Stripped Down
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4.6 • 11 Ratings
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- $3.99
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- $3.99
Publisher Description
Natalie Carras knows two things for sure: she is damn good at making people pretty, and she is a pretty damn good mother. She hides the rest of her struggles behind a polished facade. Despite the pinch of living in Silicon Valley, her job as a makeup artist on Million-Dollar Starter Home provides an entire year of stability, before one small change tips her life back into chaos. When Enzo, the far-too-handsome landscaper on the show, steps in with a firm shoulder to cry on and a possible solution to her crisis, he shakes her foundations and unexpectedly releases years of repressed emotions. He’s the first man in ages to make her want more, but she’s learned the hard way that what she wants and what she gets are two very different things.
Enzo Valenti knows a few things too. He has a soft heart and a problem saying no when the people he loves need his help. All he wants to do is finally start his life and his business away from his family and this stupid TV show. But in the wake of his big brother’s death, the remaining Valentis need him more than ever, and he keeps getting sucked further into their schemes. When the beautiful but distant makeup artist finally steps out of the friend-zone and into his arms, helping Natalie—and the show—succeed doesn’t seem like such a waste of time, although it means pushing off his dreams even further. Except the more involved in her life he becomes, the less she appreciates it, leaving him to wonder if he’s really found the life partner he’d hoped for or just another person who will take and take but never give.
When faced with the ultimate relationship test on Halloween, Natalie and Enzo will have to decide if going it alone is truly best or if it’s worth stripping down to their roots to grow into a new family together.
Customer Reviews
Real and relatable
A relatable story about real people with true-to-life problems told with emotion. From her first book, Eva has always written about people who could be our friend, acquaintance, family, or even us: imperfect people who struggle with self-doubt, who try to cope with their situation the best way they know how, who have dreams and passions and fight hard to achieve them.
While her first series Girls Night Out celebrated female friendship (which I love), Exposed Dreams explores family relationships (which I also love) in all their function and dysfunction. We met Natalie and Enzo briefly in the previous novel Opened Up. In their story, we see a lot of growth for both in terms of their respective work and their romance.
For Enzo, it's fulfilling his natural instinct to take care of those he loves and at the same time finally standing up for himself and his own ambitions against his overbearing father. For Natalie, it's learning to accept help after years of relying solely on herself. It's also gaining a wider audience for her makeup tutorials. Most importantly, it's recognizing that she does deserve a happily ever after. These two worked hard to get there, but they eventually did and that's why I'm giving Stripped Down five stars. That and Daisy.
I can't end this review without mentioning Natalie's precious little girl. Because of Daisy, I forgive Natalie's constant push and pull of Enzo. I may not be a single mom, but I understand wanting only the best for my child and doing everything I can to protect them from getting hurt.
Sofia, Adrian, Jo, Dom, Frankie, Jake - they all played important roles in this story. I can't wait to find out more about them in the coming books. Eva, write fast!
Couldn’t put it down!
This is the second book in her new series. Enzo and Natalie’s story is heartwarming and so relatable. Great character development and fast paced storyline.