Review: Breathe, Annie, Breathe (Hundred Oaks #5) by Miranda Kenneally

Breathe, Annie, Breathe

(Hundred Oaks #5)
by Miranda Kenneally 
July 15, 2014

306 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can’t escape the guilt that if she hadn’t broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.

But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she’s at war with her body, her mind—and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms…and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.

 

Review

At first sight I didn't think this book was related to the Hundred Oaks series but then I found out it's the fifth book! I was pretty excited because I enjoyed the third and fourth books in the series. Don't ask me why I haven't read the first and second. I do have them but I just somehow started reading in reverse order. I'm weird lol. Anyways, the story and the characters in Breathe, Annie, Breathe were much more than I expected.

Annie's going through a hard time trying to accept and just deal with the loss of her boyfriend Kyle. He was a significant part of her life. They got together at a fairly young age and were each other's many firsts. In order to honour Kyle, she decides to train for the marathon that he was suppose to run in before he passed away. They were so genuinely in love it was sad to hear Annie relive her memories of him. She was conflicted about moving on because how could she when she felt responsible for his death. So she retreated into her shell where she doesn't have to feel more for anybody. It wasn't until meeting Jeremiah that she began to rethink her life. She was still hesitant but she was living her life more.

I thought Jeremiah would just be a plain love interest but he was more. He's yummy, let's just get that out of the way but he also had a serious problem. Being an adrenaline junkie, he led a dangerous lifestyle. His family doesn't approve of it. Even Annie very directly expresses her concerns for him. Despite the risks he takes on in his life, I like how very easy to read Jeremiah was. He was upfront about his feelings for Annie and doesn't push her for more. He had patience and eventually managed to bring Annie out of her fear.

There were friendships sprinkled here and there for Annie. She was not alone! Jordan was understanding, Matt was supportive and Vanessa was super cute. There's also Kelsey. Annie's childhood bff who she no longer spoke to. It's satisfying that Kenneally doesn't just make things sunshine and rainbows between the two. They gradually acknowledged each other again.

Breathe, Annie, Breathe was a fulfilling read. It teaches you about letting go and to not be afraid to hold onto the good things in your life! Don't hesitate and go grab this book now!