Fvck this is good. Wow.

When I'd joke in college that I should just strip, THIS is what I'd meant (well aspired for, no telling if I'd be any good lol)
Brittany Newell makes it abundantly clear that dancing isn't "easy money". It's taking control of, monetizing, and extricating from yourself what the world wants from you (i.e., women) anyway. In this way she's able to give a glimpse of what puts the "club" in "strip club" for its dancers. She humanizes the club to a point of mundanity. In the relationships we

The authenticity of her writing leaves no choice but to let go of any taboos on the topic. This is what I was hoping for from the movie Hustlers, and then some (tbh the movie doesn't even deserve this comparison, but I don't have much else to go on) THIS is empowering. THIS is true to life (trusting Brittany here, and idt she'd steer us wrong). THIS is the kind of lit I need more of.

Since finishing, I went down a rabbit hole and discovered Chapter 1 was initially published as a short story, Baby. Thanks to Baby, she was awarded a grant that helped give her the ability to write Soft Core in full. Now with FSG is publishing, I have my fingers crossed we'll get a lot more from Brittany, grant or not.

It should go without saying that Christine Lakin did this novel justice in her narration, she doesn't miss.

How a novel can be simultaneously THIS gritty and THIS stunningly beautiful is beyond me.
I can't wait to watch Soft Core blow up, the attention it's already receiving is unquestionably deserved and will just compound after pub day.

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, the incredibly intelligent & down to Earth Brittany Newell, Christine Lakin, FSG and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review! FSG, I forgive you for denying my initial NG request <3 hehe)

I thought I was going to like this one, but it fell flat to me.

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Okay... now... for the review...

What I thought was going to be an amusing and interesting book about a stripper and sex worker turned into a slow descent into mental illness. And even that would have been fine because I do enjoy books about characters who slowly (or quickly) lose their minds.

But this one.... the end fell flat, and the unreliable narrator was TOO unreliable. It went beyond just trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't into actually trying to make any kind of sense out of the book as a whole.

There was also very little point to the book (that I could see). Instead, it was just page after page of ... let's call it testimony. And since the "testimony" was unreliable, it wasn't even a good testimony.

It read like an angsty teenager's diary if that teenager liked to lie a lot about what actually happened in her life.

Overall, it wasn't for me.

Perhaps I am not the audience for this book? The main character felt deeply interested in herself in a decidedly Gen Z way—I found myself rolling my eyes way too many times to count. That said, her age-appropriate, solipsistic tale of silly choices was delivered in such gorgeously evocative lyrical prose, even this grouchy ol’ Gen X-er stuck with her to the very end. The non-judgmental, straightforward sex positivity was refreshing (if perhaps a little more cis/het than one would expect in today’s San Francisco). The narrator delivers, sounding believably smug and immature yet completely compelling.

This story took me on an intense emotional journey. At its core, it’s about a search—she sets out looking for someone, but along the way, she discovers so much more about herself. The themes were heavy and often difficult, but the way they were explored kept me deeply engaged, pulling me into a world filled with both pain and hope.

The main character was truly unforgettable. I became deeply attached to her, feeling every step of her journey as she navigated the challenges and revelations that came her way. Her search for answers ultimately led to a profound personal transformation, and watching her grow was both moving and inspiring.

By the time I reached the end, I wasn’t ready to let go. I wished there was more, as the story and its characters had left a lasting impression on me. It’s rare to find a book that lingers in your thoughts long after you’ve finished, but this one did exactly that.

Ａｕｄｉｏｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
2.5 ☆
Ruth is lost. She’s living with her ex-boyfriend Dino, a ketamine dealer with a lingerie habit. When she starts dancing at a strip club, she becomes Baby Blue, seductress of crypto bros, outcasts, and old lovers alike. Plunged into this swirling underworld of beautiful women, fast cash, ungodly hours, and strangers’ secrets, Baby’s grip on reality begins to loosen. She is sure she can handle it—until one autumn morning when Dino disappears without a trace.

Yea, this book is something else. She is described as a stripper, but she is more of a sex worker. I enjoy stories with explicit sexual content, but some of the scenes made me cringe. I just think I wasn't the targeted audience for this story. I was confused almost the entire storyline, and the first 5% of the book had me looking crazy with all the stuff Baby was doing. Yea, this book was different.

The audiobook was good. The narrator did a good job telling the story. Easy to understand and listen to. Listen at 2.5x speed.

Thank you, Netgellay, and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Arc for Review - to be published February 4, 2025.
This wasn’t a bad book. But it really doesn’t have much of a story line. It sort of floats all over.

It follows a dancer named Baby and her life with her boyfriend and also her work life. It has a little bit of mystery but it just doesn’t really fit well with the setting. It just is there and sets it up for a few chapters. It has some smut, humor, and a good story line. But I kept waiting for it to get better and it sort of faded off by the end. I would read this author again but I feel there needs to be more of a story line.

I received a free ARC audiobook via NetGalley, but opinions are my own. Based on the title and cover, I wasn’t sure if I was in for more than I bargained for. However, I’m willing to give most books a shot and am easily intrigued by “out there” books.

I wouldn’t have guessed it before I started, but the analogies and metaphors in this book were quite beautiful, despite often being about more taboo topics.
Yes, this book absolutely focused on topics meant for a mature reader. Stripping, sex, the female body. However, this book really didn’t feel “dirty.” I enjoyed Ruth’s journey of self discovery throughout the book.

This book was addicting to listen to, and kind of felt like a guilty pleasure reality TV show. I really liked the narrator as well and am glad I gave it a chance. My critique would be about the ending. I’m not sure it really felt finished, but admittedly I am one who likes things wrapped up neatly. Additionally, the plot seemed to be missing something as I’m not sure it really “went anywhere.” This may be why I feel the way I do about the ending.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen and review!

An important point to know going into this book is that the synopsis is a little misleading. It’s not a mystery or a mad dash search; we aren’t stepping into a “sexual underworld” to find a missing ex. It’s a slice of life, vibes over plot, emotional look into a woman’s days and nights as a sex worker as she struggles with her ex-boyfriend going MIA. Ruth, AKA Baby, slowly unravels as she tries to figure out where he went and why.

SOFT CORE was an interesting and engaging read. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was great. It lent well to the vibe of hearing someone’s diary entries. It read like musings found in the chapters of a tell-all memoir. (You can’t convince me that these sexual scenario aren’t ones the author encountered or was told about!) Baby tells us about her ex, friends, co-workers, customers, and heartbreaks.

As Baby works nights as a stripper, days at a BDSM club, and fights her growing loneliness, she starts to lose her grip on reality and I felt that through her narration. I was never quite sure if everything she said was true, even at the very end. She’s self-destructive, hungry for love, and afraid to lose was she’s managed to grasp.

I had a good time and if you enjoy character-driven stories or quick peeks into character’s lives, I’d recommend. Nothing shocking or solacious IMO; but a realistic depiction of a 20-something woman trying to keep up.

I’ll definitely be going back to pick up the author’s debut.

The description of the book that's on Goodreads vs the one on Net Galley is pretty different. She doesn't start working at the strip club to find her ex boyfriend.

This book was not what I was expecting. It reminded me of Go Ask Alice by Anonymous but for a modern 20 something. I think it did a good job of showing you a sample of what working at a strip club is like (yes I would know). Other than that the plot was chaotic. Take Dino out of the equation and it could just be about our main character and trying to figure herself out. The Dino aspects were just odd.

I had an audio Arc for this. The narrator was perfection.

So I THOROUGLY enjoyed this. The ending was just so confusing?? What happened? I'm going to possibly need to relisten to the last 30 or so minutes to wrap my head around it. I LOVED the writing, though. I'm just really. really. confused.

Absolutely not! I thought this was gonna be good, so disappointing, this character had no development or even self respect. How was this published! Nope! DNF

Nothing like I expected but great nonetheless. The narration was wonderful. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook.

Thank you @macmillanaudio and @netgalley from a alc. All opinions are honest and my own.

Baby is a 27-year-old stripper who lives with her boyfriend Dino, a ketamine dealer, who goes missing. I suppose she tries to find Dino (that’s in the synopsis), but she more deals with his disappearance and stumbles/glides through her days trying to find the right feeling. Her path takes her to the club, a BSDM den, the homes of a regular, an ex (?) client, and through email correspondence with Nobody.

You know how the kids say, “It’s a vibe” ? This book — it’s a vibe. I was completely engaged and listened to the last chapter twice. The audio was great — absolutely well done and I loved Lakin’s voices for the characters — fitting and not overdone. If you like books that are odd, this one is for you. (Looking at @elizabookworm and @la

PS: Despite the name, there is nothing graphic about this book, imo

This book felt so me-coded; I didn’t want it to end. The author did an exceptional job capturing the bittersweet, raw, and gritty essence of working in clubs while navigating the complex emotions of being young and sad. The writing painted such vivid imagery that I could practically feel the atmosphere—the sultry, low-lit venues, the air heavy with musky perfumes, and the quiet ache of loneliness mingled with fleeting moments of connection.

This isn’t a story for everyone; it will resonate deeply with a specific audience—those who have lived through that Lana Del Rey-esque era of their 20s, where glamour and melancholy intertwine. It’s for the dreamers who’ve danced under neon lights while quietly nursing their heartbreaks. Some readers may find it inaccessible or even indulgent, but for others, it will hit like a freight train.

The audiobook added another layer to the experience, making it feel almost cinematic. It transported me right into that world, where every scene was steeped in a hazy, intoxicating nostalgia. This book is a love letter to that fleeting stage of life—a mix of beauty, pain, and longing that I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

A raw, moving story of loneliness and identity, following a young woman’s messy exploration of sex work and her own relationships with others.

Ruth is a classic lost soul with a troubled past, a dead father and a severely depressed mother. She dates a drug dealer and works in different forms of sex work (sugaring, stripping, professional domination), but struggles to find direction. All the same, she’s entirely charming and I found myself rooting for her at every step.

Ruth is very different from me, with very different experiences. I read, in part, to understand more of the world and become more empathetic - that, and for enjoyment. Soft Core delivered on both fronts. When I finished, I longed for more. 5/5.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Christine Larkin. She has a very calm, almost melancholic voice that perfectly matched the vibe of the story. It felt like the character was recounting her life aloud to me and I absolutely lost myself in this intimate, moving read. I highly recommend this format for this particular story.

Thanks, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the most bizarre book I've read in a while. I'm still unsure what exactly happened. We got to see inside a spiral as it was happening to someone. I was left unsure what was real and what was fantasy, or perhaps substance induced. It was interesting...

ARC for review. To be published February 4, 2025. im on a stripper kick i guess with anora and now this. we follow baby a stripper in san fran and it was just such a hilarious and wild ride. the narrator was soooo good i really enjoyed the audiobook and would recommend picking it up on its release! just a fun ex[ploration of being human and what it all means. very fun very kinky!

This is definitely not the story I expected given the title. It's a story of grief, longing, and desperation of a young woman in San Francisco who becomes a stripper and ultimately starts to lose her grip on reality on her quest to find her missing boyfriend. The narrator makes you feel like you're on her journey with Baby yet watching as an outsider. I listened to this audiobook and the narration was spot on. Would highly recommend.

It was a very different style than I usually read. This novel is almost like a memoir, in that it follows a young woman's self account of her life in San Francisco as a stripper and then dominatrix. I foind it interesting, and so humane, how she talks of the people (mainly men) just seeking human touch. Acceptance. Understanding. Connection. So many lonely people and some people try to fill that void at these clubs.

I listened to the audiobook and it is read in a very melancholic tone. It fit the story and theme.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.