Troublemaker

(2.5 stars) Maybe if I had not read and enjoyed Loring’s COME BACK TO BED, this would have felt like a cute CR, albeit with characters and plot that didn’t appeal to my maturity level. But CBTB, my first and favorite Loring romance, was good and set the bar too high for this new one to pass. CBTB was an interesting and intelligently-written romance with smart dialogue and humor and characters with some depth to them. Even an older romance reader like me could find its appeal. But this new one appears to have been written to appeal more to a younger reader. The characters are likeable but don’t have much depth. There isn’t much of a plot. The secondary characters, such as the requisite gay-guy best friend for the heroine, were plucked from Central Casting. There wasn’t much of a plot. The story also copies ideas from SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE and YOU’VE GOT MAIL, but not as well as those two movies used them. The heroine here is an elementary school teacher who has recently moved to LA to get over the breakup with her longtime off-again, on-again boyfriend. The hero is a successful LA movie director, divorced with an elementary-school-age son. Well, there you go. You now know the whole story. (Did I need to put a spoiler alert?) The H and h meet up before the school year begins, at a club. They are instantly attracted to each other but the night ends with them leaving the club separately and without even learning each other’s names or occupations. Then, of course, the school year begins. Guess who is whose teacher? Betcha can. The only conflict in the book is how to keep their libidos in check once they meet up again. See, the school seriously frowns on parent-teacher romantic relationships. So will they or won’t they be able to stay away from each other until the school year is over? The book is pleasantly written. The characters are pleasant. The physical attraction is well written. But it’s all just a bit blah for me. I guess I’m too old for this one. No one and nothing was especially interesting. The characters had one-track minds at all times. The humor was not as sharp and intelligent as in CBTB. This was too simplistic all around. Better books by Loring are CBTB, of course, and also SLEEPER and perhaps CHARMER. Those last two have as heroes the best friends and fellow child stars of the hero of Troublemaker, who make cameos here.

Kayley Loring ALWAYS makes me laugh, and I expected no different with Troublemaker! What I got was a story that had me chuckling, sighing, swooning, giggling, sitting on the edge of my seat, and snorting with glee! Alex and Emilia are comedy and romance gold, I tell you! Emilia is dynamite, and her journey of self-discovery, and re-learning to be who she is, and learn to love that person, it was so relatable, and so poignant, and also, delightfully hilarious! She is sassy, she is feisty, and I wish we were friends! Alex is too darn charming for his own good! His internal monologue had me laughing, his constant thoughts about food something I relate to very well, and over all, he’s just a good guy, kind of sitting in idle at a stoplight with no one behind him to tell him it’s time to go. Also, can we just take a minute to appreciate Atticus? From the name to the character to the disposition, Atticus is a wonderful bonus to an already thoroughly enjoyable book! And the same goes for Franklin. I need a Franklin in my life! The banter gives me life, and supports the reasoning that Troublemaker is once again a perfect escape from reality, whilst showcasing a reality you wish you could experience! Kayley is a genius! The steam is legit, and my Kindle was definitely feeling that heat! A nice cold beverage of choice is absolutely recommended as a reading aide whilst devouring Troublemaker! And the lists, the journal entries, and most importantly, the email exchanges! They give me such joy as I gleefully chortle at the rollercoaster ride of a journey Alex and Emilia are on! All in all, Troublemaker is a DELIGHT of a read that you won’t regret for a second picking up and devouring! So, what are you waiting for?!

Alex has transitioned from his career as a child actor into a successful career as a director however his driving force is being a single father to his son Ryder. This is the reason why after exchanging some correspondence with his son’s teacher he is determined to meet the woman behind the emails but he never expected that he had met her previously at a bar but had to leave before they could have the steamy evening he was planning. Emilia is looking for a fresh start both personally and professionally however finding out that her student’s father was a witness to a night she would rather forget was not part of the plan. Her head tells her to keep their relationship business only however her heart doesn’t seem to be getting the message. The chemistry between them is hot, the banter is humorous, the sassy side of Emilia’s personality is a perfect match for the swoon factor of Alex and to top it all off Ryder is a scene stealer. Fun and flirty this story is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had read Sleeper and enjoyed that, so it was interesting to catch up with Nico, Shane and Willa. Alex Vega was absolutely charming , witty and determined to win Emilia over, after the shock of finding out who she really was. Once he gets to know her then he is very flirtatious and his naughty side really develops. “Emilia is somehow every boyish fantasy, ever divorced dad practical wish, and every filthy grown man desire that I’ve ever had. She’s brought a weary part of me back to life, and I want to give it all back to her. Every night and day.” His love for his son shines through the whole book and they have a great relationship. Ryder is definitely a chip of the old block! The dating app incident had me in stitches. Emilia (Emmy) Stiles was quirky and dorky. I found it really refreshing to have a main character who wasn’t confident in the sexual side of things but very confident in her work. Their love affair isn’t all plain sailing as there are many obstacles in the way and I liked the unexpected help right at the end to finally seal the deal. The emails and texts between the two are hilarious and this carries on into the banter between them. Add in Ryder and her roommate Franklin, and the author gives the reader some very funny interactions. Sexy, amusing and everything a good RomCom should be For anyone who is a lover of books then you will easily relate to Emmy and wait till you meet Atticus, a very special character. Loved the twist in the title as it could be applied to Alex or Ryder. Can be read as a standalone although the characters in Sleeper and Charmer appear , it won’t spoil your enjoyment of this book.

I love books that make me happy. I’m smiling and I am happy. Didn’t sleep last night because ear ache. Alex Vega and Emilia Stiles made me feel better. Youngest child being an idiot and thinking he’s untouchable and immune to disease, Alex and Emilia still made me smile. I needed the feel good. Feeling down, read this book. Feeling like you want to ground your children for the rest of their lives, read this book. In all life events this book is useful. Read it. Be like Atticus (that’s the dog). Just in case I forget when I look back at this review, it’s about a bloke who was an actor but is now a producer. He’s divorced with a son, Ryder. Emilia is Ryder’s new teacher so of course, Alex is out of bounds. Mostly! It’s so much fun when they try to behave themselves but keep failing.

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