Theo McCormick knew that better than anyone. His first audition, a breakthrough movie role, and more awards than he can hold in his arms are evidence of that.
But that was before.
One moment can change everything.
Devyn Jade knew that better than anyone. Losing both of her parents as a kid and a painful goodbye make up some of the most profound memories in her life.
But that was before.
When Theo gets a call with devastating news, he rushes back to his Tennessee hometown to find the girl he left behind fighting for her life.
And that was the moment that changed it all. Because seeing Devyn again after so many years puts everything into perspective, and Theo’s determined to fix what comes after.
A.K. Evans is a contemporary romance author of over twenty published novels. While she enjoys writing a good romantic suspense novel, Andrea’s favorite books to write have been her extreme sports romances. That might have something to do with the fact that she, along with her husband and two sons, can’t get enough of extreme sports.
Before becoming a writer, Andrea did a brief stint in the insurance and financial services industry and managed her husband’s performance automotive business. That love of extreme sports? She used to drive race cars!
When Andrea isn’t writing, she can be found homeschooling her two sons, doing yoga, snowboarding, reading, or traveling with her family. She and her husband are currently taking road trips throughout the country to visit all 50 states with their boys.
This is a heartfelt story that explores the profound connection between Theo and Devyn, who shared an extraordinary childhood friendship. The heart-wrenching moment when Theo chases his Hollywood dreams, leaving Devyn feeling alone and unfulfilled, is a pivotal moment in the story. However, when he receives that life-altering call from his mother, the urgency to be with Devyn in her time of need becomes paramount.
Theo's determination not to waste another moment without ensuring Devyn will be a part of his life is a powerful and heartwarming sentiment. However, their differing life paths present significant challenges that they must navigate. Their story is a moving testament to the power of love, renewal, and second chances that deeply resonates with your heart.
First, you know Theo. Or at least the person who inspires him to maybe find a place to settle and feel at home. The problem is that sometimes home is a person. And maybe that person doesn’t feel the same way. Or maybe mistakes have been made along the way and communication wasn’t as clear as hoped?
Devyn will pull emotions out of you. She’s been trying to find her way for a long time now, and every time she’s close, something throws her off course. But this time? Well, this time might completely end the course, period. But maybe a new course, or one that was discarded as a dream never to come true, is the one to take. And since she’s been doing it alone for so long, it’s a little difficult to believe that a specific dream could be shared.
Devyn and Theo will make you want to yell at them, then wrap them up to keep them safe. And they’ll also make you understand exactly why miscommunications happen and how to fix things when all becomes clear. So enjoy the ride from friends to everything else and prepare to get comfortable. You won’t want to stop until the very last words are read.
What Comes After was a beautiful story! This is a second chance romance/best friends to lovers story that had me hooked from the very beginning. I have been dying to get my hands on this book ever since I got a sneak peek at the end of the last book in this series. I absolutely loved Theo and Devyn and how we got to watch their friendship grow into so much more over the years. The problem is that neither one believes that the other also feels more, and they go their separate ways without telling each other their true feelings. When tragedy strikes and Theo gets a call that Devyn has been seriously injured he does everything in his power to make sure she knows he is there for her. Will they finally open up to each other about their feelings? Get ready to be taken on a rollercoaster of emotions throughout this book. It has everything you could want in a great story - suspense, a slow burn romance, serious chemistry, amazing characters and wonderful writing. You need on one click this book ASAP! A must read book and series for sure!- By Alisa
Devyn Jade didn’t have an easy go after the death of her parents and having to give up everything she once knew but slowly she began to find her place until a moment changes everything.
Theo McCormick was best friends with Devyn growing up but he left to chase his dreams of being an actor and never returned home as he kept going from one movie to the next.
Yet when he gets a phone call from his mom he knows he has to put Devyn first and finally return back to Tennessee.
This was a really good book and I really enjoyed it.
I really loved Devyn and it completely broke my heart at what she had to go through. She wanted so much to be able to keep her house and make it but everything got to understandably be to much and she didn’t want to burden anyone else so she had to make some really, really tough decisions. Slowly she began over and didn’t have a lot but she worked very hard and was making steps in the right direction before a terrible incident took place.
Theo was a bit more complicated for me as he swooped in to try and save the day and then almost took control of Devyn’s life with where she was going to live, etc. I understand that he had feelings for her for so long but he never acted on anything or really ever checked in with Devyn to know how she was doing. I know he was doing things for the right reasons but it made me a little frustrated.
There was a super long history between Devyn and Theo which made things both easy and hard. There was a long standing unspoken set of feelings between the two that had never been addressed but Devyn felt abandoned and it made sense.
I liked how the two slowly began to figure things out and be completely honest with each other and I felt like this relationship progressed perfectly. Everything was figured out and things fell into place.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more!- Rebecca
What Comes After is Book 15 in the Road Trip Romance Series by A.K. Evans, featuring a captivating best friends to lovers romance for Theo and Devyn in TN. They were joined at the hip all through childhood, and he helped her through the most devastating loss in high school, but they never got around to confessing their feelings for each other before the lights of Hollywood lured him away after graduation. Twelve years later, they are living very different lives, but one devastating phone call changes everything. Devyn is fighting for her life. As soon as they are in the same space again, the feelings come roaring back. Will they finally be honest with each other about how they feel and the future they want?
I love this series of standalone so much! I was so invested in this one, I didn’t even look up from it until it was over! This was a heartwarming story about love winning out in the end, after mistakes, after lost time, after loss. The connection, the friendship, everything about these two characters felt so real and relatable. It’s quite an emotional journey for Devyn as well, because that poor girl just kept getting knocked down. I just wanted to hug her! At the same time, though, I’d find myself wanting to yell at them to just talk to each other!🤦🏼♀️😆 Man, that slow burn tension was real as well! Once they finally gave in, it was pretty steamy, as they connected on that level for the first time! These were two people who were always meant for each other, it just hadn’t been the right time yet. I loved the epilogue, but I’ll still think about these two for awhile!
I received an advanced review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Best friends from the age of eight, you never saw one without the other. They were joined at the hip through high school. They had their lives ahead of them and Devyn Jade had dreams of becoming a chef, but one tragedy changed everything for her, including her future. Theo McCormick knew what he wanted in life and he pursued it. His dream became his reality and he left the small town in Tennessee for the big lights and cameras of Los Angeles.
Devin Jade's life took a drastic turn just before she graduated high school and it seemed her luck took a turn for the bad after that and she couldn't seem to catch a break. One bad decision to step up and help a man that was supposed to protect her and care for her almost cost her her life. Could her life turn around and will she be able to find happiness in her future, or will the bad luck stick with her for the rest of her life?
Theo McCormick was ready to settle down and take some time off from the busy life he's lived for the past twenty-two years. When he's trying to figure out where he wants to settle down, he receives a phone call that changes everything and throws his world in a tailspin. Now he's headed back home to Tennessee and hoping and praying that his best friend will pull through so he can live the rest of his dream life.
I have loved the stories in the Road Trip Romance Series by A.K. Evans, and What Comes After did not disappoint. I had forgotten about Theo in the Harper Security Series until I opened this book and it was not what I was expecting at all. It so much more than I expected. I love the characters and the story in this book. Theo's parents are awesome, Theo and Devyn are great characters and their story is heartbreaking and healing in this book. The fact their love lasted as long as it did is amazing, especially when they haven't seen each other in years. A story of tragedy, love, and second chances, What Comes After is a great story and I give it a 4-star review.
What Comes After (Road Trip Romance Book 15) by A. K. Evans is a romantic suspense that is an unputdownable read. It is also available in an audiobook by Aaron Shedlock and Vanessa Edwin that brings the story to life. The edge and emotion the narrators bring are incredible as they reflect the ups and downs of the story, so the listener feels a part of the drama unfolding. The book begins with Devyn and her current boyfriend out on a date to the movies when he leaves, and eventually, she checks up on him, only to see him being attacked by four men when she decides to help and intervene. Instead of the attack stopping, the men turn on Devyn and brutalize her. She wakes up in the hospital with her childhood best friend and former next-door neighbor Theo beside her. Devyn and Theo kept in touch over the years as Theo became a household name as a famous actor while Devyn remained in their small hometown of Iris, living a different life of many struggles. Theo once told Devyn he loved her and kissed her before he left the first time to follow his dream of acting. Since neither ever talked about their kiss, they only remained best friends. When Theo buys a home to take Devyn to after her hospital stay, they grow close again. The story shifts between the past and present from both Theo and Devyn’s point of view, which exposes actions that motivate their feelings. Theo must decide what he wants his life to look like and if he is willing to make sure Devyn is part of it. Devyn must overcome her emotional scars to accept that she deserves to be loved. Each Road Trip romance is unique, with realistic characters that one feels know each other as well as one could if the reader was an intricate part of the story.
In What Comes After, A.K. Evans gives readers a little bit of opposites attracts mixed in with long lost love when it comes to Theo and Devyn. The story spans years with the couple as we follow their ups and downs.
Theo and Devyn were childhood friends, a tragedy changed the trajectory of Devyn’s life, and it seemed luck and talent changed Theo’s. They were best friends until they turned eighteen and that’s when Theo found himself leaving town to pursue his passion for acting and Devyn had to get to work to pay her bills. Over the years they texted and talked here and there, however they both moved on with their lives.
I liked each character individually; however, I didn’t feel a heck of a lot of chemistry when they were together. Maybe it was the time spent apart? I don’t know. Devyn was a bit of a sad sack, naturally with her past, but after a while it was annoying. Theo was written as such a nice guy, but a nice guy that seemed oblivious. Devyn constantly took jabs at him for the differences in their lives, never really explaining her feelings.
The book is well written and predictable, slow burn. I think my favorite characters were Theo’s parents. They were so sweet and loving to Theo, as well as Devyn. What Comes After is part of the Road Trip series, however, reads as a standalone, with a little epilogue to wrap things up.
Oh my gosh! I never get tired of hearing Aaron Shedlock!!! I love his voice and he does an incredible Theo! He adds so much to the character and hearing him in other books, he keeps himself separate in each character that he does. This is the first time I have heard Vanessa Edwin but she does an amazing job as Devyn! I hope to hear these 2 again together!
What Comes After is Book 15 in the Road Trip Romance Series by A.K. Evans. Oh my gosh, A.K. Evans did a phenomenal job with Theo and Devyn! Devyn and Theo were best friends from a young age and lived next door to each other. They spent all their time together all through school. As they grew up and went separate ways, they never disclosed their feelings for one another. Twelve years later Theo gets a call that Devyn was in the hospital and they didn’t know if she would survive. Dropping everything, Theo made his way back home to the girl that he never stopped loving and hoped he wasn’t too late. Devyn woke in the hospital thinking it is all a dream. She hasn’t seen Theo in years, he can’t be real but he is. She has always struggled to share her problems and having Theo back isn’t going to make it any easier. Can she finally admit how she feels and can they truly make up for all the years apart?
This story is so beautiful. Seeing best friends from childhood grow up, grow apart but still find their way back to one another, true love really does exist for these two!
This is the fifteenth book in this series. They are complete standalone books. I haven’t read them all but I have read several of them. This one was only 4 stars for me but still a wonderful read. Theo and Devyn have known each other their whole lives. Their mothers are friends so it was natural that they were friends. This book begins when Devyn winds up in the hospital after being attacked. Then goes back to when they are much younger and progressively moves forward to meet back up were the timeline left off. That isn’t my favorite type of story line hence the 4 stars. Theo and Devyn fell in love somewhere along the way but were worried the other didn’t feel the same and never said anything. Now Theo isn’t going to waste another minute without making sure Devyn will be his. They live very different lives. Theo is a famous actor and Devyn owns her own house cleaning business and is barely making it by. Can their love bridge the gap that the years away have created? I loved the characters in this book. This story shows love over time. A.K. Evans has written another wonderful read. I look forward to the next book in the series as well as more books from her in general. Each book in this series is a complete standalone written about a romance in a different state.
Theo and Devyn were best friends growing up, and he was definitely there for her during the worst time of her life. They should have gotten together but before either of them would go there, he went off to live his dream in Hollywood after graduation leaving her all alone in life. He's known nothing but success while her life hasn't been the easiest which really hurt my heart for her. Things take a turn when Theo gets a call from his mother that Devyn's life hangs in the balance so he rushes home for her. They're still perfect for each other but there's a lot of doubt on Devyn's part since her life is so different from his despite him being there for her every step of the way in the aftermath of what happened to her. This story really punched me hard in the feels so I had tears threatening quite a bit as I experienced every last emotion. There were times that I wanted to shake them both so they could finally be together so it's safe to say there's a slow burn aspect to it all. I love second chance stories, but let me tell you, A.K. Evans took everything out of me with this couple's journey so it was super easy to devour in one sitting! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
What Comes After might be my favorite book in the Road Trip series. If this is your first book in this series, they books are not connected but are amazing in their own right. Devyn and Theo forged a bond when they are younger that carried them through their younger years. As they get older and their lives take them in different paths and yet they haven’t forgotten about each other. When sometime unthinkable happens to Devyn, Theo knows it’s time to come home where his heart belongs. Devyn and Theo may have drifted apart but if they are given a second chance, Theo has to prove that he is the same guy he has always been. Devyn is a tough character and has been through a lot but sometimes the devil is the voice inside your head. She thinks that she can’t fit int Theo’s world but little does she know she is Theo’s whole world. I loved this book and story. I loved the procession of their friendship and when they finally realize what is in front of them, the sparks really fly! Another fantastic story!
Theo & Devyn...all the feels!! Best friends since childhood until tragic life circumstances separate them in distance, but another tragic event brings them back together.
Evans has outdone herself with this one!! By far my FAVORITE Road Trip book yet. I found myself drawing out the story much longer than I usually would simply because I didn't want the story to end. It'll be one I reread again and again.
The emotional roller coaster What Comes After had me on was like no other book in a long time. The friendship Theo and Devyn had was such so heartwarming. While parts of it will break your break, like tragedies do, seeing the love and support Theo's entire family shows Devyn is unmatched!!
I listened to this on Audio, which was AMAZING. These two narrators worked seamlessly together. They brought out every single emotion top notch. Ahhhh I hate it's over, because it was so good!
Wow, what an amazing read this story was. This is the story of Theo and Devyn, these two characters will definitely take you on an emotional roller coaster of a ride and have intense chemistry between them from the start. This story is a slow-burn romance read from this author. This story is packed full of suspense, romance, hot chemistry, and emotions, you won't want to put this book down till you get to the very last page. This story has an amazing well-written storyline with amazing characters. This is a fantastic story by this author.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my honest review Release date - 19 September 2023
You never forget your first love. Even if they never knew you loved them. That’s how it was for Theo and Devyn, being best friends since childhood. Theo moved away when he got his big break in Hollywood. Devyn stayed behind and life just kept kicking her down. Now after a horrible accident, Theo is back by Devyn’s side to help her recover. Those feelings of love have never gone away, even after years apart. I could see a lot of myself in Devyn. Times get tough, but still have to get up and keep moving on with daily life. Theo was blind to Devyn’s lifestyle. Once he finds out, he is eager to help her in any way she is willing to let him. This best friends to lovers story was heartbreaking at times, but puts you back together in the end.
I received an ARC of What Comes After. I voluntarily read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Theo is a successful actor who has reached a crossroads in his life. When he receives a devastating call from his mother advising him that his best friend has been attacked and might not recover, he doesn’t hesitate to drop everything to be by her side.
Devyn has had a difficult life and every time she makes a step forward something seems to happen to derail her. Even though Theo is by her side as she recovers, she believes that their lives are too different and that his career will take him away once again so she tries to protect her heart.
The friendship that Theo and Devyn shared was deep and enduring until life had them going in different direction. When Devyn is hurt it forces Theo to realize that all his professional success means nothing without the woman you love by your side.
This is the 15th book in this phenomenal series, and this is Theo and Devyn’s journey. These two have been best friends since childhood, and he was there for her during a devastating loss in high school. After graduation Theo left to head to Hollywood, and neither of them express their true feelings to each other. Now 12-years later, Theo receives a devastating phone call that Devyn has been seriously injured, and he heads back home to be by her side. This is a beautifully written story which is a slow burn, friends / lovers, emotional roller coaster, with suspense, miscommunication, tension, second chances, a road trip, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, tragic, unpredictable, and steamy small-town romance. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
It takes a moment, just one, to change the course of one’s life. For Devyn, it was many moments that charted her journey in life. It seemed that every pivotal moment would add to her already suffering soul while her best friend Theo found celebratory moments. It was almost as if one had to suffer for the other to find joy. Now those are the parallels I saw, my overactive mind on overdrive. Theo and Devyn may have grown apart but one call was all it took for Theo to come racing home to his best friend. Maybe when they’re together, the good stuff will cancel out the bad, their relationship could balance everything. I loved Theo and Devyn’s friendship. It grew from childhood through adulthood and solidified a foundation for anything that comes after. Vanessa Edwin and Aaron Shedlock voiced these characters with much talent. The personalities and emotions came through.
I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this review.
What Comes After by A.K. Evans 5 stars pub 9/19/23 Theo & Devyn
They grew up as inseparable friends. As they got older the friendship began to change. Would telling each other threaten their relationship? Were either willing to take a chance? Then their world changed. Her parents were gone. She was alone. Oh, Theo and his parents would always be there for her. At least until his dream seemed possible.
He tried to stay in touch but their lives were different. Then she was badly injured. Would she live to renew their friendship?
Caring, friendships, new lives, and steam they've never admitted. Will she live for them to find it. It will be hard to admit their new lives and their possible future.
My heart absolutely broke for Devyn and all the tragedy life threw at her. Growing up she had her best friend Theo, until she didn't. Feelings felt but words unspoken from both of them led to many years apart until a life or death situation saw them reunited. Theo was the only one that could heal Devyn and heal her he did, both emotionally and physically. Their journey back to one other was beautiful. While Devyn thought Theo had a new life that didn't include her - he was there all along - only miles separating them but their hearts always belonged to each other. This is one of my favorite friend to lovers story I've ever listened to/read, and I only wish there was more. Their HEA couldn't have been any more perfect! Aaron Sherlock and Vanessa Edwin were phenomenal as Theo and Devyn.
Best book yet! Swoon worthy!! I did not want the story to end. Theo and Devyn were best friends, and absolutely inseparable from when they were little kids. As time went on, life happened. Theo moved to Hollywood to become an actor, and Devyn stayed in their home town. Unfortunately, luck was not on Devyn’s side and life got really hard. Luckily, Theo was able and more than willing to step in and help his old best friend.
This is a slow-burn, best friends to lovers story. The slow burn part was fantastically written. You can’t help but to absolutely adore both main characters. I love this series, but this one is at the top of my favorites list for sure!
A truly second chance at love. Theo and Devyn, inseparable as children and when Theo left for Hollywood, Devyn is heartbroken and struggles, not only with the loss of her parents, but Theo . When Devyn is hurt, Theo is there helping in any way he can. Only Devyn is afraid of getting close once again to the love of her life, knowing he will leave her alone again. Their story is one of hurt, pain, separation, yet their love for each other is undying. I admit I shed a few tears reading their story but seeing their love for each other was like a rainbow in the sky for me, a promise their love would last.
Theo McCormick and Devyn Jade became became inseparable best friends as children. As they got older they secretly had feelings for each other. But life and fate had them living completely different lives. After losing her parents, Devyn’s dreams were crushed, while Theo became a famous actor. Devastating news reaches Theo bringing him back home. Could this be a chance for them to finally find their HEA, or will those dreams be crushed forever? At times heartbreaking, it was a wonderful story. The narrators, Aaron Shedlock and Vanessa Edwin did a great job with the voices. I was entrusted a copy of this audiobook. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
The one that got away…sometimes comes back…. But can you trust it to be a happily ever after when can’t trust any sort of good to happen?
After being inseparable for so many years and life taking them different directions with regrets always lingering they are thrust back together under the worst of circumstances. All Theo wants to do is help and all Devyn wants to do is survive with her heart intact. She can only take so many hits and heartbreaks and the last one nearly killed her so can she risk it?
Come along and find out Devyn and Theo’s story. Can they or will they get their happily ever after?
Ms. Evans never disappoints with her stories, and characters which always pull you in. What Comes After is a friends to lovers romance that will have you feeling all sorts of emotions. Theo and Devyn are two souls that have been destined to be together since childhood. Being neighbours, their lives were intertwined right from the start, however, tragedy strikes and lives are changed forever. In the beginning, my heart broke for Devyn but as I kept reading the love that was shared between the two of them made me see that true love can come from tragedy. What Comes After is a gripping addition to Ms. Evans' Road Trip Romance series and one that I highly recommend you pick up.
Sweet little story: If you are looking for a light, cute little romance then this could be just the book for you. It was quite a simple, slow burn best friends romance and although cute, I thought the couple and story could have benefited from a greater obstacle or challenge for them to overcome. A lot of the story was backstory from when they were growing up together and while sweet, I was eager to get back to the present day. I was pleased that Devyn and Theo were able to find their way back together even if it was a long road. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
GAH my heart! Evans really hit me hard with the feels for this story. This best friends to lovers romance between Theo and Devyn hit all the right notes for me and I found myself devouring this story in one sitting. You can ask my Bearded Husbutt, I made him cook dinner! Between the concept of this story and all the raw emotions that bleed through the pages. While there are moments where Devyn could have articulated more of how she felt, you do get a real sense of why she is the way she is. This is a slow burn story that will hit you and never want to put it down!
Home isn't a place, it's her. What Comes After is a best friend turned everything romance and a coming home story. Devyn and Theo were childhood best friends, but time, aspirations, and life took them away from each other. What Comes After is them finding their way back to one another. It's a sweet, slightly angsty story (with some traumatic things happening to Devyn) but Theo shows up in a big way and finally gets out of his own way. It drug a bit for me but overall a sweet love story.
There are days that my heart can’t take a slow burn and then there are days like today that I am gifted with a story like What Comes After and the slow burn is everything I NEEDED and more. Ugh, this was fantastic! I absolutely loved Theo and Devyn’s second chance romance. I mean come on, childhood best friends who miss their chance and it takes a traumatic even to bring them back together and face what they have both wanted their who lives, I felt like a kid in a candy store listening to this. I loved it from start to finish!