Review: Rusty Nailed (Book #2: Cocktail Series) by Alice Clayton

Posted on July 2, 2014 by rolopolobookblog

Synopsis:

In this sequel to Wallbanger, the second book in the Cocktail series, fan favorites Caroline and Simon negotiate the rollercoaster of their new relationship while house-sitting in San Francisco.

Playing house was never so much fun—or so confusing. With her boss on her honeymoon, Caroline’s working crazy long hours to keep the interior design company running—especially since she’s also the lead designer for the renovation of a gorgeous old hotel on Sausalito. So with her hotshot photographer boyfriend gallivanting all over the world for his job, she and Simon are heavy-duty into “absence makes the heart grow fonder” mode. Neither has any complaints about the great reunion sex, though! Then Simon decides he’s tired of so much travelling, and he’s suddenly home more. A lot more. And wanting Caroline home more, too. Though their friends’ romantic lives provide plenty of welcome distraction, eventually Caroline and Simon have to sort their relationship out. Neither wants “out of sight, out of mind,” but can they create their own happy mid-ground cliché?

Source: Purchase

My Rating: 5/5 stars

My Review:

Wallbanger is back!!!! Still hot, still sexy, still in love with Caroline and . . .ready to settle down??? WTH??? The Wallbanger? Ready to settle down? Something must be wrong here . . . .

For as long as she has known Simon, Caroline has never known him to talk about his childhood, his hometown or, the painful events that took him away from everything he once knew and loved. All Caroline really knows is that both of Simon’s parents are dead and once he left his hometown, he never looked back. In fact, Simon has spent most of his adult life traveling around the world and never staying in one place for long. On a whim, Simon decides to accept the invitation to his high school reunion and with Caroline by his side, he faces a long-overdue return to his hometown. From this point forward, everything about Simon and his perspective on the future changes.

Caroline Reynolds is living the dream. She has a hot boyfriend who lives right across the hall, she has just been given a dream design job and, her boss has put her totally in charge of the firm while she is away on an extended honeymoon. With Simon constantly on the road, the added pressure at work shouldn’t be a big deal. She’ll work while Simon is gone and bang the walls when he returns. Everything is well in hand and just as Caroline wants it until the weekend of the high school reunion. From that point forward, everything changes and Caroline is thrown into a whole mess of reality that she just isn’t sure she is ready for.

Simon is nesting, refusing new assignments and, becoming all kinds of domestic. He should since he bought a house!! Caroline is working non-stop: the interior design firm is flourishing under her command, her dream design job is ahead of schedule and coming together beautifully and, she is overseeing all of the renovations to the new house Simon bought. She should be since she moved in with him!! With Simon totally on one page and Caroline on another, life as the Wallbangers has suddenly become very adult, very serious and, very overwhelming. Oh, and the cat runs away L

The Bottom Line: Thank you, thank you, thank you Alice Clayton for this book!! Rusty Nailed is the perfect follow-up to Wallbanger, one of my favorite reads of 2013. Authors, pay attention because this is the kind of book a lot of readers look for – a continuation of a story with true evolution and resolution. Rusty Nailed is what comes next in Simon and Caroline’s story: the steaminess is still there, the sexy bits are still all kinds of sexy, the humor is still strong but, the characters are growing up and moving forward with their lives. Clayton doesn’t try to get crazy with this read and throw in some outlandish BS but she does throw real life problems and difficulties into the mix. I thoroughly enjoyed “watching” the drama unfold: Simon becoming all kinds of domestic and Caroline totally freaking out about how fast everything in her life with Simon is moving and finally, how the two of them sort it all out in a very adult way. In all, Rusty Nailed is just perfect and like Wallbanger, it is a favorite and one I can see myself reading again and again. Kudos to you Alice Clayton!

P.S. Just in case you were wondering, yes, all of the other friends are back in this read too and funnier than ever. I can totally see how this series is going to continue on and continue to entertain those of us who are totally smitten with the Cocktail Series.

The Series:

Book #1:Wallbanger: Amazon Barnes & Noble

Book #2: Rusty Nailed: Amazon Barnes & Noble

Book #3: Screwdrivered (due September 2, 2014):

Amazon Pre-Order Barnes & Noble Pre-Order

Book #4: Mai Tai’d Up (due December 2, 2014):

Amazon Pre-Order Barnes & Noble Pre-Order

Book #5: Last Call (due January 6, 2015):

Amazon Pre-Order Barnes & Noble Pre-Order