Fall 1996

Columbia, South Carolina

Harlow University

Shelby spent eighteen years under the roof of a mother who believed love meant correction. Stand up straight. Be proper. Smile more. Speak less.

College is her first chance to find out who she is without someone adjusting her.

Tanner has a plan for everything. Pre-law track, swim team captain, a future built on discipline and focus. He’s spent years making sure nothing knocks him off course.

The connection between them is immediate and terrifying in completely different ways.

Shelby has spent her life wondering whether she’s worthy of being loved. Tanner has spent his life avoiding anything that might derail the future he’s worked so hard to build.

Walking away should be easy. It isn’t.

Becoming is a dual-POV story of first love, finding yourself, emotional intimacy, unforgettable friendships, sharp banter, late-night adventures, and the kind of slow-burn tension that earns every single page.