Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Stripped

SERIES:  Four Bears Construction

AUTHOR:  K.M. Neuhold

NARRATORS:   Tim Paige and Liam DiCosimo

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  5 hours and 40 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  July 19, 2021

BLURB:

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 sixth book in the Four Bears Construction Series. It can be listened to 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.

REVIEW:

Note: This is the 6th book in this series and as such contains major spoilers for the first 5 books. Recommended to be read in order. Do it – you’ll love all these guys 🙂

I have been waiting for Miller’s story for a while.  All of the teasers while this book was being written just made me fall more in love with him and Demetri.  She had me with tortoise cozy!

Readers of the series are familiar with Miller since he joined the Four Bears a few books ago.  He’s a transgender construction worker who has a loving and supportive family.  He loves his job and working at the Four Bears.  His being trans is not an issue whatsoever for the guys at Four Bears.  His workout buddy has been his co-worker West, but now that he’s settled in with Sawyer, he’s not quite as consistent.  But they are working jobs together still and while renovating the staff break room at the university, Miller runs into his childhood summer camp crush, Dr. Demetri Rose.  Of course Miller has changed quite a lot since then, but Demetri seems to take it in stride after one of the most unusual meetings in any books 😛

Demetri has all sorts of body issues and he’s been treated badly by former lovers – especially Victor – his slimy ex who is really is scum!  Despite the words of his friends, Eddie and Augie and of course Miller, Dem has a lot o trouble letting go of all the negative chatter in his head.  He’s not slim, he’s not ripped, he’s a chubby middle-aged bear and WHY would anyone want him.  Miller sets about making sure that Demetri knows just how sexy he is 🙂

Miller has his own issues – with his ADHD primarily.  He shares that with Demetri though and also his ways of coping with it – through exercise and other coping mechanisms that help him.  He’s made his peace with it and his dysphoria and he’s happy with who he is and the life he’s built.  He’s got lots of plans and he really hopes that Demetri will be along for the ride.  But Demetri is very cautious and so Miller agrees to take it slow and keep it casual.  But a few weeks in, things feel not so casual to Miller.  Demetri is still scared, but he’s slowly lowering his walls for Miller to get closer.   It helps that Miller loves his tortoise, Mars, and that he wants to learn to knit after seeing Mars’ wardrobe of shell cozies 😀

Demetri and Miller grow closer and do things that Demetri never thought he’d be able to do, but he has a good time with Miller.  He doesn’t feel judged.  When he starts working out with Miller, he hopes that this will help him with his body image, but it doesn’t seem to be.  Miller couldn’t care less – he’s not out to make over Demetri 🙂

When Miller and Demetri are at a work conference, Victor shows up.  Just as Demetri knew he would.  He tries to get Demetri to go back to his room with him, but of course Demetri isn’t interested.  Miller manages to meet him at a lecture, and he could not be less impressed.  Demetri really comes into his own – having a great time with the other conference attendees and seeing himself as a man worthy of respect and love and this helps cement his feelings for Miller.

Oh I really loved this book!  Miller is such a sweetheart of a guy.  He really is so lovely to Demetri 🙂  It’s obvious that Demetri’s self-esteem have taken a huge hit and Miller’s willing to be patient to see if he can get past Dem’s walls.  He sees that Augie, Dem’s neighbor appreciates him, even though Miller is completely oblivious.  Miller’s quiet support and friendship go a long way to healing the cracks that have been put on his heart by the series of unworthy men that he’s dated in the past.  I loved how Miller just really tried his best to get Demetri to see himself as Miller sees him – that he’s a smart, interesting, worthy, attractive man who is definitely a catch in Miller’s eyes.  It’s fine that Eddie has been trying to tell him so, but he’s his best friend so he’s supposed to say that 😉  I loved Augie and his crew a well – maybe more books there??  This was such a sweet slow romance between these too and I enjoyed every second.  Big shout out to the author for how beautifully she handled all aspects of the sexual relationship between Demetri and Miller.

Tim Paige and Liam DiCosimo do their usual stellar job of narrating this series.  I loved Miller’s voice as well as Demetri’s.  We get to revisit the entire Four Bears cast of characters – and I do mean characters 🙂  Dare and Stone are their usual hilarious selves and I loved seeing Daniel and Ren together again.  This whole audio series has been so well done and I am sad that there is only one more left.

Highly recommend this book and this entire series!  So much fun, humor and love to be enjoyed 😀

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Amazon

Audible