Sam and Bo are taking a much needed vacation after all the events that have happened in the last nine months. All they are looking for is a nice, quiet time; walking the beach, lying in the sun, and most importantly just being with each other. Then their two weeks of vacation are interrupted when the BCPI agency gets a case in town and Bo tells the rest of the crew that they can stay in the beach house all the while promising Sam that he won’t interfere in the case and will stay away. But when Bo begins to act strangely Sam just knows that their past has come back to haunt them and hopes that he won’t be too late to save Bo this time.

Sam and Bo are still one of my favorite couples in gay fiction. They are not your typical romance couple where everything ended with a perfect happily ever after. They have had to work at their relationship and Bo’s struggle with coming out has led to some troubles and hurt feelings, I felt Sam’s frustration with not being able to be publicly affectionate with his lover and the jealousy that he feels about the business and Bo’s children. The sensual scenes were well written and conveyed the true depth of emotion that Bo and Sam feel even when Sam is feeling like he is second fiddle to all the other things in Bo’s life. The intensity of the sensual scenes also demonstrates the personality changes that Bo went through in connection to the plot of the story. The paranormal investigation was interesting and relayed more information about the portals that have been a part of all the Bay City Paranormal Investigation books. Ally Blue is one of my favorite authors and Closer has only reinforced that feeling. I loved how the first part focused on Bo and Sam and then moved to the investigation and its effect on their relationship. Love is wonderful but it’s not always easy and that lesson is aptly showcased within Closer.

Reviewed by: Hayley