I Knew You Were Trouble: An Oxford Novel (Oxford, #4)

by Lauren Layne

• ISBN10: 1504783468
• ISBN13: 9781504783460
• Publish Date: 1 October 2017
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 16 November 2021
• Imprint: Blackstone Audiobooks
• Format: Audiobook (CD)
• Duration: 6 hours
• Language: English

Reviews

[chymerra]

I really enjoyed reading I Knew You Were Trouble….even though it was book 4 in the Oxford series. Reading books out-of-order from the series that they are in usually annoy me. Unless they are standalone and I Knew You Were Trouble is definitely stand alone. While the other people from the other stories are in the book, they do not overwhelm the book with their stories. Instead, Taylor and Nick’s story is allowed to follow its own path.

What really made this book enjoyable to me was that the author took the time to have Nick and Taylor build up their relationship by starting the story almost a year before their relationship took off. You got to see them both grow into their feelings for each other. Honestly, on that, I didn’t think that they would. They were like oil and water and there was always verbal fallout when they got together. You did get to see a softer side of Nick and Taylor when her aunt died but that was the only niceish interaction until Bradley chickening out and breaking up with her by letter (who even does that????) scene.

I liked Taylor but I didn’t like how cool she was with Nick. You could feel the sexual tension every time they were together, regardless if they were in relationships or not. There was one point in the book, before the trench coat scene, where I kinda wanted to reach through my Kindle and shake her. Why? Because she was fighting her attraction to him and I thought she was being stupid. So I was pretty happy when the trench coat scene happened. I am going to say that I think that she could have handled Bradley showing up unexpectedly at her apartment a bit better. Look what happened. A huge misunderstanding that almost cost her the man that she needed.

I love Nick. He was such a wise guy and kept Taylor on her feet. He also was the only one who was there for her when her aunt died and then again in different parts of the book. It didn’t take me long to see that he was falling for her (I think I figured that out before he did). Another thing I liked about him was that he was a nice guy. A genuinely nice guy who got hurt pretty bad by his ex. So I wasn’t surprised at his reaction to Taylor’s news. Honestly, I wouldn’t have expected him to act any other way.

I was a little taken aback by certain events involving Taylor and Nick. Honestly, I didn’t see Taylor’s news happening and but, like I said above, I could see what Nick reacted the way he did. I just think that maybe a week was too long but then again, Nick needed time to process what he was told. He did make it right but I was so afraid that he was too late. Of course, the book wouldn’t have had its happy ending if he didn’t but still I worried.

The end of the book and the epilogue was perfect. Not going to give anything away but I loved…..well you need to read the book to find out what I loved about the epilogue (haha).

How many stars will I give I Knew You Were Trouble: 4

Why: Sweet romance with likable characters that had oodles of sexual tension

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

[Rowena]

I Knew You Were Trouble is the fourth book in the Oxford series by Lauren Layne and it’s a book that I’ve been pretty anxious for. I love all things Lauren Layne and I especially love all things Oxford so the minute this book found its way onto my Kindle, I dug in and finished the entire book in a day.

If you read the other books in the Oxford series then you’ll remember Nick Ballantine as the fill-in guy. He’s a freelance writer who fills in for Oxford writers who are on vacation or out sick or whatever. Lincoln Mathis isn’t a fan of Nick’s because he tried asking Daisy out in Someone Like You and Lincoln didn’t appreciate Nick trying to slide into his girl’s DM’s. So this book is that Nick’s book and while it wasn’t my favorite of the Oxford bunch, I still rather enjoyed it.

Nick’s heroine works at Oxford on the marketing side of the magazine and Taylor Carr is the real deal. She’s fierce and she’s sassy and Nick wants her bad. Too bad, she hates his guts and wants nothing to do with him. Their chemistry was off the chains and I enjoyed their work encounters. This hate to love story was so much fun for me. I enjoyed getting to know both Nick and Taylor and their story was a solid one.

There was a lot about Nick that we didn’t know in the other books and I’m glad that we got his backstory in this book. He’s been through a lot of heartbreak and man did I feel for him. I felt for him when we find out what happened with Kelsey and I wanted to wring Kelsey’s neck when she popped up on his doorstep like she had every right to.

Taylor was a bit extra at times but I never hated her. I understood where she was coming from when she would act crazy and I can’t say that I blamed her for moving on to Bradley the way that she did. In my opinion, the back and forth between Nick and Taylor had to happen for them to get to where they were in the end. They were in such a good place at the end and the ending scene had me smiling like a crazy lady because I was so happy for both of them.

I really like Lauren Layne’s writing style. Her characters are always smart, charming and just all around great people and you can’t help by cheer them on. These characters were no different than the editorial Oxford peeps. They felt like my friends and I was glad to see all of my favorite characters from the other Oxford books.

I can’t wait to read Brit’s book and I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that her man is the man I’m thinking about. I’m so ready for that book.

Overall, this was a great romance featuring two people who fought their way to true love and even though it wasn’t my favorite book, I still recommend it because it’s a solid story as all Lauren Layne stories seem to be for me. Nick and Taylor are great and if you missed the other Oxford folks, look no further than this book because they’re all back!

Grade: 4 out of 5

[Lynn]

Enemies to Lovers, Nick Ballantine and Taylor Carr are the focus of this last edition (sob sob) in the highly entertaining Oxford series.

When Taylor Carr's boyfriend dumps her on the day they're supposed to move in together, she needs to find a room-mate fast for her stunning new apartment, to help pay the rent. When Oxford's sometimes, freelance writer Nick Ballantine hears about Taylor's predicament, he jumps at the chance to share. Only, can they overcome their hostility towards each other and live together amicably?

When Nick Ballantine hears Taylor Carr is looking for a room-mate, he volunteers because it gets him out of a personal situation, even though he doesn't want to move. However, when Bradley, Taylor's ex objects, he's determined to move in and claim her as his own, only he has to convince her to like him.

I didn't feel the combustible sparks of attraction between Nick and Taylor, in the same way, I did when they were first introduced to them in Someone Like You (Oxford #3). Somehow their chemistry is more subtle with more emphasis on their hostility to each other. Underneath their combative exterior hides a lust and mutual attraction, only their right place at the right time meetings are coupled with wrong timing...until they find themselves as room-mates. Once they settle into a routine, it doesn't take long before the sparks ignite, and problems to arise.

In trademark, Oxford style, the dialogue is as sharp as their designer suits as familiar faces from the series blend into the narrative along with a couple of new faces. Ms Layne couples this with palpable emotions during heart-wrenching scenes. I was instantly taken with Nick and charmed by his gentlemanly compassion whereas Taylor was a more difficult character to like, however, it's important to remember that as a couple Taylor and Nick are perfect together with a satisfying Happy Ever After to consolidate that fact.

If you've read any of the Stiletto or Oxford books, you'll love this one. If not, take your pick from any of these standalone novels...you won't regret it!

4 stars

***arc generously received courtesy of Loveswept via NetGalley***