Breathe

Title: BREATHE
Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren
Publisher: David C Cook
June 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6708-0
Genre: Inspirational/historical

Odessa St. Clair, along with her brother, Dominic and her sister Moira, has been sent to Colorado Springs to chase the cure. After all, Odessa is suffering from consumption, the disease that has killed not four of her brothers. But by the time the train arrives in Colorado Springs, Odessa has passed out and is near death.

Several days after their arrival, Odessa finally wakes up. There she begins to get to know some of the others in the hospital recovering from consumption. But soon, some one apparently murders the miner, Sam O’Toole, who was also recovering from consumption. But before Sam dies, he passes her a poem which leaves clues which might direct her to him mine. A mine he claimed carried a fantastic vein of silver. If Odessa recovers completely from consumption, should she try to follow the clues? And if she does, what will she discover?

It has been many years since I’ve read a novel by Lisa T. Bergren. I read her books back in the beginning when she wrote contemporaries, but when she started writing historicals, for some reason I stopped reading her books. But now, one has come into my hands to review. And I was pleasantly surprised that Lisa T. Bergren has only improved—a lot—since the beginning.

I knew Odessa would survive from reading the back cover copy, but just beginning the book in the first few pages, I began to fear for her life. Odessa clearly suffered and her brother and sister were frantic for her. I also hoped that Dominic would get his act together and do the job he was supposed to do, instead of itching for a fight. I worried he would be killed. I fell in love with him though, and I want to read more about Nic someday.

A big plus was the after words section of this book, where there is an interview with Ms. Bergren, Discussion questions, and some fascinating information about the history of Colorado Springs and some of its real inhabitants. Don’t miss this great new historical. $14.99. 416 pages.