natalie intihar

Publication Date: January 6, 2026

In her acknowledgments, Kasie West asks if this is the “angstiest” book of hers I’ve read. Room to Breathe is a young adult read with real life, grown up issues: complex family situations, losing friendships, and spiraling out of the person you’ve always been. She does an amazing job of making Indy and Beau read as high schoolers while not shying away from all the heavier emotions as well.

I can’t imagine much worse than being trapped in the bathroom with an ex best friend in high school, so the plot of this book was so intriguing to me. Watching Indy and Beau go from their current state of resentment back towards common ground was beautiful. It’s amazing how their shared history popped up even in the middle of so much tension.

My first Kasie West book was her adult story We Met Like This, which was great! So when I saw Room to Breathe, I was super excited to read it. It’s a real talent to be able to write both YA and adult fiction, and Kasie crushes them both!

Thank you to Random House Children’s Books and Delacorte Romance for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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