College with the Allendale Four, a co-ed dorm with Amber as her roommate. High school can be put behind her and the painful memories laid to rest. A new beginning. Freedom. This is the life Heaven has always dreamed of. But of course, life isn't meant to be easy for Heaven. Her father has returned and is determined to control Heaven's life. It doesn't help that her mother has quickly fallen to his charms once again. As her father's demands increase, old habits re-emerge. It seems that after escaping high school's bullies, threats, and dangers, that she is doomed to face even worse in college. Heaven now understands that her life may not have the HEA she dreamed of. Maybe the Allendale Four would be better off if she were out of the picture for good. Maybe there's only one way to finally escape the pain.
Holding On To Heaven is a powerful, emotional read. Heaven is one of the most compelling characters that I've encountered. She's not extraordinary. That's what makes her so special. She's a normal girl. She's broken. Maybe life was too cruel, maybe she was born bruised. It doesn't matter or change anything. She's in pain and struggling. Her emotions are raw and palpable. The separation, the isolation she feels even with the love of four incredible guys is real. She can't fully embrace or accept their love until she fixes her broken parts. She's pure vulnerability and this allows others to manipulate and use her which then makes her hurt even more. It all works against her. She has strength as well as weakness in her but she's overwhelmed. The feeling of helplessness finally overtakes. There's only so much pain one wants to face. Heaven shows us this. Life can become too heavy.
While this is Heaven's book, the other characters are vital. There is no reason for Heaven to continue trying without the Allendale Four. Yummy, gorgeous, caring loves. Yet, they are definitely not perfect and have their own hang-ups and misconceptions. Their overcautious, protective treatment of Heaven helps to isolate her when she needs them most. They are works in progress too even if they seem more 'together' than Heaven. Anderson notices everything. The heat he has with Heaven is incredible. Oliver's empathy, his devastation when Heaven hurts and hurts herself takes my breath away. Hayden is 100% male hotness. Love his dominant nature. And Jackson's naughty streak. Mmm. These four are perfect together. Amber shows us a new side to herself that proves exactly why I fell in love with her from her first scene in book one. She's one awesome human! So much for the good guys. Heaven did not win the parent lottery. Her mother is weak and lost in her own way but her father is an unbelievable piece of scum. He makes me feel dirty reading about him. Unfortunately, he's realistic. The fact that these conniving, nasty men walk among us parading as upstanding members of society (church, business, politics) is terrifying. We are all susceptible to their self-serving plans. The various college students prove that humanity is flawed; greedy, controlling, violent, lustful, sometimes simply silent. They all help shape Heaven's world.
I am not going to cover any story details. Each reader deserves to emotionally free-fall into this very special book. I would like to commend this author for the way she portrays mental health. It's a fact of many lives. There is NO SHAME. It's a struggle, a daily burden. Those that face anxiety and depression are equally fragile and indomitable. She has captured this in a way that is heartbreaking, relatable, and relevant. The fact that it is part of an incredibly entertaining story is nothing short of amazing. I love the Allendale series more than I can convey. I think it's one of the best contemporary RH's on the market and likely the most important.