Don't Forget to Breathe

"Earnest, evocative, and unapologetically tender. Don't Forget to Breathe is the sort of love story that wears its heart on its sleeve." - Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon Vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Imogen, Obviously

Perfect for fans of Jennifer Dugan and Nina LaCour, this tender, contemporary sapphic romance follows a dancer and a musician who find themselves on a collision course that could change their lives forever.

Zoe's always had a plan. Ballet has been her past, present, and future for so long that she's never even considered otherwise. It's been the escape she's always needed. Yet when senior year arrives, it arrives with a feeling of uncertainty she never expected--and a paralyzing fear about choosing the wrong future.

Hanna's rarely stayed in a place longer than a year. The greatest consistency she has is her piano playing, and her dad diving back into his Jewish faith every time her mom leaves on assignment. So when her senior year begins with yet another move to a new school, she's not planning on putting down roots--she's learned that hard way how that ends.

But when the girls' paths collide, everything they thought they knew is turned upside down. Their relationship could change them each forever--if they have the courage to let their worlds fall apart.

An honest, messy, and very real approach to first love that focuses keenly on the queer and neurodiverse experience, Don't Forget to Breathe proves the power of overcoming fear to be wildly, truly yourself.

Author: Sara Waxelbaum,Brianna R. Shrum
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 10/21/2025
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.50w x 1.50d
ISBN: 9781335013903
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 10/01/2025
Booklist 10/01/2025
Kirkus Reviews 10/15/2025

About the Author
Waxelbaum, Sara: - Sara Waxelbaum is the author of contemporary YA novels. Under the name Sara Taylor Woods, she is the author of erotic romance, including Hold Me Down, a HOLT Medallion finalist in two categories. You can find her at @sarataylorwoods.Shrum, Brianna R.: - Brianna R. Shrum is the author of six novels for young adults, including Never, Never; How to Make Out; The Art of French Kissing; Kissing Ezra Holtz--And Other Things I Did for Science; The Liar's Guide to the Night Sky; and Rebel Boys and Rescue Dogs - or - Things That Kiss with Teeth. Her work has been translated into multiple languages across two continents. She is queer and Jewish and rebelliously lives in the Bible Belt (South Carolina) with her favorite people, when she's not writing, you can usually find her climbing rocks or reading with a chai. You can find her at briannashrum.com, or @BriannaShrum.