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.
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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!
First of all, I love this series and was so happy with second book in the series! I did not want to put it down. The Valenti Family is embarking on a Home Repair/Flip/Hgtv-esque show on the whim of their father. So if you LOVE watching these types of shows, then this behind the scenes story will suck you right in! The characters Sofia, Adrian, Dom, Jo, Frankie, Jake all pop up from the first book too.
I love the characters. Enzo is so easy to fall in love with. Loves his family, wants to help everyone and has been putting his own dreams on the back burner for too long. Natalie is so identifiable with any mom (myself included). Her insecurities and worries to keep her little family afloat is so real. Natalie shines though with her talent and humor and her life struggles. Natalie’s daughter, Daisy, is also a great character in the book. She was fun and written very well.
It is such a fun read with depth and moments that will pull at your heart strings…. now I’m off to go find the extended epilogue!!!
Escaping from a bad childhood when she found out she was pregnant, Natalie has only relied upon herself. It was Natalie and her daughter Daisy for the past 6 years. As a single mom, Natalie has never had anyone she can rely on. Everyone always leaves. It’s all on her to keep them safe.
Loving his family and wanting to help, as much as he wants out from under his family, Lorenzo ‘Enzo’ Valenti feels like he has to be there for them, so he feels like he’s giving up his dream.
Natalie is the make-up artist on the Million Dollar Starter Home show. Enzo is the landscape architect for Valenti Construction working with the show, and gets made up every day. There is definitely a spark of attraction between the two. Their attraction was never acted upon until circumstances have the two of them living next door to each other.
I enjoyed their interaction, although Natalie was a bit hard on Enzo when he just wanted to help. She got a little pushy and Enzo got a little whipped. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the book and the whole story was fabulous. I just felt like there could have been a bit more give and take from Natalie. I understand her point…I just didn’t know how she could not see how fabulous Enzo was!
Daisy stole everyone’s hearts. I love her!
Natalie Carras is a makeup artist and doesn’t have an easy time of life being a single Mom. The best part of her job is getting to have her hands all over Lorenzo(Enzo) Valenti a landscaper and on show talent. She tries to avoid complications of relationships in her life because she expects everyone to leave in the end like her Mom and her daughter Daisy’s father did. Beautiful love story about healing and learning to change through love!
I really loved this book. It’s the second in the Exposed Dreams series and was as great ( or better) than the first. What really got to me was how Enzo really loved Natalie’s daughter, Daisy. Some of the scenes between them, especially toward the end, had me all teary eyed. This family is fun and loving! Can’t wait for the next installment! I already pre-ordered it!
Stripped Down by Eva Moore
Stripped Down is a story about single mom Natalie Carras and her adorable little girl Daisy. Natalie has been on her own since the day she found out that she was pregnant. She has struggled but she and Daisy are both healthy and happy.
Enzo is stuck in the family business. He started working there to help out when his brother passed away, but he has found himself stuck there years later mowing grass and digging flower beds. This is not the path he dreamed of while getting his degree.
Natalie is the makeup artist on set at the Valenti family’s show, but she is hoping to be discovered and make it in the movie business.
This is a beautiful story of love and happiness and deserving the blessings you receive!
I enjoyed this book. I had a little problem relating to Natalie. Her almost militarist need to stay independent turned me off. I completely understand where the character was coming from, but she was almost paranoid about accepting help from anyone. I found Enzo to be completely relatable and endearing. Daisy’s character was just the pip! I look forward to reading more books by this author.
I really, really, REALLY wanted to give this five stars. I LOVED the first book, Opened Up. I was stoked to receive an ARC of this book. I was loving it til about 3/4 of the way through. I’ll try and explain a bit further into my review without giving spoilers.
Natalie is a single mom, make up artist and youtuber. She has been abandoned over and over and over by all the people who were supposed to love her in her life. So she has a HUGELY MASSIVE wall built up around not only her heart, but her entire life. Ms. Moore gave Natalie a dramatic enough background that I could absolutely understand why she pushed Enzo away so much. But towards the end of the book it got a little excessive.
ENZO. Has a more perfectly perfect hero ever been written? I’m don’t think so! He was EVERYTHING. He not only is reliable, caring, kind and loves his family but he WANTS a long term relationship and has been actively searching for commitment. Does that kind of man actually exist in real life? I’m sure he does but I have yet to find him in real life, so I’ll take Enzo in the meantime!
Natalie DID NOT deserve all of Enzo’s attention and love. I’m not saying she was unlovable and a horrible person, but I didn’t think that she did anything to earn his love. If Enzo’s character had of been anything less than what he was (i.e. flakey, a player, aggressive, domineering, bossy, etc…) then I probably would have hated this book.
Going back to the point 3/4 of the way through that made me drop a star……Natalie reacts to something that happens to her but also greatly involves Enzo in a way that made me FURIOUS with her. I don’t want to spoil it so I’m not going to say what it is, but I couldn’t believe her selfishness to “protect” her daughter and herself. Thankfully Enzo finds out and gives her the shakedown she needs and she FINALLY accepts his love.
Also, thank heaven for little Daisy! Natalie’s six year old daughter really enhanced the story and I loved all of her scenes with Enzo especially.
There are two sex scenes in this book. Both in the first 65% of the book. Detailed but not super explicit. Only a few uses of the F word were used.
I’m really looking forward to the next book! Hopefully the next heroine won’t be so stubborn for nearly the entire book!
Stripped Down is Book 2 in the Exposed Dreams series, bringing us more of the Valenti Family. Natalie is a single mom used to relying on herself to support herself and her daughter, Daisy. Part of her solitude is just a factor of being a single parent, but a lot is also a factor of being beat down by life and unsupported by those who should have had her back, including her own mother. Natalie tries to keep her own dreams alive but it’s tough going. Enzo is the landscaper of the Valenti family business. He wants to use his degree and do fabulous landscape architecture and design, not just dig ditches and mow lawns. But his natural motivation is to help – help his family, help the family business, help the family reality show, often while forgetting to take care of his own dreams. Both Natalie and Enzo need to learn to trust that someone else can be there for them, believe in them, support them and LOVE them; and that they can work towards their dreams TOGETHER. Learning to both love and trust is one of the hardest parts about falling in love, and Moore grabs this perfectly with Natalie and Enzo. Add in the most adorable little girl, Daisy, and how can you not cheer for this family in the making? I love the continuing view into the larger Valenti family, too. Who doesn’t love a big, loud, loving family full of people with big hearts! There is plenty of heat between Enzo and Natalie and the sexy times are well placed and yes, hot. Stripped Down hits all the romance points perfectly. Contemporary romance fans should grab this one for sure! Highly recommend and I can’t wait for the next installment of the Exposed Dreams series.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly…. I loved this book. It’s the second in the series, and in my opinion it’s the best so far. Enzo & Nat are real characters with all the flaws – mostly pride and stubborn streaks as long as my arm – but they also recognize their shortcomings and work hard to overcome them. They work hard for their HEA, which makes it all the more sweet when it finally comes. And of course, the love scenes are SMOKING hot. Especially the ‘foreplay’… who knew a make up tutorial could be so erotic???
And the secondary characters….. they are just as engaging, without overwhelming the leads. I am looking forward to their stories as well.
Overall this was a great read. I highly recommend to all.