Thank you so much to Storm Publishing and Dana Hawkins for this wonderful e-arc.
I loved the small details in this story. Mama Butter Nips, Remi’s past, Harper and Maya’s relationship, Remi and Maya’s relationship, and Ben’s presence added specialness and quality to a lovely sapphic romance. The miscommunication trope and the pushing away trope is repeated near the end of the story like it was in the previous book and the Deja vu is not as appealing as it was the first time. Gabriella’s character was all over the place.

What a sweet romcom! Honestly, this book was just what I needed right now, it was light, easy and fun! Like watching an episode of your favorite sitcom on a bad day. Although the dialogue felt a little off sometimes and there were a few analogies that didn't really "hit" the way they were supposed to, it was a super cozy read and I had a happy time reading it.
I loved all the queer rep, the Queen rep and the characters were multi-faceted, real and had lovely dynamics. Will definitely be reading more from this author and I would recommend this if you're looking for a cute queer romcom to brighten your day.

Thank you so much to the publishers, the author and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this arc. Although I did recieve this copy for free, all opinions are my own.

Today marks a pivotal moment for bartender Remi James, who, after years of grinding and overcoming a salty attitude, anticipates the well-deserved promotion she needs to secure her dream of a home loan—a beacon of stability amid her tumultuous upbringing. However, her elation is shattered upon discovering the promotion has morphed into a one-time cash bonus, and to make matters worse, she's pitted against the willowy, blonde, and stunning Maya Marek.

In the second installment of the "Singles in Seattle Series," the focus shifts to the world of drinks, cocktails, and alluring bartenders, particularly those engaged in a heated competition. Remi, known for her aloof, cold, and feisty demeanor, is caught off guard by Maya, an unexpected rival. What she envisioned as a straightforward promotion at Nueve's bar, her perceived turf, turns into an unwelcome contest with a distractingly attractive competitor.

Maya, in need of financial support, seizes Gabriela's timely offer, refusing to let Remi dictate her choices. The narrative weaves an intriguing tapestry of characters, unfolding a slow-burn romance amid simmering conflicts. Remi and Maya share undeniable chemistry, though the anticipation of their connection is drawn out, prompting the reader to yearn for that inevitable kiss. The story delves into themes of past pain, insecurity, loss, and the universal longing for love and family, resulting in a beautifully crafted second book.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Dana Hawkins and Storm Publishing for providing the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm, and Dana Hawkins for the ARC of this book. I’m SO happy to have gotten it.

Reviewing this book is an easy praise for me. I was captivated by Dana’s “Not In The Plan” and felt so drawn to Mack and Charlie, so I was thrilled to dive back in to her world with Remi and Maya.

Both characters were relatable and wonderful. Maya’s care for her sister and feelings after losing her dad were so realistic. Dana has a gift for capturing the complexities of grief and loss, as seen in both of her novels.

Remi was easily my favorite character. I adored her story and loved watching the walls she put up crack and splinter as she let Maya into her life. Their romance was so heartwarming and sweet, and I enjoyed every moment.

Dana has quickly joined the ranks of Haley Cass and Alexandria Bellefleur as one of my favorite sapphic authors. I can’t wait to see what she puts out next and will be scooping up every one.

In Walked Trouble is a sweet romance with well-developed characters you root for all the way through this charming story. I liked the dynamic between Remi and Maya, first competing against each other, and then falling in love. Also loved the adorable different drink titles for each chapter!

I’m so grateful to storm publishing for offering me an early arc of this book. I absolutely adored not in the plan and after reading this Dana is definitely now an instant buy author for me. She has such a remarkable way of writing the most intriguing characters who I feel so invested over, outside of the romance she writes so beautifully and in it. Remi and Maya are both such complex characters for such different reasons and their enemies to lovers slowburn was just delicious. I felt so fiercely protective over Remi throughout this book and was rooting for her to be happy so much I was audibly shouting at my kindle throughout this book. There is so many beautiful layers to this story that Dana has written so beautifully. The way found family is represented throughout this between Remi and Ben but also Remi finding her place in Mayas family warmed my heart so much and I already can’t wait to re read this book.

Oh my goshhhh. I’ve never wanted to give a character a big loving squeeze quite as much as I wanted to bear hug Remi throughout this whole story!

Maya and Remi are sassy enemies, but an even sweeter couple. Both of these characters are struggling with life in their own right, but when their paths cross and money is on the line... things get real.

Their slow burn was so, so adorable and loving (eventually).

I would love for both of these characters to seek out a little therapy, together and as individuals, but I was (am) rooting for them all the way through.

It was great to revisit Mack, Charlie, and Ben from Not In The Plan also! In Walked Trouble was a wonderful series follow-up (or stand-alone, if you’d rather).

This story is a charming exploration of family, found family, compassion, and surrendering control. Great read!

I really enjoyed this book! I read it over a span of 3 days, so it really did fly by. Ultimately, I would recommend it. But let’s get into it:

The good: I loved all of the characters. Their backgrounds were unique and developed, they felt real and relatable, and it was so easy to root for them. Remi took some getting used to, but she was my favorite by the end. The drink title chapters were so cute, and the setting is perfect. The chapters were short enough to be manageable but long enough to still be entertaining.

The middle: I am VERY neurodivergent, and having two characters that I am not previously acquainted with BOTH have 4 letter names means that I was confusing them constantly throughout the book. I could never remember who was who. I know that’s really weird feedback to have, but I struggled a lot.

The other: The ending came aggressively fast. Like, we barely got past the climax and it was over. Communication between characters was the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. And as a type one diabetic myself, I was rolling my eyes consistently with how dramatic everyone was making the disease out to be. Yes it’s a serious disease, but T1D patients aren’t made of glass and are perfectly capable of living normal lives. But really that’s it! It’s a great little book!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was really good! I enjoyed the enemies to lovers aspect a lot, and also felt the motivations of each main character were believable. I was rooting for them, and it didn't disappoint! A lot of fun, and I will definitely add this to my rec list.

Love love love Dana Hawkins' romances! This is the second book of hers I read in just a few weeks and I was hooked once again. Her fast-paced writing and deeply-layered characters kept me glued to the pages of In Walked Trouble, eager to read each development of Maya and Remi's rivals-to-lovers story.

Their bartenders antics were brilliant and funny, their times with Maya's family and with Gabrielle heart-warming... and their late-evening conversations about their pasts, their fears and their hopes were so beautiful to read - they were truly the foundation of their relationship.

One of my favourite quotes is:

What did happiness look like in the now, not after graduation— not when life settled— not when she “had time.” What did it look like even temporarily? Was temporary happiness worth potential heartache?

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the chance to read this novel in advance in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this. I loved the characters they were relatable kind funny and witty.
I loved the setting I really wanted to visit:
This is a sweet fun romance full of happiness fun times and love
I love the characters relationship it was fast paced and done so well it felt like I could feel their connection.
I love the growth in each of their characters it was lovely to see.
Over all a lovely slow burn sweet romance with amazing characters!

When I saw the description of this book I was so excited: queer relationships and the Pacific Northwest! I liked this book, even though some of the conflict and resolution throughout felt a little forced, and the pacing felt pretty rushed to me — especially at the end.

Though this was the case, I was happy to spend time with Remi and Maya, their families (chosen and blood), and immerse myself in an LGBTQ+ romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC!

Remi has been working at Nueve’s bar for 4 years and is supposed to get promoted, but one day she gets called into work and is told that there will be a co-bartender working with her from now instead of her getting a promotion.
The cherry on the cake is, when the owner says that Maya (the new bartender) and Remi will be competing over the summer and the winner gets a hefty bonus.
For Remi it means freedom and her own place and for Maya it means Master’s in nursing!
Who would have guessed that from being rivals and bickering about everything they will go to loving each other? Maybe it just needs one emergency at someone’s work and it makes them realise certain things 👀
Who will win the big bonus?

This LGBT sweet romance book has enemies to lover trope, slow burn romance, 1🌶️/5🌶️ and it will also break your heart and mend it at the same time!
I really enjoyed this book and I am grateful I was able to read it as an ARC reader.

#inwalkedtrouble #danahawakins #enemiestolovers #lgbt🌈 #lgbtbook #arcreader #slowburnbooks #romance #sweetromancebooks

In Walked Trouble is the story of bartenders Remi and Maya competing for a cash bonus at work that they both desperately need. For Remi this money represents the stability of finally buying a home of her own after a life of unpredictability and disappointment. For Maya it means the ability to finish her education, become a nurse, and help sick people like her sister. The two immediately dislike each other, and its not like their forced proximity and working together will change that……..right?

This was another enjoyable novel by Dana Hawkins. A classic slow burn, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, Sapphic romance, set in the same universe as their last novel, Not In The Plan. Reading the previous novel was not at all required, but enriched the experience of this one if you did. This was a witty read that was fun while also touching on some deeper and more emotional topics and themes. The characters were great, and the plot was simple and straightforward in a good way. Picking a star rating on this one was hard, and I wish we could do partial stars. In the end I had to round down to 4; there wasn’t anything wrong with this novel, but it just didn’t have the impact I think of with a 5-star novel.

As always, possible minor spoilers below:

The Great Parts:
-The drink-special-chapter-titles are back from the last novel, and I still love them. Such a simple little thing but I am HERE for it! Each chapter heading is the name of a custom drink that foreshadows the content of the following chapter in a fun way without overt spoilers. Its almost like each chapter starts on a cliffhanger and you are enticed to read on to find out what happens.
-The writing is great, very witty, and overall well done. Particularly crossing the chapter ending/beginnings, I found myself really appreciating the writing. Reading this novel so close to reading Not In The Plan I think I can recognize that the author’s writing has gotten better between novels (not that it wasn’t good in the last one!) and that is neat to notice.
-The characters were very well done. As this was also the case in the authors last novel, I am seeing a pattern here of excellent characters. Their backstories were well developed and acted to clearly inform their actions in the present.
-The relationship development was so incredibly well done. Intimacy developed through a long and vulnerable night of conversation? YES! There isn’t anything wrong with the “standard approach” of having characters fall into bed as relationship development, but I appreciated this so much more. The MC’s relationship grows through communication and emotional vulnerability and supporting each other in times of need. The entire upward path of their relationship was excellent.
-There were a few moments of great foreshadowing that stuck in my mind and made me want answers. It was an effective narrative tool that was well done and kept me plowing through the novel.

The Parts I Didn’t Like As Much:
-The 3rd act breakup, always controversial. I will say that it made sense for the characters and was handled reasonably well overall. The inciting incident however was simple weak, or at least poorly described and developed. Mixed feelings for me all-round on this one. It was certainly the weakest part of the novel.
-The ending was a little rushed. I found this to be the same with the authors last novel as well. While I suppose the ending was “complete” I think it would have benefited from taking a little more time on the events of the last chapters as well as showing the reader a few more scenes of what happens with the characters next. This is a common complaint from me though, so you can take it with a grain of salt. To be clear: the ending was fine I just wish there was more, it did NOT ruin the novel or anything like that (which can happen).

Such a beautiful lesbian enemies to lovers romance. The buildup was perfect. The romance was incredible and felt so real. The ending was great and I wanted more Maya and Remi.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️/5

In Walked Trouble is the story of Remi and Maya, two bartenders for Nueve’s, who over the summer are in competition to win a cash bonus for being the top bar employee.

Remi has been working at Nueve’s for four years. A favorite of the regulars and incredibly skilled behind the bar, Remi thinks she’s a shoe-in to become it’s next Head Bartender. She’s known to have a big heart, but is also described a guarded with a big temper.

Maya knows the owner of Nueve’s, who helped set her up with a summer job before she heads back to pursue her Master’s in nursing. Though less experienced in bartending, Maya demonstrates how quickly she can pick up the skills required and charm everyone around her… everyone except Remi.

When the owner of Nueve’s announces there will be a cash bonus for the top bar employee over the summer, Remi and Maya are both in it to win it. For Remi, this would be an opportunity to add to her savings in order to buy her own house - a sanctuary for both her and her friend Ben. For Maya, this is an opportunity to afford the last of her schooling before her degree, fulfilling her dream of spending time at the same university her dad attended while starting down the road to help others like her sister. To say the relationship between Remi and Maya is contentious to start is a bit of an understatement, and when Maya’s mother has a work emergency, Remi and Maya are forced together for a night to watch Maya’s little sister. It’s during this time that their animosity towards each other begins to cool, in fact, their attraction for each other begins to heat up. Will these two talented co-workers be able to overcome perceived differences and work towards trust and partnership?

I am so glad that I was able to provide an ARC review of this book, because I LOVED it! So many tummy flutters, such a wonderful development of character and plot. Generally I like my romance books with a bit more spice (this was primarily closed door romance), but the genuine love between the characters (including platonic love!) jumped off the page and made reading this a real joy. I thoroughly recommend; this was an easy 5 stars! 💚

Tropes in this story:
✨ Workplace Rivals to Lovers
✨ Secret Romance
✨ Close Proximity
✨ LGBTQ+ love

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book via NetGalley, but my review is all my own.

In Walked Trouble is a sweet romance novel by Dana Hawkins.
I really enjoyed this romance novel. It was an enemies to lovers troupe, which is one of my favourites. The story was easy to follow and I kept rooting for the main characters to get together. Overall, a very enjoyable read that I highly recommend.
❤️ Thank you to netgalley and storm publishing for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was the second book by this author. Set in Seattle, it's about a woman wanting to make her family proud and believes the only way to do that is to own her own place and get the lead bartender position. Love is the last thing on her mind. In walks the women that shakes all her plans up. What starts as a enemies at works starts a beautiful friendship. This relationship develops faster in this book than the first book, so the story seemed rushed. There was a third act breakup but in the end they get the HEA.

The second book in the "Singles in Seattle Series" is about drinks, cocktails, long drinks and sexy bartenders! Competing bartenders to be exact.
Remi is aloof, cold and fiesty. Especially to Maya, because Maya is the competitor that Remi didn't expect.
She thought she'd waltz into the bar Nueve's, which she sees as her turf, and get a promotion.
Instead, she gets competition that she doesn't need at all and why does this competitor have to look so hot?
Maya needs money!
Gabriela's offer comes at just the right time and she's definitely not going to let an ice-cold, albeit extremely hot Remi, tell her what she can or can't do!
It's an intreresting mix of characters and a slow-burn romance with lots of little fires that simmer slowly at first.
Remi and Maya have wonderful chemistry, but they made me wait a long time and the whole time I wanted to scream, "Just kiss her!" Phew, when it finally happens!
But it is also filled with pain from the past, insecurity, loss and longing for love and family!
Beautiful second book!
Thanks to Dana Hawkins and Storm Publishing for the ARC!

Thank you so much to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

In Walked Trouble follows Remi, a bartender who hopes she's been promoted, and Maya, a nursing student working a bar in her hometown Seattle for the summer. It describes both the life at the bar and Maya and Remi's growing attraction despite their competition for a bonus at the end of the summer.

I really enjoyed the characters of the story, especially Gabriella, the owner of the bar, and Maya's little sister Harper. It was also cool to read a book about bartenders after having been one for a couple months (definitely well written)! I enjoyed the bar scenes as well as the scenes at Maya's house so much.

This book is marketed as an enemies to lovers romance and while there is some rivalry at the start, both characters are into each other from page one. They also said "I love you" very very quickly, which made it too insta-love for my taste. The conflict at the end also felt a bit manufactured and would have made more sense if Remi's internal struggles around family were made a bit clearer to the reader and not just in Remi's head once or twice.

But overall this was a very cute romance that was easy to read and enjoyable. 3.5 stars.