Book Review: Screwdrivered

Author: Alice Clayton
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Series: Cocktail # 3

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?

I’d been in a romance novel this entire time, but I had the wrong book. This was my book. This was my story. This was my man.

Who wants a Superman when you can have a Clark?

Why ride a Cowboy when you can ride a Librarian?

The third book in this fresh, hot series is sure to have all fans of romantic fiction on their feet. Vivian, our feisty, fun heroine, has her eyes set on two men, both very different in background and appeal. We have Hank and Clark. Hank is the sweltering hot cowboy who first catches Viv’s eye, but he is lacking when it comes to stimulating worthy conversation. Then we have Clark, a hot historian/librarian who runs the historical society and is just as nerdy attractive as he is book smart. She is attracted to both men, but realizes she can’t have them both. Her life is turning out to be more of an adventure than she expected.

Vivian was my favorite part about this book because as far as heroines go she has been one of my favorites this year. She is very relatable and has the same fantasies that I am sure many young girls have. She pictures her life being everything like a romance novel, and in the end it really turns out like one. She dreams up all these crazy romance novel scenarios in her head and I just loved how big of a hopeless romantic she was. This would be the perfect movie; it has that romantic comedy vibe all the way through.

Alice Clayton’s writing is just to die for. She uses language that is easy to follow and allows you to fly right through the pages. I read the first book in this series, accidentally skipped the second, and this book read just as good. The characters are well-developed and it was very easy for me to pick a side when it came to Viv’s love choice. There were so many parts in this book where I laughed out loud and didn’t really have a choice in the matter. A lot of the language between the characters is flirty and packed with sexual innuendos, but that’s what makes this book a dirty little pleasure!

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Gallery Books in exchange for my honest review***