Learning to Fly

by Misha Elliott

Typical isn't a word you would use to describe Sophia Ann Marshall's life. Is she the parent? The daughter? The caretaker? Or the one who ruined it all? is there really a white knight that could come rescue her? Sophia's not so sure anymore. When her mom's latest breakup and firing causes them to move the summer before her senior year, Sophie is devastated.
Until she meets star QB, Alexander Matthews. Alex is the beginning of all the firsts Sophie has been dreaming of. Moving has turned her life and the life of her mom, around to exactly where she wanted it to be. Everything is great but will the price of happiness be too high? Can she really give up her dream? Why is life always filled with choices?
But he wants her to choose...Will she give him up to follow her dreams, or give up her dreams to follow him...

Genres: Young Adult

295 pages, ebook

First published February 22, 2014

About the author

Misha Elliott is a nomadic soul, living all over the US with her Scottish husband. During their travels she fell in love with the written word and put her hands to the keyboard to romanticize her journeys. When not writing you can find her at Scottish Highland games (she's there for the men in kilts) or at the beach...as long as It's not hurricane season.

Reviews

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must begin by stating that although I work with young adults, on a college campus, reading about them is not necessarily something I seek out regularly. However, occasionally, there is a title that catches my attention and Learning to Fly by Misha Elliott happened to be one of them this week. In this novel, Sophia Marshall is the main character that has had a less than perfect upbringing by her single mother Angie, although she was the mother, at times, appeared to be, just as old as her daughter as she tried to simply try.
Angie moved Sophia around a lot and on this most recent move something unusual happens, both mother and daughter finds themselves H-A-P-P-Y. Angie, falls in love with their unsuspecting landlord Larry and Sophia is swept clean off her feet by the star QB Alex Matthews. While love is in the air for both mother and daughter, they both come of age and learn to love themselves and then each other. However, although Sophie has broken out of her preverbal cocoon and has metamorphosed in to a butterfly, she has this underlying fear of being like her mother.

Now there is this Alex. This kid, Alexander Matthews is just as dreamy as any high school quarterback should be with family and friends that love him dearly. His father is overbearing and wants to live out his football dreams through Alex and sees Sophia as a distraction. Driven to please his father, Alex make decisions that brings happiness to everyone else leaving nothing left for himself. So after a few wardrobe, car and name changes, Sophie and the now Zander are away at college and things get a little interesting to say the least.

Overall, I thought this was a pleasant story about relationships. Although the premise was about Sophia and Alex or Zander, the relationship between mother and daughter and father and son was definitely there. The author, Misha Elliott, painted a clear picture of the glorious for some and tortuous for others, high school years. However, I felt “some kind of way” at some parts of the story. There were parts where I felt something was missing and other where I thought it was too much. Some parts I felt things were rushed and others I felt things dragged.

I digress. All in all, I liked Learning to Fly. If you like the New Adult genre, this is the book for you. It was a cute and sweet story about first impressions and perseverance. And despite me feeling “some kind of way” about parts of the novel, I am looking forward to running and reading the second book in the series entitled Come Fly With Me.

Check-out this review and others at www.runandreadthat.com and follow me on Twitter @RunandReadThat.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

That’s it! I’m such a sucker. Yep, I’ll admit it. I’m a sucker for High School romance novels. Geez, it’s like I’m trying to relive my past or something…lol

This is the first book I’ve read from Misha and I was completely hooked from the very beginning. The story just felt….real. It didn’t feel forced or that she “needed” to add drama to make it what it was…awesome!

Sophia spends the majority of her adolescent years raising herself because her mother, having had Sophia at the age of 16, didn’t know how to be a mom. One day, that was supposed to be the beginning of the end for Sophia, her mother shocks her with news that will completely alter her senior year.

Who didn’t think that the senior football quarterback was the hottest guy around when they were in high school? Well, after moving to a new town and starting a new school, Sophia not only thinks he’s hot, but he’s got his eyes set on her as well. Their newly found relationship sets things in motion that completely change everything Sophia has spent the last 3 years planning for.

When their love is tested, words are said and actions seem to be speaking louder than words, at least until an event brings things full circle.

Wow, this review is really hard to write without giving the story away. Oh wait, I can’t possibly give it away because I was left with the craziest cliffhanger, argh!!! No time like the present…opening second book….now…to be continued…

*I was given a copy of this book as a gift from Stephanie's Book Reports in
exchange for an honest review.

[Ronda Bearden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complimentary Copy

This was a read that I don’t normally read. I could class it in the new adult romance, not a bad thing at all! I normally read contemporary romance which can get a little on the hotter side! I did at first have a had time pulling my self in to the story, to me it seemed like the opening of the book dragged on a little to long. Once I got in to the book I could not put it down. Misha did a wonderful job. She is going to have some wicked talent as she finds her self more and more as an author. Plus she won more over big time with the cliffhanger!!!! LOVED IT!!!
Sophia and Alex had very short time together but in that time they both felt that it was more than just some high school love, it was deeper then just that. Can they make it work and will it last to prove to everyone else that it was more than your typical high school first love! I love how strong Sophia is, most would break under the pressure she has dealt with all her life. Alex is the QB that had a love to the sport and then is forced to live the life that his dad made the mistake of not living.
This story is going to bring to a lot of emotions, you’re going to want to kill some of the people and then your going to fall in love with them. Misha did a great job and I’m looking forward to read Come Fly with Me!!!

[Pamela Carrion · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4

We are products of our environment and no one knows this better then Sophia Marshall. Life could be pulled out from under us at any moment and Sophia's rug has not only been pulled but yanked! Hard! Uprooted from what should have been one of the best years of her life Sophia regroups and rebuilds.

High school can make or break you and Sophia is on her way to make a life different than the one she lived. Gaining independence and looking to create roots unlike her mother.

New city, new school, and new eye candy in form of Alexander Mathews may have something to do what that. What would the high school heartthrob and star quarterback want with Sophia? More than you think!

This is a sweet story of the power of love. The love of one person can change you. Love really can move mountains. Alex and Sophia are exactly what the other needs but as in life, love isn't always predictable. Sometimes love must crumble apart to build a better foundation.

This is the second book I have read from Misha Elliott. I have enjoyed seeing the growth in her writing and I know she will continue to grow with this new series.

[BooksandBeyondFiftyShades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophia Ann Marshall was not your typical high school junior. She had to be the parent, the caretaker, the adult to Angie, her "mother". When Angie's latest relationship falls apart, once again they will have to move. Sophia felt her life was over, new town, new school, but this did not put a dent on her plans.

Alexander Matthews, high school quarterback, and very popular good looking senior. His future was set he knew he had a scholarship to continue his dad's dream to become a professional football player.

When fate put Sophia and Alex together their senior year, the last thing either of them imagined was for their love to be strong. As graduation approached Sophia and Alex are forced to choose between their love or their future.

Can their love be stronger than their plans? or Will their furute plans will separete them for good?

[Cyndi Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book, Once You get into it you will stay hooked and will stay reading into the night. Not wanting to move, and getting ready to start her senior year in high school, and not having a very good child hood Sophia's very unhappy until she meet's Alex and then she ends up having many choice's to make. it is overall a very good read.

[Lauren]

I read the sample on amazon, and then went to purchase the e book and a notification came up saying this product was no longer available? Do you have any additional information on this?

[Gloria Bostwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book, I would highly recomend it to any one looking for a great read that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

[Lesley Koke DeWig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophia has spent her whole life re-inventing herself. Her mother is in consent pursuit of her happily ever after. So when if doesn't pan out, the two pack up and leave town. Sophia is getting ready to start her senior year of high school. She's excited to spend her last year with her best friend and plan for college. So when her mother informs her that they are moving yet again Sophia is beside herself. So on her first day at her new school she meet Alex. He is quite possibly the most attractive guy she's ever met, not only is he good looking, brilliant, he also the Quarterback for the football team. The two quickly form a bond. And over the next year they fall in love. But just when things are starting to finally go Sophia's way her world is turned upside down. Can first love have second chance? I really enjoyed this book. The ending has me dying for the follow up!

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won’t make the same mistakes my mother did at her age, are words Sophia Marshall lives by. A move out of state opens a whole new world to Sophie and her mom. Sophie soon learns that making the right choice is a struggle for every teen when they are learning to fly.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...

[Bella Boo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, I Havn't been one to write alot of reviews but i have learned it helps the authors out, so i will just say this book is great I loved it and any one who takes the time to pick it up will love it, give it a chance and you will be hooked I look forward to more great reads from Misha Elliott.

[Konica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alex seems too perfect, then he became a jerk. I guess the heart wants what it wants.

My gripe:
When the scene changed it seemed to blend in with the previous scene. Maybe indenting the sentence would actually let the readers know when the setting had changed.

[Sofia The Great · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 platypires

full review to come

I just didn't like the characters. couldn't root for this couple at all.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


Sophie Marshall is a product of a teenage pregnancy, and her mother’s emotional maturity hasn’t advanced past the date of her sixteenth birthday. Growing up and being the top student in your class is hard enough as it is, but when you add a mother who’s really a kid at heart, you’re the one who has to be there for her instead of the other way round. Sophie’s childhood and teenage years mostly consisted of moving around the country following her mother’s one failed relationship after another. She’s only managed to make some friends during her junior year of high school, but on the last day, her mother tells her that they have to move. Again. Understandably, Sophie is pissed – she’s certain that finishing senior year in some strange place, away from her support system in the form of her friends is going to be awful. However, a girl doesn’t have too many options and her mother needs an adult figure in the house.


Despite her reservations, Sophie’s new home and school turn out to be a lot different than she expected. At first glance, it starts all over again – her mother gets a new boyfriend and Sophie is shunned by the popular kids. However, when the school’s handsome basketball star Alex takes an interest in Sohphie, her life takes a very different turn. Will their relationship survive? Or has Sophie been too emotionally scarred by her mother?


“Learning to Fly” is a book that has previously been self-published, which did explain a number of typos and errors in the text (e.g. “Sophie” and “Sophia”). In this case, I didn’t have as much of an issue with it as I normally would in case of a self-published novel. I had, however, a number of other issues with this book – which is not to say I didn’t enjoy the two train rides that it took me to finish.


First of all, I was counting on a book that focuses primarily on a mother-daughter relationship and character development. Did I get that? Yes, but in a much smaller dose than I was hoping for, and it was very much a “tell, don’t show” narrative, rather than a “show don’t tell”. Second of all, I was wrong – this is a romance novel, instead of a YA that focuses on the parent-and-child dynamic. Long-time readers of my blog know that romance is not my favourite of genres (which is not to say I don’t read romance novels when I’m in the mood for them), and “Learning to Fly” has ticked many boxes next to the reasons why I am not too fond of romance.


Let’s start with the love interest. Alex is your quientessential popular high-school jock who has the eyes of every girl at school on him. He is the definition of “cliche”, and as his relationship with Sophie progresses, he fits the definition more and more. Perhaps I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be seventeen and in love for the first time, or perhaps my problem is that I never liked sporty guys that much anyway, but I thought that Alex was pretty darn awful. And that’s saying a lot, given that the book is from Sophie’s , a.k.a. his adoring girlfriend’s perspective. I absolutely hated how he treated her and pressured her into things she didn’t want, and yet that made her want him more and more. Perhaps it’s “realistic” for a teenage girl to feel that way (although I don’t ever remember feeling that way, which probably makes me very lucky), but it doesn’t mean that that’s OK. I really hate it when love interests in romance books pressure someone (or are pressured) into sexual relations or any other things. This sort of thing does not sit well with me and it never will.


Also, I really hated how Sophie was willing to give up going to Brown to follow a guy she only met a few months ago to a college called FSU (which, as far as I understand, is far inferior to Brown). While I did think that that was one of the most realistic ways for her to act, given her background and what she had to have learned from her mother, that was another thing that didn’t sit well with me.


Finally, I hated how the author constantly alluded to Sophie being asexual/demisexual, and did a complete 180 towards the end of the book. If she were confirmed to be ace, perhaps I would’ve enjoyed “Learning to Fly” more than I did – books with interesting asexual characters are rare, particularly in contemporary romance books.


I’m sorry to sound so negative – “Learning to Fly” was a good way to spend a couple of train rides to and from work, and I was interested in what was going to happen to Sophie, but the bad things about the book just outweigh the good ones for me.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
This was my first book by Misha Elliott and I enjoyed the story. Coming of age books are one of my favourites.

Change is hard, especially for a senior in high school. Sophie doesn't have the most supportive or motherly of mother's so she is used to having to uproot her life and move on to somewhere new but doing it senior year is the hardest. That's just what Sophie has to do. But finding new love in Alex could be one of the biggest changes in her life. Being eighteen without the support of your mom is hard to navigate through everyday life. What should be a year of fun, love, growing up and experiencing your last year of high school with your best friend isn't quite turning out the way Sophie thought.
I enjoyed the characters and their interactions. I felt they were fitting with high school life and nothing was over the top or out of context.
Throughout the story I kept waiting for "the hammer to fall." I liked this aspect of the story because it kept me turning the pages. I felt the love story between Alex and Sophie fit perfectly for teenage first love. Overall the characters were well developed and the storyline was good. There were times I felt the story could have had a bit more substance but for the most part it kept my attention.
I am definitely intrigued as to where Elliott is going to take this story as it was quite the cliffhanger.

Learning To Fly was solidly written and worth reading.
D 3.5/5

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I was given a copy of this book as a gift from Stephanie's Book Reports in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars for Learning to Fly by Misha Elliott. This is a really good book, but it ends with a huge cliffhanger!

Sophie Marshall's life so far has been anything but easy. Her mother gave birth to her at a young age and to say that she wasn't ready for motherhood would be the understatement of the century! Due to her mother's flighty ways, Sophie has been forced to move multiple times over her short life. She is finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. She has just completed her junior year of high school and is looking forward to the end of her senior year, so she and her best friend, Heidi, can go away to college together. So, when her mom tells her that they are once again moving, Sophie is devastated. However, things start to look up when she meets Alex. He is the oh so handsome quarter back for her new high school. The two start dating, and it doesn't take long for them to fall in love. Because Sophie believes that Alex is the first person to ever love her, she is desperate to keep him. She gradually starts changing to become what she thinks will make Alex happy. Ultimately, Sophie must decide if giving up on the dreams that she has had for so long will lead her down a path to happiness or heartache.

In my opinion, the story line flowed well, and the characters were very well developed. I would have given this book five stars if it hadn't ended so abruptly. I found myself anxiously searching for the follow up story on my Kindle only to find out that there was a delay with it's publication. Man oh man, I really really need to know how this story ends! With that said, I would still recommend this book, but in order to avoid frustration, I would wait until the 2nd book, Come Fly With Me, is published.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given an electronic copy by Booktrope and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Learning to Fly is the coming of age story about Sophie Marshall, a seventeen year old who basically had to raise herself because of an irresponsible mother. Having moved countless times before, Sophie is looking forward to spending her senior year with her best friend Heidi. This dream is not to be when, abruptly, her Mom (always call me Angie, not Mom) decides they need to move hours away. Without much of a desire to set down roots in the new place, Sophie is surprised that friendship and love can be found when you are least looking for it.

Filled with teenage angst, as well as important issues such as relationships, drinking, and depression, Learning to Fly contains the formula for a typical YA romance book. I did like how the author allowed her characters to develop and grow from their experiences, but I thought that Alex's character seemed false at times. His professed love did not come across as emotional pleas to me; rather, it felt like he was going through the motions in order to take their relationship to the next level. Towards the end, I did start to connect with the character, but it was a little too late. I did like Sophie, especially when standing up for herself and what she believed. This book has promise and might appeal to YA readers more than their adult counterparts.

[Robbie Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Misha Elliott gives us a good story of a high school girl struggling to make it without the emotional support from a mother who seems more embarrassed and trapped by her daughter than a loving role model. She has struggled to endure and survive, never knowing when her unstable mother will uproot her from the life she has created. When it does happen, Sophia is a survivor. Then enters Alex and she thinks her world couldn't be any better. Alex seems a confused teenager, but aren't most teenage boys?

I liked the step-father in the story the most. He seemed to bring the sense of family to the story that was needed.

Good characters and believable young adult struggles. I'll read more from this author.

[Al Eugene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the previous version and this one. I must say that this story line was a little slow in a couple spots in the beginning. Then the rest of it held my attention until the end. This story shows the reality of life for some.

I am glad that the event of moving sets things in motion for Sophie and Angie to have more of the life they wanted and deserved. Looking forward to book 2.

[Marsha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Learning to Fly by Misha Elliott is just not a good read. It is slow, disjointed, and surprisingly boring. I had a tough time with this one, all the way through. The editing was terrible and the characters lacked substance. I gave it two stars for effort, I mean it is nearly 400 pages of drivel.