Reason to Breathe (Breathing Series #1) - Rebecca Donovan (re-read)

"No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?"

He knows there’s something more to the girl sitting in the back of the class the moment he sees her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and athletic – but she slips quietly through the crowded halls, trying not to exist. Determined to get to know the elusive girl, Evan soon discovers…

Emma Thomas is hiding a terrible a secret. 

Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.
(updated cover)


In all fairness, I'm doing this review based on my recent re-read of this story. I was getting ready for the release of the third book, a friend of mine was reading them for the first time so I thought, it might be a good time for a re-read. I read this book before it was re-edited and picked up by the publisher so my review and quotes will be based on the original version - but from what I understand the story has not really changed.

I'm jealous...I am 100% jealous of anyone who gets to read this story for the first time. I wish I could go back and not know what was going to happen and read it again. Even still, my stomach was in knots the whole time and I quickly devoured the pages, needing to read this like I needed to breathe.

It's tragic, and heartbreaking laced with a few beautiful people that make you want to be a part of this fictional world. I don't know what inspired these stories, but Rebecca Donovan is amazingly talented.

This story is not for the squeamish. There is pain, tragedy, and heartbreak and not just from a boy not loving a girl. This is real life, heavy, traumatic stuff - like a Colleen Hoover book with an extra case of black & blue. But then there were these bright spots in Emma's life.

First there is Sara, Emma's best friend who is amazing. Emma and her family are what I consider Emma's true family. Sara is smart, funny, caring...she made my list of "Best of the Best Friends List"...she's be at the top of it in my opinion. "Well let's get you back to hell before the devil realizes you're not home."

Then there was Evan...EVAN MATTHEWS IS AMAZING! He comes in and see's Emma when she's trying to be invisible. He doesn't always handle things exactly the right way but when he comes around, you just feel like he's hugging your heart. "I love that picture, he admitted softly. I think it's because I love the girl in that picture."

Emma...that poor girl has seem more tragedy that one girl should have to endure. She pushes people away to keep them from knowing the truth, all while just counting the days until she can be free...but with friends like Sara and Evan, she starts to realize that life without living it, just isn't worth it. But what will it cost her? It could be everything...