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So close
Two best friends.
One brother.
Two lovers.
A thousand temptations.
Too much guilt.
What would you do if the source of your deepest desires was just one step away from you, and yet so morally unattainable?
Ramo knows what he wants—or better yet—knows who he wants, and is willing to do anything to make things happen.
Ric is he struggles, he runs away—but never far enough.
Will his heart and mind find common ground? Who will be the first to blink?
“So Close” is a mix of love, drama, and explosive passion.
One brother.
Two lovers.
A thousand temptations.
Too much guilt.
What would you do if the source of your deepest desires was just one step away from you, and yet so morally unattainable?
Ramo knows what he wants—or better yet—knows who he wants, and is willing to do anything to make things happen.
Ric is he struggles, he runs away—but never far enough.
Will his heart and mind find common ground? Who will be the first to blink?
“So Close” is a mix of love, drama, and explosive passion.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 27, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 6, 2018
I really loved this journey. A wonderful love story with beautiful characters... and a lot of honest feelings.
Ric finds shelter at his best friends home. His own home isn’t safe.
Mattia’s parents are the best. They open their hearts and house for the four years old Riccardo to live with them and Mattia and their just born baby Omar.
We can watch the three boys grow up and see all their interactions. How Ric is Omar’s big brother who is never too much. How they are inseparable.
We can see the struggle of growing up and when Ric finds out he is gay... it’s even getting worse when he develops feelings for Omar... who looks at him with longing eyes...
The timeline covers more than twenty years. I found it quite appealing.
Three boys... from little ones growing up to adults...
My heart... Omar/Ramo I loved him hard... he was the rock in this story.
Mattia sweet dear Mattia I hope he gets his own story...
and Ric/Riccardo stumbles and struggles through his life... he deserves all the love in the world.
Again... I loved this story even I had some struggling in the very first beginning, the age and the corresponding thoughts and observations of the boy didn’t match in my head. The structure was also different. When I got through that part it worked better for me. The story did get better and stronger the further I came.
The developing was enough. I understood the scenery was Italy, for me it could be anywhere, it wasn’t important. The sexiness and all the feelings were really well done.
The personalities were all great... the atmosphere was realistic and quite positive... even with some heavy and sharp edges.
The feelings were honest and beautiful put down. I loved the hea it made me warm inside.
The arc will be undergoing a further revision by a different mother tongue than the one who translated it so the release date will be November 29th.
With other words.. it will even get better!
Kindly received an arc from the author
Ric finds shelter at his best friends home. His own home isn’t safe.
Mattia’s parents are the best. They open their hearts and house for the four years old Riccardo to live with them and Mattia and their just born baby Omar.
We can watch the three boys grow up and see all their interactions. How Ric is Omar’s big brother who is never too much. How they are inseparable.
We can see the struggle of growing up and when Ric finds out he is gay... it’s even getting worse when he develops feelings for Omar... who looks at him with longing eyes...
The timeline covers more than twenty years. I found it quite appealing.
Three boys... from little ones growing up to adults...
My heart... Omar/Ramo I loved him hard... he was the rock in this story.
Mattia sweet dear Mattia I hope he gets his own story...
and Ric/Riccardo stumbles and struggles through his life... he deserves all the love in the world.
Again... I loved this story even I had some struggling in the very first beginning, the age and the corresponding thoughts and observations of the boy didn’t match in my head. The structure was also different. When I got through that part it worked better for me. The story did get better and stronger the further I came.
The developing was enough. I understood the scenery was Italy, for me it could be anywhere, it wasn’t important. The sexiness and all the feelings were really well done.
The personalities were all great... the atmosphere was realistic and quite positive... even with some heavy and sharp edges.
The feelings were honest and beautiful put down. I loved the hea it made me warm inside.
The arc will be undergoing a further revision by a different mother tongue than the one who translated it so the release date will be November 29th.
With other words.. it will even get better!
Kindly received an arc from the author
probably-not-but-freebie
January 21, 2019Freebie at the zon.com right now: https://smile.amazon.com/So-close-Ell...
February 28, 2019
**3.5 Stars**
This one was really hard for me to rate.
This story spanned from when Ric was 4 years old until about 30. It's told in first person with alternating POVs between Ric and Ramos. There's some physical and emotional abuse at the beginning. The emotional abuse got to me a bit, but it wasn't the worst I've read.
I enjoyed the 3 boys' relationship and banter as they were growing up. We get to see how the 2 best friends deal with a younger brother and how he fits into the family dynamics. I enjoyed watching them grow up, but it wasn't done as well as it could have been. It felt disjointed to me. There were gaps in years of the MCs life that the author should have filled in a bit, just to keep the readers connected to the characters as they aged. Once they MCs got "together" it went downhill as far as the story goes. It had a great plot and up to the The climax of the plot just wasn't climatic....at all. There was actually a couple plot points where the author really fell short.
The UST was really well done. What kept me reading, though, was this big reveal that....well....was really no big deal. Ric's character was flat; there really was no change in him once he became a teenager. Ramo's character, however, was more rounded and I found him to be charming-both as a kid and as an adult. It was a HEA, but it just fell flat. After the emotional beginning, I was expecting an emotional ending, and it just didn't happen.
There also needed to be editing done-the author mentions that she had people read it over...so I'm not sure why all those errors fell through. At one point, one of the MCs was even referred to as a "she" which made me a bit suspicious.
So...started out as a 4-4.5 read and ended up a 3.5.
This one was really hard for me to rate.
This story spanned from when Ric was 4 years old until about 30. It's told in first person with alternating POVs between Ric and Ramos. There's some physical and emotional abuse at the beginning. The emotional abuse got to me a bit, but it wasn't the worst I've read.
I enjoyed the 3 boys' relationship and banter as they were growing up. We get to see how the 2 best friends deal with a younger brother and how he fits into the family dynamics. I enjoyed watching them grow up, but it wasn't done as well as it could have been. It felt disjointed to me. There were gaps in years of the MCs life that the author should have filled in a bit, just to keep the readers connected to the characters as they aged. Once they MCs got "together" it went downhill as far as the story goes. It had a great plot and up to the The climax of the plot just wasn't climatic....at all. There was actually a couple plot points where the author really fell short.
The UST was really well done. What kept me reading, though, was this big reveal that....well....was really no big deal. Ric's character was flat; there really was no change in him once he became a teenager. Ramo's character, however, was more rounded and I found him to be charming-both as a kid and as an adult. It was a HEA, but it just fell flat. After the emotional beginning, I was expecting an emotional ending, and it just didn't happen.
There also needed to be editing done-the author mentions that she had people read it over...so I'm not sure why all those errors fell through. At one point, one of the MCs was even referred to as a "she" which made me a bit suspicious.
So...started out as a 4-4.5 read and ended up a 3.5.
December 1, 2018
♥.•*¨)☆♡¸.•*´¨)☆♡¸.•♥*´¨)☆♡♥
♡☆(¸.•♥´The book I didn't know I was waiting on.
When I find a book that touches me, I want to hold onto it forever!! This is how I felt about So Close. New to me author Ella Blake wrote a poignant, slow burning tale of fighting for what you want, no matter how long it takes.
"You are my best friend, my worst temptation, and the most beautiful feeling I have ever experienced."
This story takes place over two decades and involves two families.
At four, Ric and Matt were the best of friends. Matt and his family became Ric's port in the storm when he needed a safe haven. Within a year, Matt's brother Omar, affectionately called Ramo had entered and became the link to all their lives. Over time, the boys were each other's confidant, and eventually brothers. When the impossible happens, Ric finds himself a part of the family for real. Over time, his feelings toward Ramo switches and suddenly, the sweet, little boy who hung onto his every word had become the man of his dreams.
From children to men, discover the what made these two the people they became and what tore them apart, only to bring them toward their happy ever after. Told in first person, alternate POV, both Ric and Ramo were allowed to voice their thoughts and it was the best thing ever. Totally enjoyable. Definite top 20 of 2018!
♡☆(¸.•♥´The book I didn't know I was waiting on.
When I find a book that touches me, I want to hold onto it forever!! This is how I felt about So Close. New to me author Ella Blake wrote a poignant, slow burning tale of fighting for what you want, no matter how long it takes.
"You are my best friend, my worst temptation, and the most beautiful feeling I have ever experienced."
This story takes place over two decades and involves two families.
At four, Ric and Matt were the best of friends. Matt and his family became Ric's port in the storm when he needed a safe haven. Within a year, Matt's brother Omar, affectionately called Ramo had entered and became the link to all their lives. Over time, the boys were each other's confidant, and eventually brothers. When the impossible happens, Ric finds himself a part of the family for real. Over time, his feelings toward Ramo switches and suddenly, the sweet, little boy who hung onto his every word had become the man of his dreams.
From children to men, discover the what made these two the people they became and what tore them apart, only to bring them toward their happy ever after. Told in first person, alternate POV, both Ric and Ramo were allowed to voice their thoughts and it was the best thing ever. Totally enjoyable. Definite top 20 of 2018!
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February 28, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/28/2020)! 🎁
November 29, 2018
The blurb for So Close, by Ella Blake, had me intrigued. And the book was better than I could have ever expected. This is definitely on my all time favorites list!
I love the writing style of this story. In the beginning, we meet Ric and Mattia when they are young. It's immediately riveting and wonderfully developed. I love every damn second of this book, as it follows Ric, Mattia, and his brother Ramo, through the years.
So Close tells a wonderful story of two boys as they fall in love over the years. The slow burn is amazing and the way their relationship changes over the years is enchanting. I love that they have spent their lives together, always seeking comfort in each other, and always supporting one another.
As for Mattia and Remo's family, they are kind, generous, and inspiring. To say that they saved Ric is putting it lightly.
It is heart-breaking, happy, hopeful, and all around perfectly done. I wish I could read a book like this everyday. I wish every story could give me the comfort and love that this one did.
I can't recommend So Close enough. It's definitely one of those books you want to read while cuddling up on the couch. It is just such a damn feel-good story, that is completely enchanting and romantic.
I love the writing style of this story. In the beginning, we meet Ric and Mattia when they are young. It's immediately riveting and wonderfully developed. I love every damn second of this book, as it follows Ric, Mattia, and his brother Ramo, through the years.
So Close tells a wonderful story of two boys as they fall in love over the years. The slow burn is amazing and the way their relationship changes over the years is enchanting. I love that they have spent their lives together, always seeking comfort in each other, and always supporting one another.
As for Mattia and Remo's family, they are kind, generous, and inspiring. To say that they saved Ric is putting it lightly.
It is heart-breaking, happy, hopeful, and all around perfectly done. I wish I could read a book like this everyday. I wish every story could give me the comfort and love that this one did.
I can't recommend So Close enough. It's definitely one of those books you want to read while cuddling up on the couch. It is just such a damn feel-good story, that is completely enchanting and romantic.
October 29, 2018
This is the closest you get to depriving yourself from happiness. The story begins with Mattia and Riccardo as they are 4 years old and Mattia’s brother Omar is born. It’s written in dual alternating POV’s between Omar (Ramo) and Ric. By the end of the book Ramo has graduated from college.
Living across from each other, Mattia and Ric have been best friends since they were born the same day in the same hospital. They have been inseparable and when Ramo is old enough, he becomes the third in their group, always trying to keep up. Ric is always sensitive to Ramo and ensures that he's always welcomed into all activities.
Mattia has loving parents and Ric has a father that is verbally and physically abusive. When his parents are fighting, he walks over to Mattia’s house to wait it out. Mattia's parents have welcomed him with open arms and have supported his spending as much time as possible with them. When things get out of hand when Ric is 10 years old, Mattia’s family adopts him into theirs.
Things take a turn when Ramo turns 15 and Ric can’t stop thinking about him. He feels like it’s a betrayal to his family to have these thoughts and knows that there is nothing that can ever come of them. But when Ramo reveals his feelings, Ric has to decide what he can live with… and without.
There were quite a few things that I liked about the story. I enjoyed reading about how much Ramo cares about Ric from the start. There is a scene when Ric comes over in the middle of the night after his father has beaten him and Ramo sits with him and tells him he’s there, and will always be there, no matter what. It was a very touching moment in the story. I liked how that played into the decision that Ric made later about making sure that Ramo’s feelings weren’t just a carryover from the brotherly bond that they had created from being together their entire lives.
I liked how supportive Mattia and Ramo’s parents were of Ric from the first page. They loved him like their son and never wavered. Even at the end, they were grateful for his happiness.
Even though there was a break of three years where there was little to no contact between Ric and Ramo, it wasn’t the focus of the book. So many times the spotlight is placed on the agony of being apart and finding little joy in life and that wasn’t what this was about. This was about separating feelings and trust and hope.
There was a bit of a translation issue for me that I didn’t love, especially when it came to the end piece where Ric had his little hares. I kept trying to figure out what that referred to and came up short. I also had an issue with how little of Mattia was spoken of in the last part of the book. He was missing from every scene and it seemed short sighted to me since he was an integral part of the story from the start.
Overall I enjoyed the flow and each snippet in time showed the growth of the boys’ relationship with each other and the family. I thought the journey was worth the read.
*Arc copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted on http://gaybook.reviews/*
Living across from each other, Mattia and Ric have been best friends since they were born the same day in the same hospital. They have been inseparable and when Ramo is old enough, he becomes the third in their group, always trying to keep up. Ric is always sensitive to Ramo and ensures that he's always welcomed into all activities.
Mattia has loving parents and Ric has a father that is verbally and physically abusive. When his parents are fighting, he walks over to Mattia’s house to wait it out. Mattia's parents have welcomed him with open arms and have supported his spending as much time as possible with them. When things get out of hand when Ric is 10 years old, Mattia’s family adopts him into theirs.
Things take a turn when Ramo turns 15 and Ric can’t stop thinking about him. He feels like it’s a betrayal to his family to have these thoughts and knows that there is nothing that can ever come of them. But when Ramo reveals his feelings, Ric has to decide what he can live with… and without.
There were quite a few things that I liked about the story. I enjoyed reading about how much Ramo cares about Ric from the start. There is a scene when Ric comes over in the middle of the night after his father has beaten him and Ramo sits with him and tells him he’s there, and will always be there, no matter what. It was a very touching moment in the story. I liked how that played into the decision that Ric made later about making sure that Ramo’s feelings weren’t just a carryover from the brotherly bond that they had created from being together their entire lives.
I liked how supportive Mattia and Ramo’s parents were of Ric from the first page. They loved him like their son and never wavered. Even at the end, they were grateful for his happiness.
Even though there was a break of three years where there was little to no contact between Ric and Ramo, it wasn’t the focus of the book. So many times the spotlight is placed on the agony of being apart and finding little joy in life and that wasn’t what this was about. This was about separating feelings and trust and hope.
There was a bit of a translation issue for me that I didn’t love, especially when it came to the end piece where Ric had his little hares. I kept trying to figure out what that referred to and came up short. I also had an issue with how little of Mattia was spoken of in the last part of the book. He was missing from every scene and it seemed short sighted to me since he was an integral part of the story from the start.
Overall I enjoyed the flow and each snippet in time showed the growth of the boys’ relationship with each other and the family. I thought the journey was worth the read.
*Arc copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted on http://gaybook.reviews/*
December 22, 2018
I chose this book as a good-night read and for that purpose, it was perfect. It´s the fluff romance without too much sugar but also too much drama.
The guy is a little boy at the start of the novel (I am starting to find more and more of this) and while it´s not easy to do it right, this was pretty solid depiction of a child's voice. Not too overdone, as some tend to do, even if it was, as seems to be the norm, included to show the abusive environment he had at home. And how he escaped it.
It was okay - in the best way possible. It was nothing special, just that good kind of nice that will let you just enjoy a simple relationship. Perfect for quieting your mind before sleep =D.
The only thing I would like to mention is the waiting game. I, for some reason, really do not like when the MC waste time and they meet and something or even nothing happens and that years come, even like, ten years (!!!!!) and by that time they are kind of defensive about how good they look even if they are old and how many reasons they had for not getting together even if they are obviously so great for each other.... grrrrr. For some reason, that really gets my blood boiling.
I avoid books that say things like "they meet after 7 years and sparks fly" - thank you but no.
It feels like such a wasted time. Just gets to me...
But yes, I recommend this book as a nice, cute but not too cute read.
The guy is a little boy at the start of the novel (I am starting to find more and more of this) and while it´s not easy to do it right, this was pretty solid depiction of a child's voice. Not too overdone, as some tend to do, even if it was, as seems to be the norm, included to show the abusive environment he had at home. And how he escaped it.
It was okay - in the best way possible. It was nothing special, just that good kind of nice that will let you just enjoy a simple relationship. Perfect for quieting your mind before sleep =D.
The only thing I would like to mention is the waiting game. I, for some reason, really do not like when the MC waste time and they meet and something or even nothing happens and that years come, even like, ten years (!!!!!) and by that time they are kind of defensive about how good they look even if they are old and how many reasons they had for not getting together even if they are obviously so great for each other.... grrrrr. For some reason, that really gets my blood boiling.
I avoid books that say things like "they meet after 7 years and sparks fly" - thank you but no.
It feels like such a wasted time. Just gets to me...
But yes, I recommend this book as a nice, cute but not too cute read.
November 2, 2018
Great story, lots more editing needed. 2.5 Stars
Ella Blake's 'So Close' was a really sweet story of two boys who grew up together falling in love. It's a slowish burn story in that we see various points in their younger years before we get to see them as adults. I quite enjoyed this, although I think less of an emphasis on them as children and more time spent on the obstacles of their grown-up relationship would've given a more in-depth story.
The biggest issue of this novel for me was the poor-English. It was set in Italy (I'm not sure if they author is Italian, and English is her second language), but the book was filled with grammatical errors (not errors bad enough that I was unable to understand what was meant, but that were still clearly noticeable). If this had just been in the dialogue, I wouldn't have minded (as perhaps the characters weren't amazing at English), but the narrative-writing was equally grammatically incorrect.
The love story was sweet, so I pushed through, but it was hard to immerse myself because of the errors.
Ella Blake's 'So Close' was a really sweet story of two boys who grew up together falling in love. It's a slowish burn story in that we see various points in their younger years before we get to see them as adults. I quite enjoyed this, although I think less of an emphasis on them as children and more time spent on the obstacles of their grown-up relationship would've given a more in-depth story.
The biggest issue of this novel for me was the poor-English. It was set in Italy (I'm not sure if they author is Italian, and English is her second language), but the book was filled with grammatical errors (not errors bad enough that I was unable to understand what was meant, but that were still clearly noticeable). If this had just been in the dialogue, I wouldn't have minded (as perhaps the characters weren't amazing at English), but the narrative-writing was equally grammatically incorrect.
The love story was sweet, so I pushed through, but it was hard to immerse myself because of the errors.
July 24, 2020
Ughhhhhh.... the wonderful "go fck a bunch of people so you can be sure you want me" plot strikes again. Disgusting and totally stupid lmao. You got offered your dream job? NO! Turn it down and go work a bunch of minimum wage, part time jobs to make sure you actually want to do what you've always dreamed of doing. 🙄 oh, you found the perfect pet to adopt? Nooo wait, we wouldn't want you to make a wrong choice. First, adopt some other ones to make sure you really want this one.
Beyond that, the writing could have some work. Some sentences were confusing with wording, specifically "he" that you're not sure who "he" is.
Also the beloved . Ok good for you 🙄 especially in this case, it 100% seemed like a straight up set up for another book. That scene in the bar was lame af.
Beyond that, the writing could have some work. Some sentences were confusing with wording, specifically "he" that you're not sure who "he" is.
Also the beloved . Ok good for you 🙄 especially in this case, it 100% seemed like a straight up set up for another book. That scene in the bar was lame af.
November 29, 2018
his is such a beautiful and well-written story. Ramo & Ric are raised as brothers but they are not related by blood. When I first started reading, I thought to myself not another taboo between two brothers. Once I started reading the book it was so intense, romantic, had coming-of-age, discovering your sexuality, first love, etc. I couldn't put it down. It had my attention from start to finish. I love how the author wanted you to know that they are aware that they didn't want to disappoint their parents.
Ella Blake did a wonderful job with this book and I hope you enjoy it as much as did.
Ella Blake did a wonderful job with this book and I hope you enjoy it as much as did.
Want to Read
December 13, 2018Beautiful Story!
I loved this story so much. It had all the right feels and held my interest. My eyes tested up many times from pain, shock, surprise and satisfaction. Ric, Mattia and Omar/Ramo are all amazing men. Their bond of friendship, family and above all, love were amazing to follow. Mom and Dad were truly comforting as they stepped in and stepped up in every moment needed. Beautiful satisfying story. A few editing issues but none that took away from the impact of this amazing story.
I loved this story so much. It had all the right feels and held my interest. My eyes tested up many times from pain, shock, surprise and satisfaction. Ric, Mattia and Omar/Ramo are all amazing men. Their bond of friendship, family and above all, love were amazing to follow. Mom and Dad were truly comforting as they stepped in and stepped up in every moment needed. Beautiful satisfying story. A few editing issues but none that took away from the impact of this amazing story.
February 11, 2019
One of the best books I've read...
Wow! I cannot express enough just how great this book is. From beginning to end I was captivated by this story. It starts off when Ric is just four years old and you just feel so much for this sweet little boy. He goes through some major carp as a kid. Fortunately he has his best friend Mattia and Mattia's family who are there for Ric during and after this trauma (which without spoiling anything includes a very abusive Father). When Ric and Mattia are four Math is gains a little brother Omar who is called Roma
Wow! I cannot express enough just how great this book is. From beginning to end I was captivated by this story. It starts off when Ric is just four years old and you just feel so much for this sweet little boy. He goes through some major carp as a kid. Fortunately he has his best friend Mattia and Mattia's family who are there for Ric during and after this trauma (which without spoiling anything includes a very abusive Father). When Ric and Mattia are four Math is gains a little brother Omar who is called Roma
January 22, 2019
Solid start
This story was well developed but got a little jittery toward the end. I guess it felt a little rushed. But honestly the 'beat the tar out of you' and 'tar and feather' references in chapter four made me dislike the writing style. Those are horribly tasteless.
This story was well developed but got a little jittery toward the end. I guess it felt a little rushed. But honestly the 'beat the tar out of you' and 'tar and feather' references in chapter four made me dislike the writing style. Those are horribly tasteless.
September 18, 2021
Loved this book
I have already read this book a couple different times and will continue to come back to it. The characters were great and the story just pulled me in and my emotions were all over. Fantastic read for anyone who likes an emotionally charged book!
I have already read this book a couple different times and will continue to come back to it. The characters were great and the story just pulled me in and my emotions were all over. Fantastic read for anyone who likes an emotionally charged book!
November 12, 2018
WHAT A BOOK!!! This book so good, it's eye opening. It's a love story that take you for a good ride. Sit down, read this book!
June 9, 2019
This was a really enjoyable read! It had all the main points I love in a story, angst, slow burn, true love and N element of excitement. It all came together nicely.
4 stars !
4 stars !
July 3, 2019
I liked some aspects of this book but it really needs some editing.
January 20, 2019
What a beautiful story. I really loved the characters, their growth and the buildup of their relationship. It was a fantastic read.
December 2, 2018
4.5 stars🌸
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews