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Sun City #3
Strip Bare
"We took this too far the moment I had to pretend you were mine."
Who knew one little white lie could cause so much chaos?
Leo isn’t one for drama—let alone being the cause for it. So when his parents unexpectedly turn up in Sun City with his baby sister in tow, he’s unprepared for the trouble he’s accidentally unleashed on his own life.
There were three problems:
1. He might be in love with his best friend, Kit
2. His parents thought Kit was his boyfriend… probably because that was what he’d told them
3. Kit had no clue about either of these things
A kiss he can’t take back and a friendship at stake—Leo must make a decision: admit his lie and potentially let down those he loves, or strip bare and risk it all.
Strip Bare is the third book in an interconnected series of standalones. Perfect for lovers of fake dating, forced proximity, and steamy gay romance.
Who knew one little white lie could cause so much chaos?
Leo isn’t one for drama—let alone being the cause for it. So when his parents unexpectedly turn up in Sun City with his baby sister in tow, he’s unprepared for the trouble he’s accidentally unleashed on his own life.
There were three problems:
1. He might be in love with his best friend, Kit
2. His parents thought Kit was his boyfriend… probably because that was what he’d told them
3. Kit had no clue about either of these things
A kiss he can’t take back and a friendship at stake—Leo must make a decision: admit his lie and potentially let down those he loves, or strip bare and risk it all.
Strip Bare is the third book in an interconnected series of standalones. Perfect for lovers of fake dating, forced proximity, and steamy gay romance.
196 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 22, 2023
About the author
Jade Church
20 books324 followersJade Church is putting the ‘O’ in romance with her high-heat and swoony romance books. Jade currently lives in the U.K. and when she’s not cuddling her cats or writing, she spends the majority of her time reading and binge re-watching The Vampire Diaries.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 28, 2023
Sometimes characters can be so stupid and blind to the things right in front of them and they need another character to let them see those things.
September 23, 2023
4/5 Stars
Thank you to Jade Church for providing me with an arc via her arc team.
I have loved everything in the Sun City series and this was a great next book. I avoid books with male main characters like the plague and I mean literally if it's a book where the only pov is a man, I 9 times out of 10 will not read it but I love Jade Church so I gave this one a try and loved it. This book was not only Gay it also had a neurodivergence character and I absolutely loved it and the neurodivergency was handled so well.
Leo has had feelings for his best friend, Kit, for as long as he can remember knowing him but he knows that he would never be with him but after a lie he told his parents comes to the surface he has to get Kit to agree to fake dating him to get his parents and sister off his back. Leo hates having to force Kit into this fake relationship but when he wants it to become real he can’t bring himself to potentially lose the person he loves but he may have to admit it anyways.
In the previous books we had gotten some hints at Leo and Kit’s will-they won’t they relationship so it was super exciting to finally get to see it come together in this book. I don’t really remember picking up on Leo’s neurodivergence in previous books but it was a lovely surprise as I am always looking for romances with neurodiverse characters since I myself am neurodiverse. Leo is undiagnosed in the book which truly made it even more meaningful because a lot don’t get diagnosis or they can take years to get so to see him understand that part of himself and also see Kit really understand it was so important. As someone who is neurodiverse it always is so meaningful to see it handled properly in a book and seeing the love interest truly take into consideration how things affect our MMC which is really sweet and should be the norm for those who are neurodivergent partners.
I truly recommend this as a fun fake dating mm college romance that is amazingly diverse!
Thank you to Jade Church for providing me with an arc via her arc team.
I have loved everything in the Sun City series and this was a great next book. I avoid books with male main characters like the plague and I mean literally if it's a book where the only pov is a man, I 9 times out of 10 will not read it but I love Jade Church so I gave this one a try and loved it. This book was not only Gay it also had a neurodivergence character and I absolutely loved it and the neurodivergency was handled so well.
Leo has had feelings for his best friend, Kit, for as long as he can remember knowing him but he knows that he would never be with him but after a lie he told his parents comes to the surface he has to get Kit to agree to fake dating him to get his parents and sister off his back. Leo hates having to force Kit into this fake relationship but when he wants it to become real he can’t bring himself to potentially lose the person he loves but he may have to admit it anyways.
In the previous books we had gotten some hints at Leo and Kit’s will-they won’t they relationship so it was super exciting to finally get to see it come together in this book. I don’t really remember picking up on Leo’s neurodivergence in previous books but it was a lovely surprise as I am always looking for romances with neurodiverse characters since I myself am neurodiverse. Leo is undiagnosed in the book which truly made it even more meaningful because a lot don’t get diagnosis or they can take years to get so to see him understand that part of himself and also see Kit really understand it was so important. As someone who is neurodiverse it always is so meaningful to see it handled properly in a book and seeing the love interest truly take into consideration how things affect our MMC which is really sweet and should be the norm for those who are neurodivergent partners.
I truly recommend this as a fun fake dating mm college romance that is amazingly diverse!
September 22, 2023
Friends to lovers, fake dating, queer and with fabulous neurodivergent representation in the main character. What else can you ask for?
I have loved every single book Jade Church has released so far, but this one ❤️ this one has to hold a special place in my heart. The neurodivergent is so well done, so realistic, so much like me. It is easy to tell the author has written from a place of close experience with it. And it made me cry because no mater how good the representation is, each neurodivergent person is different and finding a character that matches your own mental process is not usual; it has only happened twice for me, the first time with the heart principle and now this one. So, just for that reason alone, I would give this book all the stars in the world. But it doesn't only have a fantastic rep, it has an amazing love story, with lots of chemistry, family dynamics, fake dating, lots of spice, and a love interested I am also in love with.
AND we get to have a taste of what is going on with Kate and Max in the last book of this series !!! 😱 I can't wait.
Like the rest of the series, this can be read as a stand-alone, but I would recommend to you to read the previous books to get everything from the story.
I have loved every single book Jade Church has released so far, but this one ❤️ this one has to hold a special place in my heart. The neurodivergent is so well done, so realistic, so much like me. It is easy to tell the author has written from a place of close experience with it. And it made me cry because no mater how good the representation is, each neurodivergent person is different and finding a character that matches your own mental process is not usual; it has only happened twice for me, the first time with the heart principle and now this one. So, just for that reason alone, I would give this book all the stars in the world. But it doesn't only have a fantastic rep, it has an amazing love story, with lots of chemistry, family dynamics, fake dating, lots of spice, and a love interested I am also in love with.
AND we get to have a taste of what is going on with Kate and Max in the last book of this series !!! 😱 I can't wait.
Like the rest of the series, this can be read as a stand-alone, but I would recommend to you to read the previous books to get everything from the story.
September 21, 2023
Thank you to the author, Jade Chirch, for allowing me to read this as an ARC.
Let me first express my love for interconnected standalones. This particular book is short and sweet, I read it in one sitting. Whereas I do feel like you'd understand more if you read the first two books in the series, I do not think it's necessary to enjoy it.
I do love a good M/M romance, and these characters were VERY easy to love. Kit was just dreamy, and Leo's description of him made me fall in love too. They are both so SASSY and witty, and I could not get enough of their adorable banter.
Now, where this lost one star for me was the miscommunication trope that lingered throughout the book. This is very much so a personal opinion, but I'm just not a huge fan of it.
Essentially, if you are looking for a short(er) MM read with a blue haired love interest WITH PIERCINGS and golden-haired love struck puppy in a predicament, read THIS!
Let me first express my love for interconnected standalones. This particular book is short and sweet, I read it in one sitting. Whereas I do feel like you'd understand more if you read the first two books in the series, I do not think it's necessary to enjoy it.
I do love a good M/M romance, and these characters were VERY easy to love. Kit was just dreamy, and Leo's description of him made me fall in love too. They are both so SASSY and witty, and I could not get enough of their adorable banter.
Now, where this lost one star for me was the miscommunication trope that lingered throughout the book. This is very much so a personal opinion, but I'm just not a huge fan of it.
Essentially, if you are looking for a short(er) MM read with a blue haired love interest WITH PIERCINGS and golden-haired love struck puppy in a predicament, read THIS!
October 1, 2023
When I pick up a book by Jade Church I just know I'm going to love it and this was no exception, it had it all - fake dating, mm relationships, friends to lovers, even skirting on some aspects of being neurodivergent. Winner winner!!!
This book is the 3rd instalment of the Sun City Series, and although each book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading in order to get the most from the narrative and its characters.
How cute are Leo & Kit.. ahh, it gave me all the feels! I also enjoyed reading how the other characters are doing and woah.. Kat... Max.. there definitely has to be a story with those right!!!!
Fantastic easy quick read, devoured whilst cooking the Sunday roast (I wasn't putting it down for anything)
Huge thank you to Jade Church for the ARC & for having me on the team 🙏
This book is the 3rd instalment of the Sun City Series, and although each book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading in order to get the most from the narrative and its characters.
How cute are Leo & Kit.. ahh, it gave me all the feels! I also enjoyed reading how the other characters are doing and woah.. Kat... Max.. there definitely has to be a story with those right!!!!
Fantastic easy quick read, devoured whilst cooking the Sunday roast (I wasn't putting it down for anything)
Huge thank you to Jade Church for the ARC & for having me on the team 🙏
September 25, 2023
4⭐️
I have LOVED all of the Sun City books so far, and this was such a good addition!
The book follows Leo who falls into a fake-dating situation with his best friend - who he also happens to be in love with…
In the previous books we were introduced to Leo and Kit and got some hints of attraction between them both - and let me say this book lived up to it all!
Without giving anything away, I fully recommend this fake-dating, MM college romance!
✨thank you Jade Church for an arc in exchange for an honest review✨
I have LOVED all of the Sun City books so far, and this was such a good addition!
The book follows Leo who falls into a fake-dating situation with his best friend - who he also happens to be in love with…
In the previous books we were introduced to Leo and Kit and got some hints of attraction between them both - and let me say this book lived up to it all!
Without giving anything away, I fully recommend this fake-dating, MM college romance!
✨thank you Jade Church for an arc in exchange for an honest review✨
February 24, 2026
This book was fine, but the miscommunication trope lingered for too long in my opinion so I ended up just getting really annoyed with Leo and I didn't enjoy the book as much as I had hoped. The reason for fake dating was so off for me. Like who's parents arrive with no warning and expect to stay at your student housing with you for a week? That makes no sense. Stay at a hotel like normal people!
I also cannot stand purposefully making someone jealous just to see their reaction. It's so manipulative, makes me cringe!
I also cannot stand purposefully making someone jealous just to see their reaction. It's so manipulative, makes me cringe!
September 14, 2023
Best friends to lovers and fake dating! Yes please. This book was so wholesome and cute, I was rooting for them so much. They had so much chemistry, it felt real. It does have a bit of miscommunication but I didn’t think it ruined it like it does is a lot of books. The writing was fast paced and hooking. An enjoyable quick read. Thank you to the author for sending me an arc in exchange for a honest review.
September 19, 2023
Best friends to lovers you say?👀
M/M romance is so underrated and this book shows why it should be given more love. This was such a cute quick read and Kit and Leo’s chemistry was amazing. It had me hooked from the start and the spice? damnn, it has the perfect amount.
If this book has sparked your interest i would recommend reading book 1 and 2 before to experience the full sun city series.
M/M romance is so underrated and this book shows why it should be given more love. This was such a cute quick read and Kit and Leo’s chemistry was amazing. It had me hooked from the start and the spice? damnn, it has the perfect amount.
If this book has sparked your interest i would recommend reading book 1 and 2 before to experience the full sun city series.
July 15, 2025
This was a blind person guiding another blind person. They made me facepalm a couple of times, but I also felt identified with Leo's lack of understanding of contextual clues, as a neurodivergent myself, it gets difficult for me sometimes too.
Also, tongue piercings cannot be seen when you smile. Sincerely, a person with a tongue piercing.
Also, tongue piercings cannot be seen when you smile. Sincerely, a person with a tongue piercing.
November 9, 2023
Cute, fast read. I didn’t expect it to be so short but I guess that’s my fault for not paying attention. I feel as though I didn’t enjoy it so much because there wasn’t really a story.. per se. Like there was but no real background. Anyway, fast and good fake dating book!
December 26, 2024
- I really didn't like this book and I didn't really want them to get together
- The characters made bad choices and didn't communicate
- I didn't like the set up for the plot - why on earth would mum, dad and sister surprise visit you at uni and then stay at your student house for over a week??? And why would you just accept that with open arms????
- The general set up for the MCs wasn't well done. It didn't really feel like a college/uni book, I didn't really get their friendship group, I didn't really get their best friend-ship. It basically felt like you needed to read books 1 and 2 to get any of the general context and set up for the world, but this book is advertised as an interconnected standalone that doesn't need to be read in order
- The characters made bad choices and didn't communicate
- I didn't like the set up for the plot - why on earth would mum, dad and sister surprise visit you at uni and then stay at your student house for over a week??? And why would you just accept that with open arms????
- The general set up for the MCs wasn't well done. It didn't really feel like a college/uni book, I didn't really get their friendship group, I didn't really get their best friend-ship. It basically felt like you needed to read books 1 and 2 to get any of the general context and set up for the world, but this book is advertised as an interconnected standalone that doesn't need to be read in order
July 18, 2024
my first MM romance.... !
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews