[Blog Tour] [Review] BREATH LIKE WATER by Anna Jarzab

This beautifully lyrical contemporary novel features an elite teen swimmer with Olympic dreams, plagued by injury and startled by unexpected romance, who struggles to balance training with family and having a life. For fans of Sarah Dessen, Julie Murphy and Miranda Kenneally.

Susannah Ramos has always loved the water. A swimmer whose early talent made her a world champion, Susannah was poised for greatness in a sport that demands so much of its young. But an inexplicable slowdown has put her Olympic dream in jeopardy, and Susannah is fighting to keep her career afloat when two important people enter her life: a new coach with a revolutionary training strategy, and a charming fellow swimmer named Harry Matthews.

As Susannah begins her long and painful climb back to the top, her friendship with Harry blossoms into passionate and supportive love. But Harry is facing challenges of his own, and even as their bond draws them closer together, other forces work to tear them apart. As she struggles to balance her needs with those of the people who matter most to her, Susannah will learn the cost--and the beauty--of trying to achieve something extraordinary.

Breath Like Water 

Anna Jarzab

On Sale Date: May 19, 2020

9781335050236, 133505023X

Hardcover

$18.99 USD, $23.99 CAD

Young Adult Fiction / Sports & Recreation / Water Sports

Ages 13 And Up

416 pages

BUY LINKS:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Indie Bound

Google Play

Apple Books

OUR REVIEW:

Susannah has been swimming for most of her life and finally got the world championship. Her dream to go to the Olympics is close. Or used to be until her body changed and now she keeps losing speed in the water. Maybe the whole way she views the pool needs to change as well, so she can readapt. That's when she meets Harry, the new swimmer who simply refuses to take it too seriously.

3.5 rounded up.

There was no way not to round up when this story is followed by so many details about being a swimmer on her way to the Olympic Trials. The descriptions are beautiful and during the competitions made me feel like I had to wait each second to find out who won. I'm sure writing like that took an enormous effort. 

I also liked how the relationships were built. Not only hers and Harry, but Susannah's with her family, who'd been doing everything to support her, even to face her scary trainer. The trainer who was over the top from the start but it will take our main character a lot strengthening to even see that. The friends, some more supportive, others a little mean. I feel this side of the book was very solid.

And so was the work on the characters' psyche. For those who may feel triggered, we have one character (not Susannah) diagnosed with bipolarity, and there's also a scene involving cutting. Please, refrain getting this read if you feel this will affect you. I think it was mild, definitely not just for the shock, nor for the drama, and accompanied with a lot of information, but triggers are triggers. 

My big problem with this book, though, was the romance. Harry isn't a bad boy, he's actually a good kid; he's a book boyfriend I do approve of. Nevertheless, I didn't feel the sparkles. Moreover, they get together early on, so there's something that isn't for me either. Not only I wasn't that into Harry (not his fault, though), but I'm also not that into established relationship stories.Luckily, the romance wasn't all there was to the book. 

One last issue, I found it wordy. I liked that the descriptions set a good pace during the competitions, but we had long, long paragraphs with nothing much happening all through the book too. I think editing out a bit would have made it more enjoyable. Of course, there are readers who like that kind of writing, so this could be for you if you're among them. 

In all, this wasn't that big of an innovation story-wise, but there are many other merits, especially how well built the relationships were and how much of the swimming information sound to be true. It really feels like I've been to the Trials and swam in that pool. This is a great pick for those who like taking their time and appreciating details, which is a rare feat in the genre. 


Honest review based on an ARC provided for the book tour through Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Anna Jarzab is a Midwesterner turned New Yorker. She lives and works in New York City and is the author of such books as Red Dirt, All Unquiet Things, The Opposite of Hallelujah, and the Many-Worlds series. Visit her online at annajarzab.com and on Twitter, @ajarzab.

SOCIAL LINKS:

Instagram: @ajarzab

Twitter: @ajarzab

Author website: https://www.annajarzab.com/