Scan barcode
nellesnightstand1's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it!! I hurt for Dorthea, I can relate so much to her. This story kept me captivated.
Can’t Hardly Breathe is book four in The Original Heartbreakers series by Gena Showalter. Set in a small town, Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma, this one is about the Innkeeper, Dorthea. She has suffered from low self-esteem throughout her life. She was bullied in school and has just divorced her douche-bag of an ex. She's struggling to recover, then she has the opportunity to have a fling with Daniel the man of her girlhood dreams who told her this in school:
“I think you’re perfect just the way you are."
and then proceeded to break her heart. All unknowingly.
Daniel has issues of his own that he's working through and the growth of both of these characters was inspiring to me.
Another great story by the fabulous Gena Showalter!
ARC provided by Edelweiss and the publisher.
Can’t Hardly Breathe is book four in The Original Heartbreakers series by Gena Showalter. Set in a small town, Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma, this one is about the Innkeeper, Dorthea. She has suffered from low self-esteem throughout her life. She was bullied in school and has just divorced her douche-bag of an ex. She's struggling to recover, then she has the opportunity to have a fling with Daniel the man of her girlhood dreams who told her this in school:
“I think you’re perfect just the way you are."
and then proceeded to break her heart. All unknowingly.
Daniel has issues of his own that he's working through and the growth of both of these characters was inspiring to me.
Another great story by the fabulous Gena Showalter!
ARC provided by Edelweiss and the publisher.
angels_gp17's review against another edition
4.0
Can’t Hardly Breathe is book four in The Original Heartbreakers series. This book made me smile, swoon, laugh, and cry. It’s a story of getting that chance with your high school crush later on in life. I adore this series and was so happy to get Dorothea and Daniel’s story.
I really enjoyed the prologue. We are taken back to high school where we see bullying, dreams, and crushes. Both Dorothea and Daniel captured my heart. I was totally enthralled with Can’t Hardly Breathe. I was amazed at how well Showalter brought the characters insecurities to the for front and how they learned to trust and deal with their issues. I liked how she shined light on bullying and how much it affects people throughout their lives. Then their’s the PTSD storyline with Daniel and how that can affect people too. I was enchanted by this couple and how they came together and ended up relaying on each other. The dogs where a delight, an added bonus and it was great how they helped Daniel realize he needed support. The friendships in this series have been phenomenal. I just cherish how Daniel and his friends plus Dorothea and her friends come together to help make things right.
Showalter brought out the best and worst in her characters. She surrounded them with friends who are loyal. She wrote sensual and tasteful sex scenes that sizzle of the pages. Can’t Hardly Breathe is a lovely story of romance, love, forgiveness, and trust.
Audio: Narrator Savannah Richards has such a soothing and alluring voice. I’m captured from the moment I listen until the very end. Her rendition of the story brings everything out and makes it all that much more real. I highly recommend the audio version for The Original Heartbreakers series.
Rated: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed the prologue. We are taken back to high school where we see bullying, dreams, and crushes. Both Dorothea and Daniel captured my heart. I was totally enthralled with Can’t Hardly Breathe. I was amazed at how well Showalter brought the characters insecurities to the for front and how they learned to trust and deal with their issues. I liked how she shined light on bullying and how much it affects people throughout their lives. Then their’s the PTSD storyline with Daniel and how that can affect people too. I was enchanted by this couple and how they came together and ended up relaying on each other. The dogs where a delight, an added bonus and it was great how they helped Daniel realize he needed support. The friendships in this series have been phenomenal. I just cherish how Daniel and his friends plus Dorothea and her friends come together to help make things right.
Showalter brought out the best and worst in her characters. She surrounded them with friends who are loyal. She wrote sensual and tasteful sex scenes that sizzle of the pages. Can’t Hardly Breathe is a lovely story of romance, love, forgiveness, and trust.
Audio: Narrator Savannah Richards has such a soothing and alluring voice. I’m captured from the moment I listen until the very end. Her rendition of the story brings everything out and makes it all that much more real. I highly recommend the audio version for The Original Heartbreakers series.
Rated: 4 Stars
nellesnightstand's review against another edition
5.0
Loved it!! I hurt for Dorthea, I can relate so much to her. This story kept me captivated.
Can’t Hardly Breathe is book four in The Original Heartbreakers series by Gena Showalter. Set in a small town, Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma, this one is about the Innkeeper, Dorthea. She has suffered from low self-esteem throughout her life. She was bullied in school and has just divorced her douche-bag of an ex. She's struggling to recover, then she has the opportunity to have a fling with Daniel the man of her girlhood dreams who told her this in school:
“I think you’re perfect just the way you are."
and then proceeded to break her heart. All unknowingly.
Daniel has issues of his own that he's working through and the growth of both of these characters was inspiring to me.
Another great story by the fabulous Gena Showalter!
ARC provided by Edelweiss and the publisher.
Can’t Hardly Breathe is book four in The Original Heartbreakers series by Gena Showalter. Set in a small town, Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma, this one is about the Innkeeper, Dorthea. She has suffered from low self-esteem throughout her life. She was bullied in school and has just divorced her douche-bag of an ex. She's struggling to recover, then she has the opportunity to have a fling with Daniel the man of her girlhood dreams who told her this in school:
“I think you’re perfect just the way you are."
and then proceeded to break her heart. All unknowingly.
Daniel has issues of his own that he's working through and the growth of both of these characters was inspiring to me.
Another great story by the fabulous Gena Showalter!
ARC provided by Edelweiss and the publisher.
jaimejustreadsromance's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 Stars
This is my first time reading this author and, go figure, I start with the 4th book in a series. Thankfully, it seems that this was an excellent place to start since it’s a series of stand-alones and this book is the first book in, what seems to be, a three book arc of two groups of friends who will be coupling off.
When trying to gather my thoughts about this book I realized that it almost felt like two different stories. At the end of the story the characters were so different from who they were in the beginning, but it was so subtle that I didn’t realize it until I stopped to remember. That’s how you know that this author is great at character development.
Daniel started off a very busy man. With a different woman in his bed each night to chase away demons I thought for sure this was setting up to become a problem later in the book. Much to my delight, there wasn’t a lot of dwelling on this aspect of him. It was mentioned but the author didn’t beat me over the head with his promiscuity.
Dorothea seemed very much the insecure and timid woman who had been teased and mistreated in high school and then again in her marriage. I really saw her character going on a different way but, again, was pleasantly surprised to see her turn into a strong, independent and confident woman who wasn’t going to take any BS from her family, her friends and especially not Daniel.
Daniel and Dorothea’s romance was slow-burning but in the best tension-filled, fun way. I loved seeing how Daniel was trying to win her over and how it was working, but that Dorothea wouldn’t settle for anything less than the relationship that she wanted and deserved.
I enjoyed the secondary characters and how the author hinted at the future coupling of them in the books to come. I love getting just a taste of what to expect. It only makes me want to read their stories that much more.
My only problem with the book is the issue that causes the big rift between Dorothea and Daniel. It just kind of seemed like the whole situation came out of nowhere. I know it was briefly talked about previously in the book, but it didn’t seem like a huge part of who Dorothea was and/or wanted to be. I do understand that it was more about Daniel and how he forced the issue when it wasn’t necessary and it does make sense for the overall feel of the story, but it did throw me off a little.
I love when trying a new-to-me author works out more than just well. I think I’ll be picking up a lot more books from Gena Showalter in the future.
This is my first time reading this author and, go figure, I start with the 4th book in a series. Thankfully, it seems that this was an excellent place to start since it’s a series of stand-alones and this book is the first book in, what seems to be, a three book arc of two groups of friends who will be coupling off.
When trying to gather my thoughts about this book I realized that it almost felt like two different stories. At the end of the story the characters were so different from who they were in the beginning, but it was so subtle that I didn’t realize it until I stopped to remember. That’s how you know that this author is great at character development.
Daniel started off a very busy man. With a different woman in his bed each night to chase away demons I thought for sure this was setting up to become a problem later in the book. Much to my delight, there wasn’t a lot of dwelling on this aspect of him. It was mentioned but the author didn’t beat me over the head with his promiscuity.
Dorothea seemed very much the insecure and timid woman who had been teased and mistreated in high school and then again in her marriage. I really saw her character going on a different way but, again, was pleasantly surprised to see her turn into a strong, independent and confident woman who wasn’t going to take any BS from her family, her friends and especially not Daniel.
Daniel and Dorothea’s romance was slow-burning but in the best tension-filled, fun way. I loved seeing how Daniel was trying to win her over and how it was working, but that Dorothea wouldn’t settle for anything less than the relationship that she wanted and deserved.
I enjoyed the secondary characters and how the author hinted at the future coupling of them in the books to come. I love getting just a taste of what to expect. It only makes me want to read their stories that much more.
My only problem with the book is the issue that causes the big rift between Dorothea and Daniel. It just kind of seemed like the whole situation came out of nowhere. I know it was briefly talked about previously in the book, but it didn’t seem like a huge part of who Dorothea was and/or wanted to be. I do understand that it was more about Daniel and how he forced the issue when it wasn’t necessary and it does make sense for the overall feel of the story, but it did throw me off a little.
I love when trying a new-to-me author works out more than just well. I think I’ll be picking up a lot more books from Gena Showalter in the future.
mimireadsromance's review against another edition
2.0
I haven't read any other titles in this series, but this book was able to be enjoyed as a standalone. I'll start off by saying that while I ultimately finished the book, it was a very hard read for me. I'm not one to DNF books, so I stuck it out. It took until about the half way point in the story for me to become interested, and I never felt completely invested in the characters. I sympathized with their difficult pasts, but felt very much as though these two individuals handled the emotional intricacies of a relationship in a very immature way. Don't even get me started on the "I loved him in high school and he broke my heart because he didn't know I existed" drama. I'd hope that by her age, a young woman would know the difference between high school infatuation and love, which actually takes getting to know someone! I truly became very irritated at several points and put the book down because I was tired of the rehashing of their mental hangups. In the end, the last couple of chapters saved the book for me. Suddenly, the characters were acting and thinking as grown adults. When I finished, I was anticipating the next book in the story, but felt as though I had wasted hours on this one. That's not a feeling I ever like to have about a book, which is why this one only gets 2 stars from me. I realize I will not connect with every book an author writes, so I'll give the next book in the series a chance. I'll even go back and read the first in the series in the hopes that this book was a one-off for me.
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
Can't Hardly Breathe is a whimsical contemporary romance, with main characters that are cute and rather attaching.
Can't Hardly Breathe is a whimsical contemporary romance, with main characters that are cute and rather attaching.
alexperc_92's review against another edition
5.0
I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review and blog tour can be found on *Milky Way of Books*
I was excited to hear that this series was getting three more books! Needless to say that Dorothea's story was one of my favorites, even more than the three previous books.
It's a story about bullying, family problems and how a woman's resolve to help her family makes her stronger. I liked Daniel as the male protagonist. He and his friends have lots to deal with (PTSD mostly) and around Dorothea, he softens and becomes the boy Dorothea had fallen in love with.
The cameos of previous characters were a nice touch too! And obviously, I am excited to read about Jude and Ryanne on the next book too!
I was excited to hear that this series was getting three more books! Needless to say that Dorothea's story was one of my favorites, even more than the three previous books.
It's a story about bullying, family problems and how a woman's resolve to help her family makes her stronger. I liked Daniel as the male protagonist. He and his friends have lots to deal with (PTSD mostly) and around Dorothea, he softens and becomes the boy Dorothea had fallen in love with.
The cameos of previous characters were a nice touch too! And obviously, I am excited to read about Jude and Ryanne on the next book too!
whitney0498's review against another edition
5.0
I have been provided with a copy of Second Chance through NetGalley for an impartial review. This is the fourth book in the Original Heartbreakers series and was previously titled Can’t Hardly Breathe. I just absolutely loved getting to go back into this wonderful world with it’s amazing characters. Oh my gosh this book was just absolutely amazing. I was just drawn into this amazing world and I just couldn’t enough of these characters. My emotions were just all over the place and I just couldn’t help but fall in love with these characters. I was just drawn into their story and I just felt so much for what they had gone through. I was so sad to turn the last page and I hope we will see more of these characters in future books.