Before the Exhale - by Alyssa Wilde (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A viral indie sensation and tender college romance perfect for fans of Off Campus and the Boys of Tommen series about a girl determined to disappear, and the golden boy who makes her feel seen.

"Achingly romantic and tender, filled to the brim with yearning. Truly a magnificent book." --Peyton Corinne, USA Today bestselling author

"You asked me what I want, and what I want is you."

It's freshman year, and Ivy Combs only wants to fly under the radar--putting up walls is her only coping mechanism for the trauma she's carried since high school. Still, her anxiety seeps into everything, and she's barely holding it together when her second semester starts with the worst class imaginable: public speaking.

Then she meets Wes.

Smart, athletic, and charming, senior Wes Tucker is a guy who everyone notices, and the type Ivy is desperate to avoid. When a class project throws them together, she braces for the worst. But Wes isn't what she expects. He's kind and patient, and Ivy finds herself lowering her defenses.

Yet, learning to trust again seems impossible. She knows she must confront her past, yet healing isn't linear. But maybe, finally, it's not something she has to do alone.

The Slowburn edition includes a bonus chapter from Wes' POV!

Tropes: Friends to lovers / Emotional scars / Forced proximity / Golden retriever MMC / Opposites attract / Fish out of water / Slow burn

Review Quotes

Praise for Before the Exhale

"A devastatingly angst-filled whirlwind of a book, but with an iron-strong thread of hope pulling you along. Achingly romantic and tender, filled to the brim with yearning. Truly a magnificent book." --Peyton Corinne, USA Today bestselling author

Read the Booktok viral Friends-to-Lovers Romance:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Five heartbreaking stars. No doubt. No notes.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The author did a fabulous job of the representation of the trauma the FMC was going through and also the healing process. Everything really came full circle.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ I long to go back and inhale every page for the first time, breathe in every single word that is Ivy and Wes.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Easily one of the best books i've read this year. Alyssa wilde, the talent that you possess is out of this world. i can't wait to read more from her because this was captivating.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ I need this book tattooed in my veins.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ I genuinely don't even know where to begin with this review because I feel like no amount of words will ever be enough to explain how much this book affected me. This book didn't just break my heart. It reached into my chest, squeezed it until I couldn't breathe, shattered every piece of me alongside these characters, and then somehow stitched my heart back together by the end.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ SO good. I could write a thousand paragraphs and justice would still not be served.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Before the Exhale is without a doubt one of my top reads of the year. Utter Perfection.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The type of book that will stay with you long after finishing

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ One of my new all time favorite romance books that I will forever recommend!!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ I absolutely adored the romance of this book. Strangers to friends to lovers, with a cinnamon roll mmc who showed the FMC that it's okay to trust people and open up. I loved the burn of this book too, go into this book expecting tons of yearning and patience and healing and comfort, and ROMANCE.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ The ones that say this is like a lovechild for The Deal and Binding 13 are so right. I loved this so so so much!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 MILLION STARS PLEASE. Oh my god I DEVOURED this book, it was incredible to say the least. This book gripped me and made my chest hurt so bad, I literally couldn't put it down (why I'm sat writing)

About the Author

Alyssa Wilde writes slow burn, angsty romance filled with imperfect yet lovable characters. Designer by day and writer by night, she currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her amazingly supportive husband and their cat, Kevin. When she's not reading or writing, she enjoys watching reality TV, consuming an insane amount of sushi, and occasionally stepping out into the light of day.