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Review
3.5 stars
This is the second book in the Hello Goodbye series, but can absolutely be read as a standalone. It’s a m/m, friends-to-lovers romance that is sweet, emotional and full of heart, and I loved it!
Axel and Caxton met at their church based youth group as kids, and were the best of friends, until one year as teenagers at church camp they crossed a line, and acted on the attraction between them. They were caught, and Cax’s Dad pulled him out of all church activities, and they moved shortly after, and the boys didn’t see each other again.
Six years later and Axel has just gotten a job doing social media marketing for the sports teams at a Massachusetts college. And it just so happens to be the same college that Cax is attending as a graduate student.
They are both stunned to see each other again, and while openly gay Axel is over the moon to see his old friend, hoping that they’ll reconnect, and possibly see if the spark still exists between them, Cax has never come out, with a very good reason why he can’t be open about his sexuality. He needs to stay away from Axel, knowing that the man is noting but a temptation, and being with him again in any way could mean that he loses everything.
It’s such a devastating situation, and sadly it’s probably all too realistic, but I love Axel and Cax’s story. Their friendship is so easy, and the attraction between them is, of course, still very much there. Axel is completely understanding of Cax’s situation, and is nothing but supportive, but he also encourages Cax to accept his true self, and though they try to keep their distance, their pull to each other is irresistible, and their love story is so beautiful as Axel guides Cax into his very first real relationship – not that he needs much guidance, because the boy has wicked instincts – and they are loving, passionate, and so perfect together.
In some ways, he and I had the most confusing relationship in the world. We were close friends who didn’t spend time together. We were lovers who rarely got even a kiss. We had a long history together with a big gap in the middle.
In short, we were a tangle of disasters. But there was nobody I’d ever felt so close to. Laying my hands on him felt like coming home. He felt like mine.
But not everybody is happy for them, and their decision to be together leads to consequences that will change the whole lives.
This is a really beautifully written story. I loved Axel and Cax, and I felt so much of their story deeply. My heart ached for their situation, for how much they wanted to be together but couldn’t, and then I felt so proud of them for being together anyway, and finding the strength to fight for what they both wanted so badly.
“I don’t know what the future holds.”
“I do. It holds you.”
Josh and Caleb from Goodbye Paradise are a part of the story, as Axel’s neighbours and landlords, and I loved seeing them again – but as I said, you can definitely read this as a standalone.
I really enjoyed book. It’s sweet and funny with wonderfully developed characters that you cannot help but feel for. It has a nice amount of depth and drama, and it’s beautifully heartfelt. I loved it.
3.5 stars.
Hello Goodbye
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