In the 1980s, teenagers John and Monique fell into a consuming high school love. Decades later, that bond ends on the streets of Southern California, where John’s life is cut short by homelessness and a brutal battle with addiction.

When his handwritten journal is lost to the pavement, it leaves his son and grandchildren with an empty space where his story should be. Driven by grief, Monique realizes she holds a vital piece of the man John was before the pain destroyed him, and steps forward to share that history with his son.
 
To resurrect the boy before the streets took him, Monique must make a devastating trade: relinquishing the safe, numb distance of time to stand face-to-face with a lifelong grief.


A deeply moving account of first loves, unconditional friendship, and the bonds that transcend blood. When Then Became Now is an authentic, heart-wrenching read for anyone who has ever battled addiction or loved someone who has.