zero expectations but wow!...Harmony is a movie character, a boss woman who has her objectives very clear, to plan the best music festival she can imagine and make the mayor pay with his entire fortune for the damage he did to her in the past
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But to achieve his goals she needs to convince the sexy librarian to be on board, nothing strange since it is only part of the plot to get the town on board with the idea of the festival and manage to catch the mayor.
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But for that Preston has to stop and listen to her, except that from the first moment he sees her he decides to stay away from all temptation. Especially with his time completely occupied with raising his little sister and some library patrons criticizing his book choices and methods
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But no matter how hard he tries, Harmony is nothing if not determined to get what she wants and Preston is in her sights
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I love the way L.A. Schwartz described every sensation and thought going through Preston and his little sister's neuro-divergent minds, so conscious and very well thought out
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It really surprised me and I really liked the development and ending of the story, the only thing that I can complain for maybe the pace, it was a little slow in the middle
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without any doubt I'll be looking forward to her next books
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Thanks to L.A. Schwartz and Alcove press for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

Was giving 3 star for a while, just because I couldn’t stand Harmony — but that was kinda the point. If you like character development plots, you’ll like this book! Found family is present for both FMC and MMC. Representation is emphasized (in authors note) to have a fat main character, and a character with autism. The negative effects of banning books is touched on as well.

Loved the way this all came together. Small town community vibes that highlights the pros & cons of that. Romance was present throughout, but there was a lot more to this plot as well which I really liked.

Overall enjoyed this cozy read! :)

My Kind of Trouble by L.A. Schwartz offers an intriguing mix of romance and drama, featuring relatable characters and an engaging storyline. Although I adore both characters, I did not see much of their chemistry, despite the fact that the story is enjoyable and entertaining.

Rated 4.25 on The Storygraph.

Harmony “Hale” saunters into town for her next con. An expert conwoman, she targets rich and powerful people to take them (and their egos) down. Her current con is personal, and Harmony knows exactly what ploy to pull off- a fake festival.

But as she starts to fall for the local librarian, she has to chose whether to come clean, or end up hurting the community she’s starting to call home.

Preston is an anxious, Autistic, librarian, who takes care of his younger sister Lacey. When he’s not worrying about his sister, he’s anxious about the mayor’s wife trying to ban books, stop LGBTQ clubs, and get him fired. But then a gorgeous woman needs his help, and his land, to build a festival. Not wanting more on his plate, Preston tries to say no, but Harmony is persistent, clever, beautiful, and makes him want more.

This book was lots of fun. Harmony and Preston’s banter was addicting, the plot moved quickly, the spicy parts were spot on (yes they do it in the library), and the ending was tied up in a nice little bow.

Schwartz’s characters always shine, and this book is no exception. I loved the Autism rep in both Preston and Lacey, the book banning subplot, Harmony’s confidence, and the way Preston adored her and her body. The side characters also were all nice additions, with some side characters giving the reader queer rep (Sapphic).

My only qualm was the anxiety of Harmony’s con and the pacing of the overarching story. I feel like she should have confessed just a bit earlier, or that there should have been a bit more space in the timeline at the end. It almost felt like it all came crashing down in the last couple of chapters, and even though it crashed nicely, I would have enjoyed a more gentle slowing.

Regardless, I highly enjoyed my time with Preston and Harmony, and highly recommend the book!

Super cute, super sexy, super funny. Everything I wanted and more. Loved the story and the characters and how unique the story was as a whole.

My Kind of Trouble is the debut romance novel from author L.A. Schwartz. This is a steamy bookish enemies to lovers rom com which is a gender-swapped homage to The Music Man. Add in some truly brilliant autism rep, healthy relationships and a confident plus-sized FMC and you have My Kind of Trouble, an absolute must-read addition to the romance genre.

This is a truly captivating story, with the perfect amount of humour, sweet moments and steam. The novel is perfectly paced and I was so hooked that I read the entire thing in nearly a single sitting.

Harmony and Preston had brilliant chemistry and a really healthy relationship which we love to see. I’m a sucker for the ‘he falls first and harder’ trope and this was so well written. There is a third act breakup, which is to be expected given the plot point of Harmony’s hidden identity as a conwoman but there is a quick resolution. The spice was well written, well placed within the plot and felt really realistic.

Harmony was a cracker of a FMC. She was a confident and sure of herself force of nature who experiences such character growth over the course of the story. The way she finds both a family and a home in Brookville was beautiful. I loved that she was a confident, plus-sized FMC and that she’s a bit of a brilliant Robin Hood type character in the way she cons people who deserve it but makes sure to pay back anyone who is innocently caught up in her schemes.

As an autistic person who also finds solace in books, I absolutely adored Preston as a MMC and the authentic autism rep we had through both his character and the character of his younger sister Lacey was the highlight of the book for me.

Just how authentic the autism rep would be became clear in only the second chapter. Throughout the book we see stimming, hyper-focusing, sensory needs regarding food, references to autistic burnout, references to meltdowns, noise sensitivity, recovery from overstimulation and difficulties with change. It’s honestly some of the best autistic rep I’ve ever seen in a book of any genre.

There are references to ABA therapy, with it suggested to Preston for his younger autistic sister Lacey but this is firmly rejected immediately. The topic is also featured later in the book with Preston discussing his own experiences of it, but again this is portrayed in a rightfully negative light.

I loved the way Harmony researched autism to know how to best support her prospective partner. This total acceptance was so heartwarming to see as an autistic adult.

Overall, I just absolutely adored this book. It has been one of my standout reads of 2024 and is a truly brilliant debut novel from L.A. Schwartz. I’d highly recommend it to all fans of a good rom-com novel and anyone who likes to see really authentic autism rep in their books.

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice Level: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️/ 5 (Open Door)

I have posted my review on my blog www.yourschloe.co.uk

*Thank you to NetGalley, L. A. Schwartz and Alcove Press.

A sweet and fun romcom

Harmony is a talented con-artist and now is the time to take down the man responsible for ruining her father's life. But for that, she has to sell a non-existent music festival to a stubborn librarian so she can use his land. Unfortunately, Preston is not impressed, and between taking care of his sister and his job, he has no time to deal with Harmony's proposal. In his eyes, she's nothing but trouble. But Harmony is not one to back down from a fight, and she's determined to get the job done, wether he likes it or not...

This book was a very fun read. I loved Harmony's confidence and charm right away. She's mesmerizing and clever, which made the story really intriguing. As for Preston, he's sweet and incredibly passionate, which makes it easy to relate to him. The story was captivating, full of twists and turns, and I liked seeing both of the characters' minds change throughout the book. I loved how they got to know each other, see beyond the pretend exterior to their hearts. It was inspiring and sweet in the best way. I was dreading the moment everything would fall apart, and the author delt with it in a very interesting and good way, which only made me love the book more. On a side note, I'm not autistic, but I found the representation very clear and good in my opinion. All in all, a great read!

I recommend if you like sweet romcoms with some enemies to lovers plot.

"His hand slipped around the nape of her neck, drawing her into a kiss she wanted more than she deserved, and was determined to find a way to be worthy of."

As someone who loves Penelope and Colin, musicals, and curvy women, My Kind of Trouble was written for me and I absolutely ate it up. Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the advanced copy!

this is a fun hate to love rom com style book we have revenge and with our mc it a fun banter between the two.

This was a sweet book! I enjoyed the spin on The Music Man. Bonus points for making the heroine curvy! It makes me emotional every time I find an author who writes for beautiful curvy women. There was sugar and spice and everything nice in this book! I will definitely read more from this author.