Stripped by Brooklyn Skye

Stripped by Brooklyn Skye
Series: Stripped, #1
Source: Bought
Publisher: Self-published
Publication Date: May 14, 2013

“I like you.” His voice is low and soft, which I don’t deserve. I look away, down the rutted parking lot.
“Don’t... waste those words on me.”
He touches my cheek. “You just need someone to show you.”
“No.” I ease back again. “I don’t. So please, Torrin, stop trying to swoop in and save me. I don’t need saving.”

College freshman, Quinn Montgomery, will do anything to avoid the mistake her sister made — killing herself over a boy. But when she is forced into nude modeling at a local college to support her family after a bankruptcy, she begins to crack, just enough to let Torrin, the university’s top varsity oarsman, see that the real Quinn is not as feisty and unapproachable as she wants everyone to think. But letting someone in comes at a steep cost and, it turns out, Torrin is connected to Quinn’s family in more ways than she could ever imagine.

Stripped was an okay read for me - I liked it. But it was very predictable, and the romance was just a tiny tad bit cliched. I liked the main character, Quinn. She had a bit of fire to her - I wouldn't be able to do the modeling thing, no matter how much I needed the money. So I respect her for doing what it takes to keep her spot at that school.

But I don't respect some of her other decisions. I mean her "decision" to go "heartless" is ridiculous. It's not even a decision - I'm pretty sure that no one can just shot off their feelings like that, so I'm kind of tired of seeing the heroines who don't want to fall in love. Where are the girls who want to fall in love? I'm tired of this trope, especially in new adult. It's getting a little bit old.

In spite of that, though, Quinn was still an okay sort of character. I just wish she hadn't fallen into that group of characters.

On the opposite spectrum, I really liked Torrin. He was a freaking sweetheart, and he was very... innocent, I guess. His secret, though? It was very cliched. I had it figured out way before Quinn did - and it was obvious.

Their romance was okay, I guess. But I didn't feel like it was all that great - it could have been better, that's for sure. Maybe the next book will help that, though? All in all, Stripped was a likable read, but it's not the greatest new adult I've read. It's far too cliched for that.