Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a short and and easy to read novella. It took me a little longer than usual to get into it and then I didn’t want it to end. The dialogue for the first 30% of the book felt forced and awkward, but it changed towards the last half of the book for the better. It was easy and felt more natural. I appreciated the deeper themes that the author brought in and the character development for both main characters.

“The bedrooms have locks on the door so you don’t need to worry about me taking advantage of you”

Aaaaaaand that’s my queue to stop reading

I DNFed this book at 33%. The writing was simple and not engaging. I felt that the characters were not complex or endearing. The story did not pull me in at all. Life’s too short!

I wish this book had been a little bit longer. It felt like it ended abruptly. Read in pretty much one sitting.

This was a quick easy to read novella. There was some good character development towards the end for Xander and throughout for Jess. I enjoyed the setting and thought that added a nice extra layer to the story.

This book hit all of my favorite tropes in a really concise way - that being said, I am DYING for more. I really wish this book had maybe 50 more pages just so I could get more from Jess and Xander.

I enjoyed the spice that was present but I do think that as advertised I was expecting a bit more, though it was definitely not a dealbreaker for me personally but for some it may come as a surprise and leave them feeling as though it wasn't what they had anticipated

I loved how fast paced the book was, there was never a moment while reading that I was just hoping to hurry up and finish the chapter so I could move on - I literally didn't want to ever put it down.

Forced proximity is one of my absolute favorite tropes and pair that will opposite/feisty characters and there was no hope for me. I felt like it was a good mix between the vibes of Sally Thorne (Hating Game) and Christina Lauren books - the characters and the workplace setting just fit so well.

I don't think this will be for everyone, workplace romance and rom-coms in general can be hit or miss but I do think if you enjoy any of the comp authors (Tessa, Christina, Ali, etc) that its really worth giving it a chance and finding a new fun author to add into your romcom rotation like I did!

A quick, spicy novella that could well have done with being a full length novel!
Jess is a journalist at the beginning of her career. She's not filled with confidence, but has many dreams. Faced with possible redundancy, she puts herself forward for a project so far removed from her comfort level that even she questions whether she will fulfil the job.
This is an attempt to interview artist Xander Heaton, who is also hot, a bit of a playboy, and a notoriously closed book regarding his personal life.
The story sees her kinda mess up, then she is given chance to redeem herself, by joining him in Italy for a few days to complete her interview, in return for her being his motel.
Lots of sexual chemistry there, and a few touchy subjects approached, but none in enough detail for them to become a matter of care and concern for the reader.
This is where I wanted ta full novel, to explore a bit more about both characters, so I could really understand them.
The spice factor is pretty high, if you want a quick, sizzling read, though!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

Jess is a journalist, who is close to losing her job, when an opportunity arises to interview bad boy artist, Xander. She must get close to him in order to write a career saving article about the famous artist. Xander needs positive attention from the media after his last exhibition left him with a bad reputation, whilst also finding his new muse.

I enjoyed the premise of this book - Bad boy artist X good girl journalist. However, I think it would’ve benefited by being longer. Both of the characters fell rather flat and lacked a lot of development as this was only under 200 pages.

The MMC, Xander, honestly wasn’t very likeable at all? I was hoping he would get better throughout the book but I was utterly disappointed. Jess was definitely more tolerable than Xander. She deals with body image struggles, which I felt was represented well throughout the book. But overall, I didn’t believe their characters belong together and I didn’t connect with them at all.

Although, not a dealbreaker for everyone, this book definitely lacked spice. There were a couple of scenes but definitely nothing to shout about.

This was written in third person, which is not my preference when it comes to romance books and I don’t feel like it was used as effectively as it could’ve been. There was a lack of Xander’s pov, so I never knew what he was really thinking and it was often confusing whose pov I was reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for the ARC 💌

2.5
It's a cute story, and I found the FMC to be highly relatable. I appreciated the disordered eating and body image issues representation. But beyond that the story felt a little lacking.

In many instances it felt like the scenes or story as a whole was cut short. 185 pages is too long to be a novella, and it was properly paced and written to be an effective shorter novel.

Once I closed the book, I could not remember a single instance of spice, but I had taken notes on it. So clearly it wasn't memorable, and here the gist of my notes;
The spicy scenes ended so fast, with no satisfaction for the reader, likely due to there being very little tension or build up. The act between characters also involves little to no foreplay. There were no hot kisses, barely any flirting before the act, though there was banter elsewhere. And the act itself was very quick. Also, who says " woah woah WOAH" as they come?

It was written in 3rd person which is rare for romance these days, and even though it is my preference, I didn't think it was used effectively. We rarely get his pov, and the switch of the narration subject is sometimes unclear. Additionally, he just acts so cold and weird it's hard to like him when we don't know whats going on in his head, the few times the story is focused on him, explains his actions, but doesn't successfully make us care about him properly.

―´⁠arc review`⁠✧

A quick read spicy read touching deeper themes.

I personally think that making it a novella was not the right decision. I liked how the author had tried to cover many sensitive yet important topics but overall its potential felt short with how rushed the execution was. There was not enough room for the character development. It was hard to connect to the characters and their relationship cuz of the superficial quality of it. It could have done wonder with additional 100 pages. It didn't mean they were not some adorable and cute moments.
Also it was marketed as "forbidden-romance" but we didn't get any fall out of Jess sleeping with her client. It was misleading. I decided to pick this book cuz of it's forbidden theme but imagine my frustration when it was none of it.

This is my second Christy McKellen book, my first was best mistake ever, which had the same issues like this one, interesting premise but flat execution with shallow and rushed relationship development. I guess, some people might enjoy this but for me, the whirlwind fling didn't hit the mark.

Tropes:
☞ Journalist x Artist
☞ Forced Proximity
☞ Opposites attract
☞ Insta-Lust
☞ Eating Disorder rep
☞ Misunderstood Bad-boy

Big Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood books for ARC.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC! 💌

Okay, let me just say this upfront... I really WANTED to love this book. I went into it with high hopes — spicy forbidden romance? Bad boy artist? Sensible journalist? Sounds like a recipe for a guilty pleasure masterpiece, right? Sadly... nope. 😭

The romance was flatter than a week-old soda. Like, where was the tension? The buildup? The swoon?? Jess and Xander got together faster than I could blink, and I just didn't buy into their connection at all. 🙄 There was no slow burn, no real chemistry — just instalust that never quite convinced me they were actually falling in love. 💔

The characters? Meh. 😐 Jess was... fine, I guess? But she lacked any real depth, and Xander gave me more sleazy than sexy vibes for most of the book. I wanted to root for them, but instead, I kept side-eyeing their relationship, wondering when the spark was going to show up. Spoiler: it never did. 💥

Tropes & Themes:
🔥 Bad boy hero
🎨 Forced proximity
🔥 Opposites attract
🎨 Working together
🔥 Temptation
🎨 All the spice

But here's where things really went off the rails for me... 🚨 Towards the end, there's a scene that absolutely killed any remaining goodwill I had for this book. So, Xander, the MMC, is an artist, and Jess, the FMC, is a journalist trying to interview him. He agrees to the interview if she becomes his muse. Okay, fine, I can roll with that. But Jess suffers from body dysmorphia, and after they sleep together, she finds nude portraits of herself in his studio — her body covered in paint, her face in a provocative look. And when she confronts him, he acts confused like, “I thought you’d like it. You look amazing.” Sir... what?? Knowing she’s self-conscious, he still uses their most intimate moments for commercial gain without her consent. Then, when she says how violated she feels, his response is basically, "So what do you expect me to do? Pull them off? They’re my best work." EXCUSE ME?! 😡 The audacity!! 💥

Yes, he takes them down later, but the fact that he was so nonchalant about it made me absolutely sick. 🤢

So yeah... this book was pretty boring, and I was going to give it 3 stars, but that scene? Nope. Down to 2 stars. 👎

If you love cheesy, fast-paced romance and can overlook some... questionable consent issues, maybe this will work for you. But for me? Hard pass. 🚫

Jess is a journalist who is on the brink of losing her job. She gets a chance to prove herself when her boss gives her a piece to write about artist Xander Heaton. She has to go to his studio to interview him. Though when she gets there, she doesn’t get much. He invites her to Italy where he is going to get away and paint. This is out of the norm for her. She’s a bit reserved and conservative. However, her job is on the line, so she goes. While Xander is attractive, Jess needs to stay professional so she can write her story. Xander keeps flirting with her. She’s always had her walls built up and doesn’t break her rules, but maybe once won’t hurt.

This was such a cute novella! It’s described as being a “spicy forbidden romance” but I think this novella is so much more than that. Jess struggles with body image and confidence issues. McKellen doesn’t go into details about what exactly she doesn’t like about her body, but does state that she is uncomfortable showing it to anyone. Xander has some things he’s going through as well. He still has so much anger and so much hurt from his childhood. So even though these two characters that were seemingly very different, what they really needed was the same thing – someone to show them love, caring, understanding. And they find that in each other. Xander learns to put someone else before himself and Jess learns to let her inhibitions go a little bit, and accept that someone could find her as desirable as Xander does. For me, this was the best part about this book, and I could have read even more of it!

The book does have a little bit of spice in it, but honestly, it was done very tastefully and it made sense. It wasn’t just spice for the sake of having spice. I do feel like the ending was a tad bit abrupt. I would have liked to see it extended just a little longer.

I think romance readers will really enjoy this one!

This was a story that I definitely think would have benefitted from being a full length novel. I am not opposed to novella’s in anyway, but this one needed the room for character development and even pacing.

Whilst the story was a quick and easy read with a cute premise that ticked the spice required box in some areas, that was about all I felt I could enjoy. I didn’t connect with the characters and I wasn’t invested in their romance; taking opposites attract to the extreme in my opinion.

Being the first time I have read this author, I am definitely now intrigued to check out some of her other works and see how the land lies over there.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read this one early!

I was so excited to pick up this book as forbidden workplace romances are one of my favourite romance tropes, but unfortunately, this one fell a little short for me.

Stuffy journalist Jess is close to losing her job at a magazine when she's presented with the chance to interview bad boy artist Xander. Xander's last exhibition gained a lot of negative attention and is keen to find a new muse to create something to prove the critics wrong. The two seemingly need each other to get their careers back on track - but their whirlwind romance must have an expiration date - must it?

I struggled to connect with the characters in this book from the beginning and both felt pretty stereotypical. Jess was quite pathetic in places and I was willing her to grow a backbone through the book which didn't happen, and Xander often came across as sleazy rather than sexy, especially in the first 2/3 of the book. I didn't find myself rooting for their story because I simply didn't like them.

Both of the main characters have a lot of baggage from their childhoods which explains their characteristics, and I felt like the hard topics were dealt with well, but there wasn't enough time in the book to completely unpack it all, and the resolutions to them felt rushed. It was also so fast that some of the decisions Jess made towards the end of the book felt totally out of character and gave me a bit of whiplash.

All in all, it was an okay quick read at under 200 pages. Will I remember it in a month, no. Was it a quick, easy read to keep me occupied for a couple of hours? I guess so.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this arc! It was a quick fun read even if it seemed quite rushed. Xander really annoyed me but since the story was short, it was bearable.

Thank you so much to NerGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, but it turned out to be an engaging and entertaining read! The story moves quickly, keeping the energy high, and the characters feel refreshingly unique and easy to root for.

Jess is thrown into unfamiliar territory, which pushes her to grow in ways she never anticipated. Meanwhile, Xander is willing to step outside his own expectations, adapting as he realizes what (or rather, who) he truly wants—Jess. Their chemistry builds as they spend more time together, and watching their relationship develop is both compelling and heartwarming.

Despite their clear attraction, their differences made me question whether they could actually make things work. The tension between them kept me flipping pages, and when things heated up, it was definitely worth the wait!

If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced romance with fiery personalities, undeniable attraction, and an irresistible forced-proximity setup, this book is a great pick!
4.25 Stars!
#NetGalley, #BoldwoodBooks, #HereComestrouble, #ChristyMcKellen

I really enjoyed this book, although I would have loved it if the book was longer, especially the ending as it felt a bit rushed and it would have been nice to see Jess and Xander get to know each other more, I loved the dynamic between Jess and Xander and how they grow together almost. Overall, this was an enjoyable and easy short read and I would definitely recommend this book to lighthearted romance lovers who like to read shorter books.

I received this book as an ARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to net galley, the publisher and Christy McKellen for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: "Here Comes Trouble" by Christy McKellen – 4 Stars

"Here Comes Trouble" is a fun, flirty romance with plenty of chemistry and a touch of emotional depth. The story follows Jess, a by-the-book journalist, who is determined to land an exclusive interview with the elusive artist Xander Heaton. Sparks fly as their personalities clash, and their forced proximity brings undeniable tension.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was how relatable Jess felt. She struggles with insecurities that many readers can connect with, and her journey toward self-confidence adds an extra layer to the romance. Xander, on the other hand, is the perfect mix of brooding and charming, making their interactions both frustrating and entertaining in the best way.

The romance itself is steamy and engaging, though at times I wished for a bit more depth in their conversations. The story moves quickly, which makes it a great, easy read, but I found myself wanting just a little more development in certain areas—especially toward the end.

Overall, Here Comes Trouble is a light, spicy romance with characters you can root for. If you love opposites-attract stories with tension, banter, and emotional growth, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Check out my profile on Goodreads!

First I want to say a big thank you to NetGalley, Christy McKellen and Boldwood for allowing me to read this book as it’s my first arc!🥹

This was a cute little novella rom com with a little spice, the relationship between Jess and Xander was a cute little opposites attract but it was super short and sweet and I’d love to see more from them!💝

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.