The Air He Breathes by Brittainy C Cherry

“Stay away from him,” people said.

“He’s cruel.”
“He’s cold.”
“He’s damaged.”

It’s easy to judge a man because of his past. To look at Tristan and see a monster.

But I couldn’t do that. I had to accept the wreckage that lived inside of him because it also lived inside of me.

We were both empty.
We were both looking for something else. Something more.
We both wanted to put together the shattered pieces of our yesterdays.

Then perhaps we could finally remember how to breathe.

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Five Star Review by Ashley

I had never read a title, let alone heard of this author before picking up this book. But all of my fellow book lovers were going on and on about The Air He Breathes... And I am so glad I succumbed to the peer pressure. My head and heart are still reeling from the power of this book. From the first chapter, I was equally hooked and heartbroken.

I found myself really connected to both Tristan and Elizabeth (though I have in no way ever been through anything remotely close to the tragedy they were faced with). I loved that they were both stubborn to a fault. Both stuck in their own grief and guilt and not even trying to move forward. I mean how do you really ever move forward from something like that. But then they were- it was as if a switch had been flipped and all of a sudden there was lightness and possibility in a place where there had only been darkness and suffering. And when that light shined, oh did it shine brightly. The best parts of their brokenness were patched together. I cried with them (A LOT) I felt their despair and their hope, their joy and ultimately, their love.

The love between Tristan and Elizabeth is unlike any I have ever read. They were both so beautifully flawed; human. I just wanted to crawl into my book and hug them both until they could breathe again. And then I wanted somebody to hold me until I could. I enjoyed the progression of their relationship. Every tender moment, every tense stare down, every battle with past demons made their smiles and laughter that much sweeter. And don't even get me started on Tristan and Emma. That little girl melted my heart from the very first Tick!

Through it all, Elizabeth had her nutty best friend, Faye, to make her laugh and make her be honest with herself. She brought out a lighter side to Elizabeth with her antics. While Tristan had isolated himself so much that I loved when he finally reached out to those who loved him unconditionally. His healing was so profound and just- necessary. The advice he gets from Mr. Henson about the magic in the world, priceless. Tristan is a man who feels and loves deeply and without reservation. I adored him all the more for his faults.

The Air He Breathes is not an easy read at all. It left me breathless. My chest physically ached. I went through at least a dozen tissues. Things started out so messy, got a bit clearer and then really imploded. I had a hunch about one of the big twists (and I was right) BUT that other one towards the end- I didn't see coming at all. Total jaw dropper. That ending left me more than satisfied, it left me with a heart that had been healed from the inside out. What Brittainy C. Cherry tore down, she built back up twenty fold. Her writing was captivating and moving. This book was impossible to put down and will be even harder to forget.

About the Author

Brittainy Cherry has been in love with words since the day she took her first breath. She graduated from Carroll University with a Bachelors Degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Creative Writing. She loves to take part in writing screenplays, acting, and dancing–poorly of course. Coffee, chai tea, and wine are three things that she thinks every person should partake in! Brittainy lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her family. When she’s not running a million errands and crafting stories, she’s probably playing with her adorable pets.

---