Came The Closest by Cleopatra Margot: Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

As a child, Cheyenne Kolter expected her life to look drastically different when approaching 30—a fairytale marriage like her parents, children to raise, and a successful career in the art world. Reality is being freshly divorced from a toxic man, moving to her lakeside hometown after a catastrophic end to her career in Chicago, and navigating life while her father is comatose after a near-fatal accident.

She just didn’t think she’d be redefining herself by becoming a nanny for the summer, let alone for a man she’s determined to forget.

Two-time world champion bull rider Colton Del Ray is a loner by nature, making his home on the road and keeping relationships surface level. But after he loses his temper during a live online podcast, he’s forced to lay low in Balsam Falls, only be thrown a curveball when he learns his absent mother named him guardian of his four-year-old half-brother, Milo.

The catch? He must be in a stable relationship, and when Cheyenne proposes a fake engagement, an arrangement is made.

They will live in her family’s vacant lake house, she’ll agree to be Colton’s fake fiancée for the duration of the three-month guardianship if he allows her to nanny Milo. After the court hearing, things will go back to normal. It’s not personal, the past is in the past, and new feelings are as fleeting as a summer sunrise. But what happens when they realize they’ve come the closest they’ve ever been to being truly happy?

The Author

Cleopatra Margot resides with her family and their golden retrievers in small town, rural Nebraska. Inspiration for her novels comes from both real life + fictional storylines she dreams up. She was homeschooled, alongside her two younger siblings, and she enjoys traveling with her family. When she’s not writing, Cleopatra enjoys reading, time with family and friends, dancing, playing cards, being outside, and enjoying life.

Book Review

Came the Closest is the third book in the Del Ray Brothers series. While each book focusses on a different brother and could probably be enjoyed just fine as a standalone, I do think readers will get the most out of the story by reading in order. There are some complicated family dynamics at play, and I imagine it might get confusing to readers coming in at this point. 

While I have enjoyed the other Del Ray brothers so far, I have found my new favorite in Colton. On the surface, he's the rodeo star who always has a quick one liner and doesn't like to commit... but once we get to really know him, he is a character with such depths. I could absolutely feel his emotions coming off the pages and found myself reaching for the tissues several times throughout. Him and Cheyenne together were truly just absolute perfection. There was such a tenderness between them that I absolutely couldn't help but adore. And with Milo added into the mix!? Oh my goodness, my heart! There was a lot going on in this story and I don't want to give too much away, but truly, this was just such an amazing book that I absolutely could not get enough of! 

While the story ends in a happily ever after, there are a lot of tough topics brought up on the way there to include miscarriage, traumatic childhoods, etc., which I thought were all handle very well. The author does a really good job of letting readers know what to expect before the story begins, so I definitely recommend reading that to decide if it's for you. 

Came the Closest is a closed-door romance with kisses only and no language. 

You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/3VZRumO