Dirty-Talking Cowboy is the first book in the Kinky Spurs series by Stacey Kennedy. Emma Monroe has returned to River Rock, Colorado, after the death of her grandmother. Now she’s inherited a farm full of abused animals and she’s working as a waitress at the local hotspot, Kinky Spurs. The last thing Emma wants in her life is a man, as she’s still recovering from a recent heartbreak. But when a sensual and powerful cowboy, Shep Blackshaw enters her life, Emma begins to want things she shouldn't. Shep knows sex shouldn’t be on his mind. He’s got a world of responsibility on his shoulders. He’s attempting to save his late father’s cattle ranch, Blackshaw Cattle Company, from foreclosure. But Emma’s heated reactions to his touch make ignoring her impossible. She’s the perfect distraction to make him forget that his father’s company is a sinking ship. While their nights only heat up, soon emotions become tangled into the mix.
Dirty-Talking Cowboy is a hot a steamy romance, with an alpha hero that is a little too perfect. Shep is sexy, a hard worker, and while he is controlling he also takes the time to be sure of the emotional well-being of those he cares about. I love that he can be slow and gentle in his conversations and takes care of those around him, and hat consent is a priority in bedroom- that is not always the case with strong alpha heroes. Emma is sweet and smart, reeling from heartbreak and the loss of her grandmother. Changes and grief are taking up most of her head-space as she tries to heal and move forward. I liked that they are both pretty self aware of their issues, and what they need. I like that they talk through the issues and do not force things. The attraction and chemistry between them is powerful, maybe a bit too much to be real but since I read for escape I was fine with that. My biggest problem with the book is that Shep is too perfect. He is strong, willing to work hard, is patient even when he needs to struggle with it. Emma is fairly perfect too, but at least she is struggling with trust, and allowing herself to feel. I enjoyed the secondary characters as much as the main players, and look forward to the next two books in the series, since the story made the next couples pretty obvious. Now, I really need to read those books because I want to see them find their happy endings.
Dirty-Talking Cowboy is a steamy contemporary romance. The sex is steamy, the characters a little too perfect, but the ride is highly entertaining and well worth the read.
