The Close-Up

I Heart SF, Book 1

By: Sarah Smith

Narrated by: Donnabella Mortel

A new work assignment goes delightfully off script in this friends-to-lovers rom-com from Sarah Smith, author of Faker and Simmer Down

Simon Rutler is the perfect man.

Handsome, kind and smart—Simon is amazing. Naomi Ellorza-Hays might be fresh out of a bad relationship and determined to stay single, but Simon is testing her newfound relationship ban. Good thing they’re working together. Simon may be perfect, but he’s also off-limits.

There’s just one small—well, big—problem.

Simon works as a relationship therapist, specializing in helping men better support their partners. But Naomi can’t stop thinking about how she was first introduced to Simon…as the camguy she watched in college. Filming him for her new docuseries suddenly takes on a whole new meaning.

Their relationship is…complicated.

Determined to stay professional, Naomi refuses to give in to their sizzling chemistry—until she does, and even then, it’s strictly no strings attached. Until it’s not. And Naomi realizes that maybe things between her and Simon aren’t so complicated after all.

I Heart SF

Book 1: The Close-Up

©2022 Sarah Smith (P)2022 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

loved this one

If you're anything like me, ur always on the market for a #romcom that hits all the right notes, so, I present u with ur next fave 😉

Or ur next listen actually- I count my lucky stars that I won the audiobook version of #TheCloseUp in a giveaway from @authorsarahs herself and it was just everything #allthefeels

It starts off with Naomi, at a bar with her bff and cousin Harper, trying to drink away her cheating now-ex-boyfriend. Harper prompts her to forget about him by hitting on a hot stranger, which is how Naomi finds herself in front of Simon Rutler, telling him just how hot he actually is. He's a stranger but something about him seems familiar & as their flirty banter flies it clicks, he used to be a "cam-er," THE cam-er, the one who's sex tapes everyone used to watch back in college. Simon is the epitome of a gentleman though, flashing his gorgeous smile, clearly interested but tells her nothing can happen tonight because she's drunk. She's smitten but after vomiting on his shoes it's all over and she expects never to see him again.

Of course, life has other plans... Naomi's boss wants her to interview this new relationship guru/therapist everyone is talking about, the one holding men accountable, the sex positive one, promoting attentiveness, respect, open communication and validating ur partner's feelings. Who else walks into her office but Simon! Naomi establishes strict profressional boundaries (despite the crackling attraction) and they agree on friendship, which only gets harder as they continue seeing more and more of each other with the success of the 'Simply Simon' series. There's so much that ensues from here but I'll leave it at that 🤪

I'm not a huge audiobook listener but I have to say, the narrator for this one, Donnabella Mortel did an amazing job. Naomi's voice was just the right amount of sweet & bad ass, and since there was just one narrator, I thought she handled the transitions into male & other characters' voices very well. (Especially Naomi's mom's accent, she totally nailed it, had me cracking up at her creativity, it was so perfect!)

Ur gonna fall in love with this couple, really u can't go with any of this author's novels 💙

Terrible main character

I'm normally the least picky reader/listener ever, but in every chapter the heroine would do or think something so moronic it gave me a pit in my stomach. Her choices made no sense and his book keeps repeating the same storyline over and over, every time you think some progress has been made she puts herself right back at square one for no good reason. She speeds 99% of the book messing with poor Simon's feelings and it makes zero sense what makes her so special that he puts up with her. You would have to be borderline masochistic to enjoy reading about their relationship up until the final few minutes.