Stripped

Reviewed by Michelle Puffer © 2007

Wild Child Publishing.com © 2007

Title of Book: Stripped
Author: Rhonda Stapleton
Publisher: Freya’s Bower
ISBN Number: 1-934069-42-6
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novella
Release Date: 2006
Author's Website: Rhonda Stapleton’s website

Amanda Thomson is at a party held in her honour, to boost her spirits after she found out she didn’t get the promotion she had been working three years for. After too many drinks, one a ghastly blue colour which pushes her over the top, the entertainment arrives. Her friends had hired a male stripper. Unbeknownst to her he was actually a friend of a friend doing a favour when the real stripper backed out. Even though the new guy, she calls him GQ, was the worst dancer ever he is hotter than Hades. She is more than willing to show him a good time, seeing that her senses had left her back with the blue drink, but on her way to temptation she passes out. What’s worse is come Monday morning she finds out that GQ was actually Jake Waters, the one who stole her job.

Jake Waters has just picked up and moved himself and his little girl all the way from Chicago. He had stripped at Amanda’s party as a favour and found that meeting Amanda was the best form of payment. Unfortunately, he didn’t realise she had wanted his job and working together is excruciating. Their passion runs hot and cold as they try to manoeuvre their way through the office projects and life in general.

Rhonda Stapleton has written a funny and touching look into the life of a hard-working girl trying to get everything she deserves in both work and love. I could totally relate to Amanda’s pain after working so hard to get a promotion and being passed over. I really felt the disappointment coming through in the last scene where Amanda meets with her employer, Andrew. Every word he spoke rang through me as I felt it sink into her once she realised that the situation there would never change.

Jake is a great character as well. There is a part in the boardroom, where he thinks he’s taking back control from Amanda in a conference with a potential customer, that I just kill myself because I’ve so been there. They think that they can just take over, no thanks for helping, no nothing, just look at me, I’m a strong, smart man who doesn’t need any help. Her insight in to the male mind shows itself very well here.

What I liked best about Stripped is that it was so relatable, that I had “been there, done that” in my life. I think I was nodding or laughing through most of it. If the book is lacking anywhere it would be that, once in a while, going back and forth between the heroine and hero in first person point-of-view was confusing. Other than that, Stripped is like a good friend whose story you are hearing . I felt like Ms. Stapleton was right there telling me her story and I understood. I look forward to her telling me many more stories. Well done!

I give it 5 cats

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To find out more about how to purchase Stripped visit Rhonda Stapleton’s website.