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Books of Dalthia #1
Just Ella
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.
300 pages, ebook
First published August 14, 2013
199 people are currently reading
4621 people want to read
About the author
Annette K. Larsen
23 books534 followersI love words. I always have. In songs, in poems, in books, in movies—words move me. In my younger years, I dabbled in writing as a therapy and an escape, but I never expected it to become more than that. While deep in the depths of mommying several small children, I took seven years to write my first book, Just Ella. During that time, I taught myself how to write a novel through a whole lot of trial and error. Not the most time-efficient method, but it gave me an education I wouldn’t have received from a class or a how-to book. Something about the struggle of writing without a formula or rules worked for me. I wrote for me. I wrote from my heart space, and I think that’s the reason that Just Ella has found room in so many of my readers’ heart spaces.
I write clean romance because I love it. I love the discovery of new love. I love the relationship building that’s done with looks, words, brushing fingers, and tentative kisses. Jane Eyre is the hero of my youth and taught me that being true to yourself and clinging to your convictions will be hard, but it will bring you more genuine happiness than giving up on yourself ever can.
I am an extraordinarily happy wife, and a mother of five kids. I’ve lived in Utah, Arizona, Missouri, and Virginia, but my heart is now firmly ensconced in Idaho where we’ve built a home and a community.
I love chocolate, waterfalls, pretty teacups, the sight and sound of ocean waves, and most especially my husband and my five littles. I love books that leave me with a sigh of contentment, and I aspire to write stories that do the same for my readers.
Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annetteklar...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoraklarsen
Follow me on twitter: @AnnetteKLarsen
Contact Me: http://www.annetteklarsen.com/contact...
I write clean romance because I love it. I love the discovery of new love. I love the relationship building that’s done with looks, words, brushing fingers, and tentative kisses. Jane Eyre is the hero of my youth and taught me that being true to yourself and clinging to your convictions will be hard, but it will bring you more genuine happiness than giving up on yourself ever can.
I am an extraordinarily happy wife, and a mother of five kids. I’ve lived in Utah, Arizona, Missouri, and Virginia, but my heart is now firmly ensconced in Idaho where we’ve built a home and a community.
I love chocolate, waterfalls, pretty teacups, the sight and sound of ocean waves, and most especially my husband and my five littles. I love books that leave me with a sigh of contentment, and I aspire to write stories that do the same for my readers.
Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annetteklar...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoraklarsen
Follow me on twitter: @AnnetteKLarsen
Contact Me: http://www.annetteklarsen.com/contact...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 611 reviews
April 22, 2020
Just Ella is a YA romance novel about a princess trying to find her own place in life, delightful if you like this genre. It's a fantasy in the sense that it's in an imaginary kingdom, but there's no magic or unicorns or suchlike.
Ariella, the title character, is a young princess who's frustrated by all the rules and restrictions in her life, as well as by the arrogant prince of a neighboring kingdom who's trying to push her into marriage. When Ella develops a friendship — and then a relationship — with a handsome palace gardener, it creates a scandal.
I don't want to oversell this: you definitely have to be in the mood for a straight-up, kind of fluffy, escapist princessy romance, complete with stolen kisses, longing looks and anguished sighs. But there is a rather interesting subplot with the arrogant prince, if occasionally a little far-fetched . It was a cute, fun read, with a worthwhile underlying message.
A sweet coming of age novel for teenage girls, and perhaps also for some of us older ladies who still like to imagine ourselves as princesses once in a while. :)
Ariella, the title character, is a young princess who's frustrated by all the rules and restrictions in her life, as well as by the arrogant prince of a neighboring kingdom who's trying to push her into marriage. When Ella develops a friendship — and then a relationship — with a handsome palace gardener, it creates a scandal.
I don't want to oversell this: you definitely have to be in the mood for a straight-up, kind of fluffy, escapist princessy romance, complete with stolen kisses, longing looks and anguished sighs. But there is a rather interesting subplot with the arrogant prince, if occasionally a little far-fetched . It was a cute, fun read, with a worthwhile underlying message.
A sweet coming of age novel for teenage girls, and perhaps also for some of us older ladies who still like to imagine ourselves as princesses once in a while. :)
September 1, 2013
AWESOME!! LOVED THIS ONE!!
Once in a while I come across a book that I fall in love with. That happened yesterday.
I got an email from Amazon a couple days ago with a "recommended" book - Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen. I looked at the cover and summary and was intrigued by it. It sounded right up my alley. I spent a while perusing the author's website and fell in love with the author before even starting this book.
Read these paragraphs from her bio and tell me she isn't the perfect match for the types of books I love to read:
I just spent the day yesterday reading her book Just Ella. The kids had freezer burritos for dinner and chores went undone because this was one of those rare books where I just had to finish reading before doing anything else.
I help authors promote a lot of different books. Typically they come to me asking for help. But every so often I read a book and decide I am going help promote a book just because I want to. That was the case with The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson. That will be the case with this book. I'll be pushing it because it deserves some attention.
So treat yourself to something wonderful. The author spent 7 years writing this book and it shows. It's awesome!!
I'm a lover of cheesy romance but there is no cheese in this book. Seriously the author achieved her goal of writing something more than a cutesy love story. She has written an amazing book that has it all without anything inappropriate (no sex, no language not even any real innuendo or violence - it is squeaky clean and yet so romantic & wonderful). You can't go wrong with this one.
Grab your copy for $4.99 on Amazon. It's definitely worth the splurge!
If you have Prime you can borrow it for FREE!
Add it to your Goodreads Shelf now!!
Rating: 5 Stars - I Loved It & Recommend It to EVERYONE!
Content: Squeaky Clean
Source: Review copy
Purchase: Amazon Kindle * Paperback
Once in a while I come across a book that I fall in love with. That happened yesterday.
I got an email from Amazon a couple days ago with a "recommended" book - Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen. I looked at the cover and summary and was intrigued by it. It sounded right up my alley. I spent a while perusing the author's website and fell in love with the author before even starting this book.
Read these paragraphs from her bio and tell me she isn't the perfect match for the types of books I love to read:
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 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.
I just spent the day yesterday reading her book Just Ella. The kids had freezer burritos for dinner and chores went undone because this was one of those rare books where I just had to finish reading before doing anything else.
I help authors promote a lot of different books. Typically they come to me asking for help. But every so often I read a book and decide I am going help promote a book just because I want to. That was the case with The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson. That will be the case with this book. I'll be pushing it because it deserves some attention.
So treat yourself to something wonderful. The author spent 7 years writing this book and it shows. It's awesome!!
I'm a lover of cheesy romance but there is no cheese in this book. Seriously the author achieved her goal of writing something more than a cutesy love story. She has written an amazing book that has it all without anything inappropriate (no sex, no language not even any real innuendo or violence - it is squeaky clean and yet so romantic & wonderful). You can't go wrong with this one.
Grab your copy for $4.99 on Amazon. It's definitely worth the splurge!
If you have Prime you can borrow it for FREE!
Add it to your Goodreads Shelf now!!
Rating: 5 Stars - I Loved It & Recommend It to EVERYONE!
Content: Squeaky Clean
Source: Review copy
Purchase: Amazon Kindle * Paperback
February 8, 2025
4.5 stars ✨ Clean Fiction - (non-magical) Fairytale Retelling-like (but not actually a retelling) YA
It is 2:28 AM and I have been put through the emotional wringer. So has our main character, actually.
I’m exhausted. I’m tickled pink. My tears have dried.
You know, all that fits the main character as well by the end of this book.
Let’s back up a bit.
Give me a book where the couple meets in a gorgeous flower-filled garden any day and it will make me happy and dream of spring. That element was completely why I was instantly interested in this book when I first heard it had a gardener MMC and a princess FMC. Sold, I need no more information.
But man, oh man, my heart broke when everything happened and they were found out. I found myself tearing up even at that part and her heartbreak! I was in literal pain for her! I can count on one hand how many books have made me feel complete distraught when the main character feels the same way. I’m completely worn out over here. 😮💨
Ella has to be one of the most resilient characters I’ve read. 100% sure I would have been broken into a million pieces if I had to go through what she did—I mean, she was too at times and I totally felt that—but she handled it well—especially with the time skips!! Yes, two exclamations for that because those were just harsh. Realistic, but so harsh on my heart. And hers. Both of us. Did I say I’m exhausted? Emotionally drained. In a (thankfully) satisfied way because of the ending, but there’s no way this book felt like it was only 250 pages. It flowed so well, quite literally demanded my attention, and had so much in it yet never felt rushed.
Golly, my heart feels like it’s been through the wringer. Which it has. 100%. Completely. The emotions of this book and what it made me feel makes me want to give it five stars. But that villain! 😡😡😡 I know, I know, “he’s the villain, Lindsey. You’re supposed to hate him.” Uh huh, and? I did. 100%. Completely. Loathed him right with Ella. Willing to sneeze and ✨ accidentally ✨ push him off a cliff. A picture of him on the dart board. Lock him in a room with a bear (or Gavin). He was truly despicable and I hated that he forced kisses on Ella. That has to bring down my rating. Excuse me sounding like a teenage girl, I couldn’t staaaaanndd him. 😫 Which we’re not supposed to like him! I get that and I know it might be silly/unreasonable to dock a book for that, but it’s really just because of the forced kisses and how he treated Ella. As an insult I saw once went, “He was trash and not even the recyclable kind.” It fits.
So now that I have all of that out of my system and my energy is slightly returning, let’s chat. The rest of the series is apparently about some of her sisters and I honestly can’t say I’m interested in them? I’ll read them for glimpses of Ella and Gavin, but none of her sisters stood out to me. We saw enough of them, but I don’t really know them so I’ll get to them for our main couple at some point.
and now I have to try and get some sleep after this book has kept me awake too long and my emotions are jittery.
Editing to add: Instead of rounding up my rating, I’m going to put it down to a four but still is a 4.5 personally. After going back through the book for my content notes, I think it’s more of a round down than up because of all of the romance emotions and what a creep the villain is. Also would have liked Gavin to fight more for Ella, but I suppose his hands were tied—literally.
(Age suggestion: I would say 15/16+ because of the romance and emotions, villain forcing kisses, and some dramatic/intense parts.)
Main Content-
No magic or magic-like content at all; Mentions of a church and a clergyman for a wedding; A handful of times Ella comments about praying that something does or does not happen but it’s not said Whom those prayers are towards; A mention of someone being a godsend.
No major language, minor words like “blasted” and “for heaven’s sake” are used; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Lying (particularly about her identity when in the village and trying to protect Gavin).
Ella does defy her parents and their rules by going to places she’s not supposed to and be with people she’s not supposed to be with (she feels suffocated by the life of a royal and tells them so), she does get in trouble with them and is punished a few times; Ella’s family members are detached and distant to their people, which she doesn’t want to be like that despite wanting to please her family.
Being attacked, abducted/kidnapped, held at knife-point, terrified of being murdered or hanged, tied-up, & trying to fight back (up to a handful of sentences); Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, & Scars (up to a few sentences); Seeing fights, people knocked unconscious, & starting to be tortured and in pain (up to a handful of sentences).
Mentions of crimes, criminals, attacks, abductions/kidnappings, & kidnappers; Mentions of people being tortured, tied-up, in prison, & mistreatment; Mentions of injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, & scars; Mentions of fights & fighting; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of a drunk; A few mentions of wars; A few mentions of hunting; A couple mentions of ransoms; A couple mentions of wine.
Staring at lips (up to a couple sentences);
1 hand kiss (1 is unwanted),
5 cheek kisses (1 is unwanted),
3 almost kisses (lasting up to a couple sentences),
11 kisses lasting a sentence (3 are unwanted),
1 kiss lasting a couple sentences,
3 kisses lasting a few sentences (1 is unwanted),
2 kisses lasting 5-7 sentences,
Remembering kisses (up to a few sentences); Wanting to kiss (up to a couple sentences); Kisses also happen when a man is engaged to someone else & guilt is felt.
Many Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Flutters, Tingles, Nearness, Noticing (including many unwanted ones, up to a few sentences); Remembering touches, embraces, dancing, & tingles (up to a few sentences); Wanting to touch, embrace, & be near to someone (up to a few sentences); Blushes; When Ella’s hair is down, Gavin stares at it and it is an emotionally-charged moment (which she tries to do again by wearing her hair down more often and he plays with her hair a few times; A bonus chapter in his POV gives his perspective on the first scene, all up to a few sentences); Ella is caught swimming in her under things by Gavin (she notes that even though they are soaked, they are not see-through; Gavin gives her his cloak though for his sake).
Ella is uncomfortable around a prince that leers at her and roams her body, acts possessive and like he owns her (someone says he follows Ella about like a “stalking predator” and that’s a fair description), forcibly kisses her, and *Spoiler* ; When the awful prince mistakes Ella’s horror as nerves when he’s about to forcibly kiss her, he comments about her being in “very capable hands”; Ella feels dirty and disgusted after being kissed by him; The awful prince also pulls Ella into an empty room and forces another kiss, which she slaps him for; A drunk man tries to grab at Ella and take her to the woods, but she is saved before anything happens; A man acts as if he is seducing Ella to protect her from someone else.
Many mentions of kisses, kissing, touches, & dancing; Mentions of unwanted advances including unwanted and forced kisses; Mentions of flirting & blushes; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of seducing; A few mentions of couples kissing (married and engaged); A few mentions of one of Ella’s sisters marrying a man who is twelve years older than her and her being worried what others will think.
It is 2:28 AM and I have been put through the emotional wringer. So has our main character, actually.
I’m exhausted. I’m tickled pink. My tears have dried.
You know, all that fits the main character as well by the end of this book.
Let’s back up a bit.
Give me a book where the couple meets in a gorgeous flower-filled garden any day and it will make me happy and dream of spring. That element was completely why I was instantly interested in this book when I first heard it had a gardener MMC and a princess FMC. Sold, I need no more information.
But man, oh man, my heart broke when everything happened and they were found out. I found myself tearing up even at that part and her heartbreak! I was in literal pain for her! I can count on one hand how many books have made me feel complete distraught when the main character feels the same way. I’m completely worn out over here. 😮💨
Ella has to be one of the most resilient characters I’ve read. 100% sure I would have been broken into a million pieces if I had to go through what she did—I mean, she was too at times and I totally felt that—but she handled it well—especially with the time skips!! Yes, two exclamations for that because those were just harsh. Realistic, but so harsh on my heart. And hers. Both of us. Did I say I’m exhausted? Emotionally drained. In a (thankfully) satisfied way because of the ending, but there’s no way this book felt like it was only 250 pages. It flowed so well, quite literally demanded my attention, and had so much in it yet never felt rushed.
Golly, my heart feels like it’s been through the wringer. Which it has. 100%. Completely. The emotions of this book and what it made me feel makes me want to give it five stars. But that villain! 😡😡😡 I know, I know, “he’s the villain, Lindsey. You’re supposed to hate him.” Uh huh, and? I did. 100%. Completely. Loathed him right with Ella. Willing to sneeze and ✨ accidentally ✨ push him off a cliff. A picture of him on the dart board. Lock him in a room with a bear (or Gavin). He was truly despicable and I hated that he forced kisses on Ella. That has to bring down my rating. Excuse me sounding like a teenage girl, I couldn’t staaaaanndd him. 😫 Which we’re not supposed to like him! I get that and I know it might be silly/unreasonable to dock a book for that, but it’s really just because of the forced kisses and how he treated Ella. As an insult I saw once went, “He was trash and not even the recyclable kind.” It fits.
So now that I have all of that out of my system and my energy is slightly returning, let’s chat. The rest of the series is apparently about some of her sisters and I honestly can’t say I’m interested in them? I’ll read them for glimpses of Ella and Gavin, but none of her sisters stood out to me. We saw enough of them, but I don’t really know them so I’ll get to them for our main couple at some point.
and now I have to try and get some sleep after this book has kept me awake too long and my emotions are jittery.
Editing to add: Instead of rounding up my rating, I’m going to put it down to a four but still is a 4.5 personally. After going back through the book for my content notes, I think it’s more of a round down than up because of all of the romance emotions and what a creep the villain is. Also would have liked Gavin to fight more for Ella, but I suppose his hands were tied—literally.
(Age suggestion: I would say 15/16+ because of the romance and emotions, villain forcing kisses, and some dramatic/intense parts.)
Main Content-
No magic or magic-like content at all; Mentions of a church and a clergyman for a wedding; A handful of times Ella comments about praying that something does or does not happen but it’s not said Whom those prayers are towards; A mention of someone being a godsend.
No major language, minor words like “blasted” and “for heaven’s sake” are used; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Lying (particularly about her identity when in the village and trying to protect Gavin).
Ella does defy her parents and their rules by going to places she’s not supposed to and be with people she’s not supposed to be with (she feels suffocated by the life of a royal and tells them so), she does get in trouble with them and is punished a few times; Ella’s family members are detached and distant to their people, which she doesn’t want to be like that despite wanting to please her family.
Being attacked, abducted/kidnapped, held at knife-point, terrified of being murdered or hanged, tied-up, & trying to fight back (up to a handful of sentences); Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, & Scars (up to a few sentences); Seeing fights, people knocked unconscious, & starting to be tortured and in pain (up to a handful of sentences).
Mentions of crimes, criminals, attacks, abductions/kidnappings, & kidnappers; Mentions of people being tortured, tied-up, in prison, & mistreatment; Mentions of injuries, pain, blood/bleeding, & scars; Mentions of fights & fighting; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of a drunk; A few mentions of wars; A few mentions of hunting; A couple mentions of ransoms; A couple mentions of wine.
Staring at lips (up to a couple sentences);
1 hand kiss (1 is unwanted),
5 cheek kisses (1 is unwanted),
3 almost kisses (lasting up to a couple sentences),
11 kisses lasting a sentence (3 are unwanted),
1 kiss lasting a couple sentences,
3 kisses lasting a few sentences (1 is unwanted),
2 kisses lasting 5-7 sentences,
Remembering kisses (up to a few sentences); Wanting to kiss (up to a couple sentences); Kisses also happen when a man is engaged to someone else & guilt is felt.
Many Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Flutters, Tingles, Nearness, Noticing (including many unwanted ones, up to a few sentences); Remembering touches, embraces, dancing, & tingles (up to a few sentences); Wanting to touch, embrace, & be near to someone (up to a few sentences); Blushes; When Ella’s hair is down, Gavin stares at it and it is an emotionally-charged moment (which she tries to do again by wearing her hair down more often and he plays with her hair a few times; A bonus chapter in his POV gives his perspective on the first scene, all up to a few sentences); Ella is caught swimming in her under things by Gavin (she notes that even though they are soaked, they are not see-through; Gavin gives her his cloak though for his sake).
Ella is uncomfortable around a prince that leers at her and roams her body, acts possessive and like he owns her (someone says he follows Ella about like a “stalking predator” and that’s a fair description), forcibly kisses her, and *Spoiler* ; When the awful prince mistakes Ella’s horror as nerves when he’s about to forcibly kiss her, he comments about her being in “very capable hands”; Ella feels dirty and disgusted after being kissed by him; The awful prince also pulls Ella into an empty room and forces another kiss, which she slaps him for; A drunk man tries to grab at Ella and take her to the woods, but she is saved before anything happens; A man acts as if he is seducing Ella to protect her from someone else.
Many mentions of kisses, kissing, touches, & dancing; Mentions of unwanted advances including unwanted and forced kisses; Mentions of flirting & blushes; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of seducing; A few mentions of couples kissing (married and engaged); A few mentions of one of Ella’s sisters marrying a man who is twelve years older than her and her being worried what others will think.
June 6, 2020
This was a pleasant surprise. For some reason I didn’t have the highest expectation going into it. I think part of it was that I didn’t love the cover. I probably would have put off reading it for awhile if I hadn’t read the great reviews (especially Chrissy’s). I guess I’m a cover snob and I gravitate to the books with awesome covers (which doesn’t always mean you’ll get an awesome book. Unfortunately.)
Ariella was a great heroine. I really liked her. The book opens when she is fifteen and I thought the author did a good job portraying her at that age and especially how her relationship with Gavin grows from friendship to young love. Very believable. I liked that the book takes place over a few years and we get to see the changes Ariella goes through and how she handles struggles. I like that she wanted to do the right thing and was willing to make hard choices, if it meant doing the right thing. Again, I really liked her character. I also liked Gavin. He was a sweetheart. I thought they had good chemistry and I was rooting for them. I wasn’t sure how things were going to play out, they come from different worlds and obviously won’t have the support of her family. There was another character introduced towards the end that I actually loved , I think he is more my “type” and almost started rooting for him, but I was still on Team Gavin. I was happy with how everything eventually works out.
Anyway, I love high fantasy novels that have a princess as our leading lady. Not sure why, but it’s just a great setting. The book kind of reminded me of Seer and the Sword and Queen in Exile, although this book focused more on Ariella’s self discovery, and not too much court intrigue. Maybe since I had those other books in the back of my head I expected this to be similar in action/intrigue, and did keep expecting something to happen, but for the most part it’s just a nice story. There is some excitement thrown in though and I thought that made the story fun. I think it’s one I would probably enjoy even more the next time around, knowing what to expect. The writing was well done and the characters likable. I look forward to reading about Areilla’s sister Lylin in the next book. Hope it comes out soon.
I did have a few unanswered questions at the end. For example,
Overall, a fun read and one I would recommend. Can’t wait to read more from Ms. Larsen.
Content: Clean
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Ariella was a great heroine. I really liked her. The book opens when she is fifteen and I thought the author did a good job portraying her at that age and especially how her relationship with Gavin grows from friendship to young love. Very believable. I liked that the book takes place over a few years and we get to see the changes Ariella goes through and how she handles struggles. I like that she wanted to do the right thing and was willing to make hard choices, if it meant doing the right thing. Again, I really liked her character. I also liked Gavin. He was a sweetheart. I thought they had good chemistry and I was rooting for them. I wasn’t sure how things were going to play out, they come from different worlds and obviously won’t have the support of her family. There was another character introduced towards the end that I actually loved , I think he is more my “type” and almost started rooting for him, but I was still on Team Gavin. I was happy with how everything eventually works out.
Anyway, I love high fantasy novels that have a princess as our leading lady. Not sure why, but it’s just a great setting. The book kind of reminded me of Seer and the Sword and Queen in Exile, although this book focused more on Ariella’s self discovery, and not too much court intrigue. Maybe since I had those other books in the back of my head I expected this to be similar in action/intrigue, and did keep expecting something to happen, but for the most part it’s just a nice story. There is some excitement thrown in though and I thought that made the story fun. I think it’s one I would probably enjoy even more the next time around, knowing what to expect. The writing was well done and the characters likable. I look forward to reading about Areilla’s sister Lylin in the next book. Hope it comes out soon.
I did have a few unanswered questions at the end. For example,
Overall, a fun read and one I would recommend. Can’t wait to read more from Ms. Larsen.
Content: Clean
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October 21, 2023
"Never would I have imagined that loving someone could be so utterly painful."
Just Ella (2013, Hidden Falls Publishing), first in the Books of Dalthia series by Annette K. Larsen, is a lovely standalone fairy tale set in the imaginary kingdom of Dalthia. In one of her newsletters, the author described the books in this series as "... fairy tales without the fairies. You get the kingdom, the princesses, but the world follows the rules of our world. No magic, no fairies, no elves."
Rating: 5 stars
Narration on YouTube by the author: 5 stars
Is it clean/chaste? Yes! I don't want to box this in as a YA book, because I'm 45 and loved it. But I'd dub this as a good YA book, for ages 15 and up. There are some emotionally-charged moments with physical closeness and some kissing, but I don't believe it's excessive. Not enough for me to call it "steamy clean," which I actually don't care for. I think Ms. Larsen toed the chaste line beautifully, while still showing the depths of her characters' emotions and the complexities of their lives.
Other content issues: There was some mild violence - If I remember correctly, there were no instances of swearing.
Christian elements:There are no references to God, prayer, or religion, and that includes the author's own LDS affiliation. Ms. Larsen intentionally wrote a clean romance without a religious bent.
The story: This is not a Cinderella story, even though that's what "Ella" might bring to mind. The main character, Princess Ariella, at age 15, does not enjoy being a royal. She wants to get to know commoners and see the world outside the palace. One day, she meets a young gardener named Gavin while walking the grounds. In spite of Gavin's reticence and the king and queen's directive for Ella to be aloof from the servants, Gavin and Ariella eventually become good friends. Gavin teaches Ella how to weed and prune - to feel a bit useful and normal. And he gives her a most precious gift - he sees her for who she is, rather than for her royal title.
What I liked:
*The plot is very creative and often surprised me.
*The characters have been intricately created. Their emotions fly off the page.
What I didn’t like: The villain, who the reader is obviously not supposed to like. That's it.
The only other thing I can say is that I would've enjoyed it more if this book were Christian fiction and added spiritual growth elements, but that does not amount to a dislike.
Audiobook: At some point, I discovered that Ms. Larsen narrated all thirty chapters of Just Ella and posted them as a playlist on YouTube. I sadly discounted it, knowing I was not likely to justify sitting to watch it, but my brilliant Goodreads friend Joleen pointed out that actually watching is not necessary. Riiiight. So, I finally allowed myself to start listening to this book the night before Thanksgiving for some motivation to thoroughly clean the kitchen. It was a treat to listen to this book, narrated by the author, no less! If you're reading this, excellent job, Ms. Larsen!
***********
Other Recommendation(s): I poked around my Goodreads shelves, but only came across two other fairy tales. They're both retellings, so not quite in the same vein. If you like Just Ella, the only recommendation I can offer is to try the rest of the series! (Link above.)
The bottom line: This was a wonderfully engrossing fairy tale. I recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy a clean romance in a fairy tale setting. I look forward to reading more by this author, and plan to read book two in this series at some point.
Just Ella (2013, Hidden Falls Publishing), first in the Books of Dalthia series by Annette K. Larsen, is a lovely standalone fairy tale set in the imaginary kingdom of Dalthia. In one of her newsletters, the author described the books in this series as "... fairy tales without the fairies. You get the kingdom, the princesses, but the world follows the rules of our world. No magic, no fairies, no elves."
Rating: 5 stars
Narration on YouTube by the author: 5 stars
Is it clean/chaste? Yes! I don't want to box this in as a YA book, because I'm 45 and loved it. But I'd dub this as a good YA book, for ages 15 and up. There are some emotionally-charged moments with physical closeness and some kissing, but I don't believe it's excessive. Not enough for me to call it "steamy clean," which I actually don't care for. I think Ms. Larsen toed the chaste line beautifully, while still showing the depths of her characters' emotions and the complexities of their lives.
Other content issues: There was some mild violence - If I remember correctly, there were no instances of swearing.
Christian elements:There are no references to God, prayer, or religion, and that includes the author's own LDS affiliation. Ms. Larsen intentionally wrote a clean romance without a religious bent.
The story: This is not a Cinderella story, even though that's what "Ella" might bring to mind. The main character, Princess Ariella, at age 15, does not enjoy being a royal. She wants to get to know commoners and see the world outside the palace. One day, she meets a young gardener named Gavin while walking the grounds. In spite of Gavin's reticence and the king and queen's directive for Ella to be aloof from the servants, Gavin and Ariella eventually become good friends. Gavin teaches Ella how to weed and prune - to feel a bit useful and normal. And he gives her a most precious gift - he sees her for who she is, rather than for her royal title.
What I liked:
*The plot is very creative and often surprised me.
*The characters have been intricately created. Their emotions fly off the page.
What I didn’t like: The villain, who the reader is obviously not supposed to like. That's it.
The only other thing I can say is that I would've enjoyed it more if this book were Christian fiction and added spiritual growth elements, but that does not amount to a dislike.
Audiobook: At some point, I discovered that Ms. Larsen narrated all thirty chapters of Just Ella and posted them as a playlist on YouTube. I sadly discounted it, knowing I was not likely to justify sitting to watch it, but my brilliant Goodreads friend Joleen pointed out that actually watching is not necessary. Riiiight. So, I finally allowed myself to start listening to this book the night before Thanksgiving for some motivation to thoroughly clean the kitchen. It was a treat to listen to this book, narrated by the author, no less! If you're reading this, excellent job, Ms. Larsen!
***********
Other Recommendation(s): I poked around my Goodreads shelves, but only came across two other fairy tales. They're both retellings, so not quite in the same vein. If you like Just Ella, the only recommendation I can offer is to try the rest of the series! (Link above.)
The bottom line: This was a wonderfully engrossing fairy tale. I recommend this book to anyone who would enjoy a clean romance in a fairy tale setting. I look forward to reading more by this author, and plan to read book two in this series at some point.
August 24, 2013
LOVED it!! I could not put this book down! I stayed up too late reading it and then got up this morning and re-read the end. It was SO GOOD!!
The romance was so real and part way through my heart was breaking for both of them but then the end...it was perfect. This is a clean romance that I will let my girls read when they are teenagers but it was great for me too. I was worried when the main character started out so young (15) but this book spanned for a few years.
Now I am off to stalk this author and find out when her next book comes out...
The romance was so real and part way through my heart was breaking for both of them but then the end...it was perfect. This is a clean romance that I will let my girls read when they are teenagers but it was great for me too. I was worried when the main character started out so young (15) but this book spanned for a few years.
Now I am off to stalk this author and find out when her next book comes out...
August 20, 2013
For me, this read was the rare ignore my kids and stay up late reading kind of story. First of all, it's clean. It's a lovely, romantic story where you feel butterflies in your stomach because it's so cute, not because the "romance" has gone too far. The characters have real feelings but put them in perspective with real life.
Also, the book has some twists in it and is not completely predictable. I felt like I had something figured out and then I was wrong. This happened several times, which made it so much more fun.
The writing was unique and enjoyable to read as well. There were several times when I wanted to re-read a paragraph because it was written in a neat way or because the characters were being particularly interesting. Even the characters you don't love are fun to read.
The only bad thing about this book was that I bought the kindle version so I can't pass my book around to everyone! I will definitely be getting the book version soon.
I would highly recommend this book to teenagers and adults alike!
Also, the book has some twists in it and is not completely predictable. I felt like I had something figured out and then I was wrong. This happened several times, which made it so much more fun.
The writing was unique and enjoyable to read as well. There were several times when I wanted to re-read a paragraph because it was written in a neat way or because the characters were being particularly interesting. Even the characters you don't love are fun to read.
The only bad thing about this book was that I bought the kindle version so I can't pass my book around to everyone! I will definitely be getting the book version soon.
I would highly recommend this book to teenagers and adults alike!
September 9, 2013
I am squeezing in a review for this book because I just loved it. It was a book I picked up because I heard some awesome things about it from people I trust with book recommendations. I got a little ahead in my review reading and jumped right into this book because I was so excited. I picked it up for free because of my Amazon Prime membership which was SO happy! Although, this is a book I'd actually like to have on my shelves forever.
Clean romance is one of my very favorite genres. This book is so well written it felt just perfect. Honest. I loved it from beginning to end. Ariella is intelligent and sweet. She longs for adventure and distraction from her royal obligations. Ella longs for friends and those personal connections that a royal life separates her from. When she meets Gavin in the gardens, she is filled with excitement. Their friendship grows and Ella finds herself longing for more of the life she simply cannot have.
One of my favorite things about Ella is her determination to protect Gavin. She is willing to sacrifice her happiness for his well being and safety and even his happiness. The next thing I love about Ella is her determination to be friendly with the servants and staff of the castle and also to become part of her community. She pushes against the binding constraints to form relationships with people, to let them know she cares. It really endeared Ella to me.
This is a book I can 100% recommend to anyone. It is clean and sweet and just an all around fantastic, romantic read. My daughter is going to LOVE this book. LOVE.
Clean romance is one of my very favorite genres. This book is so well written it felt just perfect. Honest. I loved it from beginning to end. Ariella is intelligent and sweet. She longs for adventure and distraction from her royal obligations. Ella longs for friends and those personal connections that a royal life separates her from. When she meets Gavin in the gardens, she is filled with excitement. Their friendship grows and Ella finds herself longing for more of the life she simply cannot have.
One of my favorite things about Ella is her determination to protect Gavin. She is willing to sacrifice her happiness for his well being and safety and even his happiness. The next thing I love about Ella is her determination to be friendly with the servants and staff of the castle and also to become part of her community. She pushes against the binding constraints to form relationships with people, to let them know she cares. It really endeared Ella to me.
This is a book I can 100% recommend to anyone. It is clean and sweet and just an all around fantastic, romantic read. My daughter is going to LOVE this book. LOVE.
February 9, 2019
1 star
I'm SO confused how this book has such high ratings on Goodreads. Seriously, if you filter the ratings, only 4% of readers gave this book a 2 or 1 star. It only has 14 1 star reviews. HOW? This book lacks a logical plot, well-developed characters or a compelling romance.
It's not like I'm holding this book to unrealistic standards, either. I knew what I was getting in to. It's a self-pubbed, clean romance about a princess who falls in love with a commoner, despite their differences in station. I wasn't expecting a prize-winning novel here, just some fluffy royalty romance that would leave me smiling. I wanted cotton candy reading and just got a boring boo instead.
Our heroine, Princess Ariella (or, as she prefers, just Ella. Get it? It's the name of the book. She's so down to earth!) is completely isolated from her family for no real reason. We know she's ~different~ from her more vain sisters, but we're never really given a reason why. Like, it's kind of hinted at that she likes to read, but we don't even see her doing that much reading. We're just told she's different and special. If this was a YA novel, she'd be the secretly beautiful tea-drinking loner and her sisters would all be slutty cheerleaders.
One day, as Ella does her normal moping-around-the-castle-thinking-about-how-different-she-is thing, she meets a handsome gardener named Gavin. Gavin is also so ~different~ because he refuses to see Ella by the confines of her royalty. Of course, that's the only thing we know about Gavin because he, like all the other characters in this book, has no personality beyond his relationship to our heroine. I literally couldn't tell you what he likes to do in his free time, what his relationship with his family is, or anything like that. His hobbies appear to be gardening, falling in love with Princesses, and skulking around "protecting" said princesses.
Of course, the two fall in love before they're separated by Ella's family. Love is a really generous word here. Ella falls for Gavin because he doesn't treat her like a princess, and Gavin falls in love with Ella because...I'm not sure. I guess because she's ~different~ - do you see a theme here? The romance is so bland. There's no spark or chemistry between the two. I felt no joy or warm fuzzyies when they finally declare love for one another. It's just .... yawn.
Speaking of bland, the rest of the supporting characters aren't much better. Everyone is very black and white, good or evil. No shades of gray in this world. I particularly hate what Larsen does to Ella's family. For someone who grew up with 6 siblings, she can't write sibling dynamics at all. None of the sisters have much of a personality or even seem to care for one another. I could understand if it was established that they were brought up to be this way, but the book paints a happy family picture of parents who try to be understanding and loving. One sister is written as a straight up beyotch that, again, feels more like a bad-YA high school villain than an actual sister.
And then there's the plot. This is one of those books where there's a VERY EASY solution to the central problem that our heroine refuses to take for no particular reason. Her whole reasoning for not taking that solution is because she was sneaking about and wasn't suppose to hear the conversation, but still, there's a very easy way to share the truth without even referencing the conversation. Larsen has even established that she's comfortable talking to her Dad, so it's not like she's afraid or unaccustomed to speaking with him. It's just lazy writing, a way to create conflict for conflict's sake.
This is just not a good book, even when you're looking for some mindless fluff. I really only finished it because I got it for Christmas, and I almost always finish books I actually own. Lazy plot building, a tepid romance and characters that make me want to scream forced me to drop this one in disgust more than once. Don't believe the hype. Pick up another cheesy romance instead.
I'm SO confused how this book has such high ratings on Goodreads. Seriously, if you filter the ratings, only 4% of readers gave this book a 2 or 1 star. It only has 14 1 star reviews. HOW? This book lacks a logical plot, well-developed characters or a compelling romance.
It's not like I'm holding this book to unrealistic standards, either. I knew what I was getting in to. It's a self-pubbed, clean romance about a princess who falls in love with a commoner, despite their differences in station. I wasn't expecting a prize-winning novel here, just some fluffy royalty romance that would leave me smiling. I wanted cotton candy reading and just got a boring boo instead.
Our heroine, Princess Ariella (or, as she prefers, just Ella. Get it? It's the name of the book. She's so down to earth!) is completely isolated from her family for no real reason. We know she's ~different~ from her more vain sisters, but we're never really given a reason why. Like, it's kind of hinted at that she likes to read, but we don't even see her doing that much reading. We're just told she's different and special. If this was a YA novel, she'd be the secretly beautiful tea-drinking loner and her sisters would all be slutty cheerleaders.
One day, as Ella does her normal moping-around-the-castle-thinking-about-how-different-she-is thing, she meets a handsome gardener named Gavin. Gavin is also so ~different~ because he refuses to see Ella by the confines of her royalty. Of course, that's the only thing we know about Gavin because he, like all the other characters in this book, has no personality beyond his relationship to our heroine. I literally couldn't tell you what he likes to do in his free time, what his relationship with his family is, or anything like that. His hobbies appear to be gardening, falling in love with Princesses, and skulking around "protecting" said princesses.
Of course, the two fall in love before they're separated by Ella's family. Love is a really generous word here. Ella falls for Gavin because he doesn't treat her like a princess, and Gavin falls in love with Ella because...I'm not sure. I guess because she's ~different~ - do you see a theme here? The romance is so bland. There's no spark or chemistry between the two. I felt no joy or warm fuzzyies when they finally declare love for one another. It's just .... yawn.
Speaking of bland, the rest of the supporting characters aren't much better. Everyone is very black and white, good or evil. No shades of gray in this world. I particularly hate what Larsen does to Ella's family. For someone who grew up with 6 siblings, she can't write sibling dynamics at all. None of the sisters have much of a personality or even seem to care for one another. I could understand if it was established that they were brought up to be this way, but the book paints a happy family picture of parents who try to be understanding and loving. One sister is written as a straight up beyotch that, again, feels more like a bad-YA high school villain than an actual sister.
And then there's the plot. This is one of those books where there's a VERY EASY solution to the central problem that our heroine refuses to take for no particular reason. Her whole reasoning for not taking that solution is because she was sneaking about and wasn't suppose to hear the conversation, but still, there's a very easy way to share the truth without even referencing the conversation. Larsen has even established that she's comfortable talking to her Dad, so it's not like she's afraid or unaccustomed to speaking with him. It's just lazy writing, a way to create conflict for conflict's sake.
This is just not a good book, even when you're looking for some mindless fluff. I really only finished it because I got it for Christmas, and I almost always finish books I actually own. Lazy plot building, a tepid romance and characters that make me want to scream forced me to drop this one in disgust more than once. Don't believe the hype. Pick up another cheesy romance instead.
August 29, 2013
Oh my. That is what keeps popping in my head. Oh my. It was just soooo good. I have wanted a great book like this for a while and it was worth the wait.
The beginning was a little slow for me and I was questioning whether or not I was going to "fall" for this one. Well, the minute she was caught after the dance(for those of you who have read it, know what I am talking about and for those who haven't then enjoy the bliss of reading it) the book exploded for me. The tension and relationship building between Ella and Gavin was captivating. There interactions were so good and at times I was holding my breath. Two words: water fall! It was just that kind of book that I love because it gives me the build up that I LOVE and yet keeps it clean and sweet. Ella and Gavin were an amazing couple that you fall hard for right away. I thought Ella was a great character. I loved how she looked at life and wanted to make a difference. I thought Gavin was a great gentleman that was a hard worker and took pride in it.
My only complaint was that it ended kind of fast. But, I still really enjoyed the ending. It just wrapped it up in a pretty bow and that is how I like it. :)
The beginning was a little slow for me and I was questioning whether or not I was going to "fall" for this one. Well, the minute she was caught after the dance(for those of you who have read it, know what I am talking about and for those who haven't then enjoy the bliss of reading it) the book exploded for me. The tension and relationship building between Ella and Gavin was captivating. There interactions were so good and at times I was holding my breath. Two words: water fall! It was just that kind of book that I love because it gives me the build up that I LOVE and yet keeps it clean and sweet. Ella and Gavin were an amazing couple that you fall hard for right away. I thought Ella was a great character. I loved how she looked at life and wanted to make a difference. I thought Gavin was a great gentleman that was a hard worker and took pride in it.
My only complaint was that it ended kind of fast. But, I still really enjoyed the ending. It just wrapped it up in a pretty bow and that is how I like it. :)
September 8, 2014
This is unlike any fairy tale I have read. It's like Cinderella backwards. I loved it and will be devouring more by this author! What a fun book. I loved Ella who I immediately fell in love with and Gavin was just awesome! The writing was great! The story had great movement and a good build and wow what an ending! The love story was wonderful and tragic and so much fun to read. I just really enjoyed reading this book and will be buying a hard copy for my daughters and I to read again! Clean with some kissing, a little violence that is perfectly clean. 12 and up:}
9/7/14
Read out loud to my daughters twin 13 year old's and 15 and 16 year old. They all liked it. My 16 year old said it was a little slow but she likes more action, but all the others loved it. Just Ella is one of the sweetest, cleanest love stories and we all ahhhed and laughed with the characters. I loved sharing this with them. We will be reading the second book Missing Lily now that is about Ella's sister and has Ella in it. My daughters are excited to hear more of what happens to this whole family.
9/7/14
Read out loud to my daughters twin 13 year old's and 15 and 16 year old. They all liked it. My 16 year old said it was a little slow but she likes more action, but all the others loved it. Just Ella is one of the sweetest, cleanest love stories and we all ahhhed and laughed with the characters. I loved sharing this with them. We will be reading the second book Missing Lily now that is about Ella's sister and has Ella in it. My daughters are excited to hear more of what happens to this whole family.
August 22, 2017
Just Ella was just FANTASTIC!!!! I had no expectations as this was a freebie years ago. I loved the cover and 1-clicked it without even reading the blurb. So when I started reading, I didn't even know what the story was about.
Imagine you're a princess and in need of an escape from the palace life. Now imagine you meet a boy who likes you for you, not because you're the princess. He shows you what real life is like and you fall in love. This is the premise behind Just Ella and it is such a delightful YA romance. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
Imagine you're a princess and in need of an escape from the palace life. Now imagine you meet a boy who likes you for you, not because you're the princess. He shows you what real life is like and you fall in love. This is the premise behind Just Ella and it is such a delightful YA romance. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
October 21, 2013
It's true--I was one of those girls who wished to be a princess. In fact, I was obsessed with Princess Diana and even now love any "royal" news. How could I not absolutely fall in love with this story?! What I found to be ironic is that Ariella is a princess but doesn't really want to be one. How could she not? Well...after this glimpse, however fictional it may be, into the life of royalty, I could definitely understand her reasoning. That didn't make me love the story any less or cause me to wish I'd never wished to be a princess. :)
Princess Ariella, or Princess Ari, or just Ella, seemed to have the perfect life...yet she yearns for more. I loved to see how normal she really was--climbing trees, sneaking out, befriending unlikely friends. She was so genuine, truly compassionate, and most definitely humble. I loved the example she was to her sisters and how brave she was. Some of the situations that she found herself in were quite frightening, yet she handled things well. Amazingly well.
I loved the relationship that Ella had with her father, the king, until the turn of events caused him to punish her. My heart broke for her and while I could understand where he was coming from, my respect for him decreased, although he did try and earn it back later.
Gavin. Who wouldn't love a friend like Gavin? He found himself risking everything to do what he knew to be morally right. I loved the way he stuck his foot in his mouth at the first meeting and how hard he tried to be the proper citizen, while fulfilling royal commands.
As with any true princess story, there is a villain and this one is not whom you might expect.
I thought everything about this book was fabulous--from the adventure to the romance to the relationships.
Content: some mild violence; kissing. CLEAN!!
Princess Ariella, or Princess Ari, or just Ella, seemed to have the perfect life...yet she yearns for more. I loved to see how normal she really was--climbing trees, sneaking out, befriending unlikely friends. She was so genuine, truly compassionate, and most definitely humble. I loved the example she was to her sisters and how brave she was. Some of the situations that she found herself in were quite frightening, yet she handled things well. Amazingly well.
I loved the relationship that Ella had with her father, the king, until the turn of events caused him to punish her. My heart broke for her and while I could understand where he was coming from, my respect for him decreased, although he did try and earn it back later.
Gavin. Who wouldn't love a friend like Gavin? He found himself risking everything to do what he knew to be morally right. I loved the way he stuck his foot in his mouth at the first meeting and how hard he tried to be the proper citizen, while fulfilling royal commands.
As with any true princess story, there is a villain and this one is not whom you might expect.
I thought everything about this book was fabulous--from the adventure to the romance to the relationships.
Content: some mild violence; kissing. CLEAN!!
October 29, 2013
If I could give this 6 stars, I would. :) I could not put it down! Such a sweet, clean story...with plenty romance, and a few semi-heart wrenching moments that had me (almost literally) clutching my heart! I actually found myself hoping my 2-month-old son, who just started sleeping through the night last week, would wake up for a feeding so I could justify reading in the middle of the night. I loved the story, fell in love with the characters, and did not want it to end! My only disappointment was finding out this is the author's only book out so far! Hope to read more from her in the (hopefully near) :) future!
September 28, 2013
6 stars :) I loved it. What a beautiful love story. One of my top 3 favorite books for sure. If you loved Edenbrooke & Blackmoore, this is your next book.
June 15, 2017
Meh. The writing didn't blow me away, and the plot wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be.
April 30, 2020
I discovered this wonderful book when the author posted on Facebook or in an email that there were chapters of it on YouTube. I thought what did I have to lose? I'd listen to it while doing my morning routine and if I didn't like it I could stop listening. Well, that never happened. After the first few chapters I was taken in by the story of Ariella and the palace gardener Gavin, and I eagerly awaited the notification that another chapter was available to listen to on YouTube. If you look up the author on YouTube you can listen to the entire book.
Ariella (Ella) is one of several sisters who's parents have their life planned out for them. They'll marry princes from nearby countries, etc. Of course, there's always "the one rebel" child. Ariella doesn't set out to be a rebel, she's just tired of lessons by governesses, and sitting around doing needlework, learning to paint and other boring royal activities. Her father seems to have already okayed her marriage to a prince of a nearby country, and although it won't happen anytime soon, Ella isn't happy about it. She doesn't care for this prince.
One day while sitting in a tree instead of studying Ella discovers Gavin, one of the gardeners. He takes care of the maze, a part of the palace gardens. Ella forms a friendship with Gavin and it's so sweet. Ella talks Gavin into letting her see what a regular life is like by going to a dance in the village, which Ella loves, but then life happens and it all comes to a crashing end, and Gavin is no longer a palace gardener. Time passes but Ella's feelings for Gavin do not and when after many, many months Gavin is back to being a palace gardener Ella is thrilled.
I loved Ella and Gavin's story. It's a fairytale--princess falls for gardener--but I needed to know how they would get together. There were several times I was sure it wasn't going to happen. It takes place over a few years and you can see that Ella grows up. I loved her easy friendship with Gavin and how she took the blame when they were caught by the palace guards. I loved when she would visit the village and play with the children. I especially like the part towards the end when Ella did the right thing, and finally stood up to her parents and told them about her kidnapping. I loved that Gavin is the one who convinced her to do it, even though the reason she hadn't done it before was to protect him. Gavin is a great guy.
This is definitely a clean romance with a little adventure.
Ariella (Ella) is one of several sisters who's parents have their life planned out for them. They'll marry princes from nearby countries, etc. Of course, there's always "the one rebel" child. Ariella doesn't set out to be a rebel, she's just tired of lessons by governesses, and sitting around doing needlework, learning to paint and other boring royal activities. Her father seems to have already okayed her marriage to a prince of a nearby country, and although it won't happen anytime soon, Ella isn't happy about it. She doesn't care for this prince.
One day while sitting in a tree instead of studying Ella discovers Gavin, one of the gardeners. He takes care of the maze, a part of the palace gardens. Ella forms a friendship with Gavin and it's so sweet. Ella talks Gavin into letting her see what a regular life is like by going to a dance in the village, which Ella loves, but then life happens and it all comes to a crashing end, and Gavin is no longer a palace gardener. Time passes but Ella's feelings for Gavin do not and when after many, many months Gavin is back to being a palace gardener Ella is thrilled.
I loved Ella and Gavin's story. It's a fairytale--princess falls for gardener--but I needed to know how they would get together. There were several times I was sure it wasn't going to happen. It takes place over a few years and you can see that Ella grows up. I loved her easy friendship with Gavin and how she took the blame when they were caught by the palace guards. I loved when she would visit the village and play with the children. I especially like the part towards the end when Ella did the right thing, and finally stood up to her parents and told them about her kidnapping. I loved that Gavin is the one who convinced her to do it, even though the reason she hadn't done it before was to protect him. Gavin is a great guy.
This is definitely a clean romance with a little adventure.
September 17, 2013
I couldn't put this book down. I even used covert measures that I haven't resorted to since childhood to sneak out and finish this book after I was supposed to be in bed. And despite how much I loved the story, it was perhaps just a little too fanciful at times. I mean, it is fairytale-esque, but as much as I wanted certain characters to end up together, sometimes the hammer of reality would hit a little too hard and whisper, "This just wouldn't be possible."
Also, the pacing felt a little too incongruous at times. Whole scenes would be covered with just a few sentences, and yet other scenes got a lot of details (to the point where there needed to be some trimming). The author has certainly created a captivating story, but maybe it might need just a little bit more polish? You know how it is when you read a professionally edited book and it just flows and you don't even notice how well because it's just that good? Well, this book was good, but I noticed...the flow was just a bit too choppy at times with a lot of tell instead of show. As a reader, I was told flat-out how characters felt ("He looked sad..." or "He was angry...") too many times instead of being led to infer how characters felt by the use of descriptive verbs and other hints. A bit more subtlety would help.
I just had to include the above critique to justify giving a book I thoroughly enjoyed four stars instead of five. There is an audience out there that will relish this book, myself included. There are key scenes I loved so much I find myself re-reading little parts every time I turn my Kindle on. This author has some major potential, and I can't wait to see what she'll write next.
Also, the pacing felt a little too incongruous at times. Whole scenes would be covered with just a few sentences, and yet other scenes got a lot of details (to the point where there needed to be some trimming). The author has certainly created a captivating story, but maybe it might need just a little bit more polish? You know how it is when you read a professionally edited book and it just flows and you don't even notice how well because it's just that good? Well, this book was good, but I noticed...the flow was just a bit too choppy at times with a lot of tell instead of show. As a reader, I was told flat-out how characters felt ("He looked sad..." or "He was angry...") too many times instead of being led to infer how characters felt by the use of descriptive verbs and other hints. A bit more subtlety would help.
I just had to include the above critique to justify giving a book I thoroughly enjoyed four stars instead of five. There is an audience out there that will relish this book, myself included. There are key scenes I loved so much I find myself re-reading little parts every time I turn my Kindle on. This author has some major potential, and I can't wait to see what she'll write next.
July 27, 2019
I’ve always had a thing for princesses and fairy tales, and this delightful romance of forbidden love combined both. I’ve been reading a lot of romances as of late, and Gavin and Ella are one of my favorite couples in the books I’ve read recently. Not only was Gavin a sweetheart, but the fact he was a gardener made him more endearing for someone like me who adores being out in nature. Ariella (Ella) was a strong heroine, and I really enjoyed her journey of self-discovery as she developed the inner strength to do what is right, stand up for herself, and choose the path she desired in life.
Ella and Gavin were so adorable together, and I loved how their relationship built gradually over several years, from a solid friendship to a strong, deep romance. It’s hard for me to get too worked up in romances, as I know the happily ever after for the characters is inevitable, but this one was heart-wrenching at moments! I really felt for the characters in their struggles as they tried to find a way to make their seemingly impossible relationship and circumstances work. They really deserved their happily ever after when they finally received it.
I absolutely adored the beautiful hedge maze—with its array of pretty and unique nature rooms—and gorgeous waterfall settings and descriptions, where most of Gavin and Ella's interactions and relationship development took place. They were simply enchanting and really added to the magical feel of this fairy tale.
I really enjoyed this cute book. It had such a magical, enchanting feel to it. I’ve already reread many of the darling romantic scenes several times, and I can’t wait to continue on with the rest of the series, especially if Gavin and Ella make a reappearance. Such a sweet, lovely, and romantic story.
Ella and Gavin were so adorable together, and I loved how their relationship built gradually over several years, from a solid friendship to a strong, deep romance. It’s hard for me to get too worked up in romances, as I know the happily ever after for the characters is inevitable, but this one was heart-wrenching at moments! I really felt for the characters in their struggles as they tried to find a way to make their seemingly impossible relationship and circumstances work. They really deserved their happily ever after when they finally received it.
I absolutely adored the beautiful hedge maze—with its array of pretty and unique nature rooms—and gorgeous waterfall settings and descriptions, where most of Gavin and Ella's interactions and relationship development took place. They were simply enchanting and really added to the magical feel of this fairy tale.
I really enjoyed this cute book. It had such a magical, enchanting feel to it. I’ve already reread many of the darling romantic scenes several times, and I can’t wait to continue on with the rest of the series, especially if Gavin and Ella make a reappearance. Such a sweet, lovely, and romantic story.
September 19, 2013
In her Author's Note, Annette K. Larsen mentions being influenced by Jane Eyre, and wanting to create heroines that have a moral compass. I myself couldn't agree more and feel very strongly that heroines such as Jane Eyre and Elizabeth Bennett, these are the characters who experience true romance. I'm so appreciative of authors that can create a story that sweeps me away in amorous enchantment and yet still remain squeaky clean. I can recommend this book to my 14-year-old daughter and still want to reread it again and again for myself. The writing was superb! The writing style and flow of the story reminded me of Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson. I loved this story and never wanted it to end.
August 29, 2013
Awwww!!!! What a great story!!! Awww....I have needed a good book like this for awhile now. This book was so great. I did get a little annoyed about some of the modern day speech and customs but the book was so amazing I am willing to overlook that. Gavin. ahhh what a guy!!! I loved Ella too. They were the perfect couple. Thank you Kath for recommending this book!!!! Thank you Chrissy for loaning it to me!
September 13, 2013
I love fairytales. :)
Ella is a princess who feels stifled in her role as princess. She wants to be useful instead of ornamental. This story is her journey towards finding a purpose, and finding love, of course. The dynamics of her relationships with her mother and father are interesting. I especially found the punishment her father chose (and its outcome) to be thought provoking. I found the philosophies of leadership interesting as well.
I really liked that the heroine didn't think that her romance was the most important thing in her life. Sure, she loved someone, but laws, her family, her duty, his happiness, herself, etc. were all given more weight than her love. Sometimes I get tired of the "we'll find a way, and if we don't find one, then we'll force one" attitude.
The book was clean. Oh, and the ebook version is only $4.99 on Amazon right now!
This first excerpt is from the author's note at the end, and it expresses why I love this author's fairy tale:
"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 face the reality of sacrificing what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but in the end, doing what's right will always be worth it."
The rest of the excerpts now are from the actual novel.
"Even if he didn't despise me for my station, he would no longer be comfortable conversing with me. I was a royal—a lazy, entitled royal. I was mortified anyone would perceive me that way. And the worst part was that he was right. None of my talents or endeavors were really useful, and I also despised royalty some of the time."
"'You don't interact with commoners much.' His brow furrowed, confused by the abrupt change of topic. 'I was just wondering, why is that?'
He sat back and studied me for a moment before taking a deep breath and answering seriously. 'I suppose you might consider it self preservation.' My brow furrowed and he continued, 'I make decisions every day that will affect countless people. It is vital that I remain rational and logical. If I get caught up in the feelings of individuals, it becomes almost impossible for me to make sound decisions.'"
"I caught a glimpse of Gavin's confused face before he asked, 'Have I offended you, Princess?'
'No, of course not.' It wasn't really a lie. I was certainly trying not to be offended.'"
"Friendship requires sincerity, not flattery."
"It was unbefitting for a princess to whine, and I certainly didn't want to seem ungrateful. I had a comfortable life—more than comfortable—and I knew that Gretchen and every maiden like her envied me. And I truly did wish her to stay."
"I could speak three languages and play two instruments; I was aware of the five acceptable reasons to go to war; and knew the protocol for greeting any guest that might enter the place. But when it came to everyday, practical situations, I was useless."
"'Musicians at the palace are rarely concerned with showcasing their musical talents. None of the words hold any meaning beyond wanting to be in good favor with royalty. It seems like a sad way to use one's talent.'
'Or the smart way.'
'What do you mean?'
'I'm sure those musicians gain far more by being in favor with the royal family than by using their talent to express themselves and earn nothing.'
My brow furrowed. 'I hadn't considered that.'
'That's because you don't think about money.'"
"'I've been wondering something.'
I looked up to see him kneeling at the edge of the stream, peering over his shoulder at me. 'What's that?' I asked. He was very selective about the things he asked me.
'Do you remember the first time you realized you were royalty?'
I replied without giving it much thought. 'I suppose I've always known.'
'There was never a moment when it hit you that you were meant for greater things than most people?'
His question was humbling and made me a little sad. Truthfully, I had never seen myself that way. Being royalty had become tedious and I often resented it, which was precisely why I was sitting out in the forest with him. 'No, I never had a moment like that.' Strictly speaking, it was a truthful answer. I had never felt I was meant for greater things."
"There will be much celebration today, and there will be many people who will wish you the best. So let me be the first: may you find in this new phase of life a purpose that brings you joy and satisfaction."
"I suppose people see what they want to see. Everyone loves the idea of a fairy tale wedding. For some reason, people suppose that princes and princesses have more romantic lives than other people. And perhaps that's true in some regards. Maybe our lives are more romantic, but that doesn't mean there is any more romance in our lives."
"In truth I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to feel this feeling and be this person. I didn't want to give in to my hurt and my missing him. I wanted to be strong. But I didn't feel strong. I wondered how losing him had stripped me of my courage. After all, I had had plenty before I met him. I had stepped outside myself; I had ignored the rules and made a friend out of a common gardener. Where was my courage now? Where was the curiosity and determination that I had used to pull him into my life?
I missed those parts of myself. And it frightened me that I couldn't seem to find them. It was as though in falling for Gavin, I had given those parts of myself to him, and he had taken them with him.
But I needed them. I needed those parts of myself that made me Ella. I wanted to feel strong—to be strong."
"'If a king does not have the respect of his people, then the only thing he rules is fear.' It sounded like a recitation—something he had been taught long ago.
'And fear holds no loyalty,' my mother added."
"I tried to put a name to what I felt. And the only word that came to mind was . . . broken. I felt broken, and it was Gavin who broke me. Never would I have anticipated that. Never would I have thought that Gavin, of all people, would be the one to break me. Never would I have imagined that loving someone could be so utterly painful."
"I wanted to say something, feeling justified in transferring my furious anger into power. It was then I felt something for the first time: an instinctual need to exert force over another person. And while I reveled in it, I also recoiled, disgusted with myself.
I had no right. My position should not have offered me this power. I knew that this man standing before me, who had earned his place and the respect of those under him, should not have been cowed by me. But I did have that power—it had been given to me long ago; I had just never had a reason to use it. And now I wondered if I could go back. It felt so good to feel in control. Having control over others was a heady experience, but to feel as though I were directing my own path left me intoxicated."
"I had always thought that if he ever came within my reach agin, that if we were ever given a second chance, that we would know what to do—that somehow we would figure it out. But life didn't work that way. I knew that; I had known it for a long time. perhaps we always think we are the exception, that somehow matters of the heart will magically resolve themselves and come forth triumphant of their own accord."
"As I steadied my breathing, my mind went back further, searching for the time when this sort of comfort had gone missing from my life. And I realized that ever since my father had sent Gavin away, ever since he had started ignoring me as punishment for my defection, I had been missing this. Because my father had deprived me not only of Gavin, but of himself when he had sought to punish me. And I hadn't realized the toll it had taken until now."
Ella is a princess who feels stifled in her role as princess. She wants to be useful instead of ornamental. This story is her journey towards finding a purpose, and finding love, of course. The dynamics of her relationships with her mother and father are interesting. I especially found the punishment her father chose (and its outcome) to be thought provoking. I found the philosophies of leadership interesting as well.
I really liked that the heroine didn't think that her romance was the most important thing in her life. Sure, she loved someone, but laws, her family, her duty, his happiness, herself, etc. were all given more weight than her love. Sometimes I get tired of the "we'll find a way, and if we don't find one, then we'll force one" attitude.
The book was clean. Oh, and the ebook version is only $4.99 on Amazon right now!
This first excerpt is from the author's note at the end, and it expresses why I love this author's fairy tale:
"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 face the reality of sacrificing what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but in the end, doing what's right will always be worth it."
The rest of the excerpts now are from the actual novel.
"Even if he didn't despise me for my station, he would no longer be comfortable conversing with me. I was a royal—a lazy, entitled royal. I was mortified anyone would perceive me that way. And the worst part was that he was right. None of my talents or endeavors were really useful, and I also despised royalty some of the time."
"'You don't interact with commoners much.' His brow furrowed, confused by the abrupt change of topic. 'I was just wondering, why is that?'
He sat back and studied me for a moment before taking a deep breath and answering seriously. 'I suppose you might consider it self preservation.' My brow furrowed and he continued, 'I make decisions every day that will affect countless people. It is vital that I remain rational and logical. If I get caught up in the feelings of individuals, it becomes almost impossible for me to make sound decisions.'"
"I caught a glimpse of Gavin's confused face before he asked, 'Have I offended you, Princess?'
'No, of course not.' It wasn't really a lie. I was certainly trying not to be offended.'"
"Friendship requires sincerity, not flattery."
"It was unbefitting for a princess to whine, and I certainly didn't want to seem ungrateful. I had a comfortable life—more than comfortable—and I knew that Gretchen and every maiden like her envied me. And I truly did wish her to stay."
"I could speak three languages and play two instruments; I was aware of the five acceptable reasons to go to war; and knew the protocol for greeting any guest that might enter the place. But when it came to everyday, practical situations, I was useless."
"'Musicians at the palace are rarely concerned with showcasing their musical talents. None of the words hold any meaning beyond wanting to be in good favor with royalty. It seems like a sad way to use one's talent.'
'Or the smart way.'
'What do you mean?'
'I'm sure those musicians gain far more by being in favor with the royal family than by using their talent to express themselves and earn nothing.'
My brow furrowed. 'I hadn't considered that.'
'That's because you don't think about money.'"
"'I've been wondering something.'
I looked up to see him kneeling at the edge of the stream, peering over his shoulder at me. 'What's that?' I asked. He was very selective about the things he asked me.
'Do you remember the first time you realized you were royalty?'
I replied without giving it much thought. 'I suppose I've always known.'
'There was never a moment when it hit you that you were meant for greater things than most people?'
His question was humbling and made me a little sad. Truthfully, I had never seen myself that way. Being royalty had become tedious and I often resented it, which was precisely why I was sitting out in the forest with him. 'No, I never had a moment like that.' Strictly speaking, it was a truthful answer. I had never felt I was meant for greater things."
"There will be much celebration today, and there will be many people who will wish you the best. So let me be the first: may you find in this new phase of life a purpose that brings you joy and satisfaction."
"I suppose people see what they want to see. Everyone loves the idea of a fairy tale wedding. For some reason, people suppose that princes and princesses have more romantic lives than other people. And perhaps that's true in some regards. Maybe our lives are more romantic, but that doesn't mean there is any more romance in our lives."
"In truth I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to feel this feeling and be this person. I didn't want to give in to my hurt and my missing him. I wanted to be strong. But I didn't feel strong. I wondered how losing him had stripped me of my courage. After all, I had had plenty before I met him. I had stepped outside myself; I had ignored the rules and made a friend out of a common gardener. Where was my courage now? Where was the curiosity and determination that I had used to pull him into my life?
I missed those parts of myself. And it frightened me that I couldn't seem to find them. It was as though in falling for Gavin, I had given those parts of myself to him, and he had taken them with him.
But I needed them. I needed those parts of myself that made me Ella. I wanted to feel strong—to be strong."
"'If a king does not have the respect of his people, then the only thing he rules is fear.' It sounded like a recitation—something he had been taught long ago.
'And fear holds no loyalty,' my mother added."
"I tried to put a name to what I felt. And the only word that came to mind was . . . broken. I felt broken, and it was Gavin who broke me. Never would I have anticipated that. Never would I have thought that Gavin, of all people, would be the one to break me. Never would I have imagined that loving someone could be so utterly painful."
"I wanted to say something, feeling justified in transferring my furious anger into power. It was then I felt something for the first time: an instinctual need to exert force over another person. And while I reveled in it, I also recoiled, disgusted with myself.
I had no right. My position should not have offered me this power. I knew that this man standing before me, who had earned his place and the respect of those under him, should not have been cowed by me. But I did have that power—it had been given to me long ago; I had just never had a reason to use it. And now I wondered if I could go back. It felt so good to feel in control. Having control over others was a heady experience, but to feel as though I were directing my own path left me intoxicated."
"I had always thought that if he ever came within my reach agin, that if we were ever given a second chance, that we would know what to do—that somehow we would figure it out. But life didn't work that way. I knew that; I had known it for a long time. perhaps we always think we are the exception, that somehow matters of the heart will magically resolve themselves and come forth triumphant of their own accord."
"As I steadied my breathing, my mind went back further, searching for the time when this sort of comfort had gone missing from my life. And I realized that ever since my father had sent Gavin away, ever since he had started ignoring me as punishment for my defection, I had been missing this. Because my father had deprived me not only of Gavin, but of himself when he had sought to punish me. And I hadn't realized the toll it had taken until now."
Want to read
April 22, 2020I've had this book on my TBR for a long time. Ironically, I'm currently least likely to read a physical book, and the copy I have of this book is a paperback. The author has made this available on YouTube. I'm not sure for how long. I wonder if it's a coronavirus-related promotion. Anyway, I encourage you to check it out. I've always thought it sounded cute. Looks like on average, the videos are 20 minutes long.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
February 2, 2024
This may be the most realistic fiction book I've ever read in its treatment of the royal-falls-in-love-with-commoner trope. In some ways, Ella fits the typical "not like other royals" stereotype, but she has some defined traits and some caring behind her nonconformity that's not just being rebellious for the sake of it, so that was nice. I liked the way her friendship with Gavin progressed, and it felt believable for them not to notice the way their feelings had deepened until it was too late. But...when you're a princess in a society with a strict class hierarchy, you don't just get to fall in love with a gardener without consequences. And BOY, were there consequences! I actually teared up at at least one point over the shear agony these babies were put through. Aaaah, my heart!!!!! <\3
And then, there's not a quick resolution. There's years before things come to any kind of resolution at all. There's the ebb and flow of Ella slowly climbing out of her hole and learning to live again, of the reminders and the aches that would flow back and threaten to crush her again, of finding new purpose and strength to move forward on your own when the person you want most has been denied you. It all felt so heartbreakingly and numbly and hopefully real! Admittedly, I did know the eventual outcome, as well as a few other details, because I had read a later connected story first, but I still wasn't sure how they were ever going to find a way through. I did start to get a little upset with Gavin by the end, but since he was absolutely perfect in the beginning and we finally got through the issues, I suppose I can give him a pass. I enjoyed watching how Ella transitioned from a headstrong, discontented girl to a woman with passion and plans. Her family was interesting--I didn't particularly fall in love with any of her sisters, but I'm interested to see how things change for the ones that get their own stories. The queen I liked for the most part, although she did confuse me a little with her different reactions. The king made me sad...I understood his fear for his daughter, but he really couldn't see when he crossed the line into hurting her. I think I actually laughed out loud (in an incredulous way) when he asked Ella why she hadn't told him about a certain thing before, because he 100% would not have believed her...
So anyway...yes. This was not an easy, sunshine and roses, all the obstacles clear away when you put your foot down and maybe get rid of that one snobby advisor read. (Come to think about it, this one didn't even have a snobby advisor.) But it was raw and real and lovely in a way that most princess stories don't even try to touch, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
And then, there's not a quick resolution. There's years before things come to any kind of resolution at all. There's the ebb and flow of Ella slowly climbing out of her hole and learning to live again, of the reminders and the aches that would flow back and threaten to crush her again, of finding new purpose and strength to move forward on your own when the person you want most has been denied you. It all felt so heartbreakingly and numbly and hopefully real! Admittedly, I did know the eventual outcome, as well as a few other details, because I had read a later connected story first, but I still wasn't sure how they were ever going to find a way through. I did start to get a little upset with Gavin by the end, but since he was absolutely perfect in the beginning and we finally got through the issues, I suppose I can give him a pass. I enjoyed watching how Ella transitioned from a headstrong, discontented girl to a woman with passion and plans. Her family was interesting--I didn't particularly fall in love with any of her sisters, but I'm interested to see how things change for the ones that get their own stories. The queen I liked for the most part, although she did confuse me a little with her different reactions. The king made me sad...I understood his fear for his daughter, but he really couldn't see when he crossed the line into hurting her. I think I actually laughed out loud (in an incredulous way) when he asked Ella why she hadn't told him about a certain thing before, because he 100% would not have believed her...
So anyway...yes. This was not an easy, sunshine and roses, all the obstacles clear away when you put your foot down and maybe get rid of that one snobby advisor read. (Come to think about it, this one didn't even have a snobby advisor.) But it was raw and real and lovely in a way that most princess stories don't even try to touch, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
December 29, 2013
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.
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.
April 8, 2015
I can't describe well enough how beautiful this book was. Ariella (seriously love that name!) was a endearing heroine. She was independent, humble, brave, pretty and a wonderful princess.
Gavin.....SWOON! Best guy friend turned lover ever! He was so sweet and genuine! The whole love story was gorgeous and pure and captivating. And if that wasn't enough Ella's journey to self discovery, through happiness, grief, heartache, betrayal, and independence was amazing.
I almost cried in this book for some reason....I just felt all of Ella's emotions and I loved every minute!
This is one of the best fairy tales I have ever read! Oh and can I say the village dance and the WATERFALL was so sigh worthy! I will be visiting this wonderful story over and over I'm sure!
Gavin.....SWOON! Best guy friend turned lover ever! He was so sweet and genuine! The whole love story was gorgeous and pure and captivating. And if that wasn't enough Ella's journey to self discovery, through happiness, grief, heartache, betrayal, and independence was amazing.
I almost cried in this book for some reason....I just felt all of Ella's emotions and I loved every minute!
This is one of the best fairy tales I have ever read! Oh and can I say the village dance and the WATERFALL was so sigh worthy! I will be visiting this wonderful story over and over I'm sure!
August 16, 2013
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. I love how all the obstacles in Ella and Gavin's relationship are believable, not just lame miscommunication issues like so many romance novels try to rely on. Also none of the cheesiness of many romances! It's sweet, fun, clean, and well written...and one of those books you just can't put down. I'd recommend it for teens and grown women alike. Loved it!!
September 4, 2013
This is the kind of book you don't want to put down once you start it. The first time I read it, I stayed up until 6 am to finish reading it (as a sleep-deprived mother of a newborn). I just love the sweet romance that grows gradually and feels like a real relationship. The writing is lovely and really sweeps you away. It is squeaky clean, which I love, without being at all cheesy. The plot is involving and the characters are very well developed. You will love it!!
February 18, 2017
First read in 2014. Reread in 2017.
I love this book. Seriously it's just so good, one of the sweetest books I've ever read. Ella is one my favorite characters ever. I'm so happy I decided to give Just Ella a reread, I think I enjoyed it even more than the first time I read it. Definitely one I'll reread for many years to come. If you haven't picked up this gem yet, I very much encourage you to do so.
I love this book. Seriously it's just so good, one of the sweetest books I've ever read. Ella is one my favorite characters ever. I'm so happy I decided to give Just Ella a reread, I think I enjoyed it even more than the first time I read it. Definitely one I'll reread for many years to come. If you haven't picked up this gem yet, I very much encourage you to do so.
July 29, 2014
7/28/14 - Just as great the second time around.
9/24/13 - Love, love, loved it! Such a fantastic book. I could not put it down, kept pulling my eyes open so I could read just a couple more pages. Great story, great characters, great romance, great ending. I want more!!! A new favorite!
Moral Note: Clean romance, clean language, mild violence
9/24/13 - Love, love, loved it! Such a fantastic book. I could not put it down, kept pulling my eyes open so I could read just a couple more pages. Great story, great characters, great romance, great ending. I want more!!! A new favorite!
Moral Note: Clean romance, clean language, mild violence
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