INTRODUCTION:

This is not a review but it is a Spotlight of a book I want to read. Life has gotten in the way this year and I haven’t had the time to read like I usually do. I’ve missed it. I wanted to post this Spotlight to bring to your attention a book that I think a lot of my fellow readers would love to read. I hope it catches your interest and is something you’ll enjoy!

SYNOPSIS:

The rain pours down, plastering his hair to his head and his shirt to his body. He takes my hand and puts it over his heart.

“See? Still beating.”

Pounding is more like it…

How do you let go of your first love when his memory still owns your heart?

Ten years ago, Robin’s world was cracked open by Jed—a brilliant, complicated young man who told her not to fall for him. But she did. She gave him everything, only to lose him to a chronic illness that was always waiting in the wings.

Now, Robin is finally rebuilding. She has a new career, a small but solid circle of support, and Nick—a funny, passionate, infuriatingly earnest guy who sees her for who she is. He doesn’t know about Jed. Or the play Jed wrote for her. Or that Robin has agreed to star in its long-overdue debut.

As opening night nears, Robin is haunted by what could have been—and by what still might be. She’s caught between honoring the past and claiming her future, between the person she was and the person she wants to become. And the more she tries to move forward, the more she wonders: is letting go an act of betrayal… or the bravest kind of love?

A deeply moving novel about grief, second chances, and the stories that shape us, The Next Breath will resonate with anyone who has ever tried to love again without forgetting where they started.


Winner of the 2024 Kindle Book Award (Romance)

What They’re Saying on Bookstagram & BookTok:
“I cried real tears and my heart still hurts… It was raw and emotional and deep. Will I forever recommend it? Yes.” -at Tonilynette

“Wanna a romance book that’s going to destroy you at 3 a.m?…The Next Breath will break your heat and leave you hopeful all at once.” -at andreabookster

“Warning! You’ll need tissues! This book touches love, loss, and finding the courage to move on, and it’s beautifully written!” -at sams_shelvess

“Deeply moving novel about grief, second chances, and the stories that shape us, The Next Breath will resonate with anyone who has ever tried to love again without forgetting where they started.” -at meganxmariex88

“Guys, at laurel_osterkamp destroys me in these books. This book is raw, emotional and a definite page turner.” -at joannasbookshelf

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laurel Osterkamp writes smart, emotionally rich fiction about messy relationships, creative reinvention, and the kind of love that leaves a mark. She’s the award-winning author of nearly a dozen novels, including Favorite Daughters and the #1 Amazon bestseller Beautiful Little Furies. Her newest novel, The Side Project, blends second-chance romance with literary flair—perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Annabel Monaghan, and anyone who loves bookish love stories with bite.

In addition to her novels, Laurel’s short fiction has appeared in literary journals across the web. When she’s not writing (which is rare), she teaches adult ESL and middle school enrichment classes, goes running with twisty audiobooks in her ears, and educates her daughter on the cultural importance of Beverly Hills, 90210.

She lives in Minneapolis with a family that loves to argue and cats that love to hiss. Ramona Quimby is her spirit animal.

Follow her on Instagram @laurel_osterkamp or subscribe to her newsletter at laurellit dot com for behind-the-scenes stories, book news, and reader extras.