Everyone wants to get close to a rock star.The bright lights.The music.Those talented fingers strumming… a guitar.Everyone wants to bang a rock star. So why do I keep running from the one who wants me? I’m America’s Sweetheart.I have a reputation.He’s a boy-band icon turned rock god.I’m vanilla.He’s every flavor of bad.And he’s much, much too young for me.If I end up in Nick Ryder’s bed, my … too young for me.
If I end up in Nick Ryder’s bed, my career and I will both be screwed.
…but that’s only if I’m caught.
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Laurelin Paige is a fantastic writer. She can write a story that immerses you from the first page, and time and time again she surprises me with her new releases. This time however, I can’t even put into words how I feel about Close. It’s the first in a new series. It’s about a Rock god. He’s sexy, domineering, and very persistent in his pursuit of Natalia. Nick Ryder pulled me in from the beginning. There is something very nostalgic to me about Rock Star books, as one of the first books I read back in 2012 was in this realm. Since then I judge everything about Rockers vs. this first love of mine. Laurelin did not disappoint at all!
In Close we meet Nick and Natalia. Nick is a sexy Rock god who has had a crush, if you will, for a very long time on Hollywood’s sweetheart, Natalia. She is attracted to him, but fresh off a breakup, she knows she should stay away. But how much of Nick’s determined will can she fight against. When these two are together they are like an atomic cataclysm of desire. Their chemistry was so well written, and you truly fall for them from the beginning. I can’t wait to see what is in store for us for the rest of this series!!!
“He’s a Nestle Crunch” who can resist a Nestle Crunch!!!
If you haven’t read Laurelin Paige before you should know that she never disappoints. Whether she is writing deliciously dark or fun and flirty she nails it every time. Which is pretty much what Natalia Lowen wants to do to Nick Ryder the first time he crosses her path. I loved Natalia and her friends Rowan and Hadley from the very first page. Natalia is the good girl of Hollywood and has built her career around staying out of the tabloids and not getting caught up in scandals of any kind. Enter Nick Ryder, rock god and as we find out sex god, he’s thirteen years younger than Natalia and admits that he’s had a thing for her for quite a while and after a brief encounter at a club decides to pursue her. Natalia resists until she comes to the conclusion that a harmless fling with off the chart sex and that’s exactly what it is, it’s positively smoking, can’t hurt. Nick Ryder is more sex god than rock god and if Natalia decided not to go ahead with their secret relationship I was going to offer to step in. He really is that good or should I say Laurelin Paige is that good at writing these #MakeYouMoistMoments (sorry about that). Anyway its all going so well until it isn’t. Nick is falling for Natalia and she is just too scared to admit the same. For her, it’s all about her image and she can’t see what she is throwing away. Luckily Nick is prepared to go all out and get the girl and he does. I felt the characters were a little jaded from their celebrate lives and when they were together could just be who they were and forget about that ‘life’. Close was a fun, light, fluffy read and I was smiling from beginning to end. So what if some say it was too predictable, sometimes you just want to read a proper romance and enjoy the characters and how well it’s written. The next book in this series is Want by Kayti McGee…..bring it on!!!!
I was HOOKED from beginning to end!
From the moment I opened up the first page I knew I was going to be a goner. I absolutely enjoyed this book to the fullest.
Nick Ryder and Natalia Lowen, both successful Hollywood icons — she’s 13 years older than Nick but that doesn’t seem to deter him from going after her. He does normally get what he wants in the end!
Natalia has always been the center of Nick’s dreams, his fantasies and he hoped that one day he could actually make those dreams come true. Natalia always thought Nick Ryder was good looking but knew that he was way too young for her so she never in a million years thought anything would ever come of her crushing on a younger guy. Natalia’s insecurities are going to be a problem for them though, so how is Nick going to get Natalia to let those insecurities go and show her that he’s the real deal when it comes to her??
But damn, let me just say that when they finally do hook up! Fireworks explode and the chemistry is off the charts.
I was addicted to Nick and Natalia all the way til the end. They were fun, flirty and all kinds of HOT!
This book is both sweet and sexy. I’m telling you right now, we all need a Nick Ryder in our bedroom! He knows exactly what to say to make Natalia weak in the knees and ready and willing for him. He had the way to make her do things she didn’t know she needed. I swear He’s incredible. For 23, He is very mature and knows exactly what he wants. He knew he wanted Natalia and got her. Sure it started out as fun but it soon turned into something more and scared Natalia. She was trying to reset after her latest scandal. She wasn’t looking for Nick but she couldn’t deny the chemistry they shared from the dance floor to the bedroom. I swear they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. I will say Natalia had some doubts that kept her from admitting her true feelings but thanks to her friends speaking truth, she was able to just say screw it and jump into a relationship with Nick. These two were seriously fun and sexy to read! I had a hard time putting this book down. I can’t wait to read more books in this series!
Close by Laurelin Paige is book one in her newest series Ryder’s Brothers. It is a smokin’ hot romance. Natalia is an actress. Her entire life has been in the spotlight. Newly single, she wants to keep her personal life private. Then she meets Nick. Nick’s life is also in the spotlight. He was in a boy band and now he is moving on with his solo career. These two high profile people have no chance of a possible romance being kept private. Nick could care less but Natalie feels much differently. They have instant, scorching hot chemistry! I loved every second of this book. Natalie runs and Nick chases. The characters are wonderful and the storyline will capture your attention from page one until the end. This is a fantastic start to this new series and I can’t wait for more.
Close is book 1 of the Ryder Brothers trilogy written by the talented author Laurelin Paige. This is the lovely romance between a young rock star called Nick Ryder and actress Natalia Lowen, America’s Sweetheart. The plot is sweet, sexy, intense with great characters that you will laughed, cry and fantasize with them. No Spoilers here, a must read. You will definitely want to 1-Click this book. I can’t wait to read the next story in this series.
The hotness of this book will set your kindle on fire. The instant spark between Nick and Natalie is just the start of a full blown blazing hot love story. Nick being a bad boy rock star and Natalie being a good girl actress is enough to complicate things, but add the fact that he is younger than her by 13 years. That alone was enough to keep me reading. Their story is not only super hot, sexy, and dirty, but it is also so beautiful and romantic all in one. This book is so freaking good and well worth the read.
Happy Reading Everyone!!!
“Everyone wants to get close to a rock star”
Well Nick Ryder is that rock star and he is about to meet the woman of his dreams only thing is this woman is the complete opposite to his normal choice of ladies Natalia is a 36 year old actress known for her good girl values. When Nick and Natalia end up dancing and grinding with each other at a nightclub the attraction is instant the chemistry is sizzling but Nick is a rock star and Natalia a good girl and what about the age difference !!! What starts as a fling soon turns into so much more can Nick convince Natalia age is just a number because he may only be 23 but he has lived a thousand lifetimes through his music and he is ready to start a new chapter in his life…..
“When you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible”
This book ticks all the boxes, it’s hot it’s sweet it has all the feels you need in a great read lots of swoon worthy moments witty banter and characters you will fall in love with . In true Laurelin Paige fashion I was captivated I couldn’t put it down and I can’t wait to see where we go with Ryder brother number 2.
Wow! In the 1st of the Ryder Brothers series Laurelin Paige Rocks you like a Hurricane & has you hot to the touch with “CLOSE”” it is SINFULLY DELICIOUS! The parallel of this twenty three year old rock star Nick Ryder and a thirty six year old actress Natalia Lowen finding love through friendship and having no strings sex with no boundaries is insane better yet it is AMAZING! Nick unable to fight his feelings anymore trying to respect her insecurities decides to tell her through a song he wrote for her only when he sings it to her she spirals and runs scared.
Too worried about what the paparazzi and what other will think while Nick only wants her..
“In Hollywood, becoming a star is the unicorn, not finding love.”
Only he is unwilling to lose her so he does what he knows he needs to do to win her love…
Shes the one who’s beautiful. She’s my muse, The inspiration for everything I think of these days. The total of everything I think about.”
“It was hot, and we are in sync. So compatible. So together. So close. And I can live with her like this-with her body at my disposal, with my love a secret tucked inside me. I can live with whatever we have together at the moment, this version of close.”
Even without the words directly saying so, my heart is pleading love me, Natalia, Love me like I love you.”
… So Raw, Beautiful, Reckless, PROVOCATIVE, HOT and FULL of HEAT! 5 STARS
Rock star meets & falls for his movie star crush! Reshapes her story!
Natalia has fought hard to fix her rep. She is the ‘good girl’. Some steamy dancing & Nick Ryder comes into her life. He becomes her dirty secret. She is his dream woman. She doesn’t think her image could survive being labeled as a cougar since he’s 13 yrs her jr. Little does she realize their fling is so much more. Hot, sexy, steamy, and sweet! This was fantastic! And Nick is simply dreamy! Loved it!!
I loved this book! Nick is hot and amazing and even though he’s young he has his life on track and knows what he wants. Natalia is older and has a complex about having a relationship with a younger guy. It’s ok to have fun but nothing serious. She doesn’t think that they want the same things in life because of the age difference. But can having only fun really make them both happy? The struggle is real.
Natalie Lowen is Hollywoods “good girl”. She’s America’s Sweetheart, and Natalie in real life is just that good. She doesn’t party it up, like many of the people in the industry, and prefers to spend time working. To Natalie, image is eveything. And she’s worked hard to maintain that image. However with this good girl image, comes alot of responsibility. It hasn’t been an easy ride for Natalie.
She is also unlucky in love. She hasn’t had a good run with relationships, and at 36 she feels like she’ll never meet someone she can fall in love and settle down with. As a celebrity, her inability to be the other half of a couple, is blamed on her. The tabloids are saying that Natalie drives men away with her ambition. Meh.
On a night where she decides to let her hair down, Natalie’s just looking to have a few drinks and dance the night away. What she’s not counting on is sexy dancing with rock god Nick Ryder. Who happens to be very, very young. Like 13 years younger.
She’s shocked that such a young, hot, man would want her of all people. Boring, safe her. What starts off as a dance at the floor of a club, evolves into another kind of dance, with Nick chasing after her.
Nick wants to get to know Natalie. He’s all too familiar with hook-ups with no substance, and he’s bored. For once he’d like to know someone before having sex with them. Nick is also focused on his career, but he also wants to have a relationship. Who better than the woman he lusts after whenever he sees her on screen?
Natalie may be older than Nick, but she’s scared. She’s scared what their relationship may do to the persona she has worked so hard to cultivate. Nick is the more assured one. To him it’s simple. He wants Natalie, baggage be damned. He doesn’t care about what other people say, he just wants to be with her.
At certain parts of the story I wanted to yell at Natalie to “Wake up!”. She had this sweet, sexy, man who was head over heels for her. She was letting her insecurities get the best of her. Nick was all things sweet. He was patient, and understood Natalie, at times even better than she understood herself. I was glad to see he wasn’t made out to be a two dimensional rock star, who couldn’t keep it in his pants.
Laurelin Paige is a woman of many talents. While she’s amazing at writing dirty books, she’s also pretty freaking amazing at writing sweet romance. I found this book to be more on the tamer side. (But still the sexy times are pretty hot).
I look forward to reading Jake’s (Nicks brother) book.
Oh my gosh!!! Yes. Yes! YES!!!!!
Is it hot? Hell yeah.
Is it romantic? Duh.
Is it everything you expect from Laurelin Paige? Abso-freaking-lutely!!
It’s hot, steamy, and fun. It’s got giggle like a school girl moments, snicker behind your hand spots, and head back and laugh moments too. Ms. Paige has captured the innocence of a new relationship, the chemistry of a chemical burn, and the heat of wildfires that plague California. Nothing about this book will turn you off. It is without a doubt a complete and total turn on!
The characters, the doubts, the passion are real and felt through the words. This book makes the reader a part of this fairytale. You aren’t relegated to reading words. No, this story makes you the characters. It makes you the writer of the story.
And I’m sorry to break my no hints rules but this quote is so real it had to be shared…
“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”
So did I like it…? No, I freaking love it. Close…the meaning…sigh. The meaning behind the title makes me swoon. Don’t take my word for it though, enjoy the butterflies in your stomach, the need a little further south, and the hearts in your eyes. Just remember, Nick Ryder is the one who put them there!
4.5 stars
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
I enjoyed Nick and Natalia’s story. It’s fun, steamy, and so sweet. The writing is great. I was so engaged in this story. Nick and Natalia’s connection is off the charts, their interactions fun and romantic, and the whole story just had me smiling.
I just finished Close. I loved it! I loved Nick—his playfulness, his sexiness, his strength, and his mature acceptance of how he feels about Nat. I loved every word!
Definitely my favourite read from this author. Absolutely loved this fresh take on the rock star story. Dirty talking, younger rock star with the sweet as pie, with a hidden dirty side older actress. Sign me up. The dialogue/banter was some of the best I have read this year and I smiled the whole time I was reading. As for the chemistry/sex scenes – well they were hot enough to melt your kindle. Add in just the right amount of emotions and you’ve got one of my Top Reads of 2018. Definitely recommend!
Close by Laurelin Paige is the first book in the Ryder Brothers series, where a different author will each write one of the brother’s story. First up is bad-boy rocker Nick Ryder and America’s sweetheart, Natalia.
I loved that fact that Natalia was older, in her thirties, to Nick’s early twenties. Natalia is known as America’s Sweetheart, but because of that, she has to think about every choice she makes. And she knows Nick should not even be a choice. But their chemistry is undeniable. Though Natalia wants to say no to Nick, her body wants something else.
I loved how sweet and determined Nick was. He was definitely not your typical rocker. Natalia was sweet and caring but put too much pressure on herself to keep her image in intact. Could they find a way to be together?
Close by Laurelin Paige was a sexy and fun read with a sweet dirty talking hero and a sweet heroine who will both steal your hearts. I am excited to read the next two books in the series!
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
Close was a wonderful and sweet romance between a Hollywood actress and a rockstar.
Natalia is America’s sweetheart. Branded with that sweet image she’s found herself and career trapped in a box. To avoid making waves that would affect or ruin her hardwork and image she’s reluctant to pursue the strong connection she shares with Nick.
Throughout the story, my heart was with Nick. He didn’t hesitate at all. From that first moment they shared, he was smitten and he was willing to fight for what they could have together. He knew she was “the one” and he wasn’t giving her up. He understood her on a level no one else did and his way of handling everything was spot on. He was such a great guy.
This was a wonderful start to the Ryder Brothers trilogy and I look forward to getting to know the other two.
Nick and Natalia are every contradiction that makes HEA ever so necessary. When you America Sweetheart, you have to be above reproach. Unlike other fame hungry celebs and wannabes in the glossies, Natalia has no desire to plaster across a check out stand tabloid caught in a compromising situation. She will admit that everything about the sexy rocker Nick Ryder has her humming, but other than a heart stopping turn on that club dance floor, she needs to steer clear. But he just keeps popping up and she only has so much self control. She says it’s only one time, but can she really get enough of him in just one taste.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book
I absolutely loved this book. The writing is flawless. I was so engrossed in this story. Hollywood’s Golden Good Girl, Natalia Lowen eventually gives in and has an unbelievable no strings fling with the Rock God, much younger Nick Ryder. You will fall in love with Natalia and Nick. Everything about them is perfect, their conversations, the way they treat each other and omg the chemistry between them is hot AF. Laurelin out did herself with this one. A favorite for sure for 2018!!!