Flashed (Happy Endings, #3)

by Zoey Castile

When a man makes his living by his looks, he can forget that love—and lust—are more than skin deep. But the right woman can remind him . . .
 
A former soccer player, stripper, and model, legendary party boy Patrick Halloran finally gets his big break starring in the summer blockbuster. But when an accident leaves him changed forever, he hides away in his secluded Montana ranch. Only his new housekeeper is allowed inside—with one rule: she’s not allowed to see him. But Pat sees her, and she’s the most stunning woman he’s ever laid eyes on. Even her voice is beautiful. Still, Pat can’t allow himself to get close to anyone. Not without a fight at least . . .
 
Magdalena “Lena” Martel is a long way from Queens, New York. After a rough patch, the aspiring artist is working her way through college—even if it means keeping house for a man whose gruff voice she can only hear through a closed door. Still, Lena senses Pat’s got a good heart, maybe even a lovable one. She’s intrigued—until his anger sends her running into the freezing woods. Now Pat will have to find her—and when he does he may have found the one woman who can thaw his heart—not to mention the rest of him. But can their new bond survive the paparazzi—and their personal
demons? . . .
 
Praise for Stripped

“A witty, wonderful romance that speaks to who we are, who we are meant to be, and who we are meant to be with.” —Sarah MacLean, The Washington Post

“Stripped is a modern rom-com that’s equal parts sexy and sweet.” —Shondaland
 
“That smile you have on your face right now? It’ll be there the entire time you’re reading Stripped.” —Jasmine Guillory, Oprah Magazine

• ISBN10: 1496715284
• ISBN13: 9781496715289
• Publish Date: 27 August 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 16 January 2024
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Kensington Publishing
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 304
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/isbn/9781496715289

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

Patrick had been forced to reinvent himself, but this time, he faced his biggest setback.

After a terrible accident left him disfigured, Patrick banished himself to the family ranch, and was living in relative seclusion, aside from visits from Scarlet, the author (and friend), who helped launch is post-dancing career. When Scarlet hired a new housekeeper, Patrick found himself yearning for more connection, particularly, with Lena, but would he be able to overcome his fear of rejection and let someone else into his life?

Patrick broke my heart. I was so used to his happy-go-lucky persona from the previous books, and here he was, hiding away from the world, suffering from PTSD, and racked with guilt. I was just hoping he could forgive himself and allow himself to live again. This poor guy had experienced so many setbacks in his life, it was time for him to experience something good and lasting, and I thought Lena was a fantastic person to help him find his way back to himself.

Lena's life wasn't all rainbows and cupcakes either. She was dealing with a lot of personal issues and baggage, as well, but she was also, at the same time, trying to take control of her future. I admired her attitude, and I found her so easy to root for.

I also found this couple easy to ship. They seemed like an unlikely match. She was artistic and tried to be optimistic, while he was reclusive and failed to see the glass as half full. Their romance developed quite slowly, via post it notes, text messages, and phone calls, and I thought it was kind of beautiful. The way Lena fell for Patrick without ever setting eyes on him was really meaningful if you consider, that his previous career success was all built upon how he looked. And, the means of communication also allowed them a level of honesty, that they may not have experienced face-to-face.

Aside from the romance I also enjoyed:

• The fantastic female friendships
• The return of the Mayhem family
• Scarlett - she is just fantastic!
• The allusion to The Beast
• The grumpy hero
• The family focus
• The fantastic ending!

This was yet another solid and fabulous addition to the series. I really hope we will get more books, because the series gets better and better with each new installment.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[leelu92]

I really enjoyed the slow burn between Patrick and Lena.

Castile created a village of people to bring Patrick back to life and Lena was not afraid of pushing him. I had some issues with the second book in this series but I was so very happy with this book. I was not one bit disappointed in it and I loved Patrick and Lena's HEA!