I think that maybe I was just not the best audience for this book. While it was incredibly interesting to learn more about sex workers, I’m definitely not the target demo. I wished that there was more made into the mystery of Dino’s disappearance, but unfortunately it was more a slice of life of a sex worker in San Francisco. I began to feel as paranoid as Ruth, the main character, throughout the story while listening, which is an ode to good writing. It was enthralling at times, but I left wondering who this book was even targeted towards. The narrator did a great job of bringing the story to life, however. The writing kept me entertained, but it was one that left me wanting more and wondering the point of the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced listening copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

The cover of this one really caught my eye. I went into it not really knowing what all to expect. I was a bit disappointed with the lack of plot that this could have had. I think for the amount it did have, it could have been quite a bit shorter.

The audio was okay. It was a little choppy at times and wasn’t my favorite.

Review: Soft Core by Brittany Newell (Audiobook) – Did Not Finish
This one wasn’t quite my jam, but I can see how it might appeal to listeners who enjoy introspective, experimental narratives. The premise had promise, and the audiobook performance was solid, but I just couldn’t connect with the pacing or tone. Might be a better fit for fans of literary fiction with a more abstract or conceptual vibe.

I’m so sorry to the author, but I really don’t know what I just listened to. This seemed like it would be an intriguing story of grief, exploration of what caused said grief, and exploration into the world of Dominatrixes, but it really did not do any of that other than describe the sadness around the grief.

The main character to me seemed like she lacked personality, lacked charisma, and couldn’t really function like a normal human at all. She seemed to really not have a whole lot of concern for Dino’s well-being or whereabouts after a short time which was extremely odd to me; you mean to tell me that the man you loved goes POOF and you don’t call the police regardless if he told you to not get the authorities involved?! I’m sorry but WHAT?! And then she sees him everywhere she goes only that it’s not really him? And then she does run into him (though I couldn’t really tell you if it really was Dino or not) at a bus stop, sleeps with him, and then the story ends with him coming back but not even explaining where he was or what he was doing…?! HUH?! What is that about?! At some point, Ruth/Baby, the lead character, starts to get random seemingly stalker-like notes but then we never really get a concrete answer of who placed them in her locker (unless I completely missed something). Also, the whole bit of Emmeline copying Baby and being Charlie’s daughter essentially went nowhere.

Overall, this felt like a bunch of threads that never connected and, I’m sorry to say, a waste of time for me. I am truly sorry to the author. I cannot recommend this to others.

Honestly, this was everything I want in a book. The author did an amazing job on this one. This is the first I’ve listened to from this author and I look forward to reading more. The narrator was also really great to listen to. She had a great voice and easy to understand.

An interesting, intrusive look at the life of a sex worker. This book felt like a diary. A memoir. An exploration of madness. I enjoyed the writing; however, I thought there would be more structure around the disappearance. Read this for a fascinating perspective in an unhinged manner.

The audiobook narrated by Christine Lakin brought to life the main characters personality through the various situations she found herself in. She was also easily understood at faster speeds.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and author Brittany Newell for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This audio book was very strange. At times, it was hard to follow who was who with the singular narrator. She did not change voices for different people, or if she did, it wasn't done well.

The book follows Ruth, but she mostly calls herself Baby, her stripper name. She lives with her ex-boyfriend, Dino. He suddenly disappears, but then she seems to see him everywhere, but it isn't really him. The book was confusing for me. Very hard to follow. If you're curious, pick it up, but maybe get the physical copy instead of the audio.

Thank you for the copy, this is my honest opinion. Please be aware of any trigger warnings, as your mental health is most important.
#MacAudio2024 #MacAudio2025

The synopsis gave the impression that this book would be far more adventurous than it actually was. Instead, it focused more on the character's daily life as a sex worker rather than an engaging plot it more suggested (“woman’s search for missing boyfriend takes her into the sexual underground world” sounds more mysterious/touch of thrill when it’s not so much). I couldn’t connect with the main character, which made it difficult to stay invested. I’m glad I opted for the audiobook instead of reading it, as I doubt I would have had the patience to follow the story otherwise.

This book did not seem to fit the description. It was more or less about random life stuff, less raunchy lol.

This needed some serious trigger warnings in the description. If it had I would not have picked this up. I am definitely not the target audience for this. Don't get my wrong, I like spice and I love a good bdsm story but the level of kink in this book was beyond my limit. Had to dnf after the beer scene.

In Soft Core, we are introduced to Ruth, who lives in a crumbling Victorian with her ex-boyfriend, Dino, in San Francisco. Ruth has recently begun working as a dancer at a strip club, where she calls herself Baby Blue and spend her nights seducing patrons from all walks of life. But then Dino, who Ruth is still very much emotionally attached to, disappears, leaving Ruth feeling adrift. She finds her way into San Francisco’s seedy sadomasochistic underbelly, reflecting on her life and forging some surprising relationships along the way.

The description of Soft Core makes it sound like Ruth is on an epic quest to find Dino, but that’s not really the case. Instead the novel, much like Ruth herself, is a bit aimless. It reads like a series of scenes rather than a book with a firm beginning, middle, and end. We are simply in Ruth’s head for this phase of her life, experiencing what she experiences; that’s the whole book. And I’m not necessarily saying that’s a bad thing. This is a deeply felt character study, incredibly intimate in its telling, that is both insightful and subversive. Brittany Newell is a phenomenal writer and a daring one, walking just the right side of a line between edgy and sensationalistic. Soft Core offers an unflinching look at the adult entertainment industry, with a seductive, fever-dream-like feeling to the prose. It really embraces its seedier qualities, while also offering a sensitive and complex portrayal of a sex worker. I was captivated by it all the way through, although I’m still not quite sure how I feel about the ending.

I listened to the audiobook read by Christine Lakin, who really brought Ruth to life for me with her intimate narration. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the complimentary reading opportunity.

I love the way that Newell writes. This book was just so interesting and I loved peeking into the life of a fictional sex worker written by a sex worker. Although the book was really fun to read, I feel like there wasn’t a strong story overall. 3.5 stars rounded up.

It felt like two books meshed into one - it didn’t pay off.

I really enjoyed the club scenes and would've loved to read more but I didn't care about the relationship with Dino. It felt like there were two different plots occurring at the same same but overall would've preferred to read about the club vs her filling the void / looking for Dino. Especially since, as the reader, felt no connection to his character or as a means for them getting back together.

This book came highly recommended by a friend, so I was very excited to listen to the audiobook narrated by the talented Christine Lakin. Unfortunately, I think this just wasn't for me right now. Even after making it about 25% of the way into the book, I'm not quite sure what the plot was?

The story loosely follows the daily life of Ruth, aka Baby, an exotic dancer who is currently living with her ex-boyfriend. You get glimpses of her past relationships, but in a sort of clinical way that doesn't reveal much about the main character and her motivations. The writing is excellent and witty, and the narration is great, but unfortunately, it ultimately wasn't enough to keep me engaged.

A really fun read that was also super mysterious and dark. I liked it but didn’t love it. It had moments where it reminded me of Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me. I found there was a whole lot going on and a lot of jumping back and forth in the story where I was often confused as to what was going on and where we were In the story, the pacing wasn’t awesome. I will probably forget about this book if I’m being honest. It seems as though I’m in the minority as a lot of folks loved this one. I liked it but it was maybe not for me.

Soft Core by Brittany Newell was so good and was an immediate recommendation to all my friends once I finished listening. A solid 4.5 stars for me. I was lucky enough to be given an ARC of the audiobook and was not disappointed. The narrator Christine Lakin did a phenomenal job differentiating the cast of characters and all their voices. I was immediately hooked by her voice and can not imagine this story being read by anyone else. Her tone was perfect for our main character Ruth/Baby/Ms. Sunday. I will be keeping an eye out for any other audiobooks narrated by Lakin.

Now focusing on the actual plot of Soft Core and what to expect...let me just say this: UNHINGED WOMAN. If you love an unreliable narrator who is also just a girl, this book is for you. More of a vibes-over-plot kind of book, but it also follows more of a plot than other books that fit this genre. The readers are genuinely taking a peek into Ruthie's life in one of her hardest moments. The vibes are simultaneously intense, but also mundane. That mood is set for the entirety of the story. Soft Core focuses on our main character Ruth who is a stripper in San Francisco and also goes by Baby at the club. It takes you through her everyday life as a sex worker, while also living with her recent drug dealer ex-boyfriend Dino, who she is still in love with by the way. They live in this old Victorian house together and the readers get to see the memories they have made through Ruth's flashbacks as she reflects on their relationship. These flashbacks are passionate and intimate and is the readers' only lens they have of knowing Dino because he disappears.

Quickly, the readers learn that this isn't the first time Dino disappears, given his profession. Thus, Ruthie continues stripping and living her life However, our girl is struggling hard. By Dino disappearing, the weight of the breakup further pushes Ruthie into a heavy blanket of grief. The writings in these sections were so relatable. But this story gets crazy quickly, especially when we are introduced to mysterious characters. My favorites are Emmaline, the newest and most hated stripper at the club attempting to befriend Baby, and Nobody an e-mail client who fetishized s*icide who she meets when she also becomes a dominatrix. Throughout this, Baby/Ruth tries to find Dino in strangers throughout her day and you start to wonder if it is truly Dino. Newell did such an amazing job and I won't stop talking about Soft Core for the next few months.

Now, the only thing that takes this away from being a five-star read is some of the loose ends. I felt that most were necessary and left perfectly as they were. But other relationships, felt completely cut off, as if there was more for Ruth to explore there. I felt this, especially with Nobody. Overall, I ate this up and heavily enjoyed it as an audiobook.

Huge thank you to Brittany Newell and Macmillan Aduio for the advanced audiobook copy.

This book fell a little flat for me, between the open gaps in Dino's disappearance and the lack of storyline/plot. I just thought this book would be better than what it was. A lot of the everyday sex work scenes and commentary just became repetitive and were rather boring.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy.

The description of this book was sooo intriguing, but I just could not get into it. I made it about 20% before giving up. I was eager to start this, but after I did I just was not excited to pick it back up. Felt a bit aimless -- like there was no clear plot or goal to the story. The strip club/sex work aspects were definitely intriguing and I wanted to keep reading if only to hear more about that world, but still just wasn't enough to keep me interested. I saw another review describe this as "underwhelming" and I think that was just the right word. Disappointed!

Soft Core was such a wonder of a book. Reading the description, I assumed it would be a light book but it was so powerful and impactful. Brittany Newell has written a wonderful piece on grief, loneliness and human connection. The narrator was wonderful and really added to the atmosphere of the book. I loved this novel and look forward to reading more of the authors work.

THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!!!

A unique story that I could not put down. Soft Core follows Baby, an exotic dancer, who finds herself slowly descending into madness when her drug-dealer boyfriend falls off the face of the earth. While looking for him (and in ways herself) she finds herself joining a BDSM, but things quickly take a turn.

Part literary thriller, part slice-of-life story - Soft Core was such an enticing read. The audiobook was impossible to put down. I will definitely be recommending this one.