Kieran Frost is a slut, and he knows it. He loves the single life and relishes both his hot one night stands and playing the third with his friends Rhett and Ethan. When Rhett's daughter asks him to meet her newly out of the closet friend, Alex, Kieran figures he'll do the guy a favor and show him around Seattle's gay nightlife. Kieran doesn't mind the attraction that sparks the instant he meets Alex. Why not be the one to introduce Alex to the pleasures of sex? It's not like Kieran doesn't have the experience and - when it comes to Alex - Kieran doesn't mind going slow. But tangling with this virgin doesn't just mess with Kieran's sheets. Suddenly, the self-described manwhore finds that his perfect plan to help Alex explore his sexuality before they each go their separate ways has a problem. The more time Kieran spends with Alex, the less he can imagine ever letting the other man go.
I LOVE this book! With THE CLOSER YOU GET, author L.A. Witt has delivered an incredibly engaging romance with two heroes that captured my heart and supporting characters that charmed the hell out of me.
Both Alex and Kieran are on a journey of self-discovery, though only one of them knows it. Alex grew up having to hide the fact that he is gay and now, at twenty-one, living in a place where he can be out, he feels lost at sea, unsure of where to start when it comes to claiming his sexuality. It was a joy to watch Alex go from shy virgin to confident lover. Ms. Witt makes this transition believable, which is part of the reason THE CLOSER YOU GET shines. Kieran is the perfect person to help Alex come out of his shell. He's knowledgeable, comfortable and straightforward when it comes to sex and men, but those aren't the only reasons why he's a great guide for Alex. Kieran is also patient and truly cares about Alex, and these aspects come through loud and clear from the start.
Kieran is a man who is easygoing on the outside but has inner scars that have the potential to bring his burgeoning relationship with Alex to a screeching halt. The most important obstacle is the fact that Kieran does NOT want a relationship. He's not commitment-phobic, and he does believe in love. He has just borne witness to - and often been trapped in the middle of - too many failed relationships. Kieran is terrified of getting hurt which is, of course, why I was so desperate to see him find lasting love with Alex.
As a pair, Kieran and Alex are smoking hot. Ms. Witt makes sensual exploration a real treat in THE CLOSER YOU GET. But what resonated with me wasn't the heat Alex and Kieran generated but rather how the pair fell in love, almost without knowing it. There was beauty in how they almost seamlessly slid into a relationship, and I didn't want to put down THE CLOSER YOU GET because I felt like I had to keep reading until Alex and Kieran found that magic "happily ever after."
THE CLOSER YOU GET is the sequel to THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US, and Rhett and Ethan, the heroes of that book, play strong supporting roles in Kieran's story. Not having read THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US, I can safely say that THE CLOSER YOU GET can be read as a standalone. However, I was sufficiently intrigued by what Ms. Witt reveals about Rhett and Ethan's history to want to read THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US.
THE CLOSER YOU GET is a gorgeous romance that I loved from beginning to end. Successive re-reads have not dimmed my pleasure in reading THE CLOSER YOU GET, and I look forward to revisiting Alex and Kieran yet again in the near future.
Lily
Reviewed for Romance Junkies
