Barely Breathing by Pamela Clare

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Publication date: 05/07/2016
Kindle Unlimited: No
Cliffhanger: No

I love Pamela Clare. Her I-Team series (romantic suspense) is one of my all-time favorites, and as you know, I don’t even really like romantic suspense all that much. This woman is JUST THAT GOOD. So when I saw that she was also writing contemporary romance? I was all in. And needless to say, she didn’t let me down. 

First of all, this is a second chance romance, and I ADORE a good second chance romance. The heroine (Lexi) and hero (Austin) were high school sweethearts who broke up after a stupid fight (as so many dumb high school kids do), but once they reconnected, they didn’t let the bitterness and hurt of their past stand in their way too much. Sure, there was some initial angst, but they for the most part acted like adults and talked out their feelings, which I really appreciated. (I truly can’t get enough of mature characters who talk to each other like real, live grown ups. There are, sadly, way too few mature adults in romance land today.)

Lexi is a great heroine. She’s smart, good at her job (competence porn at its best), and tender hearted (she’s a big time animal lover, which I can totally appreciate). There really wasn’t anything about her that I didn’t like.

Austin is pretty spectacular book boyfriend material, too. He’s a wonderful blend of sweet, kinky, and alpha male (without being an alphahole). And he rescues people for a living in one of the hottest ways possible (mountain climbing for search and rescue? Hell yeah, that’s hot.)

There were a couple of times that I-Team characters popped up, too, and each time, I fangirled and squeed like a preteen. I’m not even sorry. I have no shame.

And as with any Pamela Clare book, you can be assured that there are plenty of super hot sexy times in Barely Breathing. (There’s also a really funny sex-related accident scene that’ll make you giggle. Ha!) But along with the fan-yourself-because-damn-that’s-hot sex, you’ll get plenty of heartfelt sweet moments, as well.

Long-story-short: This is a great second-chance romance set in a location that makes me consider vacationing somewhere other than the beach for once. (But I’m guessing that the real mountains in Colorado aren’t as sexy as Pamela Clare’s version, so I probably won’t do more than “consider” that in real life. But I digress...) I highly recommend y’all give this one a try.        

Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
Crushes it! This one’s clean and sober.    

Other reading suggestions
Check out the I-Team series. You won’t regret it.

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