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Serving Up Trouble
Hardened cop Sam O'Neill knew a meddlesome woman when he saw one. He'd saved cocktail waitress Angie Rivers during a bank holdup, but he couldn't get her pretty face or the feel of her silky skin out of his head. She made him lose his focus -- she softened his heart -- and that put both of them knee-deep in danger, because someone wanted Angie dead.
Angie was the only one who could identify the leader of a brutal identity theft ring. But she was done feeling helpless and vulnerable and felt ready to take things into her own hands, despite the tall, dark detective's passionate demands to stay out of trouble -- and out of his heart!
Angie was the only one who could identify the leader of a brutal identity theft ring. But she was done feeling helpless and vulnerable and felt ready to take things into her own hands, despite the tall, dark detective's passionate demands to stay out of trouble -- and out of his heart!
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 22, 2002
197 people are currently reading
411 people want to read
About the author
Jill Shalvis
386 books13.8k followersJill Shalvis is a NYT, USA Today, and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author of small-town romance and romcoms, known for big feels, found family, and plenty of shenanigans.
If you love small-town chaos, meddling friends and neighbors, sizzling chemistry, and heroes who fall hard for the one woman they absolutely did not plan on, you’re in the right place. Jill’s books blend laugh-out-loud moments with emotional gut punches, slow-burn tension, and deeply earned happily ever afters.
She writes the stories she loves to read: small-town romance and romantic comedies packed with heart, heat, second chances, grumpy/sunshine sparks, and the kind of found-family vibes that make you want to move right into the pages. Many of her series are perfect for binge-reading, and a number of her books are available in Kindle Unlimited and at major retailers.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably plotting new ways to torture her characters, avoiding laundry, or daydreaming about fictional men and the strong, complicated women who bring them to their knees—and then making them work for it.
You can follow Jill here on Goodreads to keep up with new releases, add her books to your shelves, and discover which small town you want to get lost in next.
If you love small-town chaos, meddling friends and neighbors, sizzling chemistry, and heroes who fall hard for the one woman they absolutely did not plan on, you’re in the right place. Jill’s books blend laugh-out-loud moments with emotional gut punches, slow-burn tension, and deeply earned happily ever afters.
She writes the stories she loves to read: small-town romance and romantic comedies packed with heart, heat, second chances, grumpy/sunshine sparks, and the kind of found-family vibes that make you want to move right into the pages. Many of her series are perfect for binge-reading, and a number of her books are available in Kindle Unlimited and at major retailers.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably plotting new ways to torture her characters, avoiding laundry, or daydreaming about fictional men and the strong, complicated women who bring them to their knees—and then making them work for it.
You can follow Jill here on Goodreads to keep up with new releases, add her books to your shelves, and discover which small town you want to get lost in next.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 27, 2018
99p on Amazon and it’s Jill Shalvis, what’s not to like!
This is really going to work, isn’t it? The cop and the waitress?”
This is really going to work, isn’t it? The cop and the waitress?”
February 18, 2018
4.5 stars
I loved this book especially the heroine Angie! I loved her spirit, how she made positive changes in her life, I especially loved how she turned the hero's Sam's carefully managed world upside down. You can actually see them falling in deeper with each other.
I loved this book especially the heroine Angie! I loved her spirit, how she made positive changes in her life, I especially loved how she turned the hero's Sam's carefully managed world upside down. You can actually see them falling in deeper with each other.
November 28, 2023
Serving Up Trouble was a quick read featuring a romance between a cop and the woman he saved during a bank robbery.
After saving Angie Rivers during a bank robbery, cop Sam O’Neill hasn't been able to get her out of his head. Sam can't afford the distraction from his work but he also can't deny the growing attraction he feels for Angie. When Angie is targeted by the leader of an identity-theft ring, she finds herself turning to Sam for help. As Sam works to keep Angie safe, the two find themselves growing closer making the attraction between them impossible to ignore.
I've been slowly making my way through Jill Shalvis's earlier works and the experience has been hit or miss. Serving Up Trouble was unfortunately another miss as I didn't love the romance in this one. The premise sounded interesting going into the book but I just never bought the connection between Sam and Angie. The initial attraction between them I could see but I never believed their relationship really developed beyond that. Also the plot involving the identity-theft ring and Angie's role in it was just too unbelievable. Plus the ending was full of so much unnecessary drama that I was just over it by that point.
Overall Serving Up Trouble didn't work for me and I would recommend skipping this one while reading the author's backlist.
After saving Angie Rivers during a bank robbery, cop Sam O’Neill hasn't been able to get her out of his head. Sam can't afford the distraction from his work but he also can't deny the growing attraction he feels for Angie. When Angie is targeted by the leader of an identity-theft ring, she finds herself turning to Sam for help. As Sam works to keep Angie safe, the two find themselves growing closer making the attraction between them impossible to ignore.
I've been slowly making my way through Jill Shalvis's earlier works and the experience has been hit or miss. Serving Up Trouble was unfortunately another miss as I didn't love the romance in this one. The premise sounded interesting going into the book but I just never bought the connection between Sam and Angie. The initial attraction between them I could see but I never believed their relationship really developed beyond that. Also the plot involving the identity-theft ring and Angie's role in it was just too unbelievable. Plus the ending was full of so much unnecessary drama that I was just over it by that point.
Overall Serving Up Trouble didn't work for me and I would recommend skipping this one while reading the author's backlist.
April 15, 2024
Nice job. Strong plot that held this reader’s attention for entire book.
4.14-4.15.24
4.14-4.15.24
August 11, 2014
Light contemporary romance by Jill Shalvis. Likable characters. Sam saves Angie in bank robbery. Angie tries to help when she recognises a face the police are looking for in an identity theft case. Angie is a bit of a ditz but a lovable one that Sam can't help but love.
September 1, 2013
Quick easy read. Typical Jill Shalvis. Loved Sam and really liked Angie, but she was starting to wear on me in the last few chapters. Her confidence should have been stronger after the climax. Worth reading.
August 11, 2025
Simple but sweet. Made me cry so I’m giving it five stars.
July 9, 2018
Jill Shalvis is my go-to author when I'm looking for something relatively stress-less and cute. While I was browsing her backlist, I came across Serving up Trouble. The premise looked cute, so I decided to check it out. Serving Up Trouble was adorable, and while it's a little less polished as her books today, I quite adored it.
Serving Up Trouble is about waitress Angie Rivers who happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. She rushes to the bank on her break, and ends up there while the bank is being robbed. That is how she meets cop, Sam O'Neill. Sam also happens to be at the bank during the robbery, and he sort of saves the day. After the robbery, Angie decides to start living her life, which gets her into some tricky situations. And of course, Sam and Angie start to fall for each other.
Angie is adorable and definitely feels like a Shalvis heroine. She's funny, and she's determined to starting living her life to the fullest. I just loved reading about her. Sam is also my kind of hero. He's a bit grumpy and gruff, but he's also super kind. He can't help but fall for Angie, and I loved seeing it happen.
Serving Up Trouble has some romantic suspense elements that I really loved, although the mystery isn't stellar (as is often the case in romances). Even though Angie sometimes made silly decisions, I didn't really care. The story was just so fun, and I had a hard time putting the book down.
That said, this one isn't as polished as Jill Shalvis's more recent novels, so if you are a fan, keep that in mind. It's still super fun, but not quite up to where she is today.
So, if you're looking for a quick, fun, easy-going read, totally look into Jill Shalvis's Serving Up Trouble. It may not be quite up to par with her more recent romances, but it's still a ton of fun.
This review was originally posted on Quinn's Book Nook
June 20, 2018
I’ve had some hits and misses when it comes to reading this author’s older library. After recently catching up on her amazing Heartbreaker Bay series I was really hoping this wouldn’t be a miss. So I’m happy to say…Whew! I actually really enjoyed this one.
Angie is really such a ray of sunshine. Not only does she bring a smile to pretty much anyone she interacts with, she is genuinely a really good person to her soul. Poor Sam doesn’t know how to deal with someone like Angie. She doesn’t let that deter her, though.
This story is really about self-acceptance and being true to yourself. Both Sam and Angie have been burned enough to know they had not time for anyone who would expect them to change. But they also know their own minds enough to know they have something special between them.
It’s always a joy to read a solid Jill Shalvis book. Fingers crossed my next throw-back Shalvis is as wonderful as this one.
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Angie is really such a ray of sunshine. Not only does she bring a smile to pretty much anyone she interacts with, she is genuinely a really good person to her soul. Poor Sam doesn’t know how to deal with someone like Angie. She doesn’t let that deter her, though.
This story is really about self-acceptance and being true to yourself. Both Sam and Angie have been burned enough to know they had not time for anyone who would expect them to change. But they also know their own minds enough to know they have something special between them.
It’s always a joy to read a solid Jill Shalvis book. Fingers crossed my next throw-back Shalvis is as wonderful as this one.
https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.c...
September 23, 2018
Fairly standard Jill Shalvis...
Both Angie and Sam are likeable, although it took me a little longer to like Angie because she seemed a little flighty. As the book progressed, her character became a bit more interesting and strong which I enjoyed. Sam is your typical closed-off, hardened cop, but with a heart of gold and a strong desire to do the right thing. I thought they had decent chemistry, and the secondary characters were decent.
The climax at the end was a bit far-fetched, but still fun to read.
Both Angie and Sam are likeable, although it took me a little longer to like Angie because she seemed a little flighty. As the book progressed, her character became a bit more interesting and strong which I enjoyed. Sam is your typical closed-off, hardened cop, but with a heart of gold and a strong desire to do the right thing. I thought they had decent chemistry, and the secondary characters were decent.
The climax at the end was a bit far-fetched, but still fun to read.
September 26, 2018
Angie is waiting inline at a bank when a robber pulls a gun and demands money. Sam is one of the policemen who respond to the robbery. When Angie goes to the police station to make her statement, she recognizes a sketch on Sam’s desk as someone she has seen near the restaurant where she works. The ensuing investigation throws Angie and Sam together.
March 7, 2019
Loved this book!
Annie, who had never felt accepted for who she was, had an epiphany after surviving a bank robbery. She was going to fully and fearlessly live her life. I admired her determination and zest for life as she moved forward and ended up with everything she'd ever wanted
Annie, who had never felt accepted for who she was, had an epiphany after surviving a bank robbery. She was going to fully and fearlessly live her life. I admired her determination and zest for life as she moved forward and ended up with everything she'd ever wanted
March 21, 2019
Quick read
This is one of Jill Shalvis's earlier books. I enjoyed the characters, but it definitely is missing the depth of her current stories. It's a quick, fast paced story, with some excitement, but there wasn't enough story development like I'm used to with her books. Still a good read, though.
This is one of Jill Shalvis's earlier books. I enjoyed the characters, but it definitely is missing the depth of her current stories. It's a quick, fast paced story, with some excitement, but there wasn't enough story development like I'm used to with her books. Still a good read, though.
February 23, 2019
Loved it!
This is an older book, but I have a lot of catching up to do after being introduced to Jill’s books. There were a couple of errors better editing could have caught, but they didn’t affect the storyline. An unlikely couple, a bank robbery, some romance and more suspense.
This is an older book, but I have a lot of catching up to do after being introduced to Jill’s books. There were a couple of errors better editing could have caught, but they didn’t affect the storyline. An unlikely couple, a bank robbery, some romance and more suspense.
June 28, 2022
Had a few issues with this one, mostly involving the characters and their actions. A lot of the time, Angie's actions seemed out of character for her. Had a hard time connecting with her, but other than that, I enjoyed it. Quick read.
June 17, 2018
Cute, easy read!! Enjoyed the protagonists, the hard nosed cop and the quirky waitress, just a simple fun read!
November 12, 2018
3.5 stars
March 8, 2019
How did I miss this one. A classic Jill Shalvis, a sassy woman and a drop dead cop. Throw in a little mystery and suspense and you have a fun read.
March 8, 2019
Old book. Read first and last chapters.
April 6, 2019
Great story
I loved Sam and Angie. They brought the best out in each other and found love. A true love story.
I loved Sam and Angie. They brought the best out in each other and found love. A true love story.
July 21, 2019
had it 2002 sexy
November 29, 2019
3.5 stars. Some throwback to one of my favourite authors Linda Howard. Romantic suspense.
March 11, 2019
This is a good book but must have been redone there are a ton of typos, that are annoying
Like the word forgotten will be for got ten probably one on every 5 pages or so. If not for that would have been 5 star.
Like the word forgotten will be for got ten probably one on every 5 pages or so. If not for that would have been 5 star.
February 9, 2013
The year 2002 was good for police officer / average-but-spunky gal stories. My other favourite from that year was Nancy Warren's, Breathless. You can't get any better than these two.
In Serving Up Trouble, tough police detective Sam is the ultimate hero when he saves Angie from a hostage situation in a bank and falls instantly in love with her but tries not to. Angie helps Sam out with the identity theft case he's working on although he doesn't want her help. When Angie becomes the victim of threats and more, he's forced to confront everything he feels for her and try to rescue her once again! Good story, good characters, great ending!
In Serving Up Trouble, tough police detective Sam is the ultimate hero when he saves Angie from a hostage situation in a bank and falls instantly in love with her but tries not to. Angie helps Sam out with the identity theft case he's working on although he doesn't want her help. When Angie becomes the victim of threats and more, he's forced to confront everything he feels for her and try to rescue her once again! Good story, good characters, great ending!
April 3, 2021
I love Angie. She's spunky and more comfortable with herself after a near death experience. She no longer wants to just exist. Angie wants to live life to her fullest potential and happiness. Sam, the sexy, brooding detective she meets during the harrowing time can't seem to get Angie out of his head. In Angie's attempt to prove herself and go after what she wants out of life, she falls for Sam. But, Sam does do love. Such a good story with a cast of characters that really help bring life, love and perspective into focus.
March 19, 2012
Had a few issues with this one, mostly involving the characters and their actions. A lot of the time, Angie's actions seemed out of character for her. Had a hard time connecting with her, but other than that, I enjoyed it. Quick read.
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December 24, 2014Miniseries: Men In Uniform
May 4, 2012
I really liked Anjie, and the characters weren't stubborn asses like some of the other books by this author.
December 20, 2012
Love Jill Shalvis!
June 3, 2015
Short and sweet, but a bit lacking in character depth which isn't standard for Shalvis. Not one of my favorites, but a pleasant distraction.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews