Sometimes love is a lot closer to home than you think.
Charlie Burroughs can’t keep a man. All he wants is a good relationship like the ones he sees his friends having, but none of the men he picks ever work out. Despite him trying to be the perfect boyfriend, the men are either threatened by his looks or his epilepsy or a combination of the two. It’s lucky that he has his best friend Misha to … Misha to turn to. The two of them are closer than peas in a pod and fiercely loyal to each other. He can’t imagine his life without Misha in it.
Misha Lebedinsky is the complete opposite of his best friend. Being the support system for his mum and twin sisters leaves Misha with neither the time nor the inclination for a relationship. Quick and frequent hook-ups are his favourite means of communication and any other pesky emotional needs he has are met by Charlie, who he’s devoted to. He lives a life of happy compartmentalization with no intention of ever changing.
All of this changes when the two best friends move in together. Being in close proximity means that they suddenly start to see each other in a very different light. But Charlie struggles when his drive to be the perfect partner clashes with the fact that he’s in love with a man who knows every little thing about him. And even if he can get past that, can a relationship ever work with a man who’d need a dictionary to tell him what love means?
From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a love story about a sunny librarian who has relationship written all over him and a cynical banker who doesn’t even have it in his blurb.
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I’m utterly entranced with this series – I re-read book 1, and read book 2 without putting it down! Perfectly romantic and highly recommended. Can’t wait for book 3 Lily Morton
I do a literal happy dance any time I get a Lily Morton arc, usually accompanied by squeals. She always delivers an entertaining story with interesting characters, and with Charlie Sunshine, she’s certainly lived up to her previous work.
Misha is my spirit animal, and Charlie is adorable. The SNARK, the sarcasm, the rapier-sharp wit – I felt like I was reading something by Noel Coward, only with male-on-male action. Both Misha and Charlie have sharp minds and sharper tongues, but they are so sweet together! I laughed out loud through most of the book, except when I was teary-eyed (no outright crying, it’s not that angsty) or yelling at various characters for a variety of reasons.
This is a friends-to-lovers tale that can be read as a standalone but really, don’t do that. At least read Best Man, the first in the Close Proximity trilogy. I know I will read this again!
Loved Misha and Charlie together. This was lovely and sweet.
Shakespeare & sunshine
“It’s got a bit of magic about it.” This book along with Charlie and Misha is magic. It brightened my evening and I laughed and smiled the whole way through. I love librarian stories and when it comes with lots of snark written by one of my favorite authors, I’m in book heaven. Charlie is a librarian after my own heart and I really want him to bake for me. I also very much want to attend a family meeting with Misha and think he should consider becoming an art docent or book club leader as his commentary is fascinating.
“Because it’s with you, you make everything better.” Gah, these two make my heart sing with happiness and love. They truly are each other’s missing half and the connection they have is beyond amazing. For a bit, I did want to bonk Misha and Charlie on their heads (talk about oblivious) but luckily for us their friends have it covered in a highly amusing way. I hope Jamie and Felix get books. They both need HEAs. Snarky, sweet, beautiful, funny and moving; this book definitely has a special place in my heart.
Charlie and Misha were completely devoted best friends who were each horrified when they became roommates and started to feel attracted to each other. Everyone who knew the men knew they belonged together, but they had issues to work around to find a happy ever after.
Misha and Charlie had banter that made me laugh out loud so many times, and their feelings for each other made me sigh. Misha handled Charlie’s epilepsy better than even Charlie did, and I adored his unshakeable support. And Charlie soothed Misha’s temper, arrogance, and workaholic tendencies. (What does a hedge fund manager do anyway?) Charlie was so accustomed to always appearing to be full of light and happiness in his relationships, but Misha knew his grumpy, less than perfect side, and Charlie really had a hard time accepting that. I just really felt the couple in my heart. I loved them so much, and I am definitely going to be reading this one again and again. I highly recommend this fabulous romance!
I’m a big fan of friends to lovers romances and Charlie Sunshine is a shining example of why I love this trope so very much. From the outset, the connection and bond Charlie and Misha share is evident. The chemistry is also palpable and makes for the most delicious slow burn I’ve read in a while.
On top of likable characters, the storyline was great. I loved how these men supported one another as friends and eventually partners. I also quite liked the angle of everyone around them knowing Charlie and Misha were meant to be and the excitement that surrounded them realizing what was there all along. And of course, with this author readers are guaranteed witty banter and smooth writing. The timeline felt natural with Charlie and Misha’s relationship evolving steadily and allowing chemistry to build and simmer before igniting. Basically, I loved everything about Charlie Sunshine and would highly recommend it to readers who enjoy emotional chemistry as much as some hot physical chemistry.
*eARC received from Gay Romance Reviews. The author and PA had no influence over this review*
I loved Charlie and Misha. After twenty years of being best friends they were incredibly in sync with each other and adorably oblivious to the incredible level they could have taken their relationship. Just like their friends, I had so much fun when they continued to be blind, denying even to themselves that their feelings for one another might of changed into something beyond friendship. And, of course, once they did, they were wonderful together.
Charlie Sunshine is another funny, sweet and emotional story written by Lily Morton and I can’t recommend it enough.
Lily Morton and childhood best friends to lovers! Can it get any better? Yes, it can!! It also has the everyone-else-is-shipping-these-oblivious-fools trope.
Filled with sarcasm, snark, witty banter and laugh-out-loud moments (that bar scene with Doug is pure GOLD!!), this is my favourite out of all her works. This is slowburn but it is so worth it. Misha and Charlie are so hot together. They are so different but so perfect for each other. And the epilogue made me SWOON!! I needed this book so bad and I couldn’t put it down.
You guys need to read this RIGHT NOW!! Drop everything else!!!
Also can I have Felix and Max please???
*ARC provided by the author via Gay Romance Reviews in exchange for an honest and unbiased review
Charlie.
I was already a fan of Lily Morton but this book put the icing on the cake for me. This book touched me in many ways. I loved how supportive Micah was with Charlie. He was always there to pick up Charlie after work and even went to places he was going to. He was seriously the best friend Charlie could have. It did crack me up that neither of them noticed the attraction between them. This is why I love best friends to lovers book. The families all saw it as well as their friends. Charlie is a sweet soul with a heart of gold. He tries to see the best in everybody including his horrible boyfriends. He knows Micah cares about him but he can’t seem to find a guy willing to accept his epilepsy. This is why I can relate to Charlie, I have seizures as well. I don’t have them as much as Charlie does but they are there. I love that Micah is there and knows exactly what to do for him when he has one. This book was beautifully written with characters you will instantly love!! Charlie and Micah are total sweethearts and work together perfectly. I love how romantic Micah is and how his whole life is about Charlie. These two are gonna make and became on of my favorites. This was an incredible book with so much emotion and love in it.
I want to say this is my favorite Lily book ever, my favorite characters (minor included), but every one of her books is its own masterpiece. Lily is one of those naturally talented and particularly skilled writers that you are so thankful they decided to write a book … and then has continued to write more books. You can always count on her characters to cheer up your day.
Charlie Sunshine has Lily’s signature charm, wit, humor, snark and heart-melting romance. It’s the best kind of friends-to-lovers with a colorful cast of minor characters. Charlie and Misha (love that name!) are fantastic characters on their own, but even better together. The love is so pure and genuine and messy and real. And I laughed my butt off the entire book. Even when it gets emotional Lily is talented with her spots of humor and comedic relief.
I highly recommend Charlie Sunshine, and then all of Lily’s backlist! She’s one of my one-click authors.
P.S. How gorgeous is the book cover? And how perfectly cute is the title?
P.P.S. Let’s start a petition for Charlie’s dad and step-dad’s story!
5+++ Stars!!!
Charlie and Misha have been best friends most of their lives and even if their approach to life and relationships couldn’t be more different—as in Charlie wants a relationship and Misha is happy with an endless string of hookups—they both know they can count on each other for everything and anything. When Charlie moves in with Misha, though, they both start seeing the other in a new light, but can they actually make the transition from a lifelong friendship progress into a different kind of relationship?
I absolutely adored both Charlie and Misha. Charlie had such a friendly, optimistic approach to life most of the time, and he went out of his way to make everyone’s lives better. The one thing that brings him down is having to deal with his Epilepsy and the turns (seizures), that after a while without them, have returned with a vengeance and have him frightened over the prospect of needing surgery. While I loved Charlie, Misha was my favorite, I swooned by how caring, supportive and protective he was of Charlie every single time.
This was a bit of a slow burn, mostly because neither Charlie nor Misha had realized what had been in front of their eyes their whole lives. It was so much fun to read how blind they were, to the point where even Charlie’s soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend made a comment about this to Misha. LOL And don’t get me started on the bets their friends and family had on them! Hahahahahaha! The progression from friends to lovers wasn’t exactly seamless, but it was realistic all things considered and damn, if they weren’t as perfect (and HOT!) as a couple as they’d been as best friends!
Charlie Sunshine was such an engaging, fun, sweet, uber-hot book with just enough angst to keep things interesting. It had a little bit of everything, a love story that I won’t forget anytime soon, fantastic main and secondary characters, excellent writing and it made me feel for Misha and Charlie in a way that I hadn’t felt in a while and I can’t recommend it enough.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, but I read it through KU, a review wasn’t a requirement. ***
Charlie and Misha are a pair of opposites. Best friends for years who have never been anything but just friends. Until they become roommates and suddenly each is looking at the other in decidedly more than friendly ways. Much more sexy ways than friends only. But can a commitment phobe who’s never dated and a sweet caretaker make the turn to more and manage to still be friends if it all goes south?
Well I’m very happy to say that yes, Charlie and Misha very successfully manage to do just that. With witty snark, laughs, serious smolder, and lots and lots of love.
Lily Morton wrote on of my favorite romances, Rule Breaker, so I knew going into it that I’d love the writing here in Charlie Sunshine. Though a very different vein with two different kinds of characters than in Rule Breaker, I love Charlie Sunshine almost as much as I do Rule Breaker. Charlie and Misha are quite simply adorable and sweet and were just waiting to fall in love with each other. Their friends even had bets going as to when they’d wake up and realize they were in love with each other. Sounds like a match made in heaven!
Lily Morton’s books never fail to take me to a happy place. I love the way the characters lives are intertwined with characters from other books. There’s lots of Lily’s trademark humour in this one but also some hurt/comfort seriousness which balances out the laughs. Can’t wait for the next book, would highly recommend starting the first book from series 1 and going from there 🙂
You know the book will be awesome if you fall in love with it 5 minutes in. This for me was such a book!
The characters and the witty banter totally drew me in! Then all the feels just finished the job… and there were so many!
A great story all around, with plenty of sunshine to brighten the day.
One of the best friends to lovers books I have read. I just fell in love with Charlie and Misha. The history that these two share spans 20 years. They have been each other’s “person” through thick and thin. What happens when feelings suddenly change? Do you risk a lifetime as friends for the possibility of more?
I loved how organically their relationship changes and grows. The surprise each felt that they still had things to learn about each other. The humor and snark is superb and carries throughout the story, even when dealing with Charlie’s medical needs. I love how that was integrated into the story as just another aspect of Charlie.
This story is rich in emotion, life, friends and family. I’m loving this series and can’t wait for the next one!
I laughed and I cried; I loved it!
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that made me laugh so hard that my husband wanted to know what I was reading. I had to read parts of it to him so he could laugh, too. While I have several books by Lily Morton in my digital library, Charlie Sunshine is the first one I’ve read.
The blurb is accurate and long so I’m just going to highlight some of the things that made me fall in love with this book. Charlie gets along with everyone while Misha is cynical, sarcastic and critical; they are perfect for each other and just don’t realize it. Friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes.
Charlie is a librarian and one of the library’s patrons – an older gentleman – borrows large print copies of Mills and Boons books (Harlequin in the U.S.) and writes his phone number in them. Charlie chastises the man but just can’t bring himself to stop letting the man borrow books. Later in the chapter, an older lady is returning a stack of books she borrowed and she and Charlie have a brief exchange:
“Those all coming back?”
“They are.” She leans close. “And I have to say there was a name and telephone number in the back of one of the books.”
“Oh, yes?” I say warily.
She nods. “I had such a lovely chat with the bloke.” She pauses. “Although he kept asking to see my zits. I’m not sure what all that was about.” She sniffs disapprovingly. “I’m a little too mature for acne.”
I thought I would die laughing. Now maybe it doesn’t come across as funny here in this review but trust me, this was just the beginning. Later on in the story one of Misha’s twin sisters has gotten into trouble for handcuffing herself to a railing at her school. Misha asks her where she got the handcuffs and here is what follows:
Anya shrugs. “Mum’s room. They were under her pillow.”
My mum gasps and turns bright red. “Oh my God,” she says faintly.
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus.” I sigh. The table bursts into bedlam as all three women in my family start to talk very loudly.
I hope that these two brief quotes are enough to entice you to read this really fantastic story. Charlie Sunshine may have been my first Lily Morton book but it won’t be my last.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com*** (posting on April 29, 2020)
I love Charlie Sunshine, both the book and the character. I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed by this author.
Watching Charlie and Misha move into a more intimate relationship is sexy, sweet, funny, and touching. Their banter and snark are hilarious, and I had many laughs while reading this.
There is plenty of humor, but there is also pain and heartache for Charlie as he struggles with epilepsy. The author gives Charlie experiences that erode his self-assurance, but she also offers Charlie hope for a better future, health-wise, and heart-wise.
Misha is a sweetheart, and watching him care for and about Charlie was precious.
I found their situation and relationship believable and exciting. I quickly became invested in these two men and got all the feels from this beautiful book.
The sexy times are very well done and their connection is palpable. I am satisfied with their HEA, and I was sad when the book ended.
I look forward to more by this author.
Charlie is beautiful inside and out and he’s inherently chipper and happy and good-hearted despite his struggle with epilepsy.
Misha his lifelong best friend, he offers Charlie the rental of his spare room. He is wonderful with Charlie with him always being there for him and helping him. Their relationship was really beautiful to watch develop throughout the story.
This was such a wonderful story I definitely recommend!
I love the long game of friends to lovers and this was provided in spades. Plus the characters were allowed to be flawed yet charming, funny, and themselves if you will. I enjoyed that the conflict wasn’t about whether they were compatible but whether they believed themselves as deserving of each other. (ie Charlie not always being the Sunshine his nick name made him feel like he had to be). I believe the epilepsy aspect of the story line was well researched and handled well and again, did not become who Charlie was rather than just another part of him which I sometimes find in romance stories. If you’re a Lily Morton fan, it’s definitely a must read and if you’re simply needing a bright spot in your current life give it a shot as it can definitely be read as a stand alone even though it’s part of a series.