DISCLAIMER: I received an advanced reader copy (eBook) of Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab from Inkyard Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Breath Like Water is part of Harlequin Trade Publishing’s 2020 YA Summer blog tour from Inkyard Press.

Book Summary

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.

*Summary is courtesy of Inkyard Press

Breath Like Water

When I was in high school, I swam on the swim team, which was a very special four years of my life. I absolutely loved everything about swimming. I loved the feel of the water and the rush of diving off the block at the beginning of every race. As a swimmer, I learned a lot, such as being a part of a team, building technique and form, pushing my body’s boundaries, and never giving up. I definitely wasn’t the best swimmer on the team, but I improved a lot by the time I traded my swim cap for a graduation cap. Being on the swim team gave me a sense of community, a family I spent two hours, six days a week in the pool with, and friends outside the pool.

Breath Like Water brought back feelings of nostalgia and made me reminiscent of my days in the pool. As I was reading, I recalled the names of the swimming events, the swimmer lingo, and swimming rituals. After reading this book, I have an itch to go back in the water after all these years.

Susannah Ramos

Susannah Ramos, a girl who dreams of swimming for the US in the Olympics, fits the profile of a swimmer to a T. I really related to Susannah’s character, even though she could have swum laps around me.

I related to Susannah’s background – a Latina from Illinois. So, I understood all of the Chicago references and Susannah’s Latin culture. I love books that have diverse characters, especially when it’s a Latina main character. Although, I grew up pretty American, being Hispanic is half of my culture, so the Latin culture isn’t foreign to me. Family, food, and traditions are very important in Latin culture, and therefore, important to Susannah. Swimming is Susannah’s life, but so is her culture and her family, which I loved about her.

First and foremost, I loved going on a journey with Susannah as she trains for the US Olympic Team Trials. From beginning to end, she overcomes much more than her race time.

Men vs Women

I was surprised to find that the book talked about the lack of female coaches in swimming. However, I wasn’t surprised to learn, that like many other sports, swim coaches are mostly men at the elite level.

“Female coaches are common enough at the developmental levels, but they’re infuriatingly rare in elite swimming, and if the misogyny of the sport had a mascot it would be Dave.”

Susannah had a coach named Dave, who I really hated. I couldn’t believe what a jerk he was to Susannah, the other swimmers, and his fellow coach, Beth. Dave had coached Susannah for years and molded her to be like how he wanted. He was very manipulative and he constantly talked down to her, which sickened me. I know some coaches believe in tough love, but Dave just aggravated me. I was happy when Susannah got a new coach, Beth, who not only treated her with respect but helped her see her full potential as a swimmer.

When I was a swimmer on JV, I was fortunate to have a female coach who was nice but challenged me. The Varsity coach was a man, but he was super nice as well. Naturally, both had different coaching styles, which were very apparent. But, that made sense because they were different genders who coached different levels.

Harry Matthews

Harry Matthews is a male swimmer, who catches Susannah’s eye early on in the book. He calls her, “Susie”. Susie and Harry have a very special relationship that starts out as a friendship and blossoms into something more. I loved their relationship because it was very realistic, and not too fluffy like other YA romances. As swimmers, Susie, and Harry have a lot in common and understand each other. Although, Susie is a lot more serious about swimming than Harry. Throughout, the book, many factors test their relationship – including Dave who forbids them to be together. Both Susie and Harry have their own demons, but they learn how to fight them together.

“But more than that, it’s good to hear him say out loud what I know in my bones is true: we’re fighting very different battles, but at the core, we’re the same.”

Mental Health Awareness

Breath Like Water is the perfect read for Mental Health Month, which takes place the whole month of May. I was surprised that a book about swimming ended up being about mental health as well. It’s great when books help create awareness of different mental health disorders, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, personality disorders, etc.

This book focuses on bipolar disorder, which I haven’t seen in a YA book before. Honestly, I don’t know a lot about bipolar disorder. However, I felt that Breath Like Water did a good job educating me about the basics of the disorder, such as defining the disorder, giving examples of its behaviors, and ways to manage it.

It’s important to show that people who are bipolar shouldn’t be defined by their disorder, nor should they be looked at as if they aren’t normal. Most importantly, the book shows that mental health is fluid – it has its good days and its bad. Although, Mental illness isn’t a choice, it’s a normal part of being a human.

Rating & Review

“That’s the nice thing about swimming: the water is new every day.”

Breath Like Water was a refreshing read that really resonated with me. In YA books, there aren’t a lot of books about swimmers. As someone who swam on the swim team back in the day, I was excited to read this book. Fortunately, it did not disappoint one bit. I really liked Susannah’s character. Her background as a swimmer, Latina, and Chicagoan was very relatable. I admired Susannah’s strength and courage as she trained for the US Olympic Team Trials. I liked her character development throughout the story. She really learned a lot about herself as a swimmer and as a person.

I was a fan of Susannah’s love interest, Harry, who teaches her about friendship, love, and mental illness. Their relationship’s foundation is a special friendship at its core. Together, Susannah and Harry dealt with much more than a teenage romance. Surprisingly, Breath Like Water ended up being about more than a swimmer’s journey to the US Olympic Team Trials, but about mental health and coping with mental illness. So many people in the world deal with mental illness, so it was refreshing to find that this book spreads awareness about it – specifically bipolar disorder.

I give Breath Like Water 5 out of 5 stars! This book has a very special place in my heart. Reading about a female swimmer was very nostalgic for me, and made me miss my days as a swimmer. I love that Breath Like Water covers uncommon topics, such as women in sports and mental illness. I think everyone will fall in love with the characters, the story, and gain a new perspective on life.

★★★★★

Thank You

Thank you, Harlequin and Inkyard Press for inviting me to join Harlequin Trade Publishing’s 2020 YA Summer blog tour from Inkyard Press, and Netgalley for the digital advanced copy! Check out Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab, which is now available in stores and online!

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♥ Candis