Enter a forest full of danger, secrets, and romance . . . Princess Roselynn has never longed for adventure. For nineteen years, her life has been safe and comfortable. Until her father is murdered, and she discovers a plot to end her life. Hoping to find safety in the arms of her fiancé, she flees to the perilous Eternity Forest. When Roselynn meets brash Jay, she begrudgingly joins forces with a … meets brash Jay, she begrudgingly joins forces with a group of outlaws. Unsure of her new companions, she’s especially puzzled by Jay’s tough exterior and conflicting actions. Soon, she discovers everyone has their own purpose—and secrets.
Can Roselynn save her kingdom and be reunited with the man she loves, or will she lose everything to the dark forest?
A sweet romantic adventure perfect for fans of fairy tale retellings!
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Join a princess on the run through a forest rife with danger and deceit. I had the honor of reading an advance review copy of this book, and I was very impressed! It brought me back to my fairy-tale loving days, but these characters have real dimension and wonderful, witty, natural dialogue. Desperate Forest is a clean, yet swoon-worthy medieval romance adventure for teens through adults. This new author is one to watch!
Princess Roselynn is desperate. Her life is in danger, and she must flee her home. She flees into the dangerous Eternity Forest in the hopes of reaching her fiancee, the King of a neighboring kingdom. She is certain that he will keep her safe.She just has to make it through the forest alive.
Roselynn is rescued by a mysterious traveler (who I love!!!) and reluctantly continues her journey with him and his group. They are a dynamic group, and each has their own way to contribute – cooking, hunting, healing. Roselynn must figure out where she fits in and who her allies are.
This is a new and empowering experience for Roselynn. Though she is fleeing for her life, she is also free from the constraints of the castle. She has an opportunity to figure out what she really wants and who she really wants to be with.
I think this is why she connects to Jay and the group. They were all trapped by societal situations, and they are all fleeing from something. They share the stresses and fears of traveling through the Eternity Forest toward freedom and safety, and they all have secrets. Their unique situations present some powerful messages about trust, fitting in, freedom, and love.
There is a wonderful romance amidst a creative and fantastical setting. Roselynn has to examine her feelings for her fiancée as her feelings for the mysterious Jay develop. Can she trust Jay? Can she trust her fiancée?
Roselynn has been betrayed by people close to her, and she has lost trust. It is fascinating to see Roselynn gain more confidence in herself and her abilities and learn to trust again. She is an intelligent, compassionate, and loyal young woman, and these qualities aid her in personal growth.
Though some of the story suggests a possible love triangle, the chemistry between Roselynn and Jay is palpable. They challenge each other and make each other want to be better. I like how they bring out the best in each other, and that, even though they are so different, they are also quite similar. They are both stubborn, loyal, and brave. They both value family and friendship, and they both find pleasure in helping and connecting with others.
This is a wonderful and vivid page-turner. I actually read the second book in the series, Jabberwocky Princess, first, but it did not matter. Both books are standalone stories (though I did notice that two characters from this story make an appearance in the second book). I loved them both and think you will too!
I loved this book and recommend it to both the young adult and adult readers who enjoy a tale that will having you rooting for the two people to fall in love with each other and save two kingdoms at the same time!
Cece is a marvelous writer whose stories are captivating and whose writing will keep you glued to the pages to find out what happens next! Reading is a joy when you read one of her stories and I for one will be reading the next two listed after this one and any beyond it as well. Her writing just makes me feel so good inside!
Treat yourself by getting this book and then doing what I will and follow it up with the next two stories. You won’t regret it! In fact you will probably discover reading is enjoyable again and you won’t need to be entertained by the tv anymore for this story and others like put tv shows to shame! How can that box compete with a story you feel you were actually witnessing unfold right before your very eyes!
Princess Roselynn knew her life had been circumscribed since her father’s death. No more visits to town or rides in the forest–she wasn’t even allowed into her father’s library since her had uncle assumed the throne. But it wasn’t until she picked the lock on her father’s study and snuck in anyway that she discovered the rest of her precarious situation. Not only had her uncle poisoned her father, but he planned on having her killed as well.
A daring nighttime escape became a frantic journey to escape her uncle’s knights and reach her betrothed in a neighboring kingdom. But in between lay the Eternity Forest. If she wasn’t killed there by desperate men, the local wildlife might do her in.
And she was indeed captured by a desperate band, but they were no rogues or thieves. They weren’t willing to take her to her betrothed’s kingdom, but they did promise to deliver her to the one next door. All she had to do was hold on, and she could probably send her betrothed a message. Her prince would come get her and all would be well.
If only she wasn’t inexplicably attracted to the group’s handsome leader…
Desperate Forest is a clean fantasy romance, with a strong, interesting female protagonist. Those who enjoy the subgenre will likely find it to be a satisfying read.
When Princess Roselynn makes a daring escape from the clutches of her uncle to the eternity forest she never dreams of what’s awaiting her. All she wants is the safety of her fiance’s castle. But much more is in store for her.
Reasons I liked this:
The author is a good writer (descriptions etc.)
She only goes from only one point of view so it’s much harder to guess the romance.
It’s completely clean.
I got it for free.
Reasons I didn’t like it:
The characters got on my nerves at a few points.
It was pretty cliche. Now I totally understand that It’s really hard to write a good original book in this day and age but still. There’s honestly not much unique or original about it…
In conclusion, this is a more classic fairytale esc book, that won’t leave much of an impression.
A fast paced and clever read. I enjoyed the plot and the characters. Definitely an author to watch and follow!
Desperate Forest
The Forest Tales Series Book 1
Cece Louise
This was a wonderful book. I loved the imagination, and storytelling. The characters are wonderful. A great variety. This is a great story.
This is an entertaining fairy tale type story with strong , well developed characters. The author does a fantastic job bringing the story to life with her vividly painted scenes. It’s beautifully written,moves quickly and smoothly and I enjoyed reading.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
What a delightful story! I love fairy tales or stories that resemble fairy tales, and Cece Louise’s Desperate Forest was simply lovely.
Her characters were charming, even when they were difficult at first. I loved Princess Roselynn. She had such a good heart, and while she made some unwise decisions, they were based on misinformation and naivete, and always for the good of others. Jay and Tover were also quite fun, so different from each other, but their individual strengths complimented each other and saved the lives of many people. Lauren was the biggest twist in the story, but I don’t want to spoil that.
The forest seemed like a Robin Hood set-up but ended up being nothing like that. It was both a dangerous place and a safe haven. It was also interesting to have mysterious things happen in both of the primary kingdoms, but not as an external plot – both were truly independent of each other. I expected there to be actual magic in the story, and there wasn’t, but it wasn’t necessary. The story actually felt a bit like Jessica Day George’s Princess books. It was a beautifully told tale and I look forward to reading more of Cece’s books.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The forest. It’s always been there–on the OTHER side of the wall that surrounds her castle. Princess Rosie certainly never imagined she’d need to traverse it. On foot. Alone. But when everything changes and it’s a case of die sooner here or later there, well…
As she learns for herself, the dangers of the forest are quite real. And some of them are handsomer than others. Also more infuriating. Fascinating.
Forced to travel with a group of relative strangers–not all of whom are welcoming–Princess Rosie receives an unorthodox education about the world outside her castle and the people she’s desperate to protect.
I found the story slightly far-fetched at times, only to have to the plot make good use of it, turning my skepticism against me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Will Princess Roselynn’s fiance save her?
Desperate Forest by Cece Louise had me enjoying this royalty book which I loved and reminding me why I like those type of books. Ms. Louise has a good imagination and a way with words that I, also felt like I was apart of the story.
Princess Roselynn
Princess Roselynn is the main character of the book and our narrator as we follow her through her journey of escaping her uncle and getting to Darius, her fiance so that she can get her uncle off the thrown. She tries to survive in the forest by herself, and it works for a bit until she comes across a group of criminals that become her allies. Roselynn is a fascinating character who is book smart and likes going on adventures. She is also pretty entertaining and slightly naive about Darius. However, she did only see him a few months during the summertime. Roselynn did grow throughout the book, which is great to see, as well.
The Bad Guys
I can’t say much about the Bad Guy. As we have her uncle and another person that we have no clue about until she gets the group of criminals in the forest. It is pretty entertaining to see how Roselynn finds out about not only her uncle but also the other lousy person. I can’t exactly say who it is since it’s a significant plot point.
Five Stars
Desperate Forest by Cece Louise is a fantastic book that has a lot of potential for more stories within its universe. It has more than two kingdoms, and everything about this makes me a fan of Ms. Louise. I can’t wait for the second book to come out. Desperate Forest by Cece Louise is getting a five-star rating because it is so great and overwhelming good that I had a hard time putting it down. I am also recommending it to everyone that is a Young Adult, Historical Romance, and Fantasy reader out there.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Desperate Forest by Cece Louise.
Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
Happy Reading
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