I Knew You Were Trouble

Enemies to lovers by a master of the genre

Three and a half stars.

Was it the jet-lag kicking in? For some reason I didn't adore this latest book in the fabulous Oxford series. It was ok, for someone other than the divine LL it was probably very good but it just felt a little like LL (whispers) dialled it in.

Taylor Carr is an orphan, brought up by her single career-woman aunt. Her Aunt Karen wasn't very maternal or loving, although she did look after Taylor and teach her (after her own fashion) about life. As a consequence, Taylor can seem a little aloof, unfriendly and standoffish. At the end of her first day in her new job at Oxford magazine, she gets into a lift (elevator) with Nick Ballantine, a contractor for the magazine, Nick mistakes her natural reserve and shyness for personal dislike and calls her an Ice Princess. That name is a hot button for Taylor which starts a period of enmity between the two of them.

Fast-forward a year and Taylor is dating a colleague, Bradley Calloway, but on the day they are supposed to move into their new apartment together she comes home to a note telling her he has changed his mind. Now she has no boyfriend, she has signed a lease for a two bedroom apartment that she can't afford on her own AND she has to work with her ex-boyfriend. But Taylor isn't despondent, she thinks Bradley just got cold feet, heck she doesn't want a husband, kids and a white picket fence so he has nothing to worry about. Once he has calmed down he will realise his mistake, all she needs to do is wait for him to come to his senses. In the meantime she needs a short-term tenant to help with the rent.

Although they have an antagonistic relationship, Nick still fancies Taylor so when he sees her upset in the office with a flyer advertising a room available in her new apartment he sees this as his opportunity to 1) give the finger to Bradley who he DOES NOT like, 2) maybe get into Taylor's pants and 3) get away from his ex-girlfriend who has moved in and refuses to believe they are over.

But, as Taylor relentlessly plots to get Bradley back she starts to see a different side to Nick. But should she take a chance on the man right in front of her or continue to pursue the one that got away?

I think the reason I am ambivalent about this book is that I didn't really like Taylor or Nick. Bradley was portrayed as such an unpleasant guy that I didn't understand why Taylor was so relentless in her pursuit of him, it made me think less of her. Also, Nick did something I really didn't like, (view spoiler).

This book did make me want to reread the previous Oxford books and I expect there is a future book for Brit and Hunter which I am already excited about.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.