Customer Reviews

Closer To You: Lee

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

i ordered this book and a companion drace brother book on the strength of rather excellent excerpts from the author's website and several positive reviews in other places i trust. i loved the idea of this larger and driven black woman and her evolving relationship with a (taller) physical and intellectual peer. however, i sorely wish i could return the download, which never happens. my issues:

1. English fluency and dialogue: horrible grammar inappropriate for the characters - a smart black woman and an older (no age given) white man who owns his own company. there are no distinct character voices - the older (no age given) white man who runs his own company sounds like a 17 year old boy who doesn't read enough, the doctor sister of the main character can't talk cogently about her residency (what's her specialty again? when do doctors 'graduate' from 'college'?)the characters are not fleshed out as written and their conversations read almost indistinctly from each other.

2. Editing: haphazard punctuation replete with lotsa misspelled words or correctly spelled words used incorrectly. this feels like a first draft that needed additional attention from an outside eye. there were great leaps in time between chapters with no explanation and telling non-conversational details and interactions that would develop the characters were absent (what happened to the furniture lee had from her shop? what was her response to his devotion?)

3. Contexts: poor or non-existent scene descriptions - what city are they in? (what is the nature of the advertising campaign again?) (what is the theme for that big party again?) (are these characters smart because the other one says so - can't i read it and believe it through telling dialogue?) what does he like about her again? other than her ladyparts and how does he show it?

overall, i was disappointed - it did not feel like either a well developed read nor was it comparable to the other drace brothers story i read.

Lee Drace is the ultimate bachelor; he loves all women and doesn't want to commit to anyone. That is until he is drawn to his new sister in law, Cherise. Even though she is bound and determined to not even date him, especially as their skin colors do not even come close to matching. The problem is as she continues to refuse him, he is further and further drawn into her thoughts, as well as sneaking into her heart. But, she is not going to be duped by another playboy, especially one who is sort of related.

The problem is now Lee and Cherise are working together and it is getting harder for Cherise to keep her secret from Lee. The secret is that she wants him like crazy! And knows that he returns the sentiment but, she is not a one night stand kind of girl, is she?

Will Lee be able to convince her that he now doesn't just want to love `em and leave `em?

Closer to You: Lee is one of the few contemporary interracial stories I have read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I did become annoyed a bit with how Cherise fought her attraction to Lee so vehemently, and think I would have understood better if I had read Zach's story but, all in all I thought it was a fun read. Ms. Rochelle did a good job setting the stage for funny office politics as well as how many women have more than one job at a time. She also knows how to write a steamy scene and that is not an easy thing to do, without seeming to be repetitive. I enjoyed Closer to You: Lee and you will too.

Tanya
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

Lee Drace is the ultimate Aplha male. He always gets his way and isn't used to hearing the word no. He has never really been interested in one particular woman for a long period of time. With him work always comes first until he helps out his brother and meets the woman who made his heart stand still....Cherise Roberts

Cherise Roberts hated Lee Drace the moment her eyes connects with his or at least that is what she tries to tell herself. It doesn't help that the man who helped steal her antique shop away is now her brother-in law. She doesn't want to be attracted to Lee because he sees beneath the surface of her nasty attitude towards him to the real woman behind all of the thorns and layers. It only a matter of time that she starts to want to give a realtionship with Lee a try, but is it too late now. Has she finally chased Lee away.

I have been waiting for this book to come out in print forever! Marie Rochelle first introduced us to this super couple back in My Deepest Love:Zack the first book in the Drace brother series and then continue with peeks of them in the second book in the series. A Taste of Love:Richard. I'm thrilled that they finally got their own book.

Lee and Cherise in Closer to you:Lee had me turning the pages faster and I could read them. This is a superb book about a full figured black woman that has a ultra-HOT man totally in love with her. I've already read this book twice and I know I'm going to read it again before.

I say this is a must buy to add to the rest of the Drace brother book collection.

I ennjoyed My Deepest Love: Zack and A Taste of Love: Richard, but Closer to You: Lee is definitely my favorite. I love the relationship between Cherise and Lee. My heart went out to Cherise in the scene where she proposed to Lee. The sparks between the two will definitely keep you reading. Thanks for the up to date info on the other brothers. This was a great read.

I like this novel but, it just was not long enough and it did not quiet meet the hype that lead up to it as espected.

I wish there were a way to give a book 0 stars. I just don't get it. I honestly believe this publishing house doesn't have an editor. Please don't waste your money.

This book wasn't well written. It seems the author's vocabulary was lacking. The characters were undeveloped and the book didn't flow properly. I've read two books by this author, and maybe this was an earlier work of hers but I couldn't believe this was even published.

I really loved the fact that the main character was a larger woman, but she has low self-esteem and she is exteremly insecure. For me that doesn't jive well with the whole strong independent thing. I mean Cherise came off as an idiot as the author put it "she didn't realize the situation" until after it was over. I was sitting there reading like what, how do you not realize you have your hand down a man's pants and stroking his goodies until its over. Yeah well at least she wasn't a 30 year old virgin. Anyway I didn't find anything good to say about the book, but I'm not ready to give up on this author. I'm going to look for her recent work to see if she has improved.

its a great read. honestly one of the few ir romances ive read multiple times. its my go to. buy it. both charecters shine.

Lee is the MAN of my dreams. the chemistry between them is intense. I do wish it was longer and would love to see a sequel. I think between all of the Drace brother love stories This love story was the best.

My only complaint: At the end, Lee got off MUCH TOO EASY for what he did.

The good stuff: the heroine was full figured (that's always nice); Lee was a horny (extremely lovable) toad; etc.

The heroine was not rejecting Lee because he was white or because she was coy-she had past issues to deal with and was unprepared to have Lee. It was GOOD despite the reviews to the contrary.