Review: Best Sequel Ever!!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 6, 2014
5+++ Stars(Spoilers if you haven’t read Surrendering)Surviving picks up right where Surrendering left off.  Raven has left Declan (and returned his engagement ring) to take a summer job in Paris after Declan chose his band Sayge over her.  Raven is devastated but feels leaving is the right thing to do.  While on the plane Finn surprises Raven and she is happy to have her close friend with her.  What she doesn’t know is that Finn is in love with her.  That’s where Surrendering ends and Surviving picks up.As predicted Declan is a mess.  He can’t believe he screwed up so bad.  He wants to go to Raven but his sisters and friends tell him to give her the space she asked for plus the band is scheduled to tour.  Declan texts and calls Raven daily but she refuses to answer.The first part of the book centers on Raven and Finn in Paris.  I won’t go into details but this part of the book explores the possibility of what kind of relationship Raven and Finn may have.  It also has great descriptions of many of Paris’s many wonderful sights as Raven and Finn explore the city together.During Raven’s time in Paris we watch Declan self-destruct while on tour. Finally someone you least expect pulls him out of hisfunk and helps him get his s*** together before Raven comes home.  This person wants Declan to fight to win Raven back.All of your favorite characters are back in this book making you feel like you’re back within the fold of this close knit family and friends.  There are Declan’s two sisters Abbi and Ella.  Then there are Cooper, Blake and Nate, the band members. Raven’s girlfriends, Kendall, Harper and Charlie are back and of course Raven’s brother Robbie and his close knit group of friends, Jimi, Gabe, Tripp and Finn, who have always thought of Raven as their little sister.  And finally Raven’s parents, James and Jenna, and Declan’s dad are back as well.One of things I liked best about this book is that when Raven and Declan finally reconcile they face all of the adversity and trials in their relationship together.  Too many other books with sequels have the hero and heroine breaking up and filling the reader with angst again and again.  In this book the Declan and Raven face many obstacles and scary events but they face them together.  They also have the support of all of their friends.There are definitely moments that will have your heart racing and storylines that will throw you for a loop.  There is a lot of suspense and several events that you never see coming!The sex in Surviving is just as hot as it was in Surrendering and the HEA is not just a page or two. (This is a major plus for me!) Declan and Raven enjoy a long HEA even though some of that is plagued by an unknown person who threatens Raven’s life at every turn.  Raven’s father, brother and her brother’s friends (all top security experts) are all working hard to find the threat to Raven but in the meantime Raven has to have constant protection.  Declan is very protective of Raven and does all he can to keep her safe. There is a lot of terror and suspense involved in this part of the book’s plot.Of course the reconciliation of Declan and Raven is not the only major storyline.  Declan’s band Sayge is on the rise. It’s exciting to see the band as they make the climb to the top and to see the behind the scenes happening, good and bad, that fame brings.Some of your other favorite characters also have their own storylines and what happens to poor Finn?This book is my favorite sequel book ever!  Author Ahren Sanders is brilliant!  I can’t say enough good things about this book and look forward to further books from Ms. Sanders!I was given a ARC copy of this book in return for my honest review.