A beautiful yet heartbreaking love story of two teens who are drawn to each other in their darkest times.
The polite thing to do when someone tells a joke is to laugh. So I laugh. The correct thing to do when someone asks you a question is to reply. So I reply. When someone offers you a smile, you return it. So I do. Don’t let them see the truth. Keep your mask in place. Remain numb. Go through the motions. These are all rules I live by.
The new boy in my class threatens the way I've been living. Why is he staring at me? Can he see the real me behind the mask? Can he see the truth?
Tamsyn’s secret draws Tate in, but it's his secret that threatens to tear them apart. When the truth comes out, there's only two options for hearts as fragile as theirs: shatter or become unbreakable.
*Ends on a cliffhanger.
Don’t think. Just breathe is book one in the TNT Trilogy.
Sarah is a beauty therapist turned author who spends her time racing around after her four young boys and one surprise daughter. Between playing referee to their daily wrestling matches she finds time to write about the characters that swirl around in her head.
She writes a lot of YA romance at the moment but has some ideas for adult romance that she just needs time to write.
Her newest book All of my Sundays is set for release mid January 2024 and is based on a marriage pact.
When the world seems to close in on you, and you can't breathe .. What would you do?
Tamsyn is a teenager in a grief bubble, unable to deal with what has happened and where she finds herself. A popular girl in school with her own gang of girlfriends, a popular boyfriend, seemingly party hopping, but internally screaming for help.
Tate, is the new kid on the block and he seems to be the only one who can see through the facade.. Why? And how?
It's an endearing story of a young boy, who for whatever reasons hears Tamsyn's silent call for help and steps in to do just that! There is nothing stereotypical about the characters, every name and mention in the narration is justified, and important.
Dealing with grief and loss is something everyone does in their own ways. What is needed is knowing that there are people who understand it and let them deal with it in their own way, at their own pace. Triggers can come and go, with repercussions, but knowing that you are anchored and will not float away into the abyss, helps one deal with it and re-emerge.
Kudos Sarah! For such a wonderful representation of emotions, in such young characters. It got through to me, as a reader and I could hear and feel every scream for help and the sense of peace everytime the buoy was thrown out to help.
Ps: the author note was indeed touching and explained the emotional involvement. This is a book from the heart, intended to reach other hearts.
Powerful. Sweet. This is a one of the most thought provoking books I have read in a long time. I could feel what the characters felt... that is the sign of a great book... one that makes you feel their happiness, their pain. I enjoyed reading how this YA romance develops. There is cliffhanger, consider yourself warned! Have book 2 lined up!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Really enjoyed the story (though I was super glad I had a heads up that it was a cliff hanger!), and it’s a quick read. Grief and loss are dealt with sincerely, with all the BIG FEELS of real teenage emotionalism, through a shifting POV from two sensitive characters. Enjoyed a brief revisiting of my own teen years, with gratitude that they are past. Would def recommend!!
TNT Trilogy – Sarah Delany Don’t think, just breathe 4 Don’t Panic. Keep Breathing 4 Don’t Fade. Breathe Easy 5
This series contains themes of suicide and self harm. – please be aware.
Okay – no spoilers but JEEEZOH – I was pleased that I had waited for the third in the trilogy to be released before I started on the other two because I could NOT put them down! The cliff hanger at the end of book two nearly tipped me over the edge!
The story follows two teenagers Tate & Tamsyn (TNT), Tamsyn is grieving for her recent loss and is drowning in her own head Tate, a stranger, is the only person to notice her struggle. As the story moves forward I fell in love with not only the two main characters but their friends as well. This book is poignant, moving and it hits you in the feels HARD.
I won’t lie, I ugly cried at this series. Every time I’d gotten myself sorted out I would read on and end up in tears again. The grief and loss that resonates from this series is spectacular. I felt so much and a lot of it was relatable to me and hit home. You have to read this series – it just blew my socks off.
This debut from Sarah Delany is an exceptional read creating intrigue and interest from the very first page with an emotionally engaging storyline and characters who truly capture the heart and mind. I think what makes "Don't Think, Just Breath" so good, is it's inspiration comes from genuine personal grief. The roller coaster ride of challenges, emotions and entertainment in this brilliant story have an authentic flavor that is thought provoking and convincing in so many ways. One of the story's best aspects is the twist towards the end that exceeds expectation and adds serious quality to the authors story telling and an exciting direction for the the rest of the trilogy. An absolutely satisfying read, really looking forward to the next book which is on its way!
Fell in love with 'Don't think. Just breathe.' The characters are easy to relate to and I felt I could really feel their emotions in what they were going through in the book. The relationship between Tate and Tamsyn is magnetic and could not get enough of them. I also really loved the bond between all the guys and Tamsyn. I loved how they took in Tamsyn as one of their own so quickly and made her feel comfortable and treated her as a real friend unlike her "ex-friends". Would definitely recommend to anyone who loves a young adult romance that faces obstacles of their own.
Tamsyn and Tate's story was heartbreaking but so beautiful. Their pain and love for each other was captured beautifully by Sarah Delany and it was so easy to get caught up in their lives. It felt real - I loved the touches of humour and the colloquialisms and banter were a great addition. Congratulations Sarah on your first novel - I can't wait to read the sequel and find out what happens to Tate and Tamsyn.
When I first got the book ,I thought it may have been too young for me. But I was wrong. From the the first chapter I couldn’t put it down. Pulled me straight into the lives of these two people. I ended up staying up till early hours of the morning till I finished it. Brilliant read, it was like I was with the people. Now I have to wait for the release of the next book. Well done Sarah and her team.
Where do I start? I loved this book, the love story, and the message. Losing loved ones is never easy and depression and panic attacks are very real. The attacks Tate is experiencing hit home. I remember the first time I experienced an anxiety attack and it is an awful feeling. Just like mentioned in the story, it feels as if you are having a heart attack. Your heart races so fast that you think it will jump out of your chest any moment. It doesn’t race though, it just feels that way. I feel for the characters and the losses they have gone through. Mental illness of any kind needs to be addressed, not ignored. Just because you don’t see scars, doesn’t mean they aren’t there. A lot of the time the most broken, try to make others feel better. Humor is often used to hide the real feelings. Look around you and try to see a person for whom they are. Judging someone because of their behavior isn’t helping. They might seem happy or arrogant, but inside they might be suffocating and screaming for help or to be seen. Be kind. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Reach out and try to look below the surface.
This isn't a usual genre for me, and certainly the reasons I don't read it that much were present here, but all that means is that the author nailed the genre perfectly. And the beauty of it was that I still became very engaged with the characters, and it left me wanting to know what was going to happen next. So that is how you know that they have it right.
A couple of things stopped me from 5 starring - the male MC at times didn't sound authentic with some of his language choices and actions, which did jar a bit when you had to remember that you were reading a teenage boy's thoughts and words. And I do feel that overall it needed a bit more editing to tighten some things up, but that is pretty standard for a debut. I wouldn't have minded a bit more of a connection to place either - I know that the author is a New Zealander, who lives in Australia, but the setting was generic USA, and because of that generic feel, at times it wasn't grounded. Where you are impacts the way you speak, the way you dress, the way you are - and if someone is new to a place, those differences highlight their differences too ,in a show-don't tell kind of way.
There was some amazing work around grief and loss in this book, which was so well written. Teenagers do often feel things super big, and this respected that, which I loved.
Great addition to the YA romance world and I highly recommend giving it a read. Love the undeniable connection between the two main characters. I really empathised with their stories, dealing with pain and grief, and enjoyed going on a journey of exporing key themes of love and friendship. I like the emphasis on the notion of 'finding the light in dark times', which I think is great to live by. Excited to read more in the next book!
A story of hiding grief behind a smile, and how it takes a special person to pull you out of the darkness. The debut novel from Sarah Delany weaves the magic of adolescent love with the demons of losing the most important person in your life. This novel will appeal to the young adult reader - recommended.
Dealing with grief and discovering love along the way - such a beautiful yet heartbreaking story. It stirs up so many different emotions, flipping through each page and becoming so invested into both characters' story. So relatable and beautifully written. I cannot wait for the next one!
I really enjoyed reading this book. It took me back to when I was in high school, you know it's a good book when you cant put it down. I loved the connection the characters had and the bond the boys had. Highly recommend, I loved it.
A vivid account of the teenage experience. Grief is at the centrepiece of this heartfelt novel that will resonate with anyone who has lost a loved one. The narrative takes readers on a clear journey with some surprising twists along the way! Fantastic for teens and fans of young romance fiction.
I loved this book!! Had me gripped from beginning to end. You could feel the emotions through the characters, I felt like I was in high school again. Amazing, emotional story! Can not wait for the next one!
This was the first proper romance I had read with heavy elements of mental health. From the start, I loved it. The writing style, the POVs, the characters and the storyline. It all weaved together quite well and formed a nice ending leading to the next book of the series.
Romance isn't usually something I would read, but I wanted to try it, and I can confidently say that after reading this, I will certainly be purchasing the next book in the collection. It was reassuring reading some of the segments in the book and seeing that it accurately conveys what grief and depression can do to a person. I wanted to read more until I realised I had finished the book. It is very moreish, and you're fascinated by what happens next. The chemistry between the two main characters, Tate and Tamsyn, makes for an enticing read.
Furthermore, friendship is covered nicely, and you see how a group of boys come to care for someone they once considered toxic. The transformation from not caring to caring completely was nice to read, especially as that tends to happen in real life.
Throughout the book, there are heavy themes of grief, depression, panic attacks, as well as mentions of self-inflicting behaviour. I would be mindful of this before reading.
Overall, I'd give it an 8/10. As romances go, I enjoyed it.
I got a copy of this from a Smashwords promo and fell in love with Tamsyn and Tate. Most YA books glance over the hard parts that can come along with being a teenager, but this author doesn't shy away from any of them. It's impossible not to love all of the main characters, and I'm immediately starting book 2. What a cliffhanger!