Jesse Orosco is ready to roll up his sleeves to renovate Cyn’s storefront, but it’s the self-doubt lurking in her beautiful eyes he wants to tackle first. The five-foot-nothing red-headed dynamo makes his mouth water, and not just because of the tantalizing aromas drifting from the back of her shop.

The buzz about the rub’s mysterious ingredient has customers lining up for more, and soon everyone who tries it is making beautiful music in the bedroom—including Cyn and Jesse. But her reluctance to go public with their relationship—and someone in town with a jealous bone to pick—could drive a wedge between Cyn and her smoking-hot cowboy.

Warning: Contains a sexy carpenter with calluses in all the right places, a vulnerable woman who’s locked away more than a secret ingredient in her wounded heart, and a town full of matchmakers with an appetite for love.

I’ve been a lover of author Desiree Holt’s Naked Cowboy series since its inception and right now I’d like to give her a big ol’ smooch for writing an older heroine/younger hero story. Sure there are some books out there with this troupe but not near as many as the other way around and what I loved about this one is the hero was dead set on making this relationship a go from day one. Cynfully sexy (take my word you’ll understand that once you read the book) but mixed with humor and small town dramatics Naked Desire is another fantastic addition to an already great series.

Cynthia Dellinger has moved to Saddle Wells following a devastating divorce in which she got the one thing that mattered to her; her grandfather’s secret bar-b-que spice rub and sauce recipes which made her ex-husband a fortune at his restaurants. Now in the heart of Texas in prime bar-b-que country Cynthia is risking it all in hopes of making her store a success. What she doesn’t expect is to find herself attracted to her much younger contractor, Jesse Orosco. She really doesn’t expect to find that Jesse wants her and is willing to do whatever is necessary to make her understand.

First off, I love loved the interplay between all the women in this book. All of them are from the previous books in this series and while it is great for readers of this series to see them all again, this book can absolutely be read as a standalone story. I love how this group of women has become so close, how they are there to boost each other up, and to lend a hand or a shoulder when needed.   There is so much to be said for great friendship and this series proves that point time and time again. It helps that these ladies put Jesse in Cyn’s path and then encourage her when she is nervous about the age difference.

Jesse, wow…it was so easy to love this quiet man who knew what he wanted and went after it with his whole self. There is something so sexy about a man who chooses to pursue a woman and sticks to it no matter what obstacles get in their way or how many roadblocks she tries to throw at him. He was smart, sexy and very determined yet he was equally gentle, kind, and knew when to move forward and when to back off. While 8 years younger than the heroine he absolutely had a great head on his shoulders and proved time and time again his maturity.

I admired Cynthia so much for picking up her life, moving half way across the country, and starting over all on her own. Having her self esteem crushed, and not believing in herself was tough to overcome and I was so glad she found great friends and a man who helped her to see she was capable of doing whatever (and whoever) she wanted!

There’s never a dull moment in a Naked Cowboy story and Naked Desire is no different. If you enjoy lively characters, sexy romance, and some humor thrown in for good measure I urge you to check out this author and this series.