Unique and engaging!

After releasing a successful debut, a novelist returns to her childhood summer haven in hopes that confronting pain from the past will cure her writer's block.

There are a number of twists in the pages. I found The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water to be heartfelt and it kept my interest from beginning to end.

Loved this verse from the author's note which ties into the novel: "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

After reading reviews on this book that piqued my interest, I was intrigued to read it. My attention was immediately captured on page one, and I stayed riveted until I tore through to the final page.

This is the kind of Christian fiction I enjoy--it has smooth writing (but not writing that "puts on airs"--it's easily understood but beautiful), a driving plotline, family relationships, and a sort of mystery to solve. There's no preaching (which I appreciate, because I can recommend it to my non-Christian friends), but the storyline itself reflects a Christian worldview, so the tone is clearly different (hopeful), even in relation to the heavier subject matter of sexual abuse.

As for trigger warnings, I think it's clear in the reviews that this book deals with childhood sexual trauma, but I didn't find it overly graphic. It was a clear-eyed view of the fallout that occurs with this type of abuse, and I appreciated the author's note at the end--that not everyone can/should confront their abuser the way the main character, Kendra, did. It's an important distinction to make, given the often unrepentant and even toxic nature of most abusers.

Each character in this novel was very well-defined and believable. I really found myself drawn to the German translator, Andreas, and the German phrases sprinkled throughout were a pleasant surprise. Kendra was a sympathetic main character as we watched her coming-of-age story unfold. And the Michigan lake culture was so clearly and descriptively drawn, I felt like I'd been there (or I'd like to visit!).

This is some of the finest writing I've come across in this genre. The author doesn't feel like she's trying too hard to write literary prose, yet many of the descriptive paragraphs are definitely poetic, but accessibly so, which, to me, is the best kind of poetry. As an author, I was reminded that we can inject truly beautiful language into our books without distracting from the story, and it challenged me to do more of that.

I was blown away by The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water, and it'll likely be one of my favorite reads of 2022. Highly recommend.

I'm not sure what I was thinking this book would be about, but it was not what it wound up being about. I hate to criticize a book about rape that was brought about by some personal experience, but I did not like how this story was handled. I thought that it tried to excuse the "villain" and I didn't get how a woman in her position would just let a strange man stay at her house after going through what she did. Also, where were the adults acting like adults? I have loved this author's other stories, but not this one.

The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water
A Novel
by Erin Bartels
Pub Date 04 Jan 2022 |
Revell
Literary Fiction | Women's Fiction



I am reviewing a copy of The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water through Revell and Netgalley:


Kendra Brennan, a novelist, moves into her grandfather's old cabin on Hidden Lake, she has a problem and a plan. Her problem An inflammatory letter from A Very Disappointed Reader. The plan? Her Plan To confront Tyler, her childhood best friend's brother--and the man who inspired the antagonist in her first book. she can prove that she told the truth about what happened during those long-ago summers, perhaps she can put the letter's claims to rest and meet the swiftly approaching deadline for her next book.


But the discoveries that come as she delves into the murky past, are not what she expected. While facing Tyler isn't easy, facing the consequences of her failed friendship with his sister, Cami, may be the hardest thing she's ever had to do.


This book takes us plumb into the depths of the human heart with this emotional exploration of how a friendship dies, how we can face the unforgivable, and how even those who have been hurt can learn to love with abandon.


I give The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Kendra Brennan, anxious and hurt, finally returns to her grandfather's lakeside cabin after years away. She plans to confront Tyler, the antagonist in her first and very success novel published about her heavy secret many summers ago. Did Tyler write the scathing letter about her book, signed only "A Very Disappointed Reader"? Did that summer long ago happen the way she remembers? Coming back to her childhood summer home was meant to help Kendra escape her writer's block by putting to rest the origin of the letter and the secret, but much more comes to the surface than she planned. As she wrestles with multiple loved one's pasts and perspectives, Kendra goes on a powerful journey that she would never have thought possible.

There are several things I loved about The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water.

First, Erin Bartel's style of writing and connecting with the reader is superb. I truly felt like I was in this story with it's flawed and relatable characters, swimming along side them and reliving their childhood memories. Bartel does a fantastic job of interweaving several character's lives from different points in time. The writing overall was excellent.

Second, I love how this story tackles the topic of sexual abuse from multiple viewpoints and shows how it effects so many people. While I have not experienced this personally, it is a raw and emotional telling of what horrible things victims endure. I especially enjoyed another vital male character that shows what a male partner should strive to be: caring, respectful, understanding, and loving while maintaining boundaries with abuse victims.

I wish there was more mention of Christ and His redemptive grace throughout the story and not just at the end note. There were many opportunities for this and I had hoped they were used more effectively. In the end, I chose to give this 4 stars because after I finishing reading, I was flooded with tons of emotions. I had to give myself a while to digest it and think upon it. It had a profound impact on me that I long for from books. It would be 5 stars if there had been more mention of Jesus throughout, especially from a Christian publisher.

I really like how this one was set up as a letter or a one sided conversation to someone who isn't there. There is just so much to unpack in this story. The relationships between the narrator and all the people in her life were rich and captivating.

Once I picked this one up, I couldn't quite put it down. It is outside of the kind of books I generally read and found it to have just a perfect tone. I found myself with narrator and at the same time trying to grasp every clue to the overall mystery.

And yet, when the mystery was "solved" there was more to uncover and more to digest. So it is with a good story and with a good mystery. There is more than can be seen on the surface.

I felt the vulnerability of Kendra as she fought her own demons that were created by a letter from a very disappointed reader. I appreciated her journey and her growth as a person and in her faith. I loved watching her relationships mature as all the secrets of the past opened up their hiding places around her.

I received a copy of this book through the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Struggling to write her second novel, Kendra Brennan returns to the place where she spent her childhood summers. The place where the events behind That Summer occurred. The place where she now looks for answers and healing.

If you are looking for a cozy, feel good story, this book is not for you. There is a certain melancholy that shrouds a large portion of the story and uncomfortable topics are discussed. About halfway through, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the book. The main character started to come across as misleading and unreliable in the story she was telling. But I kept reading. I began to realize that was kind of the point. This book is very much about self-discovery and how Kendra begins to see the gray in all the events of her past that led up to the present. How things aren’t black and white. How, as her Disappointed Reader says, “that in someone else’s story you’re the antagonist.” This is definitely a book that makes you think and reflect and, in the end, was a rather interesting story. There were twists and turns and a good deal of mystery even beyond the major event that Kendra focuses on. This book nudges us to look beyond ourselves. And while it is not a story with a perfectly happy ending, it encourages us that there is hope and healing in our journeys.

I do feel there is something missing in this story, which is why I left it at 4 stars. There were certain areas that could have used more time, in my opinion. I wanted to dive deeper into some of the secondary characters, like her mom and even Scott. I would have even liked a bit more of Tyler’s story. His perspective is dumped quite quickly in one scene, which is a large contrast to the build up of his actions in the first half of the story.

Overall, though, I think it is a well-crafted novel, especially given how many characters and stories are being woven together. The timing of revelations is key in these types of books and I believe the author accomplished that.

I am partial to fictional stories about writers and writing regardless of the genre. The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water just happened to combine (successfully) elements of some of my favorite genres - mystery, drama & romance. I am glad I picked this as my first read of 2022 because it seems my new reading year is off to a great start.

Kendra Brennan's first book was a success but her attempts at starting her second one haven't amounted to much. With a deadline for her second book looming she decides to move into her grandfather's lake cottage at Hidden Lake for the summer. Summers of her formative years were spent there. That is where she met her childhood best friend Cami. That is also the place where the events she based her first book on took the place. Now so many years later Cami is missing and returning to the lake means Kendra will have to face the ghosts of her pasts, as well as reassess her identity as a writer.

Hidden Lake came alive for me from the pages of this book. I couldn't really identify with Kendra but I found that it did not matter in the least in terms of my enjoyment of the book. I have to say my absolute favorite character was the German translator for reasons that will be obvious once you read the book.

My gratitude goes to NetGalley & Revell for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book starts with a mysterious letter sent to a young author over her first book, where the author of the letter is highly critical of the book. This author, Kendra, relives her friendship with her former best friend, Cami. This book is a very introspective book on this friendship and what exactly happened to drive the two of them apart. This book also refers to some trauma that was done to Kendra as a teenager.

I thought that this book was very good. There was so much depth and a wide variety of storylines with some good twists, such as the relationship between Kendra and Robert, why Beth was emotionally detached, Jackie, and Tyler. There was much depth into the characters, and we end up seeing characters with multidimensions. We see characters that have done some very awful things but has had some trauma done to themselves. The story does not wrap up nice and neat and there are still answered questions at the end. But oftentimes, reality is not wrapped up nice and neat.

Rating: 5 out of 5
This book was provided by Revell in exchange for a review.

I wanted to enjoy this one, but from early on something felt...off? I quickly realized it was partly me, as wasn't sure what to expect when starting this read, but more so it's the fact that it didn't really have any Christian themes at all, dispite being marketed as such. In fact, it is a very depressing read that also includes mentions of abuse, child molestation, and themes of child sex trafficking! None of which were advertised or even warned about in the blurb and nothing about how this book is marketed indicated such! All potential causes of major triggers for some readers, and should be marked and warned about, and normally would be even in secular books, but much worse in a 'Christian' genre and this one had no redemption themes, no finding or growing closer to God, no healing...and absolutely no hope. None of the things that might have made this book the least little bit 'Christian' present... Which is concerning and disappointing to say the least, as I'll now be even more weary when reading any new books Revell releases if this is the type of story they plan to push off as 'clean' Christian reads!

2 stars for feeling blindsided by the sexual abuse, rape, and traumatic elements that I wish had been disclosed even in a very vague caution to the reader. If going just on the writing itself, it's brilliant. The immense talent with words wields a lot of power--but I found it difficult to trust enough to finish the book (skipping parts because of being triggered) even though I kept hoping finding out the truth of Cami and the narrator's friendship would make it all worth it. It wasn't quite worth it.
If this book had a content alert so readers knew what they were getting into, the exquisite writing would have earned this a 5 star review without question.

Having previously read The Words Between Us, I knew I'd be reading The Girl that Could Breathe Underwater before I even looked at the synopsis. I wanted another beautifully crafted Erin Bartels story, and I was not disappointed. Through prose-like, at times nearly poetic writing, the setting of Hidden Lake, and those who choose to spend their summers living on its shoreline, came to life.

The first person we meet is Kendra, as this is her story. Or is it? She certainly thinks it is. She's come to the lake to spend the summer at her grandfather's cabin, in hopes of completing her second novel in this tranquil, almost-off-grid setting. Trouble is, she's got a writer's block going, and it's paired up with a heavy case of self-doubt, thanks to a critical letter she received from a disappointed reader. Her first book was a hit - good enough to win her a two-book contract. But can she manage a second book—on deadline—in this frame of mind?

Kendra's story is told in first person narrative. For a time I thought she was speaking directly to me, the reader. But as it turns out, she wasn't. When I recognized this narrative slight of hand, I became curious to learn more about Cami, the childhood best friend Kendra's been talking to. Ironically, one of the themes of the story is 'it's not always all about you', a lesson that comes from her best friend, Cami... who we only know through Kendra's memories.

What starts out as a cozy, comfortable read slowly moves into darker themes. Old memories are re-examined, many of them dark, twisted, hurtful. Kendra hopes that her search for the truth will free her from any misremembered memories, and as a bonus, release her from her writer's block. Readers are warned that the topics of sexual abuse and death are explored, in a style that doesn't flinch from the topic but also never hides behind shocking or foul language. In fact, the way the writing stays beautiful makes traveling through those dark places all the more powerful to my mind.

For a time, I felt the character of Andreas, a German translator who's working on the German version of Kendra's first book, to be a kindred spirit to me. Neither of us had the long history of lake life everyone else knew. He represents our 'fresh eyes' as he gets to know Kendra and the small, tightly-knit community of Hidden Lake.

That 'what happens next' sense of curiosity kept me reading in much longer bouts than usual. I finished the book in just a few sittings - well, 'curlings', actually, as this was an immersive tea-divan-afghan-cat experience. And now that I am done.. I really want to read the book by Andreas! Please, Erin Bartels, make sure he finishes writing it, bitte?

A final note: I'm confused as to why this book has been classified as Christian Fiction. I wasn't *looking* for Christian fiction so that didn't affect me directly, but I think it's going to be frustrating for any readers hoping for a faith-based story.

My thanks to author Erin Bartels, Revell, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My Thoughts:
There are SO many things to say about this gripping novel.
First of all, Bartels is a remarkable storyteller. If you haven’t given one of her novels a try, you really don’t know what you’re missing. I love the rich setting and complex characters. There’s a hint of Jaime Jo Wright’s Gothic style, and yet it’s a vastly different genre. More women’s fiction than suspense. But there are similarities between the two authors, and I do adore both.
This particular story touches on some rather tough subjects. I think she does an excellent job staying tasteful and giving you just enough to understand without going into too much detail. That being said, those who are triggered by any form of sexual abuse should be warned. Again, I want to stress that I found it tasteful and I can see where some victims will find healing or courage through this story. But others may want to pass.
While I absolutely loved the story, I have to do my audience justice and point out a couple areas that didn’t sit quite right with me. As a dry Baptist, I always find it off-putting when characters drink alcohol in a Christian novel. While these characters were never seen drunk, they did drink some form of alcohol as we Southerners drink our sweet tea: casually and all day long.
And sadly, as a Christian novel, I expected a stronger Christian witness throughout the story, but there really isn’t one at all. It was basically a clean novel but not a Christian novel. The author openly pointed to Christ in her letter to the readers at the end, but I couldn’t figure out why those same sentiments weren’t woven into the fabric of the story itself.
At the end of the day, this story is memorable and flat-out stunning. I applaud Bartels’s honest, openness in writing about a difficult subject and giving a voice and dose of courage to others still looking for their chance to heal.
Oh, and did I mention the sweet little romance tucked away inside? ;) This guy’s a keeper!

Rating and Recommendations: I’m giving The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water 5 stars.

~ I received a copy from Revell. All thoughts are my own. I was not compensated for this review or required to give a favorable one.

This was a well-written, rather slow-moving story with a heavy topic (sexual abuse) that was handled well. However, I was disappointed once again by a book from a "Christian" publisher that had almost no discernible Christian content in it (except for in the author's note at the end). I don't want books to preach at me, but if they are labeled "Christian fiction" I expect at least a little bit of faith woven into the plotline. I was disappointed; wrestling with one's faith in relation to childhood trauma would have enriched the story.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Packed with gritty topics, complex family histories and difficult choices, this tale is a page-turner. It is laced with redemptive relationships and truth bombs. Erin Bartles maneuvers flawlessly through this tale of strong relevance to readers.

I received a complimentary copy of the book without obligation. This book is my opinion.

The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water by Erin Bartels was just okay read for me. I am going to give it three stars.

I picked this book up, and read the first chapter, and then put it aside for a bit. You see, I’d read a few reviews, and knew it would be a hard book to read.
This story deals with the topic of sexual abuse, and it does in fact have some very hard things.
Once I sat down and allowed myself to become engrossed, I didn’t want to stop.
This is a very well written book. Hard, thought provoking, and so much more.
This story is being told in the first person, to “you”, whoever that is. It’s kinda like reading a diary, or a letter.
Kendra is a novelist. She’s written one successful book, and desperately needs to finish her second. However, due to a note she received from “a very disappointed reader” she is experiencing writers block, and can’t find a way to move forward.
She returns to Hidden Lake, her favorite summer childhood spot. She needs to confront Tyler, the inspiration for the antagonist in her novel.

This is one of those books that will captivate and pull you in. Hard to read because of its difficult topic, but not quickly forgotten.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Novelist Kendra Bennan’s first book That Summer, which was based on her childhood experiences at her grandfather’s cabin on Hidden Lake, was a great success. Yet, the writing for the second does not really advance. The reason is an anonymous letter she got accusing her of not having told the truth in her first novel. Yet, she did write what and how she remembered it all. She returns to the cabin in order to find the necessary calm. However, her plan does not really work, her thoughts centre around the anonymous writer and of course around her childhood friend Cami who has been missing for some time. Only Cami’s brother and their parents are there and Andreas, her German translator, who unexpectedly turned up and moves in with her. Weeks full of tension, of things unsaid that now come to the surface and change Kendra’s view on much more than just that summer.

It is the first book that I read by Erin Bartels, an award winning novelist whom, regrettably, I haven’t noticed before. “The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water” is a kind of coming-of-age story, it is a mystery and it is a reflection on the connection between fact and fiction, on how much of a writer’s experiences can be found in his writing and to what extent they are allowed to exploit their real life for their work – and the people around them who might recognise themselves or be recognised by others.

“I was lying to myself about why I decided to finally return to Hidden Lake. Which makes perfect sense in hindsight. After all, novelists are liars.”

After the disturbing letter which she simply cannot ignore, Kendra returns to the cabin where she spent her summers, the only time she was carefree. Finishing the novel that is due plays a role but much more importantly for her is finding out what happened that summer of which she has disturbing memories she hasn’t ever been able to overcome. By confronting Cami’s brother, she hopes to elucidate the events. Soon, she has to comprehend that reality is a lot more complex and people have much more complicated and contradictory feelings than she had anticipated. That a lot of secrets are also connected to that place does not make it easier to untangle it all.

“ ’Writing is about making sense of the human condition,’ he said. ‘It’s about communicating truth, which is useful and helpful to people on a far more elemental level than a lot of stuff we think of as necessary to life.’ ”

Apart from the questions of what happened that summer, of how different characters remember the events and of what has brought this strange character of the translator - of whose intentions I was suspicious all the time - to that place, the novel is strongest when it comes to the relationship between fact and fiction. I think it is quite natural that creativity avails itself of experiences, yet, to what extent should a writer actively make use of his or her real life? Changing names and places does not always alter people beyond recognition, so don’t they have the right of their own story? Slowly, this issue becomes more and more crucial to the plot.

Wonderfully written, suspenseful not to the extent of a mystery novel but surely to keep you reading, a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed, first and foremost because it made me ponder a lot even after closing it.

Oh, how I wish that I could give this book 5 stars. I will start with what I liked about this book. It was beautifully written. I found myself reading certain passages 2-3 times to fully soak in the lyrical tone.

For example: "For a moment the only sound was the swoosh and trickle of the oars dipping in and out of the water, that lovely liquid melody of all my best and worst memories."

The author is extremely talented in language and imagery and the story was definitely unique and heartbreaking all at once.

Now, on to why I couldn't give this a full 5 stars. *sigh*

1. I had to read the first page and a half almost four times to figure out who the MC, Kendra, was speaking to. It is written in first person, which I'm usually a fan of. But, it's written almost like a letter to someone. For example, it would say, "The day you cut your hair off..." instead of saying the person's name (not going to spoil it) That took a bit of getting used to and the reading didn't seem to flow because of it.

2. Although this was supposed to be a Christian book and published by a Christian publisher...there are zero faith elements in the book. I find this incredibly disappointing, especially considering the content of the book. Yes, it was a clean read (although, trigger warning, it does speak of sexual abuse and although it isn't explicit, it does give more detail than other Christian books I've read) and there was no language...but there was also nothing more than a blessing over the food and a casual mention of God.

3. There was a LOT of casual drinking in the book...and even them getting "tipsy".

4. Small spoiler: The MC is an author and is staying at her grandfather's cabin by herself to write her book. Her first book is being translated into German. She walks into her cabin to find a strange man there. He's her German translator. He stays with her for a few weeks to get the translation right...and at some point, it comes out that he paid a German publisher to translate her book and he's doing this for free. I'm sorry, but that is CREEPY. The dude read her book, saw an interview, and then dropped tons of cash to publish her book in German? And now he shows up at her cabin to spend weeks with her? Yea, that's weird.

5. This woman is always in a bikini. I know that may not annoy anyone else, but it just seemed weird how many times she talked about her bikini either in the present day or when she was speaking of her pre-teen and teenage years.

Even with all the issues, the biggest reason I couldn't give it more stars is that there was absolutely no finding redemption through God. No point where the character (or characters) found forgiveness and peace with God. If I would have picked this up randomly, I would never know that it was written by a Christian author or published through a Christian publisher. It's really disappointing that the author and publisher missed a huge opportunity to really showcase God's perfect love through this story.

**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy for my honest feedback.

Following her bestselling debut novel, Kendra Brennan, is in a writing slump. She puts it down to the receipt of an inflammatory note from "A Very Disappointed Reader". Believing she had a hunch to the identity of the note writer, Kendra decides to return to her old holiday cabin on the lake. She now owns it having inherited it from her loving grandfather who had recently passed away.

The story starts with Kendra 'thinking' in the second person to her old best friend, Cami, who she spent many wonderful summers as teenagers. However, they haven't seen each other since the last time Kendra visited the lake, eight years ago. It was an unusual method of sharing the story but I found it tremendous and worked relatively seamlessly when Kendra jumped into 1st person POV.

I was quickly engrossed by Kendra's recollections of her past summers and her relationships with the Rainier family: father Robert, mother Beth, and adopted children: Cami and Tyler. 'That Summer', her breakout smash debut story included many fictionalised elements of these summers on the lake. All the Rainiers, bar Cami, have returned for the summer. Kendra realises she must confront each of them to ascertain which one of them may be the "Disappointed Reader."

Kendra's on a tight deadline for her second novel and as she endeavours to start it along comes a stranger, Andreas, who has arrived announced to translate her debut into German. They soon develop a friendship as well as a professional connection.

This is an emotionally gripping story as Kendra confronts people and issues in her past that are terribly challenging. She discovers much about each one of her relationships with the Rainier family. Some of them indeed are quite a shock. But it's what Kendra discovers about herself which I found most stirring. Self-absorption is one of our great struggles as humans and it's in both returning to her past and drafting her second story that Kendra is able to self-discover much about herself. Further, the notion of stepping into another's shoes before casting judgement or criticism is another valuable insight for Kendra.

Kendra's fortunate to have a supportive ally in Andreas who demonstrates so many positive attributes in his gentleness and kindness while a certain naivety in the romance department.

It's a powerful story that was so pleasurable to read as Bartels deals with some tremendously important personal matters which many of us can all relate to.

Bartels characters are very beautifully crafted humans, no cardboard cutouts here. Robert and Beth's marriage, Tyler's struggles as a child, Kendra and Cami's friendship, Andreas' passion for stories and willingness to listen to someone tell theirs, are all wonderfully brought to the stage.

I loved this story for its intricacy, powerful themes, wonderful writing which kept us guessing and the cast of characters.

I fell very blessed to have received an early ebook copy of the story from Revell as party of their Readers Program via NetGalley. This has no influence over my review.