Breathless: A Novel

Celeste Bradley · Susan Donovan

Jun 2018 · St. Martin's Griffin

About this ebook

In Breathless, bestselling authors Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan will sweep you away—across continents and centuries, combining the best of all worlds in one unforgettable romantic saga.


She was “the Swan.” London’s premiere courtesan. Men want to be with her. Women loathe her success and yet admire her beauty, her riches, her independence. But when the jealous wife of her lover moves to have the Swan banished from her home on the high seas, she winds up crashed against Spain’s rocky coast with no shoes, no clothes—and no name. Taken in by a tortured, sensuous man known as The Artist, the Swan comes to know the woman she wants to be—her artist’s siren.

When Art Professor Brenna Anderson is in danger of losing her post at Harvard, the rule-following, prim professor is at a loss of how to salvage the shreds of her life. But when a new painting in the mysterious Siren collection is discovered in a dusty old house in France, Brenna does the unthinkable—hops on a plane to uncover the identity of the beautiful, enigmatic woman who is the subject of the paintings.

There’s just one hitch—the frustrating, irritating, bold and beautiful art hunter Fitch Wilder is also looking for the Siren. He’s been a thorn in Brenna’s professional side for years, but when their individual quests lead them to team up despite being enemies, a whole new sumptuous world of art and culture opens up for the two of them. And with it, they enter a realm of passion and love...

Ratings and reviews

This is a story within a story. Brenna and Fitch are professional rivals but now they have come together to find the history of the woman in the famous Siren Series. As a result, they hope to find any remaining portraits of the Siren. This couple were instantly attracted to each other but Brenna is holding a grudge about some of the actions Fitch has taken in the past. With a history of untrustworthy men, she’s not open to a relationship with him. Fitch is drawn to her in every way and would love to see her let go of her professor persona and live free. Inside Brenna and Fitch’s story is the story of the Swan, her expulsion from Europe and her rescue by her Artist. As this couple track the Swan’s history they find themselves growing closer together, sometimes their emotions mirroring that of the woman that they are hunting. I must confess that I enjoyed the Swan’s love story more so than Fitch and Brenna’s. The Swan’s background is steep in emotion. The chemistry between her and her artist palpable. Their pasts so very heart wrenching and their love the perfect balm to heal them both. This is a relatively fast paced read, but I must confess to skimming some due to a lot of travel guide-ish commentary. This is a me issue as I’m not a fan of in-depth descriptions of locales or historical sites. There is a heavy emphasis on art that I did enjoy as it dealt mainly with the issue this couple were working on. Secondary characters hold their own, never taking over the story but pushing it along onto the path each of the main characters needed to get to their happy ending. Overall, this was a very pleasant read and it made me curious about any previous books that might form a series.

Breathless by Celeste Bradley and Susan Donovan Treasure hunt, romance, historical & contemporary romances, mystery and intrigue all are part of this book. The authors have seamlessly woven the life story of one woman from the past into the present and made it pertinent and real by sending Fitch Wilder and Brenna Anderson on a quest to find out more about the Swan…or is it the Siren? I was gripped immediately by the beginning of the book and ALMOST decided to read only the portions of the book labeled PAST and skip over the PRESENT portions and pick them up later but am happy that I did not do so. Why? Because the story unfolds as it should with highs and lows that really do need to be read in order. I was not always “happy” with the Swan-Siren’s story but then neither was she. I am intrigued about what happened to her after her story ended (in the book) and wonder if perhaps Fitch and Brenna continued to pursue finding out more about her. Oh, one more thing…at a few points in the Swan’s narrative in first person I felt she told her story a bit as Fanny Hill told hers in the book with the same title. Did I enjoy this book? Definitely Would I read more books by these authors? Yes Do I recommend this book? Yes Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Griffin for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars

Breathless by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley is a great example of mixing historical fiction with contemporary fiction. This book actually contains two one set in the past, the other in the present. I loved how the hero and heroine are impacted by the events of the past as they are investigating and uncovering the story of the Swan, part of the series of paintings known as The Siren Series. Some of the scenes related to the Swan’s story were very emotional. The entwining of some actual events fictionalized in the story made for an interesting read. I really liked reading this story with all of its drama, suspense and intrigue. The story takes the reader on an adventure in both the past and present. I really liked the characters and that they were relatable. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend this book to other readers. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

About the author

CELESTE BRADLEY is the New York Times bestselling author of the Runaway Brides, Heiress Brides, Liar’s Club, and Royal Four series. Her novel Fallen was nominated for a RITA in 2002. “When you are overendowed with imagination and underendowed with punctuality, become a writer.” Years of dreaming on the job paid off when Celeste Bradley quit the mainstream in 1999 and started writing historical romance. “Handsome heroes beat out cranky customers every time!” Bradley lives in New Mexico with her family, her desert garden and so many pets the house sometimes feels like an ark.


SUSAN DONOVAN’s novels have won accolades for being witty, sexy, and entertaining. A former newspaper reporter with journalism degrees from Northwestern University, Susan is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller whose novels have been translated into dozens of languages. Susan is a two-time RITA Award finalist, and her novel Take a Chance on Me was named Best Contemporary Romance of 2003 by RT Book Reviews Magazine. She lives in New Mexico with her family and assorted dogs.