Ella Allbright – The Last Charm

‘The Last Charm’ by Ella Allbright is a thought-provoking, emotional and beautiful story that begins with an email from Leila to a girl called Caitlin, to prove she is the owner of a lost charm bracelet. In order to do this, we go back in time to when Leila was an eleven-year-old and her mum left her the bracelet when she left the family to run away. Leila struggles emotionally and Jake, a boy who lives on the same road helps her through.

Each charm and the story behind it is told by the chapter, so we see and feel everything Leila and Jake go through in life. We see that Jake is there, through thick and thin for Leila, it makes for a very emotional and poignant tale. Leila is a girl who tends to flee from her problems and never realises that Jake is her mainstay, always present. I loved Jake in that he is one of those boys we wish we had met at eleven and he matures into a man that has overcome his issues and can deal with Leila as well. Leila on the other hand, well, she has massive issues with abandonment and this has led to her being the way she is. I didn’t dislike her, she can’t help how she is, and I have girls, I understand!

This is a well written and thought-provoking love story that takes you on a journey with two troubled kids and brings every emotion to the fore. With thanks to Rachels Random Resources for my copy of the book for the blog tour.