We meet Robyn - a school teacher and Zac - an exotic dancer. I don't normally read books about gigolos or strippers but this one had me. It had the right amount of steam and humour.

Zac and Robin meet when they accidentally get each other’s laundry one of which included a star spangled thong. Robin is a teacher who is going through the motions. Zac Fallon is a member of Mayham City, a male exotic dance troupe.

After Fallon sees Robin for the first time he can’t get her out of his head. The problem is that he isn’t the type of guy that Robin will date. The two decide to embark on an exclusive "fling" for the summer, but when the time comes to say "goodbye", will they be able to walk away?

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. I read it in one sitting.

Robyn is a schoolteacher with a rough couple of months behind her. She meets Zac after a laundry mix up at the cleaners. Zac is a stripper at Robyn's best friends bachlorette party. He and Robyn are from two different worlds. This was a fun, steamy, sexy read that I recommend.


I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and am leaving a review.

I love a good Magic Mike reference!! Zac Fallon is a HOT HOT guy who is comfortable in his own skin and willing to take it all off to make the ladies happy. Robyn life has been utter chaos for almost a year. A chance meeting of laundry mix up has them both spinning on who they are. OMG his dog Yaz was the cutest and loved his interactions with her. I adored how Robyn learned to look past Zac job to see the real him.

This was an okay read. The writing was okay, but the story dragged a little in the middle. Fallon and Robyn have good chemistry, and I really liked Fallon. I wasn't so much a fan of Robyn. She's a hot mess, and at first it was funny, but it just became annoying after a while. I didn't really understand the friendship between Robyn and Lily. It seemed like Robyn had been there for Lily through a lot of stuff, and Lily seemed to judge and look down on Robyn for everything she did. There were a few story lines that didn't really fit. Like Lukas and Darla. I'm not really sure what the point was, they were just kind of thrown in. I did like the HEA, and Robyn turning the tables on Fallon. This was a first for me from this author, but I would read her again.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

This is a fun summer read. Zac is a male dancer and meets school teacher Robyn over a star spangled thong when their laundry bags get interchanged. The story inspired a lot of laughter and like all such apparently fun on the surface stories with a serious layer under the surface some a bit of angst and sadness. Can two such clear opposites have a hope in hell of an everlasting romance?


Only time will tell but the author gives us an interesting story with all the hopes and dreams that both of these characters have for their futures. Along the way we also get to meet a lot of the other dancers who are family to Zac and who root for this unlikely romance playing their own version of matchmaker.


All in all a cute unexpected story that I enjoyed more that I anticipated once I got past the first few chapters.

Robyn Flores is a fifth grade teacher and for the last few months she is late to work every day. It is more than that though her life is out of sync but she does not know how to change any of it. Her best friend is going to be getting married and for her she is having problems remembering to put the coffee pot in the right place so that the coffee is not all over her floor. Now needing to clean up the mess along with getting dressed she has realized she has somehow gotten the wrong laundry bag. While wondering why someone would have a star spangled banner thong that even looks like it has all of the 50 stars she decides to use that as the clean-up. Knock on door will put her still late but the person behind the door is Zac Fallon and he has her bag of cloths, exchange made and hopefully all is well. Now after meeting him and going to work she realizes that she must give back the thong. When she does it leads to dinner and while at dinner she says some things about his profession, even though she does not know what he does. Later when they are having a bridal shower she finds out what his profession is and she is embarrassed by what she told him at dinner not by what he does. The story from there really goes into two people finding themselves and dealing with the people around them especially for her and her friend who is getting married and has lost sight of her friend. A very good book with good characters.

Magic Mike in novel form. Predictable, and poorly paced, but entertaining nonetheless. On the plus side, the characters had some fun witty banter and chemistry!

This book ended up being a dnf- Did Not Finish. It was just ok and didn't keep my attention. I made it 50% through the book before giving up. The characters weren't interesting. Their motivations were unclear and I couldn't work up any energy to care.

This book was absolutely adorable. Steamy yet cute with an awkward but ball-busting heroine and a swoon-worthy lead male who, yes, strips for a living. It's more Magic Mike meets Chippendale than g-string stuffing show off.

Oh, and he has a husky puppy. (insert heart eyes here)

I recommend this book to anyone looking for both a giggle and a swoon at the same time. I'm also going to make my dates read this book so that they get pointers on where to take women out.

A very enjoyable story!
I originally worried that Fallon, as a stripper, would be a pretty one dimensional character, but I was very wrong! Both main characters were great to get to know, and I didn't get bored with the storyline, or skip pages.
This is not a very long book, and I finished it in an afternoon, but I would happily re-read it again.
Thanks.x

After reading the deal announcement for this series I was immediately intrigued. A fifth grade teacher and a male stripper? Sign me up. I hoped it would be a a fun, sexy summer read and was not disappointed. It had me rushing to watch both Magic Mike movies after finishing the last page and eagerly anticipating when I can return to this world that has been created.

Robyn's life is a bit of a mess and quickly spiraling even more out of control. Part of her story arc is learning exactly what she wants for herself. She has made decisions based on what she thinks she should do instead of what she actually wants to do and that fact is catching up with her. She's easily relatable because she's someone who doesn't have it all together. She doesn't have it all figured out but is trying. I liked this part of her story arc. It was separate from her relationship with Fallon even though the relationship did make her things in a new light.

Fallon is your standard romance novel love interest. He's sexy, charming, has a little bit of an edge to him, and a good heart. He even comes complete with an adorable puppy. He's instantly loveable. I found the backstory elements that make up his character are what ultimately set up apart. He's not embarrassed about his job but does feel judged for it sometimes. He also feels unworthy of certain things because of how he sees himself. Getting to know his character was a nice change from some of the romance novels I've read and it just the connection between him and Robyn all the sweeter.

The group of guys that Fallon works with can really be described as more of a family than co-workers. Anyone who has seen Magic Mike, particularly the second one, will instantly know what I mean. Zoey Castile has captured that same bond and camaraderie that made that movie so enjoyable within the pages and put her own spin on it. The guys are there for each other and all of their interactions ran true as result. The rest of the guys are so charming that I am excited to continue reading about them as the companion novels are released. I would have loved to have had even more time spent with them while I was reading. They added a little something extra to the story.

Going off nothing other than the Magic Mike movies there is something unique about male revues. They aim to create an environment that is a safe space for women to express their sexuality. They set out to make very woman in attendance feel like a goddess (even if only for the night) and because of that something magical happens. Zoey Castile has captured a little bit of that magic within this novel. She showcases exactly what it is about male revues that women love. The ability they have to tell woman to embrace their fantasies and to not be ashamed of them is a wonderful thing. I loved the dance scenes because that element was woven in so perfectly. These scenes sizzle with an electricity that is felt by the reader. They truly come to life on the page and I dare say that writing these scenes is a particular talent this author possess.

A little aside to end this review on - the author gets bonus points for using song titles as the chapter names. You'll want to create a playlist after you finish reading this. We can only hope that Pony makes the list for one of the companion novels.

Romance readers who loved the Magic Mike movies will definitely want to check this one out. It combines the fun of a girls night out with a sweet and sexy romance which ends up being a winning combination. Pair it with a glass of your favourite wine and a face mask for a perfect way to spend an evening.

This was a fun,cute and sexy read!I loved how the characters met, it was fun!Both main characters have amazing banter and chemistry !Stripped is about a school teacher who just happens to have a next door neighbor who is an exotic dancer!

"Fallon is the perfect mix of sweet and sexy, the kind that is so rare to find, he might as well be a fucking unicorn."

Robyn and Fallon despite their opposite careers , are perfect for each other.

Stripped has been on my list of most anticipated releases since last year when I heard that Zoraida Cordova (an author fave here at Latinas Leyendo) was coming out with a new adult romance series (we also love romance here) about male strippers. My reaction was: yes, please and thank you. I, Deos knows how, managed to get my greedy little hands on an e-Galley (thank you Kensington!) but I devoured it during my commute much to the chagrin I’m sure of my fellow train passengers who were probably wondering why I was giggling, snorting, guffawing and blushing at 6:30am. Now is is finally out and here for everyone to enjoy!

Most of this is going to be a gushing rant about what I loved but I’ll try to keep it as coherent as possible. First, this book is unabashedly a millennial New York tale in all the best ways possible. As currently Millenial and former New Yorker I could be a bit biased (the story even takes place in my old neighborhood of Astoria!). At different points of the story Robyn drinks a giant mimosa, pays a late night visit to the halal cart, There is also a super hot scene at a NYC landmark that I will never be able to see again without blushing. Even the meet-cute is so New York: a laundromat-based mix up. Yes, I’m a sucker for a New York story but this one feels refreshingly believable with just the right amount of cheese.

This leads me to my second point: Robyn and Fallon feel like the most authentic and relatable romance protagonists I have read in a long time. Sure one is a super hot stripper with abs of steel but Castille does such an excellent job at developing their characters in nuanced and thoughtful ways that I really felt these were people I could reasonably know or meet, which made me cheer them on all the more enthusiastically. Fallon is confident but not immune to doubt and Robyn is prejudiced despite herself. Both are well-intentioned if flawed protagonists with personal ups and downs but they avoid becoming one-dimensional and falling into any one character trope which I really appreciated. In other words, Castille got the character seasoning just right.

Third this book is super hot, like 6/5 jalapenos hot. Keep the fire-extinguisher handy! This book suffers a little from insta-love or more like insta-lust but I’ll give it a pass because every interaction between Robyn and Fallon is charged with attraction. There are some insanely hot scenes (the previously mentioned one at a new york landmark comes to mind) but also the smaller moments of tender intimacy between the two made me grin and squee like a fangirl.

Last of all despite some moments of emotional turmoil, uncertainty there are, in true Cordova/Castille style, some genuinely funny moments sprinkled throughout the book ranging from slapstick to situational which adds a great counterpoint to some of the emotional angst and genuinely make me laugh out loud.

Also shout out for the inclusion of an adorable puppy. Gotta love a #doggydad and for a different and positive depiction of male sexuality and relationships (fingers crossed for Aiden’s story next!) that you don’t often see in romance let alone outside of romance.

Why then, you might be wondering if I love this book (and I do) did I not give it a full 5/5? There were a couple of spots in the books that I felt were a little under polished which although minor, were enough to make me pause for example the story arcs with some of the secondary characters like the Principle, Robyn’s parents and even Darla’s arc felt a little truncated and a little unfinished as their conclusions felt too rushed or convenient or neat . There are also some instances where Robyn and Fallon used the exact same or very similar turns of phrase in their inner dialogue which makes them blur a little together.

Overall this is an incredible start to a series I will definitely continue to follow and which I have a feeling is only going to get better and better.


Read if you like:

Magic Mike XXL
Ferris Wheel rides
Puppies

Disclaimer: I was given a free e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this story. Both characters are so charming and I was really rooting for them. I liked that Fallon's job as a stripper is thoughtfully explored and not just played for laughs. Your dignity and self-worth aren't about the job you have, and this romance does a great job of exploring that. There was some character exploration I thought was missing, but first person present is just so unforgiving when it comes to showing people really thinking about why they act they way they do. Very sexy, very fun. I look forward to more from this author.

Magic Mike has nothing on Fallon and his crew! This is a cute love story where laundry plays an important part of Robyn and Fallon meeting.

I found this thing so much fun. The idea of Magic Mike as a love story is just delightful and I adored the heroine.I also appreciated the work that Castille did to show us Zac's inner life and his own baggage because that let us really appreciate the HEA.

I wanted to like this one.

I really did.

And there were moments I enjoyed, but that’s all there was, a few moments, most of which revolved around the dog, and in end it just didn’t do it for me.

First off, it was difficult for me to get into from the start, which is never a good thing for me. I don’t expect to willingly jumping down the rabbit hole from the very beginning, but a little shove is always nice and that just didn’t happen and when I struggle with turning the pages, well, that just isn’t a good sign.

The other factor, the big factor, was that I just wasn’t feeling the characters. Fallon, I liked the most. He was a good guy with a good heart and though he was at a crossroads in his life, was comfortable in his own skin. Robyn, well, was just a hot mess and though I got why, I couldn’t really empathize with her, I know not everyone can work their way out of things, but she just kinda took it to Nth degree for me. And couple that with her...reactions to things, I just couldn’t.
As for the romance? I didn’t feel it. There were some moments of fun bantering and smexy, but I just didn’t feel that spark.

I wish I liked this one more, but I didn’t. The premise was great, I just wish I had fallen in love with the characters ~ any of the characters ~ because if I had I wouldn’t have gotten more out of the story, but that didn’t happen and it left me with tepid feelings towards the book and no real interest in continuing with the series.

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

Robyn had waited until she was completely out of clothes before she dropped them at the cleaners when she went to pick them up they gave her the wrong back. Robyn was having problems with depression struggling with work and her personal life and she is getting farther away from Lily and Lily is getting married. The first thing she seen in the bag was a star spangled thong. Then Robyn had forgotten to put the pot under the coffee maker and coffee was going all over the floor and her dish towels were also in her laundry bag so she pulled out a pair of jogging paints to clean up her floor she was running late for work for the third time this week and it was only Wednesday. She may not even have a job once she gets to work. Robyn is a elementary school teacher and she had a class of ten year old. There was someone knocking at her door Robyn grabbed her pink silk fairly revealing robe and found out it was the neighbor in the apartment below her and she had his clothes and he had her clothes bag. His name is Zac and he asked Robyn out for a drink Saturday night but she says no. He also offers her a ride to work again she declines. He was just getting home at 7 am Robyn figured he had been partying all night and she didn’t need that in her life. Even if he was the most gorgeous sexy man she had ever seen. But Zac had just come in from work not partying as Zac is a stripper. That was the first time a woman had turned Zac done in as long as he could remember. Zac felt he must be losing his game and he was only thirty. Zac worked hard at the gym and watched what he ate to have the body he has. All Zac has done since coming to NYC was go home, go to the gym, go to work and go to work again. Zac takes a shower and realizes he is hard just thinking about his neighbor. Plenty of women had their hands all over Zac and nothing just thinking about her and instant wood. Robyn was thirty minutes late getting to work Robyn’s best friend friend was Lily and she taught in the classroom next to Robyn’s. She told Robyn the principal was already in her classroom. The principal is Lucas and he calls Robyn out into the hall but then he tells Robyn they had already met at Lily’s engagement party but Robyn doesn’t remember as she drank way too much champagne. Lucas didn’t fire Robyn as her class loved her but he did warn her to be on time from now on. Zac wants to go back to Boston and see his family he hadn’t seen them in years since Zac had gave himself time to do that. Zac was in a male revue that traveled around the country and would only be in NYC for the summer. Zac has a five month old husky named Yaz. Ricky had seen Zac bartending when he hired him to join the revue. Ricky texted Zac and Zac called and he told Zac he needed him to work a party Saturday night as he had double booked twin dancers Zac agreed even though Zac hadn’t had a Saturday night off in months. Zac was paying his fathers medical bills and paying for his sister to go to a private school. But once his dad was better and his sister out of school Zac wondered what he would do with his money. Zac already had about a half of million dollars in a fireproof safe in his closet. He would have had more but he also paid cash for his car. At Lily’s bachelorette party Zac was the lead dancer and that threw Robyn. Robyn does agree to have a summer fling with Zac. Robyn invites Zac to go to Lily’s wedding with her . He does go but he is uncomfortable and Lucas trying to butt in and mess up things between Robyn and Zac didn’t help.
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the pace and the plot. I chuckled at times while reading this. This book was was an easy, fun, summer read. I really liked the family like +relationship Zac and the other men of the revue have. I really liked hw handsome and sexy Zac fell for robyn first and had to work to get her to be with him. I also really liked how the author showed behind the scene rehearsals and getting ready for the show. However I did feel the ending was rushed and I felt Zac and Robyn romance should have had more time to build up and time to grow. I am not really a big fan of insta/lust and acting on it too quickly. But all and all I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I do recommend it.

This was such a fun read! Robyn and Fallon are characters you can't help but root for. I fully related to Robyn's pessimistic feelings about dating: “I’ve waded through a Sea of Douche Bags for so long that I haven’t just lost interest in going on another bad first date—a part of me has lost all hope in finding any semblance of love.” When she meets Fallon over a case of mistakenly switched laundry bags, there's an immediate connection between them.

Fallon is a stripper and unapologetic about it but at the same time, he's at a crossroads. He doesn't feel the same way about his career as he used to. Robyn is also at a crossroads: she's got to get her act together or risk losing her job and her best friend. I struggled with her at first, what with her chronic lateness and messy everything. But I was intrigued by the fact that she wasn't always this way and wanted to get to the bottom of what changed. Her best friend's impending wedding seemingly led to a role reversal between them and this was so interesting to see play out.

Robyn and Fallon both have insecurities to work through and I really liked how they saw the best in one another. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. The ending was a bit rushed for me, given how things went off the rails for them. I wish Fallon would have groveled more--although Robyn's courageous act to show him how she felt was incredible! This is going to be a great series and I'm looking forward to more romance from Zoey Castile. I'll read any genre she/Zoraida Córdova writes.

Disclosure: I received an advance copy from Kensington in exchange for an honest review.