So Much Closer

by Susane Colasanti

Another contemporary thought-provoking romance from Susane Colasanti!

When Brooke discovers that the love of her life, Scott Abrams, is moving from their New Jersey suburb to New York City for senior year, she decides to follow him there. Living with her estranged father and adjusting to a whole new school are challenging--and things get even worse when she finds out that Scott already has a girlfriend. But as she learns to navigate the big city, she starts to discover a whole new side of herself, and realizes that sometimes love can find you even when you're not looking for it.

Book Details: Format: Paperback Publication Date: 5/1/2012 Pages: 256 Reading Level: Age 12 and Up

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Chick Lit, Fiction, High School

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2011

About the author

Susane Colasanti is the bestselling author of When It Happens, Take Me There, Waiting for You, Something Like Fate, So Much Closer, Keep Holding On, All I Need, Now and Forever, and the City Love trilogy. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from New York University. Before becoming a full-time author in 2007, Susane was a high school science teacher for ten years. She lives in New York City.

You can connect with Susane on her Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

Reviews

[Morgan F · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book confuses me. It is loaded with contradictions.

Sometimes I liked Brooke, sometimes I didn't. She was supposedly a genius (albeit a reluctant one), but then she goes and does something as infinitely stupid as moving to a whole new city for a boy. A boy she has only had one conversation with. It just confounded me. What kind of person thinks that is a good idea? And then she actually thought about telling Scott what a stalker she was, before they even developed a friendship. Once again, who thinks that is a good idea? It just defies all common sense. I was very much prepared to hate Brooke, but by the end of the book, I had a small affection for her. Very small.

Brooke was supposed to be this cynical genius, but I never got that impression. I found her quite flippant. She supposedly didn't trust people, but that conflicted with her faith in her "knowing", a gut feeling that told her that Scott (the guy she moved to NYC to be with) was her true love. It just didn't make sense that someone who was supposedly torn up over her parent's divorce was so willing to drop everything for love (or obsession rather).

I wish Colasanti had just left romance out of it. This book would have been more enjoyable if Brooke was just moving to the city on a self-discovery mission instead of for some boy. The most relatable aspects of the book for me was Brooke's indecisiveness over what she wanted to do with the her life. I'm a senior in high school going through all that crap now, so I could relate. I wish this book was just about that. Leave Scott out of it.

The writing was easy and breezy, although it wasn't particularly fun. It was just a quick and light three or four hour read. Some people looking for some light distraction will like it, but those looking for some realistic fiction with depth will be disappointed.

[Sita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before you start reading this. Let me warn you. I wrote half of this last night (I fell asleep) and half of it today. So if it doesn’t make sense don’t say that I didn’t warn you.

Aww.Not any other words are coming to me at the moment. This book was sweet, incredibly sweet. I just finished reading So Much Closer and I really liked it. I bought it yesterday and started reading it at 8:07pm (yeah I remembered the exact time. Because I am a freak) and it is now 11:31pm and I am done. I didn’t love this one, but I did really, really, really live it. Like it. I mean like it, I really liked the book, not lived it. Okay. Not awkward at all. Continuing.

So Much Closer in a sentence: Girl (A.K.A Brooke) is a super genius that is undecided, until the end of the book about her future, she is already not sounding normal (there aren’t many super genius around) so when she decides to follow a guy she has been in love with (he doesn’t know she exists) to New York, the first thing that comes to your mind is probably STALKER! But this girl is not a stalker, she is sort of normal, well she basically gets the guy then they break up then she starts falling for another guy (who liked her before she liked him). And once it ended I was all AWWW, that’s so sweet. Seriously I had no other thoughts. Oh well. That is basically the book in a long sentence (and a half).

The writing was nice, although I thought there were some aspects of the writing that could have been improved, but on a whole it was really good. Here’s the first sentence: Today I’m telling Scott Abrams that I’m in love with him. Can you see why I was so hooked? Yes the writing had me hooked, sure it may have had a few faults but overall I really liked it, it kept reading and me up.

The plot was interesting... I really don’t know what I think of it. What I wrote up there was basically the plot of the book. And sure that was enjoyable and I wanted to know how it ended. But about halfway through I knew how it was going to end. I knew who she would end up with and even though I kept reading to see how the plot played out didn’t mean that I absolutely loved it.

The character/ization/s was really good in this book. I liked the characters and how they grew throughout the book. I liked the fact that Brooke was a super genius, it was something I really didn’t expect and I liked how her views on the world changed over the course of the book. I really really really liked John. Can I say that enough? He was just such a likeable person. I kinda thought it was love ;) And I was so happy to see what happened between him and Brooke (even though there was not one kissing scene with them... I think?) I thought their friendship was super cute and I generally liked John. All the side characters including Scott and her parents were all believable and I could relate to the stuff that Brooke was feeling (about school + college). SO, another plus.

I would recommend this book to YA romance lovers. People looking for a nice (awe, how cute) book. Or people that are bored. Even if you don’t like any of those things feel free to check this book out. It’s a good one even if you don’t like it. It’s worth checking it out.

Overall, I enjoyed it. I am now planning on checking out some of the authors other books. Because I did generally like this one. I even wrote a warm fuzzy for the book. I’m gonna let the book explain what a warm fuzzy is. It’s a warm fuzzy,” Sadie informs me. “A what?” “You’ve never heard of warm fuzzies?” “No, but I’m sure you’ll enlighten me.” “The purpose of a warm fuzzy is to spread the love. If someone needs cheering up or you just want to wish them a happy day, a warm fuzzy is perfect. And there are rules. Like how they have to be cute. They can’t be written with a boring pen on some standard piece of paper.” Warm fuzzies sound sort of pretentious, with their rules and aspirations. “And they count as random acts of kindness,” she continues. That’s a warm fuzz! And I was so inspired I’ve been writing them for people all day. Now one for the book that started it!

Dear So Much Closer,
You were a very cute book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It was good, I take that back! You were good; you were an awe of a book. Xo - Sita

[cutesyreader ツ · Rating 2 out of 5]

A story about a girl being stupid enough for chasing over a boy just because she was so confirmed with the Knowing feeling she had. She's an intelligent girl but she didn't care about her education. She was more focusing on a boy she had a crush on and willing to follow him to New York City. Absolutely insane! What if her father didn't live in NYC? Would she be following him there? She was highly intelligent but stupid enough to have a crush on a boy and then not end up good with both of them. I like the writing style but didn't enjoy the story. Sorry, but I feel the story was stupid.

Actual Rating
2 stars

[Turquoise · Rating 1 out of 5]

What happened here is this.

A girl harbored a major crush for a boy, who later moved to a different city. She followed him like a stalker. She saw that he had a girlfriend who acted like a total biatch to her. Miraculously, for no reason what so ever, the boy noticed her and fell for her. Or something like that, I stopped reading it when I reached the 'finding him in a huge city as if she had superpower part'.

Reading this book really challenged my limit in taking in the whole 'crush on a cute, popular, hot, smart, funny, guy, someone who should not be paying attention to you if you are as ordinary as you say' charade to a new level. She followed him, a guy who might not even know your name, to a different city, who made you neglect all your friends and family to a place miles from your home. The girl's crazy. End of Story.

Why did I read this? Seriously, I wanted to throw my phone (I watch it on it) to my wall so much that I ended up hitting my friend, who was conveniently walking beside me when I was reading this repeatedly on her shoulder. (Sorry!) The girl was completely pathetic! She was cool when the author told us that she was good at origami, and then she went on and became obsessed with a guy!



This book left scars on my heart and taught me that I should never let a guy control my life like that. Whether he did it intentionally or unintentionally.

1 star out of five, I hate it when girls are so weak. Girls, if your girlfriends are doing this, let them read this and enlighten them. You are making this world a better place. I'm out.

(review also seen on A Bluish-Green Blog)

[Tiago | MrsMargotBlog · Rating 2 out of 5]

http://mrs-margot.blogspot.pt/
It's a very teenager story and probably someone in this age group can be identified better than me with the story of Brooke, who in my opinion is a silly teenager, spoiled, obsessed, even a bit stalker. She created in her head the idea that she and Scott were made for each other, without ever having spoken, she think truly knows him only by observing him and goes to New York raising hopes they will be together forever and making him a priority in her life.
I found none of the characters endearing nor the story is interesting, is dull, without much inspiration and despite being a light and quick read, it is tiring to read it.

[Wendy Darling · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars Not perfect, but there were parts that surprised me and some things I really, really liked, including the portrayal of New York City, John, and the ability to find imprefect compromises in relationships.

My first Colasanti, but it won't be my last. I like the author's voice.

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Initial reaction: To be blunt, I thought "So Much Closer" was rather mediocre in what it tried to put across, considering the heroine (Brooke) was quite insufferable for much of the book. Don't get me wrong, I saw the aim of the novel's thematic, and a coming of age story where the MC realizes there's more to life than crushing over a boy and that being true to yourself is more important, but this book sent all kinds of mixed signals between that, some of which I outright did not like in their portrayal. John was pretty much one of the few saving graces with this book, and even then, like many of the other characters in the work, the development wasn't nearly as detailed as it could've been.

Full review:

Before I start this review, I want to make one quick note that might be a bit of a tangent, but actually relates to my experience of reading Susane Colasanti's "So Much Closer". You guys probably know that sometimes when I'm reading a book, my mind tends to link certain songs/themes with a particular work without really realizing it until after the fact. Well, I actually ended up having a song pop into mind while I was reading this, not only tying to the theme, but also tying to the title. It happened to be Alex Clare's "Too Close." It's an awesome song and oddly fitting with the work, particularly with the lyricism in the chorus "I can't lie no more/I can't hide no more/Got to be true to myself." The entire song itself is a story that cohesively puts across the feelings of the singer/speaker, the conflict he feels, and ultimately the resolution he takes.

It's unfortunate that I have to say that Colasanti's work isn't so clear cut. It's a YA chick-lit novel, sure, and rather falls firmly in that theme with some of the clumsy, klutzy actions of the heroine and her quest to get the "guy". Yet along with that notation, it's not only highly derivative, but sends mixed messages throughout the text. There were parts of this novel where I was laughing for quite the wrong reasons, because the flip side of that reaction coin would've been thumping my head against the table I sat while reading this.

So the story revolves around a senior named Brooke who's in a bit of a rough space - her parents are divorced and with a notably strained relationship, but even further tied to the central conflict of the novel, the boy that Brooke finally gets the nerve to say she likes (Scott) is moving from New Jersey to New York.

So what does she do? She decides to uproot her whole life in her senior year, leaving her friends and mother behind to pursue the guy she's destined to be with.

I was fine with that scenario because I figured it could go one of three ways, either she would get the guy she pined for, find another guy much more worthy of her affections or she'd have some measure of a self-discovery journey. This book was actually a combination of two of those scenarios, which was fine by me. A bit predictable, yeah, but the premise is promising just so as long as the development supports it.

The problem I had was the way it approached and eventually reached those points. If you're familiar with some of Colasanti's writing, she tends to touch on a lot of tough issues in a short span of time and depending on the matter, adds a fluffy kind of humor to balance it. Sometimes I think it works for the contextual focus, but other times it feels like too much crammed into one space and the emotional resonance doesn't necessarily mesh. For "So Much Closer" - Brooke is not a likable protagonist and isn't very smart at all, despite her proposed academic talents. She keeps alluding to the fact that in following Scott she doesn't want to seem like a stalker, and that's hammered in so many different measures when it's obvious that she's...well..stalking him. She moves to New York and then doesn't even know if he's attending the same school she is (which it just so happens to work out that way). At first, she seems to ignore all other relationships she could make at the new school, and neglects her old posse, all because she's pining over Scott.

There's quite a bit of girl on girl shaming to be had in this book as well (i.e. "I liked him first so you're a traitor for liking him" and "He's got a girlfriend but she doesn't deserve him because I love him more! I'm going to show that he belongs with me" kind of scenarios.) It was so distracting, eye-roll worthy, and rage inducing. There were times I shook my head and thought "Please let Brooke invest in a clue at some point during this story." Turns out that eventually, Brooke does have a coming of terms, and realizes her impulsive decision. She also has to come to terms (somewhat) with her parents' divorce, which I don't think ever had any closure to it, despite it being a heavy tie in with the thematic of the story. She also realizes she has to think about her future. If the presentation hadn't been so haphazard, and a little more developed, this could've been a much better story.

As with some other Colasanti books I've read, the supporting cast of characters actually has more merit to them than the primary one. Scott, the guy that Brooke crushes on, isn't actually that bad, and it's refreshing that he actually points out to her "I can't be who you want me to be, I have to be myself first" in so many words - which gives Brooke a good kick in the seat of the pants as far as a wake up call is concerned. John is a sweetheart, the boy that Brooke ends up tutoring and has his own share of likable quirks in the progression of the story. I also found that I liked Sadie, though I wish she had more scenetime and that Brooke hadn't been so quick to criticize her in some parts of the story. The two characters that Brooke left behind in Jersey weren't really developed enough for me to connect to.

In the end, I think my main problem with this book was Brooke's dismissive, airheaded, nonsensical personality and actions, and the fact that the presentation in this is so jagged and contradictory that it was hard to get a firm grip on the ultimate thematic it was going for: being true to who you are, finding your place in the world, and realizing that the future doesn't fall on affection for a single person.

Overall score: 2/5

[Gabriela Milanes · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sure there are plenty of talented authors out there who struggle to get published. I always think about those authors when I read a book like this one. Susane Colasanti is a pretty successful writer, you can't go into a Teen section of a book store without seeing her work.

And I can't help but wonder, WHY? HOW? How do people read this book? Why do people give it anything more than maybe 2 stars?

The book is about a girl named Brooke who is in love with a guy named Scott. Brooke knows, call it a sixth sense, that Scott is the love of her life and that they're meant to live happily ever after. All she needs to do is tell him, and he'll realize this, and then they can go steady. Except Scott is moving to New York City! Oh and did I mention that she's never even spoken to him?! Except for once, the week before he leaves, when she was going to reveal her feelings and instead finds out the terrible news. And he tells her that he's noticed her, and it's a shame they never got to talk.

That totally means he's been harboring a secret crush on her for years, right? Like, oh my gosh, totally!

So never fear, luck would have it that Brooke's parents got divorced, and her dad lives in New York! What a coincidence! So she moves there to live with him. I mean, never mind how much she's hurting her mom by leaving her to choose to live with the guy that left them. Friends that she's known all her life? Who gives about them! Who's to stand in the way of true love?

Okay, I didn't get to the end of this book. I just couldn't. First of all, Brooke is a STALKER. And a terrible person. If I was Scott i would get a restraining order. She's supposedly really smart, gifted smart, but the whole book she acts like an idiot.

The book is just so, so predictable that it just sucks the fun out of reading it to the point where I couldn't even finish it to make fun of it. I skimmed and speed read to the end just to confirm what I already knew was gonna happen. I sort of liked April and Sadie, and John a little bit, but they're all pretty flat. And Brooke, ugh. Just UGH.

I think it's safe to say that Colasanti and I are done, and I won't be picking up any books by her in the future.

[kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Susane Colasanti's dialogue and voices. I always enjoy "hearing" what's being said and thought by her characters. Speaking of which, her characters are well-drawn as far as their peronslities, even though I don't always know exactly what someone looks like. fFr instance, John is never phyically described, but his mannerisms, speech patterns and overall disposition is very clear. And given a choice between mutlitple descritions of some gorgeous guy's utterly fabulous appearance or actually knowing who he is, well, I'll take the knowing anytime, thank you very much.
This book is so much more than a teen romance. Reading the synopsis, you might be expecting little more than that and, if so, you're in for a pleasant surprise.
Brooke moves to New York City in hopes of starting a relationship with a boy she's been attracted to for a few years. This sounds silly, but Colasanti really makes it work as Brooke's divorced father lives in NYC so it's also an opportuninty to reconnect with him. She tells her parent she needs a more stimulating school to attend, not that she's chasing a boy. While you might think she's actually going too far, well, of course chasing some boy is going too far, there are other reasons for her to make a change; reasons that even Brooke is unaware.
This book is about Brooke figuring out her life and what she wants to do, where her passion lies and who she wants to be. She doesn't start out wanting to know any of those things, but she ends up in the right place if for the wrong reason.
John, the boy Brooke very reluctantly starts tutoring, is one of my favorite characters. His exuberance and frustration will tug at your heart as he struggles with his life. He is one of my favorite characters (I know I already said that, but it bears repeating) and so well-crafted.
Scott, the boy she follows, is something of a blank character. Of everyone, we get more description of him physically than most of the others and I think that works because Brooke really doesn't know him and doesn't really come to know him. He remains mostly an object of desire, object being the main focus. She can't know him other than superficially; who she does come to know is herself.
There are several threads interwoven and I liked seeing Brooke growing and changing, however much she thinks she doesn't want to, as she starts being aware of more than just the boy she likes.
Great read.

[Ana Banda · Rating 5 out of 5]

NO ENTRES SI NO HAS LEÍDO; CRITICARE A BROOKE & HABRÁ SPOILERS ME TEMO!:/




Brooke; que vieja tan pirada!! Esa onda de viajar a Nueva York por un tipo con el cual solo has intercambiado como 15 palabras es de L O C O S !! Me desespero con su rollo de Scott & yo nos pertenecemos!
La Candice o como se llame también loca total;digo esta cañón por la onda de que también le gustaba el zanahoria este pero debería haber notado mas el que la amiga estaba media trolis por hacer eso jaja La April también no era una verdadera amiga si dejo la distancia las separara :/
Sadie me encanto,toda llena de amor & alegría ella;pero con inseguridades también & con su Carlos♥
John mi vida; el segundo John en año&medio que tengo de leer libros&me encanto! me dio una ternura desde el principio por su problema & luego las super ganas que le ponía a todo & su energía me mataban totalmente *.* amaba totalmente cuando decía; "¡Amiga!" un amor él *.*


I ♥ John Dalton *.*



-Agarro su mano. Esta vez, no voy a dejarlo ir.♥

[Taylor Moses · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am reading this and it is a very good book about a boy who a girl has a very big crush on and he moves to New York... the girl follows him to New York and lives with her dad in an apartment. She finds out the boy has a girlfriend... The question you need to find out is what will she do?

[Shxrxn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t keep pretending we don’t belong together.
- Brooke
Heart.
In.
Pieces.
- Brooke
When forces beyond your control take over, they make you do stupid things. Or crazy things, like the way love was making me twist my whole life around.
- Brooke
World.
Shattering.
Apart.
- Brooke
What’s the point of digging up a lot of stuff that’s better off staying buried?
- Brooke
He gave me a reason to leave my whole world behind.
- Brooke
How do you convince a boy that you belong together when he’s going out with someone else?
- Brooke
All those books about shiny happy people are such a load. Real life is nothing like that. The best books make me feel hopeful when the characters’ problems work out in the end realistically, not conveniently tied up with a big, red bow. Big, red bows are such a lie.
- Brooke
People destroy your trust. Then they leave.
- Brooke
You can never completely know anyone, no matter how well you think you do. There will always be parts of their lives they leave out. There will always be some truth about them you don’t ever get to know. Or maybe one day you’ll find out their truth. And you’ll wish you never had.
- Brooke
It’s not like I want to be this angry. It just happened. If I knew how to not be angry anymore, I would. The stupid thing about anger is how people hurt you and then you let them keep hurting you by being angry about how they originally hurt you. It’s a vicious cycle.
- Brooke
It’s weird what love can make you do. You do these crazy things before you can even recognize yourself.
- Brooke
Just when it seems like life is getting good, something always has to come along and ruin it.
- Brooke
Things don’t get better just because you want them to.
- John
if we stayed inside the lines on everything we’re supposed to be doing, we wouldn’t get anything done.
- John
I wish something was actually happening with us.
- Brooke
It’s amazing what you see when you look up. Always look up.
- John
We can’t help who we like. Or don’t like.
- Brooke
You can’t keep your true self hidden forever, no matter how hard you try.
- Brooke
Blending in is way easier than dealing with the consequences.
- Brooke
what if the distance between us is bigger than our friendship?
- Brooke
IT’S ALWAYS SOMETHING.
We belong together. You’re just starting to know me, but I’m already in love with you.
- Brooke
this is what it feels like when your heart shatters.
- Brooke
It’s hard to tell how much time has passed when you want the world to go away.
- Brooke
I just never stopped believing that what I wanted could be real.
- Brooke
Waiting for my real life to start is no excuse to waste the life I have right now.
- Brooke
Our relationship might not be everything I want. But when we’re together like this, everything is perfect. Right here, right now, this is all that matters.
- Brooke
Even as I’m trying to figure out how to make this right, an irritating question won’t leave me alone. If things were going to change, wouldn’t they have changed by now?
- Brooke
How am I supposed to live up to this person you want me to be?
- Scott
This is who I am. I can’t be someone I’m not.
- Scott
And I know without a shadow of a doubt that this is what I’m meant to do.
- Brooke
Did I really think that everything would turn out the way I hoped it would? Life doesn’t work that way.
- Brooke
People always let you down. Even the ones you trust. Especially the ones you trust.
- Brooke
I wish I could know what it feels like to trust someone completely and not have them disappoint you.
- Brooke
I’m not mad. I’m disappointed. There’s a difference.
- John
To find a way to make you realize that we belong together.
- John
No one can be everything you want them to be.
- Brooke
The only person I can count on is myself. It’s up to me to create the life I want.
- Brooke
It’s never too late to turn your life around.
- Sadie
I want deeper connections with the people around me. I need to reach out more. Because not everyone leaves. Sometimes if you reach out, the person you’re trying to reach will be right there waiting.
- Brooke
Regret is a nasty thing.
- Brooke
Sunday nights always come with a sinking feeling of impending doom. That’s why Mondays intrinsically suck. Everyone’s drained and cranky, just waiting for it to be Friday again.
If I could find both intense physical attraction and strong emotional support with one boy, that would be perfect. But if it has to be one or the other? The choice is clear.
- Brooke
Sometimes you just need room to appreciate what you have.
- Brooke
Things can’t just suddenly change because you want them to, Dad. You have to make them change.
- Brooke
Now I know that the chances for happiness are infinite. Anything can happen. And there are people who will stick by me even though I’ll always be a work in progress.
- Brooke
It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way. I get it. I just wanted you to know.
- John
One of the most amazing things that can happen is finding someone who sees everything you are and won’t let you be anything less. They see the potential of you. They see endless possibilities. And through their eyes, you start to see yourself the same way. As someone who matters. As someone who can make a difference in this world. If you’re lucky enough to find that person, never let them go.
- John

[Kelly Dang · Rating 2 out of 5]

***SPOILER ALERT***





This book is basically about a stalker and how she ends up biting off more than she could chew. (I'm not sure why I keep reading books by the same author even though her books do not suit my taste very well. I guess it is because I keep having high hopes that eventually one will be good enough so that I have shivers after I finish reading like some previous books I have finished) SO, what happens is the main character (Brooke) moves to another city just to follow a crush (Scott) who you should keep in mind that she never talks to him let alone know much about him except what he looks like. Then, she has then abandons her close friends back home and even going as far as to chase hi even though she knows one of her friends likes him too. At the end, she then using the poor "friendzoned" guy (John) as a rebound THREE DAYS after she broke up with Scott whom she "loved so deeply". I don't even know why he did not find Brooke creepy. I mean, I would find someone creepy if they moved across the state to find me when I clearly have NO IDEA who this person is. Then this person confesses their dying love to me? Uuumm, no thanks. I'm not into that stalking thing. I'm not too sure but I think she claimed she liked him only because she wanted a boyfriend that badly. With the exception of Sadie, Brooke's new friends, I found most of the characters very narrow minded in a sense that they don't really think about their actions as well as a normal human being would. I'd also just like to point out she is super smart and has the ability to memorize everything but doesn't try because she thins shes rebelling against the school system. If she thought about it, what is one person going to do? She is just plain dumb. She also can be a total (female dog) sometimes. I feel like she mistreats everyone around her and somehow manages to get lucky and her life goes very well for her. I also don't like how she is easily influenced by people. She also tries to act "deep" or "hip". I think it's how the character was born but I feel like she randomly mentions her interests at random times. The book would just be talking about staples and she'll just randomly comment about how much she loves 80's music and how "deep" and "different" she is. Okay, maybe not THAT exaggerated but it is pretty close to what the reality is.


ALSO, side note: The way this book was written was very distracting. I noticed this author uses alot and I mean A L I T of phrases like "he's like" and "so I was like" instead of using phrases such as "I replied" or "I said". I do not really understand why she did that. Perhaps it was an attempt at appealing to younger audiences but it was VERY and I mean V E R Y distracting from the story. I would stop and stare at it for a while while I was reading sometimes.

But this book does have some good sides to it. Like the character Sadie simply because she is so cute, kind, and ADORABLE. The way Sadie write notes to make people feel better is just so cute in my opinion. And the way the book described her, I feel like she actually thinks about her actions sometimes (lol).

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not even going to beat around the bush, I'll just be upfront about it: I have no idea why I picked this one up in the first place. I had heard of Colasanti's books previously, but not necessarily very good things. I never really had any compulsion to pick up one of her books. Nonetheless, here I am, letting you know my thoughts on it. Luckily, I was totally in the contemporary, cute & fluffy mood when I picked this one up, and I ended up really enjoying it. So Much Closer was super fun and light, but had it's problems, for sure.

Right after I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read the book. I mean, the plot sounds so entirely weird and creepy--a girl moves to New York just for a boy that doesn't even know she exists? Doesn't that sound like a downright stalker to you? It had that effect on me and I kind of wanted to know what would happen for these characters. Brooke, the (stalker) girl, did start out as an obsessive, crazy girl that was blinded by her love for Scott. However, she was not this shallow girl the entire time. Her time in New York and her making of new friends helped change the naïve person she was before into a more thoughtful person. I'm glad with the choices she made in the end.

Other than the fact that the character growth was enjoyable, some of the side characters were very under-developed, or simply didn't make any sense. For example, when Brooke moves to New York, she moves in with her dad. Her father was so uninvolved with Brooke's life that it was a little ridiculous. It was a bit unrealistic in my taste. Another character that was mind-boggling was Scott, the boy that Brooke was obsessed with in the beginning. Scott was portrayed as such a perfect boy, but I never grew to understand him, or like him for that matter. Scott was kind of impulsive, dumb, even. These two male characters really brought it down a notch for me in So Much Closer.

Aside from my love-hate relationship with the characters, So Much Closer definitely had an entertaining plot. I found myself wanting to read more and learn what happens with Brooke's relationships and how she finds her future in New York. It was really quite addicting to read about, in truth.

So Much Closer turned out to be a successful read for me. Even while some of the characters bothered me to no end, Brooke's character growth and entertaining plot line really helped me enjoy the novel much more than I expected prior to reading the book. I will definitely be picking up more of Colasanti's work. Consider me a fan!

3.5 Teacups for So Much Closer!

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[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Much Closer is such a fun, fast paced, delightful read. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting Brooke and being reminded of that stage in life where you feel the pressure of trying to figure out what you want to be. Yep, I'm talking the end of high school where you have the pressure to get good grades, figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life, while trying to figure out who are. It's Brooke's journey in finding out who she is that I liked.

I admire the fact Brooke up and leaves the New Jersey town she grew up in to follow the guy of her dreams to New York City, though I also find it just a little weird and obsessive. Having a father her lives there, Brooke was able to do something I never would have had the guts to do, nor would I have done that for a boy while in high school, let alone for someone I barely said more than a few words to. For Brooke, she felt it was the right thing for her to do. It's through her adventures in NYC that she comes to realize a lot about herself, the choices she made and the consequences to those choices. She has a strained relationship with her Mom back in NJ and is trying to build a relationship with the dad who left her mom years before. She looses friends along the way, makes new friends, realizes how narrow minded she was at one point and really gets to grow into the person she wants to become.

I really like the character Brooke grows into. She discovers herself in a city she grows to love. She makes new friends who not only see the potential she has that she herself doesn't see, but they help her realize she can become that person. She spent so much time chasing after the guy she moved to NYC for, that she lost focused on what was going on around her. I was intrigued with the way Susane wrote Scott and John. When Scott and Brooke are together there was nothing else talked about, but them. Brooke lost her focus on everything else and wanted Scott. Then there's my favorite, John. He's that friend we all want, and he also happens to be the other love interest who Brooke tutors. He shows Brooke around NYC and he's the one who teaches her to look up and to look around her. When she's with him she notices all the little details that are happening around them, and around NYC. John opens her eyes and with Scott her eyes are half closed. I loved the contrast between Scott and John.

I enjoyed So Much Closer, and I loved feeling like I was apart of NYC though I've never been. Susane really brought the setting to life and I loved every little detail of it. When I do go to NYC, I'm totally going to Crumbs. After you read the book, you'll know why. If you're looking for a fun, light hearted read I would recommend picking up So Much Closer.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brooke Knows that she belongs with Scott. Too bad he doesn't know it, too. When Brooke discovers that Scott is moving away for their senior year, she realizes that she will have to take drastic measures so that he can discover that they belong together. So, she follows him to New York. But chasing your dreams and getting what you want are not always the same thing...

Wow. I feel like I should remove the "realistic" tag from this simply because it is utter bullshit. There is nothing about this novel that would happen in a sane person's life. I must be a) too cynical and/or b) too old to enjoy this book. Which is a huge disappointment to me. I was so looking forward to an enjoyable and lighthearted teen romance - a very welcome change from the dark and paranormal romances that I usually end up reading. But what I got instead was a novel centered around a completely unlikable - not to mention, delusional - character. For some reason, Brooke has no idea how the world works. And yes, I've considered that perhaps this is supposed to be a clever juxtaposition - her acknowledged genius and her lack of real world smarts - but, let's face it. That idea is not so clever anymore. And I can't in good conscience believe that Colasanti was actually trying to do this while she was writing this character. And yes, I understand that Brooke is still hurt from her parents' divorce and this maybe makes it difficult for her to empathize with other people. But, if she's such a genius that she knows her mother has been lying to her, she should be smart enough to figure out that bottling up her feelings, ignoring and lashing out at her father, and completely disregarding how her actions might affect the people around her is not the way to deal with that hurt. In all honestly, I can't believe I'm this pissed off about this book. It was just so excruciating to think that I was supposed to identify with this character. As I said, I'm very disappointed. I've always thought Colasanti's titles looked like a nice fluffy and harmless version of a teen romance. I can only hope that they're not all filled with the stupidity of this one.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

So remember when you were in middle school and had a crush on boy. Maybe every once in awhile you'd ride your bike in front of his house, hoping to catch a glimpse. Perhaps you look back on this now and think, 'Man, I was a little bit of a creeper." Well Brooke the main character in this book does something like that, except she's a super creepy stalker.

Brooke has had a crush on Scott for two years, but has never really talked to him before. At a picnic at the end of their junior year, she's on the verge of telling him they're meant to be together, when she finds out that he's moving to New York (from New Jersey) for their senior year. So she decides she'll move to New York too.

Yes, Brooke's dad, who she hasn't talked to in six years lives in New York, so she moves in with him. There is a lot of creepy talk about how she knows they're meant to be together and he just hasn't realized it yet. Brooke is annoying in a lot of other ways as well.

The best characters are the two friends Brooke makes in New York. They were really the only ones I liked.

I wanted to like this book, since I really liked When It Happens by the same author, but I just didn't like it. I'd recommend reading When It Happens instead.

[~Tina~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never thought I'd say this, but I think I'm to old for this particular YA novel. Don't get me wrong, Colasanti is a terrific writer. She know how to capture being a teenager with emotions so powerful it makes you do the stupidest things all in the name of love, but here's the thing, her books are targeted for a younger audience and I could see myself enjoying them a lot more when I was a teen, but now it almost makes me feel embarrassed for these characters and the situations they put themselves in.

With that said, So Much Closer was an okay book. The idea of moving to a new city to be with someone who doesn't really even know you exist is both romantic and suicidal. I mentally wanted to cringe for Brooke when she up and decided to move in with her dad who lives in NY cause her long time crush just happens to be moving there as well. I mean, who does that? For someone as smart as Brooke, she sure doesn't make the smartest choices, but the idea still intrigued me and I wanted to see how things would play out.

This ended up being a cutey read after all. It had it's moments and I really liked John. I didn't care for the ending, I got the picture, but it still kinda left us hanging. But for anyone who wants a fast no-brainier read, then this one is pretty fun to go with.

[Entre Chás e Cafés ❀Renata CR❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opinião no Blog: http://anotacoesliterarias.blogspot.c...

Gostei bastante, pois era o tipo de livro que no momento ando precisando. Leitura leve e fácil - a escrita é fluida, simples e com bastante diálogos. A história, que mesmo que não tivesse nada demais, deu para passar bom tempo. Por falar nisso, me lembrou em algumas coisas o livro "Anna e o Beijo Francês" de Stephanie Perkins - talvez pelo fato de se passar nessa fase de mudança de colégio para a faculdade -, porém sem o mesmo "brilho".

Gostei dos personagens - achei a Brooke de início um tanto maluca, pois deixar tudo para trás para ir atrás de um garoto, que nem sabia direito que ela existia? Ao mesmo tempo achei que foi corajosa pelo mesmo motivo. Gostei dos amigos dela, principalmente o John - me conquistou logo de cara, muito especial o menino!

Uma coisa interessante foi como a história foi conduzida, mais precisamente como a personagem Brooke - já que vemos a história sob o ponto de vista dela - foi descobrindo as coisas sobre si mesma - e a medida disso foi mudando o resto ao redor, fazendo acontecer as coisas para ela. E tudo isso parecendo bem credível no ponto de vista do leitor.

Enfim, não é uma leitura inesquecível, mas acho que dá para passar bom tempo se tiver precisando de algo leve, descomplicado e fofo.

[nidah05 (SleepDreamWrite) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay so when I read up what this was about, it reminded me of that show Felicity, what with the girl likes boy, boy moves away then girl follows her crush to the same school. And yes both in New York.

Anyway, this is a tie between 2.5 and 3. What I liked was the stuff when she wasn't obsessing over Scott, her building friendships with Sadie and John and the descriptions of New York and such, questioning her life and future and what she's going to do about the now, etc. Oh and of course John and Sadie.

What I didn't like was the stuff with Scott, I mean really? Anyway, at times the writing was good, to okay but good all the same. And moments, are you serious Brooke, really.

But again it does get better, and the cover is kind of cute, though the hardcover one is also good. I kind of liked this one once it picked up halfway and near the end of the book. So I might give this author another read.

[Bunny998 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so disappointed. This book was so, so, so unrealistic and sadly, stupid. I mean, come on. Who is stupid enough to move to new York for some guy? Wow. So, Brooke is totally in love and smitten with a guy, named Scott Abrams. She is sure that they are meant to be. But when he tells her he's moving to NYC, her heart is shattered into a million pieces... BLAH BLAH BLAH. Get over it! This character is highly annoying and VERY dumb. Oh, she's a genius but won't accept it, oh this, oh that! Susane Colasanti used to be high on my list of authors. When it Happens was marvelous! But this book is nonsense.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didnt like it at all....

[Daniella · Rating 1 out of 5]

You know it's bad when I one-star a book when it's got about 5 pages of "The Office" references.

[Miranda]

Personal response/
I enjoyed reading the book So Much Closer! I enjoyed that I could relate to the characters because I have gone through some situations that Brooke has gone through. The plot had me guessing at times, because I thought that the storyline was going to go one way and it didn’t.

Plot/
Brooke had a complicated life; she had bad grades, her dad left when she was little, her mom and her didn’t get along well, but most importantly, she was in love with a boy who didn’t even know she existed-at least that’s what she thought. Scott Abrams was her crush for so long. She knew a lot about him. All he knew, was that she was super good at origami.

During his senior year, Scott moved to New York. Brooke was devastated, so she decided she was going to get her life back in order by moving in with her dad in New York. She was not only doing this for her dad but for Scott as well. She never thought she’d move to New York for a boy, but little did she know moving to New York wouldn’t only help her with the love of her life but would also help with her future.

After getting heartbroken because Scott had a girlfriend, Brooke met a girl named, Sadie. Sadie convinced her to start tutor kids who needed help. While tutoring a boy named John, he helped her figure out what she wanted to do with her life. They walked all around the city and explored everything. Brooke started applying at colleges for Urban Planning. Not only did she get accepted to the college she wanted, she and her mom talked a lot more than they used to. Her dad was trying to make a relationship between them. She met the actual love of her life: John. All along he had been there supporting her, making sure she never gave up. Brooke had everything she had always wanted.

Characterization/
Brooke was a shy, little girl, no one noticed. When she moved to New York, Brooke showed her true colors that she had been dying to let out. She became a social butterfly, aced her ACT and got into the college she wanted.

John, was the boy Brooke was tutoring, he was super shy, never talked to anyone, always had his headphones in. When he found out that he was getting a tutor, he became unbelievably happy. He started to understand a lot, join more clubs and activities, and even applied at colleges.

Setting/

So Much Closer took place in two places. It started in New Jersey but later went to New York. It took place in modern times which made it more relatable. This was important to the story because, with her moving, she had to relearn a town, make new friends, and meet new teachers. This was also important, because if she didn’t move to New York, she would have never been able to be with Scott.



Recommendations/
I would recommend this book to teenagers or older because the language is more mature. Many teenagers have gone through what Brooke went through, or they might be going through it and it could help them with advice. Mainly females would like this book because it's not just about moving to a different city, but it also talks about liking a boy and doing anything to be with them.

[Jordan Narotsky]

I read the book So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti. It is realistic fiction. Brooke is a senior in high school and she is in love with a boy named Scott Abrams. When she finds out he is moving away to New York for his last year in high school, she knows that she can't just let him leave without telling him she loves him. Brooke makes the difficult decision to go and stay with her dad in New York. Brooke has always wanted to live in New York, and she is excited to finally live her dream. But, will things with Scott work out the way Brooke has always hoped? Or will she regret leaving all of her friends and family behind? If you would like to find out what really happens, you should read the book yourself! I would rate this book a 7 out of 10 because I liked how it was about a girl trying to live her dreams and follow her heart. I personally think that the book would have been better if it was longer and was more descriptive. If you read the book Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally, you would probably enjoy So Much Closer by Susane Colasanti.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fluffy a good read. More for a younger age range. I enjoyed it. Not my first pick of recommendation. If your looking for something to read just to fill a spot from a heavier read then I say sure pick this book up and read it.

:)

[Bobbie Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book really captured the mind of a love-struck teenage girl!! i wish i had read this book when i was in high school instead of at 24 because i would have loved it so much then!

[Calli Cool · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book like a crap ton i actually like fully read it cuz it was that good !!!

[Kylie Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Response
I liked the book So Much Closer . I liked the fact that Brooke moved in with her father to meet the love of her life. She is willing to tell Scott that she knows they are meant to be together. Scott had no idea that Brooke even existed. She thought that if she told him they were meant to be, he would think she was weird.
Plot
Scott and Brooke go to the same school when she was going to tell him that she is in love with him, but she realized that Scott does not know is that she even exists. Brooke found out that Scott was moving to New York. Brooke’s dad lives in New York. Brooke told her mom that she wanted to move in with her dad for academic purposes. The real reason why she wanted to move in with her dad is so she could follow the “love of her life.” What Brooke knew was that Scott had a girlfriend. When she found that out, that did not stop her from chasing him. When she moved, she saw Scott at school and wanted to walk up to him but she was scared. She kept telling herself that she was going to tell him that she loved him, but she backed down each time. Brooke would go home and think about Scott, where he lived, what was his favorite color, and much more. She later found out that Scott had a girlfriend. She was very devastated. Her friend, Sadie, convinced her to start tutoring kids at their school. Brooke started tutoring a boy named John. After she decided to apply to colleges for Urban Planning, she realized that John was the actual love of her life. Brooke got accepted to the college of her choice. Brooke’s mom and dad began wanting to be a part of her life again.

Characterization:
Brooke- Out of love, Brooke moved to New York to be with Scot Abrams. When she left New Jersey, she was really shy and did not talk to anyone. As she got used to New York, she became a very happy girl, talked to so many people, and also got into the college she wanted.

John was the boy who Brooke tutored. He was a shy kid who never talked to anyone. There was never a time he did not have his headphones in. When Brook started tutoring him, he became less shy, understood how to do things on his own, got more involved in activities,and even started to apply at colleges.

Impacts Of Setting:
So Much Closer took place in two different places. It started in New Jersey and ended in New York. It took place during modern times, which made it relatable. These places and times were important because Brooke decided to move to New York. When she moved, she had to remake friends, relearn a town, and meet new teachers.

Recommendations: I recommend this book to any girls ages fourteen and up, I think girls who like books about drama and relationships would like this book. I think mainly girls would like this book, because it would make them want to keep reading and they could possibly be going through a situation that Brooke has gone through. I also think girls would like this book, because it's more about a female’s love life.

[Jenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have seen, heard good reviews about Susane Colasanti novels. I actually have been wanting read them, for while. I had came across few of her novels, at bookstore and read parts of books. Couple weeks ago, I finally purchased So Much Closer, which was one of her novels that I been wanting to read. Ever since I read the summary, it seemed like my type of a book. I found me enjoying the book more then me though then I would. The writing was beautiful, and it got hard for me to pull away from the book. It was one of books I’m glad I discovered. I will be checking out rest of Susane’s books.

Brooke will do anything, to capture the heart of Scott, a guy she believes she belongs together with. Brooke’s plan seems to fall apart when she finds out Scott is moving, to New York. So Brooke does the unexpected, she follows him to New York, moving in apartment with her father, who she haven’t had touch with, in years.

Now, all Brooke has do is to convince Scott, that the two of them belong together. However, her plan starts to fall apart when she discovers that Scott has a girlfriend already, but Brooke is not ready to give up. Thanks to Brooke’s new friends, and the big city, she learns to navigate and learn about herself, discovering that true love comes at most unexpected time.

I was hooked from first page. I truly thought that Brooke was going to tell Scott, right there. Honestly I wanted to tell her not to. I mean, what kind of person tells someone they barely know, that they belong together, that she loves him? I kind of felt like April did, against it. I was pretty shocked that she followed him all way to New York, and moved in with father she been angry with, all these years. Probably that what surprised me the most, that she was willing to live with him, in order to get closer with Scott. I was actually surprised she was able to establish friendship with Scott; honestly, I didn’t even think he would notice her. I felt bad for her when everything went downhill for her though, with her dad never being home, her relationship with Scott.

Sadie. Even though she was bit hyper, I loved that girl. I loved her attitude, and the way she wanted to help other. Especially loved her warm fuzzy notes. Sadie sounds like some of my friends so in a way I could relate to her. She’s type of person that everyone should have, for a friend. Brooke was the last person I thought end up friends with, especially since she didn’t even seem to like her that much, in beginning. I was glad that two of them became friends; honestly I thought that she was more of best friend, then April was to Brooke. Unlike April, she was always there for me, and didn’t ditch her. I loved seeing how their relationship grew through the novel.

John & Scott. John, now who wouldn’t love him? Why can’t all guys be like him? He’s sweet, adventurous. I loved how he showed Brooke New York; make her discover things, not only about New York, but herself. I had no idea he liked her though, not till she showed up with Scott, and announced that they were together, the way he looked, so heartbroken, my heart actually broke for him. I wanted talk some sense in Brooke, make her see how great of guy John was. Too bad, it took her towards end, to see that. Now Scott, honestly I am not sure how I felt about Scott, part of me liked him, and another part not so much. I loved the friendship he established with Brooke in beginning, but then way he didn’t even consider her feelings when she told him, how she felt, how she thought their relationship wasn’t moving forward. I was surprised that they actually got together, I actually didn’t think it happen.

Susane is author worth checking out. I’m looking forward to reading her other works.