Review | The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is her French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before.

 This week my reading has been filled with headstrong, beautiful females and Ella is definitely no exception. She is way quieter but she got where she needed to be by the end of the book. Ella is very different from everyone else. She’s Italian, but doesn’t know the language, she spends time drawing doorknobs, and she’s totally obsessed with namesake of the school, Edward Willing. Her biggest insecurity is a scar from a hot water burn that has inspired the name Freddy as in Freddy Krueger. Ella is shy and quiet, but don’t take that for granted she has wonderful ideas and values. She is a little blind in the book, though, to her beauty. She learns that everything isn’t a fairytale, but if she lets it, things can be ways better.

Ella’s friends are great supporting characters that are as different as she is. Her gay guy friend, Freddie, who always has her back and Sadie, who needs a little help of her own. They are the backbone and hilarious support group of her journey.

Of course, what is a good book without a love interest? Enter Alex Bainbridge. He’s Russian, hot and totally out of Ella’s league (so she says). All Ella knows is that he meets the criteria and he seems nice, but he’ll never notice her. Until he does. Because Ella’s failing French, she needs Alex’s help and soon Alex is doing more than teaching French, but teaching her to love, herself and him.

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare reiterates that in order to love someone, you must first love thyself. This is an awesome life lesson and Ella is so inspiring. Shaking off insecurity and getting the guy, what more could you ask for?