This is an easy 4.5⭐️ for me.
Right from the first page I knew I was going to like both the FMC and the writing in this book. I wasn’t wrong. I can’t help but feel very impressed that this is a debut and not a novel written by an already well established author. That’s how much I liked it.

If you like small town romances, this is for you.
If you like cute and respectful MMCs, this is for you.
If you like healthy relationships, this is for you.
If you like representation in your books, this is for you.
If you like interesting side characters with their own stories and their own things going on, then this is for you.
And if you like couples that are complex and very different from each other, but still manage to put aside their differences and actually complement each other in the sweetest ways… then this is definitely for you.

My only criticism is that the beginning was a little slow. Until like 30% nothing was really happening. But once Preston and Harmony started hitting it off… boy, was I hooked!

Honestly, I couldn’t recommend more 🥰

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 star read for me

Loved the plus-size, autism, and LGBTQ+ representation in this book. It was essentially a retelling of The Music Man. The side characters had depth and there was a spicy library scene (overall not a very spicy book in case you’re not into that), what’s not to like?

Oh Harmony. Oh Preston. Oh babies. Good fat rep, and good autism rep. Although it's not a queer book, the secondary smaller queer subplot was extremely well done too.

I love as a society we are including more fact MCs in our romance novels. Us fat people deserve love too! This was cute, witty, and funny. I cannot wait for everyone else to read this.

This book was fun from cover to cover! Harmony, a fat sort of "robin hood" conwoman (with a secret heart of gold) comes to town to exact revenge on the man who ruined her father's career, and in the process, accidentally falls for the stern librarian who doesn't seem phased by her one bit. Our male lead, Preston, is fighting for inclusion and representation at his small town library and doesn't want to be bothered by this new larger-than-life woman who rolls into town and won't seem to leave him alone, until, that is, that he finds himself drawn to her and unable to get his mind off her!

With secret identities and hidden motives, you know there's an inevitable third-act break up, but this was handled in such a way that didn't frustrate me as a reader, made my heart ache a bit, and challenged both characters to grow, giving us a satisfying character arc for both leads! It was sweet, sexy, and full of heart.

Fat-friendly? Hell yeah! My Kind of Trouble gives us positive fat representation in our female main character and representation of autism spectrum disorder in our male main character (as well as his sister). While I can't speak to the authenticity of the autism representation, I can speak as a fat woman. It was refreshing to have a female main character living in a fat body who is confident, savvy, sexy and secure in her relationship to her body. When I read romance featuring a fat lead, I love when the author shows them as sexy and desirable - not fetishized for their fatness, not desirable *despite* their fatness, but seen as whole and human and body size wasn't a focal point, it simply was. I appreciate books that give us essentially a "fat-normative" society, rather than making fatness a thing to overcome or a thing to fetishize.

Title: My Kind of Trouble by L. A. Schwartz

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

Release date: October 8th 2024


If you're in the mood for a delightful, laugh-out-loud romance, "My Kind of Trouble" by L. A. Schwartz is a must-read! This debut novel is a perfect mix of charm, wit, and heart, making it an absolute gem for fans of romantic comedies. This book had me laughing, smiling and awing throughout.

In "My Kind of Trouble," Harmony Hale bursts into the quaint town of Brookville, California, fuelled by a vendetta against the mayor who destroyed her father’s life. As a seasoned conwoman with a knack for schemes, Harmony’s bold and confident demeanour contrasts sharply with the town’s order and routine.

Enter Preston Jones, Brookville’s nerdy and protective librarian. He’s dedicated to his job, his library, and caring for his selectively nonspeaking sister with unwavering devotion. Preston’s serious and grumpy exterior meets its match in Harmony’s vibrant and unapologetic personality.

From their first encounter, sparks fly between Harmony and Preston. Their dynamic crackles with tension and humour as Harmony’s quest for revenge intertwines with Preston’s commitment to his community. As their relationship evolves from mutual irritation to a steamy attraction, readers are treated to a delightful blend of wit, charm, and unexpected romance.

The dynamic between Harmony and Preston is electric from the get-go!. Harmony’s larger-than-life personality clashes perfectly with Preston’s straightforward, no-nonsense approach to life. The chemistry between them is sizzling, and watching their relationship evolve from mutual annoyance to undeniable attraction is pure entertainment that had me giggling.The Grumpy/sunshine trope is executed to perfection, making their banter and growing affection all the more enjoyable.

What really sets this book apart is its depth. Oh the feels! Schwartz handles themes of autism, responsibility, and personal insecurities with sensitivity and realism. Preston’s struggles with book challengers and his dedication to his sister add layers to his character that make him incredibly relatable and endearing. Similarly, Harmony’s journey from seeking revenge to finding something real and meaningful is beautifully portrayed.

The plot, which centres around Harmony’s scheme to sell a nonexistent music festival, is both hilarious and heartwarming.

"My Kind of Trouble" is a cute, funny, and thoroughly enjoyable read. The realistic portrayal of medical themes and personal insecurities adds depth to an already fantastic story. If you love a good romance with plenty of laughs and heart, this book is definitely for you. Highly recommend!


Thank you to The Publisher Alcove Press ,The Author L. A. Schwartz & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

What a captivating book. I was intrigued by the cover and the description and once I started reading, I knew I was going to love this book. I can see my patrons loving this book as well so I'm excited to share it with them in October!

Unfortunately, I just have no memory of reading this, so it just probably wasn't for me since it wasn't very memorable.

I genuinely enjoyed this one. Admittedly I just couldn’t connect with the FMC… I just found her generally unlikeable, but that’s ok! If anything, it speaks to how great the rest of the story was that I was rooting for her! Loved the authentic autism representation (both for child and adult), LOVED the community library struggle representation. Can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!

This book was so great! I have not read a music man retelling and I had so much funny reading it. It was very unique and it had great representation.

This book is a sort of retelling of the Music Man. I thought it was decent but not amazing as the FMC kind of annoyed me. I enjoyed the humor, the charm, and autism representation.

I love the representation in this book. It’s amplify small town romance though I got annoyed with how much she was getting people’s hopes up.

I had a really hard time with this one. I understand that Harmony is supposed to be a conwoman with a heart of gold. But this gave me so much anxiety throughout the entire read that she was getting the hopes of an entire town up and constantly pestering a man with autism for her own purposes.

On the plus side, we do get some solid messages about the importance and necessity for libraries and the lifeline they can be for people within communities. There was also great queer rep within as well.

Preston was a top notch book boy friend. He and Lacey were the only reasons I didn't DNF.

2.5/5

Is it just me of are healthy relationships hot AF?

This retelling of "the Music Man" is very well done. Being a musical theatre fan I was a little unsure if this was going to disappoint and I really think that this is so well done.

I love that there is so much diversity in this book, it makes people feel seen and represented.

"My Kind of Trouble" by L. A. Schwartz is a delightful, steamy romance that pairs a clever conwoman with a lovable, nerdy librarian. Harmony Hale, on a mission to avenge her father, targets Brookville's mayor with a fake music festival scheme. She needs Preston Jones, the town's autistic librarian and piano teacher, to pull it off.

Preston is all about protecting his library and caring for his sister, so he’s skeptical of Harmony and her flashy smile. But when she offers to help save his youth programs, he starts to see her in a new light. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their journey from suspicion to affection is full of humor and warmth.

Schwartz’s storytelling is engaging, with plenty of twists to keep you hooked. The characters are well-developed, and their personal growth adds depth to the romance. Harmony’s transformation from a revenge-driven conwoman to someone capable of love is heartwarming, and Preston’s balance of responsibilities and newfound feelings is touching.

If you enjoy fun, quirky romances with a bit of spice and a lot of heart, "My Kind of Trouble" is a must-read. It’s a perfect blend of humor, charm, and unexpected love.

Thank you NetGalley, Alcove Press and L.A. Schwartz for allowing me to read the ARC of "My Kind of Trouble" in exchange for an honest review.

A very enjoyable, sexy small town romance.

A curvy conwoman comes to a small town with the idea to seek revenge, and along the way she falls in love with an autisic librarian while she keeps stringing along her web of lies.

I want to say beforehand, I liked the represantation of autism, very close to reality, showing not only the study book cases of it.

I overall did really enjoy the story, I loved the chemistry between the main leads, and I did absolutely adore the confidence our heroine was walking through life with.

I have never read a romance before that has left me kicking my feet while also sweating nervously. The leading couple complement each other so well. The author also did an incredible job of writing them both as well-written, likable characters when they stand alone. So, when they finally start developing feelings for each other, you are shouting from the rooftop with excitement for them. Not to mention they were a perfect mix of very cute and incredibly sexy. But, as I kept reading, I kept wanting to put the book down. Not because it wasn’t good, but because I was terrified for what might have become of the two lovebirds. As someone who knows romances usually have a happy ending, it still hurt to see the characters having to deal with the fallout of the novel’s super excitable story/conflict. With all that being said, there is still so much to like about this story, I would recommend it a thousand times over.

In general, this is your run-of-the-mill cute romance book. It's solid but not necessarily out of this world. There are a few plot lines that get dropped that I wished it had circled back on. It gets an extra star, though, because it has some really good representation. The main love interest is autistic, and it's so refreshing to read an autistic character who isn't based fully on stereotypes.

Thank you NetGalley, Alcove Press and L.A. Schwartz for allowing me to read the ARC of "My Kind of Trouble" in exchange for an honest review.

A very enjoyable, sexy small town romance.

A curvy conwoman comes to a small town with the idea to seek revenge, and along the way she falls in love with an autisic librarian while she keeps stringing along her web of lies.

I want to say beforehand, I liked the represantation of autism, very close to reality, showing not only the study book cases of it.

I overall did really enjoy the story, I loved the chemistry between the main leads, and I did absolutely adore the confidence our heroine was walking through life with.

If you look for a lovely read with a happy ending, this is your jam.

I really enjoyed this book and the way the main character grew to see that getting revenge wasn’t as good as actually building something positive. Great autistic representation and wonderful arguments against book banning! A cute romance with lots of small town character charm.