“Expansive, romantic, and powerful.” —Gayle Forman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and I Have Lost My WaySusannah Ramos has always loved the water. A swimmer whose early talent made her a world champion, Susannah was poised for greatness in a sport that demands so much of its young. But an inexplicable slowdown has put her dream in jeopardy, and Susannah is fighting to keep her … for greatness in a sport that demands so much of its young. But an inexplicable slowdown has put her dream in jeopardy, and Susannah is fighting to keep her career afloat when two important people enter her life: a new coach with a revolutionary training strategy, and a charming fellow swimmer named Harry Matthews.
As Susannah begins her long and painful climb back to the top, her friendship with Harry blossoms into passionate and supportive love. But Harry is facing challenges of his own, and even as their bond draws them closer together, other forces work to tear them apart. As she struggles to balance her needs with those of the people who matter most to her, Susannah will learn the cost—and the beauty—of trying to achieve something extraordinary.
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Expansive, romantic, and powerful, BREATH LIKE WATER is a novel for any young person who faced doubt and discovered in those murky depths not just strength, but grace.
An exciting story about overcoming, resilience, fighting for something new and love …. a lot of love … family love, love between friends, first love.
I vibrated, suffered, twisted and felt myself in the water. Anna Jarzab’s writing manages to transcend the pages and become so real that it makes the reader live the book. In addition, she is able to convey the emotions of the characters so intensely that it is almost impossible not to feel empathy for each of them and to want to hold them and take care, to protect them from the real world.
The cover is perfect for the book and conveys the message and the whole atmosphere of the plot.
My Thoughts:
Breath Like Water was about Susannah Ramos, an elite swimmer, whom at age fourteen became a world champion. However, once her body changed, and she went from having a slim svelte body, to having hips, height, and boobs, she couldn’t figure out how to maneuver herself in the water the same way.
Now at the age of 16, she’s trying to climb back to the top, and qualify for the olympics. Susannah isn’t improving with her coach; Dave, who yells and puts her down a lot. However, when she starts working with Dave’s new assistant, Beth, a coach who has a unique perspective and style of coaching, and Harry, a swimmer on her team; she begins making great strides. Harry likes Susannah, and she likes him, but she is determined to not let anything distract or deter her from her dream…
Breath Like Water was a surprising story. I was expecting a light-hearted, fluffy, and fun story. What I got was an emotional story with serious and relative topics to today. This book had a lot of substance and addressed important subjects, such as the challenges and pressures of being a serious athlete, mental health issues, and sexuality. It was a story I enjoyed, and was engaged in. I loved the time Susannah spent in the water. I could visualize her swimming, and learned a lot along the way. I also loved how supportive and caring her parents, and sister Nina were, and that we got pieces of her Mexican culture throughout the story.
The romance and relationship between Susannah and Harry was complex, realistic, and a bit messy. Susannah was so focused on her dream, that oftentimes Harry took a backseat, and suffered for it. He was a character that had a lot of baggage, and a serious mental health issue that he had to navigate.
I enjoy books with athletes, and seeing all of the trials and tribulations they go through to be at the top of their sport. The ending was realistic, and a bit open-ended, but hinted at Susannah’s happily ever after.
3.5 Stars
I don’t read a lot in the young adult genre, particularly when it centers around teenagers. Most of that is because with teens in the house, the last thing I need is more teen angst and drama. That said, something about this one grabbed hold and I thought it might make a good buddy read with my daughter. As it turns out, we read it together and it gave us plenty of topics for conversation as we moved through the story. The beginning of this one was more her thing than mine, and I worried that we were getting just another teen romance, but the further we read, the more this one developed into such a poignant read. There were so many elements to this one as these characters developed, and I love that they so freely discussed some sometimes hard topics. This is one of those books that makes you ponder, that leaves you thinking about the characters and their lives far beyond that last page. It’s well written and these characters will certainly get inside your head and heart.
What a beautiful story!
Competitive Swimming with Romance.
This story is much more than a sports romance. This author touches on some great topics and does such an amazing job telling their story.
I enjoyed this book. This was such a great story. I will extend my review closer to release day.
Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.
Breath Like Water was at times heart breaking, uncomfortable, and awkward. But it was also enjoyable, entertaining, and inspiring the whole time. It brings up so many issues relevant to today’s young adults. It is an excellent YA Sports Romance themed book with the opportunity to change the narrative on the way we think about mental health and the strive for perfection in sport. 5 Wonderful Stars!