Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Priest by Sierra Simone

47 reviews

banna1028's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Child abuse, and Suicide

thecanadianbookworm's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny 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

4.0

I cannot believe I started AND finished this book in one evening. 🤣🤣🫣

There were so many times I was dying laughing because of the absurdity of the situation, yet it was also gold. Wowza.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual content, and Death

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Pedophilia and Child abuse

sydk50's review against another edition

dark 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

Moderate: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide

charliebites's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

Minor: Infidelity, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse

kelisabeth's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Child death, and Grief

beckyyreadss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I want to read this because it was all over the book community. I knew this book would have me questioning my morals the whole way through. But holy mother of balls, I feel like I'm going to hell for enjoying this book.  

This book follows Father Bell. He is a priest and there are many rules a priest cannot break. A priest cannot marry. A priest cannot abandon his flock. A priest cannot forsake his God. Father Bell has had no problems playing by these rules for the last three years after a family tragedy set him on this path to priesthood. But this all changes when the sultry voice of Poppy Danforth sinks its claws in them through the screen of the confessional booth, and he can’t get her sins out of his head. It should be easy for Father Bell to put his impure thoughts of her to rest, considering the vows he has taken. It should be nothing to overcome what the sight and sound of her does to him, when his life with the Church meant everything. But the more he sees Poppy inside and outside of the church, the more she makes him feel like Tyler Bell instead of Father Bell. It gets worse once he has his first forbidden taste of her lips, Tyler can’t help but break all his rules for Poppy – no matter what it might cost them both. 

I liked that it wasn’t all smut and no story, there was an actual story with actual characters with two very different family dynamics and very real traumas. I think Tyler’s head was a very intriguing and damaging place, knowing why he joined the church and trying not to go down the same road whilst falling in love was difficult and confusing for him. Also, I love the fact that he fell in love with a stripper which obviously added to the sin aspect of the book. Poppy, I thought was also a damaged character who didn’t understand why she was like this and instead of going to therapy she went to church. The smut was fire and honest to god, the alter chapter is going to be stuck in my brain for longer than normal.  

I disliked the single POV, even though I was surprised to see that this was from a male’s point of view being the priest, I would have loved for this to be a dual POV especially with the last couple of chapters when they were apart. I liked the forbidden aspect of the story, but felt like it was easily pushed aside once Tyler got over his inner monologue and started sleeping with Poppy. I would have liked more of the forbiddenness.  

I feel like I need to go to church after reading this book but I'm looking forward to Sean’s book.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Cursing, Suicide, and Sexual content

Moderate: Sexual assault, Death, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol

Minor: Child abuse, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship

mrssmithslibrary's review against another edition

challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Child abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

dark emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

I’ve had beef with organized religion, and especially the Catholic Church, for a long time. The fact that this book is about a Catholic priest abandoning his vows for a pretty potential parishioner had initially steered me clear of reading it but the TikTok reviews about the spice had piqued my curiosity. This book is so steamy — mostly because there is so much of it that is taboo or not allowed. The God stuff I could take or leave —- but the spicy parts? Gimme a bunch more of that. 🔥 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Alcohol, Child death, Classism, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Infidelity, and Sexual content

soluunaa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

3.0

I read this for January’s Cliterature book club. This was for me an introduction into the world of spicy books. At first I was unsure if it was for me but I loved it. 

The dynamic between the main characters was interesting and engaging. The spicy scenes never felt like too much (although if you are religious I would consider maybe not picking this book up). 

The romance between the two man characters had me rooting for their love. However the last part of the book was not what I was expecting and I’m not sure how I feel about it. Regardless I cannot wait to continue on in the series.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Grief, Religious bigotry, Rape, Pedophilia, Suicide, Self harm, and Sexual assault

If you are someone who is devoted to god and doesn’t enjoy reading about sacrilege this book might not be for you.

anararibeiro's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Sexual content, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Sexual violence, Child abuse, and Infidelity

Minor: Toxic relationship

I have very conflicting thoughts about the fact that the characters get involved and have so much sex while he's still a priest and inside churches. I guess it's expected considering it's a romance with the main character being a priest. But I also see how that can be very distasteful or actually very triggering for some people. My most conflicting thoughts though come from the fact that his sister was abused by a priest and he as priest breaks the same vows, definitely not in the same way, but still... I felt weird about it. Just like him. I still don't know how I feel about it.