So Much Closer

( 101 )

Overview

Another contemporary thought-provoking romance from Susane Colasanti!

When Brooke discovers that the love of her life, Scott Abrams, is moving from their New Jersey suburb to New York City for senior year, she decides to follow him there. Living with her estranged father and adjusting to a whole new school are challenging—and things get even worse when she finds out that Scott already has a girlfriend. But as she learns to navigate the big city, she starts to discover a whole ...

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So Much Closer

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More About This Book

Overview

Another contemporary thought-provoking romance from Susane Colasanti!

When Brooke discovers that the love of her life, Scott Abrams, is moving from their New Jersey suburb to New York City for senior year, she decides to follow him there. Living with her estranged father and adjusting to a whole new school are challenging—and things get even worse when she finds out that Scott already has a girlfriend. But as she learns to navigate the big city, she starts to discover a whole new side of herself, and realizes that sometimes love can find you even when you're not looking for it.

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Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

Scott seemed like the love of Brooke's life, so it was only natural that when he moved to New York City, she would soon follow. Of course, moving to the Big Apple and a new school from a small town and reuniting with her formerly estranged father were difficult; it only became truly complicated when her crush settled in with a new girlfriend. Fortunately, the City That Never Sleeps swarms with new possibilities. Susane Colasanti's novel of transitions possesses an inviting vibrancy that reminds readers not to close doors to themselves.

Publishers Weekly
Brooke doesn't really know Scott Abrams, but she knows that they are "supposed to be together." When she finds out he is moving to New York City, she follows him there, moving in with her estranged father and finishing out high school in the city. Readers may be swept up in this romantic, farfetched premise (hey, it worked in Felicity), but Brooke herself feels like a cipher; she is described as "angry" and an underachieving genius, but the reasons for her poor performance are unclear, and her narration doesn't exactly betray genius-level insights. But even if Brooke is somewhat underdeveloped, she is easy to root for as she begins to realize, "No one can be everything you want them to be.... It's up to me to create the life I want." Mostly, readers will fall in love with Brooke's New York City and appreciate Colasanti's (Something Like Fate) up-to-the-minute details (the High Line park, the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck) and descriptions, such as "how crowded the streets are at two in the morning," as Brooke falls asleep to the sounds of her new city. Ages 12–up. (May)
Children's Literature - Amy McMillan
Brooke is a girl with an obsession...er, mission. Convinced she and Scott Abrams (a boy she has never spoken to) are meant to be together, she follows him to New York City for their senior year of high school. Luck is on her side when she finds that she and Scott will be attending the same school and eventually they do begin dating. But when their relationship fails to move past the initial physical stage she realizes he might not be as perfect as she had originally thought. Meanwhile, her new friends find a way to convince her to live up to her Genius IQ potential, take school seriously, and think about the future, and despite her insecurities and self-doubts she opens herself up to new opportunities and discovers she has gifts, passions, and abilities she had not recognized in herself. She is not a perfect person by the end of the book but she begins to make great strides towards facing life and relationships in a much healthier way than she did at the beginning. Colasanti really captures the teen voice. Brooke's confusion, obliviousness, and all-encompassing life and death emotions and experiences are balanced with some positive resolutions. There is an abundance of phrases such as "he goes" and "she's like" scattered throughout the text giving it a very conversational tone, and while there are some realistic romance and relationship issues the book itself remains clean and harmless. A light, quick read suitable even for young tweens. Reviewer: Amy McMillan
School Library Journal
Gr 8–10—Brooke, 17, is dissatisfied. Her relationship with her mother is strained, she is smart but feels no motivation to succeed in school, and she pines for a boy with whom she has never even spoken. When she discovers that Scott is moving to New York City, to the same neighborhood as her estranged father, Brooke decides that a change in her own life is also necessary. What follows is the bittersweet tale of her transformation from a suburban Jersey girl whose life is defined by her infatuation into a New Yorker who has new friends, plans for her future, and a better relationship with both of her parents. While not everything works out exactly as she had hoped, and not everything is fully resolved by the close of the book, Brooke's story ends happily and with love. Parallels to Sarah Dessen are inevitable, but the narrative voice Colasanti has created is thoughtful and likable in its own way. The protagonist is enviably pretty, intelligent, brave, and, because of her workaholic father, has the freedom and money to run around New York City. But she is also self-deprecating and flawed. Colasanti has once again formulated a teen romance that feels realistic, which will make this novel a hit with readers.—Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA
Kirkus Reviews

In a voice that is alternately clichéd, naive and spot-on, high-school junior Brooke narrates a novel that explores familiar territory about teenage angst.

For two years, Brooke has been less concerned about her future than she is about Scott, the boy shés secretly lusted after.Acting on her certainty that they are meant to be together, Brooke attempts to reveal her feelings to Scott. Before she can, Scott announces his family is moving to New York City. Brooke does her research and coincidentally finds that her father, with whom she is not spoken in six years, lives around the corner from Scott's new home and that if she moves, they will attend the same school during their senior year.Once they finally begin dating, though, Brooke realizes Scott enjoys the physical part of their relationship much more than discovering who she is. Colasanti's Manhattan is a teenager's paradise, with late-night rendezvous at sandwich shops, rooftop hideaways and low parental involvement. The contrast between Brooke's dull New Jersey town and life in the big city will resonate with teens craving a change. Although predictable in its outcome and characterization, this quick read will satisfy those looking for a light beach book.

The escapist setting at least partially makes up for flat characters and a rather ludicrous plot. (Fiction. 12 & up)

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780142421147
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: 5/1/2012
  • Pages: 256
  • Sales rank: 74,665
  • Age range: 12 years
  • Product dimensions: 5.40 (w) x 8.10 (h) x 0.90 (d)

Meet the Author

Susane Colasanti

Susane Colasanti is the author of When It Happens, Take Me There, Waiting for You, and Something Like Fate. Before becoming a full-time author, she was a high school science teacher for almost ten years. She lives in New York City.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 101 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(47)

4 Star

(27)

3 Star

(10)

2 Star

(7)

1 Star

(10)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 102 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 6, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Hobbitsies Reviews: Quick, fun book with a psycho stalker main character

    Alright. Let me just say this straight up - So Much Closer has a very, very creepy premise. Like, crazy psycho main character premise. But it's supposed to be in a light-hearted way, I guess.

    And Brooke certainly follows through with the crazy. I mean, this girl is a STALKER. What high school girl moves to a whole new city to follow a guy she's spoken to ONCE in two years? A STALKER, that's what kind of girl. And the weirdest thing was - nobody batted an eye. No one commented on how creepy or psycho she was!

    And even though I was so creeped out and annoyed with Brooke for being a stalker, I could not put So Much Closer down! I just flew through it over the course of one day.

    Brooke - she annoyed me, clearly. I mean, she definitely had some issues from her messed up home-life. And she was angry and bitter and freaking nutso. But she kind of grew on me? And I really, really liked the characters of John and Sadie, and their stories. I never understood the appeal of Scott or Brooke's friends from New Jersey.

    There was a lot of message pushing at the end - do your homework, go to college, make good decisions, etc. which grated on my nerves a bit, but I definitely glad Brooke was finally starting to figure everything out.

    Overall, I did enjoy So Much Closer. It was a fun and quick read. But I will tell you - if I ever met Brooke, I might have slapped some sense into her. If you're looking for a light contemporary with WTFs and giggles aplenty, be sure to check out So Much Closer.

    10 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 7, 2011

    Not Good

    Don't bother reading this book, it's boring and predictable.

    6 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted August 6, 2011

    Dont waste your money....

    This is an okay book, but its very slow and doesnt keep the reader interested. i would not after reading this book advise anyone to read it, it just wasnt very good. All there was, was fluff there was nothing about this story that made you want to keep reading. i actually read half of it and then stopped, after a while i just got board. i did finish it and it was disappointing, but i guess you cant always expect the best. I hope this review saves you your time and some money. Trust me there are way better books than this out there just keep looking. Try the author Ally Carter, Shes an amazing author and has two GREAT book series. Each keeping you reading to the very end. Trust me when i say theres hope for books, you just need to keep looking.

    5 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted June 10, 2011

    Great Book

    I loves this book. I thought that it was very ebntertaining and it had a good plot. It was not my favorite book she has writen but it was really good!

    4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 26, 2011

    Amazed(:

    Anyone who doesnt like crappy books- buy this. This is beyond amazing, as are all books from susane.(:<3

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 10, 2012

    WWWHHHAAATTT?????

    The main character is a stalker. Who follows a boy that has no clue if he likes her by moving in witjh her unknown dad? Dont get it!

    2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 2, 2012

    I am a fan of Susane's work

    But this book makes me feel awkward and i cant relate to it at all, like i can in her other books. The main character is by far the creepest person ever, if you think like her get checked out or something for being a psycopath. Really am not impressed at all. Her other work is way better

    1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 30, 2012

    Weird

    She sounds kinda creepy and annoying = {

    1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted September 22, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    Reviewed by Kelsey Jones for TeensReadToo

    SO MUCH CLOSER was an entertaining and heartbreaking read that proved love can be found in the most unlikely of places. Susane Colasanti is an author I can always count on for writing a solid, realistic YA novel, and while SO MUCH CLOSER didn't make my list of favorites, this was still a novel I will recommend to fans of contemporary YA. Brooke has had a crush on Scott for a long time, but has never been able to confess her feelings to him. So when Scott moves to NYC, Brooke follows him there. Since Brooke's father already lived in NYC, it was relatively easy for her to leave New Jersey and move to the Big Apple. Starting at a new school and leaving her old life behind, Brooke doesn't know what to expect. All she cares about is Scott. Unfortunately, Brooke soon learns that Scott already has a girlfriend and she is losing touch with her old friends. But things in NYC are never as they seem, and soon Brooke is learning more about herself and the new people she has met. Brooke is about to have the experience of a lifetime. The setting was my favorite aspect of SO MUCH CLOSER. Susane Colasanti is obviously a New Yorker, and all of the scenery and places that Brooke visits were described in flawless detail. I love New York, and seeing it through Brooke's eyes was a new experience. She visited so many fantastic places and learned so much about the city from the new friends she made. Every day she spent in the city, Brooke discovered something new and exciting. At first, I wasn't sure what I thought of Brooke. She followed a boy she barely new to an entirely new place, leaving behind her friends and family, all because she felt she loved him. As the novel progressed, Brooke learned a lot about herself and those around her, and I liked seeing who she became by the end of SO MUCH CLOSER. Each of the characters introduced in the book had an important role, although some were less developed than I would have liked, but my favorite had to be John. John was such a well-done character and I only wish he had more page time. John opened Brooke's eyes to the true NYC and he was such a unique and realistic character. There were many folds to this story and I liked the different twists in the plot. Brooke was an intriguing character and her experiences truly shaped her in so many ways. I wish there was a bit more character development, and at times the story felt a little unrealistic but, all in all, I enjoyed SO MUCH CLOSER and am looking forward to reading more stories by Susane Colasanti. For anyone looking for an original, contemporary read, I do recommend checking this out. The ending was sweet and just what I had hoped for and, as I've said many times before, the setting was presented perfectly.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 19, 2011

    Cliche

    This book was full of cliches, very predictable and unrealistic. I read this for my creative writing class, and hoped it be good since I was a fan of Colansanti's older work. Sadly this was just a dud that had me annoyed and rolling my eyes throughout the read.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 2, 2011

    I Also Recommend:

    When It Happens

    Not Colasanti's Best

    i LOVED when it happens, take me there, and waiting for you by susane colasanti..but this one just wasn't her best. For about the first half, i honestly couldn't put it down, but then it became very predictable and too similar to her other books. I just felt like i had read it all before. I recommend this book to anyone who has never read other books by susane colasanti, but for those of you who have, you may be disappointed

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 15, 2011

    I Also Recommend:

    What Happened to Goodbye
    When It Happens
    The Summer I Turned Pretty

    Not Colasanti's Best...

    I was really excited for this book to come out and I am a major Colasanti fan, but this book just fell flat. The characters were underdeveloped and way too completely 'teen movie.' Normally, Colasanti's books are deep and meaningful, but this one had no meaning at a all. The main character never truly showed her emotions and buried everything so that we did not see any of her real feelings. Her relationship with everyone was underdeveloped and lost. Really wish this book had been better.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 9, 2013

    Hi o

    Looks very intresting my friend hates books but shes reread this book at least 10 times in one day no joke. Brooke looks like a stalker but its cute that shes following her crush

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  • Posted May 29, 2013

    more from this reviewer

    Since I¿m currently on a kick for contemp reads, I picked up ano

    Since I’m currently on a kick for contemp reads, I picked up another book I bought a while back. It certainly wasn’t what I thought it was, but gave me a good read.
    1. Infatuation. This book has loads in it. I don’t think I ever read a book where a teen was so infatuated with something that she changed her whole life to get it. I think though because she changed her whole life, that it did help her snap out of it at the end.
    2. Plot. The plot is good and moves at a good pace. The only thing that bothered me was getting the main character to wake up! That took a while.
    3. Characters. There are some minor characters that really help bring this infatuation to light. And thank God for that. Some points I really got annoyed with  Brooke cause I just wanted her to see, that what she sees is not real!
    4.  Fake Love. There is not insta-love but a fake love that gets dragged on and on. Not to mention that there is not another guy to come help and remedy this odd situation. Instead, Brooke ends up finding herself. Still, I would have enjoyed it better had she found true love.
    5. Finding yourself. It takes a lot of courage to face up to something you thought was real. I mean, you invested so much time and effort in it and to finally come clean that maybe what you saw was a bit too much, it’s a big step. I’m glad that in the end, Brooke found the strength to do that. After all was said and done, she came to terms with what she did, owning up to the problem she created.
    Overall, So Much Closer is a good book. If you can handle the bout of infatuation and the teenager who’s head is always in the clouds, then try this book. A moving plot with good characters, So Much Closer is good.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 23, 2013

    Amazing

    I though this book just pulls you in and holds you there. This book is ment for teens because it has some real lofe situations.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 28, 2013

    Kaela Question

    How many pages are in this book???????

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  • Posted April 15, 2013

    Truly Inspired me! I loved this book. It taught me a lot of abou

    Truly Inspired me!
    I loved this book. It taught me a lot of about following your heart, dream BIG, believe in yourself, that there IS a such as second chances, and that sometimes, when so focused on other things, that at the time you think are SO crucially important, you miss the little things around you. You're blinded by what your so focused on, but when you're least expecting it, Love happens. You finally find yourself; who you want to be, what you want to achieve. The story is beautiful, extremely well-written, and I loved it. I can actually say that THIS book has enlightened me, make me want to achieve my goals, become a better person, reinvent myself, and SO MUCH MORE. This book taught me that life is beautiful. They are so many things around you, that you miss COMPLETELY, but if you just stop and observe, you'll be mind blown at what you finally notice.

    &quot;Follow your heart . . . no matter where it takes you.&quot; and remeber to &quot;Always Look Up&quot;. I hope everyone enjoyed this book, as much as I did :)

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 29, 2013

    Not what u think

    Shes not all that stalkerish like ya she moved for a guy and everything but she knew he had to go deep in her heart for a total different reason: to uncover herself. Its her knowing of wjere her life is going. I think its realy inspiring and sweet totally worth it

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 6, 2013

    I Also Recommend:

    Pure (Covenant Series #2)
    Half-Blood (Covenant Series #1)
    Deity (Covenant Series #3)

    Ughhh worst book EVER!!!!!! i hated this book so unrealistic i R

    Ughhh worst book EVER!!!!!! i hated this book so unrealistic i RECOMMEND you do not waste your money and never buy it cause its a waste. I dont know how people gave it 5 or 4 stars something is seriously wrong with them but the girl-Brooke is a complete stalker!!! LIKE FOLLOWING A GUY TO NYC?? Really?? stalker much no one without serious medical problems would do that i would give it 0 stars as in horrible if i could. The author i love but what were you thinking??? SERIOUSLY!! i would be creeped out if that happened to me someone following and the guy was totally okay with it OMG!!! &quot;WE BELONG TOGETHER&quot; seriously the only thing i kept reading over and over is that and no one says we belong together... were no in the 70's or anything.... i hated this book i just had to finish it cause i was dying of boredom and to see if it ended good which it didn't i had questions left unanswered!!!  do not waste your money i want the 10 hours of my life back that i wasted with this piece of garbage... 

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 16, 2013

    :)

    This is an okay book with some twists!

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