Zeb Evans doesn’t do messy. The product of a disorganised and chaotic childhood, Zeb likes order and control, and as the boss of his own employment agency he can give that to himself. Life runs along strict lines and he never mixes business with pleasure. Everything in his life lives in neat, alphabetized boxes. Until Jesse. Jesse Reed is Zeb’s complete opposite. He’s chaos personified. A … personified. A whirling cyclone of disorder. He’s also charming and funny and a very unwanted distraction.
Which is why it comes as a complete surprise to Zeb to find himself asking Jesse to pose as his boyfriend for a few days in the country at a wedding.
Zeb doesn’t do impulsive, but as the time away progresses, he finds himself increasingly drawn to the merry and irreverent Jesse. But can he bring himself to break the hard-won lessons he’s learnt in life? And even if he can, how could Jesse be attracted to him anyway? He’s so much older than Jesse, not to mention being his boss.
From the bestselling author of the Mixed Messages and Finding Home series comes a warm and funny romance about one man’s fight for control and another man’s determination to circumvent it.
This is the first book in the Close Proximity series, but it can be read as a standalone.
more
Lily always brings her A game to her books, and this one is no exception. I loved this story, the characters, and the humor that brought their love story to life.
Perfect MM Romance. Highly recommended.
I love Lily Morton’s books. She’s one of the few writers I highlight when reading, and it’s not always the funny snark—it’s those moments that punch me in the gut. This book had the sexiest coming together I think I’ve ever read. Read it. You’ll love it.
Laugh out loud fun (an audio review)
Can I just say how much I love Lily Morton? Funny, sarcastic, caustic (but in a good way) and witty as I’ll get out. Brilliant. And Lily Morton narrated by Joel Leslie? Well, frankly, perfection.
I also love there are cameos and mentions of characters from Ms. Morton’s previous books. Nothing that will detract from those who haven’t read them, but a bonus to those of us who have. I’ve devoured every audiobook she has put out, and I love them all.
This one was adorable. I loved Jesse. His enthusiasm, his boundless energy, his desire to help people…and his penchant for letting his mouth get away from him. Bit of a filter problem between his brain to mouth but nothing too bad. Or at least he’s survived most of the scrapes he’s gotten into. His job is to help LGBTQ people. Whether with gardening (those poor ferns) or being a fake date (the funeral), he’s always happy to help. His boss, Zeb, keeps Jesse on the books because when Jesse is on, he’s brilliant and when he’s not…well, it’s probably worth a laugh. Jesse has principles and will always stands up for the little guy.
Zeb has a problem. Under duress, he’s agreed to be best man at his ex’s wedding. Talk about a tricky situation. Zeb’s lovely assistant convinces him to hire Jesse to be his fake date. Classic set-up. But, of course, nothing goes as planned – for any of them. Especially because Jesse and Zeb are really attracted to each other. Despite the age difference. Despite the huge differences in temperaments. Despite the different career paths. That attraction leads to all kinds of hijinks. Broom closet, anyone?
In the end, the age gap doesn’t matter. The different upbringing doesn’t matter. That they find each other despite the obstacles speaks to their true affection for each other. And I got my HEA. Kind of swoon-worthy and I loved the list.
So, run out and get the audio. Laugh out loud. Enjoy something sweet, spicy, and snarky. Just the antidote to all that ails you. (and it’s the first in the series so try to guess who the other couples will be…)
Vintage Lily Morton! Lots of laughs – actual laugh-out-loud dialogue, tons of snark, and well-developed characters with a nice twist on the fake boyfriend trope including forced proximity, with an age gap sprinkled on top for good measure.
Low angst compared to most of Lily’s books, but still evocative. Jesse and Zeb are lovely together even though Zeb needed a good swift kick in the arse in a couple of places. I didn’t want the story to end. The sex scenes are as intimate as they are incendiary. Of course I was eyeing the secondary characters to see who’s going to get their own book next, and I’ve got my eye on a couple of them.
Although Jesse appeared in Gideon as Eli’s friend, you don’t have to have read any of Lily’s other books to fall in love with Best Man.
*I received an arc of this book.*
Lily does it again
A great book full of characters you want to befriend, laugh out loud moments and moments you really want to shout at the main characters. Jessie would be the first choice if you were choosing yourself a new friend, always happy, helpful and full of character.
Zeb, well, he comes across as a bit spineless at times, always keeping his word even if it’s detrimental to his wellbeing. Patrick, well, the less said about Patrick, the better, He’s Zeb’s ex-boyfriend, but some would wonder if ex is the right word.
A great story, I couldn’t put it down once I started, but I do love Lily Morton’s RomComs, always such a great read.
I loved these characters, and Joel Leslie brought them to life with excellent narration. He makes the art of narration seem effortless.
Well narrated, clean and clear. Joel Leslie was a joy to listen to, as always. I sped up to 1.10 on Audible.
Best Man
Close Proximity, Book 1
By: Lily Morton
Narrated by: Joel Leslie
Series: Close Proximity, Book 1
Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins
Overall
Narration
Story
Read at 1.10 speed on Audible
I received this audiobook for free from GRR at my request. My review is my opinion and an honest review – neither the author nor GRR influenced my opinion.
The first book in the Close Proximity series, Best Man is a wonderful romantic comedy between a boss and his sassy, spunky employee. There was some drama, but for the most part, the book was just a wonderful mixture of fluff, romance, and humor. I really enjoyed the banter all the characters had with each other. There were many moments where I was laughing out loud at some of the shenanigans that occurred. The audiobook was narrated by Joel Leslie who does a fantastic job. His performance of the story was perfect for the characters. The audiobook production was well done and made for an enjoyable listening experience.
Zeb agrees to serve as best man at his ex’s wedding. To avoid looking like a loser, he hires his employee, Jesse, to be his fake boyfriend. Sure, he’s attracted to the guy, but who wouldn’t be? Jesse is gorgeous, playful, and irreverent—the perfect foil to Zeb’s more serious nature. But with a 20 year difference in their ages, nothing romantic can happen between them. Can it?
This book is so funny! It’s cringey in the best way that the bisexual groom is marrying a woman to satisfy his homophobic family—and that Jesse continually calls people out for their nonsense. He and Zeb are adorable together, and it’s lovely how patient Jesse is with Zeb in helping him overcome his misconceptions and insecurities.
Thanks, Gay Romance Reviews, for the audio ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5
Another very touching story with LOL moments.
Although this is the first book in the Close Proximity series, I actually listened to it after I read the second and third books in the series. Some of the characters were familiar to me from the other books but reading them out of order wasn’t a problem as they all standalone quite well.
Joel Leslie is the perfect audio performer for this series. His interpretation of Lily Morton’s words made me laugh out loud and also brought more than a few tears to my eyes.
Best Man is a great age-gap story with 20 years separating Zeb and Jesse. It’s also a great fake boyfriend story because Zeb asks Jesse to accompany him to his ex’s wedding where he is to be the best man. Jesse has been in love with Zeb for a while but Zeb had a boyfriend and Jesse is surprised when he learns that they have split up.
Things get pretty angsty when certain things happen at the wedding. But the events finally force Zeb to acknowledge what he feels for Jesse. I loved the conversation between Zeb and Jesse’s father but I can’t say why because it would be too spoiler-y.
I’m really glad I was offered the opportunity to listen to a complimentary copy of this book. It was provided to me at my request but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.
A Wonderfully Delightful RomCom & Audible Listen
Best Man
Close Proximity, Book 1
By: Lily Morton
Narrated by: Joel Leslie
I loved everything about this fabulously delightful romantic comedy from Lily Morton’s wonderful writing style to the characters and storylines she created to the perfectly cast narrator, who brings it all to life from the pages to your ears.The story grabbed my attention right from the start and captivated it the entire book. The characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with, they are likable and easy to care about and maybe even fall a little in love with. Jesse Reed is absolutely adorable, I knew he was going to be a special character the moment he first appeared, he is full of personality and like a ball of sunshine and we could all use a Jesse in our lives, despite being a train wreck waiting to happen which adds to the hilarity of it all. And then there is Zeb, his boss and complete opposite in so many ways that it isn’t funny, ok, so maybe it is. Zeb’s ex is getting married and he agreed to be his best man, not wanting to go to any of the pre-wedding events he asked Jesse to be his fake boyfriend for the events and the wedding. The chemistry between Jesse and Zeb is electric, Zeb needed to get over himself and that he was 20 years older than Jesse. I loved how every played out in this book, the dialogue is brilliant and the story is wonderfully plotted with the a perfect balance of drama, humor, heartfelt emotions and a hot and meaningful romance. Lilly Morton, thank you for this amazon story, the laughs and the emotional rollercoaster ride. This is the kind of book that brings smiles to faces and sunshine to your heart.
And for the amazing narration, Joel Leslie is a fabulously talented narrator and versatile voice artist. He had a complete understanding of the characters he portrayed, giving each a voice that suited that character’s persona to a tee, accents and all, sounding believable in every role he played and just as I pictured the character to sound. He set the perfect tone for the story, handled all the witty dialogue effortlessly and landed the humor without missing a beat. You could hear how much heart he puts into his work as he captured the characters’ emotions and projected them into his performance. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another fabulous listen.
Thank you GRR
4.5 stars for both the narration and the story.
Joel Leslie is wonderful as always. He has such a pleasant voice and accent. It was the perfect for the characters referencing England and age appropriate. He keeps a good pace and expresses all the emotions perfectly bringing the story to life. His voices for the side characters were great. I only wish there was a little more difference in the 2 MCs so I left off half a star for that but it was a pleasure to listen to this.
This was such a fabulous start to this series. It was such a light, low angst, fun story. I listened to this all at once and couldn’t stop from start to finish. The 2 characters had amazing chemistry and I absolutely adored Jesse. Their banter was great and he was so adorably hilarious and feisty. Zeb was also great for the most part. He isn’t perfect due to his need to please everyone but he definitely redeems himself in the end. I absolutely would recommend it and I can’t wait for more in this series. This was actually my first Lily Morton book and I thought that it was very well written. I will definitely be reading more by this author.
My first Lily Morton book – turns out I read them all out of order!
I really loved this one! Lily Morton has not disappointed, and this one she is at her best. Zeb is over the top worried he is told old for Jesse that it really is just comical, and Jesse just totally takes it in stride. I loved Jesse!!! I could read about what he is getting up to for time to come and I do hope this couple shows up in the next books in this series. Also, I so enjoyed Felix, Max, Charlie and Misha and hope to see a lot more of them as well. This read was an office romance that Zeb felt like shouldn’t happen and Jesse thought he had no chance with his much more distinguished boss, but in the end it was perfect and they were perfect. There was really only a bit of angst, and I believe it needed it for Zeb to see where his loyalties needed to lie and for Jesse to truly understand him. I am excited for this series. Another great one!! I think I might go back and read the rest of Finding Home series, as I think I will enjoy this series more doing so. Yay for more Lily!!
A lovely romance story that has a bit of tension and a few warm fuzzies.
Lily Morton’s books always make me really happy and this one is no different. I was thrilled to see that this is the beginning of a new series.
Zeb and Jesse are perfect together. Love their banter and every line out Jesse’s mouth makes me laugh so damn much. We’ve met Jesse before in Gideon, as Eli’s best friend.
This book also belongs to fake relationship and May/December tropes- two of my favourite tropes!
There were times I was so angry at Zeb because he was being such a twat! I wanted to hurt him for hurting my sweet ball of sunshine. Fortunately, he does dislodge his head out of his arse. Also I really fucking hated Patrick, Zeb’s ex. He’s such an arsehole.
I liked Max and Felix a lot. Maybe they’ll get the next book. Or Charlie and Misha? Either way I’m really looking forward to the next book.
Highly recommended!!
*ARC provided by the author via Vibrant Promotions in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
Lily’s books are great. This is just another great example
This was everything I expected from Lily Morton … What an awesome, fun and sweet read !!! I absolutely loved Jesse !! About as much as I love Eli, which is quite understanding since they are the best of friends 😉 I wished there would have been more of Eli and Gideon, but hey…we can’t always get everything we want.
Jesse has been working for Zeb for three years now. He is what they call a “jack of all trades”. Zeb’s company caters mostly to the LGBTQ community and offers them everything they need… from gardner to “fake boyfriend” and anything in between.
Jesse has been crushing on his boss from the moment they met, but Zeb has never shown any interest….he has also been in a relationship for years, so Jesse just crushes on from afar so to say…
What Jesse doesn’t know is that Zeb has been feeling the same way about Jesse … He is just worried that he is way too old for the likes of Jesse, they do have a 20 year age difference. He doesn’t think Jesse would be interested in someone like him.
But now, things are about to change between the two of them, because Zeb needs Jesse’s help to pose as his fake boyfriend at a (pre) wedding getaway. And we are not talking about just any wedding here. We are talking about his ex-boyfriend Patrick’s wedding, who cheated on him and is now marrying a woman… He even promised to be his best man. Should be some good times (read the sarcasm)
Things are never boring with Jesse around though, so I laughed my ass off. I also had to make use of my dear old fan when things between Jesse and Zeb started heating up !!!
So many wonderful side-characters were introduced and I really hope we get all their books. Lily Morton has set the bar high with this very first book in the series, but I am sure the rest of the books will be awesome as well. I for one can’t wait 😉
Highly recommended !!!
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
4.5 lovely, silly, sexy, feel good stars.
I was charmed immediately by all of Jesse. He’s so dang funny with the way he gets into incredible situations all in the name of helping people. His ideas for dates were superlative and I honestly wish either I or someone I date could be that insightful and creative and excited. And his insults when inserted into “polite” conversation are hilariously perfect. The way he is with Zeb is honestly the best part for me. There’s a bit of insecurity that’s well-founded because of Zeb’s behavior, and while I wish it could always be sunshine and roses and shared umbrellas, no great love can exist without some conflict.
Speaking of conflict, Patrick is a horrible excuse for a human and a whole lot of me hopes he never gets a book of his own because I just don’t want to see him happy. That’s quite uncharitable and unforgiving of me, but I kind of just don’t care. He’s horrible to everyone, can’t understand one iota of fidelity, does despicable things, and is generally the most unpleasant person in the entire book. I find him worse than his homophobic, hate-spewing mother. Since the big misunderstanding moment revolves around Patrick, which is unsurprising, I can’t say I can give the book a full 5 stars because I think there could be a less predictable way to get Zeb to wise up, but since Zeb blinded himself so thoroughly to Patrick in the name of honoring his own word, maybe not. Anyway, I didn’t like it but can acknowledge that the device worked.
And then there’s Zeb. Zeb had absolutely wonderful moments. His love and care for Jesse in the end was perfection in all of its sweetness, earnestness, and adoration. The road to get to that point was filled with frustration because he willfully refused to see beyond certain things for longer than necessary. Harping on the age gap and his uneducated views on the nature of Jesse’s age got really old really quickly…pun perhaps intended? Once he opened his eyes to what Jesse was really all about though, that was when the magic started happening. His dysfunctional and disturbing relationship with Patrick was gag-worthy at times and I wanted to slap him upside the head at multiple points of the story. But despite all the ranting about poor Zeb, I felt he was and eventually proved that he was the perfect partner for Jesse. He lived up to every good thing I wished for them.
This was such a fun read and the book made me happy. I laughed out loud at a couple moments, which is huge if you knew me, and caught myself smiling so many times. I’m definitely putting this on my re-read shelf and will be cherry-picking all the best bits for when I need a pick-me-up or to feel the warm and fuzzies.
I’m on a roll this week, another book read in one sitting. Lily Morton is fast becoming a favourite, her books are full of humour and big belly laughs but are also romantic and sweet. Loved this one and can’t wait for the next book, the cast of characters is fab!!
Best Man was full of Lily’s signature snark and humor. In other words, it was amazing! I think I highlighted half the book. There were just so many laugh out loud moments, and Lily just has a way with words period.
Zeb and Jesse have great chemistry from the start; an organized predictable life meshing with the complete opposite. Trouble and outrageous situations seem to follow Jesse. So what’s better than having Jesse pretend to be your boyfriend around a crowd of snobby rich people? It’s even better than what you’re thinking.
The pacing is fantastic as always, the side characters add a ton to the story, and the story itself is hilarious and fun and romantic.
Speaking of side characters – I can’t wait for the next book!!
P.S. if this is your first Lily Morton book, stop everything to read her backlist. You’ll be asking yourself why you never read it sooner!