Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC to read and review!

Breath Like Water is a must read page-turner that will take your breath away!

Mental health awareness and sports are a big part this incredibly deep story. In this case, we have a teenage elite swimmer who's prime goal is to make it to the Olympics. You see how this demanding being an elite athlete affects Susannah in all its good, bad, and ugly glory. It serves as a reminder how important it is we take care of our mental health and be kind to one another.

I really like this book. It's been fascinating having such an i depth look at the psychological affects of highly competitive sports on young kids who are constantly changing mentally, emotional, physically, and biologically. This book has been really eye-opening.

Susannah and Harry's relationship is so lovely at its core. They really do bring out the best in each other, which is why it was so hard to watch them struggle internally and externally with themselves.

They're so used to this one way of thinking that's dominated how they live their lives that it causes an identity crisis. It's rough going for these dynamic characters.

I'm not expert but I think the bipolar rep was done well and I loved how the author used it within the story. It really brought home how a mental illness affects a person's day to day and how that person's disorder affects familial relationships. It gives you the raw ugliness of it but how hope and change is more than possible.

This story does bring up self-harm, substance abuse, addiction, and suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of harming themselves or suicide, please seek help. YOU ARE LOVED. There is always someone to reach out to. I'll leave some links down below.

The ending was bittersweet but I'm happy for where all of the characters end up. Breath Like Water is a great story overall. I think it will help a lot of people who are struggling right now.

This was definitely a solid YA contemporary. I loved getting to learn more about swimming and really enjoyed our main characters, even though they could be annoying at times. Hated the swim coach with a fiery passion. Loved the family relationships. I do wish I’d known about the self-harm aspect going in. Enjoyed this overall!

TW: depression, in depth discussion of bipolar disorder, past and present on page self harm, underage drinking, and verbal abuse from an authority figure

Positive content: race and sexuality diversity (Black and Mexican rep, gay and pansexual rep), supportive and present parents of both MC’s, sex positivity, therapy positivity

Wow! Just, wow. There was so much more to this book than I ever could’ve expected. I’m blown away by the tough subject matters and the way the author handled all of it.

Without getting too in depth and spoilery, we see a lot of rude awakening moments and subsequent character growth in the female MC. Although she had a lot of growth, becoming very self aware of her selfishness, I think it’s realistic that she didn’t completely grow out of it or let it go — even with its few team events, swimming is a very independent sport, and with that independence and self-reliance comes that natural pairing of selfishness. That’s not necessarily a bad thing and the author shows that. She shows a lot of personal growth and growth as an athlete despite all the struggles she faces, and she serves as good inspiration for young readers who may be inspiring athletes themselves.

The second major storyline throughout the entire story is mental health and it’s the other topic that I think the author handled incredibly well. I do not suffer from bipolar disorder, nor do I know anyone who does, so I can’t speak from personal experience, but my experience of reading other books with good and bad mental health representation has me believing this is one of the good ones. There is a lot of open and honest conversation regarding the illness, and we see the character struggle with it on page throughout the entire book. Unfortunately, we do see the character’s struggles culminate into a serious trigger warning moment, but it’s real and full of raw emotion making it very eye opening to someone who doesn’t personally know what it’s like. We see how it truly effects the character, but we also see how it effect those around them who love them and it’s heart breaking and awe-inspiring at the same time.

One of the best things about all of this though, is something we unfortunately don’t see as often as we should in YA novels, and that’s present, supportive, caring parents and parental figures. Both MC’s have both parents/and a step-parent in their lives, 100% supportive of their sports dreams and their mental and physical health. We see on page sex positive and therapy/mental health positive discussions between parents and children and it was a beautiful thing to see.

I praise the author for her ability to make this so much more than a “typical YA romance”! It’s packed full of raw emotional hardships, realistic mental health struggles and triumphs, and undying love and support from friends and family. It was an emotionally exhausting read, but one I certainly won’t forget anytime soon!

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Breath Like Water

Author: Anna Jarzab

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: bipolar disorder openly discussed!

Publication Date: May 19, 2020

Genre: YA Contemporary

Recommended Age: 15+ (verbal abuse, competitive swimming, mental health, language)

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Pages: 416

Amazon Link

Synopsis: Susannah 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 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.

Review: This was such a sweet book! I really loved the character development, the story, and the world building. I never knew how competitive swimming could be, as I grew up in a rural school with no swimming teams. The characters were the lifeline of the story. They really made the story progress and enjoyable. The storyline was intriguing, and the detail the author incorporated was amazing.

The only issue I had with the book is that the pacing was slow in my opinion. I just wish it was a bit faster.

Verdict: It was a great read!

Overview: Susannah has one major life goal: qualify for the swim team at the Olympics. She had a major triumph at the Worlds competition when she was 14, but dealing with the changes in her body and an injury has slowed her down. With a new couch, though, she's working on using a different approach to get back on top. As swimming comes back together, her relationship with fellow swimmer, Harry, starts to fall apart threatening to distract her from her ultimate goal. Over the course of sophomore year, Susannah struggles to find balance while fighting to achieve her ultimate goal. Overall: 3.5

Characters: 3 Susannah was my favorite part of the book. I like the glimpses of friend and family moments mixed with her view on swimming. She has a hard time figuring out how she feels about the sport anymore. She loves being in the water, but there's also so much more to it. There's the pressure to get a swim scholarship, the weight of all the money her parents have invested in her career, and her coach's mean and manipulative behavior add weight to what started as a freeing, joyful activity. I loved how she dealt with the complications over the course of the book and how every character had a moment of questioning their choices to swim at that competitive of a level. The sheer intensity of competitive sports are so rarely fully acknowledged, but elite athletes give up a lot to excel at their sport.
I thought her coaches, friends, and family members were good editions, but they generally fell flat for me. They each had a role to play in the story, and they didn't really develop beyond their use to Susannah. It didn't take away from the story for me. I just wished there had been more development across the board.
The reason this ranking is so low is because of Harry, Susannah's love interest. He falls into the same problems as the other secondary characters, but I take issue with it a lot more because Harry has bipolar disorder. I don't feel like what the disorder is, how it effects people, or the nuance of it was well depicted here. I also don't quite get why it was included. The way it was done, it struck me as purely existing to challenge Susannah's story and complicate her romance to take away from her swimming. He felt like a plot point and his major near suicidal episode felt dramatized to create a problem in their relationship. There was little dimension to any of the struggles that were portrayed, and all the conversations about it felt like someone reading off a symptom list from WebMD. I don't have bipolar, so I can't speak on it with absolute authority, but it was just an issue that really stuck out to me. There are books that do a far better job showing the nuance and complexity of bipolar that don't feel nearly as exploitive of its realities.

Plot: 4 I did enjoy reading the book for the most part. It's written in a countdown format with each chapter getting closer to Olympic Trails. While the storyline dragged occasionally, the story overall was pretty engaging. I really liked her insight into the world of competitive swimming, and she really comes into her own over the course of the book and grows with each competition. Your always wondering whether this competition will be a win or a loss, and you really do have to wait till the very end to figure out if she'll succeed at Trials.
I wish that the book hadn't had the romantic element to it because I feel like that was the only part of the book that concerned me. There were some flat romantic tropes that went with it that sorta brought the story down for me, and I didn't like the idea of choosing between a guy and a goal she'd worked towards forever. There was just nothing about the pairing that super compelled me. I wish it had focused more on her friends and other team members who also struggled with how long they wanted to continue to devote their whole lives to the sport. I feel like Harry's main purpose was to open her eyes to the idea that swimming isn't the only thing in life, but I feel like her friend Amber could've provided the same help and interesting mental exploration without having some less than great "throw it away for love" moments.

Writing: 3 I think I pretty much summed it up in the other sections. This is an entertaining enough read. It'd be great to take on a trip or to the beach. I wish the representation had been a bit more dimensional and that a bit more time had been given to the secondary characters. They all seemed really interesting, we just never got too far into who they were. There were many interesting points raised that never really got to be explored. For being almost 400 pages, I would've loved for it to dig a little deeper. If you're in competitive sports or know someone who swims, I think this book is particularly worth reading. That storyline was a lot of fun and had a great resolution.

This is about so much more than competitive swimming. It's about learning to accept yourself and opening your mind to others. Susannah might have been the champion at 14 but she's struggling now. Her coach is almost abusive, her parents are largely absent. Then she meets Harry. He's struggling with mental illness and he's wonderfully frank with both Susannah and himself. Watching these two grow is the joy of this well written YA novel. Teens who are competitive in any arena will benefit from reading this. They'll understand the pressures and the desire for room to, well breathe. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

I was excited about this book because I like to read YA involving life and sports. For a lot of people, especially young people, sports are their life, so I loved being able to read about a teenager whose life is swimming. The whole swimming thing reminded me of Breathless by Jessica Warman. These great, teen girl swimmers are great swimmers, but also struggle when life hits them.

I loved that this book wasn't as lighthearted as it appeared to be. Sounds funny, but teens today tackle and face more than just a crush or being good in a sport. In addition to that, they deal with so much more that heavily impacts their life. I think Jarzab really tackled the tough stuff, and I think she did so pretty well.

It was a little difficult for me to get into, so 4.5/5, but I otherwise thoroughly enjoyed this and of course, love to see POC representation in novels.

Posted to Goodreads: Susannah Ramos wants to be an Olympian and she is willing to do whatever it takes to get her dream. Susannah has spent the last few years floundering after winning a gold medal at the Junior World Tournament after her body has changed and her confidence was weakened. Now, Susannah is just months away from the Olympic Trials and her life is about to be shaken by a new coach and a new boy on her swim team named, Harry, who sees and likes the real Susannah that even she has never been able to accept. Can Susannah open herself up to new people and new experiences without losing her dream?

Jarzab's "Red Dirt" was a happy surprise when I read it last year and I was happy to see that she had a new book. Breath Like Water had the same strong characters found in Jarzab's other books. Susannah is a complex character who is trying to live her dreams but is having a difficult time living the life of sacrifice that she needs to accomplish her goals. Susannah is the kind of strong and smart female character that we need in YA books. Susannah and her relationship with Harry was romantic and real but also flawed in the best way. Also, Jarzab's exploration of mental illness was well done and felt very genuine. This book was definitely an enjoyable read and I will happily revisit this author's work in the future.

I really enjoyed this book, its the kind of book you take with you and what it had to offer and apply it to life. It was breathtakiling real, the new found feeling so being in love for the first time. The anxiety of the changes you go through as an adolescence and the panic of being so out of control of your own life. Of having to understand how to love yourself, how to be kind to yourself and how to be their for other selflessly. This is a coming of age, coming into your own body and finding what it is to truely love another person. As well as sacrifice and know when that can be unhealthy. I really can not recommend this book enough.

Blog post coming soon for a blog tour.

"But I'm starting to understand the power of individual moments. The joy that can be found when you're not too distracted by the faraway horizon to appreciate the beauty of where you're standing."
Breath Like Water is a beautiful, moving story about reaching for your dreams, discovering new ones, and finding people to support you along the way. Susannah Ramos was once a promising Olympic hopeful, but between an overbearing coach and an injured shoulder, she's worried her swimming career highlights might be in the past. When Harry Matthews joins her club, she knows she doesn't need the distraction, but the two grow closer and Susie begins to wonder if she can have her swimming career and the boy too.

Things I Liked
I loved the way Anna Jarzab wrote about water and swimming. As someone whose been swimming for longer than I've been walking (only for fun, not competitively in any capacity) I just loved it. And I loved seeing swimming as a sport here, it's not one we usually see focused on in stories. I find it so easy to center myself in the waters and it was great seeing Susie's relationship with swimming evolve.

Susie's relationship with Harry was so wonderful to see develop. They started with a strong friendship base and progressed into a romance. I bought their development, because I could see it progress. They have so much genuine care and support for each other it was wonderful to see.

We got some really great conversations about pressure, anxiety, and identity. Susie's doing her all, but she's worried she doesn't know who she is without swimming, and if she doesn't make Olympic trials all her family has sacrificed is for nothing. It was wonderful seeing Susie and Harry so openly discuss his bipolar disorder and his experiences. And Susie's sister Nina coming out to her family as pansexual was a really great moments even though it was a very small part of the story.

Things I Didn't Like
While I loved so much about Susie, her stubbornness could get frustrating. Especially when she neglected her injured shoulder in favor of proving a point. But her stubbornness and determination helped her to never give up and that was admirable too.

The story has a very cyclical feeling that I loved - everything felt important like it was a part of something or leading to something. It's uplifting and empowering and at times it's heartbreaking, but you are so invested in these characters you want the best for them in everything. Breath Like Water is a story that effortlessly flows from one scene to the next, creating a world around these characters you easily come to care deeply for.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

An ARC of this novel was sent to me by NetGalley for reviewing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I liked this book for the most part, as it did deal with some pretty heavy subjects- however, I feel like some of it fell short.

Susannah has been preparing her whole life to swim in the Olympics. Several years ago, she won World's, but as her body hit puberty and developed things changed. She is slower in the water and must relearn how to swim. Her controlling coach rages against her struggles and puts her down whenever he has a chance. However, this season, things will be changing at the pool. Her coach has hired a new assistant coach who teaches from a completely different school of thought. Also, new guy, Harry, has started swimming with the team. He is a stellar swimmer, who never seems to be as committed as everyone else. He takes an interest in Susannah and is able to make her smile. Harry sees her beyond the front she puts up. There is a push and pull around a romance between the two, but Susannah is committed to her swimming and Harry seems to be hiding something major. Is it possible for Susannah to succeed in her dream and to have a relationship with Harry?

This novel feels true to life and doesn't seek to fulfill a reader's wishes and dreams, but provide a realistic story and ending. On the surface, it appears to be a romance book, but truly it tackles tough issues. It discusses the issues related to women and people of color within certain sports. The exploration of mental health in this novel feels like a clear reflection of the real world.

This was one of those YA books that I couldn’t put down. It deals with mental health in multiple ways, the pressure to excel that so many teens (people) face, and first love. I think it took a little too long to get to the end, and there might have been a few too many complications to the story, but it felt real.

3.75

This was a fun read!

I really enjoyed the overall writing and atmosphere that the book was written in. It seemed very natural and welcoming. The beginning was fairly hard to push through, but once I got through it, it flowed quite nicely. I enjoyed the characters, even though it seemed like they weren't fully fleshed out. But that's okay since teenagers don't really know who they are yet.

Book: Breath Like Water
Author: Anna Jarzab
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Inkyard Press, for sending me an ARC.

I will just go ahead and put this out there: I didn’t really enjoy the beginning of the book. However, I could sense something about this one that I knew if I kept on reading that I would come to enjoy it. I was right. Once I got into the book, I was in love. I loved the characters and the impact that this one left on me. This book may seem light hearted at first, but it’s not. It gave me all kinds of Sarah Dessan feels.

I love Susannah and her drive to reach her goals. She was once on top of the world-literally, she’s a world champion swimmer-but has kind of fallen off the leader board. She wants to go the Olympics and will let nothing get in her way of reaching her dream-not her coach, not the past, not injuries, and, certainly not, a boyfriend. I like that she knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. She is also Hispanic, so we get to see what people of colour deal with in high level sports. Not only that, but she doesn’t come from money and we get to see her family struggle a little bit financially. I like this part. Here we have a diverse book that hasn’t lost the story. As the story goes along, we get to see her grow and change in ways that she didn’t think she would. We really get to see her question everything and this impacts her decisions later in the book.

Harry is our male lead. He’s sweet and caring. Plus, he falls in love with Susannah. The way he tries to win her over will just make you feel good. He’s also a swimmer, but he’s not in it for the same reasons as Susannah. He has a secret, one that he is trying to keep under control. He is dealing with bipolar disorder and is struggling. We get to see his highs and lows. Not only do we get to see the impact that it has on him, but the impact it has one those around him. We see his family struggle with it and go into dark places with him. Susannah tries to understand and wants to be there. It is Harry is, I believe, really does cause Susannah to kind of take a step back and reexamine her life. No, I’m not saying that Harry tries to make her give up her dreams. What I am saying is that I think he is the reason that she kind of takes a step back and looks at the important things in life.

Like I said, Anna’s writing just didn’t pull me in right away. I couldn’t really connect with it at first. However, I could see something in it that I knew I was going to connect with. She kind of starts this out as being your typical young adult teen romance. I am not really a big romance reader, so I really thought that I had made a mistake in agreeing to read this book. However, as the story goes on, we get more and more layers. What we end up with is a story that will leave an impact on you. It will make you step away and just think. I like books like this. I like books that start out with such a happy feel, but end up leaving you crying. It tells me that the author has done their job and done it well.

Anyway, this book comes out on May 19, 2020. If you are looking for a hard hitting book, then go ahead and pick it up. You won’t be sorry.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/_97sjUeukX4

***TRIGGER WARNING***
bipolar, self harm, depression, verbal abuse

Susannah has been training like a machine for almost ten years and she won't quit until she reaches her ultimate goal: the Olympics. What she did expect was a new coach that gets her through a major setback and the heart of a fellow teammate, Harry.

This was very well done. There were a lot of things going on throughout the story: swimming, a new coach, the romance, Harry's struggle with bipolar II. This could have gone badly, but Anna Jarzab did a really superb job. Everything always came back around to swimming, because at the end of the day, that's what held Susannah's focus. I loved the journey Susannah went on, externally and internally. It's very apparent at the end of the book, that Susannah had learned something about herself and that she was changed.  

I really appreciated the frank discussions of mental illness. With something like bipolar, the term gets tossed around frequently. Here the disease is explained very honestly and with a directness that was important for teen readers. While it's not mentioned in the text, I think the topic of PTSD can be inferred when discussing Susannah's journey, and it's not really apparent until the book is finished and is looked at as a whole.

I hope more people find this book because I feel that it can be really important for teens, especially for people who have experienced the immense amount of pressure that comes with participating in a competed sport. 

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Susannah Ramos became a world champion swimmer at the age of 14. Now, two years later, she just can't seem to get back on top of her game. Her coach has all but abandoned her, heaping on verbal abuse in front of the public at competitive meets, and her friends mildly hostile, but she has no life outside of her swimming. She has given her life for her dream of qualifying for the Olympics.

As the new school year begins, Harry transfers to her school and joins her swim club. His talent is amazing, but he doesn't seem that committed to swimming, The one thing he does seem committed to, however, is helping Susannah to see herself as the strong woman and powerful swimmer that she is. Susannah, though, doesn't want Harry, she's afraid of the time commitment friendship (or maybe more?) will take away from her Olympic dreams.

Obviously, there's some teenage angst and drama and romance, but the main thrust of this story is the struggle of Susannah to find out who she truly is and come to terms with that. Somehow she has to decide for herself what she wants and what she is willing to pay to get it. I love that she's strong, but still relatable because she has weaknesses, just like all of us. I love that she has goals and ambitions and doesn't let other people's opinions of her dissuade her from working toward them. I love that her family (and Harry's family) are both realistic, but functional (too much YA lit has horrific parents and living situations).

This book started out a little slow for me, but picked up about 25% in and just got better from there. I loved the realistic treatment of the struggles of competing at such high levels while still in high school (although I would have liked to see her do more schoolwork). I loved the realistic treatment of mental health issues. I loved that this book dealt with all that and still managed to be entertaining. Definitely recommended!

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Every once in a while, I pick up with no expectations whatsoever. I don’t read about it online; I don’t look up reviews. I just go into it blindly. And every once in a while, a book surprises me by exceeding all the expectations I didn’t have.

Breath Like Water was one of those books.

The premise of this book is quite straightforward: for as long as Susannah can remember, she wanted to participate in the Olympics as a swimmer for the team USA. As a young tween, she was closer than ever, even winning Gold. Then, puberty happened and suddenly, Susannah wasn’t as fast anymore – her new curves felt awkward and it was hard to be as fast as she used to be. Flashforward to now, where Susannah is sixteen, and still struggling to make her body move in the water the way she wants it to. Her goal hasn’t changed – she’s going to be at the Olympics, come hell or high water.

A simple plot makes for an extraordinary opportunity to make the characters shine, and Jarzab excels with this in Breath Like Water.

At its core, this is a story about ambition and failure, and the inner strength it takes to get up when you lose and try again instead of giving up. Susannah is a fighter who does not want to let go of her dreams and does not need any distractions. It’s hard for her to give anything attention besides swimming so her mind basically spirals when Harry, a fellow swimmer, makes heart-eyes at her. And even though Harry is nothing if not charming and fun, he has also has his secrets and private issues. Yet, instead of letting those obstacles decide their fate, both Harry and Susannah vow to help the other out with support and guidance.

This book doesn’t hold back when it comes to talking about the sacrifices one has to make when persisting on their dreams. It was a refreshing portrayal to see someone be fantastic at what they do but nevertheless falling short. It has something of a sobering quality to see Susannah, who spends more time in the water than out of it, working so hard to get to the Olympic Trials and be held back by her own pride and hubris that cause fallbacks. Yet she never surrenders and eventually, gets what she always wanted, just not in the way she thought it would happen.

Furthermore, this book tackled mental health issues, in particular bipolar disorder. I loved both the portrayal and the realness to this; it is always difficult to discuss these things without sounding preachy or romanticising it when it comes to two young people falling in love. Yet Jarzab shines here once more; she both showcases the ups and downs of the illness but also proves that it does not have to hold you back from excelling at sports or having fierce and deep relationships. Personally, I loved the level of maturity this storyline introduced to both Susannah and Harry and how it made them reevaluate and understand their relationship better.

My only complaint is that the secondary characters were quite static. While Amber, Susannah’s friend, eventually got a bit of her own story, everyone else from Tuck to Jessa only serve as relationship obstacles or boosters for Harry and Susannah. They rarely exist outside of that aspect and thus their voices grew weaker with every page. Perhaps in the same vein, the epilogue startled me because it not how I expected the story to end at all. The time jump and overall ending felt a bit forced to me, especially the way Susannah was thinking and talking. it served to show that she had grown older and wiser but it just made my hackles raise a bit, reminding me of didactic impulses in novels directed toward younger teens. However, those are just two small complaints and definitely did not take away from my enjoyment.

Quite like Susannah fighting to get to the Olympics, this debut is ambitious, powerful, and relentless. Exposing the darker aspects of pursuing your goals, Breath Like Water is a refreshing and much-needed addition to YA shelves everywhere.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a powerful story about the excessive pressure we put ourselves under to achieve goals. High schooler Susannah was at the top of her game in the pool at the age of 14, winning a gold medal at a world championship game was proof. Fast forward a few years during which time her body physically matured and completely altered her swimming style and Susannah is fighting both mentally and physically to get back on the podium and make the cut for the Olympic trials. Harry, a new intriguing teammate with his own demons, worms his way into her tightly closed off world and gradually they help each other both in and out of the pool. Susannah slowly lets down her barriers and learns so much about herself in the process, despite the fact it goes against everything she has worked so hard to accomplish. First love is always a roller coaster of emotions and when you add in the stressors of a highly competitive environment it creates intrigue, compassion and self reflection, as Anna Jazrab has done so effortlessly with this book.
Whether you have been part of a competitive sport or not, this book will resonate with you. It will tug at your heartstrings as you accompany Susannah on her hopeful journey to attain a spot on the Olympic swim team.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Teen/Inkyard Press Red Dirt, for this digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Susannah Ramos is ready to get back into her top-swimming form after winning at the world championship. Her body changed rapidly after hitting puberty and now she's trying to get her power back. Swimming isn't just fun to Susannah, it's her future. Susannah is thrown for a loop when a new boy joins her swim club and she finds herself caring about more than swimming for once. Susannah and Harry have a slow burn romance that teen readers will love. Harry is the classic popular, mysterious boy who Susannah is trying her best to ignore. But soon they can't fight their undeniable feelings for each other. This book also highlights and normalizes talking about mental health. Susannah and Harry were able to connect and strengthen their relationship because they could trust each other and talk about the harder things. This book is an inspiring journey about following your dreams.