This book is an homage to old school Hollywood stories. As his name implies, Archie Bryant is an old-fashioned guy. Starting with bow-ties and suits, he is the general manager of the Bryant Mountain House in Bailey Falls, New York. This hotel has been in the Bryant Family for five generations and needs a complete overhaul if it is going to compete in the market.

Clara Morgan is a specialist that helps rebrand hotel properties. She is good at her job because she is totally committed to her clients. She lives and breathes the work and it is just the right crutch to help her forget her solitary existence. Archie and Clara are like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together. There is a lot of friction, but they also generate a lot heat.

Alice Clayton has a writing style that easy to read and highly entertaining. She knows how to construct charming courtships with splashes of humor woven expertly throughout the narrative. It is like watching a great romantic comedy. I can easily see how the books in this series could translate to into movies. Is that just wishful thinking?

I love the interaction between her friends, Roxie and Natalie, from previous books, Nuts and Cream of the Crop. Although Clara comes across as the most serious of the three, she just skirts the line on being the stick in the mud, their support helps Clara get to let go. Based on her childhood, Clara has structured her life to maintain control over all circumstances. She is a measured person, never giving or taking too much in life. As a child of the system, she grew up feeling alienated. Having not been in a nurturing home, family traditions are foreign to her. For example, holiday celebrations most people may take as for granted, are not familiar. This issue speaks to me as well. Growing up in an immigrant family, there were times when I had no clue about “traditional” events. What the heck is an Easter Egg Hunt? What is the point of chasing after decorated hard boiled eggs? For Clara, rather than feel uncomfortable, she would rather be alone.

Archie has his own baggage to unpack. He is a young widower who still mourns for his wife. This makes him uncertain about his feelings for Clara. Ironically, Clara is the runner in this relationship. This dimmed the story a little for me. I am not a fan of runners. It leaves unresolved issues between the characters.

However, this book gets an extra ½ star for its exuberant conclusion. In a nod to the fairytale endings, Clara throws caution out the window and goes all-in with Archie. I find myself smiling broadly at the grand gesture and it put a big exclamation point at the end of the story for me.

After not really loving the previous book in this series {and my first Alice book}, I decided to give this one a try.

I liked Clara and Archie. I really enjoyed their banter and their chemistry was fantastic. There were some fun hotel employees and of course the MCs from the other books. The dialogue is some of the best and if it were more character driven in that sense, I would no doubt be devouring all of Alice's books.

I guess my hang up is the inner monologue. It's rambling and I struggled to settle into it. There are several full descriptions of her outfits {complete with labels/designers.} I found myself skimming entire passages because I didn't care about a full paragraph on a particular shade of wallpaper or what the creaky floor sounded like.

Overall, I did enjoy this one a bit more, but I doubt I'll read any of her other titles.

**Huge thanks to Gallery Books for providing the arc free of charge**

Shel: This series, The Hudson Valley Series, always seems to get me in the Norman Rockwell state of mind. The way Alice Clayton describes Bailey Falls has me longing to live in a small town in some snowy hamlet just a train ride from New York City; knowing that she's going to paint a beautiful picture of the town in her descriptions is one of the reasons I've gravitated to this series. There's also the humorous dialogue and situations she puts her characters in but it's the obstacles she throws in the paths of her characters that are what I think many readers connect with.

Court: She does! She really makes the story come alive in our mind. The descriptions of the setting, the characters background and how we get to know them through their thoughts, dialogue but also how their group of friends see them is pretty special and really helps make the story that much more enjoyable. I really liked the idea of this girl and her job though, as that would be a really fun thing to do!

Shel: In the case of Clara and Archie, Clara is the biggest obstacle of all. Her upbringing makes her reticent (aka stubborn) to have anything but a cursory relationship with any person or place she comes into contact with. The more I knew about her, the more I could rationalize why she did what she did and that's where I think Clara becomes more and more relatable to readers. Even if we haven't all been through what she's been through some of us may feel like an outsider looking in, or the one that's been left behind, and can easily relate to how painful that feeling can be. Clara's need to put up the emotional walls is easy to understand but it doesn't mean that I didn't want to knock them down, especially when Archie started warming up to her. Alice Clayton writes some really great male characters--they're wonderfully sweet, clever, funny, but most importantly, they're the exact right person for her heroines--as evidenced by Archie.

Court: They are. But also, Archie had some baggage of his own that he didn't like being poked around so that really gave them that much more depth in getting to know each other. Add in the fact that this is basically his family home, this place is his legacy, and he is not going to go down without a fight when an outsider comes in wanting to change things. I loved the characters and friends on his side of things because I really did get a feel of what it would be like to go somewhere a la Dirty Dancing and spend a summer somewhere that is truly an unforgettable place. This one is in a companion series so you're not missing out on anything in the other books in this series other than gaining a strong desire to know those characters as well...so get ta reading!

Shel: Buns has a great balance of humor and romance that packs an emotional punch.

Alice Clayton is one of my go-to rom com authors and the Hudson Valley series has become a standout for me. Buns was as heartwarming as it was funny. I was drawn into Archie and Clara's story from the moment began They were a perfect compliment to each other.

When Clara and Archie are forced to work together on rebranding the hotel Archie owns nothing is as easy as each hoped. Between clashing ideas and fighting their desire for one another these two opposites created the perfect environment for hilarity and steam. I loved it and I hope there is more to come in the Hudson Valley Series.  
~miranda

I have an obsession with this series. First, the characters are always so endearing. But second, the setting is perfect. Alice Clayton really manages to depict such a vivid feel of the Hudson Valley and with each book I fall more in love. BUNS is no different. We take the trip up the Mountain to the Bryant Mountain House resort this time. Archie is the youngest member of the Bryant family struggling to keep the family legacy going and Clara is the big city expert coming to bring them into the new century and save their business, even when her boss isn’t as flexible on her ideas at first.

I always love a good enemies to lovers story and there’s nothing stuffy, cliche or generic about this one. This is a fresh and new take on the insta-hate because while there’s a very good reason for Archie to be totally standoffish and hate the fact that Clara is there and why, all that just adds to the sizzling tension between them. It builds up between them to make it impossible for them to be together, but at the same time it can’t keep them apart and they just burst through all those reservations. Because…chemistry! Lets go back to the chemistry. This book has it in spades! I can’t say Archie is going to be taking my Leo’s place anytime soon, but Archie has that soft gentleman look, always put together with his glasses in place, and underneath it all he’s a man of action. Push you against the wall of a building in an alley kind of action. The boy can get dirty and focused to get what he wants and I absolutely loved him!

There is one thing that I love about Alice Clayton’s humor. Her characters are never scared of making fun of themselves. She doesn’t resort to forced humor, bathroom humor, or tasteless jokes. She’s just got the right characters and everything just comes natural to them in a way that draws you in and gets you laughing along with them. There’s one particular scene in this book involving a missing pair of glasses that just made me love the characters more. Instead of getting awkward, it flowed and the scene connected. And of course we have the humor of over the top Natalie that was a hoot every time she gets on the page.

This is not an overly complicated plot and we don’t get an angst filled storyline. It’s just everything perfect and adorable. BUNS is the right book if you want to end with a smile on your face and a little starry eyed in love. While I think this may be the end of this series, I can’t wait to see where the author goes next. For sure, I’ll be following.

Clara Morgan is a single woman who works in Boston & enjoys running marathons. She loves her life & lives for her career. She grew up in foster care & never felt like she belonged anywhere, so she likes to stay too busy to put down roots anywhere. Her job is rebranding hotels that need new life breathed into them. She was recently hired to work on a hotel in upstate New York, & needs to knock it out of the park so she can hopefully make partner soon.

When Clara arrives at the Bryant Mountain House in Bailey Falls, New York, she's stunned by the Victorian beauty & gorgeous views. It's a bit dated, but still unique & full of opulence. It's a little run down, and in need of a face lift. She will have to find the perfect balance between old & new to save this hotel. She looks forward to taking this family run hotel into the modern age.

Clara runs into a road block when she encounters the son of the man who hired her. Archie Bryant is all about family & tradition. He's upset his father has brought in a hotel branding expert to change things. He doesn't like change. He wants to save & preserve his family's legacy, but doesn't like the idea of an outsider coming in & turning things upside down. His family has owned the property for almost 150 years & he will soon take over the hotel.

Clara clashes with the pretentious, snobby, rude hotel boy. All they do is argue, but that doesn't mean she doesn't notice how insanely hot he is. This man is absolutely delicious, & all that arguing just leads to loads of sexual tension between them. As they work closely together Archie soon begins to realize Clara's ideas aren't so bad after all. They work together to try to keep the resort open & bring in new guests.

Clara & Archie become very close & start falling for one another. Clara doesn't get involved to avoid getting hurt. She protects her heart by not letting anyone get too close. She's made sure she never needs anyone. No roots, no attachments, & no real home. Just her job & her couple of good friends, so she feels like she's been hit by a freight train when she realizes how wrapped up she is in Archie. She's totally gone for him, & it scares her to death. Can she take a chance on love, or will her fear of being left again take over?

I loved this book so much! It's my favorite of this series. Archie Bryant was so gorgeous, sexy & sweet. There's just something about a hot nerdy guy who doesn't know how irresistible he is. He stole my heart. Really enjoyed this one. Adored Archie & his yummy BUNS!!!

These books just seem to get better and better. There has not been one book by this author that I haven't enjoyed, and this book has to be one of the top 3 by her. I plan to reread in the future.

I thought Buns was a cute read. The setting played a big part in my like for this book. I mean who didn’t want to stay at the resort pictured in Dirty Dancing. I loved all the nostalgia surrounding the resort. It sounded like a time capsule but Clara was ready to bump it into the future without letting go of the past.

Clara is a bit bossy but she’s also funny, tough, and is longing for her forever home. She has definitely built up walls around her and guarded her heart but after a few weeks with Archie they start to crumble.

I loved watching Archie, the suit stiff hotelier, break out of his time capsule and start to live again. He was stuck in a rut and really started to breakout when she came on board. He doesn’t hold anything back when it comes it Clara. He knew Clara could be his future but he first had to convince her of that fact.

The story could have used a bit more heat but they were both so skittish that I can over look that. I also thought it was odd that his father wasn’t in more of the book towards the end. It seemed like he was forgotten about after the first few chapters.

There’s a great chemistry among the friends which is enjoyable to read. Several lol moments in Buns.

This series, The Hudson Valley Series, always seems to get me in the Norman Rockwell state of mind. The way Alice Clayton describes Bailey Falls has me longing to live in a small town in some snowy hamlet just a train ride from New York City; knowing that she's going to paint a beautiful picture of the town in her descriptions is one of the reasons I've gravitated to this series. There's also the humorous dialogue and situations she puts her characters in but it's the obstacles she throws in the paths of her characters that are what I think many readers connect with.

In the case of Clara and Archie, Clara is the biggest obstacle of all. Her upbringing makes her reticent (aka stubborn) to have anything but a cursory relationship with any person or place she comes into contact with. The more I knew about her, the more I could rationalize why she did what she did and that's where I think Clara becomes more and more relatable to readers. Even if we haven't all been through what she's been through some of us may feel like an outsider looking in, or the one that's been left behind, and can easily relate to how painful that feeling can be. Clara's need to put up the emotional walls is easy to understand but it doesn't mean that I didn't want to knock them down, especially when Archie started warming up to her. Alice Clayton writes some really great male characters--they're wonderfully sweet, clever, funny, but most importantly, they're the exact right person for her heroines--as evidenced by Archie.

Buns has a great balance of humor and romance that packs an emotional punch.

I've liked all of the Hudson Valley books, but this one is probably my favorite. It's not as RomCom as the previous ones. Buns is a little more serious. Clara hasn't had the easiest life. She grew up in foster care and learned that she couldn't depend on others. She can't be tied down to any commitments because she doesn't want to be let down by anyone. Her life is pretty much her job. She's actually a sweetheart, but most don't get a chance to know her. Archie is an interesting character. He's kinda nerdy and sporty. Because of his past, he's pretty much all business also. His work ethic makes him come off as rude, but he quickly becomes one of the kindest guys ever. Clara and Archie meet when she is hired to remodel his resort. It's bumpy sometimes, but their relationship is inevitable.
If you're looking for a more realistic romance that still has that happy ever after glow, definitely read this story.

I started reading Alice Clayton's books with The Redhead Series and I absolutely knew every book she released would be in my list of books to read! Alice Clayton's characters has this special kind of humor that never takes away from the main characters but it makes you want to know them better and Buns is not exception.

Clara Morgan had a hard life and being in foster care did something to her....there was a "hardness" about her that can make you feel sad but you understand she is protecting her heart. Clara's job is now at the Bryant Mountain House to bring it back to life and she has got a battle on her hands!

Archie Bryant is trying to save his family business he feels he knows what needs to be done to do that. He's bossy, thinks he knows everything and he talks a big game. Clara is his match and it obvious the bickering is more than just disagreements. There is a pull between the two of them that is combined with the work and the sheer need and want from the both of them.

Can they find time to fall for each other and keep the business from failing? Is Clara strong enough to deal with Archie? Can Archie get into adulthood to save his legacy?

This is fun story that everyone will love. It's Alice at her best!!

I really loved and enjoyed this book. Really a great story with fun and interesting characters. Cant wait to read more.

Buns by Alice Clayton is book three in her Hudson Valley series, and it was delightful, funny, sweet, and utterly romantic with characters, new and old, that I absolutely loved.

Clara Morgan, a successful hotel re-branding expert, has come to Bailey Falls to help rejuvenate and save Bryant Mountain House that has been decreasing in sales over the last few years. A hotel that has been in the Bryant family for generations and steeped in traditions, Clara usually expects resistance when she arrives at hotels with her changes. However, she never anticipated the resistance looking so appealing in the form of the handsome and blue-eyed widower, Archie Bryant, the son of the hotel owner who hired her.

Clara and Archie are like cats and dogs as they face off on their tug-of-war on what changes need to be made to the hotel. Though they don't agree at first on what needs to be done to save Bryant Mountain House, the sparks between the from the start can't be denied. These two characters have great chemistry and their relationship grows steadily even though Clara tries to keep things professional, knowing she'll be leaving once the job is done.

A very character-driven story, Buns, pulls you in with Clara's emotional backstory and her own struggles that keep her from finding her happily-ever-after so easily. Archie is wonderful hero who is sweet, hot, and with a backstory of his own, he is exactly what Clara needs. I love their scenes together and how they each bring out the best in each other and fill something that is missing in the other person's life.

Another thing I enjoyed very much about this story is re-visiting previous characters from the previous books in the series. (This book can be read as a stand-alone, but if you haven't read Nuts or Cream of the Crop, you may spoil those stories for yourself. So I'd personally recommend reading both of those first. Plus they're just as fun and entertaining! So win-win!) The couples from the previous books, Roxie and Leo and Natalie and Oscar appear in this novel, bringing with them the lightheartedness and connection to Bailey Falls from the previous books which was great.

Overall, Buns by Alice Clayton is a fantastic addition to a great series with relatable characters. I eagerly recommend.

(I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book I received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

This book took me longer that I expected, to read. The characters, especially Clara, weren't doing it for me and I had to take a break from them. I didn't any chemistry between Clara and Archie; for the life of me I can't see what they see in each other. By the time I reached the half-way point I was bored out of mind and wanted this book to end.

Love, love, love Alice Clayton’s Hudson Valley Series! What I appreciate most about it is that it is a well-rounded romance with equal amounts of heart, romance, and humor.

It’s amazing how the author pays attention to all the details up to the point where you want to be at Bryant Mountain House in Bailey Falls, New York hiking the trails with such great characters – Archer and his counterpart Clara. It wasn’t like that at the beginning, however.

Buns is about how a hotel rebrander named Clara Morgan who is given the opportunity to revitalize the said family’s owned hotel. They way it was described was somewhere I wouldn’t want to stay but Clara was determined to get the job done despite the future owner -Archer Bryant’s protest. Early on, emotions were running amok between these two. I couldn’t figure out why Archer was showing so much animosity towards Clara.

As the story moved on though, all comes to light. And while Archer was ready to move forward full force it was Clara who was hesitant. In the end, everything worked out beautifully! You know when you are reading a romance and you are in search for that one monumental gesture? Alice Clayton nailed it in this one.

That one scene (and believe me you know what I am talking about once you get there) will be something you will remember forever. I enjoyed this one and can not wait to see who is added to these amazing pack of friends next.

Alice Clayton has slowly become one of my just read authors, her books are always funny, sexy and they always pack a punch to the heart.

In Buns we are once again in the Hudson Valley, this time with Clara who has been hired to bring new life to the luxurious hotel in town, the owner of that hotel happens to be Archie, who is certain that the hotel that belongs to his family needs no help and Clara shouldn't be there to help them.

These two are fighting each other from the get go, each stubborn in their own way and it was fantastic!

The give and take, the slow burning romance, the funny and tender moments and more importantly the fabulous writing make this book a complete gem.

I absolutely loved Clara. She was no nonsense and smart and feisty. In the beginning Archie was such a stick in the mud I wasn't sure about him, but as Clara started to affect him more and more I really started to fall for him. I loved getting to see and have little check ins with the rest of the Bailey Falls gang too. Overall this is my favorite of the series and I highly recommend you pick up some of Archie's buns.

3.5 stars
This was an entertaining pleasant read. There were moments of laughter and some that were heartfelt. Archie and Clara were great. These two had a strong chemistry. Their banter and interactions were awesome to read. The storyline was enjoyable and I liked how it went and how everything played out. I also enjoyed seeing the two couples from the previous books in this series. They added loads of fun to the story. This was good hate-to-love romance. A nice combination of sweet, fun, emotions, and romantic/sexy. Alice is fantastic with these. Overall, a great read.

How in the world do I keep finding a fantastic book after another!? When I think nothing can top the story I just finished reading, some amazing author comes along and sweeps me off my feet. And that is exactly what happened with Buns.


Clara is my favorite female character out of the entire Hudson Valley series. She’s completely in love with her job and puts a hundred and ten percent of her into it. Of course she’s amazing at it, in fact, she is so amazing at it that she’ll soon become a partner at the agency she currently works. The only step left is for her to go to Bryant Mountain House and help them become a bit more modern in order to attract more clientele.

Archie is my favorite auburn haired hero in the history of auburn haired heroes. He’s absolutely not on board with Clara barging into Bryant Mountain House—aka soon-to-be-his hotel—and changing the hundred and plus years of work his family has put into it.

Archie’s a grumpy freckled hunkalicious man that’s still mourning the death of her deceased wife, or so Clara thinks. Only he’s much more than that, he’s incredibly sweet and smiling makes incredible things to his face and he just so happens to like—and I mean, REALLY like—Clara. Unfortunately, she has never been one to let anyone into her heart. She built a nearly indestructible wall all around her heart to prevent herself from a broken heart.

Clara is an expert at running—she literally competes in triathlons and marathons, that is no joke—and she’s also an expert at running away—from feelings, people, you know what I mean. But perhaps her feelings for Archie strong enough for her to slow down and let Archie catch up with her? Who knows. Guess you’ll have to read Buns now.


Honest-to-goodness, I feel like crying and throwing a fit like a huge baby because this is the final book in the Hudson Valley series and I never ever wanted it to end. But endings mean something new is about to begin so bring it, Alice Clayton. I’m ready.


Also, I’m sure you all will have your hearts bursting out of your chests with the epilogue. It is the only scene in the book that’s written from Archie’s POV and it made me fall crazy in love with him. What a perfect ending to a perfect series.


To sum things up, I laughed until I snorted and then I kept laughing because I snorted which was not cute at all but was definitely amazing. I had the best time reading this book until three in the morning. Buns is sexy, sweet, funny and oh so very romantic.

All of my rom-com fans out there should check out not only this book but every single Alice Clayton book because she’s THE QUEEN of romantic comedies.

This was my favorite book in this series. I am in love with Clara and Archie. By far the best characters in this series. There was so much frustration and chemistry between the two. I also really liked the mentions of previous characters to continue with their stories. I would love to see Clayton take this series further!