Learning to breathe

Brenna O'Brien's dreams ended 16 years ago when the love of her life, Pierce McGovern, left Indianola, Louisiana, and disappeared. At 33, Brenna is trying to keep her historic movie theater running while suffering through horrific blind dates. She saves her unopened letters, refusing to read them in the belief that reality could never measure up to what she imagines--until Pierce comes back to town to take care of his aging father and opens a cineplex that could destroy her theater. Pierce has never forgotten Brenna, and his father asks Brenna to read unopened letters addressed to him during World War II, hoping that she will learn from his mistakes and open her eyes and her heart. White creates a heartfelt story full of vibrant characters and emotion that leaves the reader satisfied yet hungry for more from this talented author. ((Reviewed February 15, 2007)) Copyright 2007 Booklist Reviews.

Brenna O'Brien's quiet and peaceful life running a historic movie theater, collecting old wartime letters, and dealing with four matchmaking sisters is thrown into turmoil when she is reunited with Pierce McGovern, the one-time love of her life who had abandoned her without a word years before. Original. 50,000 first printing.

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Tradd Street novels comes a richly emotional story about a woman who discovers that taking a leap of faith is better than always wondering what might have been…Brenna O'Brien doesn't believe in happy endings. Not since the love of her life, Pierce McGovern, left her years ago without a word. Now, she leads a quiet life surrounded by her four matchmaking sisters, running a historic movie theater and collecting old wartime letters. But she leaves the letters unopened, preferring to imagine their possibilities rather than risk being disappointed. Then Pierce comes back to town, shattering Brenna's hard-earned peace—and forcing her to re-examine everything, and realize that if she doesn't come to terms with the life she let slip away, she may never have the courage to go after the life she wants.

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Tradd Street novels comes a richly emotional story about a woman who discovers that taking a leap of faith is better than always wondering what might have been…Brenna O'Brien doesn't believe in happy endings. Not since the love of her life, Pierce McGovern, left her years ago without a word. Now, she leads a quiet life surrounded by her four matchmaking sisters, running a historic movie theater and collecting old wartime letters. But she leaves the letters unopened, preferring to imagine their possibilities rather than risk being disappointed. Then Pierce comes back to town, shattering Brenna's hard-earned peace—and forcing her to re-examine everything, and realize that if she doesn't come to terms with the life she let slip away, she may never have the courage to go after the life she wants.