Book Review – Happily Ever After by Kelly Oram

Book Review – Happily Ever After by Kelly Oram Happily Ever After by Kelly Oram
Series: Cinder & Ella, #1
Published April 11, 2017 by Bluefields
Genre: Young Adult Romance, Contemporary Romance
342 pages
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Buy: Amazon, Book Depository
Find on Goodreads

The end of one story is often the beginning of another. Hollywood heartthrob Brian Oliver and his Cinderella princess Ellamara Rodriguez have finally found love outside the digital world. But leaving their anonymity behind creates a whole new set of obstacles for the nation’s new favorite sweethearts. With the stress of Brian’s fame and the pressures of a new relationship weighing down on them, the It Couple quickly begins to wonder if they can hold on to their newfound joy, or if maybe happily ever after is only a fairy tale.

Review:

I’ve been out of sort early this week because of my fascination with Japanese language, so instead of reading some good books last weekend, I end up browsing online on how I could learn the language. I’ve been wanting to learn the language for a very long time but I think this was the most intense urge I’ve ever felt. And because of that, I’ve been MIA from the blog for quite a while and I’m still in daze, and Happily Ever After brought me back in the reality. My! If I have known this book would be this amazing, I shouldn’t have left it unopened this long.

When I heard that there’s going to be book 2 for Cinder & Ella’s story, I honestly wasn’t that excited about it. Yes I got my own copy right after it was released but it didn’t occur to me that I will read it right away. Cinder & Ella was a good story, but I wasn’t really that impressed with how the two of them started their story, it sure got a 4 star rating from me but it wasn’t one of my favorites from Kelly Oram. I don’t know what I was thinking but I just found myself reading Happily Ever After that night and my! I just magically transported back to reality and all of the weights I’ve felt because of my efforts to learn Nihonggo so fast just vanished. (Just for now, I’m still planning to learn the language ofcourse *wink)

The reason why I was hesitant to read this story in the first place was because I’ve been dreading to read some annoying third party or Ella having a hard time adjusting in the Hollywood life that she’ll end up giving up Cinder (Brian in real life). As I’ve said, the first book wasn’t one of my favorites and it ended just fine with me, I don’t want to taint Ella and Brian’s story in my memory.

But I was really glad I’ve read this book. As you can see, I gave this story a raging 5 star rating and it totally deserve it. My! I can’t find the right words to describe how this story made me feel because it was too much. I just love everything about this book.

I love the start, the middle part, the ending, and just everything from front cover to back. And speaking of cover, I absolutely love it. I’m glad that it didn’t follow the style of the Cinder & Ella first edition cover. I love the fairytale vibe it exudes and that it totally lives up with the story’s happily ever after.

Before the happily ever after, this book sure did gave us some conflicts that really tugs my emotion. I was one time in the verge of crying, like just one shove and I’ll be crying my heart out. Oh wait, I just felt that my cheeks were a little moistened. So yep, I just cried. And it wasn’t just one time, I even lost count how many times I cried. I didn’t bawled like a baby but I cried in a drama actress way haha. But seriously, this story will definitely make you feel something, relate into it and cry.

I love that this story wasn’t cliché like what I anticipated. It was the happily ever after part of Ella and Brian so what would you expect for the conflict eh? As always, the scene about Ella’s family conflict never failed to make me emotional especially that it is more on the father-daughter relationship. Quite perfect for the coming Father’s Day eh?

What I always like about Kelly Oram’s story is that she always overdone her previous books. I was used to reading romantic-comedy books from hers and she made it to a different level this time. I love that this book didn’t just covers Ella and Brian’s happily ever after; about their love and relationship but also about family and especially about accepting and loving yourself even after what happened to you. Accepting your flaws and learning to accept the bad things that happened before.

I don’t think I ever did gush about Ella on my review about the first book, but for this one, I have to say I adore her. I love how this insecure and definitely ashamed of her physical appearance learn to accept her scars and love herself. And her love and hate relationship with her father was kind of intense too and made me furious. But I was glad she finally get to know her dad’s side of the story and why he did what he did before. I’m just so happy she’s finally having her own happily ever after not just in terms of love life but also with her family and career. Didn’t I tell you that Ella started as this strange girl that was always the center of stare and bullying now the most popular celebrity in America?!

Brian on the other hand, my! I remember I was never a fan of him. I hated his past life and his debauchery. Yep, he’s definitely more than just a playboy. Did I tell you how he became the archenemy of the hottest singer in the whole world of all Kelly Oram’s books?! Nah! I can’t tell you that. You need to read it for yourself. You can start off with the V is for Virgin series and then head to Ella and Brian’s story which is entitled as Cinder & Ella.

By the way, I mean to tell you that was I was really really really surprised about Brian. He was definitely far from the ruthless playboy that I first met in the first book. The day he met Ella, he transformed into this mature whipped loverboy. Well, he didn’t actually transformed but just came back to the man he was before when he first met and chatted Ella. I don’t buy the story about a guy becoming playboy because of what they experienced before. I just don’t believe that crap. But man! It’s hard not to when it’s about Brian. I understand where he came from. Despite the perfect handsome appearance is a broken person inside. Well, I blame all of that to his jerk of a dad. I’m just so happy he only have 1 scene in this story. I know it may have been a sudden change especially because of his reputation but I am buying all of it. Man! I can’t even count how many times I was surprised with all of the mature things he did and said. If this is really a fairytale, he’s definitely the perfect definition of prince charming. He was so understanding, and his self restraint was really appalling considering how he grew up being spoiled. Everything in the name of love indeed.

This story was taken both from Ella and Brian’s POV so we’ve got to read what they are really feeling. The execution of lines and the shifting of scenes was perfect too. What else would you expect from Kelly Oram eh? I am really sad to say this but this story didn’t appear 100% perfect for me. I dunno though, it maybe just my issue I think. There were some scenes in this story that includes more than 2 characters, so it was quite noticeable for me when the other characters were cutoff for a while in order for Ella and Brian to have their romantic scene. It wasn’t really that big deal though and if you decide to read this story, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t notice it (would you?). Besides, why would I give this story a 5star rating in the first place if it was bad eh? And also, this story cracked me up more than I shed my tears. Man! I can’t really get enough of Kelly Oram’s humor.

Happily Ever After is currently my true definition on how happily ever after should be. If you want to read romance with a little side dish, then this one is absolutely perfect for you. But be sure to read Cinder & Ella first or you’ll get confused.

Happily Ever After is definitely the perfect ending for Ella and Brian's CINDERELLA story.
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