Lila and Ethan... This is the story we all wanted, well I did. It wasn't what I was expecting. It was what I was expecting.

These two try their best to keep their friendship in the friend zone, despite their apparent attraction to one another. This whole story is a fight of the two of them trying to survive alone but together. They try to maintain what they think should be between them.

Circumstances land them together... but do they want to be together?

I am not going into any details about this story-line. A lot happens, and I don't want to give anything away.

I truly enjoyed this book. Although, I think these series spin-offs are getting to be a bit much for me. I can't seem to keep them straight anymore. There is just too much from one book to another to remember and keep track of. If you are able to separate them and combine them where needed, you should absolutely love this book! ( )

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I feel like I would have enjoyed this more if I had read her other books first. ( )

Lila and Ethan... This is the story we all wanted, well I did. It wasn't what I was expecting. It was what I was expecting.

These two try their best to keep their friendship in the friend zone, despite their apparent attraction to one another. This whole story is a fight of the two of them trying to survive alone but together. They try to maintain what they think should be between them.

Circumstances land them together... but do they want to be together?

I am not going into any details about this story-line. A lot happens, and I don't want to give anything away.

I truly enjoyed this book. Although, I think these series spin-offs are getting to be a bit much for me. I can't seem to keep them straight anymore. There is just too much from one book to another to remember and keep track of. If you are able to separate them and combine them where needed, you should absolutely love this book! ( )

This is the third book in The Secrets series. It can be read as a stand alone but it's so much better if you at least read The Secret of Ella and Micha first, where you first meet both Lila and Ethan.

Lila Summers is the definition of beauty. She is beautiful, she comes from a very wealthy family, she loves beautiful things and gorgeous clothes. She is flawless, happy, and has a beautiful big smile. But that's all superficial and what is on the outside. But what is on the inside is dark, ugly, and broken. With a dark and devastating past, a troubled home life, and a very broken family, Lila will do anything to keep the darkness buried very deep.

"...Be flawless. Shine bright. Never, ever do anything less than excel..."

"...We have expectations and standards to live up to. We must be perfect on the outside, despite what's on the inside..."

"...She never does anything right. I'm so sick and tired of the drama. Either she needs to straighten up or she needs to go..."

"...She forgot to tell me about the illusion of love and the darkness that comes with it. That eventually when the illusion is gone, the walls close in on you, crush you, and all you're left with is feeling more unloved, and worthless than you did before..."

Ethan Gregory is a lot more than your typical bad boy. He may be sexy as all get out with his brown eyes, black hair, holey jeans, and tattoos, but there is so much more to Ethan. Ethan also comes from a broken home that has left him with a fear if relationships. He has a dark past as well that he is running from but not ready to let go of. So now he lives by a set of rules and keeps his friends at arms length.

"...A year ago I was an average guy going to school, and getting decent grades. Now I'm an almost seventeen - year - old high school dropout who's sitting in some druggies' house, unsure how the hell I got here..."

"...I'm trying to figure out why I'm still here. I know why I came here..."

"...I've always secretly wished I could just leave all my stuff behind hitchhike across the country and write about what I see and feel and how much I hate being around people and the world and the constant chattering. It always feels like there's the rest of the world and then me..."

Lila carries the image of the pretty princess and Ethan carries the image of the off limits bad boy, but these two opposites find that they share a deep connection and a friendship that outsiders can't make sense of. Can they find a way to deal with their dark pasts and move past? Can Lila finally let go of the emptiness and find self respect and self love? Can Ethan finally let go of his guilt and the past? Can they both pick up the pieces and move forward? Can they let go of the rules and reach out for what's right in front of them or is that risk just too much?

"...I can see it in her eyes sometimes, when she gets really quiet. Sadness. Self - Doubt. Self - Torture, even..."

"...I want someone who will love me like Micha loves Ella. I want someone - anyone - just to love me..."

"...Break me. Throw me away. You don't want me. Of course you don't. No one does..."

"...And who knows, maybe we'll turn out to be one of the lucky ones. Either way it's worth the risk..."

Jessica Sorensen once again has completely captivated me. Lila's story is so dark and so beautifully sad that you will not want to put this book down for a single moment. And wait until you really get to know Ethan! He is a favorite on my list of book boyfriends now. He is a big delicious bowl of awesomesauce! This is truly a dark and sad story of two beautiful and broken people and their struggles to finding themselves again. I love Jessica Sorensen and the magic her beautiful words create. This may be a bit of a darker story but it is moving and it plays itself out in an incredible and moving way. And the end..... oh the end, will leave you on your seat begging to have the next book at hand! I loved the story so much and am happy to give it a Nerd Alert A or 5 stars! Next book. ...here I come! ( )