Here Comes Trouble is a fun, flirty, and feel-good romance that delivers exactly what you'd want from a lighthearted read. Christy McKellen brings charm and chemistry to the forefront with engaging characters, witty banter, and just the right dose of emotional depth. The story sparkles with humor and heart, making it an easy page-turner perfect for a cozy afternoon. If you're in the mood for a swoon-worthy escape with a touch of sass, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

A slow-burn romance that perfectly balances spice, sass, and heartfelt emotion. Jess is determined to maintain her perfect good-girl image, while Xander fully embraces his bad-boy era. As they slowly unpack their past trauma, their sharp banter adds warmth and lightness, turning even the toughest conversations into moments of connection. With every sarcastic remark and stolen glance, their walls start to crumble, making it impossible to ignore the pull between them.

I really enjoy this author’s storytelling and writing style. I didn’t feel any real chemistry between the hero and heroine, beyond a superficial physical attraction. The audiobook narration is well done.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

“Here Comes Trouble” is a fun light-hearted story between Jess, journalist who is seeking a story to make her mark in the world and Xander, an artist who has an attitude problem. Together, Jess will learn with Xander how to let go and be more spontaneous, while Xander learns how to be more sensitive and navigate his feelings.

This was cute, fun and really enjoyable. Jess is the type of woman we read in books about being “not fun” and the ex complained she was too boring. But seriously, we all know the ex was actually the problem. She focuses on her career because she wants to thrive, but everything is against her. Except Xander sees something in her and he invites her to visit him in Italy for the interview. Their banter is really fun to watch and Xander is a major a**hole sometimes. The guy is infuriating, but that’s what makes them cute. Jess is very uncomfortable with her body image, and Xander tries to help her. He sees a wonderful woman with an impressive body, but she does not. He tries to convince her that her body is amazing and she also explores his demons and his insecurities from his past. Even though he’s a beloved artist, he still has things from his past that haunt him, especially his relationship with his dad.

Together they can learn a lot about each other’s faults and try to build a steady relationship.

“Here Comes Trouble” is a nice novella that deals with a lot of emotions, especially with traumas, in a light-hearted way. It has a little of spice, it’s fast-paced and it hits just right in all the spots.

Here Comes Trouble by Christy McKellen

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Sometimes it’s fun to kiss and tell!

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!

My Opinion

Previously published as Lessons in Rule Breaking.

Jess seizes an opportunity to further her career in this entertaining read. At less than 200 pages this was a quick read. Both Jess and Xander are likable characters. Christy McKellen has once again written a charming novella.

Rating 4/5

This book is short and sweet and it’s a really quick read. It’s a cute opposites attract Rom-Com about Jess and Xander who both struggle with issues from their past. I think it is worth noting that the FMC mentions her issues with an eating disorder.
Overall, I thought it was a cute story. I liked the relationship between Jess and Xander, but I would have liked more time to see their relationship grow.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The characters were stereotypes of an artist and a journalist. From looking at the other reviews I’m glad I didn’t keep reading.

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

The protagonist, Jess, is a journalist for Spark magazine. When she's asked to interview an artist named Xander Heaton, something about him takes her by surprise, and she finds it difficult to get him out of her mind.

I liked Jess as a character; she seemed like the type of person that I'd want to make friends with, and I found her a little bit relatable in some ways. Xander made me smile, and I enjoyed his bad boy energy. At first, he seemed a little bit mysterious as well, in an appealing sort of way.

I felt the two characters had an interesting dynamic at the beginning, and I was keen to see what might be in store for them, as the story progressed. As I got to know more about them, I felt I had the opportunity to connect with both Jess and Xander on a deeper level.

I found this easy and fun to read; it was both sweet and spicy, and it brought a smile to my face. I also want to add that I really liked the cover design with its bold, vibrant colours.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

This was a cute enough story with some childhood trauma, but I wish it was longer or even had an epilogue.

This was a fairly quick read and I think perhaps that might have been the reason that I didn't connect with the characters as much as I had hoped. The premise of the story was great but it just fell a little short for me, unfortunately.

I wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately I did not.
The pacing felt extremely rushed, and the connection between Xander and Jess didn't seem genuine. There was absolutely no tension and the couple moved so fast it made me uncomfortable.
There were also parts of the story where it seemed like the author was trying to fit as many adjectives into a sentence as possible, or that they used a thesaurus for every word.

This one sounded promising but unfortunately was a let down. I found Jess to be quite depressing with her bleak outlook on both life and herself. Xander lacked charm and instead came across as sleazy and a definite playboy. The chemistry was lack luster and I just didn’t connect to the characters or storyline.

I had the pleasure of reading Here Comes Trouble thanks to NetGalley (huge thanks to them!), and I have to say—it was a surprisingly engaging read. This book has a Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman vibe, so if you loved that one, you’ll definitely enjoy this too. The story unfolds over just two weeks, but despite the short time frame, everything feels believable and well-developed.

Jess Lafayette works for a magazine and takes life way too seriously. Her childhood left a deep mark on her—her mother, a former model, always dreamed of Jess following in her footsteps, but she never felt like she measured up. Forced into beauty pageants she hated, she spent years carrying the weight of judgment and disappointment.
Being watched and evaluated still makes her uncomfortable, so she prefers to keep a low profile. Her journey in this book is a slow and beautiful realization of self-worth, helped by someone who’s also battling his own demons.

Xander Heaton is an artist with a rough past, and after the harsh criticism of his latest exhibition, he’s completely lost his inspiration. The fear of failure haunts him, and the thought of not being “special” anymore has trapped him in a shell of detachment and self-defence.
He’s always kept people at arm’s length to protect himself, but Jess manages to break through his walls, showing him what he didn’t want to admit: his obsession with success has pushed everyone away. He needs to find himself again—but most importantly, he needs to understand that his worth isn’t defined by other people’s opinions.

Their relationship is a perfect example of opposites attract—she’s methodical and cautious, he’s impulsive and troubled. Forced to work together, their dynamic unfolds naturally and engagingly, with sharp dialogue and an attraction that builds gradually and convincingly.
Their chemistry is undeniable, and the spicy scenes are perfectly balanced—intense but never forced or out of place. Every moment between them is packed with emotion, and the way Xander makes Jess feel special is one of the best parts of the story.

Here Comes Trouble is a quick read (just ten chapters!), perfect for a weekend. Despite its brevity, the story is well-paced and delivers genuine emotions. It’s the kind of romance that sticks with you—thanks to its flawed yet deeply human characters and a story that, while unfolding in a short time, feels completely authentic. If you love short, spicy opposites attract romances, this one is a must-read!

I wanted to like this more than I did. The chemistry just wasn’t there for me between the characters. It was a quick and easy read but there was just something lacking, it felt a little too forced.

I did appreciate the way themes of body image issues/dysmorphia were handled and that was one of the redeeming aspects of the story for me but overall it was just a bit lacklustre.

A great short story packed full of detail, spice and vulnerability.

I often struggle with novella's. It is hard to find that balance of enough story and pull with less pages. This book hit that good novella stride for me.

The initially opposites attract and mutual need between Jess and Xander grabbed me. They were tentative but fun and I could see their potential.

The way they opened up to the other while simultaneously calling the other out fit perfectly.

Overall, I very much enjoyed their story and thought it was very good for such a short one.

This book went by so quick and I wish I meant that in the best way. It was fine, very short and quick to read. I think the issue for me was how fast the relationship seemed to happen and we were thrown into this world with little to no backstory. This made it feel forced trying to root for these characters relationship without being attached to them beforehand. I feel if this book was 100-150 pages longer and provided us with more information I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I understand the author wanting to write this as a novella but it should have been changed into a novel instead. Thank you NetGalley and and Boldwood Books for the chance to read this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books Publishing for the opportunity to receive an ARC of Here Comes Trouble by Christy McKellen.

This book follows Jess, a journalist on the verge of being let go from Spark due to her subpar writing. However, an unexpected opportunity arises when she is assigned to interview Xander, a once-renowned artist looking to reclaim his status in the art world. If her article is good enough, she just might save her job.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I struggled to feel the romantic connection between Jess and Xander until the final two chapters. From the beginning, Xander comes across as self-absorbed, focused solely on reviving his career, while Jess often feels like a pushover. The story also touches on body dysmorphia and eating disorders, so readers sensitive to these topics should be aware.

I just finished Here Comes Trouble by Christy McKellen, and I am completely obsessed! This book was the perfect mix of sizzling chemistry, witty banter, and just the right amount of emotional depth to keep me hooked from start to finish. The characters were vibrant and dynamic, and their push-and-pull tension had me grinning the entire time.

I love a romance where sparks fly and trouble only makes things more interesting—this book delivered that and then some! Christy McKellen has such a way with words, crafting a story that’s equal parts fun, flirty, and full of heart. I’m officially adding her to my must-read author list! If you love a romance that keeps you smiling, swooning, and rooting for love, this one is an absolute must!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing the ARC.

This book was deeply lackluster for me.

I couldn't relate to any of the characters, Jess was almost like a caricature of your typical woman making it in the real world, and Xander was really smarmy, not in a good way. There was no chemistry between the two characters. They felt as dry as toast. I hoped for more from them, but I got nothing. The prose is also very rudimentary and doesn't evoke any emotional attachment. It was just all very bland.

I'm sure some people will like this book, but I am not one of them unfortunately.

"Here Comes Trouble" reads more like a novella, balancing spicy tension with deeper themes, including the characters' struggles with mental health. Journalist Jess is assigned to write about Xander, but instead of exposing his truths, she finds herself stepping out of her comfort zone as he helps her see her worth. Their connection brings them both a renewed sense of purpose.

For its shorter length, the pacing was solid, but the journalism and art aspects felt underdeveloped. Jess rarely focused on writing her article, and it took a while for Xander to start her portrait, despite it being central to their deal. Additionally, the ethics of Jess sleeping with her subject weren’t really addressed, which felt like a missed opportunity.

Jess was a great character, and I was rooting for her to find confidence amid her anxiety. Xander, the classic 'misunderstood bad boy,' was intriguing but had a history of treating women poorly. While he aimed to redeem himself, some of his behavior throughout the book made it hard to fully support his character.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.