Title: I Knew You Were Trouble
Series: Oxford Book #4
Author: Lauren Layne
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Blurb: New York City’s hottest bachelors are stirring up trouble in this fun, flirty Oxford Novel, as a love triangle forces a feisty beauty to choose between winning back Mr. Right or giving in to Mr. Wrong…Taylor Carr has it all—a sleek job in advertising, a stunning Manhattan apartment, and the perfect man to share it with: Bradley Calloway. Even after Bradley dumps her for a co-worker on move-in day, Taylor isn’t worried. She’ll get her man eventually. In the meantime, she needs a new roommate. Enter Nick Ballantine, career bartender, freelance writer—and longtime pain in Taylor’s ass. Sexy in a permanent five-o’clock-shadow kind of way, Nick knows how to push Taylor’s buttons, as if he could see right through to the real her.
Nick’s always trying to fix people, and nobody could use a good fixing more than Taylor. Sure, she’s gorgeous, with mesmerizing silver eyes, but it’s her vulnerability that kills him. Now that they’re shacking up together, the chemistry is out of control. Soon they’re putting every part of their two-bedroom apartment to good use. Then Taylor’s ex comes crawling back to her, and Nick figures she’ll jump at the chance to go back to her old life—unless he fights for the best thing that ever happened to him.
Thoughts: I’ll start by saying I have loved other Lauren Layne books, but this is the first I have read from this particular series. This book started off a bit rough for me though – I was a little thrown to backtrack about a year and focus on Taylor and the ex-boyfriend and the meeting of Nick at the same time. It was a bit of an odd start for me. Reflecting back, I can see the value of doing the story that way and see where the author was going with it. Once things starting falling into place, I really enjoyed the story more and more and by the end I fully invested in the story and the characters. The romance between Taylor and Nick really appealed to me and I wound up loving the story.
Rate: A-
