BOOK REVIEW: Breathe the Sky by Michelle Hazen

Breathe the Sky by Michelle Hazen

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Mari Tucker is a wildlife biologist who scoops bunnies and endangered tortoises out of harm’s way on construction sites. Still haunted by her past, she takes the most remote jobs in the Mojave Desert to avoid people and hide from her ex. It’s a simple, quiet life filled with sweet animals and solar-powered baking until she ends up assigned to Jack Wyatt’s crew.
Construction foreman Jack Wyatt’s loud, foul-mouthed temper keeps even the most rugged of men on his crew in line. No mistake is overlooked, because out in the desert it could mean life or death. In his opinion, the job site is no place for sensitive biologists, especially one as shy as Mari. But instead of wilting from the heat and hard work, Mari wins over Jack and his crew one homemade brownie at a time.
Jack and Mari find a comfortable rhythm, building a friendship that’s rare for both of them. After Jack’s rocky childhood, they have more in common than they’d imagined. But even the Mojave sun can’t chase away the shadows when the past is determined to track them down…

Breathe the Sky by Michelle Hazen

MY THOUGHTS & REVIEW

Breathe the Sky is a sweet and romantic novel. It’s also about two very opposite characters falling in love.

The novel was surprisingly emotional at times. Both main characters carried some emotional packages with them, from an abusive partner to a traumatic childhood – it wasn’t easy to unpack it all.

But the way Mari and Jack were around each other, quiet and shy, but also very cute and sweet – worked for them.

I enjoyed how Mari and Jack’s friendship grew slowly, matching their personalities, and it gave them time to overcome certain hesitations. There were some incredibly sweet moments between them. Jack was adorable at times, a bit shy and blushing, and very sweet on the inside. He showed Mari a very opposite side of him. And it was incredibly sweet seeing him open up to her. Mari was endearing, nurturing and someone who had a way of bringing Jack out of his shell. She was brave, strong and so caring. And I just loved them together.

Also from the very beginning the idea of the novel had me intrigued, biologist working on construction sides in the desert to protect endangered species. And later when I read that the author wrote from experience it all made sense, because the plot was incredibly well researched and felt authentic. I love it when authors write from experiences that are so unique that they bring something new to the table.