Typical NA romance. Nothing too special about this one to me. Also it took me a bit to get pulled into the story so it was slow going as well. I own some other books by this author so I’ll give her another shot in the future.

This was not my first Ginger Scott novel and I was love her books. The characters are endearing and I feel truly invested in their story. Well written and thoughtful her books are an absolute must read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. This is the sort of book I can recommend to to anyone and feel confident that they will enjoy it. I am reviewing this book based on an ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

I loved this book I was hooked from the very first page and I couldn't put my kindle down while reading this. This was the first book that I have read by Ginger Scott and I will be reading more in the future. I loved the romance and the connection between the main characters and I loved the characters as individuals

This was a book that once I started it I did not want to put it down at all. I went in not knowing anything about it and ended up getting hooked in the first chapter. I found myself engrossed in this story and this world that Ginger Scott created. Normally I'm not the biggest fan of one of the tropes that occur in this book but I felt like the author handled it well and have me completely okay with the outcome.

Let me just say that Will Hollister is everything. OMG he is so damn dreamy and swoonworthy and my heart just broke for him. He had to deal with so much and to be able to persevere the way that he did was great to see. I'm team Will all the way and loved the chemistry between him and Maddy. I adored the two of them together and I liked that they we so good for one another.

This book was so damn good and I'm so glad that I picked it up. I didn't want it to end. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Having been a big fan of Ginger Scott's previous work, I was surprised and a little disappointed to find that this book was just okay for me.

For one, there's a difference between a sad, emotional mood and a depressing one. It may be a fine one, but even after finishing this book and getting my HEA, I'm feeling sort of down.
Considering all the feels this book was obviously supposed to conjure, I was pretty bored throughout. There was just too much swim talk for my liking, and too little story and development accompanying it. The one aspect that really had potential and intrigued me most, namely Dylan's character, was cut extremely short and left me wanting more. And, while I did sort of like the two leads and I felt for them, I was never able to really connect with them.
Then, there was Ginger Scott's repetitive writing that I don't remember from her other books. This strange obsession with telling us (over and over!) how exactly the left eye closes just a tad more than the right one when squinting, how Maddy lifts her top lip on the right when smiling (calling it an Elvis lip, wtf?) and so on. I'm all for detailed writing, but come on... there's a limit somewhere.

Of course, there were things I liked, too, otherwise I wouldn't have finished this book (though I do admit to skimming a few passages here and there).
Dylan and his story, for one, was a great addition to the plot, and I was really touched by his and his mom's unkind fate.
Aforementioned flaws aside, Ginger Scott's writing was as beautiful as always. She definitely has a way with words.
The love story was nice and angsty and had me swooning a few times, especially during the first half of the book.

Still it took me over two months to actually finish this book.
But, I seem to be in the minority with my opinion, so if the blurb appeals to you and you like emotional reads with a sports theme, don't let my review stop you from reading this.

This book has a slow start and I just couldn't get into it. I gave it a chance and some more, but eventually gave up.

Ginger Scott writes beautiful, emotional love stories. I was unprepared for how she would hurt my heart with this one. Will Hollister is such a tortured character, and those are my favorites. Plus this story hit other tropes I love of friends to lovers, forbidden romance, and second chances.

I hadn't read Ginger Scott but my favorite book bloggers had nothing but high praise for Hold My Breath. This, of course, made me curious. Would it live up to my expectations? Boy, did it ever!

Maddy has known brothers Will and Evan ever since they were teenagers at swim club together. Maddy and Evan eventually start dating and were likely to get engaged before Evan died in a plane crash. Maddy hasn't seen Will in the aftermath, four years later. They're brought back together by Maddy's coach dad to vie for spots on the US Olympic swimming team. They have a complicated, bittersweet history, more complicated than Maddy knows after Evan's tragic death.

Will is such a good guy but he carries the weight of the world as the sole survivor of his family after a plane crash. Will is burdened by guilt and grief and it made my heart ache to see the way he beat himself up over circumstances he couldn't control. Because of losing his family, he believes he doesn't deserve happiness. And by happiness, I mean Maddy.

Maddy and Will have always been drawn to one another, even though he's a few years older. It's simply that Evan made a move first and Maddy said yes to him instead. I loved watching Maddy sift through her history with both brothers, working through the guilt over being attracted to Evan's brother, and trying to figure out how to move forward with her life. More than that, I loved the history between Maddy and Will. They're simply good for one another and as Will starts to open up more to Maddy, much more good results.

But of course, Will has a secret and while his uncle urges him to come clean, it seems like too big of a risk. This trope usually annoys me but Ginger Scott handled it deftly and I was really impressed by the way Maddy ultimately responded. There are a couple of unexpected developments as the novel progresses and the way the characters react is very true to life. This is what kept me turning pages. There's the perfect amount of angst as Maddy and Will figure out their relationship and as they turn their sights on the Olympics.

I don't know if I've read a novel with swimmers as the main characters before and I really enjoyed learning more about this sport. It doesn't take as much of a center stage as other sports romances but it was still such an interesting world to explore.

Hold My Breath is a novel with a whole lot of heart. It made me laugh and tear up. It made me root for the characters and cheer for their successes and lament their mistakes. It made me develop quite the crush on Will. Just saying. I can't wait to read more from this author!

The characters in the books by Ginger Scott very often have to deal deal with disabilities, illness or traumatic experiences. Maddy and Will in "Hold your breath" are no exception as they both still struggle with the loss of Will's brother Evan, Maddy's boyfriend, and Evan's and Will's parents four years ago. Up to that moment their families were tight and Evan, Will and Maddy were all training hard with Maddy's father, a former Olypian swimmer and had been training (and growing up together) for some years.

When Maddy and Will start to swim together again, it is more than just swimming that this is about, it is also about living. And about facing what happened - even more important, when some things turn up that can't be ignored and that will not just change their perception of the past but also their future, forever.

I like Ginger Scott's intense writing that lets the reader feel and fear with the characters without ever turning sappy or overly dramatic. The reader faces the facts as much as the characters have to face them, just plain hard facts, no drama to blow it up or something like that, just the facts and the people who have to deal with them. You can feel them grow into their roles, into their fate and you respect and love them for it.

A beautiful story, well written with wonderful, strong characters - I really enjoyed reading this book!

4.5 stars!

Will Hollister has been through a lot the past few years, but one thing was always a constant - his feelings for his childhood friends and brothers girlfriend, Mandy. For the last four years, however, he has stayed away due to a tragic accident that claimed the lives of his family. Seeing Maddy would remind her of all that she has lost, only Will knows secrets about his brother that would ruin the reputation everyone believed to be true.

Maddy is the daughter of olympians and swimming is in her blood. Her father, and also her coach, brings back Will Hollister to the club to help push Maddy to train harder for the upcoming Olympic trials. Seeing will brings up sad memories, but also forces Maddy to face the truth, the truth being that she always had feelings for Will but chose the wrong brother to love all those years ago...

I feel like the blurb didn't do this book justice. It leaves so much out! I love everything about Olympic swimming so I loved that aspect of the book. Their story was a sad one but I loved how they pushed one another to be better!

***4,5 "Eighteen seconds!!!" stars***

Another one wonderful story by Mrs. Scott's pen!!! This woman never disappoints...
To be totally honest with you, this one was my second book by this author and it was equal good with my previous reading, even though that it was much different...
Mrs. Scott's stories feel very real and it is impossible to not suck you inside of them and take a strong hold on you...
This was Maddy and Will's story.... And it was capturing...

“I want to remember what exceptional felt like so I make sure I never settle for less. I wonder if exceptional comes along twice in a lifetime?”

Will had live a tragedy before four years... He had lost his parents and his brother in a plane crash in which he was fighting for his own life...
After that incident, Will is spiraling down... Booze, drugs, a car crush...
Everything led him outside the water... the only thing that he was ever good at...
The last year, Will is clean and he is trying to come back from the deads... and now, the opportunity is appearing to make his come back in the pool for good!!!!

"Losing my family left an enormous emotional scar, one that I will never get rid of completely, but my heart was broken long before that plane went down."

Maddy had witnessed loss before four years when the love of her life was killed and ripped away from her life so abruptly...
But she didn't lost only Evan, but also his brother Will, which with whom they were very close...
Maddy is one of the best swimmer and at this moment, she is training for the Olympics in her father's club...
The things are getting complicated when after all those years Will is coming back to train with her for the same reason...

"“It isn’t Will’s fault he survived.”
...I hate her honesty. Perhaps because I’ve never mastered it.
She’s right, of course. Every single word out of her mouth is truth. But I still don’t know if my heart can handle seeing Will Hollister, and I think maybe there’s a part of his heart that can’t bear to see me either.
Too many reminders.
Too much that’s familiar.
Too much…Evan."

Their reconnection is very awkard and very painful, but as the time is passing by, Maddy and Will will manage to find out their lost connection....
Since they were kids, they were very close to each other and they were be able to push the other to be better....
Maybe they are for each other what they really need...

"The competitor in me is back, with the hunger of a thousand dragons. And Will Hollister is just going to have to be okay with the line I need to draw between us. I can’t get close to him. We can’t be friends. There’s too much Evan there. It will only slow me down."{Maddy}

"Maddy’s my motivator, even though she has no clue. Maybe, just maybe, I can find the old Will deep down inside me somewhere. Maybe I can find the guy who used to motivate her to win—even if it was just by pissing her off."{Will}

Will always loved Maddy, but she had chosen the wrong brother...
Maddy didn't want to be near Will because he was the wrong brother...
But what if... he was the right one from the beginning???

“I’ve been wandering the world half a man, and Maddy, she made me whole.”{Will}

“Is Will Hollister in love with me?
Has he always been?
And, more importantly, why do I hope so?” {Maddy}

The only problem is that Will is keeping too many things inside of him... Things that may hurt Maddy even more and his heart can't handle it!!! He has a big burden that he is carrying upon his shoulders...
Will he manage to get free of all this burden and to find out his right place on life and in the water????

You’re the only thing that doesn’t make me want to drown... I think I came here knowing that you were my only shot at peace.”

"I’m going to break her heart. Those demons—they’ll destroy her. But I can’t give her up."

Maddy is very heartbroken too, but she was also a little bit unfair toward Will...
I think that she knew what was right for her from the beginning, but she let it slip throught her fingers...
Will she make the same mistake or this time everything will be different???

"Evan was the safe choice, and I let myself fall for him because of it, but there’s a part of me—a part of my heart—that always wanted Will more."

I really loved Will and Maddy.... My heart was aching for both of them...
They got through lots of things, but they were strong...
Especially Will broke my heart... He was carrying so much sorrow, so many guilts, too much burden and i think that the pressure was too much.... but he was a fighter and he was a man in love... And Maddy's presence was fueling his strength...
Maddy was a little bit lost because she was mourning the life that she had lost and she forgot how to live the life that she was having... Will show her that nothing is ending...
What i really enjoyed was all those silly and childish bets between them... They were so cute nd funny!!! And also very sweet and sexy...

"I’ve wanted Maddy since she dared me to beat her when we were kids racing in the pool. I’ve wanted to kiss her since I wrapped my hands around hers on the rope swing, and I know in my gut that I loved her first. I loved her more…and I loved her first."

***ARC generously provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***

What a great read that lingers with you! Will is so tortured throughout this read and the character development was amazing. Maddy was a good character but Will's development was much more transforming as he really is the lead of the story. When I finished this read I immediately thought it was a good read but a day later I'm still thinking about so that's why I'm bumping up the star rating for me. Well done Ms. Scott, well done!

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

What a wonderfully engrossing and complex story! I am a huge Ginger Scott fan and this book was thoroughly mesmerising.

Maddy, Evan and Will were childhood best friends; all of them great swimmers but it was Evan who was the golden child; the three of them pushed each other to be the best that they could but when tragedy struck friendships were broken and their lives were forever changed.

Will left for college and ended up on a path of self-destruction after his family’s accident; he made many mistakes, most publicised but after 4 years absence he returns to town ready to retrain and rebuild lost trust and his relationship with Maddy; he does this with the help of his uncle and also Maddy’s father who owns a swimming club which is on the brink of bankruptcy.

There were a lot of emotions felt whilst reading this book; my heart broke for the characters who were all affected in one way or another; there was lost trust, a betrayal, forbidden romance and secrets that all made for a fast paced an engaging story.

I couldn’t help but hope for happiness for Maddy and Will. Maddy’s past with Evan haunts her and with the reappearance of Will her feelings are conflicted; seeing their friendship reignite and their slow road to trusting one another and to an eventual romance build kept me on the edge of my seat.

I enjoyed all of the swimming scenes between Maddy and Will, they were competitive and wanted the best for each other but there was always something stopping them from fully letting themselves give in to their feelings; their past and secrets were holding them back. There was a lot of drama and Will had to take on a huge burden; he had been through so much and things weren’t getting easier for him, I felt like he was given too many problems in this book, there as a lot of suffering.

I thoroughly enjoyed the connection between Maddy and Will, I enjoyed the forbidden aspect and despite there previously being someone else involved also the friends to lovers’ storyline.

Ginger Scott’s writing is truly wonderful, her characters are flawed but each well-developed and interesting; I was hooked from the very first page and wanted more at the end. My only reason for not giving this book 5 stars was because there was just too much angst, my heart was breaking.

I highly recommend this title!

Thank you to the author via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review Hold My Breath.

It's no surprise anymore when I read a Ginger Scott book that I'm going to love it. But with each book, it's as if the author digs deeper and the story is more intense, more emotional, more "real" than I expected. Hold My Breath is a tightly woven story of a couple's ability to heal from tragedy and reach for success.

FULL REVIEW POSTED VIA ENCLOSED LINK>

I feel bad giving this book 4 stars. And I think the only reason the last star fell is due to me and to my current situation. I have very little time this month to dedicate to reading thanks to finals at uni, so it took me a bloody long time to finish it and it felt as if it were dragging.

Anyway, it was a great read. Ginger Scott, as usual, shows her superpower: amazing characterization. Every character is rounded, complex, shaded. The people portrayed in her novels could be the ones you meet in the street, the ones who live in your house. It could be you.

"The hurt is almost good. It reminds me that something real was in my heart once, and as much as I want to run away from it, in this moment, I also want to hold onto it. I want to remember what exceptional felt like so I make sure I never settle for less."



I think Will Hollister might be the best character she's ever shaped so far (at least of the ones I've read). As she states in the acknowledgement, she has tortured this poor guy like no other character before, and what a fabulous result it had. Will Hollister is self-lessnesss personified. He's this incredibly tortured man, who's both lost and a rock for those around him. He's so human, not a cocky athlete. He's just a guy who's been dealt a shitty hand in life and who is now trying to piece his life together starting from Maddy, the girl he's loved for his whole life but who wasn't his to have.

"None of this -- me, Evan, Tanya, Dylan, and all the damn ghosts -- is Will's responsibility. He chose to carry it. He inserted himself where a blank space was left, and he's been holding worlds together for people when he had every right to walk away."



Someone could say there's OM drama since Maddy used to date Will's brother, who passed away, something we find out in the very first chapter. But the truth is that, as the story progresses, you understand the real two people who are meant to be are Will and Maddy.

The plot twists were unexpected, they shocked me and saddened me. I liked how secrets were revealed one tidbit at the time and how they weren't held above the characters' heads until the end, so that we get to see Maddy and Will together for more than the last few chapters.

Their relationship went through many phases but two things were always clear: 1. they bring the best out of each other (athletically and as people) and 2. they make the other happy.

There were also a few scenes that were priceless: the "skinny dipping", the "strip club". They were light, fun, and care-free... and also much needed, since the general tone of the novel wasn't really that upbeat.

Another thing I loved is how Will and Maddy had history. They were childhood friends, and that's a trope that gets to me every time.

I also liked the setting. Both Maddy and Will are athletes, but while we're sure Maddy will make the Olympic team, Will, thanks to his shady past, is kind of a comeback star, a sensation, an unstable talent. Even if they trained at morning and lots of interactions were set in the Swimming Club owned by Maddy's parents, the sport part only really picked up the last 25% of the book, while the first 75% was more focused on the romance. There were also a couple of very heated scenes that were a great improvement from the tamer ones in the "falling series". It made for a more passionate relationship between the characters, and also matched their ages better.

I would definitely recommend it, and the only flaw I found is probably that it didn't grip me from the beginning to the end, leading to me partly skimming some paragraph in the last chapters. This could also be because of my crazy schedule and I'm sure that, had I read the book in a couple days, I would have enjoyed it much more, so I don't know how reliable my opinion is.

Anyway, relatable, broken yet amazing characters, a love story that is complex yet meant to be and effortless, plot twists that will have your brows rising and your eyes misting. This is what you can expect from this book.

Lastly, the writing was truly beautiful, conveying emotions in a way that makes all the difference in a such highly emotionally-charged book like "Hold My Breath"

Getting into a new novel by Ginger Scott goes like this: She announces a new book on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, using a hot photo model as the cover person, preferably posting an edited picture of a quote from that book already. Then, you get excited and find out about the release day, you count down the days until it‘s out, but in the meantime, Ginger teases you with more graphics, more sneak peaks and comments like: „You‘ll fall in love with * insert name here *.“ And when it‘s finally released, you either read it as fast as you can, because you can‘t put it down, or you force yourself to read as slowly as possible in order to cherish every written word, every tiny scene between the two characters. I‘m type B of these two, because how else would I survive waiting for yet another book by Ginger Scott? The wait is almost unbearable.

But… I am not putting any pressure on her with that last sentence I just wrote. I am very stunned by how fast this woman manages to throw books our way, being a mom and a wife. That‘s really impressive.

So, back to the book. Hold My Breath is a bit different from the other books I have read by Ginger. I think that‘s mainly because the characters are bit a older than usual. That being said, I feared I might not like the characters or the book itself as much as I wanted to. But in the end, that doubt evaporated. Luckily. Will and Maddy‘s profession is a different one as well – they are both swimmers. Oh, I love that Ginger decided to write about those. All the abs, whew! Sports romances aren‘t usually my thing. If it had been another author, I‘m not sure the writing and the story would have been as good as it was here. But that‘s the author for you – able to write about anything and everything, always finding the right voice to do so.

This could be a TV show. I could totally see it becoming one. The drama, the feelings, the story… Everything is made for that. And then it‘s not. It‘s the kind of book you want to keep for yourself, the one you want to re-read if you feel lonely or in need of a good book. Ginger‘s books are all like that. They feel too precious to be made into something that could never fully capture the emotions you felt while reading them.

I liked Will far more than I liked Maddy. But that‘s handsome and loving male characters – I can‘t resist them. What I did like, though, was that they both kind of depended n each other. It wasn‘t just Will helping Maddy finding herself, but he grew as a person because of her too. I think these parts are always important. I don‘t like it when it‘s just a one-way street and the other characters stays the same through every line.

The quotes were amazing in this one. Whenever Will opened his mouth, you just knew he‘d make you swoon. And Maddy was a tough one, not the easiest to get along with, but a true soul. They made sense together, they belonged togeher. It was obvious right from the start to the reader and I‘m glad the author didn‘t try to force her characters to get together with anybody else. That‘d have been unnecessary drama.

With each book she writes, her characters seem more grown-up and more mature. They don‘t waste their time on the small things, but manage to cope with the big things, the massive rock-sized things in their life. I like to believe that readers will be able to survive a hard time by reading a Ginger Scott book. Her novels always contain important topics, so I like to believe she makes a difference in somebody‘s life. That sounds so over the top, but I‘m being serious.

This is just another masterpiece by her. If you haven‘t read any book of hers yet, I suggest you might start with this one, since it‘s brilliant and newer than the rest. If you‘ve already read her other books, what‘s stopping you from picking up Hold My Breath?

A really sweet story about how to go on when life tries to break you.
Nobody should experience what Will did. A tragedy.
Wll and Maddy share a past which is marked by pain and tragedy. They try to move on together but a secret may be their downfall.
The book is good. I was really surprised about the twist in the story.
As usual with this writer, the beginning is a little slow.

I really enjoyed this story. I was able to get lost in the pages and the characters almost immediately. I am also embarrassed to admit that this is my first Ginger Scott read and she definitely did not disappoint.
I could completely relate to the loss, the struggles the family endured. It is such a challenge to just learn to accept things, deal with the pain, the hurt, the anger but also learn from it and move forward.
The love and the depth of the love in this story touched my soul. It was fantastic and amazing.
I will definitely be reading more of Ginger Scott’s books.

Ginger Scott doesn't write fluff, she writes real stories. I find myself wanting to be a better person reading this story. I wonder if I could make the sacrifices that Will and Maddy both made. More Will. He loses a lot and continues to sacrifice things for the people he loves.
Ginger Scott is so good at giving the feelings for the book your reading. This one just pulls you in and it's hard to put down per usual. She's always a go to for me when I'm feeling a good cry or some feels.