PJ Sugar knows three things for sure:
1) After traveling the country for ten years hoping to shake free from the trail of disaster that's become her life, she needs a fresh start.
2) The last person she wants to see when she heads home for her sister's wedding is Boone-her former flame and the reason she left town.
3) Her best friend's husband absolutely did not commit the first murder Kellogg, Minnesota, has seen in more than a decade.
What PJ doesn't know is that when she starts digging for evidence, she'll uncover much more than she bargained for-a deadly conspiracy, a knack for investigation, and maybe, just maybe, that fresh start she's been longing for.
It’s not fair to say that trouble happens every time PJ Sugar is around, but it feels that way when she returns to her home town, looking for a fresh start. Within a week, her former teacher is murdered and her best friend’s husband is arrested as the number-one suspect. Although the police detective investigating the murder—who also happens to be PJ’s former flame—is convinced it’s an open-and-shut case, PJ’s not so sure. She begins digging for clues in an effort to clear her friend’s husband and ends up reigniting old passions, uncovering an international conspiracy, and solving a murder along the way. She also discovers that maybe God can use a woman who never seems to get it right.
“Susan May Warren delivers another winner—a lovable heroine, crackling dialogue, magnetic romance. . . . I loved getting in and out of trouble with PJ Sugar and can’t wait for the next installment.”
Sharon Hinck, author of Stepping into Sunlight
Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars(4.5 out of 5 stars)
8 of 10 Reviews Showing:(View All Reviews)
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Christine Howard (Ridgecrest, CA), July 24, 2009
Susan deserves a bow for this fast paced, funny, serious, and entertaining slice of [PJ] life. I read it easily in one setting with several chilled glasses of OJ. The characters, setting, and plots are super. Thanks for a wonderful read.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Lynnette Bonner ~ Christian Romance Author (Seatte, WA), July 18, 2009
Oh! My! Goodness! I LOVED this book! I haven't read one that I enjoyed so much in a long time. This was my first experience with Susan May Warren and I will definitely be looking for more of her books.
I loved the humor. Loved the tension between Boone and PJ - and the complication added by Jeremy. Loved the way the author showed PJ's internal struggles and how she finally figured out that she didn't have to be someone else to be used of God.
This is a great story! I highly recommend it. Five stars all the way!
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Linda (L.A., CA), May 22, 2009
I loved this book. PJ Sugar was an enjoyable character that was down to earth and easy to relate to. The mystery was interesting and the story just brought you right to Kellogg, Minnesota and made the characters come alive. Another great book by Susan May Warren, keep them coming!
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Deborah (Reston, VA), May 21, 2009
PJ Sugar is someone I could totally see myself being friends with. She sounds and acts just like I do. I enjoyed reading about PJ's attempted to be an undercover PI. Her disguises were hilarious especially when she stole the lawn care truck. The situation with the goat had me cracking up. The mystery seemed to take a backseat to her story about refinding herself, and her relationships with Davy, her mother and Boone. It was a good mystery, but I felt the real story was more about PJ . Her relationship with her mother was uneven throughout the story. One minute her mother can't stand her, the next she's gushing with pride about PJ . It's an issue worth exploring in more books. I really did not like the school PJ's sisters was sending her son to. The library's privacy act was ridiculous. I could understand if this involved an adult or even a teenager but that was about a 4 year old!PJ was right in questioning how in the world she would find the book if she didn't know the title. I hope her sister changes her mind about still wanting to send him there. I'm not sure which guy I want PJ to end up with. On one hand she has a history with Boone. On the other hand she has great chemistry and a possible job with Jeremy. I can't decide now, will need more books to make decision! We also have discovered what PJ stands for. I'm itching to know. Susan has written another book that is tons of fun to read. Looking forward to reading more of PJ's adventures!
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Debra Brooks ( Ludowici, GA), May 20, 2009
I enjoyed this book. PJ is like a real person as she faces old hurts and misconceptions. Her heartaches and struggles are true to life and she comes through admirably. I hope to read the next one soon.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Amydeanne (Canada), May 17, 2009
I love Susan May Warren’s books! She’s on my top list of favorite authors because every book I’ve read by her has been good. Susan’s smooth writing style always makes me feel as though I’ve jumped into the book and am there, involved. She engages readers & pushes the limits with her creative characters.
This chick-lit mystery is the comical happenings of PJ as she tries to recover from her past mistakes after going home.
I’ve got so many questions at the end, and that alone makes me love it! Because I want MORE! The fact I’m still waiting to find out what PJ stands for, and a few other issues it makes a great beginning for the “PJ Sugar series”! I can’t wait to find out what she does next!
Okay, PJ is adorable. I mean in her fumbling “I mess everything up and leave it turned upside down in my wake” way.
Ok...it’s like reading about myself if I were on an adventure… Throw in the mystery, intrigue, & some regular chuckles and you’ve got a great book. I love that PJ is so relate-able, if that’s even a word. It makes the book so delicious. It doesn’t seem to matter what her troubles are I want to read it!
My favorite part of “Nothing but Trouble” was when Susan went into depth about who we are on the inside and how to make to work on the outside. I think a lot us struggle with that & I really could relate to PJ through that issue.
I also love that Susan throws in comical grandparents who don’t speak English! Oh I had a hoot over that.
Thanks Susan for putting out another fantastic book!
So what is Nothing about Trouble about anyhow?
PJ Sugar has gone through trial and error of the past 10 years trying to figure out who she is. Through those trials she became a Christian, but showing who she is on the inside to the outside world is proving to be challenging! She heads home for her sister’s wedding only to run into a former flame she was hoping to avoid. She reunites with her best friend, and is challenged to prove him innocent of a murder!
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Stacey (Las Vegas, NV), May 03, 2009
“Nothing But Trouble” is Susan May Warren’s latest flagship effort in her new comedy-mystery P.J. Sugar Series. PJ is returning home to Minnesota after ten years of living her life outside of the town that evicted her for teenaged mistakes. She’s lived all over the country, doing all sorts of jobs, and she’s given her life to Christ, but she still doesn’t know who she is. She still sees herself as the girl who took the blame for something she didn’t do on prom night, and assumes that everyone else sees her the same way. When she shows up for her sister’s wedding and to care for Davy, her nephew, during the honeymoon, a murder occurs and an innocent man is accused of the crime. PJ rallies all of her former work experience and amateur sleuthing skills to clear the innocent man and capture the real killer. But will she be able to convince the town (and herself) that she’s not the girl they thought she was?
I have been looking forward to reading this novel for over a year! The opening chapter is a winner! This is SWM at her finest! Humor, action, the promise of conflict, mystery and romance. Then, the major build of the plot – PJ’s return to her hometown in Minnesota – slows the story considerably. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy getting to know the characters, but this is not what I’ve come to expect from the author. Although a romantic triangle is introduced, the romance was rather flat. The humor was sporadic. I became so preoccupied with how the story was failing to meet my expectations that I didn’t care about the mystery – and I’m a confirmed armchair sleuth! The bright spot within these pages is a solid spiritual message to be who the Lord created you to be. Fortunately, the last 100 pages or so scream!
I am definitely looking forward to reading the next in the series: “Double Trouble.”
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Janna Ryan (North Platte, NE), May 01, 2009
NBT - Nothing But Trouble. That was PJ's nickname when she was younger. Trouble seemed to follow her everywhere she went, all the way up to leaving town immediately following graduation because she didn't want to go to jail. She spends the next 10 years wandering all over the country, moving from place to place and working a string of rather interesting and different jobs in a half-hearted attempt to fit in somewhere. Now her sister calls her, desperately needing her to come home for her wedding and babysit her 4 year old son while she goes on her 2 week honeymoon. PJ finally agrees, goes home and ends up confronting her past head on all the while she learns all kinds of things about her past that end up changing her present and future. On top of that, her best friend from highschools husband is accused of murder and it is up to PJ to prove that he didn't do it... without getting into too much trouble of course!
This is a wonderful premise, with an excellent, fun style and enough mystery to really keep you guessing. Most impressive to me was the wrap-up with enough ends tied up to satisfy the reader, but enough let a little loose to leave me ready to join PJ in her next book. What a great story!
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