Suzie Samuels is the only thing standing between Clifford and his life’s work. All he has to do is change everything about her. Perception creates reality and Clifford Rutledge needs the irascible stripper to prove it. Suzie Samuels is set to prove once and for all she’s more than Short Fuse Suze, stripper for the Black Demons and renowned motorcycle arsonist. If all it takes is hard work, then … then Suzie knows how to work it hard.
But Suzie’s scandalous spirit tests Clifford’s resolve. And Clifford’s buttoned-up bullying is driving Suzie bonkers.
Can Clifford move past their differences long enough to pull off the impossible task of changing the bare lady into a fair lady?
More importantly, as perceptions shift and priorities change, will he want to?
‘My Bare Lady’ is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Scorned Women’s Society series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
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So it took me a bit to get into this book. It’s not that it started out really slow but it did start out somewhat slow. But like it took a bit to get there for me. And I was actually worried I might not be able to finish it. But in the end I’m glad I stuck it out because it definitely started picking up and got a lot more interesting. I really loved Ford and his povs but I wished that when we were on him we got a lot more insight on him and his background like we did Susie. I know we did later in the end but I think if we got bits and pieces earlier on it would have been a lot better. And Susie lord she was a firecracker at sometimes. And I loved that about her. And even though it started out slow it ended really strong. And I liked how it all came together at the end. By Tina
Suzie and Ford were amazing!!!
You know from the blurb that this is a modern day retelling of My Fair Lady. And you know that Suzie is a stripper and Clifford (Ford) is a professor who wants to change her.
What you don’t know until you read Piper Sheldon’s gorgeous writing is what an epic love story this is. GAH! A love story between two people, yes, but also, and more importantly, about two individuals learning to love themselves and believe that they deserve to be loved. There is so much tension throughout this beautiful romance. Internal and External and it is so well-written!!
Set in the fictional Green Valley, Sheldon beautifully illustrates the shitty life Suzie has had since her mom left town and she’s had to take care of her alcoholic father. She’s a stripper and has always gotten by on her good looks. And if possible, things are about to get even worse for her. Holy crap, there are some serious slime of the earth men in this story that made my skin crawl, not only with their actions but also with how they spoke to Suzie. Ick!!
From the first time Suzie and Ford met, the connection between them is electric, and oh the social awkwardness (mostly from Ford) is both hilarious and heartbreaking. For both of them their vulnerability bleeds onto the page.
Even though I wanted to smack Ford for some of the things he said at times, I could clearly see his uptight, I MUST NOT LOSE CONTROL personality coming out, and his complete social awkwardness when it came to putting the words that were in his heart and his soul in the open.
They both have such bruised hearts, but they both keep getting up and going on despite all the shit thrown at them.
I loved the back story between Suzie and Jethro Winston and why she did what she did to his motorcycle despite Jethro being a complete jackass to her. I loved that even when completely beaten down, she gets back up to fight for herself. I loved the female friendships in this story. I loved it when Ford finally let himself lose control and he “lost control on Suzie for a week straight” (Possibly my favorite line in the entire book!)
There are a couple major trigger warnings in this book, both having to do with Suzie being attacked. Be mindful if this is a hot subject matter for you.
Overall this is one of the most beautiful love stories I’ve read in a while!!! SO AMAZING!!!
I have enjoyed all of the Green Valley books to different extents, but this is at the top, I am a Piper Sheldon fan for life. The story was interesting, very well written, funny and tragic all at the same time. In all honesty, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Scorned Women’s Society as a spinoff, I mean, I love Jethro despite his past and almost didn’t want my view on him changed (I know, he’s not a real person, and his past has been brought up in the Winstons), but this was so much more than how he wronged Suzie. I LOVED that My Bare Lady talks about some very real issues, parts were hard for me to read because they struck such a personal chord, the depiction of what it’s like to have an addict for a parent after being abandoned by the other was extremely accurate. All of the characters, main and secondary had such distinct voices and personalities, which I honestly feel like a lot of authors don’t pull off well. I was not once confused by who was speaking, I never had to look back at who’s chapter it was. This is such a phenomenal book if you haven’t read it yet, what are you even doing with your life, fix that, and read this book.
As you can probably guess from the title My Bare Lady is a contemporary twist on My Fair Lady. It’s twist is that it has fallen into the setting of Sons of Anarchy! Well it actually is Green Valley but because the motorcycle club is a huge part of the story it felt that way to me. My Bare Lady was a cute story though in my opinion a bit tame. Considering the fact that our female lead Suzie is a stripper and one of the many women from Jethro Winston’s past I assumed that there would be a little more behind the scenes action but if this book was rated as a movie, it would be PG-13 at most. Ford was an interesting male lead as the uptight professor that wants to secure funding by making Suzie the stripper passable as one of his college associates. I liked that Suzie had such a huge heart and didn’t let anything break her even when her life was mostly lemons. I liked that Ford eventually realized what mattered most to him. I loved the supporting characters! The MC stuff didn’t interest me in the least. It’s told from dual POV and was in KU. So I am giving My Bare Lady 4 stars but parts were 3 stars and I will read the next book in the series because I am curious about these characters in Green Valley.
My Bare Lady (Scorned Women’s Society #1) by Piper Sheldon is a slow burn, opposites attract, contemporary romance told in first person, dual POV. It’s book one in Smartypants Romance’s Scorned Women’s Society series and can be read as a complete standalone. As the title suggests, My Bare Lady is a reinterpretation of My Fair Lady (Pygmalion) – and it’s a brilliant one.
The story follows the relationship between Suzie Samuels (aka Short Fuse Suze), a stripper for the Black Demons MC, and Clifford Rutledge (aka Ford), a researcher and professor at the University of Tennessee. Suzie wants to quit stripping and become a real dancer, but leaving the MC isn’t an option for her. At least, she doesn’t think so. Clifford’s latest research project direly needs funding in order to continue. Events transpire and he agrees to a wager. If he can prove his theories by spending a few months educating Suzie and then passing her off as an academic, his research will be fully funded.
What will happen between Suzie and Ford? Will he get his funding? Will she find a way out of the MC? Or when the experiment ends, will life revert to the way it was before? Read and find out.
I loved Suzie and Ford’s story. They were both complex and well-developed characters. I liked Suzie right away, and it took me a little longer to warm up to Ford, but by the end I loved them both. Suzie’s story was tragically heartbreaking and had me in tears a few times, but it was great to see her grow and overcome the obstacles that held her back in life – both internally and externally. I also loved how her presence in Ford’s life helped him to grow and change as well. The story explores themes of identity and self-worth. Beautifully written, angsty, heart-wrenching, and full of hope. I highly recommend it.
Really 4.5 stars. I was a little unsure about this one, again, I’m not a big MC romance reader, but the premise sounded pretty good, and I’ve pretty much loved all the books I’ve read in the SmartyPants Romance world so far, so I had to read it. After reading this one, I understand that the title of the series, Scorned Women’s Society is probably going to have to do with all of Jethro Winston’s past hookups. And you may color me very intrigued for this series! So I definitely think I remember hearing about our main character, Short Fuze Suze, but her story was really good. I like how the characters in these stories, for the most part, are often people put in bad situations where they do bad things to either try to save someone else, or else they just don’t feel as if they can change or get away from the life. As Suzie did. It was hard to read about how she felt trapped. Between her alcoholic father, and her MC “family”. It was kind of interesting to get a glimpse into a different MC gang than the Iron Wraiths. Now, Clifford, or Ford, was a little unlikable at first. Even when we got his side of the story, I found myself not sure if I was going to like him at first. But, like his character warmed up, I warmed up to him as I got to know more about him and even learned about his past.
Compared to a lot of the other stories, this one wasn’t as much of a light romantic comedy as they have been. This one had some darkness and definite scary and intense moments. Probably what you expect with MC stories, which as I’ve mentioned, I’m not usually a fan of. But I liked how the story ended up, and can’t wait to read more from this series in the SmartyPants Romance collection!
One aspect of the Penny Reid Book Universe that I’ve always appreciated is the ability to shed light on societal norms and societal issues, and, in some way, turn them on their head, proving or disproving the commonly held perception or the nefarious damage such an opinion can have, not only on the people or person who it is directed toward, but also, on society as a whole.
A series entitled Scorned Women’s Society implies a necessity for these females to feel empowered by who they are and what they want and need; it also seems to connote the idea that other people’s perceptions and actions toward these women are based on stereotypical views – ones that may or may not reflect poorly on them but sure as heck carry lofty ideals, never truly applying them to a specific person or situation, which is exactly what should be done in order to truly understand who someone is.
What I also love about this new series is the fact that readers get to see secondary characters from Penny Reid’s series – ones who may or may not have been liked by readers – get their own stories and prove who they truly are, not what readers may have thought they were based on their actions in previous story lines.
Suzie Samuels, better known by as, Short Fuse Suze, is one such character and I loved finding out the type of woman she actually is and perhaps a bit of insight into why she did the things she did.
Ford is definitely an interesting character and his ‘research’ is something that he believes in and that allows him to step into situations he might not ordinarily be in, which may or may not work well for his findings and/or his personal interest in this particular situation as well.
From bare lady to fair lady? The stereotypical stripper is more naughty than nice, more scandalous than proper, but is that truly who Suzie is…
This was my first read by Piper Sheldon, and I definitely enjoyed her story telling and the way she allows her readers to fully see who her characters are and all that they can be as well. There is a great mix of heavy and lighthearted scenes and the way Sheldon brings the hero and heroine together and what that connection does for them is fleshed out throughout the pages of the story, and while I would have liked to see more of Ford’s ‘manly’ side, witnessing him and Suzie circle around each other was both comical and captivating.
4 Poison Apples
My Bare Lady is the story you won’t see coming! Trying to make the best of a life or death situation, Suzie and Ford are forced to work together, bringing them both out of their comfort zones. I spent most of the book trying to think of how Suzie could get out of the life she’s trapped in and live a life that would make her happy. My attention was captivated and held throughout the entire story and I wish I could read it for the first time all over again. A great start to a new series and I can’t wait for more!
First time reader here! Piper Sheldon took a little bit of Green Valley’s shady part and wrote a story about a stripper and a professor, and all the shadyness that comes with a bikers club and a debt to be paid!!
Will Suzie and Ford get their happily ever after or will Occum get his revenge on Suzie because of the money that is owed or was there ever really any money owed in the first place?
***4 Stars***
I’ve been enjoying all the various stories in the Pennyverse thus far. But this one, at least thus far, surprised me the most. Not in a bad way, though I will admit to not realizing that this story was inspired by My Fair Lady ~ not my finest moment, but it happens ~ it is more that I didn’t expect things to go the way they did. I’ll explain more about that later. But overall, this was a fun read that was filled with some amazing characters that I want to get to know better and a lot of heart.
I really liked Suzie. This woman has been through a lot in her short life and while she may not have made the best choices, she owns everything she’s done and still has that spark of hope that she can make her life a good one.Clifford aka Ford. I can honestly say I liked him in all his stiff and awkward glory. There were many moments where I really wanted to Gibbs smack some sense into him, even after finding out why he felt he needed to be so self contained, but there were also ones where I just wanted to hug him and tell him to just breath and let things ride.
As for their journey to their HEA. I have to admit that I wasn’t totally feeling the connection at the start, at least not a soul deep one. What I saw were two people who could actually be good for each other on the friendship level. They were so opposite in how they dealt with the world that I could see them evening each other out if they gave each other the chance..which they did, eventually and in the end I could definitely see them as a couple and getting the HEA they both deserve.
This is my first read by the author and I thought the writing was engaging, the pacing good and I really enjoyed the first person dual POV’s. As for the supporting cast of characters ~ Jack is AMAZEBALLS and the women of SWS were a lot of fun and I’m really looking forward to getting to know all of them a lot better. But the ‘surprise’, for me, was in how heavy this book got, especially for a book that was put on the romantic comedy shelf. I’m not saying that romcom’s can’t get deep or deal with hot topics because they can, or that I need to be laughing the entire time I’m reading, but while this one had fun moments, it just didn’t have that romcom feel for me. But outside of that, it was a fun read and definitely gave me that Green Valley vibe that I love.
~ Copy provided by Social Butterfly PR & voluntarily reviewed ~
Love, Love, love this modern day redo of Pygmalion (My Fair Lady) A very original take on this classic. It is a little on the darker, grittier side than your average RomCom.
“Your issue is not that you don’t feel, Ford. Your issue is that you feel too much.” She smiled and put her head back on my racing heart.”
Suzie and Clifford’s story is a wonderful slow burn, opposites attract romance. It really had me wondering if Ford was molding Suzie or if he was going to find all the changes within himself.
“Just because everybody says things about you, doesn’t make them true. You get to decide who you are.”
The story is a standalone, the first in a new series featuring Jethro Winston’s exes, the Scorned Women’s Society.
-4.5 Stars!-
A dark and riveting version of My Fair Lady with a stripper who only wants to dance and a professor with a dark past that keeps himself tightly leashed. Suzie dreams of dancing on a stage, without having to take off her clothes. But the Mc wants money and her drunk father takes the rest so she does not see her dream coming true. Until the owner of the club says he is putting in a VIP stage and she can be it’s star, if she can only get the stuffy professor to sign off on the new build. Clifford has no plans on signing off, but finds himself a possible donor for his research of cam turn short fuze Suze into a lady. All his dreams of helping the under privileged could be coming true, if only she didn’t drive him crazy half the time or he did not feel a loss of control around her. The Mc though won’t let her go so easily and terrorize her every chance they get. Can they get what they both want out of this arrangement? Or will their world fall apart around them and leave them alone in the rubble? I loved it so much! Especially all the Jethro references and all the characters that made this a one of a kind addition to the Green Valley World!
I don’t think I ever want to leave Green Valley and the wonderful authors from Smartypants Romance!!
My Bare Lady is a lovely twist on the Pygmalion/My Fair Lady story.
This is the story of Ford and Suzie and what a wonderful story it is! In fact when I saw that this is the first in the “Scorned Women Society” I knew I was gonna love this story hard.
Ms. Sheldon doesn’t pull any punches when she hits you with the feels! The scary moments are frightening, the swoony moments are flawless and the women’s power feeling, the love of self shines through brilliantly.
Suzie is a stripper, she knows this, she owns it, but unfortunately, she feels like that she can’t find a way to better herself and still love the dance. She is amazing as a pole dancer and I loved how Ms. Sheldon wrote the pride that Suzie had in her dance abilities.
Clifford (Ford) is as straight-laced as they come. But it’s a forced control on himself to try to hide his past. He is a bit of a snob at first, but as the relationship between him and Suzie flows, so does his charm and I fell in love with him.
The secondary characters are amazing and bring so much more to the story! I can’t wait to see what comes next from the “Scorned Women Society”!!
Overall Grade: ++
One of my favorite movies of all time is My Fair Lady. I’m a HUGE musicals kind of girl, and Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison have a chemistry that just seems to work in a way that seems unexplainable. Plus, I’m a girl who loves a makeover story, especially one that changes both the hero and heroine. In her newest book, My Bare Lady, Piper Sheldon treats us to a spin on this Pygmalion story, and it’s everything you love about romance.
Suzie aka “Short Fuse Suze” is a stripper at the G-spot. She’s been a biker babe, associated in the past with the Iron Wraiths, the biker gang of Green Valley. Yet, Suzie is more than a stripper or a biker babe; she’s compassionate, protective, and intelligent. Unfortunately, those traits seem lost to her outward appearance. Enter Clifford aka Ford. Clifford is an adjunct professor at the University of Tennesse who is studying human behavior to assert that, given opportunities, people can be more than their past. As an engineering professor, he also moonlights as a property inspector. This job finds him at the G-Spot, inspecting renovations. He determines there are problems, and he cannot approve the plans. On leaving the strip club, he happens to see Suzie dance, and he is instantly attracted to her, but his staid and buttoned-up persona distances him from her. The owner of the G Spot is unhappy with Clifford’s refusal to sign off on his plans, and he decides to use Suzie to persuade Clifford to approve his plans. During a pre-arranged event, Clifford makes a bet with a wealthy local businessman for funding his research by asserting that he can change people’s perceptions of Suzie by giving her opportunities to improve. What Clifford fails to realize initially is the impact Suzie will have on changing him.
Piper Sheldon’s My Bare Lady takes the Pygmalion story and dials it up a notch. There is so much to this story beyond the changes of its hero and heroine. This story focuses on self-fulfilling prophecies as defining one’s life; it focuses on preconceived judgments based on one’s appearance; it’s about addiction; and it’s about the differences between the theories of academia vs. the application in the real world. There is so much headiness to Sheldon’s story that a lesson is learned with each turn of the page. She’s challenging us to consider privilege and its effect on one’s life. She’s reminding us that women are more than objects through her heroine, Suzie. And she does this in ways that are seamless to the story.
Intertwined in these messages is an irreverent romance between seemingly two different people. Except that they are more alike than different, we note as their romance develops. Clifford grows into his new name, Ford (a moniker given to him by Suzie), as the story progresses. As his controlled personality loses its strength, he becomes so much more likable. From his appearance through to this research, he is so composed and almost robotic that he needs the messiness of Suzie to allow him freedom of personality. His journey, honestly, is my favorite party of My Bare Lady. It would be easy to offer that honor to Suzie, but she’s the heart of this book.
Suzie is every woman who has been told that she can’t be more, who has been diminished. She’s been marked figuratively (and sometimes literally) by men who don’t believe in her value. It begins with her father and ends with Occum, the strip club owner, and the other bikers. When you are told you nothing more than a pretty face, you live your life with that restriction. When Ford helps her see her value beyond her appearance, it’s magical. However, reading her vacillate between this truth and her previous understanding of herself can be disheartening at times. Yet, isn’t this the way of us? Don’t we undermine our sense of self based on other’s sense of us? Sheldon points us to this through the characterization of Suzie. It’s a reminder that we can be more, that we are not defined by our past, our looks, our skillset, etc. My heart ached so many times for Suzie, and I was thankful she finally found her happy ending.
There is a depth to Piper Sheldon’s My Bare Lady, one that runs deeper than its inspiration. Through the romance of Ford and Suzie, she admonishes us to consider our perceptions of others. Do we only see the surface value of those around us? Do we foster their growth, offering them opportunities to be more? What is society’s responsibility for providing opportunities to the lives of those born with very little? It’s not often that a book brings these social issues to the surface in the light-heartedness of romance. And trust me, the levity of romance is still here in the teasing of Suzie and Ford’s change of personality. But My Bare Lady is something more: it’s a representation of the marriage of social ideals and sweet, sexy fun. And it shouldn’t be missed.
“Everybody should be treated with a minimal amount of respect and consideration. That’s a right, not a privilege.”
How can you not fall in love with Clifford Rutledge? Despite being all bottled up and a bit frustrating at times, he’s a well of goodness. He’s got such depth and a huge heart. Susie Samuels never stood a chance. And Susie! She’s fierce and brave and all good things. It’s impossible not to be captivated by her.
This book was everything I hoped for from the SmartyPants Romance initiative. The characters have depth that makes them feel real. The story blew me away with plot twists I didn’t see coming and real-world social issues.
I was excited to learn that this is the first in the Scorned Women’s Society. I can’t wait for the other stories Piper Sheldon has in store for us.
Who doesn’t like an opposite attracts kind of book? Suzie and Clifford couldn’t be more different, but at the same time they both want to be themselves. This is my first book by Piper and I can sincerely say that I’m in love with her words. This was a delicious book to read, profound and emotional at times, but the perfect addition to the Smartypants Romance Universe. I can’t wait to read more about the Scorned Women and more of Piper’s books.
I have to say that when I saw the title and read the blurb for this book I was so excited! My Fair Lady is a movie & play that I’ve seen many times, and I couldn’t wait to get a SmartyPants take on the story…it was ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL!
Piper created a grittier and much more emotional journey than I expected. Suzie has been treated like trash & used her entire life. I just want to hug her! I loved that we get to see how she learns that she has more worth than just her face & body! And Ford….he such a curmudgeon! He’s keeps all of his feelings locked up and has a hard time accepting that Suzie makes him feel…A LOT!
I think watching these two learn to show the other how they’re loved unconditionally was so heart wrenchingly beautiful.
I can’t wait to see what other amazing Scorned Women books we get in the future!
Outstanding, with complicated, layered characters you feel for with laughter, love, and tears
Book 1 in the Scorned Women’s Society, part of the Penny Reid book universe, Green Valley world, this is another new to me author. This can easily be read as a standalone; while reading Grin and Beard It, Jethro’s story, would probably help fill in a little background, that Jethro is very different from the Iron Wraiths’ Jethro who inspired the Scorned Women’s Society.
I expected an updated take on My Fair Lady/Pygmalion based on the title and blurb, and I got that and so much more. While this version has plenty of humor, there are dark themes underpinning it as well. Suzie is caught up in the MC world; while she has escaped Razor and the Iron Wraiths, it’s only through gaining the protection of the Black Demons, a rival MC gang. She loves dancing but desperately wants to get away from stripping, though her boss, Occum, is pressuring her to do more than just strip if it gets him what he wants, and I really felt for her: “I felt like I was giving something of myself away I could never get back.”
Clifford aka Ford has his own set of pressures to deal with, as he needs grants in order to fund his research, which will in turn gain him the tenure he’s been working towards, and even more importantly, allow him to make a difference in the world. In fact, Suzie and Ford have much more in common than is apparent at first glance. For instance, they’re both passionate people with similar pasts, passion Suzie expresses through her dance, and occasionally, emotional outbursts (“Set one bike on fire and suddenly you had a reputation.”), and passion that Ford suppresses with his rigid control so that to most people, he seems almost emotionless. Suzie sees it, though: “‘Your issue is not that you don’t feel, Ford. Your issue is that you feel too much.’ She smiled and put her head back on my racing heart. I froze at her words. Despite my best effort to hide everything, she’d seen right through me. She saw everything. All my control was pointless.”
If Suzie sees Ford, he sees her right back; the whole point of the research he’s so desperate to get funding for is to be able to provide opportunities for people most of society deems as without the potential to amount to anything. He KNOWS she has worth: “The idea that people could be treated so casually as objects had always boggled my mind. Who decided who was of value and who was expendable?”
There are several great secondary characters adding to the story, including Gretchen of the Society, and Ford’s best friend and foster brother, Jack, both of whom I hope to see more from. There are also several characters who can only be labeled as villains who serve to amp up the threat and suspense. And speaking of the plot, while you can guess the general outline from the My Fair Lady theme, the devil is in the details, and while I may have suspected there was a lot going on behind the scenes (there was), most of what was actually happening wasn’t what I expected.
So far I’ve read eleven of the twelve pennyverse stories in this first round of releases: all have been good, several have been excellent, and this is one of the two that were so outstanding I felt they could have been written by Penny Reid herself, which is my highest compliment (though I did feel this was a bit darker than the Winston Brothers books typically are). Complicated, layered characters you feel for with laughter, love, and tears, and plenty of tension and suspense that keep you turning those pages all make this another favorite. 5+ stars
B2B Kelly
I loved this book. The journey these two characters went on, was beautiful and very inspirational.
I definitely recommend this book, this series, and this author.
I “met” this author on TikTok and she was generous enough to send me a few of her books to read! I fell in love with the covers, let me tell you! Of course, it’s the inside you want to hear about.
I was not disappointed. This book started off strong and just got better as I turned the pages. One thing I truly love is when an author tells you a song title and artist in their story so you can go listen as you read and feel as if you are there. I got that a few times with this book and was so happy (and I got some new songs to add to various playlists on my Spotify!) In addition to the musical descriptions, the author describes people and places in a manner that lets the reader truly see what she’s seeing but not in a way that makes it dull to read.
I’m a sucker for a romance in which neither of them realizes how the other feels, that’s what we get with this couple. Each is afraid, in their own way, to truly let loose and let someone in that deep. I also love how great the supporting characters are and I’m sure to love each tale of the Scorned Women Society as much as this first one.
Thanks again to the author for sharing her creations with me, I’ve already begun reading The Treble with Men and am hooked again!