ARC Review – Stripped Naked (Naked Cowboys #3) by Desiree Holt

Stripped Naked was a fantastic addition to this series; the characters were amusing, the storyline intense, and seeing the couples from the previous two books an added bonus. ~ Slick, Guilty Pleasures

Description:
“She didn t shoot the sheriff but she d sure like to strip him down. ”

Taking over as publisher of “The Hill Country Herald” was supposed to help Jinx Malone put her personal and professional disasters in New York behind her. Instead, she s barely settled at her desk when news of a murder hits the police scanner.

Who knew Rowan County could be this exciting? And who knew her first story would bring her into head-butting, hormone-pumping contact with something that s an even bigger pain in her ass than a cheating ex a know-it-all cop?

Sheriff Dillon Cross thought retreating to Rowan Country would help him get over a bad case of burnout. But only a few weeks into his job, he s standing over a dead body in a ditch, arguing with his least favorite thing: a sexy, in-your-face reporter.

Before they re through buzzing around each other like angry hornets, the last thing either expected happens. They re in bed, burning up the sheets. But is it a new beginning, or just a bad rerun of past mistakes?

Warning: This book contains a nekkid cowboy and enough graphic sex to singe your eye balls. Cool compresses recommended.

Review copy provided for an honest review

It’s really hard not to love Desiree Holt’s Naked Cowboy series…hello? Naked….Cowboys….what’s not to love? While I very much enjoyed the first two books in this series, I’m going to admit I liked this one just a little bit more. I liked the characters better, I liked that they both were coming off a bad relationship, and I like that even though they got off on the wrong foot they both apologized. I especially liked that they recognized, admitted to, and gave in to their undeniable immediate attraction for one another. These two did not pussy foot around, and it was scorching hot!

Dillon Cross is the new sheriff in town and he admits he loves the slower pace of a small town over the big city of San Antonio. However, when a naked body with the face blown off is dumped in his territory his job gets a wee bit more exciting especially when the town’s new newspaper publisher is front and center wanting a story something Dillon isn’t too keen on sharing.
Jinx Malone never really thought she’d be back home and running her family’s newspaper but after catching her husband in bed with two women and following a quickie divorce that’s where she’s at and she aims to make the best of it. She finds she is enjoying being around her home town and old friends. The new sheriff however becomes an instant source of distraction.

I really enjoyed the way these two affected each other from the beginning. The way they both tried to play off the attraction and remain professional but their personal thoughts were steamy and often quite amusing. Thrust together by friends, they wind up spending time together that leads to an explosive encounter followed by “no strings sex.” Trouble is they both find themselves thinking about the other way more than they should and feeling develop neither one is willing to admit. Things get messy between them but a big crack in the murder case has Dillon proving to Jinx how much she means to him and Jinx realizing that it’s best to have all the facts before making assumptions.

Stripped Naked was a fantastic addition to this series; the characters were amusing, the storyline intense, and seeing the couples from the previous two books an added bonus. Despite the length, there wasn’t a moment that I didn’t believe the heat and intensity of these two together. Simply put they are combustible and Desiree Holt has a way of making you believe they were unable to keep their hands off one another!

4.5 Stars