ARC REVIEW The Trouble with Love by Lauren Layne

The Trouble with Love book four in the Sex, Love and Stiletto series; the book that came to be because fans wanted Emma's story. First off I have not read any of the other books in this series and I was not lost at all so it is safe to say it can be read as a standalone but that by no means means you should if the other books are half as good as this one they are worth the read. I was hesitant at first because I dislike books where there is a character in a current relationship, I don't like the temptation of cheating and one person getting hurt; well that did not happen so I was saved that. This is a case of the reluctant H/h, yes both of them. I love Lauren Layne's writing style it's funny and emotional; it ties you up inside and make you want to hit the characters over the head and say, "What's wrong with you?" I am definitely going to have to get the first three books in the series.

Emma Sinclair is the woman's magazine, Stiletto, number one authority on break ups and getting over them. Alex Cassidy is the editor in chief of the men's magazine, Oxford. With a past that even their best friends know only part of find themselves working together when Stiletto's editor and chief takes a leave of absence. In the honor of Christmas and flat out curiosity Alex charges Emma to write an article titled The 12 Ex's of Christmas where she finds must write about her past relationships and what went wrong and where are they now. Thinking that he would be a big one of that articles since they were at one point engaged. The shit really hits the fan not when Emma's apartment floods, or when she gets to live in her editors apartment while she's gone, not even when she finds out that Alex is going to be her boss for a couple of months no it's when she finds out her new neighbor is her ex and current boss, Alex.

At the beginning of the book Alex is dating but that doesn't last long as he and Emma quite literally watch her fall in love at first sight with Emma's blind date. Being in such close proximity to him is difficult they have been successfully avoiding each other for months. Now they must face the past as it slowly reveals itself to the reader with a nice flashback at one point. Emma and Alex fight with each other only to keep themselves from falling back in love, but you know it doesn't work and soon the are sleeping with each other again. Emma learns something about herself having to face her ex-boyfriends that she never fell out of love with Alex and Alex seeing Emma with her other ex's helps him realize something too.

It's an emotional story that had my heart in the palm is it's hands the entire time.