‘Hello Forever’ by Sarina Bowen

I received an e-ARC copy of ‘Hello Forever’ yesterday so I want to start my post by thanking Sarina Bowen and Nina Bocci for my birthday gift. ‘Hello Forever’ is the best birthday gift I received this year 🙂 I know I am not the most organized blogger, who posts everyday or even on certain days. But it is usually because my schedule is too crazy. However, last week was for a different reason. Even though, I wanted to write a review or read I couldn’t. I am not sure if reader’s block or blogger’s block is a term but I totally had it. I had a lot of free time this week but somehow I couldn’t read or write. So I want to thank Sarina Bowen again for the fantastic book that helped me to get over my reader’s block/blogger’s block.

So back to ‘Hello Forever’, it is the second book of the ‘Pay it Forward’ series and setting is completely different then the first book, ‘Goodbye Paradise’. Axel and Caxton know each other since childhood. They met at the church camp and become really good friends. Their friendship took a new turn when they were sixteen but it was short lived because they were caught making out in the woods and their parents were called. After that day Axel never saw or heard from Caxton. Six years passed since Caxton disappeared from Axel’s life. Axel is graduated from university with a marketing degree and got a job offer from Barmuth University Athletic Department. Being a part of university’s sports marketing team excites him because of his love for basketball but he has doubts about moving to Henning, which is a small town in Massachusetts. However, all his doubts disappear when he sees Caxton in the crowd while watching the BU’s basketball game online. Caxton is getting his PhD at Barmuth University and has season passes for himself and his brothers for the basketball team. When Caxton sees Axel during the basketball game, he cannot believe Axel is there. The attraction and chemistry between them is still there but acting towards his desires is never an option for Caxton. Caxton has three younger brothers and they live with his father, who is an abusive, homophobic as*hole who turned Caxton’s life to hell after he was caught making out with Axel. Caxton does everything to suppress his sexuality and really afraid of being outed because he has too much to lose. But being really close to Axel is making everything harder for him. Even though, Axel is out of closet and not ashamed of being gay, he doesn’t promote it. But acting like someone he is not doesn’t sit well with him, even if it is for the guy he loves. There comes a point where fighting the attraction becomes impossible for both Caxton and Axel and they give in to their desires. OMG! It was soooo cute and hot at the same time. Caxton being so clueless and unsure about everything and Axel being caring and considerate. Unfortunately, their relationship is not all sunshine and rainbows, not even close. The things they face for their love for each other is heartbreaking. I can only wish that one day our society will change for the better so that no one has to face hardship because of their love. If you want know what happens to Axel and Caxton’s relationship when Caxton is out of the closet, how his brothers and father will react, you need to read the book 🙂

‘Hello Forever’, it is one of the best books I read this year. It is an emotional and hopeful book that I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t put it down until I was done.

• Would I recommend this book: Yes
• Would I re-read this book: Definitely
• Would I read future books by this author: Definitely

P.S. It was great to see pieces of Caleb and Josh’s lives after ‘Goodbye Paradise’.

P.S.S. I am hoping ‘Hello Forever’ won’t be the last book of the series and maybe Jason will get his story too.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

e-ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.