4 out of 4 stars
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Just Breathe by Leigh Finley is a story about forgiveness and second chances. Ana and Scott (our protagonists) had a fling in school. The relationship ended abruptly, with Scott walking away when Ana was at her weakest. Scott tried his best to forget about Ana, but couldn’t succeed. When chance brings them in front of each other, eight years later, Scott is determined to win her back. On the other hand, Ana wants to protect herself from the person who once destroyed her. What Ana undergoes in the eight years, Scott’s reasons for walking away, and what it takes for Ana to give him a second chance form the crux of the story.
Ana is a strong protagonist. Everything that she has been through has only made her personality stronger. She’s smart, financially stable and mature. I liked reading her point of view in the book. As a reader, I could connect with her and found myself rooting for her throughout the book.
Scott, despite the storyline, is likeable. In the present, he’s friendly, calm and determined. I liked the fact that he knew he wanted to get Ana back, and would stop at nothing to do it. Towards the end of the story, I found myself rooting for him as well.
The story is told from both Ana and Scott’s point of views. As a result, I could understand both characters and found myself rooting for both. While the transition was mostly smooth, there were few instances when the shift (between Ana and Scott’s point of views) confused me. This interrupted my flow of reading.
There are many secondary characters in the story – Ana’s friends and ex-husband, Scott’s father and brother, among others. The secondary characters had stories of their own. These subplots were brief and did not affect the main storyline. Each secondary character had a role to play in bringing Ana and Scott together, and I liked how the author effectively handled the secondary characters and their own stories.
The language and grammar are good. There are no obvious mistakes and the book is very easy to read and understand. Further, the book has the perfect length. Most aspects of the story are covered in sufficient detail. However, I wish the confrontation between Ana and her ex-husband had been slightly longer.
The book has considerable drama. There’s a lot of suspense created in the book, which makes the plot more intriguing. However, Ana’s past is very sad and reading those parts affected my mood. While this makes the plot strong, I would not recommend the book to someone who wants a quick, light hearted read.
What I liked best about the book was the fact that both protagonists were likeable and were equal in every sense. No character was dominant over the other and this was a refreshing change.
What I liked least about the book was the short confrontation between Ana and her ex-husband. I wish Ana had said more. I wish Scott had said much more. It didn’t feel like Ana let her heart out. Overall, it didn’t feel like true closure.
On the whole, I liked the book. The plot made me curious and I truly enjoyed reading most parts of the book. I would rate the book 4 out of 4.
The book is meant only for mature audiences. I would recommend the book to anyone who likes mature romance books and does not mind some sad parts.
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Just Breathe
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