Guest Review: Undressed – Avery Astor

Milan’s notorious playboy, Massimo Tittoni, seems to have everything–Lamborghinis, exotic women, palaces throughout Europe and business success. Ramping up his fabric company to go global with a new apparel brand, he ruthlessly stops supplying fabrics to the American client who inspired the collection. But once they meet, what’s he willing to give to get her in his bed?

Upper East Side designer Lex Easton will be damned if she’ll let an Italian stud muffin knock her down. So what if she named her favorite vibrator after him. With Fashion Week approaching, she’ll do whatever it takes to secure the fabrics she needs to become the next Diane von Furstenburg– even sleep with her rival. But when she arrives in Europe the paparazzi chronicles her every move and she finds herself in a situation never imagined. Lex’s Louboutins stilettos are dug in deep to win this war. All’s fair in love and fashion!

Avery Aster’s super-glossy debut novel is loaded with passionate escapism, pitting American ambition against Italian tradition. Erotic romance fans who appreciate extended sex scenes, witty banter and glamour mustn’t miss Undressed.

Inside Scoop: Though the hero and heroine remain monogamous, their Prada-wearing friends indulge in a ménage a trois and other fashionable sexual fun and games.

ABOUT THE MANHATTANITES:

It’s a series of full length novels focusing on relationships. Each book may be read as a stand alone and features a HEA w/ closure for the couple’s story. If you’ve enjoyed TV shows like Girls (HBO), Dirty Sexy Money (ABC), and The Bold & the Beautiful (CBS) then you’ll love this series. Avery’s characters are over the top. They have raunchy sex, speak their minds and the plots are twisted. (In a good way!)

Series:  The Manhattanites #1
Release Date:  February 15, 2013
Publisher:  Ellora’s Cave
Source:  Provided by Author
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Reviewer’s Thoughts:

Undressed is a book that begins with a great premise and storyline. A desperate business owner and fashion designer goes to Milan in a last ditch attempt to get the fabrics needed to keep her company afloat and finds love.  The storyline went wrong in so many ways it’s painful to describe.

Lex Easton daughter of a famous rock star and former playmate.  The author seemed unable to make up her mind whether Lex would be strong and fearless or weak and vulnerable.  You see her character vacillate so often it’s like reading about someone with multiple personalities.  One minute she is determined to do anything including having sex with him to save her company and the next she is turning down a 300 million dollar offer plus salary and benefits.  She watches a threesome between 2 men and a woman and runs away when she is caught.  Is this the action of an adventurous Manhattanite bent on seducing someone?  She gets into a fight after a woman is photographed licking her mouth.  She runs away because of the bad press and her fear of comparisons to her parents. She had a black eye, cut on her face, and blood in her mouth.  That’s evidence enough to set the record straight.  The antics were endless and the story went nowhere.

Prince Massoni was the strangest and probably most aloof hero in any romance novel–not that I would bill this book as romance.  He has his penis poised at the opening to Lex’s vagina twice and decides not to enter.  What?? Who does that?  This man is described as having the circumference of a water bottle and length to boot.  He’s had many sexscapdes and is known to be very liberal in his sexuality and he all of a sudden clams up when he looks at her and knows she will want a commitment?  Later the author reveals he’s been abstinent for six months which makes it even less believable that he would simply zip up and leave after realizing that he loves her too much to hurt her.  There was no chemistry and rarely any companionship between them to foster love.  The author had absolutely no buildup to the realization that he was in love.  The reader is reading about them getting ready to have sex and suddenly love just pops up?

The book ended awkwardly with them both declaring love, her running away, and him chasing her and proposing.  There was no resolution to their conflict regarding lifestyles or merging businesses.  I wish I could snatch back the time I spent reading this.

The language was very coarse.  There were expletives mixed in with cunts and cocks.  The author threw in references to pop culture figures and even went so far as to have the characters pray to God and top fashion figures. It was mildly interesting the first time but after about the 100th time Lex prays to God, Versace and Chanel you just want to scream.

There was absolutely no romance and the few steamy scenes were ruined by too much inane conversation and let’s face it what

I couldn’t wait to finish this book, and I was sorely disappointed that such a great premise could go so wrong.  I would not recommend this book.