Best Man

Close Proximity, Book 1

By: Lily Morton

Narrated by: Joel Leslie

Zeb Evans doesn’t do messy.

The product of a disorganized 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 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 best-selling 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 listened to as a standalone.

©2019 Lily Morton (P)2021 Lily Morton

Fun, snark, and sparkle

Lily Morton and Joel Leslie are *chef’s kiss* perfection. Leslie brings the banter, humor, and pathos like no one else. By now he’s narrated so many of Morton’s interconnected books that he’s populated an entire Gay South-of-England. And his ability to do that - to create individualized, detailed, distinct characters with emotional resonance, again and again - is what makes him one of the best narrators working today. Another sparkling performance from him, of a book which glows with life. As always with Morton, her characters are lively and funny and lovable even in their worst moments.

Loved It!

Grabbed this as soon as it hit audio and remembered why I loved it so much when I read it 2 years ago. Joel Leslie and Lily Morton are a fabulous combination. Such an enjoyable listen!

Lily does it again, she just keeps getting better and better. The snark, the wit, the love , the humor...this book has it in spades. This was such an enjoyable book, Jesse and Zeb stole my heart. They almost snuck past my all time favorite couple she has written, Oz and Silas, almost but not quite...I still loved every second of this book!

Funny

I loved this book. It is funny and heartwarming. The narration was awesome and really brought the characters to life. I think that I have found another author to enjoy.

Fun story

This was a fun story featuring an age gap and an employee/boss turned relationship. The plot centered around Zeb who had agreed to be the best man at his ex-boyfriend's wedding. And his younger, happy go lucky employee Jesse. What started out as a business arrangement quickly turned steamy as their pent up feelings (from both sides) bubbled to the surface. I loved the banter and snark of Jesse. Zeb seemed uptight and grumpy at first but came to life as the story progressed. I enjoyed their nontraditional dates. There is a wealth of side characters that I can't wait to see more of as the series continues. I also liked that the title implies the obvious, he is a best man for a wedding but it evolved into something so much more by the end of the book. Joel Leslie did a fantastic job with the narration. I adored his accents and the way he brought these characters to life.

4.5 stars for a almost perfect story and narration

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.

The best man to my hubby

I have said it again and again but I’ll say it again that in my opinion, contemporary romance is the most difficult type of book to write since it’s so close to reality. And Lily Morton is my favorite author when it comes to contemporary romances. I’m so so happy that she came up with a new, wonderful series.

Zeb loves disciplined, neat and everything in order. And being his own boss assures he can stay away from the messiness he so desperately afraid. Jesse is polar opposite of Zeb who’s messy personified. With a considerable age gap of 20 years between them and Zeb being Jesse boss, the two men secretly withheld their attraction to each other thinking the other man wouldn’t like him. When Zeb needed a fake boyfriend to attend the weddding of his cheating ex-boyfriend, Jessie is the first man he thought of. Two men who are secretly attracted to each other being fake boyfriends attending a destination wedding, sparks flew and attraction became irrestible and undeniable. Both men tentatively walked on a patch which will forver change their lives.

I love that we get to see the characters from previous books in Lily’s other series. I loved Eli and I’m so happy Jessie is his very best friend. Zeb can be a bit uptight and serious at times but I’m so happy that he was finally able to admit his attraction to Jessie and finally begin their wonderful realationship. Witch Lily’s brand of patented snark, wit and fun banters with Joel’s Leslie ahhhhmazing performance, this is no doubt an eargasmaic listen. Highly, highly recommended.

5 the best man to my hubby stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Audio rating

Story - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall - 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Love Finds Zeb and Jesse

Lily Morton delivers a downright fun and steamy romantic comedy with ‘Best Man’. Main character Jesse’s hilarious antics put Morton’s masterful comedic talents on brilliant display. The sassy, sarcastic dialogue sparkles. I couldn’t help but laugh and smile throughout the entire story.

In addition to the series-titled close-proximity (w/ bed-sharing) trope, Morton includes a few others that tick my trope-y boxes. Brash Jesse and self-restrained Zeb invoke a classic opposites-attract scenario with the added hint of grumpy/sunshine. Zeb more than Jesse is concerned about their difference in age (20 year age-gap). Rounded out by Zeb requesting Jesse, his employee, to act as his fake boyfriend at an ex’s wedding. All elements being skillfully and enjoyably interwoven by Morton.

Mainly because I’m a hopeless romantic, I think the steamy scenes are particularly well-placed. They emphasize the emotions Zeb and Jesse have for one another. None of them feel like Morton is adding them gratuitously.

Joel Leslie gives listeners an excellent narration performance. Jesse and Zeb’s perspectives are a superb interpretation of Morton’s storytelling.

I listened to this audiobook courtesy of a free review copy that was given to me at my request. My posted opinion of it is made honestly and voluntarily.

Highly recommended.

Another home run for Lily and Joel!!

Full disclosure this was my first Lily Morton book I read when I was still finding my way in the wonderful world of MM romance it sealed the deal for me that if I could find more amazing books like this with the brilliant snark and humor and steam that I’d never leave. So I haven’t left! But the only thing that could make this book better for me was Joel Leslies brilliant narration he brings all the best parts of Lily’s imagination to life! Jesse and Zeb are amazing characters that will make laugh and swoon and even tear up at the end spend your credits here folks totally worth it!!

* I received an ARC this is my honest review*

Such a Treat!

What a gem! Best Man gives us the gorgeous storytelling of Lily Morton and the amazing reading by Joel Leslie for a slam dunk!
I gobbled up this audiobook and marked it for a relisten.
This story gives us the best of the fake boyfriend trope. Zeb, locked up tight and always in control has met his match with Jesse, a light in the dark.
These two are perfect together, if they can only realize it! They give each other balance and security. Acceptance for who they truly are.
I loved this book and I know I will revisit it many times to come.

Beautiful story

I loved everything about this, the performance was fantastic and the storyline kept me listening beyond what I intended each time.