Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen
Createspace
ISBN: 978-1492175391
Published August 14, 2013
Kindle Book, 294 pages
Sometimes I get into the mood of
reading a book that sweeps me away with a good story. After reading
some great reviews about Just Ella I decided to read it. I finished
it in less than two days, loving every word. Yes, this is essentially
a romance novel but so much more! It's about a young girl finding her
way in life, of standing up for what she feels is right, a coming of
age story. It reminded me of Shannon Hale's YA books. A fairytale
with heart and substance.
Ella is a princess and Gavin is the
gardener who becomes her friend and confident. They are from
different worlds. She will be expected to marry a prince and soon her
father arranges a union to one she despises. What's more, Ella wants
to help the people of her kingdom. She wants to get to know them
better by mingling among them but her status dictates what she can
and cannot do. She longs for the freedom to be herself and to love
freely, but soon learns there are consequences to taking liberties.
I loved that Ella and Gavin did not
fall in love at first sight but rather built a friendship. The author
skilfully weaved romantic tension and both inner and outer conflicts that kept me flipping the pages. The story is the perfect blend of a proper romance and a good plot with twists and turns. Ella and Gavin
are both strong characters that grow and change by the end of the
book. It's a story with wholesome messages to.
I want to mention that, based on the
cover alone, I would never have picked up this book. I don't think
the cover does the book justice. Also, I think it would have been better had this book been given another title to make it unique so that it would not get mixed up with another popular book
titled Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Too many
Ellas out there.
This book is labeled as a proper clean
romance, which is fast becoming my favorite genre; all the good tension of
a romance with solid characters and no explicit sex scenes. If you're
in the mood for a good romance to escape into, look past the cover
and pick this one up.
Note: This book is rated C = clean read.
Reviewed by Laura
Disclosure: Thanks to Kathy from I Am A Reader for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.
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About the author:Annette K. Larsen I was born in Utah, but grew up in Flagstaff Arizona and St. Louis Missouri, the fifth of seven children. I attended college at Southern Virginia University and Brigham Young University where I studied English and Theater. I now live in Idaho with my husband and four children. I have Charlotte Bronte to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to sacrifice what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but it the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it. I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other. Visit Annette: Website * Twitter * Facebook
And now for the giveaway!
Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/5/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced on I Am A Reader as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway
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