Listen free for 30 days

  • Until We Break

  • Written by: Matthew Dawkins
  • Narrated by: Ariel Blake
  • Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (26 ratings)

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Until We Break cover art

Until We Break

Written by: Matthew Dawkins
Narrated by: Ariel Blake
Try for $0.00

$14.95 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $25.00

Buy Now for $25.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

Dance like everyone's watching. Because they are.

As the only Black student at her ballet academy, Naomi Morgan knows her feelings of isolation and artistic sacrifice are the price she has to pay in order to win the Youth American Grand Prix, the country’s most prestigious dance competition. Winning means access to a spot in a top ballet school and, ultimately, a place with the New York City Ballet. Nothing else matters.

But when Naomi’s dance instructor assigns her Odette’s variation from Swan Lake, Naomi’s world begins to fall apart. She doesn’t think she can dance the part—and her doubts become the loudest voice in her head. Her best friend, Jessica, used to be her sounding board, her support, her costar—and even though Jessica died in a freak car accident, Naomi still sees and hears her everywhere.

She’s been burying her grief by focusing on her dancing. But when an injury steals that refuge, Naomi’s mental health deteriorates, and she starts to seek answers outside of her carefully constructed reality. Then one night, she meets Saint, a street artist, and he opens up an entirely new world for her. A world that’s not connected to dance.

Saint spends his nights creating brilliant and beautiful messages of social change that the world needs to hear. In their sleepy California town, he wants to mix it up—to force the world to see him as he is—he’s got a voice and isn’t afraid to use it. Even if his family life is tough. Even if the same avenues that are open to Naomi are not open to him.

Together they both learn that there’s no one right way to be in the world. For Naomi, this means that maybe dance isn’t the only choice for her. Maybe her voice can be louder off stage and she can shine in a different kind of spotlight. Maybe she and Saint will shine together and everything will be different in the best possible way.

©2022 Matthew Dawkins (P)2022 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Until We Break

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    15
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    13
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    11
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So beautiful

I love it. So sensible and really the most beautiful thing I read (listen to) this year.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story and performance

Not only a good voice performance, the plot was interesting and not predictable. Realistic relationships between mother and a teen daughter trying to find her place in the world resonated with me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing storytelling

The pacing was good and things never felt out of place, and the voice acting was amazing. Although it was just one person voicing, the characters were written well enough for you to know who was talking.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not for Me

I thought this was going to go in a much different direction and it truly felt like each "act" was it's own short story just with the same characters. I think this book <i>wanted</i> to be more about grief, and put a bit of resemblance of the White Swan/Black Swan issues, but then really pulled back from that and became a more traditional "rom com." The 180 there gave me a bit of whiplash because of how fast the timeline was moving in comparison to all the events that were happening.

Also, I listened to this as an audiobook. There was only one narrator so it was very difficult to know when the story changed perspective to another character (and it did that a lot). I thought the writing could have used another pass through the editor. There were also some plot points that just didn't go anywhere because they "ended" at the end of their Act.

If you like dance, you might enjoy this one! If you're hoping for more horror/psychological thriller, you should pass.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!