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Begin Again

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Chase

I had a brief glimpse of what it would be like to have it all. Then in a blink of an eye, it goes up in smoke. Once again, Easton has disappeared without a trace. Because he finally wised up and realized he’s too good for me or was it something more sinister? It was hard enough losing him the first time, but that was before I fell head over heels in love with him. Now how am I supposed to breathe without knowing if he’s okay or not? What if I never get the chance to tell him how I feel about him?

Easton

I ruined everything. My brother is shattered by what I did, Chase can’t even look at me. Worse, I know my escape is temporary. He will find me again. It’s only a matter of when. After all I’ve been through, all I want is to crawl into the comforting arms of my boyfriend and try to forget the horrors I’ve endured. But that’s not possible now. He won’t forgive me for this. And why should he? It’s not like I have anything to offer. Not anymore.

Begin Again is a m/m romance and Book 2 in the Unwell Series. Please note this book is the second in a duet that features the same main characters and to prevent confusion should not be read as a stand-alone. Trigger warning can be found in the beginning of the book and is encouraged for readers who may find certain content upsetting.

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2025

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Autumn Hendrix

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5 stars
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29 (28%)
3 stars
24 (23%)
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
105 reviews1 follower
December 17, 2025
The story was okay, but I honestly don't feel like this needed to be two books. I found myself easily distracted from reading it and skimmed the end to finish.

Just not a super engaging book, but not bad overall.
Profile Image for Third Act Confessions.
163 reviews
March 17, 2026
⭐ 4.25 Stars | Healing Isn’t Gentle—It’s Brutal, Messy, and Worth It

After the emotional wreckage of When I’m Gone, I had no choice but to jump straight into Begin Again… and wow, what a journey this turned out to be.

This book feels both completely different and exactly the same. While book one was centered on Easton’s trauma, this one dives into the brutal aftermath—his kidnapping, his suicide attempt, and the long, painful road back from the edge. There is nothing quiet about this story. The devastation doesn’t stop; it just evolves. Easton is still fighting for his life in every sense of the word, all while the looming threat of Aaron hangs over everything, adding a constant layer of tension and fear. The healing is raw, messy, and hard-earned, but the darkness never fully lets go.

I’m so happy with where things ended for Easton and Chase. They earned that ending. Every painful step, every setback, every moment of doubt—it all led to something that felt real and deserved. And honestly? I would read a whole bonus book of them just living their life… give me the wedding, the peace, the soft moments. They deserve it.

But getting there? Not easy.

I was on edge the entire time waiting to see what would happen with Aaron. That tension never really lets up—it lingers, stalks, and suffocates right alongside Easton. And then Asher… oh my god. My heart dropped. The way his story was introduced and then just left there? There is no way he’s not next. I refuse to believe otherwise. (I’m living in hopeful delusion until proven right. 🤞)

One thing this author does incredibly well is handling heavy topics. Mental health, religious trauma, grooming, abduction, abuse—it’s all approached with care and realism. Nothing is sugarcoated, nothing is romanticized. It’s uncomfortable at times, but it should be. That’s what makes it hit so hard.

The found family element in this book? Absolutely everything.
Brady and Easton finally getting the love and support they deserve felt like a deep exhale after everything they’ve been through. And Blakely?? Where can I find one? Because we all deserve a best friend like her.

Also—Landon. Sir. The patience. The quiet strength. I need their story immediately.

And Brady… I loved him for this. His reaction to Easton and Chase was so refreshing. No drama, no overprotective brother trope, no secrecy—just immediate acceptance and support. In a genre where that conflict is almost expected, this felt like such a breath of fresh air.

A couple of small critiques:
• The editing still needs some tightening (similar to book one)
• I would have loved a bit more spice—what we got was great, just not quite enough

But honestly? The emotional payoff outweighs all of that.

This is a story about surviving the unimaginable and still choosing to live, to love, and to heal anyway. It’s heavy, it’s painful, and it doesn’t hold back—but it’s also full of hope.

I absolutely recommend it—but please check your trigger warnings first. This duet goes all in.

And now I’ll just be here… patiently (not patiently) waiting for Asher, Parker, Brady, Blakely and Landon… honestly, give me the whole extended universe.
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440 reviews213 followers
January 17, 2026
3.75 stars. This is the second book in this duet, meaning that it cannot be read as standalone. I was really looking forward to this one after the ending from the first book, and I can thankfully say I wasn't let down. I thought this was a great conclusion to the duet and I'm excited to read more from the author in the future.

Starting with the things I wasn't fully into, in order to end up with the positive ones:

-I thought the pacing of the book got draggy during the middle.

-The climax was a bit lackluckster to me in the sense that it felt rushed. That one chapter in particular suffered of white room syndrome at the beginning. The repetition from another POV was unnecesary.

-I still don't like how some chapters changed pov in the middle of it.

-Most of what happened in the second half of the book had me fighting my thin suspension of disbelief. Some things happened very conveniently and others felt like too good to seem real.

In other cases these things would make me rate it lower but despite all of that, I can't say I cared much about such technicalities. I can give it a pass when the story grips me and it includes a great cast, which is exactly what happened. I absolutely loved following Easton's growth and the evolution of his relationships with others. Special mention to Blakely, she was one of the most endearing side characters I've had the pleasure to encounter and I loved her bond with Easton.

Onto the themes the book covers, I liked how it doesn't follow the expected recovery from trauma that people can be used to. I thought it did a great job at showing the repercutions of everything related to Easton on his close ones. I felt the way they reacted to the aftermath felt realistic, because people don't always go ahead with the most logical action or thinking. I liked the slow and bumpy approach towards healing and working through their own baggage.

Speaking of that, Easton and Chase had a lot to get through in this book. I thought their individual development was great (especially Easton's) and as I did since the first one, I was rooting for them as a couple. I also really liked that story doesn't only focus on them, but other ways of loving and caring such as friendship and brotherhood.

Ultimately, I think this was a great book that delivered on the hurt/comfort element as well as exploring subjects such as recovery from abuse, resiliance and rediscovering yourself. I'm really hoping the next book in the series is about that one character that Easton connected with, I'd love to know his story and more about what happened after everything.

I received a free copy of this book via Indie Author Creative and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Tags: (might miss some of them)
-POV: first person
-Content warnings:
-Elements:
-Sexual act(s):
-Dynamic:
Profile Image for Mokes.
73 reviews
December 1, 2025
Love, love, loved this book!

Begin Again (book two in the duology) put me back together in the best way after book one left me on the biggest cliffhanger of my life, utterly destroying my heart. Without going into to much detail and giving away spoilers, Begin again was so heart warming, refreshing, tear filled and has those moments where you are on the edge of your seat reading so fast that you are barely grasping what is happening because you just can’t slow down. You HAVE to know what’s coming next.
I love Chase and Easton’s relationship, they are so cute and loving with each other. I also very much appreciate how the author brings out the other characters and the found family. I highly recommend! Thank you Autumn, looking forward to seeing what you have coming out next! You have a life long reader with me 👏🏻💕
Profile Image for Deb Kel.
2,808 reviews7 followers
December 18, 2025
Begin Again had me completely gripped from the first page. The tension between Chase and Easton is intense, emotional and utterly consuming, and the way their story unfolds had me alternating between holding my breath and tearing up. Their love feels raw and real, and the stakes make every moment together even more meaningful.

I also appreciated the wider cast of characters and the sense of found family, which added depth and warmth to the story. This was a powerful, heart-wrenching yet ultimately uplifting conclusion to the duology that left me feeling both satisfied and invested in these characters’ futures.

I received a free copy of this book via Indie Author Creative and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Danni Crass.
170 reviews5 followers
November 12, 2025
I received an advanced reader copy.

I may or may not have tripped over myself seeing the email lol. I had to know what happened after reading book one not realizing that book two was not out. That cliffhanger hurt something fierce ;.;. It was a beautiful journey with Chase and Easton and I was glad to be along for the ride. It was raw and ugly in some places, but that's the unfortunates of trauma. There is no right or wrong way to deal with it and my heart hurt for them, especially Easton. It was heartwarming to see every one deal with it especially Chase when it came to his little Chaos. Sad to see it end, but so happy the way it was concluded. A beautiful happily ever after <3
1 review
November 13, 2025
This book was everything. After reading "When I'm Gone" my heart was broken. Begin Again started rough but it pieced all the broken pieces back together. The love that Chase and Easton share is so pure and beautiful. I love how the book not only focuses on romantic love but the live between brothers, friends, and found family.

This book definitely can't be read as a standalone so make sure you check out When I'm Gone First. Before jumping into this series make sure you check out trigger warnings. I feel book 1 is much darker overall. I can't wait to see what Autumn has in store for us next.
Profile Image for Jkirstyj.
167 reviews2 followers
December 1, 2025
What a story after the cliffhanger at the end of book one l was desperate to get into this, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. Easton is really something l special he’s been through so much and deserves his happiness with chase they are just perfect together! Brady is an amazing brother and Blake is a force loved every one of them. Can’t wait to see what comes next in the unwell series. This was a beautiful conclusion to Easton and Chase’s story. Definitely can’t be read as a standalone you must read When I’m gone first!
I received an ARC and this is my honest review
Profile Image for Robin T.
235 reviews2 followers
Read
November 30, 2025
I have waited so long for this and it didnt dissappoint! We had a heart breaking ending at book 1 and our hearts are still broken in book 2 as they navigate the choices that were made in book 1.

We see more of big brother Brady as he tries to repaire their relationship. And chase is hurt and lost, this book is an emotional roller-coaster. Spice lvl is low but heart felt moments are 5/5. its truly a good end to this couple
Profile Image for Bailey Nelson.
3 reviews
November 30, 2025
I was given an advanced copy to read!
Wow… When I finished the first book in the series “When I’m Gone” I expected the ending but I didn’t want to accept it. This book picked up and wrapped up their story so well. There is so much suspense in this book I wasn’t prepared for but loved it. The friendships and love showed in this book is what we all want to find in our own lives. I can’t wait to see who the next book is in the group and how their story is going to unfold!
133 reviews
January 22, 2026
Oh my heart!! I was so happy that Easton and Chase were finally able to get thier HEA. They definitely deserved it. Especially Easton after the hell his life had been for years. This book was action packed and heartfelt. I loved Blake and how she was able to hold them all up during hard times. We all need a friend like her in our lives. I really hope that the author continues to write. I was surprised when I went to look for more that this duet was her debut. It was so good!!
Profile Image for Sammy Standing.
422 reviews5 followers
November 11, 2025
This has been one of my most anticipated reads of this year and I absolutely loved this story and getting back to these characters. I really enjoyed their journey throughout these two books, and their love is absolutely beautiful.

Typically, for me, it is fairly rare for me to want to dive into side characters but I definitely wanted more of the side characters.
2 reviews
January 13, 2026
This one was hard for me. Chase is one of my favorite book characters ever. I absolutely fell in love with him in Book 1 and thought the story and development was stunning. I couldn’t get into Book 2 at all and jt was a slog to finish. I’m thinking I would have just preferred their story to conclude in the first book with an HEA.
Profile Image for Reva Coomer.
2,119 reviews
April 18, 2026
Everyone needs a Blake

I loved this duet. So good. It hurt but boy did it heal too. I fell in love with these people and really felt like I was there with them. I will be reading more from this author.
15 reviews
May 9, 2026
The raw emotions and anxiety attacks were written incredibly well. The end of book 1 had me immediately jumping to this one. The journey to healing from abuse and finally finding the courage to let others had me reaching for the tissues. I need more from these amazing characters and definitely more of Brady's monologue super powers please
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews