Coming Up for Air

Maggie King is a competitive swimmer who trains rigorously for a chance at earning a college scholarship. Her swimming career and pursuit of Olympic dreams have consumed her life since childhood, leaving little room for normal teenage experiences. When she meets Levi, a former competitive swimmer turned musician, Maggie begins to question her all-consuming dedication to swimming. Their connection forces her to confront the sacrifices she's made and consider what she truly wants for her future. The pressures of elite athletics, family expectations, and self-discovery intersect as Maggie navigates her senior year of high school. She must balance her long-held swimming goals with her emerging desire for a different kind of life. The novel examines themes of identity, ambition, and the challenge of redefining oneself after years of singular focus. Through Maggie's journey, it explores how young athletes reconcile their competitive drive with their need for personal growth.

Readers describe this as a light summer romance with competitive swimming themes. Most reviews focus on the realistic depictions of high school athletics and training. Readers appreciated: - Authentic portrayal of competitive swimmers' dedication and sacrifices - The friends-to-romance relationship development - Balance between sports and relationship storylines - Complex family dynamics Common criticisms: - Predictable plot progression - Religious undertones that some found heavy-handed - Side characters lacking depth - Pacing issues in the middle sections Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (12,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (120+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.1/5 (50+ ratings) Notable reader comments: "Captures the intensity of year-round swimming perfectly" - Goodreads reviewer "Too much focus on Christianity for a sports romance" - Amazon reviewer "The competitive swimming scenes are what make this book stand out" - Barnes & Noble reviewer

Open Water by Sarah Hegland A competitive swimmer faces career-ending injuries while falling in love with her physical therapist.

Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally A high school senior trains for a marathon to honor her deceased boyfriend's memory.

Making Waves by Nicole Leigh Shepherd The daughter of Olympic swimmers struggles with family expectations and romance during her final season of competitive swimming.

The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther A swim team captain navigates first love and grief during her last summer before college.

Defending Taylor by Miranda Kenneally A soccer player transfers schools after taking the blame for her brother's prescription drug use and finds unexpected romance with her new coach's son.

🏊‍♀️ Coming Up for Air explores competitive swimming, which burns approximately 600 calories per hour - making it one of the most effective full-body workouts. 📚 Author Miranda Kenneally was inspired to write sports-themed young adult novels after noticing a lack of contemporary YA books featuring female athletes. 🎯 This book is part of the "Hundred Oaks" series, but can be read as a standalone novel. Each book in the series is set in the same town but focuses on different characters. 💫 The protagonist's Olympic swimming aspirations reflect real-world timing, as the book was released in 2017, following the 2016 Rio Olympics where Katie Ledecky set multiple world records. 🌟 Miranda Kenneally credits her success partly to writing what she knows - she was a competitive athlete in high school, participating in multiple sports including swimming.