Trouble Walked In

The Bellamy Sisters #1

by Melinda VanLone

If they stop fighting long enough they might realize they're in love.

Lizzie Bellamy is having a day. Her inn is falling apart, her pop-star sister is having a melt-down, and Darth Renic is darkening her door. He has some nerve showing up at her small town sanctuary after what he did to her family, but this time she’s shutting the door right in his face. Lizzie isn’t going to fall for his silver tongue or that sincere look in his eyes. Not this time. Not again.

Jackson Renic’s life is imploding. His biggest artist has just gone AWOL and if he doesn’t get her back on track the consequences will be catastrophic. Almost as catastrophic as the twisting sensation in his chest every time he thinks of Lizzie Bellamy.

Renic knows he has to face the past if he wants to have a future. But how can he do that when she won’t even open the door?

This is a frenemies-to-lovers, small town, second-chance romance. High on the heat and even higher on the swoon.

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Contemporary

336 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Melinda lives in Houston, with her husband and furbabies.. When she’s not playing with her imaginary friends you can find her wandering aimlessly through the streets taking photos, or looking for the best coffee shops in the city.

If you would like to stay up to date with her latest blog posts, free offers, or general information, please sign up for the mailing list at www.melindavan.com. She’d love to hear from you!

Connect with Melinda online at www.melindavan.com
Twitter: @melindavan
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MelindaVanLone

Reviews

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was fun. I didn’t entirely understand all of Carrie’s hang-ups, but I feel like I could connect with the overall reasons driving some of her unreasonable actions/reactions. I wish we’d had a bit more time to get to know Ben better. He seems like somebody really special, and I wanted to see even more of him breaking through Carrie’s tough-girl shell.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read for me. The sparks between the sisters were spot on (I have sisters). Renic's intensions were good but he should have known trouble would follow him. I am glad Lizzie finally listed to him and they were able to get their HEA. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story of Lizzie and Renic. They have a past that is filled with secrets that slowly come out. It is a nice story of family, growth and forgiveness. Lizzie used to manage The Bellamy Sisters until one of the sisters (Della) breaks up the group to go solo. This book is mainly about Lizzie starting over at The Belhurst Castle. Della has a break down and goes directly to Lizzie. The only problem is Renic will follow to get Lizzie back on track because she is his star performer for his company. Lizzie has not yet forgiven Renic for stealing Della away from the Bellamy Sisters. Sparks fly when they agree to work together to get Lizzie back on stage.

[Sacha Fortuné · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sacha's Book Reviews Blog

I chose this from an ARC program because I was looking for a short romance read with all the feels and the synopsis looked promising.

The Premise
After running from an engagement when she was a teenager, chef Carrie has no intention of settling down into married life with children. Twenty-five years later, after raising her nephews, she still feels the same way: as though love and romance are far behind her. That is, until she meets Dr. Ben Murphy, the new head surgeon in town — who is practically royalty, as his family is well known and respected in their community. When he comes by to compliment her food, he soon becomes interested in far more than her cooking. As their relationship blossoms, Carrie wonders if it’s all moving too fast, and if she can give Ben what he needs, or if she will just run from love again.

The Pros
This was a quick read that I blew through in under an hour, and it held my interest for that short period. The characters are likeable, particularly the supporting characters that work with Carrie, and the relationship between the two main characters builds beautifully. I also appreciated that there was a slight age difference with a younger man and older woman, and that Ben did not want all the trappings of parenthood either. It's a good message that shows love is for all ages, and that not everyone needs to follow the status quo of getting married and having children.

The Cons
While I enjoyed this story, I would not recommend it to others if you like an “all the feels” type of romance, as it’s just far too short for that. By the time I was getting into the characters, the story was already over! It felt like there wasn’t enough character development or depth, but honestly given the short length I don’t see how there could have been. It needed a bit more tension than its overall simplistic premise to really have the romance readers’ hearts pounding.

Conclusion
This was a short romance read, but it was missing the bang-for-your-buck that I prefer from my short stories. It was a nice intro to a story, but not enough meat for a full story itself. I can see it ticking the boxes for a quick story to knock off while perhaps waiting on an appointment or a flight, but not to curl up with on a cold night. Nevertheless, I would be interested in reading more by the author, as the writing was excellent and showed promising talent, and it was a good story that held my interest… but perhaps next time around, I’ll just pick a longer book!

___________
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[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute delight for me to read. There’s so much chemistry between Lizzie and Renic; it comes out in all their snark and banter. It’s also very clear how much they both love their ‘family’ and will go to the ends of the earth to keep them safe and happy – even it means going to bat against one another. There’s a little bit of a second chance romance feeling about this pair even though they weren’t actually involved in the first place. And since that theme is the equivalent of catnip to me, I was in my glory reading this pair. I loved Lizzie’s mamma bear personality when protecting her sisters, but her martyr complex drove me a whole lot batty. Renic was just about everything book boyfriend fantasies are made of, but he’s still human and just as prone to making monumental communication errors as the rest of us. That flaw made him all the more relatable and lovable. Now that I’ve started to get to know a little bit about the Bellamy family, I want to know everything.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Hidden Gems Books.

[Mojca · Rating 1 out of 5]

***eBook available for free on Amazon*** / ***copy provided by author/publisher through BookSirens***

Chef Carrie Collins has sworn off dating local men in a small town...Until Dr. Ben Murphy shows up, determined to change her mind.


The story was definitely too short to actually connect with the characters. The timeline kept skipping weeks and months forward without showing them together as a couple or as individuals (at least in Ben's case) either. He could've been a cardboard cutout for the characters and personality we got to glimpse, while Carrie was all over the place for no apparent reason. Having a panic attack because of the L-word, calling herself a cougar because she happened to be six years older.

Annoying heroine, bland hero, and the romance equivalent to the color beige. At least it was free.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carrie is the head chef at Belhurst Castle and lives on the property. Ben is the new doctor in town that is first taken with her food and then taken with her. Carrie is in her early 40’s and doesn’t want kids of her own – she helped raise her nephews. She feels like any life partner would want children so she hasn’t invested in anyone. She tells Ben they live in too small of a town to date because everyone will be in their business (best part of living in a small town!). Ben plays the long game of slowly getting under her skin without her realizing! I enjoyed this story and look forward to learning more about the Bellamy sisters.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short contemporary romance about a woman with commitment issues. Carrie Colllins is a successful chef who shies away from romantic entanglements until she meets Dr. Ben Murphy. Despite Carrie’s best intentions they begin a relationship, but her old issues plague her. You learn some information about Carrie’s life in the book but not a lot about Ben’s. It is a good story that suffers a bit due to its short length. The book ends in a very sweet HEA.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/17/2021)! 🎁

[Jane Holloway · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Book 1 in the Bellamy Sisters series. I found this book difficult to get into, it sort of plodded along but as I read more I started enjoying it. Lizzie, the oldest sister, wasn't interested in being in the spotlight like her 3 other sisters who were superstars in the music industry so she moved to upstate New York and became co-owner of an inn. A major problem with the plumbing caused huge damage to part of the inn and there were just a few days before a wedding so even though she had very little money she had to sort it out. To add to the inevitable stress, her youngest sister Della, who had left the original Bellamy Sisters group to embark on a solo career turned up and told Lizzie that she was quitting! Della had just won a major music award and was due to start a huge tour. Lizzie knew that people would be trying to track her sister down and also knew that one particular person would be on his way to the inn. Jackson Renic was the person that Lizzie blamed for breaking up her family by encouraging Della to go solo, however Lizzie

didn't know the real reason.The relationship between Lizzie and Jackson Renic was awkward because it was obvious that they were attracted to each other even though nothing had happened between them. I found Lizzie annoying because she insisted on doing everything herself and would't accept any help. I ended liking the story despite Lizzie's self sacrificing manner.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read about family love and battles, passion and heat. Lizzie was always in the background, her sisters were the ones in the spotlight she was directing from behind the curtains until her younger sister went solo and blew her family apart. Lizzie spent years blaming her sister's label, specifically Renic. Now with young sister fleeing to her and Renic hot on Della's tail Lizzie has her hands full as she tries to run a falling apart inn. Family, friends, pasts and future make this a good read.

[Rebecca Goss]

When a sister act breaks up, feelings are damaged and require a lot of effort to repair. When her younger sister runs from her singing tour and ends up on Lizzie’s door step, she takes her in and tries to figure out what has changed to make her want to quit the business. Renic’s record label is at risk if the tour doesn’t progress. Lizzie blames him for the break up, although she has always been attracted to him. He is persistent and she is guarded but passion has a way to opening her heart. Such an engaging story!

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by Melinda VanLone and thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked that the start of the book was really the middle of the characters story. Lizzie and Renic have a past, as do the rest of Lizzie's sisters. I thought the author did an awesome job in developing her characters and the backstory. Definitely an enemies to lovers vibe and a slow burn romance. I look forward to reading the rest of the Bellamy sisters series!

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the family and small town trope. So what happens when friends to enemies to lovers? Lizzie is the oldest non singer member of the Bellamy Sisters. When her sister Bella shows up in tears, Jackson Renic can't be far behind. When he shows, all bets are off and the gloves come out! The side characters were very interesting and I'm looking forward to reading about the sisters.

[L K · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really liked the premise which is why I tried to read this. But I DNF'd about 50% through. Lizzie was obnoxious, not a likeable character and I couldn't make myself cheer on her happy ending. But if you can handle someone that enables bad behavior in her family members even when she knows that sister is in the wrong, you may like the shenanigans surrounding the rest of the story.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Bellamy Sisters series. Inn keeper Lizzie Bellamy and executive of Self Evident Records is Jackson Renic’s story, a second story that I liked reading. This is a new Author to me. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dolorianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

So good! This is just the right amount of everything promised in the blurb. The family element is fantastic. Plenty of contention, surprises, and sweetness between Lizzie and Renic that their romantic journey was so engaging. I'm so invested in these sisters, their music, and their loves.

[carbs_coffee_chapters · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lighthearted, fun read. Not too steamy, but great banter (Darth Renic). I loved how strong a sister’s bond is between Della and Lizzie. The pop princess/music industry tied into running an inn was a nice change in plot. And enemies to lovers is my favorite trope so definitely a win there.

[Maral · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely

A well written book, lovely characters. Beautiful description of the scenes. I felt like I was there watching in real time. Happily ever after.

[Dorle A Boulden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book

Loved the emphasis on family sticking with each other. Thought the romance was very sexy and passionate. Looking forward to next book in the series.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the book was ok. Not my favorite book but I think people could enjoy it. 3.5 stars

[PAM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too slow

[Stephanie Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Got so many emotions and I felt them. I love the sisterly love and accountability. Great couple and the attraction between them was tangible.

[Desert Lumens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay! Let’s get into this! This was my first book by this author. The synopsis just pulled me right in and I had to read the book! Boy was I right! Melinda sure can write a good book! I’m an instant fan! Dr. Ben and Chef Carrie were a cute couple! Although she has some commitment issues he was pretty rock solid and knew what he wanted and had his sights set on Carrie and wasn’t going to stop until he got what he wanted! There was lots of cute snark between these two. I loved her aprons! Showcased her sassy attitude. Saint Murphy’s 🤣 family was also a 🦉. They seemed like really funny people and wild when they let loose. The one thing I regret about this book, well novella was that it was way too short. But hey, it’s a novella 🤦🏽‍♂️🤣 it’s supposed to be short! But I could have easily read another 3-400 pages about this couple and their family. There was that much material there. Also we have Lizzie, Carrie’s best friend up on deck next book which I really want to read. There’s lots of potential for more books as well. There’s also carrie’s nephews. So there’s so much to read and talk about and potential updates to keep the saga going with these two families. Oh yeah I can dig it! The world building was great, and even though this was a very clean romance the chemistry was still smokin’ hawt 🔥. I mean it’s not Christian ministries clean but there’s no foul language or explicit sex scenes but love making is implied so is sexual excitement. So don’t get all fussy reading that if it’s not your thing pass this book up. But I think this book was very tasteful. To me I don’t mind if it’s explicit or written like this. I love them all as long as the story is good and pulls me in which this story did. Melinda did a fabulous job and I think the masses will love this novella. Definitely check it out! This bear 🐻 gives this one 5 sparkling stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I received this book as an ARC from BookSirens.com for my unbiased review. Check them out!

[The Poisoned Pen · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝑰𝒏
by Melinda VanLone
Genre - Romance, HEA, second chances, music, spicy
★★★★☆

Books like these give me hope that real love is possible.

Sometimes we miss a connection, or it's just not the right time. Sometimes we just aren't ready for a relationship yet.

Trouble Walked In had a strong plot that I really enjoyed, and the reader got to know about more than just the 2 main characters. It's always nice when the author takes the time to let you get to know the people in the book. The story unfolded at a good pace, and we all got to see the beauty in a second chance. It was the perfect book to read right before bed last night.

I definitely stressed towards the end because a lot of harsh words were said. But the characters worked through what they needed to, and everything worked out as it should.

There were some spicy bits, but they were done by two characters with a deep emotional connection, which was nice. Right now that's exactly what I'm looking for in books I read - something that has meaning.

I highly recommend this book, and I look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series! ♡

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one in The Bellamy Sister's Series and it is Lizzie and Renic's story and what a great start to a new series. Lizzie runs her own Inn and enjoys doing parties and weddings and it also keeps her away from her famous sister's and the spotlight and fame that follow her sister's around and all that entails after all it was the glitter, glamour and parties that completely killed her marriage and there is no way that she would ever go back there again but some things have a way of throwing you back into it and that is when her sister Della shows up and throws Lizzie's quiet life into a tailspin. Renic owns Self Evident Records and he loves what he does but when Della decides to walk away from her tour he knows that he will need to convince her to come back even if it means he has to face Lizzie again. Lizzie and Renic have history but it ended so badly that there was no coming back from it but will they be able to work together to help Della get her career back on track and give Lizzie and Renic a second chance of will it force them even more apart only time will tell. This story was a real page turner that I couldn't put down and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is like a sweet Hallmark movie in book form. Carrie, the main protagonist, is a super star chef with severe commitment issues. Dr. Ben, the love interest, is a surgeon that everyone wants to be around. Unfortunately for them, he only wants to be around Carrie.

A cute fluff piece that provides a fun momentary escape from reality, I recommend this book. I received this book for free, and I am voluntarily writing this review.

Merged review:

Melinda Vanlone does it again! Great romance novel, even better than Seasoned With Love, which was a great read as well. I loved following Lizzie and Renic finding their way to each other and watching the Bellamy family heal and become a closer unit. The romance was steamy, and the banter had its funny moments. Character development was realistic, and emotional growth occurred in even the supporting characters. Reading this book was truly an immersive experience.

I received this book for free, and I am voluntarily writing this review.

[_booknerd.4ever_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had potential. One reviewer said it reminded them of a book outline. I agree. Too short and not enough time for the reader to know the characters or experience their life trials and tribulations. Needs more drama than she’s too old for him. Six years isn’t that much of a difference. I wanted some background on them as well. I do hope that the author takes a second look and expands on this short story to give the reader more depth and development. It could really be a great read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book.

Merged review:

An amazing story about one of the Bellamy sisters. The plot was interesting and easy to follow. Several twist and turns filled with angst and drama. Typical misunderstanding that leads to conflict until the truth comes out. I loved the chemistry between Renic and Lizzie. It’s off the charts hot and their back and forth played into it. I loved all of the secondary characters and hope we get their stories too. Can’t wait for the next book in this series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entertaining read brings plenty of emotional angst based on years of simmering feelings between Lizzie and Renic. She has been mad at him for more than 3 years because she thinks he is responsible for the event that tore her family apart. When he shows up to try and convince her youngest sister to follow through on her commitment to headline a major music tour Lizzie kicks him out of her Inn.

These two have words multiple times which seems to just ratchet up the sexual tension between them. The angst comes in due to stubborn pride and emotional baggage that triggers fears from Lizzie’s bad marriage.

The characters are well written and continue to develop throughout the story. I found the storyline is intriguing and very engaging. This was a truly enjoyable story. I previously read book 3 in the series and believe the books can be read as standalone a; however, some plot points would be spoiled.

I received an ARC from the author and Hidden Gems and I am voluntarily leaving a review.