From an unlikely pairing of romantic leads, Susan Elizabeth
Phillips crafts a stunningly beautiful story, at times
silly, at others poignant, and occasionally both at once.
Isabel Favor is taking time out in Tuscany to try and
regroup after her self-built, self-help empire has crumbled.
Ren Gage, famous movie villain is taking time off,
incognito, before starting the most challenging acting job
he's ever been given. A one-night stand with assumed
identities is less than successful, but what starts in
pretense on both sides has the potential to become life
changing for them both.
I often shy away from books where relationships appear to be
based on intentional falsehoods and assumed identities. All
too often in romances a large helping of the tension is
based on such two-dimensional contrivance, but because
BREATHING ROOM is written by one of my favorite authors I
persevered and was delighted to find that nonsense was
dispensed with very quickly, allowing the elegant structure
of
the main story to form.
There are so many things I enjoy about BREATHING ROOM.
First the location and descriptions of Tuscany, not just of
the beautiful views, but the tastes, sounds, smells of that
magical area are brought to life through Phillips's gift.
Hand in hand with that are the people who live there and
interact with the main characters. They are not in any way
caricatures of people in the Italian countryside, but vital
individuals who play a large part in the book. Most
importantly Susan Elizabeth Phillips brought me into the
hearts and minds of Isabel and Ren, two characters with whom
I might have had a hard time identifying with except for her
talent.
Long before BREATHING ROOM reached its midpoint, I was
deeply hooked in Isabel and Ren's tale, and wasn't at all
sure how it was going to play out. That is enough to make
this one of my top reads, but the ending! The fabulous
amazing and electrifying ending Susan Elizabeth Phillips
crafted made the tiny hairs on my arms feather, not with
fear or suspense but with unadulterated delight. I read the
final sentence with a sigh of mixed happiness and regret. I
regret having to leave Tuscany behind but was glowing from
the happy ending, which is so perfect. I just might have to
re-read BREATHING ROOM once a year or so, to bring it all
back.
She's Dr. Isabel Favor, America's diva of self-help.
He's Ren Gage, Hollywood's favorite bad guy.
Sometimes you just know that God has a sense of humor.
She's lost her money to an unscrupulous accountant, her
fiancé to a frumpy older woman, and her reputation to
headlines denouncing her as a fraud. Lately it seems Dr.
Isabel, America's favorite self-help guru, can fix
everyone's life but her own. Even the shelter of a simple
stone farmhouse nestled in an olive grove can't provide
Isabel with the refuge she needs -- not when the
townspeople are scheming to drive her away, her plan to
restore her good name has come up empty ... and a movie
star villain with a face to die for refuses to leave her in
peace!
Viciously handsome and sublimely talented, Lorenzo Gage
makes his living killing people ... on the silver screen,
that is. Despite his success, he hates the feeling that
everything he's neglected in life is catching up with him.
Then he spots Isabel sipping a glass of wine in a sidewalk
café. A good guy wouldn't think of seducing such a tidy-
looking woman ... but Ren Gage never saw the fun in playing
the hero.
Sometimes all it takes is a special place ... a special
love ... a little breathing room ... for life to deliver
all its glorious promise.
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