3.5/5 Stars!!

*Complementary arc provided via author in exchange for an honest review*

What happens when a schoolteacher picks up the wrong laundry bag, only to have her hot new neighbor come and claim it. Well apparently you discover that said hot neighbor is a hot af stripper. Yes you read that right haha.

Robyn Flores is tired, her sleep is all out of damn wack (can totally relate), she's constantly late for work because of the lack of sleep, and to top it all off she's having trouble keeping up with engagements for her friend's upcoming wedding. The last thing she needs is to get caught up with her new neighbor, no matter how good he looks, or her wondering why he had a sequined thong in his laundry bag.

Zac Fallon loves his job. Being able to make women feel wanted and sexy is something that he lives for, even if he sometimes feels a bit down about it all lately. When he goes to his neighbor to return a misplaced laundry bag, and get his own back the last thing he was expecting was to see Robyn, or feel any attraction. After getting to know her a bit he decides to do his best to woo her despite wondering what anyone will think of their relationship. What ensues is a fun, hot romance that gives off all the Magic Mike vibes.

I saw this book going around on a few of my feeds, saw that it involved a male stripper, and quickly went on NetGalley to request it (yes I'm shameless AF, leave me be). I feel like I've been calling so many romances quick lately but I've been filling my summer days with all the cuteness I can handle. Stripped was no shortage of some light cuteness filled with some fun steaminess. I mean there's an all male revue involved, if you ask me you can't really go wrong with that, but who tf am I to say anything🤷🤣

I did feel like this one was another case of some off pacing for me personally, I just love a good build up, and this one wasn't all the way where I wanted it to be but hey, that's just me, for others that won't even be an issue I'm sure. The relationship was cute for the most part, but I personally just found myself wanting a bit more. I also find myself not liking Robyn that much, one thing that kinda annoyed me about her was how she did her best friend. She was so flaky on all the wedding stuff and then wondered why her friend might be upset with her or not always on her side for some stuff anymore. I could understand maybe if they weren't bff's and if Robyn wasn't the whole Maid of Honor. I really wished she would've talked better with her friend and told her how she was feeling and what was going on in her head. And following this issue I wish we had more to see of them mending their relationship there towards the end. I also wish we got a bit more development for the characters. Zac had some pretty good elements going on, but I fell like we didn't get to go deep enough into Robyn, and I think that if we did, I would've connected more with her and some of her actions.

If you're looking for a fun, sexy good time to help finish off your summer reading then look no further. While this Stripped didn't hit all the marks for me, it was still a great light, fun read, and I think others will enjoy it for that as well.

Who would have thought a fifth grade teacher and a male stripper would hit it off. In Zoey Castile's Stripped, these two opposites attract and the desire they share is off the charts. This is the first book from the author's brand new series Happy Endings and it can be read as a standalone.

Robyn Flores is having one of those days. Actually, she has been having one of those days for a while now. However on this day she bumps into the handsome Zac Fallon, her new neighbor. After returning each others laundry, they share an instant chemistry, which involves into much more. Zac is a tad insecure when discussing his career as a stripper, and yet Robyn is able to see past it after a short while. Their sexy times are hot and they cannot get enough of each other. They are both at a crossroads in their respective lives and need to move on to greener pastures. Luckily they can do it together.

This is a nicely written romance with an engaging plot and well-defined characters. I found Robyn and Zac to be genuine and interesting, and how the people that mattered the most to them, supported their relationship. Zac's colleagues were especially warm and welcomed Robyn into their close-knit family. Overall, a solid read.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

To start, I absolutely adored the premise of this book. A sexy romcom about a male stripper and a schoolteacher? Brilliant! What attracted me the most since the beginning of this book was how it was written. It was so light and easy to read that I hadn't noticed I had read 5 chapters in a small amount of time. It had an amazing comedic timing that laughed with the characters and not at the characters and that felt incredibly natural. It never undermined Zac's job or made it seem like it should be something to be ashamed about and he certainly was never ashamed about it and Robyn completely respected him and what he liked to do. Even though there were struggles between the couple, in general, it felt like a very low angst book. The characters had a lot to figure out before they could be together, but the moments of friendship and domesticity during their flirtation and the situations before they realized something was happening between them was so beautiful to read. I always love to read about two very different people putting those differences aside but not erasing them to be together. They accepted and loved each other the way they were. It was adorable all the way through.

I'm all for my latinx sisters writing wonderful and lovely romance I can get behind, with characters that feel real and situations that could happen in the everyday life but also with those moments that seem almost too incredible to be true. This book was all that and more. It was diverse and gorgeous and I rooted for the characters all the time. That's one of the things that I love the most about romance books, how in a few pages I'm already connected with these characters, wishing them to be happy and have everything they want and overcome the problems that they might have. I really enjoyed how easy it was for me to fall in love with this story.

The respect that they had for each other and what they loved to do and how much they cared about each other's happiness is what constructed their chemistry for me, which was on fire the entire time. Zac was so nice and kind, he really left the pages and was a full rounded person, with flaws and virtues and a complexity that I wasn't expecting at first. Robyn was a representation of what a lot of us go through at some point in our lives. Where she had a lot of her life planned and then things don't turn out the way she wanted. And that doesn't mean that the exact solution for her is to have another plan, there's nothing wrong with a not so planned life. Also, she was humorous and witty and so much fun to read.

If you want an entertaining, adorable and wonderfully written book, you have to pick up Stripped!

Fun, flirty, sexy … an exciting escape. Robyn shows us how easy it is for life to get out of control. She was the always put together person and now she is late for everything and can’t keep anything straight but she’s not sure why. Her frantic search for clean clothes provides her with someone else’s laundry that is very intriguing. What she doesn’t expect is sexy Fallon on her doorstep in search of his bedazzled thong. Fallon is intrigued by the beautiful mess in front of him. Living his life providing women’s fantasies in an all-male review, he’s used to controlling his reactions to women but with Robyn, all bets are off. There is a wonderful journey full of laughter and heart ache as both Robyn and Fallon have to face what they really want in life. Is there a chance that they can find it together? I loved how these two connected and all the crazy moments that ensued along the way. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

Stripped by Zoey Castile
Happy Endings #1


Told in first person from dual points of view I had a bit of trouble getting into the story…but…once invested it flowed smoothly. The story is about a woman nearing her thirties in a bit of an early mid-life crisis that leans toward depression and definite job dissatisfaction. She is a teacher that once had her life in order but finds herself scattered and scatty though still excellent with her fifth grade students.

One morning, with nothing to wear but what is in the laundry bag she picked up the day before, she finds she has someone else’s clothing and none of it will work for school. The person in question has hers and delivers it to her door that morning and there is instant attraction…and why not…Zac Fallon is one hot hunk of man who also takes his clothes off for a living.

Robyn Flores and Zac seem to hit it off at first but then something rather judgmental is said and then there is her principal that is a pain in the patoot and her bff’s wedding that she should be more invested in and…well…what should be relatively smooth sailing really isn’t at all.

This book had the feeling of a new adult novel even though the lead characters were 28 and 32. The main thing I liked was the camaraderie of the Mayhem City Revue men and hope that even though Zac may not be going to Vegas with them we will hear more about them in book 2.

This was an okay read for me that left me curious about the other men and hoping that some of them will find happiness in the future, too. I kind of wonder what Zac and Robyn will end up doing as their lives, though planned to be together, don’t seem to have a definite direction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

An ARC of this book was generously provided to me from the publisher via NetGalley.
Overall Rating: 2.5 stars
Do I recommend it? This was just okay for me. At times the H’s voice was very feminine, and the h’s inner-thoughts were overdone. The verbage was occasionally awkward, and the story didn’t flow well for me. I think if you read a lot of books this story has been done before and since there was nothing unique or outstanding about this one it didn’t stand out for me.
Genre: Contemporary, but felt NA
POV: Both
Writing: 2.5 stars
Story/Plot: 2.5 stars
Characters: 2 stars
Emotions: 2 stars, this didn’t evoke a lot of strong emotions for me one way or the other.
Flow/pacing: 2 stars
Steam: 3 stars
HEA: Yes
Will I read this author again? Maybe

This book has a lot of hype, and I was excited to dive in.

Zoey Castille’s Stripped has a mix of a lot of elements that I enjoyed. Fallon was a swoony hero, and I enjoyed the close up look into his career. Then there was Robyn who is going through a hard time, and I could relate to her as a character. There are plenty of comedic gold moments with a more serious undertone that rounded it out well. I didn’t always feel the chemistry, however. Something was just...missing which kept me from loving it.

This is still a fun read, and I’m excited to see what else this author has in store.

3.5 stars!

A story featuring a male stripper and an elementary school teacher? Yes please! This book was a lot of fun to read. It was funny, sexy, and filled with charm. Fallon is a male stripper and not ashamed of it. He's made a lot of money in his chosen profession, thank you very much! When there is a laundry mix up he gets to meet the beauty in 6A. Not only is she beautiful but she's funny and one heck of a mess. Too bad she shoots him down immediately. The next time he sees her is at a bachelorette party he's been hired to perform for. Talk about awkward! She may be his biggest challenge ever but he's definitely going for it!

Lots of witty banter, humor, and sexy times fill the pages of this one making it a very entertaining book. I definitely recommend it.

It’s so rare when you can read an entire book in one sitting and not regret it. This first installment of Castile’s Happy Endings series was one of those reads. Highly entertaining, Stripped not just hits the emotional beats flawlessly, but it has so many funny moments and lines that underscore the angst that runs through the story’s background. You don’t even notice the angst building up until the characters reach a breaking point in their relationship, which happens a handful of times.
The characters, Zac Fallon and Robyn Flores, are in different, yet similar points in their lives. Fallon is a typical white boy,who drives a sports car through New York City, owns a Siberian Husky puppy, and pines after his upstairs neighbor after a mix up at their laundromat has them meeting cutely. Oh, and he’s also an amazing stripper. He’s well-traveled, has a great relationship with his friends, but he’s missing a connection that doesn’t feel superficial or hidden under his friends’ machismo. Meanwhile, Robyn Flores is on a chaotic streak as she keeps flaking on her friends and her teaching. Always an overachiever, Robyn is at an impasse with her life where she’s settled for less than she deserves... and running away from doing something about it.
So, when their lives brush paths, they can’t seem to stop clashing toward each other, quite literally. Their romance gets off to a rocky start, but I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to the relationship between Jane and Rafael in the first season of Jane the Virgin (let’s pause for a second to watch this fan video of Jane and Rafael’s sweetest moments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr5PFrUrrOQ). ANYWAY! Robyn and Fallon, both at points in their lives where they need to decide what they really want to dedicate their souls to, start a tentative courtship, but the sexy moments arrive they are SCORCHING. Like, Mad Max: Fury Road desert HOT. Slightly spoilery, but I’ll never be able to look at a ferris wheel the same way ever again.
Do be on the lookout for some TWs, as one of the subplots has to do with sexual harassment (in the workplace and outside). Robyn has probably the best line in the book which I will quote, but only by imagining it being said with a Dr. Doofenshmirtz voice: “FUCK YOU PRINCIPAL PLAYTYPUS!”
I’m eager to see what’s next in store for Castile’s series. I’d love to see a collab between her and Alexis Daria, author of Take the Lead, in the future.

Favorite Quote:

I want to hate her.
I want to leave and say, “Fuck this.” Fuck you. Fuck you and your stuck-up bullshit. Fuck this ridiculous feeling inside of me that shouldn’t logically be here. Fuck these butterflies. Fuck your, beautiful, unforgiving mouth. I don’t need you.
But when she gets up all in my space, her hair wet, wild, and eyes as dark as midnight– I want to grab her harder and throw her onto the couch and break it in half with the force of our weight.
I realize, I need her.

This was a sweet, sexy, wonderful #ownvoices contemporary romance featuring a Latinx heroine who is a 5th grade teacher in the middle of a quarter life crisis. Robyn is a little frazzled and her life feels a bit disheveled and out of tune. Like she can’t catch a breath, can’t seem to get a good night’s sleep and is constantly running late for everything. She meets her neighbor when their laundry gets mixed up and she suddenly has a bag full of sweatpants and weird, sparkly speedos versus her regular dresses and underwear.

Fallon is a stripper and has never been embarrassed by his profession. Until he meets Robyn and maybe feels like he isn’t good enough for her. But each of them are a little broken and it’s not until they meet and fall in love that they become a little less broken together. They fall in lust and love and their relationship is super sexy. This is a great contemporary romance.

Fans of Magic Mike XXL, come forth! This is the book for you. Stripped by Zoey Castile is sexy, sweet, and basically everything I look for in a romance novel.

Robyn Flores has been stuck in a rut for months. A fifth grade teacher by day, she once dreamed of becoming a writer—but gave up her dreams in favor of practicality. And lately, Robyn’s head just isn’t in the right place: she’s not sleeping, or she’s oversleeping and ending up late for work. This isn’t the dependable Robyn who everyone (including herself) is used to.

So it’s just Robyn’s luck when she picks up her laundry one day, only to realize it’s not hers when she reaches into the bag and pulls out someone’s sequined thong. Turns out that the laundry belongs to Zac Fallon, Robyn’s hot new neighbor.

Robyn and Fallon share a heated meet-cute and connect on a physical level right away. However, it quickly becomes clear to Fallon that Robyn is looking for a different kind of guy. See, Fallon is a dancer—of the Magic Mike variety. So he takes off abruptly, leaving Robyn perplexed as to what scared him away.

Robyn’s best friend Lily is getting married, but Robyn is failing at her maid of honor duties. When Lily’s soon-to-be sister-in-law Sophia steps in and takes over the planning, Robyn is relieved—until Sophia reveals that she hired a group of male strippers for the bachelorette party. To Robyn’s horror, Fallon is one of them.

Despite their best efforts to stay away from each other, Robyn and Fallon cannot deny their attraction. They agree to a no-strings-attached arrangement that will end once Fallon leaves town for his next gig. But they each find themselves falling hard for the other. What can they do when they’re from two completely different worlds?

Stripped is such a fun read, but it’s also so much more. It delves into complicated friendships and family dynamics. In addition, it doesn’t shy away from the judgment that Fallon faces from everyone in Robyn’s world, once they learn what he does for a living. It’s something that Robyn has to come to terms with herself—she has to check her judgment at the door and see past Fallon’s job to the person he truly is.

Robyn and Fallon have a lot to overcome to be together, and my only small complaint is that the ultimate resolution happens super quickly—maybe a little too fast for my taste. But the underlying story and connection that the characters have is so sweet, I just cheered them on the whole way.

Stripped is book #1 in the new Happy Endings series and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

The synopsis of this book drew me in... sounded very interesting. However, I didn’t love Robyn at all. Because of this, I couldn’t really get into this book. I could not relate to her. Wanted to shake her and tell her to grow up. :(
Robyn is an elementary teacher who does not have her life together. At all. WTH - she isn’t taking care of pets, kids or family members... is she depressed?!?!? This was my thoughts the first (at least) 3 chapters.
Sadly, I did not finish reading this book. Just wasn’t the book for me.

This is my first book by this author. I would be willing to read others book not in this series by this author.
It appears to be book 1 in a new series.

This book was hot! I love the story line. The author did a great job not rushing this book. I actually recommend this book to a couple of my friends. I also posted on my Facebook. I can’t wait for another one.

Erotic with total sass is what Stripped was. I laughed and I was left begging for more thought it. Robyn reminded me so much of myself she is such a good nice girl I loved her, and when she meets Zach he makes her think naughty and do bad things. The two together are AMAZING I absolutely loved the chemistry between the 2 it made my heart flutter a time or two!

This is an average new adult romance — it’s sexy, enjoyable, fun with a good dose of angst. It was a lot of fun to read and I loved the characters.

The only issue I had was that the plot didn’t have that much substance which made it lack overall. But it was an enjoyable read, brilliantly written and the characters were extremely charming.

So this book is basically Magic Mike fan fiction…and I’ve never seen Magic Mike! I know, I know, I need to get to that movie – most of Romancelandia informs me that it’s a great movie so it’s on my to watch list, for sure. But, happily, this is a book that is easy to read without having that entry point. Robyn and Zac meet as neighbors and the sparks fly pretty quickly but she’s unaware of his stripper job until she meets him *on the job* later that night. The two seem to be nothing alike, with Robyn being a teacher set in her ways, and Zac being a stripper who has traveled the world. They decide to have a fling over the summer with a set end date when his stripping show moves out of town.



There is so much that I liked about this book and a lot of that revolves around Zac and his job. I loved that he is not ashamed of stripping and how he embraces it completely. I found it unusual that the stripper in the story was a male and not a female since that is more typical in the romances I’ve read and I am always a fan of flipping conventions. I loved his co-workers and friends and how much they loved their jobs too, the camaraderie cracked me up. I’m a sucker for a good friend group in a book. Robyn has to come to grips with her prejudice against Zac’s job and I thought that Castille handled that very well. While Zac embraces his job he also struggles with feeling like he’s good enough for Robyn and I thought that was very realistic to see in any relationship. Watching that struggle between the two as well as with what to tell those outside of their relationship was probably my favorite part of the whole book.



Robyn was complicated and I really liked her as I felt I could relate to her but I also had some issues with her portrayal. She was going through some issues personally and was just falling down on her job professionally and personally as the Maid of Honor of her best friend, Lily’s, wedding. She seems overall depressed and unhappy with her life which is the part I could relate to but I didn’t feel was explored enough in terms of an actual cause or to get help with that. I’m not sure if that was the point – that there was no actual cause, or if the point was that she was just unhappy overall. I did really appreciate the portrayal of friendship that was struggling. I often feel that friendship is so damn rosy in books and this was much more realistic – messy and imperfect.



Overall, this is a really fun and sexy book. It has an excellent villain who I violently hated, which I always enjoy! Robyn and Zac have great chemistry and the author did a wonderful job at poking holes at societal conventions. I definitely hope we get to see more of this world and these characters in the future.



4 STARS!

Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, steamy romance

This is the first time I've read Zoey Castille and while I think she did a good job with some of the banter between the characters I had a really hard time getting into the story. I think in part because I just didn't understand her heroine Robyn. I never quite figured out why she was the way she was. Zak was more likable from the start. I also did not expect to be reading about death and depression.
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

I really, really loved this story. It hit all the right notes for me. Sweet, emotional, sexy AF, solid love story, and funny in the right spots. All the chapters are titles after songs, so that was cute. Robyn, our heroine, is a teacher, but she is at a crossroads in her life and isn’t really sure where she belongs. The hero, Fallon, is a stripper and is confident with his work, but still feeling some sort of way about it. They me
et when their clothes are mixed up at the laundry.

This is an #ownvoices with a Latinx heroine. I learned this week that Castille is a not so secret pen name for Zoraida Cordova.

This story is pretty much two broken people finding each other and learning to love each other and accept love. They don’t achieve or expect perfection once this love is declared. This kind of romance is my absolute favorite. I will give you this quote-
“Robyn Flores, when we met, we were both a little bit broken. I think something in the universe was driving us together. Working to get us to that moment.” “To when I stole your laundry?” “The very same moment. And I was wrong. I think that when we’re together, our broken pieces do fit.”
Grade: A

This is my first time reading anything by this author, I had zero preconceived notions heading into this one. In the plainest of terms it is a Magic Mike situation, but with a better story line and more lovable characters. For me, I loved the nuances of the latin culture. Being hispanic myself, I could easily identify with the main female character Robyn and the dialogue with her parents was totally something I could picture happening with my own grandparents. The story was quick and fun and had me rooting for Robyn and Fallon the moment they met. A flirty romance without a lot of the expected drama but a lot of real life differences to work through none the less. I liked that the characters weren't pigeon holed into stereotyplical dumb male stripper and overly cerebral goody two shoes girl. The characters seemed completely normal and real. Their issues weren't overly complicated or exaggerated as well. If you are into hot and steamy, stripper fantasies, this one is for you!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. First time reading this author. Okay I have mixed feelings about this book. I haven't seen "Magic Mike" but I was saddened by the way Zac Fallon was sometimes treated. Robyn is a messed up 5th grade teacher, who obviously needed help. The way they meet is fun, the chemistry is good. Some of the subplots are odd. The dynamics between Robyn and her best friend Lily are confusing. The dynamics of the stripper group Mayhem City was interesting, they don't talk much about the dark side of it. The principal was what? What was his deal?? It was sort of fun to read. I wasn't invested in the characters, I got frustrated with Robyn and Lily. It is a quick read. I rate this a 3. Just because I am not sure how I feel about the whole story.