It was a quick, easy read! I think I would have liked if it had been a bit longer because it would have given more time to connect with the characters and build more tension.

Here Comes Trouble by Christy McKellen is a short (less than 200 pages) slow burn workplace romance where opposites attract.

Sensible Jess is a journalist that is given the assignment to interview infamous bad boy artist Xander Heaton. Xander is irresistible but infuriating and Jess must get his tell-all written without losing her composure. As the two clash, Jess and Xander soon find themselves connecting and their attraction grows. Will Jess be able to maintain her professional boundaries or will Xander's magnetic charm win her over?

This is a quick, fun beach read with a straightforward plot and witty banter. I feel like it could have been a bit longer, maybe exploring more by way of character depth, but overall an easy read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Christy McKellen, and Boldwood Books for this ARC! Publication date was March 9th 2025.

Here Comes Trouble was exactly what I needed to read. It had me laughing AND swooning over the romance. Xander was an irresistible MMC. While this was somewhat of a predictable read I did love it. I definitely would recommend this for a book club, beach read, plane ride, or any time you want to cozy up with a good read. This book is pretty spicy, but in a good way, not just to have spice. It was the perfect amount. Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and Chris McKellen for the advanced reader's copy that was complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Jess had her dream job writing for a magazine and thought her life couldn’t get better until her boss calls her into her office and tells her she expected more from her and that if her next article isn’t perfect, she will no longer have this job. When her coworker who was supposed to interview Xander Heaton, a popular artist, is stuck elsewhere, Jess offers to do it to try and write something that lets her keep her job. This was sort of a slow-burn romance with the sweetest ending!

Thank you Christy McKellen, and Boldwood Books for allowing me access to this ARC via NetGalley.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Vibes: 😈🏢💘🔥🎨
Rating: 2.5 ⭐
Tropes: bad boy hero / forced proximity / opposites attract / workplace romance
⚠️ TW: body dysmorphia

I wanted to like this book, I really did. The description gave me so much hope for all the romantic tropes in a short book (less than 200 pages) and I was left disappointed.
I feel like the romance was rushed and there really wasn't much chemistry between Xander and Jess.
Was an ok read to pass the time and gave me something to fictional to focus on, but need to be honest with myself.

Also, as someone who suffered with BDD (body dysmorphia), a trigger warning would have been nice.

Thank you Net Galley, Christy McKellen, and Boldwood Publishing for an EARC of Here Comes Trouble.

I was not a fan of this book. The characters were a bit awkward and the story felt rushed. The FMC suffers from trauma of an eating disorders in her teens. I do like how she was able to gain confidence in herself but I think she went about it the wrong way. I wish she learned to love herself more before loving herself with the help of a man. Also, the MMC using her as inspiration for his painting without her consent 🤦🏼‍♀️

This romance follows Jess and Xander in a good girl x bad boy dynamic. She’s a journalist looking to secure her future with her employers and he is a grumpy artist looking for a comeback.

I definitely liked Jess better than Xander, I actually found him quite off putting in places. Her growth was defined and had purpose and extremely relatable.

While this was a unique and captivating story, this could have been a full length novel and would have flowed a lot better and been more engaging. I also struggled with the third person POV as it was difficult to tell who’s POV it was at times and seemed to switch. There also wasn’t a lot of Xander which I think plays into him not being very likeable as it was hard to tell what he was feeling a lot of the time.

I’m also not sure why this book was marketed as a spicy novella because it lacked spice.

If you’re looking for a quick and unique story, then this could be for you.

📚Opposites attract
📚 Novella
📚 Good girl/bad boy dynamic
📚Artist MMC
📚Journalist FMC

Plot: 💜💜💜💜
Characters: 🤩🤩🤩
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Writing: ✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!

I like the premise of the story with the opposite attract thing and I'm generally a fan of stories where one of the characters is a writer. While enjoyable enough this didn't really hit the mark for me. If you're looking for a quick light read though this would be a good choice.

This book was just okay and didn't really hit the mark for me. It just flat in many aspects of the story.

loved this romance and finding love and remembering love before the one. love the friends and the chemistry between the couple was on fire and loved the banter.

This beautiful contemporary romance by Christy McKellen had me hooked from the very beginning with its witty banter and emotionally layered characters. In this story, we follow Jess, a journalist in career-repair mode, and Xander, a broody, reputation-tarnished artist. Sparks begin to fly when they’re forced to collaborate on a project that could make or break both their futures.

What stood out most to me in this book was how the author explored themes of self-worth, redemption, and body image with such thoughtful and nuanced depth. This story is not just a romance—it’s a rollercoaster ride of healing, finding your voice, and daring to start over. The characters were well-developed, bringing out the emotional layers that made the story even more meaningful. And the chemistry between the two main characters? Absolutely swoon-worthy.

If you love contemporary romance with substance, a messy-but-loveable MMC, and a heroine who finds her power, this one definitely belongs on your TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Christy McKellen, and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. 💜

I feel this book was a bit too short which made the plot move much more quickly while leaving the character development behind.

In my opinion, the foundation of a good book was there but it felt too rushed.

This is the first book I’ve read by Christy McKellen but I’ve heard so many good things about her books that I’ll definitely check out more of them!

Thank you NetGalley, Christy McKellen, and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a review.

Sensible journalist Jess is assigned to interview notorious artist Xander Heaton, known for his bad-boy reputation. As their professional relationship deepens, Jess finds herself drawn to Xander's charm, leading her to question her own rules and boundaries. This sizzling romance is fun and flirty, where breaking the rules might just lead to the perfect match.

A steamy romance that is perfectly bingeable and easy to read. Balances the sweet with the saucy well and is engaging

The premise of this book is great, grumpy/ sunshine, bad boy artist/ sensible journalist there for an assignment. However, the chemistry between the two was absolutely flat.

I loved that they got to know each other and got even more attracted to one another as they discovered each other but it was... meh.

The writing wasn't as compelling as I would've liked, and even with a novella-like length, it took a while to read, and the dialogue was mediocre.

Jess was very flat, but of course, in the way that she's so gorgeous but she can't see it, absolutely fit, but curvy "in the right places," and the spiciness.. well, I was looking forward to that, but did nothing for me. I skimmed the scenes.

Here comes trouble
By Christy McKellen
⭐️⭐️⭐️3/5
The story was short and sweet. There isn’t too much complication. Plot is simple and straightforward. I like that both came from a background that allowed them to understand each other. Setting is somehow very limited as well as supporting characters. It somehow just revolded around the two of them.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a fun romance novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you Boldwood Books for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I’m thankful this was a novella as I’m not sure I would have finished this if it was a full novel.

The first issue started with page 8… EIGHT… when her boss who she is scared of and not close with told her that she needed to be more crazy and should be out having wild & crazy sex. Like… wtf who does that!? Gives me the ick!

I also refuse to believe that this super hot, confident artist with models flinging themselves at him would be into a frumpy suit wearing, body hating, flat haired woman. She needed some kind of redeeming quality to make this realistic but she was pretty insufferable.

What kept me going is the silly banter and the sex scenes were pretty good. I will say this is an easy fluffer if you need to get in a quick read to hit your reading goal.

No disfruté particularmente esta lectura. La premisa era buena – obviamente, o no la habría solicitado – pero prometía más de lo que realmente entregó.

Tal vez se deba a que el libro es muy corto. No hubo suficiente tiempo para conocer a los personajes ni para que los dos protagonistas llegaran siquiera a conocerse entre sí.

Tuve la impresión de que el autor intentaba convencer al lector de la química entre Jess y Xander, pero simplemente no funcionó.

Ni Jess ni Xander son especialmente entrañables. Creo que incluso llegaría a llamarlo aburrido.

Here Comes Trouble by Christy McKellen is a delightful and steamy romance that will have readers rooting for its charming yet rebellious protagonists. Jess, a sensible journalist, is tasked with interviewing the infamous artist Xander Heaton, a notorious bad boy who is as frustrating as he is irresistible. Her mission is clear—get the tell-all interview while maintaining her professional composure—but it doesn’t take long for Xander’s magnetic charm to start chipping away at her resolve.

The chemistry between Jess and Xander is electric, and McKellen does a fantastic job of building the tension between them. Jess’s internal struggle to remain focused on her career while trying to resist Xander's allure makes for an engaging and entertaining read. As the two clash and connect, their dynamic shifts from professional to personal in a way that’s both fun and full of chemistry.

McKellen’s writing is witty and fresh, and she balances the tension of Jess’s professional dilemmas with the irresistible pull of romance. While Jess tries to stay true to her rules, Xander is a reminder that sometimes breaking them leads to unexpected rewards. Their journey together is filled with humor, passion, and plenty of heartwarming moments.

Here Comes Trouble is a perfect escape for readers looking for a light-hearted, steamy romance with a touch of sass. With its blend of humor, chemistry, and character growth, this book is a great pick for fans of romantic comedies with a little bit of heat!