Holy hell. The tears! I mean, come on. Ridiculous. 😢

I cannot overstate my appreciation of the frankness with which Niven tackled teen sex and relationships in this title. And I mean the relationships of the MC with a love interest, each of her parents, her best friend, the friends she makes on the island (collectively and individually), her Aunt, and her self. It’s really good. 💜📚

Breathless is a well-written story of a girl facing her parents divorce and strugling with her anger, fear, and hurt. It is also the story of an 18 year old girl exploring sex and her first relationships.

Unfortunately, I had a very difficult time connecting with the character of Claudine. I couldn't relate to her fixation on losing her virginity, the way she expressed her anger, or many of the choices she made. I also had a hard time connecting to Miah. He didn't seem very likeable in the beginning.

I found myself skimming parts of the story to move through it faster, and I see at the end of the story what themes Niven was trying to convey about love and possibility. It just didn't resonate with me, and I'm going to chalk that up to being an adult woman and not a teen.

Overall, I would recommend this book to OLDER teens and fans of Niven. There is quite a bit of graphic sexual content and descriptions for a YA book, so I wouldn't recommend it for anyone not in high school or older.

...ready for our next adventure.
What! Where are the words, the text. Oh that is the end. Yet the story of Claude and Miah ended perfectly, until you write your own next chapter, or maybe you choose to savour the summer they spent together on the quiet island located off the tip of Georgia.

Claudine Henry’s life is really good, in fact, she belongs to a family that is a perfect unit of three, or maybe five if you include Bradbury and Dandelion. Claude is on the verge of her high school graduation, when her dad comes uncharacteristically into her room to tell her that he and her mom are splitting up. She’s already filled with uncertainty of what life holds after graduation. Will she and her best friend, Saz, stay connected after school ends? Will she lose her virginity? Can she actually become the writer she wants to be? And now the floor feels like it’s been pulled out from under her, even more so when her mother whisks her to a remote island off Georgia’s coast. Now Claude feels she is exiled as they are now cut off from civilization and normal communication like WiFi and cell phone service or phone service at all!

On the slow and quiet island, Claude tries to imagine being brave, even as she begins a potentially risky and exciting relationship with handsome, nature-loving Jeremiah, called “Miah.”

The story begins slowly, and Claude’s torrent of emotions... wanting and not wanting Miah, hating and not hating her father, loving and resenting her mother and best friend are all very real emotions for anyone, yet alone a teen uprooted from everything familiar.

The author intimately and sensually depicts Claude’s determination to know herself and her body, and to genuinely connect with Miah and all those new and uncertain feelings teens face as they explore and come of age.

Jennifer Niven says she has written the book she wished she had available to read when she was in experiencing the teen years.

This is for a more mature reader as it is a frank story of love, sex, divorce, and finding ones own self.
Ages 14–up.

Nivens' memoir reads like pages out of a teenage girl's diary. Heck, it could have been mine (flirting, studious kid, parents unexpectedly divorcing, though I got a lot less action since I grew up in the Bible Belt and had the fear of God in me to keep me from going too far).
Is this something for the masses, for the teens in my high school library? I am not sure. In the end, I wonder what I want them to take away from it all. Sometimes it is good to have relatable content in the throws of adolescent emotion and sometimes it means more upon reflection.
Jury is still out for me on this one.

Wow. I was so nervous for this book. I'll admit it. I read, loved, and was obsessed with Jennifer Niven's previous YA books, but when I heard this summary pitched, I sighed and went "Not another NA dressed as a YA" (that's new adult so like after high school/college age, a genre that never took off in the industry).

But I was wrong, as I am so often (ha!) and I should not have been surprised when I fell in love with Claudine (Claude) and her voice. Niven has a way with writing characters that feel like real people; they leap off the page and into the room with you. Claude's story is moving and realistic. She is a high school senior about to graduate when her parents "make the floor underneath her disappear" (as she might say). They're getting divorced and the road trip she planned with her BFF isn't happening anymore. Instead, she and her mother go to an island off the coast of Georgia and figure out what to do next. Almost akin to a Sarah Dessen book, Niven's story explores who you are when you thought you had everything planned out and everything was safe, a vivid setting (mosquitos, ow!) and of course a romance. I loved that the girls in this book thought about sex, dreamt about it, laughed about it, felt a little sad when their friends had sex and didn't tell them, etc. That felt so real to me. Sex is something rarely talked about for very long in YA novels and Jennifer Niven's third book is a much needed one in that direction. In addition, the added family/friend/romance drama felt real, and it should be -- Jennifer has a note in the beginning of the ARC that says this is her most personal book yet. :)

I look forward to giving this to teens in the fall!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC e-book. I have not been compensated for my opinion and this is an honest review.

4 solid stars.

Jennifer Niven is one of my favorite YA authors. Niven's raw honesty does not sugar-coat being a teen nor does she shy away from tough topics. As a librarian, I appreciate being able to recommend her books... and truly
I wish they had been so readily available when I was young!

I have mixed emotions about this book.

The story was amazing. I loved everything about it. When the main character's life falls apart when her dad decides he doesn't want a family anymore, the mother and daughter duo take a summer trip to an island where their family once lived. Its a coming of age story that fills the heart and makes you cry.

For me, it was the main character that brought the story down. She felt selfish and distant. Her emotions didn't really match with the situation that she was in. All she wanted to do was have sex and think about sex. Do 18 year old girls really think about sex this much? If she didn't refer to sex as much and actually dealt with her emotions by the end of the story, I might have been able to give this book a higher rating.

My review will go live on the Book Confessions blog on 9-22-20.

Claude is dealing with what many high school kids deal with: trying to figure out where she fits and how to fit in, trying to do what others expect, and trying to understand her parents. Claude is ready to start the next stage of her life after high school until her parents pull the floor out from under her and tell her they are separating. Claude goes with her mother to her mom's childhood home to try and become grounded after this news. While there, she grapples with her virginity and that all-encompassing young first love that all of us have been through. The book truly captures what it feels like to be a teenager who has fallen in love for the first time while dealing with family difficulties.

Everyone remembers their first time having sex. What this book does is tells teens how your virginity doesn’t have to be this thing you lose or is taken away. But it also tells students how important it is that you decide when you’re ready. Claude is off to an island away from her best friend after her parents decide to divorce. This rocks her world and is ready to hate everything until she meets Jeremiah Crew a previously troubled teen saved by the island. Their story together focuses on the themes of not only young love, but also the heartbreak of relationships.

I love Jennifer Niven, so reading her writing is always enjoyable, but this certainly doesn't measure up against her other books. I'm sure I won't remember this book except that it was a good summer-vibes book. Summer romance, great island atmosphere. Beyond that, meh. I thought there would be a huge secret that made her parents decide to whisk her off to a remote island as they announced their divorce one week before her graduation. What would have been the harm in letting her go on the road trip with Saz? Of course the island has absolutely no wifi except at the general store, so that means Claudine needs to deal with everything without speaking to her friends back home and her father who she's angry with. Hardly any social media, very retro summer feel. Overall, I thought there'd be more. More about the divorce, more about the family history on the island, more self-discovery. It wasn't mind-blowing, but it was a reminder of what it was like to be in love with a summer boy when you were eighteen.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Publishing for an advance review copy.

Wow this book was not the typical young adult book romance that I expected. My students all love Jennifer’s books so I was excited to read this story as well. I do feel as though this is geared towards an older young adult coming of age story.

The storyline is something I feel many young adults will be able to relate to. Claude was relatable in so many ways and the depth of her characterization was unlike that I have read in a young adult book in a long time.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found myself rooting (other times breathless) for Claude. It really covered finding oneself, loss and love in a spectacular way.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for this advanced read. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and will definitely be buying a copy for my classroom.

I requested a copy of Breathless from NetGalley because Jennifer Niven's other YA books have been so popular with the students in my high school library. All the Bright Places is a powerful story that needs to be shared, and Holding Up the Universe highlights the importance of being yourself and loving people for who they are. I had high hopes for Breathless after loving those two books.

The story was sad and sweet and authentic, and I enjoyed reading it. The audience for this book is definitely the older-YA/new-adult range, and it's a coming-of-age transition that many readers will identify with easily. This novel may not end up being a widely-appealing top pick like Holding Up the Universe or All the Bright Places, but it will reach deep inside readers and give them plenty of feelings.

The summer after graduation is forever stamped as the summer that defined adolescence. Caught between worlds: one known & one brimming with infinite possibility, it’s... well, it’s this book. There are some authors who always get credit for writing YA summer fiction & I love them for what they write. But this one? Man, it eclipses those by leaps & bounds. The authenticity comes in the subtleties & their subtlety is enough to have the impact of huge dramatic shifts.

All fangirling (or fan-old-ladying) aside, the first few chapters felt a little... off? But it’s worth pressing on to know what awaits.

Finally, I’m protective of sea island depictions. Too often people visit the lowcountry of SC or GA & feel like they know a place intimately because they went on a “retreat.” This book feels like lightning bugs, live oaks, & noseeums have all settled in alongside you as you’re reading.

I love this book on so many levels! It is honest about female sexuality. It deals with love, loss, and the reality that all to often the two are intertwined. And, the references to her midwestern home are so real that I feel less like I'm reading a novel and more like I'm sitting down to chat with a dear friend.

This novel is different from anything else that Niven has written. The lines blur between Claude's fictional present and Niven's real past. Still it is this blurring that makes the story even more endearing. Claude struggles to understand love once "the floor disappears" beneath her. She questions all the love in her life - from her parents, to her best friend, and even her romantic relationships. It is only when she is able to understand the complexities of her relationship with Jeremiah that she begins to understand the complexities of love in all of her relationships, none of which are perfect.

I love this book. I read it in one sitting and can't wait to read it again. I've been waiting for a new book from Jennifer Niven and this book doesn't disappoint!

Breathless was something a bit unexpected for me. As a young adult book, I didn’t anticipate it going in some of the directions it did. For example, sex and the concept of virginity act as the novel’s primary topics, with the main character, Claude, approaching such subjects with unflinching honesty. Throughout the story, readers see her outlining expectations and struggles concerning sex in clear and vivid detail, outright describing her experiences in all their awkwardness. It was slightly shocking at first, as I’m not used to such honesty in a YA novel, but I found myself grateful a story such as this was hitting the YA scene. The subject matter and its handling, plus the many other heavy topics that come up in this story, are not what I would considered standard for the genre, despite them being such important realities teenagers face today. Typically, YA takes a “clean” approach to fiction that either over-romanticizes these experiences or forgets them completely. In contrast, Niven grounds them firmly in reality that teenagers today will be able to recognize. While unexpected, it’s definitely something that needs to be put out there for growing readers. Paired with the beautiful and vivid setting, this story is definitely one that will keep them thinking long after they finish the last page.

4 stars

This book really surprised me in a good way. From its cover and description, I wasn't expecting much beyond a typical YA summer romance. While there are elements of that here, this goes deeper and includes some powerful messaging.

Throughout the novel, Claude, the main character, is in all kinds of turmoil relating to unexpected changes in her life. Claude finds herself on an island with her mom for a solid month of the summer, and that's where she meets this boy - Miah - who is...exactly what you expect: troubled but somehow sensitive and unavailable and also somehow available for Claude?. You know the guy. What's interesting about their relationship is not so much the romance: it's that Claude is still struggling with all of those unknowns AND now this relationship, too. Miah is a periodic distraction from other major issues, but (1) he also makes more drama and (2) those issues don't magically disappear.

What I enjoyed most about this novel is Claude's character. She's perfectly on the cusp of YA and new adult. All of those pivotal moments and questions loom, and her central focus never REALLY wavers: herself. She wants to know herself and experience life, and I love that this commitment does not disappear under the weight of her current challenges. The love story is also sweet without being gross-out nonsense, and the ways in which this novel ends really contribute to how well this plot works. Extra points for well handled demonstrations of consent and condoms. Claude is also believable for her age. She has mature breakthroughs but also a lot of immature responses. She is - in short - well drawn.

I did want to see some added fleshing out of the ancillary characters and - when appropriate - their relationships to each other and especially to/with Claude. Claude collects ghost stories, and at times, I felt that some of the characters dipped into that ghostly territory (like oh yeah. I remember you. What's up with you from 100 pages ago, anyway?). More insight into those characters/relationships could have made Claude even more complex and intriguing.

Overall, this one was a pleasant surprise for me.

THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING! With that all in caps you are probably wondering why I gave it 4/5 stars but keep on reading to find out. This is about 18 years old, Claude, whose parents divorced and her mom takes the two of them to a remote island for summer break where she meets a guy named Jeremiah Crew. She tries to make sure she doesn't fall in love so her heart doesn't shatter again and to write her story. I haven't read any of the other Jennifer Niven's books but this book was really emotional and actually made me cry. I loved the writing of this book and the setting. The way the author described the remote island sounded wonderful but also horrible because there weren't any wifi and there were many mosquitos. This book was something I have never read before and loved it for so many reasons.

I enjoyed the characters in this book, Claude and Miah. We learn about how Claude struggles with her parent's divorce, losing her friends, feeling lost, and her heart. I loved Claude's and Miah's relationship because they understood each other even though they knew they only have a couple of weeks together until their summer vacation ends. But the romance throughout this book just pulled so many emotions out of me that I didn't even know would be possible. Not only was there romance but also friendship. Claude and her long time best friend, Saz, hurt each other's feelings when Claude left with her mom to the island. There wasn't much developing with it but there was a small amount. It was wonderful seeing Miah and Claude both develop throughout the story and letting go of their past.

I did have some problems with it. Some small bits were that I wish there was a huge development with Claude and Saz's relationship. The main problem was the ending. START SPOIL LOOK AWAY* {I don't know why the author ended the character's relationship like that. I think they should have had some connection afterword or at least an epilogue that they meet again. I cried because of the ending being ended like that because they went through so much and they deserved each other.} END OF SPOILER* I cried about the ending but you will never know until you read the book and know why I had a problem with the ending. It was such a good book and I'm for sure buying the final copy.

Mini-blog tour coming on Thindbooks Blog (www.thindbooks.blogspot.com) from September 28-August 2!

Breathless was a book that grew on me as I read it. I think that a lot of young adults will be able to relate to this book and the experiences Claudine faces including family drama and entry into womanhood. The island is a perfect setting for a summer filled with such discoveries and a place where Claudine can recover. I loved the character of Claudine's love interest, Miah, who is a boy that understands and helps her feel alive. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited to read this book after reading All the Bright Places, which was a very popular read in my HS library. But honestly, it really didn't live up to my expectations. I felt like the story went on much too long, and the main character just kept going on and on about how terrible everything was. Well, until she fell in love and then she alternated between talking about her massive depression over her parents' divorce and sex. A LOT of sex. And that is really the reason why I won't be purchasing this book for my library. While I did think that Claude was overly dramatic about the divorce, I can remember being 18 and thinking that no one understood my inner turmoil! I have students who would relate to those thoughts, for sure. But the amount of sex happening (and the descriptions) is just too much for me to feel comfortable putting it in my library. I'm not averse to purchasing books that include sex, but I'm imagining the parent phone calls I would get from Breathless and I think I'll be giving this title a pass.

Breathless is a YA book that teens need to read. Claude just graduated high school and quickly learns that life throws curveballs when they are least expected. Her parents separation leads her to question what she understands and knows about love as she struggles with her virginity, friendships and impending adulthood.