This was...fine.

I was really enjoying the intrigue and finding out if she'll get away with everything, but then she got really insecure and really in her own head and it got really annoying. An incredible supporting cast, but Emily just really bothered me. I liked her! And then she decided it was better to just make decisions for everyone else instead of just communicating and letting them make up their own minds. Like when Grace goes missing and she spills all of this information to her and Grace says, I already knew most of that. COOL, that would have taken away so much of the nonsense I read!

It was a good story, but I wish the main character weren't so annoying.

Set in a vague time period after King Henry the VIII but not our modern era, Emily impersonates her sick sister and becomes a governess for a widowed former Navy Captain. Her intentions are clear: don't make friends, steal some trinkets, make some cash, return home.

The cast of characters was certainly fun, and everyone in this 17- 18 or maybe 19th century British house was apparently Bi or transgender or just extremely accepting.

What followed was quite predictable, she becomes friends with everyone despite not meaning too, she almost ruins everything because of her earlier intentions, etc.

Predictably one of the children she is to care for loves her and one is obstinate and ornery, but in the end they become great friends, and then she falls for the father. At this, I am at a complete loss. There was no chemistry, the romantic part of this story was just extremely bland.

The narration was good, the writing was not bad, but the plot and execution left a little to be desired. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC!

Emily's sister Amy is sick, and Emily is desperate to make enough money to provide the care she needs. So desperate, that she pretends to be Amy and take the governess position her sister was hired for, despite the fact that Emily doesn't know the first thing about educating children. Despite her attempts to stay aloof, Emily gets pulled in further and further to the lives of the staff, the children, and Captain Edwards.

I love a regency romance that isn't about nobility. The romance was a very slow burn, and I loved the way the relationships between the characters developed.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to @NetGalley for letting me listen to the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! The pacing was good and made it a quick read! The narrator was fantastic as well. The only thing that bothered me was the respresentation of different sexual orentations was just just thrown in there, just because, without any depth of the characters. Im happy they are represented in this book, but I wish there was more depth with each individual character. It was a cute and hilarious. I enjoyed the found family trope as well, the side characters were funny and really added to the story.

Overall cute and I enjoyed it!

What a delightful, refreshing read! Thoughtful, well-developed characters, queerness in Regency England, a governess-employer plot—what else could we ask for? The audiobook itself was excellent, with a fantastic narrator, great production quality, and the perfect amount of humor and lightheartedness.

Trouble by Lex Croucher is a good fit for readers looking for a heartwarming and humorous story about found family, self-discovery, and love, set against the backdrop of a Regency-era estate.

I really enjoyed this one! I liked how different all the characters were and their quirky traits. I enjoyed how the relationships grew with Emily and the staff as well as the daughters and the captain. It felt like Emily developed well as a person.

What I wasn't a fan of and may just be a me thing, but the amount of different reps felt a little forced. Bisexual, gay, and transgender all in a regency era? With that time not be very accepting, I can't imagine that many people being able to admit to those feelings. If it was now, most definitely. Be who you want to be, but then just seems not very historically accurate. This could also just be the author wanting to have creative authority.

This was giving Jane Eyre which I LOVE. Not really all that similar but the governess falling for the single father of a quirky kid?? Yes please!!

Trouble was a fun read that had some more serious elements woven in. There was LGBTQ rep, there’s petty crime, there is scandal. But there is also prejudice and class differences and chronic illnesses. It is not as lighthearted as it may look!

Captain Edward’s comes off a bit rough and rugged at first but this is a man who *shock* takes criticisms to heart and is really trying to be the best father/employer/…..lover he can be 😏 he really is a MMC you can root for!!

Some of the dialogue was a bit over the top to me and was probably not historically accurate - at least these characters are nothing like I am used to when it comes to novels set in the Victorian era. So while it is maybe not very light it is also very not serious and goofy at times.

Overall a cool idea, I enjoyed it even if I cringed at times. 3.5 stars.

I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Ell Potter. The various voices were superb and made the story so much fun to listen to.

This was my first book by Lex Croucher, and I found it utterly delightful! The story of a woman showing up for the governess job that her sick sister was hired for, when she was not exactly fit to be a governess set the background for what turned out to be a funny, but heart-warming tale. There were several twists involving character sexual orientation. There was an acceptance of those characters and events that were loving and beautiful.

This was a warm, romantic, and hilarious audiobook. Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

Another fun queer retelling from a master of their craft; Lex Croucher has quickly become an auto-buy author for me and I'm positively elated to see they have a queer retelling of Robin Hood coming to the US this fall!

If you feel like Lizzie Bennett is your spirit animal, you are going to find your soul mate in Emily Laurence! Babes is 29, deeply repulsed by kids, and shouldering the Katniss-sized burden of providing for her mother and sister since dear old dad's passing. If that means playing imposter to get the high-paying Governess gig at the nearest estate, then so be it! But the ruse is more difficult to maintain than she expected because the Edwards are unlike any high society family she's ever seen. Dad can be found working in the mud alongside his staff, Daughter #1 is more likely to maim you than curtsey, and the self appointed Lady of the House is the 13 year-old chatterbox.

I loved the single POV cos the romance sneaks up on you. Captain Edwards reminded me so much of Mister Darcy because when Emily criticizes him, he makes all these life changes and is like DUH WOMAN, I love you! Lex Croucher's signature style of queer-normative writing is just perfection! She takes everything that you love about Regency novels and breathes fresh life into it with modern sensibilities and irreverent humor. The cast is diverse because she wants it to be and so it is.

Can't recommend this enough! It's modern irreverence in a regency setting. Easily a book that would win over any romance reader.

Even though idk that I ever *really* believed the relationship between Emily and Captain Edward’s (they spent so little of the book having any actual interactions)…I honestly didn’t even care because the story as a whole was so compelling and had me completely invested in every single character, not just the romance.

Less overtly humorous than their other books but still with Lex’s unmistakeable, biting wit that I absolutely adore. I loved the dynamic between the staff, both Grace and Aster were funny in their own ways…and Emily. Oh Emily. Gloriously grumpy, cantankerous little storm cloud Emily…my gods I LOVED her. This is probably my favorite of Lex’s writing super powers—the ability to create a character that you should, for all intents and purposes, absolutely abhor but instead you cannot help but absolutely love them in what you are slowly shown is their nuanced, relatable, deeply human depth.

The audiobook narration was great, I fully enjoyed listening. Always and forever one of my absolute favorite authors, I will continue to read any and everything Lex releases into the world.

This was a very good book. I really enjoyed this book. The story line was different but very interesting. It kept my attention the entire time. Finished in two days.

I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited for this book. I was not able to finish it. This book had a lot of vulgar language in it. Truly does not match the regency era it was supposed to be set in.

A cute regency romance. Loved all the representation - LGBTQ characters, a trans character and some with chronic illness.

I adored Emily. Her sister Amy was set to take the job as the governess for a widowed former Navy Captain. When Amy is too ill to go, Emily goes and pretends to be Amy because the family needs the money.

Emily's adventures were full of mischief, some scandal, and some romance as well.

Overall this was a very fun read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Romance and history are not my usual genres, but I enjoyed this story! I really liked the characters and the dialog. It was a very cute story and an easy read. I will definitely be recommending this book at the library and I can not wait to read more from Lex Croucher!

Thank you to the publisher, author and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book.

I’d give this story a 3.5 star rating. I love regency era and I liked that this one was LGBTQ inclusive. I think it’s important because there isn’t much out there in the regency era because of how taboo it was at the time.

I think the story was quite long, liked the ending but felt like it dragged on.

Thank you for the ALC for my honest review

Trouble is hilarious and witty! Such a lovely story of found family and romance (even if it is a little begrudging). I adore Emily but I wish she was less caught up in thinking she was so difficult to love.

The rest of the characters were likable as well! And the plot was entertaining and kept me interested. I couldn’t wait to come back and listen to more when I had to take a break.

It is a charming, queer historical romance but my favorite parts were the bits in between with the rest of the family. I would recommend this book and I can’t wait to read more from Lex Croucher.

Thank you Net Galley for providing this book for an honest review.

Trouble unfolds as an engaging audiobook, offering listeners a mix of humor, romance and unexpected connections. The story revolves around Emily Laurence, the unconventional governess at Fairmont House, who finds herself entangled in a web of lies and complexities.
The audiobook benefits from a strong narration, with the narrator delivering a performance that captures the essence of Emily's character. The narrator skillfully navigates through the humor and drama, breathing life into the diverse cast of characters populating Fairmont House. The pacing aligns well with the unfolding plot, keeping listeners engaged in Emily's journey of self-discovery and redemption.
While the audiobook succeeds in conveying the nuances of the characters and their relationships, the story itself does face challenges in maintaining consistent momentum. Some portions of the story feel drawn out, potentially testing the patience of listeners who prefer a more brisk pace.
The strength of Trouble lies in its character-driven narrative, and the audiobook format enhances the experience by immersing the audience in the witty exchanges and emotional dynamics. However, the predictability of certain plot elements and the occasional uneven pacing prevent it from reaching its full potential.
This was a fun blend of humor, drama and romance and it was an easy read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

When you’re broke, and your sister is too sick to attend her new job post as governess what do you do?
Obviously lie to your sister that you got permission to fill in so you can go rob the rich bastard and then quickly get away from those snot nose brats- or at least that was the plan.

Trans rep
Gay rep
Bi rep
Grumpy FMC
Found family
Historical fiction
What more could you ask for?
This book had me giggling throughout-this was my first Lex Croucher Book and now I want to grab every single one!