I loved all the characters and have read other books in the series, but I must admit I do find that it wrecks the flow somewhat by the dual pov for poppy and whomever the other person is at the time ( the previous book was the same). It would be better if the other characters were featured slightly but it kept the single main pov as being the heroines. Otherwise a very nice talk tale which makes for a good holiday read

3.5🌟
I've read all the others of this series so it felt only right to read this one too. It has very similar vibes and storyline to the film The Other Woman but not in a bad way - just in a slightly repeatable way. That being said, the revenge they ensued felt quite satisfying and the friendships they made along the way were nice as well. A fun, enjoyable read!

I loved the premise of this book. I need to read more lighthearted comedic books, because I was giggling all the way till the end.

This book showcases the power of female friendship and understanding. It’s a quick and easy read. My main critique is that the revenge plot devised could have been more devilish or action packed.

I DNFed this book at 41% I would’ve DNFed it sooner but I kept thinking maybe I should give it a try, maybe it’s me. But no it’s not me
My first impression of Kate was what could possibly spark a curiosity for her to open a door for a stranger ? Then, how blind could she be so she couldn’t see all those red flags in her finance - whom she didn’t even live with - she didn’t stick out to me as a mature person at all, if anything her and her cousin’s relationship also sounded like a relationship between teenagers who are yet to be mature, not grown up women in their mid thirties or fourties’.

Also I left it at 41% and yet there were minimal interactions between the two leads ?? Like hello ? There was no chemistry between them other than “ intense silence” and the said silence addressed by her cousin.

And don’t get me started on the big revenge plan. I feel like it was just shoving characters from the previous books in my face. Idk it felt off

I’m not sure this book was my cup of tea. However, thank you for netgalley and Sandy Barker for giving me a chance to review this book.

This was my first book by Sandy Barker, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Although it is part of a series, it reads like a stand-alone.

In addition to being a romance, there is also the delicious plot line of 3 women getting even with the narcissist who committed to marrying them. The women are all accomplished and attractive and shows how anyone can be duped. The setting is London and Amsterdam, and the author makes these cities come alive.

I liked how strong the female characters were, the very interesting supporting characters provide humor, the romance and sexual tension is swoon worthy, and the setting is charming.

Many thanks to NetGalley & the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

I love a good revenge rom com, but this one fell a little flat. It was a quick and entertaining read, but there were definitely some pacing issues, choppy transitions, and a general lack of cohesion. I realized as I was reading, that this is #5 in a series. While it is a standalone, having not read the other books made the multiple POV with a prior character seem random rather than intentional. I think this is what led to the cohesion issues. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more had I read the previous titles in the series.

"I Knew You Were Trouble" is the perfect rom-com full of emotions, laughs, betrayal, revenge, and stories about finding your place in the world.
The book is the last (for now) from the author's romantic Ever After Agency series but is the first I am reading from Sandy Barker. I enjoyed it; the story was well and fastly developed without redundant text.
Kate Whitaker has always believed in true love and believes she has found it. Until the day a god-like-looking man comes to her door with intriguing news that will change her life forever. It turns out that her fiancé is also engaged to his sister.
At this point, Kate realizes the situation and how she has ignored all the red flags in their relationship. Kate agrees to help Willеm and goes to Amsterdam to reveal the situation to his sister.
What starts with the idea of ​​a simple conversation and revealing the cards turns into a hellish plan for revenge.
Together, with the help of Poppy, the owner of a matchmaker agency, they begin to dig deeper and uncover more and more curious facts and stories related to the polygamist.
It is a story that shows that you never know what the future brings, and sometimes what breaks our hearts is part of the path we must pass through to reach happiness.
A huge thank you to Boldwood Books, Sandy Barker, and NetGalley for the opportunity to be among the book's first readers.

I knew You Were Trouble by Sandy Barker is not the first book in the series. It usually doesn't matter, but I feel it needed a bit more backstory or the reader should start with an earlier book.

Kate thought that everything was going well in her life. She had a job she loved and a fiancé who doted on her. She gets the shock of her life when a Dutch man named Willem shows up on her doorstep and tells her that fiancé is also engaged to Willem’s sister. Kate is shocked at the news and reluctantly agrees to help Willem convince his sister that she’s real. After meeting, they learn that there is another soon to be out there. Instead of being sad, the women decide to get even. With the help of Poppy, a matchmaker that Kate has employed in the past (although she is not the one who set her up with the fiancé), the ladies set up a sting operation to get back at the man who lied to them all.

When I chose this book to read, I saw that it was book 2 in a series that I had not started. (Actually, it looks like it is book 5). As no characters other than Kate or Willem were mentioned in the summary (other than the philandering fiancé and Willem’s sister), I figured it would be ok to jump in here. As I started reading, I quickly became a bit confused. After a chapter or so, Kate brings up some matchmakers by name, without much other information. I assumed that they were mentioned in the first book. No bother. Then, I reached a point in the chapter where the POV changed and went to one of those matchmakers (Poppy). Maybe if I had read the first book, this would have been a welcome surprise, but as I had not and she wasn’t mentioned at all in the book’s provided summary, I was confused and a bit annoyed. I had expected that characters from the first book might get a mention, but if they character is important enough that they get their own POV chapters, I should be told about them in the summary. I found myself frequently irritated by the Poppy chapters and it took me out of the story.

Ok, now that that’s out of the way. I thought that the story was fun overall. I liked the fact that instead of the women getting into cat fights or calling each other liars, they accepted the truth pretty quickly and recognized the actual bad guy in the situation. This was pretty refreshing. An overarching theme that happened in this book over and over again was “women supporting women”, which is always a big plus for me.

I found the romantic lead nice enough but a little flat. I feel like Kate probably would have fallen for any guy who came to her rescue like Willem did. Another slight annoyance in this department, Kate spends a lot of time thinking about the sex she could have with Willem, but then when the time came it was mostly closed door. Expectations were set up that were not met.

Overall, this book was a light read, that I think I would have appreciated more if I hadn’t gone into it so blind.

3.5 Stars

Funny, quirky, and sometimes revolving around clueless, but almost a 1930's comedy vibe - with multiple players, multiple fiancé's, new crushes, and revenge in the shape of a con that just keeps growing. Everyone wants to see the hapless rake caught, and it is entertaining getting there. An amusing amd cozy weekend read for sure.

Dont get wrong.

Get even.

Ugh I loved this story!!! The characters were simply perfect and I found myself squeezing in any spare minutes to dive into the story.

Are you a romcom lover? An upcoming publication, I Knew You Were Trouble by Sandy Barker, was an entertaining read. Check it out.

This is so fun. Reminds me of the movie The Other Woman with Leslie Man and Cameron Diaz.

Kate gets the "Hey girl" of all hey girl messages in the form a Dutch man at her door telling her that her fiancé is also his sister's fiancé. And he needs her to come back to Amsterdam with him to convince his sister that she's real and their mutual fiancé is a scum bag. What results is 4 women in three different countries who plot a revenge scheme to get back at the trust fund weasel who's playing them all. And if new love pops up in the process......well they deserve it, don't they?

It's funny, it's emotional, and at time refreshingly raw and vulnerable. I really enjoyed all three women and their journey's. Kate's plot is well thought out with realistic emotions, turmoil, and melt downs. The friendships are wholesome and entertaining. And the romance, though fast, is sweet and empowering. A quick, easy, fun read.

3.25⭐️



Kate estaba feliz con su vida: tenía un buen trabajo y su novio acababa de pedirle matrimonio. ¿Qué más podría pedir? Sin embargo, se lleva una gran decepción cuando un hombre llamado Willem le dice que su prometido es un mentiroso e infiel, ya que tiene otra prometida: la hermana de Willem. De repente, muchas de sus acciones cobran sentido, como el hecho de que nunca le presentó a su madre, o los viajes improvisados. Kate contrata a un detective privado para descubrir en qué más le ha mentido, y lo que descubre la deja destrozada y con ganas de venganza.


~

Al principio me pareció raro que Poppy tuviera capítulos desde su punto de vista, porque ella ya había tenido su propia historia, pero al final creo que fue algo positivo, ya que permitió ver cómo termina su historia.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is book #5 in the Every After Agency series. I have not read any novels by this author so I was looking forward to reading this one. This can be read as standalone. Kate Whitaker, the FMC, is a mid 30-something that has always believed in love and has always wanted her happily ever after. After dating Jon Dunn for a very short time, they get engaged. Kate overlooks a few red flags – she has never met his family, he’s an airline pilot so he’s away traveling (many postponed and cancelled dates)., he lives in a hotel as his home is being renovated, and her engagement ring is so huge and isn’t even her taste…..does he even know her at all?! One night, a (very hot) stranger named Willem shows up on her doorstep and has news to share – Kate’s fiancée Jon is also engaged to his sister, Adriana. Willem also asks Kate to come to Amsterdam to tell his sister in person, as she doesn’t believe Willem is telling the truth about a second fiancée. After processing her heartbreak, Kate accepts and travels to Amsterdam with her zany cousin, Margot, along for support. Kate has undeniable chemistry with Willem but has to focus on the task at hand – tell Adriana about Jon. They then hatch a plan for revenge against Jon.

This was a fun romcom; I quite enjoyed the first part of the book, though I would have liked POV from FMC and MMC. The dual POV was from FMC and from a secondary character, Poppy, which I thought was bizarre and didn't contribute much to the storyline. This was a missed opportunity as it would have given better character development having Willem’s POV. The middle part of the novel lagged and I was contemplating finishing it; however I trudged on and I enjoyed the last half of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Boldwood Books, Sandy Barker, and NetGalley for this ARC!

I Knew You Were Trouble is a lighthearted romcom that’s easy to breeze through. The book is filled with witty dialogue, fun banter, and entertaining scenarios that keep the story moving at a fast pace. The dynamic between the main characters is engaging, and their interactions are often humorous. It’s the kind of book you pick up for a cozy, feel-good read without too much emotional investment.

One of the highlights for me was the setting. As a Dutch reader, I loved that part of the story took place in Amsterdam. The references to the city made the book feel more familiar and immersive, and it was fun to recognize certain elements of Dutch culture. However, while the book captured some aspects well, there were moments where the representation of the Dutch language and customs fell short.

Unfortunately, one major flaw stood out: the incorrect use of Dutch swear words. At one point, the book claims that the Dutch word for “asshole” is “kanker” (which actually means "cancer"). This is a painful and offensive mistake that could have easily been avoided with proper research. As a native Dutch speaker, it was jarring to read, and I’d strongly recommend the author fact-checks foreign languages more carefully in future works.

While the book had its enjoyable moments, the plot sometimes felt disjointed, making it difficult to follow. The story jumped from one event to another without much cohesion, which disrupted the overall flow. In the end, "I Knew You Were Trouble" is a fun, fluffy read with some great references, but due to the language inaccuracies and the occasionally messy storyline, I can’t rate it higher than three stars.
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PS Sandy Barker kindly reached out to let me know that she and her editor will review the correct usage of cuss words.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC of 'I Knew You Were Trouble'.

This is well worth £1.99 of anyone's money. A light hearted twist on enemies to lovers. I think the whole story may have made a little more sense if I'd have read others in the series, but it was a nice filler read. Closed door romances aren't often for me, but I didn't mind this one :)

A twist on the typical enemies-to-lovers trope.

The FMC keeps things entertaining, but the MMC is the one that wins you over.

While the story is your typical romance it’s lighthearted, charming, and feel-good escape! The perfect beach read.

Kate Whitaker has always believed in love, but when a stranger named Willem shows up on her doorstep, the news he has to share isn’t as exciting as his god-like looks might suggest. He’s come to tell her that Kate’s fiancé is also engaged to his sister.

Kate doesn't know how she didn’t see the red flags: Jon’s work as an airline pilot having him flying around the globe, the postponed dates, the huge rock of an engagement ring that isn’t her style at all.

Overcome with fury – and entranced by the Nordic god’s piercing blue eyes and quiet allure – Kate agrees to accompany Willem to his hometown of Amsterdam to help break the news to his sister. Yet what begins as a simple gesture of support soon twists into a deliciously devious plan to get back at Jon.
Kate is drawn into a world of retribution, revenge and – unexpectedly – romance. Because sometimes the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else

There is only one word for this and it is addictive! This whole series has been wonderful and it was great to be back with a Poppy but in a slightly different role.

I loved Kate and Willem and Margot too was just fantastic. The chemistry between the main characters was evident without the spice (which for me is the preference). The story was written so well and the characters were all represented well. This is a top series which I adore and this last one adds a fantastic end to it. Obsessed, lighthearted, warming, engaging and addictive. Sandy you have incredible talent.

If you love romance you need to read this series. This can be read as a stand-alone but you will be missing out on a great romance series. This one is out on the 23rd March.

A super cute romcom about betrayal, revenge, and finding yourself.

I really enjoyed this, super fun and the romance is adorable - Willem is so sweet and I loved how much joy he took in introducing Kate to new foods and new places. Kate and Margot are friendship goals and I adored how fiercely they loved each other. By the end things felt almost like a little found family with Lucia, Adriana, and Poppy.

In the first third of the book I did find it a little difficult to tell the difference between Poppy and Kate's POVs, as the way they think and speak felt quite similar - a couple of times I had to glance back to check whose POV it was. However after the first few POV swaps they became very distinct and the rest of the book flowed really well. One other thing I noticed was that the word "snigger" was used rather often and this took me out of the story a little every time I noticed it.

Overall I absolutely adored this story - I haven't read the rest of the series but I'll definitely be picking up the others in future :)