Title:  Rusty Nailed
Author: Alice Clayton
Publisher/Year: Gallery Books 6/24/14
Length: 320
Series: Cocktail #2

Overview

In this sequel to Wallbanger, fan favorites Caroline Reynolds and Simon Parker negotiate the rollercoaster of their new relationship while house-sitting in Sausalito.

Playing house was never so much fun—or so confusing. With her boss on an extended 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. And with Simon, her hotshot photographer boyfriend, gallivanting all over the world for his job, the couple is heavy-duty into “absence makes the heart grow fonder” mode. No complaints about the great reunion sex, though!

Then a trip back east to his childhood home has Simon questioning his nomadic lifestyle. He decides to be home more. A lot more. And he wants Caroline home more, too. Though their friends’ romantic lives provide plenty of welcome distraction, eventually Caroline and Simon have to sort out their relationship. Sure, more togetherness is a good thing—but does less traveling and working have to mean the other extreme? Apple pie and picket fences?

My Thoughts

we are reunited with these love birds, and their lovebird friends (or at least a few of them) in this 2nd installment to the series.  It seems as though things are progressing well for most – Things couldn’t be better for Simon and Caroline both personally and professionally and that’s amazing.  We left off in the first book with them professing their love for one another and finding out that their lifestyle and arrangement works for both since neither really wants to change the other.

To side track for a second, Mimi and Ryan seem to be doing well, they are engaged ironically after such a short time and that’s great news since it means that we don’t have drama from them right now.  Sophia and Neil on the other hand are broken up and their mis-match and situation at the moment is a long standing issue throughout this story.  will they/won’t they is a theme, and it’s inevitable that they will get back together – but it doesn’t look likely to happen in this 2nd book.  It’s a good thing that they aren’t the focus here though and that we’re still all eyes on Simon/Caroline.

So like the summary tells us, Simon continues to world travel while he’s working which is fine by Caroline since she likes her space and her career is taking off – with more and more high profile jobs.  It’s only when Jillian decides to take an open ended honeymoon that she’s really charged with managing her work load, running the design firm and working in time for Simon…..who’s situation has changed after going to his high school reunion.  It’s there that he got a glimpse of what his friends from back in the day have (wives and kids) and he’s forced to see the home that he grew up in when he reunites with his neighbors that makes him think.  This causes him to take a step back from all the world traveling, and begins to smother Caroline.

The interesting thing here is that our author really does stay true to what would be a REAL LIFE relationship.  If you remember in the first book, i pointed out that it was really impressive and nice that Ms Clayton kept things slow with these 2 which is actual in real life since they didn’t want to ‘f’ up their friendship.  In this book, although Caroline is struggling to understand what’s going on with Simon and isn’t necessarily happy with how things are progressing, she bottles it up which again, is very true to real life.  I think that while we always want to maturely deal with things, we tend to avoid in the hopes that it’ll all sort itself out.  So – score for our author here.

Anyhow, i think that the story continues to be a nice one – things are hectic and really busy for everyone – nothing is easy and quick to happen in the positive for any of the couples, and yet you’re still interested in the resolutions to it all.  Where we are left off with all of the couples at the end is a nice jumping off point for the 3rd book in the series.  I don’t know about anyone else, but i’m curious as to what it will mean for Caroline and the firm (since we know that Jillian wanted her to take on the role of Partner so she could step back) and i think that it’ll be nice to see how the Simon/Caroline relationship evolves.  I’m also curious to see if Mimi will become a bridezilla and what that will mean for the group too.  and then there’s also Sophia and Neil – i think that we all want this threesome of pairs to work out – but will they?  and what happens if it doesn’t?

So…it’s onto book 3 for me – thank goodness that i think that it’s out already since i’d be sad if i had to wait.  Oh, and i can’t forget the nice treat that we got in the epilogue – again.  from a special character’s POV – and it’s always a fun inclusion into the story since that one character does play a pivotal role.  especially in this 2nd book for a chapter or 2.  Enjoy!