She wants something real. He wants something now. Together they’re trouble in USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke’s sexy and funny twice-in-a-lifetime love story.
With his shameless grin and let’s-play swagger, carpenter Penn Etling leaves women wanting in Dogwood Lane. What do they get? Avery Perry knows: a one-night stand. She’s been there. She remembers every hot pulse as if it were … hot pulse as if it were yesterday. But Penn? He doesn’t remember a thing. Now he’s making new moves, and Avery’s not falling for trouble…again. Is she?
How could the beautiful stranger resist him? Avery is going to be a challenge for the bad boy. She’s the kind of woman who digs deep—deep enough to see there’s more to Penn than meets the eye. But first she has to give him a chance. She has to say yes. Could she also be the woman to make him change his playboy ways?
When these two come together, it’s hard to pull them apart. But with love and trust on the line, can Avery and Penn get what they both want? This time for keeps?
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Penn! Oh, how I love thee. I think this is my new favorite Adriana Locke novel. So, so good and just what I needed! Love. Laughs. Second chances. Relatable characters. Swoons. Feels. I want more!
I am truly a fan of Adriana’s characters and the worlds she dreams up for us!
Penn charmed his way into our hearts throughout this series but this time Trouble is all about him. Shall we say that he has swagger for days, undeniable charm and al the ladies in town are vying for his attention. Penn is so much more than a handsome face and you will soon see the many layers that make up Penn !
Avery is doing a complete 180 when it comes to life changing steps. She is a transplant to Dogwood Lane from LA . She has come to escape the craziness that makes up her high profile family. She is no stranger to this sleepy little town. When she was a teenager she came for a Summer visit but that was 10 years ago and it certainly feels like a lifetime!
Avery and Penn have such amazing chemistry but Avery is more than wise of this players ways and she came her for something real. Penn has lived his relationship life with no commitments. His reputation precedes him but Avery is now sparking something in him that is a mystery. Such a beautiful emotional journey with Avery and Penn !!
~~Michele McMullen ~~
Audio review:
Penn and Avery’s story was always going to be entertaining.
That’s just Penn in a nutshell – funny, quick-witted, continuous innuendo, a good time.
Avery, however, was a tough nut for him to crack.
After having her life be so public, feeling like people have used her to get a foot up in her L.A. world, she is looking for a real connection.
NOT a playboy, which Penn’s charm and playfulness allude to.
Deciding to be friends, they become closer. So, we are granted the pleasure of seeing all the different layers that help make up Penn.
While Penn is uncertain of his value, he knows he has a good thing with Avery. But, he is his own worst enemy.
I loved the banter, the playfulness throughout this book. The way this group of friends teases each other is just so much fun.
I was a little disappointed that the narrators were different, but they did a good job.
TROUBLE (Dogwood Lane Book #3) by Adriana Locke is another great contemporary romance in the Dogwood Lane series. This romance has another of the lifelong friends meeting their match with all of the fun, sex and emotional angst I have come to expect in Ms. Locke’s romances. This book can be read as a standalone romance, but being set in a small-town all of the main characters crossover.
Penn Etling had a rough start growing up, but he is now the laid-back, fun loving friend who is always willing to help. He is a player, but everyone knows and understands what they will get from him. No harm and no foul.
Avery Perry has moved to Dogwood Lane to live and work with her aunt. She can no longer take the type of life she was expected to live in L.A. as the daughter of a movie star. She is excited to make real friends who want to know her without expectations. As she is attempting to hang a speaker, she falls right into Penn’s arms. Avery knows guys like Penn and she is not willing to go there. She wants a real relationship, not a one-night stand.
When these two come together the sparks fly, but is Penn willing to give more of himself than ever before and stop his playboy ways? And will Avery tell Penn the secret she is keeping and give him a chance to prove he can change?
I absolutely love Penn. His hard body, bad boy persona, but his soft heart are why all the girls want him and he is the perfect opposite for Avery. And yet, they were not opposite in their emotional scars from their upbringings. Avery is the type of heroine I like because even though she falls, she is still willing to pull away and stick up for what she truly wants in her life. All the secondary characters are fully fleshed out and many carry over from the previous two books.
In this series, Ms. Locke has written realistic and fun dialogue, sex scenes that sizzle and burn up the pages and characters in this small-town setting that make you want to be friends with them all.
I recommend this contemporary romance and all the books in the series!
Romance, heart, and small town charm are the hallmarks of Locke’s writing. The author paints a vivid picture that makes me want to live in Dogwood Lane. Penn’s southern charm had my heart swooning and his sense of humor is spot on to delight not only the reader but Avery. Avery Flynn is a breath of fresh air and Penn Etling has taken notice. She’s a great balance to this sweettalker and adding in that this is a second chance romance (unknown to Penn – trust me on this original plot twist) and Locke has scored another winner as well as solidified her place in this genre as a one-click-worthy author.
Five PENN Stars!
Penn was incredibly gorgeous, a terrific person, and a consummate flirt. He lived for today, took nothing seriously, and he was absolutely allergic to relationships. It’s not like he didn’t know how to love because he adored his friends/family. He just couldn’t picture and seriously avoided an actual partnership with a woman. That sort of arrangement came with expectations and he had no doubt he’d fail. With his background and inability to see his own greatness, he was his own worst enemy. Avery may have been the one woman to shake him up a bit, but not even she was invincible to his self-destruction. While breaking my poor heart (and his), Penn made me laugh, melt and fall in love with him hard!
Once again, Adriana Locke nailed some sweet small town romance. There was so much fun to be found in these pages and trouble was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to Penn Etling. He, his friends, and even Avery gave me tons of feels and I found that I couldn’t get enough. I’ll definitely be reading more about the Dogwood Lane gang!
I loved revisiting Dogwood Lane, and getting Penn’s story was everything and more. He’s the one everything dismisses as the goofball, the one who takes nothing serious. Getting to learn who the real Penn is was a wonderful surprise. Avery comes to the small town to escape hectic life in California, and Penn sets his eyes on her immediately. But something is different with her, something that makes his friends take notice as well. Avery is immune to Penn’s usual charm, but he never stops trying to get her into his bed, until she says all she can give him is friendship, so he does the one thing he has never done, he becomes her friend. This is a beautiful story about how no matter what age we are, there’s always time to expand you maturities.
5 Star review of Trouble (Dogwood Lane #3) by Adriana Locke
Trouble was well written and full of love, romance, laughter and is a second chance at love story about Penn Etling and Avery Perry. I’ve been intrigued by Penn ever since he was first mentioned in the series with some of his shenanigans making me laugh
I really liked Penn and Avery, both separately and together. From the first chapter to the last, I was absolutely hooked by the story that Adriana Locke wove.
I love small town romances and when you add in characters like Penn and Avery it is a joy to read. I loved how swoon worthy Penn was, he ticked all the boxes for me and I loved Avery, she is funny, smart and sassy.
I love Dogwood Lane and Adriana Locke really brings it to life for me. Avery certainly gave Penn a run for his money and they were well suited to one another and their story made for an entertaining read.
I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley.
I actually liked Penn and Avery. Their romance was pretty simple which I was happy to read because I was scared Penn was going to be a lot of drama, but really he’s a character with a lot of insecurities. Penn was the typical bad boy player who had a rep that he embraced to hide any feelings and views of himself instilled by his father. It was at the point where he believed there was nothing of value for others to see in him until Avery. She is sweet and he opens up to her so easily, letting us see another side to Penn she hardly ever shows. But he doesn’t know how to be loved and cared for, how to relationship, or understand that what he felt for Avery was love. It was a little sad. But I liked reading this book even though it took me a while to pick it back up.
Penn and Avery are two small town people that can’t stay away from each other. Avery knows that Penn has a bad boy reputation. She can’t stop her attraction to him. Penn is such a playboy but there is more to him that no one sees except Avery. Will the couple be able to move on from the past to have a future together? A fun, small town romantic read.
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.
Adriana Locke has done it again. Every time she comes out with a new book it’s my new favorite. Trouble is no different. I fell in love with Penn.Trouble by Adriana Locke is the third book in the Dogwood Lane series. This book is about Avery and Penn. We met Penn in the first two books. This book is a duel point of view from both characters. I really like books that are told between both characters so you can think what they are feeling.
Penn is a small town guy. He isn’t ready to settle down. Avery is from a big city and wants to get away so she goes to stay with her aunt in Dogwood Lane. They meet and Avery realizes she’s met Penn before, but under a different alias. Penn has no idea he’s met her before, but feels an instant connection.
I fell in love with this story. Avery wants to settle down, Penn wants to live the same lifestyle he’s always lived. I loved seeing Penn and Avery come together, through their own battles.
I’m hoping there is at least one more book in this series about Matt :).
#Trouble #NetGalley
** I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I listened to the audiobook. I wonder if I would have liked this book more if I had read the e-book. I wasn’t sure if Penn had a southern accent, was supposed to have a southern accent, or what type of accent he had. Whatever it was, it wasn’t consistent.
I kind of liked Penn, and didn’t think I would. He wasn’t nearly as shallow as he was made out to be in previous books. There were more layers to him, and more pain. It seemed to me that Penn’s friends treated him as though he was shallow, a man whore, and not dependable. Admittedly, he fed into that, but they could see all of the ways he was there for other people. Then, when Penn was down on himself, they wanted to be upset with him for feeling like he wasn’t good enough.
Avery was ok. I didn’t feel one way or another about her. I couldn’t quite reconcile the chemistry between Penn and Avery. It was also inconsistent. At one point, there seemed to be real chemistry happening, and then there was nothing, no connection at all. I also didn’t understand why she didn’t tell Penn what she had figured out at the very beginning.
I don’t know if this qualifies as a second chance romance or not. There were some sweet moments. Overall, the book was just ok. I would give it 2.5 stars. I think the narration did nothing to enhance the story.
***3.5 ‘Team Avery’ Stars***
This one has me in a bit of a conundrum. Because I loved being back in Dogwood Lane with all the unique characters ~ Lorene is AMAZING ~ and, for the most part I enjoyed the ride that Avery and Penn took me on, but I was also kind of turned off by it. I know it doesn’t really make sense, hence “conundrum”, but that’s where my head is with this one. I enjoyed it…but…
Anyways, Avery and Penn. I FLOVED Avery. I loved her sass, her heart and simply how she owned all that she was. She knew what would make her happy and went for it. Penn, is my ‘conundrum’ He’s a sweet, charming man who at times is a bit too cheesy when he’s laying on the charm, but still a good man…but. Yeah, I know the “but. But he is so wrapped up in how worthless he believes himself to be that he is all about self-sabotaging. I got why. I could empathize to a point, but man it got to a point where I wanted to reach through the Kindle and Gibbs smack him. I still loved the guy, but boy did he try me.
As for their journey to their HEA, I did enjoy it. Avery and Penn had a ton of chemistry and it jumped off the page. I gave Avery a ton of credit for rolling with the punches when it came to Penn, but more so for sticking to her guns and knowing her worth. I could have personally done with a little more grovelling after the big sinkhole happened, but in the end I was happy for them both.
Despite my issues, this was a fun read overall. I loved getting to spend some time with the Dogwood Lane crew and catching up with them, Lorene is amazing and I loved Harper. Meredith was a still a trip, but a good one and I really liked Jake but I’m totally looking forward to seeing what woman will capture Matt’s heart because he totally rocked in this baby and needs some good lovin’ in his life.
~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~
‘Gotta roll with it’
I really really liked this book.
Avery comes back to this small town to live with her aunt.
But what she was not expecting was that her one time crush hunk will walk in and flirt hard with her..
Penn sees Avery in the hairdresser shop and is taken by the Beauty…
There is a lot of teasing, funny jokes, and it’s an adult book…
It’s really an easy read, the pace is very nice.
Trouble is a beautiful romance had me under it’s spell from the very first page. A love story that is inspiring, emotional, incredibly sexy, and breathtakingly romantic. Avery is sweet, strong, and generous. Penn is incredibly sexy, fiercely protective, and easy going. The layers to this man are endless – he is full of surprises. He’s the life of the party with a heart of gold. I adored these characters and their story. This second-chance romance that has all the feels. The flirty, witty exchanges are very well-written and they spar so well with one another. Their chemistry was undeniable and electric. No matter how hard they try to resist the attraction, they can’t deny it; the heart wants what it wants. Searching for that missing piece to make them whole and they are powerless to stop the fall. Oh, watching these two fall is magical! The storyline is incredibly well-written and flowed seamlessly. Locke captures the small-town vibe perfectly. The unconditional love of family and friends is heartwarming; always there through good times and bad. The twists and turns are a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I could feel everything the characters experience; the emotions radiate from the pages. The heartfelt moments stole my breath and the heartbreaking ones hit me hard. A powerful story of love, faith and forgiveness that I didn’t want to end! I highly recommend reading this beautiful love story!
Another great book by Adriana Locke! It was great to see Penn finally meet his match!! I would highly recommend this read!!
Was given an arc for an honest review
This book is funny, and sweet and all the things a good romance book should be. I really enjoyed it!
I am loving the Dogwood Lane series by Adriana Locke so much and in Trouble, we get another sweet and charming small town romance with so many feels and great characters. Penn and Avery had amazing chemistry and I loved the banter between them. Avery was strong and caring. Penn was very likable but wanted nothing to do with commitment. Their story was fun, sexy and captivating.
Happy reading!
I have been waiting on this book and was so excited when it landed on my kindle. I loved Penn he was such a lovable character.
Penn and Avery have crazy intense chemistry, you can’t help but hope they end up together. These two are the perfect match for each other. Penn lives in a small town where he grew up and doesn’t do commitment. Avery knows what she wants and has no problem making Penn fight for her attention. When these two give in they make the cutest couple that will have you swoon.
This was a one sitting read for me. I loved Trouble and highly recommend it.
I had a hard time getting into this book, and while I’m not 100% sure why, I think it probably had to do with the characters at the beginning being somewhat unreadable and in the case of Penn, unlikable. By about the halfway point, though, they were more fleshed-out and making more of a connection with each other, so I was invested. I liked that they had actually reconnected from a previous meeting in life, and the ending was sweet.