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Us Duet #2
Becoming Us
Noah Rossi met Atticus King in the worst year of his life.
While everything around him was falling apart, Atticus stood out like a lifeline. They were nothing alike, but Noah was drawn to him, to the quiet warmth he never believed he deserved.
Now, two years later, they’re finally finding their way back to each other. Picking up the pieces of a love that never really ended, Noah and Atticus are trying to move forward. But rebuilding trust doesn’t erase the wreckage left behind, and Noah’s past still lingers in the shadows of everything they’re trying to become.
As their relationship deepens, the story shifts between present day and the past, revealing the grief, trauma, addiction, and emotional scars Noah has spent years trying to outrun. Slowly, piece by piece, he begins to heal, not just for Atticus, but for himself.
A companion novel to Echoes of Us, Becoming Us is an MM story about recovery and redemption. About choosing love in the aftermath of destruction. About learning that you can be broken and still be worthy.
And that sometimes, the hardest person to forgive… is yourself.
While everything around him was falling apart, Atticus stood out like a lifeline. They were nothing alike, but Noah was drawn to him, to the quiet warmth he never believed he deserved.
Now, two years later, they’re finally finding their way back to each other. Picking up the pieces of a love that never really ended, Noah and Atticus are trying to move forward. But rebuilding trust doesn’t erase the wreckage left behind, and Noah’s past still lingers in the shadows of everything they’re trying to become.
As their relationship deepens, the story shifts between present day and the past, revealing the grief, trauma, addiction, and emotional scars Noah has spent years trying to outrun. Slowly, piece by piece, he begins to heal, not just for Atticus, but for himself.
A companion novel to Echoes of Us, Becoming Us is an MM story about recovery and redemption. About choosing love in the aftermath of destruction. About learning that you can be broken and still be worthy.
And that sometimes, the hardest person to forgive… is yourself.
478 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2025
179 people are currently reading
1445 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 306 reviews
October 15, 2025
Happy release day 🎉
My biggest complaint when I finished ‘Echos of Us’ was that I felt that the story, and Atty and Noahs reconciliation happened too late in the story and I wished we saw more of their healing journey together. So you can imagine how surprised I was to see that it was being turned into a duology, with the second part featuring exactly that! Exciting! The fact that the other storyline featured Noah’s past and the things that lead to him becoming an addict however, made me nervous, because I just knew it was going to be a rough read…. and even knowing that, the reality of hour painful it was surprised me….
Probably the most gut punching part of reading about Noah’s past, was that his story was grounded in very real trauma and struggles. Nothing was extraordinarily dramatic or outlandish and that in itself made it felt very real and held all the more emotional impact for it.
This is very much not a stand alone and the first book is absolutely required reading for this one to really make sense. I did think that this provided some great closure for readers and for Atty and Noah themselves. But man…..talk about a very hard earned HEA. Please note that there is some off page mention of Noah with other people but that this occurs in the past and there is no other person scenes in the current storyline.
Cross is a fabulously talented writer and something about their writing style is like crack to my brain and as much as I ate this up and appreciated it, I don’t know if i could bring myself to reread these books and experience the pain again lol
I know it’s not the most popular opinion but I am kind of bummed the cover artist changed cause I loved the cover of book 1 and Noah’s expression on this one kind of terrifies me lol.
4.5 stars ✨ This is ultimately a story of strength, recovery and healing and I think its a lovely place to leave these two ❤️
Thank you to the author for providing and arc of this book for an honest review of my thoughts and feelings
✨Huge trigger warnings for this story✨ and if you think any of this might be confronting, I would encourage that you tread carefully with picking it up cause it doesn’t shy away from the rough stuff. Terminal illness and death of a parent (cancer), grief, addiction and recovery, depression, suicidal ideation and an on page attempt, emotional and psychological abuse from a narcissistic parent, sexual assault and grooming, dub con and mild disordered eating/ body dysmorphia.
My biggest complaint when I finished ‘Echos of Us’ was that I felt that the story, and Atty and Noahs reconciliation happened too late in the story and I wished we saw more of their healing journey together. So you can imagine how surprised I was to see that it was being turned into a duology, with the second part featuring exactly that! Exciting! The fact that the other storyline featured Noah’s past and the things that lead to him becoming an addict however, made me nervous, because I just knew it was going to be a rough read…. and even knowing that, the reality of hour painful it was surprised me….
Probably the most gut punching part of reading about Noah’s past, was that his story was grounded in very real trauma and struggles. Nothing was extraordinarily dramatic or outlandish and that in itself made it felt very real and held all the more emotional impact for it.
This is very much not a stand alone and the first book is absolutely required reading for this one to really make sense. I did think that this provided some great closure for readers and for Atty and Noah themselves. But man…..talk about a very hard earned HEA. Please note that there is some off page mention of Noah with other people but that this occurs in the past and there is no other person scenes in the current storyline.
Cross is a fabulously talented writer and something about their writing style is like crack to my brain and as much as I ate this up and appreciated it, I don’t know if i could bring myself to reread these books and experience the pain again lol
I know it’s not the most popular opinion but I am kind of bummed the cover artist changed cause I loved the cover of book 1 and Noah’s expression on this one kind of terrifies me lol.
4.5 stars ✨ This is ultimately a story of strength, recovery and healing and I think its a lovely place to leave these two ❤️
Thank you to the author for providing and arc of this book for an honest review of my thoughts and feelings
✨Huge trigger warnings for this story✨ and if you think any of this might be confronting, I would encourage that you tread carefully with picking it up cause it doesn’t shy away from the rough stuff. Terminal illness and death of a parent (cancer), grief, addiction and recovery, depression, suicidal ideation and an on page attempt, emotional and psychological abuse from a narcissistic parent, sexual assault and grooming, dub con and mild disordered eating/ body dysmorphia.
October 25, 2025
I typically find books involving therapy to be exhausting for a myriad of reasons but it speaks to Alex as an author that this was anything but. It so often feels linear and inauthentic, the way characters are healed and all better now after a little bit of talk therapy or finding romantic love. Rushed and anticlimactic. A race to the finish line, here’s your ribbon; you’re healed! But again, both books in this duet have been so true to life, so real; and I shouldn’t have expected anything less.
It wasn’t like I was magically cured. I still wondered if I’d done something wrong, still noticed every shift in someone’s expression when I spoke. But now, the volume wasn’t always at a hundred. And on the good days, I could even ask it to quiet down — and it listened. Like I had some kind of magic in me after all.
Just like book one was, this was a long journey; but so worthwhile investing the time. I just love love love LOVE Alex’s gorgeous writing and world building. I especially enjoy when a sentence or a passage in a book kicks me in the chest, this happened many a time here. I found this installment to be quite compelling, a vivid character study of one of my favorite literary characters. There’s plenty of romance here but the slow reveal of who Noah is and how he came to be was my favorite part. I don’t want to give too much away so I’ll be relatively brief here, but I had to take many breaks. This book is heavier than the first installment. Addiction, mental illness and parental abuse are written about with the utmost care from Alex. One of the issues Noah grapples with is separating love from obsession when it comes to Atticus. In book one we see Atticus and Noah at the height of obsession and now here in book two this feels like the comedown when you recognize that conflating love and obsession as one and the same is detrimental. We see a more communicative Noah and Atticus. In a healthier, happier and less dependent place. But that doesn’t happen all at once, they ebb and flow; fight and makeup. Become better, than worse. 1 step forward, 3 steps back. But the point is they’re still progressing, and one step is still *a* step.
Just like Noah himself, I loved their relationship dynamic in book one; whilst recognizing that it is toxic and unhealthy. Much of this book is unlearning and relearning. The highs were so high, but the lows were so low. It feels like in this book Noah finds a happy medium in both love and life. This was an extremely emotional read for me, I see so much of myself in Noah. One of the most me characters ever. I ugly cried. I think I can see healing in my future, too. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
It’s true to these characters that even if this relationship feels impossible at points, the love at the center of it never fades. There is so much empathy and understanding. If I tell you my story, will you promise not to love me any less? Such a beautiful duet, I’m eternally grateful it found me. ❤️❤️
”Don’t comfort me, Noah. Don’t make it smaller. Let’s just be sad, okay? We’ll have a sad morning together. That’s fine.”
”Okay,” I whispered, tightening my arms around him. “We’ll be sad together.”
It wasn’t like I was magically cured. I still wondered if I’d done something wrong, still noticed every shift in someone’s expression when I spoke. But now, the volume wasn’t always at a hundred. And on the good days, I could even ask it to quiet down — and it listened. Like I had some kind of magic in me after all.
Just like book one was, this was a long journey; but so worthwhile investing the time. I just love love love LOVE Alex’s gorgeous writing and world building. I especially enjoy when a sentence or a passage in a book kicks me in the chest, this happened many a time here. I found this installment to be quite compelling, a vivid character study of one of my favorite literary characters. There’s plenty of romance here but the slow reveal of who Noah is and how he came to be was my favorite part. I don’t want to give too much away so I’ll be relatively brief here, but I had to take many breaks. This book is heavier than the first installment. Addiction, mental illness and parental abuse are written about with the utmost care from Alex. One of the issues Noah grapples with is separating love from obsession when it comes to Atticus. In book one we see Atticus and Noah at the height of obsession and now here in book two this feels like the comedown when you recognize that conflating love and obsession as one and the same is detrimental. We see a more communicative Noah and Atticus. In a healthier, happier and less dependent place. But that doesn’t happen all at once, they ebb and flow; fight and makeup. Become better, than worse. 1 step forward, 3 steps back. But the point is they’re still progressing, and one step is still *a* step.
Just like Noah himself, I loved their relationship dynamic in book one; whilst recognizing that it is toxic and unhealthy. Much of this book is unlearning and relearning. The highs were so high, but the lows were so low. It feels like in this book Noah finds a happy medium in both love and life. This was an extremely emotional read for me, I see so much of myself in Noah. One of the most me characters ever. I ugly cried. I think I can see healing in my future, too. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
It’s true to these characters that even if this relationship feels impossible at points, the love at the center of it never fades. There is so much empathy and understanding. If I tell you my story, will you promise not to love me any less? Such a beautiful duet, I’m eternally grateful it found me. ❤️❤️
”Don’t comfort me, Noah. Don’t make it smaller. Let’s just be sad, okay? We’ll have a sad morning together. That’s fine.”
”Okay,” I whispered, tightening my arms around him. “We’ll be sad together.”
October 8, 2025
5 ⭐️
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
format: ebook
“‘they got married, and then it’s just… happily ever after. but what is that?’”
if you read echoes of us and fell completely head over heels in love with atticus king and noah rossi, and left that book thinking, “i wish we had just a little bit more,” then this book is definitely for you. book one is a dual timeline in atty’s pov, and book two is a dual timeline in noah’s pov. there is some small overlap between the books but not a lot, and you cannot read becoming us without reading echoes of us first.
at the conclusion of the first book, atty and noah are finally together again and trying to build back their relationship on a much sturdier foundation than the first time around. i love how alex cross doesn’t shy away from showing that these boys very much still have the same insecurities and flaws, and they have to work hard together to unlearn a lot of them.
↳”i didn’t feel like i had him back, not really. he still felt like something i could lose at any moment, like a dream i couldn’t quite touch. like if i blinked, he’d be gone again.”
noah is well into recovery but addiction is still a prevalent theme in this book, as we also see the series of events that lead to his using in the first place. there are heavy themes of grief, mental illness and disordered eating. noah has a lot of tools in his arsenal to conquer all of these, but it’s still a difficult uphill battle for much of the story.
↳”’i don’t want you to be a drug for me, atty. i can’t use you to numb myself, because if i do, it just opens the door for everything else.’”
i remember while reading echoes of us i was constantly hoping for just the tiniest glimpse into noah’s head. he always felt so difficult to read, and i sometimes was confused by his actions. but getting the entire backstory answered every single question i had and made me fall so in love with him. i feel like i could go back and reread the first book and it would be a completely new experience knowing what we know now (but i think my heart just needs a minute before i can do that to myself again).
↳“‘you feel everything so much, and i know you think that’s your weakness, but it’s not. it’s the opposite. being loved by you feels…all-consuming. limitless. there’s nothing like it. that’s why i could never really let you go.’”
i feel like bringing up the spice in this masterpiece of a book between all these devastating quotes feels a little weird, but i would be doing alex cross a disservice not talking about it as she did such an incredible job with these two. they always had top-notch chemistry, and this book emphasizes that even further. i literally have too many highlights to choose from, but here are some notable moments:
↳“baby”
↳praise
↳power bottom atty
↳the broken bed
noah rossi was one of my favorite characters of all time long before we got his pov. now i am just completely ruined. he is the embodiment of a flawed hero who simply wants to find his place in the world, as long as that place is beside atticus king. he deserves exactly the ending he received, and i don’t think i’ll ever recover from this beautiful duet. atty and noah are literally soulmates, and i will think about these two for the rest of my life.
↳”’maybe we are a little too much, you and me—but i love that about us. i want that. i choose that. every day, for the rest of our lives’ … ‘because it’s not too much for me. you’re not too much. you’re just right.’”
“‘it’s pancakes on sundays and cuddles before bed. it’s showing up when someone’s sad and cheering when they’re happy. it’s feeling safe and loved. it’s this—what we have. our family. that’s our happily ever after.’”
*i received a free, advanced copy of this book from the author and this is my voluntary, honest review.
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
format: ebook
“‘they got married, and then it’s just… happily ever after. but what is that?’”
if you read echoes of us and fell completely head over heels in love with atticus king and noah rossi, and left that book thinking, “i wish we had just a little bit more,” then this book is definitely for you. book one is a dual timeline in atty’s pov, and book two is a dual timeline in noah’s pov. there is some small overlap between the books but not a lot, and you cannot read becoming us without reading echoes of us first.
at the conclusion of the first book, atty and noah are finally together again and trying to build back their relationship on a much sturdier foundation than the first time around. i love how alex cross doesn’t shy away from showing that these boys very much still have the same insecurities and flaws, and they have to work hard together to unlearn a lot of them.
↳”i didn’t feel like i had him back, not really. he still felt like something i could lose at any moment, like a dream i couldn’t quite touch. like if i blinked, he’d be gone again.”
noah is well into recovery but addiction is still a prevalent theme in this book, as we also see the series of events that lead to his using in the first place. there are heavy themes of grief, mental illness and disordered eating. noah has a lot of tools in his arsenal to conquer all of these, but it’s still a difficult uphill battle for much of the story.
↳”’i don’t want you to be a drug for me, atty. i can’t use you to numb myself, because if i do, it just opens the door for everything else.’”
i remember while reading echoes of us i was constantly hoping for just the tiniest glimpse into noah’s head. he always felt so difficult to read, and i sometimes was confused by his actions. but getting the entire backstory answered every single question i had and made me fall so in love with him. i feel like i could go back and reread the first book and it would be a completely new experience knowing what we know now (but i think my heart just needs a minute before i can do that to myself again).
↳“‘you feel everything so much, and i know you think that’s your weakness, but it’s not. it’s the opposite. being loved by you feels…all-consuming. limitless. there’s nothing like it. that’s why i could never really let you go.’”
i feel like bringing up the spice in this masterpiece of a book between all these devastating quotes feels a little weird, but i would be doing alex cross a disservice not talking about it as she did such an incredible job with these two. they always had top-notch chemistry, and this book emphasizes that even further. i literally have too many highlights to choose from, but here are some notable moments:
↳“baby”
↳praise
↳power bottom atty
↳the broken bed
noah rossi was one of my favorite characters of all time long before we got his pov. now i am just completely ruined. he is the embodiment of a flawed hero who simply wants to find his place in the world, as long as that place is beside atticus king. he deserves exactly the ending he received, and i don’t think i’ll ever recover from this beautiful duet. atty and noah are literally soulmates, and i will think about these two for the rest of my life.
↳”’maybe we are a little too much, you and me—but i love that about us. i want that. i choose that. every day, for the rest of our lives’ … ‘because it’s not too much for me. you’re not too much. you’re just right.’”
“‘it’s pancakes on sundays and cuddles before bed. it’s showing up when someone’s sad and cheering when they’re happy. it’s feeling safe and loved. it’s this—what we have. our family. that’s our happily ever after.’”
*i received a free, advanced copy of this book from the author and this is my voluntary, honest review.
October 6, 2025
God, what this book did to me.. these two, I'll never get over them 🌺
This book deals with some pretty tough topics that may be triggering for some, so please check the tw-list before reading.
This is part two of a duet and you should read part one first in order to understand the whole plot better ☺️
This book is written from Noah's POV and is told in two different time-lines, the 'before' and the 'after'.
Noah is a recovering add!ct. He hasn't had an easy life, and in this book we see what he endured. Atticus and him are willing to give their relationship another try, after everything that happened in book one.
The way they communicate in this book? Beautiful. They really did an oustanding job listening and trying to get better and to do better than before.
This book broke me open, healed me up and gave me all the warm feelings all at once. This was one of my favorite reads this year for sure, no question.
How am I ever going to move on from this? 🤧I don't want to, so there's that 🤭
This book deals with some pretty tough topics that may be triggering for some, so please check the tw-list before reading.
This is part two of a duet and you should read part one first in order to understand the whole plot better ☺️
This book is written from Noah's POV and is told in two different time-lines, the 'before' and the 'after'.
Noah is a recovering add!ct. He hasn't had an easy life, and in this book we see what he endured. Atticus and him are willing to give their relationship another try, after everything that happened in book one.
The way they communicate in this book? Beautiful. They really did an oustanding job listening and trying to get better and to do better than before.
This book broke me open, healed me up and gave me all the warm feelings all at once. This was one of my favorite reads this year for sure, no question.
How am I ever going to move on from this? 🤧I don't want to, so there's that 🤭
December 27, 2025
Becoming Us is book two in the Us Duet. This MM romance story is about Atticus and Noah.
Echoes Of Us was such a heartbreaking story and it left me wanting and needing more of Atty and Noah. In Becoming Us, the story is written from Noah’s POV. We learn everything Noah went through and my heart broke for all that he endured. It was beautiful to see Noah’s growth as well as the grow Noah and Atty experience as a couple. Atty’s love and support of Noah was everything. This book was tough to read but it was also healing. In the end, Noah and Atty made my heart happy.
Echoes Of Us was such a heartbreaking story and it left me wanting and needing more of Atty and Noah. In Becoming Us, the story is written from Noah’s POV. We learn everything Noah went through and my heart broke for all that he endured. It was beautiful to see Noah’s growth as well as the grow Noah and Atty experience as a couple. Atty’s love and support of Noah was everything. This book was tough to read but it was also healing. In the end, Noah and Atty made my heart happy.
December 1, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️
𝑊𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝐿𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑡. 𝐿𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑒 𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑠. 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑤, 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟, 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑢𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ?
Tropes (for book 2 only):
✨MM Romance
✨Second-chance
✨Emotional, Hurt/Comfort
✨Socially awkward / autistic-coded MMC (I don't think this is confirmed by the author tho)
✨Addiction, toxic relationship, codependency, body image (Read the TWs)
✨Dual-timeline (we switch between past and present events) / single POV
✨Heavy focus on grief and feelings of being abandoned by a parent
✨Found-Family
I was going to give him everything he deserved, and for that to work, for us not to keep falling back into old patterns, we needed to set up some ground rules. We had to unlearn the toxic codependency, strip everything down, and build something real.
My review:
I swear this book knocked the air out of me. I finished Echoes of Us wishing we had more time with Atty and Noah actually healing together, and craving Noah's POV, so finding out the story continued with everything I missed in the 1st book made me soooo happy. And then, well... I thought I knew what I was walking into, but Noah’s side of things still hit way harder than I expected. I don't know how many times I came close to crying like a baby for my boys.
My heart was doing that thing again — squeezing so tightly it almost hurt. But it wasn’t pain. It was just trying to make more room for the ridiculous, aching amount of love I had for him.
The parts about Noah’s past were honestly the most painful to read, not because they were dramatic, but because they were so "normal" in the worst way, and maybe relatable too on different levels. This is the kind of hurt that feels real, too real maybe? It explained so much about the person he became, and it made me care for him even more. That was exactly what I struggled with in book 1. I had a hard time caring about Noah or understanding how Atty kept forgiving so much. But now that I know Noah’s story, it makes me love them both even more. I’m so grateful Atty is such an angel. Book 1 was a 4 stars for me at first, but now, after reading Becoming Us, it feels like a 5. The duet is definitely better if you read both back to back.
“ That’s another thing that scares me. I don’t want you to be a drug for me, Atty. I can’t use you to numb myself, because if I do, it just opens the door for everything else. ”
Something that surprised me the most was how good the therapy and recovery parts were. Usually I find that stuff boring or too rushed in books, like the character attends two sessions and suddenly everything is fixed, or the whole thing feels fake. Here it actually felt like a real process. Slow, frustrating, tiring, but also hopeful. Watching Noah learn how to handle things, set boundaries, open up, and actually try was emotional in a way I didn’t expect. The therapist also felt real, like this is exactly what a professional would do or say to help someone like Noah.
She used to see my weakness and use it against me. But he did the opposite — he saw it, and somehow turned it into something good. He took what broke me, held it gently, and gave it back with meaning. With healing.
Annnnd Atty and Noah together again? The awkwardness, the sweetness, the tiny moments that made me grin like an idiot. They still mess up sometimes and still have the same insecurities, but they are finally trying to face them together. Their chemistry is still crazy and it felt like it was going to burn my fingertips. It also felt honest, soft and so worth the wait. Their connection in this book felt deeper and steadier, and honestly, a little addictive to read.
It wasn’t stalking. No. Stalking was bad. Illegal, even. This wasn’t that. This was just … thinking about him. Because the fantasy was nice. I mean, he was nice, so this was the only natural conclusion.
The dual timeline also worked much better here. In book 1 I was pretty skeptical about the use of a single POV and the back and forth between past and present. It made some emotional scenes feel less impactful. But in Becoming Us, the structure worked beautifully. It helped me understand book 1 better and made me love it more, but it also made all the pain and sadness I felt for them hit ten times harder. I still think book 1 could have been crafted a bit differently to use the timeline format better, but it is clear Alex Cross learned a lot from writing it and gave us this masterpiece of a sequel.
No one — in all my twenty years — had ever looked at me like that. Like he was waiting for something to begin. Like he couldn’t believe I was real. And he had no idea it was all a lie.
Noah’s whole journey is the thing that stayed with me the most. I know I will think about it a lot and that my mind will wander back to him whenever I feel down. He has been hurting silently for so long, and seeing him choose healing over and over made me want to hug him through the pages. He is not weak at all. He is trying so hard to build something better for himself, and watching him do that was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.
Becoming Us felt less like reading a story and more like walking through someone’s wounds and watching them slowly close, watching someone choose themselves and the people who matter. It is heavy sometimes, but also full of hope and love and second chances. I loved it ♥
Also, we get to see the whole marriage thingy and omg they are so sweet. And they have kids!! This is truly too sweet for me. While reading the epilogue, I felt like the author was healing me from the wounds she opened in my chest by letting me witness the way Noah’s finally closed, leaving behind only the scars that prove how strong he is. We do not get much of it, but they are both going to be the best parents a kid could ask for.
I want Ezra, Colin and Paxton’s story now. Like, tell me what happens with them. I am begging.
And, my favorite quote:
And yet somehow … Somehow, he’d found me. Fate, or chance, or something greater dropped an angel into my path. And he stayed. He made me want to stay, too. He made me want to crawl out. To try. To believe I could save myself. That I could be the prince in my own fucked - up fairytale. He made me want to live
🌶️
𝑊𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝐿𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑡. 𝐿𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑒 𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑠. 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑤, 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟, 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑢𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑏𝑟𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑐𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ?
Tropes (for book 2 only):
✨MM Romance
✨Second-chance
✨Emotional, Hurt/Comfort
✨Socially awkward / autistic-coded MMC (I don't think this is confirmed by the author tho)
✨Addiction, toxic relationship, codependency, body image (Read the TWs)
✨Dual-timeline (we switch between past and present events) / single POV
✨Heavy focus on grief and feelings of being abandoned by a parent
✨Found-Family
I was going to give him everything he deserved, and for that to work, for us not to keep falling back into old patterns, we needed to set up some ground rules. We had to unlearn the toxic codependency, strip everything down, and build something real.
My review:
I swear this book knocked the air out of me. I finished Echoes of Us wishing we had more time with Atty and Noah actually healing together, and craving Noah's POV, so finding out the story continued with everything I missed in the 1st book made me soooo happy. And then, well... I thought I knew what I was walking into, but Noah’s side of things still hit way harder than I expected. I don't know how many times I came close to crying like a baby for my boys.
My heart was doing that thing again — squeezing so tightly it almost hurt. But it wasn’t pain. It was just trying to make more room for the ridiculous, aching amount of love I had for him.
The parts about Noah’s past were honestly the most painful to read, not because they were dramatic, but because they were so "normal" in the worst way, and maybe relatable too on different levels. This is the kind of hurt that feels real, too real maybe? It explained so much about the person he became, and it made me care for him even more. That was exactly what I struggled with in book 1. I had a hard time caring about Noah or understanding how Atty kept forgiving so much. But now that I know Noah’s story, it makes me love them both even more. I’m so grateful Atty is such an angel. Book 1 was a 4 stars for me at first, but now, after reading Becoming Us, it feels like a 5. The duet is definitely better if you read both back to back.
“ That’s another thing that scares me. I don’t want you to be a drug for me, Atty. I can’t use you to numb myself, because if I do, it just opens the door for everything else. ”
Something that surprised me the most was how good the therapy and recovery parts were. Usually I find that stuff boring or too rushed in books, like the character attends two sessions and suddenly everything is fixed, or the whole thing feels fake. Here it actually felt like a real process. Slow, frustrating, tiring, but also hopeful. Watching Noah learn how to handle things, set boundaries, open up, and actually try was emotional in a way I didn’t expect. The therapist also felt real, like this is exactly what a professional would do or say to help someone like Noah.
She used to see my weakness and use it against me. But he did the opposite — he saw it, and somehow turned it into something good. He took what broke me, held it gently, and gave it back with meaning. With healing.
Annnnd Atty and Noah together again? The awkwardness, the sweetness, the tiny moments that made me grin like an idiot. They still mess up sometimes and still have the same insecurities, but they are finally trying to face them together. Their chemistry is still crazy and it felt like it was going to burn my fingertips. It also felt honest, soft and so worth the wait. Their connection in this book felt deeper and steadier, and honestly, a little addictive to read.
It wasn’t stalking. No. Stalking was bad. Illegal, even. This wasn’t that. This was just … thinking about him. Because the fantasy was nice. I mean, he was nice, so this was the only natural conclusion.
The dual timeline also worked much better here. In book 1 I was pretty skeptical about the use of a single POV and the back and forth between past and present. It made some emotional scenes feel less impactful. But in Becoming Us, the structure worked beautifully. It helped me understand book 1 better and made me love it more, but it also made all the pain and sadness I felt for them hit ten times harder. I still think book 1 could have been crafted a bit differently to use the timeline format better, but it is clear Alex Cross learned a lot from writing it and gave us this masterpiece of a sequel.
No one — in all my twenty years — had ever looked at me like that. Like he was waiting for something to begin. Like he couldn’t believe I was real. And he had no idea it was all a lie.
Noah’s whole journey is the thing that stayed with me the most. I know I will think about it a lot and that my mind will wander back to him whenever I feel down. He has been hurting silently for so long, and seeing him choose healing over and over made me want to hug him through the pages. He is not weak at all. He is trying so hard to build something better for himself, and watching him do that was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time.
Becoming Us felt less like reading a story and more like walking through someone’s wounds and watching them slowly close, watching someone choose themselves and the people who matter. It is heavy sometimes, but also full of hope and love and second chances. I loved it ♥
Also, we get to see the whole marriage thingy and omg they are so sweet. And they have kids!! This is truly too sweet for me. While reading the epilogue, I felt like the author was healing me from the wounds she opened in my chest by letting me witness the way Noah’s finally closed, leaving behind only the scars that prove how strong he is. We do not get much of it, but they are both going to be the best parents a kid could ask for.
I want Ezra, Colin and Paxton’s story now. Like, tell me what happens with them. I am begging.
And, my favorite quote:
And yet somehow … Somehow, he’d found me. Fate, or chance, or something greater dropped an angel into my path. And he stayed. He made me want to stay, too. He made me want to crawl out. To try. To believe I could save myself. That I could be the prince in my own fucked - up fairytale. He made me want to live
March 8, 2026
"You've turned nightmares into dreams, slayed invisible dragons, and broken a million curses I put on myself. And you did all that just by existing…..
That's what this had always been, hadn't it? Atty and I—two halves of the same soul…..
We belonged to each other. Long before we met. Long before we knew what love even was.”
OH, MY PRECIOUS ANGELS 😭🤍🥹 pls—that last page of the first epilogue had me ugly cryinnnnnng 😭
This book was solely in Noah’s POV and just like Echoes of Us, we had dual timelines of past and present. Our “after” timeline began right where book 1 left off and the “before” dives into Noah’s past, his family, his grief, and where he first began to struggle with addiction. I REALLY want to recommend that you read this book immediately after finishing Echoes of Us. I think this way, your experience with the story and these characters will be much more meaningful and impactful overall. Both of these books compliment each other in a way where you’re getting a full picture of the story together, rather than a typical book 2 sequel (if that makes sense).
The love and healing Noah did, that they both did together in this, was so so beautiful. I felt like I was on this journey with them and was rooting for them every step of the way. I especially loved the deep dive we got into Noah’s past. I truly felt like I got to know and understand Noah on a soul level. His grief, his pain, his sensitivity, it brought his character to life. If you had a harder time with Noah’s character in book 1, trust that this book will allow you to see him from a new lens. The character growth is beyond anything I could have hoped for and I’m so proud of Noah 🥹❤️
*Mild spoilers in just the next 2 paragraphs below. So just skip those*
In Echoes of Us, we find out that Noah’s dad had passed away after losing his battle with cancer and Noah was left in charge of his entire family’s assets & estates. In Becoming of Us, we see the years & many months before his father’s death and how clear it was that his dad was always his main support system.
After the death of his father, Noah let himself waste away. He had lost any sense of care or self-preservation for his life. He’d completely given up and seriously, it broke my heart.
“Somehow, while I bottled it up, all those tears had turned to screams. They'd evolved—matured—twisted into something that lived in every corner of my brain. Rage. Resentment. They wrapped around my bones like a second skin.
But they weren't real. Just a Band-Aid. A patch slapped over the real wound.
The grief.”
Of course, I could see the self-destructive path Noah had set himself on in Echoes of Us… but now actually being in his head during that time and knowing what he had been through already, was a different kind of heartbreak. God I just wanted to hug him. I just wanted to see someone support him so he didn’t have to carry this weight alone 😭
Noah had a very complicated and tumultuous relationship with his mother that was damaging in more ways than one.
The anger I felt towards this woman…The way she treated Noah his entire life, like he was unlovable, like something was wrong with him 💔 This broke something in me. She shattered his self-worth, self-esteem, everything!!! This relationship had Noah teetering dangerously close to the edge.
His constant state of hypervigilance that he developed in response to his trauma with his mom. The emotional scanning- anticipating expressions & moods- to protect himself and avoid conflict. But this coupled with the constant self-numbing was absolutely wreaking havoc on every aspect of his life 💔
Getting to see Noah reclaim his life and learn healthy ways to live, love, and communicate was everything to me❤️ It’s crazy how real these two characters felt to me and how much it felt like I was reading about friends of mine. Their happy ever after was so special to me and I will cherish this story and these characters forever 🩷
This duet is ABSOLUTELY worth the read and I cannot believe it isn’t more popular!!!
“Light was beginning to filter in behind the curtains. And I couldn't help it—joy crept into my heart. I laughed, breathless and dazed, because I couldn't fucking believe I got to have this again.”
“I smiled to myself and held him a little tighter. My heart was doing that thing again-squeezing so tightly it almost hurt. But it wasn't pain. It was just trying to make more room for the ridiculous, aching amount of love I had for him.”
“He made me want to live.
Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this life.
But here I was. Choosing it. Choosing him. Letting myself believe I could be loved like this. That I deserved it.”
That's what this had always been, hadn't it? Atty and I—two halves of the same soul…..
We belonged to each other. Long before we met. Long before we knew what love even was.”
OH, MY PRECIOUS ANGELS 😭🤍🥹 pls—that last page of the first epilogue had me ugly cryinnnnnng 😭
This book was solely in Noah’s POV and just like Echoes of Us, we had dual timelines of past and present. Our “after” timeline began right where book 1 left off and the “before” dives into Noah’s past, his family, his grief, and where he first began to struggle with addiction. I REALLY want to recommend that you read this book immediately after finishing Echoes of Us. I think this way, your experience with the story and these characters will be much more meaningful and impactful overall. Both of these books compliment each other in a way where you’re getting a full picture of the story together, rather than a typical book 2 sequel (if that makes sense).
The love and healing Noah did, that they both did together in this, was so so beautiful. I felt like I was on this journey with them and was rooting for them every step of the way. I especially loved the deep dive we got into Noah’s past. I truly felt like I got to know and understand Noah on a soul level. His grief, his pain, his sensitivity, it brought his character to life. If you had a harder time with Noah’s character in book 1, trust that this book will allow you to see him from a new lens. The character growth is beyond anything I could have hoped for and I’m so proud of Noah 🥹❤️
*Mild spoilers in just the next 2 paragraphs below. So just skip those*
In Echoes of Us, we find out that Noah’s dad had passed away after losing his battle with cancer and Noah was left in charge of his entire family’s assets & estates. In Becoming of Us, we see the years & many months before his father’s death and how clear it was that his dad was always his main support system.
After the death of his father, Noah let himself waste away. He had lost any sense of care or self-preservation for his life. He’d completely given up and seriously, it broke my heart.
“Somehow, while I bottled it up, all those tears had turned to screams. They'd evolved—matured—twisted into something that lived in every corner of my brain. Rage. Resentment. They wrapped around my bones like a second skin.
But they weren't real. Just a Band-Aid. A patch slapped over the real wound.
The grief.”
Of course, I could see the self-destructive path Noah had set himself on in Echoes of Us… but now actually being in his head during that time and knowing what he had been through already, was a different kind of heartbreak. God I just wanted to hug him. I just wanted to see someone support him so he didn’t have to carry this weight alone 😭
Noah had a very complicated and tumultuous relationship with his mother that was damaging in more ways than one.
The anger I felt towards this woman…The way she treated Noah his entire life, like he was unlovable, like something was wrong with him 💔 This broke something in me. She shattered his self-worth, self-esteem, everything!!! This relationship had Noah teetering dangerously close to the edge.
His constant state of hypervigilance that he developed in response to his trauma with his mom. The emotional scanning- anticipating expressions & moods- to protect himself and avoid conflict. But this coupled with the constant self-numbing was absolutely wreaking havoc on every aspect of his life 💔
Getting to see Noah reclaim his life and learn healthy ways to live, love, and communicate was everything to me❤️ It’s crazy how real these two characters felt to me and how much it felt like I was reading about friends of mine. Their happy ever after was so special to me and I will cherish this story and these characters forever 🩷
This duet is ABSOLUTELY worth the read and I cannot believe it isn’t more popular!!!
“Light was beginning to filter in behind the curtains. And I couldn't help it—joy crept into my heart. I laughed, breathless and dazed, because I couldn't fucking believe I got to have this again.”
“I smiled to myself and held him a little tighter. My heart was doing that thing again-squeezing so tightly it almost hurt. But it wasn't pain. It was just trying to make more room for the ridiculous, aching amount of love I had for him.”
“He made me want to live.
Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this life.
But here I was. Choosing it. Choosing him. Letting myself believe I could be loved like this. That I deserved it.”
January 13, 2026
4.5 stars ⭐️
I don’t think I’ll ever love a main character more than Noah Rossi. Watching him recognize his own worth and choose to keep living was incredibly satisfying, and it made me so proud of my baby boy. He’s such a strong character, and even though he’s fictional, I’m deeply attached to him in a way I know I’ll never forget.
Noah and Atty’s relationship grew into something truly healthy, which made me so happy. I love how Atty never gave up on Noah, even when he had so many reasons to walk away. Their love feels real, patient, and earned.
I also loved their friend circle. Holly, Colin, and Ezra are everything anyone could ask for in friends. They were supportive, loyal, and always there when it mattered. I’m so glad Noah and Atty had people like them to lean on and always have their backs.
I don’t want their story to end. It hurts knowing I can never read this for the first time again. If I could, I’d take my time with it reading slowly and savoring every single moment.
I don’t think I’ll ever love a main character more than Noah Rossi. Watching him recognize his own worth and choose to keep living was incredibly satisfying, and it made me so proud of my baby boy. He’s such a strong character, and even though he’s fictional, I’m deeply attached to him in a way I know I’ll never forget.
Noah and Atty’s relationship grew into something truly healthy, which made me so happy. I love how Atty never gave up on Noah, even when he had so many reasons to walk away. Their love feels real, patient, and earned.
I also loved their friend circle. Holly, Colin, and Ezra are everything anyone could ask for in friends. They were supportive, loyal, and always there when it mattered. I’m so glad Noah and Atty had people like them to lean on and always have their backs.
I don’t want their story to end. It hurts knowing I can never read this for the first time again. If I could, I’d take my time with it reading slowly and savoring every single moment.
October 5, 2025
4.25⭐️
Becoming Us is best described as a companion novel for Alex Cross’ debut novel, Becoming Us. A heartfelt, emotional journey—It’s one of those novels where you can just tell the author poured their soul into it and had nothing but adoration for the characters.
While Echoes of Us tells Atticus and Noah’s story from Atty’s POV, Becoming Us explores Noah’s past, his struggles with addiction, his complicated family, and his point of view in the relationship between him and Atty. because this book reads more as a companion to the first story rather than a direct sequel, I do think that it’s best to read these two books one right after the other, in order to get the most impactful experience.
I absolutely ADORE Alex Cross’ writing style. It’s so emotional and beautifully written, without being overly-frilly or over-dramatic. Noah’s character is explored so deeply in this novel, it’s almost like I know him. He feels like a real person, not a character. This book felt like an ode to Noah, a celebration of his triumphs. It was such a unique experience. Most MM romances are dual POV, whereas these two books are fully from one character’s POV—it was really refreshing to read something like that. It really allows you to get deep into both characters.
In terms of plot, you’re not going to be surprised. This book follows the events of book 1, but instead adds insight and nuance. What you could only imagine or infer from Atty’s POV in book one is hashed out in ways that are both painful and beautiful.
Definitely worth a read if you enjoyed book 1, and love books that deal with more emotion and character growth rather than an intense plot line. Alex Cross is a fairly new author, but quickly becoming one that I can’t get enough of. ✨
Becoming Us is best described as a companion novel for Alex Cross’ debut novel, Becoming Us. A heartfelt, emotional journey—It’s one of those novels where you can just tell the author poured their soul into it and had nothing but adoration for the characters.
While Echoes of Us tells Atticus and Noah’s story from Atty’s POV, Becoming Us explores Noah’s past, his struggles with addiction, his complicated family, and his point of view in the relationship between him and Atty. because this book reads more as a companion to the first story rather than a direct sequel, I do think that it’s best to read these two books one right after the other, in order to get the most impactful experience.
I absolutely ADORE Alex Cross’ writing style. It’s so emotional and beautifully written, without being overly-frilly or over-dramatic. Noah’s character is explored so deeply in this novel, it’s almost like I know him. He feels like a real person, not a character. This book felt like an ode to Noah, a celebration of his triumphs. It was such a unique experience. Most MM romances are dual POV, whereas these two books are fully from one character’s POV—it was really refreshing to read something like that. It really allows you to get deep into both characters.
In terms of plot, you’re not going to be surprised. This book follows the events of book 1, but instead adds insight and nuance. What you could only imagine or infer from Atty’s POV in book one is hashed out in ways that are both painful and beautiful.
Definitely worth a read if you enjoyed book 1, and love books that deal with more emotion and character growth rather than an intense plot line. Alex Cross is a fairly new author, but quickly becoming one that I can’t get enough of. ✨
December 11, 2025
I love Atty and Noah so much.
I rarely say that but I could have done without all the extra pain. I wish I could have hugged Noah tight throughout the whole book.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
I rarely say that but I could have done without all the extra pain. I wish I could have hugged Noah tight throughout the whole book.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
February 13, 2026
4.25 stars. I was hesitant to pick this book up after the rampant toxicity in ECHOES OF US, but BECOMING US is truly a beautiful turn for Atty and Noah that I’m so glad I continued their story. Starting on page one, every toxic trait that Noah brought to the relationship is disbanded in a healthy way with new boundaries. We love to see the growth - the space and communication they give each other, and the newfound vulnerabilities that must be worked out before the hot sex. Who knew Noah could turn his shit around? In this book he understands that Atty cannot be responsible for his well being. The lessons he learns from his therapist are finally being practiced and I couldn’t be more proud of him and his path to self acceptance and healing.
Cross does a wonderful job of redeeming Noah with his backstory and my heart just broke for his rough upbringing. It really shows you that despite monetary privilege, you can still be dealt shitty cards when it comes to parents or mental health issues. Poor baby has always been made to feel like he’s too much because his mother was QUITE an emotional pill. I related too well to Noah’s incessant negative self-talk that he started to believe and know how hard it is to re-write, it’s a constant practice. Unless you deal with mental health problems you don’t understand how debilitating and insidious that inner critical dialogue can be. I champion anyone that is brave enough to attempt to live a life worth living, even with the mental demons and addiction.
Atticus continues to be my fictional crush, what a man - inside and out. He truly accepts his boyfriend for who he is, and he’ll never be too much for him. He sees through Noah’s shortcomings and even lets him be his caretaker in an adorable scene under the covers. But don’t get it twisted, they also understand they can’t fall into an unhealthy patient/therapist pattern again. Although, I’m perturbed that Atty rushed him into doing more sexually…like I know he needed to feel loved physically, but boundaries only work if they’re adhered to by both parties sir! But they work through their shit and know that fear can’t create a healthy relationship, and that they have to let go of the old one in order to build a new and stable one.
And even though the emotional journey is at the core of this story, you don’t lose the spice. I’d wager it’s even hotter in this book because they literally break the bed, and Atty becomes more explorative, even letting Noah eat and top his perfectly sculpted booty. But ultimately, this is a story about accepting love from yourself and from others, trusting that you have your own back and that the people that love you do as well. Self acceptance is everything. And shout out to Holly for being Noah’s unbelievable ride or die, we all need friends that will stick by our side in our highs and our lows. I absolutely adored the way Atty and Noah’s journey is rewarded in the epilogue and it truly had me in my feels. Noah’s story feels like an important reminder that just because you’ve made mistakes or hit your rock bottom doesn’t mean that you can’t have the happy ending you deserve!
Some quotes:
”Moving forward doesn’t mean moving on without him. It means moving forward. Your relationship can’t return to what it used to be because neither of you is the same. It’s going to change. And the more you cling to what was, the more you prevent it from becoming what it’s meant to be.”
”Fear can’t be your only motivator. I get that it tends to take over, but you’ve done the work. You know how to throw yourself a lifeline.”
Cross does a wonderful job of redeeming Noah with his backstory and my heart just broke for his rough upbringing. It really shows you that despite monetary privilege, you can still be dealt shitty cards when it comes to parents or mental health issues. Poor baby has always been made to feel like he’s too much because his mother was QUITE an emotional pill. I related too well to Noah’s incessant negative self-talk that he started to believe and know how hard it is to re-write, it’s a constant practice. Unless you deal with mental health problems you don’t understand how debilitating and insidious that inner critical dialogue can be. I champion anyone that is brave enough to attempt to live a life worth living, even with the mental demons and addiction.
Atticus continues to be my fictional crush, what a man - inside and out. He truly accepts his boyfriend for who he is, and he’ll never be too much for him. He sees through Noah’s shortcomings and even lets him be his caretaker in an adorable scene under the covers. But don’t get it twisted, they also understand they can’t fall into an unhealthy patient/therapist pattern again. Although, I’m perturbed that Atty rushed him into doing more sexually…like I know he needed to feel loved physically, but boundaries only work if they’re adhered to by both parties sir! But they work through their shit and know that fear can’t create a healthy relationship, and that they have to let go of the old one in order to build a new and stable one.
And even though the emotional journey is at the core of this story, you don’t lose the spice. I’d wager it’s even hotter in this book because they literally break the bed, and Atty becomes more explorative, even letting Noah eat and top his perfectly sculpted booty. But ultimately, this is a story about accepting love from yourself and from others, trusting that you have your own back and that the people that love you do as well. Self acceptance is everything. And shout out to Holly for being Noah’s unbelievable ride or die, we all need friends that will stick by our side in our highs and our lows. I absolutely adored the way Atty and Noah’s journey is rewarded in the epilogue and it truly had me in my feels. Noah’s story feels like an important reminder that just because you’ve made mistakes or hit your rock bottom doesn’t mean that you can’t have the happy ending you deserve!
Some quotes:
”Moving forward doesn’t mean moving on without him. It means moving forward. Your relationship can’t return to what it used to be because neither of you is the same. It’s going to change. And the more you cling to what was, the more you prevent it from becoming what it’s meant to be.”
”Fear can’t be your only motivator. I get that it tends to take over, but you’ve done the work. You know how to throw yourself a lifeline.”
March 4, 2026
4.5⭐️
Ok so I concede defeat.
The back-and-forth between timelines meant little this time. I’m not sure if it’s because I already expected it or if Noah’s POV was just more immersive.
It sort of completed all of the questions left behind in book one. It wasn’t, as I feared, a repeat but a continuation. The past took us through the reasons why Noah was so broken. The ‘After’ chapters picked up straight after the end of Atty’s book and saw us through to their happy ever after.
It was so hard and so good and so cute and so beautiful and so sad and so heartbreakingly sweet. The writing is very good. I hate time switches. I really do, but I think with Noah, his past was just as stressful as his present, so it didn’t feel like you were discombobulated 😆
Just so good
Ok so I concede defeat.
The back-and-forth between timelines meant little this time. I’m not sure if it’s because I already expected it or if Noah’s POV was just more immersive.
It sort of completed all of the questions left behind in book one. It wasn’t, as I feared, a repeat but a continuation. The past took us through the reasons why Noah was so broken. The ‘After’ chapters picked up straight after the end of Atty’s book and saw us through to their happy ever after.
It was so hard and so good and so cute and so beautiful and so sad and so heartbreakingly sweet. The writing is very good. I hate time switches. I really do, but I think with Noah, his past was just as stressful as his present, so it didn’t feel like you were discombobulated 😆
Just so good
October 6, 2025
Book Summary:
Some stories need more. Atty and Noah's story deserved more. In Becoming Us, we see through Noah's eyes, hear in his voice. Written in dual timelines, we see important moments in Noah's life, starting around fifteen until present time with the love of his life Atticus King. Things in Ecoes of Us weren't unfinished per se, but this book focuses on where Noah comes from. What he experiences throughout both timelines to get his happily ever after.
Book Review:
Noah Rossi came to us in Echoes of Us as the energetic, partying rich kid that meets Atticus King at a college party. We find out life for Noah behind the curtain is very much different. In Becoming Us, we find out that Noah is really struggling with the aftermath of the death of his father, familial estrangement and financial responsibilities, drug addiction, and attempted suicide. He is instantly attracted to Atty, and knows he shouldn't get involved with him, especially in the state he's in. He doesn't want to ruin Atty. But Atty has a light that calls to Noah, and he just can't stay away.
Noah is a complex character that has suffered in silence since a young age. His mother uses him as an object in his younger years modeling as a way to relive her glory days. With that comes body shaming. At home he's dealing with her gaslighting - the woman is a manipulator - and an absentee father. When his father is around, he defends Noah's mother in arguments, whether she's right or not. Noah uses pot, alcohol, and coke as an escape from it all.
Noah isn't weak, not by a long shot. He's a brave young man who walks away frome everything including Atty - the love of his life - to go to rehab. Becoming Us doesn't get into the details of that, but the story is far from lacking. Instead we go through the healing process with Noah, therapy with Sam, his strugglea to crawl out of depreasion, NA meetings, healthy boundaries, goals set and reached. Communication has always been a weak point for Noah and Atty. They work on that. The devastation that Noah's addiction had on his relationships with Atty, friends and family are all dealt with in this incredible story.
My emotions ran high while reading Becoming Us. Some subjects hit close to home. However, it's not a bleak book. It's about the strength of love, discovering one's inner strength, found family, hope. Becoming Us is a beautifully raw book that may cause you to look inward. You may find something that resonates with you. If you loved Echoes of Us, Becoming Us is a must - read.
Some stories need more. Atty and Noah's story deserved more. In Becoming Us, we see through Noah's eyes, hear in his voice. Written in dual timelines, we see important moments in Noah's life, starting around fifteen until present time with the love of his life Atticus King. Things in Ecoes of Us weren't unfinished per se, but this book focuses on where Noah comes from. What he experiences throughout both timelines to get his happily ever after.
Book Review:
Noah Rossi came to us in Echoes of Us as the energetic, partying rich kid that meets Atticus King at a college party. We find out life for Noah behind the curtain is very much different. In Becoming Us, we find out that Noah is really struggling with the aftermath of the death of his father, familial estrangement and financial responsibilities, drug addiction, and attempted suicide. He is instantly attracted to Atty, and knows he shouldn't get involved with him, especially in the state he's in. He doesn't want to ruin Atty. But Atty has a light that calls to Noah, and he just can't stay away.
Noah is a complex character that has suffered in silence since a young age. His mother uses him as an object in his younger years modeling as a way to relive her glory days. With that comes body shaming. At home he's dealing with her gaslighting - the woman is a manipulator - and an absentee father. When his father is around, he defends Noah's mother in arguments, whether she's right or not. Noah uses pot, alcohol, and coke as an escape from it all.
Noah isn't weak, not by a long shot. He's a brave young man who walks away frome everything including Atty - the love of his life - to go to rehab. Becoming Us doesn't get into the details of that, but the story is far from lacking. Instead we go through the healing process with Noah, therapy with Sam, his strugglea to crawl out of depreasion, NA meetings, healthy boundaries, goals set and reached. Communication has always been a weak point for Noah and Atty. They work on that. The devastation that Noah's addiction had on his relationships with Atty, friends and family are all dealt with in this incredible story.
My emotions ran high while reading Becoming Us. Some subjects hit close to home. However, it's not a bleak book. It's about the strength of love, discovering one's inner strength, found family, hope. Becoming Us is a beautifully raw book that may cause you to look inward. You may find something that resonates with you. If you loved Echoes of Us, Becoming Us is a must - read.
December 14, 2025
cute! did like the other one more though
October 7, 2025
I don’t even know how to breathe after this book.
This isn’t just Noah’s story — it’s his soul, cracked open and bleeding on every page. It’s grief and guilt and self-destruction, but it’s also the slow, stubborn act of healing. And god, it’s brutal. Beautiful, but brutal.
You feel every ounce of his guilt, his grief, and the desperate hope he holds onto like it’s the only thing keeping him alive.
If Echoes of Us broke me, Becoming Us buried me and then somehow brought me back to life. The writing is stunning — every line feels like a confession, every chapter a heartbeat trying to steady itself.
Watching Noah heal, watching him learn to forgive himself, was one of the most painful and beautiful experiences I’ve had reading a book.
This isn’t a story you just read...it’s one you survive. And somehow, when it’s over, you’re grateful for every bruise it left behind.
This isn’t just Noah’s story — it’s his soul, cracked open and bleeding on every page. It’s grief and guilt and self-destruction, but it’s also the slow, stubborn act of healing. And god, it’s brutal. Beautiful, but brutal.
You feel every ounce of his guilt, his grief, and the desperate hope he holds onto like it’s the only thing keeping him alive.
If Echoes of Us broke me, Becoming Us buried me and then somehow brought me back to life. The writing is stunning — every line feels like a confession, every chapter a heartbeat trying to steady itself.
Watching Noah heal, watching him learn to forgive himself, was one of the most painful and beautiful experiences I’ve had reading a book.
This isn’t a story you just read...it’s one you survive. And somehow, when it’s over, you’re grateful for every bruise it left behind.
October 17, 2025
I have been wracking my brain 5 days to write a review that does this stellar piece of storytelling justice and I have decided to give up because I do want to get this review out there sometime in this century! This book is spectacular- beautiful, real, grounding , healing, safe, pauses in between to give you space to breathe while shying away from nothing that needs telling on a page of the most traumatic experiences the MCs face specially Noah. This is Noah’s story as much as it is Atty and Noah’s story.
Is Echoes of Us a complete book and hugely satisfying read… imo yes! Is Becoming Us a complete book and hugely satisfying in and of itself… imo yes! Do you need to read both YES!!!
Noah’s journey broke my heart, that is an understatement. But Alex Cross healed it for me when she gave Noah the life he gets
Found family, soulmates and second chances are the core of this book but what blew me away is Noah and Atty’s connection, communication and rock solid support, the mental health rep and the addiction recovery, the family built piece by painstaking piece, the utter kindness I saw every where in the book. I am in awe of what Alex Cross wrote and this was a book I could not have expected but definitely needed.
I don’t want to mention hate in my review but there are characters in this book and we have seen shadows of them in real life that deserve it. So I won’t mention it but I did soooo … yup!
I will end on love.. I love Atty and Noah and they found family.. it’s a beautiful story .. please take care of your mental health and read this story if the triggers arnt triggering.. love to all ❤️
Is Echoes of Us a complete book and hugely satisfying read… imo yes! Is Becoming Us a complete book and hugely satisfying in and of itself… imo yes! Do you need to read both YES!!!
Noah’s journey broke my heart, that is an understatement. But Alex Cross healed it for me when she gave Noah the life he gets
Found family, soulmates and second chances are the core of this book but what blew me away is Noah and Atty’s connection, communication and rock solid support, the mental health rep and the addiction recovery, the family built piece by painstaking piece, the utter kindness I saw every where in the book. I am in awe of what Alex Cross wrote and this was a book I could not have expected but definitely needed.
I don’t want to mention hate in my review but there are characters in this book and we have seen shadows of them in real life that deserve it. So I won’t mention it but I did soooo … yup!
I will end on love.. I love Atty and Noah and they found family.. it’s a beautiful story .. please take care of your mental health and read this story if the triggers arnt triggering.. love to all ❤️
October 16, 2025
3.5 stars
First, in case Alex Cross ever reads these reviews: please, if it’s not too late—change that cover. OMG it’s so scary. It looks like maybe a friend or love interest did it for her and she didn’t have the heart to say no. Because honestly, why would you choose that drawing? I’m never one for cartoon covers, but the one from Echoes of Us was much better. This one looks like Atty’s a necrophiliac about to get it on with Noah’s corpse.
Now, the book. I’ll start with the disclaimer that I read Echoes of Us just last week and was still emotionally wrung out from the addiction storyline, so I kind of skimmed Noah’s backstory here. I did read it, but as quickly as possible. I think it was well done, especially if you’re a fan of angst and the hurt/comfort trope.
The “After” section was definitely the highlight for me—it really showed how to mend and build a healthy relationship. And the sex was really hot.
What didn’t work for me: even though I’ve established that I’m not a huge fan of angst, good lord did this book get schmoopy. I think even Tal Bauer would raise his eyebrows at the sheer volume of “I love yous” and “forever and evers.” The engagement scene made me cringe a bit—I just kept thinking, these people must really love these guys to put up with the drama, the PDA, the loud sex, and now this event, which rivaled a gender reveal party for secondhand embarrassment.
I also agree with another reviewer who said Noah’s new career path was… questionable. It felt over the top and definitely not ideal for someone in recovery. Also, random but why did Holly never have a love interest and even in the end they mention she was there with her “partner”? Was that meant as non-binary rep or just left vague? I felt like she deserved at least a small romantic shoutout for all she put up with. Finally. I don’t like kids in books or epilogues, they’re almost always cockblocks, and these were no exception.
Now that I’ve finished bitching: I still really like Alex Cross’s writing style. She goes deep; it never feels like she’s phoning it in. I suspect she just fell in love with Noah and Atty’s love story, and that’s why it went a little over the top. And I respect that. I want authors who embody their characters and write like they mean it.
First, in case Alex Cross ever reads these reviews: please, if it’s not too late—change that cover. OMG it’s so scary. It looks like maybe a friend or love interest did it for her and she didn’t have the heart to say no. Because honestly, why would you choose that drawing? I’m never one for cartoon covers, but the one from Echoes of Us was much better. This one looks like Atty’s a necrophiliac about to get it on with Noah’s corpse.
Now, the book. I’ll start with the disclaimer that I read Echoes of Us just last week and was still emotionally wrung out from the addiction storyline, so I kind of skimmed Noah’s backstory here. I did read it, but as quickly as possible. I think it was well done, especially if you’re a fan of angst and the hurt/comfort trope.
The “After” section was definitely the highlight for me—it really showed how to mend and build a healthy relationship. And the sex was really hot.
What didn’t work for me: even though I’ve established that I’m not a huge fan of angst, good lord did this book get schmoopy. I think even Tal Bauer would raise his eyebrows at the sheer volume of “I love yous” and “forever and evers.” The engagement scene made me cringe a bit—I just kept thinking, these people must really love these guys to put up with the drama, the PDA, the loud sex, and now this event, which rivaled a gender reveal party for secondhand embarrassment.
I also agree with another reviewer who said Noah’s new career path was… questionable. It felt over the top and definitely not ideal for someone in recovery. Also, random but why did Holly never have a love interest and even in the end they mention she was there with her “partner”? Was that meant as non-binary rep or just left vague? I felt like she deserved at least a small romantic shoutout for all she put up with. Finally. I don’t like kids in books or epilogues, they’re almost always cockblocks, and these were no exception.
Now that I’ve finished bitching: I still really like Alex Cross’s writing style. She goes deep; it never feels like she’s phoning it in. I suspect she just fell in love with Noah and Atty’s love story, and that’s why it went a little over the top. And I respect that. I want authors who embody their characters and write like they mean it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2025
3.75 stars - Ok, this was good. When reading book 1, I got so angry at times, I couldn't see a way I could support a reconciliation between Noah and Atty. Noah had hurt him so much, and while I think the first book did a great job at starting the reconciliation arc, the epilogue had been so jarring.
But this second book retraces Noah's story, how a lonely abused kid turns to drugs and sinks into the blackhole of addiction. And it was very well done in my opinion, my heart hurt for Noah and I think it did a great job at painting a context to his toxic and self-destructive behaviour. His path to healing and his present POV were also very touching and I loved to see him & Atticus rebuild a healthy foundation to their relationship. Seeing Noah set boundaries and Atticus being confident enough to advocate for his needs, both of them communicating so much better... yeah, I couldn't have imagined it while reading book 1, but they both got there.
Now. NOW. I need Ezra's book. I love that his crush on Colin is canon, I understand Paxton, rock band singer, is crushing on him and I'm not sure about that (esp since I don't like rock star aus!!!!!) but apparently, Colin has some feelings too. The ending seems to hint at a possible triad ending, and tbh as long as Ezra and Colin end up together, I'm good... now I'm just dying for the book to exist!!!
(also for later me: why decide to dye your hair at 2am you dumb bitch, ok it was a great opportunity to finish this book but also... why???)
But this second book retraces Noah's story, how a lonely abused kid turns to drugs and sinks into the blackhole of addiction. And it was very well done in my opinion, my heart hurt for Noah and I think it did a great job at painting a context to his toxic and self-destructive behaviour. His path to healing and his present POV were also very touching and I loved to see him & Atticus rebuild a healthy foundation to their relationship. Seeing Noah set boundaries and Atticus being confident enough to advocate for his needs, both of them communicating so much better... yeah, I couldn't have imagined it while reading book 1, but they both got there.
Now. NOW. I need Ezra's book. I love that his crush on Colin is canon, I understand Paxton, rock band singer, is crushing on him and I'm not sure about that (esp since I don't like rock star aus!!!!!) but apparently, Colin has some feelings too. The ending seems to hint at a possible triad ending, and tbh as long as Ezra and Colin end up together, I'm good... now I'm just dying for the book to exist!!!
(also for later me: why decide to dye your hair at 2am you dumb bitch, ok it was a great opportunity to finish this book but also... why???)
October 30, 2025
i honestly have no words, just PHENOMENAL! this book completely wrecked me while simultaneously putting me back together.
October 3, 2025
𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙐𝙨 is the second book in the 𝙐𝙨 𝘿𝙪𝙚𝙩. in this installment, we see noah’s perspective and gain a glimpse into his earlier life-how it all began, and what ultimately led him to almost lose his way. this story follows his redemption and the rebuilding of his relationship with atty.
it gave me the closure I needed and left me completely satisfied. ☺
☆𝗻𝗼𝗮𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝘆☆
I couldn’t stop smiling while reading. noah calling atty ‘sweetheart’ was incredibly endearing. after everything we went through in Echoes of Us, the tension and awkward-but-sweet start of their relationship had me blushing and giggling nonstop 🤭. it was just so cute, and I found myself rooting for them all over again. their relationship re-blossomed gradually, built on love, respect, and space. noah may have been problematic before, but he has always been kind and supportive to Atty. together, they share such a beautiful, almost cosmic connection.
𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦—𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦—𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦. 𝘏𝘦’𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘏𝘦’𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦.
𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 ❤. 🎶 yellow 🎶
𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴, 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘐 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. 🎶 call it what you want 🎶
𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤, 𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘺. 🎶 magic-coldplay 🎶
𝘞𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘵. 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴. 🎶 stargazing-miles Smith 🎶
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴. 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵. 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘓𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵. 🎶 anti-hero 🎶
holly, eric, colin, lan and noah’s bandmates made the book so much more fun and sweeter.
holly, you’re a friend, a true friend.😘💜
within the pages, I found something meant for me. it moved me, made me feel seen, and even answered questions I had about my own life and love. along the way, it gave me a quiet kind of epiphany.
☆~❤𝙒𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙐𝙨❤~☆
𝗰𝘄/𝘁𝘄:
•terminal illness and death of a parent •addiction and substance abuse
•depression and s***idal behavior
•narcissistic parenting
•sexual assault and grooming
•mild eating disorder/body dysmorphia
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own. 😊
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i'm an absolute mess of tears rn 😭😭, but happy tears 🥰, I promise. I have so much to say, I ended up highlighting nearly the whole epilogue 🤧, it was that beautiful and perfect, crying my heart out. noah and atty ❤; the beauty of their love and connection is transcendent ❤. TRANSCENDENT. 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 is so exceptionally well-written. 👏 👏
☆~𝙬𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙪𝙨~☆
🎶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 – 𝘵s 🎶
🎶 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 🎶
🎶 𝘺𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 🎶
🎶 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 🎶
🎶 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘶𝘴 🎶
RTC tomorrow ☺❤
it gave me the closure I needed and left me completely satisfied. ☺
☆𝗻𝗼𝗮𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝘆☆
I couldn’t stop smiling while reading. noah calling atty ‘sweetheart’ was incredibly endearing. after everything we went through in Echoes of Us, the tension and awkward-but-sweet start of their relationship had me blushing and giggling nonstop 🤭. it was just so cute, and I found myself rooting for them all over again. their relationship re-blossomed gradually, built on love, respect, and space. noah may have been problematic before, but he has always been kind and supportive to Atty. together, they share such a beautiful, almost cosmic connection.
𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦—𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦—𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦. 𝘏𝘦’𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘏𝘦’𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦. 𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦.
𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 ❤. 🎶 yellow 🎶
𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴, 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘐 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. 🎶 call it what you want 🎶
𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤, 𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘺. 🎶 magic-coldplay 🎶
𝘞𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘵. 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴. 🎶 stargazing-miles Smith 🎶
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴. 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵. 𝘊𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘓𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵. 🎶 anti-hero 🎶
holly, eric, colin, lan and noah’s bandmates made the book so much more fun and sweeter.
holly, you’re a friend, a true friend.😘💜
within the pages, I found something meant for me. it moved me, made me feel seen, and even answered questions I had about my own life and love. along the way, it gave me a quiet kind of epiphany.
☆~❤𝙒𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙐𝙨❤~☆
𝗰𝘄/𝘁𝘄:
•terminal illness and death of a parent •addiction and substance abuse
•depression and s***idal behavior
•narcissistic parenting
•sexual assault and grooming
•mild eating disorder/body dysmorphia
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own. 😊
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i'm an absolute mess of tears rn 😭😭, but happy tears 🥰, I promise. I have so much to say, I ended up highlighting nearly the whole epilogue 🤧, it was that beautiful and perfect, crying my heart out. noah and atty ❤; the beauty of their love and connection is transcendent ❤. TRANSCENDENT. 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 is so exceptionally well-written. 👏 👏
☆~𝙬𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙪𝙨~☆
🎶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 – 𝘵s 🎶
🎶 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 🎶
🎶 𝘺𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 🎶
🎶 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 🎶
🎶 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘶𝘴 🎶
RTC tomorrow ☺❤
October 7, 2025
Everything I wanted and more!
I have been SO looking forward to this book. Echoes of Us was amazing: so emotional and moving and fun and hot. But at the end of the book, the very end where they get back together, I was desperate to see how Noah and Atty worked through everything to get there. This book had all that and did not let me down.
We learn everything Noah had to go through…his father: cancer diagnosis, transferring his fortune solely to Noah instead of his mother or his older siblings (no pressure there 🙄), getting close with his father finally only to have him die suddenly. And then his mother and her complete disconnect when life didn’t revolve around her as well as her incredibly abusive behavior. On top of all that, his siblings completely abandoned him.
But Noah has done so much work and never gave up on himself or his relationship with Atty and that was amazing to see. I loved watching him put in all the effort and see how their communication grew on both their parts. They both wanted to spend forever with each other and that’s exactly what I want to read about in my romance books.
And wow, that epilogue was supremely satisfying too.
Also…Pax, Ezra and Col??? Is this gonna be a thing because YES PLEASE 🔥
Edited to add that I can’t stop thinking about Noah and Atty’s story and that this is the only arc I’ve ever done and ever wanted to do (and this is my honest review).
I have been SO looking forward to this book. Echoes of Us was amazing: so emotional and moving and fun and hot. But at the end of the book, the very end where they get back together, I was desperate to see how Noah and Atty worked through everything to get there. This book had all that and did not let me down.
We learn everything Noah had to go through…his father: cancer diagnosis, transferring his fortune solely to Noah instead of his mother or his older siblings (no pressure there 🙄), getting close with his father finally only to have him die suddenly. And then his mother and her complete disconnect when life didn’t revolve around her as well as her incredibly abusive behavior. On top of all that, his siblings completely abandoned him.
But Noah has done so much work and never gave up on himself or his relationship with Atty and that was amazing to see. I loved watching him put in all the effort and see how their communication grew on both their parts. They both wanted to spend forever with each other and that’s exactly what I want to read about in my romance books.
And wow, that epilogue was supremely satisfying too.
Also…Pax, Ezra and Col??? Is this gonna be a thing because YES PLEASE 🔥
Edited to add that I can’t stop thinking about Noah and Atty’s story and that this is the only arc I’ve ever done and ever wanted to do (and this is my honest review).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2025
5/5 stars 4/5 spice
This book was definitely necessary after Echoes of Us. It added so much more to Noah and Atty’s story. I cried happy and sad tears, went through a crap ton of emotions, but I never wanted the story to end. This is one of those books that will stay with me forever.
I dreaded when a past chapter came up knowing it was going to break my heart over and over again. However, all the present chapters made me smile. I loved seeing them working on building a healthy relationship together, communicating, and still being completely enamoured and insatiable with each other. I don’t know how Alex manages to write intimate scenes that are both so romantic and dirty at the same time, but I’m so here for it. Their connection was just truly beautiful. I adored that Noah had Atty’s contact saved as Atty love of my life King right from the start.
Noah’s struggles were so relatable, feeling like you don’t belong, don’t matter, and don’t deserve happiness. I can only hope that anyone who feels like that will find their own Atticus King one day.
- Second chance
- College students
- Addiction, grief, depression & overdoses
- Mental health rep
- Building a healthy relationship
- Soulmates
This book was definitely necessary after Echoes of Us. It added so much more to Noah and Atty’s story. I cried happy and sad tears, went through a crap ton of emotions, but I never wanted the story to end. This is one of those books that will stay with me forever.
I dreaded when a past chapter came up knowing it was going to break my heart over and over again. However, all the present chapters made me smile. I loved seeing them working on building a healthy relationship together, communicating, and still being completely enamoured and insatiable with each other. I don’t know how Alex manages to write intimate scenes that are both so romantic and dirty at the same time, but I’m so here for it. Their connection was just truly beautiful. I adored that Noah had Atty’s contact saved as Atty love of my life King right from the start.
Noah’s struggles were so relatable, feeling like you don’t belong, don’t matter, and don’t deserve happiness. I can only hope that anyone who feels like that will find their own Atticus King one day.
- Second chance
- College students
- Addiction, grief, depression & overdoses
- Mental health rep
- Building a healthy relationship
- Soulmates
September 30, 2025
This was, without a doubt, my most anticipated read of the year, and it lived inside me in a way few books ever have.
Fives Stars is not enough.🥹🥹
From the moment I received this in my inbox….I knew I was stepping into something that would hurt—and it did, in the most beautiful, unbearable ways.
I wept through so much of this book. At times it felt like my chest was caving in, like the words themselves were reaching into my ribs and pulling me apart. If I died tomorrow, my unfinished business would be mourning this book, because I barely survived the experience of reading it.🥺🥺
Noah’s story is one of wreckage and survival, of trying to hold onto something pure when the past won’t stop clawing at the present. And then there’s Atty—steady, quiet, achingly good.
I am, unapologetically, an Atty girlie, and seeing him through Noah’s eyes undid me.
To Noah, Atticus is not just a person, but a lifeline—the most beautiful thing in the world, something he doesn’t believe he deserves but can’t stop reaching for. That perspective broke me in ways I didn’t expect. To be let into that kind of love, that kind of raw reverence, was a gift that left me sobbing.😭
This book is so much more than a romance. It’s about recovery, redemption, and the haunting truth that rebuilding love doesn’t erase the wreckage left behind. It shifts between past and present, grief and healing, destruction and hope. It’s about learning that you can be broken and still be worthy, about choosing love even when shadows linger, and about facing the brutal, unflinching reality that sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself. And it was aching. It ripped me in half. It demanded my tears, my screams, my fleeting moments of joy, and gave me all of it in return.😭😭😭
Watching Noah mourn his father struck something in me so raw and unshakable that it left me gasping. His grief was jagged, messy, and unrelenting, and it carried echoes I wasn’t prepared for. In those moments, I felt the absence of my mama on a bone-deep level—the kind of ache that sits in your marrow and never really goes away.❤️🩹❤️🩹
To Alex—I cannot thank you enough. Thank you for letting me cry and scream and still find joy within these pages. Thank you for trusting me with this ARC, for pouring so much heart and vulnerability into your work, and for giving us stories that cut deep but leave us better for having read them. I am so endlessly grateful to be on your team.
Fives Stars is not enough.🥹🥹
From the moment I received this in my inbox….I knew I was stepping into something that would hurt—and it did, in the most beautiful, unbearable ways.
I wept through so much of this book. At times it felt like my chest was caving in, like the words themselves were reaching into my ribs and pulling me apart. If I died tomorrow, my unfinished business would be mourning this book, because I barely survived the experience of reading it.🥺🥺
Noah’s story is one of wreckage and survival, of trying to hold onto something pure when the past won’t stop clawing at the present. And then there’s Atty—steady, quiet, achingly good.
I am, unapologetically, an Atty girlie, and seeing him through Noah’s eyes undid me.
To Noah, Atticus is not just a person, but a lifeline—the most beautiful thing in the world, something he doesn’t believe he deserves but can’t stop reaching for. That perspective broke me in ways I didn’t expect. To be let into that kind of love, that kind of raw reverence, was a gift that left me sobbing.😭
This book is so much more than a romance. It’s about recovery, redemption, and the haunting truth that rebuilding love doesn’t erase the wreckage left behind. It shifts between past and present, grief and healing, destruction and hope. It’s about learning that you can be broken and still be worthy, about choosing love even when shadows linger, and about facing the brutal, unflinching reality that sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself. And it was aching. It ripped me in half. It demanded my tears, my screams, my fleeting moments of joy, and gave me all of it in return.😭😭😭
Watching Noah mourn his father struck something in me so raw and unshakable that it left me gasping. His grief was jagged, messy, and unrelenting, and it carried echoes I wasn’t prepared for. In those moments, I felt the absence of my mama on a bone-deep level—the kind of ache that sits in your marrow and never really goes away.❤️🩹❤️🩹
To Alex—I cannot thank you enough. Thank you for letting me cry and scream and still find joy within these pages. Thank you for trusting me with this ARC, for pouring so much heart and vulnerability into your work, and for giving us stories that cut deep but leave us better for having read them. I am so endlessly grateful to be on your team.
October 2, 2025
This book was simply indescribably beautiful and deeply emotional. It felt so necessary after Echoes of Us, where we only had Atty’s perspective. In Becoming Us, we finally got to see Noah’s side of the story—his journey, his past, and how he became the person we met in the first book. It gave such meaningful depth to his character, showing the struggles and pain that shaped him, and it broke my heart in so many ways.
Noah’s story was tragic and raw. His mother never understood him, and the way he was left feeling unwanted and “not enough” explained so much about why he carried so much self-doubt and pain. It was gut-wrenching to see how he constantly tore himself down, and even though I’ll never warm up to his mother, this book made me empathize with Noah on an entirely new level. I’ve always been Team Noah, but now I feel like everyone who reads this will understand him, too.
At the same time, it was beautiful to witness how Noah and Atty tried to rebuild their lives together. It wasn’t easy- they had to start over, piece by piece, rebuilding trust, love, and a future. But watching them slowly gravitate back to one another, seeing how they healed and grew side by side, was incredibly moving. Their awkward, honest conversations, their willingness to fight for each other, and their growth as individuals and as a couple made their bond feel so authentic. Seeing how Atty was always there for Noah, helping him, supporting him, and standing by him no matter what. And it went both ways- they were there for each other, and it was so touching to see.
By the end, there was no doubt in my mind- they are true soulmates! 🥹
It was also truly wonderful to see all the friendships throughout this story—the sense of found family was so heartwarming. Hollis, for example, being there for Noah, really touched me, and it was beautiful to see Noah’s connection with Ezra improving, too. And honestly, I can’t help but hope for another book in this series. There’s definitely something brewing with Ezra, Colin, and Paxton. 🤭 the tension was impossible to ignore, and I would love to see where that goes.
And then that epilogue… my heart absolutely melted. Their happily ever after felt so well-earned, and it left me smiling through tears.
If I had to define what soulmates are, I would point straight to Noah and Atty.🥹 This book was unendingly beautiful, emotional, and unforgettable.
🌟 ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
💖 Thank you so much to Alex for trusting me with this ARC. I feel incredibly honored to have been given the chance to read it!
Noah’s story was tragic and raw. His mother never understood him, and the way he was left feeling unwanted and “not enough” explained so much about why he carried so much self-doubt and pain. It was gut-wrenching to see how he constantly tore himself down, and even though I’ll never warm up to his mother, this book made me empathize with Noah on an entirely new level. I’ve always been Team Noah, but now I feel like everyone who reads this will understand him, too.
At the same time, it was beautiful to witness how Noah and Atty tried to rebuild their lives together. It wasn’t easy- they had to start over, piece by piece, rebuilding trust, love, and a future. But watching them slowly gravitate back to one another, seeing how they healed and grew side by side, was incredibly moving. Their awkward, honest conversations, their willingness to fight for each other, and their growth as individuals and as a couple made their bond feel so authentic. Seeing how Atty was always there for Noah, helping him, supporting him, and standing by him no matter what. And it went both ways- they were there for each other, and it was so touching to see.
By the end, there was no doubt in my mind- they are true soulmates! 🥹
It was also truly wonderful to see all the friendships throughout this story—the sense of found family was so heartwarming. Hollis, for example, being there for Noah, really touched me, and it was beautiful to see Noah’s connection with Ezra improving, too. And honestly, I can’t help but hope for another book in this series. There’s definitely something brewing with Ezra, Colin, and Paxton. 🤭 the tension was impossible to ignore, and I would love to see where that goes.
And then that epilogue… my heart absolutely melted. Their happily ever after felt so well-earned, and it left me smiling through tears.
If I had to define what soulmates are, I would point straight to Noah and Atty.🥹 This book was unendingly beautiful, emotional, and unforgettable.
🌟 ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
💖 Thank you so much to Alex for trusting me with this ARC. I feel incredibly honored to have been given the chance to read it!
October 31, 2025
Ідеальне доповнення до першої книжки. Все так само майстерно було натиснуто на всі больові точки, було пролито трохи сліз та прекрасно загоєно всі рани.
Я вже багато разів це казала і скажу ще раз, Алекс володіє талантом писати дуже реалістичні історії кохання. Я люблю коли книжки мають трохи кіношної атмосфери, але тут не так. В цих історіях розчиняєшся із-за життєвості і якоїсь реалістичності, наче це про тебе, про твої друзів, знайомих... Всі діалоги, поведінки, промахи та навіть секс не прилизаний, а справжній.
Ну що тут ще скажеш. Якщо читали першу частину і вам сподобалось, то ця точно не розчарує. Бо вона ідеальне продовження. А як чудово вона розкриває Ноа... 💔
Я вже багато разів це казала і скажу ще раз, Алекс володіє талантом писати дуже реалістичні історії кохання. Я люблю коли книжки мають трохи кіношної атмосфери, але тут не так. В цих історіях розчиняєшся із-за життєвості і якоїсь реалістичності, наче це про тебе, про твої друзів, знайомих... Всі діалоги, поведінки, промахи та навіть секс не прилизаний, а справжній.
Ну що тут ще скажеш. Якщо читали першу частину і вам сподобалось, то ця точно не розчарує. Бо вона ідеальне продовження. А як чудово вона розкриває Ноа... 💔
October 1, 2025
This is a raw and emotional story of grief, healing, and second chances. Noah’s journey of survival and self-forgiveness, paired with Atty’s quiet strength, makes for a romance that’s both painful and beautiful.
I cried more than once, and it’s clear this author has a gift for writing emotional, unforgettable stories. More than love, this book is about recovery and hope and it leaves a lasting mark.
Highly recommend. 🥹
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I cried more than once, and it’s clear this author has a gift for writing emotional, unforgettable stories. More than love, this book is about recovery and hope and it leaves a lasting mark.
Highly recommend. 🥹
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 16, 2025
5 stars doesn’t begin to describe this experience. Full RTC closer to release. (Beta read)
October 2, 2025
I did not expect to get an ARC for this book and I was so happy to! I loved Echoes of Us and the sequel didn't disappoint. In fact, I liked it even better.
My biggest gripe with the first book was Atticus. I liked him as a character, for the most part, but not as the narrator. This book follows Noah and his thoughts and for me, it really changed the entire feel of the book. Both boys grew up and I absolutely loved their dynamic in this book.
I have no negatives about this book. It was the perfect end to the duet.
My biggest gripe with the first book was Atticus. I liked him as a character, for the most part, but not as the narrator. This book follows Noah and his thoughts and for me, it really changed the entire feel of the book. Both boys grew up and I absolutely loved their dynamic in this book.
I have no negatives about this book. It was the perfect end to the duet.
January 11, 2026
Atty and Noah 🫶🫶🫶
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