Audiobook Review for The Next Breath: An Angsty and Uplifting Love Story by Laurel Osterkamp

 

The Next Breath: An Angsty and Uplifting Love Story by Laurel Osterkamp

Published:   November 18, 2024 by Drama, Drama

What does it mean to truly move on when part of your heart is still tethered to the past?

Robin once believed in forever. Jed was brilliant, frustrating, and unforgettable—and even though he swore “permanent doesn’t exist,” she gave him everything. Then he died, leaving Robin to pick up the pieces of her life and carry an ache she never fully healed. A decade later, Nick enters her life: steady, sweet, and genuinely good. He makes her believe in love again. But before she met Nick, Robin agreed to star in the play Jed wrote for her before he died. As rehearsals begin, memories intensify and dreams blur into reality, with Jed reappearing in her subconscious and pulling her back into a past she hasn’t finished processing.

Now Robin stands at an emotional crossroads—can she open her heart to Nick without dishonoring her love for Jed? Or is she still writing the ending to a story that never truly ended?

My Thoughts:  I listened to this book while working.  Usually when I do that I am partially listening and mostly working.   With The Next Breath I realized that I wanted to only listen to the book so I changed the plan and listened to this while NOT working so that I could hear the story.  I connected with the characters and was invested fully into the story.  I cared what was going to happen with Robin, could she move on after losing Jed.   Would Nick understand the connection Robin has with Jed?  

This is the first book I have read/listened to by Laurel Osterkamp.  She writes with deep emotions, a true understanding of her characters and their feelings, and a great style to keep the storyline moving at a steady pace.   The story is not easy to read, there is death, long term illness, and the need to move on.  The topics are not talked about freely, most of the time, but it was written with care and respect.  

Thank you Author Marketing Experts for a copy of the book via Audible in exchange for my honest review.

Amazon: http://bit.ly/3GeVJqO

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212336698-the-next-breath

 

Meet the Author:  Laurel Osterkamp is a Minneapolis-based author whose stories dig deep into life’s emotional crossroads. Her fiction explores love, grief, personal reinvention, and the quiet strength it takes to rebuild. With titles like Beautiful Little Furies, The Side Project, and Favorite Daughters, Laurel’s work has earned praise from fans of Jo Jo Moyes and Carley Fortune. When not writing, she’s teaching ESL, parenting teens, and rewatching classic ‘90s TV. Connect at laurellit.com or follow her on Instagram.