Oh how I love to see the town's playboy fall. It's always the hardest, sweetest fall. I absolutely adore this book. Trouble was every bit the charming, flirty, heart-happy read I've come to expect from Adriana Locke's small town romances. With Penn and Avery's amazing chemistry, fun back and forth banter, and great character growth, I couldn't help but fall in love with these two.

Trouble is my new favorite book in the Dogwood Lane series. I can't wait to see what's next, especially with Matt.

I have been dying to get my hands on Penn's story from the start of this series. And WOW! Locke did not disappoint!
Oh Penn! My sweet, cocky, fun loving Penn. I fell hard and fast for him. He was absolutely everything I hoped he would be and more.
Avery had me wanting to be her friend from the start and I found myself rooting for her immediately.
The chemistry between these two characters had me fanning myself and worried the pages might catch fire.
I could not put this one down and I cannot wait to see what Locke brings us next with this series!

I have been waiting not so patiently for a long time for Penn's book. It was everything I was hoping it was going to be. There was great relationship development between the two main characters. Adriana Locke is an instant buy for me and this book did not disappoint. I'm excited to see what comes next from her.

Avery moving to Dogwood Lane has shaken up Penn’s carefree, bachelor lifestyle world. While Avery is looking to start over & eventually meet a stable guy who wants the same things as her, Penn wants to get the cute new girl in his bed. As they get to know each other Penn realizes she’s not the type of girl he usually goes for, and Avery is well aware of his playboy ways. They manage to become friends but it gets harder to not blur the lines the more time they spend together. Can they battle their own insecurities to see if they have a future together? Penn and Avery are absolutely adorable together! Even though they want different things in life they can’t deny their feelings for each other. They must deal with hidden secrets & issues from the past before they can move on together. This was a great read & I look forward to reading the next one!

Man, this series just keeps getting better!!! Adriana Locke has me hooked on these books and her characters.

Our third trip to Dogwood Lane sees Penn Etling meet his match in Avery Perry!!

I loved that this pair had a history, even though Penn couldn’t remember her or their night together.

In previous books we’ve seen that Mr Etling is a good guy but definitely not on the path to settling down any time soon but, in Trouble, we saw a different side to the sweethearted playboy.
The guy is sweet, hardworking, funny AF, loyal and dependable but he’s got a deeper side to him that he doesn’t want anyone to find and my heart hurt for him when we discovered how truly thought of himself when it came to commitment and relationships.

Avery was like a female Penn, without the playboy attitude obviously... She was funny, snarky, down to earth (which given her folks and the life she’d been raised in was refreshing). I loved that she didn’t fall for Penn right from the get go but was honest enough with herself when it came to their chemistry and her attraction to him. Being friends with him, for me, gave them a deeper connection and made their potential relationship more real, and man, how I was rooting for them.

This book was laugh out loud funny, so damned addicting and, quite probably, my favourite book in the Dogwood Lane series so far.

5 big hearted stars for Penn & Avery!

When I read the blurb for this book I knew it was gonna be my kind of thing. Its the 3rd book in the Dogwood series which I didn't realise but you definitely don't need to have read the others to get this one.
Penn.. What is there to say about Penn? He's a hot single guy who is happy to stay that way. He was hilarious, charming and flirty with bags of personality. He had me snorting with laughter a fair few times. When Avery rocks up to Dogwood he instantly feels a pull towards her and rightly so as he slept with her years ago and now doesn't recognise her.... Whoops! Avery recognises him straight away and at first is a bit put out that he doesn't remember her but as she gave him a fake name who can blame him. Penn trys so hard to charm her but her walls are well and truly up but being the charmer he is he slowly starts bringing them down brick by brick.
This was a really sweet story, no major drama, no cheating just a nice slow burn.
Will definitely check out the other books in the series

At long last Ms. Locke returns to Dogwood Lane with Penn's story. While Trouble stands perfectly fine on its own, Penn is by far the most memorable secondary character from the first 2 books in the series so I definitely recommend them. I was tickled to learn that it was FINALLY his turn!

Penn has quickly become of my favorite heroes. With his charm, humor and bad boy ways, the sparks fly immediately upon "meeting" Avery. Great chemistry, a swoon-worthy hero and an interesting plot made this a great addition to the series!

Finally, Penn is mine...(rolls eyes and huffs out) okay, OURS

4.5 stars

Penn Etling is the best friend you need. He's kind, caring, and wildly inappropriate. He is my dream BFF because he's also real pretty to look at! 😂 Under that devil may care attitude and innuendo is a man afraid. He's afraid of love, letting others down, and not being enough. Penn, darling, you are more than enough!

My unrequited love affair with Penn began in Tumble. No matter how you try and label Penn, "resident bad boy" just doesn't work. You can call him Don Juan... You can call him a lot of things scoundrel, manwhore, playboy but none would be accurate. Penn is more complicated than a label. Of course labels tend to get Penn in trouble any way.

While you dont need to have read Tumble and Tangle before diving into Trouble, I highly recommend it. To get the full Penn experience and to fall in love with my favorite Dogwood Lane resident, you need more of his interactions with his friends - the external perspective. Whether or not our lovable rake is your kind of guy, Penn has my heart. I gave it to him back in Tumble and I never asked for it back. I'm just glad he finally gave his heart to someone who will keep it safe.

See! Love means caring about them more than yourself. His happiness means more to me than his 8 inches ever could....probably. I mean it feels like a dare...Lol. Pre-Avery, I might have gotten him to accept that challenge. 😘

I hope that Adriana Locke has more Dogwood Lane coming because I can't get enough.

This is the third book in the Dogwood Lane series. It has loveable characters, easy to read and a page turner. Its wonderful written and a wonderful storyline. I thought Penn and Avery are wonderful I enjoyed reading their story. I loved the secondary characters. I was hooked from the first chapter and it held my attention throughout the story.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this story.
I read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book All thoughts and opinions are of my own.

oh Penn, he is quite the charmer, and so much more as he totally made me swoon!! Penn is friendly, funny, and kind. Despite being liked by everyone, they see him as irresponsible. Avery is tired of being used by everyone, including her parents. She picks up her life in California and moves to Dogwood Lane and in with her Aunt Harper. She yearns for a new life with genuine connections. Penn has always had it easy connecting with people and getting anyone he wants with his smooth talk and charming grin. He was completely thrown when it didn't work on Avery. The harder he tried to get Avery in his bed, and failed, the more amused his friends were. Avery is so daring, creative, and funny. She is the perfect challenge and match for Penn. But she has seen it all, and no matter how attracted she is to him, she doesn't want to be another notch on his bedpost. I loved the fun banter along with the fiery chemistry between Penn and Avery. The progression of their relationship felt so genuine, and real, just like them. I love their friends and family as well. They were so quirky, and fun, and loved to raz each other but were completely loyal and supportive. This is such touching, heartfelt romance with rich characters, hilarious banter and sizzling passion! I am so in love with Dogwood Lane! It's the kind of place that draws you in, and makes you feel right at home. This is a great series, and I can't wait for more!

Sweet heat and witty banter that instantly draw you into Penn and Avery's story.

Trouble is an enjoyable addition to the Dogwood Lane series, but I was really expecting to fall in love with Penn's story since he's such a dynamic character in Tumble and Tangle. He's a shameless flirt and I really expected the repartee between Penn and Avery to build up more steamy tension, but the story kind of got stuck in a repetitive loop that didn't allow Penn and Avery's story to reach it's full impactful potential.

Matt, Claire and Jake make for some great secondary characters and I really hope the Dogwood Lane series will include their stories - especially Matt, who shined in Trouble!

An easy read with great banter and just a touch of steamy, Trouble is sure to entertain.

Adriana Locke’s Dogwood Lane series is one of my fave series and Trouble is new book. Trouble is absolutely amazing!!! I loved this book so hard cause Penn Etling just maybe the best book boyfriend but he’s not wanting to admit it. He wants to keep his street cred ladies of being a bad boy and ladies man but he’s secretly caring and thoughtful. Harper’s niece, Avery comes back to town and Penn has lost smooth ways cause he can’t stop thinking about her. Avery has moved Dogwood Lane to get away from Hollywood and her parents and have some normal for once. This book had me laughing and loving these characters. Adriana Locke writes incredible characters thats why her series are the best. I loved this book!

This is book three in the Dogwood Lane series and I have to say that no one writes small town romances like Adriana Locke.
She has a unique and incredible talent of making you feel that you’re right there amongst the characters and their crazy lives.
I live for her storylines and seeing what antics the characters get up to next and this story was no different.
There’s never a dull moment!
This story is up there as one my all time favourites and I can’t wait for more from this author.
I absolutely loved this read!!

Trouble by Adriana Locke is a twist on a second chance romance. Not gonna lie-the beginning of the story had me cringing in uncomfortable-ness. Penn is such a man whore he doesn't even remember sleeping with Avery. He hits on her during their "first" meeting and it was so over the top I was a little uncomfortable. Like, if a guy acted that way in real life, I would be creeped out because it was nothing but innuendo and double entendre.

Penn is a little difficult to like. He really just seems to think that life is one big party and monogamy is a bad word. However, you do see that when no one is watching, he isn't always THAT guy. Avery is much more relatable as a character. She is running from her problems back in Hollywood. I think that Avery was a little like Penn when she was living in LA but she has realized that life doesn't work for her. And I felt so much sympathy for her when she realized Penn didn't even recognize her.

Obviously, Penn is trouble, but this is a romance, so even the bad boys can be brought to their knees by the right woman. While I found Penn kind of cringeworthy at times, the story is interesting and its a unique twist on a second chance story. Plus, if you haven't met the townsfolk of Dogwood, you are in for a treat! They are perfect secondary characters that provide lots of entertainment.

Love, love, love this!

Penn and Avery are wonderful characters. Avery is the female character that we all want to be friends with and Penn is absolutely hysterical. Oh yeah and gorgeous.

Avery is the new girl in town, Penn is the town heartbreaker. Not interested in a relationship he’s not the serious type. Not until Avery that is.....

These two are funny, sweet and sexy. It’s a great addition to a series I love. The town, the people, they bring a smile to my face and I’ve really enjoyed reading their stories. Check it out!

4 1/2 out of 5 stars

I love this author! She writes romances that just feel like I'm watching my friends fall in love every time. From their first (or is it a second) meeting, Penn and Avery have something they can't fight. I loved reading their story and getting to know them. For a "bad boy", Penn was swoony as heck! The charm of Dogwood Lane continues in Penn's tale and I only wish we would never run out of characters to hear about here. Ms. Locke writes from her heart and you can feel it on every page. I don't think there was a single page in the novel where I wasn't smiling and enjoying the read. Everything about Penn and Avery made my heart sing.

What happens when two people, one who is completely disillusioned with life and love (Avery), and the other has issues with commitment, doesn't want or need a relationship and is fully prepared to spend his life filling it with meaningless one-or-two night stands (Penn) meet at the perfect time? Trouble by Adriana Locke is what happens....and it's SPECTACULAR!!!

I fell so hard and so fast for Penn after I realized that he WASN'T just a man-whore who had no idea how to love! When Avery arrived to stay with her aunt in Dogwood Lane after she'd had enough of life with her empty, unfulfilling life in California and she meets Penn...it was like two very different worlds colliding and the GLORIOUS aftermath is this EPIC love story!

I can't say enough about this book...just that you MUST read it and I KNOW you'll love it as much as I did! Adriana Locke has done it again...just when I thought she couldn't make me love two characters more than the last, Penn and Avery are my NEW AL faves!!!

“People who are ridiculously attracted to one another can be friends…right?”

4.5 fantastic stars!

I love this series of standalone small-town romances, and from the very beginning I’ve been waiting to see town playboy, Penn, meet his match, and OMG, it was just what I was hoping for! Fun, flirty, full of chemistry and with a beautiful, heartfelt romance, this is just the story I wanted for Penn, and I absolutely loved it!

Having come from a troubled background, Penn doesn’t really understand the concept of love, and he honestly doesn’t have any interest in it. He’s perfectly happy engaging in quick and easy hook-ups without getting involved, and it works pretty well for him. Because he’s Penn Etling, and he’s God’s gift to women… yes, he truly thinks that, but in a way that is endearing rather than conceited, and with the skills to back it up, he can pretty much have any woman he wants. And then Avery comes to town…

"I’m in lust. Pure unadulterated lust.
Avery has captivated my attention. I don’t know what that fucking means, but I’m here for it."

Avery has just left her superficial life in LA to move to Dogwood Lane with her beloved (and hilarious) Aunt. Desperate to escape the toxic patterns of her past and enjoy a slower pace that is all about building towards the life she wants for herself, she’s determined to make smart decisions, and that doesn’t include hooking up with the town playboy. Especially because she’s been there and done that years ago, and in a delicious twist on a second-chance-romance, Penn doesn’t remember.

It's a fabulous set-up, especially with Penn bringing his A-game and Avery thwarting him at every turn.

“Ooh, she doesn’t want your number,” Matt jokes. “Let’s write this one down in the record books, boys.”
“Will you shut the hell up?” Penn sighs. “Give the girl some time. It’s probably pretty overwhelming to meet me.” He turns slowly, his eyes full of salaciousness. “I’ll give you some time. No worries.”

Penn’s unique sense of humour is so freaking entertaining, and his constant joking, flirting and smutty inuendo had me laughing so many times.

"I imagine a paintbrush in her hand and find myself curious about a lot of things. How talented is she? What else does she like to do? What is she good at?
Is she the ultimate package? I don’t know. But I’d sure as fuck like to give her mine."

But underneath it all is a damaged man who is truly struggling with everything that he is feeling.

"Can I be more for her? Do I have it in me? Or should I let her go?"

It’s an absolutely beautiful journey as Penn and Avery, both wanting different things but unable to stay away from each other, become close friends. Of course that deepens their attraction, and I loved watching their relationship shift and change as they figure it all out.

“Being with you makes me feel like I’m seen … You don’t look at me and see the goofy guy that everyone knows I am.” He looks up at me with a hesitation that stops my breath. “You see the guy I think my grandpa told me I could be.”

*clutches heart*

Penn and Avery are wonderful characters. Both very real, I could understand where they were at and how they were feeling, and I felt it all along with them. My heart ached for them when they hurt, and I was in a world of swoon as they came to accept and acknowledge their feelings. It’s not all smooth sailing and they have things they need to work through and hurdles to overcome, and they make mistakes along the way, but that just makes the emotion hit so much harder, and the journey all that much sweeter. Their background together adds a wonderful dimension to everything between them, and I loved watching them come together.

"I don’t want to hurt her. I don’t want to fail her. I don’t want to make her anything other than happy every day of her life."

The characters from previous books appear, and there is a nice little set up there for Matt, but you can absolutely read this one as a standalone.

Funny, sexy, romantic and emotional, this is such a great read, and I loved it.

Be still my freaking heart! Adriana Locke unleashed the beast of feelings and I had no defense against it! Penn and Avery's sweet, heartaching and emotional story has won my heart fair and square! Trouble was trouble for my heart and soul!

I have a weakness for small town romance. Because they have this vibrant, warm and intimate experience with all the little adorable details and great people. And Adriana Locke nailed the feeling in Trouble. Avery has escaped to Dogwood to her aunt leaving behind her suffocating and lonely life with her controlling celebrity parents and fake friends. And she meets Penn. The proverbial manwh@re. Gorgeous. Charming. Firty. Funny. With a good heart and devil's sex appeal. But Penn has a bad upbringing that made his sceptical about relationship. In fact he actively avoids them. But Avery fascinates him. He wants to know her, make her happy and be with her. They becomes good friends but what about the complicated feelings in their heart? Will Penn face his issues or will Avery be in trouble for falling for the bad boy?


First of all, the slow burn in this story is pure torture. Seriously. Adriana Locke took me through each curve, each up and down and each twist in an absolutely maddening pace. Their chemistry starts with playful banters and somewhere down the line they slip into this easy friendship. They become open and trusting and close. But the undercurrent of desire and passion was put in everything so beautifully! Penn is so amazing! He can be a real a$$hole with his ways regarding women but he is actually a vulnerable guy hiding behind all light and silly talks. And my heart is breaking for him. Avery is so adorable! I love how she showed courage to give her life a new start and how she values her self worth above everything. She did not get herself carried away by Penn's charm even when her body and heart wanted it. But she also stood by him and understood him and was patient with him. They had their share of mistakes and misunderstandings but that's what made me love this story even more.

Trouble by Adriana Locke was full of delicious passion, soul deep emotions and true characters. The writing was just brilliant. I am in love with everything in Trouble.

Received ARC for honest review.

**ARC received from the publisher via Netgalley**

I really adore Adriana Locke’s ability to transport you into the worlds of her books with words. The small town vibe was quaint and homey and you felt it.

Penn Etling is the bad boy of Dogwood Lane. The forever bachelor with a string of “friends” he’s not looking to settle down. Not until Avery blows into town and shakes everything up for him. Now he’s acting jealous and thinking about the future.

Their relationship was so real and easy to believe. I wanted to cheer for them because I loved them as characters. They struggled and came together honestly. I loved how invested I became in them.