Cicely Loves Books

Review: Let's get this out of the way: WINTERSONG had me at Labyrinth . I'm a hue fan of the movie, have watched it countless times, and still quote it regularly. So a book about goblins and a goblin king (y'all know I pictured Jareth, AKA David Bowie the entire time), had me utterly intrigued, and I'm happy to say S. Jae-Jones didn't disappoint me. Where Labyrinth always left me leaving more what the romance. What WINTERSONG gave me? THE ROMANCE. *swoons* Following Liesl down the rabbit hole as she tries to save her sister, Kathe, when Kathe is kidnapped. Now I gotta say, Liesl is a better girl than I am because I was content to let Kathe rot in the Underground (she's annoyingly selfish and vain). But Liesl saves her sister, by offering up herself, and thus becomes 'trapped' in the Goblin King's world where she absolutely flourishes. I will admit that the beginning of the story was a bit sluggish, but something about S. Jae-Jones' writing and ...

Title: Ruthless Author: Lexi Blake Publication Date: 8.9.2016 Series: Lawless #1 Source: ARC from publisher Purchase: Amazon Rating: 4 Stars Summary ( from Goodreads ): The first in a sexy contemporary romance series featuring the Lawless siblings—from   New York Times   bestselling author Lexi Blake. The Lawless siblings are bound by vengeance. Riley, Drew, Brandon, and Mia believe the CEO of StratCast orchestrated their parents’ murder twenty years ago to steal their father’s software program. And there’s only one way Riley can find some solid evidence... Heir to the StratCast legacy, Ellie Stratton hires a new attorney to handle a delicate business matter—and she’s shocked by her attraction to him. Over the course of a few weeks, Riley becomes her lover, her friend, her everything. But when her life is threatened, Ellie discovers that Riley is more obsessed with settling an old score than in the love she thought they were building. And Riley must choose between a revenge h...

Review: Ever since that jaw-dropping ending that came with ALL CHAINED UP (book 1), I have bee dying  to get my hands on HELL BREAKS LOOSE. And what I really mean is dying to get my hands on Reid. Sadly it would seem that Grace beat me to him. Sigh. I have to admit - I love a good kidnapping to romance story. Maybe because everything is so intensified and it gives the hero/heroine limitless time to sit and talk and get to know each other, but storylines where someone is kidnapped and then falls for their rescuer/kidnapper (who is kidnapping them with ulterior motives that don't involve hurting them - no Stockholm Syndrome for this girl, thank you very much) are some of my favorites. Sophie Jordan is a powerhouse author. She does it all: regency romance, contemporary romance, new adult, young adult, paranormal, fantasy ... There's nothing she can't write and write beautifully. I love all her books, but the Devil's Rock  series is a great jumping off place if you've n...

Review: I'll be honest - I didn't have high hopes for this one going in, but I think that's why I fell so head over heels in love with HIS COUNTRY BRIDE. From start to finish, this is a sweet, upbeat romance that you can sink into with a cup of tea and just thoroughly enjoy. Ellie cracked me up on a regular basis. Lucas made me swoon on a regular basis. Those two things alone are enough for me to love a book, but combining them into one steamy couple that constantly challenged and complemented the other sealed the deal for me. By the end, I was anything buy ready for the end. I hated saying goodbye to these two characters I had fallen for. Debra Holt also provides an assortment of fun side characters that gave additional depth to the story. I'm expecting (hoping?) they'll be featured in other books down the line. If you want a fun, light read this Spring, look no further than HIS COUNTRY BRIDE. ABOUT HIS COUNTRY BRIDE: "Sheriff's Department! Raise your hand...

Title:  Fighting Dirty Author:  Lori Foster Publication Date:  2.23.2016 Series:   Ultimate #4 Source:   eARC from publisher Purchase: Amazon Rating:  3 Stars Summary ( from Goodreads ): With the life he's led and the muscles he's gained, Armie Jacobson isn't afraid of anything. Except maybe Merissa Colter's effect on him. It's not just that she's his best friend's little sister. Fact is, she deserves better. Women pursue him for one night of pleasure, and that's all he wants to offer. Until rescuing Merissa from a robbery leads to the most erotic encounter of his life.   Good girl meets bad boy. It's a story that rarely ends well. But Merissa is taking matters into her own hands. No matter how he views himself, the Armie she knows is brave, honorable and completely loyal. And as past demons and present-day danger collide, they're both about to learn what's truly worth fighting for… Review: I feel like I've been waiting for Armie and Riss...

Title:  Unexpected Rush                Author:  Jaci Burton Publication Date:  2.16.2016 Series:   Play By Play #11 Source:   Finished copy from publisher Rating:  4 Stars Summary ( from Goodreads ): All the Right Moves For Barrett Cassidy, playing defense for the Tampa Hawks is a dream come true. And now he may have discovered his dream woman. Harmony Evans, once the sweet, gawky teenage sister of his best friend and teammate has grown into a smart, gorgeous woman with moves he finds hard to resist. But he knows he can’t get involved with his best friend’s sister—it’s guy code. Harmony has always gone after what she wants with single-minded determination, from her independence to her education to her career in social work. She never expected her youthful crush on Barrett to develop into something deeper. And she’s not about to let some ridiculous man rules or her brother stand in he...

Title:  Mastered Author:   Maya Banks Publication Date:  12.29.2015 Series:   Enforcers #1 Source:   ARC from publisher Rating:  4 Stars Summary ( from Goodreads ): What he wants, he takes with no remorse or guilt. She stood out in his club like a gem, unspoiled and untouched. A lamb among wolves, she clearly didn’t belong. Drawn to her innocence he watched as she was surrounded by men who saw what he did—but no one but him could touch her. He summoned her to his private quarters. He sensed her fear. He also recognized the desire in her eyes. And he knew she wouldn’t leave before he possessed her. She had no need to know his secrets. Not until he had her under his complete and utter control. What he wants, she isn’t sure she can give him. The moment he told her want he wanted, she couldn’t resist. Instinct told her to run, but her heart said stay and walk the fine line between pleasure and pain. Though she wasn’t sure she could ever completely surrender, th...

The Law of Moses by  Amy Harmon Release Date: November 2014 Age: Mature YA, New Adult Genre: Contemporary Romance, Supernatural, Paranormal, Fiction, Mystery, Romance Format: ebook Source: Purchased Buy it: Amazon |  Barnes and Noble If I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear. You will know it’s coming, and it will hurt. But you’ll be able to prepare. Someone found him in a laundry basket at the Quick Wash, wrapped in a towel, a few hours old and close to death. They called him Baby Moses when they shared his story on the ten o’clock news – the little baby left in a basket at a dingy Laundromat, born to a crack addict and expected to have all sorts of problems. I imagined the crack baby, Moses, having a giant crack that ran down his body, like he’d been broken at birth. I knew that wasn’t what the term meant, but the image stuck in my mind. Maybe the fact that he was broken drew me to him from the start. It all hap...

How We Deal With Gravity by Ginger Scott Release Date: July 8, 2014 Age: New Adult, Adult Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Family Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble The first week of sales will go to an Autism Organization in Arizona called Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC) When her son Max was diagnosed with autism, Avery Abbot’s life changed forever. Her husband left, and her own dreams became a distant fantasy—always second to fighting never-ending battles to make sure Max was given opportunity, love and respect. Finding someone to fight along her side wasn’t even on her list, and she’d come to terms with the fact that she could never be her own priority again. But a familiar face walking into her life in the form of 25-year-old Mason Street had Avery’s heart waging a war within. Mason was a failure. When he left his hometown five years ago, he was never coming back—it was only a matter of time before his records hit the billboard charts. Women, ...

In this sequel to Of Poseidon, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death. As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known So here is the second half of  Of Poseidon and it clears up what will happen to Emma if she is ever found out and about her mother , the lost princess of Poseidon. Galen is such an alpha male and he borders much more on controlling in this book than he did in the first or maybe I don't remember. And Emma comes out muc...

Remy by Katy Evans ★★★★★ Release Date: November 26, 2013 Publisher: Gallery Books Age: Adult Genre: Contemporary Romance, Fighting, Love, Illness, Boxing Format: ebook Source: SUBClub Books Preorder: Amazon | Barnes and Noble Underground fighter Remington Tate is a mystery, even to himself. His mind is dark and light, complex and enlightening. At times his actions and moods are carefully measured, and at others, they spin out of control. Through it all, there's been one constant: wanting, needing, loving, and protecting Brooke Dumas. This is his story; from the first moment he laid eyes on her and knew, without a doubt, she would be the realest thing he's ever had to fight for. With my limited presence this month, I feel like all I've posted are book review for Katy Evans books. This is not a bad thing, not at all. We should just rename November to Remy-ember! Remy is the third book (kind of) in the Real series by Katy Evans. Book 1 is  Real   and book 2 is Mine . Remy i...

Synopsis from Goodreads:  #1  New York Times  and  USA TODAY  bestselling author Nora Roberts presents two timeless stories of happily-ever-afters in these classic tales about Cordina's Royal Family The Playboy Prince When it comes to women, Prince Bennett has always enjoyed a challenge. So after meeting the quiet and beautiful Lady Hannah Rothchild, the dashing playboy cannot rest until he breaks through her careful reserve. Love had always been a game to Bennett, but with this elusive, mysterious woman he discovers his heart is on the line, and he's playing for keeps.… Cordina's Crown Jewel For a few precious weeks, Her Royal Highness Camilla de Cordina could be just plain Camilla MacGee. Working in rural Vermont for the devastatingly handsome and utterly cantankerous archaeologist Delaney Caine is the perfect refuge. But Camilla's irritation with the man soon turns into fascination, then desire, and the royal runaway knows she'll have to confess. Would Del se...