Lee Piper's Blog - Posts Tagged "ella-fields"

Suddenly Forbidden by Ella Fields

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Ella Fields is a name synonymous with romance. And I’m talking all encompassing, soul destroying, gut wrenching, romance. It’s the kind which many writers aim to create, but for whatever reason, can’t execute.

Fields’s latest release, Suddenly Forbidden, is deceptive in its complexity. It begins with a lingering look, builds to a resounding crescendo, and refuses to let go until the reader’s heart is either bursting or shattered.

To be honest, this book is so freaking gorgeous, I don’t think I can do it justice in a review. I mean, how can I give words to a love born from the stars and moon? How can I describe the connection between two souls destined to interlace? And how can I explain the utter devastation when life has other plans?

I can’t.

But I can assure you that this novel, this piece of absolute perfection, is worth every gasp, every sigh, every tear.

I’m making it sound sappy, aren’t I? It’s not. For the record, I’m not a fan of sweet romance. I like my novels filthy, with a healthy side helping of sweet lord, that was hot. I guess this is why I’m so dazzled by Suddenly Forbidden—it balances heat and heart so effortlessly. The reader doesn’t realise how immersed they’ve become in the story until tears dampen cheeks and butterflies explode in stomachs. Not many authors can do this. Not many authors can suspend disbelief to the extent where you swear the romantic connection between the main characters is real because it feels real.

Ella Fields can.

Which is why you must, you simply must read Suddenly Forbidden. And when your heart is pounding in time with Daisy and Quinn's, you’ll know exactly what I mean.




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Bittersweet Always by Ella Fields

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


There are many romance novels which touch on the theme of mental illness. There are many that do the issue justice, and some that don’t. There are those that glorify, and those that objectify. Heck, there are even those that have no freaking idea what it truly is.

Ella Fields' latest release, Bittersweet Always, does none of the above. No, this novel gives honesty, integrity, and empathy to an otherwise stigmatised issue. Bittersweet Always teaches the reader what it’s like to love a person who struggles to love themself. It shows what it’s like to care for someone who’s constantly trapped inside their own head. And I don’t know if it’s because this topic hits so close to home, or if it’s Ella’s signature style, but my heart will never be the same again. This book tore it out my chest only to replace it in a slightly different spot. So with every beat, every pulse, every skip, I’m reminded of Pippa and Toby’s story.

And what a story it is.

Sometimes it’s a fundamental truth that two people are meant to be together. Sometimes the stars align, it’s preordained, life deems it so and so it is. But where Bittersweet Always deviates from common romance tropes, is in exploring the notion that just because Pippa and Toby are in love, this doesn’t mean their relationship is all rainbows and freaking butterflies. And the beauty of this is, their journey mirrors real life so succinctly it’s hard to determine where the pages end and the reader begins. This phenomenon is both amazing and gut wrenching because as we all know love can be hard, cruel, and bitter. On the other hand, it can also be sweet, beautiful, and so absolute the word itself doesn’t even begin to encompass its emotional range.

Don’t worry, Ella takes our hand as she walks us through the darkest of places. She lets us see for ourselves the devastation love can yield, but also the joy it can bring to those brave enough to experience it. And finally, she leads us to where love, true love, is one part bitter and three parts sweet.




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