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In a small town, rumor is everything…

Life came easy to him.
Town playboy Aidric Jones has it all: money, women, a life without responsibility. Until his house burns down and a daughter he doesn't know lands on his doorstep. No one expects him to step up, to grow up, but he finds disappointment is different when someone is counting on him.


And everyone is whispering…

Growing up on the wrong side of the tracks everyone knew Olivia Buckley was going to end up pregnant and stuck in River City with a deadbeat boyfriend. Now she’s a single mom working for her parent’s construction company, unable to escape a reputation she hates. She’s fighting like hell to make a life for herself and her son, to prove everyone wrong.
They’re two people with nothing in common except a falling down house, two angry kids, and a town full of rumors--but maybe that’s enough

They’ll give them something to talk about…

Kindle Edition

First published May 8, 2018

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About the author

Nazarea Andrews

46 books430 followers
Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

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Profile Image for Kate.
2,301 reviews359 followers
May 7, 2018
3-3.5 Sweet, sexy and fun to read Stars

Aidric Jones, one of River City’s finest in the fire department loves his luxuries in life. Free to do what he wants in his small apartment, to flirt and sleep with anyone he is interested in. He never wanted to live any other way as he was always in his sister’s shadow. The mayor of River City.

I liked Aidric a lot although he has his man whore ways they are mentioned but aren’t in the spotlight. He is an introvert who likes his space and loves to cook. Beneath his cool exterior he is kind, generous and has dry wit. There is more to him than meets the eye. And when life throws him a curveball in the form of an unexpected daughter. He embraces his role as the man that he wants to be. IMO he rocks being a father.

Olivia Ollie Buckley was conscientious, got good grades and one night of relaxation at the age of 17 she got knocked up. The father never to be seen again. Ollie has made the best out of a situation she stayed in RC, she is being the best mom she can. Now, she is running her father’s construction company.

Ollie is strong, snarky and a gem of a heroine. She has dealt with everything that life has thrown at her as a trooper. RC has beat her down with the rumour mill but she never let them put her down. The one thing that annoyed me was her reluctance at the end to go to Aidric sooner.

There is an underlying chemistry and a great build up to the romance that they have. The heat level is L-O-W they have sex once. The romance is S-L-O-W.

The best secondary characters in the book Aidric’s daughter Kendra & Ollie’s son Theo. I can see these two being friends like Miguel and Taite.

I love the feel of River City, it isn’t quite small town living but it has a certain vibe to it. I enjoyed the story and the plot of the book as a whole. Ms. Andrews captivated me with the characters and the emotions what they were feeling and without realising it what they wanted in life. The development of the characters was solid and has an even pace to it.

Rusty Nailed is a great addition to the series and although it doesn’t hit all my buttons I seriously want to read more of the characters mentioned. So keep them coming.

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Profile Image for Erin Lewis.
6,267 reviews220 followers
May 9, 2018
5 Star review Rusty Nail (River Street Bar Series#2) by Nazarea Andrews
This was a new author to me and I have absolutely no idea why that is. What a great read; I will certainly be checking out her other books as soon as time permits.
Aidric Jones is a man of wealth, a playboy who wants for nothing, until a fire destroys his house and he suddenly finds himself the father of a daughter he knew nothing about.
The story was strong and I really enjoyed Ms. Andrews style of writing. Her characters drew me in and in truth I became so invested I really didn’t want the book to end.
Olivia Buckley is a single mum, who runs her own construction company and Aidric hires her to rebuild and remodel his home. Her son and his daughter become friends and through that friendship a strong foundation is built.
Aidric and Olivia could not be any more different, Olivia has struggled all through her life having been born on the wrong side of the tracks. Always struggling to prove her worth to those around her.
When fate brings these four together, friendships are formed not only between the children but also the adults. I enjoyed the development of Aidric and Ollie’s relationship. Rusty Nail is a story of hope, overcoming the odds, miss-communication and is a sweet romantic story interlaced with deep emotional situations which will hit you right in the heart.
I particularly enjoyed watching the relationship between Aidric and his daughter develop as he tries to help her through her grieving and of course this struggles as he had no idea how to be a father, but I loved his determination to overcome and be there for her.
Profile Image for Isha Coleman.
9,238 reviews176 followers
May 6, 2018
We are more than the sum of our mistakes. Rusty Nail stays true to that theme. Ms. Andrews engrosses readers in a tale of heartache, past mistakes and new beginnings. Olivia has spent most of her life trying to outrun the label that continues to haunt her every waking moment. Aidric is the golden boy living the good life, no strings attached, until one appears out of the blue. With much to prove to themselves and the people around them, nothing will stop these young hearts from finally growing up. Inspiration tale of realistic temptation. Unforgettably relatable romance.
Profile Image for Suey_Library.
365 reviews19 followers
May 14, 2018
***I was provided an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review***

I cannot deny that I am a huge fangirl when it comes to single dad or mom type romance tropes. My favorite aspects are always when authors do a different twist on the drama and romance chemistry itself that really tickles my pickle. For the Rusty Nail, I loved the synopsis - the part with it being a small town where everyone knows everyone, it just adds to the fact that its an immediate drama factor. I love small town atmospheres.

Obviously before I go too deep into that 'small town' atmosphere, because it will honestly leak into the characters themselves, I have to admit right off the bat that I really enjoyed the writing style for the most part. Even though I liked the characters, the setting and the build there were just points that seemed or felt rushed. Because it was a 'small town' setting, there was this hovering drama but I felt it was skimmed a little too much, and would have liked more history instead of it being so briefly mentioned. You will see what I mean once I dive into the characters.

So the characters...

Aidric was a delicious piece of man meat. I know I say it constantly but seriously he was yummy. He definitely had a presence in the novel that I felt really invested to him, especially once he was presented with his daughter he had never known existed. He was an honest man with mistakes and took on his responsibility with force. It was fun to seeing how he took the town drama face on, not letting it bother him what people thought, though this plays in part with the fact that he came from the right side of the tracks in this scenario, so of course he didn't care.

It was Olivia who was the girl on the 'other side' of the tracks who lived less unfortunate and was the town slut, though the rumor mill created that for her, she was anything but that content. Yes she did get pregnant right after high school, but not because she slept around, so she embraced her rumor and carried on, raising her son and doing what was best for them. I loved her 'gives no shit' personality, holding her head high and doing her job. Olivia was a fun character.

As the connection between Olivia and Aidric grew, so did the friendship between her son and his daughter. They were becoming a family without realizing it. I loved this about their chemistry. I also liked how they treated each other and the kids. Plus Olivia and Aidric's sexual connection - whoohoo it was yummy.

The big pet peeve I had in regards to their chemistry which also more rolls around the kids plus the town. And not that it really damaged the story, but just created the wall for me that made things harder to connect or see the believable scenario - for one, the kids seem to be too invested in their parents life and the relationship. Like they do not act like children, though they are a reasonable age to add that they are not just silly children, but at times they were TOO grown up for the age in which they were. Then there was the issue of Aidric's indiscretions as a playboy in the town making its way into the children's school life, which I just couldn't wrap my mind around. On top of this, on occasion there were mentions of Aidric and Olivia knowing one another when they were younger, Aidric was a few years older. But Olivia mentioned she had a crush on him in high school, but there wasn't much else developed there. For me personally, I would have liked a little more history in the plot. It all goes back to the fact that this was a small town, and yet there wasn't enough history there for me to get a grip on the imagination of the characters. There was so much going on in the now with the children and Aidric's sister, I just would have preferred more the past than the current.  

In simplest ways, it was too much with too little. I would have liked more placement in certain areas and less in others. Still the chemistry between Aidric and Olivia was spectacular build, it was believable, definitely swoon worthy. 

Putting that aside though, I did enjoy Rusty Nail in a lot of ways. The romance was fun, edgy and cute enough with some spice that was deliciously sexy. The family dynamics was fun and it was definitely a fast paced, entertaining read. I liked the characters a good chuck of the way. As my first read from Nazarea Andrews I am very much curious as to what some of the other reads are liked - I definitely want to add more of her to my ever growing TBR.
Profile Image for Britt Chaotic Creatives.
1,414 reviews94 followers
May 6, 2018
My first read from Nazarea Andrews, I wasn’t sure what to expect. At first I wasn’t sure I was going to get into her writing style. Distinctly unique and different from what I usually find myself drawn to I felt like I wasn’t quite connecting to the story, but as I continued to read I found myself pulled deeper and deeper into Aidric and Ollie’s lives and before I knew it was on the last page and wanting even more! I also found myself I bit confused by the family dynamics but that’s purely from the fact I haven’t read the first book of the series. I wasn’t lost, I was able to piece together and figure out some but it still left me wondering why so I’m gladly going to be hoping into the first book.

Aidric is a man who’s never been fond of commitment beyond being a committed bachelor. A well known love ‘em and leave ‘em type fatherhood is the last thing on his mind when it’s suddenly thrust upon him. Ollie has been a single mom stuck in a town she always planned to leave so that she can be sure she provides the best life for her son. Mostly vague acquaintances before, Aidric and Ollie are soon brought together while her company repairs and remodels his childhood home for him and his daughter. Things soon grow into much deeper feelings as these two spend time together and their children form a tight bond of friendship.

I loved the deeper level of thought and emotion put into Rusty Nail. Nazarea Andrews perfectly balances a deeply emotional story with a sweet fulfilling romance in a way that grips you and holds you glued to the pages.
Profile Image for Lynn Reynolds.
1,698 reviews39 followers
May 10, 2018
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Aidric Jones’ life is about to change. And as you read he seems to be very accepting of the situation. Olivia “Ollie” Buckley doesn’t know how she’s going to cope. We have two single parents just wanting what’s best for their children. We have two children that will show you how smart they are as well as pull at your heart.

This has to be one of the few times where I could start to see where an author is taking her readers. Now that’s not a bad thing. But I’m just one of those readers that sometimes it takes a while for the light bulb to go on. It also means that she can still surprise me and very few authors have been able to do that. We have an easy progression of a relationship between two adults. For the children we have one that cares what happens to the other.

Our author knows what to write in order to get you to laugh. She knows what to write in order for a reader to feel as if you are a part of the story – you feel like you want to talk to the characters. She also creates a character that Aidric wants to look up to but then she seems to do something that only leads to disappointment. And the best part of all is that she gives her readers a great ending.

I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Jackie Wright.
6,699 reviews140 followers
May 7, 2018
This is the first book I have read by this author and I have no idea why she hasn’t crossed my radar before now and after reading Rusty Nail I will be searching out the previous book in this series. Rusty Nail may be book 2 in the Ruver Street Bar Series but it can certainly be read as a stand-alone. Nazarea Andrews writing style is very unique and very different to anything I had read before she drew me in with her characters and plot and I couldn’t pay this book down.
Aidric is not into commitment or relationships he is a typical love them and leave them playboy but his life is about to do a 180 degree turn around when he finds out he has a daughter and more to the point a daughter who has just lost her mother and who needs him desperately. Ollie is a single mum who runs her own construction company and when she is hired to to remodel Aidric’s family home she offers her sons friendship as he is the same age as Aidric’s daughter. Fate seems determined to bring these two opposites together and as their children form a strong bond and friendship so their own feelings start to come into play.....
These characters are strong and well developed and Rusty Nail is more than just another romance story it’s a journey of two people finding themselves as well as love. Looking forward to more from Nazarea Nail starting with book 1 in this series.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
805 reviews19 followers
May 8, 2018
Regardless of the circumstances, becoming a parent changes things. It changes your priorities, your decisions, your goals. Ollie became a mother way too young. Before, her only goal was to get away from River City. After, she just wanted to be the best mom she could be. Even though she had the support of her parents, she wanted to do it as much on her own as she possibly could. And she did very well.

Aidric found out he had a daughter through tragic circumstances. And suddenly he has a half grown, pre-teen daughter, who is grieving, and has been uprooted from everything she knows. He is determined to be a good dad, but isn't sure how to do it. But he knows they need a home, and he has one that needs some work. He hires Ollie's company to do the renovations. There is an instant attraction between Aidric and Ollie, and their kids become best friends.

There is a lot of tension in this book, both sexual and otherwise. There is a lot of small town gossip, that causes a lot of hurt. There is also a lot of miscommunication that leads to problems. I enjoyed this book, and the slow build up of their relationship. This was a fun book, that really shows how kids can change your life, for the better, even when you aren't expecting them!
Profile Image for Messy Bun Book Blog.
2,319 reviews
May 8, 2018
I LOVE THIS SERIES!! Nazarea Andrews is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! Rusty Nail is well written with characters I can relate to. Aidric and Olivia were so perfectly broken in their own ways and it was amazing to watch them grow as people. I adore the fact that this is more than dual POVs! Giving the children a voice in the story was just icing on the cake for me. This is an amazing story!! FIVE STARS!!
Profile Image for A.BookNerd.Bookseller&Bibliophile.Blog.
2,787 reviews107 followers
May 12, 2018
Small towns and their narrow mindedness. I have always thought that small towns could destroy a relationship between two people who live in them.

For Ollie and Aidric, the small town mentality is just the tip of the iceberg for them. I felt the dynamic of Ollie, Aidric, along with Theo (Ollie’s son), Kendra (Aidric’s daughter) and all of the supporting characters was perfect.

This was my first book by Ms. Andrews, I look forward to reading more from her.

Reviewed by: Dana D.
Profile Image for JG.
1,494 reviews59 followers
May 15, 2018
Small town playboy gets together with small town failure or so the people of River City has painted firefighter Aidric Jones and contractor Olivia Buckley. But these two carry more responsibilities than small town gossips give them credit for. For Ollie raising her son well became the reason for her life. She may have failed to go after the dream of leaving River City behind and becoming something more than what she is now but she can never regret Theo. But when she meets Aidric she suddenly realizes she may get to live her dreams after all but is she brave enough to go for it? Aidric Jones never really cared what other people thought of him, he loves his family and leaves the being respected part to his older sister. But then the unexpected happens, he finds out his a dad to a daughter he never even knew he had. Suddenly he starts thinking about someone else's welfare instead of just his own and when he reconnects with Olivia again he seems to finally hope that he might get his happily ever after, after all. Now, if he can only convince Olivia of that.
Rusty Nails basically just hits you over the head with it's great plot, wonderful set of characters and a romance that gets what real life of a single parent is all about. Both Ollie and Aidric's journey into finally believing that they can make things work and build something more than just brick and mortar is something that would make readers smile and sigh. This slow burning romance is also a family centered one.

*ARC provided*
Profile Image for Kim.
1,501 reviews35 followers
May 14, 2018
In a small town like River City, everyone knows everyone else's business- and if they don't, they make up a story that suits them instead. Gossips constantly wag their tongues, completely content in their own superiority without regard for the feelings of the person who is the subject of their cruel remarks, and innocent children are held responsible for the sins of the parent in their eyes. This is the life that Olivia has been living since high school, and Aidric is about to get a taste of it as well.

Olivia is struggling to keep the family construction business in the black, but she is determined to overcome the small minded opinions of the people in town to make a real life for herself and her 11 year old son Theo who is her whole world. She may have made a mistake back in high school, but she is not some flighty, irresponsible bubblehead and that one night led to the best part of her life. When Aidric Jones reaches out to her for a quote to rebuild his house after a fire, it couldn't come at a better time for her financially. Add in that Aid has always been one of the few people who treats her like an actual human being and she cannot say no to the sexiest man in town.

Growing up, Aid lived in the shadow of his siblings at times, so he became the carefree one who did what he wanted when he wanted and earned himself quite a reputation as a manwhore. Now that lifestyle just gave him a serious reality check in the form of an 11 year old daughter that he never knew anything about because her mother didn't trust him to be responsible enough to be in her life. Now he is all that Kendra has left in the world after losing her mother and both grandparents in the span of a year, and he will not turn away from her. Rebuilding the Jones house becomes more important to him than ever to give his daughter a proper home, and Olivia is just the person to make that happen. He just doesn't expect her to also become his lifeline when it comes to dealing with the unexpected ups and downs of becoming a parent overnight.

Theo and Kendra were wonderful characters in this story as they formed a bond of their own almost immediately upon meeting. Kendra is terrified that she is going to lose someone else from her life since that has been constant reality lately, and even at 11 years old, Theo has a fiercely protective nature. He protects her from the bullying of one particularly nasty little girl whose parents divorced after her mother allegedly slept with Aid (not one of his finer moments if it's true), and he helps Kendra cope with a completely new family that has been dropped into her lap.

The Jones family may be River City royalty of sorts, but they could also be the poster children for dysfunction at times too. Natalie, Aidric's older sister, is the mayor and one of my least favorite people in this series so far. She likes to think she is the all powerful wizard (or witch?) behind the curtain, but she often sticks her nose in where it isn't wanted and her "help" only makes things worse. Her kids have varying levels of trust issues and complexes as a result of her choices, so how she thinks she is the best person to raise Kendra confuses me- and Aidric. Fortunately he sets her in her place, and thanks to the age gap between Aid and Natalie, he is able to turn to Dempsey and Charlie, 2 of Nat's kids who are close in age to him, for some help.

Olivia quickly becomes more than a sounding board for him too, and he realizes that he doesn't just want a quick bit of fun with her. The close bond being forged between Theo and Kendra adds another layer of complexity to the possibilities of a relationship between them, but he is determined to explore what could be if Olivia can just get over her fear of letting a man get close enough to her to hurt her again. He and Ollie definitely have chemistry, and the kids are good for a few giggles with some matchmaking attempts of their own. It's not an easy ride with the eyes of the whole town on them, but all in all, I really enjoyed Rusty Nail and flew through the pages once I picked it up!
Profile Image for Christie72 (Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews).
1,466 reviews27 followers
May 14, 2018
Nazarea Andrews has crafted a great romantic novel about second chances!

Rusty Nail is the second novel in the River Bar Series, and this book is about Aidric (which by the way, I love his name) and Olivia. Life has been very different for each of them. Aidric has lived what looks like a pretty easy life. He has money, women, and can pretty much do what he wants. Olivia was the smart girl in high school with plans to leave her small town behind. Unfortunately, she wasn’t expecting to be pregnant her senior year. As adult, her life is one of responsibilities, being a single mother and trying to keep her family’s construction business afloat. They each know of each other, but don’t really know one another. Fate is getting ready to step in to change that.

Aidric has had the rug completely pulled out from under him. He has gone from a life of no responsibilities to a life full of them now...with the discovery that he has an 11-year-old daughter, and she is coming to live with him, after her mother’s death. Some men may run from that, but he isn’t like most men. He dives headfirst into fatherhood. That takes guts, and it is in no way an easy task as he soon finds out. His daughter, Kendra, is dealing with nightmares and fear that she will be abandoned by him. He has hired Olivia to help him rebuild his home that burned, but she quickly becomes a huge support for him because she knows exactly what it’s like to be a single parent.

Olivia is a woman to be admired. In the face of challenge, she rises to the occasion refusing to give up. She can’t because she has a son, Theo, to raise. She is also trying to keep her father’s construction company in business which is now hers. She has sacrificed so much for her son. It’s nice when she and Aidric become friends, and in a sense become a team in raising their children. Unlike most books, it isn’t the man questioning the relationship, it’s Olivia. But, I could understand, she has never really had a man to lean on, nor has she ever felt for another man what she feels for Aidric. I just kept hoping she would give him a chance to prove himself.

Rusty Nail is a slow-burning romance, but I felt like it worked for this book. Both have responsibilities outside of themselves, so it wouldn’t work for them to throw caution to the wind and jump into a relationship. As with the first book in the series, this one is a romance with depth and emotion. One thing that struck me was that Andrews not only gave a voice to Olivia and Aidric, but she gave a voice to the kids, Kendra and Theo. I thought that was a brilliant move on her part. They were a driving force in the story so it was important for them to be able to tell their part of the story as well. As a bonus, I got to catch up with characters from the first book. I’m looking forward to the next one in the series!!!!

****READ AND REVIEWED FOR DEVILISHLY DELICIOUS BOOK REVIEWS****
Profile Image for Claire Cronin.
1,244 reviews20 followers
May 13, 2018
Book 2 in the River Street Bar series, I haven't read book 1 but I think I should have, even though this can be read as a standalone, I feel I'm missing out on some of the things and the characters from book 1, so will definitely go back and read this.

Aidric is the mayor's brother, works as a firefighter, been a playboy all his life and has never been looking for a relationship, he's happy and carefree the way he is, but his family are everything to him, and that's enough for him. Until life throws him a curve-ball he wasn't expecting, a daughter he knew nothing about and who has lost her whole world and has nothing but him. He embraces his new role with everything he has, determined to be a good dad to Kendra. He plans to renovate the old family home for them to live in and uses a local firm now owned by a woman he knew from school, Olivia.

Olivia herself has had a rough time of it, working hard through school and had plans, but one night of passion left her pregnant with no father on the scene. She's done her best for her son and worked hard, but the little town they live in, River City, is full of little town rumors, and her life has been filled with those as the one that got pregnant in school, and has been unable to move past this, hating River City for it. But she has taken over the family business from her Dad and made a good job of it, and enjoys it. She takes on the renovation of Aidric's house, who she's had a secret crush on since he stood up for her one time just after she had her baby. Now they are both single parents and she's there to offer Aidric all sorts of help and advice, whilst slowly their friendship develops into something more.

I loved the characters, Aidric just likes keeping to himself, but there is more to him than meets the eye, kind, caring with a dry sense of humor, I liked him and he tried his best for Kendra. Ollie is strong and sassy, her world revolving around her son, never having been in a relationship at all, is unsure and very frightened of it all going wrong with Aidric.

This is a very slow burn, but I enjoyed the story and the character building, both their kids are great characters that added to the reading enjoyment and I would definitely read more from this series.
Profile Image for Sharon Moritz-rosenthal.
2,275 reviews30 followers
May 9, 2018
I received a complimentary ARC from the author for review prior to the books release.


This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it, though I have no plans to read the first book in the series. The first thing I noticed in this story are that the names are a little out there. It made it a little strange to read, that everyone featured in the story had a name I had never heard before, but aside from that I loved the story.
It is a little brady bunch in that the two main characters, each have a son and a daughter and they form a friendship with each other thru their kids and then romance follows. I freaking LOVED the heroine, Olivia. She was super smart in high school until she sleeps with this one guy and she ends up pregnant. She literally gives up everything for her son and becomes a dedicated mom.
Meanwhile Aidric Jones sleeps with anything that moves, is how he is described, mostly women but men are not off the table either. He is the uncle of the 1st books hero, Dempsey and he has a HUGE family and his sister is mayor and butts into his life constantly. Until one day he finds out a woman he slept with died and had a child. One who is now 11. The same age as Olivia's child.
Meanwhile Olivia is running her dads construction company and Aidric hires her and they have been aquaintances until Olivia OLivia befriends him and offers her son to befriend his daughter. This story is 3 sided and I loved that. We don't just hear from Aidric and Olivia but also from Kendra, Aidric Jones newly discovered daughter.
This was a sweet and heart warming story that reminded me a little of the brady bunch. I hated the annoying older sister but otherwise I really loved Aidric Jones and Olivia and both their kids.
Profile Image for Sascha.
Author 5 books33 followers
May 15, 2018
After reading the first novel in the River Street Bar series, Fireball, (you can see my review here), I expected to love Rusty Nail as much as I did Fireball, but I didn't. While Fireball had a sense of humor and definite affection for its characters, Rusty Nail felt pale in comparison. It also felt like it could have undergone a substantial edit with someone paying attention to word meaning and sentence variation.

Aidric discovers that he has an eleven-year old daughter, Kendra, after her mother dies. He steps up, brings her to his home, and tries to do his best to add stability to her life. Meanwhile, Olivia (Ollie) is renovating Aidric's family home, has a son, Theo, who befriends Kendra. Aidric and Ollie are attracted to each other.

While I liked Aidric's character, I thought Ollie went off the handle a little too often. And the irony of her saying "Language" to Theo (meaning he should watch his language) when she was dropping numerous instances of the f-bomb struck me. Obviously there is no expectation of learning by example here. And, perhaps it's because I felt frustrated by this novel that the swearing seemed gratuitous after a while, but then I feel that the f-bomb loses its intensity if it's as common as "the."

All in all, I was disappointed. It was a decent enough read, just not as excellent as Fireball.
I will say that this review comes with a caveat: your-mileage-may-vary. There are plenty of readers who are loving on this novel, and maybe you will be one of them.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Ree.
2,527 reviews53 followers
May 14, 2018
I was eagerly looking forward to this installment, having enjoyed the first book in the series.

Aidric Jones & Olivia Buckley are both infamous in their small, nosy hometown of River City. Olivia, aka Ollie, has sort of made peace with her situation, raising her young son the best she knew how. Now, she's inherited her dad's business, but some folks seem to keep holding her past against her.

Life has always been a little too easy for Aidric. Handsome, flirtatious, he's never had real responsibility. When he realises his daughter - whom he never knew existed - desperately needs him, life changes. Deciding to renovate his damaged house to give them a fresh start, he hires Olivia, whom he's always admired from afar. But, starting a relationship with her isn't as easy as it looks, with so many other lives having a stake in the successor and/or failure of their relationship.

I really enjoyed this book. The secondary characters of Kendra & Theo (Aidric & Ollie's kids respectively) were very well crafted. They were entertaining and mature, but still realistically child-like. The book highlights the character growth of Aidric, who we knew previously as an unrepentant man-whore. His character matures after he learns about Kendra, and he gives himself time to learn about Ollie. Their relationship grows slowly, and sweetly.

I recommend this book, and look forward to the next in the series.

I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC of this book.
Profile Image for Sarah Dale.
3,215 reviews76 followers
May 15, 2018
This is the second book in this series and I am really enjoying it. Nazarea has given us some great characters to fall in love with and become invested in.

Adriac Jones is the towns playboy, the fireman that everyone loves with his charm. The life he knows and loves is turned upside down when he finds out he has an 11 year old daughter that needs him. I really loved how he stepped up to look after her, despite the low expectations of everyone around him. The bond he formed with her was beautiful to watch blossom and grow. She really made the eternal Peter Pan grow up and he grew up unto a fine man.

Olivia Buckley is a single mum of an eleven year boy. She runs a construction company and is hired by Adriac to renovate his house after fire damage. Soon as these two meet oh hell the sparks were flying with all the sexual tension building up between them. The friendship that bloomed between their children was so sweet to watch (think they need to start saving for their wedding now)

Both Olivia and Adriac have so much going on in their lives and the foundations of their relationship are so strong, they feed each other strength and the encouragement they give each other is so natural and great to watch.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review from the Author and Inkslinger PR

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Profile Image for Renee Entress.
5,637 reviews78 followers
May 13, 2018
4 star

The story has laughs, secrets, pain, and heartbreak.

If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first
Fireball (River Street Bar, #1)

This is Olivia and Aidric’s story. Aidric had it all. That was until his house burned down. When he was trying to deal with that he got thrown another curve when a daughter he never knew about sows up. Now he has to figure out how to clean up his act so he can be a good father. Olivia has grown up on the wrong side of the tracks. After getting pregnant and being left behind by the deadbeat boyfriend she is raising her son on her own. She has a job at her parent’s construction company. She is determined to prove that she is a great single parent and she is above the reputation that she hates. When Olivia and Aidric are drawn together that are both surprised. The only thing they have in common is the rumors the town loves to spread. Can they figure out what they want from each other before they lose the chance?

I loved these characters and the side characters. I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.

I recommend this book.
Profile Image for Tanya Rae ~ TaSTy WordGasms.
2,552 reviews4 followers
May 10, 2018
Rusty Nail is the second book in the River Street Bar Series. And, even though it is the second book you can read this book as a standalone. Although, I did love the first book “Fireball” too and recommend that you read both the first book and this book.

This time it is Aidric Jones and Olivia (Ollie) Buckley’s story. I fell in love with Aidric. He is the Mayor’s brother (she was in the first book). He is also known as a playboy in their town. When a daughter lands on his doorstep he steps up to the plate and takes it seriously about raising her. And, after his place burns down he hires a contractor to rebuild/remodel his place. The contractor happens to be a single mom that has worked hard on trying to escape the reputation of becoming pregnant early on. She has had to fight to make a living and support herself and her son.

I loved reading this book. The Aidric and Ollie’s characters are easily relatable. The kids Kendra and Theo are cute. A very enjoyable book to read! 4.5 stars for Rusty Nail and I can’t wait for more from this author!
Profile Image for Kari Hansen.
12.5k reviews94 followers
May 12, 2018
When Ollie was 17 her dream was to leave River City as quickly as she could, but her life’s plan changed when she finds herself pregnant and from that moment on her son Theo and his needs were all that mattered.

Aidric is very close to his large boisterous family but when it comes to relationship one night is enough. His entire life is rocked when he finds out he has a daughter, Kendra, that he knew nothing about and that she is grieving the loss of both her mother and her grandmother in the last year.

He decides to remodel his childhood home and hires Ollie to handle the construction. Their children quickly become best friends which results in the parents spending time and developing feelings for each other but will doubts and insecurities destroy everything?

This is a touching story about the relationship between two children, two adults and parents and their children with all the emotion that goes along with it. This is the first story I have read by this author, but I will be going back to visit the first book in the series.
Profile Image for Cee Cee Houston.
1,341 reviews27 followers
May 10, 2018
Although this is the second book in this series, Rusty Nail by Nazarea Andrews, is a standalone, no need to read Fireball which is the first book in the series.
This was a slow burner of a romance between wealthy playboy Aidric Jones and single mom, Olivia Buckley. These two meet when a fire destroys Aidric home. He hires Olivia’s dad’s construction company to fix his house. Aidric has recently become a father to a daughter he never knew he had.
Their kids become friends and in the process so do Olivia and Aidric.
These two couldn’t be more different. They shouldn’t work but the do. The story development was mostly about how these four came together and formed a new family unit. It was a cute romantic story but had some strong emotional overtones to it.
Well worth a read.
Profile Image for wendy Shelton(obsessedbybooks).
2,554 reviews27 followers
May 13, 2018
This story has it all secrets, humor, heartbreak and pain. Aidric has it all til it's all its gone. Trying pick up the pieces of losing his house he finds out he has a daughter. Olivia grew up in the wrong side of the tracks becoming what everyone said , a single mother even though that be true she's working hard to make a life for her and her son, so while working for her family construction company she meets aidric who she discovers they some things in common and are talk of the town can these two make a go of what they have in feelings.
Profile Image for Marika.
4,891 reviews102 followers
May 15, 2018
I love Aidric and Ollie's story!
First I not only got a love story but one between two single parents..so awesome!
I loved both Ollie and Aidric! Aidric really stepped up his game and took his responsibilities very seriously. Ollie because she gives everything for her child and she has an amazing relationship with her son.
I also adored Theo and Kendra. Theo is beyond his years, all protective and intense. Kendra has so much on her plate yet she finds in herself to give her dad a chance.
Great story! Full of heart!
Profile Image for Dana.
656 reviews60 followers
May 12, 2018
Small towns and their narrow mindedness. I have always thought that small towns could destroy a relationship between two people who live in them.

For Ollie and Aidric, the small town mentality is just the tip of the iceberg for them. I felt the dynamic of Ollie, Aidric, along with Theo (Ollie’s son), Kendra (Aidric’s daughter) and all of the supporting characters was perfect.

This was my first book by Ms. Andrews, I look forward to reading more from her.
203 reviews
May 11, 2018
Aidric is River City’s player and Ollie has been unfairly cast out as a slut and single Mum.
Can they overcome Ollies fears and self doubt and make it out the other side.
A great read that kept me hooked.
Profile Image for Kit.
65 reviews
May 9, 2018
Yet another novel by Nazarea that shows the immense skill this author has. She’s given us this story of two people coming together in ways that gave me all sorts of emotions.

Ollie and Aidric are realistic characters, well matched despite the odds against them. Their growth is believable, but what stood out to me about this novel was the way our protagonists interacted with their children. It gave a depth to their personalities that drew me further into the story, and the kids had a story of their own to tell. In all honesty, I had a hard time putting this one down.
Profile Image for Isabelle MBTL .
751 reviews59 followers
May 11, 2018
I received this book for free from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Contemporary Romance.

Multiple-POV.

Book #2 of River Street Bar Series. I believe Rusty Nail can be read as a stand-alone.

 

 

Addictiveness: Medium-high addictiveness. It was a fast read, that can easily be done in one sitting.
Character: hero 5/5, heroine 4.5/5, secondary characters 5/5, growth 5/5, real 5/5 Yes! My favorite part about a book is character development. I love River City community and its people. Aidric was a firefighter, like his nephew (the hero from the first book), and was known as the town playboy. When life dealt him a tough hand, everybody expected him to fold, but bluffed and betted all-in. Even though people talk about Aidric as a manwhore, in his book, he is wonderful. From the moment he learned of Kendra, he become this responsible, fun, smart guy. He may never had a serious relationship before, but he was all about family. So, to feel responsible and love Kendra was not hard for him. Ollie has always dreamed of leaving River City, but a teenage pregnancy changed her life plans. After that she has always been the town screw-up, slut. Only because of a mistake done at 17 years old. Now her business is failing and Aidric Jones maybe her salvation. But she is not ready for the feelings that  she has for Aidric and his daughter.  I think the conflict was mostly created by Ollie and I felt bad that Aidric took any part of the blame. Kendra and Theo, Aidric's daughter and Ollie's son, are great secondary characters. In fact, they are almost as main characters as Aidric and Ollie. They are all easy to love, connect and understand.  Now, I didn't like Natalie, on the first book, and I liked her even less here. At the same time, I can feel she will get a  book of her own soon and I may have to solve my dislikes for her. :)
Cover: art 4/5, title 4/5, subtitle 5/5, color-font 5/5, buy 4/5 I'm obsessed with book covers. I love to find snippets of the stories within the art. I like that this cover has been made specifically for this book. The title, Rusty Nail, is a drink at River Street bar. At the same time I have to say, different from Fireball, the bar in this book has a very insignificant role. Still, I like the art and I find it sexy. I would easily buy this book without reading the blurb.
Freshness:  This one as different from most romance books out there. Even really different from Fireball. This is not so much a romance, but much more a family journey. Not only the couple meet and learns each other's quirks, but the two kids are part of this new clan they are creating. Very interesting!!!
Plot: believable 5/5, conflict 3.5/5, dialogue 5/5, ending 5/5, enjoyment 4/5, opening 5/5, pace 5/5, setting 5/5, subplots 4/5, twists 3.5/5  Great opening and wonderful ending.  Ok  conflict and dialogues well written. Fast-paced with a good family foundation to make this really enjoyable. Amazing setting with a good subplot. Not much of a twist here, but  the bit of drama of the beginning carried the plot well. This was a unique story of a new family being created. Both adults were amazing parents that had an easy way of dealing with their almost teenagers. Both kids were adorable and very mature for their age.
Romance: believable 5/5, chemistry 3/5, description 3/5, development 4/5, steam 2/5  This was a slow burn romance. The couple really become friends first and then started a relationship. They had more meaningful scenes as a family, than as a couple. It was different, than most romance, but it did work for this plot.
Writing Style: Amazing characters; great plot; unique romance.

 

 

Romance:   Even though I have really enjoyed the development of the relationship here, I've missed a few of one-on-one moment between the couple. Maybe the in-between, from them jumping from friends-to-couple.  Also, I didn't feel their chemistry. In fact, I don't even know well, what they look like.



 

I'm a character reader. I love series with amazing characters story arch. There is so many places that I can see this series going, there are so many people who I'm looking forward to know better. I can't wait for what comes next at River City.

29/35 STARS –  4 STARS (between 28 stars and 31 stars)

Addictiveness: 4 Character: 5  Cover: 4.5  Freshness: 4.5  Plot: 4 Romance: 3 Writing Style: 4

Action 0/5
Angst 2.5/5
Darkness 0/5
Humor 0/5
Romance 4/5
Suspense/Mystery 0/5
Would I recommend? Yes. A must read for everyone that likes small town contemporary romance.
Would I re-read this book? YES!
Would I re-read this series? Sure.
Would I read more from the author? I'm really looking forward to do it.

You MAY read this because you like the author; you SHOULD read this because you followed the series; you MUST read this because this town is filled with amazing people!!!

 

 


 

 
This review was originally posted on More Books Than Livros
Profile Image for Cheryl Whitty.
903 reviews14 followers
May 12, 2018
Reviewed on behalf of http://bookaddict.live,
Although this is the second book in this series, Rusty Nail by Nazarea Andrews, is a standalone, there is no need to read Fireball which is the first book in the series.
This was a slow burner of a romance between wealthy playboy Aidric Jones and single mom, Olivia Buckley. These two meet when a fire destroys Aidric home. He hires Olivia’s construction company to fix his house. Aidric has recently become a father to a daughter he never knew he had.
Lucky for Kendra, Theo and his friend Henry take her under their wing after Kendra is bullied at school.
Their kids become friends and in the process so do Olivia and Aidric.
These two couldn’t be more different. They shouldn’t work but the do. The story development was mostly about how these four came together and formed a new family unit. Regardless of his previous playboy ways, he puts Kendra's needs a priority. He falls for Ollie but they take their time as this a new thing for both of them. As neither had dated before, but were delightful together. Well worth a read.
393 reviews2 followers
May 13, 2018
It is a slow build up but soon picks up the pace. Ollie is funny, strong, and tells it like it is weather you like it or not. Aidric is learning how to be a dad. It is so sweet to watch father and daughter bond.

I was enjoying this book until a word pops up that I just can't stand. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish the book. I'm sure others will enjoy this book.
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