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emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
*POTENTIAL SPOILER WARNINGS! DON’T READ IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE FIRST BOOK, “BECOMING CALDER”! ALSO CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS!
5⭐️/ 3🌶️
Eden and Calder’s story in the first book was tumultuous, heartbreaking, tense, and sad. Especially with the events leading up to the ending, and that cliffhanger… it was no wonder both Eden and Calder felt like they lost a piece of their hearts. This story continues with Eden and Calder having fully left behind Acadia, and learning to live in the world that was always meant for them. With things still lingering from the past of Acadia, Eden and Calder weren’t completely out of the woods as there was still things and people that needed to be dealt with. Eden and Calder’s lives had drastically changed once again, and with the belief they had lost each other, their new lives spanned over three years in which many changes occurred to both of them.
From the moment I started the prologue, I was itching to see how Eden was going to be! The ending of the previous book showed Eden making her way to Cincinnati, and trying to survive. Having no money, no shelter, and basically all on her own, Eden thought things were going to keep getting worse, but in the midst of all that, she found help from someone. I was glad and relieved to see Eden getting help from such a generous person, Felix (owner of the jewelry store where Eden sold her locket) and helping her acclimate to her new surroundings. In a way, it was a sense of relief that Eden had found some sort of security and one less thing to worry about, but her trauma and the belief that Calder was gone made things still difficult for Eden to work through.
Surprise! There was a time jump and in that time, Eden was now twenty-one years old and somewhat in a better state compared to when she first sought out a new life for herself. Seeing Eden a bit older made me see that she had a lot more strength to her and she had the willpower to muster through whatever came her way. I wasn’t expecting the revelation of Eden finding her biological mother who… AGAIN SURPRISE WASN’T DEAD like Eden was left to believe from Hector all those years ago! Having Eden find her mom again was not only heartwarming, but also emotional since all Eden had missed was her mom and having that motherly love that every child wants. Even as Eden was back with her mom and met her cousin, Molly, Eden was able to finally get some answers as to what led to her being at Acadia, her parents, and basically everything that happened. Lots of truths being revealed further made me hate Hector for all the pain and suffering he caused to not only Eden, but to her family, Calder, and Xander. Eden had finally found her family, but she still grappled with the grief and loss of not having her beloved, Calder by her side.
I was waiting with bated breath for the moment Eden and Calder would be reunited! Once that moment came, I instantly started crying! Goes to show how invested I was in Eden and Calder’s reunion/ them! Seeing Calder & Eden together again after three years was a big moment! I was just crying tears of joy of seeing them together after so long! Like imagine thinking the love of your life was gone, only to be reunited with them years later to see them alive and well?! I feel like I would have reacted in a similar fashion to Eden, so it was understandable how both she and Calder reacted to seeing each other at his Art Gallery showing. Even with the time apart, there was still that magnetic pull that Eden and Calder felt whenever they were around each other. So much passion, affection, and that everlasting love came bubbling back to the surface when Eden and Calder were back in each others arms. Despite the passionate and emotional reunion, there were still many things that needed to be addressed.
For the most part, this book mainly focused on the aftermath of the first book, and seeing Eden and Calder find their way to a new beginning. There was still some unanswered questions such as, what would Eden and Calder being doing now that they found freedom? Would the investigation into Acadia reveal any further details that might help Calder find out more about who he really was, etc. At certain points throughout the story, I got to see just how much Eden and Calder dealt with from their insecurities, trauma, fears, and trying their best to adapt to a world that was once so foreign to them. Through it all, I was overjoyed to see Calder and Eden have each other’s backs, even Xander and Molly helping out too. For such a long time, it felt like Eden and Calder couldn’t really trust other people, but they found certain people they could trust and confide in. I actually was happy to see Xander and the moments he had with Eden and Calder were so heartwarming and just made me happy to see that after all the horrors from Acadia, those three made it out together.
Eden and Calder had gone through SO MUCH! MY GOODNESS! They absolutely DESERVED A HAPPY ENDING AFTER ALL THE TRAUMA THEY EXPERIENCED! Thankfully this story wrapped up all the unanswered questions about the truth behind Acadia, who Calder really was/ how he came to Acadia, and both Eden and Calder working to find their way in the world. I was a bit anxious at times waiting for the other shoe to drop, for something dramatic to happen, but luckily it wasn’t as shocking like the first book which destroyed me. I was once again an emotional wreck just because I felt so invested in Eden and Calder. I genuinely loved Calder and Eden and seeing them as young as kids, to teenagers, and young adults was a lot of changes, but also made me see the growth in their strength. I wasn’t expecting some certain revelations to be revealed especially in terms of Calder’s true background, but whoa that was shocking not to mention the whole thing with how and why Hector created Acadia. On a lighter note, the romance was passionate filled and heartfelt with Eden and Calder being equally sweet with one another and expressing their love for one another in such a deep and intimate way. I have so many great things to say about Eden and Calder’s story and even though I was put through the ringer in terms of all that happened to Eden and Calder, I wouldn’t change a thing. The ending of this story was emotional, sentimental, loving, heartfelt, and meaningful. I also loved the way both the ending and epilogue showed Eden and Calder happily together and finding the closure from all that had occurred at Acadia. Needless to say, Mia Sheridan did a magnificent job writing Eden and Calder’s story and as always I’ve grown to love her characters. Eden and Calder will always be part of my heart and will cherish these characters forever.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
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