Along Came Trouble (Camelot, #2)

Feb 20, 2013 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

When Ellen Callahan's brother, Jamie a famous pop singer, falls for Ellen's neighbour, Carly the paparazzi descend. To protect both Ellen and Carly, Jamie hires security. Caleb Clark has spent fifteen years in the military police, so knows what it takes to keep clients safe. Heading up his own business, Camelot Security, Caleb may be a security specialist but keeping someone safe can be a whole lot of trouble.

Ruthie Knox is one of my favourite contemporary romance authors. This is book #2 in her...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Susanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-contemporary-romance, arc, best-heroes

This was a sweet contemporary romance. If this book would have been candy, I think it would have been 70 percent dark chocolate. It was a sweet, sexy and fun read!

"It's going to be fantastic, though, when we finally do it. Fireworks are going to go off. Pyrotechnic kissing. Your hair will probably catch on fire."
She laughed, and some internal switched flipped from Maybe to Definitely.

Ellen Callahan is a divorced single-mom (loved that!) who grew up in the shadow of her brother and married an abu...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Karla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: awesome-alpha, contemporary-romance, delightful-kids, netgalley-arc, passionate, pregnancy, quick-to-hop-in-the-sack, scorned-woman, secondary-romance, strong-willed-heroine, terrific-dialogue, witty, wonderful-secondary-characters, wonderful-caring-man, yummy-men, stubborn-heroine

4 Stars!! Along comes Ruthie Knox with another great book! More fun times in Camelot with the scrumptious Caleb...YUM!!

Review to follow...

ARC courtesy of Random House Publishing via NetGalley**

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Mar 11, 2013 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: family_sibling_series, contemporary, for_review

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: B

Ellen loves her singing superstar brother Jamie so much, but not so much when he and her next door neighbor Carly break up causing a paparazzi frenzy at Carly’s house, which by extension includes Ellen’s home. Jamie, now back in LA, arranges for security to help keep the photographers at bay and provide protection to Ellen and her son as well as Carly, who’s pregnant. Caleb’s security company is hired and he starts butting heads with Ellen i...more Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: B

Ellen loves her singing superstar brother Jamie so much, but not so much when he and her next door neighbor Carly break up causing a paparazzi frenzy at Carly’s house, which by extension includes Ellen’s home. Jamie, now back in LA, arranges for security to help keep the photographers at bay and provide protection to Ellen and her son as well as Carly, who’s pregnant. Caleb’s security company is hired and he starts butting heads with Ellen immediately.

Ellen is still trying to pick herself up after a nasty marriage to a man who she let herself get lost in. He was a drunk, verbally abusive and Ellen felt like she had no say in her own life. That’s the most important thing to her now, being able to make her own decisions and not have someone come barreling in telling her what to do, or worse, just doing things against her say. Caleb just wants to do his job, but Ellen wants nothing changed with her house. She’s so adamant that even having Caleb change a burned out porch light causes her all kinds of anxiety. Needless to say, Caleb has his work cut out for him when it comes to breaking down the walls Ellen has put up around her heart.

I loved Caleb from the start. He’s back home after being in the military, he’s trying to get his security company up and running and he literally feels like he needs to help everyone and fix everyone’s problems. Whether it’s helping his parents maintain the apartment complex they own, feeling like his let his little sister down when she shares with him some details about her painful past or trying to make Ellen and her son Henry’s home safe, he tries to take it all on and the weight on his shoulders is getting to him. But from the beginning he wants Ellen and he’s pretty hard to resistant when he starts seducing her. This man is so likable, from how hard he works, how much he loves his friends and family to how sexy he is with Ellen, I found myself drawn to him throughout the whole book.

For as much as I loved Caleb, Ellen, at times, made me want to pull my hair out. Her marriage really did a number on her, I get that and it’s made clear what she went through with her ass of an ex-husband when he shows up on page a few times. Price Charming he is not. But I hated how she treated Caleb. He made it clear from the start that it was more than sex for him, but it was never more than that for Ellen. So much so that she never bothered to get to know Caleb, at all. It felt like she was making progress and slowly letting him in and trusting him, only to shut him back down near the end. During a very emotional scene when Caleb put all his feelings out there on the line, Ellen makes it clear she doesn’t want to be the woman he needs. Harsh. I was on the fence about her up until this point, but after this scene between them, it was clear that she doesn’t deserve Caleb. I do feel like she redeems herself in the end, but I still would have liked a bigger gesture from her. Caleb would have deserved that and more.

I liked getting to know the supporting characters, especially Carly. She’s a tough one and her break up with Jamie hit her hard. But Jamie should have given his sister lessons, because he groveled like a pro to get the woman he loves back. Carly also had me laughing early on with the name she calls her unborn baby. Caleb’s little sister Katie gets a bit of page time as well, mainly to get some information on her past and some of the pain she’s dealing with. We get a hint at who her hero will be and that will be a fun relationship to see unfold.

Even with a few moments from Ellen that were frustrating, Along Came Trouble is an overall enjoyable read. I adored Caleb completely. He’s a hero who does it all, he always wants to help even when he’s spreading himself too thin as is it and he’s the man everyone can lean and depend on. I wasn’t as pulled in to this book as much I was with the novella that came out first in this series, How To Misbehave, but it’s still a book I had fun reading.(less)

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Mar 11, 2013 Kathie (katmom) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-request

This book is available 3/11/2013.

Caleb. I don't think I can say enough about Caleb. He has a security company, which is hired by Ellen's rock star brother's security firm to keep Ellen and Carly (his ex pregnant girlfriend) safe.

Caleb enters the scene just as Ellen pours iced tea down the neck of a paparazzi who is standing on her plants while he's trying to get pics of the pregnant Carly who has kicked Ellen's brother, Jamie, to the curb.

Caleb handles the situation, quite nicely and Ellen appre...more This book is available 3/11/2013.

Caleb. I don't think I can say enough about Caleb. He has a security company, which is hired by Ellen's rock star brother's security firm to keep Ellen and Carly (his ex pregnant girlfriend) safe.

Caleb enters the scene just as Ellen pours iced tea down the neck of a paparazzi who is standing on her plants while he's trying to get pics of the pregnant Carly who has kicked Ellen's brother, Jamie, to the curb.

Caleb handles the situation, quite nicely and Ellen appreciates it. Until she figures out that he is to be her bodyguard. Well, not really HER bodyguard, but he's supposed to keep her, her son Henry, and Carly safe from the paps trying to get close.

Ellen has been divorced from a vest wearing, poetry spouting alcoholic cheater for three years. She likes her independence. In fact she is adamant that she can handle anything. Of course, that's before her rock star brother comes back to town, bringing piles of camera toting vultures.

There are four story arcs going here. Caleb and Ellen. Carly and Jamie. Katie (Caleb's sister) and Levi. And Caleb's parents and their issues. This seemed like a lot to me. But it was a very long book and the arcs did finally seem to balance each other. I've read that Katie is going to have the next book.

Now, I loved Caleb. A lot. He's former military and he's trying to make his security business a success. He's pretty gobsmacked when he meets Ellen and it tumbles his thoughts on being alone and only working. I like that he went after what he wanted.

Ellen, on the other hand, bothered me a bit. Yes, she had a rather trying childhood as her mom pushed for Jamie, the charismatic family member, to be a success. Her husband was a total jerk. But she is free of him now and Caleb is nothing like him. He listens to her and while she can see that he knows his stuff, and she does have that two year old to keep safe, she fights it right and left. I kept wanting her to GIVE in, just a little. And when she does, she doesn't tell him! There's a time to be an island...and there's a time to let a GOOD GUY in.

This book is a good value. One gets to have lots of story all in one place. And once you get to know Caleb, well, you won't want to stop reading.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House/Loveswept, for giving me the opportunity to read ALONG CAME TROUBLE.(less)

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Mar 16, 2013 Pat rated it 5 of 5 stars

The last time we visited Camelot Ohio, a tornado swept through town causing more than just property damage ( How to Misbehave) . We are back some years later, revisiting the town and residents . The Clark family has grown, and their son Caleb is back from tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as an M.P. He is retired from the military, and has started his own company, Camelot Securities.

Ellen Callahan moved to Camelot after divorcing her alcoholic, womanizing husband. She has a sweet two year old named...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Annie the Destroyer *Leather Lust* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, author-ruthie-knox, genre-contemporary-romance, ebooks, kindle-arc, read-in-2013, review-requests, series-camelot

ALONG CAME TROUBLE is book two in the Camelot series. If you haven’t read the first book in the series, HOW TO MISBEHAVE, fear not! The two books seem so different that I don’t necessarily think you need to read one in order to understand the other. Both are good as any other standalones.

Ellen Callahan is a driven woman who is a single mother and lawyer. She is tough as nails and Caleb Clark seems to enjoy poking fun at the attractive woman every chance he gets. When Ellen’s brother, the intern...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Saly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: category-romance, cops-law-enforcement-security, loveswept, read-in-2013

Ruthie Knox is soon becoming a favourite and this book is all Caleb, the returning soldier, responsible son, brother and now a security expert. His new assignment gives him the biggest trouble, Ellen, a single mother of a two year old boy and sister of super-star Jamie, who is in the news because of his romance with the pregnant neighbour Carly. Caleb is supposed to well, secure Ellen's house but she is having none of it

The heroine Ellen is a tougher nut and hard to like. Her inability to give i...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Trader rated it 5 of 5 stars

I debated on the rating for this book. Then I realized how much I wanted to read it again. That made it 5 stars for me. As with How to Misbehave, I finished with a smile. If I could describe it in a word, it would be “sweet.” It’s so easy to relate to these characters because they are average and that’s one of many aspects I love about this Camelot series. In How to Misbehave, we met Amber and Tony, a program director and a building contractor. In Along Came Trouble, our main characters are a si...more I debated on the rating for this book. Then I realized how much I wanted to read it again. That made it 5 stars for me. As with How to Misbehave, I finished with a smile. If I could describe it in a word, it would be “sweet.” It’s so easy to relate to these characters because they are average and that’s one of many aspects I love about this Camelot series. In How to Misbehave, we met Amber and Tony, a program director and a building contractor. In Along Came Trouble, our main characters are a single mom and a former soldier starting a new security business. They could be your neighbor or relative or a friend.

Ellen Callahan is a single mom. She’s proud of standing on her own two feet after a disastrous marriage. She lives for taking care of her son and her home, which to her represents her recent successes.

“That spring, the first furled shoots of the hosta poked through the mulch, proving that Ellen was not incompetent, as Richard had so often implied. She and the baby were, in fact, perfectly capable of surviving, even thriving, without anyone’s help.”

Her home and gardens are her visual reminders of what she has survived and her touchstone for the future. She’s learned to take care of herself and is proud of it. Then Caleb Clark arrives in her yard, ready to rearrange her life and her lawn for the sake of security.

Caleb is a fifteen year veteran of the military police, returning home to start a new security business. Even as a civilian, he’s still in the caretaker role, helping his parents with their apartment complex, giving his sister a job and a place to stay, and now taking care of Ellen as part of a work contract. Caleb is totally swoon-worthy, not just for his physique, but for the way he takes care of the people in his life, and he’d totally love to be more than just a bodyguard to Ellen.

When Caleb “whoa” Clark comes along, Ellen’s ready to have rekindle her sex life, but is petrified of losing her independence, and therein lies their conflict. You just know the sparks are going to fly, and they do.

Ruthie Knox uses her secondary characters perfectly to move the story along and give us an insider view of these two main characters. While I found the Carly/Jamie storyline a bit of a stretch, I absolutely loved the relationship between Caleb and his sister Katie. Their teasing is good-natured and caring, and I can’t wait to find out more about Katie and her situation.

Along Came Trouble manages to be both modern and yet nostalgic at the same time. It’s sweet, sometimes with sly, witty humor and sometimes outright funny with the type of humor that helps you get through the day. There’s great dialogue and realistic internal monologues. I loved how Ellen describes Caleb’s kisses:

“He could kiss like kissing was the only thing on his agenda, and honestly, if you could kiss like this, why put anything else in the day planner? “

I really liked both main characters, and could totally relate to Ellen and her fear of losing her independence. After her marriage, it’s easy to see why she would be gun-shy with any man, especially someone as dominant as Caleb. One of my favorite scenes occurs toward the end of the book, when their roles are reversed and Ellen ends up taking care of him. Sweet!

I would recommend this series, and I look forward to what is coming up next in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Loveswept for the galley in exchange for my honest opinion. This review also appears on my blog, http://redhotbluereads.blogspot.com/(less)

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Mar 11, 2013 willaful rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, series, high-maintenance-heroine

3 1/2 stars. Three years after kicking her alcoholic philanderer husband to the curb, Ellen feels like life with her young son in their quiet town is finally the way she wants it. But a media frenzy involving her pop star brother Jamie and her closest neighbor Carly has invaded her space -- and she's not happy when it gets invaded again by security specialist Caleb Clark, who wants to ruin her peaceful life with fences and lighting and new locks.

Caleb has several big advantage over the slimy ph...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is book 2 in Ruthie Knox's Camelot Series. I liked this book more than the first one. It was a quick read and I enjoyed the fact that the story was not just about Ellen & Caleb Clark, we also get to learn about the other family members. Looking forward to reading Flirting with Disaster (Book 3) featuring Katie Clark.

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Mar 18, 2013 Paranormal Haven rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews-by-ronnie-guest-reviewer

As with many readers, my reading preferences often times will go in cycles. I’ve been reading a lot more contemporary romance within the last 6 months or so, and in that time, I’ve discovered some great stories by Ruthie Knox. She has a wonderful, contemporary voice in Romance, and I’m very much looking forward to reading more books by her in the future. Along Came Trouble is her latest within the Camelot series, and while I did enjoy the book overall, there were a few niggles that came to mind...more As with many readers, my reading preferences often times will go in cycles. I’ve been reading a lot more contemporary romance within the last 6 months or so, and in that time, I’ve discovered some great stories by Ruthie Knox. She has a wonderful, contemporary voice in Romance, and I’m very much looking forward to reading more books by her in the future. Along Came Trouble is her latest within the Camelot series, and while I did enjoy the book overall, there were a few niggles that came to mind while I was reading.

Ellen Callahan is a divorced, single mother who has her hands full with her job, her little one, and trying to keep the press off her lawn and out of her life. Her brother, Jamie, a well-known celebrity, hires a security firm to help install lights and an alarm on Ellen’s property to help keep prying eyes away from her and her son. Caleb Clark is contracted to do this work and they meet when he sees Ellen trying to shoo a photographer away from her house. When Caleb introduces himself and informs Ellen what he’s been hired to do, she flat out refuses him. I have to admit, there was a little confusion on my part. If you’re having trouble with strangers and the press coming around your house, why would you refuse to have someone help beef up the security in your own home? I’ll admit, I’m not a mom, but if I were, my first thought would their safety and I’d accept the help (albeit grudgingly or whatnot) that was being offered. Well, not offered really, since Ellen’s brother has hired the security company, but nonetheless, she keeps refusing Caleb.

Caleb is a hero that many readers will love. Immensely patient, caring, warm, he comes off as a really great guy. Maybe too good. And therein lies the problem for me. While he struggles with being attracted to Ellen at first, he does give in soon enough. He is extremely patient with her hot and cold behavior, to the point of me becoming frustrated with his character for being so understanding. He comes off as too perfect, and for me, that’s a little boring, and not very fun to read about.

Along with Jamie, Ellen’s brother, you meet Carly, Jamie’s ex, and Caleb’s sister Katie, whom I believe is featured in the next book if I’m not mistaken. I’ve read more than a few books where I could care absolutely less about the secondary characters in a story, but Ms. Knox’s novels aren’t among them. She has a gift for making side characters nuanced and fleshed out, and it does add to the story when you’re reading about Ellen and Caleb. As a side note, I’d just like to add that I flat out loved How to Misbehave, the novella that starts off the Camelot series. Ms. Knox does excellent novellas and stories, I was just a little less than enthralled with Along Came Trouble.
- Ronnie(less)

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Apr 21, 2013 Karla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book

This was another winner by Ruthie Knox. There is a lot going on in this romance -- a commanding, nice hero, great subplot and a truly interesting, different story. When her superstar brother romances her next door neighbor, Ellen has security issues and this brings security specialist Caleb Clark into her life. I thought the plot was compelling and allowed the characters to emerge. Caleb is calm competent and in-charge, Ellen is anxious and stressed. Another reviewer commented on the layers of r...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Amber rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, contemporary-romance, net-galley, military

Ellen Callahan lived in the shadow of people all of her life, first her brother and then her husband. Always putting others needs before her own. Three years ago she wised up and divorced her cheating alcoholic husband. Pregnant and along she learned to be the independent woman she always wanted to be.

Ellen's brother Jamie is a popular rockstar that falls for the pregnant Carly and after a fight leaves her. This gain national attention, sending the paparazzi descending on the tiny town of Camel...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Marian rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ruthie-knox

Great story, well written. First time reading Ruthie Knox, but I want to read more from her. I was drawn right into this very believable story and wanted more when it was finished.

Ellen Callahan is a single mom. She has an adorable son. A lucrative career as a lawyer who is able to mostly work from home. A rock star for a brother. And a philandering, alcoholic, jerk for an ex-husband.

Living next door to her rock star brother's pregnant girlfriend poses it's own set of challenges. Like paparazzi...more Great story, well written. First time reading Ruthie Knox, but I want to read more from her. I was drawn right into this very believable story and wanted more when it was finished.

Ellen Callahan is a single mom. She has an adorable son. A lucrative career as a lawyer who is able to mostly work from home. A rock star for a brother. And a philandering, alcoholic, jerk for an ex-husband.

Living next door to her rock star brother's pregnant girlfriend poses it's own set of challenges. Like paparazzi and over-zealous fans. So her brother hires a security company to keep them safe. And Ellen doesn't like it one little bit. She hates the invasion of her privacy and the necessary changes that she will need to make to keep her and her son safe. And she totally takes it out on the head of security.

Caleb Clark.

Hello.

Ex-military police, now runs his own security company. And have I mentioned HOT? And funny? Ellen doesn't stand a chance. (nor does any other female). Too bad she doesn't realize it just yet. She's too busy making him pay for her ex husbands mistakes and in no hurry to jump into a relationship. She keeps telling herself she doesn't need or want a man in her life, even one who looks like Caleb Clark.

Good thing he doesn't give up easily.

"Want me to take off anything else?" She blinked. Shook her head sharply once as if to clear it. Blinked again. And smiled. Something about that smile knocked him flat. This woman. He couldn't wrap his head around it, but he felt it just the same. This woman was his. She was for him, in a way no other woman had ever been. She cut the legs out from under him. He wanted her, and he was going to have her, and he was going to keep her.

I don't want to say too much or give anything away, but man I loved this book! I loved Caleb Clark, he totally made this story for me. And even though Ellen gave him a really hard time, I understood why and it didn't take away from the story for me at all. They had great dialogue and even better sex.

The added bonus of her brother and his pregnant girlfriend was a wonderful addition to the story. And I LOVED little Henry. Each scene with Henry and Caleb was just beautiful.

Such a great story, so glad I read this one, and highly recommend it!

(less)

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Apr 09, 2013 Alicia *The Novel Strumpet* Wheeler rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was an enjoyable novella. I liked the characters, felt there was just the right amount of humor, drama and heart. My only problem is that if Ellen is such a good mother then why, when people are camping on your front lawn and stalking you to take pictures, would you not want the security your brother is providing? As a single woman, okay be independent. As a mother? I’m sorry I’d build a steal fortress around my house before I’d let anyone do anything that even looked like it might threaten...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Norma rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, kindle-ebook, read-2013

This was just meh for me. I gave it 3 stars because I continued to read and was interested enough to find out how it ended. However, I didn't like anyone I was reading about! I just didn't like them. Caleb is perfect. Just perfect. he's a perfect man. He's Nora Roberts perfect. EXCEPT, his inner dialogue is a whiny baby. He's never good enough. He's never happy. He never makes the right decision. Blah blah blah. Get over it Caleb. Ellen could have been interesting. She suffered verbal abuse at t...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Jillian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book for my honest review

Ellen is a single mother; she works hard and doesn't need a man in her life. Her brother is a celebrity and when the paparazzi start showing up on her property to get a glimpse at her neighbor, who was in a relationship with her brother, he hires a security. Caleb is Ellen’s bodyguard and while he is attracted to her, he is determined to ignore it. Ellen really bugged me in this book; she is so determined to prove she can do thin...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Shelley rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

Along Came Trouble is book two in Ms. Knox’s Camelot series. I haven’t read the first story in the series and didn’t feel that I’d missed out on series details related in the earlier book.

Ellen’s pop star brother has fled Camelot, leaving his ex-girlfriend and his sister at the mercy of paparazzi looking for a newsworthy story. He does, however, arrange for a local security company to provide protection for his sister and ex-girlfriend. Meanwhile, Ellen is also dealing with her ex-husband and hi...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Guilty Pleasures rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: guiltypleasures-slick

Slick's review posted onGuilty Pleasures Book Reviews

5 Stars

Man, I love this author. Every time I pick up a book by her I get a fully fleshed out story (no matter the length), I get interesting characters, I get an intriguing plot, and I get some more than satisfying love scenes. In Along Came Trouble, we pretty much get that times two because while the “main” story is about Ellen and Caleb we get the bonus story of Ellen’s brother, Jamie and her neighbor and friend, Carly. In addition we get to...more Slick's review posted onGuilty Pleasures Book Reviews

5 Stars

Man, I love this author. Every time I pick up a book by her I get a fully fleshed out story (no matter the length), I get interesting characters, I get an intriguing plot, and I get some more than satisfying love scenes. In Along Came Trouble, we pretty much get that times two because while the “main” story is about Ellen and Caleb we get the bonus story of Ellen’s brother, Jamie and her neighbor and friend, Carly. In addition we get to see Tony and Amber from the first book in this series, it’s a win, win, win!

Ellen’s pop star brother has hired a security company to help out with the media frenzy surrounding her and her friend and neighbor, Carly since his abrupt departure. Ellen has no interest in adding any security to her home. Following a less than stellar childhood and a bad marriage she refuses to sit back and let anyone take over her life again. When Caleb walks on her property and assists her with removing an overzealous photographer, she’s grateful but wary. She also finds herself experiencing a strong sexual surge she hasn’t felt since long before her 2 year old son was born.

Caleb can’t help but admire the Ellen’s warrior ways when he sees her trying to get rid of the photographer trespassing on her property. Unfortunately he soon finds that even though he helped her, she’s not about to give in to his demands for better security around her home. He’s attracted to her physically but he also admires her strength and tenacious attitude until it’s directed at him!

Wow, where to start with these two….to say they get off on the wrong foot is kind of putting it mildly. Caleb is adamant about protecting Ellen, her son Henry, and their home. He needs this contract to keep his business afloat and he plans to do anything necessary to ensure their safety and the safety of her neighbor, Carly. Ellen refuses to budge because to her, her home is her space; something she’s earned and she has not intentions of living in a fortress. The problem comes that they are both highly attracted to one another. Caleb feels he must keep their relationship professional, Ellen on the other hand thinks a little unattached sex is just what she wants. After a few false starts, they do finally give in and both experience way more than they ever expected. Their intimate scenes are sinfully sexy and at times very creative….whew!

Throughout this story Caleb and Ellen come up against a lot of roadblocks; Ellen’s ex-husband, the ongoing issue with the paparazzi, Caleb’s family, Ellen’s brother returning and the issues that come from that, and some really bad press. What I love is that once Caleb realizes he wants Ellen and her son, he puts a plan in motion to win her over. Ellen is determined to have a sex only affair and it was fun to watch Caleb break down one barrier after another, working his way into her heart. I appreciate that he realizes that Henry was just as important to him as Ellen, to me that shows what a great guy he is. I also love that even when he knew it would make Ellen mad, he put her and Henry’s safety first. I have to admit there were a few times Ellen really ticked me off, she is quite possibly one of the most stubborn heroines I’ve read in a long time, and while I understand her reasoning for some of it, at times it just seems like she enjoys making things hard for Caleb.

This book is captivating; the characters are just so engaging, there are some laugh out loud funny moments, some very tender and sweet moments, some amazingly sexy moments, and a very good story line to boot. Along Came Trouble is another incredible story from Ruthie Knox who continues to blow me away with her superb writing. Take time to visit Camelot, Ohio…you won’t be sorry!

Review copy provided for an honest review.(less)

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Mar 11, 2013 Lisarenee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nbrc-2013-b-reading-challenge, nbrc-tower-team-b-challenge-shelf, romance

My Synopsis:

Since coming back from his third and final tour of duty, Caleb Clark had started a security business and it was finally starting to take off. He'd gotten a contract from a larger outfit to ensure the safety of a Rock Star's girlfriend, his sister, and young nephew in Camelot. Paparazzi were clattering to get stories and pictures of the trio, and sometimes they could get a bit out of hand and pose a danger.

Caleb's job was to upgrade any existing security and add anything that is lacki...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I received a free digital copy from the publisher through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. Ruthie Knox is becoming one of my favorite contemporary writers. "Along Came Trouble" is witty, flows at a good pace, and has great character development. I enjoyed reading about Caleb and Ellen. The draw to this book is that both H/H are strong in their own right. They have both faced adversity and have both come out the other side ready to face life. In the end, they're stronger together....more

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Mar 10, 2013 Amanda Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ellen Callahan is an entertainment lawyer who lives with her young son and works mostly from home with various musicians, including her superstar heartthrob brother, Jamie. When paparazzi threaten to overwhelm her quiet lifestyle, her brother takes it upon himself to hire her some security. The firm outsources to a local group, Caleb Clark stepping in to take over the detail. Caleb is a formal military man looking to make a way in civilian life. Ellen isn't pleased to welcome Caleb's intrusion....more

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Mar 10, 2013 Marlene rated it 5 of 5 stars

Originally published at Book Lovers Inc.

I love a good bodyguard romance. And Ruthie Knox' Along Came Trouble does fit into that category, even though the main characters spend a good chunk of the book denying that Caleb Clark really is Ellen's bodyguard.

But if the role fits...(and does it ever!)

It also fits Ruthie Knox' own pattern of one character who needs to forgive themselves (in this case Ellen) and one character being way too good for their own good (in this case the yummy almost-bodyguard...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, men-to-sigh-over, 5-stars

4.5 Stars

I have found a new author to crush on. I am in love with Ruthie Knox and her writing style! Her characters were well developed and had great chemistry.I thought she mixed the perfect amount of humor with drama. As soon as I get a chance, I will most definitely be reading more of her books.

"Here was a species of a man she had no experience with. She'd always gone for the Heathcliff types, men with wild hair and deep thoughts. Army guys didn't do it for her. Or they never had before."

Why...more 4.5 Stars

I have found a new author to crush on. I am in love with Ruthie Knox and her writing style! Her characters were well developed and had great chemistry.I thought she mixed the perfect amount of humor with drama. As soon as I get a chance, I will most definitely be reading more of her books.

"Here was a species of a man she had no experience with. She'd always gone for the Heathcliff types, men with wild hair and deep thoughts. Army guys didn't do it for her. Or they never had before."

Why did I love this book so much? Well because of Caleb, of course! I fricken adored him. Cabe captivated me from the moment he hit the pages. He was totally alpha and sexier than hell! I loved his patience. I don't know if I would have had half the patience he did to put up with Ellen's stubbornness. Although, Cabe was just as stubborn if not more when it came to negotiating what he wants. Our leading man was loyal, protective, and beneath all that alpha maleness, he was vulnerable. He wanted Ellen for more than just the romp in the bed that she wanted them to be. Caleb fell in love and so did she when she wasn't fighting it and purposely pushing him away. I thought Cabe was amazing at handling these mixed emotions.

"He'd come over here prepared to do battle with Amazon Ellen, and instead he got this woman with the butter-soft body and the seductive smile. The one he's met this morning, very briefly, before he started talking security and she'd hardened up on him."

This would of been a 5 star read for me if it wasn't for the heroine. Ellen irked me at times, a lot. I have said it before the heroine of the book is usually what makes or breaks a book for me and Ellen came pretty close to me giving this a three star rating. So I went with a 4.5. I couldn't take away from the rest of the characters and the plot. I love a chick with backbone, but seriously sometimes Ellen just got to be too much and it seemed like she argued with Caleb over the most ridiculous things. Anyway, it just got a little old after a while. I did like her when she wasn't being such a witch to Caleb. I love when female leads are sassy and independent. Ellen had both of these, and I respected why she had to be so stubborn at times, but as I said earlier it just got to be too much. I needed more of the fun loving Ellen. However, she did redeem herself in the end when she went toe to toe with Cabe's mama. Our girl made me proud!

Secondary characters, to this I say what secondary characters? The author writing had me loving Jamie and Carly just as much as Cabe and Ellen. Their story line helped the story line flow perfectly. Oh, and Nana! She cracked me up. Her antics had me laughing so hard and smiling.

The role reversal was another reason that quickly had me adoring Along Came Trouble. Normally we have the heroine who is totally ready to commit and the man runs. Not here, Ruthie rocked it when she made Caleb the vulnerable one looking to commit. Ellen was the runner in this couple. These two had great chemistry together in and out of the bedroom. They just needed to get past the push and pull and when they did they were so damn sweet together.

This book is a definite recommend for me! Thank you Ruthie Knox for my newest addiction, your books!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. (less)

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Mar 04, 2013 Edensbookshelf.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ruthie Knox has a gift for creating strong lead couples and writing great sex scenes. Caleb Clark is simply amazing! This man is so perfect, I would keep him locked in my house and never let him go. Confident, sensual, funny, warm, strong, loving - I could go on and not run out of praise for at least 3 more pages. Did I feel this strongly about him initially? NO! Not at all. I thought he seemed a little smug; maybe even a little patronizing. I should have had more faith in Ruthie because she was...more Ruthie Knox has a gift for creating strong lead couples and writing great sex scenes. Caleb Clark is simply amazing! This man is so perfect, I would keep him locked in my house and never let him go. Confident, sensual, funny, warm, strong, loving - I could go on and not run out of praise for at least 3 more pages. Did I feel this strongly about him initially? NO! Not at all. I thought he seemed a little smug; maybe even a little patronizing. I should have had more faith in Ruthie because she was actually establishing his stubborn need to be protective of everyone he cares about.

Our book's heroine is equally stubborn if not more so. Ellen is a giver. The kind of woman who spent all her life putting herself last, letting others tell her what to do and feeling most comfortable when she was doing things for others. She's thekind of woman who was raised to believe she didn't deserve better. Married to a philandering alcoholic, Ellen is pregnant when she decides she has had enough. It takes her three years to become the woman and mother she wants to be and ultimately feel comfortable in her own skin. Having a relationship with Caleb was not part of the new life she had built for herself.

Along Came Trouble focuses on several issues that are common in most relationships. Can you love someone without losing sight of who you are? How do you find balance between needs, wants & quirks so that you don't end up smothering each other?

There are several sub-plots in the novel: Ellen's rock star brother and his on again/off again relationship with Ellen's pregnant neighbor, Carly; Ellen's relationship with her ex-husband, Richard; a mysterious paparazzo who may be dangerous to Ellen and her family; and Caleb's maturing relationship with his parents. Over all the novel is strongest when it focuses on Caleb and Ellen. Some of the other story lines are flat and underdeveloped.

Randomhouse/LoveSwept has committed to several books in the Camelot series and most of them center around Caleb's family which may explain why so many story lines have been introduced. A note to fans who read How To Misbehave, Along Came Trouble picks up the story several years later. Amber's little brother is Caleb. She and Tony play a small role in this novel only now they run their own construction company and have three kids. The next story will focus on their little sister Katie.

At times, the book seems too long and full of filler. This is probably because the book was originally novella length. I was really disappointed that the element of danger posed by the evil paparazzo story line was not explored further. This would have naturally filled out the story. Caleb's mother is written as a shrewish belittling woman with a dead-end reference to a Lebanese nationality and a conversion to Catholicism. These two points raised questions and did little to add to the story - in fact it made me wonder where Knox was trying to go with this? The mother seems less likeable than in How To Misbehave.

Along came trouble is at it's best when it focuses directly on Ellen & Caleb. We all deserve a love we can rely on that lets us be ourselves.

Reviews of other novels written by Ruthie Knox:

http://edensbookshelf.com/review-how-...
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Mar 01, 2013 Brenda rated it 5 of 5 stars

I kept hearing about Ruthie Knox...especially about her steamy love scenes. I asked to review Along Came Trouble, and I can say that the sexual tension, and the scenes between the main characters floored me. Floored. Me. I looked up, and looked around, stopped holding my breath, and said "Damn." However, those moments were icing on the cake because the story was so much more than steamy sex.

I loved the humor, the characters with their quirky, stubborn personalities, the action, the plot, subplo...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5/5 stars

Another great novel by Ruthie Knox!

Ellen Callahan is fine on her own. Three years ago she left her cheating, alcoholic and abusve husband and then found out she was pregnant. Now, she's a single mom to adorable two-year-old Henry and a successful entertainment lawyer, and Ellen has learned to rely on herself. Her life in small town Camelot, Ohio is turned upside down when her twin brother, Jamie, begins (and then ends) a relationship with her neighbour, Carly. Jamie is a hugely succe...more 4.5/5 stars

Another great novel by Ruthie Knox!

Ellen Callahan is fine on her own. Three years ago she left her cheating, alcoholic and abusve husband and then found out she was pregnant. Now, she's a single mom to adorable two-year-old Henry and a successful entertainment lawyer, and Ellen has learned to rely on herself. Her life in small town Camelot, Ohio is turned upside down when her twin brother, Jamie, begins (and then ends) a relationship with her neighbour, Carly. Jamie is a hugely successful, international pop star and when news of his relationsip becomes public, reporters begin camping out on Carly and Ellen's front lawns.

Concerned for their safetly, Jamie hires a private security team, headed by Caleb Clark, to protect Carly and Ellen. Caleb has just returned to Camelot after spending over a decade in the army. He's been deployed to Iraq multiple times and figures that the security job will be a breaze in comparison. That is, until he sees Ellen who gets his pulse racing from their first meeting.

Ellen won't listen to Caleb. She won't agree to his security measures. And as the two butt heads, Caleb can't help but feel immediately drawn to her. He tries to resist his feelings, but when Ellen seems interested too, Caleb just can't help himself. While Ellen wants a meaningless fling, Caleb's feelings might run deeper. But Ellen is too conflicted to really think about a future with Caleb - she's dealing with her ex-husband, and her brother, as well as the ever-growing media circus on her front lawn. Can Ellen focus on her feelings long enough to see what's right in front of her? Or will she miss out on the best thing that's happened to her?

What a great story! I loved the characters - Caleb was such an amazing male lead. He was confident, sexy and definitley an alpha male, but he was also vulnerable. He cared so much for Ellen, and all of the women in his life, and he was so committed to helping them. It was also nice to have a role reversal where the man is wanting more from a woman who isn't ready to commit.

I loved Ellen's character. She was smart, headstrong and independent. She was not annoying at all! It's too rare that we have bright, successful female leads in these kinds of books. I found her easy to relate to and I was rooting for her the entire book.

The romance was great and there were definitely some hot sex scenes. The story flowed nicely. I also enjoyed the storyline between Jamie and Carly.

A definite must read if you enjoy contemporary romance books. I LOVED it! I also read About Last Night by the same author. I need to get my hands on more of Knox's books!

Thank you NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Feb 24, 2013 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

ALONG CAME TROUBLE - Great Fun and Purely Enjoyable
ORIGINAL POST: http://fangswandsandfairydust.blogspo...#
Feb 24, 2013

Along Came Trouble
A Loveswept Contemporary Romance
Ruthie Knox
Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept
Pub Date Mar 11 2013

An accomplished lawyer and driven single mother, Ellen Callahan isn’t looking for any help. She’s doing just fine on her own. So Ellen’s more than a little peeved when her brother, an international pop star, hires a security guard to protect her from a pryi

...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Gaele added it

Shelves: jeep-diva, net-galley, review-reads

While the description talks about two headstrong souls, the reality of this book is that everyone is headstrong, stubborn and completely believable, even when their lives are tossed into a giant mixing bowl and turned upside down.

The main story circles around Ellen, twin sister of a celebrity pop star and divorced single mum, with a lifetime of subjugating her own self to others until her divorce. Ellen lives next door to the pregnant Carly, former love interest of her pop-star brother, Jaime....more While the description talks about two headstrong souls, the reality of this book is that everyone is headstrong, stubborn and completely believable, even when their lives are tossed into a giant mixing bowl and turned upside down.

The main story circles around Ellen, twin sister of a celebrity pop star and divorced single mum, with a lifetime of subjugating her own self to others until her divorce. Ellen lives next door to the pregnant Carly, former love interest of her pop-star brother, Jaime. Paparazzi have arrived in the quiet neighborhood, and Caleb’s security company has been hired to provide protection for both Ellen and Carly, as fallout and chaos is expected because Carly and Jaime have had a very public break up.

Sound confusing? It really isn’t. Ruthie Knox has cleverly introduced characters and provided history and interactions that introduce each character with a solid voice and presence: letting the reader observe and sort the characters much like one does their neighbors. Very soon, we are treated to Ellen’s refusal to allow anyone to ‘take care’ of her, and the fireworks begin. While Caleb is a master at providing for his client’s security, Ellen fights him at every step, while driving him insane with the need he feels to know her better. Ellen is attracted to Caleb, but her personal history with relationships leaves her conflicted and doubtful.

What follows is a cleverly plotted story that keeps the reader entertained while providing background information through point of view changes, sharp honest words from friends and siblings, and some truly laugh out loud moments. Caleb is endearing and vulnerable, despite his single-minded attention to duty and detail where security is concerned. Not to mention his single-minded attention to matters of sex: those scenes will have even the most jaded of readers squirming and wondering if every former Army MP is as thorough and concentrated. When you add in families and their dynamic, a toddler with pronoun confusion and you have a story that will have you engaged, entertained and comparing the people in Camelot to your own family and friends.

Ruthie Knox has created another winner, after reading the short that introduced me to the Camelot series, this sleepy Ohio town is full of characters that could have their own stories, and I am excited to see where she goes next.

I received an eBook copy from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review for the Jeep Diva. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
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Along Came Trouble (Camelot #2)

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