Unputdownable! A sizzling, emotional rollercoaster.
"Steal My Breath Away" by Sarah Castille is everything I crave in a romance: Fierce chemistry, raw emotion, and characters that leap off the page. From the very first chapter, the tension crackles between the leads- Intense, electric, and completely addictive.
Castille masterfully balances heat and heart, delivering a story that's as sexy as it is soul-deep. The emotional stakes are high, the character growth is satisfying, and the writing is tight, vivid, and totally immersive. I laughed, I cried, and I swooned hard.
If you love romances with edge, depth, and unforgettable passion, this one will absolutely steal your breath away.

I really enjoyed this book. I always love the childhood crush trope. The main characters were both likeable and relatable. They both suffered through loss and tragedies. The story line was good along with the attraction between the two. I felt like the mother was a little cold and would have liked to have seen her a little warmer since the father was such a loveable man. I guess they do say that opposites attract. Thank you for allowing me to read.

I really enjoyed this one! It was an emotional roller-coaster. I love the way Haley and Ace were reunited. I enjoyed the dual timeline. I just kept turning the pages to find out more!

STEAL MY BREATH AWAY is the second instalment in Sarah Castille’s contemporary, adult, HAVENCREST U erotic, romance series. This is twenty-four year old, former US Air Force pilot turn security specialist Ace Murphy, and twenty-one year old, college student/ singer/ radio DJ Haley Chapman’s story line. STEAL MY BREAK AWAY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary


Told from dual first person perspectives (Haley and Ace) using present day and memories from the past, STEAL MY BREATH AWAY follows in the wake of an attempted abduction of our Haley Chapman. Haley’s mother is running for state senator, and the fall out is affecting our story line heroine. In an effort to protect her daughter , Haley’s mother hires Ace Murphy, the young man who was once her son Matt’s best friend, a young man with a lifetime of guilt who sees Haley as more than an assignment.


The world building focuses on the past and the present. Ace’s struggle with what was and what will never be, and Haley’s need to be independent in the face of the danger threatening her life. From college campus to cafes and nightclubs, Haley is determined to not let anything upset her normal routine, often in the face of threats against her life. TSTL, her need to defy Ace Murphy finds Haley a target, a victim, and a survivor all at the same time.


The relationship between Haley and Ace is a best friend’s younger sister relationship but years earlier, just days before Ace and Matt deployed, Haley was humiliated by the young man who starred in all of her fantasies and dreams, and in the ensuing time, Haley struggled to forgive the man she had always loved. Ace believes he is unworthy of his best friend’s sister, and in this, the push and pull of their relationship often forces Ace to run when his heart gets involved. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.


There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters from both the past and the present. We are introduced to Haley’s best friend Paige as well as her parents; personal security guard Maverick; several co-workers, and fellow students at the local college radio station.


STEAL MY BREATH AWAY is a story of second chances; of heart break and grief; family and friendships, relationships and love. The premise is emotional and captivating; the romance is seductive ; the characters are energetic and determined .





THE READING CAFE: https://www.thereadingcafe.com/steal-my-breath-away-havencrest-u-1-by-sarah-castille-review/



GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7256645577



BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2835035070



B&N (Sandy_thereadingcafe) https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/steal-my-breath-away-sarah-castille/1146167581?ean=9781250289926&bvnotificationId=bb4c0333-546b-11f0-a29f-12b515146b19&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=hotmail.com#review/350682808


GOOGLE PLAY (Sandy Sch) posted

I love a second chance romance and Hayley and Ace were the perfect couple for this. I love the journey they go through to get their happily ever after. It’s a sweet romance with some drama mixed in.

In Steal My Breath Away, Sarah Castille delivers an intense mix of romance and suspense. Haley is a tough, independent woman with a painful past, and Ace is her brother’s best friend tasked to be her bodyguard. When their worlds collide, sparks fly—both romantically and dangerously when Haley is targeted for kidnapping due to her father’s political ties.

Castille’s strength lies in creating sizzling chemistry between her leads, with Haley and Ace’s emotional journey keeping you hooked. The action is fast-paced, and while some plot twists are predictable, the gripping romance and suspense more than make up for it.

If you love steamy, heart-pounding romantic suspense, this one’s for you!

Steal My Breath Away by Sarah Castille was so intriguing!
This book grabbed me from the first paragraph and I couldn't put it
This was such a lovely, heartwarming read.
Such a devourable story! This book was exactly what I wanted and needed.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my goodness. This bodyguard romance had me hooked from the start!! It's a romance but more.....emotional, with some mystery, second chances, great secondary characters, off the charts chemistry, and a pace that will keep you reading through the night.

Recommended!

This story was a sweet second chance romance with some danger thrown in.

Haley has know Ace since she was a preteen. He came home with her brother one day and he became a part of the family. There has always been a connection between them from the start. Ace had a rough child hood and when he was sent to live with his grandmother that is when he met Haley & her brother Matt. Their parents treated him like one of their own.

Both Haley and Ace had trauma in their lives and end up getting separated until one day there is danger and Haley’s mom who is a senator hires Ace as a bodyguard to watch over Haley. They did not leave off on a good foot so there is a lot of animosity between the two.

I really enjoyed the growth of the characters and the slow burn. There was some questions at the end. I don’t feel like the danger part was completely wrapped up. But overall I enjoyed the story. 3.5 ⭐️ and 3 🌶️

An emotional brother's best friend, second chance romance. What more could you ask for? I enjoyed this for the most part. I did predict some of it. But, all together, I still enjoyed myself while reading this.

Where do I even begin…. I laughed, I cried, I kicked my feet - “Steal My Breath Away” needs to be your next read. Enemies to lovers, brother’s best friend, bodyguard romance, second chances AND a story of loss, family (both chosen and biological), healing, redemption, forgiveness, and love? What more could you ask for 🥹 I absolutely fell in love with Haley and Ace. Their vulnerability and care for each other will stay with me forever. This book will stay with me forever. Thank you @sarahcastilleauthor for capturing the true essence of the human experience. We are complicated, messy beings worthy of love. This book demonstrates this beautifully. 💕

Disclosure: I received this free book from Bramble Romance. All thoughts and reviews are my own.

5/5 ⭐️
3/5🌶️
😭😭😭😭

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

💙 Ace: “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Haley. It was the last thing I ever wanted to do, and it made me feel even less worthy of you.”
🩷Haley: “I’m going to hold you now. You don’t have to look at me, but don’t stop. I’m not going anywhere.”

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Thank you Sarah and Hambright and Netgalley for this arc and man it did NOT disappoint. 😭👏🏼

This book had me in my feels the entire time reading. Ace and Haley will forever live in my soul. I laughed and I sobbed late into the night and didn’t sleep for thinking about these two. 💕

This review is long, so bear with me. 😅

Their relationship was highly complicated for numerous reasons. This story felt so real and so raw and all the things that they both had to overcome were numerous. Ace was born into an addicted family and was told all of his life that he will never amount to anything. He never had anyone really truly love him until Sarah’s family took him under his wing.

Then Sarah’s dad died. He stepped up and was her rock and her protector along with her brother. Relationship between the two? could never happen, because bro code. Then Ace and Matt went to AirForce, Matt died in a plane crash, ace blamed himself and distanced himself completely from Haley and went to work for private security.

Haley was hardened by grief so much she never let anyone in. Until her mom (a senator) hired Ace to be her bodyguard after some threats on her life. Their relationship was messy with broken boundaries and lots of hurt. ❤️‍🩹

The tension, the spice, the love, the hate, all the emotions wrapped up this book in the most heartwarming and bittersweet story I’ve read in a long while. 😭

💕I 100% recommend this book for those of you who love military heroes, music, childhood best friends to strangers to lovers. There’s sad, humor, grief, suspense, spice, and a beautiful slow burn for the ages.💕

This story was so beautifully written. This is a bodyguard romance that is forbidden. The characters have a shared past and a lot of emotional trauma the flashbacks and dual POVs made it all hit even harder. There’s strong mental health and trauma representation, and I really loved how the author showed the importance of healing before love. Highly recommend!

I got this as an ARC but also listened to this audiobook as well! I absolutely ate up this audiobook. It touched on grief and loss but also was fun and romantic and flirty and spicy. I don't normally like a timeline back and forth but this one was actually pretty good! At one point the pacing of the "current day" felt off, it felt a little rushed but only in the middle of the book. The plot was fun but it didnt really give "bodyguard" that much, they spent more time flirting/f*cking then he did protecting her lol but I'm not mad! But again the narrators made this one so fun and I enjoyed it, 3.5 stars.

Thank you Hambright PR for this one in exchange for an honest review.

Follows Haley who is the daughter of a politician and her mother hires her dead brother's best friend to be her bodyguard after someone tried to take her. They both always had a thing for each other, she didn't know about him but he always felt like he was not good enough for her and that it would be a betrayal to her brother. He works with some of her friends at collage to figure out who is the threat to Haley.
Pretty much what you expect from a brother's best friend/bodyguard romance

teal My Breath Away by Sarah Castille just served up everything I didn't know I needed on a silver platter, and honestly? I'm still recovering.

Picture this: You're living your best indie singer life, busking on street corners and hosting university radio shows, when BAM—someone tries to kidnap you. Plot twist? Your mom's a senator with a target on her back, and suddenly your childhood crush (who also happens to be your dead brother's best friend) shows up as your personal bodyguard. If that doesn't scream "emotional chaos incoming," I don't know what does.

Haley Chapman had me from page one. This girl's got pipes, dreams, and enough stubborn streak to make you want to shake her AND root for her simultaneously. She's not your typical damsel in distress—she's got agency, talent, and a whole lot of unresolved feelings about Ace Murphy. Speaking of Ace... fans self dramatically... this man carries guilt like it's a designer handbag, and his protective instincts are both swoon-worthy and infuriating.

The connection to Book #1 through the university radio station was chef's kiss—seeing familiar faces and names like Noah, Dante, and Skye woven into Haley's story felt like catching up with old friends. But Sarah Castille doesn't just rely on nostalgia; she builds something entirely fresh here.

Now, let's be real—if you've seen Chasing Liberty or read literally any bodyguard romance, you know the drill. Forbidden attraction? Check. Dangerous situations bringing them closer? Double check. Internal angst about crossing professional lines? Triple check with a side of family trauma. But here's the thing: sometimes the familiar formula works because it hits different when done right.

The music element absolutely stole the show for me. Haley's passion bleeds through every page, and I found myself actually looking up songs mentioned in the book (yes, I made a playlist—judge me). The way Sarah Castille weaves music into the emotional beats of the story? Chef's kiss again.

The suspense subplot kept me guessing without overshadowing the romance, and the family dynamics—especially with Senator Chapman—added layers that elevated this beyond your standard bodyguard fare. Plus, that brother's-best-friend angle? Pure emotional torture in the best possible way.

Bottom line: If you're craving new adult romance with actual substance, musical soul, and enough sexual tension to power a small city, Steal My Breath Away delivers. Fair warning though—you might find yourself humming imaginary melodies and questioning why your own love life lacks this much dramatic flair.

Brother's best friend, Bodyguard, Fake Dating - all in one, and it's a dream come true
I was so excited to have all of these tropes combined this book and loved seeing it played out!
Our FMC, Haley gets a failed attempt at kidnapping due to her mother’s political career and gets a hired body guard for protection. Haley’s, brother's best friend, Ace, is assigned to protect her, with a severe case of survivor's guilt, and both have had huge crushes on each other growing up. When he poses as her boyfriend to fit in on her college campus, the two experience the very real heavy feelings that started years ago as pre-teens.

Love the flashbacks scenes and the dual POV to see the depth of their relationship.

You could feel Ace and Hayley’s bond, their connection so strong, with complications from grief over a tragedy, and a desire to test the boundaries of safety and freedom.There is a LOT of back and forth for their relationship, And this gets VERY spicy when they throw all caution to the wind and hook up every few chapters 🥵

I absolutely loved this. I loved seeing the growth that Haley goes through. They both l go through some real raw emotions and I enjoyed reading them over come everything. I love the music aspect to this story and relate as I love singing and playing the piano and how relatable these characters are. This story was written so beautifully and I 1000% recommend it to romance lovers.
Thanks so much for having me on the team!

Tropes:
✧Bodyguard
✧Dealing with loss of a loved one
✧College romance
✧Second chance
✧Brother's best friend
✧Forbidden
✧Forced proximity
✧Woman in danger
✧Military hero
✧Enemies to lovers
⚠️
Loss of family members (in past, but a crucial part of the story)
Grief processing
Kidnapping attempt
recklessness
Survivor's guilt / blame

“Some things just hurt too much to feel.”

“I have a zero tolerance for risk when it comes to you.”

"Am I your girl?”
“You’ve always been my girl, Haley.”

Yeah, Haley's always been Ace's, even when they were apart trying to forget each other. The childhood to lovers Steal My Breath Away, by steamy emotional romance author Sarah Castille, is a protective bodyguard romance that will leave you breathless.

When Haley is almost kidnapped after a singing gig, her mother, the senator, trusts only one man to protect her, former air force pilot, now security expert Ace. A man who was her son's best friend and a second son to her.

The last person Haley needs in her life is Ace. Her girlhood crush, her first kiss, her first heartbreak. After her father died she thought they became closer but then her brother died in the military and after the funeral Ace was just gone and she became "...an expert at brushing traumatic events under the carpet."

Now he's living in her college house with her friends, pretending to be her boyfriend, watching her sing and she's never wanted him more. As for Ace, well, she's always been his girl.

I fell in love with Anthony Palmini as a young Ace looking to belong, to have a family and finding it with Haley's family, then believing it was all lost. But let's be real, strong in charge Ace, well he can steal your breath away.

Then there's Samantha Brentmoor whose performance gives Hayley not just her fierceness but her fragility when those feelings of always being left behind resurface.

It's combustible when Hayley and Ace are together. There's danger, intrigue, spicy getaways, and moments that will steal your breath, and heart, away.

I received free copies of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have never read this author before but the cover and synopsis intrigued me and I am glad I did. This is a college/bodyguard romance and a second chance (kinda) romance. I thought the book was engaging from the start especially because the incident to trigger a need for the bodyguard arose quickly and was always there as a mystery aside the romance. I thought the dual POV helped with the chemistry of the romance to see where both were coming from and I like that the author incorporated flashbacks as well. This is a stand alone in a series and other than a few references to characters, I wouldn't have been able to tell. Now I gotta go read book 1!

3⭐️
(ARC review) — Thank you to author Sarah Castille, her publisher Bramble and Hambright. I received an Advanced Reader Copy for the June 2025 release of STEAL MY BREATH AWAY in exchange for my honest review.

🎀 Second Chance
🎀 Forced Proximity
🎀 Fake Dating
🎀 Brothers Best friend
🎀 Romantic Suspense
🎀 Bodyguard vibes

Slow paced, undeniable attraction, Chicago setting, dual narration, senators daughter protection sets the scene. Reminded me of the First Daughter movie with Katie Holmes and Michael Keaton. This had a bit of a YA feel, for sure.

The book was an easy read but I didn’t connect with the characters, felt like not a lot happened and a surface level plot. I was hoping for more… that said it there was still a lot of drama and trauma to keep you occupied.

It was still a fun, quick read. Just needed more banter, spark lead up, and emotional attachment so you could connect more with the characters and be invested. It’s a romantic suspense that needed a bit more emphasis on the suspense…