That One Moment

by C.S. Autumn

𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗲
In one moment, I found the man of my dreams. In another moment, I lost him.

Without Cooper, my world was fractured, and I made sure his twin brother knew it. I unleashed all my pain onto Caiden, ignoring the fact that he wasn't to blame. Afterwards, I spent three years pretending I’d moved on, pretending that I’d left the past behind me. I became so good at it. No one saw the heartbroken man behind the mask.

Until one phone call brings Caiden back into my life. Seeing him again opens old wounds, forcing us both to be painfully honest and making me question everything I believe about love.

𝗖𝗮𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻
Cooper isn't just my twin, he's my best friend and a better person than I could ever be.

I regret all the choices I made that hurt him, but none so much as the ones that led to the worst night of our lives. For three years, I punished myself until it all became too much, and I made a decision that I hoped would bring me closer to him. Instead, it only brought Jamie Durand back into my life.

I’ve tried to hate him - ever since he and Cooper fell hopelessly in love - but I never could. Because secretly, even though it made me a terrible brother, I wanted Jamie to look at me the way he did Cooper. Now he’s back in my life, and there’s something between us that neither of us can deny.

Only, it’s very possible we’ll both end up hurt again, and I’m not sure either of our hearts can take that.

Genres: M M Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Romance, Mental Health, Second Chance, LGBT, Contemporary

418 pages, Paperback

First published March 14, 2025

Reviews

[Laura Jane ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐
Damn, I so badly wanted to love this book but unfortunately there were too many disconnects. 
I will start off by saying I did enjoy the writing in this book and chapter 1 really had me sucked into how this story would unfold. 

Part 1 follows Jamie and Cooper and look, it is definitely insta-love but it wasn't really a huge issue, given the overall plot - however I do think we spent too much time with them in their happy little love bubble. They were sweet together but I am not sure we needed to spend almost 40% of the book with them being besotted with each other.

I have so much empathy for Caiden and during part 1 we dive into his struggles and the depth to his character. I actually really loved him and was constantly just wanting the best for him. I wanted to hug him and tell him how much love he deserved.

Part 2 did get me in the feels and it really made me feel like Part 3 would be everything I was hoping for, but unfortunately it didn't hit.
Jamie and Caiden's romance fell so flat for me - I was expecting tension, angsty and deep emotions from their pain and guilt they put onto themselves - but we got none of that. It felt like they just hooked up and went from there - which was really disappointing!
There wasn't any push and pull that they 'shouldn't be doing this' and at times it felt like Jamie spent a lot of time comparing his love for Caiden to his love for Cooper. He tells Caiden that he wants him, not a copy of anyone else - just him, but we needed to feel this and see this developing to connect to it.

There were a few very brief moments in Part 1 where Jamie alluded to maybe having a spark with Caiden but it was never explored, so there wasn't even any prior chemistry between them. Their relationship ultimately escalated far too quickly, given they hadn't seen each other in 3 year and prior to that Jamie was deeply and madly in love with someone else. 
I think if Part 1 had been shorter and after the 3 year time jump we spent more time with Caiden and Jamie and how their relationship could develop through their shared grief that this could have been such an forbidden, angsty and emotional read! 

I had high hopes for this trope - it is the main reason I wanted to read this book & there is definitely emotional depth to this plot but it was not executed in a way that allowed the reader to actually feel that, which is such a shame.
________
Pre-read: in the mood for a MM romance & I keep seeing great things about this book 🩵

[Brittany (Brit.tea.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg 😭 I'm unwell. That One Moment was such a heartbreaking, beautiful story.

𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒅. 𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒐 𝒇—𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍.

Heads up y’all, this book is full of triggers, so just be mindful.

𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒖𝒔𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒖𝒑𝒔𝒆𝒕, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝑰 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒖𝒑. 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑱𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒆.

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒖𝒑 𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒊𝒈 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒕. 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒘.

I don’t want to give anything away, but wow, have an open mind and tissues because this one takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. ❤️‍🩹

𝑵𝒐𝒘, 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒃𝒐𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆. 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒓 𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒊𝒕.

Caiden, & Jamie, oh how I wanted to jump in the book and squeeze them so hard. ❤️‍🩹🥺

[kaye taz · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
format: ebook

what the fuck.

i’m suing.

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jamie + Caiden 🖤
Dead brother's ex | Pining | Broken boys | "Good boy"

Absolutely beautiful story of finding love and then finding love again, healing, and working through grief.

....

“Tell me to stop, Caiden. Tell me this is wrong. Tell me, Caiden."

“You’re so beautiful, I can’t stop looking at you.” He kisses around my rim, while his hand moves in circular motions around my cock. “I can’t stop dreaming about you.” Jamie licks and nibbles at my hole. “I can’t stop thinking about how perfect you are. For me. Just for me.”

“Do you want that? To be mine?” Whimpers fall from my lips and my body writhes beneath his as he works me over, hard and fast. “Say it.”

"He is the glow of the sun pushing through all my darkest clouds."

“I never thought I’d get a chance to feel this,” he says, rocking into me. “This connection. I never thought someone would ever look at me or touch me the way you do. I never thought I deserved it.”

“I love you. I can’t promise you forever, because we both know that’s not a promise anyone can make. But I can promise you every breath and every beat of my heart.”

“While he may have once been my world, you are my entire universe. You are the sun, and the moon, and every cosmic space between. You are the greatest thing to ever happen to me, and the greatest love I have ever known.”

“Hmmm, I like the idea of my name on your skin.” He sucks the spot, then releases the skin with a pop. “My name on your chest, my marks on your neck.” Jamie's hand comes between us, smoothing over my rapidly growing cock. “My cum in your stomach.”

“I can’t promise I won’t try to push you away when I get upset, but I promise to let you scale the walls I put up. I love you, Jamie.”

....


⚠️ potential spoilers below in detailed tropes and trigger warnings





Tropes:
Broken boys
Step brothers
Brothers ex
Pining
"Tell me to stop"
Enemies to lovers
Hate to jealousy in seconds
Possessiveness
Jamie rips another man off Caiden while they supposedly hate each other
Angry apology sex
Cooking as a love language (even if he's bad at it)
Jamie kisses Caidens self harm scars
Jamie is the first guy that Caiden has allowed to see his scars on his thighs
Jamie is the first guy that Caiden doesn't use protection with
Rimming
Face fucking
First times
Love making
Mental health rep
Good boy
"Sunshine" and "sweetheart" pet names
MC feels undeserving of love but is shown otherwise
Love after loss
Begging
Emotional
Jealousy & Possessiveness


TWs:
Self harm
Rape of MC on page (not by other MC)
Car accident
Death
Grief
Dysfunctional family relationships
Caiden and Coopers mother is a bitch
MCs have sex on page with side characters before they're together
Suicide attempt
Panic attacks
Low self worth

[Pisces]

D.N.F 30%

The beginning is the straw, that broke the camel’s back.


Possible spoilers:
.
.
.
.
.
.




I think I would like my stories to start from where the blurb hints at. If it is literally picking up at the middle of the book then you are just twisting my patience. I have no love for Cooper and Jamie fell in love him pretty fast. So it’s like waiting for that incident to happen so the story can pick up. And in the mean time, torture myself to dead with their love confession and corny ass line. 🌽

I should have been warned with big blocked letters, that Jamie would be too obsessed with the other twin from the get go. I was more than prepared to read him in snippets, not read him take the entirety of the book.

And I know the author is trying to build up some tension by keeping Cainden’s POV limited before the big break but it feels so impersonal. Every POV either his or Jamie is about Coop this and Coop that. He (the golden twin) is so genuine and honest and helpful, loving with a beautiful heart blabla.

STOP!!! Contray to what you believe guys the sun doesn’t come out of his ass.

And, on top of that, it’s like EVEN the author doesn’t want us to fully commit to Copper because his character seemed too robotic, a filler to respond to whatever Jamie says. I would have forgiven the story if there was even a little bit of spark between them. Some push and pull or maybe a hint of something, probably angst, to grab my attention. But it’s like AGAIN the angst and dopamine has been reserved for the part II or III where the real story starts.

So, we as the reader are still stuck in Part I, trying to navigate through the thick fog of boredom. A pretty good example of « it could have been summed up pretty quick » moments.

I am almost 29percent done and I have no idea who Cope really is as a person. He wants to be a teacher for all I know.

He is either running around Caiden and is a mediator between his dad and his twin. Or just monotonously saying whatever Jamie wants to hear.

So either give me a nothing or give me everything. Not some deadass sad excuse for a background story. Caiden said Jamie was too perfect when they first meet. But I felt the opposite, like Cop was more of a perfect guy. And just like his twin had suggested «  there had to be something dark simmering underneath him ». It felt unreal, too uncanny, to even conjure up an image with such perfect characteristic.

He is not even given his own POV and that might have been the biggest reason. He is the foundation the story is built upon and he cannot even express himself.
Sad

At the end of the day, It felt more like I wad reading a different story, more about about Jamie and Cope than anything else. And as I have already come across a review stating this continues so in the upcoming chapters. I am like fuck this.

I am more than happy to leave this in the past and close the door firmly shut.

[Erika Braga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grief is not linear and we all deal with in different ways…
💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
“Look for me in the stars.”
💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
“And now he’s somewhere out there watching me run my life into the ground one step at a time because I don’t know how to be half a person.”
💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔

I am deceased! I ugly cried in this book and I went through so many emotions, I will try my best to explain it !
From the prologue you already know what’s coming so it is not a surprise or a big plot twist, nope. This book is all about the journey to healing, the messy feelings and the very human emotions like anger and guilt.
The love story is MESSY, CHAOTIC and BEAUTIFUL. They are both dealing with the worst thing that could’ve ever happened in their lives and they are NOT dealing well. Hiding, lashing out, self harming and wearing masks.
I never had an experience with the main characters like I had in this book. For some EXTREMELY ODD reason I immediately had a deep dislike for Jamie, couldn’t care less about Cooper and felt completely head over heels for Caiden ! Jamie and Cooper were too perfect, too annoying and too goody two shoes for me, I spent a good amount of the book pretending they didn’t exist…. Cooper had me as how amazing of a brother he was and I loved this about him but Jamie …. UGH ! I hated him 😂 WHY ? Ask me why? I DON’T KNOW ! He was perfect and good, even when he was flawed and lashing out it’s nothing compared to the dark romance MMC’s I read it, so why I had such a raw reaction towards him is a mystery to me. But the fact is : he did not deserve my anger , I was being a bratty bitch like I am a lot times ! 😂😂😂😂 no worries guys I end up loving him …. Eventually….. all because of Caiden. Everything to me in this book revolved around Caiden.
Caiden is SO flawed, painfully human, extremely sad, damaged and hard to love, that for I obviously LOVED him like he was the last lost puppy no one wanted. ❤️my baby Caiden is so precious and in need of love, my heart broke for him a thousand times in a thousand pieces ….
Like I said before this love story is messy, their journey isn’t easy. Grief and guilt makes it all very hard for them to deal with. All Caiden ever wanted was for some to put him first and to choose him for him. ❤️
No worries guys, there is a HEA but they go through it to get there.
I loved it ❤️

💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
“Grief is a monster that hangs on your shoulders until you’re too weak to fight it. Until exhaustion settles in and the monster whispers in your ear to just give up. I think if you’re strong enough, you can fight it off. I think you can win and grief can become a part of you but not enough to control you. But my monster has won because I am not strong. I never have been.”
💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔���💔💔💔💔

[Lore · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

A word of advice to future readers: Do not read this book in public. Unless, of course, you enjoy having strangers watch you ugly cry on a train. I made that mistake, and let’s just say… it was a moment. If that doesn’t tell you how heartbreaking yet beautiful this story is, I don’t know what will.

The author took on a huge challenge—writing a love story where one character falls for two different people without it being an MMM romance. And somehow, it works perfectly. Both relationships feel real, deep, and meaningful—neither one falls flat or feels like an afterthought.

Caiden and Jamie are such beautifully broken characters. When they hurt, you hurt. When they find happiness again, you feel it with them. Their journey is raw, painful, and stunning—a story of two shattered souls finding missing pieces of themselves in each other.

I don’t have many words left except: READ THIS BOOK. Go in as blind as possible (but check the trigger warnings first), let the story wreck you, and then bask in the beauty of it all. It’ll hurt, but I promise, it’s worth it.

Tropes:
Stepbrothers
Hurt x comfort
Codepency
Angst
Mental health rep
Dislike to hate to love

Spice: 3/5
Marking
Cum play
Vers
Fighting as foreplay

[monique · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jamie and Caiden were cute...... if you ignore the fact that they mentioned Cooper at every turn.


Alright. Confession:

I skipped Part 1 🤷🏻‍♀️

Didn't care to read about Cooper and Jamie. Didn't know I was gonna have to read 2 stories in one when the blurb was about Jamie and CAIDEN. So I skipped to Part 2 and even then I still had to read about Cooper 🙄

[Naz.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars 3.5/5 spice

This book had me SOBBING! It was emotional reading about Caiden’s struggles with self harm, the suicide attempt and the SA he suffered, but what absolutely broke me was that chapter written from Cooper’s POV and the scene between Caiden and his dad.

Caiden is such a damaged character you have a lot of sympathy for. He is constantly let down by his mum who he would do absolutely anything for. Cooper is the only person to save him from drowning and once he loses him he loses his better half, and life raft.

I absolutely adored Cooper and Jamie’s relationship. It was love at first sight and the way Jamie treated Cooper was so romantic and sweet. It was surprising to see him have such an intense and rough side that came out when he was with Caiden. That man just wanted to possess Caiden and mark him up, I was so here for it.

I’m so glad Jamie never saw Caiden as Cooper’s replacement and never treated him as such. They did have some communication issues to begin with but once they found a way to repair that and be open with one another their relationship became healthier.

If you’re looking for a tearjerker read about grief, mental health, and family this is the book you’ll want to read.

- Stepbrothers
- Deceased boyfriend’s twin brother
- Grief
- Mental health
- Grumpy X sunshine
- Hurt/comfort

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

AUDIO RELEASE REVIEW:
♾️⭐
Still absolutely stunning. Nathan Wolfe could read to me any day and I'd be the happiest.
Gutted me and stitched me back together - like I knew it would.


♾️⭐

Genre: M/M Romance
Format: eBook
This book is heavy. There can be some extremely triggering scenes. HOWEVER, if you can read this blind, it will be worth it. It will make the story that much more painful and sweet. C.S. Autumn has a very detailed list of trigger warnings at the back of the book, they do contain spoilers for the story. If you need to read them, please do. 🖤

Character Development: 4.5/5 • Caiden, sweet broken boy. My heart hurts for the love you deserved but didn't receive. I break for the man who grew up and never felt like enough. Add in Jamie, a hopeless romantic who get's in his own way more than not. He just wants to love and be loved. They were both so sweet, hiding behind their pain with harsh words and inability to voice their pain.

Plot: 4/5• The plot was engaging and well written. The first part of the book, I felt a bit of anxiety. I was just waiting for the pain to start, and boy did it get me. I had to take a break after part two. Walk away, collect myself and hope Jamie & Caiden got their happy ending.

Writing Style: 4/5• The book was well written, with no grammatical or spelling errors. I felt like I was in the heads of Jamie & Caiden each time it was their POV. I felt their pain, their torment and I felt their unfiltered happiness.

Spice Level: 3.5/5 • 🥵 Jamie & Caiden, omfg.... SO good. The tenderness Jamie had for Caiden and then total domination of him had me every time. They were so perfectly broken together. I loved every filthy interaction.

Overall Rating: 5/5 ♾️⭐ • This book is pure pining, heartbreaking perfection. Jamie and Caiden, omg they were marvelous. It has been a long long time for a book to break me so hard, I needed a break. Only to yearn to keep going just so my heart can stop the dull ache from the pure heartbreak. I wanted to yank them both from the pages and wrap them in a hug. Neither of them deserved the torment and pain they went through. But finding each other through all of it was so pure, so sweet, so devastatingly good. I want to forget that I read this, only to read it again for the first time. One of the best books I have ever read.

C.S. Autumn knows how to write a book that tears you up and puts you back together. I cannot wait to read more from her. 🖤

Tropes:
• Stepbrothers
• Brother's Ex
• Hurt/Comfort
• Mental Health Rep
• Praise
• HEA

Cheating: No
Third-act breakup: No
POV: Dual POV (First Person POV)
KU: Yes
I received an advance review copy, and this is my honest review.

[❀ Alex ❀ [Hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.75/5

I’ve got mixed feelings about this book, and because of some issues with the structure and pacing, I just couldn’t rate it any higher.

I truly feel that instead of spending so much time on Part 1 with Copper and Jamie, the author should've spent that time building the relationship between Jamie and Caiden in Part 3. Since the author didn’t do that, the development between Caiden and Jamie felt way too rushed. It went from them not knowing how to feel about each other to hooking up within just a couple of pages in Part 3. Now, I can still buy it from Caiden’s side cause he’d been in love with Jamie for ages, but Jamie?? Since when did he fall head over heels for Caiden? Most of the time during their separation, he was grieving.

My emotions were all over the place while I was reading this. Some parts were really sweet and had me swooning, while others just made me roll my eyes. A few scenes hit hard emotionally, but others felt like the author was trying too hard.

So yeah... definitely a mixed bag.

[Sol · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to give this more than 2 stars, but I couldn't help but feel like Jamie and Caiden's romantic connection was too sudden and too fast, and I kept feeling like their story was secondary to Jamie and Cooper's story. I thought the book would be more focused on the main love story based on the blurb, but this is actually a book with two love stories and three main characters because Cooper kept being present in the story even after his death. I wanted to love this more, but as much as I rooted for Jamie and Caiden, their romance didn't really hit like it was supposed to hit. Everything was sudden and rushed, and after having to read many chapters of Jamie being head over heels for Cooper and calling him the love of his life, his love for Caiden just wasn't as believable.

[Cyndy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This just didn’t work for me. I skimmed a lot. I didn’t feel either connection. It felt over the top in some parts instead of angsty and the relationships were all of a sudden there for me. Disjointed in that way. Look at the reviews for it though…maybe it’s a me thing 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Chase Coe · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF’d at 18%

The set up was promising but what I read just didn’t deliver. I tend to trust my gut in these situations and just didn’t believe that the writing would get better.

[haletostilinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too late in the day for me to write a review rn, I'm too tired.

So RTC...

~*~

Get ready for a tearjerker with this one. I literally ugly cried while reading this and had to stop myself from crying more as the book went on.

How dare this book do this to me! 😭😭😭

This book is, ultimately, about Jamie and Caiden, but it spend the first almost 35% letting us get to know Cooper, too. Caiden's twin brother.

Jamie is a romantic, we learn. Very much a hopeless one (As one of those, I can relate!) and feels that there is one person only, a soulmate, out there for everyone.

When he's 21, his mother is getting remarried and the man has two 19 year old twin sons. Jamie falls for the bubbly, outgoing, sweet Cooper almost immediately. As if it's love at first sight.

To be honest, I wasn't quite expecting Jamie to be SO in love with Cooper and so consumed by him and for us to fall for Cooper as a character and get to know him so well, to be as devastated by his death as Jamie and Caiden are when it happens.

For a bit there, I was wondering why so much time was devoted to these two if we're supposed to be ultimately rooting for Jamie and Caiden instead. There was even a detailed sex scene between Jamie and Cooper that I skimmed. It was almost like it was their book for the first third of the book.

Normally, I might give part of a star or stars off for that, because I'm not supposed to root for this couple, but another, and so it threatened to almost take me out of the story. BUT...you can't help but love Cooper and the devastation you feel when he dies...it was a lot, but the story managed to affect me that much, and that deserves major props.

Cooper was almost...too perfect. While Caiden is SO flawed. Jamie is flawed too, but Cooper...perhaps he was supposed to be that way. Too perfect for this world. Although maybe it was a way for the author to make Cooper seem...not entirely human. Almost like he could do no wrong. We didn't get to know Cooper's flaws, we didn't get to see Cooper mess up, really. He was almost like...an ideal we all wish to live up to. That Jamie and Caiden wish to live up to.

Cooper didn't get to live a long life. Only 20 years. His one chapter almost broke me, I was crying so much.

But Cooper...almost gets to be put on a pedestal. He is, basically. He and Jamie barely got to be together...what, 8, 9 months? Not even a year. Literally right before he dies, Caiden sees him and Jamie arguing and Caiden thinks how that's the first argument he's seen them have. Would it have been so easy for the rest of their lives?

We see even before Cooper dies, even while Jamie and him are so in love, that Jamie and Caiden have something between them. Something that is mostly ignored as best as it can be, especially on Jamie's side, but...there is some kind of something there.

Honestly, if Cooper had lived, would he and Jamie have lived the perfect life envisioned for them, or would something between Jamie and Caiden happened eventually? Or a love triangle would have happened, maybe?

We'll never know, but the point is...as in love as Cooper and Jamie were...it wasn't as perfect as it might have seemed.

But still, what they had was still beautiful. It was heartbreaking, them not getting anything more than that year they knew each other. I honestly was wondering how we were supposed to root for Jamie and Caiden after that? After such a devastating loss? After Jamie loved Cooper so entirely?

Well, the last two thirds of the book did its job, showing Jamie and Caiden truly falling in love in their own way. And perhaps a more real, sustainable way.

As wonderful as Cooper was, he and Jamie almost had a pure, innocent, first love type of love. Did we see them face any real problems? Any hurdles real life will throw at you (I mean, aside from the obvious ahem)? No, not really. We didn't really see them have to work at their relationship. We didn't get to see them show they had real, lasting love.

I love what Jamie says to Caiden at the end. Maybe he and Cooper would have had a perfectly good life, who knows? It was a love, a strong one, to be sure. But I think the lesson of this book was that you can fall in love again, and love is finite, it doesn't have to stop just because the person you loved is gone. Love is endless.

And honestly, Jamie and Caiden will have a longer, deeper love than Jamie and Cooper ever got. Not to say all this to rag on Cooper, because he was a sweetie pie who got a shit deal in all this. But still, this story is ultimately about Jamie and Caiden.

I think Jamie and Cooper burned bright together like the sun. Intense, bright, but brief, something that will set eventually. But Jamie and Caiden kind of snuck up on each other. Or it was more subtle, and it took its time to develop. It was a slow simmering...thing that took its time to heat up, but once it did...well, it wasn't something that was going to stop.

The journey isn't easy for Jamie and Caiden, but they get there, and it's beautiful to see. The intimate scenes between them were passionate and loving. And Jamie never saw Caiden as a replacement for Cooper - especially because, honestly, I think Jamie was into Caiden for who he was since before Cooper even died. It was always about Caiden, never Cooper, for Jamie.

Yes, they were twins and looked the same, but...they were two different people who two completely different personalities.

This is my first book by this author, and I loved it. It was heartbreaking, tear inducing, and will I read it ever again? Probably not, for my own sanity, but it was amazing. It should be read at least once. And I'll definitely be reading more from this author in the future, that's for sure.

A hard to read, heartbreaking journey, dealing with immense grief and mental illness (head the TW's too! Some on page stuff that is hard to read at times), but also how you can get through it, how you can one day be happy and live life again after such a monumental loss.

Definitely two thumbs up from me, I highly recommend - just get your tissues ready!

[Courtenay (ceelovesbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️

I’m going to start this off by saying that it is 100% recommended (by me) to go into this book completely blind. Read the blurb if you must.. but truthfully the prologue will tell you almost everything you need to know about this book. You’ll think you understand what’s going to happen almost immediately, but you’ll have no idea. I was completely blindsided by this story in the best way.

I’m going to keep this vague on purpose. Instead, I’m going to share some things to expect, and some feelings I felt while reading.

From the trope list, we know this book contains - stepbrothers, mental health rep, marking, hurt/ comfort, praise, and BROTHERS EX. From the title and book cover, we see That One Moment, surrounded by glass and a road.

This story follows Jamie, and his new TWIN stepbrothers Caiden and Cooper. This is NOT a MMM, this is not a typical stepbrother romance. This is emotional. Deep, dark, painful, and beautiful.

For about 30% of this book you feel.. a lot of emotions. A lot of pain for Caiden, a lot of happiness for Jamie. You experience a beautiful love. An accepting, loving family, and then after about 35%.. everything changes. Puzzle pieces start to slot together. Things start to make sense, and your heart completely shatters.

There were points in this story where I didn’t think it would be possible to ever get a HEA. It almost felt impossible. After everything these characters went through, there was no way this could end happily for anyone. But alas, but the end.. I was completely infatuated with them.

I cried, I sobbed, I laughed, I smiled, and I felt. I felt the hurt these characters experienced. I felt their pain. I experienced their emotions. And honestly my heart still hurts for them.

I feel like this was a giant fever dream. There’s no way a book like this could possibly be real. I felt like I was watching a movie and living it at the same time.

The spice was delicious, the love was beautiful, the emotions ran high, the hurt and pain was real, and I’ll never forget this book for years and years to come. I’m stunned. Absolutely shocked.

[readingwithmiaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!⭐️
3.5🌶️




Y’all, This Book, WOW! There Are Good Books, There Are Great Books, There Are Phenomenal Books And There Are Books You Just Won’t Ever Forget And Get Over, This Book Is A Book I Can’t Forget And Won’t Get Over. Jamie And Caiden OMG Y’all I Love These Two SO Much! Their Love Was So Realistic Yet So True From The Start And How They Love Each Other Is Something I Can’t Forget At All UGH! I Don’t Think I’ll Ever Get Over This Book. Cooper Y’all Is Caidens Twin Brother And Jamie’s Ex And He Was Such A Important Character To This Whole Story Because He Is The Person Who Gets Caiden And Jamie Together But I Won’t Explain How Cause I Need Y’all To Experience It Yourself To Get The Whole Experience . But Just Know I’ll Never Forget This Book And This Couple And This Story Ever. It’s One Of The Most Uniquest Love Story’s I’ve Ever Read And It Was Just PHENOMENAL! The Side Characters Were Also So Amazing. Jamie’s Parents And Friends And Caidens Friend Darius Which I Need His And Oliver’s Book IMMEDIATELY! I Need To Know More About Them And Get Cameos Of This Couple. But I HIGHLY Recommend This Book Y’all For All The Emotional MM Romance Lovers Out There. It’s 100% Worth All The Hype And It’s Definitely One Of My Favorite Reads This Year And A New Favorite Book Ever That I See Myself Rereading So Much. Cs Autumn, This Was SO Good Girl I Need More From You So Badly And I Cannot Wait To Read More From You Cause This Was SO BEAUTIFUL 🥹💕🫶

[bookdiaryofyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was good and sometimes sad but I didn't get that mind-blowing experience that others seem to have with this book. still would recommend though

[Marci]

dnf @ 10%

[handy.hannahbookishrecs · Rating 5 out of 5]

The amount of tears I shed while reading this was unreal. I absolutely adored this story, the emotional healing journey that these characters went on I felt like I was living it right by them and cheering them on the whole way.
After Jamie‘s mom remarries to his stepdad Jaime acquires two new stepbrother as well that are twins. He falls for one of them Cooper deeply, and he has his whole life planned out with him until one day one moment changes everything.
You go on this journey of grief loss of a loved one initially Jamie blames Cooper’s twin Caiden for what happened, but he comes to realize there’s so many factors that played into that one moment that changed their lives irrevocably.
3 years later Jaime gets a call he least expected and winds up crossing paths with Caiden again. Slowly the love that blooms between them is nothing short of amazing the healing arc Caiden had was phenomenal as well He really came out the other side and got his happy ending he deserved I love these two so much.

Tropes-
Parental neglect
Greif
Mental health Rep (suicide & self harm rep)
Stepbrothers
Hurt/comfort
Praise
Second chance
Twin brothers

[Ez Rah · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF'd at 37%. I did not like this. Nope. I feel like I need a self care bath after being emotionally manipulated by this white bread melodrama.

[Alli 📖🥀 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ 3🌶️

I have never cried so much and so hard during a book—I fear I have unlocked a new part of me and will chase this feeling moving forward. This book was DEVASTATING. It tore me apart and then piece by piece helped put me back together, but that tragedy hit me HARD. I cannot recommend this book enough. You will feel every single emotion and it feels so REAL. This book will forever stay in my heart. One of the best MM books I’ve ever read.

Quotes: (⚠️ contains spoilers ⬇️)

“Look for me in the stars.”

“Despite the fear, and the soul crushing knowledge that I am not walking away from this, I smile. Because Caiden’s here with me. How poetic, how tragic, how devastatingly beautiful that we entered this world together and now I’ll leave it with him by my side too.” (THIS ABSOLUTELY KILLED ME 😭)

“We were two peas in a pod. Best friends and worst enemies all in one. And now he’s somewhere out there watching me run my life into the ground one step at a time because I don’t know how to be half a person.”

“I want to punish you for pushing me away. But at the same time I want to worship every inch of you.”

What if it’s possible to fall in love more than once?

“You’re both going to survive this. Take care of each other. Be happy.”

“It’s a star. You bought me a star. A star called Cooper.”

“I need you to know that Cooper was my world…He was all I saw, and I fell hard for him. But Caiden, that was nothing compared to how I feel about you…While he may have once been my world, you are my entire universe. You are the sun, and the moon, and every cosmic space between. You are the greatest thing to ever happen to me, and the greatest love I have ever known.”

“Today’s a special day, shine brightly on us, okay? I’ll be looking for you.”

[Jordan Fischer | julietfoxreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG friends, if you are looking for a book that will break your heart and then put it back together again, That One Moment is TOTALLY the book for you. It's EXTREMELY angsty (this is one where you should ABSOLULTEY check TWs because there's some really rough stuff on page) - the middle portion, even though I knew it was coming, made me WEEP. However, the story overall is beautiful, about two men finding themselves and each other after going through an unimaginable tragedy - it's gorgeous and SO worth a read.

What's so impressive about this book is the character development. The people that Jamie and Caiden are at the beginning of the book might not be perfect, but they aren't nearly as damaged as they are in the second half. Reading how they find themselves (and each other) through incredible grief and adversity was painful, but it ultimately led to them finding some of the love they thought they'd lost. Caiden is so freaking broken, even at the beginning, and his spiral into grief broke my heart. But he also has such a kind heart - he's overly trusting and desperately wants the best for the people in his life, even at risk to himself. Jamie's descent into grief was, at the surface, less extreme than Caiden's, but he falls so far from where he is at the beginning of the story. I loved that he sees how much Caiden is struggling and tries to pull him out of his spiral even after Caiden pushes him away. The level of hurt/comfort and caretaking is unparalleled... and there's even a soup scene y'all! One of my favorite moments in the book.

These guys' feelings for each other are so complicated and layered, but I think that's what makes the book so compelling. While it's incredible sad, I think that ends up making the HEA all the more beautiful, knowing how far Jamie and Caiden have come. Thank you SO MUCH to C.S. Autumn for the opportunity to read this one early - I absolutely loved it (and I really appreciated the soup)!

[fortheloveofmmromancebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review

Jamie Durrand believes there is one person for everyone, and once you find them, it is forever. His mom is introducing her fiancé and his children to Jamie. When twins Cooper and Caiden walk in, Jamie knows he has found his forever in Cooper.

Caiden Carrington believes that he is the twin that no one wants, or to be friends with or wants around. Cooper, however is everything to him, his best friend and the only person he can trust. Caiden is a tortured soul, and self harms (please see trigger warnings).

Caiden can see Copper and Jamie falling in love and leaving him behind. He also wants that kind of special someone that is just his.

After a party one night, their lives change forever.

Three years after that fateful night, Caiden attempts to take his own life and ends up in hospital. His emergency contact is Jamie. He turns up and they try to fix their relationship. Can Caiden and Jamie forgive themselves and each other?

“Love isn’t a finite, tangible thing that we give away once and then it’s gone. It’s infinite and renewable and available in abundance”.

CS Autumn is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. Her writing style is incredible. She writes with heart and soul, and the descriptions of characters, surroundings and feelings are perfection. She has a gift of making you feel everything that the characters are feeling. This book made me cry (big snotty tears), made me laugh, broke my heart and then made my heart full.
Please read this book but first read the trigger warnings, as some parts are hard to read.
This book though is nothing short of wonderful and I urge you to read.
I am hoping we hear more about Darius.

“I’m going to be by your side, for as long as you'll let me”.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten jeden moment.
Ta jedna książka

Potrzebowałam tej książki, po tym wszystkim co przeszłam w tamtym roku, ta książka walnęła mnie w łeb i pozwoliła mi zrozumieć to co się działo , dzieje w moim życiu.
W tym zdanie to jest moc:

We're living !!

Przeczytałam tą książkę, nie wiedząc dokładnie co w niej znajdę i radzę wam zrobić to samo.

Będzie to jedna z najlepszych książek jakie przeczytałam w 2025 roku.

[Kim Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really don't know how to describe what this book made me feel. Outstanding story and characters, that's for sure.

It deals with some heavier topics so check the tw-list before reading it.

This book was everything. One of the best reads for me this year so far 🌺

[Jakson · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. It reads like fanfiction written by a teenager.

[Sofi · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Love isn’t a finite, tangible thing that we give away once and then it’s gone. It’s infinite and renewable and available in abundance. And it is scary because we don’t know what’s around the corner, but you can’t let fear hold you back.”

I don’t think I have the right words or even the ability to express how much this book made me feel. I honestly believe I could talk about it endlessly and still not be able to describe the perfection of this story. The emotions, the grief, pain, loneliness, fear, and love—I felt it all. And my God, how I cried. This is definitely one of those books I’ll never forget.

“What if I die and I don’t find him in whatever place lies beyond this? What if there is no place among the stars where I get to be with him again?”

“I miss you, Coop.” My voice croaks. “I learned how to live without you.” I smile through the painful confession. “I think you would be proud of me. I’m sorry if I hurt you. But I’m not sorry I fell in love with him.” My voice drops to a wobbly whisper,“You loved him too, so I think you’d understand.”

I think this was a complex story to create, and I truly admire the author for doing such an incredible job. When Cooper died, I couldn’t see how Jamie and Caiden could possibly end up together, but the author made it work in a way that was respectful, realistic, and deeply healing. We witnessed two people who were hurting, come back together and push each other along their own healing journeys, and that’s what I loved the most: they stood by each other without pretending they could fix one another or that love alone would magically make everything better. It was a raw and honest portrayal of grief, mental health, and the long road toward healing.

“I wish I could take all his pain away but I know that's not how healing works. Healing doesn't happen overnight and it's not fixed by a few weeks of therapy or the affection and attention of another person. It's something only he can control and I want to hold his hand for as long as it takes.”

“I can’t promise I won’t try to push you away when I get upset, but I promise to let you scale the walls I put up. I love you, Jamie.”
“You couldn’t put up a wall big enough to keep me out. You’re stuck with me now.”

“Being in love is wonderful, highly fucking recommend. But, it doesn’t heal you automatically. It just means there’s someone in your corner with you.”

Cooper’s POV completely broke me. I fell apart during that chapter—reading his words, seeing the future he imagined and knowing it was slipping away in real time, the fact that he knew he wouldn’t make it out alive… and his thoughts were of Jamie, and how happy he was that his twin was with him. Even now, as I write this review and remember that chapter, I can’t help but cry. It was such a powerful addition. As much as it destroyed me, it added so much emotional depth to the story. I feel like I need to honor Cooper in this review because, even though he wasn’t the main character, he left a lasting impact on me and on Jamie and Caiden, of course. His brief love story with Jamie was just as beautiful and meaningful. I loved his bond with Caiden—the love he had for his twin, how he always tried to mend his broken heart after everything with their mother. Cooper was such a special character, and throughout the book, I kept wishing that the accident had never happened.

“Despite the fear, and the soul crushing knowledge that I am not walking away from this, I smile. Because Caiden’s here with me. How poetic, how tragic, how devastatingly beautiful that we entered this world together and now I’ll leave it with him by my side too.”

“Caiden,” his name on my lips is a plea. The words delivered on a rasp that hurts my heart more than it does anywhere else. “Look for me in the stars.” His face crumples, devastation written in every line and dip and he cries, his sorrow reaching high into the night sky.”

“It’s a star. You bought me a star.” Wetness leaks from my eyes and I rub it away before it has a chance to drip onto the star registry certificate. “A star called Cooper.” I take out the certificate and beneath it is a map, with details on the location of my star and how to find it. […] “Look for me in the stars,” I say under my breath, soft enough for only him to hear.
Jamie shifts, smiling at me with dark, wet lashes. “Now you know where to look, so you can always find him.”

Surprise to no one—both Caiden and Jamie broke my heart. But my God, Caiden. The way his life was before and after the accident absolutely wrecked me. I felt his struggles and pain so deeply, and I’m just so glad he got the chance to heal. I loved that he was able to rebuild his relationship with his dad (that reunion was so raw and emotional), and that with Jamie, he didn’t just find love and support—he found a way to move forward, to remember his twin, and to finally start living his life fully. Jamie isn’t far behind in this book’s mission to completely destroy my heart. It hurt to see his light dimmed, to watch him lose his passion, his love for music, and his overall love for life. That’s why those small moments where he started to hum, and then sing again meant so much to me, seeing the light return to him. I truly love them both so much.

“Maybe it’s time to start actually living, Jamie.”
He’s quiet for a while before he answers. “I will, if you will. And we’ll do it for us. Not for anyone else.”

“Jamie Durand may never have meant to be mine, but perhaps life isn’t as linear as that - perhaps what wasn’t meant to be can one day be.”

“I never thought I’d get a chance to feel this,” he says, rocking into me. “This connection. I never thought someone would ever look at me or touch me the way you do. I never thought I deserved it.”

“Caiden rests his forehead against mine. “Do you think we could be something good?” I kiss him. Hard. Hoping the kiss is enough to tell him just how good I think we can be.”

The relationship between Caiden and Jamie was far from perfect, it was a true slow burn. From the moment they met, you could sense there was something between them, but it wasn’t obvious or dramatic; it lived in the small moments. I love that everything between them developed after the accident because it makes it clear that this wasn’t a love triangle. It was more about falling in love with two different people at different times and in different ways. And I could see that. From the way Jamie described his moments with Cooper, the way he treated him and loved him, it was soft and sweet. With Caiden, it was different. More raw and intense, but still tender. I think Jamie said it best: “I don’t want anyone to ever think I didn’t love Coop - because I did, very much. With Cooper, the feelings were soft and comfortable but with Caiden they’re wild and untamed” That line stayed with me.

“While he may have once been my world, you are my entire universe. You are the sun, and the moon, and every cosmic space between. You are the greatest thing to ever happen to me, and the greatest love I have ever known.”

“You’re scared, I get that, so am I. You’ve turned everything upside down and I barely understand myself at the moment, but I do know this. I’m not comparing you and I don't wish you were him. Whatever paths we took led us here, to this moment where I'm with you, sunshine. You.”

“I love you. I can’t promise you forever, because we both know that’s not a promise anyone can make. But I can promise you every breath and every beat of my heart.” My free hand finds his and lifts it, coming to rest over my heart. “It beats for you, Caiden.” Then I move our hands to my ribcage so he can feel the rise and fall of my chest. “For you.”

It’s also one of the things I loved most about this book, the way it explored love and how it can evolve. How losing someone you loved deeply doesn’t mean you loved them any less if you fall in love again. This story was a beautiful and hopeful representation of that truth. We saw Jamie wrestle with those feelings, and the way it was portrayed was both thoughtful and moving.

“I wanted him more than the air in my lungs. How we got there eludes me, but perhaps kissing Caiden was the end result of a thousand smaller choices we made - a butterfly effect.”

“Because I saw the rest of my life with you, but what if you were only ever made to love him?” Jamie kisses my forehead and I lock away the feel of his lips on my skin in case I never feel it again.
“What if I was made to love you both? At different times and in different ways. What if everything we’ve done and been through since the day we met was to bring us to right here, to this moment where I love you more than anything and you love me in return?”

I could write so many more paragraphs describing every thought and emotion I experienced while reading this book. I think I’ve highlighted at least half of it. There are just so many beautiful lines and moments—and I’m not only talking about the romance or the spicy scenes, but also the ones that delve into grief, pain, love, and mental health. This book made me feel everything, and it made me cry more than once. And for me, that’s what makes it a 5 star read. Honestly, if I were the kind of reader who rated books higher than 5 stars, I absolutely would—because I truly loved it. This was my first book from this author, and I already want more from them.

“Three years ago, Caiden Carrington was a thorn in my side - my boyfriend's needy twin […] Yet, if I look back closely at that time, there was something else there too. Some other feeling that hid itself inside me. It was there the day I placed that bracelet on his arm, when I’d held his hand a little too long, and on New Year’s when he’d rubbed his lips against my palm. It was there in the tiny pitter patters of my heart that beat outside of my love for Cooper. If I believed in such things, I’d think there was an invisible string connecting Caiden and I back then.”

Quotes worth mentioning:

“You’re so beautiful, I can’t stop looking at you.” He kisses around my rim, while his hand moves in circular motions around my cock. “I can’t stop dreaming about you.” Jamie licks and nibbles at my hole. “I can’t stop thinking about how perfect you are. For me. Just for me.”

“I feel like I’m drowning, Cooper. All the time. Like there’s all this water and it’s pushing me down, holding me under, and there’s no one there to save me.”
He takes my hands in his, squeezing them tightly. Blue eyes that mirror my own hold me in their grasp, keeping me grounded and connected. “I’ll be your lifejacket. I’ll always save you, Caiden. Always.”

“I think I’m broken.”
I kiss his chest. “Well then we can be broken together. But for what it’s worth, I don’t think either of us are broken. You said it yourself, I’m not damaged and I'm saying, neither are you. We’re human. It’s okay to be scared, Jay.”

[Daje1968 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This one was tough for me. On the one hand, it’s clearly well written — Autumn knows how to pull at emotions and build characters you feel. But honestly, the angst level here was way beyond what I enjoy. The first third spends a lot of time with the Jamie and Cooper relationship, and while I understand why, he read a bit Mary Sue–ish to me: universally adored, sunshine perfection, etc. And once the big tragedy hits, it’s basically a tearjerker rollercoaster from there. I don’t like reading books that make me feel sad just for the sake of it, and this definitely leaned heavy into grief and heartbreak.

That said, I did like the way the author captured the complicated dynamics between Jamie and Caiden later on — messy, real, and fragile in a way that felt believable. If high-angst hurt/comfort is your jam, you’ll probably love this. For me, it was more of a “glad I tried it, not really my lane” kind of read.

But thanks for the rec, Kristina P!

[Sjoukje · Rating 4 out of 5]

At least until 85% or maybe even 90% of the book I thought this was going to be a five star all favorite read. And then I got so annoyed with them.

I can imagine it’s incredibly hard, to love and to be loved by the twin of your dead ex. And even more to fall in love with the man your dead twin was going to marry. But come on! Why can’t he just love both of you a different way?

If my (non-existing) twin would die, I don’t think I would want their partner to ever fall out of love with them. Of course you want your partner to love you most. But can’t those two loves exist together? I really got upset with Caiden when he demanded Jamie to get rid of the wedding ring. And even more with Jamie when he did.
Of course Jamie needed closure. And visiting the grave was the right thing to do. He could have just kept the ring (or the love) though. I didn’t think Cooper deserved to be dumped three years after he died.

And also… Jamie… you told Caiden at the funeral he was responsible for his brother’s death. I didn’t think it was very strange that Caiden felt responsible.

So it was a good book and very captivating. I had so many feelings. And that means the writing was exceptional. It just also made me really upset with the story 😄

Not sure if I should reread. Definitely recommend though