Emma's Book Reviews: Surviving the Rachel by Aven Ellis

Life after college graduation is not at all what twenty-one-year-old Bree Logan expected. Unable to find a professional communications job, dumped by the guy who was THE ONE, and stuck with a pricey city apartment she can’t afford, Bree ends up moving back home with her parents in the suburbs and working as a cocktail waitress at a posh Chicago hotel.

In a desperate attempt to get a fresh start, Bree goes to a hip salon and requests that the first available stylist chop off her long dark hair. Alarmed when the stylist suggests “The Rachel,” after the famous haircut from the show Friends, Bree is hesitant, but decides to go for it when she is assured it will be a “fresh, modern adaptation” of the infamous 90’s cut. Unfortunately for Bree, it turns out to be exactly the same cut, but with horrific heavy bangs added to it. Hideous doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Bree is convinced nothing will ever go right when she meets neighbor Jack Chelten, a twenty-five-year-old German translator. Not that Bree is looking to date anyone, but there's something quirky and intriguing about his freckle-splashed face and blue eyes. And suddenly Bree finds herself seeking out different opportunities and challenges . . . as well as the boy next door.

In her new adult life, Bree learns that sometimes you have to go through crises to get to where you need to be. And if you can survive The Rachel, you can survive anything, right?

Thank you to Aven Ellis for sending me a copy of this book for review.

I am a huge fan of Aven Ellis’ writing and get so excited when she releases a new novel. I just cannot get enough of them! This book is just as good as the others and again my love for Aven’s novels has grown. She is such a talented author with the ability to suck you in from the very first page and keep you hooked on her amazing story, detail and characters until the very end.

I felt like I could really connect with Bree, as I think most women my age could, things have gone wrong for her and she thinks there is no way out, and to top if off she has been given the worst of all haircuts ‘The Rachel’. A haircut that was last popular in the early 90’s, Friends fans will know the haircut! I am sure a lot of women, myself included have walked out of the hairdressers thinking their hair has been ruined! Bree makes the best of it though and that’s when I knew I would love her. She is so down to earth, trying to get on with her life and she is just so normal. That's what I love about the women in Aven's novels, none of them are fake, they are all just so normal and lovely that you instantly like them.

Jack was, ahhh, well, what can I say, he is the type of man every girl dreams of, smart, romantic, caring and HOT! As soon as we saw him I knew he was perfect for Bree and I wanted them to be together SO bad! The good thing about their relationship is that they are both kind of in the same situation, which is what seems to draw them to each other, they both need to forget the past and look to the future, and they can help each other do that.

Bree’s parents and their dog Diva added so much humour to the book. Her mum is the classic embarrassing mum that tries to do the best for her daughter, but doesn’t go about it without adding a lot of embarrassment to Bree’s life. You can't help but just laugh along even though you cringe for Bree a lot of the time. They were the perfect addition to the story.

Although Aven’s books follow the same theme, they are all so different and each one gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. She makes you want to be the lead female character and fall in love with the male character.

I loved that Aven mentioned things from her previous novels in this book, Bree was actually in Chronicles of a Lincoln Park Fashionista as Avery’s best friend. I loved her brief appearances in the book and it was so good to get to know her much better in Surviving the Rachel and see her life after Alex. Aven makes you remember Bree more by having Avery, Emma, Deacon and Zach from COALPF in this book. I also loved the subtle hints of Waiting for Prince Harry, with the apron Bree’s mum buy’s (which I'm presuming is from Kylie's shop) and the Dallas Demons hockey game which Harrison scores in! It was such a good way to remind readers of her other novels.

If you are looking for a romantic novel that you can’t put down, this is definitely the book for you!

Well done Aven you have done it again! I can’t read to see what’s next!