In this funny and spicy new romance novel, readers follow sensible journalist Jess on her most difficult assignment yet, a tell-all interview with the notorious artist Xander Heaton. When the interview goes off the rails in all sorts of ways, Jess is tempted to break her own rules to solve the problem, but that never works out the way she intended. As things become more complicated for both Xander and Jess, they have decisions to make that will greatly influence their future happiness. With excellent characters, a series of entertaining complications and obstacles, and some serious chemistry, fans of Christy McKellen will absolutely love this novel for its tropes and entertainment factor. The characters and the tropes they play into really sell the novel, and their chemistry is essential to this novel’s success and readers’ interest, and McKellen has captured all of this incredibly well. The variety of settings and locations really add to Xander and Jess’s juxtaposed personalities and interests, which is a great touch and adds to the complexities and entertainment factor. Well-written, interesting, and charming, romance readers of all kinds will love this new book for its great characters, their chemistry, and the intense emotions that McKellen has brought to life.

Sensible journalist Jess is not a rule breaker, especially where her career is involved. But trying to extract a tell-all interview from notorious artist and bad boy Xander Heaton is going to test her patience… and self-control. Because she must, at all costs remain professional, respectable and stay focused on the job at hand.

But it’s not long before Jess realizes that Xander spells trouble with a capital T and is living up to his tempting reputation! Trying to keep her distance, Jess decides that maybe she could break her golden rule, just this once to get Xander out of her system and her job back on track. But one night is never enough! And she learns that actually breaking her rules once in a while can lead to more fun than sticking to them!

Love it. Cannot wait to read more.

2.5/5⭐️

I feel like stories like this shouldn’t be novellas. Soemthing like this would be more beneficial to becoming an actual novel so that there is more plot. I felt like the characters met, and then it was wham, bam, thank you ma’am. I just needed more of a slow burn! I liked Jessica to a point, but I really didn’t enjoy Xander😭 He just seemed like a tool to me. Really wanted to like this one!

*Thank you to NetGalley, Baldwood Books, and the author Christy McKellen for the ARC!”

Jess and Xander's story is a super cute opposites attract, forced proximity romance. She is a journalist, and he is the artist she is supposed to interview. I highly recommend this book to readers of Tessa Bailey and Abby Jimenez. Christy McKellen knows how to create a funny, sweet story with lots of romance.

I struggled with this one! The writing wasn’t great, the characters didn’t have much chemistry, and the spice was cheesy. I couldn’t connect with the characters or the story. Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC.

The accomplished journalist Jess is assigned to interview the notorious artist Xander Heaton, known for his rebellious nature. Xander is captivating yet frustrating, and Jess must complete her interview without losing her professionalism. As they interact, Jess and Xander unexpectedly find common ground, and their mutual attraction deepens. Will Jess uphold her professional standards, or will Xander's allure prove too strong?
I'm enjoying this ARC, although it was quite predictable. I laughed a great deal, but I do wish there had been more.
Thank you to NetGalley, Christy McKellen, and Boldwood Books for this ARC!

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

3.5 stars

I loved xander and jess' chemistry and i'm so happy that this wasn't an insta-love book. I think that eventhough the book was quite short, you could connect with the characters and follow they backstories quite easily.

I'm just going to need an epilogue to know what happened (during) and after the exhibition, because I couldn't be left like that.

3.5 stars. I enjoyed both main characters opening up and sharing their struggles. However, I did not see much of the emotional connection between them. It seemed as if they hooked up a couple of times and then were confessing their love.

Here Comes Trouble is a spicy, fast-paced romance that pairs opposites in a high-stakes, emotionally charged setting. Jess, a rule-following journalist on the brink of losing her job, is assigned to interview the notorious bad-boy artist, Xander Heaton. Their dynamic is fueled by forced proximity, clashing personalities, and undeniable attraction.

The novel explores themes of self-discovery and vulnerability, particularly through Jess's journey with body image and confidence. Xander's character adds depth as he confronts his own past and emotional barriers. Their interactions are laced with tension and chemistry, making for an engaging read.

However, I have noted that the story's brevity leads to a rushed romance and underdeveloped subplots. The pacing may leave readers wanting more depth and buildup in the relationship. Additionally, certain actions by Xander, such as using Jess as inspiration for his art without consent, have been points of contention.

Overall, Here Comes Trouble offers a quick, steamy escape with emotional undertones. It's a suitable pick for fans of contemporary romances featuring strong-willed heroines and complex heroes.

Thank you for the ARC! Sadly unable to read as this was downloaded onto a device I no longer have access to and the book has since been archived.

Sadly, this was predictable, the characters weren't developing but rather boring. While they each had their strengths and weaknesses, they were too obvious and out in the open. I would've like to read between the lines instead of being spoon-fed everything. As this is a short novella, it could have done with a little more depth, not blurting everything out (as the characters in the story do).
I was hoping for more.

unfortunately this was very weak. too short and thinly written - not enough to get into the characters, to get attached, to root for them, anything.

I absolutely love it when an author knows that short and sweet is sometimes better than drawing out the story! This book definitely lives up to that—it's a quick read with a speedy story, which makes it easy and enjoyable.
The author expertly weaved a story of romance with the struggles of body issues, self-consciousness, and living up to others' expectations. As such, the characters become well-developed, and we see them beyond the romance between the two MCs.
That said, at times the characters felt a bit repetitive, and we seemed to run into similar 'barriers' or 'obstacles' throughout the book, which was frustrating at times. While I know this added to the characters (i.e., showing how ingrained some of these issues were), it stagnated the story a bit. This also made their reuniting a bit lackluster, as I didn't really feel like the characters got over their issues enough to be at the point where they could have a long-lasting romance (however, it was one of the coolest grand gesture moments I've read in a while).
Overall, it was an enjoyable read and one I am glad I picked up; however, it is not necessarily one I would gravitate towards for a re-read.

Thank you very much for the eARC!
Please note that all views expressed here are my own.

Tropes:
- Magazine writer x artist
- Opposites attract (straight-laced girl and bad boy)
- Italian vacation romance
- Reformed player
- Broken MMC
- Body image issues
- Grand gesture
- 2 spice.
- 3.5-star rating

This was a fast-paced, spicy romance that delves into themes of self-discovery and breaking personal boundaries. Jess's journey from a rule-abiding journalist to someone exploring her desires is both relatable and empowering. Xander, with his bad-boy persona, challenges Jess in ways she hadn't anticipated, leading to moments of tension and passion.

Though I felt that the character development and relationship progression could have been more fleshed out, the chemistry between Jess and Xander is palpable, and their dynamic keeps the pages turning. And while the story touches on deeper themes, such as body image and self-worth, I found the exploration of these topics to be a bit surface-level. Nonetheless, the romance is engaging, and the setting provides a picturesque backdrop for their evolving relationship.

Here Comes Trouble is the perfect finish-in-one-day read for readers looking for spicy with a dash of emotional depth!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

The book delves into themes of second chances and personal growth, adding depth beyond a typical love story. With a steady pace, it keeps readers hooked through drama and conflict.
The focus isn’t just on the romance, but also on the characters’ personal development, overcoming past struggles, and discovering themselves. While the plot follows some familiar romance tropes, it’s still an enjoyable read for fans of the genre.
Overall, it’s a quick and fun story.

DNF.

I’m a firm believer that romcoms should never be third person, and this was no exception. Perhaps if it were written in first person, I would’ve really liked it, but that didn’t happen. I tried to get through this and I just couldn’t.

No hate to the author EVER! This just wasn’t right for ME.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick, fun, breezy book. It would be perfect for when you're looking for a book you can read in one day!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Boldwood Books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this book feeling practically giddy, I mean - look at the cover? It's beautiful. And a promise of a bad boy artist paired with a journalist in a forbidden romance? I was completely giddy for the prospect and was really hoping for the best.

Instead; the characters were lackluster at best - I felt absolutely nothing for Jess. There was no depth, no vulnerability, no anything aside from this bland shell of a character. Xander had his name going for him and that was about it, he had more depth than Jess, but he was just slimy and wrong - he certainly had no bad boy sexiness to him.

Then as the "romance" progresses (there was just absolutely no chemistry, no yearning, no spark), we get to a point where he takes unsolicited photos of her "and paints them" - he does all this without her consent and then has the audacity to be mad at HER for her being upset at the violation. It was just the pure audacity of it all that just ruined any chance for them to really be anything more than "yuck". I think I would have enjoyed it all much moreso without that disgusting scene (and it really did come out of nowhere, he was made to be thoughtful and then bam, it felt really vile!).

Overall, not the book for me but I can say that it was a very quick read.