Inhale Exhale

by Nicole MacPherson

Michelle’s life has stagnated. Her days are spent balancing the demands of running her yoga studio with parenting her teenage daughter, Livvy – all while contending with her workaholic ex-husband, Paul. Under pressure from her sister, and facing mounting loneliness, Michelle decides to re-enter the dating scene for the first time in thirty years. How different can it be?

As it turns out, very different. However, when Michelle meets Steve, a widower and a student at her yoga studio, sparks fly. Livvy, struggling with rejection from her father, is thrilled with her mother’s new boyfriend – but is he everything he appears to be? As doubts about Steve creep in, Paul drops a bombshell that jeopardizes the rosy future Michelle has begun to envision for herself. As complications arise from every corner, and her relationship with her daughter reaches a crisis point, Michelle is faced with a is the only way forward to forgive the past, or will she have to relive it?

With warmth, humour, and a lot of deep breathing, Inhale Exhale examines motherhood, aging, second chances, and the ups and downs of middle-aged romance, with characters so true to life they’ll stay with you long after you’ve closed the book.

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 14, 2026

About the author

Nicole MacPherson taught and practiced yoga in Calgary for many years. She holds a Master's degree in Economics and worked in natural gas option trading prior to becoming a parent. Nicole has been writing her own personal lifestyle blog since 2008 and has contributed to many other online publications.

She now lives in Kelowna with her husband, Rob, and dog, Rex.

To read more about Nicole, visit girlinaboyhouse.com

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! Not quite a rom-com, with a 50 year old entering the dating scene many years after her divorce. But lots of funny dialog, loveable believable characters. The relationship between the protagonist Michelle and her teen daughter was right on - the angst, volatility, and loveliness of the teen-mom relationship was very relatable. And then the chaos of running a yoga studio with a lot of free-spirit teachers felt like an inside scoop. Highly recommend.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

So different from many books I typically read, in that I am super pleased to find a protagonist who is closer to my age.

The characters are real, the plot is heartwarming, the setting is the city I’ve made my home!

I do wonder if the author will return to the characters in another book - I would be thrilled to read more about their lives.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of reading Inhale Exhale before it was published, and I've returned to it several times. Each read reveals something new — a sign of true depth.
The themes of inner life, family dynamics, self-discovery, and connection later in life feel real and relatable. You're drawn in from the very first page.
A thoughtful, reflective read I'd highly recommend.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apropos of the title, I inhaled this book in just over 24 hours. Nicole is a good friend of mine so I am very biased but I adored her debut novel. The characters were so well-developed and it was a page turner for me. She captured middle age and the challenges of parenting so aptly.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I was always going to be a *bit* biased because this book is written by my genius friend, but strip all that away from the conversation and this was still nothing short of a delightful read. Heart-warming characters with a lot of depth that reflect the messiness of life and love. (I also feel like the door has been left open for a sequel - just sayin'!) Great work on your debut, Nicole.
Also, this cover is sheer PERFECTION. I thought it was wonderful before I read the book, but when you reach the passage where the cover fully fits into place, it's delightful...
Content warnings: Strong language, discussions of suicide.