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Breathe #1

Rescue Breathing

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When Manhattan Psychologist Olivia Burke receives an invitation to present her research on trauma in servicemen in Seattle, she is determined to turn the business trip into the start of healing her own traumatized heart.

FDNY Firefighter Owen Maxwell is an unapologetic playboy who spends his days saving lives and his nights breaking hearts. He puts his life on the line every day and is skeptical about doing the same with his heart. But when he meets Olivia, the girl with the shattered spirit–sparks fly.

They share a hot weekend in Seattle and discover that they want to share so much more.

Both Olivia and Owen are in need of help mending their hearts. What remains to be seen is if they can do that for each other, or if they are so damaged they go up in smoke.

Rescue Breathing is the journey of two lost souls, trying to breathe new life into each other without losing themselves along the way.

265 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 11, 2014

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708 people want to read

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Zoe Norman

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
Profile Image for Debra.
474 reviews2,444 followers
July 11, 2014

★★★★ 4 Stars!



Rescue breathing; also knows as the "kiss of life", is a rescue technique where one person provides air for someone who has stopped breathing.

Rescue Breathing by Zoe Norman is a story about two people broken by their past, who come together and try to breathe new meaning into each other's life without losing themselves along the way.

Olivia Burke is a psychologist who's currently researching the topic of traumatic events some firemen and police officers go through. Invited as one of the gust speakers at a conference in Seatlle, she's determined to make the most out of a seemingly uneventful business trip.

Owen Maxwell is a FDNY firefighter by day and an unapologetic playboy who enjoys his freedom more than anything. After a tough break-up he's decided to entertain his carefree, no strings attached lifestyle as much as possible and a bachelor weekend with his best friends is exactly the kind of entertainment he's looking for.

When to two of them end up together on the same flight, being seated right next to each other, it's almost like fate brought them together...

"Olivia, you know this means fate brought us together on this flight, don't you? I mean, you think it's a coincidence that the psychologist writing about firemen is sitting next to a fireman? It's karma... I knew it!"

At first, both Owen and Olivia try to keep their distance from each other. Olivia out of fear of being rejected and becoming to attached to someone who isn't interested in a long term relationship and Owen because all he wants is a casual fling with no strings attached. The more time they spend together though, the closer they grow and the more they both realize they want so much more than their single weekend together in Seattle. But what will life be like once they're back in New York?

"Normal. Normal is boring. This...This right here, right now, is exciting. Could Olivia become my new normal?"

As the story progressed I started to root more and more for the two of them to get their happy ending. Their carefree, funny banter, their steamy, passionate encounters and the fact that they've both had their hearts broken all showed Owen and Olivia were a perfect match. And despite Owen being quite a player at the beginning of the story, it became obvious pretty quickly that he has a much softer, more caring and even a bit of a quirky side to him; which turned out to be the perfect combination to help Olivia come out of her shell and take a chance on life again.

At the end of the story we were left with a happy ending - for now and I was relieved with the fact that there wan't a cliffhanger. The ending still leaves a lot of possibilities for the future and I'm looking forward to the continuation of Owen and Olivia's story!

If you're looking for a fun, steamy, cliffhanger-free read with a limited amount of drama and lots of entertaining banter, I would highly recommend giving this one a try.



*ARC kindly provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Tessa Teevan.
Author 44 books1,601 followers
June 11, 2014
THIS IS LIVE!!!

Loved, loved, loved! Fun, sexy, erotic, and just down right fantastic! I laughed, cried, swooned (boy, did I swoon?!) and loved every bit of it!

Owen Maxwell, I think I'm in love with you!!

description
Profile Image for Christie«SHBBblogger».
988 reviews1,303 followers
June 17, 2014


Title: Rescue Breathing
Series: The Breathe series #1
Author: Zoe Norman
Release Date: June 11, 2014
Rating:4 stars
Cliffhanger:No
HEA:





Rescue Breathing, or "The Kiss of Life": A rescue technique that brings someone back who's stopped breathing.

This book kind of came out of nowhere for me. I happened to come across it very randomly and on a whim decided to try it out immediately without a whole lot of feedback on it. Well, I was pleasantly surprised. This book had loads of steam, and a story that held my interest throughout the entire book. I was really in the mood for something hot and spicy and this one delivered the goods.

In the beginning, get some decent background on both Owen and Olivia. The character building was well done and their stories well thought out. We learn how they got to this point in their lives and the serious load of crap they were handed to them from their exes. He now likes to avoid relationships and just sticks with casual sex. The dreaded M word (marriage) is something that would have him running for the hills had he heard it uttered from anyone's lips. And she is just trying to heal from an extreme betrayal and isn't looking for anything with a man-casual or otherwise. It seems like fate only ever had something horrible in store for her. But could her luck be changing?

Is it fate? Or just coincidence?

They're both taking a weekend trip to Seattle

They're both living in New York

She's a psychologist who studies PTSD in firemen/cops and he is a firefighter battling nightmares as a result of his job.

Their seats on the plane are side by side

Their hotels are across the street from each other

She gets his dirty sense of humor and she gets him.

They're insanely in lust with each other

They're both recovering from an extremely bad relationship


It's enough to make Olivia stop and doubt her stance that karma is nonsense.

Pretty early on, they make good use of their attraction to each other and boy was it hot.



Being the player he was, he certainly knew what he was doing and he had all the right equipment...and then some. They planned on keeping it casual, and keeping it strictly during their trip. Pretty straightforward, right? Of course, getting to know each other isn't making it easy on either of them. They have an effortless fit between them that allows them to just be themselves and have fun. She's gorgeous, smart, funny, and she gets along with all his friends. He is sexy, and helps her loosen up and forget all the trouble from her past that haunts her. He had a dirty, mind, a dirty mouth, and knew how to get down and dirty when the need arose. And that happened a considerable amount with Olivia. They couldn't keep their hands off each other-even at her parent's house!

Owen I had mixed feelings about starting out. One one hand, he takes care of his mother, he's close with his family, and he's a firefighter- a very noble job. On the other hand, the guy was really conceited and cocky and he pretty much slutted around town with anyone he could. Also, he was all ready to just use her and toss her aside originally and that annoyed me.

What I need to do is just fuck her and be done with it. Once I've gotten mine, I can move on.

Ugh. What a pig. But that didn't last long, fortunately. He couldn't stop thinking about her and the more time he spent with her, the more he realized it wasn't going to be so easy ending it before they went home. The guy grew on me and he started realizing that way he's been living has been empty and meaningless.

I've been fed up, bored of playing the game. Uninspired with the constant rotation of women. Tired of not having a connection with anyone. It's amazing how a mere twenty-four hours can help bring into focus what i truly want. And what I really want is Olivia.

She had some frustrating qualities as well. She's a runner. You know, the ones that freak out over some perceived behavior and just run away without talking it out? The ones that refuse to let the other person defend themselves and look for an escape route? That's her. And that didn't really make a lot of sense to me that she was so bad at communicating-she's a psychologist! You would think that she would excel and this type of thing. But I guess her past caused her trust level to hit rock bottom-this is a big problem in their relationship.

Eventually, they seem to get it right. They admit that what they have is too special to throw away, and set out to try to make a real relationship work. It's a truly scary thing for both of them but the ease they have with each other, the way they get each other, and their insane sexual chemistry is something they've never come across before.



By the end, I was wishing their lack of communication, their miscommunication, and their fear of commitment would get resolved. And I was starting to see that it wasn't going to completely happen even though they ended in a good place. There was no HEA, but there was a HFN. I was pretty satisfied with the ending and the fact that there was no cliffhanger. Despite their issues, I enjoyed their funny sense of humor and they way they joked around with each other. They had me chuckling quite a few times and smiling over their bond. He ended up being a big softy and even romantic and tender. I will without a doubt be reading the next book when it comes out.



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Author 29 books497 followers
July 8, 2014
“You gotta take big risks in order to get big rewards.” When it comes to love, that should be everyone’s motto. I read these words and it made me fall more in love with this book. I didn’t just love it - I adored it, I’m obsessed with it, I can’t wait until I have the time to read it all over again. I am a romance junkie and this book absolutely gave me my fix. From the second I flipped to this one in my Kindle carousel, I was hooked. Zoe Norman creates a world of characters that are just simply irresistible.

Olivia Burke is a successful psychologist - she’s strong, smart, beautiful and funny. But she won’t tell you that - she will say she’s boring and damaged. Burned and hurt from a devastating past relationship, she has all but given up on the hope of ever finding someone to share her life with. A chance meeting with a handsome, sexy as hell stranger in an airport bar is about to change all of that…

Airport bars. They are my new favorite place and I am in danger of becoming that weird crazy girl that just hangs around airports sticking out like a sore thumb. All in the hopes of having Olivia’s luck and meeting a man like Owen.

Owen Maxwell. Sexy, cocky, and a firefighter. And not just any firefighter - a rescue company firefighter. In New York City. Are you drooling yet? No? Well let’s see what I can do about that. Fate is definitely smiling on these two - after an engaging meeting at the airport, they discover they are both headed to the same destination - Seattle. Olivia heading out there to present at a conference, Owen on his way to a debauchery filled bachelor weekend with his buddies. The two have an instant connection - Olivia’s panties almost leaping into Owen’s hands she’s so attracted to him. And the feeling was more than mutual. There is a seriously hot bathroom scene on the plane, and if you didn’t want to join the mile high club before, you will after reading that part! Owen has some serious skills to be able to work the magic he does in that tiny little space.

The two embark on what they think will just be a fun-filled weekend fling...with some of the hottest love scenes I’ve ever read - Zoe Norman! That scene in the club bathroom, Jesus - that is not one I will be forgetting anytime soon. The naughtiness of it, the whole club listening and the two of them so wrapped up in each other (and Owen’s amazing skills with his mouth).

This book had it all for me, the humor, the personality, the fantastic and wickedly delicious love scenes - I enjoyed every minute of it. There wasn’t a page that went by where I wasn’t laughing out loud or panting and dying for more.

In the words of Olivia and her best friend Charley - this one’s a scrapbooker, give it a shot - you just might find that you’ve hit the penis jackpot ;)

**5 Deliciously Wicked Stars**

xo Cassia
deliciouslywickedbooks.com
Profile Image for Mara De Guzman.
455 reviews
December 9, 2014
★★★★★
5 Very Beautiful, Very F-able Stars!
Copy provided by the author for an honest review
Review also posted on Mara’s Bookshelf

Aaaaaaah! This… this… this. Is. Such. A. Treasure! I’ve been on a “just okay” slump these past few days but Rescue Breathing just rescued me! This is such a fun, heart-melting, panty explosive story that I am beyond glad to have read!

A huge bonus that I found a new book boyfriend in Owen Maxwell. *sigh* He is a firefighter for the FDNY Brooklyn Rescue Company, a specialized group of men. Highly trained. Elite. Only a chosen few. He loves his job and the adrenaline that goes with it. But with all the fire fighting and rescuing, he’s had his own share of traumatic experiences. That didn’t stop him from being an amazing, easygoing, sexy man. I really just have to put the “sexy” in there. Owen may be a ladies man and came from an ugly engagement but he’s charming and not the a-hole type .He’s still close with his childhood friends and it’s adorable how he takes care of his Mom. Super swoon-worthy guy here, ladies!

Then there’s the very intelligent, almost recently heartbroken, and very f*ckable psychologist -- Olivia Burke. Having come out from a very deceiving relationship, Olivia was broken, understandably so, but she rose above the pain and betrayal she experienced from her douche of an ex. She’s allowed herself time to wallow in self-pity and then (hesitantly) started living her life again with a nudge from her friend, Charley.

And from Owen’s closeness with his childhood friends a.k.a T.O.M. and Charley’s nudge to Olivia… a chance meeting happened between them -- Owen on his way to Travis’, the “T” in T.O.M., bachelor party and Olivia going to Seattle for a conference. Fate may have had a hand on their meeting, well that’s what Owen thinks. What are the chances of two strangers who were easily attracted to each other landed having the same flight going to the same city and ends up sitting beside each other are? Oh, let’s not forget that their hotels are across each other’s. Owen made sure Olivia knew about this fate thing he came up with.

Owen and Olivia’s attraction was pretty “instant” and absolutely sizzling. I love the smart and very seductive back and forth banters they have. They can make a light bulb blow up just with their flirting. And that has nothing compared to their bedroom activities! Owen is a sexy, sexy, sexy man. I know I keep saying that but please bear with me. If you’ve read this already, I’m sure you understand this swooning I have going on.

They started with the flirting and thought that once they scratch the itch they have for the other that they will be done already. Count the experience as weekend fling. WRONG. Olivia was not a one-night stand kind of woman but with Owen and the previous relationship she had, she threw all care out the window and decided to just enjoy the moment. Owen is not looking for anything serious. His ex-fiancee burned him and he is now enjoying the life of a single man.



But that one night together was not enough for both of them. It was beyond satisfying, explosive, and their chemistry was too fierce for them to ignore. So they ended up coming back for more. And more. Until what they have wasn’t just about the sex anymore. Owen started to think of Olivia as his “normal”, as that one woman who he will constantly spend his time with and love every second of it. Olivia’s insecurities keep rearing its ugly head, a sign that she’s getting emotionally involved already. She keeps running and Owen keeps going after her. Their personalities blend so well together and their story was so charming that it’s a page-turner and made me want to finish in one-sitting.



When they gave their exclusivity a go, it was almost effortless for both of them. They’re just compatible, it’s easy to experience the development of their story with them. Of course though, just when things start to take a full blast, a blast from the past happens. In their case, both of their pasts start coming around. Owen’s reaction to Olivia’s ex was compassionate. He was so understanding and gentle about it and I loved him even more for it. He can be a filthy-mouthed bossy man but this side, a side where he was open to communication before reacting, is pretty rare in all the alpha book world and because of that he get’s huge cookie points from me! Eh, I may be gushing about Owen’s overall awesomeness, Olivia sometimes get on my nerves though. Running. She runs every time she feels scared and hurt. She doesn’t confront. She just walks away. At first it was understable, and okay I can still understand her, but where I would’ve thrown a fit or at least threw what I’m holding over to their heads, she just goes away quietly. Olivia is an extremely lucky lady to have someone like Owen who is patient and (yes, you guessed it right) sexy who is very understanding of her.

I cannot wait to read more about these two! It feels like their relationship is just getting started after those 2 hurdles they faced and it’s time for maybe more drama and answers and then some to the questions that I’m sure will be on the second book.

Stars: 5 stars!
Recommended to: EVERYONE! <3
POV: First person. Dual POV.
Series: Yes.
Cliffhanger: No.
EXTRA COMMENT: Did I mention how much I enjoyed this book? I loved it!
Zoe Norman
Profile Image for Flavs is Mrs David Gandy♥~♥’.
3,432 reviews2 followers
June 24, 2014
This book was amazing and the reason I say amazing is because of Owen...lol

He was hot/a firemen alpha and totally sexy!
Olivia was such a sweet/caring/gentle person and sexy in her own way. Knew what she wanted (but only in the bedroom)
At times she annoyed me with how many times she ran away when things got tough. But Owen didn't give up.

This is such a sweet/romantic story with lots and lots of good steamy sex. :-)

To my friend Chris for gifting me this book on Amazon, you are the best.
I #heart# you! Mwah!

A definite yes from me!
Profile Image for Ashley.
783 reviews68 followers
October 2, 2014
1.5 miserable stars.

I will try to come up with something positive to say-

1) I liked that Owen was an elite firefighter.

2).......... Um............ I very much like that it is over.

Basically, I thought the writing from the male POV was horrendous & embarrassing. I'm a giant tomboy & hang out with boys far more than girls. I have three brothers. I have a husband who has his friends over ALL the time (both married & single) I have never heard any of them talk so silly. It didn't seem authentic to me at all.

I DETEST when the MC's brag about their own attributes. (Thank God I'm so good looking & witty) Seriously, I can't even! Let those compliments come from the other parties perspective.

WTF- just bc he's drunk it's NBD that he was grinding on a stripper then says hurtful shit to his gf who saw the whole thing?? I felt as though he was one of the most unlikable book characters I've ever met. And I don't mind crazy, fucked up psychos! Travis Maddox is as bad as they come & I'd loan him all my vital organs. This chump was just ...UGH!!!

Lastly, I'm really tired of this cover pic. I swear it's been used by 23 books I've seen this year. It was a lovely one on the first book I saw. Now it's just like a generic joke at this point.
Profile Image for Aestas Book Blog.
1,059 reviews75k followers
Want to read
September 28, 2014
Sexy firefighter hero!!!

He's an "unapologetic playboy who spends his days saving lives and his nights breaking hearts... But when he meets Olivia, the girl with the shattered spirit, sparks fly."



It's the journey of two lost souls, trying to breathe new life into each other without losing themselves along the way.

I want to read it!!!
1 review
May 10, 2014
I loved the book, love the characters. The couple is one that you can relate to. I couldn't put it down! Can't wait for the next book! Must read!!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
488 reviews1 follower
August 21, 2014
Loved it. Now I have to wait for book 2. :(
Profile Image for Christina.
1,458 reviews101 followers
July 12, 2014
Complimentary copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Olivia is a New York psychologist studying the impact of trauma on servicemen and first responders. Professionally, things are pretty good for her, but her personal life? That’s another story. Having dated a man for over two years only to find out he’s married with kids, she’s having a hard time picking up the pieces of her broken heart and is far from willing to trust another man. At the insistence of an old friend who lives in Seattle, where there just happens to be a conference Olivia can attend to present her work, she begrudgingly finds herself at the airport, headed to the conference and for a little girl’s time.

Owen is a NY fire fighter. He’s hot, dedicated to his job, and is a love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy, having been burned in his last serious relationship (no pun intended). When the opportunity presents itself to head to Seattle for a weekend of bachelor debauchery with his two best friends, Owen also finds himself at the airport.

Olivia and Owen happen upon each other in the airport lounge and immediately sparks fly. While nothing really happens other than some innocent flirting, they find themselves on the same flight… in the airplane’s bathroom, just short of joining the Mile High Club. When they get to Seattle, they make plans to meet up at some point; never really thinking anything will come of it. What happens over the course of the next couple of days is something neither one of them saw coming. Owen finds himself brushing off his friends in favor of spending time with Olivia, but when Olivia’s lack of trust rears its ugly head, she finds herself back on a plane to New York, thinking things with Owen are done.

When Owen returns to NY, neither of them can resist the pull towards each other and they find themselves in an actual relationship, something neither of them had originally intended. But when former lovers return, the relationship is put to the test and they’re each questioning whether a future together is really possible, given they are both so broken by their previous relationships. Can they each ever learn to trust again, but more importantly, can Olivia stop running at the first sign of trouble?

Rescue Breathing was hot (again, no pun intended!), there’s no doubt about that! But unfortunately the ease at which Olivia is willing to walk away from their budding relationship starts to get old. She’s constantly insecure and suspicious, and while her past should make her leery of jumping into a relationship, it gets to be too much after a while. They fight, they make up. They fight, they make up. Rinse, lather, repeat. Some of that could have been edited out and it really wouldn’t detract from the story. The angst, distrust, and heat are all still there, but things would have been just fine if there just hadn’t been quite so much of it.

Rescue Breathing is a solid four stars. The book was well written and again, HOT and I was able to finish it within a day it kept me so interested. The characters were well developed and Owen was certainly swoon-worthy! I will definitely continue with this series, as I’m eager to find out how things work out, not only for Olivia and Owen, but for their friends as well.
Profile Image for Red Cheeks Reads.
2,281 reviews373 followers
August 22, 2014
Olivia: “Wait for it. He was married. With kids. The whole time we were dating. All three years of it.”

Can you even imagine finding out the guy you thought was “The One” was really a lying/cheating/bastard-type? Well, that is what Olivia Burke is dealing with. She shuts herself out from men, dating, and pours herself into her work as a psychologist. She is finally persuaded to visit a friend in Seattle while attending a conference.

So, then enter Owen. He’s tired, overworked, and devastated from his lying/cheating/bastard-type ex-fiancé and en route to Seattle for a guy’s weekend. He may be devastated from his ex, but he is also devastatingly hot and all man!

Owen: “You ever have those moments that you know are going to be etched in your mind until the day you die?” (I hope that is what my hubby thought when he first met me!!)

This book was AMAZING! I might be a little biased though? The story revolves around a firefighter and a doctor (she has her Ph.D. ) and I’m a doctor (I have my M.D.) and my husband is a firefighter. From the title “Rescue Breathing”, I knew this book was going to rock. I mean “Rescue Breathing” is a great metaphor for Olivia and Owen. Can they help each other revive their jaded and rusted hearts? Can breathe life into their mundane existences?

So what is so great about this book? Let me give you the list:
Characters! This author (who is really a duo) does an awesome job at the development of each character, which leads me to..
Dual POVs: The story is told from both Olivia and Owen’s eyes!! Love that!
HOT HOT HOT HOT schemxy scenes, like seriously these girls know how to write a romp!! Including firehouse quickies!
Emotion: Each character is real; they have jobs, and are figuring each other out. It’s not a perfect fairy tale which makes it believable and interesting.
HEA with the possibility for more! There are still a few unanswered questions that leave you wanting for more, but you will feel satisfied with the ending!!
Alpha Guy: Owen is quite an alpha, he is particular about everything and I totally fell for him!
There was not one thing I did not like about this book! I am so happy to have found a new writing duo! I have to add Zoe Norman along with Christina Lauren (you know from the Beautiful Bastard series). Please go check out this 5 star read and I know you won’t be let down!!
Lisa
Profile Image for Mandie Foxylutely.
948 reviews96 followers
July 8, 2014
Four and a half stars!

*Copy provided by the authors in exchange for an honest review

This is the first book in the Breathe series by new authors Zoe Norman. I was immediately sold on the blurb. Hey NYFD firefighter? Oh yes! Owen Maxwell certainly lives up to the imagery of I have of a sexy, smoking hot firefighter in my head and is a definite new book boyfriend to drool over.

He meets beautiful Olivia Burke in the airport bar when both are on their way to Seattle, him to celebrate his best friend’s wedding and her for work purposes. The coincidences then keep happening by finding themselves on the same flight, in adjacent seats and hotels next door to each other.

Owen is a bit of a player and has been ever since his fiancé walked out on him and he resolved never to fall for a woman again. But Olivia is something special which he acknowledges on their first meeting. She’s gorgeous, funny and permeating that spark that seems to ignite when they are together. They share a hot and sexy moment in the airplane bathroom and after agree to meet up whilst in Seattle. It’s from there that the coincidences continue and the attraction increases tenfold.

The chemistry and sexual tension was a total winner and instantly the reader is taken on a sensual and believable story of two people trying to overcome disappointment from a past relationship gone badly. I loved the story build-up and how the reader was gently brought in to grasp a full knowledge of both characters and their psyche. I totally ‘got’ why they both said and did and there was none of this annoying angst and game playing. It was just a hot, sexy, enticing romance.

There was one area that I did not feel was needed and that was the turn up of the ‘exes’ as this just follows from where other books go. They certainly needed to be left in the past as their interference in Owen and Olivia’s life was an obstruction of the story flow. Yes we like to have a touch of angst and jealously but not with how these exes had exited from their lives.


Anyhow that is only one minor thing as I loved everything else about this book and it definitely lived up to my expectations. Great storyline, gorgeous characters and a real feel good factor sexy romance. I can’t wait for the next one. Four and a half stars.
57 reviews6 followers
April 8, 2015
This is the first book I've read by Zoe Norman and the first book in the Breathe Series.
I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.
As much as I loved this cover, what prompted me to review it was the blurb. I mean who come one who doesn't love a book with a hunky firefighter in it, but it was the female character which grabbed it for, well her occupation actually. Yes, I do have weird ways of picking books, but it was well worth it.

The story surrounds Olivia, a Manhattan Psychologist, who is invited to present her research on trauma in servicemen in Seattle. And Owen, a FDNY firefighter and unaplogetic playboy who spends his days saving lives and his nights breaking hearts.

Olivia is determined to use this business trip to heal her own traumatized heart. Owen is skeptical about putting his heart on the line the same way he does everyday with his life.

Well until he meets Olivia that is!!!

A chance meeting, in an airport bar on all places and Olivia and Own have one very H.O.T and STEAMY weekend fling (or so they thought). I'm fanning myself just thinking about those scenes in all of those places!!
The club scene left me blushing beet red, which in turn has my husband asking what had gotten me so hot under the collar!! The prude in me (which I'm slowly trying to lose) came out and said absolutely nothing!!!

Can Owen mend Olivia's heart? Will Olivia be the one to get Owen to put his heart on the line? You'll have to read to find out....

The book was funny (laughter is always welcome), sexy, left me with more then a few tears which was easily remedied with an absolutely swoon-worthy male character! -sigh-
Firefighters, (more specifically Owen :D) are slowly creeping up the ladder as some of my favourite book boyfriends!!!

**** 1/2 Stars for an awesome way to start a series. Can't wait for Book 2
Profile Image for Romance.
367 reviews17 followers
August 20, 2014
Owen and Olivia, the names even sound good together.

Is it FATE. Was them meeting written in the stars?

Whatever it is these two definitely belong together. The pull they have from the very beginning gets us. We are intrigued. What will happen next. They meet by accident at the airport bar, they end up on the same flight sitting next to each other. Their conversation even links them, its amazing to watch the interest between both of our characters.
They are staying at hotels across from each other, while visiting Seattle. Will they run into each other? Will Owen be the one to help Olivia heal from her past. Will Olivia be the one that finally catches our playboy?

This book oh this book. Owen you are officially my first fireman book boyfriend. Wow, you knocked my panties off. I was so into the sexual tension that I need it resolved between them ASAP. No more games. But, things always got in the way. I thought for sure I was going to join the mile high club. Then his friends kept giving him the guilt trip. But when things finally got serious Olivia was a VERY HAPPY LADY.

Things were different from the start and only got hotter. But will their connection simply last for the week that they spend in Seattle or will it continue?
LOVED THIS BOOK AND STORY!!!
Can't wait for September for the next installment.
Profile Image for Melanie.
1,076 reviews34 followers
October 6, 2014
Olivia and Owen are such a great pair!! I fell in love with these two from the very beginning and felt that I was a part of their lives from the first chapter of the book. The way these two connect from their first meeting has you longing for more from them. Zoe Norman connects these two and the heated romance from Olivia and Owen leave you turning the pages faster and faster.
Owen being the firefighter that he is can only stir the flames between he and Olivia. I love how this character goes after what he wants and does not get discouraged. He knows when to back off if Olivia needs room but he is always there to make sure that she knows how he feels about her. Owen helps Olivia heal from her previous bad relationship while proving his feelings for her.
I expected Olivia to be more of a reserved, sweet girl. So not the case!! Owen brings our her sexy and rambunctious side. I loved how she was so open and game for whatever Owen brought on. Olivia soon learned to trust Owen and to remember that he was not like her ex. He was SO much more!
I am hooked on Owen and Olivia and can not wait to see what becomes of them in the next books. Can not get to reading it soon enough. This is one book couple that will definitely go down as one of my favorites of all time!! Thanks Zoe Norman for a great read and look forward to more from you!!
Profile Image for DJ Sakata.
3,305 reviews1,779 followers
August 19, 2014
My Rating

4.5

Favorite Quotes:

“You’re the only one I want to be with. If you need me to tell you all the ways I want you, I’ll do it. I could go on all night. What this is between us, it’s good, Olivia, and I don’t want it with anyone else. You own me, Olivia. Don’t you see that? I want you to be my future, but you need to want that too.”

“I love you so much it terrifies me. You could leave me and I don’t think I’d survive it.”

My Review:

Oh swoon. I am shocked – I should say - totally shocked - to discover this offering from the gods to be the debut novel of two women. I never would have guessed this wasn’t from a seasoned best-selling author. It was well paced, well written, enthralling and just short of fantastic. The characters are fully inhabited, complex, damaged, and flawed – and I loved them. I want more! Although this is book one of a series, it is a self-contained stand-alone unit - with no sucky cliff hanger – yay! There is humor, likeable main and secondary characters, a believable plot, a sensual love story, and smoking hot love scenes. No complaints from this old cougar. I hope I am paying attention when book 2 comes out…
Profile Image for Sarah Osborne.
135 reviews3 followers
October 12, 2014
When a chance encounter bring two people together on a flight to Seattle, can they over come their pasts & learn to love again? YES they can! Owen is this hot firefighter who has had his heart broken by his ex, so he swears off love, then you have Olivia who not only had her heart broken but had her self esteem crushed when she found out her boyfriend of years was married & had a family of his own. Owen & Olivia meet at a bar in the airport & instantly have chemistry, then they discover that their seats are beside each other on the plane, & that their hotels in Seattle were across the street from each other too. They have an amazing weekend together & then come home, Owen tries to fight off his feelings for Olivia, once they are home, but he quickly discovers he can't live without her. It's not always easy for Owen & Olivia but what is right? This is such a refreshing story about two broken souls putting each other back together. I'm so glad this book was recommended to me. So go ahead & buy this book, you will be so glad you did!
Profile Image for Sherry.
590 reviews31 followers
July 12, 2014
One word. Owen. I love sexy, smokin’ hot firefighter Owen. ;) Olivia not so much. I really, really wanted to like her, but she’s a runner. Every. Freaking. Time. Ah, but the sex was HOT! Okay, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Owen and Olivia are both established in their professions and have an immediate chemistry. Their banter was actually quite amusing and Owen was absolutely swoon worthy throughout the story. The story line itself was believable, especially since they’ve both been hurt before. I’ll say it though, I really wish Olivia would have stopped the running sooner. It was the only thing that really stuck out to me that I would change.

Now, back to the HOT sex. Holy Crap! You may need to fan yourself with your Kindle because it gets pretty darn steamy. Zoe Norman has a winner with Rescue Breathing. Between the witty banter, the humor infused throughout the story, and the melt your panties sex it will keep you hooked.
Profile Image for S.A. Wolfe.
Author 51 books334 followers
May 27, 2014
I was fortunate enough to receive an advance copy of Zoe Norman's upcoming Contemporary Romance, RESCUE BREATHING. It is an exciting, face-paced read with very steamy, erotic passion. Owen, a New York City fireman is too sexy for his own good, and let me add - I love NYFD men. Wow. When Owen meets Olivia in an airport bar, sparks fly, and when they discover they are on the same plane, their chemistry ignites. Not even hotshot Owen can put out this fire. RESCUE BREATHING is the first book in the Breathe Series and will be released on June 11, 2014!
Profile Image for Jacinta Marie.
170 reviews1 follower
July 12, 2014
Awesome

Olivia and Owen have quickly become one of my favorite book couples! I can not wait until learning more about them in future books hopefully. I also hope Marc and Tanned get books too!
Profile Image for Jacquelyn Ayres.
Author 12 books275 followers
September 9, 2014
Review to come! Until then, get your hands on this hot-as-hell number! Holy shiznits!!!
Profile Image for Lisa Walker.
94 reviews4 followers
October 7, 2014
Aww Thoroughly enjoyed this book really connected with the character's and now starting book 2
Profile Image for Ewa.
1,469 reviews27 followers
June 26, 2019
Początek książki bardzo dynamiczny, choć dość często ostatnio spotykany. Dwoje ludzi spotyka się w samolocie i coś zaczyna między nimi iskrzyć. Owen, strażak, wybiera się na wieczór kawalerski przyjaciela, a Olivia na sympozjum. Tak to spędzają niezapomniane chwile w Vegas. Po powrocie już nie jest tak słodko i sielankowo, ale ich znajomość nadal twa. Jednak nie byłoby dramatu, gdyby jedna osoba czegoś nie zepsuła i tym razem zawinił strażak, raniąc uczucia Olivii. Czy złamane serce da się uleczyć? Czy potrzeba do tego aż tragedii? Polecam, świetna lektura na weekend, która ma kontynuację.
Profile Image for Megan ~The Never Ending Book Basket.
2,375 reviews93 followers
September 27, 2014
Let's talk about how much I loved Rescue Breathing, because I loved it with everything I had. It was an utterly fantastic book through and through. It's got a hot as all get out fireman who's got charm out the yin yang. This book also has a female main character that is one of the realest and most authentic characters I've ever read. And you're going to love her the moment that you meet her lovable butt.

Rescue Breathing tells the story of Owen and Olivia who meet in a chance encounter that leaves them both breathless and feeling something they've never felt before. Both of these highly engaging characters have reasons from their past that make them second guess what they're feeling, but when Owen and Olivia decide to throw caution to the wind, some pretty unforgettable things start to happen. The remainder of this book follows Owen and Olivia as they try to discover what in the world is happening between them, and through every up and down, and twist and turn this story has, you will fall more and more in love with these two and their story.

This book has many instances that will have your heart racing,others that will have you feeling the magic and connection flourishing between Owen and Olivia, and many that will have you feeling so many varying and deep emotions. These authors do a phenomenal job of creating the emotions and thoughts of Olivia and Owen, and you will feel so connected with them and their thoughts, feelings, and emotions while reading their story.

I can't tell you enough how much I loved reading these two. Their characters were just so very real. They had flaws, and they had pasts, and they had their issues that they had to work through to get what they wanted together. I loved Olivia and Owen so much, and getting to spend time in their heads what just phenomenal. Their story is one that I loved second and word of. Literally.

This book is written beautifully, and the way these authors make you feel for these characters and their story will blow you away. Throughout the book you will be fighting and caring for both of them so fiercely. You will also just adore every minute you get to spend with them in their world.

I honestly wish I could give this book more than 5 stars because it deserves it. It has every aspect that makes a book exceptional. The characters are phenomenal, so authentic, and charming as all get out. The story is well developed and highly engaging. And all the other pieces in this story combine to make this book the amazing thing that it is. This book will make you feel, make you care, make you love, make you think, and make you laugh. And through all of that you will know that you've found a truly outstanding book. I promise you that!
Profile Image for Jen.
3,618 reviews
September 29, 2014
"Rescue Breathing" is the first book in the Breathe duet by Zoe Norman. This was given to me as an unexpected gift by one of my fellow bookaholics, Mara de Guzman, who also happens to be a book blogger! This came highly recommended and I've seen a few of the reviews on Goodreads so I was excited to finally be able to read it. ^.^

Olivia Burke is a psychologist who finds herself recovering from a three-year relationship that ended with a betrayal she never saw coming. After many months of getting her life and heart back in order, she's invited to a conference in Seattle to share the findings of her research work focused on those who suffer trauma in the line of duty, i.e. firefighters, policemen, etc. Little does she know that her trip is about to take her away from comfort zone and push her to take a few risks.

Owen Maxwell is a part of one of the Rescue companies of the FDNY, an elite group of firefighters known for taking on riskier and specialized rescues. As much as he loves his job, he also loves his freedom from commitment, limiting his time with the opposite sex to hook-ups and booty calls. The disastrous end of his previous engagement has made him wary of relationships. But while waiting for his flight to Seattle to visit his best friends, he meets someone who's about to rock his world.

I liked the honesty in the book. Owen's reputation as somewhat of a manwhore precedes him and he certainly makes no apologies for it because it simply was the way he was before he met Olivia. There's also no pretending that while fate was playing a hand in what was going on between them, the attraction was physical in the beginning. Readers are able to see the relationship grow and develop instead of Owen and Olivia suddenly falling in love while in Seattle. They figure things out as individuals and as a couple, giving the book a realism that's important.

There were a few things that did bother me. Admittedly, there were parts of the book that felt repetitious and Olivia's running from Owen every time she makes assumptions as to what she's seeing or hearing without fully understanding what's really going on began to get tiresome. There were some editing issues but nothing egregious.

Overall, "Rescue Breathing" is a good book with likable characters and a refreshing story. You're left with a few unanswered questions but the story does NOT end in a cliffhanger (hooray!) AND the second book is already available so you won't be feeling any frustration. ^.^ I'm giving it four stars out of five and would happily recommend it to fellow lovers of romance novels. ♥
Profile Image for Renee.
1,327 reviews31 followers
July 1, 2014
I was torn and actually left the book overnight to sit while I gathered my thoughts. I say I am torn because I dont want to be over critical but I am on the teeter totter here. I am NOT perfect in my writing, therefore I am not an author. I did find some things that were a little annoying with missing quotation marks and run on sentences, like I said I am not the grammar police. I thought maybe I was in a bad mood or overly critical but here goes: There is behavior that I think is rude and inexcusable. When you meet someone for the second time and he (Owen) calls your outfit "&^% able" word begins with a F IT is not cool. That is not a man but a child. I was turned off by a few things he said because I just thought that there was a difference in Olivia and the trash he usually messed with. I just thought he could see that she has a little class and treat her better. Instead I felt he degraded her a little.

Like I said I was being picky, which normally I am not. There was a good plot in the overall book. There were good core characters who I liked. The leads left me wanting a little more. I liked Olivia and then it was down the drain. Sorry but as a nurse, I respect psychologists a lot and she was a dim bulb to me. She dated someone who did her wrong, by that I mean he was married and had kids, she is a dumb bunny. I just think someone who has a master degree and seems like she has her act together cant possibly go out with a man for three years and not know he is married. OK aside from that when she finds out she does nothing. I would go to his house, tell his wife, go to his job with a sign and picket telling anyone who will listed he is worse that a sewer rat. This educated woman does nothing. Her friends did her wrong because if it was my friend I would cause hell for him.

What I liked was the work that Olivia did as a psychologist. Her thesis was a good subject that should have been spoken of a little more. As for Owen, he was hot and somewhat likable. I think as a firefighter he needs a dose of critical thinking.

So I say whatever. There was a lot of sexy scenes which was good but bordering on overload to be honest. Now I cant say anything else, Im going to crawl into my hole somewhere.
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