3.5 star book review for Absolute Lovers, the final installment of SJ Hooks’ debut, contemporary romance series, now available at bookstores and retailers. Plus, pre-order the complete Absolute Novels volume, coming in August.
[Some Spoilers; For Mature Audiences]
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
If you’ve read my review for Absolute Beginners, you know I adore SJ Hooks and this story! Beyond the SEXY forbidden romance, I really enjoy the humor and male-POV. I love watching Professor Stephen Worthington come out of his shell, and who knew his annoying, outspoken, inappropriate student Julia Wilde would be the catalyst for the change.
By the end of Absolute Beginners, Stephen finally admits he’s in love with Julia and is determined to move their relationship from sex-buddies to something more permanent. Absolute Lovers wraps up this story as we watch Stephen attempt to convince Julia that a true romance between them is possible. Given her experience with a past boyfriend, she’s hesitant, but as we’ve seen, Stephen can be very persuasive.
Absolute Lovers is a sweet, relatively straight-forward contemporary romance novel. While, I find the conflicts and drama in the first book to be more entertaining, this sequel is still enjoyable.
In Absolute Lovers, Stephen and Julia experience the milestones that most couples go through, though with their own hilarious, awkward/embarrassing way—meeting the parents, merging their friend groups, who says “I love you” first, odd interactions with exes, and more.
As they negotiate these firsts, Stephen and Julia’s passionate attraction remains, especially in the bedroom:
Moments later, I’d pulled her legs around my head and could only half-listen to her moans and exclamations as I licked, nipped, and teased her…But I was not done yet. Settling her legs up around my waist, I took her again, enjoying the sweet little moans she made whenever I pushed inside her…
HOT HOT HOT! But the best part is watching Stephen and Julia’s relationship evolve into deep commitment and love:
“You’re so sweet and wonderful and lovely in every way. I want to be there for you if you need a friends to talk to or have fun with, I want to pleasure you as your lover, and I want to take you out on dates as your boyfriend. I want to pull out your chair for you, serve you wine, and treat you the way you deserve. I want yo make you happy as you make me. I want all of that with you, Julia, Only with you.”
“I will never hurt you. I will never stop wanting you. You are my girlfriend, my sweetheart, my Julia…Let me show you. Let me make love with you.”
Stephen is just too perfect! (Alas, this is why he’s fictional 😉 )
But, make no mistake, Julia is just as smitten. Even though, at first, she’s hesitant to take things with Stephen to the next level, she comes to realize that what they have is different and long-lasting:
“I’m also smart enough to know that when I find a hot, sweet, and wonderful guy who also happens to be the best lay ever, he’s a keeper. I’m even smart enough to fall in love with him.”
And with this commitment to each other, all is well for Stephen and Julia…for a time. These two face a difficult decision that threatens to separate them. Even though their relationship is new, their bond is strong. But can they survive the long distance, even to take advantage of an opportunity of a lifetime?
“If you love someone set them free. If they come back, they’re yours. If the don’t, they never were.”
No spoilers, but there is an HEA and it’s adorably sweet, sexy, and slightly awkward, just as we’ve come to expect from these two.
I recommend Absolute Lovers for those who enjoy sweet, fluffy contemporary romance with a hero that’s almost too good to be true, and a leading lady who dirties him up a little (OR A LOT 😉 ). It’s great for a sexy, summer read!
Absolute Lovers is now available for purchase so add it to your Goodreads TBR list and grab your copy today.
SJ Hooks has also shared the exciting news that the Absolute Novels will be available in one compendium (ebook and print) starting August 12! It will also include THREE bonus chapters. You can pre-order your copy HERE…I know I will!
Many thanks to SJ and Full Fathom Five Digital for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy!