Breathe with Me

New World

by Lily X.

Time travel leads to lust—and love—in this fourth installment of Lily X's breathtaking New World series.

Aster: When a client hands me a batch of gorgeous Old Earth antiques, my eyes linger on an odd, gilded mirror topped with a mysterious yellow stone. In all my years as a collector, I've never seen anything like it. And probably never will again.

One silly misstep sends the stone sliding across my workroom. But it doesn't break. Instead, smoke fills my lungs and a beautiful woman appears out of thin air, her kohl-lined eyes staring daggers at me.

Naia: What would you do if you woke up in a stranger's house with no idea how you got there?

Yell at them and leave? Yeah, I would too.

Leaving isn't so easy when I've awakened in the arms of a woman with captivating violet eyes and taut forearms that beg for my touch.

Nothing feels real in this New World, except for Aster. I can feel myself come alive around her alluring androgyny and selflessness, but what would it take for her quiet demeanor to turn wild?

And would that be enough to fight the pull of the past where I truly belong?

Genres: Romance, Fantasy

263 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 20, 2022

Reviews

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s the year 0132 in the New World but you wouldn’t know it by looking at Aster. An antique dealer by trade and tradition, Aster grew up with fathers obsessed with all things Old Earth and still dresses in Victorian clothes. As she’s trying to assess a mirror she acquired from an Old Earth refugee, a woman appears in a cloud of smoke.

Breathe With Me is book 4 in the New World series by Lily X. All books are set in the same universe but can be read as standalones. I’ve enjoyed the worldbuilding from the start, even if the relationships between the characters felt a bit creepy at times in the previous books. I don’t like dropping series once I’ve committed to them, but after book 3 (Own Me), I was ready to move on, convinced this author wasn’t for me. Then I saw that this book would be about time travel and I couldn’t resist. I requested it and I’m very glad I did.

There’s none of what bothered me in the first three books. The instalust and instalove remain but in ways that don’t feel problematic. The characters are interesting, complete opposite, sexy, and definitely made for each other. Their backstories explain who they are when they meet and leave doors open to all sorts of possibilities for the future.

I think there’s one last book planned in the series and I’m back to looking forward to it.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars

[Henriette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy, sweet and thoughtful f/f romance
All of the New-World romances I have read so far were good reads: well-paced, with unique characters and a special love story set in a scifi world. This one is no exception.
We have a bit of magic, time-travel, a tragic loss, a re-kindling of life and love and a sweet, sexy love story. Both main characters were great. Aster is a history and antiques nerd. Naia with all her bubbliness has her scars. I especially liked that Lily X shows the terrible constraints of living in a society where women are only second class and queerness is not acceptable. She easily lets us feel the burden of living up to the warped expectations of a conservative family. I cheered for Naia‘s continued freedom. It was fun to meet again the old friends of prior books.
The writing is light-handed, easy and even when there are deeper topics Lily X. has the gift of handling it without preaching and lets us understand how the characters feel. There is a positive and optimistic undercurrant which I very much liked.

Thanks for the ARC via netgalley and Carina books. The review is left voluntarily.

[MissAlice · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you pick up a book in this series, you have to prepare yourself for consuming it in one sitting. It is so easy to be swept away into the character's worlds- it's addictive in a wonderful way. To become embroiled in the plot. To lose track of time and enjoy reading a well-written book. I adore every set of women that have been paired off throughout the series and I excitedly smirk when those couples make cameos in each book as this world keeps expanding.

These two MC's complete each other in such a beautiful way that you feel the warmth from their connection through the words on the page. The journey to find one another was wrought with turmoil and despair, but the HEA has a smile glued to my face.

I cannot wait for the next book!!!!

[Rey Hawke · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4 stars

Breathe With Me in the latest installment in the New World series by Lily X. As Aster tries to unravel the mystery of Naia’s magical imprisonment, it requires more resources than Aster’s knowledge, which is how Aster and Naia get linked up with the previous characters in this series. We get to reconnect a bit with Kit, a magic wielder, along with her grandma, who both help Naia to trace back her final moments before being trapped in the magic mirror. This story is really about 20th century bigotry, greed, and how to overcome one’s grief for a lost spouse. It’s a sweet and sentimental love story with characters that were uniquely suited and as varied as those from previous stories. I liked how both Naia and Aster had difficult pasts to reconcile, and that they found solace with one another. It’s a hurt/comfort story with a decent bit of steam.

If you have enjoyed any of the previous books, I think this episode is a strong offering. We get a window into more of the New World, and how difficult resettlement has been for the folks of these communities.

Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.

[Patty Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story. This had such a modern old time feel to it. Aster who owns an antique shop was such an old soul and Naia who literally dropped in from the past was such a modern day woman. The relationship between these two was equal parts sweet and hot. I loved that the author also brought in characters from her previous books, so we could see how their relationships have progressed so far. I really enjoyed this story and the time travel aspects of it were fascinating as well as the witch craft that involved Naia traveling to Asters time period. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and family, and I really look forward to what's next from this author.

[Doug Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tale is a fun mixture of new-world sci-fi and dark magic. Aster and Naia’s relationship develops quickly, though the mystery of Naia’s origins overshadows much of the early story arc. The last chapters provide a great update on the lives of the supporting cast, most of whom appeared as main characters in earlier volumes. The conclusion is very satisfying, though the reader may well be left wishing the narrative would continue.

[Harlequin Books]

Lesbian, Multicultural & Interracial Romance, New Adult Romance, Science Fiction Romance

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until around 65% of the book I thought it was going to be the one I like the least of the series but no, it was really good

[Subira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is easily the best of this year!

[J.J. Clown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me longer than the other three in front of it. Mostly because one of the characters reminded me of myself, so it hit too close to home, in a somewhat bad way at first. I don't want to explain how as I don't know how to hide spoilers. Wait, nevermind, I found a way to spoiler some text. Before I start with that though. I want to say, the book is amazing, and I adored it. I'm already reading book 5, however my kindle doesn't let me write reviews on it, so I have to go to my computer to write them.

Incoming spoiler information about the difficult aspects.

I lost someone I was very close to, whom I loved very much. Aster lost someone as well. I felt a lot like Aster did afterwards, living a a half-life for years. Because of that aspect, I needed a pause in the book, as it brought back a lot of those feelings. Unfortunately, I didn't have a Naia to help me through that period. After getting past those emotional issues of myself, the book was amazing. Also, the book wasn't the reason I put it on hold, the book is written amazingly, it was my personal experiences that caused it.

[TJ Phillips · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for all things time travel so the blurb pretty much had me. In actuality though this is more a girl out of time story versus being actual time travel. This is the 4th book in the New World series but for the most part can be read standalone. This is a sweet no angst instalove story. I prefer slower starts in my stories but the characters were both sweet and in need of just this thing that I was “ok” with it, mostly. I enjoyed both MC’s and how they fit together. The ending felt dragged on though, it brought in all the other characters from the other books. Since I skipped 2 and 3 of this series, I was a bit bored but that’s on me. Overall a quick and light read.

[Elizabeth Sutherland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was my favorite one yet in the series, though I believe that with each one as I finish it. Aster is by far my favorite character overall, and I loved watching her change and adapt to Naia.

[Alicia Caballero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series!

I love all the books in this series so much! They are all well written and the characters are some of my all time faves. Can't wait to read the next one and then read it all over again!