Thursday 23 June 2016

Story of a Secret Heart - Cassi Ellen



As Cassi, a 30-year old single woman, leaves a long-term, unhappy relationship, she struggles with the pain and anguish of a broken heart. When, by chance, she meets a handsome stranger, he introduces her to a world that she didn’t even know existed. As she begins to slowly forget all about her broken heart she learns to have fun again. It is then that her life starts to spiral out of control and all she can do is laugh and hang on tight. 

Story of a Secret Heart is about breaking up . . . and breaking down. It’s about the roller-coaster ride of a breakup and all the little stories in-between. 


What did I think?

This was so unusual in the way that it was written as you really feel as if Cassi is talking to you and you’re experiencing everything with her.  For someone who has travelled half-way round the world and is experiencing life in ways I would never dream of, it sometimes feels as if she has never lived at all due to the amount of comical scrapes she gets herself into.

I really liked Cassi as a character; she is so trusting and carefree and takes everything in her stride.  She refuses to wallow in self-pity after the break-up of her relationship and instead goes swimming in the sea of life.  She just needs to be careful that she doesn’t drown or get bitten by sharks, as she is in Australia after all.

I think the main theme of this book was just to enjoy life, have fun and don’t take things too seriously.  I realised how much I had come to care about Cassi when I started to get annoyed at how controlling Cassi’s new man, Ben, was – telling her what to wear and pretty much passing her round his friends.  For me, it was a bit of an eye-opener getting a glimpse into Sydney’s shady underbelly, and ok drugs and prostitution aren’t something I relate to, but it is fiction after all…or is it?

I loved the fun quotes at the end of each chapter and wish that I had written more down as I went along.  It has certainly ensured that I will pick the book up again in the future for some pearls of wisdom, such as these little gems:

‘I’m thankful for the horrible people I’ve met, they have showed me exactly who I don’t want to be,’ — Unknown.

‘Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open.’ — Unknown.

With one foot in the chick lit genre and the other foot in gritty real life drama, Story of a Secret Heart is well worth a read if you’re looking for something that little bit different. 

I received this e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:




Buy it from Amazon

No comments:

Post a Comment