Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Priest by Sierra Simone

93 reviews

mhairi_reads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

”I was supposed to be a shepherd of the flock, not the wolf.”

Forgive me Father for I have sinned. 

I will definitely be picking up more of Sierra Simone’s work after this. This was my first Sierra Simone read, but not the first book of hers I’ve seen highly recommended. Her writing was fantastic. She connected you to the characters and the story effortlessly. The pacing was great. Overall this was just a super quick, easy read. Full of smut and substance.

In Priest we follow Father Tyler Anselm Bell. A 29 year old Priest running a parish in Weston. The Priest before him was arrested and he has since taken over and grew his parish into what it is today. He is keenly aware of how hard he has worked to gain the trust of his parishioners after his predecessors discretions.

However Tyler Bell was not always destined to be a man of the cloth. He spent his younger years recklessly until a family tragedy steers him toward Priesthood, which he has since then become truly devoted to. He spends near every moment of his life dedicated to those in need of spiritual guidance. That is until he meets Poppy.

Poppy walks into the confessional booth one day and Father Bell’s world is flipped on its head. When she starts confessing her sexual sins and shows that she is not only comfortable with her carnal wants but she is also smart and well educated Father Bell is more than intrigued. The attraction between these two is undeniable and it grows rapidly. They begin an intimate relationship soon after and Tyler starts to question everything. 

What will he choose? His Faith or Poppy?

This is more than just a smutty read. It tells a tale of a man searching for his calling in life, trying to find his true purpose. He is a true man of faith but he is a man with needs too. 

As someone who was raised Protestant and not overly religious, the only issue I had was having to look up certain things that were mentioned because I had no idea what is was. Whilst that is of no fault of the authors it did keep taking me out of the story hence the 4 star rating but I am genuinely surprised at how much I loved this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Suicide, Grief, Sexual content, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Child abuse, Stalking, and Bullying

Minor: Misogyny, Infidelity, and Panic attacks/disorders

thelassinlinen's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Rape, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Sexual violence, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pedophilia, Infidelity, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

hq_reads's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book was great - pure filth. Just what we all wanted! The forbidden love trope is always a good one and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this.

I’m not Catholic or religious so it didn’t offend me, but I felt it was oddly respectful to faith at times 😅 I didn’t find it overly blasphemous (even though it was) but I wonder if that’s because I’m not triggered by or bothered by blasphemy…. 

I thought Tyler’s inner conflict was really well done. And I’m assuming Jacob (or is it Jeremy?) will also get a book? What are the chances of two smoking hot priests?!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Grief, and Sexual content

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Stalking

readingwithrylanne's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read Priest for the first time in 2021, and I was a little bit obsessed with it. After reading it again this year, it is now a fact that Tyler Bell is a top-tier book boyfriend. I truly believe that Sierra Simone did a great job with her inclusion of religion throughout the book, emphasizing it in a respectful, raw, and vulnerable way. This book stirs heartache inside of me but also happiness and contentment. Tyler and Poppy were their own people struggling with what they had always been told was right or good and what they felt was right when it came to each other. The yearning for something more was so present in Tyler, and to an extent, I could relate to him. The main characters' chemistry was off the charts, and I cried for them multiple times while reading the book. I feel like a lot of people see the title, read the synopsis, or maybe even finish the book feeling like this is only sexy priest smut, but I see so much more in it (but the spice was still GREAT).

“Maybe it was God’s plan all along for us to end up here, alone in this sanctuary, and forced to face the truth, that this was more than friendship, this was more than lust. This was something raw and real and undeniable and it was not going to go away.” -p 118

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Grief, Sexual assault, and Suicide

ecravens's review against another edition

emotional funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Death, Cursing, Sexual content, and Suicide

discarded_dust_jacket's review against another edition

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Child abuse, Grief, and Death

isabelleroyall's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Grief

Minor: Infidelity, Rape, and Stalking

hannibanani29's review against another edition

emotional reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Suicide

Moderate: Sexual violence, Cursing, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Death, Infidelity, and Grief

Minor: Sexual harassment

psyched_np's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Blood, Mental illness, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Suicide

aklovekorn's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, and Death