What do you think?
Rate this book
The Boss #0.5
The Stranger
Six years before Neil Elwood became Sophie Scaife’s boss—and Dom—she knew him as Leif, the charming stranger in the Los Angeles International Airport, and the man who would change her life forever…
Fresh from the class of 2007, eighteen-year-old Sophie Scaife is ready to throw her carefully planned future to the wind and chase her dreams all the way to Tokyo. When her flight is canceled and a handsome stranger offers her a night of no-strings-attached pleasure, Sophie finds herself on a much different adventure than she’d expected.
With his commanding sexual presence and deviously filthy mind, Leif is the perfect man to teach Sophie everything that’s been missing with other lovers. But while Sophie can trust him with her body, she’s not sure he’s all that he claims to be…and their night of passion could change everything.
Fresh from the class of 2007, eighteen-year-old Sophie Scaife is ready to throw her carefully planned future to the wind and chase her dreams all the way to Tokyo. When her flight is canceled and a handsome stranger offers her a night of no-strings-attached pleasure, Sophie finds herself on a much different adventure than she’d expected.
With his commanding sexual presence and deviously filthy mind, Leif is the perfect man to teach Sophie everything that’s been missing with other lovers. But while Sophie can trust him with her body, she’s not sure he’s all that he claims to be…and their night of passion could change everything.
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2016
31 people are currently reading
893 people want to read
About the author
Abigail Barnette
63 books1,278 followersAbigail Barnette is the pseudonym of Jenny Trout (alias Jennifer Armintrout, an author, blogger, and funny person. Jenny made the USA Today bestseller list with her debut novel, Blood Ties Book One: The Turning. Her American Vampire was named one of the top ten horror novels of 2011 by Booklist Magazine Online. As Abigail Barnette, Jenny writes award-winning erotic romance, including the internationally bestselling The Boss series.
As a blogger, Jenny’s work has appeared on The Huffington Post, and has been featured on television and radio, including HuffPost Live, Good Morning America, The Steve Harvey Show, and National Public Radio’s Here & Now. Her work has earned mentions in The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly.
She is a proud Michigander, mother of two, and wife to the only person alive capable of spending extended periods of time with her without wanting to kill her.
As a blogger, Jenny’s work has appeared on The Huffington Post, and has been featured on television and radio, including HuffPost Live, Good Morning America, The Steve Harvey Show, and National Public Radio’s Here & Now. Her work has earned mentions in The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly.
She is a proud Michigander, mother of two, and wife to the only person alive capable of spending extended periods of time with her without wanting to kill her.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
August 24, 2016
The Stranger is a prequel novella to Abigail Barnette's erotic romance/bdsm series titled The Boss. This series starts six years after the lead characters have an absolutely incredible one night stand...like the kind that ensures nothing and no one else will ever measure up. They never expected to see each other again but life had other plans.
As a whole, the books in this series make multiple references to their night together six years prior but not until The Stranger (published in August 2016) are we allowed to watch it all play out. And, oh was it worth the wait!
The Stranger can be read (and re-read) at any point in the series. I have had so much fun following this ongoing story and this sexylicious novella was such a treat. Check it out!
My favorite quote:
"At least seventy percent of good sex is communication. Remember that. It's important.
The Boss series includes the following installments (as of August 2016):
#0.5:The Stranger
#1:The Boss
#2:The Girlfriend
#2.5:The Hook-Up
#3:The Bride
#4:The Ex
#5:The Baby
#6:The Sister
As a whole, the books in this series make multiple references to their night together six years prior but not until The Stranger (published in August 2016) are we allowed to watch it all play out. And, oh was it worth the wait!
The Stranger can be read (and re-read) at any point in the series. I have had so much fun following this ongoing story and this sexylicious novella was such a treat. Check it out!
My favorite quote:
"At least seventy percent of good sex is communication. Remember that. It's important.
The Boss series includes the following installments (as of August 2016):
#0.5:The Stranger
#1:The Boss
#2:The Girlfriend
#2.5:The Hook-Up
#3:The Bride
#4:The Ex
#5:The Baby
#6:The Sister
August 13, 2016
Whew. Well that was steamy!
December 22, 2017
LOVED this ebook novella! Excellently written and HOT HOT HOT! I sat down to read this and inhaled it in an hour and a half! Very happy I saw someone write about this, will definitely be reading the next book.
September 30, 2016
FINALLY we know how it happened and it did not disappoint!
I love how Sophie def feels younger and yet so much like herself. This is my favourite thing.
I'm not giving 5 stars, mainly b/c of the cheesiness, which is, though credible as we're talking about Neil here, too good to be even in fiction. But. It was bloody sex positive and while the author's goal was not to teach us a lesson, it is a good reminder since self-doubt and insecurities are common. It was perfectly adressed. Well, maybe this will be my favourite thing, after all.
As always, I enjoyed the touch of humour.
My guess is everyone is reading this after the other books, but just in case anyone begin the series with this one, there's nothing really bdsm-y (these are the only two things that might make one's uncomfortable ). Although, it sure is full of smut.
I love how Sophie def feels younger and yet so much like herself. This is my favourite thing.
I'm not giving 5 stars, mainly b/c of the cheesiness, which is, though credible as we're talking about Neil here, too good to be even in fiction. But. It was bloody sex positive and while the author's goal was not to teach us a lesson, it is a good reminder since self-doubt and insecurities are common. It was perfectly adressed. Well, maybe this will be my favourite thing, after all.
As always, I enjoyed the touch of humour.
My guess is everyone is reading this after the other books, but just in case anyone begin the series with this one, there's nothing really bdsm-y (these are the only two things that might make one's uncomfortable ). Although, it sure is full of smut.
August 16, 2016
4.5 Stars!
January 2, 2017
First read of 2017: straight up SMUT. A+ for me.
December 15, 2018
4 1/2 STARS!
April 30, 2025
Being a 34+ years old man, there is no point in reading these teenage sensual steamy fantasy. Still did to reset my brain tired of reading serious staff constantly. I hope it will work.
November 17, 2022
It was refreshing to see something that should be the norm. Two good main characters: A male main character that supports his "partner" (hook up in this case) and respects her boundaries and a female main character that it's inexperienced but doesn't behave like a child or seems like she completely hates the idea of sex.
This truly felt like I was watching two grown ups behaving like grown ups which is exactly what I want on a smutty book.
Besides that, there's not much plot but since it's a short story between the main books, I will not judge too hard on that.
Overall good and realistic.
This truly felt like I was watching two grown ups behaving like grown ups which is exactly what I want on a smutty book.
Besides that, there's not much plot but since it's a short story between the main books, I will not judge too hard on that.
Overall good and realistic.
September 19, 2018
I thought, well I read all 6 books... the night in the hotel was mentioned repeatedly throughout the series... how much can a prequel really tell me that the 6 books hadn’t already?!? The answer to that... A LOT.
Holy hell this was hot, and sweet.
Anyone reading it before they actually read The Boss would really root for them to be a couple, until she wakes up the next day.
Holy hell this was hot, and sweet.
Anyone reading it before they actually read The Boss would really root for them to be a couple, until she wakes up the next day.
April 27, 2018
Prequel to The Boss Series was written!
I was so happy this prequel was written. It was definitely needed in order to understand the dynamic between Sophie Scaife and Neil Elwood. For those who haven't begun reading the series, read the prequel first.
I was so happy this prequel was written. It was definitely needed in order to understand the dynamic between Sophie Scaife and Neil Elwood. For those who haven't begun reading the series, read the prequel first.
January 23, 2021
I love that I waited to read this until after I read the first seven books. It's so much cuter and worthwhile that way.
January 31, 2021
During this re-read, I identified with Sophie the most I ever have. It just reminded me of those moments when I've had a brief jolt of bravery which has lead to some amazing story!
October 21, 2021
Disappointed. It's not the length - didn't expect war and peace.
I wanted to have some depth however ... it just reads like one of the stories
from Penthouse or something.
I wanted to have some depth however ... it just reads like one of the stories
from Penthouse or something.
February 5, 2022
excellent
A very enjoyable story. The characters were so believable and I loved the whole plot. Age gap fantasy, personified. I want to read more about Leif and Sophie.
A very enjoyable story. The characters were so believable and I loved the whole plot. Age gap fantasy, personified. I want to read more about Leif and Sophie.
April 21, 2024
Is a very short yet steamy hot story.
I like how two of them encounter each other and how it ends so that we can continue on the book1!
I like how two of them encounter each other and how it ends so that we can continue on the book1!
December 21, 2024
A great erotic short story. Loved the explicit consent, the respect and the steamy hot sex scenes. 10/10 would recommend.
January 6, 2021
oops, i thought i had written a review for this. anyway, i read this after AB's "the boss." i love neil/leif and i adore sophie. i know it's an erotica novel, but i thought there was a bit more story than the hotel room. scene after scene was about positions and i got tired and wanted to take a shower. 2 stars because i felt the insta chemistry b/t those 2.
January 4, 2019
I read the original 5 books in this series and enjoyed them. If I started reading the series with this book, I don’t think I would have continued reading. Don’t get me wrong, this is a well written story with some pretty hot sex, but that’s all it is.
Sophie grew up in rural northern Michigan (town under 1,000, county 36,000). She’s bright enough to be enrolled at NYU but is running away to Tokyo without a lot of explanation. In the earlier books she demonstrates she’s a pretty savvy woman. She’s described in this book and throughout the series as being a babe yet has big self esteem issues. This doesn’t add up.
She’s had two bad experiences with sex. Yet she meets Leif and wants to be spanked and have anal sex? This doesn’t add up either.
Since they are both lying to each other (Sophie says she’s 25 going to grad school and yet is actually 18 just out of high school and Leif is actually Neil and a wealthy publisher rather than just a magazine writer), they can’t talk about anything. Sophie suspects Leif is more than he says, but Leif seems to have no clue that Sophie is missing 4 yrs of maturity and personal growth at undergrad.
From my perspective there’s no character development through backstory, or growth through discussion or self examination in this book. So there’s just well written sex, which is only marginally believable with an inexperienced 18 yr old.
For me, this book puts a negative pull on the rest of the series. I’m going to read the samples from the two newest books - Sister & Boyfriend - but I’m not committing to reading the full stories.
Sophie grew up in rural northern Michigan (town under 1,000, county 36,000). She’s bright enough to be enrolled at NYU but is running away to Tokyo without a lot of explanation. In the earlier books she demonstrates she’s a pretty savvy woman. She’s described in this book and throughout the series as being a babe yet has big self esteem issues. This doesn’t add up.
She’s had two bad experiences with sex. Yet she meets Leif and wants to be spanked and have anal sex? This doesn’t add up either.
Since they are both lying to each other (Sophie says she’s 25 going to grad school and yet is actually 18 just out of high school and Leif is actually Neil and a wealthy publisher rather than just a magazine writer), they can’t talk about anything. Sophie suspects Leif is more than he says, but Leif seems to have no clue that Sophie is missing 4 yrs of maturity and personal growth at undergrad.
From my perspective there’s no character development through backstory, or growth through discussion or self examination in this book. So there’s just well written sex, which is only marginally believable with an inexperienced 18 yr old.
For me, this book puts a negative pull on the rest of the series. I’m going to read the samples from the two newest books - Sister & Boyfriend - but I’m not committing to reading the full stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2016
I’m just gonna dive right into this one. For anyone who has read Abigail Barnette’s The Boss series, you’ll know what’s coming here because brief bits of this story are discussed throughout the present day romance between Neil and Sophie. And for those of you who have not read the series, I urge urge URGE you to purchase this sweet and sexy novella that can introduce you to this series.
The Stranger is the prelude, the prologue, the day years ago when Sophie met ‘Leif’ at the airport in Los Angeles. This story is exactly what you think it will be if you know who Sophie and Neil are in The Boss. This novella is like putting on your favorite pair of sexy panties. You know they fit just right and you know they do the job. They’re familiar and illicit a certain set of desirable feelings.
Meeting 18-year-old Sophie, unsure in her skin and about her future, is such a joy, because we know who she becomes. Meeting the 42-year-old ‘Leif’, as Neil refers to himself, is exhilarating and adventuresome. After Sophie lies about her age to make herself seem more mature, the two grab a hotel room together and have a sexy little rendezvous.
I promise, reading this book won’t be a regret. As with the five other books in The Boss series, The Stranger is high on steamy sex. But this sweet book also has bits of humor and vulnerability in it as well. A must read! 4 out of 5!
❤ always, .L.~.V.
The Stranger is the prelude, the prologue, the day years ago when Sophie met ‘Leif’ at the airport in Los Angeles. This story is exactly what you think it will be if you know who Sophie and Neil are in The Boss. This novella is like putting on your favorite pair of sexy panties. You know they fit just right and you know they do the job. They’re familiar and illicit a certain set of desirable feelings.
Meeting 18-year-old Sophie, unsure in her skin and about her future, is such a joy, because we know who she becomes. Meeting the 42-year-old ‘Leif’, as Neil refers to himself, is exhilarating and adventuresome. After Sophie lies about her age to make herself seem more mature, the two grab a hotel room together and have a sexy little rendezvous.
I promise, reading this book won’t be a regret. As with the five other books in The Boss series, The Stranger is high on steamy sex. But this sweet book also has bits of humor and vulnerability in it as well. A must read! 4 out of 5!
❤ always, .L.~.V.
February 27, 2018
Great prequel to The Boss. Hot sex, authentic feeling bdsm. I read it after The Boss, but the spoilers won't affect your enjoyment if you read it first.
April 12, 2018
I came across this series by Abigail Barnette several times while browsing through the Goodreads website in search of a new author whose work I have yet to read. Well, I'm taking the plunge with The Boss series now. I am starting this series chronologically. So... this first book is interesting. The jury is still out on whether it is interesting good or interesting bad. I am trying to keep an open mind as I plow through the series.
So far from what I can gather is that he is not who he says he is and she is not who she says she is. But they have some fantastic sex. So much to the point, he has cramped thigh muscles and she has a painful ass. Whilst their relationship started on a foundation of lies, Sophie is irrevocably changed by the end of the book. In the beginning, she was solely stuck on wanting to run away to Tokyo. No plans, just go. By the end of it, with lots of hot sex, she changes her mind and plans to go back to New York which she was supposed to do at the very start of her journey.
The Stranger has definitely hooked me in and now I want to read the next book to find out what happens to Sophie. So without further ado, I'll get onto the next one and find out! :P
So far from what I can gather is that he is not who he says he is and she is not who she says she is. But they have some fantastic sex. So much to the point, he has cramped thigh muscles and she has a painful ass. Whilst their relationship started on a foundation of lies, Sophie is irrevocably changed by the end of the book. In the beginning, she was solely stuck on wanting to run away to Tokyo. No plans, just go. By the end of it, with lots of hot sex, she changes her mind and plans to go back to New York which she was supposed to do at the very start of her journey.
The Stranger has definitely hooked me in and now I want to read the next book to find out what happens to Sophie. So without further ado, I'll get onto the next one and find out! :P
November 2, 2016
This one was the beginning of everything. But never begin with this one. This one just intensified the connection, how one thing such as fate led them to be so "powerful"/"intense".
Frankly, I just read how they met, how they hooked up and a bit of how a stud leif was, then also how he left. Those were enough for me, so all the steamy stuffs was like okay, it wasn't new. Got plenty with the previous books. But, what the heck is "the sister"?? Comon!!
Frankly, I just read how they met, how they hooked up and a bit of how a stud leif was, then also how he left. Those were enough for me, so all the steamy stuffs was like okay, it wasn't new. Got plenty with the previous books. But, what the heck is "the sister"?? Comon!!
August 8, 2017
Rating reale: 3,8.
Ma il rating per la coppia Sophie e Neil è qualcosa tipo 10mila/5.
Solo per loro due potevo mettermi in gioco e decidermi a leggere in lingua. È stata una bellissima avventura. Mi sono emozionata, mi sono divertita, mi sono commossa. Ecco perché adoro Abigail Barnette.
Comunque è proprio come sospettavo, i prequel vanno letti sempre dopo, tassativamente, dovrebbero metterlo per iscritto una volta per tutte.
Ma il rating per la coppia Sophie e Neil è qualcosa tipo 10mila/5.
Solo per loro due potevo mettermi in gioco e decidermi a leggere in lingua. È stata una bellissima avventura. Mi sono emozionata, mi sono divertita, mi sono commossa. Ecco perché adoro Abigail Barnette.
Comunque è proprio come sospettavo, i prequel vanno letti sempre dopo, tassativamente, dovrebbero metterlo per iscritto una volta per tutte.
November 2, 2018
Pretty easy-going hero. He's like a beta hero, I can tell. He's charming, older and a little shy around the edges I would say. The fact he's got a huge cock it's... well... it's nice for him because to me he's a pretty average guy. An average guy with a lot of money but, regardless...
She was naive and a little annoying with all her insecurities, she didn't even tried to hide them, it was embarrasing sometimes. Hmm.
It was ok.
She was naive and a little annoying with all her insecurities, she didn't even tried to hide them, it was embarrasing sometimes. Hmm.
It was ok.
October 22, 2019
Oh man-- if my flight is every cancelled, I could only DREAM to flirt shamelessly with a tall, fit and handsome Brit for him to fuck me senseless for hours!
I'm quite along in this series but I was very curious as to their first meeting and thus I got this today and read through it. And yeah... I can't say enough positive things about Abigail Barnette's writing! I absolutely love these two and she made me want to research more about D/s relationships.
I'm quite along in this series but I was very curious as to their first meeting and thus I got this today and read through it. And yeah... I can't say enough positive things about Abigail Barnette's writing! I absolutely love these two and she made me want to research more about D/s relationships.
July 10, 2017
I was so excited when I found out about this book! I absolutely love these two characters and have been wanting to know how they first met so many years before the first book went down. And it did not disappoint. Got to love a prequel that makes you want to read the series all over again, and it did just that!
August 10, 2016
Wow! The hottest piece of the series yet!
This novella has satisfied and even exceeded my expectations for what happened on that infamous night. I recommend listening to The Weekend while reading this book.
More Sophie and Neil. Now. I can't wait till next year.
This novella has satisfied and even exceeded my expectations for what happened on that infamous night. I recommend listening to The Weekend while reading this book.
More Sophie and Neil. Now. I can't wait till next year.
August 11, 2016
Love it
You rock the boss books are the best thing ever me and my coworker love this books so much keep them coming 5***** stars all the way the books are sexy funny loving sweet hot caring you are a rock star
You rock the boss books are the best thing ever me and my coworker love this books so much keep them coming 5***** stars all the way the books are sexy funny loving sweet hot caring you are a rock star
August 9, 2017
Super good, as usual
OMG. I love Sophie and Neil aka Leif so much. This prequel is like dessert that you order BEFORE the entree. Decadent and delicious. Makes me want to read all of them again. Maybe I will!
OMG. I love Sophie and Neil aka Leif so much. This prequel is like dessert that you order BEFORE the entree. Decadent and delicious. Makes me want to read all of them again. Maybe I will!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews