Book Review: Becoming Calder by Mia Sheridan

I’m still not over this book. I don’t think I ever will be.

Mia Sheridan tore my heart out in the most poetic, aching way with Becoming Calder. It’s haunting, beautifully written, and the kind of slow-burn romance that feels like fate. Calder and Eden… soulmates in the truest sense. Their love is tender and brave, blooming in the darkest, most twisted setting — a cult-like commune on the edge of collapse.

If you love:

— star-crossed lovers

— forbidden love that feels holy

— slow burn with payoff

— lyrical prose that feels like scripture

— characters who would burn the world for each other

First Impressions

I was hooked by the first 100 pages. The writing pulled me in slowly, but intentionally — like wading into a river that looks calm until the current grabs you. By the end? Absolutely gutted… in the best way.

This story is layered. It’s tender. Tragic. Spiritual. Romantic. Devastating.Calder and Eden’s connection is soul-deep, the kind of love that feels bigger than the world they live in. Their longing, their sacrifice, their quiet rebellion between every stolen moment… ugh. I have no words. Just tears.

Book-Inspired Jewelry: The Becoming Calder Charm

As part of my Chapters & Charms collection — a book-inspired charm bracelet series — I’ve started creating charms that reflect the heart of the stories I love most. And Becoming Calder was the perfect place to start.

For this book, the charm inspiration is:

A Copper Water Droplet or Lotus Flower

Water is life in Acadia — both a necessity and a symbol of hope, transformation, and quiet rebellion. Calder and Eden’s love is like that water: powerful, sustaining, and something to fight for. Whether you imagine the lotus rising from the water or a single droplet glinting in copper, this charm reflects the beauty born from hardship.

Final Thoughts

Becoming Calder isn’t just a romance — it’s a quiet storm. A slow-burning, soul-deep unraveling of everything you think love, faith, and freedom are supposed to be.

It’s about survival in every sense — physical, emotional, spiritual.About growing up in a world that tells you what to believe, only to realize the truth often lies in the quiet doubts and whispered questions no one wants to answer.It’s about trusting someone so fully that you’d give up everything you’ve ever known — just for the chance to be free together.

What gutted me the most wasn’t just the pain or the loss — it was the hope.The stolen glances. The soft touches. The belief that, no matter how cruel the world is, love could still exist inside it. Calder and Eden loved in a way that made them more than rebels — they became each other’s light. Each other’s home.

I think that’s what will stay with me long after the last page. Not just the heartbreak (though believe me, it hurts), but the way Mia Sheridan wrote two people who were never meant to meet… and made it impossible to imagine a world where they didn’t.

If you're looking for a story that makes you feel — really, deeply feel — this is it. But don't expect it to be easy. This book asks something of you. It’s haunting, beautiful, and uncomfortable in all the best ways. And when you finish? You won't be the same.