LOSING MY BREATH isn’t a typical, run-of-the-mill grump-meets-sunshine romance, and that’s why it succeeds so well as one of those rare “unputdownable” page-turners. For one thing, it’s told entirely from the perspective of Callan Brand, a Marine veteran dealing with severe PTSD episodes that have affected the way he engages with relationships. This is a difficult point of view to pull off, particularly given Callan’s harrowing background and life experiences, yet author J. Rose Black does so with ease. His quick, sardonic wit balances out his darker, deeper mental health battles, all while maintaining that hardened and closed-off grump exterior. Callan wears it like armor, though Meridian Daly—his sparkling, beautiful new neighbor across the hall—begins to chip away at it, bit by bit.

Deemed a prissy “princess” by Callan, Meridian is somewhat easily trusting with an immediate friendliness—which drives the overprotective, cautious Marine near crazy at the start of their tentative relationship. Meridian manages to hold her own, though, and Callan finds himself surprised by her feisty attitude, strength, and persistence. Their chemistry, paired with a simmering burn of a romance, electrifies the book. Teasing nicknames, casual dinners, and workout dates give way to some sizzling love scenes. The playful banter helps, too:

“It’s almost midnight. I should go before one of us turns into a pumpkin.”

“I’m surprised you know that reference.”

“Princess-school entrance exams.”

“Right.” Meridian walked him to the door. “For the record, Prince Charming doesn’t kiss like that.”

“He’s doing it wrong.”

Steering clear of the usual miscommunication tropes, the conflict between Callan and Meridian is more internal. Not only is Callan haunted by his military service, but Meridian also has a few painful hang-ups in her past that keep her from fully committing to their future. They’re both wounded in their own ways, their relationship isn’t always perfect, and their conversations are given space to be messy, raw, and real. Callan doesn’t always have the “pretty words” Meridian wants to hear, yet their shared determination to fight for their love, to help each other, and to heal those invisible wounds is such a compelling and necessary relationship to portray.

That kind of growth isn’t easy, nor is it linear. It doesn’t happen overnight, and the realistic fears and hopes these two share are beautifully written. Their growth is so honest and raw that it gives this book an incredible and unexpected emotional journey. Not to mention, underneath all of that, Callan’s struggle with his PTSD is one of the most realistically-written portrayals in this genre—elevated by stream-of-consciousness flashbacks that interrupt his everyday life. Despite his grumpy personality, Callan’s words for his mental health struggles and love for Meridian are surprisingly compelling: “He let out a long breath. But it was like he didn’t feel it. Wasn’t involved. Just forever a distant observer of the lives other people lived.” Even the last sentence of LOSING MY BREATH will leave eager romance readers swooning over Callan Brand and his stubborn princess.

Unexpectedly poignant, J. Rose Black’s LOSING MY BREATH is a rare, emotionally driven contemporary romance that delves into PTSD, self-isolation, and grief from a veteran’s perspective.

~Jessica Thomas for IndieReader