I absolutely devoured this. I am completely obsessed with this book. THIS is what I mean when I say I love brother’s best friend. This is everything to me. Ace and Haley going from childhood friends to lovers - I just couldn’t get enough. The ONLY thing I would change about this is getting a longer epilogue but it was still perfect. This is such an emotional story that made me cry a few times so be prepared for the heavy topics discussed in this - you’ll definitely need tissues for the part with the letter! I’m so excited for this to release because I will absolutely be adding this to my shelf so I can come back to it because this book is the epitome of why brother’s best friend is my favorite trope. Ace definitely made the book boyfriend list! I was so lucky to be selected for this ARC.

This is a book you will either love or hate. I expected more based on description and when it finally came it was overboard and then gone. For me I thought it was far-fetched in some areas but tried to look past that and look for the overall story and it was a push/pull. It also goes back and forth between present and the past. It's emotional.

All Haley Chapman wants to do is write and play music. She has always struggled to follow rules and is impulsive. When her best friend goes off to college she follows since her mother who is a senator expects her to finish her college degree. While her end goal is to make it big in music she hosts a radio show for the college radio station.

As her mother is up for re-election there have been threats made on her life and also on Haley's. Her mother hires a family friend to be her bodyguard.

Ace Murphy is 24 and has known Haley since she was ten and he was thirteen. Her late brother was his best friend and he spent a lot of time with her family. He spent four years active duty in the Air Force and then became a bodyguard working for Stellar Security in Chicago. So when the threats came against Haley, her mom wanted Ace to guard her.

There's still so many unresolved issues between Ace and Haley and of course she is against having a bodyguard and fights him all the way and it throws her world upside down. She stuffs everything she doesn't want to deal with in a "little black box" including her feelings for Ace and that he left her, everyone leaves her.
The way you two look at each other...I don't need to be a chemistry major to know there's something there."

3.5-4 stars

📢PSA: Read this book!

Steal My Breath Away by Sarah Castile had me hooked from the very beginning. This is one of those stories you just FEEL so I almost hate to give a synopsis because it just will not do it justice…. BUT with the understanding that you absolutely just have to read this one to FEEL it for yourself… here is a summary:

Haley, a singer and radio host who is busking on the streets until she makes it big, has had her fair share of heart breaks. She’s lost her dad and her brother and her mother is keeping herself busy as a politician. Haley keeps her emotions safely locked away until her brother’s childhood best friend, Ace, is hired to be her body guard and all those emotions from the past come flooding back.

I adored Haley’s radio intros and song playlists. She felt, like a young, fresh Delilah (anyone remember her??) with smooth words and brilliant insight. This story made me miss the radio days and had vibes similar to First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison.

Overall, I highly recommend this one to anyone interested in a sweet, steamy romance with musician inspired vibes.

TechaBooks Review Rubric:
Narrative Elements (Characters, Plot, Pacing, etc.,) - 4.9 STARS
Genre: Romance (Chemistry and Tropes) - 4.5 STARS
Spice - 4 🌶️ (Steamy but tastefully woven into the plot)
Overall - 4.7 STARS

Much appreciation to @sarahcastille and @hambrightpr for the gifted e-book.
Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

TROPES
🛡️ Bodyguard
👩🏼‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏼 College romance
🥂 Second chance
💙 Brother's best friend
🤐 Forbidden
🚪 Forced proximity
‼️ Woman in danger
🎖️ Military hero
❤️‍🔥 Enemies to lovers

“Steal My Breath Away” — And It Truly Did!

From the first page to the last, Steal My Breath Away completely swept me off my feet. This isn’t just a romance novel; it’s a heart-wrenching, soul-healing journey that will leave you breathless in the best way possible.

If you’re like me and have a soft spot for protective, brooding bodyguards, especially when they’re ex-Air Force and your heroine’s brother’s best friend, you’re in for a chef’s kiss level treat. Add in the “found family” trope, and you’ve got a story that wraps around your heart and never lets go.

Sarah Castille masterfully weaves a dual timeline that lets you witness the sparks of young love and the slow, painful unraveling of a bond broken by trauma and time. Watching Ace and Haley’s story unfold felt like peeling back layers of raw emotion—grief, guilt, hope, love—and putting the pieces back together right alongside them. Their reunion isn’t perfect or easy. It’s messy, real, and emotionally charged… and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful.

Haley is a beautifully layered heroine, guarded, grieving, but never weak. Her pain is palpable, especially in the moments tied to her brother and father. One particular letter from her brother to Ace had me in tears; it was so heartfelt, so honest, and so beautifully placed in the story.

And then there’s Ace. Oh, Ace. His quiet strength, his loyalty, the way he found a home and a family through Haley’s loved ones… I adored him. He’s not just a protector, he’s a man carrying the weight of loss and regret, yet still trying to do the right thing by the people he loves most.

This book had everything: romance, emotional depth, moments that made me laugh, cry, and clutch my chest. It’s a tale of second chances, forgiveness, and the painful—but—beautiful path to healing. The characters are vivid, the setting immersive, and the emotional payoff? Unforgettable.

More than five stars—Steal My Breath Away is a story that stays with you. I’m already looking forward to diving into more from Sarah Castille.

Thank you to @hambright_pr & the author, @sarahcastilleauthor, for the advance copy!

As a forever Daddy's Girl, may I just say, ow, my heart? I don't even know where to start with this one. Ace came into Haley's life when he needed love the most, and her family basically adopted him (my gram was the same way). They grew up together, loved together, and lost together. Then Ace disappeared from her life until Haley goes away to college and her Senator mother approaches Ace to be a body guard for her after a failed abduction attempt makes it clear she needs one.

Both of these characters come with a lot of emotional baggage around the other, Ace has the guilt he feels over the death of Haley's brother during a military deployment, and what it really means to keep his promise to protect her, and Haley has the memory of Ace's kiss and subsequent absence when she needed him.

This hit me in a different way than I thought it would. I love an emotional read and this delivered, hard. The tension between the two, the outside pressure of a situation that might just be bigger than they originally seem, even the side characters came together to create an unforgettable narrative.

5🌟

I really enjoyed this one. It had all the right ingredients: childhood friends, brother’s best friend, fake dating, and a protective bodyguard with a rough past. Haley and Ace’s history gave so much understanding to their relationship, and the slow unraveling of their feelings felt real. The dual timeline worked well, especially the flashbacks that showed how close they once were and how much they’d both changed.

Haley’s grief and her struggle to stay in control of her emotions were really well done. I found her relatable and frustrating in a very real way. Ace was an incredible MMC for me- stoic, loyal, and holding onto so much guilt. Watching him slowly let his guard down was one beautiful.

There were moments that were predictable, and the back-and-forth between them felt a bit drawn out. I also wouldn’t have minded a little more focus on the suspense angle. But honestly, the emotional moments hit really well, and the relationship itself had enough spark to keep me invested.

All in all, this was a lovely read with just enough heat and heartache to keep things interesting. I’d definitely pick up another book from this author.

I gave Sarah Castille's *Steal My Breath Away* a 4⭐ rating. This book was a fast-paced emotional rollercoaster for me. When it comes to the bodyguard trope, I find that it can either be executed brilliantly or fall flat. Ms. Castille definitely delivered! Ace walked away from Haley, his best friend's younger sister, because he blamed himself for his friend's death, even though it was when she needed him the most. The angst, banter, and drama that these two experienced were gut-wrenching, but I was rooting for them to make it through everything together.

TRIGGER WARNINGS:

Death of sibling
Grief
Kidnapping

You will enjoy Steak My Breath Away if you enjoy:

TROPES:
Bodyguard
College romance
A Second Chance
Brother's best friend
Forbidden
Forced proximity
Woman in danger
Military hero
Enemies to lovers

Thank you, Sarah Castille, HambrightPR and NetGalley for an advance copy of Steal My Breath Away in exchange for an honest review.

This book is angsty and sweet and emotional and has a brooding bodyguard! Yes, Haley and Ace have amazing chemistry and a special connection…but their relationship is also complicated.

Haley’s passion has always been music but she was feeling the pressure to go into politics. After a security incident she is assigned Ace as her bodyguard. The same Ace that she had a huge childhood crush on and who broke her heart…Now he is posing as her boyfriend and they definitely clash!!

I really liked the use of dual times so we get to see them younger and also in present time. Both of them are dealing with grief and past trauma and have some very emotional moments.

“I didn't ask Ace why he was there. He just was like he had always been when I truly needed him…”

✨What To Expect:
🛡️ Bodyguard Romance
👩🏼‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏼 College romance
🥂 Second chance
❤️‍🔥 Enemies to lovers
💙 Brother's best friend
🚫 Forbidden
🚪 Forced proximity
‼️ Woman in danger
🎖️ Military hero
⏰ Dual Timelines

Thank you so much to Hambright PR & Bramble for the advance copy of this book!

This book will be out on June 17th.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a bodyguard romance and whewww boy I have been missing out.

Ace Murphy the man that you are. Lord he made me swoon while reading this. Not that I am mad at it but I wasn’t expecting their intimate scenes to happen soon. I really thought the author was going to string us for a bit. This man has been protective over Haley ever since they were kids and it only has grew as they did.

Haley, our young naive college student who just wants to make her own music and run her radio show and not be followed around with a bodyguard. She has not talked to Ace in a few years and was mad when he left her after her brother’s death. Her feelings towards Ace came rushing back as soon she saw him again. 


Once feelings were established between the two, whewww it was so hot! The author really had me blushing with some of these scenes.

The book is told from the past timeline as well as the present. I didn’t mind the past timeline as it gave us context for how close the two really were back when they were teens. Ace really looked to Haley’s family has his family since his home life wasn’t so great. It was also so cute to see Haley’s little girlhood crush on Ace and how it really has always been him.

I paired my reading with the audiobook and queen Samantha Brentmoor was the primarily narrator but we did get chapters of Ace’s point of view, narrated by Anthony Palmini. I always love how Samantha does her female characters. I felt like she was Haley and could pull off making her sound so young. Anthony is new narrator to me and I really enjoyed his voice! I would like to see more of him in my romance audiobooks.

This was my first book from the author and I definitely would consider reading her again!

I recommend this book if you are looking for a spicy college romance, with a protective MMC, childhood friends to lover.

4.25

I love the story and how relatable the characters are!
This author is new to me but I’ll definitely keep my eye out for anything else she writes.

This book follows Ace and Hayley. Ace was Hayley’s late brother’s best friend and her childhood crush. They had a falling out and haven’t spoken in a few years, Hayley is living in Chicago going to school while trying to make it as a singer. When she is almost abducted off the street on her way home, her mother insists she have security

Ace works in private security, a job he’s had since leaving the military. When Hayley’s mother asks him to work as Hayley’s bodyguard, Ace agrees. He doesn’t want anything to happen to Hayley.

These 2 have to work through a lot of hurt as they have a working relationship. But they also can’t deny their feelings and their attraction to each other. Being in close quarters has them both crossing lines they know they shouldn’t. Hayley needs to protect her heart and Ace needs to focus on keeping Hayley safe.

Both of these characters needed some therapy, Hayley didn’t allow herself to feel any feelings, always putting in a happy face even though she was hurting. Ace carried so much guilt over the
death of his best friend, he didn’t think he was worthy of Hayley.

I really liked that the author included flashbacks to the friendship between Hayley and Ace as they were growing up, it added to their connection. I liked the found family Hayley found with her friends in college. I liked that there was some suspense in this book too, but it was left unresolved. There was mention of a conspiracy, but it was never explained what exactly the conspiracy was.

I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to @sarahcastilleauthor @brambleromance and @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2025 for the #gifted book and accompanying audiobook.

This captivating second chance romance weaves in an intriguing mystery that kept me glued to the pages. I devoured this book in a single day and absolutely adored every moment.

Having read The Sound of Us, I was thrilled to see the beloved characters from that book returning in this book. Ace and Haley absolutely shine as the main characters, and their reunion is explosive. Ace emerges as the perfect protector for Haley as they navigate the unsettling threat of her attempted kidnapping.

The emotional depth of the story is profound, with Haley grappling with her feelings surrounding the loss of her brother, Matt, and her father. This internal struggle leads her to suppress emotions that long to break free. Yet, within these pages lies a beautiful journey of love and healing.

The narrative unfolds in alternating timelines—both present-day perspectives from Haley and Ace and a past timeline that masterfully reveals the evolution of their relationship over the years. This structure adds layers of complexity and richness to their story.

The narrators play a pivotal role in elevating the experience, breathing life into the characters with both emotion and humor, making their journey feel incredibly real.

If you're in search of a tender romance that will leave you with a sense of joy and fulfillment, look no further. This enchanting story is set to be released on June 17, 2025, and it’s one you won’t want to miss!

I enjoyed this story! The writing is solid and the pace of the story is quick. I did think it was fairly predictable but the development between the FMC and the MMC was really strong.

I also loved Haley, the FMC, and her determination to make her dreams of becoming a singer/songwriter a reality. She didn't let all the chaos of her safety get in the way of those dreams. Haley, also, is strong enough to give love a second chance.

Ace is the broody yet he's the only one suited to protect Haley. He knows her better than anyone, he just has to let himself fall in love with her.

The dynamic, the tension and the ending is just what a romance needs.

Thanks so much to Hambright PR for the eARC of this lovely story!

This author is new to me, but I will be keeping an eye out for anything else they publish. I loved the story and the characters. The pacing of the story was great and the characters were relatable.

Thank you, Sarah Castille & Hambright PR, for this ARC of Steal My Breath Away.

First, I just wanted to say that the cover of this book is beautiful! I love the watercolor look.

This was a sweet romance and family book. I enjoyed the way that Ace and Haley were reunited. Ace was the perfect protector for Haley.

The story was very emotional, with Haley reflecting on a lot of hurt feelings about her deceased brother, Matt, and about the loss of her dad.

Ultimately, I felt like there was a lot of love and healing in this book, and I enjoyed it!

Steal My Breath Away will be released June 17th. I can't wait for the audiobook!

I wanted to love this more than I did. I’m a sucker for the bodyguard trope and I was so excited, but the overall story just let me down. The book follows Haley, a college psychology student who has had more traumatic life experiences than any person should ever have to deal with, and Ace, a man from her past who is hired as her bodyguard after a kidnapping attempt.

The premise was so good, but didn’t feel executed well. A lot just didn’t add up. Her mom is a state senator but works in DC and on the short list for VP. Her dad had a Michelin star but struggled to keep the restaurant open. She never believed her bodyguard when he told her she was in danger. She’s finally kidnapped but it lasts all of two pages. There just never seemed to be any real stakes.

The potential was there and I genuinely enjoyed some parts but overall, I wish it’d been better. 3.25 stars.

Haley is almost kidnapped as a result of her mother’s senate campaign. As a result, her mom hires a professional bodygaurd, who happens to be her brother’s best friend whom Haley has had a crush on since childhood.

This book is such a fun feel-good book that also deals with deep emotional trauma. And I loved both of the main love interests.

this was really sweet! hayley and ace were an adorable couple and i really enjoyed the romance and storyline of this! the perfect fast paced romance you need for a pallet cleanser!

I really enjoyed this story. It’s sweet, emotional, and sometimes even a bit intense. Haley and Ace are both characters with a lot of pain inside, and I liked how the book shows their connection growing slowly. They are very different but balance each other in a nice way. The writing was easy to read and had some beautiful moments. Some parts were emotional, especially when Haley was thinking about her family. I also liked Ace a lot, he was strong but also soft in the right moments. It wasn’t perfect, maybe a bit too much drama for me sometimes, but overall I had a good time reading it. Thank you so much to the author, The Author Agency and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving an honest review.

I do love a good bodyguard romance, but add in brother's best friend...chef's kiss. This book was good, but that ending was great. I did not expect my emotions to get so involved as they did!

I loved the way this found family found its way, those last few chapters had my heart growing a million sizes.

I was so happy to read this book (which I totally judged based on its gorgeous cover) early from Sarah Castille and Hambright PR!