Nailed Down
by Chelle Bliss & Eden Butler
Published by Bliss Inc
Book 1 in the Nailed Down series
He's the hottest handyman on TV, but he only has eyes for his best friend.
Kit Carlyle isn't just some woman. Beautiful? Yep. Seductive? Damn straight. She's also my best friend and my co-worker. But, hell, I'm a guy with a pulse. Every once in a while, I look at her and think filthy things.
But when her cousin dies and leaves her with a long as hell and sexy bucket list, Kit turns to me for a helping hand. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a woman in need. Besides, I'm not about to let another man steal away my girl, occupy her bed, or fill my shoes.
But as the stakes get higher and the items become hotter, I'll have to face the toughest challenge of all: admitting I want more than Kit's friendship. I want to make her mine.
RATED: 18+ CATEGORY: MOOD:
Steamy Romance Sweet & Sexy
Nailed Down by Chelle Bliss and Eden Butler is the first book in their Nailed Down series, and centers around Kane, the handsome lead handyman on a popular home renovation show, and his best friend Kit, the designer of the show. When Kit is left a bucket list from her recently deceased cousin, she knows Kane is the right man to help her go through with it. Reluctantly, Kane agrees, if only to keep another man from stepping into his shoes. But can he keep his true feelings from Kit in an effort to not ruin their friendship?
Nailed Down has been on my TBR for a while now, so I figured it was time to give it a try. A short, quick read while I am waiting for Grace & Glory to come out on Tuesday (can you tell I write these posts in advance?). I was hoping for magic - and was left disappointed. Nailed Down is your typical friends to lovers romance. The only uniqueness to the plot was the bucket list - but it also left questions to the reader. How did her cousin die? I know it isn't important to the plot whatsoever, but a young woman dies unexpectedly, yet somehow writes out a bucket list for her cousin? How is a death both unexpected AND expected? The plot itself is a bit flat for me. Boring. The characters are ... *shrugs shoulders* ... okay? Neither of them made a lot of sense. Kane is sweet, if a bit overprotective, but towards the end throws out the curveball of liking rough sex. Which, reading it (because there is steamy scenes) - seems like normal sex to me, just ... harder? LOL. After finishing it, I still don't quite know what was holding either of the characters back from a relationship. They both kept alluding to something, but you are left guessing. There are a lot of gaps to fill in. And hey - I know in the past I have complained about being spoon-fed everything in a book, but there should at least be hints as to why these characters do what they do? Right?
Nailed Down wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great. I felt no compulsion to buy the rest of the series (there are three more), which is a bummer. I've had a couple of duds now, and its bumming me out. If you like the friends to lovers trope, with an alpha type male, and looking for a short, steamy romance to check out, you might enjoy this one. It just wasn't for me.
Their first kiss in the bar
Kane shaving Asher's fancy mustache as punishment for secretly filming him
Kane and Kit in the truck ... whew.
Their first time
Life is a journey, and you haven't even gotten out of bed. Time to pack your bags and get started. Don't be sad that I'm gone, Kit Kat. Be happy I lived and loved while I was here.
Kane: "Hell, Kit. I'm not a sad sack. It's just where you love someone, everybody else is a cheap substitute. I only wanted the woman I loved. I only ever wanted you."
Lexi: "He a biter? Based on that mark on your neck, I'd say he's a rough one. Damn that's hot."
Neva: "Yeah, I can't picture Kane gentle, and he doesn't seem like a missionary kinda guy either."
Kit: "He's definitely not."
All three of us giggled until Kane cleared his throat and closed the trailer door. We'd been so engrossed in the conversation that I wasn't sure how long he'd been standing there.
Lexi: "Oh, hey, Kane. We were just talking about Asher."
Lexi said, trying to play it off, but based on the look on Kane's face, he'd heard more than we wanted him to.
Kane: "Umm-hmm."
He glanced my way, shooting me a quick wink and a smile.
Kane: "You ladies having a good morning?"
Lexi: "Yep. How about you? Have a nice trip?"
Neva sucked her lips into her mouth to stop herself from laughing. I gave her a don't fucking do it face in the mirror because I knew she was chomping at the bit to say something to him.
Kane: "Perfect."
Lexi smacked her lips together, fighting back a shit-eating grin.
Lexi: "We heard."
Kane: "And ladies. Real men don't dig missionary."