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Soft core
A young woman’s madcap search for her missing ex-boyfriend takes her into the sexual underground in Brittany Newell’s savage, tender Soft Core.
Ruth is lost. She’s living in a drafty Victorian with her ex-boyfriend Dino, a ketamine dealer with a lingerie habit, overdosing on television and regretting her master’s degree. When she starts dancing at a strip club, she becomes Baby Blue, seductress of crypto bros, outcasts, and old lovers alike. Plunged into this swirling underworld of beautiful women, fast cash, ungodly hours, and strangers’ secrets, Baby’s grip on reality begins to loosen. She is sure she can handle it—until one autumn morning when Dino disappears without a trace.
Thus begins a nocturnal quest for the one she still loves—through the misty hills of San Francisco; in dive bars and bus depots; at the BDSM dungeon where she takes a part-time gig. Along the way, she meets Simon, a recluse who pays her for increasingly bizarre favors; a philosophizing suicide fetishist named Nobody; and Emeline, the beautiful and balletic new hire who reminds Baby of someone . . .
A brutally funny, propulsive story of power, fantasy, love, and loss, Brittany Newell’s Soft Core is an ode to the heartbroken and unhinged, to those whose appetites lead them astray. It is a hallucinogenic romp about a girl coming undone, whose longing for friendship, romance, and revenge will take her over the edge and back again.
Ruth is lost. She’s living in a drafty Victorian with her ex-boyfriend Dino, a ketamine dealer with a lingerie habit, overdosing on television and regretting her master’s degree. When she starts dancing at a strip club, she becomes Baby Blue, seductress of crypto bros, outcasts, and old lovers alike. Plunged into this swirling underworld of beautiful women, fast cash, ungodly hours, and strangers’ secrets, Baby’s grip on reality begins to loosen. She is sure she can handle it—until one autumn morning when Dino disappears without a trace.
Thus begins a nocturnal quest for the one she still loves—through the misty hills of San Francisco; in dive bars and bus depots; at the BDSM dungeon where she takes a part-time gig. Along the way, she meets Simon, a recluse who pays her for increasingly bizarre favors; a philosophizing suicide fetishist named Nobody; and Emeline, the beautiful and balletic new hire who reminds Baby of someone . . .
A brutally funny, propulsive story of power, fantasy, love, and loss, Brittany Newell’s Soft Core is an ode to the heartbroken and unhinged, to those whose appetites lead them astray. It is a hallucinogenic romp about a girl coming undone, whose longing for friendship, romance, and revenge will take her over the edge and back again.
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,356 reviews
March 18, 2025
4 stars
Listen - this is a book for the Vibes girlies only. If you’re a Plot girlie, you gotta sit this one out. I see a lot of negative reviews under this book from people who were expecting more from it and I understand why; the synopsis made it sound like more was going to happen. But don’t blame the author — blame the publisher for not marketing her book correctly. Personally I enjoyed the meandering aimlessness of it all. It reflected the meandering aimlessness of Ruthie’s existence. But! It will not be everyone’s cup of tea and I just want to do my part in making sure it gets into the hands of people who will appreciate it.
Listen - this is a book for the Vibes girlies only. If you’re a Plot girlie, you gotta sit this one out. I see a lot of negative reviews under this book from people who were expecting more from it and I understand why; the synopsis made it sound like more was going to happen. But don’t blame the author — blame the publisher for not marketing her book correctly. Personally I enjoyed the meandering aimlessness of it all. It reflected the meandering aimlessness of Ruthie’s existence. But! It will not be everyone’s cup of tea and I just want to do my part in making sure it gets into the hands of people who will appreciate it.
January 18, 2025
I love an unhinged woman / unreliable narrator book as much as the next girl, but this felt a little flat. Despite its synopsis, the story doesn’t focus much on Dino’s disappearance or Baby’s search for him, instead it’s more of a slice-of-life book following Baby’s everyday life as a sex worker. It wasn’t as gritty as I was expecting it to be, and sadly its length meant that it quickly became repetitive.
January 30, 2025
I had to believe we'd meet again, that Dino would come home to me. If not, I'd never leave my bed. I'd fall down a manhole in my new strappy shoes. I'd let the pigeons of Union Square eat me alive. Save me, save me!
This is a messy book - gloriously, intentionally, messy - like life, and love, itself. First, I must say that Newell can write: her prose is zippy and smart; she knows how to use similes and metaphors so that they illuminate her writing: 'they wore their fantasies like girdles, an everyday secret' - catching that sense of restriction and liberation, of what's hidden beneath the surface, behind the mendacities of social identity; or the layered used of 'soft core' from its sex work category to the perfume worn by Baby in its heart-shaped bottle - to the importance of vulnerability as the only true basis for intimacy.
I'm always fascinated by books that explore sex work and the corollaries of power, consumption, gender and the gaze. But the best look beyond the surface of what it means to be, here, a stripper or a dancer (I'm thinking of No Touching which plays in a similar space) so that the club or, later, the BDSM house are sites of revelation beyond their surface and literal function.
With wonderful textual control, we follow Ruth through love, friendship, desperation and breakdown. We're never quite sure how far we can believe her, especially as she starts seeing Dino in all the men she meets, and there's a ramping of tension in the last quarter or so of the book that had me feverishly turning the pages.
And where we end up - no spoilers - is an ending that is also a beginning and an opening. I loved, loved, loved this book and have immediately put Newell's debut, Oola, on my TBR.
Many thanks to 4th Estate for an ARC via NetGalley - I'll be surprised if this isn't one of my books of 2025!
August 7, 2024
ARC for review. To be published February 4, 2025.
This book was not meant for the likes of me. Maybe it will mean something to disaffected 20-somethings who are still trying to figure things out, I don’t know. And the jacket information is a bit misleading.
Ruth is living with her ex, Dino, a ketamine dealer in an old Victorian house that I’m wondering how they could ever afford in San Francisco. I know it isn’t nice but it’s also San Francisco. Anyway, Ruth starts dancing in a strip club under the name Baby. Then Dino disappears.
Ruth begins to think she sees him everywhere. She then starts moonlighting at a BDSM club and makes a friend. This is kind of it. The book really wants to mean something, but I don’t know what. It’s not bad, it just kind of…drifts.
This book was not meant for the likes of me. Maybe it will mean something to disaffected 20-somethings who are still trying to figure things out, I don’t know. And the jacket information is a bit misleading.
Ruth is living with her ex, Dino, a ketamine dealer in an old Victorian house that I’m wondering how they could ever afford in San Francisco. I know it isn’t nice but it’s also San Francisco. Anyway, Ruth starts dancing in a strip club under the name Baby. Then Dino disappears.
Ruth begins to think she sees him everywhere. She then starts moonlighting at a BDSM club and makes a friend. This is kind of it. The book really wants to mean something, but I don’t know what. It’s not bad, it just kind of…drifts.
July 6, 2025
This book about grief, loss, and the search for identity is very unusual, both on a narrative level and aesthetically: 27-year-old Ruth lives with her Ketamin-dealing cross-dressing ex-boyfriend Dino, ten years her senior and hailing from Santo Domingo, and his three dogs, until Dino suddenly disappears, and Ruth is overcome by feelings of loneliness and regret, because she still loves Dino. In her jobs as a stripper and a dominatrix, she starts seeing doppelgaengers of Dino, feels like a colleague is stealing her characteristics, and ponders the emotional needs that drive her clients to pay for her services - and how she herself seeks connection with them and her co-workers. The text becomes a hallucinatory maelstrom with Ruth losing herself in the seedy underbelly of San Francisco, longing for love.
Brittany Newell knows what she's talking about, because she hasn't only studied literature at Stanford, but works as a dominatrix in San Francisco herself. The sound of her language is distinct, she finds moody metaphors and has a penchant for intricate descriptions of colors (much like my favorite author, Christian Kracht). Young Ruth is seeking abandon in drugs and sex, then she loses her grip when she loses Dino, and her mind starts betraying her - and it remains unclear to what degree, which renders the unreliable omniscient narrator effective. The minor characters like kinkster Simon, married Charlie who pays her for sex, suicide-obsessed Nobody with whom she exchanges e-mails, stripper colleagues Ophelia who is caught in a toxic relationship and Emeline who is ostracized as a rich girl merely seeking distraction as a sex worker are intriguing and add to the portrayal of Ruth, bringing out different sides of her - much like the backstory about her parents that involves suicide and depression.
While the ending is unfortunately not fully satisfactory, it's easy to stay on for the ride, because it's fast, engaging, and pays off in multiple atmospheric vignettes that are never sentimental or moralistic, but always empathetic, psychologically plausible, and emotionally dense. While I don't see prize judges finding the courage to nominate something this edgy and unusual, the text would deserve it, as it juggles various postmodern narrative tricks while discussing a very classic theme: The wish to be loved and to belong. Can't wait to read Newell's next effort.
Brittany Newell knows what she's talking about, because she hasn't only studied literature at Stanford, but works as a dominatrix in San Francisco herself. The sound of her language is distinct, she finds moody metaphors and has a penchant for intricate descriptions of colors (much like my favorite author, Christian Kracht). Young Ruth is seeking abandon in drugs and sex, then she loses her grip when she loses Dino, and her mind starts betraying her - and it remains unclear to what degree, which renders the unreliable omniscient narrator effective. The minor characters like kinkster Simon, married Charlie who pays her for sex, suicide-obsessed Nobody with whom she exchanges e-mails, stripper colleagues Ophelia who is caught in a toxic relationship and Emeline who is ostracized as a rich girl merely seeking distraction as a sex worker are intriguing and add to the portrayal of Ruth, bringing out different sides of her - much like the backstory about her parents that involves suicide and depression.
While the ending is unfortunately not fully satisfactory, it's easy to stay on for the ride, because it's fast, engaging, and pays off in multiple atmospheric vignettes that are never sentimental or moralistic, but always empathetic, psychologically plausible, and emotionally dense. While I don't see prize judges finding the courage to nominate something this edgy and unusual, the text would deserve it, as it juggles various postmodern narrative tricks while discussing a very classic theme: The wish to be loved and to belong. Can't wait to read Newell's next effort.
February 10, 2025
“I picture a pie with latticework crust; that was my heart, all marked up by men.” 🥧
I loved this book like an all-consuming affair. It took my breath away.
A woman named Ruth lives with her ex-boyfriend Dino, while navigating a career in s*x work. When Dino goes missing, the structure in her life loosens, and she is unable to make sense of what is left.
I loved this book for perhaps too many reasons to name. The messiness with which the story is told; the brash, unafraid way that Ruth shares her life with the reader.
I loved being thrust into her corner of the world, where she tries to make sense of everything. I found many versions of myself alongside of her.
I was immersed, completely. God-tier book.
I loved this book like an all-consuming affair. It took my breath away.
A woman named Ruth lives with her ex-boyfriend Dino, while navigating a career in s*x work. When Dino goes missing, the structure in her life loosens, and she is unable to make sense of what is left.
I loved this book for perhaps too many reasons to name. The messiness with which the story is told; the brash, unafraid way that Ruth shares her life with the reader.
I loved being thrust into her corner of the world, where she tries to make sense of everything. I found many versions of myself alongside of her.
I was immersed, completely. God-tier book.
November 4, 2026
I will never be cool enough to hang out with bona fide San Francisco weirdos, but they’re a tribe I’ve long admired. I’m with them in spirit, to an extent. I was lucky enough to meet author Newell at around the time this book came out and have long been curious about what lay behind the lurid hot-pink cover. It turns out I'm only one degree of separation from her, as she hosts a party for cool people once a month and my former boss serves as DJ at these events. (I am not invited to these parties. See sentence #1 of this review.) But I'm not bitter. After the mental-strain masterpiece of Stories, Like Illnesses, I was ready for a book where I could relax, lay back and just let the words drip out.
(Let the record show that I met Newell in a library, not a dominatrix dungeon or strip club. See sentence #1 of this review.)
This turned out to be a surprisingly traditional story of a lovelorn young woman, not all that different from Wuthering Heights, had Heathcliff liked wearing silk teddies and trading in illegal substances. She was happy as his lover, then bereft at his absence. The book follows her as she tries to repair this hole in her life. She captures well the specific variant of loneliness one feels in a crowded environment.
Our narrator confirms the old saying about sex workers really acting as therapists. There is indeed an air of clinical detachment in her descriptions of peeing on or fisting her clients, the same sort of ho-hum when-is-my-shift-over description a nurse might use when describing the administration of rectal suppositories or catheter insertions. This is amusing when she describes activities such as plucking an assortment of dildoes out of the sink and placing them on the dishrack to dry during slow days. But in general, her work is just a series of petty annoyances and low-stakes intrigues, just like it is for the rest of us.
One of my GR friends recently lamented novels that "use the city without making use of it." Not a problem in this book – Newell understands what makes her setting unique and flavors the book with it, at one point sitting with her legs dangling out a second-floor bay window while the fog rolls down the street and eventually 'punches her in the mouth,' which captures something essential. She talks about a bar called The Makeout Room that "cycles between being cool and uncool," no doubt reaching its nadir on those occasions that I spent time in there. (See sentence #1 of this review.)
There were a few clunky attempts at similes, always risky in fiction. "I smelled like someone's deadbeat Dad," she announces early on. This brings nothing to mind and just seems like an author trying to remind us she's clever, pulling us out of the story. Compare that to fellow San Franciscan Sara Gran's description of her ex-husband:
Some readers may be put off by the complete failure of the Bechdel Test and lack of feminist messaging in this book, but this is a personal and not political journey. It won't land on my list of favorites but it kept me interested until the end.
(Let the record show that I met Newell in a library, not a dominatrix dungeon or strip club. See sentence #1 of this review.)
This turned out to be a surprisingly traditional story of a lovelorn young woman, not all that different from Wuthering Heights, had Heathcliff liked wearing silk teddies and trading in illegal substances. She was happy as his lover, then bereft at his absence. The book follows her as she tries to repair this hole in her life. She captures well the specific variant of loneliness one feels in a crowded environment.
Our narrator confirms the old saying about sex workers really acting as therapists. There is indeed an air of clinical detachment in her descriptions of peeing on or fisting her clients, the same sort of ho-hum when-is-my-shift-over description a nurse might use when describing the administration of rectal suppositories or catheter insertions. This is amusing when she describes activities such as plucking an assortment of dildoes out of the sink and placing them on the dishrack to dry during slow days. But in general, her work is just a series of petty annoyances and low-stakes intrigues, just like it is for the rest of us.
One of my GR friends recently lamented novels that "use the city without making use of it." Not a problem in this book – Newell understands what makes her setting unique and flavors the book with it, at one point sitting with her legs dangling out a second-floor bay window while the fog rolls down the street and eventually 'punches her in the mouth,' which captures something essential. She talks about a bar called The Makeout Room that "cycles between being cool and uncool," no doubt reaching its nadir on those occasions that I spent time in there. (See sentence #1 of this review.)
There were a few clunky attempts at similes, always risky in fiction. "I smelled like someone's deadbeat Dad," she announces early on. This brings nothing to mind and just seems like an author trying to remind us she's clever, pulling us out of the story. Compare that to fellow San Franciscan Sara Gran's description of her ex-husband:
He didn't smell like that anymore. Now he smelled like pot and plaster dust and smoke and mold. Like sadness. Like New Orleans.This brings specific scents to mind and then makes an entirely credible comparison to a city drying out from Hurricane Katrina. We get it. But overall, the writing here flowed well and was unobtrusive.
Some readers may be put off by the complete failure of the Bechdel Test and lack of feminist messaging in this book, but this is a personal and not political journey. It won't land on my list of favorites but it kept me interested until the end.
January 2, 2025
You're telling me a queer dominatrix wrote a tender portrait of sex work that's published by FSG? Fuck yes.
Soft Core absolutely lived up to my expectations. Our protagonist - Ruth by birth, but Baby by profession - lives with her ex-boyfriend. When he suddenly disappears without warning, Baby moves from stripping to working at a BDSM dungeon. The story feels a bit slice-of-life in the way we meet many characters around Baby who are absolutely fascinating, but we do not get resolutions on most plot points. Vibes > plot.
The way Newall captures the disgusting elements of sex and femininity was refreshingly honest. An example of a passage I appreciated which also generally reflects the tone and writing:
This book reminded me a bit of Lauren Oyler's Fake Accounts, in the way our protagonist feels a bit aimless after her ex-boyfriend drops out of the picture, and very much of Alexandra Kleeman's You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine in the perpetual (un)becoming, uncertainty of what is truly going on, and the strange female friend. This book is best suited for those who are interested in stories about non-normative human relationships, an intellectual exploration of kink and desire (not smut!), and who don't mind lingering questions when they finish a novel.
Thank you to FSG and NetGalley for the e-arc.
Soft Core absolutely lived up to my expectations. Our protagonist - Ruth by birth, but Baby by profession - lives with her ex-boyfriend. When he suddenly disappears without warning, Baby moves from stripping to working at a BDSM dungeon. The story feels a bit slice-of-life in the way we meet many characters around Baby who are absolutely fascinating, but we do not get resolutions on most plot points. Vibes > plot.
The way Newall captures the disgusting elements of sex and femininity was refreshingly honest. An example of a passage I appreciated which also generally reflects the tone and writing:
As we ate I was reacquainted with that glorious postcoital hunger. It was one of those things I'd loved most about sleeping around: the private bliss of settling into my bed, still leaking a stranger's juices, and eating the snacks I'd accrued on the long journey home. Gummy worms, Oreos, seltzer, saltines. Out with my date earlier in the night I would purposefully eat very little, so as to (A) compound my drunkenness, (b) minimize the bloat, and (C) save myself for this ritual. As I feasted in bed, I would think of an expression I'd heard my mom use: She's a bottomless pit. It felt true. Post-pounding, I was at home in my role as a hole. I felt both queenly and gross, indulging what felt like an innate need to be filled.
This book reminded me a bit of Lauren Oyler's Fake Accounts, in the way our protagonist feels a bit aimless after her ex-boyfriend drops out of the picture, and very much of Alexandra Kleeman's You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine in the perpetual (un)becoming, uncertainty of what is truly going on, and the strange female friend. This book is best suited for those who are interested in stories about non-normative human relationships, an intellectual exploration of kink and desire (not smut!), and who don't mind lingering questions when they finish a novel.
Thank you to FSG and NetGalley for the e-arc.
July 10, 2026
i’m so !/?/&/?/€/! WHAT WAS THATTTTT omg it’s times like these when i wish i was part of a book club just so i could sit in a room with ten other people and dissect this shit for hourssssss on end !!!!!!!!!!!! i loved absolutely everything about this, but especially the ending because if there's one thing i'm an absolute sucker for, it's ambiguity and things left open to interpretation. half the fun is getting to hear everyone's theories and watching a hundred different versions of the same story emerge from the same final pages. +++ the amount of pop culture/ tv shows references had me shaking in my boots because YESSSSS TONY SOPRANO MENTIONNED !!!!!!!!!!!!
January 26, 2025
Like many others, the cover of this book immediately grabbed my attention. Then I read the description and figured this has to be a must-read! Or so I thought 😩.
I think I’m in the outlier of readers that feel a disconnect going into this book expecting something different. I was hoping for a “madcap,” page-turning, euphoric, and chaotic exploration of the dark realities of the sexual underground with a compelling mystery on the side. While the story was intriguing at times, it ultimately felt repetitive and, frankly, boring.
This book leans heavily into being a character-driven story, delving into the descending psyche of its protagonist, Baby. It’s definitely for readers who value vibes and atmosphere over plot. Let me tell you right now—the plot is not in the room with us. It honestly reminds me of the movie Anora, and how I felt watching that.
I initially thought I was lucky to have the audiobook for this read, as I usually enjoy when the narrator matches the book’s energy. However, the book’s energy was so mild that I believe a more animated narrator might have helped bridge the gap between what I expected and what I got. That said, Lakin’s narration did capture the essence of Baby and her counterparts, just not in a way that captivated me or added to the experience.
While the story often felt repetitive and mundane, I did appreciate its honest depiction of sex work as a job like any other—one that can be monotonous and routine. The book does well in exploring the day-to-day realities, conversations, and culture of those in the industry. However, I struggled to connect with Baby as a character. I don’t need a character to be likable, reliable, or even particularly redeemable, but I do need them to be charismatic and energetic in their flaws, and I just didn’t find that here.
The book leans heavily on the shock value of Baby’s clients and the work she does, but for me, it didn’t feel revolutionary. I was left wishing for more of a plot to ground the story. I can see how some readers might be enthralled by the layers of loneliness and longing that the book captures, but it didn’t resonate with me on that level.
That said, Soft Core is by no means poorly written. It’s vivid and intentional in its imagery and scenes. Having now read it with a clearer understanding of what the book is trying to be, I plan to revisit it with adjusted expectations and see how my perspective might shift.
Beyond appreciative to Netgalley, FSG, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC and ALC.
I think I’m in the outlier of readers that feel a disconnect going into this book expecting something different. I was hoping for a “madcap,” page-turning, euphoric, and chaotic exploration of the dark realities of the sexual underground with a compelling mystery on the side. While the story was intriguing at times, it ultimately felt repetitive and, frankly, boring.
This book leans heavily into being a character-driven story, delving into the descending psyche of its protagonist, Baby. It’s definitely for readers who value vibes and atmosphere over plot. Let me tell you right now—the plot is not in the room with us. It honestly reminds me of the movie Anora, and how I felt watching that.
I initially thought I was lucky to have the audiobook for this read, as I usually enjoy when the narrator matches the book’s energy. However, the book’s energy was so mild that I believe a more animated narrator might have helped bridge the gap between what I expected and what I got. That said, Lakin’s narration did capture the essence of Baby and her counterparts, just not in a way that captivated me or added to the experience.
While the story often felt repetitive and mundane, I did appreciate its honest depiction of sex work as a job like any other—one that can be monotonous and routine. The book does well in exploring the day-to-day realities, conversations, and culture of those in the industry. However, I struggled to connect with Baby as a character. I don’t need a character to be likable, reliable, or even particularly redeemable, but I do need them to be charismatic and energetic in their flaws, and I just didn’t find that here.
The book leans heavily on the shock value of Baby’s clients and the work she does, but for me, it didn’t feel revolutionary. I was left wishing for more of a plot to ground the story. I can see how some readers might be enthralled by the layers of loneliness and longing that the book captures, but it didn’t resonate with me on that level.
That said, Soft Core is by no means poorly written. It’s vivid and intentional in its imagery and scenes. Having now read it with a clearer understanding of what the book is trying to be, I plan to revisit it with adjusted expectations and see how my perspective might shift.
Beyond appreciative to Netgalley, FSG, and Macmillan Audio for this ARC and ALC.
July 15, 2026
3.5/5⭐️ I saw someone on here reading this, looked at the cover, and immediately downloaded it on my kindle.
It’s best to go into this a little blind, because the description isn’t entirely forthcoming. This isn’t about Ruth trying to find her missing drug dealing ex-boyfriend. This is a journey into Ruth’s life and state of mind as she starts seeing her ex boyfriend in every man she meets. This is slice of life, except the life we’re slicing is a stripper’s.
Very weird girl fiction, unreliable narrator, except I really missed the real point in this one. I was intrigued, and curious, but I wasn’t sure *why*.
It’s best to go into this a little blind, because the description isn’t entirely forthcoming. This isn’t about Ruth trying to find her missing drug dealing ex-boyfriend. This is a journey into Ruth’s life and state of mind as she starts seeing her ex boyfriend in every man she meets. This is slice of life, except the life we’re slicing is a stripper’s.
Very weird girl fiction, unreliable narrator, except I really missed the real point in this one. I was intrigued, and curious, but I wasn’t sure *why*.
January 11, 2025
An important point to know going into this book is that the synopsis is a little misleading. It’s not a mystery or a mad dash search; we aren’t stepping into a “sexual underworld” to find a missing ex. It’s a slice of life, vibes over plot, emotional look into a woman’s days and nights as a sex worker as she struggles with her ex-boyfriend going MIA. Ruth, AKA Baby, slowly unravels as she tries to figure out where he went and why.
SOFT CORE was an interesting and engaging read. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was great. It lent well to the vibe of hearing someone’s diary entries. It read like musings found in the chapters of a tell-all memoir. (You can’t convince me that these sexual scenario aren’t ones the author encountered or was told about!) Baby tells us about her ex, friends, co-workers, customers, and heartbreaks.
As Baby works nights as a stripper, days at a BDSM club, and fights her growing loneliness, she starts to lose her grip on reality and I felt that through her narration. I was never quite sure if everything she said was true, even at the very end. She’s self-destructive, hungry for love, and afraid to lose what she’s managed to grasp.
I had a good time and if you enjoy character-driven stories or quick peeks into character’s lives, I’d recommend. Nothing shocking or solacious IMO; but a realistic depiction of a 20-something woman trying to keep up.
I’ll definitely be going back to pick up the author’s debut.
Shoutout to NetGalley and FSG for the ALC.
SOFT CORE was an interesting and engaging read. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was great. It lent well to the vibe of hearing someone’s diary entries. It read like musings found in the chapters of a tell-all memoir. (You can’t convince me that these sexual scenario aren’t ones the author encountered or was told about!) Baby tells us about her ex, friends, co-workers, customers, and heartbreaks.
As Baby works nights as a stripper, days at a BDSM club, and fights her growing loneliness, she starts to lose her grip on reality and I felt that through her narration. I was never quite sure if everything she said was true, even at the very end. She’s self-destructive, hungry for love, and afraid to lose what she’s managed to grasp.
I had a good time and if you enjoy character-driven stories or quick peeks into character’s lives, I’d recommend. Nothing shocking or solacious IMO; but a realistic depiction of a 20-something woman trying to keep up.
I’ll definitely be going back to pick up the author’s debut.
Shoutout to NetGalley and FSG for the ALC.
April 29, 2025
Entertaining Audiobook-
Soft Core is less a traditional novel and more a descent, an immersive, vibe-heavy character study that lives in the headspace of its narrator, Baby. Brittney Newell crafts a disjointed, moody portrait of a young woman whose reality blurs between performance, desire, detachment, and deep emotional drift. It’s strange, raw, and often mesmerizing.
This book isn’t here to offer a tight plot or resolution. Instead, it leans fully into atmosphere and voice perfect for readers who enjoy stories driven by character and mood over structure. Baby’s experiences as a sex worker and her exploration of kink are presented with an unflinching, often surreal honesty. There’s also a noir-ish thread running through the search for her missing ex-boyfriend, which adds a touch of narrative momentum amid the psychological haze.
It won’t be for everyone, some might find the meandering style frustrating or too stylized, but if you’re here for the vibes, this book delivers. At times uncomfortable, often provocative, and always interesting, Soft Core is an oddly entertaining ride through one young woman’s unraveling psyche
Soft Core is less a traditional novel and more a descent, an immersive, vibe-heavy character study that lives in the headspace of its narrator, Baby. Brittney Newell crafts a disjointed, moody portrait of a young woman whose reality blurs between performance, desire, detachment, and deep emotional drift. It’s strange, raw, and often mesmerizing.
This book isn’t here to offer a tight plot or resolution. Instead, it leans fully into atmosphere and voice perfect for readers who enjoy stories driven by character and mood over structure. Baby’s experiences as a sex worker and her exploration of kink are presented with an unflinching, often surreal honesty. There’s also a noir-ish thread running through the search for her missing ex-boyfriend, which adds a touch of narrative momentum amid the psychological haze.
It won’t be for everyone, some might find the meandering style frustrating or too stylized, but if you’re here for the vibes, this book delivers. At times uncomfortable, often provocative, and always interesting, Soft Core is an oddly entertaining ride through one young woman’s unraveling psyche
August 19, 2024
very readable and had some of the loveliest descriptions of bellies I have ever read :)
January 21, 2025
Soft Core is sharply witty at some points and quietly heartbreaking at others. Ruth is a likeable character made all the more relatable by her flaws, and by the end of the story she feels like an old friend. Literary fiction fans will not want to miss this one! Full review at BookBrowse: https://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/in...
June 2, 2025
Soft Core by Brittany Newell is a profound exploration of identity, vulnerability, and the complex nature of human relationships. In a world often marked by hasty judgments, this novel encourages us to slow down and reevaluate our preconceived notions.
"We are all soft cores, hiding behind hardened shells." Newell masterfully blurs the lines between strength and fragility, inviting empathy for her characters as they navigate their insecurities and desires. She illustrates the delicate balance between our inner lives and our outward presentations.
The characters are intricately crafted, each embodying different aspects of human connection. They are neither wholly good nor bad; they are simply human. This authenticity makes their journeys more relatable and impactful. "We find our strength in our connections, yet we destroy ourselves with the weight of expectation." This line encapsulates the novel's essential message: while relationships can uplift us, they can also impose immense pressure.
Newell’s exploration of societal norms and the quest for authenticity adds another significant layer to the narrative. The protagonist, Ruth, grapples with asserting her identity in a world that often seeks to confine individuals into rigid categories. In a poignant moment of reflection, she states, “To be seen as I am, not what others want me to be, is my ultimate rebellion.” Newell’s unflinching honesty captures the courage required to strip away the expectations imposed by society.
The writing style blends sharp wit with profound introspection, making complex themes accessible. Newell's ability to weave humor into serious topics creates a varied emotional landscape. The prose unfolds like a melodic composition of emotions, guiding us through moments of joy, sorrow, and everything in between, forming a rich tapestry that captivates from beginning to end.
As we journey through the narrative, we are reminded that beneath our hardened exteriors lies a soft core yearning for connection and acceptance. This novel speaks to anyone willing to confront their vulnerabilities, revealing the true beauty of what it means to be human.
"We are all soft cores, hiding behind hardened shells." Newell masterfully blurs the lines between strength and fragility, inviting empathy for her characters as they navigate their insecurities and desires. She illustrates the delicate balance between our inner lives and our outward presentations.
The characters are intricately crafted, each embodying different aspects of human connection. They are neither wholly good nor bad; they are simply human. This authenticity makes their journeys more relatable and impactful. "We find our strength in our connections, yet we destroy ourselves with the weight of expectation." This line encapsulates the novel's essential message: while relationships can uplift us, they can also impose immense pressure.
Newell’s exploration of societal norms and the quest for authenticity adds another significant layer to the narrative. The protagonist, Ruth, grapples with asserting her identity in a world that often seeks to confine individuals into rigid categories. In a poignant moment of reflection, she states, “To be seen as I am, not what others want me to be, is my ultimate rebellion.” Newell’s unflinching honesty captures the courage required to strip away the expectations imposed by society.
The writing style blends sharp wit with profound introspection, making complex themes accessible. Newell's ability to weave humor into serious topics creates a varied emotional landscape. The prose unfolds like a melodic composition of emotions, guiding us through moments of joy, sorrow, and everything in between, forming a rich tapestry that captivates from beginning to end.
As we journey through the narrative, we are reminded that beneath our hardened exteriors lies a soft core yearning for connection and acceptance. This novel speaks to anyone willing to confront their vulnerabilities, revealing the true beauty of what it means to be human.
January 30, 2025
[TW/CW: Language, drinking, smoking, drinking pee, drug use, cheating, child abandonment, toxic family relationships, alcoholism, eating disorder, bullying, family drama, use of c-word]
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Ruth is lost. She’s living in a drafty Victorian with her ex-boyfriend Dino, a ketamine dealer with a lingerie habit, overdosing on television and regretting her master’s degree. When she starts dancing at a strip club, she becomes Baby Blue, seductress of crypto bros, outcasts, and old lovers alike. Plunged into this swirling underworld of beautiful women, fast cash, ungodly hours, and strangers’ secrets, Baby’s grip on reality begins to loosen. She is sure she can handle it—until one autumn morning when Dino disappears without a trace.
Thus begins a nocturnal quest for the one she still loves—through the misty hills of San Francisco; in dive bars and bus depots; at the BDSM dungeon where she takes a part-time gig. Along the way, she meets Simon, a recluse who pays her for increasingly bizarre favors; a philosophizing suicide fetishist named Nobody; and Emeline, the beautiful and balletic new hire who reminds Baby of someone . . .
Release Date: February 4th, 2025
Genre: Women's fiction
Pages: 352
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Some of the most insane things mentioned
What I Didn't Like:
1. Writing got to be too much
2. Felt like there was no point and aimless
3. Over the top things happening to just happen
Final Thoughts:
Nothing is worse than reading a book and thinking it'll go somewhere or have a message. I felt like I was trapped on the ocean in a boat being hit by wave after wave. Half way through this book I kept trying to understand where it was going and what the book was trying to tell me. In the end though I felt like it was all pointless. You're just traveling around with Ruth as she does the most crazy things but getting little pay off for the adventures.
Ruth's boyfriend is missing and outside of his warning to not call the cops she does nothing to find him. How is she paying rent when he was so secretive about his money? Why did she start to think she saw him in so many people? None of this is explained. You're just cast into this ever moving too crazy unbelievable world that Ruth owns. The language is peppered with complex sentences that you shouldn't think too hard about. Ruth decides to move in a new person. It all seems like worthless.
We never learn about why Dena was messing around with Ruth or if she was. How did she end up in her life but small world her dad was the one that Ruth used to sleep with.
Every page felt like a hurtle. I read another book from this author; Oola and did not like it either. Those characters in the book also went no where and the story just sits in this almost limbo. It all felt so stale and meh.
My review for Oola
IG | Blog
Thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Netgalley for the ebook edition of this book and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Ruth is lost. She’s living in a drafty Victorian with her ex-boyfriend Dino, a ketamine dealer with a lingerie habit, overdosing on television and regretting her master’s degree. When she starts dancing at a strip club, she becomes Baby Blue, seductress of crypto bros, outcasts, and old lovers alike. Plunged into this swirling underworld of beautiful women, fast cash, ungodly hours, and strangers’ secrets, Baby’s grip on reality begins to loosen. She is sure she can handle it—until one autumn morning when Dino disappears without a trace.
Thus begins a nocturnal quest for the one she still loves—through the misty hills of San Francisco; in dive bars and bus depots; at the BDSM dungeon where she takes a part-time gig. Along the way, she meets Simon, a recluse who pays her for increasingly bizarre favors; a philosophizing suicide fetishist named Nobody; and Emeline, the beautiful and balletic new hire who reminds Baby of someone . . .
Release Date: February 4th, 2025
Genre: Women's fiction
Pages: 352
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Some of the most insane things mentioned
What I Didn't Like:
1. Writing got to be too much
2. Felt like there was no point and aimless
3. Over the top things happening to just happen
Final Thoughts:
Nothing is worse than reading a book and thinking it'll go somewhere or have a message. I felt like I was trapped on the ocean in a boat being hit by wave after wave. Half way through this book I kept trying to understand where it was going and what the book was trying to tell me. In the end though I felt like it was all pointless. You're just traveling around with Ruth as she does the most crazy things but getting little pay off for the adventures.
Ruth's boyfriend is missing and outside of his warning to not call the cops she does nothing to find him. How is she paying rent when he was so secretive about his money? Why did she start to think she saw him in so many people? None of this is explained. You're just cast into this ever moving too crazy unbelievable world that Ruth owns. The language is peppered with complex sentences that you shouldn't think too hard about. Ruth decides to move in a new person. It all seems like worthless.
We never learn about why Dena was messing around with Ruth or if she was. How did she end up in her life but small world her dad was the one that Ruth used to sleep with.
Every page felt like a hurtle. I read another book from this author; Oola and did not like it either. Those characters in the book also went no where and the story just sits in this almost limbo. It all felt so stale and meh.
My review for Oola
IG | Blog
Thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and Netgalley for the ebook edition of this book and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 27, 2026
4.5
This book was delicious, a fever dream that spiraled deeper with every page. Ruth(baby) slow clap for you and all the side characters which made sex work seem more like a community and less like taboo underworld.
This book was delicious, a fever dream that spiraled deeper with every page. Ruth(baby) slow clap for you and all the side characters which made sex work seem more like a community and less like taboo underworld.
January 8, 2025
Fvck this is good. Wow.
When I'd joke in college that I should just strip, THIS is what I'd meant (well aspired for, no telling if I'd be any good lol)
Brittany Newell makes it abundantly clear that dancing isn't "easy money". It's taking control of, monetizing, and extricating from yourself what the world wants from you (i.e., women) anyway. In this way she's able to give a glimpse of what puts the "club" in "strip club" for its dancers. She humanizes the club to a point of mundanity. In the relationships we
The authenticity of her writing leaves no choice but to let go of any taboos on the topic. This is what I was hoping for from the movie Hustlers, and then some (tbh the movie doesn't even deserve this comparison, but I don't have much else to go on) THIS is empowering. THIS is true to life (trusting Brittany here, and idt she'd steer us wrong). THIS is the kind of lit I need more of.
Since finishing, I went down a rabbit hole and discovered Chapter 1 was initially published as a short story, Baby. Thanks to Baby, she was awarded a grant that helped give her the ability to write Soft Core in full. Now with FSG is publishing, I have my fingers crossed we'll get a lot more from Brittany, grant or not.
It should go without saying that Christine Lakin did this novel justice in her narration, she doesn't miss.
How a novel can be simultaneously THIS gritty and THIS stunningly beautiful is beyond me.
I can't wait to watch Soft Core blow up, the attention it's already receiving is unquestionably deserved and will just compound after pub day.
{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, the incredibly intelligent & down to Earth Brittany Newell, Christine Lakin, FSG and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review! FSG, I forgive you for denying my initial NG request <3 hehe)
When I'd joke in college that I should just strip, THIS is what I'd meant (well aspired for, no telling if I'd be any good lol)
Brittany Newell makes it abundantly clear that dancing isn't "easy money". It's taking control of, monetizing, and extricating from yourself what the world wants from you (i.e., women) anyway. In this way she's able to give a glimpse of what puts the "club" in "strip club" for its dancers. She humanizes the club to a point of mundanity. In the relationships we
The authenticity of her writing leaves no choice but to let go of any taboos on the topic. This is what I was hoping for from the movie Hustlers, and then some (tbh the movie doesn't even deserve this comparison, but I don't have much else to go on) THIS is empowering. THIS is true to life (trusting Brittany here, and idt she'd steer us wrong). THIS is the kind of lit I need more of.
Since finishing, I went down a rabbit hole and discovered Chapter 1 was initially published as a short story, Baby. Thanks to Baby, she was awarded a grant that helped give her the ability to write Soft Core in full. Now with FSG is publishing, I have my fingers crossed we'll get a lot more from Brittany, grant or not.
It should go without saying that Christine Lakin did this novel justice in her narration, she doesn't miss.
How a novel can be simultaneously THIS gritty and THIS stunningly beautiful is beyond me.
I can't wait to watch Soft Core blow up, the attention it's already receiving is unquestionably deserved and will just compound after pub day.
{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, the incredibly intelligent & down to Earth Brittany Newell, Christine Lakin, FSG and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review! FSG, I forgive you for denying my initial NG request <3 hehe)
Read
February 14, 2025Gifted copy' from publisher
This book surprised me with its tenderness and slipperiness.
The cover, the title, the blurb all want to set you up for an erotic thriller of sorts, and sure, some of that is there, but with a bit of a Gothic vibe this is more of a ghostly love story. After her ex-bf/ roommate Dino doesn't come home one night, Ruth finds herself alone. As she hopes he comes back reality starts to crack, it seems Dino is everywhere.
Even when this book is about longing, loneliness, and sometimes desperation, there's still this energy to it making it read as so alive. Ruth being one of the most realized characters I've read makes this a propulsive read. You can tell this is written from a lived experience. Even when there's so much l can't relate to, Ruth works as a stripper and a BDSM dungeon in San Francisco, I'm still empathetic to Ruth's drifting (late 20's with a master you don't know what to do with? Been there). While the blurb states she goes on a search for Dino, really Dino sets her up for a journey that forces her to confront her own feelings and wants. They were broken up and living in a co-dependent relationship, so why is this so hard for Ruth? Maybe we have to deal with some things in our past to be able to move forward, huh Ruth?
I could talk about how Newell plays with reality and fantasy, not just as Ruth becomes slightly (hah!) unreliable, but as she deals with clients as Baby the dancer and Sunday the dungeon master. Not only is there a split of self, but the mental load of carrying these stranger's secrets and creating a different form of intimacy with them has to have some effect on her. What I really want to point out is the writing, Newall has a way of crafting perfect metaphors. The sounds and scents come off the page, the visuals are immediate. She has a way of balancing this foggy, dark atmosphere with humor that makes for a compelling read. Some of these sentences were at, or almost at, fizz level.
Just know you're going into a character study here, one that captures the grief of a relationship (possibly) ending.
I'm being so good not bringing up capitalism!! That even though the San Francisco Newell depicts isn't centered in the tech/corp bro you usually see, the dancers still get excited when they show up since it'll more likely be a good money night. There's a scene with a waitress that really connected it all.
This book surprised me with its tenderness and slipperiness.
The cover, the title, the blurb all want to set you up for an erotic thriller of sorts, and sure, some of that is there, but with a bit of a Gothic vibe this is more of a ghostly love story. After her ex-bf/ roommate Dino doesn't come home one night, Ruth finds herself alone. As she hopes he comes back reality starts to crack, it seems Dino is everywhere.
Even when this book is about longing, loneliness, and sometimes desperation, there's still this energy to it making it read as so alive. Ruth being one of the most realized characters I've read makes this a propulsive read. You can tell this is written from a lived experience. Even when there's so much l can't relate to, Ruth works as a stripper and a BDSM dungeon in San Francisco, I'm still empathetic to Ruth's drifting (late 20's with a master you don't know what to do with? Been there). While the blurb states she goes on a search for Dino, really Dino sets her up for a journey that forces her to confront her own feelings and wants. They were broken up and living in a co-dependent relationship, so why is this so hard for Ruth? Maybe we have to deal with some things in our past to be able to move forward, huh Ruth?
I could talk about how Newell plays with reality and fantasy, not just as Ruth becomes slightly (hah!) unreliable, but as she deals with clients as Baby the dancer and Sunday the dungeon master. Not only is there a split of self, but the mental load of carrying these stranger's secrets and creating a different form of intimacy with them has to have some effect on her. What I really want to point out is the writing, Newall has a way of crafting perfect metaphors. The sounds and scents come off the page, the visuals are immediate. She has a way of balancing this foggy, dark atmosphere with humor that makes for a compelling read. Some of these sentences were at, or almost at, fizz level.
Just know you're going into a character study here, one that captures the grief of a relationship (possibly) ending.
I'm being so good not bringing up capitalism!! That even though the San Francisco Newell depicts isn't centered in the tech/corp bro you usually see, the dancers still get excited when they show up since it'll more likely be a good money night. There's a scene with a waitress that really connected it all.
March 20, 2025
let's be besties, ruth
February 9, 2025
soft core was a beautifully written fever dream following sex worker baby’s year-long spiral in san francisco. this was unique, provocative, disturbing at times, hilarious, heartbreaking, and stylistically excellent. i was hooked from the first few pages. i think this one people will either love or hate (much like an otessa moshfegh novel) but i absolutely ate this shit up.
4.5 rounded up
4.5 rounded up
July 21, 2025
I like a weird book sometimes, but this was too weird for me. I genuinely haven’t a clue what happened. I need a video essay to explain this.
June 14, 2026
"God, it’s delicious. Like … sex in a graveyard."
Girl, this was weird.
Girl, this was weird.
March 23, 2026
dla wszystkich sad&horny dzuewczyn
April 13, 2025
Soft Core tries to be provocative and emotionally raw, but it ultimately feels like style over substance. Brittany Newell writes with flair, and there are moments where the prose hints at something deeper—glimpses of vulnerability, loneliness, and the desire for connection in a hyper-digital world. Unfortunately, those moments are few and far between.
The narrative feels disjointed, often slipping into self-indulgence. The characters come across more like caricatures than people, and it’s hard to invest in their journeys when so little development takes place. The book seems to want to critique internet-age intimacy and performance, but it gets lost in its own aesthetic.
There’s an audience for this kind of detached, irony-drenched storytelling, but I found it frustrating and hollow. It’s a missed opportunity—ambitious in concept but lacking the emotional weight to make it resonate
The narrative feels disjointed, often slipping into self-indulgence. The characters come across more like caricatures than people, and it’s hard to invest in their journeys when so little development takes place. The book seems to want to critique internet-age intimacy and performance, but it gets lost in its own aesthetic.
There’s an audience for this kind of detached, irony-drenched storytelling, but I found it frustrating and hollow. It’s a missed opportunity—ambitious in concept but lacking the emotional weight to make it resonate
July 23, 2024
This was like watching gossip girl mixed in with sex in the city but it's actually enjoyable. We follow Baby a stripper who lives with her flamboyant and dashing ex-bf Dino. He goes missing and she goes on a journey of self discovery, love, power and let's face it, really ridiculous side quests. This was addicting and I mean I literally sat and devoured this in one setting. You will laugh, you will relate and you will laugh some more. You will love and despise the girls at the club which adds to the addicting nature of this read. Honestly it's delicious trash tv wrapped up in a story. If you love romance, revenge, power and friendship you will love Soft Core.
Coming February 2025, ARC Review- NetGalley
Coming February 2025, ARC Review- NetGalley
February 5, 2025
Wanted more from this. Sure the subject matter was provocative but the writing felt more like chick lit than anything. Like a stripper version of Bridget Jones but in a noir. Which is something. But it wasn't for me.
January 10, 2025
I thought I was going to like this one, but it fell flat to me.
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Okay... now... for the review...
What I thought was going to be an amusing and interesting book about a stripper and sex worker turned into a slow descent into mental illness. And even that would have been fine because I do enjoy books about characters who slowly (or quickly) lose their minds.
But this one.... the end fell flat, and the unreliable narrator was TOO unreliable. It went beyond just trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't into actually trying to make any kind of sense out of the book as a whole.
There was also very little point to the book (that I could see). Instead, it was just page after page of ... let's call it testimony. And since the "testimony" was unreliable, it wasn't even a good testimony.
It read like an angsty teenager's diary if that teenager liked to lie a lot about what actually happened in her life.
Overall, it wasn't for me.
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Okay... now... for the review...
What I thought was going to be an amusing and interesting book about a stripper and sex worker turned into a slow descent into mental illness. And even that would have been fine because I do enjoy books about characters who slowly (or quickly) lose their minds.
But this one.... the end fell flat, and the unreliable narrator was TOO unreliable. It went beyond just trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't into actually trying to make any kind of sense out of the book as a whole.
There was also very little point to the book (that I could see). Instead, it was just page after page of ... let's call it testimony. And since the "testimony" was unreliable, it wasn't even a good testimony.
It read like an angsty teenager's diary if that teenager liked to lie a lot about what actually happened in her life.
Overall, it wasn't for me.
May 28, 2025
i had sky high expectations, and this met every single one. a slice of life story about a sex worker in san francisco, seeing the face of her newly disappeared ex-bf in the face of everyone she passes.
Newell perfectly crafted a cast of complex, messy characters with Baby (Ruth) at the helm. her writing is lush, unique, and somehow even when it's discussing kinda gross things, i couldn't get enough of it. it's perhaps the most 'up my alley' story i've ever read; Newell included the term 'bildungsroman' in the same book as a piss kink. absolutely iconic.
Newell perfectly crafted a cast of complex, messy characters with Baby (Ruth) at the helm. her writing is lush, unique, and somehow even when it's discussing kinda gross things, i couldn't get enough of it. it's perhaps the most 'up my alley' story i've ever read; Newell included the term 'bildungsroman' in the same book as a piss kink. absolutely iconic.
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