The Art of Undressing

by Stephanie Lehmann

Ginger's mother, Coco, used to be an exotic dancer, though now she makes her living selling sex toys and teaching classes like ""The Fine Art of Striptease."" A straitlaced, self-respecting twenty-five-year-old, aspiring pastry chef Ginger has no desire to follow in her mother's high-heeled footsteps. She's too busy trying to convince her sadistic French cooking school instructor of her talents in the kitchen. When Ginger gets sweet on a fellow student, she finds herself ill-equipped in the art of seduction. And when she discovers she has a reputation for being ""just one of the guys,"" suddenly, she's looking for some motherly advice on how to catch the man she loves..

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance, Humor

ebook

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

My novels are The Art of Undressing, Thoughts While Having Sex, Are you in the Mood?, and You Could Do Better. They aren't as sexy as they sound, which could be good or bad depending on your point of view.

My new novel is Astor Place Vintage, and that will be published by Simon and Schuster in 2013. It's about a woman who works in a department store in 1907 Manhattan and a woman who owns a vintage clothing store on the Lower East Side in 2007.

I'm currently building a website for the book at http://www.AstorPlaceVintage.com with lots of photographs and historical information I wasn't able to use for the novel but loved to learn about.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Art of Undressing, I thought was a fluff book about a girl who is tired of living in her mom's shadow. Ginger is 25 and wants to go back to school to be a pastry chef, her mother, Coco is an ex-stripper with no boundaries, her father, was absent most of her childhood, but calls on her to do a major favor. Going through cooking school she meets some interesting people, Ralph, her new best friend, Tom, the mid-western good ole boy, Jean Paul, the strict instructor, and Tara, the mean girl. As Ginger navigates school and life, she constantly compares herself to her mother, and as per usual, life knocks her down a few times, and she finds herself the butt of many jokes.

To read the full review check out my blog Vivelabooks.wordpress.com

[Melissa (So Behind) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars-
Ginger has spent most of her life trying to come to terms with her mother. Coco made her living as a stripper and now gives home instructional parties on the art of undressing, complete with sex toys. At age twenty-five, Ginger feels like their roles are reversed. She is the modest, career-minded one who believes that sex should be accompanied by love and a committed relationship. Coco is the opposite, championing free love and feel-good activities. What Ginger really wants to do is become a pastry chef. Through a lot of hard work, a scholarship, and a gift from her father, she is finally able to go to culinary school and pursue her dreams.

But Ginger’s dreams aren’t so easily obtained. Her French instructor is constantly on her back, making her feel inadequate while praising other students in the class. She is attracted to one of her classmates, but what will he think when he discovers what her mother does for a living? Will Ginger ever be able to lead a normal life?

The Art of Undressing looks lighter on the surface than it turns out to be. It is deeper than your typical chick lit novel; however, it doesn’t quite achieve the introspective depth that it strives for. The fact that Ginger and Coco’s roles in life are the opposite of the typical mother-daughter stereotype makes for an intriguing story. I really felt for Ginger as she wanted to break free of her mother’s no-boundaries lifestyle and create a more structured one of her own.

Where The Art of Undressing doesn’t quite measure up is that one never grows to care about Coco. There are a couple of moments of humanity, but the reader waits in vain for her to learn some life lessons and endure some consequences for her lifestyle and no-holds-barred approach to everything. Yet Ginger does learn some things about herself and really grows up, which provides some light at the end of the story.

A few recipes for the deliciously-described foods Ginger prepares would have been welcomed. But overall, The Art of Undressing has an interesting and unusual plot with likable characters.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ralph to Ginger, " People are objects. We just are. We take up space. We appear in photographs. We fit inside coffins. There's no way to avoid it."

[Amber Harris · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked parts of this book. Enjoyed hearing about the main characters journey through culinary school and her life’s activities. I hated the parts involving Coco who is an outspoken, sexual, exotic dancer. There’s a lot of uncomfortable parts for me as someone who is reserved. The ending was horrible. The built up and then boom the end.
I wouldn’t recommend unless you’re looking for a cross between a passively romantic novel and smut.

[Meg Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this is actually a reread, this book still remains relevant. Ginger is an aspiring pastry chef living under the roof of her stripper-turned-sex toy-saleslady mother Coco. Ginger knows that sex sells in theory, and but finds herself hesitating at the execution.

A great look at sex and life, of pastries and aiming high.

[S. Az · Rating 4 out of 5]

a unique sort of coming-of-age book. i was disappointed that she ended up with the guy. it would have been okay if there was a better redemption arc for him but there was a pathetic apology and then things were fine. otherwise enjoyable read.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh, just ok

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read, I loved how different the two characters were, mother and daughter but they were soooo much alike too

[Serena Solange · Rating 1 out of 5]

Girl!! Who hurt you!?! This book is so bitter and sends all the wrong messages. Or at the least plenty of half truths.

[Kelly Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much! The characters were detailed, which I love in a book. I just wish it ended with more detail on their relationship. But it was a very enjoyable read!

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read , sure.
But it was obviously a Child of its time. The early 2000. A lot of fatfobia, reflected in the main characters eyes. It honestly made me feel quite sad.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wonder why everybody has to either give a book a 5 star or 1 star...as though only the 2 disparate ends exist. I gave this book 3 stars because it falls somewhere between greatness and lameness. The narrator of Ginger is original and prim, a trait seemingly lacking today but exists more than we know...the demure girls just don't get the same sort of press as their wilder sisters. In this case, Ginger doesn't get the same attention as her ex-stripper mamma who now teaches other women how to undress for success, while Ginger sits in the back of the room ready to sell feather boas and vibrators to Coco's customers. I liked both women and found a real truth to Gingers' struggle. She rebels against her mothers openness by closing herself off. ..covers her attractive body with clothes that conceal instead of reveal as her mother would do. The writing is well paced and the characters all ring 3 dimensional. What I liked best was the acknowledgement that it doesn't really matter to Ginger that her mother was a stripper and still sells sex because through it all Coco's intentions were good..to take care of Ginger, and her mother loves her unconditionally. Really, what is more important?

[Alarra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ginger is a strait-laced student chef who often gets roped into helping her exotic dancer mother, Coco, at her striptease classes. I felt Lehmann was using her characters to discuss feminism wrt body and sexual politics, which would've been okay had it not ended up on a rather infuriating note by the end. For a book that's obviously trying to push for some enlightenment about the pressures of (paternalistic) society on the freedom of women to choose how they present their bodies and their sexualities, it has some remarkably unenlightened ideas about relationships, between women, and between men and women.

[Stef K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic! It was funny and interesting and kept you wanting and hoping for things to happen. It was so realistic and relateable which is why I enjoyed it so much. Shit happens in real life and things are complicated, stuff gets in the way, and the author did such a great job of showing that. I found myself relating to Ginger a lot. Plus she lives in NYC, so hell yeah, I want to be her.

Great, quick, refreshing read if you want something different!

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I have never read anything written by this author and am always interested in finding new books to read...it was an easy read for anyone looking to just grab a book and relax...maybe a weekend retreat! I learned a lot with this book...as women, we need to work hard for what we want and we don't have to be what others want us to be...its okay to just be you!

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book about the coming-of-age of a college graduate whose mother is an exotic dancer-turned pole dance instructor. After graduation, she realizes she can't find a job in her field and really wants to be a chef anyways. she enrolls in school and, under the tutelage of an unbelievable, pompus jerk, masters the art of pastries and learns quite a bit about herself.

[Elisa Vangelisti · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ogni tanto mi capita di prendere qualche granchio, tipo questo romanzo. Pareva un titolo carino, che si presta a diverse scene divertenti. Invece sono già alla fine del quarto capitolo e mi sono annoiata a morte. Devo smetterla con questo genere, non fa proprio per me. Bocciatissimo. Ho bisogno di leggere qualcosa di leggero, ma sicuro, quindi riprendo in mano New moon, che è meglio.

[Ronda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is soooo much fun!!! It was fast and funny. It's just a light hearted romance with good messages about finding who you are, loving yourself, and going after your dreams without letting yourself and others stand in the way.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book, but I couldn't. I don't hate it. It just didn't grab me. Good book to pass the time, maybe during a rainy weekend, but not something I would recommend to a friend as a great book.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, not the worst chick lit book I've ever read, but not the best either. Would be funny having a former-stripper mom who's current job is selling sex toys and striptease lessons.

[Bronwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing what we can learn from our mothers. Definately going into the library.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is how a girl feel when her mom is more beautiful than her. But you just have to be yourself to get the man you love and to be loved.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just a simple book to take on vacation..no real substance to it..

[Rina · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as chick-lit goes, this is a pretty good read. Fast, funny and enjoyable.

[Rona Gurin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good beach read.

[Mmckinnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay! Very different premise.

[Kimlee · Rating 3 out of 5]

i thought this was a fun book. i'm sure anyone might be awkward if your mother was an ex-stripper.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

If anyone has ever been just a bit shy of their bodies and about being seen naked...I would read this book.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read, I loved how different the two characters were, mother and daughter but they were soooo much alike too

[Rini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Das Cover ist schöner als der Inhalt;)