It’s a pleasure to be welcoming Laurel Osterkamp back to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her novel, The Next Breath. 

Can you fall in love again while still holding onto the memory of someone you’ve lost?

Robin thought she’d done the hard work of moving on. A decade after her first love Jed died, she’s finally in a new relationship with Nick—a man who’s everything Jed wasn’t: stable, sincere, and ready for a future. But when Robin agrees to perform in the play Jed wrote for her before his death, she’s flooded with memories—and guilt. Jed’s ghost lingers in her dreams, encouraging her to move on, but her emotions keep pulling her backward.

Caught between two stories—one that ended in tragedy, the other still unfolding—Robin must confront her grief, her fears, and the secrets she’s been keeping from Nick.

The Next Breath is a deeply moving novel about love, theater, and the quiet strength it takes to face the future when your heart is still tied to the past.

Lauren has shared an extract from The Next Breath with us today. We hope you enjoy. 

*****beginning of extract*****

Jed stood on the porch, alternately breathing and coughing. He didn’t have a beer, just a bottle of water that rested against the railing. I stood next to him. “Hey. What are you doing out here all by yourself?”

“Too smoky in there. I need a break.”

“Yeah…” It was a cool night; fall was resigning to winter. Hugging myself, I pulled on the sleeves of my belted sweater, worn over a black t-shirt and stretch pants. My beatnik look.

“What’d you think of the play?”

He coughed so he could speak. “You were brilliant.”

“Right.”

“No, really.”

“I’m pretty much the scenery, Jed.”

He shook his head. “That’s not true. During Jacques’ ‘All the world’s a stage’ speech you have this great look on your face. I love how you respond to him.”

“Why?”

Continue reading →

by