Breathe for Me by Natalie Anderson

I went into this book with basically no expectations, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised at how much I thoroughly enjoyed it! I positively love how I came to pick this book from my TBR list though, because I didn’t pick it! There were so many books to choose from, so I made my friend pick a number from 1-33 (# of pages of unread books on my Kindle), and 1-8 (# of books on each page). Voila! Now I kind of want my friend to pick all future books for me, as she did an awesome job.

What’s it About?

The last thing Chelsea Greene wants is to be rescued, but that’s exactly what happens when she’s caught wearing nothing but her swimsuit during a midnight emergency evacuation drill. Turns out her ‘hero’ is a former lifeguard who has no hesitation in offering the kiss of life. So not happening, right? But for emotionally chastened Chelsea, one touch changes everything. She discovers a desire to satisfy this arrogant, demanding tease. Unable to express her own fantasies, she finds unspeakable pleasure in serving his.

Xander Lawson exudes easy charm. He likes a woman unafraid to match his appetite for unfettered fun. He doesn’t do complicated or emotional. But the raw need emanating from fragile Chelsea compels him closer. He can’t resist spinning a sensual fantasy world around them. As passion spills outside their carefully selected boundaries, Xander learns Chelsea’s stronger than he first thought. But is she strong enough to handle the intensity he’s always kept hidden?

First Impressions

First things first, the synopsis is slightly misleading. Xander isn’t actually a lifeguard. He’s a former lifeguard who now installs security systems. As you can see, not a huge plot issue, but I was kind of looking forward to reading about a lifeguard. Xander might not wear the lifeguard trunks anymore, but he’s not too far removed from that lifestyle. He looks to save people, and is on the look out for people who need help. Chelsea is definitely in need of rescuing.

What Kind of Fantasies?

At first, I was kind of hesitant when reading this synopsis in what exactly the book would be about, especially in regards to the “fantasies”. When it talks about Chelsea “serving” Xander’s fantasies I was worried we’d be introduced to some spanking and possible BDSM. However, it was so refreshing that this is almost a throwback to fantasies of yore. He’s a pirate and she’s his prisoner. He’s Tarzan, she’s Jane. He’s a prisoner out on the run.

It kind of lent an element of humor to their fantasies, as they were truly “playing” with each other. But don’t let that fool you into thinking they are tame! Although there weren’t any fireman fantasies, these two are smokin’ hot! I must say though I was kind of disappointed they never really got into character. For example, he never once dressed up in a loincloth!

Sadder Side

Xander and Chelsea enter into this relationship with the intention of keeping it light-hearted and short term. Her internship in town is only 8 weeks after all. However, it doesn’t exactly work out the way they thought it would. He uncovers details about her troubled past and the death of her fiance, which has caused her to close up. It has now become Xander’s goal to have Chelsea reveal her own fantasies. There’s such an amazing blend of romance, sexiness, playfulness, and a serious side influenced by their respective pasts.

Series: Be for Me, book 1. I got this book for free on BookBub. After reading it I immediately went online and got every single book in the series.

Should you read it? I definitely recommend this one! It’s a quick read with interesting characters, and there’s a good mix of sweet, sexy and a touch of sadness.

Smut Level: It takes a while, but Xander finally gets Chelsea to open up about her own fantasies. Let’s just say it involves a leather jumpsuit with a conveniently placed cut-out.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. FREE. Amazon Digital Services LLC. 228 Pages.