Out of Breath by Rebecca Donovan is the story of a young woman who is traumatized by her past. Emma Thomas is a sophomore at Stanford who alienates herself from society because she feels that she causes havoc in other people’s lives. She has fled her hometown and her high school boyfriend because she believes that his life will be better without her.

Emma Thomas is plagued by guilt. She has been emotional abused by her mother all of her life. This has made her believe that she is not loved and not worthy of anyone’s love. Her friends try to help her overcome her feelings of guilt, but do not know the circumstances that have led her to run from her previous life.

Emma has been at Stanford for two years and has kept to herself during this time. Her roommates help her start to get out and she begins to drink. Emma has never drunk alcohol before because her mother is an alcoholic. She now uses it to find the courage to face going to parties. The alcohol leads her to do things that she would not normally do.

The suicide of her mother leaves Emma very emotional. She must travel back to her hometown for the funeral and sees Evan, her former boyfriend. He takes care of her when she becomes drunk at her mother’s wake. Emma still has feelings for Evan, but feels she is not worthy of him. Evan still cares for Emma and cannot let her leave his life once again. He goes back to California with her and her best friend to try and find closure. For the last two years, he has been miserable trying to forget her and for not knowing why she left.

Emma and Evan rekindle their relationship in California. They cannot enjoy their future, however until Emma faces her past and realizes that she is a strong, intelligent woman who is worthy of anyone’s love. Emma has secrets that she fears to tell Evan. She believes if he knows he will not want to be with her. Knowing that the only way to break free of the past is to own up to her mistakes, she tells Evan how she kept a murder a secret for a friend. The friend has recently turned himself in and is now in prison.

Evan has a difficult time accepting this, but he loves Emma and is willing to attempt to understand her reasoning. He realizes that she had a difficult childhood and her feelings of loyalty are a bit skewed. Together they face the demons that plague her and start a new life together.