I’ve never read this author or the first book in this series. You really didn’t need to because the book was full of twists and turns

Survive is an aptly named book. Aeree is the daughter of a Spec Ops father who taught his daughter toughness. The story starts out with a horrific attack on Aeree that sadly defines the next several years of her life. Once the story starts we find ourselves a few years past the attack. Aeree is married and her attorney husband has booked them an idyllic mountain getaway vacation. This where the action starts, and the idyllic setting turns into a bloodbath.

Survive is a story of survival against the odds. It is a story of love, betrayal, and lies with suspense and action interwoven through the story. I did have some issues with Aeree. I had a tough time believing her character. Multiple times during the book she indicated that she didn't follow her instincts and therefore found herself in trouble or harms way. She is a character that has been dealt a rough hand in life, and evaluating her through that lense I do have empathy for her and found myself rooting for her. I thought the story moved along at a nice pace, It is broken down into two "acts", time in the mountains and the time after the mountains. Sally Mason did a great job stringing the reader along. Once I thought I had some things figured out, she removed another layer of the onion and revealed I was wrong. I did guess a few things along the way, but the twisty reveals were very well done.

All in all, I find this book to be a solid 3.5 - 4 star book.

Survive is a solid 3.5 star read. I read this over 2 sittings and found just like Trapped (HIDE & SEEK #1) that this book flew by. Before I knew it I was at 78%. Its easy reading, captivating and gripping. I've enjoyed both books in the series and in honesty for many this will be a 4 star, maybe a 5 star read. But I did have a little tiny issue with it and that was the main characters, Aeree.

With Trapped I liked Kels. She had been through a lot and seeing her grow in the book was something I enjoyed, I actually liked her from the get go. With Aeree, I didn't. I found her cold, almost snobbish at times. I get why she is that way as you read the book (No spoilers here) and also understand that she too has been through some stuff. That opening chapter.... I'm saying no more. But I didn't find her likeable at all. So as the story progressed at times I didn't really hold much care towards what happened to her. It was probably the last 30% where I found I tolerated and felt she was an 'ok' character, but it wasn't enough to change my views on her. I hope that makes sense. Often with books, like people there are some people we just don't like, some we love. But for me Aeree was one I never warmed too.

Over all this is a good read, I'm not sure I liked it as much as Trapped, namely as some of it I did work out and didn't find there was as much mystery for me. However, it was a good tangled web of intrigue and I do still recommend Survive. This was my second book by Sally and she is definitely an author I will be following in the future, 3.5 stars.

"Ignoring my premonitions has always been my biggest flaw."

Aeree Phan Cahill is married to a successful criminal defense attorney, actually someone that was involved in her case when she was imprisoned for castrating an ex-boyfriend who set her up for a series of horrendous rapes.

Aeree and her husband go on a camping adventure vacation and are caught in the middle, fighting for their lives.

This is the second book of the HIDE & SEEK series after TRAPPED. There are similar elements in the two stories - rape, abuse and self-harming. And the main characters from book one show up in this story as Aeree's neighbors (a nice plus).

I give the same warning as I did for book one. This is an intense book and contains scenes of rape, violence, abuse, and bulimia, which might be triggers for some people.

The book is well-written. I didn't find the characters quite as believable in this story but it was still a good book.

I received this book from Rapid River Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read the book and leave an unbiased review.