Stripped

Jasinda Wilder — 2013

So how did I get myself into this situation, you ask? Simple: desperation. When you're faced with being homeless and hungry or taking off your clothes for money, the choice is easier than you'd imagine. That doesn't make it easy, though. Oh no. I hate it, in fact. There's nothing I'd like more than to quit and never go into another bar again, never hear the techno beat pulsing in my ears again, never feel the lecherous gazes of horny men again. Then, one day, I meet a man. He's in my club, front and center. He watches me do my routine, and his gaze is full of hunger. Not the kind of desire I'm used to though. It's something different. Something hotter, deeper, and more possessive. I know who he is; of course I do. Everyone knows who Dawson Kellor is. He's People Magazine's Sexiest Man alive. He's the hottest actor in Hollywood. He's the man hand-picked for the role of Rhett Butler in the long-awaited remake of Gone With the Wind. He's the kind of man who can have any woman in the entire world with a mere crook of his finger. So what's he doing looking at me like he has to have me? And how do I resist him when he looks at me with those intoxicating, changeable, quicksilver eyes? I'm a virgin, and he's an American icon of male sexuality. I'm a stripper, and he's a man used to getting anything and everything he wants. And he wants me. I know I should say no, I know he's the worst kind of player...but what my mind knows, my body and my heart may not. And then things get complicated.

Reviews

Lover of Romance @addictedtoromance

Nov 10, 2024

Quickie Review:

I found this one so intriguing and it was more of a random pick up read for me. I was just browsing KU and found this delightful read. I was intrigued by the setup so I knew that I wanted try it out. I will say that this book was pretty likeable and if you have read this author before, then you will know her writing style. This author has a writing style that is pretty easy to get into (Similar to Anna Zaires, Meghan March), but this book starts out so SLOW. It takes a while almost 25% before our couple even meets each other. Once they do meet each other, it was a fun wild ride. I really had a blast. It has some great alpha vibes and I liked the whole stripper/actor pairing. It really worked really well. I did find the pacing of the story a bit off, but the audio narration was pretty decent as well. The ending of the story was my favorite part of the story. It literally left me in swoony tears, so heartfelt. One of my favorite proposals ever done.

Overall it was a endearing read that was a great distraction from reality.

Anna Ureta@akiikomori

Jan 23, 2023

I promise I’ll do my best not to giveaway any spoilers. Though I hope this review doesn’t come out too generic, *insert nervous laugh*. First off, I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book. It was simple, it was tasteful, and it had such a nice heart-warming story. Typical New Adult Contemp, but that’s the thing, you’ve got to love the simplicity of it. It was light, it was happy; it makes you wish your life could be that way. But maybe with enough determination, perseverance it can! Grey Amundsen is a stripper. She hates being a stripper. It’s the worst job in the history of jobs! But in order to get through college and maintain a roof over her head she has little choice but to do so. One day a group of men request for her to dance in a private VIP room – all of them famous actors. Among them is Dawson Kellor. The hottest piece of man candy anyone has ever seen. Every woman wants him, and every man wants to be him. He’s Hollywood’s hottest actor and has been named SEXIEST man on alive. For some reason unknown to Grey, Dawson wants her and she can’t figure out for the life of her why. He can snap his fingers and have any woman he wants, so why her? Even though she knows being with him is wrong her body and her heart say otherwise. Let me start off by saying I LOVE GREY I really do, I absolutely love and admire her. You can tell just off the get go that she has so much potential, so much passion that drives her to be her own person. Grey is passionate; passionate about dancing and about going to film school. She will never do something half-ass. She STRIVES to do what makes her happy, for her own self-satisfaction, and I feel like very few people have the confidence to really go out into the world and really reach for their dreams and I mean REALLY actually do something about it. Another reason I admire her is the fact that she doesn’t want her life to be defined by where she comes from and who her family is. She wants to be someone based off her OWN merits, her accomplishments and what she’s done. Not by her family’s name or being called the ‘pastor’s daughter’. I think it’s a lot easier for those who have so little, like Grey, to step out into the world to try to be their own person as opposed to someone who comes from money or who is born into a famous family. I will say one thing that made me a little bit uncomfortable about the book was the very obvious time jumps. I understand why they were done and why they were necessary, but for me it made the book seem a bit choppy. Like it didn’t flow very well even though I KNEW there was no point in dragging the scene out longer. When the story got to the main and interesting bulk of it though then it MORE than made up for the choppiness between some of the chapters. Let’s move onto our LEADING MAN, FICTIONAL BOYFRIEND – DAWSON KELLOR. This man is HAWT with a capital EVERYTHING. This is the part you look forward to in reading these books. The introduction to the man. And this man…just by one sentence got me all hot and bothered. I’m not going to lie though. Something about him scares me. Only a few pages in and I’m pretty terrified of him. He has this presence, this overwhelming dominant aura that just makes your insides tremble. I swear the more I read about Dawson the more I’m afraid of him. In a good way I suppose… BUT I PROMISE, he improves on acquaintance, and you’ll learn to love his forceful side. I’ve seen pictures of him; I’ve seen him in his latest films. But none of that does him justice. Not even close… He’s Brad Pitt and Henry Cavill and Josh Duhamel and so much more. That’s just how he seems on screen. “Quit that. Even if you were just an intern-assistant, you wouldn’t call me sir. How are you here?” “I took a bus.” Dawson grunts in irritation and rubs his hands over his face. “Don’t be obtuse.” Dawson and Grey together is just something else. Two different people coming from two completely opposite worlds; but it just goes to show you how where you come from isn’t important. It’s how much you love the person that does. I can understand where Grey is coming from though, being around a handsome, powerful man like Dawson, living the life of the rich and famous. I can sympathize with her insecurities and her doubts. It’s not hard to. All women want is someone who will listen and someone who will accept them and their faults in the entirety. It’s not his money or how gorgeous he is that completely wins her over, it’s how much he cares and how deep he feels. SURE, Dawson reminds me of Christian Grey, but I think he’s better, more passionate and perhaps more empathetic toward Grey. He really understands where she’s coming from and really just wants to take care of her. “I’ll always take of you. And I’ll never let anyone talk bad about you, or make you feel less. You’re my lady, Grey. Mine. And that means no one will ever get to say anything shitty about you, or make you feel shitty. Not anyone, not ever. Including yourself.” I ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND it as a nice little one shot by Jasinda Wilder and can’t wait to read it again and again and fall in love with Dawson and Grey all over again. 5/5 Hearts of Love Check my BLOG www.akiikomorireading.wordpress.com for more reviews + A STRIPPED GIVEAWAY