What do you think?
Rate this book
Breathe Me
You know how you hear those stories about once abused kids growing up and overcoming the difficult life they have been dealt and becoming majorly successful like FBI agents or lawyers or something cool like that and never having any lingering problems?
Well this isn't one of those stories.
I used to know how my life as going to be, how I was going to live out my lifeless days, unloved and fearful. Hopeless to the possibility that life, my life could be anything better than what it is now. I knew that I would either give up, or give in, either one would eventually being the end of me and I didn't think that was so bad. I would no longer be constantly reminded that I was shit, and would be shit no matter how hard I tried in life. I thought it was all easier to just slip away.
But that was before....
Well this isn't one of those stories.
I used to know how my life as going to be, how I was going to live out my lifeless days, unloved and fearful. Hopeless to the possibility that life, my life could be anything better than what it is now. I knew that I would either give up, or give in, either one would eventually being the end of me and I didn't think that was so bad. I would no longer be constantly reminded that I was shit, and would be shit no matter how hard I tried in life. I thought it was all easier to just slip away.
But that was before....
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
28 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
About the author
Jeri Williams
5 books78 followersJeri Williams lives a super fabulous lifestyle (by fabulous, she mean’s kinda lame) in the hot Florida sun and loves reading of any kind (except instruction manuals and cereal boxes). She has always written stories and made her family listen to them since she was young. In between her day job and wrangling an up-and-coming Jerry Seinfeld (in girl form) She writes make you feel stuff books. She also enjoys being right and knowing everything, although she is hardly ever right and know nothing. She has a weird obsession with inventing miniature zoo animals you can carry around in your pocket (although not really).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 23, 2017
***TWO STARS***
I was pretty excited to start this story. Sweet girl abused by her mother, who has zero self esteem, getting saved by her prince in shining armor. What is not to love? Well, a lot apparently.
At first I felt deep sympathy for the abuse Harley went through at the hands of her psycho mother. It was horrible. She had been both extremely verbally and physically abused by her mother since a very young age, and I can see where she’d have no self esteem. But the psycho mother was evil as well. She enjoyed throwing her food on the floor and making Harley eat it off the floor; dirt, hair, lint and all. Totally disgusting.
Harley was a bit of a Cinderella really. She got to do all of the housework, all of the cooking and she worked to support her mother, as her mother lied so she could live off from government checks and never have to work at a real job. This gave her mother lots of time to come up with more sick and abusive shit to do to Harley when Harley was home.
Harley is now 23 years old and she works at a bookstore. It’s kind of her sanctuary, and she finds stories there that will take her out of her dreadful life. Books being an escape, I totally get. But Harley still living with her mother at the age of 23?????
I just cannot fathom how she didn’t get away from her. I get it that she’s supposed to have zero self esteem, but there are women’s shelters, people begging for roommates (Harley is the breadwinner in the family, but her mother steals her checks, and that shit would stop in a heartbeat if she’d just move out), and there are all sorts of government assistance programs that would have let Harley get her on her feet. Anyhow….I digress. This bookstore is where Harley first meets the constantly pissed-off Deklan. Harley's horny knight in shining armor.
Or not. He’s a total male slut that screws every woman with 2 legs, two at a time, or one after another. It doesn’t matter to him. He’s just got to get laid. And he talks about it nonstop. And popping virgin’s cherries is NO BIG DEAL, he’s done it many times and it doesn’t mean shit to him. He’s a a total perv, and not in a good way.
Deklan likes to call sex the term “Smashing”. I don’t know why, but I hated this term. Not to mention the fact that the Hewhore wasn’t gaining any brownie points with me for all the women he screwed through the story before and even after first meeting Harley. He just wasn’t sexy to me at all. And taking Harley’s virginity was kind of….Well, let's just say that ramming it in on an innocent virgin's first sexual encounter isn’t hot to me at all.
But, I digress…
Now that Harley is working in her bookstore, she’s finally found a good friend in one of her coworkers named Ember. Harley hangs out at Ember’s house with Ember and Ember's boyfriend Matt. Harley lies to them constantly about why they can’t come over and why she can’t go out with them regularly because of her deranged mother. Harley has a strange way of hiding what is happening to her at the hands of her mother. Even though Harley is a total virgin who hasn't even had a first kiss, she tells Ember that she (Harley) is the biggest whore in town. She fucks random men daily, gives blowjobs to anyone wanting one, has sex with more than one man at a time. Basically a walking STD.
Here’s the hilarious part!! Harley actually gets all pissed off at Ember and Matt when they’d make jokes about what a slut Harley is. Even though they only believed this BECAUSE Harley told them she was a skeezy slut. Yeah, she’s as mental as her mother.
But wait!! I haven't even gotten to the TSTL part of the story. Harley's mom finally abuses Harley with a knife, scarring up her body, and making it so apparent that a very furious Deklan figures this shit out. And since he's been abused as well, he instantly falls for Harley and decides to become her protector (this review is so long I haven't even gotten into his part of this story). He is livid and he tells Harley she is moving in with him, no ifs, ands or buts (because she has ridiculously argued that she just cannot leave her mother's house in previous conversations with Deklan when he's asked her to move in with him). But Harley, the genius that she is, tells Deklan she wants to do this BY HERSELF (you know, because there should be no problem with her psycho, knife wielding mother, and she tells Deklan to come pick her up in a couple of hours after she has packed up all of her shit (and he agrees...sigh). With this stupidity, I started to understand why her mother always slapped her in the back of the head earlier in the story.
It all goes downhill from there. Of course Harley’s mother beats the everliving fuck out of her again. Who could have seen that coming?
Harley decides to OD on pills she’s been saving up through the story, but Deklan shows up and saves her. He revives her, the ambulance takes her away to the hospital and NOTHING happens to the psycho mother at all. The ending was completely unsatisfying and now I have to read book 2 to see where the story goes from here. I kind of doubt I care enough to read it.
I was pretty excited to start this story. Sweet girl abused by her mother, who has zero self esteem, getting saved by her prince in shining armor. What is not to love? Well, a lot apparently.
At first I felt deep sympathy for the abuse Harley went through at the hands of her psycho mother. It was horrible. She had been both extremely verbally and physically abused by her mother since a very young age, and I can see where she’d have no self esteem. But the psycho mother was evil as well. She enjoyed throwing her food on the floor and making Harley eat it off the floor; dirt, hair, lint and all. Totally disgusting.
Harley was a bit of a Cinderella really. She got to do all of the housework, all of the cooking and she worked to support her mother, as her mother lied so she could live off from government checks and never have to work at a real job. This gave her mother lots of time to come up with more sick and abusive shit to do to Harley when Harley was home.
Harley is now 23 years old and she works at a bookstore. It’s kind of her sanctuary, and she finds stories there that will take her out of her dreadful life. Books being an escape, I totally get. But Harley still living with her mother at the age of 23?????
I just cannot fathom how she didn’t get away from her. I get it that she’s supposed to have zero self esteem, but there are women’s shelters, people begging for roommates (Harley is the breadwinner in the family, but her mother steals her checks, and that shit would stop in a heartbeat if she’d just move out), and there are all sorts of government assistance programs that would have let Harley get her on her feet. Anyhow….I digress. This bookstore is where Harley first meets the constantly pissed-off Deklan. Harley's horny knight in shining armor.
Or not. He’s a total male slut that screws every woman with 2 legs, two at a time, or one after another. It doesn’t matter to him. He’s just got to get laid. And he talks about it nonstop. And popping virgin’s cherries is NO BIG DEAL, he’s done it many times and it doesn’t mean shit to him. He’s a a total perv, and not in a good way.
Deklan likes to call sex the term “Smashing”. I don’t know why, but I hated this term. Not to mention the fact that the Hewhore wasn’t gaining any brownie points with me for all the women he screwed through the story before and even after first meeting Harley. He just wasn’t sexy to me at all. And taking Harley’s virginity was kind of….Well, let's just say that ramming it in on an innocent virgin's first sexual encounter isn’t hot to me at all.
But, I digress…
Now that Harley is working in her bookstore, she’s finally found a good friend in one of her coworkers named Ember. Harley hangs out at Ember’s house with Ember and Ember's boyfriend Matt. Harley lies to them constantly about why they can’t come over and why she can’t go out with them regularly because of her deranged mother. Harley has a strange way of hiding what is happening to her at the hands of her mother. Even though Harley is a total virgin who hasn't even had a first kiss, she tells Ember that she (Harley) is the biggest whore in town. She fucks random men daily, gives blowjobs to anyone wanting one, has sex with more than one man at a time. Basically a walking STD.
Here’s the hilarious part!! Harley actually gets all pissed off at Ember and Matt when they’d make jokes about what a slut Harley is. Even though they only believed this BECAUSE Harley told them she was a skeezy slut. Yeah, she’s as mental as her mother.
But wait!! I haven't even gotten to the TSTL part of the story. Harley's mom finally abuses Harley with a knife, scarring up her body, and making it so apparent that a very furious Deklan figures this shit out. And since he's been abused as well, he instantly falls for Harley and decides to become her protector (this review is so long I haven't even gotten into his part of this story). He is livid and he tells Harley she is moving in with him, no ifs, ands or buts (because she has ridiculously argued that she just cannot leave her mother's house in previous conversations with Deklan when he's asked her to move in with him). But Harley, the genius that she is, tells Deklan she wants to do this BY HERSELF (you know, because there should be no problem with her psycho, knife wielding mother, and she tells Deklan to come pick her up in a couple of hours after she has packed up all of her shit (and he agrees...sigh). With this stupidity, I started to understand why her mother always slapped her in the back of the head earlier in the story.
It all goes downhill from there. Of course Harley’s mother beats the everliving fuck out of her again. Who could have seen that coming?
Harley decides to OD on pills she’s been saving up through the story, but Deklan shows up and saves her. He revives her, the ambulance takes her away to the hospital and NOTHING happens to the psycho mother at all. The ending was completely unsatisfying and now I have to read book 2 to see where the story goes from here. I kind of doubt I care enough to read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2015
Breathe Me ...is... Everything. This book is so well written and grabs you instantly. Jeri introduces us to her main character, Harley, and we instantly want to know her. Harley is a beautiful, intelligent young woman, but she will never see that. Harley's mother is the anchor holding her down in life, in the worst way possible. It seems Harley will never know her real potential in life, since her mother tears her down (to say the least) every chance she gets. Harley puts up her walls to shield everyone from her home life. Even her best friend really doesn't know her. We wonder if anyone will ever actually awaken Harley to see herself for who she can really be...and then we meet Deklan. A misunderstood guy in his own right, who turns out to be Harley's kindred spirit. The back story of each of these two characters is gripping and when they come together ... FIRE happens. Will Harley, for the first time, let someone in? Will she see that Deklan is the one who can understand her? This story will have you from beginning to end...and leave you wanting more. Is there Anything you can do Jeri to not leave us hanging!?
December 10, 2015
Could not put this down!
Absolutely brilliant!
Gripping and thought provoking!
Beautifully written!
These are just a few thoughts that came to me in reflection after reading Breathe Me by Jeri Williams.
I award ☆☆☆☆☆
I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment BTW.
Harley is a very intelligent girl. Her love for books and music are her anchors. They keep her grounded, they keep her happy(ish) and they keep her sane.
This beautiful young lady leads a double life. To her friends she is one person, but behind closed doors she is another. It’s the behind closed doors part that I particularly hate. The things this girl goes through should never happen to someone so loving. Especially by her own mother!
Some parts to this story I found really hard to read, but I got through the abuse, making me fall in love with the characters even more than before.
Harley meets Deklan (our very delicious hero), a troubled and misunderstood soul in his own right. They form a friendship initially, but there is attraction on both sides. They form an unbreakable bond and they become kindred spirits, sharing secrets and each teaching the other how to love.
I was really attracted to this book by the blurb, as it sounded right up my street. I cannot recommend this book enough and it is the perfect read for those of you who like your romances with a twist, about tortured souls finding each other.
Hurry up Jeri… I will definitely be reading the next in this little gem of a series.
Absolutely brilliant!
Gripping and thought provoking!
Beautifully written!
These are just a few thoughts that came to me in reflection after reading Breathe Me by Jeri Williams.
I award ☆☆☆☆☆
I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment BTW.
Harley is a very intelligent girl. Her love for books and music are her anchors. They keep her grounded, they keep her happy(ish) and they keep her sane.
This beautiful young lady leads a double life. To her friends she is one person, but behind closed doors she is another. It’s the behind closed doors part that I particularly hate. The things this girl goes through should never happen to someone so loving. Especially by her own mother!
Some parts to this story I found really hard to read, but I got through the abuse, making me fall in love with the characters even more than before.
Harley meets Deklan (our very delicious hero), a troubled and misunderstood soul in his own right. They form a friendship initially, but there is attraction on both sides. They form an unbreakable bond and they become kindred spirits, sharing secrets and each teaching the other how to love.
I was really attracted to this book by the blurb, as it sounded right up my street. I cannot recommend this book enough and it is the perfect read for those of you who like your romances with a twist, about tortured souls finding each other.
Hurry up Jeri… I will definitely be reading the next in this little gem of a series.
March 28, 2015
5 Stars!
Shut the front door people! I will stake my claim Deklan is mine! THIS IS MUST READ JERI WILLIAMS book! *Full Review to Follow*
Shut the front door people! I will stake my claim Deklan is mine! THIS IS MUST READ JERI WILLIAMS book! *Full Review to Follow*
March 23, 2017
"I Think It’s Time That You Should Know All The Damage You’ve Done To My Soul Everything Is In The Names That You Call Me (Every Hurtful Thing You Say) Everything Is In The Things You Do (How Could You Be So Cruel?)"
I stumbled crossed this book by accident. I swear Amazon is like my best friend. Amazon always seems to recommend books to me (that I can relate to, been and going through, etc.) I stepped out of my comfort zone (and I'm glad I did) the things that were mention wasn't to graphic! Thank you for that, Mrs. Williams..
This book violently twisted my gut, heart, mind and soul. While you are reading, get the tissues ready (I recommend the ones with lotion) This book made me ugly cried! It touches on emotional and verbal abuse, mental health and self love. Mother/Daughter Issues... And finding Love..
This book is about a beautiful, broken and innocent young woman, Harley, 23 yrs old, and ever since she could remember, her mother has emotionally and mentally abused her. Harley, has never known what LOVE is... Always anger, cruel words and hate. Her mother, I swear, I wanted to jump in my kindle and show her a thing or two. I'm a mother of "3" and I love my children with all my heart and it makes me so livid when I hear or read about another mother hurting her children... Harley - She works in a bookstore.. Daydreams and lives out happy moments through her books. Her books take her away from the stress and horrors of her life....
Until she meets the gorgeous bad boy, Deklan. Okay, this man right here (Damnnnnnnn) I swear, he is my new book boyfriend. What can I say about, Deklan... Well he is an arrogant alpha-man-whore! Doesn't do relationships or love. A hit it to quit it type. But before you judge him, he has demons he is fighting... A poor child hood that has hardened him. He comes back to the small town he hates (because his mother is dying) And trying to waste some time, he stops at the bookstore, that Harley works... And everything changes for these "2" lost souls..... I loved how Deklan was so dominant and extremely protective of Harley. How he wanted to break down her walls and show her what love is.... And I loved how Harley, broke down his walls..
Two Broken Souls Meeting And Merging Together... As One.
For Deklan and Harley - Falling In Love Was Never Part Of The Plan.
Highly Recommended! A Most Definite Read.
Want to read
April 17, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/17/2019)! 🎁
July 12, 2015
4.5 stars!
I was originally going to do a promo for this Blog Tour and not a review, but after thinking it over for a few hours and reading some ARC reviews on Goodreads, I decided to do a review! The synopsis intrigued me and the cover is stunning! I'm so happy I decided to review this book! I really enjoyed it and it dealt with some tough issues that at times were hard for me to read! It was very intriguing though because it made me want to find out what was going to happen next and whether the main female character was going to tell someone or leave! I also read this book in a few sittings! It would have been one, but I had to force myself to put the book down to go to sleep lol! The plot was written very well! There were some horrible scenes that made me want to hit the main character's mother, but then there were some seriously hot scenes too, so they kind of evened each other out in a weird way lol! The plot also developed at a really good pace and held my interest all the way through! The characters were also amazing! Harley was the main female character, and my heart completely went out to her in this book! She was mentally and physically abused by her mother and she was scared to tell someone or leave her mother! I kept hoping that Harley would pluck up the courage to leave her mother in this book, because I couldn't understand why she stayed, but I guess all the mental abuse had a huge impact on her and her mother kept telling her that she had nobody and that she couldn't be loved! I loved Harley though! She also had a façade on when she was with friends, which again made me feel sorry for her because she couldn't be herself, but there was one guy who saw through Harley's facades! Deklan was the main male character and love interest of Harley! I have to start by saying that Deklan thought more with his dick than what he did with his head in this book lol, but he did start to think more with his head as his relationship with Harley progressed and he found out what was going on at home with her! Deklan was also seriously hot, but he knew it lol! He had also been through a lot and he had suffered abuse at the hands of his father, but unlike Harley, he managed to escape from it, so he tried to help Harley escape too! I did love Deklan, but I wish that he hadn't thought with his dick so much because that put me off him a little lol! I wasn't sure if this book was going to be written from dual point of view, but it was! I loved the book being written from both Harley and Deklan's point of views! It made the plot even better and it helped me connect more with both characters! I can't wait to read the next book in this series! The ending of this book was left at the perfect place, so I can't wait to find out what's going to happen next! As I said, the cover for this book is stunning! It's light and dark, which definitely suits the feel of the book and I love it! Big thank you to Jeri for an ARC of Breathe Me and to Book Enthusiast Promotions for having me on the Blog Tour!
I was originally going to do a promo for this Blog Tour and not a review, but after thinking it over for a few hours and reading some ARC reviews on Goodreads, I decided to do a review! The synopsis intrigued me and the cover is stunning! I'm so happy I decided to review this book! I really enjoyed it and it dealt with some tough issues that at times were hard for me to read! It was very intriguing though because it made me want to find out what was going to happen next and whether the main female character was going to tell someone or leave! I also read this book in a few sittings! It would have been one, but I had to force myself to put the book down to go to sleep lol! The plot was written very well! There were some horrible scenes that made me want to hit the main character's mother, but then there were some seriously hot scenes too, so they kind of evened each other out in a weird way lol! The plot also developed at a really good pace and held my interest all the way through! The characters were also amazing! Harley was the main female character, and my heart completely went out to her in this book! She was mentally and physically abused by her mother and she was scared to tell someone or leave her mother! I kept hoping that Harley would pluck up the courage to leave her mother in this book, because I couldn't understand why she stayed, but I guess all the mental abuse had a huge impact on her and her mother kept telling her that she had nobody and that she couldn't be loved! I loved Harley though! She also had a façade on when she was with friends, which again made me feel sorry for her because she couldn't be herself, but there was one guy who saw through Harley's facades! Deklan was the main male character and love interest of Harley! I have to start by saying that Deklan thought more with his dick than what he did with his head in this book lol, but he did start to think more with his head as his relationship with Harley progressed and he found out what was going on at home with her! Deklan was also seriously hot, but he knew it lol! He had also been through a lot and he had suffered abuse at the hands of his father, but unlike Harley, he managed to escape from it, so he tried to help Harley escape too! I did love Deklan, but I wish that he hadn't thought with his dick so much because that put me off him a little lol! I wasn't sure if this book was going to be written from dual point of view, but it was! I loved the book being written from both Harley and Deklan's point of views! It made the plot even better and it helped me connect more with both characters! I can't wait to read the next book in this series! The ending of this book was left at the perfect place, so I can't wait to find out what's going to happen next! As I said, the cover for this book is stunning! It's light and dark, which definitely suits the feel of the book and I love it! Big thank you to Jeri for an ARC of Breathe Me and to Book Enthusiast Promotions for having me on the Blog Tour!
August 20, 2015
WOW this book blew me away. There is something to be said for those strong willed chicks in books. The ones that overcome , that don't need anyone. Well this is NOT that story , Harley is NOT that character and I honestly have to say she is a fave of mine. The pure innocence , the sadness , the troubled child in an adult body OMG she is heartbreaking and I don't care how weak she may act or seem the things she overcomes even when she is close to giving up , just WOW. This is not an easy read , there are some serious triggers if you have suffered abuse. You will laugh at times , you will feel the things most normal books make you feel BUT there is no mistaking the fact you will feel some real pain and heartache. Be prepared this is not a pretty story yet something amazing and beautiful does come out of it. I look forward to more.
Harley has been suffering her whole life at the hands of her mother. Love does not come easy or at all for Harley. She functions as a normal person would , a few friends , a job and she pretends to have this great adventurous life. Sadly we find out it is all a lie. Lying is easier than facing the truth. You can't help but break for this girl. Why doesn't anyone notice , why does she not do something about it , why has this gone on so long and seriously WTF is wrong with this mother ?? The same time we meet Harley and fall in love with her Deklan blows into town. He is a force to be reckon with , a chip on his shoulder , a tendency to smash and run LOL , I do love that saying !! So of course when he runs into Harley you can imagine the sparks. Two opposites , or so we think. The bad boy with too much experience under his belt and the innocent broken girl that lives through the books she reads and knows what a man like Deklan is capable of but doesn't think she deserves any of that. BUT heck yes she wants it and wants it badly. Here begins the journey , the rollercoaster ride. Deklan is in town for a reason , sadly not something he wants to deal with. We know his brother as Ember's boyfriend Matt , Ember being Harley's BFF. Here lies the connection. Surprisingly all on their own Harley and Deklan forge their own bond , their own way and we slowly get to know them both although it is painfully slow. Through their suffering they open up to each other and you will break before you heal reading this story.
Harley has been suffering her whole life at the hands of her mother. Love does not come easy or at all for Harley. She functions as a normal person would , a few friends , a job and she pretends to have this great adventurous life. Sadly we find out it is all a lie. Lying is easier than facing the truth. You can't help but break for this girl. Why doesn't anyone notice , why does she not do something about it , why has this gone on so long and seriously WTF is wrong with this mother ?? The same time we meet Harley and fall in love with her Deklan blows into town. He is a force to be reckon with , a chip on his shoulder , a tendency to smash and run LOL , I do love that saying !! So of course when he runs into Harley you can imagine the sparks. Two opposites , or so we think. The bad boy with too much experience under his belt and the innocent broken girl that lives through the books she reads and knows what a man like Deklan is capable of but doesn't think she deserves any of that. BUT heck yes she wants it and wants it badly. Here begins the journey , the rollercoaster ride. Deklan is in town for a reason , sadly not something he wants to deal with. We know his brother as Ember's boyfriend Matt , Ember being Harley's BFF. Here lies the connection. Surprisingly all on their own Harley and Deklan forge their own bond , their own way and we slowly get to know them both although it is painfully slow. Through their suffering they open up to each other and you will break before you heal reading this story.
August 28, 2015
Get the kleenex out for this will have you emotional. Harley and Deklan will really tug at your heart strings. Especially Harley..Her utter despair is just pouring off the pages and you so want to wrap her up and make her see she isn’t what her mom thinks. She tries to protect herself from others by painting herself as something she is not and in the end this does hurt her. Not as much as her reality does but it does.
Deklan is a survivor. He doesn’t have the hopeless despair pouring off of him like Harley but he isn’t happy perse either. He is still emotional damaged by his childhood and in some extent his brother Matt who comes off as this sweet guy but seriously he is not nice he is judgmental and at times horrid. He judges his brother when he doesn’t know everything that has happened and judges Harley without really getting to know her.
The only one who sees and I mean truly sees Harley is Deklan. And she tries to run. He doesn’t let her in fact he tries to give her hope. She brings something into his world he never thought he could, would or should have and now he has fallen. Fallen for the beautiful girl he sees on the inside. His protective nature and calling her out on things was wonderful to see. He showed her she was worth it and gave a piece of himself to her. He wants her for her and this is so amazing and kind. He is a diamond in the rough.
The ending will tear you up. Poor Harley but Deklan you go. I do hope that these two make it. I have a feeling though Harley is going to be hard to get to see that she is wonderful and lovable. If anyone can it is Deklan. These two will change each other for the better.
A beautifully written emotional tale of one girls horror of a life and how one boy shows her kindness and is there for her. Can’t wait to see what happens next.
Deklan is a survivor. He doesn’t have the hopeless despair pouring off of him like Harley but he isn’t happy perse either. He is still emotional damaged by his childhood and in some extent his brother Matt who comes off as this sweet guy but seriously he is not nice he is judgmental and at times horrid. He judges his brother when he doesn’t know everything that has happened and judges Harley without really getting to know her.
The only one who sees and I mean truly sees Harley is Deklan. And she tries to run. He doesn’t let her in fact he tries to give her hope. She brings something into his world he never thought he could, would or should have and now he has fallen. Fallen for the beautiful girl he sees on the inside. His protective nature and calling her out on things was wonderful to see. He showed her she was worth it and gave a piece of himself to her. He wants her for her and this is so amazing and kind. He is a diamond in the rough.
The ending will tear you up. Poor Harley but Deklan you go. I do hope that these two make it. I have a feeling though Harley is going to be hard to get to see that she is wonderful and lovable. If anyone can it is Deklan. These two will change each other for the better.
A beautifully written emotional tale of one girls horror of a life and how one boy shows her kindness and is there for her. Can’t wait to see what happens next.
February 27, 2016
*****This book deals with abuse and all the scars that come with it*********
This book is heart wrenching. This is not for someone looking for a light read or a way to escape reality. This story is about children who are abused and the many different ways in which they handle/escape it.
Harley is a 23 yr old woman who has grown up with her mother's hands and spiteful words her entire life. Her mother is very abusive, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. She is the epitome of scum of the earth.
Harley's entire world is spent in fear on a daily basis and no one has ever stepped in to rescue her from the turmoil. That is, until she meets Deklan.
She literally runs into Deklan at the bookstore where she works. Somehow, Deklan has become pulled towards the innocent and terrified Harley. He keeps running into her everywhere it seems, in his home town.
Deklan has grown up in his own abusive household. Escaped the clutches of his father and has only returned as his mother is dying. He has become so entwined with Harley and the need to protect her that he has made it his mission to find out who has her living in so much fear.
This story deals with so much pain and anguish. It delves into the psyche of those abused and how they react to the outside world. Many go unnoticed in society because people still do not want to get involved in something so dark and evil.
This will make you, the reader, run the same string of emotions, including anger and wanting to lash out towards those conflicting the pain. It is a real eye opener and actually perfectly depicts the pain and suffering of those who are abused. Not for the fain of heart but definitely for those who care to learn
December 13, 2015
I echo the warning in the blurb -strong language and sexual content also abuse.
Breath Me is a compelling story about a young girl( Harley) that has been abused by her mom for so long she fears to leave. She lives every day in fear. It is also about a young man (Deklan)that has also dealt with child abuse from his father until he was old enough to leave. The abuse made him stronger but also hard. Breath em is not a sweet romance. However, there is a building relationship with Deklan and Harley; I still don't consider it romance. The language is very harsh. Every few words in Deklan's point of view is cursing, strong language and degrading women as sex objects. I will admit at first I didn't like this and though it was overboard as the story went on I saw it as Deklan's voice. I did have one issue though. The language was very rough yet when it came to the sex Jeri used words like her sex, her core, her heat. I found that odd since every word imaginable was used in nearly every sentence except the sex scenes.
The characters were very complex. I will admit at first I didn't like the characters. I found Harley strange. I couldn't fathom a 23-year-old staying through what she did. Deklan I found harsh, degrading, just unlikeable. The story line I liked even though it is harsh. I was drawn it at the very beginning and as the story progressed I warmed up to the characters after I found out what made them the way they are. The ending left me in tears and with hope. I cannot wait for the next one.
Breath Me is a compelling story about a young girl( Harley) that has been abused by her mom for so long she fears to leave. She lives every day in fear. It is also about a young man (Deklan)that has also dealt with child abuse from his father until he was old enough to leave. The abuse made him stronger but also hard. Breath em is not a sweet romance. However, there is a building relationship with Deklan and Harley; I still don't consider it romance. The language is very harsh. Every few words in Deklan's point of view is cursing, strong language and degrading women as sex objects. I will admit at first I didn't like this and though it was overboard as the story went on I saw it as Deklan's voice. I did have one issue though. The language was very rough yet when it came to the sex Jeri used words like her sex, her core, her heat. I found that odd since every word imaginable was used in nearly every sentence except the sex scenes.
The characters were very complex. I will admit at first I didn't like the characters. I found Harley strange. I couldn't fathom a 23-year-old staying through what she did. Deklan I found harsh, degrading, just unlikeable. The story line I liked even though it is harsh. I was drawn it at the very beginning and as the story progressed I warmed up to the characters after I found out what made them the way they are. The ending left me in tears and with hope. I cannot wait for the next one.
May 8, 2015
*** REVIEWED FOR SARAH & KIRSTY'S BOOK REVIEWS***
Oh wow! Poor Harley! This book had me crying from the beginning. My heart broke for Harley and what she was enduring at the hands of her mum. Poor Deklan too, he has been through the same thing! This book started off with lots of drama and action; I was glued to my kindle. I literally couldn’t devour the words fast enough. Both Harley and Deklan are incredibly damaged but have a very soft heart. The attitude they display is simply a mask for the outside world. It’s a mask they both wear very well. I found myself having to put my kindle at some points as I was so angry on Harley’s behalf. I have never wanted to hit a fictional character more than I did with Harley’s ‘mother’. The strength Harley showed at the end was heart-warming and I found myself cheering her on in my head. Deklan was the perfect alpha male. He was dominant but not in a sexual way. He was incredibly protective of Harley and so caring, which I didn’t expect from him at all. He never once gave up on her, even when he could see Harley was having doubts. At some points it was like they were kindred spirits, destined to meet each other and save each other. I loved the ending. It finished the story perfectly. This is an incredibly emotional read but above all it’s a story of hope and finding love when the person who is supposed to love you doesn’t. An amazing job well done Jeri. 5 stars!
Oh wow! Poor Harley! This book had me crying from the beginning. My heart broke for Harley and what she was enduring at the hands of her mum. Poor Deklan too, he has been through the same thing! This book started off with lots of drama and action; I was glued to my kindle. I literally couldn’t devour the words fast enough. Both Harley and Deklan are incredibly damaged but have a very soft heart. The attitude they display is simply a mask for the outside world. It’s a mask they both wear very well. I found myself having to put my kindle at some points as I was so angry on Harley’s behalf. I have never wanted to hit a fictional character more than I did with Harley’s ‘mother’. The strength Harley showed at the end was heart-warming and I found myself cheering her on in my head. Deklan was the perfect alpha male. He was dominant but not in a sexual way. He was incredibly protective of Harley and so caring, which I didn’t expect from him at all. He never once gave up on her, even when he could see Harley was having doubts. At some points it was like they were kindred spirits, destined to meet each other and save each other. I loved the ending. It finished the story perfectly. This is an incredibly emotional read but above all it’s a story of hope and finding love when the person who is supposed to love you doesn’t. An amazing job well done Jeri. 5 stars!
July 21, 2015
100 STARS!!!!!!!!!
I AM SPEECHLESS!!!!
WARNING: this book is a very dark, very real exploitation of cruel and inhumane things that can happen to people. This book has content that is not for the faint of heart or who has triggers to certain topics. This isn't your rainbows and unicorns story. You have been warned.
Harley is numb. Numb to the everyday things she encounters. Numb to her feelings. Numb in her actions. NUMB.
Deklan is an ALPHA male, with his own issues. He found a way to live his life.
Harley and Deklan meet one day, and from there they kept running into each other. Until Kennedy ran...from Deklan.
Ember and Matt are secondary characters that are very believable. I hope there's a book about them.
I don't give spoilers so I must stop trying to write this review. I will tell you that this is the BEST BOOK I have read in a long time. You will laugh (not a lot), you will definitely cry, you will feel the pain. You won't be able to put it down until you find out what happens. You think you know how it's going to end, but YOU HAVE NO IDEA! You will want to scream and cry some more. This book is absolutely phenomenal.
My words do not do this book justice. I feel so inadequate trying to put together sentences that people will understand. This book left me speechless.
I AM SPEECHLESS!!!!
WARNING: this book is a very dark, very real exploitation of cruel and inhumane things that can happen to people. This book has content that is not for the faint of heart or who has triggers to certain topics. This isn't your rainbows and unicorns story. You have been warned.
Harley is numb. Numb to the everyday things she encounters. Numb to her feelings. Numb in her actions. NUMB.
Deklan is an ALPHA male, with his own issues. He found a way to live his life.
Harley and Deklan meet one day, and from there they kept running into each other. Until Kennedy ran...from Deklan.
Ember and Matt are secondary characters that are very believable. I hope there's a book about them.
I don't give spoilers so I must stop trying to write this review. I will tell you that this is the BEST BOOK I have read in a long time. You will laugh (not a lot), you will definitely cry, you will feel the pain. You won't be able to put it down until you find out what happens. You think you know how it's going to end, but YOU HAVE NO IDEA! You will want to scream and cry some more. This book is absolutely phenomenal.
My words do not do this book justice. I feel so inadequate trying to put together sentences that people will understand. This book left me speechless.
November 16, 2015
Wow, wow, wow! This is a book you can read in an afternoon. I have to say Breathe Me will draw you in. This is Deklan’s & Harley’s story. It hit my heart and soul that someone would or could say they are a mother and do the things that she does to her own daughter. I won’t say more and hope that I am not saying too much because I don’t want to have any spoilers. Warning: This is a DARK book and there could be triggers so proceed with caution.
I really am so glad that I brought this book out from the cobwebs to read! Definitely 5+ stars I would give more if I could. “Breathe Me” has been sitting on my Kindle since last July. I had gotten just after I enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. I almost decided to just return it without reading. But, then I read so many 5 star reviews and decided this had to be a worthwhile read.
Oh and there is a cliffhanger!!! So the good news is the story will continue. The bad news is that now I wait for the next book! I will definitely read more from this author and I am now waiting for the next part.
*Note: This book must not be offered by KU any longer. But, I think it is a reasonable price for this book and I would have bought it if it hadn’t been offered by KU.
I really am so glad that I brought this book out from the cobwebs to read! Definitely 5+ stars I would give more if I could. “Breathe Me” has been sitting on my Kindle since last July. I had gotten just after I enrolled in Kindle Unlimited. I almost decided to just return it without reading. But, then I read so many 5 star reviews and decided this had to be a worthwhile read.
Oh and there is a cliffhanger!!! So the good news is the story will continue. The bad news is that now I wait for the next book! I will definitely read more from this author and I am now waiting for the next part.
*Note: This book must not be offered by KU any longer. But, I think it is a reasonable price for this book and I would have bought it if it hadn’t been offered by KU.
June 23, 2015
Harley worked in a bookstore and her only friend Ember worked for the cafe in the bookstore. Ember's boyfriend Matt Kane called his brother home because their mother was dying from lung cancer. Harley had a very hard life but she lied to cover it up. She let her bestfriend believe she was a trashy women. At twenty three she had never even been kissed but she didn't want anyone to know the life she had at home. From the time she was seven her mom started telling her how worthless she was and how much she hated her. As she got older she started beating her with her hands, belts or whatever was close. She always put marks where you couldn't see them. Harley's friend always invited her out with her and Matt but she always said she was busy with some guy. When Matt's brother, Deklan came home he ran into Harley at the bookstore and something about how wounded she looked had drawn him to her. This is a very good story but it is a cliffhanger into the next book. This book contains profanity and sex scenes and it can also be a trigger for some abuse so it may not be for everyone. You will love this book
March 8, 2016
I would give this between a 3 and a 4... but definitely closer to 4... Williams spins a tale of truth, hard truth... she gets in the mind set of children everywhere... because no matter if we have excellent parents or scum of the earth parents, we all want our mother/father to love us... the one person in most of our lives that we are willing to forgive almost anything (no matter how awful) is our mother/father... a child will walk on egg shells, not understanding what they did wrong or how they can make sure to make mommy/daddy smile... how they can get the one ounce of praise...
while not all people react the same to this type of environment, there are enough case to consider it common for a child to protect and strive for love from an unloving parent... Williams captures this issues and brings in an unlikely hero to save the day... she gives us two damaged people finding there road to peace... (hopefully) I will have to tune in to the next novel to see where the road goes...
while not all people react the same to this type of environment, there are enough case to consider it common for a child to protect and strive for love from an unloving parent... Williams captures this issues and brings in an unlikely hero to save the day... she gives us two damaged people finding there road to peace... (hopefully) I will have to tune in to the next novel to see where the road goes...
August 19, 2015
Every now and then you read a book that has such an impact on you that you are left speechless and literally are destroyed. This is that book for me. I knew going into this book that it dealt with a lot of graphic nature, abuse and things that a person never should have to go through, but this book literally took my breath away. I experienced so many emotions while reading this that there were times that I literally wanted to throw my kindle across the room and try and find a way to get into this book and slap some people around.I loved Harley like she was a real person and the more Deklan came around I loved him even more. This book tore at my heart strings and never let them go. I look forward to reading the next book in this series to see what is going to happen next
August 27, 2015
Talk about an emotional roller coaster, this book had it all. I can't get over what a brilliant mind Jeri Williams has. I could never have thought out a book this complex. For it to be only 100+ pages, it reads like 400. I was crying and wanting to throw my kindle at times and laughing at other times. That's what made the sex part so meaningful and so raw. I feel so emotionally drained after reading this. But in a good way. Don't think I'm just doom and gloom. Not at all. This book would work for any one, no matter what genre they read. These characters are alive and she better hurry and give me the rest.
May 4, 2015
Jeri has talent! I was sucked in and didn't want to put this book down (I've read it twice)! I refuse to give anything away, but this is definitely a must read!! I found myself laughing and crying while reading about Harley and Dek. Between the drama, emotion, wit, humor, and a hot dirty talking alpha I quickly got emotionally attached to these characters, and I'm hoping that we'll get more Harley and Dek! You need to add Jeri Williams as one of your must read authors!!
April 10, 2017
Wow!
Severe case of mental and physical abuse from one of the few people that should love you unconditionally. This story blew my mind. Although I had to make myself imagine the age of the Female MC was a bit younger than what the story portrayed to be. I don't understand why an adult in her case would suffer in silent when she had the opportunity to leave. I guess that is what years of mental abuse does to an individual. They believe that they can never make it in the world without the abuser.
The story was great, the plot was great. The pace was pretty fast, and the ending came unexpected. It just seemed like a very short story. However, there is a second book and I had it downloaded already, so that was a plus. I will say that if the story ended with this first book, it left off at a good ending.
I did find a few errors, it was enough to make me stop and question how did they not see this every time. It was a little distracting. I downloaded this book on 3/2017 so I think I have the latest updated one, so she could have possibly fixed the errors after I downloaded it.
I loved the cover and thought it was unique. This is my first story form Jeri Williams and I enjoyed her writing, I will definitely be reading the second book in the series.
The story is in first person narrative with Harley and Declan POV, which I love. I really enjoy the POV of both MC so that I can see how they see what's happening.
Severe case of mental and physical abuse from one of the few people that should love you unconditionally. This story blew my mind. Although I had to make myself imagine the age of the Female MC was a bit younger than what the story portrayed to be. I don't understand why an adult in her case would suffer in silent when she had the opportunity to leave. I guess that is what years of mental abuse does to an individual. They believe that they can never make it in the world without the abuser.
The story was great, the plot was great. The pace was pretty fast, and the ending came unexpected. It just seemed like a very short story. However, there is a second book and I had it downloaded already, so that was a plus. I will say that if the story ended with this first book, it left off at a good ending.
I did find a few errors, it was enough to make me stop and question how did they not see this every time. It was a little distracting. I downloaded this book on 3/2017 so I think I have the latest updated one, so she could have possibly fixed the errors after I downloaded it.
I loved the cover and thought it was unique. This is my first story form Jeri Williams and I enjoyed her writing, I will definitely be reading the second book in the series.
The story is in first person narrative with Harley and Declan POV, which I love. I really enjoy the POV of both MC so that I can see how they see what's happening.
March 21, 2017
An emotional rollercoaster
It is rare that I finish a book with my jaw dropped, thinking "Wtf did I just read?" My God, what an ending! The author did a fantastic job on this book. You follow Harley as her home life wears her down and demolishes her self esteem more and more. Deklan is wonderful at trying to break the cycle. The end is heart-wrenching...I read this in one sitting and am probably going to forego sleep to get as far into book 2 as I can before I have to go to work. Yay for coffee!
Deklan is a 12 on the perfect 10 book boyfriend scale. I love his character so much!
Well worth the emotional read.
It is rare that I finish a book with my jaw dropped, thinking "Wtf did I just read?" My God, what an ending! The author did a fantastic job on this book. You follow Harley as her home life wears her down and demolishes her self esteem more and more. Deklan is wonderful at trying to break the cycle. The end is heart-wrenching...I read this in one sitting and am probably going to forego sleep to get as far into book 2 as I can before I have to go to work. Yay for coffee!
Deklan is a 12 on the perfect 10 book boyfriend scale. I love his character so much!
Well worth the emotional read.
March 23, 2017
Too weak.
Sooooo I don't mind some damaged souls but Harley was way to effin weak, and Deklan was a disgusting pig. I really don't know how he can pull a 180 in this book from how disgusting he was to the freaking love he claimed. Harley, the whole entire book was an insecure whiny ugh! I know that was the point, but it was ridiculous how far this author took it. I just didn't like it although I guess I liked it enough to want to know how it ended. Although I don't quite know if it was the end of this book or if the next in the series is a continuation. I just know I'll most likely not be following up with this series.
Sooooo I don't mind some damaged souls but Harley was way to effin weak, and Deklan was a disgusting pig. I really don't know how he can pull a 180 in this book from how disgusting he was to the freaking love he claimed. Harley, the whole entire book was an insecure whiny ugh! I know that was the point, but it was ridiculous how far this author took it. I just didn't like it although I guess I liked it enough to want to know how it ended. Although I don't quite know if it was the end of this book or if the next in the series is a continuation. I just know I'll most likely not be following up with this series.
March 17, 2016
Wow if I could rate a book more than 5 Stars this book is it. This was a very emotional read and I just couldn’t stop balling my eyes out. Once I started reading this book it was so very hard to put it down and at times I just needed a little bit of time just to gather my thoughts. There was so much going on in this story the emotional, physical and psychological abuse this young woman endured was horrible. I could not believe what her mother did to her because a part should love their child no matter what. But in the case of this story the mother blamed her daughter for the departure of the father. Harley is a beautiful woman that believes that she can’t be loved and will never be able to experience love but what she doesn’t know is that a young man is about to enter her life and if she can open up to him and let him in she can have everything she thought was not possible. Harley is a young woman that is scared all of the time the fear she has of her mother is just horrible. All the hurtful things that her mother tells her is just eating her up and that is just not fair. It’s so easy just to say why does she continue to stand for that kind of treatment but until you live in their shoes it’s very easy for those thoughts to come to mind. The amount of abuse that she went through day in and day out messed her up. But I was glad to see that Deklan was able to break down her walls and let her tell him about what was happening at home. But the question now is will she take him on his offer about leaving with him? Will she be able to leave her mother and go live and experience the love that every person should have in their lives?
Breathe Me was a brilliant read. The characters were amazing and it was fabulously written. This is my first read by this author and I can’t wait to read more. I was hooked from the very beginning and I didn’t want for it to end and guess what it did but it ended with a cliff-hanger and I was like grrrr. Their story was so intense and they just clicked together.
I totally recommend this read!
Received ARC in exchange for an Honest Review
Breathe Me was a brilliant read. The characters were amazing and it was fabulously written. This is my first read by this author and I can’t wait to read more. I was hooked from the very beginning and I didn’t want for it to end and guess what it did but it ended with a cliff-hanger and I was like grrrr. Their story was so intense and they just clicked together.
I totally recommend this read!
Received ARC in exchange for an Honest Review
February 29, 2016
4.5 Stars.
I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to fit, how to love. I’m going to go with you and think that you don’t want me, that I’m not enough for you, that I’m a fuckup and how much my mother was right. I’m going to cling to you and push you away because I hate myself and I don’t even know who I am. But most of all, I’m going to need you to want me, to love me, especially when I don’t love myself. Can you promise me that? I just need someone to love me.”
Wow. I just finished Breathe Me and I have tears running down my cheeks and my heart is once again breaking for Harley. The life she was given is no life at all. I can't imagine the pain and suffering she has had to live with. What a monster that raised her. Unfortunately, things like this happen in real life, not just in books, and that breaks my heart for everyone that has to live this kind of lifestyle. Although Deklan is a bit rough around the edges, I am so glad Harley met someone like him and that he is willing to be there for her. The connection they share is there for a reason, and I can't wait to see where their bond will take them next! If you liked the Breathing Series by Rebecca Donovan, then you should pick up a copy of this! It will have you reaching for book 2 just like me!
~Juls
February 28, 2016
**more at http://melenasreviews.wordpress.com**
TOP 10 RECOMMENDED
This is the first I have read from Jerri Williams and have to say WOWZA. Right from the beginning Harley blew my mind away for her fears, strength and hope. My heart just cried everytime she went through what she did in the book for no girl should go through it. Gut wrenching is what comes to mind and Deklan is just what she needs right now in her life. The attraction and bond she feels towards him is one for the books. I have to say the villain in this book is just outright abominable. I mean for Harley to take this just shows that this is not your regular damsel in distress but a woman who has to be applauded for what she goes through. I cannot wait for the sequel for Deklan and Harley have a story much more to tell. Loved it.
TOP 10 RECOMMENDED
This is the first I have read from Jerri Williams and have to say WOWZA. Right from the beginning Harley blew my mind away for her fears, strength and hope. My heart just cried everytime she went through what she did in the book for no girl should go through it. Gut wrenching is what comes to mind and Deklan is just what she needs right now in her life. The attraction and bond she feels towards him is one for the books. I have to say the villain in this book is just outright abominable. I mean for Harley to take this just shows that this is not your regular damsel in distress but a woman who has to be applauded for what she goes through. I cannot wait for the sequel for Deklan and Harley have a story much more to tell. Loved it.
March 26, 2016
Harley Reynolds knows what it is to live with a monster never knowing if it's safe. Harley pretends that she's a slut. Yet when a sexy stranger sees right through Harley's carefully crafted life he's intrigued. Deklan Kane doesn't care about anything except his mother. Deklan prefers to stay out of sight. Deklan goes to the bookstore and finds sweetness. Deklan thinks Harley is hiding something just not sure what it is yet. Can Harley be herself ever? How does Deklan see Harley? Your answers await you in Breathe Me.
This new to me author has written an emotional rollercoaster. I love books like this! The story and characters are not typical or repetitive either. Deklan takes center stage at Harley's side which makes him a hero in my book. Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
This new to me author has written an emotional rollercoaster. I love books like this! The story and characters are not typical or repetitive either. Deklan takes center stage at Harley's side which makes him a hero in my book. Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
July 6, 2015
I was given this book as an ARC for an honest review. This book is not the sugar & spice innocence that I read in Jeri William's other two novels. This series is raw, edgy and you won't want to put it down. I don't want to give out too much and ruin it for anyone but this book starts off with meeting Harley, a girl who was horribly abused by her own mother and has no self worth. Along comes Deklan back in town for some family issues, the two meet and he is drawn to her instantly, sees through her tough exterior wall she has built around her, and wants to help her. This book is a must buy, the new Mommie Dearest of 2015.
March 19, 2015
This book is amazing. I loved every minute of it. I love how Deklan and Harley are both from the same mold. I am happy they found each other to love. They deserve to be loved even though they have been through to much. I think they will make a wonderful couple together. Jeri Williams you are an amazing writer. This book is different from her others but I am sure you will enjoy it too. It really keeps you wanting more. I do wish it was longer. That will just make me ready for the next one. Keep up your awesome work Jeri.
February 29, 2016
This is a must read story,Once i started it i couldnt put it down, it brought me to tears how someone can have children and do the things they do to them, Harley goes through hell and no one notices . and the shit that Deklan goes through. i dont want to give away to much. but i can say i loved this book and i give it 5 stars
April 20, 2017
Emotional read
This book is not for the faint of heart. It shows you things some people can not handle . It's the life of the abused and trying to feel better about yourself. Can't wait to read the next in the series.
This book is not for the faint of heart. It shows you things some people can not handle . It's the life of the abused and trying to feel better about yourself. Can't wait to read the next in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews