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Four Bears Construction #6
Stripped
A ripped, transgender construction worker and a tweed-wearing, tortoise-shell-cozy-knitting, bear of a professor... Somebody's getting stripped.
The last place I expected to run into my childhood camp crush was at the local university, looking all kinds of cute in a tweed jacket with a nervous blush. I’ve always had a bit of a thing for the nerdy professor type.
Demetri says he doesn’t date. I want to believe that it’s true and not that he’s not interested in a transgender man like me. If all he can offer me is friendship, I’m more than happy to take it.
Coy looks during sweaty workouts, rainy nights on his couch watching him knit shell cozies for his pet tortoise… I’m falling for him whether I want to or not.
Can I break down his walls and prove to him that he can trust me with his heart? And can I trust him with mine?
***Stripped is a swoony, steamy MM romance that is the 6th book in the Four Bears Construction Series. It can be read as a stand alone, but you won’t want to miss these bear’s antics. This series does not contain any shifters, only the OTHER kind of bears.
The last place I expected to run into my childhood camp crush was at the local university, looking all kinds of cute in a tweed jacket with a nervous blush. I’ve always had a bit of a thing for the nerdy professor type.
Demetri says he doesn’t date. I want to believe that it’s true and not that he’s not interested in a transgender man like me. If all he can offer me is friendship, I’m more than happy to take it.
Coy looks during sweaty workouts, rainy nights on his couch watching him knit shell cozies for his pet tortoise… I’m falling for him whether I want to or not.
Can I break down his walls and prove to him that he can trust me with his heart? And can I trust him with mine?
***Stripped is a swoony, steamy MM romance that is the 6th book in the Four Bears Construction Series. It can be read as a stand alone, but you won’t want to miss these bear’s antics. This series does not contain any shifters, only the OTHER kind of bears.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2021
470 people are currently reading
1126 people want to read
About the author
K.M. Neuhold
101 books3,282 followersK.M.Neuhold has long since been a romance junkie. When she’s not writing she’s reading or spending time snuggling with her husky or her husband. She fell in love with M/M romance last year and hasn’t been able to turn back. There’s nothing she loves more than love in all its forms.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 446 reviews
July 7, 2021
~3.75~
All the kudos for:
- Positive trans representation (Miller is happy with himself and his body. He has a supportive family, great group of friends, and an all around happy life. Now if he could just find his special someone.)
- Geeky, chubby college professor and history buff who knits shell cozies for his pet tortoise (gah, this was too cute!)
- Zero drama and relationship angst save for Demetri's insecurities (mostly about his body and sexual prowess; all his exes were asshats who put him down)
- More fun with the Four Bears crew (except for Sawyer, I love all these guys)
- Adorable HEA in the rain!
- Crew of hot mechanics introduced (please, pretty please with a cherry on top, let there be a spin-off series!)
I have a few niggles though:
- Demetri existed in a vacuum; except for his bestie Eddie, he seemed to have no friends or family. We get one scene of him teaching, but no real interactions with colleagues or students. It's like he existed solely for Miller.
- Again I'm picking on poor Demetri, but he was perhaps too oblivious and insecure. The pity party was strong with this one. I'm not sure I believe that so many hot men hit on him (his neighbor Auggie, the barista, the server), not because of his less-than-perfect body but because insecure people rarely put out sexy vibes.
- While I am excited to read Apollo and Ridge's story, the constant plugs for the next book were a little irritating.
All the kudos for:
- Positive trans representation (Miller is happy with himself and his body. He has a supportive family, great group of friends, and an all around happy life. Now if he could just find his special someone.)
- Geeky, chubby college professor and history buff who knits shell cozies for his pet tortoise (gah, this was too cute!)
- Zero drama and relationship angst save for Demetri's insecurities (mostly about his body and sexual prowess; all his exes were asshats who put him down)
- More fun with the Four Bears crew (except for Sawyer, I love all these guys)
- Adorable HEA in the rain!
- Crew of hot mechanics introduced (please, pretty please with a cherry on top, let there be a spin-off series!)
I have a few niggles though:
- Demetri existed in a vacuum; except for his bestie Eddie, he seemed to have no friends or family. We get one scene of him teaching, but no real interactions with colleagues or students. It's like he existed solely for Miller.
- Again I'm picking on poor Demetri, but he was perhaps too oblivious and insecure. The pity party was strong with this one. I'm not sure I believe that so many hot men hit on him (his neighbor Auggie, the barista, the server), not because of his less-than-perfect body but because insecure people rarely put out sexy vibes.
- While I am excited to read Apollo and Ridge's story, the constant plugs for the next book were a little irritating.
July 7, 2021
After giving up on this series, I decided to give this one a chance because... I needed something light after a dark read and this seemed to be that. 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
It was. 🤭🤭 I really enjoyed it, it was fluffy, cute and it also touched really sensitive issues about body image and transgender's struggles with society. I didn't remember who Miller was and I'm glad I did, because I didn't like "the joke" he was part of, it wasn't his fault but yeah, nop.
And of course, we have a bear who is also a teacher and a honey sweetie pie!!! What more do we need? NATHING!!! OH OH AND did I say Demetri was funny as hell?? Look at this shit:
"Outside of that, it’s all lesson plans, history documentaries, and knitting for my tortoise. I’m a party animal, I know"
Also
"He feels like a badass when he’s a shark". That was him talking about his tortoise. 🤣🤣
"I snort a laugh that turns into a mild coughing fit. I am smooth like butter" Same Demi same.
So yeah, it was cute and a lovely read. Besides...
"weighing it in my hand and trying to decide exactly how much big dick energy I need today".
Who doesn't want to wake up and decide what kind of big dick energy u need? 🤣🤣🤣
It was. 🤭🤭 I really enjoyed it, it was fluffy, cute and it also touched really sensitive issues about body image and transgender's struggles with society. I didn't remember who Miller was and I'm glad I did, because I didn't like "the joke" he was part of, it wasn't his fault but yeah, nop.
And of course, we have a bear who is also a teacher and a honey sweetie pie!!! What more do we need? NATHING!!! OH OH AND did I say Demetri was funny as hell?? Look at this shit:
"Outside of that, it’s all lesson plans, history documentaries, and knitting for my tortoise. I’m a party animal, I know"
Also
"He feels like a badass when he’s a shark". That was him talking about his tortoise. 🤣🤣
"I snort a laugh that turns into a mild coughing fit. I am smooth like butter" Same Demi same.
So yeah, it was cute and a lovely read. Besides...
"weighing it in my hand and trying to decide exactly how much big dick energy I need today".
Who doesn't want to wake up and decide what kind of big dick energy u need? 🤣🤣🤣
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June 24, 2024
|| 2.5 stars ||
This is a story about two very different kinds of people.
Miller is a hunky confident trans man, who works in construction and, at the age of 40, is ready to settle down and find a partner for life.
Demetri is an extremely insecure history professor, who, at 40 years old, doesn't want to ever date again after all the horrible exes he's had so far, who have done nothing but tear him down.
The dynamic between these two was pretty sweet and charming, but I mostly loved how absolutely infatuated Miller was with Demetri. No matter how many times Demetri shot him down due to his nerves, insecurities or obliviousness, Miller never wavered and constantly tried again and again. He adored the ground Demetri walked on an was desperate to get a chance with him. It made my heart swoon plenty of times!
However, once Demetri and Miller started hooking up and eventually got together for real, I have to say that I became very bored. They couldn't really hold my interest, and I feel like we got a lot of telling instead of showing. For example, we were suddenly being told they had a perfect date or a meaningful conversation, no longer shown... Not that the showing was very strong to begin with, but it had completely gone the further along we went into the story.
I liked seeing Miller's confidence about being transgender, and especially about him not having (nor wanting) bottom surgery. I thought it was interesting and kind of cool to see that he was the one so sure of himself, willing to and capable of making Demetri feel more secure about himself and their relationship. Other stories might have created a lot of angst surrounding Miller being transgender, but I really loved how it simply wasn't a big deal here, especially since they're both quite old, and Miller has had the time to accept himself fully.
Unfortunately, despite me loving his confidence, I did dislike reading from Miller's perspective a lot of the time whenever he wasn't with Demetri, mostly because I simply could not be bothered with the construction crew he worked with (and who this series is based on). They all acted so incredibly childish! And I'm sure it doesn't help that I skipped most of this series and therefore don't know all of them individually, but I really didn't enjoy their entire dynamic. It was too over-the-top, frat boy-ish, ridiculous and annoying for me. The pranks? The crude dick jokes? The immaturity? No thanks. These are supposed to be grown adults, I'd like them to act it as well.
I did like Demetri's POV though, and I actually wish we would have spent more time in the book dedicated to his life, work situation and past. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it far more than Miller and his crew of man-children.
I just loved reading about Demetri's insecurities, and then about him finding more confidence. The way he started to notice how other people saw him in such a positive light rather than the horrible view he had of himself was quite endearing: I wish this would have been given more attention and development.
Demetri was honestly just quite adorable in general. Him knitting clothes for and talking to his tortoise Mars? Yea, that was cute. Honestly, I would have loved for Mars to be in the story the entire time; I was kind of obsessed with him, and I don't even know why. I just was. Descriptions of him eating a piece of fruit or something were literally the highlight of this book for me. And I don't know if that says more about my love for the tortoise or about the lacklustre nature of this book, but well... It is was it is.
Long story short, I liked plenty of things in this book, but hardly any of those things were developed very well or had enough of an emotional punch.
I definitely liked the first half of this story a lot more than the second half! I was totally planning on rating this somewhere between 3-4 stars at first, so that was a bit of a shame.
'Four Bears Construction' series:
1. Caulky - 3.0 stars
6. Stripped - 2.5 stars
This is a story about two very different kinds of people.
Miller is a hunky confident trans man, who works in construction and, at the age of 40, is ready to settle down and find a partner for life.
Demetri is an extremely insecure history professor, who, at 40 years old, doesn't want to ever date again after all the horrible exes he's had so far, who have done nothing but tear him down.
The dynamic between these two was pretty sweet and charming, but I mostly loved how absolutely infatuated Miller was with Demetri. No matter how many times Demetri shot him down due to his nerves, insecurities or obliviousness, Miller never wavered and constantly tried again and again. He adored the ground Demetri walked on an was desperate to get a chance with him. It made my heart swoon plenty of times!
However, once Demetri and Miller started hooking up and eventually got together for real, I have to say that I became very bored. They couldn't really hold my interest, and I feel like we got a lot of telling instead of showing. For example, we were suddenly being told they had a perfect date or a meaningful conversation, no longer shown... Not that the showing was very strong to begin with, but it had completely gone the further along we went into the story.
I liked seeing Miller's confidence about being transgender, and especially about him not having (nor wanting) bottom surgery. I thought it was interesting and kind of cool to see that he was the one so sure of himself, willing to and capable of making Demetri feel more secure about himself and their relationship. Other stories might have created a lot of angst surrounding Miller being transgender, but I really loved how it simply wasn't a big deal here, especially since they're both quite old, and Miller has had the time to accept himself fully.
Unfortunately, despite me loving his confidence, I did dislike reading from Miller's perspective a lot of the time whenever he wasn't with Demetri, mostly because I simply could not be bothered with the construction crew he worked with (and who this series is based on). They all acted so incredibly childish! And I'm sure it doesn't help that I skipped most of this series and therefore don't know all of them individually, but I really didn't enjoy their entire dynamic. It was too over-the-top, frat boy-ish, ridiculous and annoying for me. The pranks? The crude dick jokes? The immaturity? No thanks. These are supposed to be grown adults, I'd like them to act it as well.
I did like Demetri's POV though, and I actually wish we would have spent more time in the book dedicated to his life, work situation and past. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it far more than Miller and his crew of man-children.
I just loved reading about Demetri's insecurities, and then about him finding more confidence. The way he started to notice how other people saw him in such a positive light rather than the horrible view he had of himself was quite endearing: I wish this would have been given more attention and development.
Demetri was honestly just quite adorable in general. Him knitting clothes for and talking to his tortoise Mars? Yea, that was cute. Honestly, I would have loved for Mars to be in the story the entire time; I was kind of obsessed with him, and I don't even know why. I just was. Descriptions of him eating a piece of fruit or something were literally the highlight of this book for me. And I don't know if that says more about my love for the tortoise or about the lacklustre nature of this book, but well... It is was it is.
Long story short, I liked plenty of things in this book, but hardly any of those things were developed very well or had enough of an emotional punch.
I definitely liked the first half of this story a lot more than the second half! I was totally planning on rating this somewhere between 3-4 stars at first, so that was a bit of a shame.
'Four Bears Construction' series:
1. Caulky - 3.0 stars
6. Stripped - 2.5 stars
September 5, 2021
[4.25] this is the bibliophile's equivalent to shooting pure sugar straight into the veins. i love the trans rep here (a trans man who's comfortable and happy with himself and who he sees in the mirror?
YES PLEASE
👏), older MCs, and i'll never say no to some body positivity!
Demetri has a slew of insecurities born of previous toxic relationships that prevent him from seeing himself as desirable or lovable, as evidenced by his abundantly evident negative self-talk (maybe a little too abundant), but he slowly regains the confidence dormant inside himself that was just locked away due to trash exes pulverizing his self-esteem. the way he takes steps outside of his comfort zone to take a chance on Miller was pretty brave and wholesome.
the cutest thing is how Demetri knits unicorn/shark/TMNT/etc.-inspired shell cozies for his pet tortoise Mars 🥺🐢
i have mixed feelings when it comes to people dressing up their pets but i have to admit this is pretty cute
if you're looking for drama, i advise you seek your fix elsewhere. Miller is one of the most understanding characters so there is practically zero angst apart from internal battles of self-image/worth. the author also doesn't care to spend more time on old exes than needed so they're thankfully swept to the side apart from one scene like the trash they are. GOOD RIDDANCE.
this installment probably could have done with less alluding to the next book (i get it, Apollo & Ridge have a history and i can expect lots of tension, enough with the teasingggg), but the fact that it's the last of the four bears series makes this whole experience bittersweet :')
however! the Big Bull Mechanics crew we were introduced to....dare i say, spin-off? 👀 (please tell me a spin-off series is happening. i will be livid if Auggie doesn't get his own HEA after he pushed aside his own feelings to prioritize Demetri's happiness like what a darn hero who, as an added bonus, also bakes in his free time 😩💕)
Demetri has a slew of insecurities born of previous toxic relationships that prevent him from seeing himself as desirable or lovable, as evidenced by his abundantly evident negative self-talk (maybe a little too abundant), but he slowly regains the confidence dormant inside himself that was just locked away due to trash exes pulverizing his self-esteem. the way he takes steps outside of his comfort zone to take a chance on Miller was pretty brave and wholesome.
the cutest thing is how Demetri knits unicorn/shark/TMNT/etc.-inspired shell cozies for his pet tortoise Mars 🥺🐢
i have mixed feelings when it comes to people dressing up their pets but i have to admit this is pretty cute
if you're looking for drama, i advise you seek your fix elsewhere. Miller is one of the most understanding characters so there is practically zero angst apart from internal battles of self-image/worth. the author also doesn't care to spend more time on old exes than needed so they're thankfully swept to the side apart from one scene like the trash they are. GOOD RIDDANCE.
this installment probably could have done with less alluding to the next book (i get it, Apollo & Ridge have a history and i can expect lots of tension, enough with the teasingggg), but the fact that it's the last of the four bears series makes this whole experience bittersweet :')
however! the Big Bull Mechanics crew we were introduced to....dare i say, spin-off? 👀 (please tell me a spin-off series is happening. i will be livid if Auggie doesn't get his own HEA after he pushed aside his own feelings to prioritize Demetri's happiness like what a darn hero who, as an added bonus, also bakes in his free time 😩💕)
July 27, 2021
Audio - 4 Stars
Story - 4 Stars
Story - 4 Stars
December 23, 2021
3.7⭐
Fluffy, sweet
This was the first time I read a story with a transgender man and the author did so without much angst. I had a good time.
Fluffy, sweet
This was the first time I read a story with a transgender man and the author did so without much angst. I had a good time.
July 4, 2021
4.5 rounded up because I read it in one sitting and that does not happen often 😊! Miller is trans, has ADHD and is looking to settle down at 40. Demetri is also 40, a history professor who knits for his pet tortoise. He has loads of insecurities and is pretty oblivious but that did not bother me.
What I liked/loved : This book was made for me: low angst, daily life, found family who support each other, rather good communication (let's say that they learn to communicate and the awkwardness while they are learning was great to see). I really enjoyed the slow relationship development. I loved that Miller was the confident one and Demetri the self-conscious one. I really think that this is a great trans rep (maybe the best I've read) because his identity is part of him but does not define every aspect of his life, the talk they have about sex lasted 5 sec and did not read like a textbook (yes that has happened in another book), there is no angst over "should I tell him I'm trans?", Dem knows from the get-go (he found out in an albeit OTT way but it did not bother me). Demetri's character development was great and slow, he is a great MC I was easily rooting for. I really enjoyed seeing the other bears, especially Stone and Dare (from book 2, Nailed).
The Niggles : Is Demetri an orphan? We know nothing about his family and that's a shame. We know his friends so he was not completely alone but still. I wanted him to open up more about his exes, we hear a lot about them but we only learn more about one. The fact that EVERYONE seemed to be throwing themselves at oblivious Demetri was too much, having only the neighbor interested would have been enough to make the point. No niggles about Miller or the relationship 😊.
This is a great addition to the series, it is neck and neck with Nailed for favorite book in the series to me. I'm looking forward to the ennemies to lover that is sure to be Appollo and Ridge book because Nailed was ennemies to lovers and was great! Can we have a spin-off series about the mechanics (the Big Bulls was it?) who were introduced here, pretty please 🤞
What I liked/loved : This book was made for me: low angst, daily life, found family who support each other, rather good communication (let's say that they learn to communicate and the awkwardness while they are learning was great to see). I really enjoyed the slow relationship development. I loved that Miller was the confident one and Demetri the self-conscious one. I really think that this is a great trans rep (maybe the best I've read) because his identity is part of him but does not define every aspect of his life, the talk they have about sex lasted 5 sec and did not read like a textbook (yes that has happened in another book), there is no angst over "should I tell him I'm trans?", Dem knows from the get-go (he found out in an albeit OTT way but it did not bother me). Demetri's character development was great and slow, he is a great MC I was easily rooting for. I really enjoyed seeing the other bears, especially Stone and Dare (from book 2, Nailed).
The Niggles : Is Demetri an orphan? We know nothing about his family and that's a shame. We know his friends so he was not completely alone but still. I wanted him to open up more about his exes, we hear a lot about them but we only learn more about one. The fact that EVERYONE seemed to be throwing themselves at oblivious Demetri was too much, having only the neighbor interested would have been enough to make the point. No niggles about Miller or the relationship 😊.
This is a great addition to the series, it is neck and neck with Nailed for favorite book in the series to me. I'm looking forward to the ennemies to lover that is sure to be Appollo and Ridge book because Nailed was ennemies to lovers and was great! Can we have a spin-off series about the mechanics (the Big Bulls was it?) who were introduced here, pretty please 🤞
July 3, 2021
4 'Shell rubs'⭐
Stripped is the 6th book in the 'Four bear construction' series. This is my second read from the series so far and I am undoubtedly tempted to read more. Because it was a sweet, fun book and I felt connected to the MCs plus it made me giggle(yes, giggle🤭) a lot.
This book is the story of Miller, who works for 'Four Bears'(of course!!🙄). He is transgender with ADHD and completely confident about his sexuality. By chance, he meets his pre-teen crush, Demetri who is now a history professor.
I adore Miller who has come a long way and now he is pretty solid about his polysexuality(🤔) and is also comfortable talking about his feelings for Demetri. Although he still has his moments of self-doubts, he mostly likes to talk about things to clear the air. But my heart clenched for Demetri. He is a history nerd who loves to knit for his pet tortoise. After a string of bad relationships, he is filled with self-deprecating notions about himself. He also has body-image issues and is not able to acknowledge that anybody can like him without any ulterior motive.
Both the MCs were adorable and fun together. plus the relationship development was super sweet with a pinch of angst. And, I am no expert but I loved how the author handled the issues of sexuality and ADHD.
And, even though I have not read most of the previous books, I liked the
' construction worker soap opera' going on in the background. Ohh!!! Is it weird that I have never read a book where the pet is the tortoise or that they like shell rubs??? 😌😌Because I am now a big fan of Mars in his ninja turtle knitted dress.
Stripped is the 6th book in the 'Four bear construction' series. This is my second read from the series so far and I am undoubtedly tempted to read more. Because it was a sweet, fun book and I felt connected to the MCs plus it made me giggle(yes, giggle🤭) a lot.
This book is the story of Miller, who works for 'Four Bears'(of course!!🙄). He is transgender with ADHD and completely confident about his sexuality. By chance, he meets his pre-teen crush, Demetri who is now a history professor.
I adore Miller who has come a long way and now he is pretty solid about his polysexuality(🤔) and is also comfortable talking about his feelings for Demetri. Although he still has his moments of self-doubts, he mostly likes to talk about things to clear the air. But my heart clenched for Demetri. He is a history nerd who loves to knit for his pet tortoise. After a string of bad relationships, he is filled with self-deprecating notions about himself. He also has body-image issues and is not able to acknowledge that anybody can like him without any ulterior motive.
Both the MCs were adorable and fun together. plus the relationship development was super sweet with a pinch of angst. And, I am no expert but I loved how the author handled the issues of sexuality and ADHD.
And, even though I have not read most of the previous books, I liked the
' construction worker soap opera' going on in the background. Ohh!!! Is it weird that I have never read a book where the pet is the tortoise or that they like shell rubs??? 😌😌Because I am now a big fan of Mars in his ninja turtle knitted dress.
July 7, 2021
Kind of got off of this series for awhile. Not sure what drew me to this one. Maybe the transgender aspect? Which was interesting and done pretty well I thought.
This one wasn’t a bad read. But it still had a lot of the things that have annoyed me in some of the other books.
The MCs were a bit exasperating at times. The repetitive inner monologues of both MCs got pretty old.
I couldn’t get a good visual for either MC. Certainly not the visual on the cover.
The next MCs were heavily teased, which is also a bit annoying. I’m mildly interested in their story but given my track record for this series I’m on the fence as to whether I’ll actually read it.
This one wasn’t a bad read. But it still had a lot of the things that have annoyed me in some of the other books.
The MCs were a bit exasperating at times. The repetitive inner monologues of both MCs got pretty old.
I couldn’t get a good visual for either MC. Certainly not the visual on the cover.
The next MCs were heavily teased, which is also a bit annoying. I’m mildly interested in their story but given my track record for this series I’m on the fence as to whether I’ll actually read it.
August 25, 2024
This was lovely, sweet, and adorable. Great trans representation and mentions of self love. I adored Demetri and Miller, Mars was definitely a bonus in this story.
It’s always a pleasure to read about the friend group and all the Stoneisms lol
Sad I’m almost done with this series but sounds like there’s another one right after
It’s always a pleasure to read about the friend group and all the Stoneisms lol
Sad I’m almost done with this series but sounds like there’s another one right after
July 2, 2021
Gah! I love Miller and Demetri! Do you like laughing? Body positivity? Tortoises? Supportive and loyal guys? Trans representation? 40 year old main characters? Swoony romance? Stripped is just a total feel-good, fluffy read. Did Kyleen just drop a whole spin off series idea in our laps? I think she did!!!
(Random coincidence: I got to pet a 50 year old tortoise the day I started this book.)
This series would be perfect lighthearted beach reading so download the series before your vacation this summer!
(Random coincidence: I got to pet a 50 year old tortoise the day I started this book.)
This series would be perfect lighthearted beach reading so download the series before your vacation this summer!
November 15, 2025
So sweet 🥰
July 21, 2021
5 stars audio
4.25 stars story. Gah!! Love love love romances that involve husky men. Wish there was more out there. This was my first transgender read. It was very enlightening. Love it!
4.25 stars story. Gah!! Love love love romances that involve husky men. Wish there was more out there. This was my first transgender read. It was very enlightening. Love it!
July 7, 2021
Super sweet, low angsty romance
What I loved best about this romance was how easy it was, in spite of their unique hangups, for Demitri and Miller to fall in love.
This whole series, book five aside (yes Sawyer, still looking at you with a side eye) has been so much fun.
Miller, he's a happy guy. He's trans, he's had therapy and, while he still has residual nerves about meeting new people, he's not angsting and copes well with his ADHD through physical activities.
Demitri also has hang ups but his are the result of several rotten exes being hurtful and treating him poorly.
Fortunately though, these two knew each other from before Miller transitioned and they pick up that easy friendship again.
Things are just dealt with as they come up, no drama, no long drawn out discussions about what being a trans man means, just great honest conversation.
In fact, after book five (hello Sawyer yet again), it was so refreshing to have two men approaching 40 actually just talk about their hopes, their fears and their plans for the future.
Oh, and did I mention the amazing cuteness of Demitri knitting cute she'll costumes for his pet tortoise? No, well that's ridiculously sweet and made me smile every time Mars appeared in a different costume.
Book seven is set up here and that sounds like it'll be a doozy, plus we get introduced to a hot bunch of mechanics who will hopefully be appearing in a spin off near my Kindle soon!
What I loved best about this romance was how easy it was, in spite of their unique hangups, for Demitri and Miller to fall in love.
This whole series, book five aside (yes Sawyer, still looking at you with a side eye) has been so much fun.
Miller, he's a happy guy. He's trans, he's had therapy and, while he still has residual nerves about meeting new people, he's not angsting and copes well with his ADHD through physical activities.
Demitri also has hang ups but his are the result of several rotten exes being hurtful and treating him poorly.
Fortunately though, these two knew each other from before Miller transitioned and they pick up that easy friendship again.
Things are just dealt with as they come up, no drama, no long drawn out discussions about what being a trans man means, just great honest conversation.
In fact, after book five (hello Sawyer yet again), it was so refreshing to have two men approaching 40 actually just talk about their hopes, their fears and their plans for the future.
Oh, and did I mention the amazing cuteness of Demitri knitting cute she'll costumes for his pet tortoise? No, well that's ridiculously sweet and made me smile every time Mars appeared in a different costume.
Book seven is set up here and that sounds like it'll be a doozy, plus we get introduced to a hot bunch of mechanics who will hopefully be appearing in a spin off near my Kindle soon!
December 26, 2023
Stripped is the sixth book in K.M. Neuhold's Four Bears Construction series. It's a swoony, low-angst MM romance with a guaranteed happily ever after. Stripped is told from a first person, dual point of view. It has transgender, ADHD, and plus-sized representation. It can be read as a complete standalone, but the entire series is thoroughly enjoyable!
As all the guys at Four Bears find their well-deserved happily ever afters, Miller can't help but feel the loneliness seeping in. On a construction site, he runs into his childhood camp crush, Demetri. Although Demetri says he doesn't date, Miller can't help but wonder if he's not interested in a transgender man like him. Demetri's sworn off dating altogether. A series of disastrous relationships have fueled his self-doubt and shattered his confidence. Miller seems too good to be true. As they become friends and agree to keep things "casual," both man realizes that might be next to impossible when their feelings come to play.
As all the guys at Four Bears find their well-deserved happily ever afters, Miller can't help but feel the loneliness seeping in. On a construction site, he runs into his childhood camp crush, Demetri. Although Demetri says he doesn't date, Miller can't help but wonder if he's not interested in a transgender man like him. Demetri's sworn off dating altogether. A series of disastrous relationships have fueled his self-doubt and shattered his confidence. Miller seems too good to be true. As they become friends and agree to keep things "casual," both man realizes that might be next to impossible when their feelings come to play.
I’ve spent months drooling over this man’s calves and abs and, in an instant, that feels like a tragedy because that time would’ve been much better spent building altars to his lips.
This series (which I'm sadly almost at the end at), has been filled with enjoyable and easy reads! I've loved seeing each guy get their happily ever after (even if I'm still irked with Stone and Cole's behavior in Ollie's book). Stripped might be my favourite read in the entire series! It was just so sweet, swoony, steamy, and I thought the representation was so important and well done. I instantly loved both characters, and they brought a smile to my face. Miller is a fantastic book boyfriend - ridiculously charming with a huge heart, and as Demetri tells him later in the book, "a beautiful soul." It was so sweet watching him become enraptured with Demetri, despite Dem's hesitance at first. I loved Demetri a lot, and his self-deprecating nature made me chuckle and broke my heart at the same time. Both characters actually had a great internal monologue! Dem had been hurt so many times by cruel words from his past relationships that his struggle to trust was completely understandable. It was so lovely watching these two break their barriers down together and learn to trust each other. And this book was incredibly swoony - I mean, they danced in the rain, come on! Of course, I mentioned it before, but I thought the representation in this story was so, so important and well done. K.M. Neuhold's also been sneaking adorable pets into each of the books, and the tortoises (and their knit cozies) were just too cute, I can't!
This story brought me so much joy, and I'm bittersweetly looking forward to the seventh and final instalment in the series!For a moment, I’m only half afraid of what a fool I’m going to make of myself for this man.
July 2, 2021
Stripped (4 Bears Construction #6) by Kyleen Neuhold is a sweet, sexy, zero angst, opposites attract, older MC's story. What I really enjoyed is that is just a lovely romance in which one of the MC’s happens to be trans. I often find trans romance stories spend too much time on the life of a trans person and less on the actual development of the relationship between 2 MC's, but this one did not at all. Miller is a great character who at 40 years old is happily comfortable in his own skin but he is a bit lonely. Demetri is an adorable, tortoise shell cozy-knitting college professor who has had a string of bad relationships that have left him severely lacking confidence and no desire to date whatsoever. They way in which these two men meet and reconnect is sweet as is the development of their relationship. If you are looking for an easy breezy read, this is it!!
I’m not gonna lie, this series has been hit and miss for me, but I enjoyed this story very much. There was a bit too much repetitive internal musing from Demetri for my liking as well the obvious and repetitive set up of the next book. I honestly prefer a book be a bit shorter than to repeat itself.
I’m not gonna lie, this series has been hit and miss for me, but I enjoyed this story very much. There was a bit too much repetitive internal musing from Demetri for my liking as well the obvious and repetitive set up of the next book. I honestly prefer a book be a bit shorter than to repeat itself.
August 27, 2021
I promised myself after the last book I would not read another in this series (the last book was so bad!!)
But I read this one anyway and am so glad I did!
Seriously if the last book did not meet your expectations and you didn't want to continue the series, say f**k it and read this one anyway.
But I read this one anyway and am so glad I did!
Seriously if the last book did not meet your expectations and you didn't want to continue the series, say f**k it and read this one anyway.
July 3, 2021
Miller gets his HEA
Demetri’s crippling self doubt was like the third MC in this book. Made me want to find his previous boyfriends and make them cripple. Ugh 😣
Miller wanted to push Demetri out of his self-imposed shell. Slowly but surely this happens.
NGL, all of the self-loathing made me a bit depressed though, which is why it’s a 3 star read for me.
85% of the book, Demetri sort of was clueless to his appeal. I’m glad he found Miller. The end was sweet.
Demetri’s crippling self doubt was like the third MC in this book. Made me want to find his previous boyfriends and make them cripple. Ugh 😣
Miller wanted to push Demetri out of his self-imposed shell. Slowly but surely this happens.
NGL, all of the self-loathing made me a bit depressed though, which is why it’s a 3 star read for me.
85% of the book, Demetri sort of was clueless to his appeal. I’m glad he found Miller. The end was sweet.
August 18, 2021
All the freakin' feels & stars for Stripped!! A good representation of a trans character will always hit me in the best possible way. The first trans character I remember seeing/reading about was Max from The L Word and that was such garbage. Yes, I know the times were a bit different, but Max deserved better so being able to read about a character like Miller was *chefs kiss*
This story was full of nothing but happy feels!! Demetri had been so down on himself since his ex broke up with him that when anyone would show him any kind of attention, he would immediately write it off. Miller, however, was having none of that and came crashing into Dem's world like the Kool-Aid man to break down his walls and show him how loved he could be!!
Miller just wanted to love and be loved, and he found that in Demetri. Being trans comes with its own set of problems when you are trying to start a relationship. Not only the questions but the feelings of not quite feeling adequate can do a number on you. Miller used to have the biggest crush on Demetri and running into him again so unexpectedly was almost a sign for him that this could be his person if only he could show Demetri that he was everything he wanted and more.
For the most part I love a good bit of drama, but this story flowed so beautifully without it. I kept waiting for Demetri to have a freak out, or for Miller's ADHD to become a bigger issue along with a host of any number of other things that could have happened, but they didn't!! Demetri coming into the person he already was so beautiful that there were several times my heart was just doing a little jig in my chest. Then the romance, gah!! K.M. Neuhold made me swoon with all the hearts in my eyes and I couldn't be happier. Stripped might be my favorite book in the Four Bears Construction series but we do have one more left!! Dying to see what happens when two bears are forced to work together on a remote campground!!
This story was full of nothing but happy feels!! Demetri had been so down on himself since his ex broke up with him that when anyone would show him any kind of attention, he would immediately write it off. Miller, however, was having none of that and came crashing into Dem's world like the Kool-Aid man to break down his walls and show him how loved he could be!!
Miller just wanted to love and be loved, and he found that in Demetri. Being trans comes with its own set of problems when you are trying to start a relationship. Not only the questions but the feelings of not quite feeling adequate can do a number on you. Miller used to have the biggest crush on Demetri and running into him again so unexpectedly was almost a sign for him that this could be his person if only he could show Demetri that he was everything he wanted and more.
For the most part I love a good bit of drama, but this story flowed so beautifully without it. I kept waiting for Demetri to have a freak out, or for Miller's ADHD to become a bigger issue along with a host of any number of other things that could have happened, but they didn't!! Demetri coming into the person he already was so beautiful that there were several times my heart was just doing a little jig in my chest. Then the romance, gah!! K.M. Neuhold made me swoon with all the hearts in my eyes and I couldn't be happier. Stripped might be my favorite book in the Four Bears Construction series but we do have one more left!! Dying to see what happens when two bears are forced to work together on a remote campground!!
August 9, 2021
STRIPPED continues the FOUR BEARS CONSTRUCTION series and I just love these guys. From their loyal friendships to their practical jokes, I’ve so enjoyed watching them fall in love. Now we get newcomer Miller’s story as he reconnects with his old summer camp crush Demetri, who is now a history professor who has given up on dating and relationships. I loved both these guys; Demetri was adorably nerdy and Miller was sweet and funny and together they were so sweet. STRIPPED is an easy going, low angst, romance about two people reconnecting, becoming friends, and then falling in love. The perfect warm hug of a read.
July 2, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Stripped is the sixth book in the Four Bears Construction series and definitely one of my favorites. I really loved the dynamic between Miller and Demetri and found them sexy and incredibly sweet together. What I loved most is how being with Miller isn’t a magical cure for Demetri’s insecurities. He has a lot of self doubt, and while it seems like every other man he sees is throwing himself at Demetri, he remains oblivious (which yeah, at times seemed a bit much). But he is just not in a place to actually believe anyone will find him desirable, as he has been beaten down too much. Miller is clear how attractive he finds Demetri and how much he wants him. But it is more than just Miller’s affirmation that makes the difference. Miller’s energy and enthusiasm for life help Demetri to push his narrow box to try new things and reach for more. And as he does, he gains that long missing confidence that really changes his outlook on himself.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Stripped is the sixth book in the Four Bears Construction series and definitely one of my favorites. I really loved the dynamic between Miller and Demetri and found them sexy and incredibly sweet together. What I loved most is how being with Miller isn’t a magical cure for Demetri’s insecurities. He has a lot of self doubt, and while it seems like every other man he sees is throwing himself at Demetri, he remains oblivious (which yeah, at times seemed a bit much). But he is just not in a place to actually believe anyone will find him desirable, as he has been beaten down too much. Miller is clear how attractive he finds Demetri and how much he wants him. But it is more than just Miller’s affirmation that makes the difference. Miller’s energy and enthusiasm for life help Demetri to push his narrow box to try new things and reach for more. And as he does, he gains that long missing confidence that really changes his outlook on himself.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
September 16, 2021
This is a story about insecurities and I'm not just talking about our amazingly hot and charming transexual ADHD MC *drumroll* Miller! And to pair him with a nerdy professor who was also his childhood crush from summer camp- Demetri was the cherry and chocolate syrup on top of my sundae ice cream! Fluffy, low angst and sweet romance about accepting your insecurities and find beauty with each other
Read
January 23, 2022dnf 58%
boring
boring
July 19, 2021
Wisconsin, Four Bears Construction, book #6.
Let's meet Demetri, 40, a college
professor teaching History, greys in his beard, overweight, has had bad dating luck, and low self esteem about his looks. He has a tortoise, Mars, who gets to wear the outfits Demetri knits for him.
Miller, 29, (cover) a muscled construction worker
for the Bears, who is trans, with ADHD, and loves the men's acceptance and friendship, as one of the guys. We learn a bit about his packer he wears and small bits of the trans experience. We learn some inside info as to how he feels in his new body.
The whole construction crew is also featured, with two new guys.
Our two main guys, Miller and Demetri, met in summer camp as kids, and now, when they are ready for the reunion of sorts, and our guys can handle it. We see them work out, make fast friends to boyfriends, as they talk, explain, hang out and begin to date.
Mars...
Wonderful characters for our enjoyment, who are full of life, have an excellent relationship and trust, and this fun story really is pleasing.
We get the hot sexiness and the differences it creates, but Demetri is on board and understanding, with eager anticipation.
The transgender issues are taken in stride with acceptance and understanding.
This is entertaining and sexy.
! ENJOY !
=====
Let's meet Demetri, 40, a college
professor teaching History, greys in his beard, overweight, has had bad dating luck, and low self esteem about his looks. He has a tortoise, Mars, who gets to wear the outfits Demetri knits for him.
Miller, 29, (cover) a muscled construction worker
for the Bears, who is trans, with ADHD, and loves the men's acceptance and friendship, as one of the guys. We learn a bit about his packer he wears and small bits of the trans experience. We learn some inside info as to how he feels in his new body.
The whole construction crew is also featured, with two new guys.
Our two main guys, Miller and Demetri, met in summer camp as kids, and now, when they are ready for the reunion of sorts, and our guys can handle it. We see them work out, make fast friends to boyfriends, as they talk, explain, hang out and begin to date.
Mars...
Wonderful characters for our enjoyment, who are full of life, have an excellent relationship and trust, and this fun story really is pleasing.
We get the hot sexiness and the differences it creates, but Demetri is on board and understanding, with eager anticipation.
The transgender issues are taken in stride with acceptance and understanding.
This is entertaining and sexy.
! ENJOY !
=====
July 11, 2021
Ok. I will admit that I went into the book with a bit of trepidation. I was really not a fan of the last book. I didn’t FINISH the last book. Thankfully, my fear was unfounded. I enjoyed reading the story of adorkable (and oblivious) Demetri and his hot jogger Miller. There were so many ways this story could have gone wrong, but I think it was all handled very well. I loved that the humor wasn’t as over the top as it could have been. I think that killed my enjoyment in the other books. This book didn’t have to try so hard. I just really enjoyed this quite a bit.
Now…. Is that a possible new series I see on the horizon? I mean, they can’t introduce all of those other guys and NOT get their stories. We HAVE to get Auggie’s story, if we don’t get anything else. Am I right?
July 19, 2021
Every time I finish a book in this series I think “for sure this is the best”. But this one was MY FAVORITE in the series. I hadn’t read anything transgender before but my heart went out to Miller. He deserved his HEA so much. Can’t wait for next book in the series. Sigh……
March 15, 2022
That was sweet as sugar. Almost done with the Four Bears, but I feel like I need to take breaks between them since they're so fluffy confection light and my blood sugar just might spike if I try to read too much in a row.
May 27, 2022
Just couldn't get into this one, felt like their personal issues kept getting mentioned but nothing really happened to move the story along, events just popped up. It did build my intrigue for Apollo and Ridge's story though.
June 23, 2021
Miller is a buff, burly construction worker who also happens to be transgender. He knows who he is and what he wants. And that is a partner to share his life with. And suddenly he has his eye on one man.
Demetri is a nerdy history professor. He has been negatively conditioned by exes and has poor self-esteem and self-confidence. His idea of fun is hanging out with his tortoise and knitting him shell covers. He cannot believe that Miller is really interested in someone like him.
I adored these two! Miller is such a strong character and has such a positive outlook on life. He just tells it like it is and has a good sense of humor. But even with his confidence, he still does have some vulnerability and insecurities. I felt bad for Demetri since he just has such negative self-thoughts but he is really sweet and pretty adorkable. I loved that Miller pushes him out of his comfort zone and works to try to build up his self-esteem and sense of empowerment.
This installment is sweet, witty, sexy, emotional, and inspiring. It really comes down to trust and being brave enough to take a risk. These guys are just so good together. They both just really needed to be enough for someone and to feel accepted, appreciated, supported, and safe. They really touched my heart.
I thought the author did a really good job with the transgender aspects of the story and it was both informative, honest, and sometimes there was a bit of humor about the situation thrown in. Miller is just so likable and so true to himself. And Dem is on his own journey to repair his thought processes regarding intimacy.
This brings back all of our fave bears and couples and I am excited about the next one. I also liked Dem's friends Auggie and Eddie. And I am really hoping the introduction of some other new guys means that we might be getting a spin-off series too! If so, I am there for it!
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Demetri is a nerdy history professor. He has been negatively conditioned by exes and has poor self-esteem and self-confidence. His idea of fun is hanging out with his tortoise and knitting him shell covers. He cannot believe that Miller is really interested in someone like him.
I adored these two! Miller is such a strong character and has such a positive outlook on life. He just tells it like it is and has a good sense of humor. But even with his confidence, he still does have some vulnerability and insecurities. I felt bad for Demetri since he just has such negative self-thoughts but he is really sweet and pretty adorkable. I loved that Miller pushes him out of his comfort zone and works to try to build up his self-esteem and sense of empowerment.
This installment is sweet, witty, sexy, emotional, and inspiring. It really comes down to trust and being brave enough to take a risk. These guys are just so good together. They both just really needed to be enough for someone and to feel accepted, appreciated, supported, and safe. They really touched my heart.
I thought the author did a really good job with the transgender aspects of the story and it was both informative, honest, and sometimes there was a bit of humor about the situation thrown in. Miller is just so likable and so true to himself. And Dem is on his own journey to repair his thought processes regarding intimacy.
This brings back all of our fave bears and couples and I am excited about the next one. I also liked Dem's friends Auggie and Eddie. And I am really hoping the introduction of some other new guys means that we might be getting a spin-off series too! If so, I am there for it!
September 4, 2021
Such a refreshing read. It was light hearted and fun. I’ve really enjoyed the entire series.
We meet Miller in this book. He is a muscular transgender man. He loves to workout. He also brought some humor to the pages.
Demetri is a college professor. He has a little bit of low self esteem due to horrible past relationships. Leaving him insecure about himself. He doesn’t believe anyone would ever be attracted to him.
Miller and Demetri meet under a hilarious circumstance when Miller is at the school doing some renovations. They start as friends, but are soon falling hard for each other.
There is also a cute tortoise in this story who likes to wear knitted cozies.
This was absolutely adorable!
We meet Miller in this book. He is a muscular transgender man. He loves to workout. He also brought some humor to the pages.
Demetri is a college professor. He has a little bit of low self esteem due to horrible past relationships. Leaving him insecure about himself. He doesn’t believe anyone would ever be attracted to him.
Miller and Demetri meet under a hilarious circumstance when Miller is at the school doing some renovations. They start as friends, but are soon falling hard for each other.
There is also a cute tortoise in this story who likes to wear knitted cozies.
This was absolutely adorable!
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