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Stripped #1

Stripped

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By New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling New Adult author H.M. Ward.

There are some relationships that destroy your faith in people. They make you jaded and hard, irrevocably changing you forever. I wish I could say that I hate her, I wish I could walk away and never look back, but I can’t… I have to save her.

The woman who stole my heart and crushed it in her hand disappeared from my life 3 years ago. So when I see her at a bachelor party, half naked, rolling around on the floor with another stripper, I’m shocked. I have to know what cracked Cassie Hale’s picture perfect world that landed her in this hellhole, and I hope that I’m not so bitter that I can’t help her escape.

Genre: New Adult Romance
Type: Novel
Related Works: DAMAGED & THE ARRANGEMENT
STRIPPED 2 Coming Soon

355 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 2, 2013

361 people are currently reading
6703 people want to read

About the author

H.M. Ward

140 books6,543 followers
H.M. Ward continues to reign as a NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author who surpassed more than 23 million books sold, placing her among the literary titans. Ward has been featured in articles in the NEW YORK TIMES, FORBES, and USA TODAY to name a few.

You can interact with this bestselling author at: www.facebook.com/AuthorHMWard.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 524 reviews
Profile Image for H.M. Ward.
Author 140 books6,543 followers
August 16, 2013
DESCRIPTION ADDED. :)

Cover is up! :) There are 3 different stand alone series - ARRANGEMENT, DAMAGED, and STRIPPED. Each series follows a different Ferro brother and at certain points stories criss cross. You do not need to read all of them to know what's going on, but it'll give the super fans who have read everything more depth and more appearances by their favorite characters. :)
Profile Image for Lιgнтƒℓєυя.
3 reviews6 followers
March 7, 2015
We meet Cassie and Jonathan Ferro:


3 Years Earlier..

Jonathan meets Cassie because a friend set him up and finds out she's a virgin:


Cassie rejects Jonathan:


Jonathan decides that he wants Cassie to like him and shows up at her house early in the morning and I'm just thinking that Cassie is gonna do this:


They start hanging out with each other more and more, and they start falling for each other(Though Cassie is reluctant):


Jonathan tells us why he's in the small town that could be nothing:


The museum gets bombed and Jonathan protects Cassie, saving her, then saves an old woman:


Cassie stops trying to NOT fall for him:


Jonathan tells Cassie that he loves her:


Cassie tells Jonathan that she loves him:


Then she breaks his heart:


Back To The Present Day:

Cassie's a frickin' stripper:


Jonathan's BFF's with TRYSTAN 'SEXY AND HOT' SCOTT:


Jonathan gives his brother, Peter, a stripper; Aka, Cassie:


Jonathan takes Cassie of the stage before the end of the performance, because he can't let her do her..job:


Jonathan's mom yells at her kids, has repeated World Wars with her husband, and seems like the kind of mom you'd tell 'Go suck a lemon' to:


Sean back-talks to Mommy and starts the apocalypse:


Jonathan makes Cassie dance for him:


Jonathan buys the club that Cassie works at:



Cassie attacks a b*tch who deserved to be b*tchslapped:


Cassie meets a neighbor in her neighborhood(Where you need to buy accessories that can double as weapons):


Jonathan asks Cassie how she ended up like this, what happened to her perfect ideals how she became a stripper:


People walk in and ruin the moment:



Cliffhanger ending:


Finished the book:


THE END



Profile Image for Michelle.
2,082 reviews895 followers
July 19, 2014
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review.

Before I can even get into this book, I must first do a little bit of a happy dance!


These Ferro boys are driving me crazy!

We've met Peter & Sean...for a moment we saw a glimpse of the bad-boy heir Jonathan, but for the first time we get to really know him. To say that Jonathan was completely perfect from the start is an understatement. From his cockiness and crooked smile down to his brash words. I was ready to eat him alive!

When Jon's eyes lock with the half-naked-glitter-covered girl on the floor he never expected to find Cassie nearly naked and tangled with a stripper. This was not the Cassie he remembered from three years before. The girl that changed his life in the best and the worst way that summer.

Jon's life is changed the minute he meets the virginal Cassie while exiled for what his family deems another strike against him. But Cassie is not a woman that willingly throws herself at the feet of Jonathan because of his good looks, money and family name. She has morals and a desire to ensure that her firsts go to a man that deserves her and will be her forever. Jon is not a forever type of guy, but the pull is still there and being friends is like walking a tightrope for these two.

I loved this story! I am still in camp Sean (because lets face it, he is the most broken of the three) but Jon's story was just a taste of what is to come. H.M. Ward created a little world where the Ferro's stand at the helm and I packed with my ticket in hand, ready to spend the rest of my days there.

I find myself amazed at the ability sometimes that Holly displays when she creates the scene where the tension is so thick you can nearly cut it with a knife and you don't need any in your face antics to get you breathing a little heavy. Her sexiness is is conveyed smoothly in her writing and you can feel the longing she creates with her words deep down to your toes.

Jon's story gives you a bit of two broken souls that at one time were the only thing that seemed to put each other together, and at the same time were the only thing that seemed to be able to tear them apart. Although we don't get a cliffhanger ending (A HUGE THANK YOU FOR THAT), we do get just a glimpse into what is to come next for Cassie and Jon.

And don't forget the rest of the gang. Peter, Sean and yes, even Trystan all make an appearance along with some subtle hints at a few things that makes me a little grabby for Revealed and the tenth installment of The Arrangement Series.
Profile Image for Fran P..
791 reviews82 followers
September 13, 2013
PPFF Rating: 5/5 Stars
This Stripped isn't anything like that other Stripped.

"Ah, that must be the problem, because you're the definition of prude. When Webster was talking to Merriam about that entry, your name came up."

I'm in his face, so close to him that I can feel his warm breath. "At least my picture isn't in the Wiki entry for male slut."


The Ferro Family. Reminds me so much of one of my favorite chocolates - Ferrero Rocher - expensive and downright delicious. Cute little inside joke or lame? Lol. Don't worry, Stripped #1 isn't lame at all. It's another one of those f*ked up stories that we all love or hate. Family drama, you know the drill and boy does this family have a lot, and then some.

I haven't read H.M. Ward's Damaged and The Arrangement series and to be honest, I'm not sure I really want to. I guess it's only just the youngest Ferro brother who's piqued my interest.

Stripped follows the story - past and present - of Jonathan Ferro and Cassie Hale, Jon, the playboy, had the shock of his life when the used to be very virgin Cassie, who was the woman he loved and also broke his heart, turned out to be the main stripper he had hired for his older brother's bachelor party.

So what happened to make her stray far from her prudish beliefs? What went wrong? Well, you have to read the book to find out.

What I can I say for sure is that I loved it and I can't wait for the second installment. It's not a long book so you won't have to bother with any unnecessary drama. Jon and Cassie were great characters and I enjoyed their banter during the backstory so overall, it was a quick and entertaining read for me. I also want to point out that there isn't a really big cliffhanger but obviously the ending has gotten me wanting more. Just when the truth has finally come out... I turn the page to see STRIPPED #2 COMING SOON. *sighs* It can't come soon enough.



***Check out my blog: Press Pause, Fast Forward
Profile Image for Stacey.
283 reviews14 followers
September 3, 2013
***An ARC was provided in return for a fair and honest review***

I am so excited to be back immersed within the tragic Ferro family. A family that teaches you that money can't buy you everything, including life and class. We adore Peter, and we lust after Sean but now we get to know Jonathan, the youngest and most troublesome Ferro.

Jon doesn't seem to be able to keep himself out of trouble, constantly acting on instinct instead of thought, he is quick to get himself into a new situation. But his mom is at the end of her rope and orders him to spend the summer with his uncle. While serving his banishment, he meets Cassie and almost instantly, the charming playboy is knocked on his ass. Cassie knows her mind and knows what she wants. She wants the first man she kisses to be the man to be the man she marries, and she doesn't intend to have sex until her wedding night. This concept is so far out of Jon's ability to understand that he begins to get to know her in order to try and understand. They spent their summer together, getting to know each other until something happens and their friendship turns bad.

So imagine his surprise when hosting Peter's bachelor party 3 years later, Cassie is one of the strippers.

I love being in the Ferro family. It's definitely a family I have no interest in being a part of but watching their drama unfold is a blast. These men are wicked and sexy, and Jon definitely lives up to those expectations but I also feel the need to hold him in my arms and cuddle him. I think out of all the brothers, I feel the worst for him. If only someone would believe in him.
Profile Image for Stacey.
Author 60 books511 followers
September 5, 2013
****ARC provided for honest review****

Prior to Stripped, my favorite Ferro brother has always been Sean. I like Peter, but there's just something about Sean's "assy"-ness that appeals to me. Granted, if he treated me the way he treats Avery, he'd be out on his rear end, no questions asked!

Jonathan though, we've seen a bit of him in Damaged 2, and he seems like this goofy playboy. In Stripped, we find out that he's actually been screwed over by his mom, the girl he loved, and his father's mistresses. It just goes to show, money doesn't buy happiness - because Jon is definitely NOT happy!

Stripped starts off as we are getting ready for Peter's Bachelor Party - and Jon obviously doesn't know what his older brother wants out of a party, because he hires strippers. In the course of figuring out what to do to avoid making Peter or Sydney upset, Jon discovers the girl who broke his heart is one of the strippers.

The story goes back and forth between the past and present day, letting us know how Cassie and Jon met, and what happened between them. There are hints throughout the book as to what Cassie is running from, and why she betrayed Jon the way she did. Jon isn't ready to forgive and forget.

I loved seeing more of Sean & Peter in this book, and Trystan too! It was also nice to see how the three brothers interact together, and there were a few questions answered about things that were mentioned in The Arrangement and Damaged.

Stripped is a definite must read if you love the Ferro brothers! Holly does a great job tying all three stories in together, and I can't wait to see what happens next in The Arrangement and the next Stripped book!
Profile Image for Cindy.
817 reviews48 followers
November 11, 2013
Well what do you get when you have to stubborn people who don't stop and ask why. You get a whole lot of regret and time wasted.

Cassie has been sent to visit her cousin in Mississippi. While there she meets the famous Jonathan Ferro, who comes from a billionaire family, and he is the heir of it all. His playboy lifestyle has landed him in trouble one to many times so his mother has sent him to live with his crazy uncle down in Mississippi. Cassie meets Jonathan through her cousin, they feel and instant connection, but Cassie can tell he is a playboy and she is waiting for mister right to marry and then become intimate with. This story is written really well the characters are really well done and interesting. There is more to Jonathan than what the press express. I like also that the story allows Cassie and Jonathan to become friends first, before they admit their love to one another. Jonathan is really protective, creative, kind, broken, and misunderstood. Cassie is sweet, naive, kind and broken as well. They seem to see into each others souls and want to sooth and take away the others hurts. Then not all good deeds turn out the way they should causing a violent emotional break between Cassie and Jonathan. The sexual tension between these two is sizzling, but that is as far as it goes so far in this book. We are also left with a mild cliffy, not huge but still a cliffy.
Profile Image for eva.
3 reviews6 followers
September 2, 2013
OMG!!

I Seriously Need This Book Right NOW!!!!
Profile Image for SM READS.
67 reviews5 followers
September 27, 2013
Holy smokes Ferro fans!! Just when I thought there could be no one that could dethrone Sean in my heart, here comes Jon! I have to say, I am still “pro Sean” and the last sentence in this book made my heart jump clear up to my throat! I am so excited for the possibilities. That was such a tease Holly!! But, you just keep bringing it and every time I start a new book written by you, I feel like I’m unwrapping a present. The stories always pull me in and secure their place right there in my heart with Sean. Beautifully broken, damaged, twisted, but faithful to a fault; I love these brothers!! This book really starts to weave them together and we see the roles that each of them play in the family. Sean, of course, is the ‘take no shit’ brother. Peter seems to be the family pleaser and Jonathon is rogue!! I love it!! One thing that did stick out to me is that Sean continuously looks out for each of them. He clearly feels that he is responsible for them in some way. He seems much more adjusted in this book AND doesn’t seem taken with the women. Hmmmmm. That makes me think….. I won’t go there!!


This is Jonathan’s story, after all. Might I please start with what a mucked up family?! He is so beautiful on the outside but he is totally damaged on the inside. He’s used to having everything he wants and he is a Casanova of monumental proportions. But you find out why and then you totally get it. After his mom banishes him to Mississippi (because she thinks he screwed up) to stay with Luke, his exiled uncle, Jon meets up with Robyn, an old friend that lives in a trailer in the small community he is in. Robyn introduces him to her cousin, Cassie Hale. She is the ultimate conquest at first. She is relentless when it comes to her V-card and Jonathan finds her irresistible. She is totally disinterested in the fact he is a Ferro and has money galore.

“It’s probably because you hate my guts, but the way you treat me is refreshing. I just can’t get enough.”


She thinks he’s cocky, arrogant, and a dog! She also admits that he is completely irresistible, beautiful, and sexy. She tells him it will never happen, and she means it. As they develop a friendship, they have more in common than they know. She is desperate to find her Prince Charming and he is not it! However, she struggles with the way he makes her feel.


“I have no intention of doing anything with him, but he is hot and I don’t want to look like a slob when he’s around. Besides, there’s no way ‘he’s the one’. He’s dipped his stick into too many places and the thought is utterly unappealing. Okay, maybe not utterly, and maybe not late at night when my mind wanders…”


Throughout the summer, their friendship grows. Cassie’s resolve is weakening.
“I’m drawn to him. I know it and I’ve accepted it. My plan to not act on the attraction has been going well. Right up until this moment. The way my heart flutters and toes curl in my heels is too much”

As a multitude of incidents happen and they spend more time together, their attraction is undeniable. Cassie is struggling to keep her V-card and Jonathan really doesn’t want to take it from her because he knows he isn’t ‘the one’ for her. He’s not good enough; damaged goods. But fate has a way of making things happen. After they make a declaration to each other, the unthinkable happens and a rift is born.


It’s years later at Peter’s bachelor party when they meet up for the first time since that fateful summer. Understandably, Jonathan is bitter but he cannot accept the choices that she has made. Just when he thinks he’s over her, he realizes that there is nothing he won’t do to get answers from her or make her life better. He is consumed by her still.

“It’s funny how I thought I was dead inside until I heard her voice again. Cassie Hale is the defibrillator for my fucked up heart. Seeing her again shocked the hell out of me and I’m suddenly so much more than a walking corpse.”

Cassie is still consumed with him as well.
“You had a better grasp on life back then, and I was too stupid to see that the one thing I wanted most in the world was you. I loved you then and I’ve never stopped.”

However, she is a different woman; the innocence long gone and a street smart, fearful woman have taken her place. Can Jonathan and Cassie find a balance and make it work? What will become of Jon’s fortune? Finally, what the hell is going on with Avery and Sidney? EEEKKKKKKK!


In true HM Ward fashion, she leaves you salivating for more while simultaneous squeezing your iPad and shouting, “No, no no, no!! It can’t be the end. There IS another page you damn techno idiot!”. Anyway, that’s what I always do!!! Thanks for another fantastic Ferro brother to smolder over. Geez, how many hotties can one family have? StrippedH.M. Ward

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Mary Mooney.
2,539 reviews59 followers
September 1, 2013
I received an ARC from the author for my honest review, so here it is. I love H.M. Ward’s writing style and her stories are perfect. I haven’t read The Arrangement, any of them, yet but they are on my TBR list. Now to tell you what I thought of Stripped.
This story is in one word Fantastic. But there are so many more words to describe this, fun, intense and hot, with strippers and sexy Ferro men. These families of men are all hot and intense in their own way. This story is about Jonathan, the youngest of the three brothers and his life is always getting him into trouble. He has a way with the ladies and can’t keep things out of the press. His mother sends him to Mississippi (my home state) for the summer so things will cool down. There he meets Cassie Hale, a virgin and thinks she can hold out for Mr. Perfect to give her V-card too. She doesn't like Jonny because he is way out of her league and does not have his v-card. Way too many girls for his past and she is not giving her v-card to him. The summer ends abruptly for them when something happens and He is sent back home.
Forward to present day and Cassie is a stripper at his brother Peter’s bachelor party. Jonathan can’t figure what happened to Cassie for her to end up here. He finds himself hurt and angry but still wants to help her out of her situation, whatever it is. Can they repair the past and help each other.
This story will have you from the very first page and keep you there until the end waiting for more. Yes there is a second book but you will love the Ferro family. This story is full of emotions. I love how H.M. Ward pulls these stories together and will leave you laughing and breathless.
I found H.M. Ward through Damaged and fell in love with her writing and am hooked to read everything she writes. Thanks for the chance to read a great story and I LOVED it. I love the Ferro brothers and you will not be disappointed when you read this one. Great job H.M. Ward, not patiently waiting for the next book but will be worth the wait.
Profile Image for Book Drunk Blog.
208 reviews77 followers
September 4, 2013
Stripped is the story of Cassie and Jonny, it’s about their short lived romance, their summer fling and the heartbreak that followed them for years after.

I loved the way this story progressed, it started out in the present when Jonny walks in to find Cassie has become a stripper, up to this point you learn that Cassie has had a rough few years but you’re not sure what happened. You also feel how angry Jonny is at her but you’re not sure why.

Then the story goes back three years to the summer the two of them spent together, you learn about the things that made them the way they are. Why he’s afraid to trust and love and why she has no self-esteem. You watch their love for one another grow but it’s a slow process and it’s humorous to watch. Jonny is relentless in pursuing her, I laughed out loud on several occasions at his horribly cheesy pick up lines.

Then BAM flash forward to the present, again you know something terrible happened to their relationship but you don’t know what. Slowly, piece by piece it fits together and you learn about her betrayal and his agonizing heartbreak over it.

“I don’t want things to end this way, but I have no idea how to fix them. You’re married, Cass. I’m in love with a married woman who ruined years of my life. Maybe I have no sense, but I can’t let you go.”

This is my first H.M. Ward book (I know, what the hell have I been doing?) and I was surprise at how much I enjoyed her writing, it isn’t exactly eloquent but instead it’s real, it’s almost as if Cassie and Jonny wrote the story themselves, which made me that much more enthralled. I stayed up all night to finish this book because I just had to know what ended them, what broke them.

I can’t wait for book two… my only complaint and I hope she fixes this in book two is the lack of sex scenes! Jonny is too hot to not have a book full of his naked body! There was only one almost sex scene that was both adorable and sexy, if you can imagine that, but I need more! Give me more Jonny!
Profile Image for Melanie Tikalsky.
240 reviews
September 13, 2013
I am so very disappointed in this book. I'm not even quite sure what it is that had me so turned off by it. I really think it's the first person writing style for this book. I'm not looking for literary perfection when I'm reading but the way this book flows in first person, even with multiple POV's is just annoying. I really wanted to like this book and was looking forward to reading this particular story because I loved Peter's story. I honestly gave up after the first few chapters.

What I did gather from the story line is that Jonathan did something horrible so his mom shipped him off out of state until it blows over, where he meets a virgin cousin of a girl he once screwed. The next several chapters are nothing but a rich boy trying to talk this girl out of her virginity like he is doing her a favor. The whole story line honestly makes me sick. Yea, I get that he is a damaged bad boy who needs to be reformed, but honestly is there 1 redeeming quality to him? No! He's the type of man, boy whatever that needs to be slapped, a drink poured over and a few swift kicks to his nibblets!

Honestly, I returned for a refund and I have NEVER done this on Amazon EVER!

I know the people who are brain washed by this series will love this one as well. I'm sorry, this series is just not for me.
Profile Image for Patrice James.
59 reviews12 followers
September 17, 2013
This is not a great book but it's somewhat entertaining. Usually when reading, as you get further along in the book, you become less confused but with this the more it continues, the more questions you have than answers. And I guess that was the first indication you had that it would be a part of a series. I get that when the story went back in the past Jon and Cassie were 18 but when it returned to the present the only adult in the Ferro family seems to be Sean. I mean they all act so juvenile. I get that there are baggages but Jon still acts like a kid with his mom and I mean, he was not the only one. In reading this, I'm not sure which audience it speaks to.
AS I said, I do not fnd this a good read as i can see possibilities where the drama between Jon and Cassie could've been avoided. The whole suspense of Cassie's betrayal could've been handled differently in my opinion. Even though Cassie had her own mommy issues and problems with her self esteem, she was a together girl otherwise and could've been seen to make different choices. I want to read the other book because I want to see how it ends but there is no great desire to.
Profile Image for Lisa.
2,288 reviews73 followers
August 28, 2013
You can find this review at My Favorite Things

STRIPPED by H.M. Ward is the first novel about the youngest Ferro brother, Jonathan. What was I thinking requesting an ARC for this book?!? Getting to read and review it sooner just means I have to wait that many more days until STRIPPED 2: The Ferro Family is released.

I am currently experiencing one of the worst book hangovers I have had in a very long time. What is a book hangover? Well, thanks to Urban Dictionary, I can tell you...

Book hangover - When you've finished a book and you suddenly return to the real world, but the real world feels incomplete or surreal because you're still living in the world of the book.

The Ferro brothers are a complicated, dark and twisty mess. The tragedy and troubles they have had to overcome in their lives is enough to cripple an average person, but despite everything, they push through and stand tall. Sean and Peter are lucky enough to find love despite their inner darkness. Can the youngest Ferro brother do the same?

A heart wrenching introduction to Jonathan Ferro and the girl that crushed him. This will leave you desperate for more and hungover in the best way possible.

Damn, he's a wall of muscle and toned flesh. When our bodies collide I feel a slight tingling under my skin, like I licked an outlet. I suck in a jagged breath, trying to slow the frantic pace of my heart. Oh, what the hell? My body reacts to this guy like he's my goddamn soul mate, but he's not. There's no way he is. I want more than the stuff he's made of, without a doubt.
-Cassie


"It's refreshing. You're not trying to impress me and you seriously don't seem to care about my massive fortune. You haven't mentioned my brother killing his wife or asked where he buried the missing gun..."

-Jonathan to Cassie


Panic sets a fire in my mind and everything turns to chaos. My reasons, my organized thoughts of why we can't be together, go up in smoke. I have half a second to decide before those soft, pale, pink lips meet mine.

-Cassie


Trystan slams his hand on my desk and leans in. "Why?" A necklace slips out from the neck of his shirt. It's a silver band - a ring - dangling, spinning on it's chain.

-Jonathan
Profile Image for B at Spare Time Book Blog.
331 reviews
September 1, 2013
See more reviews on my blog!http://sparetimebookblog.blogspot.com/

Move over Sean and Peter. Here comes Jon Ferro. Stripped is by far my favorite novel in the Ferro series. I fell for Jon quickly. His story is a little different then his brothers. Minus of course the scandal and family issues he caused. After Jon accidentally runs into Cassie at Pete's bachelor party, he is shocked to find her as a stripper! I was shocked too especially after we learn more about them. A majority of this book is a flashback to when Jon met Cassie. Their relationship was amazing. Jon was truly changed by Cassie. She changed him more then he thought possible. Cassie was a shy girl who didn't want to have sex before marriage. Jon is basically a man whore who slept around....a lot. Jon is sent to a family members house in the middle of no where to "learn a lesson" and keep him out of the press. The relationship between these two is filled with sexual tension! Cassie starts to have second thoughts about her beliefs regarding sex and so does Jon. Will Cassie be able to tame the wild beast? Could a relationship survive after Cassie does the unthinkable?

I love that Sean and Pete were int his book. The Ferro family has quickly become one of my favorites. By the end of this one, Sydney and Avery are also there!! I am excited to see what happens with everyone in the same room! Unfortunately I will have to wait for the next book. We get a glimpse of the Ferros parents as well. Jon's Mom and Dad have a very weird relationship. I can kind of see why their kids are all a little screwed up. Also if you have read the Trystan Scott books, you will get to see him in Stripped. His scenes have made me super curious as to what the heck happened to him. Something big! I am dying for that next book too! I love how all of her stories are running into each other. All my favorite books are slowly becoming one story.

Jon and Cassie are really perfect for each other. They both changed each other simply by being there. Their relationship is so cute. I just loved it. Even years later, after their lives have been destroyed, they are still drawn to each other. A lot has happened since they were teenagers in love. They are not the same people anymore but, the feelings are still there. Through the roller coaster of their adult lives they have found each other again. Will love bloom for these two or are they destined to be miserable forever?

I was so sad when the book ended. I read it in a day. There were a lot of unresolved issues by the end of the book. So I was super excited when there was a note saying that Stripped #2 will be out at the end of the year!!! Woohooo happy dance! Start these books people!!!!!!!!!
Profile Image for Kissandtellreviews.
41 reviews11 followers
September 3, 2013
I opened up my email to find an ARC copy of 'Stripped' by H.M. Ward....and I screamed like a little girl!! I just can't get enough of those Ferro brothers!! As readers, we were introduced to the youngest Ferro brother, Jonathan, briefly in a previous installment. This book delves into what makes Jonathan the so-called 'black sheep' of the family, even though his two older brothers have had issues of their own that caused drama!

Jonathan and Cassie, both teenagers at the time, are thrown together for a summer down in the South to do some individual soul-searching. To say that each of them have some familial issues with their mothers is an understatement.

"Think of the most uptight, critical woman you can imagine - now combine that chick with a saintly church going woman and that's my mother. Everyone thinks she's great and she is wonderful to everyone, except me. They all get this pristine version of mom that doesn't exist behind closed doors."

I think that describes nearly every mother at some point in time! Jonathan and Cassie form a bond over the summer that is shattered when Cassie believes that she is doing Jonathan a good deed by talking about him to a local newspaper. He can't forgive her for going to the press and he now has to deal with even more backlash from his family. Several years pass until they find each other again. Each of them have moved on in their lives, but they each discover that neither one of them has lived the life that they had dreamed of.

Once they find each other, fireworks ignite!! So much sexual tension is portrayed that I just didn't want to put the pages down! Jonathan has not been able to move on from his summer with Cassie and once he finds her again, he can't seem to let her go. "Cassie Hale is the defebrillator for my...heart. Seeing her again shocked the hell out of me and I'm suddenly so much more than a walking corpse."

I'm not sure how H.M. Ward does it, but she consistently makes me fall in love with her characters!! At the end of each installment, I am left practically begging for more of the Ferros!! This installment delivers a fast-paced and witty repertoire that left me both smiling like a Cheshire cat and mewling like a baby. So many emotions packed into one amazing book! - Kelly
Profile Image for Sarah.
290 reviews8 followers
September 4, 2013
Wow, now I'm head over heals in love with Jonathan Ferro. This Ferro family is supposed to be so bad, but all I see are broken men finding broken women & falling in love just trying to find a way for a happy ending.

Jonathan Ferro, wow just when I thought nothing could top Sean or Peter you go & throw Jonathan into the mix. Love the back story that linked this story with the Scandalous series & the Secret Life of Trystan Scott series. I find it refreshing & intriguing how you criss cross your series together. We now need to interlock the Secrets series somewhere. I've read all these so I love it.

Cassie Hale, what a broken girl. Trying to have her head on straight doesn't seem to work for her. Every turn she makes seems to not work out. She thinks she's making the right choices but all goes pair shaped for her. Her mother really did a job on her confidence. She loves Jonathan & he loves her, but so much went wrong years earlier & now can they work it out.

My heart was breaking when Cassie confessed what was happening in her life then & now. Can this girl get a break. This is another story that shows money can't buy happiness & doesn't seem to make it any less painful. Their mum cracks me up, what she has to put up with. All of the mistresses of her husband & all the crap her sons have pulled over the years, especially Jonathan.

Can't wait for the next instalment of Stripped & hopefully more from The Arrangement soon as well, Sean & Avery need their HEA to. It really has to happen for him, he can't just fix everyone else's life while his is still so stuffed.

Even though you are killing me with the waiting, I still love these series & want to thank you HM Ward. Love the Ferro boys.
Profile Image for *P.
1,566 reviews36 followers
September 4, 2013
H.M. Ward does it again

I knew I was looking forward to Jonathan's book and I was not disappointed. After all, the cover alone is worth the download.

I found it interesting how the book covers the present, goes back to explain, and then brings us back again. Ward does a find job drawing you in to the story and leaves you anxiously reading to get the answers.

While I love Jonathan as the messed up, rich, bad boy, I didn't find myself really enjoying Cassie as the heroine. Her final career path was so different from where she started out. Seriously, she was out of high school and still had never kissed a guy and she ends up being a stripper. Regardless, I get how what we want in life and what we actually get can be very different.

Jonathan and his family keep me intrigued. There homelife baffles me yet I love reading about them. So sad to see the turn Trystan has taken in this book--loved his series--but I am hoping there will be more later.

My only complaint, as I often mention in my review's of Ward's books, is that I always finish the book and have so many questions. Yet the passion she writes with has me waiting eagerly for the next installment. So please hurry, I need to find out more about Jonathan, Cassie and Trystan!!!

Favorite lines:

"No, I didn't dream of being a pole dancer when I was a little kid..."

"Ah, that must be the problem, because you're the definition of prude. When Webster was talking to Merriam about the entry, your name came up."
Profile Image for Bianca.
97 reviews6 followers
September 4, 2013
This is exactly what a 2-star rating means for me - it's okay. Too early to completely put off the whole series but enough to feel unsatisfied. At the beginning I had high hopes because I live for this kind of drama - the "love turned hate" angst and second-chance stories always get to me. I loved Jon's hate towards Cassie until he learns the truth...I felt that that was anticlimactic. He sweeps it under the rug like he didn't just spend the last few years hurting and hating because he didn't bother to stick around for an explanation. Now the only thing that's stopping him from being with Cassie is her marriage? I can't help but think that I wasted my feelings and hope for the first 2/3 of the book.

But there really wasn't much that happened after the "big reveal,"
right? So that's where I decided I couldn't completely write this series off. It's been a sick game that I have with this author's books - I always say that maybe the next volumes will be better. It's a hit-and-miss for me; sadly with more misses lately..

I should probably just wait until the author's done with all her current series (I wouldn't be surprised if there will be another book for the Ferro cousin).. I'm okay with linked stories between different books (I love it when it's done right!) but when the characters from an incomplete and totally-far-from-being-finished series pop up, it just messes with my head :|
Profile Image for Teri.
1,501 reviews2 followers
August 28, 2013
I received an ARC from the author for a fair and honest review.

The story barely gets three stars. I am so disappointed in this book!!! The author failed to deliver.

The positives... I was happy to see the characters from her other books were included in this book. I just love the Ferro brothers!! I also liked that new characters were introduced. The story however was lacking.

The not so positives... When the story was good it was really good. All the others time's I was so bored!! This is the first time I have experienced this emotion while reading one of this author's books!!! I also felt like Jonathan's character wasn't developed. We all know he was a man whore, aren't all the men in these types of book?? I wanted more!!!

The ending??? It made no sense. Why did the author end the story like she did???

Normally when l finish one of this author's books, I can't hardly wait for the next!! I don't feel that way at this moment.
Profile Image for ZARIA (Sheldon Cooper lover).
698 reviews
September 7, 2013



I am not impressed. I was expecting







from this novel but I never got it. It's started out slow and was drawn out.. Messed up girl meets messed up guy, but characters are not well developed. I found it boring, full of nonsense fillers.



Profile Image for Michelle ♥♥♥♥.
217 reviews8 followers
August 29, 2013
That was absolutely amazing... Quite the cliffhanger!!! Gosh, I LOVE how is ended... I could jump up and down I'm so HAPPY!!! 5 STARS heck 10 stars!!!

Amazing! I love how characters from Your other books were incorporated!
Profile Image for Jan.
155 reviews15 followers
December 3, 2013
Was honored with an ARC ................ Holy shit !!! Loved it ! You see other characters from other series !!! Hard to decide which FERRO brother I love most ! Can't wait for book 2 !
Profile Image for Mary Mooney.
2,539 reviews59 followers
September 2, 2013
I received an ARC from the author for my honest review, so here it is. I love H.M. Ward’s writing style and her stories are perfect. I haven’t read The Arrangement, any of them, yet but they are on my TBR list. Now to tell you what I thought of Stripped.
This story is in one word Fantastic. But there are so many more words to describe this, fun, intense and hot, with strippers and sexy Ferro men. These families of men are all hot and intense in their own way. This story is about Jonathan, the youngest of the three brothers and his life is always getting him into trouble. He has a way with the ladies and can’t keep things out of the press. His mother sends him to Mississippi (my home state) for the summer so things will cool down. There he meets Cassie Hale, a virgin and thinks she can hold out for Mr. Perfect to give her V-card too. She doesn't like Jonny because he is way out of her league and does not have his v-card. Way too many girls for his past and she is not giving her v-card to him. The summer ends abruptly for them when something happens and He is sent back home.
Forward to present day and Cassie is a stripper at his brother Peter’s bachelor party. Jonathan can’t figure what happened to Cassie for her to end up here. He finds himself hurt and angry but still wants to help her out of her situation, whatever it is. Can they repair the past and help each other.
This story will have you from the very first page and keep you there until the end waiting for more. Yes there is a second book but you will love the Ferro family. This story is full of emotions. I love how H.M. Ward pulls these stories together and will leave you laughing and breathless.
I found H.M. Ward through Damaged and fell in love with her writing and am hooked to read everything she writes. Thanks for the chance to read a great story and I LOVED it. I love the Ferro brothers and you will not be disappointed when you read this one. Great job H.M. Ward, not patiently waiting for the next book but will be worth the wait.
Profile Image for Michele Adams.
336 reviews1 follower
August 29, 2013
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Stripped and boy is everyone in for another great story on September 2nd.

The story of Jonathan Ferro is just as riveting, suspenseful, exciting and heartbreaking as Sean and Peter's stories. Although this book (at the moment) is focused on Cassie and Jon's past meeting and present day reunion rather than crazy external forces, you can tell a crazy psycho will soon emerge just like the other books. As with all the books you get a soft spot in your heart for yet another brother, and find yourself being a cheerleader to him getting the girl and finding love and happiness. My heart also broke for Cassie, a good girl looking for love only to have dreams and ideals shattered in many areas of her life both past and present. I still feel sadness for as I think about it writing this review. With more to the series to come I am eager to find out how things play out.

For those of you who just started reading HM Ward or this is your first look at one of her books, I want to give you a heads up and let you know she has several series and intertwines the characters into the various series'. This book includes characters/mentions from the "The Arrangement", Damages 1&2, Scandalous, and Secrets of Trystan Scott series. HM Ward is clever and amazing how she does this. I would recommend you at least read Damaged 1&2 and the Trystan Scott series prior to starting this one as those characters are a little more prominent and have something to do with the plot than the other two. If you don't you may find this book spoils some of their endings. However, if you can read them all prior you will have a better understanding of the all characters. I even found myself referring back to each series to figure out timelines, ages, and to see if some situations/comments match up. I only found one discrepancy :-)

Kuddos and congrats to HM Ward on another amazing, yet addicting series.
Profile Image for EndlessReading.
519 reviews34 followers
August 28, 2013
So I wanted to give a HUGE thank you to H.M Ward for sending me over this ARC copy of Stripped.

We start in the present day where Jonathan Ferro is organizing a bachelor party for his brother Peter, who is marrying his fiancée Sydney in a couple of weeks time.

All is going well until Jonathan hears the on voice he hasn't heard in forever.

The one voice he's been hiding from.

Cassie Hale.

The story then takes us 3 years into the past to digress into the story of how Jonathan Ferro met the Elusive Cassie Hale.

I Love the way the author tells each chapters in a different P.O.V. I know I say this a lot but it's an awesome way to show us readers the different feelings & emotions from that said characters P.O.V.

We are thrust into a world of high class, family feuds, lust, deceit & Passion.

We learn of how close both Jon & Cassie actually got and lean some of their past history.

We also learn of what Cassie actually did to break a Ferro brothers heart!

The author then brings us back to the present day, where Jonathan seems to of gotten himself into a sticky situation (as always).

Even though he despises and at some level hates Cassie for what she did to him, he can't do wrong by her. He wants to know what happened to Cassie in the last 3 years.

What made her like she is now?

Did she find the one man she's been looking for?

The sexual tension between these two is phenomenal, they should both stop being so childish and naive and get the hell on with screwing one another.

There's a lot of frustration going on and some unsaid words between them.

Can they get over the past?

Can they make a go of this relationship that's starting to bloom again?

Can Jon forgive Cassie for trying to help him?

I'm sure we will get our answers from H.M Ward in due course when the 2nd book to this story comes out!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Anny hernandez.
1,181 reviews13 followers
August 28, 2013
I GOT AN ARC PROVIDED BY AUTHOUR H.M. WARD IN AN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY

LET ME JUST START BY SAYING THAT I LOVE THE FERRO FAMILY, I CANT NOT HAVE ENOUGH OF THEM. I JUST FINISH READING THIS BOOK AND I LOVE IT BUT I ALSO LOVE EVERYTHING H.M. WARD WRITES, I LOVE ALL THE CHARACTERS IN THIS SERIES AND I CAN NOT PICK A FAVORITY ONE JUST CANT LOL I LOVE THEM ALL.

CASSIE HALE IS A VIRGIN AND SHE IS HOLDING ON HER V CARD INTO SHE MEET THE PERFECT GUY , CASSIE IS A GOOD GIRL AND GETS ALONE WITH ALMOST EVERYONE.

JONATHAN FERRO IS THE YOUNGEST BROTHER; HE IS ALWAYS GETTING IN SOME KIND OF TROUBLE.

BEACUSE OF SOMETHING THAT HE DID HE WAS SENT TO SPEND THE SUMMER WITH HIS UNCLE LUKE, IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE LOL THATS WHERE HE MEETS CASSIE, WHE CASSIE TELL HIM TO FORGET IT THAT HIS NOT GONE GET INTO HER PANTS CAUSE SHE STILL A V AND SHES WAITING FOR THE RIGH GUY, THATS WHEN JONATHAN MAKE IT HIS GOAL TO BECOME FRIENDS FOR HE COULD GET TO KNOW HER.

I LOVE HOW THE STORY WILL START WITH CASSIE AND JONATHAN FINDING THEMSELF AGAIN AFTER YEARS OF NOT SEEN EACH OTHER AND HOW FROM THAT MOMENT THE STORY WILL TAKE YOU BACK TO THAT WONDERFUL SUMMER THAT THEY MET EACH OTHER AND SPEND EVERY WAKING MOMENT OF THEIR DAYS TOGETHER AND SOMETHING HAPPENDS AND EVERYTHING CHANGES.

LOVE HOW THE STORY BRING YOU BACK TO THE PRESENT AND HOW JONATHAT IS WONDERING HOW DID CASSIE END UP WHERE SHE IS NOW,LOVE HOW THEY STILL HAVE FEELING FOR EACH OTHER AND TRIED TO FIX EVERYTHING .

I REALLY DID ENJOY THIS BOOK AND LOVE IT NOW I CANT WAIT TO READ THE SECOND BOOK I AM GONE HAVE A BOOK HANGOVER INTO I GET THE SECOND BOOK LOL I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU GET TO READ THIS BOOK AND FALL IN LOVE WITH IT AND ENJOY IT AS MUCH AS I DID

AUTHOR H.M. WARD ONCE AGAIN DID AND AMAZING JOB WRITTING THIS STORY


Profile Image for Sarymil.
42 reviews4 followers
February 22, 2014
I know that I have professed my love for the Ferro Family Series in the past but knowing that the third Ferro brother, Jon, had his own story to tell, I had to know what he was up to since the first mention of him on Damaged 2 and The Arrangement. I love how H.M. Ward does the crossovers and how we get a glimpse of all the characters between the different books.

During Damaged 2, we learned that Jon had done something that required Peter and Sean to go back home to their parent's to help with the new problem he had. Which brings us to Stripped.

During Stripped, we get to know why Jon is a womanizer and why he doesn't believe in love. We learn that he was heartbroken 3 years prior to when the book begins due to a supposed betrayal by the girl he falls in love with. But fate has a funny way of bringing people together and during Peter's bachelor party, Jon comes face to face with the girl, Cassie.

Holly takes us to the past when Jon and Cassie meet and a huge misunderstanding tears them apart until now. This misunderstanding brings back emotions that Jon doesn't want to dwell on and deal with, but his love and "hate" for Cassie won't let him stay away from her. Cassie, on the other hand, tries stay away and not bring too much attention to herself because her present is not what she had imagined it would be and circumstances in her life have her hiding from them. But when true love calls between 2 people, anything that one does to stay away from the other won't matter if they belong with each other.

The story is intense, funny, first loves, and about how the life path planned doesn't turn out to be what was expected. I totally love the Ferro Family Series and reading Stripped made me fall in love with Jon too. I can't wait for Stripped 2 to come out and see what happens with Jon and Cassie.
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