For years, she believed love had to hurt to be real.

In this raw, unflinching story inspired by true events, Kimberly Chandler traces a journey from a childhood marked by silence and fear, through a marriage defined by violence, to the quiet moment she first prayed alone in a car with nowhere else to turn.

She Learned to Breathe Without Permission, inspired by true events, tells the story of a survivor who lost her safety, her health, and nearly her life — before she found something worth staying for: a faith that met her exactly where she was, and a love that finally didn't come with conditions.

From a childhood she couldn't explain to a marriage she couldn't escape, from nights spent sleeping in her car to the first desperate prayer that began to change everything, this story walks through darkness without flinching — and shows how one woman found her way into the light of faith, safety, and healing.

Told with courage and honesty, this book will speak to anyone who has ever wondered if they were allowed to want something better. It is for survivors, for believers, for anyone who has ever needed reminding that healing — like breathing — does not require anyone's permission.

This story includes:

•A first-person account inspired by surviving childhood trauma and domestic abuse
•The turning point of a desperate, honest prayer alone in a car
•A faith journey grounded in Scripture and real-life healing
•An epilogue, resource list for abuse survivors, and discussion questions for book clubs and small groups