Breathing Room

By: Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Narrated by: Kate Fleming

Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's Summary

Sometimes in life you need a little breathing room, especially when your life has just fallen apart. Dr. Isabel Favor, America's diva of self help, knows this all too well. She's lost her fiancé to a disorganized earth mother, her accountant has absconded with her money, and her self-help empire is in shambles. She flees the country to Tuscany, waiting for life to settle down, but the biggest disaster lies just ahead. On one unforgettable night, she's about to meet Lorenzo Gage, Hollywood's favorite villain.

©2002 Susan Elizabeth Phillips (P)2002 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic Reviews

"Phillips has created a very modern and textured tale: witty, moving, passionate and tender." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Stunningly vivid descriptions and some of her most complex protagonists to date." ( Library Journal)

Exceeded Expectations

I read the reviews on this audio book (they were mixed) but it is a great book. The characters are great and the story flows beautifully. At the very end it gets kind of quirky but was well worth the money. I will re-listen to it again as it was so funny in parts that my stomach hurt giggling. The narration is fantastic. It will make you want to go to Tuscany.

An enjoyable read.

SEP is remarkably talented in developing characters, even those who are flawed, in a very endearing way. I like that both lead characters are very strong individuals and enjoyed the very witty dialogue between the two (most notably after their 2nd meeting).

Anna Fields (Kate Fleming) is the most enjoyable narrator I've ever listened to. I highly recommend listening to anything she's narrated! I grieved when I heard she died in a rain/flood related accident in Seattle, and will forever miss hearing her narrate new books.

I liked the audiobook better than the paperback.

When I read the paperback in 2007 I gave it 3 stars. It was ok. I recently listened to the audiobook and found it much more enjoyable. So I changed it to 4 stars. I didn’t enjoy the heroine when “I” was doing the reading, but the audiobook narrator’s voice and emotional interpretations made the heroine more interesting and likeable.

The author’s other books might have more wit, charm and laughter than this book. But this book was still good. I will read almost anything that she writes.

STORY BRIEF:
Successful self help psychology author/speaker loses all her money and her reputation. She goes to live in a farmhouse in Tuscany, Italy for awhile to regroup. She meets handsome movie star with emotional scars and flaws.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Kate Fleming was great.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words but not often used. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: about eight. Setting: current day mostly Italy with a little New York City and California. Copyright: 2002. Genre: contemporary romance.

Laughed and listened every moment I had available

I really enjoyed this book. I was surprised at times when it made me laugh. It was so worth buying! The author did a wonderful job and the narrator was superb.

I enjoyed the characters very much and appreciate the ending.

Brilliant!

I have listened to many books by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, she is an amazing author that has the ability to create quirky, funny and charming romances. She can bring out the humor of everyday life, her characters have a quick dry humor that gets me every time. Breathing Room is so entertaining that I found myself laughing out loud in many places. Parents could relate to this story in many areas, such as having children climbing into your bed at night to keep the monsters away, or the joys of potty training a small child. I loved the romance as well, it was full of heat but not in a dirty way. I definitely recommend this story, it was one of my favorites by the author and the narration by Kate Fleming is shear perfection!!!

Totally entertaining

I love every book that this author writes and the narrator is the very best I have ever heard. Great story with wonderful characters fully developed. Had me laughing out loud at times. Wonderful ending as usual.

Love this author !!

I have read all of Susan Elizabeth Phillips' books and love ALL of them!! They never fail to disappoint. Funny, entertaining, exciting, everything you hope to find in a book. I found it very hard to stop listening and looked forward to my next opportunity to listen again. I can't wait for another installment. Highly recommend.

Another Good SEP Book

I have enjoyed everyone of Susan Elizabeth Phillip's (SEP) books that I have had the opportunity to read, eventhough the story line may not always be believeable. I have listened to this one more than one time. Anna Fields does a wonderful job with the characters, which makes the story so much better. I find myself laughing out loud while walking and have to catch myself--people might think I am crazy. My favorite SEP book is Natural Born Charmer--I had to comment here since I did not purchase through Audible, but got it from the library. I am ready for her next book.

DYT

Americans in Tuscany ...

... the rest is the usual set: gorgeous man falls for an intelligent woman. But SEP gives them 10 hours to finally let them fall into each others arms. Hours of funny dialogues, passionate encounters and lots of Italian food! Kate Fleming at it's best.

Summer Entertainment

I found this audiobook very enjoyable entertainment. The story was somewhat predictable but the dialog was zippy, the hero a suitably gorgeous bad boy with a soft center, and the heroine flawed but plucky. Combined with the romantic setting of Tuscany and mouthwatering descriptions of Tuscan cuisine, it was almost like taking a holiday there. Since I have had the fortunate experience of living in Italy for 2 years and visiting Tuscany often, I could close my eyes while listening and imagine the scene unfold.

The reading wasn't bad but some of the Italian accents were odd. Overall it exceeded my expectations.