Reviewed by Robyn Glazer, Myshelf.com
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Dr. Isabel Favor was the most well-known self-help guru; it was only time that she fell off of her pedestal. When Isabel's lover stabbed
her in the back, everyone immediately dismissed her years of hard work, assuming that there was no merit to her ideas. Isabel couldn't stand to face anyone. Knowing that she needed a break, she ran off to Italy to recuperate. She never expected to run into the man who played the most hated villains in the movies, Lorenzo Gage. Unlike his characters, Lorenzo had a spark and natural charisma to him. After a disastrous first meeting, Isabel planned to never see him again but that was not in her future. As the weeks went by, Isabel and Lorenzo fell for each other all the while trying not to.

I had been eagerly awaiting Breathing Room and Mrs. Phillips did not let me down. The atmosphere was welcoming and the characters made you want settle in for the long haul. I thought that Isabel would come off as preachy but she did not at all. The Italian background was well-written and the descriptions were beautiful. What made Italy come alive was the portrayal of the townspeople. Their initial distance but later openness was wonderful. I liked the humor in Breathing Room and will be looking for Susan Elizabeth Phillips' next book.