Cecilia and Tyreese: A Short Story

Under Ground #2.2

by Alice Rachel

Story #0.4 - Included in SHIFTING GROUND: A SHORT STORY COLLECTION

Falling for Tyreese was out of the question. Cecilia had better things to do than waste her time on a boy. But her traitorous heart had other plans.

60 pages, ebook

First published October 1, 2016

About the author

UNDER GROUND Series Recommended Reading Order:

1 - UNDER GROUND - BOOK 1
2 - LOSING GROUND: A Stephen Richards Novella
3- STANDING GROUND - BOOK 2
4 - HOLDING GROUND: A Stephen Richards Novella 2
5 - COMMON GROUND: Kayla and Taylor's Story
6 - SHIFTING GROUND: A Short Story Collection
7 - DANGEROUS GROUND: Tina and Chase's Story (Out in October 2018)
8- BREAKING GROUND - BOOK 3 (Out in 2019)

Social Media Links:
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Facebook Author Profile

Reviews

[J. Kahele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back story

I loved that the author gave us a little insight on Cecilias life before Thia.

The love story between Cecilia and Tyresse was so beautiful yet disheartening. I hated that she had to marry Oliver and leave Tyresse and I only wished it could have been different. I hate when the bad guys wins.

[Sara Oxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese: 0.4 A Short Story (UNDER GROUND #0.4) by Alice Rachel an amazing four star read. I love how each piece of the under ground story reveals more about the story, it sucks you In more and more, it’s almost like the more you read, the more you have to read. I don’t know what I am going to do once Alice Rachel decides that there will be no more. All of the stories are told about subjects that aren’t always pleasant but they are amazing. This is a story of falling in love with a forbidden someone, when Cecilia and Tyreese meet in a library, Tyreese soon becomes obsessed, but Cecilia has better things to do than fall in love with a boy, but as well all know just because the brain has one plan, when your heart falls in love you can’t always stop it. This is a great story and shows us why some people turn out the way they do. It’s a heart shattering read that shows no matter how rotten life can be for you, sometimes you can get what you need in the end, but not always. This series goes from strength to strength, and gets better with every instalment, each story reveals more details and another part of the journey. Alice Rachel takes you to a different world and even though the story is short, it’s a compelling read that reveals more of the story than you think possible in so few pages.

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese: A Short Story (Under Ground #0.4) by Alice Rachel is part of the Under Ground series. I would highly recommend that you read the previous books in this story so that you have some background information that would be helpful. In this book we get to see how Cecilia got where she is today. This story is about falling in love with the wrong person. This story has some suspense and of course you can't forget some romance. You will enjoy how this author can create a story with characters that you will be able to connect to and relate to. The way she is able to create characters that are futuristic but yet true to life is great. You will enjoy how this story will pull you in from the first word and keep you engaged until the end. Find out what Cecilia's story is.

Cecilia is a young girl who has better things to do then to fall for a boy. Will her heart have other plans? Then one day while at the library she runs into him, he is staring at her. She is a little feisty with him but that doesn't seem to make a difference to him. Will she finally let go of her feelings and let her heart take over? What will she do when she is forced to make some difficult choices?

Tyreese is a young boy who meets a girl at the library and is fascinated by her. He is determined that she gets to know him. What happens when she finally does give in? Do they have a chance at happiness? Will an enemy take revenge and take the upper hand? How long will his love last?

Cecilia and Tyreese's relationship is one that is forbidden. You can't always help who you fall in love with which is what happens here. But what happens with these two will make you want to see more of them. There are many twists and turns with these two that you will need to see what happens with them. They are both strong characters that grow through the story. They both know what they want and aren't afraid to break the rules to get what they want. But how many rules will they break and will it put them both in danger? Is there happiness in their future?

This is one of my favorite series that I have read. Alice Rachel has given us many different characters but they all relate to each story and each other. I can't wait to read the next book in this series. Alice loves spending time with her husband and guinea pigs. When she is not writing, she teaches French, reading and drawing. You will enjoy how this story will pull you into this world that you will lose track of time. I read this story in one sitting because I found it hard to put down. This story is fast paced and will keep you reading until the end. I highly recommend this story as I know you will want to read the next installment of this series as much as I did.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese: A short story by Alice Rachel- 4 stars

Cecilia takes pride in wanting the exact opposite of what most girls want at her age. She does not have time for relationships, doesn’t see herself ever being married and is trying to find a way out of it or delay it as long as possible. There was no man worth her time or worth jeopardizing her goals in life.
While in the library one day, Cecilia is bombarded by an odd and pushy boy named Tyreese who didn’t seem to care how many times she had told him off or that she wasn’t interested. Every day that Tyreese could see her in the Library he would try to go out of his way to talk to her or convince her that he was worth getting to know on a more personal basis. Unfortunately every girl has their weakness, and for Cecelia that was books. Tyreese convinced her to come over a few afternoons a week to look over a private collection of literature where some were even illegal to have. Slowly but surely Tyreese convinced Cecilia that he was a good person and she let down her walls and allowed him to have her heart.
Unfortunately, not all men believed it was the woman’s choice on when or who they marry and Tyreese and Cecilia’s bubble of happiness is abruptly shattered.
This short story portrays a very strong female lead and for once a male character who listens to boundaries and understands the philosophy of a woman’s right to choose. I did read this as a standalone and have not yet read any other parts of this series, but I was not lost and immediately felt for the characters and their story. The reading pace was quick, witty and although a bit dystopian, still hit home for some real life issues women are currently going through.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese is a short story in the Under Ground series by Alice Rachel. It gives a look into the past of Cecilia, Thia's mother, and her young love for a boy named Tyreese. As a teen girl, Cecilia was feisty and independent. She had no desire to date or marry and didnt want to rely on a man for anything. Even when she met Tyreese one day at the library, she thought he was cute, but that was it. However, the more he came around, the more she began to like him. Soon they were an item, that is, until Oliver sets his eyes on her. He is jealous of Tyreese making the football team Quarterback, and makes it his mission to steal his girlfriend. He doesnt like Cecilia, and finds her rude and arrogant, but continues to court her just to be a jerk. Despite her best efforts to push Oliver, away, he doesnt give up, and she finds herself soon engaged to him, and things just go downhill from there.
I didnt expect to enjoy this story as much as I did. Cecilia was not a very interesting character to me, because you dont know much about her during the series. She is very quiet and closed off, and I think because of that, is why I enjoyed the book so much. There is so much we didnt know about Thia's mom. Turns out, she is more like her daughter than she would like people to know. I think this is a great compliment to the Under Ground series, and recommend it to anyone who read the series. It is very well written, and I fell in love with the characters and their relationships together. 5 star for me.

[Tracy Antonelli Manderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese: A Short Story (Under Ground #2.2) by Alice Rachel
5 out of 5 stars
WOW Ms. Rachel has amazed me with her Under Ground series. I simple love her work. She has this unique way of telling her story that has you stepping into her world and the characters are well developed. The way she surprise’s you at every turn is amazing.
Cecilia and Tyreese love story made me cry the way Cecilia walked away from the love of her life just to save her father. She reminded me so much of Thia.
Falling for Tyreese was out of the question. Cecilia had better things to do than waste her time on a boy. But her traitorous heart had other plans. And when Cecilia finally let go, she fell so hard her heart shattered as she hit the ground and faced reality.
We Got to see Cecilia's life experiences affected the way she raised her own daughter Thia and the decisions that she ultimately made concerning her. She wanted better for her not a loveless marriage like she was in. If you look at it Cecilia and Tyreese relationship reminds me of Chi and Thia’s relationship.
I’m glad I got to read more about Cecilia and what she went through to save first her father and then her children and she was a strong woman who in the end got her revenge. I will be reading about the other characters to get a better understanding of them and how they became in the underground.
I highly recommend this story/series and you need to read them in-order to get the full effect of the series… I just simply love these characters and story line. I can’t get enough of this series
By
Tracy Manderson

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

Cecilia & Tyreese is A Short Story (novella) in the beautiful, sad and a slightly dark, but always thought provoking, Underground series- by the supremely talented Alice Rachel
This story is about Cecilia, who is Thia’s mother. It takes us back to when Cecilia was a teenager, and gives us an idea of how and why Cecilia became the woman we meet in Underground.
Cecilia is determined, independent and strong. She has no intention of following the rules or giving up on a life of her own design, for any man. That is until she meets Tyreese at the library. He is quite intrigued by her and is determined that they should get to know one another. No matter what Cecilia’s head told her, her heart had other ideas. Eventually Cecilia’s defences crumble and she falls very hard.
We are privy to their forbidden love and the lengths the two go to for their love. This is a beautiful, but very dramatic and heartbreaking story. I hated that their fates turned out the way they did. But I guess we wouldn’t have had Thia if their fates had been different. I now understand how Cecilia’s own experience factored into the way she was and influenced how she was with Thia. Cecilia and Tyreese’s story has some definite parallels with Chi and Thia’s story.
Another really well written instalment added to a captivating series..
Well done!

Thank you Ms. Rachel!

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese: A Short Story (UNDER GROUND #0.4) by Alice Rachel takes us back quite a few years. Cecilia is Thia’s mother and we first meet her about the same age that we met Thia.

Cecilia is at the age where she is to find a suitable match. However, she is determined not to marry – no matter what. She acts cold and sends away all of her potential matches. Her father agrees that he wants her to marry for love so he doesn’t push marriage on her, despite the fact that most fathers (and mothers) only want their daughters to be married and taken care of so, in turn, they are taken care of too!

Cecilia then meets Tyreese. He is smitten with her and will do anything that he can to win her over. He slowly melts her ice wall and then Cecilia’s life changes completely when her father loses his job!

Cecilia has to make some tough decisions. She can choose Tyreese or she can choose to take care of her family and marry!

I have gotten so hooked on Rachel’s Underground series. I can’t ever wait to get the next one! After reading the first one, I love learning more about all of the secondary characters too when they get their own books. This was no different!

[Misty Ziegler · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****5 Stars*****
Cecilia and Tyreese: A Short Story by Alice Rachel

I give 5 stars to this refreshing addition to the Under Ground series. Cecilia and Tyreese by Alice Rachel introduced us to the 2 characters when they were young and first met, and therefore almost the entire short story was completely new information. I've enjoyed the series, but was happy to move beyond Chi, Stephen, Willow, and Thia. Learning more about Cecilia when she was younger and how she ended up in love with Tyreese, only to be married to Oliver, actually made me like her more as a character. Learning more about Cecilia’s experiences before Thia almost makes me frustrated more by her lack of support for Thia when she had gone through similar things, but overall it helped me see her viewpoint. This one is a definite must read from the series.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

BR: Cecilia and Tyreese: A short story
Author: Alice Rachel
Four Stars
Cecilia and Tyreese: short story starts a long time before Thia, a long time before anyone else in this series. Cecilia is the mother of Thia and Tyreese is a boy she met at the library purly by chance. It is a companion book to the Underground Series of books by author Alice Rachel. This is a very short 15 minute read that gives you some of the detail about what occurred in Cecilia's life that turned her into the person she is in the Underground Series of books.
Alice Rachel is very good at describing emotions and detail about surrounds. Good read and this gives even more insite into why Thia is the way she is. And it was shocking to learn how much of a rebel Cecila was before she married Oliver. It is just not very lengthy.
Kelli Harper

[Anita Glover · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story follows the life of Thia’s mother from before and during her marriage to Oliver. It seems that Thia’s mother had hidden depths which we began to see when Thia left to find Chi. Ever wondered exactly why her mother covered her true feelings up? Wanted to know where Thia got her feistiness from? This short story explains it all.
I love Alice Rachel’s work. She has developed her characters so that they are multi-dimensional and these short stories detailing the points of view of her characters give them greater depth and perspective. To know your characters so well to be able to do this shows an amazingly creative mind as well as skill. Cecilia and Tyrese’s story is a great addition to the Underground Series.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Pretense and silence are a woman’s only protections in this world.”
I must say right off the bat that this was definitely the novella of this series that has me hooked. I normally am not a dystopian reader. I chose to read these because they grabbed my attention just by the small blurbs that accompany the books. This one no different. This is part of a series, more of a background and history of the past type however and I would say could be read as a stand-alone. However, I would definitely recommend that one reads all the books in the series that are available to really grasp what is going on. This is a futuristic world that has very different outlooks from what we would consider the normal of our current roles in society.
This particular novella is about Cecilia and Tyreese. Cecilia is the mother of Thia, who is in other novels that are set in the current. This tells us the story of how Cecilia came to be a mother and what role Tyreese played in her life. Her daughter ends up doing the same thing that she did as a child, but had the guts to fully go through with her rebellion and join the Underground.
When Cecilia is, a young woman looking for a way out of the arranged marriage that is the status quo for setting ones social and economic status. “I didn’t understand the sudden speeding of my heartbeat. Would the boy be there again? Tyreese. I tried his name on my tongue to see how it sounded when I said it. Tyreese. Well I had better stop thinking about Tyreese. I had better things to do than get involved with a boy… I was going to look some more, and hopefully, I’d find the information I so desperately needed. I simply refused to rely on a man to assure my future. I would make it on my own. Why, why, why did I have to be born a girl in this forsaken place?”
Tyreese also thinks outside of the norm for his social status. “Unlike most guys I knew, I liked headstrong girls. I didn’t want a servile wife. I wanted a partner, an equal, someone I could rely on for moral support. Also, I like a challenge and this girl looked exactly like that I would talk to her before she left the library; I swore it… Also, she wasn’t wearing blue, which was a good sign for me; she wasn’t promised to anyone.”
The two build a friendship around their common personalities and opinions, that eventually leads to the two falling deeply in love with each other. This would be ok if Cecilia’s father had not had been fired from his job for standing against the government. Now Cecilia is forced to court and be with Oliver, the son of her dad’s new boss. His new job and the future of the family status rides on her arranged marriage to Oliver, despite her distaste for him. This brings us all through the years of Cecilia and what she endures for her family’s social status. It sadly also mirrors into how her children are perceived and the futures that await them.
Definitely a good quick read that is bound to get you hooked on the series.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Cecilia in this story she was given a more depth personality and what she was feeling about the events in Under Ground. It was also really nice to hear about what she was like when she was Thia's age and how the society was then.

[Mom's Guilty Pleasure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Standing Ground Cecelia and Tyreese
A Short Story written by Alice Rachel
4 stars

This book was a little confusing for me to follow at first and then it jumped ahead by huge chunks of time. I didn't realize until I finished it why so many details were left out. I would recommend reading this series in order so you can get much more out of the short stories. Had I realized this wasn't the first book in the series I would have been able to realize all the extra details it was giving to enhance the series. I'll reread it in the right order to give it its proper appreciation.

Cecilia was determined to go against society. She didn't need a man to give her a future. She wasn't going to be like her mother and have an arranged marriage to better her society status and provide a larger staff to impress others. Cecilia was going to find a way out of her current situation.

Tyreese kept seeing a girl at the library that wouldn't give him the time of day. She would just ignore him and look through him, not at him. He was intrigued by her, he knew she was hiding her true self. He was determined to break through the walls she has built up around herself and get to know her.

Tyreese finally found a way to get Cecilia to spend time with him. She still acted as though she didn't like him, but he was seeing cracks in her armor. Little by little he was starting to understand her and started falling for her a little more each time he saw her.

Would life be so cruel to Cecilia now that she found a reason to stay? Would she be torn from the one person that understands her and isn't trying to use her? Will she have to go back to live a life she loathes? Is it too late to tell her family her true wishes...will they continue with the arrangement they set out for her?

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese
Author Alice Rachel
4 Stars

What do you do when you meet someone and fall in love with them but you are destined to marry someone else? Someone you can’t stand, someone when you look at them all you feel is disgust? Well you marry them to save your fathers job of course and in the process, lose the one you love.

Tyreese first saw Cecilia on a rainy day when they both were heading off to the library. Tyreese was immediately taken with her beauty and needed to get to know her. But when they first meet Cecilia tells Tyreese that she has no interest in getting to know any male and curses the day she was born female.
Not giving up Tyreese continues to try to get to know her and after a few months gains her trust. Tyreese is in love with Cecilia but when she tells him she must marry Oliver he is enraged and tells Cecilia that Oliver only wants her to spite him. This makes Cecilia angry and thinks Tyreese is full of himself until she asks Oliver and he admits it. Oliver knows that Cecilia will never love him just as much as Cecilia knows she must marry him to save her father.

Oliver thinking, he was smart invited Tyreese to the wedding, this infuriated Cecilia but she was told that to was none of her business who was invited to their wedding. When the wedding day arrives to prove a point to Oliver, Tyreese and Cecilia are caught kissing in the bathroom by Oliver, Oliver tells Tyreese to take his hand off his wife, Tyreese’s response to that was she maybe your wife but she will be mine for ever. Tyreese is heartbroken that he has lost his first love. He loves her for years and never meets anyone of interest. Before he could find a wife, he would have to get over losing Cecilia.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again a very strong woman is the main character of this part of the series. Cecilia has made up her mind, she won't play by the rules, fall for a man, marry and be just property without a life of her own. But fate is cruel and in this case especially so. Alice Rachel has a special knack for writing dark, dramatic and not very happy stories that catch your heart and run with it, inspires tears and hope and much food for thought and discussions.

When I read the first book of her Standing Ground series I thought it not quite logic or believable that so many strong women lived in a world dominated by men, when they are only playthings without worth and don't play a big role in society - but in the families they did and that made me wonder. But now I realized that those strong women are not unlogical or unbelievable. They really can be found in all environments, some of them won't be suppressed, some of them stand up and are strong, no matter what - and they find men to love that are absolutely worth their love. Like Tyreese who - even though he grew up in a world that belittles women - still feels drawn to her strength and her spite and her sassiness. His father taught him this respect and he taught him well.

I loved their story and I hated what came out of it even though I can't really hate it because in the end something good, something awesome comes out of it and I can't wait to read more about Lance!

[Ava Pavkov · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's ready to want to hate Cecelia in the first novel of this series, but I have grown to appreciate her more through this short story. I feel like Oliver and Cecilia throw everything out of proportion when they're angry, but I sometimes find reasoning for that. I liked Cecilia and Tyreese's relationship because it reminded me a lot of Chia. Once again I found it kind of aggravating that Cecilia didn't give her daughter a chance before making assumptions when she hears of what she and Chi have done.

I feel like there is a separation of women in this novel that is evident and necessary. Emily, one of the maids and Cecilia don't get along and in Alice Rachel's other novels she always seems to have the girls branch together against the sexism that they face, but not here. I feel like that's a good thing though since that's not hownits like in real life. Though sometimes I feel this novel has an issue with what would actually happen in a situation, but this is something that will always happen. it's realistic and I like that.

Overall I enjoyed this book a lot. I would recommend to anyone who hasn't read it yet and still hates Cecilia, because I wouldn't as much after this. She may be a confusing character and I may not agree with her motives but I feel like I'm beginning to understand her more.

[The Endless Unread · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese: A Short Story (UNDER GROUND #0.4) by Alice Rachel is a five star read for me.

What an awesome series. This book can be enjoyed time and time again. It is amazingly intense and the author prepares you for the journey for you to take alongside the characters really well. The characters and story development were perfectly done. This book was extremely well written and has fast become of my favourite books. I will definitely want to one click future releases from this author. This book was full of different emotions with many twists and turns in the book that will keep you guessing what is going to happen till the very end.I have the feeling that I am going to be seeing some special works coming from this author.

I could not wait to get to the end so I devoured it in one sitting. Incredible work!!

The storyline was done really well and was believable. It kept me gripped from the very start until the end, so much so I took the book everywhere with me in order to finish it. I adore this book and cannot wait to read the next in the series as well as other work from this amazing author. I will definitely be recommending this author to everyone I know.

I'll definitely look forward to the next in the series.

Definitely one awesome book to pick up and I can see this author going from strength to strength.

5/5

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give Cecilia and Tyreese: A Short Story (UNDERGROUND #0.4) by Alice Rachel 4 stars.

Cecilia was born at the wrong time. She is a very headstrong, independent woman in a time where women were only supposed to marry and give their husbands babies. Little thought was given as to whether the woman wanted to or if there was love involved. She has been lucky so far, and has sworn never to be under the influence of a man. Just when she was looking into how to stay away from men legally, she met him.

Tyreese is extremely intrigued by the interesting girl he sees in the library. She is gorgeous, and when she treats him in a horrible manner, it only makes him want her more. But just when things looks like they may work out for these two young people in love, fate steps in and threatens to take everything.

Should Cecilia do what is her duty or follow her heart?

This was quite a good story. Although not very long, it makes you feel like part of the story. You feel for the characters, you want them to have the happily ever after they deserve. It will keep you reading until it is finished. Then you will want to quickly move on to the next book in the series. I know that’s how I feel.

[Debi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese: A Short Story (Underground #0.4) by Alice Rachel
5 stars

This is a short story about Cecilia and Tyreese

They have a chance meeting in the library where she makes it very clear that she will never fall for any boy, even the handsome and intriguing Tyreese. After many visits to the library he begins breaking down her walls and they start spending much more time together. Cecilia finally lets go and loses her heart to Tyreese. He is gentle and kind and lets her know just how much she means to him, but with her family's future in her hands she is left with no choice but to succumb to the life that was chosen for her. With a shattered heart she is forced to face reality.

Having not read any of the other books in this series, which I will remedy as soon as possible, this story left me with a lot of questions, questions about before this story and after. It was a well written short story and I enjoyed how the story flowed, and I could not put it down until the end to see what happened next. I can't wait to grab this series and read it in order, this was enough to make me want a whole lot more!

[Maura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese: A Short Story (UNDER GROUND #0.4) Alice Rachel – 5 Stars

If you are reading this series in order, this will be the 7th book read. It should be read after Standing Ground. The story of Cecilia and Tyreese is longer than the other books as it should be.

This is the backstory of Thia’s parents (Cecilia and Oliver) and gives us a better understanding of how Thia was raised and why her mother is who/how she is.

I started this story not liking Cecilia, then I liked her, then I didn’t like her and then I liked her again. She is such a complex woman and I was really proud of her in the end.

As I was reading, I was highlighting what I thought the title of my review could be. There are so many nuggets in this story, that I had 4 to choose from:

“The arrogance of the male species gives me rashes”

“I don’t need a Prince Charming to make me happy”

“…would have been quite handsome were it not for the ugliness of his dark rotten heart.”

“pretense and silence are a woman’s only protections”

In the end, I chose: "The story of Thia's mother" in case the casual reader was wondering.

[Rhonda Pulk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five star story.

Alice Rachel tells a descriptive story that explains some interesting history of back characters in Cecelia & Tyreese. In a time and place where people had no choice in who they married or how many children they could have,  rebellion was a common and dangerous action.

Cecelia was a cold,  independent, woman who didn't need it want a man to support her.  She held on to this independence until she succumbed to Tyreese and his obsession with making her like him.

Tyreese was completely entranced by Cecelia.  He could think of nothing else.  He dwelled on the time they shared together at the library or his home.

But when Cecelia's family situation changes,  everything falls apart.

This story is heartbreaking on so many levels.  The fear that Cecelia hides behind her coldness is intense. I could feel the emptiness she and Tyreese felt when they were forced apart by choices made for them.

Alice Rachel is a wonderful storyteller with a descriptive flare for pushing the limits against authority.

[Jazmine Cabrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese is book 0.4 in Alice Rachel’s Underground series. This short novella gives us an inside glimpse of Cecilia’s life before Thia. She wasn't like all the girls in her school, she didn't want to be married to someone. She wanted to prove to her parents and the rest of society that she'd be ok alone. She had no interest in boys until one day at the library. The boy she met there did more than just annoy her, he also intrigued her. Cecilia couldn't help but break her promise of staying unmarried, and gave in to her need.
Tyreese was more than just interested in Cecilia. He wanted more than just her friendship and little by little he started to win her heart. Everything seemed ok until Oliver came into the picture.
Will Oliver keep Cecilia away? Or will love conquer all?
5 stars. I definitely enjoyed this short novella and can't wait for more!

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyreese by Alice Rachel is a short story in her Under Ground series and is it supposed to be read after the 2nd book. I loved the story! It is amazing how much more you can start getting out of Alice’s books when you read these short stories! I always thought that Tia’s mom was such a cold biatch but now, after reading this short story, my heart aches for her!
“Pretense and silence are a woman’s only protections in this world.” What an existence! Ask yourself – could you do that? Think of a life lived with a someone who you cannot stand, someone who humiliates you, abuses you and you have absolutely no escape … I know it sounds very much like our world today and this story can be a warning of what is in store for us, women, if we do not keep fighting for our rights!
Alice Rachel, you are killing me with every single one of your short stories!

[Kat Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This prequel builds upon what we know about Thia by revealing a glimpse into her mother's life when she was Thia's age. It's a beautiful and sad story. Naturally, Cecilia's life experiences affected the way she raised her own daughter and the decisions that she ultimately made concerning Thia. I think in the Underground series, these novellas and short stories are critical because the cast of characters is so vast that the author couldn't possibly give every character the spotlight they deserve without the supplemental reading. So my advice, if you love the Underground series, make sure to read about the characters in depth. It will bring a fuller love and appreciation to the entire series.

[Kaylin Beach · Rating 5 out of 5]

'She kept pushing back and I wanted closer.
"You intrigue me."
"Read a mystery novel if you're into intrigue," she replied. "I didn't come here to entertain you."'

I absolutely loved being able to see Cecilia's and Tyreese's story! Their story is the absolutely same story as Thia's and Chi's. I love that Alice Rachel gave us this information. It really helps the reader understand where Cecilia was coming from when she let Thia run away with Chi. It broke my heart that Thia grew up with a dad like that. Oliver was such a disgusting child and it is weird knowing that Thia, someone so different, came from a father like him.

[Kandis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia and Tyresse: A Short Story
by Alice Rachel
**5 star**

Cecilia and Tyresse: A Short Story by Alice Rachel is from the Underground series. In this story we get to see Thia mother's background from when she was a teenager. We also get to see Underground and Standing Ground from the point of view of Cecilia. This short story made me respect to Cecilia more than I did when I first read Underground. I really couldn't understand why anybody would force their child to endorse a treatment! But now I understand the reasoning to protect her daughter. As always I love Alice Rachel's writing and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!

[Nikki LeClair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be my favorite story by Alice Rachel. It was so heartbreaking but beautiful, and written so well. There are certainly moments when you feel your heart drop into your stomach and you cringe at words spoken by Oliver.
I always liked Cecilia, and I am so glad Alice incorporated a short involving her undying love with Tyreese. It was completely gripping and even more depressive when you know the outcome of their love. It wasn’t a happy ending for this couple but they were bonded none the less. I am actually hoping that Alice Rachel writes another short involving them or even their own novel. I’d read that in a heart beat!

[Carissa Anelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

The moment Tyreese saw her in the library he knew he had to have her. Cecilia wants nothing to do with the opposite sex and especially the arranged marriages that happen so often in their culture. She is happy to continue on with her merry way. Tyreese refuses to give up and after months tears through her cold facade. Soon though she has to make a huge sacrifice for her family and for herself. Will she be able to hold on to her love for Tyreese.

[Phoebe Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read Under Ground, it was very interesting to get a background on Thia's mother, Cecilia. It certainly deepened my appreciation for her character, as well as Thia's. I don't want to give away any spoilers so I will just say this short story was well-written and full of emotion. It's essential reading for any fans of Alice Rachel's work!