Breathe

Written by Abbi Glines

Narrated by Kirby Heyborne and Shayna Thibodeaux

In the shore town of Sea Breeze, Sadie discovers that fame is nothing in the face of passion. A steamy read from bestselling author Abbi Glines.

Sadie White’s summer job is at the beach, but she won’t be working as a lifeguard. Since her mom is pregnant and refuses to work, Sadie will be taking over as a domestic servant for a wealthy family on a nearby island.

When the family arrives at their summer getaway, Sadie is surprised to learn that the owner of the house is Jax Stone, one of the hottest teen rockers in the world. If Sadie were normal—if she hadn’t spent her life raising her mother and taking care of the house—maybe she’d be excited about working for a rock star. But she’s not.

Even though Sadie isn’t impressed by Jax’s fame, he is drawn to her. Everything about Sadie fascinates Jax, but he fights his attraction: Relationships never work in his world, and as badly as he wants Sadie, he believes she deserves more. Yet as the summer stretches on, Jax’s passion leaves him breathless—and Sadie feels like the only source of oxygen.

Can their love overcome the disparity in their lifestyles? One breath at a time, they’re going to find out…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Jun 4, 2013
• ISBN: 9781442363960

Abbi Glines

Abbi Glines is the bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, and Existence series. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British, but, alas, being born in Alabama, her life in New England is as close as she will get. When asked how many books she's written, she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she's reading or watching Netflix like the introvert she is.

Reviews for Breathe

[andreat78_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It’s not often that I read a young adult novel that doesn’t have a single paranormal element. Much of the time, I need that little “something extra” to hold my attention. That was SO not the case with Breathe. Author Abbi Glines has written a beautiful, emotionally charged book about falling in love for the first time.In Breathe, I found characters that were easy to love, and root for. Main character, Sadie, is a girl who has lived a hard life. Practically raising her own mother, working to provide for them, and all the other responsibility forced onto her has left no room for friendship, or love, in her life. Sadie manages to be vulnerable at moments, but never pitiful. Jax Stone, the world’s heartthrob, tries to unwind from his hectic life by spending summers incognito, in coastal Alabama. And guess what, he is a nice guy! No games, no secrets and lies. So nice to read about a great, up-front guy. Jax is charming, but never smarmy. He’s kind to the people who work for him, taking an interest in them and their lives. Not what Sadie expected from a world-famous star. The secondary characters were as easy to embrace as Jax and Sadie. They all managed to partake in the story in a meaningful way, not just space-fillers. Breath was such an easy book to get sucked into. The atmosphere is so richly described, I felt as if I were a part of the scenes. The way coastal Alabama is portrayed, the sand and surf, blazing sunsets, the sweet tea always at the ready, makes me even more excited that I’m going to actually be where the book is set, very soon. So, here’s what I LOVED about Breathe. This book managed to put my heart through an emotional wringer. By the end I felt as if my heart had been lifted up, then yanked back down to Earth, twisted up like a sponge, then stomped on. And just maybe, lifted back up. I loved every breath-stealing second of it. This book made me feel so much. I was reminded of what it felt like to be a young girl falling in love for the very first time. Breathe made me smile wistfully, cry at the poignance, tear up with the emotional pain, and laugh with relief. I went through a gamut of emotions in the few hours it took me to read this book. It only took a few hours because I could not put this book down. I think Breathe, while it is perfect to read anytime, is an ideal summer read. So if, like me, you’re headed to the beach soon, get this lovely book to read while enjoying the ocean. I think I just may have to re-read this when I head to coastal Alabama…*I received this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review.*

[breereads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

More at theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.comWhere to begin? I'm not exactly sure how I felt about this book. I laughed; I cried; I winced; I felt all kinds of emotions while reading, which makes this book extremely hard to review.Sadie lives with her single mom. When her mom's pregnancy symptoms prevent her from being able to go to work, Sadie takes over for her. She never knew her mother worked for Jax Stone, the famous teenage rockstar. Though they try to fight their attraction at first, the two are drawn to each other. But when the publicity that comes with being a teenage heart throb tries to tear them apart, they have to decide whether what they have is worth the fight, and if they can bear living without their 'air.'My favorite character by far was Marcus. He was kind, caring, and understanding, and totally swoon worthy. I liked that he wasn't perfect - he had his awesome points, then he had those flaws to his character that made him seem all the more real. I think that was the problem with Sadie and Jax - they didn't feel as real. Sadie was sweet, and we were told that she was pretty, but I had a hard time believing she could be so sweet and... perfect. Aside from her family's financial issues, she had almost no flaws at all, which seemed a little strange. And Jax, though sweet, had hardly any flaws to his character either. He was sweet and kind - the perfect crush and the stereotypical rockstar.I can admit that I cried at the end. Sadie's heartbreak was vividly written, and it felt so real. *sniffle* I smiled at the HEA ending though, which made up for all the tears. The author captured a teenager's life almost perfectly, and you have to give her that.It did explore some darker topics like family and money problems, but for the most part, it was a 'fluffy' read, and very enjoyable. Contemporary romance fans would definitely find this very entertaining, and it's highly recommended.

[saders18 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jax Stone is a young rock star and Sadie White is working for him this summer in place of her pregnant dead beat mom. They never should have fallen in love, that was clear from the beginning, Sadie has to time or room in her life for love, and Jax knows his life style and who he is will destroy Sadie. I feel like Sadie carries the weight of her world on her shoulders and feels the need to take care of her mother seeing as her mother isn't taking care of her. When she first starts working at Jax Stone's house she meets Marcus and dangit, you're immediately drawn to him and completely fall in love with him, he's the perfect best friend to Sadie and is always there for her, unfortunately he want's more from Sadie than Sadie wants from him. Jax's life isn't as perfect as it looks from the outside, and he himself didn't even realize something was missing until Sadie walked into his kitchen. Jax is instantly drawn to Sadie and wants to know her more... only problem is he's not the only one. They find themselves falling for one another but knowing before they got into it that they could never work and they're relationship is strictly a summer fling and when summer ends they both know what must be done, but as summer approaches they both realize they're never going to be able to let one another go. “Sadie, when you smile at me it makes my heart do crazy things.” -Marcus“If hearts could shatter, mine just did.” -Sadie“He seems like a man who knows what he wants, and the problem is he wants what I wants. If it were anything or anyone else, I could stand back and let him take it, But I can't let him have you.” -Jax“I might never breathe again once he walked away from me.” -Sadie“He doesn't deserve it. he can have any girl in the world's love and he took yours. someone who deserves so much more than a summer fling” -Marcus“I want whatever part of you I can have.” -Jax“You're with me, Sadie. When you're off the clock, you're not my employee. You're my.. Air." -Jax“Don't frown beautiful, you fascinate me.” -Jax“That's okay. You an be selfish with me all you want. I'm yours.” -Jax“If you were mine, I would never let you go.” -Marcus“You're my present and my future Sadie, I will use whatever power I have to make you happy.” -Jax“No matter where I am, I will always be there when you need me.” -Jax"I swear, Sadie, if you ever scare me like that again, I'm not sure I can live through it." -Marcus"You're everything I write about in songs, but can never have." -Jax"You're ever song I have ever sung. I'll never let anything hurt you again. For the first time in my life, my dreams aren't about me. They're about you." -Jax"I'm here because the reason I get up each morning, needs me as much as I need her." -Jax"I never stood a chance. He stole your heart first." -Marcus"Just to make your eyes sparkle, I'd do anything. I could give it all up to know you were my girl. Just being with you and listening to your laugh is what makes up my other half. I was lost and cold inside when your heart called out to mine. Now I know you're the only thing that keeps me hanging on, when the rest of the world seems to come crashing down." -Jax"He stole my breathe away the moment we first spoke. He's my air." -Sadie

[ktu35114 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have decided I am another one of Abbi Gline’s biggest fans. Breathe is another awesome read by Ms Glines and it certainly is an addictive one as well. The writing style is fantastic and so easy to read that you don’t even notice how fast you’re turning the pages. Being book one in the series, it was a great introduction to all the characters, but of Sadie and Jax in particular.Sadie has had a tough life, being a teenager of a woman that doesn’t want to grow up or take responsibility for her own life or her daughter is never easy. They moved to Alabama for a fresh start and got more than they bargained for. Sadie has had to be the adult and now that her Mother is pregnant to some low life man, it is even worse. Sadie doesn’t make friends and just wants to be invisible. Her Mother is beautiful and always tells Sadie how plain she appears, but that is only because she doesn’t want to become like her Mother.Sadie was to help her Mother work over the summer, but her Mother just couldn’t be bothered. Sadie at the last minute had to rush to her Mother’s work and try to be hired as her replacement (otherwise they were in trouble). Sadie rocks up to her Mother’s workplace, an enormous mansion on the island. She is allowed entrance and talks her way in to being put on trial. Of course Sadie is a hard worker and everything goes smoothly until she finds out that family returns to the summer house and it is the infamous rock star Jax Stone. Sadie not being the typical teenage girl takes it all in her stride; she just tries to ignore the fact that she is working for the most famous teenage rock star in America. Jax on the other hand is confused why a teenage girl has been allowed to work in his residence. Usually they’re not allowed because of the fact all his groupies try to attack him. Right from the get go, Jax is attracted to Sadie. She has a beauty that is untouched and seems mature for her age. As time progresses, Jax and Sadie see each other around the estate and Jax seems to be protective of her. They both know that nothing can ever happen between them because they are from different worlds. The deal was they would hang together over the summer and then go their separate ways. But things get more serious as time goes on.Can Jax and Sadie be together forever or is it just a summer fling? How will Sadie and her Mother cope with a new baby? What about all the Hollywood photos of Jax with famous women, can Sadie overcome her jealousy?This is such an emotional rollercoaster for Sadie and you can’t help but feel for her and despise her Mother. I was in tears near the end; it was such an in-depth read and I had to grab Because Of Low straight after. It’s ready to go and hopefully I can read it next week. This is an awesome series and another great hit from Ms Glines.

[urbanfan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review copy provided bu author for an honest review.I read this book as part of a promotional book tour that begins August 2011. The description sounded appealing as a fan of contemporary romance and it came recommended from a writer that I respect their opinion and book taste. I'm glad I did decide to be on the tour as I really enjoyed this book!What I liked: The main character Jax is a teen heart throb that seems to have grounded roots but the lifestyle and fame have him wanting more personally. Enters Sadie; a down to Earth girl that has so much on her shoulders his stardom is the last thing that will turn her head. Sadie is someone who knows genuine from fake and finds the heart behind the heart throb. I related to Sadie because she reminded me very much of a girl I taught. She was very much the adult in her family. I remember a day she broke down crying to me because her mother was pregnant again and she knew she was going to be the one watching and taking of the baby when she wasn't at school. So, that piece of writing could very much be true because I have witnessed that kind of heartbreak and unfairness first hand with parents that really aren’t parents to their kids, treating them more like “help.” The young romance that blooms between Sadie and Jax is page turning and sweet. I liked the secondary characters that rally behind these main characters. The story flowed for me and I read it in one day.What I didn't like: The romance does happen quickly and to me, if realistic, would be more infatuation at the ages of the characters, but hey...this is fiction. Anything can happen in a work of fiction and it was entertaining. The only think about the actual writing that bothered me was the rare use of contractions. (ex. I am instead of I’m.) Due to this, the characters from Tennessee and Alabama read a bit stilted/proper at times. So, I just started reading things as if they were contractions and it flowed smoothly for me in my mind. That made the dialogue in those places more realistic. Reading it as it was took me out of the moment at times. I also would have liked to know what Jax’s parents, or at least mom, thought the romance.Overall: I really enjoyed this book and if contractions were the main thing for me to complain about, big deal. I thought this was a great YA contemporary romance and flew through the book to see where things led. I also like the circumstance Glines used in the end to bring about a resolution. It was interesting and definitely something to make you rethink your choices in life if this were to happen to you.Similar authors: Stephanie Perkins, Simone Elkeles, Jennifer Laurens, Jenny Han

[psteinke1122_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It’s the first day of Summer break for Sadie White. And just as she suspected her Mom, Jessica, has sucked her into working for her. Jessica is 7 months pregnant and uses that as an excuse not to work, but Sadie, being the actual adult in the equation, knows they need the money to keep a roof over their head…so off she goes.Sadie arrives at the house where her Mom is working. Reluctantly Sadie is given the opportunity to prove herself…and she does, taking over for her Mom. What Sadie doesn’t know is that the house is the summer getaway of Jax Stone, 19 year old, Rock Star. Sadie doesn’t have time for the like of Jax Stone…she’s too busy trying to raise her Mom and keep a roof over their head. Sadie’s lack of interest is what draws Jax to her. He needs to know what makes her tick. But anything that happens between them will be limited to the Summer while he is on vacation and before he has to rejoin his world tour.OK…after reading 2 Abbi Glines books, I needed a third to get me through work on Saturday and I couldn’t put this one down either. What can I say, I am a sucker for Abbi Glines!Loved Sadie! She is so down to earth. Her life has been hard and she is a little resentful, but does a good job of hiding it. She is not likely to accept help from anyone. I think she is afraid of relying on anyone because all her life she’s only had herself to rely on. And Sadie could have, so easily, abandoned her Mom but didn’t. I wanted to slap Jessica, but remembered it was a work of fiction and calmed myself down.Jax was a great guy. And a total work of Fiction…Somehow I just can’t imagine a 19 year old rock star being that easy going and romantic. All the best romance writers are women…have you noticed that? Guys, for the most part, just don’t get it. And Glines, can write romance. This particular romance didn’t progress past the kiss, but man did it massage the brain…lots of sweet nothings which all women fantasize about their significant other saying to them. Yep, I’m sure I will be reading this one many more times in the future!

[LaneMunar · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I can’t help but get annoyed at Marcus. He’s kind of self righteous and a little bit of a gossip guy. LOL He likes bringing the”bad news” without giving Jax the benefit of the doubt.

[bookwhisperer · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Sadie is young girl with a rotten life. At seventeen years old she seems to know more about life than most adults. With a mother that is neglecting and border line verbally abuse it is tragic to watch her desperately trying to make ends meet. This dives straight into a love story that will touch readers hearts. My heart poured out to this young woman as she takes the role of the parent. Sadie is not your typical girl, and very refreshing to follow through this story. With a crummy life it would be easy to see a person with so many wall; I loved how this she was so genuine that life had not left its ugly marks are her character. Innocence allows her to lead with her heart, but still a grounded individual. Some parts of this story run on a slower pace, but overall the story steadily moves along. Glines gives you a story that will satisfy the craving for a happily ever after.

[ninadangelo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've been meaning to read this for a while. I devoured the Vincent Boys and Brothers in one sitting and have the feeling I'll be doing the same with the Sea Breeze series.

Jax Stone is a rock star of maximum proportions. He can't go anywhere without being hounded by teenage girls screaming his name or wanting his attention.

Sadie White is your not-so-average 17-year-old, dealing with a pregnant mother who acts more like an adolescent than she does. When she should be spending her summer hanging out at the beach, she's instead juggling a full-time job and taking on the role of the adult in her relationship with her mother.

Working for Jax, she didn't plan on falling in love with him but when they meet, there's an instant chemistry - one they don't try very hard to fight. That's where their troubles start.

In between the press painting Jax as a teen heart-throb with girlfriends on rotation and Sadie being constantly told what she has with Jax will never last, you know something's got to give.

Jax has to decide whether Sadie is really the girl he can't live without or whether to let her go and let her live a normal life. And Sadie has to decide whether she wants to be the invisible girl forever or whether she can find a way to fit into his world. Either way, it's going to be a lot of work for both of them. The question is, is their love really worth it?

This is a really cute novel. I wasn't enthused with the whole, let's fall in love immediately but that didn't stop me from getting sucked into the storyline anyway.

Breathe is well written, enjoyable and a great YA read for anyone who is looking for a light read.

It's clear to me that Abbi Glines is becoming one of my favorite new writers. She has the talent to create characters that you can't help but fall in love with and Jax is another one of them.

If you've read this novel and you want to read more, I'm going to have to suggest The Vincent Boys, because Beau is still on my top ten of favourite male characters to read about.