28 Mar Book Review: The Air He Breathes by Brittainy C. Cherry

Sometimes you come across a book that wears its heart unapologetically on its sleeve—where the emotions are big, the characters are messy, and the grief seeps through every page. The Air He Breathes is exactly that kind of book. It’s the first in Brittainy C. Cherry’s Elements series, and it’s built around love, loss, and healing, with a heavy dose of emotional turmoil and some steamy romance on the side.

What’s it about?

The story follows Elizabeth, a woman trying to put her life back together after the sudden and tragic loss of her husband. Grief has consumed her, and after some time away staying with her mother, she returns to her hometown with her young daughter, Emma, hoping to find a sense of normalcy. What she finds instead is a place full of memories—and a next-door neighbor who is just as broken as she is.

That neighbor is Tristan Cole. Once a successful man with a family of his own, Tristan has been shattered by grief. His wife and son died in a horrific accident, and since then he has become the town’s dark figure—the guy who never smiles, speaks to no one, and carries the kind of pain that makes other people uncomfortable. Rumors surround him, and the townsfolk keep their distance. But Elizabeth, carrying her own loss, sees something familiar in him.

At first, their interactions are sharp-edged and uncomfortable. They clash. Tristan is cold, rude, and visibly angry at the world, while Elizabeth is trying to be strong for her daughter but is barely holding it together. Despite their rough beginning, they start to form a strange bond. It’s not friendship, not exactly. It’s more like recognition. They see each other’s pain. They understand it.

Eventually, they begin leaning on each other—not in the most healthy way at first. Their connection starts with a shared desire to numb the hurt, to forget their loved ones even for a moment. But as they spend more time together, their relationship starts to shift. It grows into something deeper, more honest, and far more complicated.

The story doesn’t shy away from showing how grief can twist love into something messy. Both Elizabeth and Tristan are trying to heal, but they’re also haunted by guilt—guilt over moving on, guilt over feeling anything other than sadness. Their relationship is fraught with setbacks, moments of tenderness followed by episodes of pushing each other away.

There’s also some outside conflict to contend with. A woman from Tristan’s past shows up, stirring more drama and doubt. There’s a subplot involving a mysterious set of events surrounding the deaths that changed their lives, which adds a slight suspense element to the book. But at its core, this is a romance about two people learning to live again, slowly and painfully, after unimaginable loss.

The emotional beats are intense. There are moments of catharsis, of anger, and of raw vulnerability. The book dives deep into the impact of grief not just on individuals, but on families and communities. It explores how people mourn differently, and how sometimes, love finds you when you’re convinced you’re incapable of feeling it again.

What This Chick Thinks

This one hit me in the gut more than once. The writing style leans dramatic and poetic, which won’t be for everyone, but I found it suited the story. It’s emotionally indulgent, sure—but it’s also sincere. It doesn’t pretend that grief is tidy or that love can erase pain. It shows how healing isn’t linear, and how sometimes, connection starts in the most unexpected—and imperfect—ways.

The characters can be a little larger-than-life, especially Tristan, who veers into tortured-hero territory a few times too many. But I still rooted for him and Elizabeth. Their chemistry felt earned because it was layered under all that shared brokenness. The push-and-pull between them wasn’t just about will-they-won’t-they tension—it was about whether they could let themselves feel again.

There were a few melodramatic moments that made me raise an eyebrow, but overall, I didn’t mind. Sometimes you want a book that just goes full tilt into the drama of it all. And if you’re in the mood for an emotionally intense, second-chance-at-life kind of romance, this definitely fits the bill.

Final Thoughts

The Air He Breathes is raw, emotional, and deeply romantic in a way that feels a little unpolished, but heartfelt. It’s about grief, guilt, and finding someone who sees your mess and doesn’t run from it. It won’t be for every reader—especially if you’re not into emotionally heavy romances—but it’ll hit hard for those who’ve lived through loss or love that felt like recovery.

Rating: 8/10

Try it if you like

• Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan – A similar vibe of damaged characters finding solace in each other.
• It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover – Emotional romance with deep-rooted pain and recovery.
• Me Before You by Jojo Moyes – Another story about love, loss, and figuring out how to keep living when everything feels broken.