Worth the Effort: Ella's Story — Kai Strand

The morning Ella Jones forces herself to sit down and make a true connection with the homeless teen living behind the café where she works, she changes both their lives.

A senior in high school and a barista, seventeen-year-old Ella seems to be going places. Yet her parents' ideas for her future are as fractured as their marriage and neither wants her to pursue her own dreams.

Ayden Worth lives on the streets.

Their friendship buds in alleys and public libraries. His quiet ways and his gentle treatment teach her about true courage. He inspires her to look beyond herself and to be a better person.

But there's more to Ayden's story than Ella knows. When their worlds collide in the most unexpected place, Ella feels betrayed. Has her courage grown enough to forgive Ayden's misrepresentation?

WORTH THE EFFORT: Ella's Story is a young adult contemporary romance novella at 19,000 words.