Book Review – The Secret of Ella and Micha (The Secret #1) by Jessica Sorensen

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4.5 stars

“…when it all comes down to it, it’s just me and her against the world. Always has been.”

A beautiful friends to lovers story about a girl from a broken home and the bad boy who made her feel loved and safe again.

Ella and Micha came from a life of broken homes and bad neighbourhoods but ever since childhood, they have been there for each other – the best of friends. As they grew up, Micha wanted more but sensed something in Ella was holding her back and he never pushed her further.

Then one day, after their first kiss, Ella quite literally walks right out of his life. For eight months, he doesn’t hear a word from her. And ever since that day he has been desperately trying to find her.

Now, she suddenly she comes back home. But she has changed. Growing up, she always had been fiery – a rule breaker, an adreneline junkie, always speaking her mind, seizing the moment and taking risks – pretty much the girl equivalent of a bad boy. Now she’s a lot quieter, blends in more with people… is different.

But something made her leave and something is keeping her now from fully opening up to him and Micha will stop at nothing to figure out what has been keeping the girl he’s always been in love with away from him.

“See, the same old Ella still lives.” He grins… “She just needed a little push out.”…
“No, she doesn’t. She’s gone forever.”
“Try all you want, but I’m bringing her back.”

The characters are a wonderful mix of both endearing and mysterious. I felt like I knew just enough about them to connect me to them and to make me care but there was just enough that I didn’t know about them to keep up the mystery and the intrigue.

This book surprised me a lot – for some reason, this wasn’t the plot I was expecting but I really enjoyed the read.

Ella has pretty serious intimacy issues that stemmed from when she was a child – coming from a broken home, with a bi polar mother, a drunk father and an absentee brother… that kind of childhood would be bound to mark anyone.

But she had Micha who was just *swoon* a gorgeous character. A tattoed, musician bad boy with a lip ring, the kindest heart and a serious soft spot for this girl that he’s loved since he was sixteen.

It took Ella a while to accept Micha’s feelings for her. And at first I found it a little frustrating, but the more I learned about her character, the more I found her reactions understandable.

And when she finally realized that there’s this guy who has been there for her her whole life and whole is just head over heels in love with her – like truly, deeply in love – who’d do anything for her, oh my swoon is it beautiful!

 “I love you, Ella May and nothing will ever change that. You can push me away -run away – and I will still love you.”

I could just feel how much he loved her. He’d do anything for her. Drop his life. Give up anything.  This girl is his world. And he loved her enough to be patient with her and just be her friend while she sorted out her world.

“Stay here, baby,” he whispers…”Trust me, okay?” Don’t run.”

And guys, don’t go into this expecting some big “they-are-really-secret-agents” kind of secret. That’s really not the point of this book. The secrets are deeper than that. Its the complex sum of the emotions and experiences that have made them both who they are. What drives them. What kept them apart. What ultimately brings them together.

And omg the ending!! I swear my heart stopped! I was sensing a total Effortless vibes there. I totally didn’t expect that ending and I know everything will mostly likely be okay in the end but in the meantime, seriously… SNIFFFFFFF!!

Thank god for the mini-epilogue! It healed my heart and left me in a happy place…. but desperately looking forward to Book 2.

**little tidbit from the author: I was curious how to pronounce “Micha” whether it was Meesha or My-ka and she confirmed that the way she says it is “My-ka”

CASTING: