Cream of the Crop (The Hudson Valley Series) Paperback – July 12, 2016

Adoration. I simply adore this book. The combination of funny, sexy, and sweet left me no choice but to give this book 5 crowns. It is hands down one of my favorite books of the year.The reason that I love this book so much is because of our heroine, Natalie. I admire her adventurous and bold spirit, her hilarious internal dialogue, and her take-no-prisoners attitude towards men, well, all but one man. After struggling with body issues, Natalie has come to own her plus-size figure, and Alice Clayton gives the appropriate attention to this part of her character without dwelling on it. The message of “love your body” is loud and clear for the reader without beating us over the head with it. The fact that there is a whole discussion on comma placement in reference to her a** had me laughing so hard, and it truly conveyed the confidence Natalie has in herself and her body. The fact that she had gumption to even verbally spar with Oscar over this comment proves that she was able to bounce back from a previous troubled relationship that hurt her self-worth, ultimately making the reader sympathize with her. The musical soundtrack that runs through her head is just one more attribute that makes her such a likable character. Also, the ramblings of Natalie, particularly when she is around Oscar, only makes her more endearing. This full-on confident city girl is left a blubbering mess when faced with the man who asked her, “Brie?”. I love everything about her! I am not sure in all my years of reading romance novels that I have ever loved a character in the way I love her. I am completely crushing on her!Natalie Is so awesome that it makes sense that the hero must be as fantastic, and Oscar doesn’t disappoint. He is a great hero. He is calm, quiet, and reserved, really the opposite of Natalie. He is also very mysterious, as he divulges little to no information for most of the book. Even though he seems uncommunicative and standoffish with others, this man can create some serious heat, especially when he is churning butter. When he is with Natalie, his emotions come out, and the reader slowly starts to fall in love with him, just as Natalie does.In terms of the plot and pacing, it is well done. The story never seems rushed or like it is dragging on. The interactions in the farmer’s market at the beginning is really sweet and it sets up the relationship for them when she starts to work on a new assignment for work. The antics that ensue when they are together really helped to develop their relationship and move it past the lust stage. Some might think that the conflict is weak or is resolved too easily, but it fit the type of story Alice Clayton created. The resolution is realistic and reflects how a real couple would handle difficulties in a relationship. This is a funny and sweet romantic novel, and I feel as though the conflict and resulting resolution fit with who the characters are and the type of story the author is trying to tell.I liked Nuts and loved Cream of the Crop, so I will sit here and anxiously await the third book in the series. Watching Clara tackle Archie’s hotel is going to be another hilarious addition to this series.ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cream of the Crop by Alice ClaytonBook #2: Hudson Valley SeriesSource: PurchaseMy Rating: 4/5 starsMy Review:Release day for a new Alice Clayton book is one of my favorite days of the year! I have been completely smitten with Alice Clayton and her breed of awesome since I first read Wallbanger a couple of years ago. I now go into her books expecting yet another 4½ to 5 star read and for the most part, that has always happened. For the most part . . . .Likes:Hudson Valley: This is a definite plus for me as the scene was set so beautifully in Nuts, book one of the Hudson Valley Series. Clayton doesn’t disappoint here with her descriptions of the area, the surrounding communities, the amenities, and the people who populate the region. I swear, Clayton’s descriptions make me want to drop it all and move right on out to the country.Natalie: Oh, Natalie!! I love a woman who can’t open her mouth without R-rated falling out and Natalie Grayson certainly fits the bill. From top to bottom, Natalie is big, loud, smart, funny, sexy, and totally lacking an internal edit button. Natalie has worked hard to become the confident and successful woman she is and she isn’t afraid to acknowledge her achievements. Natalie has embraced every aspect of her being and body which gives her an unparalleled confidence.Oscar: I will always, always, always love me a tatted up man!! I will always, always, always love a strong, kind, and respectful man and Oscar Mendoza certainly fits the bill. Though Oscar was introduced in Nuts, we didn’t learn much about him and we still don’t until about halfway through Cream of the Crop. While I would normally chafe at so little backstory, it works for this character. Oscar is quiet, reserved (except in bed!), and a man of few words. Very people in town know his story so it is appropriate that he reserves telling anyone about himself until he is close to them. Case in point, Natalie (aka Pinup). When his story finally does come out, it just adds to his awesome.The plot: Yeah, it’s always nice when you like the plot but, as I’ve said before, a weak plot can be carried by strong characters. Luckily, Cream of the Crop has both strong characters and a really good and believable plot. There’s no stretching here to make things work, there’s no convoluted crap that makes little to no sense. What there is, is the story of a country boy falling in love with a big city girl and the issues they face making a go of their relationship. Oscar is already living in the Hudson Valley and Clayton gives Natalie two very good reasons to be there as well, her best-friend is from the area and her job. Furthermore, Natalie already “knows” Oscar since she is a frequent flyer at his weekly booth at the Union Square Farmer’s Market. The interactions between Natalie and Oscar, especially in the beginning are so funny and sweet. It makes their eventual hook-up to real romance all the better.The naughty bits: Yeah, this is one my favorite parts of this read and an area of writing where Clayton really shines. Natalie is just and brash, bold, and confident in the bedroom (and the barn and the truck . . .) as she is everywhere else. She is a curvy women and she has found a man who truly appreciates her size and her willingness to play with him sexually. The naughty scenes are more than just sex, they are encounters that are often peppered with humor, mishaps, and genuine emotion. If you’re in it just for the sex, you’re going to be disappointed. Clayton’s naughty bits are always so much more than just the sex.Dislike:That one scene: Yes, I only have one dislike in this entire read but it is significant enough that it dropped my star rating down to a mere 4 stars. Late in the read, Oscar is visiting Natalie in the city and attending an event with her. Oscar’s behavior is abhorrent and so totally out of character that I was left totally confused. Even the explanation for his behavior in this one scene is wonky and makes no real sense to this character as a whole. Normally, something like this would just turn me off the character but when I thought long and hard about that scene, it began to feel more like a writing error than a character error/misstep.The Bottom Line: With the exception of that one scene, I adored this read. Everything comes together so beautifully in this book from the plot to the characters to the descriptions of the scenery, it is all engaging and entertaining. Once again, Alice Clayton has killed it!! I laughed out loud, I wanted to choke the life out of a character or two, I was saddened, and I totally rooted for both Natalie and Oscar. From the opening page to the last line of the epilogue (with the exception of that one scene!) I was hooked, totally and completely.

I want a hot farmer and so will you as you read through the Hudson Valley Series! Alice Clayton delivers an absolutely delicious treat with her story of Oscar the Dairy-Man and Natalie the ad-(wo)man.Oscar is a man of few words, but it's easy to see that there is a depth of character beneath his gruff and gorgeous exterior. Natalie is one of the best heroines that I have read in quite awhile. Natalie is a 'bigger girl.' But, her size doesn't come-off as token or pandering. She is a beautiful, successful and confident woman; and she owns both her curves and her cleverness in a way that leaves no apologies. It is such a refreshing approach and completely endearing.On paper, Oscar and Natalie may not seem to be a perfect fit. But, they find a way to be perfect for each other. There are times when you will want to shake them both because they can't seem to get out of their own way. But those frustrations make way for reasonable plot lines, sultry resolutions and plenty of LOL moments. Cream of the Crop is a well-crafted story that is whipped and sweetened to perfection! I'm already looking forward to my next visit to the Hudson Valley!This book was reviewed in both Kindle and Audio formats and both are excellent! BFF Book Blog also uses a set of icon ratings. This book received additional ratings for: butterflies, character development, funny, happily ever after, hero, heroine, romance, steamy, supporting characters and sweet.