Review: With Every Breath by Elizabeth Camden

August 21, 2014

Title: With Every Breath
Author: Elizabeth Camden
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 368
ISBN: 978-0-7642-1174-4
Publication Date: August 5th, 2014

Synopsis:
In the shadow of the nation's capital, Kate Livingston's respectable life as a government worker is disrupted by an encounter with the insufferable Trevor McDonough, the one man she'd hoped never to see again. A Harvard-trained physician, Trevor never showed the tiniest flicker of interest in Kate, and business is the only reason he has sought her out now.

Despite her misgivings, Kate agrees to Trevor's risky proposal to join him in his work to find a cure for tuberculosis. As Kate begins to unlock the mysteries of Trevor's past, his hidden depths fascinate her. However, a shadowy enemy lies in wait and Trevor's closely guarded secrets are darker than she ever suspected.

As revelations from the past threaten to destroy their careers, their dreams, and even their lives, Trevor and Kate find themselves in a painfully impossible situation. With everything to lose, they must find the strength to trust that hope and love can prevail over all.
Review:
I was introduced to Elizabeth Camden's books last year. I could kick myself for taking so long to read her books!

If you're like me and love historical fiction, Elizabeth is your author. She takes something that was either a massive event, like the Chicago Fire and insert you in the middle of it as she did in Into the Whirlwind, or she can place you in the midst of the research for tuberculous in With Everything Breath.

Kate has had dreams of going to college and opening up her futures to many possibilities, but sadly, that dream is stripped from her in high school. Now, twelve years after the fact, she is widowed, living with her parents in their boarding house, and working at a dead end job with the biggest jerk of a boss. And all she can think about is that if Trevor McDonough hadn't beaten her for that scholarship, her life would have been different. Bitterness is a strong part of who Kate is, but it doesn't make her mean, just determined to do something else.

Trevor is a person who takes a while to get to know. He is not a very forthcoming character and it is easy to agree with Kate in her anger toward him and her bitterness. However, when the job opens up for Kate to work with him for better pay and opportunities for the future, she is willing to take it, despite their history. Through Kate, you start to see who Trevor is and realize he isn't the dark and dastardly villain you think, but someone who has erected a wall to protect himself and others around him. As his story and secrets slowly emerge, you notice your thoughts of him are slowly shifting, just like Kate's.

Trevor and Kate together, I got quite a laugh out of of. They bicker and fight and nit pick each other through the whole story. At first it seems like insults are being slung to get even, but slowly, you realize, they do it because their ideas have shifted and it is now a way to communicate as friends. I enjoy throwing a good barb here and there at friends and this book had many good ones!

It was interesting how the roles were a bit shifted in this story. Instead of the man pursuing the woman, it was the girl perusing the man, and not in a bad way. Trevor is a standoffish character. He is dedicated to his work and frankly, not many people like him. Kate is the opposite, she is outgoing, friendly to everyone she meets. When shes the issues Trevor is having she has a solution and she pushes her ideas till they happen. It doesn't matter if Trevor is all in or not. Kate has to be one of the stubbornest characters I've read about in a while, but she uses it for good.

I enjoyed this story, it had moments of humor, mystery, and a lot of history!

Too Read
4.5 out of 5

About the Author:
Elizabeth Camden is the award-winning author of four books, including Against the Tide (2012), winner of a RITA Award, Christy Award, and Daphne du Maurier Award. With a master's in history and a master's in library science, she is a research librarian by day and scribbles away on her next novel by night. Elizabeth lives with her husband in Florida.
Visit her website at www.elizabethcamden.com.
or on Facebook.





Thank you to Bethany House, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


2 comments

  1. I was just looking at this one in the store last night. I read somewhere recently a review that compared Trevor to Mr Darcy. Wasn't sure if I could see that in the few pages that I skimmed. What say you?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kara, I hadn't thought of that till you mentioned it, I can see him as a Darcy! Trevor opens up through the story like Darcy does.

    ReplyDelete

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