I’m so delighted today to be helping launch the blog tour for I Knew You Were Trouble by Sandy Barker, and sharing my publication day review – this is the fifth book (and, sadly, the last) in her wonderful Ever After Agency series. Published today (23rd March) by Boldwood Books, it’s now available as an e-book (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. My thanks, as always, to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading copy (provided via netgalley).
While I’ve loved every book Sandy has ever written – you’ll find all my many reviews if you pop her name into the search bar – this series has been a real personal favourite. The whole idea of the Ever After Agency was really inspired, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the way matchmaker Poppy’s life has continued – together with those of her friends and colleagues, who’ve felt like my friends too – alongside their next romantic challenge. I was caught up in the series from the first book, Match Me If You Can – an original idea, a great story, the most perfect romance (you can read my full review again here) – and Shout Out To My Ex was better still, with its touches of drama, all that glitz and glamour, and both the beautifully handled romances and friendships I always enjoy (you’ll find my full review here). The One that I Want had one of those romances with an electrical charge you could really feel (review here) – and Someone Like You might have been my favourite of them all, with its perfectly drawn locations and really moving emotional moments, together with an ending so totally perfect that it couldn’t fail to delight (and you’ll find my review of that one here). So, the last in the series – and something just a little different this time…
Don’t get mad. Get even.
Kate Whitaker has always believed in love, but when a stranger named Willem shows up on her doorstep, the news he has to share isn’t as exciting as his god-like looks might suggest. He’s come to tell her that Kate’s fiancé is also engaged to his sister.
Kate doesn’t know how she didn’t see the red flags: Jon’s work as an airline pilot having him flying around the globe, the postponed dates, the huge rock of an engagement ring that isn’t her style at all.
Overcome with fury – and entranced by the Nordic god’s piercing blue eyes and quiet allure – Kate agrees to accompany Willem to his hometown of Amsterdam to help break the news to his sister. Yet what begins as a simple gesture of support soon twists into a deliciously devious plan to get back at Jon.
Kate is drawn into a world of retribution, revenge and – unexpectedly – romance. Because sometimes the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else…
A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about broken trust, sweet revenge, and the surprising places we find love. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Emily Henry.
Betrayal and revenge – now that’s something rather different for this series, isn’t it? But it’s a story with a central romance I entirely loved, plenty of fun and laughs along the way, emotional moments, wonderfully drawn locations, great characters, and a story that kept me turning the pages into the early hours, hopeful for a happy ending.
With the help of a matchmaking agency, Kate has found the relationship she’s been looking for. Jon is an airline pilot, travelling the world – and they’ve recently become engaged, although the blingy ring he presented her with might not have been quite the one she’d hoped for. Wedding planning is underway, but his job means she often finds herself home alone – and one Friday her quiet night in is interrupted by a visit from a (particularly hot…) stranger. He’s Willem, from Amsterdam, a bit of an IT whiz who’s been looking into Jon’s background – but only because his sister has just become engaged to the very same man.
Willem’s sister won’t believe her new partner is two-timing her – and the only way he can think of convincing her is by introducing her to Kate who can tell her the painful truth. Egged on by friend and cousin Margot, she’s started to thinking about revenge – and she’s already been in touch with matchmaker Poppy, hoping the Ever After agency can help while also perhaps righting some of the wrongs committed by the other agency that matched them.
Perhaps it’s a bit soon to be thinking about another romance – and maybe her growing feelings for Willem are only lust (my goodness, he’s gorgeous – and a rather lovely man too…). But when they discover Jon might also be stringing along another woman – this time in Italy – they jointly decide that they really must intervene. With a bit of forced proximity, Kate realises that she might just have found the perfect partner after all – although it’s a bit of a rocky road before that happy ending I wanted – and then there’s the small matter of getting even with the toad who’s behaved so very badly.
Yes, you do need to suspend your disbelief a little – all the jet-setting and travelling on a whim is something few of us could afford, but the Ever After agency does only engage with high-end clients. I loved Poppy’s undercover involvement – uncomfortable to say the least – but also loved the direction her personal story took, just perfect for the last book in the series. All the friends we’ve made in previous books in the series are here – colleagues too, and I particularly adore unconventional sleuth Marie, always effortlessly one step ahead of everyone else. And Margot’s a great – if sometimes bloodthirsty – addition to the cast, one of those close female friendships that the author always excels at, but also with a rather lovely relationship storyline all of her own.
And does Jon get his comeuppance in a suitably uncomfortable way? Ah well, you’ll need to read the book to find out – but it certainly worked well for me. This really was the perfect book to end this lovely series – I’ll miss Poppy, her lovely partner and Saffy the cat, her circle of friends, and I’m sad to say goodbye to the Ever After agency – but I’m very much looking forward to seeing what the author does next… .
About the author
Sandy Barker is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic.
Sandy’s first novel, One Summer in Santorini, a romantic comedy set in Greece and inspired by her own real-life love story with her partner, Ben, was published in 2019 by One More Chapter (HarperCollins), launching the 5-book Holiday Romance series. Also with One More Chapter are her Christmas Romance series, celebrating her favourite time of year, and The Dating Game, a stand-alone romcom set in the world of Reality TV.
Sandy’s new 5-book romcom series with Boldwood Books is about the Ever After Agency, a bespoke matchmaking agency based in London, with a brilliant cast of characters and settings around the world.
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Thank you so much Anne! I so appreciate you and your thoughtful reviews. I am thrilled you enjoyed the Ever After Agency series and there is a little something waiting for you and other series readers here: https://books.bookfunnel.com/SandyBarker
[spoiler alert!] S xxx
Always a pleasure Sandy – and thank you SO much for that link, I’ll be dipping in later! xxx
Great review, Anne xx