[Novel Publicity Whirlwind tour] Review: Come a Little Bit Closer (The Sullivans, #7) by Bella Andre

Publication year: 27th November, 2012
Publisher: Oak Press, LLC
Links: Amazon | Goodreads
Source: Review copy provided as a part of blog tour
Rating: 3.5/ 5 stars

from goodreads

Movie star Smith Sullivan can’t afford any distractions. He’s staking his entire reputation on his new film...but he can’t stop thinking about Valentina Landon and the fire he sees smoldering just beneath the surface of her cool exterior.

Valentina isn’t averse to sensual pleasure, or even to the idea of finding true love, but as a Hollywood business manager she’s watched too many smart women fall for actors...only to be torn apart when the fairytale comes to its inevitable end.

But when intense weeks together on set turn their heated attraction into red-hot flames of passion, Smith knows he has to find a way to convince Valentina to let him get a little bit closer. Close enough to completely steal her heart...the way she’s stolen his from the start.

REVIEW

Three words that describe Come a Little Bit Closer by Bella Andre: mild, adorable and electrifying!

Mild in the sense that nothing was overdone. The thing about romance novels that are solely about romance is that they are always in danger of getting a bit too mushy. Come a Little Bit Closer, thankfully, never felt like an overdose of mush. Instead, the romance was dished in manageable doses; with enough of a love-hate conflict and gradual growth, shared connections and a bond that was believably forged.

Electrifying because... well, the chemistry between Smith, movie star, director and screenwriter extraordinaire and Valentina Landon, whose prime concern had been her baby sister's transition to Hollywood all this while, was undeniably... undeniable! The author with her simple, easy-to-flow-with writing style nailed every bit of the steamy, sexy and drop-dead-amazing instances where Smith and Valentina's interactions would leave you swooning.

And despite most of Come A Little Bit Closer taking place on a movie set, the book captures less of the glitz and glam that personifies Hollywood and more of the hard work, dedication and passion that goes into every take of reel life. Smith Sullivan is this amazingly down-to-earth family guy whose main focus is on making the perfect movie and who can't deny his feelings towards his co-star's sister (Valentina). Kind of makes your heart melt, doesn't it?

I mean, who wouldn't want to fall head over heels in love with an unbelievably talented movie star (with or without a reputation)?

Every page of Come A Little Bit Closer screams GUILTY PLEASURE.

And that, in a nutshell, is how I felt about my first Sullivan novel (yes, I started the Sullivan series out of sequence... kind of on purpose, since it was mentioned that you don't need to read these in sequence). It was nothing short of adorable; and gave me quite the sugar rush! I cannot wait to meet the rest of the Sullivan siblings (I'm already half way into From This Moment On). These novels are gold.

Oh, and: Come a Little Bit Closer features a first date that is made of win. Definitely makes the top of my favourite fictional first dates!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Note: The reason why this gets 3.5 stars and not, say, 4 stars is precisely the reason why I also happened to like CaLBC: it's solely a guilty pleasure. But if you regularly indulge in romance novels, this might easily get a 5/5 stars from you!

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The Sullivans are on tour with Novel Publicity. Follow along for your chance to win amazing prizes. We've got special romantic swag baskets for each book, an iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, Nook Color, and Kobo eReader, and Amazon and iTunes gift cards. WOW! You'll also get introduced to this amazing contemporary romance series via excerpts as well as interviews with and guest posts from New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, Bella Andre. You'll definitely want to learn more about the family that has captured the world's heart. All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment--easy to enter; easy to win!

To Win the Prizes:

1. Purchase any of the Sullivan ebooks by Bella Andre for just $4.99 (optional)
2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity (go here)
3. Visit today’s featured social media event (that's where the HUGE prizes are)

About The Sullivans:

In this sexy, emotional and funny contemporary romance series, each member of the Sullivan family will eventually find true love...usually where he or she least expects it. Get the eBooks via Amazon US, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, the iBookStore, or the Kobo Store. Audiobooks are also available for the first five in the series (with more coming soon). Plus, keep an eye out for paperback editions coming from Harlequin Romance starting Summer 2013.

About the Author: 

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Bella Andre has always been a writer. Songs came first, and then non-fiction books, but as soon as she started writing her first romance novel, she knew she'd found her perfect career. Known for "sensual, empowered stories enveloped in heady romance" (Publishers Weekly) about sizzling alpha heroes and the strong women they'll love forever, nearly all of her novels have appeared on Top 10 lists at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple and Kobo. Her books have been Cosmopolitan Magazine "Red Hot Reads" twice and have been translated into nine languages.

Winner of the Award of Excellence, The Washington Post has called her "One of the top digital writers in America" and she has been featured by NPR, USA Today, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. She has given the keynote speech at Book Expo America on her self-publishing success and has sold more than one million books. If not behind her computer, you can find her reading her favorite authors, hiking, swimming or laughing. Married with two children, Bella splits her time between the Northern California wine country and a 100 year old log cabin in the Adirondacks.

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