I'm Ivy Clarke. Bartender, best friend, and disbeliever in love.
And now I'm in over my head, trying to flip a house all by myself.
Thanks, HGTV.
I'm not too proud to admit I need some help. Too bad the only one who can help me is the same man I want to throw out this house's second-story window.
Jackson Gamble and I can't be in the same room together for more than a minute without devolving into a sparring match.
Except for that one time…
But enough about that. Jackson's looking for forever, and I don't believe in love, remember?
Get in. Renovate. Get out. Keep my heart firmly in tact.
Because it's much easier to fix up a house than a broken heart.
Full of humor and dripping with delicious tension, Nailed It proves that every heart can be ready for a little
rehabilitation, if only you're willing to open it up.
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My Review
I received an advanced copy of this book with the promise of an honest review.
Thanks to the reputation her mother has with men, it’s no surprise that Ivy is such a commitment phone. She has rules when it comes to relationships. The most important being she avoids them at all costs. But when she spends a week with best friend’s brother Jackson, the walls she has built up start to crumble a little. So of course Ivy then does what she knows best...she runs away.
Now it’s sometime later and Ivy has decided to renovate the only place she’s felt at home. The house of her mother’s ex best friend is on the market and when she sees that, a wave of nostalgia takes over and Ivy can’t help but want to fix up the house. Sure, she has never renovated a house but she does watch a lot of HGTV and is sure she can handle it. It doesn’t take long for her to become overwhelmed and when her best friend sends help, it is in the form of the guy Ivy wants to avoid most....Jackson.
Ivy and Jackson had this whole love/hate thing going on that was executed so well. I’m a big fan of the sarcastic back and forth verbal sparring that eventually turns into foreplay. I love it and I found myself thinking "Oh I would totally say/do that!" more than once. And while it’s obvious that these two are genuinely attracted to each other, it will take a miracle for them to admit it. Over the course of renovating the house, Ivy and Jackson come to an understanding. As long as they are renovating, they will hook up. Ivy thinks she won’t have a problem breaking things off when the time comes and Jackson is hoping the exact opposite could happen. Guess what happens? ;-)
This book was so enjoyable. If you’re a fan of HGTV (Hey Property Brothers! #TeamJonathan), there are plenty of references to make you say “Oh yeah. I remember that episode.” or “Ugh. Those people are the worst!” Then throw in a women with attachment issues and a guy whose family is hoping he’ll settle down soon and the two are kept together by some intense sexual tension, and you got yourself a funny, sexy and sweet story!
EXCERPT
Jackson took a step toward me, closing the space I’d put between us. He swept the hair off my face and trailed his finger down and across my jaw. “I thought we took care of that thinking problem the other night.”
“Jackson.” Man, he was making it so hard to hold onto anything resembling resolve.
He leaned closer, his lips a mere breath away. “Ivy.”
My heart thumped harder and harder in my chest. Am I really going to do this? Say something that might stop our sexytimes fun in its tracks before I get my fill?
Yes, damn it, it looks like I am. I really should’ve come up with a more solid plan so I’d know exactly what to say.
“While the other night was fun, I know that you’re looking for something”—my throat tightened, and I had to force the words out—“more long term.”
“You’ve obviously been talking to my meddling family—my money is on Savannah.”
I shrugged. “It doesn’t make it less true, does it?”
“I told you the other night that I knew we were only having fun, and I meant it.”
“But you’re dating someone.” Guilt flooded me as I said it. I’d been so focused on how upset Savannah would be that I’d managed to forget that I had even more to feel guilty for.
“I’ve been on a few dates recently, yes, but I’m not in a committed relationship, or I never would’ve carried you to bed. You really think I’d do that?”
Now that I thought about it, no, but I still wondered if Caroline thought they were more serious. His family certainly hoped it would go in that direction. “I don’t want to get in the way.”
Jackson’s intense gaze bored into me, making my heart skip a few beats altogether. “You’ve been in the way since the moment I walked through the door of this house—hell, maybe even since the engagement party. I tried wanting what’s good for me, but wanting you is stronger.”
Every ounce of air whooshed out of my lungs at once. “Then maybe we need to rethink our business arrangement. I can hire someone else to help me fin—”
“No.”
There was the familiar irritation, leaking in and spiking my blood pressure. I tossed the roller down in the vicinity of the tray. “Okay, let’s at least talk about it, because if—”
“No. We made a deal, and I plan on seeing it through. I’m also a grown man, and I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions. I understand that this thing between us is temporary, and I don’t care.” He hauled me to him, his arm coming around my waist to secure me against him. “I’m not quite done having my way with you yet.”
He crashed his mouth down on mine, and all my pent-up energy surged forward at once, common sense taking the backseat as lust took the wheel. I parted my lips, diving headlong into the kiss. I ran my hands up his firm arms, not realizing my left hand was still wet with paint from catching myself until I’d dragged it most the way up.
Jackson glanced at the smear of blue covering his biceps and the sleeve of his T-shirt, arched an eyebrow, and then backed me up against the wet wall, his hips bumping into mine.
I moaned as he ground against me. He felt so good I didn’t even care about the paint or the fact that I’d need to redo the wall. I just wanted more of him on more of me.
Now it’s sometime later and Ivy has decided to renovate the only place she’s felt at home. The house of her mother’s ex best friend is on the market and when she sees that, a wave of nostalgia takes over and Ivy can’t help but want to fix up the house. Sure, she has never renovated a house but she does watch a lot of HGTV and is sure she can handle it. It doesn’t take long for her to become overwhelmed and when her best friend sends help, it is in the form of the guy Ivy wants to avoid most....Jackson.
Ivy and Jackson had this whole love/hate thing going on that was executed so well. I’m a big fan of the sarcastic back and forth verbal sparring that eventually turns into foreplay. I love it and I found myself thinking "Oh I would totally say/do that!" more than once. And while it’s obvious that these two are genuinely attracted to each other, it will take a miracle for them to admit it. Over the course of renovating the house, Ivy and Jackson come to an understanding. As long as they are renovating, they will hook up. Ivy thinks she won’t have a problem breaking things off when the time comes and Jackson is hoping the exact opposite could happen. Guess what happens? ;-)
This book was so enjoyable. If you’re a fan of HGTV (Hey Property Brothers! #TeamJonathan), there are plenty of references to make you say “Oh yeah. I remember that episode.” or “Ugh. Those people are the worst!” Then throw in a women with attachment issues and a guy whose family is hoping he’ll settle down soon and the two are kept together by some intense sexual tension, and you got yourself a funny, sexy and sweet story!
EXCERPT
Jackson took a step toward me, closing the space I’d put between us. He swept the hair off my face and trailed his finger down and across my jaw. “I thought we took care of that thinking problem the other night.”
“Jackson.” Man, he was making it so hard to hold onto anything resembling resolve.
He leaned closer, his lips a mere breath away. “Ivy.”
My heart thumped harder and harder in my chest. Am I really going to do this? Say something that might stop our sexytimes fun in its tracks before I get my fill?
Yes, damn it, it looks like I am. I really should’ve come up with a more solid plan so I’d know exactly what to say.
“While the other night was fun, I know that you’re looking for something”—my throat tightened, and I had to force the words out—“more long term.”
“You’ve obviously been talking to my meddling family—my money is on Savannah.”
I shrugged. “It doesn’t make it less true, does it?”
“I told you the other night that I knew we were only having fun, and I meant it.”
“But you’re dating someone.” Guilt flooded me as I said it. I’d been so focused on how upset Savannah would be that I’d managed to forget that I had even more to feel guilty for.
“I’ve been on a few dates recently, yes, but I’m not in a committed relationship, or I never would’ve carried you to bed. You really think I’d do that?”
Now that I thought about it, no, but I still wondered if Caroline thought they were more serious. His family certainly hoped it would go in that direction. “I don’t want to get in the way.”
Jackson’s intense gaze bored into me, making my heart skip a few beats altogether. “You’ve been in the way since the moment I walked through the door of this house—hell, maybe even since the engagement party. I tried wanting what’s good for me, but wanting you is stronger.”
Every ounce of air whooshed out of my lungs at once. “Then maybe we need to rethink our business arrangement. I can hire someone else to help me fin—”
“No.”
There was the familiar irritation, leaking in and spiking my blood pressure. I tossed the roller down in the vicinity of the tray. “Okay, let’s at least talk about it, because if—”
“No. We made a deal, and I plan on seeing it through. I’m also a grown man, and I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions. I understand that this thing between us is temporary, and I don’t care.” He hauled me to him, his arm coming around my waist to secure me against him. “I’m not quite done having my way with you yet.”
He crashed his mouth down on mine, and all my pent-up energy surged forward at once, common sense taking the backseat as lust took the wheel. I parted my lips, diving headlong into the kiss. I ran my hands up his firm arms, not realizing my left hand was still wet with paint from catching myself until I’d dragged it most the way up.
Jackson glanced at the smear of blue covering his biceps and the sleeve of his T-shirt, arched an eyebrow, and then backed me up against the wet wall, his hips bumping into mine.
I moaned as he ground against me. He felt so good I didn’t even care about the paint or the fact that I’d need to redo the wall. I just wanted more of him on more of me.
Cindi Madsen is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.
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