Product Details:
Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen
Publisher: Hidden Falls Publishing
Published: August 13th, 2013
Genre: Romance
ebook: 300 pages
FTC FYI: I received an ePub copy in exchange for an honest review.
Book Description:
A Proper Romance
Ariella was only looking for a distraction, something to break up the
monotony of palace life. What she found was a young man willing to
overlook her title and show her a new and vibrant way of life. But when
her growing feelings for Gavin spiral out of control and clash with the
expectations of her station, she will discover that the consequences of
her curiosity are far more severe than she’d imagined.
"I watched in helpless horror as two guards hauled Gavin to his feet and
dragged him from the room. My voice was frozen, unable to protest as
another guard took hold of my arm, leading me upstairs. From the
confines of my room, I stared into the darkness beyond my window, hoping
to catch one more glimpse of Gavin. He was gone, and I wondered if he
would have been better off if he had never met me."
My Review:
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. This is
one of those books that slowly wraps you up in it's
story never freeing you until the last word. The
characters in this story are varied, but so
memorable. I especially loved Princess Ariella or as
she likes to call herself, Ella. She is not like her six
sisters who love being royalty. Ella is bored with her
life and in the process makes friends with a gardener
by the name of Gavin. Their friendship grows into,
as Ella says, "The most precious thing I've ever had
the pleasure of owning." It was quite funny as Gavin
teaches her to do things like pull a weed and Ella
finds it just fascinating.
This story takes place over a 2-3 year time period.
Ella goes through many changes in her life and
emotionally she grows and matures into a
courageous woman who is not afraid to chase after
her dreams. I love what a strong woman she
becomes. Her relationships with
her parents and of course Gavin, go through many
transitions too. Even though this is
an adaptation of a fairytale re-telling with a twist,
the feelings and situations are very realistic.
This story is a clean read with some nice kissing.
You will fall in love with this story like so many
already have. I could best describe it as being
"Enchanted" by Ella and her story. This book is
coming highly recommended for teen and adult
readers who want to finish reading a book and come
away with a smile on their face. This will be a book
that I will revisit again and again because I liked it
that much.
**Excerpt**
I changed behind a couple of close-growing trees at the base of the hill, then squeezed the water from my hair and tried to restore it to some semblance of order. I wrung out my clothes before wrapping them in a shawl and putting them in my bag. I decided against putting on my shoes, instead walking barefoot back to the maze, enjoying the feel of the earth under my feet. A lightness filled me; whether from knowing the secret of the waterfall or from abandoning propriety and tromping around barefoot, it didn’t really matter. New life had been breathed into me. The looks thrown my way while entering the palace with bare feet and disheveled hair made me smile. I couldn’t find it in myself to be ashamed.
I bounded up the stairs to my room with no poise at all, and had to suppress a grin when I hurried past Lorraina, who stopped suddenly upon seeing me and didn’t recover before I passed her by. I slipped into my room and shut the door firmly, unable to keep a broad smile from my face as I considered my excursion. It was liberating.
Praise for Just Ella:
"I fell in love with this book. Treat yourself to something wonderful.
You can't go wrong with Just Ella!" ~Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader,
Not A Writer
"By far one of the best romance novels I've ever read. Pulls you in with great, likable characters and keeps you going with a sweet and exciting love story--plus a good plot to give it even more substance. Full of those tender moments you want to go back and read again, plus exciting moments, clever humor, and some suspense as well." ~Jana Miller
"Annette Larsen writes a love story that takes time, is complicated, and yet still sweeps you up in the romance (without the cheese, thank you). It's compelling and emotional and sweet and you will love every page." ~Kimi
Book Blast/Blog Tour Special
Meet: 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. I write clean romance. Why? Because that’s what I love to read, but over the years I’ve discovered it’s quite a challenge to find good clean romance. I believe it’s a genre that many people are looking for and too few authors are writing. My first novel, Just Ella, took me many years to write because I wanted it to be more than just a cutesy love story. I wanted it to have depth, to feel genuine. Hopefully I succeeded, but you’ll have to be the judge.
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 here 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.
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