Lauren Dane

When Paddy Hurley returns to Hood River after years of the rock and roll lifestyle, librarian Natalie Clayton, who had an affair with him years earlier, finds her control slipping as he tempts her into picking up where they left off.

The Best Kind of Trouble

Angela Guilherme

*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

The Best Kind of Trouble is the first book in a series of three, each focusing on one of the Hurley brothers (the forth brother, Damien, had his story told in another series). The protagonist is Paddy Hurley, lead singer of the rock band Sweet Hollow Ranch, a successful band whose members are the Hurley brothers. Paddy is back in his home town, Hood River, and while going to the local café, he reencounters Natalie Clayton, the woman with which he spent two unforgivable weeks twelve years ago, back in the time when the band was just taking its first steps.

He never forgot Natalie, and neither did she, but Natalie is not the same girl she used to be. After the time she spent with Paddy, she went to college, stopped frequenting bars and now works as a librarian, a job she loves and takes very seriously. The last thing she needs is to have Paddy back in her life, trying to make her abandon the control she cherishes so much…

But Paddy is also not the same man that Natalie knew. His wild days on and off the stage are over and now what really matters to him is the music. In fact, Paddy is ready to settle down, as long as it is with the right woman. And no one seems more right for him than Natalie…

I really liked the story and the characters, not just the protagonists, but the secondary characters too, especially the rest of the Hurley brothers, their parents and Mary, Paddy’s sister in law, because they are very funny and form a very cohesive an protective family unit, and I really like that.

The scenes between Paddy and Natalie are scorching hot and I thought the author made a terrific job portraying how Paddy took over control, but always with Natalie’s consent.

They both have issues to overcome, especially Natalie who has difficulty dealing with the exposure that comes with dating a rock star. And Paddy is extremely patient and understanding, and I loved that about him, until he has an attitude that is completely out of proportion and irrational and that I couldn’t really understand and thought so out of character that I couldn’t understand why the author wrote it… And no, the explanation didn’t convince me, it just left me thinking that maybe he’s bipolar…

Natalie, however, is far more forgiving than I am, which comes in handy or else we wouldn’t have our “happily ever after”. But I wouldn’t forgive him so easily…

I already have the next two books in the series to read and I’m very curious about them, especially because it’s pretty obvious with whom the rest of the Hurley brothers are going to pair up.

The Best Kind of Trouble

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