Review of Cicatrice

Andrea Paravano · Post by **Andrea Paravano** » 14 Jul 2025, 09:09

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Cicatrice" by Jo Boyle.]

4 out of 5 stars

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Cicatrice by Jo Boyle was a captivating thriller novel with a lot of romance thrown in. When Mel Lal returns to her hometown after five years and is spotted by her best friend from university, Jamie, she has a lot of explaining to do. Five years ago, Mel, after acting a bit agitated, withdrew from school, leaving Jamie with a broken heart. Mel is faced with a horrible reality when, after running into Jamie, she will not let her hide again. After everything Mel had sacrificed to keep Jamie safe years ago, she is unknowingly placing herself in danger. Mel no longer has the will to push her away; instead, she vows to keep her safe.

This book shows just how much someone will endure for love. Mel has been subjected to a nightmare at the hands of Amir Hashim, an arms dealer with a vendetta, and she will do anything to keep Jamie out of his clutches—even if that means attempting to push her away a second time. Jamie, however, after seeing how broken Mel is upon her return, will do anything to help her best friend fight off the demons that continuously plague her. This novel, while filled with thrilling twists and turns, felt very much like a romance as these two women fight to heal each other.

I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. The plot was well thought out, and the context of the book kept me intrigued and entertained from beginning to end. There were a few parts during some of the more erotic scenes where I felt that the author tried very hard to keep things clean. In doing so, it ruined some of the flow of the book. Descriptors were used that seemed to distract from the emotion of the book and, in turn, made things fall a bit flat for me.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a thriller with an undercurrent of romance. This book definitely kept me on my toes, wondering what was going to happen next. The characters were well thought out and written so that their emotions could be felt and understood while reading.

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Cicatrice
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Post by **Kibet Hillary** » Yesterday, 00:09

It is good to read that the book is largely unpredictable, as this will not only keep the reader guessing what might happen but also keep them turning one page after the other to find out what eventually happens. It is good to read about a friendship that stands strong even in the midst of great difficulty. Thanks for the review, @Andrea Paravano.

Post by **Catherine Sweet** » Yesterday, 07:36

This sounds like an interesting story, and it's always good to have some twists and turns. With believable characters and a well-structured plot, this sounds like it is a book worth reading.