Breathless by Jennifer Niven is not as good as her book All the Bright Places or Holding Up the Universe, but it continues her amazing feminist themes. Also, her romances…are simply the best. I won’t be able to have this book in my 8th grade classroom, but it would be great in high school libraries.

I thought this was a lovely book about being angry, acting out, examining yourself and the people around you, and falling in love for the first time.

The book is pretty sex-focused but in a way that reminded me a lot of myself when I was that age (and, honestly, years younger). I found the relationship relatable as well–it's not instalove but it's instalike and two people trying to do their best for each other because they see something in each other. That's something in YA that often fails, as there's a tightrope walking balance that needs to be done between realism and instruction, and I think this book nails it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Breathless
By: Jennifer Niven
Publisher: Random House Children’s
Pub Date: 11/6/20
This was an amazing YA read. When my oldest was in school we read All The Bright Places and loved it.
This one is about Claude, an 18 year old girl who just graduated high school. She has exciting plans for her last summer until she abruptly finds out that her parents are divorcing. Her mom is taking her to a remote island off the coast of Georgia to do research for a new book. None of that jives with Claude’s plans. Staying behind isn’t an option. Unfortunately her father basically tells her he can’t be around her. Once she arrives on the island it’s almost like her personality changed. But she has been taken away from everything and basically cut off. No cell service and no internet. She meets Jeremiah Crew aka Miah. He works on the island, has a trail guide and is an amateur photographer. Claude’s only there for the summer. Is she really gonna start a relationship with him? Thanks to Random House Children’s, NetGalley and Jennifer Niven for this ARC

There were parts of this book that I loved... and parts that just dragged. Claude just graduated high school and is navigating her parents divorce, her best friend getting involved with someone else and the beginning of physical relationships...

Then she and her mom are forced to go to an island off Georgia for the summer. Claude is not happy about this and pouts for awhile. Then she meets Jeremiah ("Miah"). They form a relationship quickly even though they both know there is an expiration date on the relationship. Both characters are flawed and both are young. This is definitely a YA book, and I think I would have enjoyed it more reading it when I was in my late teens. I don't usually feel that way about YA, but I did with this one.

This book transported me to summer, on a cute island, and in the middle of a Canadian winter, I couldn’t be more grateful. Niven definitely cements herself as an author who I know will make me cry every time. Breathless is a book about finding and expressing yourself. It was a very sex positive book, which was really refreshing to read. I really enjoyed the growth that Claude goes through in this book, and Miah and her have such a wonderful story.

A sweet coming-of-age story about Claude who needs to deal with the fact that her parents have decided to separate and her mom is moving out. Claude Is having a hard time accepting this and she won’t tell anyone. Not even her best friend. She is supposed to spend the summer with her mom on a remote island and she is not happy. She takes out her anger at her parents on her mother and decides this will be the summer when she does everything she dreams of.

This isn't my favorite of Jennifer Niven's books. I found the protagonist to be a bit immature and whiny, but I did enjoy the setting. I would definitely recommend to students that enjoy romances and heartbreaks.

I should have known that a book with such a heavy emphasis on sex in the summary was not going to be for me. This was an okay book, but I just didn't enjoy reading it at all.

Breathless, Jennifer Niven did it again. I loved the book a lot. I loved the story and I had no regrets buying the copy. The world needs more Niven books

Claudine is an aspiring writing and soon to be college student. She's hopeful, maturing, and ready to find a lover, but when her parents announce their divorce, her plans seem far from achievable. Claud's mother moves them to a small island off the coast of Georgia, where she meets Miah. What starts as a casual sleeping arrangement turns into something much more. I love Jennifer Niven's previous work, and this one was just a soulful and heart wrenching. It's the perfect, bittersweet coming of age story I wish I had when I was a teenager!

I didn't love this book. I found the story line intriguing. but none of the characters captured my heart or my interest. It had a lot of potential too.

This was a great summer read. I loved the setting and the characters. Jennifer Niven always pulls at heartstrings!

I was very interested when I requested this title. but a year later I cannot seem to get to it. For now no review. but I might still get to it at a later time.

This arc was sent to me for review from Penguin. I can’t say I loved this book but I did find it really relatable and sex positive. I did enjoy it and would recommend it. The ending really won me over

This was a bit too descriptive and bland for my taste. It was enjoyable, but I feel like nothing much happened throughout the book, and I quickly lost interest.

BREATHLESS is a book about change, secrets, and the aftermath. Claudine (Claude) is about to graduate high school, and she knows her life will change with college, in no small part because she will be far away from her BFF who she relies on for emotional support. Then, her parents tell her they are getting a divorce, and suddenly Claude is reeling from it all. To make things worse, her parents ask her to keep it a secret and her mother takes her to a small island off the coast of Georgia to get away.

Claude is still finding her footing in this world where her father does not want to be married to her mother, and it seems to her as if he is rejecting them both. She also finds out her BFF has been keeping a secret about a relationship that also has Claude second guessing. She desperately needs to talk about the things going on in her life, but she lacks the space and safety to do so.

This book largely takes place introspectively, and I liked going deep into Claude's mind. Many of the scenarios she finds herself in will resonate with YA readers. The things her parents say and the way that Claude feels are at odds, and the changes that seem to permeate her life have her feeling uncertain. She felt very genuine and real, and her problems are not unusual. There are also themes around virginity that were interesting and presented throughout as an undercurrent.

Claude is able to make the best of her situation and overall approaches her parents and friends with love that will resonate with readers. It is not always an easy read, and the beginning moves slowly. The book is quite introspective and mainly captures Claude's thinking and interpretations of her experiences. The summer romance felt to me like a smaller piece compared to Claude's mental anguish, later leading to acceptance of change and space to feel what she feels. As such, this will resonate with an older YA contemporary audience. Would recommend for people looking for a deeper character study of a young woman who is flawed but genuine.

Coming of age story about Claudine, aka Claude. Contains explicit sexual content, heads up to readers that may be bothered.
Breathless encompasses everything wonderful, stressful and everything in between and around falling in love for the first time. Claude and her mother travel to an island where they have family roots. They plan on staying for the summer to give Claude’s father a break after he decided he wants a divorce. Angry and annoyed, Claude and her mother arrive on the secluded island with very little internet service. She has to adjust to not being able to text her friends and father back home. She meets the summer young-adult workers and becomes friends with most of them. One in particular catches her eye, Jeremiah Crew (Miah). They hang out and eventually become more than friends. During this summer, Claude and Miah mature, and together they help each other deal with their personal lives and the problems they’re both dealing with. Miah teaches Claude how to ride a bike and shares his island adventures with her. Claude helps Miah talk about his personal life. They have a great and memorable summer together but dread the day they have to say goodbye when it ends. A beautiful story with unique characters that grow in depth and maturity together. A perfect romance for a summer read, 5 stars!

Emotional book about first love and discovering who you are and what you want to become. Very well written, however the sexual scenes were too graphic for a young adult audience. I would recommend this book for college age and above.

Jennifer Niven is a master at pulling heartstrings and captivating readers. BREATHLESS is an absolute treat of a novel, full of poignant lines and characters you can't help loving—and rooting for. Niven's words are pure poetry, and I won't soon forget this story.

I would have loved to read this book in high school. Everything in this book was written straight forward and frank. From dealing with parents divorce, going to college and sex, Jennifer does not hold back. I felt like I really understood Claude and what she was dealing with and how she felt each page. I loved how sex positive this book is! Definitely great for older high school and new adults.