Rusty Nailed by Alice Clayton

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 traveling, 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?

 My Simon (and Caroline) are back! I was a little skeptical of the continuing saga of my Wallbanger and Miss Caroline. I loved the ending of Wallbanger. I thought they got their HEA. And in the past I have been disappointed with some of my favorite couples all of a sudden coming back into my life after they rode into the sunset and now...true life problems! WHAT??? I had this book for at least two weeks... hemming and hawing over whether I wanted to go down this road with Simon and Caroline, tainting my enduring love for the two of them.

Now that being said, although this is ultimately about Simon and Caroline, there is a lot of our secondary characters story woven within the story making this a much easier ride for me. This wasn't the continual laugh that I got thru Wallbanger, but I still had quite a few laugh out loud moments, that had my husband giving me funny looks from across the bed.

I loved that a majority of the tension in the book was not really with Simon and Caroline but with Neil and Sophia and their friend's reaction to their hijinks.

I thought it portrayed a true to life relationship, as they wove their way through the new adventures their relationship was taking them. We get to finally peak into Simon's life and see just how strong both he and Caroline are.

So for that I give Rusty Nailed a solid 4 stars! I can't wait for the rest of the Cocktail Collection books and my love for Alice has grown even more <3 

The first night after Caroline moves into her fantastic new San Francisco apartment, she realizes she's gaining an intimate knowledge of her new neighbor's nocturnal adventures. Thanks to paper-thin walls and the guy's athletic prowess, she can hear not just his bed banging against the wall but the ecstatic response of what seems (as loud night after loud night goes by) like an endless parade of women. And since Caroline is currently on a self-imposed dating hiatus, and her neighbor is clearly lethally attractive to women, she finds her fantasies keep her awake even longer than the noise. So when the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts Simon Parker, her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. The tension between them is as thick as the walls are thin, and the results just as mixed. Suddenly, Caroline is finding she may have discovered a whole new definition of neighborly...

In a delicious mix of silly and steamy, Alice Clayton dishes out a hot and hilarious tale of exasperation at first sight...