BENEATH by Ariel Sullivan

4 stars

After the wondrous first book in this series, Conform, Sullivan takes a BIG step back into the past where humans surviving nuclear radiation fallout have moved into cramped underground tunnels and rooms built as a fallout shelter named Haven. Sasha Cadell six years prior fought against the odds to bring her sister to Haven, but not in time to save her sister’s life. She blames herself for being too slow to flee to Haven, and for not protecting her brother from his death after her Dad died in the war effort and her Mom succumbed to long time illness. Her unresolved guilt and grief overwhelms her, and she’s mostly worked in the hospital Ward in Haven sitting with the dying as she’s proven immune to all know viruses. For this, Sasha gets nicknamed Death’s Angel.

While there, Sasha both gains critical medical skills and nurses back to health Tristian, a very ill leader who serves as a leader of an elite Force unit, Haven’s police force, who leads exploratory teams into the Abyss of the remaining world outside Haven. Tristian, impressed with Sasha’s medical skills and worried about the safety of his team in their outside expeditions, drags her to serve as a medic for his closely knit team.

With political factions fiercely fighting for control of Haven, deadly hidden traps in the Abyss left and reset by unknown forces, and rumors of a huge cache of re-supplies that could save humanity as Haven runs out of food and resources, Sasha joins Tristian’s team to hunt for the treasure.

What really stands out here is the hot, simmering romance that develops between Sasha and Tristian, and how both have to conquer their inner demons of guilt and grief to forge a relationship.

How this all ties into the world of Conform remains to be seen!

Thanks to Ballentine and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.