JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<div class="content masked">
<p>
sdfasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdasd asdasdasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdas
</p>
<p>
sdfasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdasd asdasdasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdas
</p>
<p>
sdfasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdasd asdasdasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdas
</p>
<p>
sdfasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdasd asdasdasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdasdasdasdasdasd asdasdasdas
</p>
</div>

CSS

.content {
  background: white;
  z-index: 1;
  position:relative;
  height:auto;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.content:before, .content:after{
  -webkit-transiton: all 300ms ease;
  -moz-transiton: all 300ms ease;
  transiton: all 300ms ease;
}

.content.masked{
  height: 100px;
}

.content.open{
  padding-bottom: 30px;
}

.content.masked:before {
  content: "Read More";
  position: absolute;
  bottom:10px;
  left:0;
  width:100%;
  z-index: 3;
  text-align: center;
}

.content.masked:after {
  content: "";
  position: absolute;
  top:0;
  left:0;
  width:100%;
  height: 100%;
  z-index: 2;
  background: -webkit-linear-gradient(rgba(255,255,255,0) 0%, rgba(255,255,255,1) 70%);
  background: -moz-linear-gradient(rgba(255,255,255,0) 0%, rgba(255,255,255,1) 70%);
  background: -o-linear-gradient(rgba(255,255,255,0) 0%, rgba(255,255,255,1) 70%);
  background: linear-gradient(rgba(255,255,255,0) 0%, rgba(255,255,255,1) 70%);
}

.content.open:before {
  content: "Read less";
  position: absolute;
  bottom:10px;
  left:0;
  width:100%;
  z-index: 3;
  text-align: center;
}

.content.open:after {
  content: none;
}

JavaScript

$('.content').click(function() {
	$(this).toggleClass('masked open');
})