Slick's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews 
 4.5 STARS 
 Review copy provided for an honest review 
 After really enjoying author Louise Bay's debut novel Faithful, I had high hopes for Hopeful and I was not disappointed. This book had just a little bit more than the first one; there was more of an emotional connection, the characters were developed more, there was more from amazing secondary characters, and their sexy times were more intimate. I love seeing growth in a writer and it was really evident between these two books. 
 This book flashed back and forth from 8 years ago when this group was at university and present and normally I'm not a fan of the flashback but in this book it worked because we needed to see where this couple had been so the present could unfold. Ava and Joel had a secret relationship in college than none of their friends knew about. Ava liked it that way she called it their "bubble." It was just something between the two of them but circumstances after graduation kept them apart but now Joel has returned to London and they are forced to be around one another again. 
 Honestly I really felt sorry for Ava because it was obvious she had never gotten over Joel so much so that she never dated and never had sex with anyone since him. Knowing he's coming back she sets out to find someone, anyone who will help her get over Joel but even that doesn't work all that well. I was surprised by the depth of her feelings even after so many years and I still kind of wonder why she never tried to date but honestly I just think her heart still belonged to him and she just couldn't move past it because they really hadn't had any closure. 
 Joel was one of those dynamic personalities that you just couldn't help but like. Even as a college student people were drawn to him so it wasn't a big surprise he became so successful. It was easy to see that he was having a hard time being around Ava when he first returned; he was short and at times bordering on rude. I love that he finally pushed her to talk and to answer the questions that he had about the past and about what was happening now. 
 When these two were together as students it really was magical. They took their time getting to know one another and their relationship built slowly but once they admitted they wanted more the fireworks went off and they were hot. I love that they explored each other so much and that their feelings built over time and that they had no trouble expressing them to each other. They had problems most of which stemmed from Ava's reluctance to let their friends in on their relationship, something that comes back to haunt her and to threaten them in the present. My one complaint is that they never really talked about the eight years they spent apart; a lot happened in those years and they both changed so it would have been nice to hear how they reacted to what each other had to share. 
 I really loved this story and this couple; they had a special bond one that spanned time and separation and while I'm sad they missed so much time with one another I think it really only reinforced their love they had for each other. Hopeful is a fantastic story about two people who had that "forever kind of love" but it just happened a bit sooner than they were ready for it; luckily they got a second chance!