Tag Archives: Hudson Valley

Release Day Review: Cream of the Crop by Alice Clayton

Posted in 4 hearts, Giveaways, Reviews by

Cream of the Crop by Alice Clayton
Series: Hudson Valley #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 12th 2016
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Alice Clayton brings her trademark blend of funny and sexy to this second contemporary romance in the brand-new Hudson Valley series!

Manhattan’s It Girl, Natalie Grayson, has it all: she’s a hot exec at a leading advertising firm, known industry-wide for her challenging and edgy campaigns. She’s got a large circle of friends, a family that loves her dearly, and her dance card is always full with handsome eligible bachelors. What else could a modern gal-about-town wish for? The answer, of course, is…cheese.

Natalie’s favorite part of each week is spending Saturday morning at the Union Square Farmer’s Market, where she indulges her love of all things triple cream. Her favorite booth also indulges her love of all things handsome. Oscar Mendoza, owner of the Bailey Falls Creamery and purveyor of the finest artisanal cheeses the Hudson Valley has to offer, is tall, dark, mysterious, and a bit oblivious. Or so she thinks. But that doesn’t stop Natalie from fantasizing about the size of his, ahem, milk can.

Romance is churning, passion is burning, and something incredible is rising to the top. Could it be…love?

I’ve loved Alice Clayton since Wallbanger first came out, and her newest books in the Hudson Valley series are just as fun and entertaining as her first book. This author does rom-com like no other, so if you’re a fan of funny, sexy books, you’ll want to get your hands on this series! These books will have you laughing with delight and also have you blushing like crazy the next. Cream of the Crop is another winner from Alice Clayton — Nuts is still my favorite Hudson Valley book, but this one was pretty unique and I absolutely adored the heroine!

We first met Natalie in Nuts as one of Roxie’s best friends, and we know that Natalie has got a bit of a crush on a certain dairy farmer. Normally, Natalie’s the most confident, self-assured woman there is, but every time she’s within the vicinity of Oscar Mendoza, her brain fries and she’s literally only capable of saying two words to him. It’s hilarious and endearing – Natalie is seriously one of my favorite heroines ever! I just love her confidence (when she’s not shy around Oscar) and I love how empowered she is. She owns every one of her curves and I really couldn’t admire her more.

When she gets the chance to visit Hudson Valley for a job, Natalie jumps at the chance not only to see her best friend, but also to see Oscar in all his dairy glory. There’s a hot chemistry between these two characters despite how frazzled she is around Oscar, but once she gets over it, holy crap do sparks fly. These two are crazy hot together – there might have been a litttle too much sex, but otherwise I really enjoyed the way they were together.

Cream of the Crop is pure, light-hearted fun, and the perfect drama-free summer read. The romance was simple and uncomplicated, and the setting of Hudson Valley is gorgeous and homey. It’s seriously such a fun read – and I already can’t wait to read more of the series!

4 hearts
lacey

Reading Order: Hudson Valley series

Nuts by Alice Clayton 

#1 ~ Nuts: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Cream of the Crop: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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Release Day Review + Paperback Giveaway (Intl): Nuts by Alice Clayton

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Nuts by Alice Clayton

Nuts by Alice Clayton
Series: Hudson Valley #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 20th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The New York Times bestselling author of Wallbanger and Rusty Nailed is back with Nuts, the first in a brand new series set in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley.

Roxie Callahan is a private chef to some of Hollywood’s wealthiest, and nastiest, calorie-counting wives. After a dairy disaster implodes her carefully crafted career in one fell ploop, she finds herself back home in upstate New York, bailing out her hippie mother and running the family diner.

When gorgeous local farmer Leo Maxwell delivers her a lovely bunch of organic walnuts, Roxie wonders if a summer back home isn’t such a bad idea after all. Leo is heavily involved in the sustainable slow food movement, and he likes to take his time. In all things. Roxie is determined to head back to the west coast as soon as summer ends, but will the pull of lazy fireflies and her very own Almanzo Wilder be enough to keep her home for good?

Salty. Spicy. Sweet. Nuts. Go on, grab a handful.

I’ve simply ADORED Alice Clayton ever since her debut of the fantastic Wallbanger (which will forever be one of my favorite books of all time), and she’s now one of those authors who I will never hesitate to read. I got so excited when she announced a new series – and it’s finally here! The first book in the Hudson Valley, Nuts, is full of Alice Clayton’s classic laugh-out-loud humor, with heartwarming characters and a setting that comes to life. It’s a flat-out entertaining read that fans of the author do not want to miss.

Roxie Callahan is a private chef for Hollywood’s most famous, but after getting fired and losing most of her clients, she finds herself back home in Bailey Falls, New York for the summer, the very place she never wanted to return to ever since she escaped at 18, to run her family’s diner. An unexpected perk though, is one sexy local farmer by the name of Leo Maxwell. He’s gorgeous, knows his way around produce, has a BEARD… what more can a girl ask for?

“Go on. Try it,” he said, offering me the strawberry.
“I don’t take candy from strangers.”
“It’s not candy, and we’re not strangers. We painted together.”
“And fell down a few times.”
“Exactly,” he nodded, holding it out once more. “Put this in your mouth.”
“That’s exactly what a stranger might say,” I said, but opened up.

Neither Roxie nor Leo are looking for anything long-term, so a summer fling is the perfect solution for them. And oh, how much fun the two of them have. Roxie and Leo make the most ADORABLE couple ever, in between Roxie’s hilarious way of flirting, Leo’s laid-back, sexy-as-hell charm, and even some vegetable jokes…

“Did you bring me anything else?”
He brought his face back to mine, tinged with the slightest of blush. “I hesitate to say it now.”
“What did you bring?” I asked, shaking his shoulders.
He buried his head once again into my neck. “A really big zucchini” was the muffled reply, and I threw my head back and laughed.

I loooove how much Roxie hates bees – because I so feel you, girl. Over half of the laugh-out-loud moments for me were about Roxie running away from bees, I swear. Leo and Roxie are so sweet and playful in this book. I do wish the pacing of their romance moved a little faster, and I’m still side-eyeing that plot twist, but other than that, Nuts is one hilarious, AWESOME read. And just a warning, if you like food (who doesn’t!?), you will seriously go hungry while reading this book.

I definitely recommend this book if you like your romances with a light-hearted tone and tons of humor. I don’t know how Alice Clayton does it, but every time, her heroines are so ridiculous, funny, and adorable in the most natural, believable way. I loved Roxie, and Leo of course. Nuts is a fantastic start to a series I have no doubt will become a new fan favorite, and I can’t wait for more!

4 hearts
lacey

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Hudson Valley series

Nuts by Alice Clayton 

#1 ~ Nuts: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Cream of the Crop: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

giveaway button

I have a PAPERBACK of NUTS by Alice Clayton to give away, open internationally!

There are three ways to enter to win:
1. On the post on my Facebook page
2. Following & RTing the pinned tweet on my Twitter
3. Comment below!

I’ll be choosing one winner (open intl!) randomly from all of the entries! Giveaway ends 10/23.

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