| Title | : | Mai Taid Up (Cocktail, #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1476766746 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781476766744 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 272 |
| Publication | : | First published December 2, 2014 |
The gossip mill in the seaside community of Monterey is churning about Chloe Patterson, the newcomer who is starting a sanctuary for rescued pit bulls. It’s rumored that she’s a former beauty queen (true) who ditched her fiancé the morning of their wedding (also true). And that while she’s not looking for a new man, the good-looking local veterinarian has his eye on her. Absolutely, positively true.
When Lucas Campbell isn’t at the family veterinary clinic, he’s paddle boarding in Monterey Bay. Recently single, he’s definitely not in the market for a new relationship, but he still can’t resist taking a second, third, and fourth look at the recent arrival of Miss Golden State.
Neither Lucas nor Chloe has any interest in being tied down. Being tied up, however—now there’s a thought. But are a few Mai Tais, a moonlit night, and the music of Frank Sinatra enough to allow them both to forget their past? Let’s hope Ol’ Blue Eyes knows what he’s doing.
Mix one part tiki, one part kinky, and a splash of old black magic matchmaking, and it’s time to be . . . Mai Tai’d Up.
Mai Taid Up (Cocktail, #4) Reviews
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3.5 ‘It’s witchcraft’ stars!
Alice Clayton can always make me laugh and leave a smile on my face. Fun, sexy, and hilarious. It’s a formula she has perfected. The romance, the banter, laugh out loud moments, the spunky heroines and the swoony heroes. Mai Tai’d Up had all of that! It was such an entertaining read for me!
Chloe Patterson is a beauty queen who is set to marry a successful attorney, but she can’t go through with it. So she leaves town the day of her wedding. Chloe ends up in her father’s family property in Monterey. She needs a fresh start. Too much pressure at home from her mother and ex-finance and Chloe can’t handle it. She isn’t looking for a man, but when she finds one, she wants those sparks. She wants to be in love.
“I want it all. I want all encompassing, knock your socks off, can’t live without you, can’t be in a room without wanting you naked, love.”
Chloe has a passion for rescue dogs. So it’s only natural she meets town Veterinarian, Lucas Campbell.
Lucas is sweet, funny, lovable, sexy and charming. I adored him from the start. He is taken back by Chloe. She is nothing like he first expected. Chloe is a fantastic heroine. I loved that she really went out on her own and did what she wanted and what she was passionate about. That takes guts. And her with those dogs... it made me so happy, yet brought me to tears a time or two. I just loved that aspect of her. Seeing that side of her made me love her so much more!
Chloe and Lucas end up spending a ton of time together. Especially when Chloe’s Pit bull rescue starts really taking off. He volunteers his time helping with the dogs, and they become fast friends. Lucas has been through a lot. He’s not looking for a relationship either. The last woman he was in love with left him standing at the alter. It’s terrible timing for them to be together, but they have so much fun when they are with each other and there are so many sparks.
Chloe is afraid. Afraid what would happen if Lucas found out her secret. Afraid that if they got into a relationship it would hurt their friendship. They both just got out of something serious and the last thing she wants is to be a rebound.
Could two rebounds cancel each other out? Or would they be double disaster?
But really... you can only fight that kind of attraction for so long...
I truly enjoyed this book! I loved that Chloe and Lucas started out as such great friends. They brought out the best in each other and fell slowly. It was sweet. And so many times I just busted a gut laughing!
“Holy sweet fuck, are you kidding me?”
Here’s the thing about an enormous penis. They don’t just live in romance novels …
“Pardon me?” he finally said, his hands frozen on my hips, his lips halfway down my neck.
“Sorry. Actually, not sorry. Actually, congratulations.” I pointed down. “This is kind of amazing.”
He threw his head back and laughed out loud. “My dick is amazing?”
So why not 5 stars? I had the same problem with this book as I did with the last book in this series. When it takes the majority of a book for my couple to get together, I want it big and I want an amazing epilogue that makes it all worth it. I feel like when we finally got what we were waiting for, it was over far too soon! And as much as I loved Lucas, there was a part towards the end that disappointed me a bit when it came to him...
Overall, I have to say that Mai Tai’d Up was a win for me! If you’re looking for a short and sexy read with two completely lovable characters that will make you laugh, smile and swoon, pick this one up! It was a great addition to Clayton’s Cocktail series!
‘I’ve got you under my skin...’
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*****4.5 Ring a Ding Ding Stars*****
{BR with Mel, Dee, Sharon, and Wendy}
Alice Clayton, have I told you I loved you lately??!!
Seriously, you and I need to be BFFs!! I just want to hang out with you and you can tell me stories all day long!
I just ADORED this one! It had the right mix of the funny, the sexy, and the angst. It is pretty much a guarantee that when I pick up a book written by this lady, that I am going to have a big old smile on my face and will be falling in love with the main characters! I really liked both MCs. Chloe is an ex beauty pageant winner and has always done what was expected of her. You may remember her from "Screwdrivered". She is Clark's cousin. In the beginning of the book, she's about to get married to the "Perfect" man, but she's having a serious case of cold feet. She runs out on her wedding the morning of. Then later moves into her father's beautiful ranch home in Monterey. Ahh, beautiful Northern California!! A perfect setting for this story!
While in Monterey, she connects up with an old contact who runs a Pit Bull rescue and rehabilitation organization. He's familiar with her involvement with therapy dogs and asks her to help him open up and run a new center in her new hometown. He tells her to hook up with a Veterinarian that he knows in town who would be able to help her get set up. When she goes to the veterinary hospital to talk with Dr Campbell, she ends up meeting his gorgeous son, Lucas, who is also a vet at the hospital. These two exchanged flirty glances at a local restaurant the previous night.
Sparks immediately start flying, but what a coincidence, both of them have recently suffered from broken engagements. Their situations are so eerily similar and Chloe ends up withholding certain truths from Lucas. They enter into an easy friendship, and I enjoyed the extremely slow build to the hot & steamy!!
The author paints a beautiful picture of the Northern California backdrop and the ranch sounds wonderfully retro. Don't even get me started on the music! I adore the American Standards like my Bestie. You'll always catch me listening to the songs of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, and Ella Fitzgerald! I LOVED that these two were always listening to this music as well! The fact that our main characters were dog lovers, was just another aspect of the story that appealed to me.
We wait a VERY LONG time for the sexy times to commence and honestly I do believe it was WELL WORTH THE WAIT!!! There are a couple of moments that we get the angst as well, but I believe a good story needs a bit of angst in it. It makes the HEA even more enjoyable!!
My only issue is that there was no Epilogue, and I need more!! I want to know where Chloe and Lucas are years from now. I am hoping since Clark and Viv were in this book and we got an update on them, that we will get to see where these two end up in the future as well in the next book. Well, I'm really hoping they make an appearance in the next book. OMG...Alice please write a book 5!!!! -
4 stars!
“Everybody’s dealing with some stuff, darlin’. Sometimes it’s just nice to deal with it while looking at a gorgeous hunk of man.”
Chloe has just done the unthinkable. She left her fiance at the alter. Well, not the alter exactly, but she called off her engagement the day of the wedding. All her life Chloe has been the perfect daughter and she saw herself well on her way to becoming the perfect wife. The only problem with it all? She wasn't happy, she wasn't being herself, and most importantly she wasn't in love.
Spur of the moment after calling off the wedding, Chloe moves from San Diego to Monterey, California where she proceeds to convert a barn into a pitbull rescue.
^^^Look at how cute those dogs are!!!
In starting the rescue, Chloe becomes friends with the local vet Lucas. Lucas is a hot ginger, and the two have a fast attraction to each other. The only problem? Lucas' fiance just left him.... at the alter. Understandably, Chloe is a little less than truthful about how she and her fiance ended things.
Over time Lucas and Chloe become close friends with the possibility of something more. But Chloe doesn't want to be a rebound girl for Lucas, she wants more.
I really liked this last (latest?) edition to the Cocktail series. Alice Clayton wrote a character who was on a search to discover who she really was, and I consider that the main plot more than the romantic one. There were many giggle worthy moments, and I pretty much had a smile on my face the entire time I read this book.
This is a fun read, like all of Clayton's other books, but there were 2 itty bitty little things that bugged me. Just a little bit.
1) Some other reviewers have pointed this out, there needed to be an epilogue. I was not thoroughly happy with the point at which the book ended. We needed a little more!!
2)
Ms. Clayton has written herself a spot into my auto-reads/purchase books. Give this one a try y'all! -
4.5 Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. Stars
Belly Up To The Bar- It's Only $1.99!!!
* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A 2014 Review
Alice Clayton has a way... a way with humor, honesty, and just swoony men. She comes up with an idea...then jumps off the cliff taking us with her...
This addition to her Cocktail series grabbed me from the get-go...she hit all the things we could identify with; being taught to watch what we ate, how we stood, and what was expected of us... These are things that may have been drilled into us.... the limits on calories... on decorum and on just speaking your mind.
All of these things pulled me into this story and I was hers... I was the alter ego of our main gal, Chloe, a past Miss Golden State pageant queen. I was there feeling the stress of the perfectly laid out life her mother had orchestrated for her... and when she had her epiphany, I was yelling...
You. Go. Girl.
And go Chloe does... She has the support of her dad and he suggests the ranch they have in Monterey for her escape. There Chloe embarks on her journey of discovering who exactly she is and what is her calling.
Now this wouldn't be a Clayton book without that swoony guy I mentioned, right? Enter Lucas... A Ginger, Ice Blued Eyed, oh so smart and charming. They have the quick non-meet meet; a gaze at each other through the mirror at the bar/restaurant Chloe stops on her way to the ranch. Eyes connect... currents of interest happen subtly...but there was no actual meeting.
Fate would have it that Lucas is one of the Veterinarians in town. One of the main things which gave Chloe a sense of purpose was her charity work with animals. She had worked with Labs as therapy animals and also worked with another group specializing in retraining Pitbulls. These creatures had a reputation of violence... not because of the breed... but due to the misuse and torture by the owners. Chloe had been working with a charity in San Diego and it seemed like a gift... they were looking to expand to a more northern location. The suggestion to connect with the vet there in Monterey was perfect and Chloe took the bait. It was supposed to be the senior Dr. Campbell but a match-making receptionist fixed it to be Lucas.
This is how they meet...and we have the extreme pleasure of being with them every step of the way.
There is banter; there are cocktails and the rat pack. There are things revealed that cause Chloe to hide truths... but the most important thing which happens is chemistry and actual bond. We root for them with every sentence.
Lucas is the type of fella you just adore... so smart... and willing to tease. He is secure enough to reveal his pain and loss...we want to wrap him up in our arms while he does the same to us.
This tale was a very fast read... it had the romance yet also gave lots to think about. We were confronted with family manipulation; how much is done to us and how much do we allow. It looked at how animals can be severely mistreated and still have the capacity to love us back with the right handling ....kind of like us humans...
What is most delicious was the build...Ms. Clayton seems to specialize in this practice.... so if you think things are going to go from zero to sixty... then forget it... BUT if you love the play, the tease, and the intense longing for two people who should be together...then this is for you... and the payoff is so worth the anticipation.
Ms. Clayton, you got this right... and I will be happily waiting for my next cliff dive with you.
Wallbanger (Cocktail, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Rusty Nailed (Cocktail, #2)
Screwedrivered (Cocktail, #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mai Tai'd Up (Cocktail, #4)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
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4 Stars
"I don’t want to marry Charles Preston Sappington! Not today. Not any day.”
That is how this story begins. It is Chloe’s wedding day and just hours before she is supposed to marry Charles, she realizes she is not in love with him and doesn’t want to marry someone she doesn't love.
I can completely see and understand Chloe’s desire to find true love and not enter into a marriage of convenience. All of Chloe’s life she has been the daughter her mother wanted her to be. She has competed in pageants, smiled when she wanted to cry, and held her tongue when she wanted to scream. The last straw is marrying Charles, she doesn’t want to marry someone just for the sake of making everyone else happy.
"You can’t always wait until everything’s perfect - sometimes it happens when it’s not supposed to.”
Chloe decides to run away from everything and find herself. In doing so she moves to Monterey and starts up an dog rescue with a friend she knew from her days working her platform while in pageants. In rescuing dogs she meets up with the local veterinarian and his son, Lucas. Lucas’s last relationship ended when his fiancé left him at the altar…sound familiar? There is an immediate attraction but both decide the don’t want to “rebound off each other” and become friends.
I loved Chloe and Lucas’s relationship. Like all of Clayton’s books it starts off with witty banter and flirting, this is my favorite part of the story. These books are so fun and always have tons of heart. Not to mention Lucas and his dirty talk…pleasantly surprised!
I think the Cocktail Series have had some moments of being predictable, but I also love that we know what we are getting when we open these books. I know it will be fun, flirty, and sexy. I highly recommend if you have read the others in the series and enjoyed them. Side note: we did get to see Clark and Viv in this one and I loved their scenes together…so funny!
My only complaint is I wanted to see more of Lucas and Chloe together. I wanted more of an epilogue, but then again I am a greedy bitch. -
3.5-4 Ginger Kryptonite Stars!
(BR with Sharon, Patty, Dee & Wendy)
Chloe Patterson aka chickie baby is a 24 yr. old woman living in San Diego, California. She was raised by a mother that believed appearances were everything, & you had to be as close to perfect as possible. She was in pageants from a young age, and is currently Miss Golden State. She's your typical beautiful, blonde California girl. She lives with a mother who is fake, vain, insincere, and believes you can never be too skinny or too rich. She is about to marry a man who would give her everything & anything she could ever want, but decides she can't go through with it. She doesn't love him, and wants to live for herself instead of doing what others expect of her. She wants something real & to feel that spark with someone.
-"I want it all. I want all-encompassing, knock-your-socks-off, can't-live-without-you, can't-be-in-a-room-without-wanting-you-naked love."
Chloe decides she needs some space and to get out of town. She drives up the coast to Monterey to stay in a vacation home her family owns there up in the hills. Her first night in town she crosses paths with a gorgeous man, who she later see's again. His name is Dr. Lucas Campbell, and he's a veterinarian at the Campbell Veterinary Hospital. Chloe has spent time volunteering & working some with therapy dogs back home, and is presented with an opportunity to work with dogs and do something good in Monterey. She ends up working with Lucas, and is extremely attracted to him. Even though she doesn't want to jump from one relationship to another, she can't help how she wants him.
Chloe and Lucas spend a lot of time together, and become close friends. Chloe loves the simplicity of her life in Monterey, and creates a wonderful, fulfilling life there. She feels she can be herself & relax, & feels content for the first time in her life.
Chloe & Lucas "FINALLY" get to a point where they just aren't content as friends only. They both want more. The sexy time took forever to get to, but once we get there it's fabulous!!! But I still would have liked a kiss or a little something sooner. I totally 100% agreed with Vivian when she told Chloe "Hit that. Hit that now." ;))
& FINALLY THE "BOUNCING" COMMENCED! :D
Overall I enjoyed this book. I was happy we get a bit of my yummy Clark & his Vivian, and I thought Lucas was just delicious, funny, and charming. I just wanted a bit more. More lovin and maybe an epilogue. :)) -
Mai Tai'd Up features Chloe, Clark's from Screwdrivered cousin. Remember the scene at the pizza place? Yep, that's her. And she's decided on her wedding day that she doesn't want to get married...so she doesn't. She's decided to do things her way.
I just have to start with the blurb. If you haven't read it, please go and do so...it is hilarious. In fact, it's almost better than the book! Kudos to whoever writes them for this series...they are fantastic!
Chloe's been brought up to be a pageant queen and to get a husband. Her calories are counted, her posture is critiqued and her life is planned out. But it's nothing that Chloe wants and at twenty-four, it's time for her to break free and she does so in a really spectacular way.
This leads to her mother being upset with her and telling her it's time to move out. Her father offers his vacation home in Monterey and it sounds perfect.
Chloe's pageant platform has been working with therapy dogs and it's something that calls to her. She decides to move forward with a friend, Lou, who she met that rescues pit bulls. One thing leads to another and before you know it, she has an "Our Gang" pit bull rescue center on her family's land.
This in turn leads her to one of the town's veterinarians, Lucas Campbell. Chloe is smitten from the get go especially since he's a ginger. The problem is that Lucas was left at the altar...literally. So they decide to be "just friends" and we all know how that works out!
I really thought Lucas and Chloe were cute together. I loved the play on Chloe's house with the whole Rat Pack theme and the music. It was sweet how Lucas called her "chickie baby" and how they would test out different drinks each night.
The interactions with the dogs was wonderful especially Sammy Davis Jr.! My heart went out for her on her first rescue...that had to be tough but I loved Lucas was there for her and how gentle he was with her.
There were some pretty hilarious parts as well. When Chloe bought the "beast", I was dying! And the fins? Too funny but I don't really blame her much for that!
I loved all the little bits with Clark and Viv. It was great having them so involved. And the parts with her dad were amazing. I even liked how things went with her Mom...eventually. And Lou and Marge? Well, we all saw that coming!
Of course, there's some drama when Lucas' ex-fiancé shows up. And then again, when Chloe finally comes clean with Lucas about something she was holding back. I did think Lucas was a bit extreme on that one.
Did I forget the steaminess? No way...the problem is, it takes quite a while to get to it. You will have to be patient but once it gets there, it's definitely steamy. I love the whole play on BIG and small.
And then it just sort of ends... There's no epilogue or even a chapter for happy ever after. I'm guessing we will hear more about them? Next up is Last Call and we're back to more Simon and Caroline and Clive, of course. Can't wait!
Favorite quotes:
♥ “This crazy pad, man—these ring-a-ding-ding digs. I feel like I should be saying things like chickie baby.”
♥ “Don’t wear your tiara—that dog’s already gonna be spooked enough as it is.”
“You’re pretty funny for an old hippie,” I cracked, and he hung up the phone laughing.
♥ “Oh, God, I totally just sold my car for this beast didn’t I?”
♥ “Peep show now; I’m officially requesting,” he said as I pulled on a sundress.
“Too late, that window has closed, that door has been shut.”
♥ “Did you have a reason for calling this morning, or did you just want to make me swoon with your redneck pillow talk?”
♥ “I couldn’t help it. Starry night. Sparklers. Incredibly strong cocktails,” he murmured, our faces so very close together. “It’s witchcraft.”
♥ “Prepared, aren’t you?” I asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.
“Chickie baby, I’m like a Boy Scout,” he said, grabbing one. Then grabbing a second one.
♥ “What if I told you that when I said ‘keep bouncing on my dick,’ it was really code for ‘I love you?’”
I grinned. “If that’s the case, then you’re gonna love what ‘let me sit on your face’ is really code for.”
♦ BR w/Melissa, Patty, Dee & Wendy! -
2.5 Meh
summing up this story in 1 GIF
**Unpopular opinion here**
I got bored.
It wasn't a bad read or anything, it was just pretty boring. Started off pretty good but at about half I wanted to go to sleep.
Didn't really love the characters, either, they felt pretty fake for some reason. The two had no chemistry, I felt absolutely nothing while reading this book (except annoyed, but that doesn't count). Plus, all the poor-pretty-little-rich-girl thing starts getting tiresome at one point...
Not an awful book, but not the best either. -
*****4.5 Chickie Baby Stars****
{BR with Mel, Patty, Sharon, and Wendy}
What a wonderful book!!!! Seriously people, DO NOT PASS THIS UP. Yet another wholehearted and hilarious book by the talented Alice Clayton; her books never fail to make me laugh, swoon and even blush, Loved it!!
Set in California, we meet Chloe, she's one day away for getting married but is feeling a bit of cold feet during the rehearsal dinner when she realizes she's more interested in the delicious artichoke soufflé than celebrating whats suppose to be the happiest day in her life. Chloe's life has always been carefully macro-managed by her mother, she's been winning beauty pageants since a young age, so Chloe has been trained to always smile and act nice and proper in every situation. But in the morning of her wedding she can escape the awful feeling, she can't see herself marrying the perfect, tall and handsome lawyer that she knows she's not in love with, so what does she do? she announces in the middle of the glam-session that she's not marrying Charles, not today, not tomorrow, not ever, and she repeats this several times to ensure everyone hears and the more she screams the better the decision feels and then she flees. Chloe has always been an animal lover and has works with dogs organizations in the past, so when she's offered the opportunity to open and run a shelter for Pitbull dogs, she immediately accepts. Moving into the California ranch that's been in her father's family for generations, Chloe is happy to be on her own for the first time in her life, she's eager to discover who she really is without her mother, Charles and the crowns. Lucas is the sexy ginger veterinarian that has been referred to her for medical assistance for the dogs. He's smart, funny, tall and sexy, but he's recovering from his own heartache after being left at the altar by his long-time beauty pageant fiancé. Chloe and Lucas get along fabulously and their chemistry is incredible; they share dinners, cocktails and amazing music, filling up their nights and weekends, but they are both scared of being each others rebounds because they care deeply about their friendship so it will take a while before they hook up, but when they finally do, OH-MY-GOD!!!!!! I won't say no more, because you need to stop reading this review and go read this book, there is no doubt in my mind that everyone who reads this book will absolutely love it!!!
I had the best time reading this book, loved the beautiful Cali setting, the Frank Sinatra music and the romance, it was everything I love about reading, the only complain I have is that I would have love to get an epilogue, because I couldn't get enough of these amazing characters.
My Mai Tai'd Up Music Playlist:
*Wishin' and Hopin' by Ani DiFranco
*Que sera, sera by Doris Day
*Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra
*At Last by Etta James -
★★★¾
Mai Tai'd Up is the fourth installment in
Alice Clayton's adult contemporary romance series titled: Cocktail. Ms. Clayton has a knack for combining some very laughable moments with her romance. I have never been disappointed!
Mai Tai'd Up has romance, humor, drama, classy music, cocktails, and some tear jerking doggie moments. I did have a few eye rolls though. The heroine is keeping some pretty pertinent information from the hero and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the sh*t to hit the fan. I was just shaking my head every time she acknowledged this tidbit and passed up opportunities to tell him time and time again. Generally, the climax in romance stories leads to sweet reconciliation and fun HEA's so I guess there was a purpose to the delay. If you follow this series then make sure to add this book to your list!
My favorite quote:
"I knew full well how something could look pretty on the outside and be wasp-nasty on the inside."
The Cocktail series includes the following installments as of May 2016:
#1-
Wallbanger
#2-
Rusty Nailed
#3-
Screwdrivered
#4-
Mai Tai'd Up
#4.5-
Last Call
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***2.5 who let the dogs out stars***
The book is well written, and for super dog loves it is a treat. I however didn't care for so much dog talk.
The beginning really hocked me in. It was original and interesting. But I personally thought author used way to much digital space on introducing us to the characters, that she completely forgot that it was suppose to be a romance story. Then, when our two main characters finally met, which didn't happen until half way into the story, the goddamn dogs tok over the story.
I have nothing agains dogs, loved them, they are lovely creatures. When I was 11 and my dog died, I cried myself to sleep for maybe 6 months. But my god, those two would not shut up about dogs. Their relationship was sweet and well developed, interactions between them were romantic and funny. But the background story unyoked me to no end. Main characters were either looking for dogs, talking about dogs, building shelter for the dogs, patting the dogs, worrying about dogs, rescuing dogs or treating the dogs.
I get it, he's a veterinarian and she she's building a shelter for the dogs. It's natural that the animals will be mentioned. I just didn't expect them to take over the book.
Btw, loved the heroin's father.
I'm not hating on the book, really. I just found the second part of it to be boring. -
3,5 STARS REVIEW TO COME!!
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4 sassy, funny and flirty stars
I “fudging” love Alice Clatyon! Her stories always make me laugh, with strong heroines, charmingly sexy heroes, and heart-pounding but slightly quirky romance that is both hot and hilarious. While technically, this is book four of the Cocktail series, it could very easily be read as a standalone – although each of the books in this series are fantastic, so I highly recommend you indulge!
We met Chloe briefly in
Screwdrivered, where she was introduced as the cousin of Clark, and had just skipped out on her own wedding. Well, this book gives us the full story, where Chloe is essentially a Stepford daughter, about to step into the role of Stepford wife. A pageant queen since a young age, she has been controlled by others for her whole life, until she wakes up on the morning of her wedding to the seemingly perfect Charles Preston Sappington (I kid you not, that is actually his name!), and realises that not only does she not love her fiancé, but that she is not living the life that she wants to live.“I want it all. I want all encompassing, knock your socks off, can’t live without you, can’t be in a room without wanting you naked, love.”
And so, she makes her great escape and heads north to the shores of Monterey, to her father’s holiday house where she plans to spread her wings for the first time in her life and do something she is passionate about – opening up a rescue and rehabilitation centre for pit bulls. A little quirky, perhaps, but Chloe’s love for her dogs, and the passion that she has for what she is doing forms a great part of her story.
And, of course, it gives the perfect opportunity for her to meet vet and local hottie, Dr Lucas Campbell. Looks-wise, he is everything that Chloe wants in a guy, and she recognises him as her absolute kryptonite. And judging by his response to her, he feels the same. And as they work together to get Chloe’s business up and running, a deliciously flirty friendship develops. They both know they find the other attractive, and they play up to it at every opportunity, but they are both recovering from bad relationships and agree that it’s best not to just get involved, just be each other’s “rebounds” and hang out and have fun. And that’s exactly what they do… all the while growing closer and falling harder and harder for each other.
I love Lucas! Sweet, caring, funny and oh-so-sexy, he is a genuinely great guy. He is laid back and easy going, and is determined to be a part of Chloe’s life, in whatever way he can. And Alice Clayton knows how to do the friends-who-are-attracted-to-lovers thing so well! Chloe and Lucas’ relationship is fun, it’s sweet, their conversation is realistic and jokey, and the flirting is sensational, and just a little dirty!“What are we doing?”
“It’s a surprise, but you’ll get wet, so wear a bathing suit, please.”
“A bathing suit?”
“Notice I said please. Something really skimpy and preferably see through.”
“Lucas!”
“Kidding. Not kidding,” he deadpanned.
The story is told entirely from Chloe’s POV, and she is wonderful! Smart, witty and funny, she is endearingly relatable and her inner monologue is fantastic! This book is very much focussed on her moving forward with her life, and as usual with Ms Clayton, it’s done with fantastic commentary, and jokes that are continued throughout the book
And, as seems to be the style with this series, the flirting and UST are drawn out and we are kept waiting painfully for the hook up, but when it comes… hot damn!“Holy sweet fuck, are you kidding me?”
Here’s the thing about an enormous penis. They don’t just live in romance novels …
“Pardon me?” he finally said, his hands frozen on my hips, his lips halfway down my neck.
“Sorry. Actually, not sorry. Actually, congratulations.” I pointed down. “This is kind of amazing.”
He threw his head back and laughed out loud.
Chloe and Lucas’ story is fun, sweet, full of laughs and highly entertaining. My only complaint is that I would have liked some more time with them after they got together. After the epic build up, I wanted some more romance! They are so amazing together, I needed to see more! But I still loved it, and finished the book with a big smile on my face
4 stars.
An Advanced Reader Copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. -
3.5 "Gingers are my kryptonite" Stars
Cause who doesn't like a ginger??
I thought this was marginally funny compared to the rest of Alice Clayton's books. The 1st 25% was really slow for me. Chloe left her man the day of her wedding. Lucas got left at the altar. They meet and sparks fly, and fly, and fly. I loved how they were good buds. And I absolutely loved the whole dog rescue shop Chloe set up.
But this is also one of those slow build type of books, no nookie until like 75% so at some point I was like...
Once you got there it was pretty good, I will admit. Lucas had quite the dirty mouth in a glorious shower scene. Dirty mouth + hot shower = good times.
Minor drama, a bit of angst, and funny, but not the funny I usually expect from Ms. Clayton. Still very much enjoyed, just not as much as her other books. -
I falls hard for Miss Clayton book on Nuts. I like her witty sassy fun adorable romantic comedy. He heroines are adorable. Like a big puppy eyes cute sweet characters. In Mai Tai's Up, she again proves her signature writing grabs my heart. I can not help smiling while listening to the audio book.
The story is simple. Chloe left her wedding because she wont settle with a man she can not connect. Then she ends up in Monteray and met a hunk veterinarian with Prince Harry's hair color, Lucas. They easily comes into a sweet friendship with a lingering lust between them. But they done a good job respecting their friendship zone. Even though I found the friendship phase is bit too dragging, I still smiling and cheering for both of them.
I wish I have a Lucas as a friend. He is definitely someone that is loyal and sweet. Not in boring way. I just can not connect with why Lucas left Chloe after Chloe confessing her secret. I think Lucas acts too dramatic and a bit immature.
Overall I do like this book very much. Its certainly a good listen in a bad day.
4 stars -
Mai Tai'd Up es el cuarto libro de la saga Cocktail de Alice Clayton y narra la historia de Chloe ( prima de Clark, protagonista del libro anterior ) y Lucas.
Esta cuarta parte mejoro notablemente respecto a la anterior, la trama es mucho mas entretenida y agradable de leer ademas de tener una pareja protagonista muy divertida.
Las novelas de la autora son perfectas para leer en cualquier ocasion y siempre consiguen hacerme pasar buenos ratos, es cierto que las historias que he leido suyas no son las mas significativas pero igualmente son lecturas placenteras que te dejan con muy buen sabor de boca al finalizarlas.
La relacion de Chloe y Lucas me gusto, me encanto que empezaran siendo amigos y que luego su relacion fuera evolucionando aunque es cierto que eche en falta mas escenas romanticas y un epilogo que nos mostrara su vida en comun un tiempo despues, pero en general fue un libro que me dejo bastante satisfecha.
En conclusion, Mai Tai'd Up es una novela graciosa y amena, no puedes dejar de leerla si eres fan de esta saga o te gusta la pluma de Alice Clayton.
3.75 Estrellas! -
"Local gossip reports that she ditched her fiancé the night before their wedding (true), and that she moved up north to start a new life (also true). She didn’t want to be tied down (true), but she wouldn’t mind being tied up—especially by that hot vet she’s seen around town a few times (true, true, and have-you-seen-his-butt?-true)"
Okay, I can tell this is going to be hilarious!!!
Yay, another installment!!!! Can't wait!! -
3.5 Stars.
Readers should not expect a repeat performance of Wallbanger with each subsequent story in Alice Clayton's COCKTAIL series. Sure, each story is wrought with humor and sexual angst, eccentric, refreshing characters and a quirky romance. But they all deviate from the previous books in their own unique way and Mai Tai'd Up is no exception.
Mai Tai'd Up introduces us to former pageant queen, Chloe Patterson, who's just jilted her groom-to-be, rebelled against everything her snob of a mother has molded her to be and she's bolted from her home town. She finds herself in her father's vacation home in Monterey, California with nothing but time to start her life over. It's here that she meets the local veterinarian, Dr. Lucas Campbell, and the two fall into an easy friendship over their love of animals.
This story is much more than a blooming romance. In fact, romance takes a huge backseat in this story to a number of other plot themes. Human issues like animal abuse. Family issues. Friendship. Above all else, this is a story about one woman's journey of finding her true self after she's spent her entire twenty-something years living the life projected upon her by other people. It's Chloe's story of self-discovery, of planting her own roots and building her own life from the ground up. It's also about friendships, building true relationships with people that genuinely enjoy each other's company and hold common interests, and not just pairing off with the people that look best on paper. It's beneath the surface of this course of events that a potential romance simmers.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I found the storyline completely intriguing and entertaining and undoubtedly funny, as expected. The characters are magnetic, their chemistry evident, their quirks fun, their dynamic and banter completely absorbing. Mai Tai'd Up is not as spicy as previous Clayton books, the sexual escapades typical in the rest of the series not as evident here. The focus isn't even entirely on the budding relationship between the beauty queen and the good doctor, as the romantic aspect of the plot is secondary, in my opinion, to Chloe's own journey. And I appreciated that. I got it. I may have longed for a bit more romance, a bit more sexual tension, some more of the action Alice Clayton has been known to deliver, but this finale in the series holds a believability, a realness that previous books lacked. All in all, a really enjoyable addition to this series. -
I enjoyed this book still haven't took over wallbanger an 2 honest I don't think anyone can add up 2 Simon an Caroline I was a bit confused 2 why we had this book cause they were only really connected 2 Clark Chloes cousin an Lucas was sophias cousin we have seen both characters in other books but I was just a bit confused but it doesn't take much ;)
The start of the book starts out with Chloe gettin married 2 charlie who I thought we a knob he just wanted someone who was pretty on his arm an her mother was happy with that which annoyed me but on the wedding day things don't go 2 plan an Chloe Ned space an time on her own 2 think what life as 2 offer an she wants 2 do do something 4 herself an her luv of dogs she ends up meet the gorgeous Lucas an God he is hot an Chloe is luvin his Prince Harry look she as the hots 4 men with red hair when she gets 2 the house her dad is left in her stay it's really old fashioned but she makes it work an the grounds outside is really big an she as ideas big ideas an she is goin 2 make it happen
The story is good a lil predictable but I still enjoyed it the characters were good Chloe is great I luv her fudging everything an Lucas how can use not like him after the things that happened I just wanted 2 hug him maybe more haha the sexual chemistry between them was hot an I was dying 4 them 2 got it on I know I've a dirty mind but who asnt readin books like this ;) overall enjoyed it an I m enjoyin the series xxx
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A solid but unexciting addition to this series.
Chloe is a beauty queen Californian princess who has let her mother run her life and finally rebels on the day that she would have got married to a man she didn't love. (And who tells her 'no' when she says she wants to continue working with a charity she loves). So now she's in Monterey looking for a life change and finding it in a pit bull rescue operation and a friendship (or something more?) with local vet Lucas.
This has a lot of the wit that was enjoyable in the earlier books including the innuendo-laden dialogue and chemistry between the leads. However, this reuses a point from the previous book, that of the female lead not being honest to herself about her feelings as well as some fairly silly manufactured drama. It's still funny, light and feel-good and that's what this series is all about. -
Crying!! From laughter. This book would make a great movie!
Alice Clayton writes funny. sexy, adult romantic comedies. There's plenty of steam and always just the right amount of emotional tension to deliver a good, light, satisfying read.
Mai Tai’d Up is the story of Chloe and Lucas. This is a standalone and although Chloe was mentioned in Screwdrivered, you do not need to read the previous books! You can dive right in, and you will enjoy the story.
Chloe is a "runaway bride" and realizes that she was not in love with her fiancee. Much to the horror of her very proper family, she picks up and moves away to begin a whole new chapter in her life. Her passion is reuse animals and she opens a rescue center for pit bulls. And that brings her to the handsome veterinarian in town, Lucas.
The two begin a flirtation and and Chloe really begins to fall for Lucas. I mean, who wouldn't? A sexy vet? Hello! I loved their scenes together, and their relationship was a slow-build. There is one thing that Lucas can't stand, and when he finds out about Chloe's almost-trip to the altar, things blow up.
I absolutely loved how independent and feisty Chloe was. She is no wallflower! She's smart and no pushover. Often heroines can be kind of a door mat but not Chloe. And there are plenty of really funny moments in this book to go along with the swoon-y romance. Overall I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a fresh, fun and breezy read. Alice Clayton really knows how to deliver a well-written, well-paced story. Oh, and this is a great book for dog lovers!
Favorite quote:
Here’s the thing about an enormous penis. They don’t just live in romance novels …
“Pardon me?” he finally said, his hands frozen on my hips, his lips halfway down my neck.
“Sorry. Actually, not sorry. Actually, congratulations.” I pointed down. “This is kind of amazing.”
He threw his head back and laughed out loud.
(*ARC provided by the publisher with thanks.) -
This series is one of my favorite romantic series of all time. They have everything cute/awesome relationship, great characters to follow and a very readable plot line. This series isn't as heavy in tension and angst which is it's nice for a change to have more of a fun and feel good feel to it. Highly recommend this series, annoyed at myself for not reading it sooner!
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So after seeing that Sam Heughan was the author's muse for Lucas Campbell, I was all—oh, yummy—and even more eager to read.
Chloe has always been the perfect pageant/high society daughter. Her mother manages Chloe's life down to the last detail, setting her up for the finest. Chloe has been living in a fog without real emotions. On the day she is suppose to wed a man she doesn't even love, Chloe mentally snaps out of it and decides to make a change. This change leads to moving away, becoming involved in an pit bull rescue and leaving her old life behind.
Lucas is a lovable and hot third generation veterinarian. He's also into charity work and mets Chloe through their mutual dog-loving passion. The similarities don't end there. Lucas was also dumped at the altar by his beauty pageant fiancé. Their mutual experiences sometimes pull them together and sometimes push them apart.
I found this to be a fun, fairly light read. Nothing too dramatic happens. There's lots and lots of sweet, quite a bit of funny and some delicious sexy. It's a pretty awesome mix. I really truly enjoy this author's writing style.
There's something to be said for being the little spoon. You're tucked in, you're cozy, you're warm and content. Someone is wrapped around you all night, not protecting you, necessarily, but if a zombie were to come in through the window, the chances are the big spoon gets it first, right?
I had a great time reading this story, and I recommend it. It has a feel good, mood elevating plot.
***Copy given in exchange for an honest review***
toni
FangirlMoments and My Two Cents
FULL REVIEW CAN BE FOUND AT
http://fangirlmomentsandmytwocents.bl... -
Title: Mai Tai’d Up
Author: Alice Clayton
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Type: Book 4 of Coctail series
POV: First Person - Female
Rating:
This book is a light, easy, fun reading of a newly single girl looking re-examining her life. Chloe recently ditched her intended the morning they were supposed to get married because she couldn’t be someone’s trophy. Having a hovering mother didn’t help her case either.
So to get away from it all, she visited her father’s vacation home in hope of figuring out what she wanted to do with her life. There, with the help of a friend, she started a rescue center for dogs which led to her meeting with a hot ginger vet Lucas.
Lucas had been burned badly by his ex and just got out of an almost marriage, so both of them were taking things slowly until the attraction can’t be contained anymore. But Chloe hasn’t been forthcoming to Lucas and her secret was jeopardizing their blossoming relationship.
I do love this book. It’s light and fun which is something I do in between the heavy dark reads. Though, I think it’s too light for my liking. I love how their relationship progressed organically and they had great chemistry.
But the plot was too simple as in the issue that rose from their relationship was brought up and settled too quickly. It’s just a personal preference, because I know we all could use some light reading once in a while to just enjoy the ride. Also, it could use some more sexy times to spice it up a bit.
I love Chole. I love her monologue – the beauty queen who still trying to be prim and proper even without her mother hovering around anymore. It’s a lot of fun being in her head.As he reached for the highest rafter his T-shirt slipped up, revealing an inch or so of tanned skin. I licked my lips without thinking, then grimaced at the taste of paint. Gross.
Fudge it might be my new favorite curse word haha! I love Lucas too. I never thought ginger man could be so hot!
My favorite scene was how Chloe and Lucas had an insinuating conversation in front of Marge after their first paddle boarding activity. That was fun and I love Marge and her matchmaking tendency.
Overall it’s a fun light read perfect for spending some alone time with.
For more reviews visit:
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Quick review:
Cover: Not sure how it fits with the story
Rating: NC-17
Steaminess: Steamy
Thumbs Up: 4
Overall: Really cute
Characters: Well Done
Plot: Life after a breakup
Page Turner: sure
Series Cont.? Yes
Recommend: Yes
Book Boyfriend: Lucas
SUMMARY (50 words or less)
For me, I preferred this over Wallbanger. It was really cute page turner that had me wanting to know how things would play out in the end. I’m glad I read.
For a full review and yummy pic, see my blog post at:
http://www.mybookboyfriend.net/2014/1... -
Alice Clayton never fails to crack me up. Chloe I did think was a tad bit ridiculous and I didn't enjoy her all that much but I did Lucas and I like the concept of the plot line. Oh course I laughed a bunch especially right at the end. Whenever I need a good laugh or a good pick me up read Alice Clayton never fails me.
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3.5 stars, full review here =>
http://afterdarkbooklovers.com/2014/1...
This is the story of:
Not settling.
Coming home.
Understanding your life path.
And eventually finding perfect.
Now, add that with Alice Clayton’s quick wit and easily relateable characters, and you have another fun light read, a great bridge between romance books heavy on angst and emotion.
What did we love:
Grace:
When Chloe walks away on her wedding day from the seeming perfect guy, you’d think she would struggle with a purpose. But no, she actually puts her pageant platform to use and decides to open a shelter for abused pit bulls. Not only can any reader get behind this life direction, but it sets the scene for how she comes to meet Lucas.
Although the author sometimes writes about some frustrating females, she always introduces a fun, sweet and sexy male lead to swoon over, and Lucas is no exception. Prince Harry hair? Yes, please (I’m a ginger so that’s saying a lot). And a nice sense of humor to boot.
“Sorry about your shirt,” I said, brushing at the wet spot.
“No problem. At least you managed to cry in the shape of a giant dick.”
“That’s Florida!”
Michelle:
I have to agree with Grace on this one, Chloe put her big girl panties on and decided she wasn’t marrying Charles Preston Sappington. I mean really, who would want to marry a guy with the name of Charles Preston Sappington, he sounded pretentious, and he was pretentious. I will also agree that I loved how she used her pageant platform to help abused pitbulls. Cue in the hot sexy Dr. Campbell who looks like Prince Harry. Ok now whenever I see Prince Harry on TV or in print, I’m always going to think about Lucas, just saying. Thanks Alice!
I also liked that although she tried to live up mother’s expectations, Chloe was going to do what she wanted to do with her life, whether her mother approved or not. Loved Chloe’s dad, everyone should have a daddy like him.
What we didn’t love:
Grace:
Fudge? Fucking fudge?! It was a bit odd the first time I read it and downright annoying near the end.
I followed the column of his throat to his Adam’s apple, perfection; to his jaw, perfection; and then his lips – holy fudge, perfection.
Apparently Chloe has had such a proper upbringing on the pageant circuit that she’s been trained (brainwashed) to not curse. She doesn’t even curse in her inner monologue. Ok, so I’m from Philly and may curse more than the average woman, but come on! As Elsa would say, “LET IT GO!”
As I was reading and the word “fudge” kept being used instead of “fuck”, I started feeling compulsive, desperate for her to say it. No such luck (she may have said it once the whole book and sadly, it wasn’t during sex). So who do I turn to when I need to hear a good f bomb? Bruce Boudreau of course.
Cue to the :30 mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQyEJ...
Ok, I’ve gotten that out of my system.
With the book title, I also expected a little bit of bondage. Am I alone in this thought? Well, there is none. Not a deal breaker or anything, just thought I’d mention it.
Michelle:
I am and will always be an Alice Clayton fan. I fell in love with her writing and wit with the Redhead Series. With this book though, I didn’t feel that instant connection. There was funny moments, but nothing like in her previous books. And when the sexy times finally came, it was at 80%. Alice can write an awesome sexy time scene, she’s done it with the Redhead Series. Yet with this Cocktail series, I felt too much of a friend zone situation. Of course, you will get a HEA for both Chloe and Charles, I just wanted a little more laughter.
Ok let’s deal with the Fudge moniker throughout the book. I, again, agree with Grace. It was funny at first because of Chloe’s pageantry, a lady never curses, but seriously a good F bomb now and then, will not even kill Ms. Universe. Now for this book being about bondage like my trusty/smutty Ginger thought, I knew there would not be any bondage involved lol. Not a deal breaker for me either.
Overall, this was a fun read. 2 runaway brides, 1 HEA, maybe 2, depending on how you look at it.
*An ARC was received for an honest review. -
It took a while for the story to get started. We definitely learn about what caused Chloe to break the engagement to her fiancé and move away. You cannot help but like Chloe Patterson.
Lucas just got over an engagement as well. His fiancé too left him at the alter and was a beauty pageant like Chloe. Chloe had similar backgrounds with their history in pageants and then in appearance as well. Lucas had some feelings about his ex-fiancé. Even though I could not exactly call it pining, it was something that at times irritated me.
I liked that Chloe and Lucas had a friendship first because both have just recently been in a relationship. This was not an insta-love story. Slow development which made for a sweet romance.
I like when the guy works to get the girl. Lucas was nice and sweet, but there was one scene that I left me confused about Lucas’ true feelings for Chloe. I would be mad, but Chloe handled it by just accepting it and I wish she was so understanding. I liked her a lot so I wanted the best for her and the best was a man that wanted her completely with no reservations. I felt like Lucas never took the incititive. He was not an alpha. I felt Lucas was very passive at times about the relationship when it was beginning to progress. Nonetheless, it was nice.
A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review. -
Another fun installment to the Cocktail series by Alice Clayton! Sweet, sexy and fun. Perfect romantic fix!
Chloe Patterson, a former beauty queen, is about to embark on an exciting new chapter of life as she prepares to marry her perfect match. But when doubts set in and she walks out on her wedding, she heads for a seaside town in Monterrey to figure out what she really wants out of life.
As she begins to redefine herself and with the help of the local veterinarian, Lucas Campbell, she realizes running an animal rescue shelter and making her own decisions suits her much better. As Chloe and Lucas spend time together, it’s no doubt there’s definitely chemistry between the two. However, can Chloe share her secret with Lucas who happened to be ditched at the altar by someone he loved?
I really enjoyed this romantic comedy by Clayton. She definitely has a way of getting you to fall for her characters and Chloe Patterson was no exception. Her prim and proper ways was fun to read about and I enjoyed seeing this beauty queen do something meaningful with her life. I have a soft spot for animals, so her pit bull rescue shelter was a nice layer to the story.
Mai Tai’d up is a quick, fun and quirky read that is a sure hit for Clayton fans. I enjoyed it very much! -
4 stars! FINALLY another great book in this series! Hallelujah! After being so disappointed with the last two, I went into Mai Tai'd Up a little... nervous. But, boy, I loved it!
The book was great, the characters were lovable, the story wasn't boring and there wasn't too much drama. In other words, a perfectly good book. And I still love Alice Clayton's humour!
Just a little little little thing that bothered me though... I'm only giving the book 4 stars because I thought the dirty talk was weird coming from Lucas... He's so, so, so, so SWEET. I had trouble imagining he would ever say these things.. He was amazing, but the dirty talk didn't go well with his personality.
