Come Closer to Me

Rock U, Book 2

By: Christie Gordon

Narrated by: Finnley Cole

Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

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 U series 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 listened to as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

©2023 Christie Gordon (P)2024 Christie Gordon

Flirting and Feelings!

Axel and Remy!! We have Axel who is absolute about his forever love of Remy his older brother's best friend. We have Remi who does not have a clue that he could possibly love Axel in return. All Remi knows is that all of Axel's flirting makes him uncomfortable, but somehow in a good way! Axel uses all his flirting to try to mask how strong his feelings are for Remy. It was lovely to watch Remy slowly grow closer to Axel and start to discover that Axel was a big part of what was missing in his life and in his heart! I enjoyed the tentative, honest progression of Remy's feelings for Axel. These two were fun and sweet together. It was so rewarding to see Axel finally get the love his man. Finnley Cole was a fun and flirty narrator!

Great Characters

Christie Gordon writes great characters and hearing them come to life narrated by Finnley Cole makes them that much more enjoyable! Take time to enjoy this Rock U series, you won’t be disappointed!

Pining and Discovery

2024 AUDIOBOOK (10h42m), Narrated by Finnley Cole: 4.5 stars
1st person, past tense, dual POV
Axel Sandstrom (23), senior at ASU studying business with a concentration on business analytics
Remy Hall (27), security installation, studying business with a concentration on business analytics at ASU part-time
This narrator continues to do an excellent job narrating the series. The voices for Remy and Axel were subtly different, Remy was softer while Axel was a little gravelier, which I thought suited their characters. I did find them similar enough that if I had left the book and come back to it I would have to double check whose chapter I was reading, unlike with Devin/Brandon. I love the emotion he imbues into the characters, especially during intense scenes and had me tearing up at certain points.
I listened at 1.15x for reasons and it sounded great, I might even try that again since slower speeds sometimes allow my mind to wander.

I was given an Audible code and voluntarily wrote an honest review.


2023 ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Note: There is a short prequel to this series called The Perfect Front Man (Rock U #0.5) that contains background for this story and insight into Axel's character (it is also told from his POV). While it isn't necessary to read to enjoy this book, I highly recommend doing so.
On a Different Mission (Rock U #1) is a good read as well, but does not need to be read first, though it will help you enjoy the Rock U world a little more.

Axel Sandstrom has been in love with his older brother's best friend, Remy Hall, pretty much since the moment he realized he was gay. Nothing can ever come of it though because Remy is straight and would never give him a second glance. So, Axel teases Remy with sexually charged double-entendres every chance he gets and has one-night stands with men that look an awful lot like his grey-eyed, wavy brown-haired crush. Remy is oblivious to the real reason Axel teases him, but wishes he'd stop because the responding flutters in his stomach are confusing. Even if he's never really had a girlfriend before, he knows he likes girls, though there was that one time... In either case he's pretty sure his traumatic childhood losses mean he'll never fall in love, with anyone.

I was pretty excited to read Axel's story since I had read the prequel and was dying for him to get his HEA. He's such a great and self-assured character. I love how he lives life to the fullest, single-mindedly going for what he wants and he wants Remy. When Remy was off-limits, he respected that, in his own way, but the moment there was hope he was all in. Remy was a little more difficult to get to know as a character, both because this is our first real introduction to him as a character and because he's not nearly as boisterous and confident as Axel. He's had to work through some trauma and he's naturally more reserved. I would have enjoyed a little more of an awakening from his POV because it kind of felt like they got together out of nowhere, but that kind of suits him too.

I loved that Axel said those three little words first and that there was no expectation to have them returned or awkwardness when Remy couldn't say them back. I loved the scenes when the band was performing - I have to go add a bunch of old favourites to my Spotify playlist now, lol. I was pleasantly surprised that the fallout from the forth quarter twist didn't result in Remy spiraling too badly and that it galvanized him into realizing the depth of his feeling for Axel. This was a pretty perfect read for me.

I can't wait to read Caleb and the rest of the guys' stories (I hope Samuel gets his own HEA at some point, even tangentially).

I was given an ARC and voluntarily wrote an honest review.

another great in this series

Axel is the guitarist in Knot You. He has always had a crush on his brothers best friend, Remy. Axel has always flirted with Remy. However, that has made Remy uncomfortable.  Alex offers to tutor Remy. Axel just thinks if nothing else, they can be friends. Until Remy realizes he is developing feelings for Axel and not just the friendly kind.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Finnely Cole. I enjoyed listening. He makes the story come alive.

When I first started this series, i was reading / listening out of order. As these can be read as standalones, the whole series is amazing. I have enjoyed each characters story thus far.

Another Great One!

This is a great series and the narration is fantastic! The characters and their stories just come to life with this audio book. I really enjoyed it.

Wonderful story!

Axel and Remy had a rocky relationship from the beginning. Axel has been in love with Remy from the first time they met, but Remy is straight, so Axel never expected anything to happen between them. Axel lives in a house with Leo, who is Remy’s older brother and Remy needs help with his college class and Axel had already taken the class so Axel is helping. In the process they bicker a lot but Remy realizes he does in deed like Remy. Then Axel gets shot by a bad person who was trying to kill lots of people but Axel and his friend Kaleb stop the shooter, but Axel got shot in his leg. He almost died and Remy was beside himself with worry so after Axel was released from the hospital Remy moved in with Axel. Leo said they can have the master bedroom because he was going to be getting a place with his girlfriend and didn’t need the room. I really enjoyed this story. I didn’t expect the shooting, but it did get my attention and it really shows what people need to know in cases like these. They were stronger together than they were apart. I recommend this story to everyone who loves mm romance stories with real life happenings.

I Really Enjoyed This!

Both the author and the performer are new to me so this title ended up being a pleasant surprise. Following Axel and Remy's journey to their HEA was heart warming and sizzling. I think I will check out another book in this series

4 starz - I would listen again

"I can't remember a time when my heart didn't ache a little when I thought of you."

Brother's best friend is always in my top 5 book tropes but this storyline is so unique. I love how hard Axel fell for Remy, and how patient he was waiting for Remy to fall for him. I love Remy too, but I was starting to get a little annoyed with him. How can you keep doing my boy, Axel, like that??? My emotions were all over the place with this book anyway but Finnley Cole really made me feel, and fall, deeper into their love. He was amazing. I honestly can't wait for the next installment in this series

So sweet!

I loved this book! Axel & Remy's journey is so incredibly sweet and heartwarming. Narrator isn't my favorite but also isn't the worst I've heard.

spicy & saucy hot romance

this was steamy & hot & lustful. I loved it! the characters are all cool (can we have a real life band like Not Me) & I liked Remy & how he had to heal through his grief/trauma. this also has one of my guilty pleasure tropes (im in love with my brothers bff), & the duel povs made this a super fun & easy read. highly recommend if you are in the mood for something spicy.