While not my normal genre of reading, this novel kept me enthralled from the first violent chapter to its final tender kiss. Full of well fleshed out and diverse characters, this novel was an emotional rollercoaster through its entirity. Main characters Jesse and Scarlett are on journeys of self discovery, colliding with each other in the process. Previosuly childhood friends, they were forced apart by Jesse's poor decisions and Scarlett's overbearing and overprotective parents.

In its raw form, this novel could be seen as about two teenagers mending their friendship and falling in love but its actually not. Its actually a novel about community, what it means to be family and discovering that blood doesn’t always denote loyalty. While Jesse's grnadmother, Suzanne, is frequently mentioned and the farm/Lachlin land seems to have a mind of its own, acting as a character within the story, I loved (yes LOVED) Glory Gardner. She is older than Jesse and Scarlett, living in a cabin on the opposite side of the property to Jesse’s trailer, having been gifted the right to stay by Suzanne when the kids were young. She makes a living as a psychic, reading tarot and palms for the unsuspecting public. Jesse thinks she is full of it while Scarlett is unsure. Yet throughout the novel, she is full of sage advice and guidance, attempting to steer the pair towards happiness regardless of their lack of belief in her craft. She’s cryptic and stubborn but I love her all the more for it.

Now, just as a warning, this book is heavy and emotionally tolling, especially if you have seen or been subjected to domestic violence. Both Jesse and Scarlett have endured abuse, be it physical or psychological, with violence even taking the life of one of their loved ones. However, instead of the violence taking a predominant part in the pairs initial interactions, it is a constant background force, steering their stories in part but not driving them together (mostly). In fact, for the majority of the novel, each is relatively unaware of the others history. Basically, violence is a force in both their lives, but it isn’t what makes them who they are. Kudos to McGarry for including such heavy subject matter in a way that while confronting, does not overtake the entire narrative.

The plot, while including violence but not being based around it, takes place in the 8-9 months between which Suzanne passes and the date of Jesse’s 18th birthday when the fate of the farm will be decided. One would think there would be a lot of school scenes and heading out with friends, all typical locations which are Young Adult Novel 101. Instead these are rarely mentioned with the majority of the action taking place on the farm, in Scarlett’s house or Glory’s cabin. With only three major locales, one would think it would be a fairly monotonous novel however the character of Lachlin land (yes, it’s a character itself. This is the second time I’ve said it!) and vast expanse of different terrain makes it feel like there are so many more settings for Jesse and Scarlett’s tale to occur.

As a whole I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. While I found there were a few chapters where I skimmed over the events, for most of the book I was enthralled. The characters while potentially single dimensional had many facets, making a reader who adores action really take notice of the expert weaving of this tale. It’s a 4.5 of 5 stars from me.

This book fronts as a YA contemporary romance, but it has this delicious undercurrent of magical realism that just takes my breath away.

It reminded me of being a kid, when I also felt so tied to the land that I haven’t set foot on again since I was about 13 years old. It’s funny the way the things that shape us as a child can suddenly seem so distant once you are 38. This story threw me back into the shell of an emotionally fragile teenager who fought through the challenges life served up in a far less graceful and mature fashion than Jesse and Scarlett.

This story basically scratched me raw from the insides out, and I spent the better part of the story trying not to cry, not because it’s so painfully sad but because it hit home in so many ways that just left me feeling vulnerable and emotional.

Katie McGarry understands characters and relationship dynamics in a way that is so real and honest. She creates characters that I fall so hard in love with that it hurts just a bit when I have to admit to myself that they aren’t real. The writing is excellent. The plotting and pacing are spot on, and this story is gritty and aches in all the right and wrong kinds of ways. It ran me through the full emotional spectrum, and the end result is that it was such a satisfying read that I expect this story will cling to me, even after I have moved on to other books.

I will definitely reread this one, and while I received it free from Netgalley to review, I suspect I’ll pop on Audible and pre-order the audio, as this is a story I could reread again and again and likely take something a bit different away from it each time.

This was a very good book. Yes there is books like this but I really liked the message in the end about changing who you are and being better then your circumstances. That's makes it different then all the other ya books.

Only a Breath Apart is a powerful YA romance that deals with some heavy topics, including domestic abuse. Jesse and Scarlett are neighbors and best friends until high school when Jesse inexplicably ends their friendship. When Jesse's grandmother and guardian dies, he and Scarlett slowly begin to reconnect. Jesse is fighting to hold on to the land his grandmother left him, and Scarlett is struggling to escape her abusive father's controlling plans. I absolutely loved the rural, Kentucky setting, and I couldn't stop reading until I learned what would happen to Jesse and Scarlett. Thanks to Netgalley and to Tor for the preview copy!

Jesse and Scarlett are both scarred by their family history, but it is in their broken places that they may find a path to true happiness.

Jesse’s family has been cursed and each generation has had their share of tragedy. Jesse’s mom insisted that he could overcome the curse by staying on his family’s land and never leaving the state. Jesse plans to keep this promise to he dead mother and when his ailing grandmother passes, he will take the reins of landownership and develop the best farm. However, when his grandmother does pass, Jesse learns that he must impress a tribunal with his growth and responsibility. One of the people on the tribunal is Jesse’s ex best friend Scarlett. He will need to get back into her good graces, to keep his land.

Scarlett is a picture of perfection, which is the expectation from her controlling father and downtrodden mother. Scarlett is unable to get close to anyone, especially since her last great friendship with Jesse, went down in flames. She is tired of her father’s abuse and is desperate to get out, but she is going to need help getting around her father. Jesse steps back into Scarlett’s life and gives her a path to freedom. However, this road is going to have its share of rough spots.

This book felt like a second in a series, it felt like it was missing pieces of the back story. However, once you get a fourth of the way in, it doesn’t matter anymore, because the characters stand on their own. This book was high drama, which I always find myself sucked into. I thought the layer of the psychic cousin was interesting, I just wish it was integrated better because it feels unnecessary. I thought it was a great unique twist, I just wish it fit better. I truly enjoyed this novel.

I gotta say, this new story by Katie McGarry completely surprised me. I have read and loved pretty much every single book and short story written by her but I generally know what to expect with gritty characters that struggle, fail, and hurt, and relationships that are are far from perfect (with lots of steaminess) with hope and love seeping throughout. Only a Breath Apart did not disappoint, it broke my heart, made me angry and terrified for the characters, brought a new perspective to forgiveness, and, of course, made me swoon. What it also did was surprise me with the way the spiritual and supernatural elements were subtly woven throughout. No spoilers, but I truly enjoyed the way the curse is perceived and how that perception changed through the story as well as Glory's whole characterization. It's impossible to pick, but I think my favorite parts of Katie's stories are often the side characters. The aren't just there for show or to move plot ahead but they are often deep characters on their own. I loved the side characters in this story and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some more from Leo, Nazareth and V!

Overall, another wonderful, broken but hopeful contemporary story from McGarry. As I said above, Katie's stories are gritty and real and heart breaking. There are scenes of abuse, physical, verbal and emotional, as well as real talk about how difficult it is to break out of a cycle of abuse and how impossibly broken the justice system can seem to be. So please be cautious if any of this is triggering to you. However, even with the pain present throughout the book, there is still that underlying theme of hope and finding the loving, supportive, people you can trust. And the ending hit that perfect spot where not everything is answered or known but it's not needed, because we understand the characters and know they can conquer anything their future may bring.

My rating is 4 out of 5 stars. This review is based off an arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for honest reviews.

This book had a mystical feel that I was skeptical about at first, but grew on me over the course of the book. All of the other Katie McGarry books I've read have felt really urban and gritty, but this one is more of a small town/rural gritty which was a refreshing angle. I really wanted to love this book, but I never fully connected with the characters. I also wish that the supporting characters were more involved in the story and more developed. Overall it was a compelling read with a plot that had me wondering how everything was going to work out.

This is a sweet story of two teenagers who are neighbors and have grown up together and grown apart as they got older. Both of them are burdened with issues in their lives and find themselves drawn back together though their experiences. McGarry does a good job drawing her readers in to the romance as well as the realistic relationships between the friends. Loss, abuse, trust and growth are all topics touched on in this novel. I enjoy MGarry's novels and I'm grateful to netgalley for a chance to read this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Fans of Sarah Dessen and Kasie West will likely enjoy this story of neighbors struggling with a curse on their land in the boy’s life and a controlling, abusive father in the girl’s. For me, the book refused to choose a side between magical realism and realistic fiction so I found my eyes rolling more than normal.

Welp. This was a bit of a struggle. I have read and loved all of Katie’s other books, so I was all in without really reading the synopsis. That cover made me think it was just the standard mid-level angst she normally writes.

I liked Scarlett and Jesse well enough. They have a boatload of history with a second boatload of issues to deal with. There are a few other characters, but no one stood out to me. For me, they read as plot devices—and that is sort of tragic because there’s a lot of potential in Jesse’s friends.

As for the plot, it was depressing. Sure there’s a thread about curse, but it has nothing on what Scarlett’s family is. And yes, the synopsis hinted at difficulties, this was not what I was expecting.

Overall, it was easy to root for the characters and want them to get out of their shitty situations. Sadly, I had a hard time with such a downtrodden story. The small perks of positivity and happiness weren’t enough to make this a book loved.

FYI: there are several scenes of a women getting beaten and it goes into graphic detail. Also, a lot of verbal abuse.

**Huge thanks to Tor Teen for providing the arc free of charge**

Yes, another book by Katie!!!! By now, you've probably figured out that I absolutely love everything about Katie and her books!!!



Anyway...



Jesse is cursed......anyone in the Lachlin family ends up losing the ones they love. It's a crappy curse and one of the reasons Jesse couldn't be close to Scarlett anymore....But now things are different. Jesse has grown into this tall, rugged and handsome guy. Unfortunately, the other things about Jesse isn't all that great. The things that follow him around, isn't something Jesse wanted in his life. He didn't want to be know as that gut who's cursed, been arrested, etc.



Scarlett is the ice princess.....at least that's what she's called thanks to her ex-bestie spreading some lies around. But Scarlett is actually lovely, caring and scared..on the inside. On the outside, she has to have that perfect look. The nails, clothes, sitting positions, the whole nine yards. Not because that's who she is, but who she has to be in order to impress her parents. Secretly, Scarlett wants out, out of that town and out of her home.



Unfortunately it took a funeral to bring them back together. Jesse's gram passed and he's taking it hard. Scarlett went to the funeral because his gram loved her as if she was family. It was that moment that everything will change for them.



Jesse needs to prove himself to keep his land. He needs to get his crap together and keep it that way. He's going to need Scarlett on his side if ever plans to keep his land. He needs her vote. So he tries, tries to do what it takes to get her vote. Get her a job, rides, etc. Through it all, Scarlett didn't expect to have Jesse around so much. Didn't think they would re-build their friendship. But together they can help each other out. Creating something between them, that neither expected, but is what they both needed.



Yes, Katie has blown me away. Yet again, she got that emotional roller coaster going once again, and yet I will never tire of it. Katie's books are so worth the read and can be more relateable than you think.

This was my first Katie McGarry read and probably won't be my last. Although this was a book about teenage love, it was also much more than that. Set among an old family curse, Only a Breath Apart focuses on love, friendship, and finding your own path in life. There were also moments that made this book powerful yet hard to read. There were many scenes including physical and verbal abuse but it was heartwarming to see these young characters fight to break the cycle and make their own decisions.

This is my favorite Katie McGarry novel so far. The characters were really amazing and the story was rich and beautiful. While I have always enjoyed her books this one had an extra depth to it and I loved it.

Jesse’s grandmother has recently died, but she had a stipulation in her will. In order for him to inherit the land, he must get the approval of a few people, including a childhood friend he hasn’t spoken to in years. Scarlett is dealing with a troubled home life and the need to leave her family to go to college. Her father has always been controlling, but as she approaches high school graduation, these fears are escalating. Scarlett might be able to follow her dreams and go away for college, but in order for this to happen, she will need to trust Jesse again. Will Jesse and Scarlett be able to help each other achieve their dreams? What obstacles will they need to overcome along the way?

Only a Breath Apart is a stand-alone novel told in the alternating voices of Jesse and Scarlett. Readers will easily discover that this story must be told and will enjoy the connection between these two teens. McGarry has designed an overarching story that is easy to relate to but has also included several smaller tangents that will keep the reader deeply involved. The supporting characters are just as vital as the two protagonists and this gives the story, even more, meaning and worth. I recommend Only a Breath Apart to everyone who enjoys a good coming of age story.

Only A Breath Apart by Katie McGarry
4⭐️

Trigger warning: abuse: physical and verbal.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for an E-Arc in an exchange for an honest review.

Best friends sometimes have to fall apart to fall back together. Scarlett and Jesse have been best friends all their life, from the late night play dates, to major life events happening to them both.

From the beginning of the book there is a heavy presence of abuse, jesses mother had been abused by almost every man she was with until one day it went to far and the worst event happened... she was beaten to death by jesses father. Jesse watched it happen, broke off his friendship with Scarlett because he was afraid everything and everyone he loved ends up in a bad situation.

Scarlett has some secrets of her own, no one has ever known her father beats her mother. She knows it not appropriate but she also fears there’s not much she can do other than to make sure her younger sister stays far away from the abuse as she can get. One night goes more far than other nights and causes a chain reaction of choices that scarlet must make to make her future much brighter than it has ever been.

In the mist of both there lives spiraling, Scarlett and Jesse find each other just when the life events were starting to truly take hold. Only a breath apart is a truly compelling contemporary romance with love, friendship, family, and trust. I would highly recommend to anyone who needs a book that’ll make you ugly cry but also laugh!

Katie McGarry's latest book will keep your attention from first page to last. You will journey with Scarlett and Jesse as they navigate blossoming love while trying to learn how to trust each other with dark secrets from the past and present. This contemporary romance (with a touch of magical realism) will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Though a bit of a slow-mover, McGarry delivers her usual powerful punch in the young adult genre. The alternating POV allows readers into the private worlds of two very damaged characters. Though Jesse and Scarlett are teens, both end up on their own, so Only a Breath Apart could safely be construed as new adult as well as YA. Their struggles to not only overcome their painful joint past but their totally screwed up present are poignant but mostly unbelievable. Readers may find themselves more drawn to the wild cards that are Jesse's three very colorful best friends; Scarlett and Jesse sometimes feel out of reach.

Once again Katie McGarry has written a gripping and powerful story that many teenagers, and adults, will be able to relate to. She has woven serious topics into a story of family, love, and survival.

One of the things I loved about this book were the characters. There were both characters I loved and those I couldn't stand but they were all important to the story. One of my favorites was Pastor Hughes. The way he listened and talked with Scarlett and Jesse was excellent and I wish every teenager (well everyone really) had someone like him in their life.

Another great aspect of all Katie's books are the romances. This one was no exception. You can't help falling in love and rooting for Scarlett and Jesse.

This was another great Katie McGarry novel that I can't wait to share with my patrons.

This is the seventh book by Katie McGarry that I have read, and I think it is the best so far. Told in alternating voices, the book is compulsively readable, and I was equally caught up in the struggles and transformations of both Scarlett and Jesse. With a father who is physically abusive to her mother, and a secret romance with a forbidden boy, Scarlett's story reminded me of Kristin Hannah's "The Great Alone". It was not as graphic, but it was also both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

I received this Advanced Readers Copy through Net Galley, all of the below stated are my honest opinions.

I've only read a couple of Katie McGarry's books but every-time I do pick one up it is pretty amazing!

In Only a Breath Apart we meet Jesse who is to inherit his family's land that has been with them for generations. After his grandmother passes away he is left to deal with how to keep the land and has to deal with how he is to prove his maturity to the three people who are voting for the final decision .Mainly he deals with his childhood best friend who he thinks has a vote and who he has always loved but pushed away due to a dark secret.

Scarlett, Jesse's childhood best friend has no idea why Jesse pushed her away and ridiculed her in front of his friends freshmen year. That isn't her only problem, Scarlett has an overprotective father and her own family secrets she has to learn how to keep hidden until it becomes too much.

The main reason I very much enjoyed this book was because of the realistic topics that were talked about. This was a book that i could relate to and as a grown up now I wish I had a book like this to just feel close too.