On the outside, Emma covers up her physical wounds and emotions well. But inside, she is slowly crumbling to death. Emma is living a nightmare, but she doesn't want anyone to know about the harm she receives on a daily basis. As her home life continues to get worse, Emma tries very hard in school to secure a nice place in a college as far as possible from her aunt and uncle whom she now lives with after her father died.

In the first book of the Breathing series, Rebecca Donovan gives little hope for Emma, yet you can see her immense amount of strength and courage through her character development. As readers sympathize with Emma's character, they understand the extreme loss of hope she has. I found myself immediately liking Emma's character because of what she endures. Just when you believe that there is no room for hope, Evan is a miracle that happens unexpectedly. Their romance blooms slowly, but steadily giving Emma newfound hope that there is something good in the world.

Donovan paints a very dark picture for her protagonist but I can already sense a new beginning for her. The book ends with a cliffhanger that is sure to have readers clamouring for the next one. Be prepared with a box of tissues for this wild rollercoaster ride! Donovan doesn't spare an ounce of emotion for this series. With intense emotion and heartbreaking suspense, REASON TO BREATHE will squeeze reader's hearts and have you begging for more.