Close (Ryder Brothers, #1) by Laurelin Paige Series: Ryder Brothers #1
Published by Self-Published on October 10, 2018
Pages: 216
Genres: Romance
Amazon Audible
Everyone wants to get close to a rock star.
The bright lights. The music. Those talented fingers strumming… a guitar. Everyone wants to bang a rock star.
So why do I keep running from the one who wants me?
I’m America’s Sweetheart. I have a reputation. He’s a boy-band icon turned rock god. I’m vanilla. He’s every flavor of bad. And he’s much, much too young for me.
If I end up in Nick Ryder’s bed, my career and I will both be screwed.
...but that’s only if I’m caught.
In theory, Close should be a hit. It has so many tropes I love: a rock star romance, a Hollywood romance, an older woman-younger man romance. That enticing combination had me eager to read this book, so it’s especially disappointing that it falls flat.
The story misses many opportunities to be better than average. Part of a good Hollywood love story is feeling like you’re getting a glimpse into the ups and downs and inner workings of showbiz. I never got a real sense of what it is like for Natalia to be a superstar.
Natalia is extremely worried about ruining her good girl image, but I didn’t understand why she considers Nick to be a bad boy. He is a former boy band heartthrob who is now a rock star, but he isn’t someone who is known for sleeping around, getting drunk, or getting into trouble. What’s the big deal?
Despite all the sexy times, I did not feel an intense chemistry between Nick and Natalia. At first he only seems into her because he had a crush on her growing up. Eventually, he proves that he is thoughtful and romantic, but she just seems sex-starved and scared all the time. The age gap isn’t a big issue for Natalia until the end of the book, when it is haphazardly thrown in as a way to force friction between her and Nick.
Sadly, for me, this book really misses the mark.
About Laurelin Paige
USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.
What a bummer! I’m sorry this one wasn’t a hit for you. I get why.