Book Review: Screwdrivered (Cocktail #3) by Alice Clayton

Screwdrivered
Cocktail #3
By: Alice Clayton
Published: Sept. 2, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: Publisher
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GR's Summary:

Readers back for a third round of the bestselling Cocktail series will enjoy a madcap romantic comedy about bodice ripping and chest heaving, fiery passion and love everlasting. Plus a dash of paperwork filing and horseshi—wait, what? 

By day, Viv Franklin designs software programs. By night, Vivian’s a secret romance-novel junkie who longs for a knight in shining armor, or a cowboy on a wild stallion, or a strapping firefighter to sweep her off her feet. And she gets to wear the bodice—don’t forget the bodice. 

When a phone call brings news that she’s inherited a beautiful old home in Mendocino, California from a long-forgotten aunt, she moves her entire life across the country to embark on what she sees as a great, romance-novel-worthy adventure. But romance novels always have a twist, don’t they? 

There’s a cowboy, one that ignites her loins. Because Cowboy Hank is totally loin-ignition worthy. But there’s also a librarian, Clark Barrow. And he calls her Vivian. Can tweed jackets and elbow patches compete with chaps and spurs? You bet your sweet cow pie. 

In Screwdrivered, Alice Clayton pits Superman against Clark in a hilarious and hot battle that delights a swooning Viv/Vivian. 

Also within this book, an answer to the question of the ages: Why ride a cowboy when you can ride a librarian? 

Cocktail Series:

My Review on Wallbanger Here

My Review on Rusty Nailed Here

My Thoughts:

Alice Clayton can write!!!  The Cocktail Series should be on every romance lovers wish list!  These books are among my favorite's.  In the previous books in the series, we met Viv, Simon's good friend from high school, but she was a very minor secondary character.  At first I was a little worried that I wouldn't love Screwdrivered as much as Wallbanger, and Rusty Nailed, because I love Caroline and Simon so much.  Well, I should never have underestimated Ms. Clayton.  She made me love Viv and Clark, just as much Simon and Caroline.

Vivian is a romantic at heart.  She reads a ton of romances and longs to have an adventure and love story like the one's she reads about in her books.  When her Great Aunt Maude dies, and leaves her a beautiful home in Mendocino, California, Viv decides it's time for an adventure.  She leaves Philadelphia, to check out the home and small town.  When she gets there she see's a handsome cowboy by the name of Hank, and decides that her own romance novel is about to play out with Hank as her leading man.  Then she meets Clark, the town's Librarian, Archivist, and the head of the Historian society.  She has to get all renovations approved by him before she can make changes and repairs to the house.  Clark infuriates her, challenges her, and attracts her.  However, she's so busy going after the man she thinks she wants, will she jeopardize the opportunity to be with the man that's her perfect match?

Screwdrivered was an epic treat!  I was constantly laughing out loud, giggling, and gasping, "Oh my gosh!"  My husband was looking over at me like I was crazy!  This is a feel good story at it's best.  The kind of story that gives you butterflies in the stomach, a large dopey grin on your face, a blush to your cheeks, and a lift to your spirit!  I LOVED every moment.  As I got near the end, I found myself trying desperately to slow down my reading, because I didn't want it to end.  There are many good books out on the market, but there is only a small selection that are this stunning!  The chemistry between Vivian and Clark completely evoked goosebumps and tingles in the best way imaginable.  Ms. Clayton seduces the reader with the art of sensuality.  A sexy look here, a tiny touch there, was all I needed.  She set the romantic tone of the story seamlessly, until it built in to an all encompassing inferno of desire and passion, sweeping me completely off of my feet!     

My Rating:

I give Screwdrivered, by Alice Clayton 5 Palpitating, Pulse Increasing, "Please Turn Around and See What's in Front of You," Filled Stars!  Read the Cocktail Series for an all star cast of characters, a laughter inducing plot, and steamy romance at its best!

My Favorite Quote:

"It doesn't always have to be so hard.  Sometimes falling in love just means turning around and seeing what's right in front of you."

~Caroline

Picture Teaser:

Purchase At:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

About Alice Clayton:

Novelist Alice Clayton makes her home in St. Louis where she enjoys gardening but not weeding, baking but not cleaning up after, and is trying desperately to get her long-time boyfriend to make her an honest woman–and please buy her a Bernese Mountain dog. 

After working for years in the cosmetics industry as a makeup artist, esthetician, and educator, Alice picked up a pen (read laptop) for the first time at 33 to begin a new career: author. Having never written anything longer than a grocery list, she soon found writing to be the creative outlet she’d been missing since walking away from the theater 10 years before. 

She has a great time combining her love of storytelling with a sense of silly, and she was shocked and awed to be nominated for a Goodreads Author award in 2010 for her debut novels, the first two installments of The Redhead Series–The Unidentified Redhead and The Redhead Revealed. Her latest novel Wallbanger is a return to her trademark comedic erotica, or funny smut, that Alice has become known for. 

Additionally, Alice loves spending time with her besties on Not Your Mother’s Podcast (check them out on iTunes) and has recently partnered with actor Greg Grunberg, blogger Brittany Gibbons, and actress Keili Lefkovitz on a new travel show that will begin filming in January. 

Alice enjoys pickles, Bloody Marys, eight hours of sleep and a good pounding.

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