RUSTY NAILED by Alice Clayton - Blog Tour: Joint Review

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?

USA TODAY bestselling author Alice Clayton delivers another delicious, frothy cocktail of a book, shaking up her characters, stirring in laugh-out-loud humor, and serving sizzling romance straight up!

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PEPPER & MICHELLE’S JOINT REVIEW

MICHELLE: Can I just start off by saying that I am so jealous that you got to read Wallbanger? I wanted to re-read before Rusty Nailed but didn’t have time.

PEPPER: Well I feel like a total asshole because I JUST barely read it for the first time. I am literally the only person on this earth that hasn’t read it. And I LOVED it. Every fucking second.

MICHELLE: Anyways- how do you follow up a book as amazing and perfect as Wallbanger?? The answer is- you are Alice Clayton and write Rusty Nailed.

Loved. This. Book.

PEPPER: OMG!! I know. I have to say that the end of Wallbanger was so amazing. We got just the right amount of Caroline and Simon’s HEA. It was perfection for me. BUT - I was so excited to get more. Because they are mother hugging amazing. Anyway, Yes!! Rusty Nailed - AH MAZING!

MICHELLE: I will admit it wasn’t as funny as Wallbanger had been but I still find myself having all the feels. I laughed but I also had some really emotional moments too. Like some tears.

PEPPER: Right?!? Like Wallbanger had me giggling and laughing the entire time. Oh and also swooning like an asshole. But I got a lil emotional with Rusty Nailed. So I was totally fine with it not being as funny, cuz we got some tears.

MICHELLE: Agreed.

So, all of our favorite characters are back. Simon is as sexy and loveable as he was in the first book. So sexy. Who do I have to sell my soul to in order to get my own Simon? Tell me and I’ll do it.

PEPPER: Lord if I know. I need one too. Or 10. I’m obsessed. I haven’t had a new book boyfriend in awhile. I’m pretty sure I’ll be thinking of Mr. Parker a lot in the future…

MICHELLE: Sigh

And Caroline is as wonderful as she was in the first book. There is something so relatable about her. Although- when I was her age- I wasn’t nearly as successful or banging anyone remotely like Simon. But other than that- I totally relate to her. I love her need for independence and her quirkiness. And I love how she embraces those things and learns to work through them. She’s a career woman and she’s not afraid to own that. But she also knows when it’s time to let herself be Simon’s girlfriend and be there for him.

PEPPER: I love love love Caroline. Thank god for a strong and hilarious leading lady. She is fab. My favorite thing about her is her ability to laugh at herself. She is completely ridiculous and dramatic (like most of us girls) but just accepts it and laughs at herself. And I also love her independence. I could learn lessons from Caroline for sure!!

MICHELLE: Let’s discuss the two of them together… I love their relationship so much. I love that there wasn’t some overly dramatic conflict. Any and all drama was mostly just life. Life happens. That is dramatic and stressful enough.

PEPPER: Yes! Their relationship has always come pretty easy. I love their witty banter and their fighting and their friendship. I just want to be with them. I love it when an author can make me want to be in a threesome with a couple. I will never have enough of CaroSi.

MICHELLE: There is so much support and love and hot sex happening. I mean super hot sex. I know in my rational mind that these are characters in a book but when I think about what I want my love life to look like I am not kidding when I say that Caroline and Simon are living my dream relationship. Even when they fight- they have their moment and then they work through it and then they bang again. And when one of them needs the other- they are there for each other 100%. And then they bang again. And sometimes- they keep their real feelings bottled up until they boil over and they blow up at each other, like real people. Oh- and then they bang it out to make up.

I just love them.

PEPPER: Jesus. The sex? God Damn It. Did I mention that I want to have a 3some with these two? Even though I don’t really do that, IRL. In my fantasy I am in a relationship with these two - Maybe I can just pretend to be Clive the cat?

MICHELLE: Speaking of Clive… One of the most important characters in this book makes a reappearance - Clive the cat. I will say that I am not a cat person but if Alice Clayton wrote an entire series of Clive- I would read it. Love that damn cat.

PEPPER: Yes! You know my distaste for cats as well (severely allergic to our cat lovers) but Clive rocked my mother hugging world. I LOVE Clive. He makes me think of grumpy cat:

MICHELLE: So, Pep- I know you love supporting casts. Therefore, I know you had a boner in this series because in this book we get SO MUCH Mia and Ryan and Neil and Sophia. I think that’s where the majority of the really funny stuff happens.

PEPPER: Oh. My. God. Best supporting cast EVER!! I loved all of them in Wallbanger, but AClay brought it home with these 4 in Rusty Nailed. I need - NEED - more of these two couples. I might need to be sedated until this happens.

MICHELLE: Yes!! I was going to say, for the record, I would be on board with a novella for each of those couples but especially for Neil and Sophia. Please.

Overall- we could tell you all about the plot but honestly- just read the book. It is AMAZING and as far as sequels go- it’s amazing. Well worth the wait to get more Simon and Caro and the gang. I hope we get to see them in the next two books in the series- Screwdrivered and Mai Tai’d Up.

PEPPER: Dying for more cocktail series. I have a new author to stalk, lover. Unidentified Redhead has moved to the top of my TBR. Cuz I can’t wait until Sept 2 for more AClay!!

There you have it lovers - GET THIS SEQUEL. So good. If you loved Wallbanger as much as us, you will sing and dance for Rusty Nailed!