From the bestselling author of the Young Adult novel “Away From Here” and “Our Story” comes a HEA contemporary romance of overcoming the obstacles of mental illness, the triumph of the human spirit, and finding redemption in another human being.BLURB:We were destined to never end up together. You an empath, and me the woman who can’t feel anything. It never should have worked.Then our hands … worked.Then our hands brushed together. It was serendipity—a happy accident that made me experience the world like I never had before. You said all the right words, and for a time I remembered what it felt like to be alive.But my shadows have returned, threatening to extinguish the light you brought into my life, and I’m terrified that our future together is slipping away. I need you now, Brandon. I need you to chase away the demons, to make me whole, and to teach me once again what it means to love. Now only one question remains. . .Will you?
*NOT suitable for those under 18. Contains mature themes of depression, suicide, and mental illness that may be inappropriate for those readers under 18 years of age.
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My favourite Christopher Harlan book so far. Lia and Brandon’s story is touching and realistic and goofy. Also the ever-present depression surrounding one of them seems to come from a place of brutal honesty and it seems very real.
Oh my gosh! This book was so informative and such a page turner. Brandon and Talia are…modern day people fighting for love.
More ways to LOVE Christopher Harlan!!! Tahlia and Bradon!!! Holy moly. When Christopher Harlan writes flawed characters, you can picture yourself in that situation. The Me That I Became, opened a crack into the window of someone suffering from depressions mind and let you see what might be like. He showed you how someone thinks and why they shut down and how they justify it, all while looking at the people that love them and saying “I’m fine”. He cracked the surface on someone who needs to help others, who wants to fix others but who is still human, still wants to be able to say “This is not ok” while trying to fix and repair that person anyway.
The way Tahlia is written is similar to many episodes of my life, fine on the outside; raging and breaking on the inside. Wanting help but not wanting to bother anyone by asking or accepting help. Depression comes in different ways for people. Some sleep all day, some scream and fight with everyone, some gamble and drink and destroy their lives and others just hide away hoping this time it passes by without leaving too deep of a wound behind. I cried inside for Tahlia while I was yelling at her to stop hiding from Brandon, I sat shocked at Brandon for how he reacted to Tahlia while thinking “what did you expect to happen”. Man this story was such a rollercoaster, I loved every minute and every word!
I haven’t found a book I can personally relate to till now. Talia’s depression and anxiety, Brandon’s loss of his sister and the guilt he feels because of it. Neither one realizes that they both lied to each other when the met. But everything is exposed and almost drives them apart. But Talia gets the help she needs and Brandon starts to let go of his guilt. Definitely a must read!
I think it took me so long to read this book because it was almost too real life for me. As someone who has been battling depression since I was 16 this story was a truth that I hadn’t wanted to read. 21 years I’ve been fighting for my sanity and it wasn’t until about 4 yrs ago that I finally got a grip on it. With therapy and medicine, I have become the me that I want to be. So a big shout out to Christopher Harlan for writing something that really and truly resonated with me.
We follow Talia who is battling for her peace of mind. She fights to get through every day without becoming a depressed, anxiety ridden woman. Having gone through the emotions Talia doesn’t realize that she needs to help herself before she can be the woman she wants to be. When she meets Brandon things change. But things don’t change like they should. She’s still hiding and not being truthful. Brandon also harbors some not so truths. But together they make it. And what a beautiful story it is.
Highly recommended.
A story of finding your true self!
4.5 Stars
This book is quite powerful with the subject matter that it holds. This book takes us on the journey of a women who is struggling with a mental illness. It shows us just how much it takes over you, how much it takes out of you, and no matter how much you wish you could change it, sometimes you struggle to even try. I can relate to this book in a small way. I myself have felt what depression and anxiety is like, and it’s something that can completely take over your body and your soul. Mr Harlan has written this book in a way that you can feel the emotions that the main character is feeling. He has done a phenomenal job.
Lia is struggling. No one seems to understand just how much she is going through. Even those close to her don’t seem to be able to comprehend her feelings. She find solace in a man she doesn’t even know, but he seems to have the ability to make her feel better than she has ever felt.
Brandon knows what life can be like for people with mental illness. He is an empath, he can feel the emotions of those around him and mirror them. He has a heartbreaking past that can help him understand what Lia is feeling. These two are just a beautiful couple.
I had a little bit of a cry through this book, it was hearfelt and beautifully written. I can not even begin to imagine how much work went into researching this subject and getting it so right in the storyline. Mr Harlan has done such a tremendous job with this novel. I highly recommend having a read.
Christopher Harlan did a wonderful job with this book and subject matter. Talia suffered from severe depression and anxiety then along came Brandon and he was unlike any other previous boyfriend. Their story is truly a remarkable story. This book deals with how someone battles and deals with depression on a daily basis. It is very thorough and extremely well written. I highly recommend it
When you first meet someone you try to put your best foot forward. When Talia meets Brandon after recently breaking up with her long time boyfriend. She not only puts on her best version of herself but the only version she could conjure up that wouldn’t scare this attractive man away.
Christopher Harlan did a wonderful job writing this story that grips you right away and makes you realize not everything is what it seems. I definitely recommend this book! 5 stars easy!
What do you say about the best book I’ve read in 2018. It’s poignant and heartfelt. It made me cry and made me smile. It broke my heart and mended it all in one read. I’m still recovering. This book will move you, it will haunt you.
Lia is a woman dealing with depression and anxiety. While in the midst of her current episode, her boyfriend leaves her, not being able to deal with her anymore. Something in which not many others can. Her best friend decides that Lia needs to leave the house and takes her to a bookstore. While reaching for a copy of a book about anxiety, she grabs the hand of a man named Brandon who’s also grabbing for the same book. He invites her to the book group that’s meeting in just a few minutes.
I was so angry with Lia. I was angry for the lies she told and continued to tell Brandon. I almost stopped reading the book because of those lies. The anger I felt was so real and it was directed at a fictional character. I had to get past that. I had to read the story and know what happened.
I’ve been there. I’ve lost relationships because of my diagnoses. I know now that they were not the right relationship for me, but at the time I was devastated. I never lied about it though. I was always upfront and honest, and I think that’s what angered me about Lia’s lies. I know that lies are always exposed, as Lia’s was.
I loved the way the characters come together, the twists and turns they face. Whether or not they will be together in the end will keep you reading until the very last page.
Christopher Harlan has a way with words. Each book I’ve read was better than the last. Each time I’ve thought that I’ve read my favorite book of his, and yet with each new book I’ve got a new favorite. Yes, sometimes character development can be a little rushed, but he imparts so much into his books, that his books would be many hundreds of pages longer if he didn’t rush minor things here and there and as you can tell, it didn’t detract from my review.
I really enjoyed this book. It tackles a subject that I have rarely seen other authors that I usually read cover – depression. It is done realistically and in a very relatable way.
This prologue is one of the best I’ve ever read. The Me That I Became is about the struggles that come with mental illness and how it effects everyone around you. Talia and Brandon meet by chance but soon learn that they both are hiding secrets. When these secrets come out it and tests their relationship they aren’t sure if they will make it. Talia begins to heal herself and Brandon does some soul searching himself. Will Talia learn to love herself and begin to heal? Brandon waits patiently while settling some of his demons of his past. Christopher Harlan does an excellent job of describing what it’s like to suffer from depression and anxiety. This is my favorite book by Christopher Harlan…so far.
This is the story of Talia and her journey of dealing with anxiety and depression. Shes so good at wearing a face that everyone believes is real. Enter Brandon. He knows first hand from experience the effects of depression. Both are drawn toward each other but what happens when a lie is uncovered? Can she learn self acceptance and love?
Christopher you have outdone yourself. You made me feel as though I was right there along for the journey. I cant wait to see what you write next!
Great Story!
This is one of my favorite Christopher Harlan books!
It was well written, touching, story about depression and anxiety and how Lia became very good at hiding her illness. Lia and Brandon were fated to meet so they could help each other heal.
This book was a very emotional story about a subject that many people suffer with.
Thank you Christopher for a very touching story!
Talia and Brandon’s story was great, emotional and real. Talia goes through depression which most people don’t really understand or want to deal with. They both have things to deal if they want to see their relationship last.
Wow! Another amazing book by Christpher Harlan. I love that this showed real life issues that we can relate with. Depression is a real thing. Emotional and heartwrenching. I loved hearing Lia and Brandon’s story. This may be my favorite Christopher Harlan book now.
Talia suffers from depression and seems to sabotage all of her relationships until they leave. She meets Brandon, an English Professor, at a book store and really likes him but starts the relationship hiding her condition and telling lies. Can this relationship survive? This book was very well researched as far as describing depression and some forms of therapy.
First off, I love the title. It truly describes what this journey is about; a very well written storyabout a young woman, Talia a/k/a Lia, suffering from depression and the struggles she lives with every day. Diagnosed in junior high, she learned how to put on a façade for the world including her parents in order to hide her true self. When she suffers from her “episodes” she sabotages her relationships, unintenionally, I believe, even though she seems relieved when they end. She doesn’t seem to feel anything for any man, that is until…. she meets Brandon who becomes her escape from the nightmares. Brandon is the always positive, always smiling and always do the right thing kind of guy. He may seem well put together but he’s hiding some dark secrets himself. Although their first meeting is full of deception, there is a chemistry between them that is hard to ignore.
This story touched my heart. I majored in Psychology in college because the human psyche hasalways fascinated me. The moments of despair, hopelessness and sadness that overwhelmed Lia were very realistically described by the author. The idea that it’s like quicksand was spot-on. Branbon’s story had me bawling. I like the concept that they had to individually work out their issues. There is no quick fix and separately, they faced their truths and tackled them head-on. I highly recommend it. The plot, the hero and heroine and even the secondary characters were wonderful and definitely worth the read.
“Deep inside lives your truth… shine a light within…”
This story will make you pause…
This phenomenal story could depict any person that you, or even I, have met or in actual fact, even experienced. Words do not adequately express what an incredibly evocative story this is… THE ME THAT I BECAME.
Emotional – it’s not even the sad moments that bring tears…I think what got to me, were those moments of honest, gut wrenching self-reflection, those turning corners, knowing that special people are with you, always in your corner, even when they aren’t by your side and you’re pushing them away – yes, it’s those moments that will bring you to tears. Plus the addition of those feel good qualities that make up that special person that walks into your life.
Such a breath taking and beautifully written story by Christopher Harlan. While this is Talia’s (Lia’s) and Brandon’s journey… it’s so easy to put yourself into the very essence of what each character feels and their thought processes. It’s more than the sum of our fears, it’s our mind’s very struggle for “normalcy”, the inner demons that taunt our mind. That to have a semblance of functionality, it takes a pill. It’s how other’s within our circle react. Some make us feel special while others, and the community at large, treat and make those with mental health issues feel unwanted, unloved.
This book is more than deserving of it’s 5 star rating. It makes you feel, it makes you think and hopefully be introspective and pause. It’s an emotional perspective and insight into the world of mental illness, to think about others, that this is a world that for the most part it hidden behind closed doors. Like each individual is unique in physicality, so too is the brain’s makeup. It’s a world that is a continual exploration of discovery. One that even with today’s scientific break throughs and knowledge… the individual’s brain will throw yet another deceptive curveball.
We all have a story, we all have issues to overcome, ones that are often hidden… that what we present on the surface is hiding a depth of hurt deep within. We all need nurturing, care, support, and compassion – it’s those that are special, that they empathise, they pause, and take those precious moments to listen with hearts fully engaged that are the impetus to want and feel more – THE ME THAT I BECAME.
A song that comes to mind while reading this is INNER DEMONS by Julia Brennan. Like Tahlia, beautiful and haunting! For some of us, we experience inner demons and pain so fierce we take drastic steps as a call for help. Like this song, we need to know there are angels that continually fight for us and with us to find that place of comfort and loving peace.
A must for all to read. Christopher Harlan… INCREDIBLE!
This is a fantastically told story. It mixes the reality of living with depression and anxiety with contemporary romance in a perfect way. It shows the impact mental illness has on the ones who have it as well as those around them, while showing how no two stories are the same and it’s different for everyone.
I loved the characters. Lia has become an expert at hiding her depression and anxiety, wearing a mask for everyone. She was portrayed in such a realistic and relatable manner. Everyone needs a friend like Abby, she’s so selfless but willing to give tough love.
I love the theme of self love and acceptance. You don’t need to be perfect to love yourself. I highly recommend you read this, you won’t be disappointed.
This is am amazing story of self discovery and rebuilding oneself in the wake of depression. Lia and Brandon find not only themselves but true love. I absolutely love how this story provides insights into many sides of the illness of depression. The one who suffers, a family members, and friends. Only after they rebuild their lives in the wake of depression. The supporting characters are just amazing in the support they provide to Lia in providing needed advice yet fun friendly banter. Brandon and Lia have amazing chemistry, misfortune, and determination that goes into their unique relationship. An absolutely great read.