Breath Like Water

What emerges from all of the emotions, the struggles and the dramas is the ability to put lessons learned in one place (the pool) to work in other aspects of your life: learning to let go and break free of the expected as you push onward to the next hoped for goal. A lovely read that is nuanced, deep and emotionally captivating as the issues the two discover, and the way they support each other, allows them to rediscover their own love for swimming, and for themselves. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

4.5 stars. Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab is captivating young adult novel. Sixteen year old Susannah Ramos is a swimmer who is working hard to earn a spot on the Olympic swim team. However, after a big win two years earlier, she is struggling following a growth spurt. Her coach, Dave, has essentially given up on her but she refuses to accept she will not achieve her dream. When Dave hires a new assistant coach, Susannah is initially not receptive to accepting advice from her. Eventually changing her mind, Susannah’s goals are finally within her grasp, but will circumstances out of her control end her Olympic dreams? Susannah lives and breathes swimming and she works hard to please Dave who is overbearing and manipulative. She is stubborn and tenacious so she is sometimes not open to advice. Susannah is so focused on her goals that she sometimes neglects her friends and family. Under self-imposed pressure to succeed, the last thing she needs is a distraction but after Harry Matthews join the swim club, she cannot ignore how drawn she is to him. Harry is a gifted athlete but he does not seem to take the swim team too seriously. He is playful and fun-loving which is something that frustrates both Dave and Susannah. Harry and Susannah strike up a friendship and begin to grow closer as Harry offers to give her some pointers. In spite of Susannah’s reluctance to take their relationship further, a sweet romance soon blossoms between them. She and Harry are soon spending as much of their scarce free time together as possible. The two are close but Susannah begins to notice little things about Harry that are a bit troubling. Will their romance survive Harry’s unexpectedly serious issues and Susannah’s intense dedication to swimming? Breath Like Water is an engrossing young adult novel that provides an in depth portrait of competitive swimming. The storyline is interesting and the cast of characters is diverse. Susannah and Harry are wonderfully drawn teenagers who are quite appealing. Anna Jarzab deftly handles sensitive subject matter in a forth-right manner. The novel’s conclusion is surprising yet realistic. A terrific young adult novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend to teenager and adult readers. I received a complimentary copy for review.