Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Come Closer to Me
SERIES: Rock U (Book 2)
AUTHOR: Christie Gordon
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 322 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 28, 2023
BLURB:
A man crushing on his brother’s best friend. Another man who’s afraid to love. When all is laid bare, can love triumph over fear?
Axel Sandstrom
I’m the lead guitar player in a punk-pop band and I get hit on a lot. But I’ve got a big problem—a crush on my older brother’s best friend, Remy. Of course, he’s straight. So instead of having him, I’ve become the king of hookups. I’m used to hiding my feelings behind teasing and innuendo. But that only drives him further away from me.
When Remy decides to go back to school, my brother asks me to tutor him. After spending time alone with him, it’s pretty obvious he’s not as straight as he says he is.
Remy Hall
Axel makes me feel things. Tingly things. But he’s also obnoxious and my best friend’s younger brother. I should stay away, except that I need him to tutor me. During our tutoring sessions it’s impossible for me to deny my attraction to him.
But the bigger issue, is my all-consuming fear of being close to people. After the deaths of my younger brother and my dad, I don’t want to get close to anyone. But Axel makes me want to try. He might have the conviction to yank me back to him, kicking and screaming, as I’m about to fall off the edge.
Come Closer to Me is the second book in the Rock Useries and is part of the Mesa Boys universe. This novel features bisexual awakening, hurt/comfort, and a rocker in love with his brother’s best friend. It guarantees an HEA and has no cliffhangers. It features a bad boy who goes after what he wants, and a man who’s hiding his attraction to men and shies away from love. Each book features a different couple and can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.
Trigger warning: This book contains gun violence, discussions of a childhood drowning and the death of a parent.
REVIEW:
Yippee! We get to go back and hang with the Knot Me band!!!
Axel, lead guitarist for Knot Me has had a serious crush on his brother Leo’s best friend Remy for as long as he can remember. He knows he will never get the straight man but he can dream. So he survives on hookups that look like the man and let him call them Remy from time to time. When Remy decides to finally go back to college to get his degree in an accelerated program he needs help. And he knows that help will have to come from his best friend Leo’s younger brother Axel. Ramy has major conflicting thoughts about the younger man and knows deep inside that he’s not as straight as everyone believes. But, if he lets his guard down and accepts Axel’s help, along with his constant ribbing, will he be able to actually keep his desires in check?
Why oh why didn’t anyone ever think to put sweet Remy in therapy after his trauma from finding is baby brother dead in a pool? And then having his fireman dad die violently too! And what was with his father recounting the horrific events as a firefighter that he had witnessed at work at the dinner table the next day. That poor young man was so severely traumatized by all these events that it’s a wonder that he survived and came out on the positive side. But he didn’t survive without major survivors remorse and guilt. And his trust to let someone in was just about destroyed! Yet he was the first one to demand that Axel and his friends get into therapy when all that went down! Thank goodness he has always had Leo by his side. So crossing the line with his younger brother was a huge thing because he couldn’t survive loosing his closest and dearest friend.
I am really enjoying getting to know all the members of Knot Me. I look forward to each of their stories. But this one was particularly poignant. The traumas that Remy endured without any kind of mental health help was gutting. That poor man was so afraid to let anyone in because he was sure that he would lose them to some tragedy. And when it did hit I was amazed and loved that even though he was in bad shape Axel thought of Remy first and foremost to protect and comfort him. The love that Axel had for Remy was not a crush but the real deal. And watching Remy start to grow and trust, even though it was painful tiny baby steps, was a testament to Axel’s love and patience.
I am looking forward to Caleb’s story next. He is still reeling from what all happened and needs a strong, loving man to support him as he heals.
RATING: 
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