Review: Breathe by Kelly Kittel

Breathe by Kelly Kittel

Publisher: She Writes Press

Pages: 384

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Kelly Kittel never questioned her Mayflower Society mantra—“Family is the most important thing”—until the day her fifteen-month-old son was run over by her sixteen-year-old niece. Nine months later, Kittel’s doctor made a terrible mistake during her subsequent pregnancy and she found herself burying yet another baby. Caught up in the maelstrom of a malpractice lawsuit, Kittel and her husband battle not only the medical system, but their own relatives, in the courtroom. As their family tree begins to topple, the Kittels struggle to nourish the roots of their young family and find healing. Achingly raw and beautifully narrated, Breathe is a story of motherhood, death, and family in the face of unspeakable tragedy and, ultimately, how she learns to breathe again.

Kritters Thoughts:  A woman who always dreamed of a big family, loses two sons within 9 months and then continues to suffer devastating loss again and again.  Not the most happiest of books for the summer season, but bearing witness to someone's story made the emotional journey more than worth it.

There were way too many moments where I couldn't believe that I was reading non-fiction, my heart ached for this woman, not only for the loss but for the lack of family support.  Although I am not a mom, I could still understand her sense of loss, but what I came out with more than anything was how much family support can help you get through anything.  This book made me think about both my immediate family, my in-laws and my extended family and if something tragic where to happen I know that each and every one of them would RUN to come help put me and my husband back on our feet.  

I would recommend reading this one, but you may be prepared for the heaviness of it and may not want to throw this one in the beach bag - unless you are fine with heavy things and tears with ocean waves in the background!


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.