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Skilled, sculpted, and sexy, the men of adult entertainment are the kind of guys a woman reserves for her fantasies not her reality. But is there more to these professional hotties than meets the eye? …
 
The day Robyn Flores meets Zac Fallon is one of those days. You know, when you’re already late for work. Mostly because you haven’t really slept since your best friend abandoned you for her fiancé and her exponentially better life. The kind of day you drag yourself to the cleaners to pick up your laundry, only to discover you’ve got the wrong bag—Star Spangled sequined thong, anyone? So Robyn is definitely not ready for the ridiculously gorgeous guy at her front door, except that they have each other’s clothes. But then, is any woman ever ready to meet the love of her life?


There’s just one problem: Zac Fallon is not the love of Robyn’s life. Zac knows, despite the 
all-too-intimate dinner they share, he doesn’t have a shot at her. Because the next time Zac sees Robyn, he’s front and center of the male revue headlining her best friend’s bachelorette party. So much for wooing the pretty schoolteacher, much less impressing her old-fashioned family, with his upstanding lifestyle. Now he’s only got one way to win his dream girl. It’s gonna be the steamiest, most irresistible seduction she’s ever seen. And this time it will be no act …

241 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 28, 2018

98 people are currently reading
1689 people want to read

About the author

Zoey Castile

11 books152 followers
Zoey Castile was born in Ecuador and raised in Queens, New York. She started writing in her teens and pursued that love in her studies at Hunter College and the University of Montana. For nearly a decade, she worked as a bartender, hostess, and manager in New York City's nightlife. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @ZoeyCastile. You can also email her at ZoeyCastile@gmail.com

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 306 reviews
Profile Image for Zoraida.
Author 39 books4,774 followers
July 10, 2018
I'm a little biased, I suppose ;)
Profile Image for Kati *☆・゚.
1,287 reviews684 followers
Read
April 9, 2024
re-listen April 2024
dnf at not even 10%

This is a prime example for one's own learning curve and personal growth.

I remember being greatly entertained by this book the first time but am pretty much disgusted by the mmc on my revisit. Some books better stay in the past along with the fond memory of it.
Profile Image for Lacey (laceybooklovers).
2,144 reviews12k followers
August 27, 2018
Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

I had such high hopes for Stripped – I mean, a stripper and a fifth-grade teacher? To say I was intrigued would be an understatement, and I ended up adoring Fallon and Robyn. Their romance was surprisingly so much sweeter than I expected, but just as dirty and sexy as I was hoping a stripper romance would be. It was so easy to fall into the story, the writing, the characters. Zoey Castile is a new author you don’t want to miss. And if you’re a fan of Magic Mike, you absolutely need to read Stripped!

Robyn Flores’ life is a bit of a mess. She’s an elementary school teacher who is perpetually late getting to work. She used to have plans growing up on how exactly her life would turn out, and it’s all spiraled out from under her. But things start to change when she finds a sequined thong in her laundry… a thong that belongs to her next door neighbor, who is also one of the strippers who shows up at her best friend’s bachelorette party.

Fallon is not ashamed of being a stripper, and why should he be? He embraces his job that has led him to become successful and comfortable in life, a change from his childhood. He sees no shame in what he does, though he hates that people disrespect him and look down on him when they find out what he does for a living. He and Robyn feel an instant connection the moment they meet and the chemistry between them is on fire. I loved every moment they were together, as they banter with each other and form a closer bond. Fallon is absolutely perfect for Robyn, with the way he treats her so preciously. The way he embraces his job helps Robyn discover and embrace her own true passion in life. Robyn frustrated me a bit with her back and forth – in both life and with Fallon – but that was balanced out by how kindhearted Fallon was. Stripped was surprisingly low on drama, but it worked for their story.

As far as first books in a series go, Stripped was fantastic. It was entertaining, funny, but also had its meaningful moments. Also, Zoey Castile is way too talented at writing stripper scenes, because they just come to life right out of the pages. And they are HOT. I can’t wait to see what else she has in store for her readers with the rest of the series, and I’m so excited to see more strippers fall in love!

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me a copy to review.

Amazon Ebook: https://amzn.to/2of7gKS
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2Lu95wM

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Profile Image for Sam I AMNreader.
1,649 reviews332 followers
January 11, 2019
My 3s are the weirdest rating shelf is gonna be so long.
There were things that I wasn't in love with about the writing style--too much repetition and restating. It started undeniably cute, and I thought the heroine was really interesting. The hero was--how do they say--a cinnamon roll, mostly? He's a stripper, she's a teacher. He's ready to settle down, tale as old as time.

She's a bit of a mess (this is on my 'i will forget your names by morning' shelf for a good reason) feeling overwhelmed and buried and not able to keep on her internal mess that is quickly turning external. she's turning into a bad friend, self-centered. It was an oddly mysterious storyline until the hero Fallon! thank god. said to her, "It sounds like you're depressed." And I thought, hallelujah. She's isolating herself, has no will or direction to get things done, feels off, doesn't know what's wrong with her. I thought, interesting.

Guess where that went? No where! Into the loving arms of her beau, into a life where she upends everything she's doing. I guess it felt a little minimized, where I think it's a very big deal. And someone was pretty right with what's up with her. And true, situations can change and make one have a different outlook I suppose, but I just didn't trust it. I just didn't.

Then there was the bitches. A principal who kept hitting on her, her friends and other women ganging up on her and 'outing' her boyfriend as a stripper. And I thought, "ah c'mon," where this felt like it was going to be a book with meaningful secondary relationships, it wasn't. Instead we're given reasons those relationships just don't stand up to her and the hero.

And there's more. The hero's a stripper and she gets pulled on stage. The hero's a stripper and there's a bachelorette party she's at where said hero is dancing for a bride who cannot stand the thought. Since these situations are the things of nightmares (hey, I have been pulled on stage before and I 'd be mortified if strange men tried to dance on me.) Not fun, but ok. Fine, sometimes a stripper novel won't appeal to me.

But the hero has this has a husky puppy. This might be an insane thing to nitpick on, but I take pet owning a little too far. He leaves the puppy alone a lot. And then basically lets the puppy out to potty. the dog is a fricking husky. In a new york apartment. Then he leaves the dog alone again to get laid.

I get that it's supposed to signify his care and commitment, but instead it's a big old 'half-assed' look for the hero. And he's got these weird temper flares because of his insecurity. And they didn't work.

So, 2.75 to 3. I'll try again. It was just disappointing in the end.
Profile Image for nick (the infinite limits of love).
2,120 reviews1,528 followers
August 22, 2018
Who thought I would ever read a book about a male stripper hero? Certainly not me! Stripped was at the top of my most anticipated romance reads of the year and Zoey Castille's romance debut totally swept me off my feet. It was funny, charming and oh so sexy!

I'm going to start this review by raving about Fallon, the said stripper. I have to say, he was top book boyfriend material for me. He was someone who rose up from a rather sad childhood to become someone successful and comfortable. The guy had the kindest heart ever and I loved how pure and precious he was. He knew that being a stripper wasn't a job that brought him glory or earned him the respect of people around him, but Fallon was entirely satisfied with his job that not only paid him well but also allowed him to travel the world. I loved that he wasn't ashamed of his profession and instead, completely embraced it. The guy totally had the moves outside of the performing stage too, and ugh I was so in love with him. Actually, if I'm being honest, I fell in love with him the minute I found out he had a husky puppy which was very early on in the book. I have no shame ...

Robyn, his neighbor and love interest, was more of a hot mess. Growing up, she had a vision and clear plan of what her life would look like. Unfortunately, she was at a place in her life that she was not satisfied with. She was repeatedly late to her job as an elementary school teacher and was sometimes at odds with her best friend, who seemed to have turned her life around in the best way. I'll admit that there were times that I found Robyn's behavior a little careless, especially when it came to being late to school. I did understand where she was coming from, but I wish she had made the decision to go after her dreams without burdening the kids and their education. Despite that, I did end up liking Robyn because she was humorous and witty. She also slowly began to figure out what she truly wanted to do with her life as well as tried to make amends with her friend.

Fallon and Robyn's romance was my favorite part of Stripped. There were elements that made it almost close to insta-romance, but I found it to be believable in this case. The chemistry between the two was on fire and their banter truly entertaining. It was just a delight for me to read their interactions, which was probably why I sped through this book in a matter of hours. The drama/conflict in the book was also rather low-key, which I appreciated. Stripped was also steamy as hell, but more than the bedroom scenes, I found Fallon's performances to be sexier. Zoey Castille does an amazing job at describing those scenes and you should read the book just for them. The secondary cast here was also a lot of fun. I liked meeting Fallon's coworkers and getting acquainted with their different personalities. I can't wait to read their books.

Stripped was a great start to the Happy Endings series and I'm looking forward to seeing what Zoey Castille has up her sleeves with the future books. If you like Magic Mike and romantic comedies, you've got to read this book.
Profile Image for My Pink Fairytales.
682 reviews78 followers
August 19, 2018
That was fun! Actual rating is somewhere between 3-4★.

Stripped is the perfect romcom to read in an afternoon on the beach, maybe with a cocktail nearby.



Don't expect too much, besides laughing, giggling and a little bit of drooling, while imagining the hero to be Magic Mike.



There's no actual drama, so the story is pink and fluffy. Both main characters have amazing banter and chemistry and the heroine is just a beautiful hot mess. I don't know what else to tell you about it, besides the fact that I really enjoyed it, I felt good reading it and i would definitely recommend it, when you need a light read. :)

"ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review."
Profile Image for Ivy Deluca.
2,377 reviews329 followers
August 11, 2018
Robyn Flores, schoolteacher, is floundering. She’s depressed, struggling to focus on work and her personal life, she can’t sleep and she’s barely holding on by a thread. When a laundry mixup involving a very patriotic thong ends up bringing her into contact with her neighbor, Zach Fallon, sparks fly. Fallon’s just gotten home from a night at ye olde strip club, and seeing his beautiful neighbor in her robe captivates him and he asks her out. And she promptly rejects him. C’mon, y’all know it’s never an easy road to an HEA folks, but yes, romance happens.

Now I’m going to try and keep this review simple.
description

Ok, fine. We’ll see if I manage to keep it under novella-length, shall we?

description
The Good
-Latinx author and heroine. Zoey Castile was born in Ecuador, raised in Queens, and I adore that she’s worked her corner of New York into her story. Robyn is Latinx, and it’s woven seamlessly into her character’s history without big neon . Yes, I love the diverse cast of characters, that NYC vibe and how it all works to make a very interesting backdrop to this romance.
-Magic Mike meets Bridesmaids? I’m in. Robyn’s struggles, in particular her depression, has led to an estrangement from her best friend Lily and it was giving me strong, strong Kristen Wiig/Maya Rudolph’s friendship from Bridesmaids vibes. While I would have loved to see more of them together (more on that later), their friendship felt genuine and I especially liked that they still had each other’s backs when it really mattered.
- Fallon’s a sweet hero. I have pretty straightforward tastes. If you give me great Firsts and a hero who is ALL IN for his heroine, I’m usually a very happy romance reader. He’s adorable, ripped for days and hot for his woman. Yeah, I loved him.

The Bad(ish)
-Pacing. I would have loved to have seen more time spent building up their relationship, especially in the beginning. Their meet-cute really did set up a good foundation, and I loved that time was spent by both characters in scenes outside the relationship. However, the way their relationship developed stutter-stopped, with the transition between every step just a bit off. The subplots involving his job and hers were appreciated, though they weren’t developed beyond the necessary and the ending was rushed.

Everything in Between
-Bonus points for the chapter title names. Made me want to go out and listen to them all on a playlist.
-I want more. I liked the supporting characters, or at least what I saw of them. Aiden is a standout and I completely understand why he’s getting his own HEA and I’m ready and waiting, because
description


description
I really liked Robyn and Fallon’s romance. The Bridesmaids meets Magic Mike with vibe was entertaining and made me close my kindle with a smile. That’s all I can ask for. I’d recommend for rom com fans, and I’m looking forward to the next one.

**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**


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Profile Image for Ari .
933 reviews299 followers
August 10, 2018
*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.* 

I have been dying to get my little paws on Stripped ever since the publishing deal for this series was announced. I mean "a 'Magic Mike' inspired romance set in NYC", need I say more?! I live for stripper romances and though I wasn't particularly a fan of Magic Mike the movie, I had high hopes that Zoey Castile would deliver with this movie-inspired romance.

Robyn Flores' life is a mess. She's unhappy with her job, her social life is lonely now that her best friend is getting married and she feels like she's lost her sense of purpose. Things take a turn when a mishap between Robyn and her new sexy neighbor, Zac Fallon, takes place and sparks fly between the pair. Since neither one is in the right place to start a new relationship, they make an arrangement to enjoy each other's company until Zac has to leave for his new gig. But when Zac has to leave earlier than expected, will these two be able to go their separate ways as easily as they had hoped?

I had high hopes that Zoey Castile would not let me down with this book and I am happy to say that she did not disappoint! Stripped was the perfect blend of sexy and sweet and I couldn't get enough! I just want to say that this story takes place in Astoria which is not too far from where I live and never have I ever seen any guys like Zac up in those part of the hood. Like are y'all hiding them somewhere and if so can you hook a girl up, please?! Tangent aside, I love the fact that this book takes place in a setting that I am familiar with. It's so rare that I ever read a book that sets in my part of NYC. The writing was on point and I swear this shit was like crack because I had a hard time removing my eReader from my hand. There were so many laughable, heartfelt moments that left me smiling and then there were the down right sexy scenes that left me heated. My favorite parts have to be all the stripper scenes. Like I ain't even ashamed, but the visuals in those scenes had me living! I loved both of our main characters. Robyn is such a relatable character and I feel like we're both in similar places in our lives. Throughout this book she tries to find her passion again and learns to take risks she wouldn't normally take. And then we have Zac who is also struggling with happiness because although he loves being a stripper, it's not giving him the joy he once used to feel. You guys, I fell so hard for Zac. He is a dream babe! The romance is a bit insta-lovey but it worked for me so I didn't mind it. Also the chemistry between Zac and Robyn is sizzling! I can't wait to read the next book in the Happy Endings series. I'm sure it will be just as addicting as the first book!
Profile Image for Mackenzie.
120 reviews
March 9, 2019
Song for summary: Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled

A steamy read! The characters are amusing, flirtatious, and shameless; while the plot is a rowdy and entertaining journey that follows the unlikely romance between a chaotic fifth grade teacher and one sexy male stripper. The author does a great job of unearthing the unique and dynamic brotherhood that lies beneath the glitter, sequinned thongs, and shallow partying of the world of exotic dancing. A fun and fresh love story; Stripped shows us just how crazy love can get when two people from two very different worlds come crashing together.
Profile Image for Jess.
3,590 reviews5 followers
June 29, 2019
I didn't really get this? Like, sure two people who aren't really happy with their lives meet and decide to start over together, sure. It happens very fast, but whatever. But I don't really get when they fell in love or why? I kept expecting to see it happen and then it never really did in a believable way for me.
Profile Image for Amanda.
536 reviews1,111 followers
March 12, 2019
I’ll start this off by saying that it took me a long time to get into Stripped. Essentially, it’s a Magic Mike story and that doesn’t necessarily appeal to me. For much of the opening act it’s kind of generic rom-com stuff and wasn’t anything super special yet. Also, both of the characters are complete hot messes and it gets tiresome to read about people who need to get their shit together. But then, towards the middle of the book Fallon is dancing on stage with Robyn and he gets a boner. I legit exclaimed “boner!” with a full on fist pump. You know… like a creep. However, it made me oddly proud of their romance and from that point on I was pretty invested in their relationship. Who knew one boner could turn an entire story around?
Profile Image for alyssa.
534 reviews38 followers
Read
June 3, 2018
This was delightful. Basically Magic Mike fanfic in the best way
Profile Image for Elisabeth Lane.
407 reviews135 followers
August 19, 2018
DNF at 70%. I can't even bring myself to skim the rest. I don't care about either of these characters, the heroine's arc is weirdly mysterious, the hero's seems like it's going to be denigrating to sex workers and I don't buy anything about their "love" except that his muscles are hot. There is zero indication of what they find attractive about one another. There is a scene set where the hero works where the heroine is put on display in a way I found totally cringey from both a consent and a characterization perspective. I don't care for the way the hero treats his dog. This book just didn't work for me on any level. I wanted to love it and I often do love romances with stripper characters. This was not one of them.
Profile Image for Antonella.
4,123 reviews621 followers
January 8, 2021



I probably should be more into this book while reading but nope, instead, I was making my playlist..
ooops...

con;
-feels very insta love
-pet used like a prop
-forgettable

pro;
- I'm glad I finally read this author
-my playlist of course...lol

Bruno Mars- Gorilla
Little Mix- Down & Dirty
Jason Derulo- Cono
Usher- Scream
Jeremiah ft 50 Cent- Down on me
The Weeknd- The Hills
Doja Cat- Boss Bitch
Zayn-TiO
Selena Gomez ft. Asap Rocky- Good for you
Rihanna- Pour it up
Profile Image for Katy O..
2,978 reviews705 followers
did-not-finish
July 8, 2019
DNF at 50% - Robyn drove me INSANE and I just wanted to scream, “GROW UP and get your sh$7 together and get to work on time and stop running away from stuff - you’re 28 for heaven’s sakes - I had 2 kids by then .” 🙄 Then I quit bc why waste my mental energy yelling at a fictional character?
Profile Image for Taryn.
1,215 reviews228 followers
October 14, 2018
This was my first stripper romance! So entertaining, it kept me from white-knuckling during the long plane ride on our recent trip to the UK. Robin and Fallon meet over a laundry mixup involving a star-spangled thong, and the flirty fun that follows is just what you’d expect from a meet cute like that. I wasn’t expecting, however, the conflicts that arise between them. I assumed her family wouldn’t be cool with his career, or she would be jealous of his clients, but Castile takes the story in a different direction and I loved that. There’s nothing formulaic about it. You’ll forget you’re reading a book about a male stripper and a teacher and just be sucked into the story of two people who genuinely like each other trying to reconcile their differences and make things work. And audio is a great choice here if you’re too shy to flash that ab-licious cover around in public, but also because the voice actors are perfectly cast and really bring the chemistry.
Profile Image for Maria Rose.
2,631 reviews267 followers
August 29, 2018
This is a fun and sexy romance about a school teacher who just happens to have a next door neighbor who is an exotic dancer, a discovery she makes when he turns up as part of the entertainment at a bachelorette party. Robyn Flores and Zac Fallon couldn't be more different, yet the chemistry between them leads to a steamy relationship, one complicated by the fact that Zac is only supposed to be in New York for the summer before his team heads on to the next location. They both agree to a summer fling, but it becomes more than that.

I might be one of the few readers in my circle who haven't watched Magic Mike but I'm familiar with the movie and I liked how the men in this story are proud of their talents and are happy with how they make a living, Zac included. They provide a fun and friendly service, make women feel desired and worthy and it's certainly a boost for one's self esteem, on either side of the lap dancing chair. It's Robyn who must admit that she has some negative preconceived notions about strippers, ones that change as she gets to know Zac. Sometimes Zac feels a bit out of Robyn's league but as their relationship develops, she is able to show him that she accepts him exactly as he is and doesn't expect him to change. Their sex scenes are steamy and definitely add to their connection.

Robyn is going through some tough times emotionally, unrelated to her new feelings for Zac. She and her best friend Lily, the woman whose bridal party she is in haven't been getting along well lately and this is causing her some stress, as is her job where she just isn't feeling much satisfaction as it's not really what she wants to be doing. Though she doesn't want to admit to herself that she's depressed, it's revealed in her actions - having trouble sleeping, coming in to work late, general dissatisfaction with life. Her relationship with Zac makes her happy, and helps her figure out how to address the other issues in her life. I liked how Robyn and Lily's friendship isn't perfect but a work in progress despite knowing each other since they were young. At the most important times, they've been there for each other when it counted, and reminding themselves of that helps them get through this rough patch too.

Zac's stripper buddies are decent, hardworking guys and their friendships are an important part of the story. I'm not sure what the author's plans are, but I hope we'll see more of them in the future. Stripped is an enjoyable and entertaining romance.

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Profile Image for Olivia (Stories For Coffee).
716 reviews6,292 followers
August 25, 2018
I love love. I love cute, quick romances that bring two unlikely people together, leaving me feeling warm and fuzzy all over. I love well-written, diverse romance stories, and I love Zoey Castille’s writing that sucks me in, from page one, and takes me on an emotional journey with two fantastic characters who deserve and receive their happily ever after.

Read this!!!
Profile Image for Debra Elsner.
1,476 reviews38 followers
January 8, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed Stripped. It wasn't what I expected, it was more than just bit of fluff to read after a "heavy" book. What you do professionally shouldn't label you to the world, but it does in specific jobs. Take Fallon, he is a stripper and he loves his job. But it has a stigma and is not a "respectable" profession. Robyn is a school teacher and Fallon doesn't quite fit her lifestyle, but he brings her out of the slump of depression and she finds happiness with him no matter what. I am looking forward to continue Happy endings series.
Profile Image for N.G. Peltier.
Author 7 books303 followers
July 7, 2018
THIS BOOK WAS SOOOOOO FUN AND GOOOOD!!

Stripped was one of my most anticipated books. I've read Zoraida's YA and loved. So this was my first romance by her (under the Zoey Castile name) and it did not disappoint. The way Fallon and Robyn meet had me cracking up right away. The laundry mixes up their bags and she's a bit confused about Fallon's red, white and blue thong lol. It was such a great opening. Draws you right in to wanting to learn more.

When we meet Robyn she is a messsss. But i loved her immediately. and Fallon my sweet, sexy Fallon. heart eyes alll over the place for this guy. HE HAS A HUSKY PUPPY NAMED YAZ!!

Now when they meet the banter and chemistry is soo great Fallon is a total goner over Robyn immediately. I love when the dude falls first :) he was so nervous around her !! Robyn was correct. Fallon is cute and ridiculous. and i love him . so so much. He genuinely loves stripping and getting to meet his crew was great. The behind the scenes of their rehearsals and getting ready for their shows was so well done. We really get a sense of the family, of the close knit relationships these guys have.

And after Fallon my fave guy was is his bestie Aiden who is getting his own book next whoop!

Robyn is kinda failing at being maid of honor to her bestie Lily and while they do talk out their strained relationship in the end I would have liked to see more of support system for Robyn. I mean to be fair she does lament how she didnt try to make friends at work apart from Lily. But Fallon had such a great support network in his crew I just sorta wanted the same for Robyn.

I also loooved the song titles at the beginning of each new chapter. So perfect and clearly well thought out because they mirror what happens in each chapter perfectly.

Listen the cuteness factor coupled with the steamy factor in this book was just sooo very well balanced and good??? Their date to the amusement part was so sweet then became steamy and i meaaan 10/10 would get steamy wit Fallon on a ride. yes please!

My emotions had emotions i tell you. There was soooo much emotion in the sexy time scene i didnt know what to do with myself ahhhhh. Fallon thinking about how he feels about Robyn and vice versa in that moment was golden. The execution of that. So well done. But the entire time Fallon is keeping from Robyn that the crew is leaving for Vegas earlier than planned cuz he doesn't want Robyn to end their summer thing before that. So i was sooo on edge but was grateful their wasn't some biiig explosion when she found out. my poor heart lol.

Fallon brings Robyn into his world, she comes to see him and his guys strip for the first time and talk about nerves! But it goes well. On the flipside Fallon feels out of place in Robyn's world when she invites him to the wedding. and of course Principal Annoying tries to ruin everything (GET WRECKED LUKAS NO ONE WANTS YOU HERE!!) but they get their HEA after some tiny bumps along the way.

I was super satisfied by the ending. yessss Robyn girl do ya ting! *cough* Anyways i'm eagerly awaiting book 2. This was a great start to this series.
Profile Image for Reader.
1,195 reviews91 followers
August 31, 2018
I decided to give this a go even though it sounded very cliched with a romance between a 5th grade teacher and a stripper. Zac Fallon has rented the flat downstairs from Robyn Flores. They first meet when she picks up his laundry and he has hers, weirdly even though she realises it’s not her laundry she uses some of it to wipe up spilled coffee. When he knocks at her door to get his laundry he is immediately drawn to her, and she thinks he’s very handsome. But her life is one chaotic mess, she’s always late for work, she’s also been neglecting her chief bridesmaid duties to her best friend Lily. Fallon doesn’t tell Robyn that he’s a stripper, then Robyn tells him she’s going to her friends Bachelorette party and makes a comment about trashy male strippers. Of course the strippers turn up and Robyn is shocked to see Fallon front and centre strutting his stuff.

While this was okayish I did have issues with it, I struggled with why Robyn’s life was chaotic, that was never explained. I wasn’t feeling the connection between the two lead characters except lust on both sides. Robyn was an okay character, I liked Fallon I did feel that his inner dialogue sounded quite girly at times. But my biggest issue was how accepting Robyn was with Fallon’s profession. When I say that I don’t mean that she or any woman shouldn’t date a stripper. But there are lots of assumptions about what goes on between them and the customers. Robyn knew from the bachelorette party she went to, that Fallon and his fellow strippers all came back to Fallon’s flat with girls from the bachelorette party. She never asked him or seemed concerned in any way what he might be getting up to. What made me laugh was the rest of the group were obviously getting down and dirty with customers after each performance, except Fallon. That was unrealistic. There were sub plots going on, one or two seemed unnecessary IMO. At the end of the day this was a romance you know when you pick it up how it’s going to end, it’s just how well the author writes that journey, in this case it was okay I felt a bit more drama and angst between the main couple might have livened up their relationship and the plot.
Profile Image for b.andherbooks.
2,354 reviews1,272 followers
September 12, 2018
A spangled, American flag thong is the last thing Robyn Flores was expecting to find in what she thought was HER bag of clean laundry. Having a laundry mystery is not what the frazzled elementary school teacher needs when she is already at risk of losing her job for chronic lateness and floundering to accomplish pretty much anything, including being the maid of honor for her best friend's wedding.

Zac Fallon, Captain American lookalike and devastatingly charming, is the owner of the thong and and Robyn's new downstairs neighbor. A world traveler and male stripper, Fallon is blown away by the woman he finds desperately using his clean clothes to clean up a coffee spill.

Despite their immediate attraction and a sort of first dinner date, Fallon shuts down Robyn's further attempts to get to know him. She can't understand why, until she realizes she made a crack about not having trashy male stripper's at her best friend's upcoming bachelorette party. The same bachelorette party Fllon and his fellow strippers show up at.

What follows is a breathtakingly sexy romance where both Robyn and Fallon come to realize that what is on the surface is not the whole story, and that despite their decidedly opposite careers, upbringings, and families, what they have in common is far more than they could have ever dreamed.

So fun, with lots of witty banter but also wonderfully serious moments. I loved the entire story arc and could not put this one down. A perfect next read for those who loved The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory or The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang!

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reading copy!

FYI - the audiobook is fantastic! I listened to it for my second read and the two narrators were wonderful and really brought the story alive.
Profile Image for Blue.
1,646 reviews24 followers
August 18, 2018
An ARC of this book was generously provided to me from the publisher via NetGalley.
Overall Rating: 2.5 stars
Do I recommend it? This was just okay for me. At times the H’s voice was very feminine, and the h’s inner-thoughts were overdone. The verbiage was occasionally awkward, and the story didn’t flow well for me. I think if you read a lot of books this story has been done before and since there was nothing unique or outstanding about this one it didn’t stand out for me.
Genre: Contemporary, but felt NA
POV: Both
Writing: 2.5 stars
Story/Plot: 2.5 stars
Characters: 2 stars
Emotions: 2 stars, this didn’t evoke a lot of strong emotions for me one way or the other.
Flow/pacing: 2 stars
Steam: 3 stars
HEA: Yes
Will I read this author again? Maybe
Profile Image for L.J..
115 reviews12 followers
January 3, 2018
Okay, I got to sneak a look at a very, very, very early edition of this and let me just say... OH. MY. GOD.

Full review coming, but trust me, you so want to read this one. I cannot wait to have a real copy of it in my hands.
Profile Image for Under the Covers Book Blog.
2,840 reviews1,343 followers
August 30, 2018



I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


I picked this up totally on a whim because of the cover and thinking this was a debut author.  While this is, I believe, the first actual romance the author has written, she's released popular YA books before under a different pen name.  Also full disclaimer, I'm not the biggest fan of escort/stripper books.  But I'm always curious to read them hoping the next one will make me feel differently.

The premise of STRIPPED really sounded interesting.  The male stripper that loves his job falls for the fifth grade teacher that happens to live in his apartment building.  This story is set in New York and, living here myself, I loved seeing the city come to life through the pages.  One other thing that I found the author did exceedingly well was writing the actual stripping scenes.  She made you feel like you were really... there! LOL

Now onto some of my less than ideal thoughts.  The story is a sweet one.  Too sweet, maybe, for the environment and my expectations.  That's both a good and a bad thing for me, because while it didn't meet my expectations it really was a sweet one to read.  And probably my favorite character in this whole thing was the hero, Zac Fallon, which was another shocking bit for me.  I was expecting to really like the heroine and I just never did.  She felt very wishy-washy in my opinion and I didn't like her interactions with her best friend while she was supposed to be her maid of honor.  Robyn came across as very self-centered and confused.

Ok, but back on track with this review so I don't digress into a rant.  The best way I can describe this book is truly as the movie Magic Mike.  STRIPPED is perfect for fans of Magic Mike!  From the internal struggle of the main character, to the boss of the team, and so on.  While it doesn't copy the movie, it very closely resembles the feel you get from it.  So if you're curious about a book like that, then definitely keep this series on your radar.

*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Francesca❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
Profile Image for Bookish.
613 reviews145 followers
Read
June 21, 2019
Last month I visited California for the first time and made a pilgrimage to The Ripped Bodice, which has been at the top of my bookstore bucket list for years and exceeded every expectation. I picked up an incredible haul there, including a signed copy of Stripped by Zoey Castile. The book kicks off with a delightful and memorable meet-cute (all I’ll say is: swapped laundry bags) and from there Robyn and Zac can’t seem to stay away from each other. Robyn is an elementary school teacher who feels as though she’s lost her sense of purpose, and Zac is a stripper who loves his work but still feels unfulfilled. Add in an adorable Siberian Husky, a pack of great friends, and some killer dance moves and you’ve got one fantastic read. I’ve already ordered a copy of the second book in this series from my local indie, and I’m going to finally dive into the movie that inspired this book: Magic Mike. —Kelly (excerpted from Bookish's Staff Reads)
Profile Image for Andrew.
2,330 reviews71 followers
October 24, 2021
What would happen if you paired a teacher and a pro exotic dancer? How could these two come together?
A mishap of swapped laundry, Oops, provides a simple way to introduce the two in a comedic way;
The plot takes a fairly easy to follow, fast-paced track, with the intimacy very heated and collar-loosening. This is not a "close the door" or "fade to black as they fall on the bed" stories.
The drama is less "dramatic" and more...positive and light-hearted. The situation is not much to go off of, but its clear that the author has a love for Magic Mike and Channing Tatum (both serving as the book's inspiration).

I have read other spicy romances and not all are respectful or good at describing the human body (of either protagonist). Most use too many HORRIBLE adjectives. However, Castile does a great job of offering just enough descriptions to paint a picture, while allowing for the readers' imagination to fill in the gaps.
It's a fun, fast, sexy, Level 7 on the Spice Scale, romance.

Profile Image for Amy.
1,757 reviews173 followers
January 8, 2019
(4 1/2 stars) I really enjoyed this romance and I suspected that I would based on the raves I was hearing from readers that I trust. A stripper romance done well - there are so many ways to mess up a stripper romance by making it cheesy or unrealistic. This one felt very honest and real. It explored a number of issues in unexpected ways which I appreciated. The author would zig as soon as I thought she was going to zag. It was a fun read with great characters, a realistic storyline, and I loved every moment of it. I could not put it down!
Profile Image for Ezi Chinny.
2,687 reviews539 followers
September 3, 2020
3.5 Stars.

This book was much more than a stripper story. It's about young adults evolving and finding their purpose in life. What a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this one as much as I did.

This book helped me get over my book slump. I liked both Zac and Robin. The author did a great job making The characters relatable. I am perpetually late to everything so Robin could have been me. Their personal journey was something that made this book engaging. I think their chemistry was strong and their sex scenes were fire!
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