Sunday, August 21, 2016

BARE ESSENTIALS by M.L. Stephens




Title:  BARE ESSENTIALS
Series:  Dirt Roads #2
Author:  M.L. Stephens
Publish Date:   06.01.14
Publisher:  M.L. Stephens
Category /Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content
Received from:  M.L. Stephens (in exchange for an honest review)
Grammar/editing:  A – near perfect
Tour by:  This Redhead Loves Books
Goodreads link: Bare Essentials
Date completed: 08.28.14


Description from the publisher:
Trouble never looked so good. 

He's a cowboy with a guitar and an attitude. She's Nashville's toughest, most sought after music agent. They have one thing in common: country music. 

Cutter Harrison relies on two things: beer and music—his music. At twenty-six, he's happily divorced and plans to keep it that way. 

Holly Avery is on the hunt. She's determined to discover the next country music superstar and is willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. 

When two paths collide, Cutter and Holly are suddenly forced to question their pasts, their futures, and the bare essentials of love. Country music brought them together, but will their dirty little secrets keep them apart? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is the second book in the Dirt Roads series.  Each will stand-alone with some characters in common, but it is best to read them in order.

Holly Avery is a Nashville agent looking for the next star in the rough.  When she is invited to a field party to hear the local talent, she is instantly mesmerized and has found her star. 

Cutter Harrison, divorced, womanizing, drinking cowboy, finds his solace in his music.  He’s willing to take a chance on the stage in order to help the farm back home, but can he take a chance on love again?

I love country music, so reading about the making of this star was a lot of fun.

Holly is determined and capable.  Her divorce has caused her to shore up the walls around herself and work only for her career.  I loved that Cutter always had his head firmly attached to his shoulders.  He saw that this path would allow his parents to relax more.  He knew that he didn’t want to become anything more than he was.  He wanted to sing and share his music.  He didn’t care about becoming a “star.”  He knows that he was lucky to be found and in being found for his music, he and Holly find their futures.  Some of the supporting character names were cheesy.  When speaking of established country artists, the names Carly Overwood (Carrie Underwood), Tabbi Swift (Taylor Swift), and Tim McNall (Tim McGraw) had me giggling.

I loved this story. 

Please bring me more tractor-riding cowboys and love at the end of the dirt road.

The Dirt Road series:
1.     Bare Assets
2.     Bare Essentials
3.     Bare Necessities (coming Fall 2014)
Also from M.L. Stephens
Texas Swinger Series:
  • Houston Nights
  • Austin Nights
Broken Series:
          1.     Love You More
     2.     Innocence Lost
          3.     Sacred Heart
          4.     Eternally Bound
          5.     A Witch’s Curse
The Perfect Clone Series:
          1.     The Perfect Clone
          2.     The Perfect Clone 2
          3.     The Perfect Clone 3

 







About the Author
I write the characters and stories that scream the loudest.

I have an unshakable fetish for a good mystery and anything paranormal, along with an insatiable appetite for coffee and travel. When I'm not reading the novels of so many great authors, I'm creating stories of my own. My family keeps me grounded, my pets keep me jumping, my friends keep me focused, and it all happens in Texas!

 






Originally posted 08.29.2014 on my previous website
WordPress.com closed that site because I promoted authors and their books


BARE ASSETS by M.L. Stephens




Title:  BARE ASSETS
Series:  Dirt Roads #1
Author:  M.L. Stephens
Publish Date:   08.05.13
Publisher:  M.L. Stephens
Category /Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content
Received from:  M.L. Stephens (in exchange for an honest review)
Grammar/editing:  B – a few small errors
Tour by:  This Redhead Loves Books
Goodreads link: Bare Assets
Date completed: 08.29.14

Description from the publisher:
With nothing but shattered dreams and a busted heart to fuel the way, Angela Fletcher drove out of Arkansas and never looked back. 

Six years later, the new and improved version of the girl she used to be steered clear of romance, love and late night promises. The only pillow talk Angela engaged in these days was making sure the person on the other pillow knew to lose her number as soon as he left the bed. She only had room for one love in her life and that was Bare Assets, the gentlemen's club she poured her heart and soul into. 

Dean Murray was the devil in disguise and had left behind enough broken hearted women to populate a small country. Angela would know. She was an expert markswoman who was skillfully self-trained at shooting down the good, the bad and the ugly of all masculine targets. After all, as the owner of the most successful strip club in Dallas, Texas, it was her business to know men. 

Just as she begins to fall for Dean's silky words and passionate ways, her past and present unexpectedly collide and a meticulously planned future turns into unpredictable chaos. Is the smooth-talking, denim-wearing devil responsible for the chaos? Or are the secrets she left buried in Arkansas coming back to haunt her?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is the first book in the Dirt Roads series.  Each does stand on their own, but it’s better if you read them in order.

Poor Angie was in a “shoot me now” situation.  Her ex-sweetheart from Arkansas, Cutter, has shown up on her doorstep to talk her into coming home and has taken up camp in her guest room until she comes to her senses.  Meanwhile, Dean, the guy who just could be the one to mend her heart, is also finally stepping up to make his claim on her.  She doesn’t know which way to turn.  Now her orderly life is falling into disarray with one blow after another.  Is one of the guys responsible for the turmoil?

Angela is a tough girl who has been through enough of life’s heartaches.  Just when it seems that she will finally be able to heal, blow after blow hits her hard.  Even though she is a competent business woman succeeding with her strip club, she still retains a bit of innocence.  Dean has been dealt his own heartache and holds some secrets that will need to be revealed.  The final member of our threesome is Cutter.  Angie’s high school sweetheart and determined to re-win her heart and turn back the calendar to their more youthful days.

I absolutely love the front cover on this book.  It is beautiful, seductive, and appropriate to the story.  The story is fun and an easy read.  There were parts that had me laughing, but the best laughs were unintentional (an anus crime – should have been heinous… oh wait, it would be!)  Ms. Stephens has a wonderful vocabulary on display and is given to providing poetic conversations.  I look forward to reading more from her.

The Dirt Road series:
1.     Bare Assets
2.     Bare Essentials
3.     Bare Necessities (coming Fall 2014)
Also from M.L. Stephens
Texas Swinger Series:
  • Houston Nights
  • Austin Nights
Broken Series:
         1.     Love You More
         2.     Innocence Lost
         3.     Sacred Heart
         4.     Eternally Bound
         5.     A Witch’s Curse
The Perfect Clone Series:
         1.     The Perfect Clone
         2.     The Perfect Clone 2
         3.     The Perfect Clone 3

 







About the Author
I write the characters and stories that scream the loudest.
I have an unshakable fetish for a good mystery and anything paranormal, along with an insatiable appetite for coffee and travel. When I'm not reading the novels of so many great authors, I'm creating stories of my own. My family keeps me grounded, my pets keep me jumping, my friends keep me focused, and it all happens in Texas!










Originally posted 08.29.2014 on my previous website
WordPress.com closed that site because I promoted authors and their books