Review: 3.5 Home is Where the Heart is Stars!
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 23, 2014
Ahren Sanders delivers a great conclusion to Declan and Raven's whirlwind tale. So many feels poured out of the pages, especially from Declan’s POV and it felt completely genuine. Character development of the protagonists was well executed, allowing the reader to fully become immersed in the story.Nothing beats being on the road and doing what you love alongside your best friends, nothing except having the love of your life right by your side. Instead, Raven is miles away in another continent as a result of a decision imposed by his band mates. While Raven was off in Paris attempting to clear her mind and listen to her heart, Declan was quickly falling into a drunken stupor every day and night.Surviving picks up right where Surrendering left off. I’m probably the only person with this sentiment but I was seriously rooting for Finn to charm and romance his way into Raven’s heart and panties. They had such a great friendship and chemistry in Surrendering; one would think that a Summer in Paris ought to have done the trick. Except, the heart is one stubborn sob who only beats for a certain rocker with the purest of hearts, Declan Collins. As much as I hoped and wished for Finn to a get a shot at love, ultimately my heart went out to the one and only Holy Hotness.Having a second chance at his happily ever after, Declan is determined to show Raven how vital she is in his life and will stop at nothing to get his point across. The intensity and desperation to reclaim the woman he loves combine to bring about a very level-headed Declan. Coming to terms with the fact that he's not the only man willing to love and worship Raven was very mature and showed a different aspect of his personality I didn't know existed. His loving ways truly won me over for good and had me swooning throughout the book.Once reunited, Declan and Raven faced the tidal waves of Sayge's newly found and ever-growing fame. Getting picked up by a record label brought about a new set of obstacles that would test their relationship further. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, but too much time apart could make or break an ailing bond. Will Declan and Raven's love conquer all and allow for well deserved happiness? Can they survive the mayhem of success?If I could use one word to describe this book, it would be redeeming. Surviving, sheds light on Declan at his lowest point and makes the reader fall in love with him as a whole. You embrace the good, the bad and the ugly...flaws and all and end up shamelessly rooting for him to win his girl back. There's so much more to him than his gorgeous exterior and sexual prowess, you can't help but surrender to his all-consuming passion.Two things that kept me from giving Surviving a higher rating were the editing and length of the novel. I encountered quite a few grammatical errors which made me pause often to decipher what was being said, but I imagine that has ben taken care of by now. I found the novel to drag on at times, especially when the focus was diverted to secondary characters and their romantic developments. I enjoy getting to know other characters but in this case I would have preferred fewer details and tangents that didn’t necessarily add substance, but length instead. Given the right finishing touches, Surviving has potential to be a solid 4 star book if not better.Find out what happens when two people destined to be together, stop living and start surviving.