Review: BECOMING CALDER by Mia Sheridan

Forbidden Love, Angst, Hope, and the deeper meaning of what drives the human spirit.
This book has a magical quality that draws parallels to Greek mythology, rich in allegory. I love my fun romance reads, but I LOVE when they have a little something extra. An undercurrent of significance. You have a heroine, Eden, who in her youth and naivete seeks out knowledge despite the risks and dangers, desperate to break free from her gilded cage. Calder, the hero, has his own story that draws from Greek Aquarius legend, that serves as the foundation for this book.

This story starts off in the BEST WAY. You get a glimpse of future events that paint this desperate situation, leaving you wondering how the character will get out of this mess. It needless to say, had me burning through the pages. I LOVE when movies or books do this. It hooks you as a reader assuming that you know some details of future events, just giving you enough of a hint, that creates this hunger for the story. It’s great story telling. And much like the beginning, the last chapter and the epilogue are PERFECTION. THIS is how you end a book that has a follow up book. It’s that come hither ending that will have you one clicking the next follow up book. SO JUST GO AHEAD AND CLEAR YOU WEEKEND PLANS, YOU’LL BE READING THESE BACK TO BACK. And lucky for us as readers, she’s releasing both BECOMING CALDER and FINDING EDEN on the same day. So no waiting, even though you totally would, you can just binge read to your little heart’s content.

Much like her other books, there is a sweetness to her stories and characters. This book doesn’t have a dark, gritty feel. Even though her characters go through hell and back, these are feel good books that won’t break you emotionally. Even more so with this book, the characters have spent most of their lives living a reclusive life on a commune. They have a naiveté about them, making them feel very childlike, even as young adults. That is a major part of the story. You could say, 'well if you don’t like the commune, just leave.' But as the book points out, one would have reservations, insecurities, and fears about going off into a world that you know nothing about. The author deals with this topic very well.

Okay, and the ANGST!! This is hands down the most INTENSE  of her stories. Because the story takes place in this very off the grid and foreign world, there is this dire sense of urgency and danger for these characters. Knowing that modern society’s rules don’t apply to this commune, creates this constant fear for these characters’ safety. The villain, has so much dimension to him. He’s scary, vivid, intense, and honestly I can’t tell if there is some hidden genius in there behind all of that crazy. I shouldn’t be surprised that there are so many multidimensional supporting characters in this story. This is Mia Sheridan’s trademark skill in her books. Her books are never JUST about the love interests. There are always other characters that strengthen and facilitate the story’s journey.

This is definitely a story that I haven’t read before. I don’t know that I would seek out a book that is in a cult setting. It isn’t something that I would, say, 'Oh, that sounds hot.' But here’s where Mia Sheridan’s books aren’t your typical contemporary romance. They have a fable-like quality, always having this great lesson and meaning in them. It makes the reading experience so much more worth it. You get that great Ah Ha moment that is engaging.

This book is well written with every detail covered and completed. You will be very happy to have every I dotted and every T crossed. Becoming Calder is one of those stories that opens the door to this magical world, vibrant in its lucidity, as you experience two star crossed lovers collide.