Breathe Easy

Ann and her husband, Bobby, are from generations of coal miners in Southern West Virginia. When Bobby joins their ranks and begins working underground, the reality of the dangerous mining conditions haunts her. She recalls, with great anxiety, watching her father, who suffered with Black Lung, fight to take his last breath. Ann experiences much turmoil and many losses in her life. She has loved and been loved; has been both cherished and abused; and, she has faced extreme loneliness and despair yet is able to find great happiness working with children. She has easily loved others, but not herself. This heartfelt story follows Ann’s tremendous journey to not only love again, but more importantly, to love herself.

What People Say

“Breathe Easy is a tale of struggle and hardship, set in the mountains of West Virginia—the story of a young woman who experiences love and loss but remains true to her roots and her family traditions. Ann Montgomery has extraordinary gifts as a teacher. Life presents a series of challenges that she overcomes with grace and strength.  This is a journey tale and bildungsroman that will hold every reader’s attention but will speak particularly to young adult readers about the importance of holding steady and never giving up.” —Dr. S. Bailey Shurbutt, Shepherd University Distinguished Professor of English, Emerita