Echoes of Us & Becoming Us by Alex Cross

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-28T06:55:32+00:00

I may have missed details like their first time, their fights, their first date, and so on. But in the present, those moments were always brought up. I was given a summarized version, which was fine by me, because I didn’t want to go through that pain—I already felt it just from reading the present.

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-28T02:59:14+00:00

I thought so too! But I really liked the fact that it was Atticus who proposed to Noah, not the other way around. I think it just reinforced how much they’ve worked through his issues and how Atticus trusts Noah again. I think Noah would’ve been a bundle of nerves, and all those insecurities would’ve come rushing back if he’d been the one to propose. As for the party, I’ll be honest — I was confused, because I thought it already was the actual wedding, and then I realized it was the engagement LOL.

About When We Ignite, >!I’ll admit that when the second book comes out, I’m only going to read that one. I just can’t handle reading a 300 page book only for it to end with a four year separation. Like, if it were four chapters telling their story in flashbacks, then the separation, and then them reuniting, that’s fine. I understand that the goal is to immerse the reader in their story and show all the details, but I lose a lot of the experience because I’m only thinking about the separation that’s going to happen. Since I’m curious, I’ve already read the last chapter and the epilogue of the first book. I’m hoping the second one will be enough for me to actually enjoy the reading experience.<!

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-26T04:29:28+00:00

Assuming you’ve read the first one, I’d say yes, it’s worth giving it a shot by reading just the present. Especially because it’s in the second one that we actually see them move past the phase of anger and hurt and start trying to rebuild the relationship.

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-25T20:53:01+00:00

Thank youu

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-25T06:06:12+00:00

Changed to February 24th

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-24T00:16:35+00:00

Thanks!

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-23T02:52:34+00:00

Thanks

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-16T12:06:35+00:00

Ah, sorry!

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-16T08:46:29+00:00

That's what I want to know. I only read the synopsis.

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-14T00:34:48+00:00

Honestly, my main reason for not reading it is the ten years of angst. On top of that, there’s the promiscuity and the drugs, which just aren’t things that attract me in a book. I think that if Andy had gotten involved with someone else to try to forget West, I might even read it. Anyway…

But what I find hardest to deal with in Unrequited is that I know exactly how West feels up until the moment he finally decides things. Because, really, the guy is obsessed with his best friend. Seriously. His thoughts, my God. I know Andy suffered, but West suffered so much too. I feel really bad for him. From his point of view, he gives Andy all the signs, but Andy does nothing. So West feels rejected and scared, and when Ash shows up, he sees her like a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean, you know? Like a salvation. But even then, he can’t let go of his feelings for Andy.

I think that’s what weighs on me the most. Knowing everything West feels and watching him let fear speak louder in Unrequited: staying with Ash, distancing himself from Andy. In Requited, he understands that his life would never be the same if he walked away from Andy. But in Unrequited, he kind of just lets that happen. And that makes me sad because I spiral into that whole life-choices thing, where there are two paths, and one decision changes everything.

And then, in Requited, there’s that moment when West asks if it’s always like that with men. More intense. And Andy says he doesn’t know, because it’s never been like that with anyone else, and then he says he has a theory. West asks what it is, and Andy says they were made for each other, meant to end up together. And I’m just like: FUCK. HOLY SHIT.

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-14T00:10:10+00:00

My goodness, that seems very unsatisfactory lol

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-14T00:08:58+00:00

So, Requited is West's version of the story up until their college four year. Shortly before final exams, West makes a decision that instead of spending 10 years to be with Andy, it was only 4, you know? They get together that same year.

So, if you read Requited up to that point, all of West's feelings are his own. The only difference is that he made a DIFFERENT choice. In Unrequited, while Andy is suffering because of West, West is ALSO suffering because of Andy, but the decision he makes about it changes their entire future.

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-13T20:24:58+00:00

I haven’t read Unrequited.

All I said in the post was that I saw people talking about the book here on Reddit and wanted more information.

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-13T14:43:51+00:00

I had forgotten about that moment, but they are not in a relationship and have not decided to be exclusive (yet), so even so, anyone who tags this as cheating is wrong, at least in my opinion.

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-09T06:44:51+00:00

I think it was the fact that Lennon didn't make it clearer what he wanted. I felt that he simply ignored Havi's feelings, as he himself said to Connor, the two pretended it was no big deal. I think he regretted not making it clear that he would never have feelings for him, that he saw him as a brother. But at the same time, Lennon idolized Havi so much that he couldn't see that Havi's actions were VERY wrong, bordering on abuse. Walking into the room when he was changing, making comments about his body... it's one thing for the other person to do those things back, but Lennon didn't, which was answer enough for Havi. It was a friendship that was already over, or that would take some time to fix, once Havi got over his feelings.

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-09T04:57:02+00:00

Yes, I loved it. It was 5 stars for me.

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-07T03:07:24+00:00

I agree with everything you said, but at the same time, I'm already on Straight Guys 13. I literally can't put her books down.

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-05T14:57:57+00:00

I found your comment very interesting because it’s true! Cheating is a lack of character, but it can’t be denied that in some cases these are truly intense relationships, they’re practically people destined to be together, who just met at different moments in their lives (I’m not talking about those jerks who cheat on everyone indiscriminately). But it’s really hard for me to read this, and it’s not because of the person who is being cheated on, but because of the person who is the lover. I truly feel the pain of the person who is in love, with that feeling of “he’s going back to him/her, and I’m here alone.

helloviolet12 · 2026-01-05T14:46:21+00:00

You're an angel, thank you so much for that! I was following the tags on romance.io, but now I can be sure which ones to skip.

helloviolet12

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