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75_sweetestbook's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing second chance
This book is about a second chance of love that is still between Alana and Ryan.. it’s been 5 yrs since the last time they have seen each other but their love is as strong as ever.. this book will take you emotions on a ride and have you glued to the pages..
This book is about a second chance of love that is still between Alana and Ryan.. it’s been 5 yrs since the last time they have seen each other but their love is as strong as ever.. this book will take you emotions on a ride and have you glued to the pages..
lifeinthebooklane's review
3.0
Overall I enjoyed this well written and engaging story about Ryan and Alana. The author's writing style is easy to read and follow and there didn't seem to be any editing issues. Personally I found some of the descriptions a little distracting from the story, but it wasn't a huge issue.
The book is entirely written from Alana's POV. On the whole I liked her, although I did feel she allowed herself to be a doormat at times. Other times she really shone and came over as so strong and determined. One of my issues related to how uncomfortable she was with Ryan stripping. Despite him promising it was only a temporary situation, he was still stripping quite a few years after they reconnected. HOWEVER, in the last chapter of the book, the author threw a different light on his job, which not only made me feel like I'd been too judgemental about it but also made me realise it is just that. It is a job and we shouldn't judge Ryan for doing it BUT it had seemed to be a hard limit for Alana, yet she just buried her head in the sand.
Because we don't experience Ryan's thoughts or feelings first hand I did find it hard to connect with him for a while, or to believe him at first. He seemed a little too arrogant and full of himself for a good chunk of the book. I would have liked more exploration of the bad dream/ broken boy side of him so that we really understood his character.
Their chemistry was both intense and believable and, even though we don't see them fall in love, I did believe in their connection. The last few chapters and the epilogue really gave a fantastic ending to the book and tied up all those loose ends.
The book is entirely written from Alana's POV. On the whole I liked her, although I did feel she allowed herself to be a doormat at times. Other times she really shone and came over as so strong and determined. One of my issues related to how uncomfortable she was with Ryan stripping. Despite him promising it was only a temporary situation, he was still stripping quite a few years after they reconnected. HOWEVER, in the last chapter of the book, the author threw a different light on his job, which not only made me feel like I'd been too judgemental about it but also made me realise it is just that. It is a job and we shouldn't judge Ryan for doing it BUT it had seemed to be a hard limit for Alana, yet she just buried her head in the sand.
Because we don't experience Ryan's thoughts or feelings first hand I did find it hard to connect with him for a while, or to believe him at first. He seemed a little too arrogant and full of himself for a good chunk of the book. I would have liked more exploration of the bad dream/ broken boy side of him so that we really understood his character.
Their chemistry was both intense and believable and, even though we don't see them fall in love, I did believe in their connection. The last few chapters and the epilogue really gave a fantastic ending to the book and tied up all those loose ends.
drez80's review
So I'm not going to rate this book because I should have DNF'd it from the first few pages, but I'm a glutton for punishment, so I kept reading. I greatly did not like this book because I am so against this weak, needy female lead who forgives too easily, and Alana is one of them.
Alana meets Ryan, they fall in love, and he takes her virginity, only to disappear the next morning. He's gone for 5 years when Alana sees him at a strip club as Jack the Stripper. Now, instead of leaving, she runs backstage to look for him, and when she sees him, she bolts the club. He, of course, comes after her. She wants answers, and he won't give them in the alley, so she agrees to meet him for coffee the next day. Ummm... he told you he loves you, took your virginity and disappeared, and you're going to look for him backstage instead of leaving and then meet him for coffee the next day?! Then when she gets her explanation that he got busted for his twin brother's drugs and was in jail for 3.5 years, but he never called her or looked for her after, she's all forgiving. I guess it's me who clearly has issues because there is no way in HELL that he'd get to explain, or even if he did explain, the fact that once he got out of jail but never contacted me loses him any chance he had at getting back together. His stripping job becomes an issue for her, but every time she brings it up to talk about it with him, he somehow changes the subject, and she just let's it go. She even goes to the club once, sees him leaving a back room with a girl who kisses him on the cheek. When she finds out that they kiss and do other things behind the beads, she goes back with him and they start going at it on a couch that countless strippers have made out with and had sex with customers. And even though the job bothers her, she continues to let it go and fall all over herself to be with him. Honey, have some pride and grow a pair and tell him that it bothers you and why is it ok for him to go to a back room and kiss and do god-knows-what with patrons at a strip club while you're home waiting for him?! Oh because he makes great money, and he's an ex-con, so he couldn't possibly get another job.
I had been looking for a stripper book forever, and I finally came across this book, so I was really excited to read it, and now that I have, I really wish I would have DNF'd it at the beginning because all it did was annoy me and make me mad.
Alana meets Ryan, they fall in love, and he takes her virginity, only to disappear the next morning. He's gone for 5 years when Alana sees him at a strip club as Jack the Stripper. Now, instead of leaving, she runs backstage to look for him, and when she sees him, she bolts the club. He, of course, comes after her. She wants answers, and he won't give them in the alley, so she agrees to meet him for coffee the next day. Ummm... he told you he loves you, took your virginity and disappeared, and you're going to look for him backstage instead of leaving and then meet him for coffee the next day?! Then when she gets her explanation that he got busted for his twin brother's drugs and was in jail for 3.5 years, but he never called her or looked for her after, she's all forgiving. I guess it's me who clearly has issues because there is no way in HELL that he'd get to explain, or even if he did explain, the fact that once he got out of jail but never contacted me loses him any chance he had at getting back together. His stripping job becomes an issue for her, but every time she brings it up to talk about it with him, he somehow changes the subject, and she just let's it go. She even goes to the club once, sees him leaving a back room with a girl who kisses him on the cheek. When she finds out that they kiss and do other things behind the beads, she goes back with him and they start going at it on a couch that countless strippers have made out with and had sex with customers. And even though the job bothers her, she continues to let it go and fall all over herself to be with him. Honey, have some pride and grow a pair and tell him that it bothers you and why is it ok for him to go to a back room and kiss and do god-knows-what with patrons at a strip club while you're home waiting for him?! Oh because he makes great money, and he's an ex-con, so he couldn't possibly get another job.
I had been looking for a stripper book forever, and I finally came across this book, so I was really excited to read it, and now that I have, I really wish I would have DNF'd it at the beginning because all it did was annoy me and make me mad.
beckyrendon's review
4.0
Life is all about choices. Right, Wrong, Good or Bad. It's a choice.
Some of us make terrible decisions that effect our entire lives.
Some make devastating decisions that try to put our lives back together.
The one part of life that isn't a choice...love. It will strip you bare.
This book was a fun and sweet story of love and choices. Some wrong, others right but all of them altered lives permanently.
Here's hoping you choose well.
reviewed for Naughty Book Blog
Some of us make terrible decisions that effect our entire lives.
Some make devastating decisions that try to put our lives back together.
The one part of life that isn't a choice...love. It will strip you bare.
This book was a fun and sweet story of love and choices. Some wrong, others right but all of them altered lives permanently.
Here's hoping you choose well.
reviewed for Naughty Book Blog
ldooten's review
3.0
I thought this was okay. To start off with, Ryan has been gone for 5 years with no explanation to Alana. When she finds him stripping and finally gets the truth out of him, I was like "WHAT?!" I love my family and would do a lot of things to help them, but let my sibling off free for something they did while I did the jail time, is not one of them. The writing is good, but I felt like it was slow moving at times, and nothing really happened until the last few chapters. I would definitely give this author another chance as I liked the other things I've read.
mccorbin's review
4.0
I first was a little iffy when starting this story because once Ryan makes an appearance, which is in the first chapter, I felt like it was a Ping-Pong match with Alana and how she felt about him. One hour she longed for him and missed him terribly, the next hour she was infuriated with him because he left one night five years ago. It took me a while to really understand why this all came about but after hearing Ryan’s story and seeing how truly infatuated with Alana he was, I couldn’t help but love him.
At first, I thought this book was going to be a lovey-dovey story about how two complete opposites meet and are torn apart but strive to over come what society throws at them. However, I came to find out that there are a lot more dark undertones in this story that I expect. It was a nice plot twist because it really made me care for the characters and want their happiness at full force.
I applaud the unconditional love that Ryan and Alana exhibited to each other. Ryan’s a stripper and Alana supported him throughout the whole book (doesn’t mean that she liked it however.) Each worked towards their goal and supported one another. It sincerely made them a perfect couple.
At first, I thought this book was going to be a lovey-dovey story about how two complete opposites meet and are torn apart but strive to over come what society throws at them. However, I came to find out that there are a lot more dark undertones in this story that I expect. It was a nice plot twist because it really made me care for the characters and want their happiness at full force.
I applaud the unconditional love that Ryan and Alana exhibited to each other. Ryan’s a stripper and Alana supported him throughout the whole book (doesn’t mean that she liked it however.) Each worked towards their goal and supported one another. It sincerely made them a perfect couple.
kellyyoungbl's review
5.0
Very good!
I adored this book. The writing was really good and it was an interesting, unique storyline. I can honestly say I would not change a single thing about it. Definitely recommend!
I adored this book. The writing was really good and it was an interesting, unique storyline. I can honestly say I would not change a single thing about it. Definitely recommend!
whiskeywoman79's review
3.0
I like strong female characters, but that is not what I got with this book. I started to wonder if Alana had a backbone at all. I was cheering for Ryan until he showed he hadn't changed at all. The story could have ended there for me, I didn't care after that.
maferg01's review
5.0
I am just ... wow. The conclusion of the Stripped Duet was just so much more beautiful that I ever could have wanted it to be and I'm not exaggerating. When you read that the story is about two unlikely lovers, from opposite sides of the tracks. And also that one of them is a male stripper, you will not imagine the depth of the story you are walking into. This is so much more than a story about falling in love. It's a story about family, sacrifice, survival, perseverance, rising above your life and first and foremost fighting for each other. I loved how each was the other’s strength.
The story is so well paced, unfolding at just the right timing leaving you completely and equally in love with both characters and also swept away emotionally by what happens. This is not a book that will actually make you cry, it has a full on HEA, but will give you all the good feels. It is steamy, it is tough on the characters, it is funny. After you finish, you are going to have to chat with your book bestie about how amazing it is!
The story is so well paced, unfolding at just the right timing leaving you completely and equally in love with both characters and also swept away emotionally by what happens. This is not a book that will actually make you cry, it has a full on HEA, but will give you all the good feels. It is steamy, it is tough on the characters, it is funny. After you finish, you are going to have to chat with your book bestie about how amazing it is!
nelljustice's review against another edition
This is not my typical book. As a matter of fact, this was an entirely out of my box experience. The cover and description explains the story. This story has sex, angst, a lot of swearing, nicotine addiction, mention of drugs and a ton of drama.
Suffice it to say, the writing was on target for a 23 year old spoiled little privileged girl. The narrator caught her attitude perfectly. I am not 23 years old. 23 is in my rear view mirror and I had forgotten the drama and the fuss of that age. I had forgotten the naivete and the lack of experience that a 23 year old could have in life. I wanted to smack Alana up side the head more than once. I mean, seriously, open your eyes, girl! The beginning of the story, when Ryan first came back into the picture, he told Alana why. Why he left. Why he never contacted her (seriously? He had her phone number, for *&^%’s sake!). Why this? Why’d you do that? Why did that happen? His story of why he left Alana and why he made the choices he did and why Alana should take him back had me very skeptical. So much so that I more than once rolled my eyes. You’d have to give me a million dollars before I’d ever buy his story in real life. Now, the eye rolling is not a reflection on the quality of the writing of the book. The writing totally fit the characters. The actions and reactions of a
23 year old Ryan were right on target. The excuses he made were exactly like decisions a 23 year old would make.
Okay, so, the writing really fit with the characters. Check. Did I like the story? Well, I’m not going to lie to you. I really didn’t find the story all that engaging. I felt like this was a bunch of drama scenes thrown together around the sex. Would I listen to it again? No. Was the narrator good? Yeah, she was good. I’d give her a chance again if the story was different. She appears to be a seasoned narrator with a lot of books under her belt. Would I recommend this story? Not on your life…unless you really just want to listen to drama, angst and a lot of sex terms, sexual innuendos and sex.
With that being said, I don’t want to deter anyone from listening to this audio book. In fact, there were several glowing reviews so if it’s your game, then more power to you. It’s not mine. I have to have some meat to the story-pardon the pun. I love audio books and I like trying new authors and new books. This was a new author and although the writing was put together, the scene descriptions were good, the story was weak – in my opinion.
Suffice it to say, the writing was on target for a 23 year old spoiled little privileged girl. The narrator caught her attitude perfectly. I am not 23 years old. 23 is in my rear view mirror and I had forgotten the drama and the fuss of that age. I had forgotten the naivete and the lack of experience that a 23 year old could have in life. I wanted to smack Alana up side the head more than once. I mean, seriously, open your eyes, girl! The beginning of the story, when Ryan first came back into the picture, he told Alana why. Why he left. Why he never contacted her (seriously? He had her phone number, for *&^%’s sake!). Why this? Why’d you do that? Why did that happen? His story of why he left Alana and why he made the choices he did and why Alana should take him back had me very skeptical. So much so that I more than once rolled my eyes. You’d have to give me a million dollars before I’d ever buy his story in real life. Now, the eye rolling is not a reflection on the quality of the writing of the book. The writing totally fit the characters. The actions and reactions of a
23 year old Ryan were right on target. The excuses he made were exactly like decisions a 23 year old would make.
Okay, so, the writing really fit with the characters. Check. Did I like the story?
With that being said, I don’t want to deter anyone from listening to this audio book. In fact, there were several glowing reviews so if it’s your game, then more power to you. It’s not mine. I have to have some meat to the story-pardon the pun. I love audio books and I like trying new authors and new books. This was a new author and although the writing was put together, the scene descriptions were good, the story was weak – in my opinion.