Chemistry is unmatched and incomparable when two beings are in the same room. He describes his energy as charged whenever she’s in his presence. She claimed to have inhaled all of him. She’s been holding her breath ever since the day he left her. EXHALE is the conclusion to this love story. K. Yvette debut release, Living Single is now available on Amazon.
I have been a fan of this author's work for a while. You don't just read her work, you experience it! Her growth literally pours onto you from the pages. It hugs & holds you at just the right moment, with just the right words. Exhale is a book that can be lived in, layed on, and absorbed entirely. I am so touched by the content, that things I thought were important as a reader, truly became irrelevant to me as a woman, reader, & most importantly a fan! A full novel that not one single word was missed. Every emotion expressed was organically felt. I appreciate this author's expressed art in this form of love! "Love you first!" Congratulations on a job well done! 👏🏽🎊🎉🍾🥂
Exhale is K. Yvette's emotional sequel to Inhale. It's a story about love, forgiveness, along with life lessons that most can relate to. Naomi and her gang are back with more cautionary tales, more relatable stories, and more understanding. Through all of their storms and all of their setbacks the prevalent message in the story is "I want to be a light. A gentle reminder that you aren't what you been through. No matter if your parents are poor or crackheads, or if the whole world turns their back on you. I want people, mainly women, to know and believe that life is worth living, and it starts with the love that you must give yourself every single day." You'll learn things about these characters as you read, and if you read with an open mind, you'll learn things about yourself as well.
Naomi had only known one love, a love that she fought so vehemently to forget because it almost destroyed her. That was until Logan Whitaker entered her life. "'It's an honor to finally meet you, Ms. Carlton,' he said as he ambled over with one hand tucked in his navy tailored trousers and the other hanging near his waist. She saw the gold watch and a Cartier bracelet encircling his wrist. But it was his cologne that captured her attention and possibly took her breath away. She'd only felt this way one time in her life and with one person. Naomi was speechless. 'I'm Logan Whitaker, but I would like for you to call me... Lo.'" While fighting demons from her past, literally, and figuratively, Naomi throws caution to the wind and embarks on a whirlwind love affair with Lo. But everything that glitters isn't gold. Naomi doesn't know if she's strong enough to battle her own demons and help Lo fight his as well. Life comes at Naomi hard and fast in this book, but with the help of Leedy, the mother figure in her life, and God, Naomi proves to be a force to be reckoned with. "She was who she'd been called to be. She wasn't some shut-off. mean, evil, bitter bitch that he or her publicist tried to make her out to be."
Logan Whitaker was what every woman could want and dream of, on the surface. There's just one catch, Logan is battling a cocaine addiction. "How would you possibly mention to me that you fuckin' do coke. It's kids looking up to you. You are an example to the world and you gone be a fucking pussy and do drugs? That's a weak man's sport!" Logan isn't sure of much in life, but he's for certain Naomi is the one for him. "It was his girl, who at the time was still very new in his life, who kept it real with him. He owed Naomi his life. His career was still his because of her. She cared. She was more concerned with him getting clean that she didn't give a fuck about hurting his feelings. Naomi kept her foot on his neck. She didn't let up, and for that, she was getting his last name and all his babies." The demons that he fought throughout the story show that even if someone starts out on the wrong path, it's their choice to decide to stay there.
And then there's Jermaine. When he walked out of Naomi's life five years ago, he just knew he was abiding by God's will. He's a successful pastor, has a beautiful wife and two adorable children. What more could he ask for? Something in his life was missing and seemingly the answer rested within Naomi. "'I'm acting weird because the only man that I ever loved showed up at my doorstep after five years of being incognito... but if we want to blame it on the edible, then yes, that's why,' she answered bravely." He was a perfectly imperfect pastor, trying his hardest to honor God's will, but he couldn't let go of the lingering feeling of 'what if' when it came to Naomi. Bishop's world must be completely flipped upside down before he can begin to put it back in order. "Naomi, I apologize. Never ever allow any man to treat you like an option. I should've chosen you, and I should've stood up for what we had. It's a decision that I will live with for the rest of my life, but it's not one that I want you to be stuck with. Someone has been praying for a woman like you and it would be a robbery for me to stand in their way."
This story gave me anxiety, made me mad, made me sad, filled me with admiration, gave me joy and left me satisfied in the end. This book was much longer than its predecessor, but with everything going on in the story, I barely noticed. This book made me feel stuff I didn't want to feel. It took me to church, it took me to therapy and it made me yearn for friends I didn't even have. It was filled with gems. It was filled with lessons. It was filled with the word of God. It was like watching a movie that I didn't want to end. I saw myself on some of the pages. I even fell in love with a crackhead. "Was this toxic dick? Or was it the crack dick? She didn't know but she would take ten of them if he were selling the shit." This book was all that I wanted and everything I didn't know I needed. Thank you for this beautiful work of art Nako.
This book was so needed! It gave you the real along with some spiritual gems to take with you. Not only did this book leave a lasting impression, it was entertaining and kept your attention. You could feel the weight of the emotions consistently throughout.
There were so many gems, nuggets that were empowering in this book. I wanted the "basement" experience, to feel the warmth of Leedy and the embrace of sisterhood from the likes of Ada, Sade, OG Paula and the others. Watching Naomi transform as well as Logan was a long journey but also beautiful to behold. There were so many obstacles set both hidden and revealed with the intentions to derail all the potential that lay in both Naomi and Logan but love prevailed. I was also happy to see Bishop's painful yet necessary evolution. This story did it for me and the author owed me nothing because everything that was needed to make this story great manifested. Here's my recommendation, read this book!
Wow! I’ve had this book on my dresser for quite a while and put off reading it. I finally started it and the timing was spot on. Leedy was definitely a Queen who always reminded the ladies that they were capable of doing anything that they wanted. This book was well written and had a lot of gems in it. The sisterhood between these ladies were awesome. They loved each other unconditionally. Naomi did any and everything for her sisters. She even learned to forgive some people and become friends with them. Her relationship with Lo was rocky initially, but they loved and supported each other. I’d recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about love, forgiveness, healing and understanding. By the way, the playlist for this book was fire!
Whew! I need to take a big cleansing breath to really digest what I just read. “Inhale” and “Exhale” were so beautifully written. These are books that you didn’t realize that you needed until you opened the pages. This was such a heartfelt read that had so many powerful and heartfelt words of wisdom and gems that really resonate with the soul. Naomi is young tennis star who experiences heartbreak and feelings of abandonment. She feels alone. Alone. Until she finds herself in the basement with Ms. Leedy. God I wish we all had a Ms. Leedy in our lives. That woman not only changed Naomi’s life, but the lives of thousands of woman who found their way to that basement. Ms. Leedy could be described as a spiritual advisor but she is so much more. We read not only about Naomi’s life but also the stories of her “sisters” and other women who found their way to the basement. This story covers a multitude of topics such as forgiveness, addiction, abandonment, childhood trauma, fear, sisterhood, and choosing ones self above all else. This story was like a big warm hug. Do yourself a favor and read these books!! Exceptional writing and storytelling. You will find yourself reflecting on your own personal life while experiencing these stories. Bravo! Round of Applause to this amazing writer! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Naomi is a young, professional tennis player, trying to heal from a broken heart…HIM. she stumbled upon a woman's group. She seeks the solace of a basement, group meeting spot, where women are encouraged to unpack their baggage and seek healing. It's here, where the reader learns of the numerous issues that come with fame and fortune. Naomi deals with deception, loss, friendship, sisterhood, restoration and finally…LOVE. She learned that God will remove someone from your life, in order to give you the one He has created for you.
Every woman who has been hurt by love, mourned the death of a loved one or friend, suffered a soul tie, or simply need to EXHALE, should read this book. I learned so much about myself that I wanted to crawl under the covers and cry. Someone told me I reminded them of the character Leedy, but unbeknownst to her…I relate more to the main character Naomi. Midway thru, I stopped to thank God for my daily journal, because I don't think there's a therapist qualified to deal with the awakening that I received from this book. I now understand why women began to pray for me, the minute I said I was reading this book. It was felt and definitely appreciated.
God bless the author for being a willing vessel, to bring forth this message of healing. The journey has begun.
This was...ugly. Beautifully so. It was recommended as a romance but it wasn’t exactly that. It was...a story of healing and forgiveness...worship and the power of congregation.
There’s sex...a decent amount of it and romance is thrown into it but it’s not at all what you’d think.
But it definitely pulls you in easily. You don’t have to fight to visualize the story. It’s a movie.
But I must admit, I didn’t exactly like the characters. The female lead had a disgusting past that put a stain on her character—her behavior. And in truth that wasn’t exactly dealt with—how much a victim she was influenced her victimization of people. The fact that she thought it was okay to spit on and hit men constantly when they emotionally hurt her. To the very end this was her behavior. She was emotionally led, reactionary. It’s not what one may typically like to see from their fictional heroine but she was real. Her behavior was consistent with how the author created her to be.
It was also a very interesting style of writing. You could randomly get insight into another character’s thoughts while inside another character’s chapter perspective. Which was...weirdly liked.
Anyway, four starts instead of five because the story was so wrapped around chaos that the development of the romantic relationship was not “real”...we didn’t get to see the loving, sentimental build up. They connected on sex and chaos then overcoming the chaos and that gave them a bridge to forever if that makes sense.
Almost like how in apocalyptic films, a random group of people who’d normally wouldn’t connect find themselves in a very loyal group situation as a means to survival without having to ever detail their lives to one another. It comes out slowly in spurts between the drama around them...”Nae Nae” as they called her and Logan had this dynamic.
But the sisterhood was cute...until it crumbled? Kinda?
after Naomi and her ex boyfriend Jermaine have parted ways. she’s been on her own. figuring out life, or at least trying. but life comes at her at full force all the time.
review:
i liked this story way more than i anticipated. the writing was done well.
this book is like greenleaf meets euphoria meets soul food 😭 honestly that’s the best way i could put it. greenleafs church aspects, euphoria bc the fmc and her boyfriend were giving rue and jules. soul food because of how the relationship with leedy was one similar to the grandmother in soul food.
naomi the main character is apart of this kind of AA group but for like women who have a hard time with their relationships with men? thats the best way i can describe it. it’s supposed to be a safe haven for them to sort of reclaim themselves and better themselves. so throughout the book you read briefly about each girls story and how they came to the group and sort of founded this sisterhood with eachother.
i can see how this book may not attract some because it is very sad. this is lots of trauma and there was lots of tragedies happening. so if you dont like overly sad or heavy topics skip this one rightfully so.
this story in my opinion is more about sisterhood and self healing with a dash of romance. not even just for the fmc but every character in the book. from the beginnings to the end we see lots of character developments. id have to say logan and jermaines storylines were my favourite. my heart ached for both of them. two men who to the outside world are THE men. the top of the top but on the inside are truly crumbling.
For me, this story is not a romance story. It is a story about a journey to Love and living life! It has romance in it, but love, my God, the love of family, love of self, love of sisterhood, love of protection, love of life, love of experiences, love of making every small moment count and most importantly, the love of God.
The story made me feel! It made me emotional! It made me appreciate and be grateful for family and friends in my life that love me unconditionally without question and without judgement for who I am and who I am to them and that’s exactly what The Basement represented…Trust!
I could feel God all through this story. The characters, their traumas, hurt and pain through abuse, embarrassment, humiliation, grief and loss was overwhelming in a good way. This story depicts the heaviness of life but shows the support, trust and love of friends who are family that encourage and strengthen each other in a safe space and it was beautifully written.
My takeaway is to be grateful of blessing and to lean on Him in and through everything!
Nako, I think you were a pastor ministering and preaching the word in another life. You are truly touch by God to be able to praise God the way you did in this story. I was ready to join the church a few times.
This was as an amazing read. It’s a slow burn but worth it in the end.
There are truly no words for what this book has done for me. This was cathartic for me as a woman, a struggling Christian, and even in regards to relationships and goals in my life. My life is heading to another phase and I have been struggling with how to accept and embrace the journey. This author was clearly divinely inspired. The character development was authentic and the warfare of each individual was real. Tragedies and triumphs, laughter, joy, pain and anger, as well as love, support, and even hatred were recurring themes. Lifelines were thrown at me many times throughout this body of work and I embrace all messages that were for me and am assured that there is a message and lesson for everyone to be gifted. I end this book happy to begin a new journey and more assured than when I started reading this yesterday. God bless this author's penmanship. Although there is a heavy theme of Christianity that may not please everyone, the message of self-love, redemption, forgiveness, and support is universal. Be blessed and please read this and self-reflect.
After reading Exhale, I felt everything. I truly wanted to cry once I finished—but somehow, I held it together. This book didn’t just move me—it healed me, broke me, and took me straight to church IYKYK. K. Yvette laced this story with so many powerful truths; I made my highlights public because there were just that many gems.
What hit hardest was how relatable this story was. I’ve been there. I’ve felt that. If you’re navigating the pain of a toxic relationship, wrestling with insecurities, or questioning your self-worth, I urge you to read this book. Though it’s fiction, the truth in these pages is very real.
The story centers on Naomi, a star tennis athlete, and the people who orbit her world. Some you’ll love. Some you’ll hate. And some will surprise you by how they grow on you. The authenticity in this book—the raw emotion, the deeply layered characters—made every moment feel personal. At times, it was absolutely heartbreaking.
Please take care of yourself as you read 🫶🏾. This story touches on sensitive themes, so I highly recommend reviewing the trigger warnings beforehand. But if you’re ready, let this book meet you where you are. You just might exhale too.
This was one of the best books I have read this year so far, the first book was to draw you in and this one would not let go until you read all 506 pages! I loved every word, struggle and ever tear that fell had a purpose. Alot of times when authors go back and forth with earlier times the story gets lost because you are trying to follow, not this one! It was smooth, every story fit its time and flowed well. I loved how she loved Logan, if she didn’t know in her soul that he was for her she would have left after the first time she saw him do it. The power of family, blood or not, when you find your tribe all things are possibl. This was beautiful. Bishops struggle was so real and probably not spoken about in the church circles. All the women had the space and purpose in the family and I loved it.
What becomes of the broken hearted? Where do broken hearts go? Leedy’s basement is where they go. Leedy is an older woman that runs a support group for women who have had their hearts broken. It’s like “For Colored Girls and an Anonymous group with a twist”. The book is definitely heavy, the women in Leedy’s basement endured a lot of heartache and pain and they gain a family, strength, confidence, and wisdom along the journey. I had to stop reading the book a few times because of how heavy and real the content is: we all have played the fool for someone. If you need a sign to walk away, read Exhale. If you trying to muster up the strength to leave, read Exhale. If you want confirmation that you aren’t alone, read Exhale. This book is rated E for everyone!
OMG!!! I don’t even know where to start. This book, this series, was EVERYTHANG. I felt so many different emotions while reading but the one that stood out most is blessed. Lee... ah-mazing. Him... gosh, I wanted so bad to dislike the Bishop but I couldn’t. Lo... wasn’t who I would’ve picked for Nae but then again, he turned out to be what she needed. And his swag/BDE was sexy as hell. Journey... adorbs. The sisters... needed, loved their different personalities. Nadia & Nancy... grateful they re-built their relationships with Nae. Terrance... Trash. Naomi... resilient and just a beautiful soul. This is absolutely a must read.
I lost count of how many ppl died in this story. She literally killed a character off in the epilogue. Over all, the premise was good. With better editing this could be a great read. It just had too much info, too many problems, to many grammatical errors. There were too many instances where I couldn’t understand the dialogue cause I didn’t know who was talking or what they were talking about or why the conversation was necessary to that point of the story. The book lost me at 70% when Lo proposed from rehab. I skimmed from that point on just to see how it ended.
I am flabbergasted at how good this book was. I was honestly looking for something to read and the cover drew me in. I had never previously heard of the author. When I say this was my type of book! The sex scenes were amazing but the prayers were even better. I have never cried from a book as hard as I did this one. It’s the fact that they were praying so hard for Journey that I began to cry out and pray with them. Too often we overlook signs or just don’t know that children struggle too. I felt as if I took something from this book. I learned something. The writing was superb. I need more on Big Mama though. This is a definite must read!
I gave this book 5 stars because of the effort and attention to detail that went within the pages of this body of work. The care this author took is remarkable. However, I still found some portions unnecessary. I felt like I had to skip through some portions to get to what really mattered about the main characters. At times it was filled with to much heaviness with no light until the very end. Not sure if I’ll every be a fan, but I do appreciate the attention to detail that you put into your craft.
This book was different for me… but it was amazing. I’d held off on reading this for a while but I read it right when I needed to.
So many gems dropped. Sh*t that really needs to be highlighted and saved as daily reminders.
I LOVED LEE …. Loved what she created with The Basement.
The Bishop… I thought I would dislike him but I found myself anxious for his next scene. I wish I could call him up and tell him to pray for me. He was flawed like all humans but there’s no denying that the man is blessed.
Great, different storyline that I highly recommend reading.
The journey that Naomi went on had me laughing, crying, and praising. This story will have you reevaluating your life and your relationships with others. I loved the relationship she had with Leedy and the other girls from the basement, even when they didn't see eye to eye. I commended her for sticking by Logan the way she did. That took a lot of patience. I feel like every woman needs a place like the basement. This book had a lot of heavy moments but it's worth the read.
This book is one Every woman should read. K Yvette had me on a emotional roller coaster through the entire book. There are books you read but there are some you Inhale this is that book. Every woman need a Leedy and a basement in their life at some point. Every woman need to Exhale. The characters are so rich and real. You will find yourself in one or more of these women. If I could I would give this book ten stars.
I don’t even know where to start. I have to say, this is one of these BEST books I’ve ever read. This book takes you through so many emotions (love, acceptance, grief, etc..). The amount of love these characters displayed in this book was unmatched with the way they loved and builded each other up. The way Nako intertwined God and religion in this book was brilliant. Keep up the good work sis.
K. Yvette....Nako, listen if you see these names on a book get asap. I cried so much reading this story, I cried for the characters but I also cried for myself. I struggle everyday with the question what's the purpose of it all...but God! I enjoyed the sisterhood in this book, the preaching and inspiration. I love me some Lauren and I was so happy she was in the book. Great job!!!!
This story was so robust that it almost at a loss of where to begin. The journey to love was seen through so many different lens, family, friends, lovers and most importantly loving oneself. This book sucked me in and held me tight until the very last word. The angst, the anger, the sadness, disappointment was balanced by the pearls of wisdom, the forgiveness, the laughter, love and redemption. Truly an amazing read!
oh my goshhhhh! I didn’t think I could be healed just from reading a book but oh my gosh!!!! This book….I really have no words because it was that great. I genuinely feel like I was in the basement with those women and that I’m apart of their sisterhood and Leedy…..a beautiful beautiful soul that woman had in this book. I really feel like I can exhale after reading this. 20/10 I DEFINITELY recommend!
Naomi Carlton went through some heartbreaks, trials and tribulations in her life. Meeting Leedy aka Queen and the girls in the basement for talks became her true lifeline. Jerraine aka Bishop had a hold on Naomi's mind for years, though he answered a call to preach in the family church. Like his granddad and dad before him God was a part of his identity. Thank goodness professional golfer Logan Whitaker got through to her introverted personality.
Hmm, on another note... There needs to be a book for lil Miss Journey. That ending was a cliffhanger.
This book and Inhale was SO GOOD!! I'm literally trying to get all my friends to read it right now lol. It's crazy because I just had inhale sitting in my Kindle, and had never read it. I'm so happy I did. My eyes are watery right now, but in a good way. This book will leave you so FULL! I feel like I know Leedy fr 😩 K. Yvette definitely just earned a new fan. Then to see my girl Lo nem make an appearance man 😮💨 10 STARS 🌟
Well! I wasn't sure how this was going to go after reading Inhale but baby... I enjoyed this book so much, it was hard to put down at times. I connected with the characters, felt like I knew them. I was feeling like a fly on the wall in The basement. This story had me in my feelings,especially near the end. I was damn near bawling. Run and read it. I cant' wait to read another book by this author. Well done!!!
Exhale was so highly anticipated and didn’t disappoint. This book is so much more than a story. It’s full of gems, the Word, and healing. I’ve grown to care for the ladies in the basement. I love the sisterhood and the building up displayed by them. These new characters are now written on my heart but my I was so happy to hear from my fave! TeamLo💜
K. Yvette never fails to deliver! You can't help but to emotionally connect with these characters. The sisterhood is amazing and so are the struggles. Every woman has dealt with one of these issues. All I can tell you is keep your bible and favorite toy near (trust me both are needed)! A great delivery of both healing and erotica!