
Member Reviews

Sierra Simone strikes again!
I would rate this book infinity stars if I could! Easily one of my favorite books of the year!
I fell in love with Mark and Isolde's characters in Salt in the Wound (the series prequel) but I quickly grew to love Tristan as well in Salt Kiss! Sierra's writing style is so hauntingly beautiful, even when she's telling a story about characters that are nowhere near truly happy.
Objectively, there's quite a bit of spice throughout the book but it's balanced out with the actual plot and events very well. I knew this one was going to end on a cliffhanger of sorts but I'm SO glad that it wasn't as painful as other cliffhangers that Sierra's written in the past.
If you haven't read the New Camelot series, go read that and then come back to Lyonesse. There are major spoilers for that series in Lyonesse & you'll appreciate certain cameos / mentions so much more!
Thank you to Sierra Simone, Bloom Books, and NetGalley for sending me an early copy to read!

“I would only ever corrupt someone who wanted it.”
The queen of spice has done it again! If you thought New Camelot trilogy was hot, think again. Salt Kiss had me flushed, hot, and bothered from beginning to end.
“I want to shove you to your knees and fuck your pretty face whenever I feel like it,” he goes on. “I want to slide into your tight hole and stroke there until I come.”
Tristan receives an offer he can't refuse—become Mark Trevena's bodyguard, his uncle-in-law. Our virgin bodyguard gets thrust into a world of lust, constantly surrounded by Mark's secret sex club, Lyonesse. He thinks he can be professional, but Mark's pull has him craving to be on his knees. When Tristan finds out Mark would have a "partner" in his former bodyguard, it's the perfect excuse to dive head-first into an ocean of forbidden sin.
I need to be his. On my knees, on my back, humiliated, bruised, used. Whatever he wants me to be, I want it too.
The raw attraction between Tristan and Mark could be felt through Sierra's writing; it's intoxicating. Being polar opposites, they balance each other out. Tristan is the sweet, vulnerable, and romantic to Mark's dark, commanding, and controlled persona.
“I knew it,” he says.
“Knew what, sir?” My voice is lower, thicker, with his hand against my windpipe.
“That this is where you belonged.”
Where I belong. At his feet, with my mouth open and my heart in his hands.
When Tristan finds out Mark's engaged and he has to pick up the bride-to-be, he is mad and hurt, understandably so. He wasn't expecting to have an instant attraction to Isolde, and for them both to give in to their sexual desires.
I’m in love with her fiancé, and I’m hard underneath her.
The connection and electric attraction between Tristan and Isolde rivaled Tristan and Mark's. I was inhaling those moments when they gave in; I might have even screamed! While Tristan is a sub with Mark, he commands a room when it's just him and Isolde. With her, he can shed his romantic side and bring out the darkness that he keeps inside.
I’m not a sadist, I don’t get off on hurting her, but I love marking her, I love using her roughly.
Sierra's mix of eroticism and lyrical literary writing is what always makes her books stand out. You can get pure, raw, unadulterated, filthy smut, while at the same time getting layered characters with a depth and emotional aspect that you feel in your very bones; it's entirely addicting, leaving me to inhale her stories with a bated breath.
There are no words for what I do. Even obsession doesn’t capture the swiftness and intensity with which I can fall in love. And like an infection, my obsession needs only the tiniest cut, the shallowest scrape to take root. A single glance, a kind word as I’m handed a cup of coffee.
Even though this brand new series is a spin-off to New Camelot trilogy, it stands on its own, and you won't be lost at all. But if you've read the original trilogy, you'll find plenty of easter eggs that will make your heart sore with all the connections!
I want two people. I’m not able to have either of them.
Once again, Sierra has delivered an erotic and electric lyrical piece that will haunt you; it's an absolute page-turner!
WHAT TO EXPECT:
😏 Age Gap Romance
😎 Bodyguard Romance
📖 Retelling
💍 Arranged Marriage
👨🏼❤️💋👨🏽 MM Romance
🤐 Secret Sex Club
🖐🏽 Hand Necklace
🕯️ Wax Play
🍑 Spanking / Slapping

I love Sierra Simone!
I enjoyed this m/m book so much!
The spice *as always* was really spicy!
I can't wait to see what happens next!

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶🌶🌶🌶
TW: PTSD, BDSM themes, cheating (kind of...), three book series
I didn't realize that I needed a retelling of Tristan and Isolde in my life but when I saw the blurb for Salt Kiss and saw that it was by Sierra Simone I knew I had to read it!
Forbidden love triangle, bodyguard romance, spice and all the angst you could want! This book captured my imagination from the very beginning and held me until that ENDING. Following Tristan through his struggles with PTSD and trying to fight his growing obsession with both Mark and Isolde was heart wrenching and captivating. I go back and forth on my feelings about Mark...so I'm looking forward to the next book! And I definitely want more Isolde! She is so amazing and strong and who doesn't love a woman that knows martial arts?? I just want more of her. The chemistry between each of the couples was enough to make me take a few breaks while reading to cool off a little bit. I can't wait to read the next book!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC Provided for my honest review.

“𝐼’𝓂 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒶 𝒷𝑜𝒹𝓎𝑔𝓊𝒶𝓇𝒹, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝒽𝑒’𝓈 𝑒𝓃𝑔𝒶𝑔𝑒𝒹, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐼’𝓂 𝒾𝓃 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒻𝒾𝒶𝓃𝒸é.”
𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬
𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙩 𝙆𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝘽𝙮 𝙎𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙖 𝙎𝙞𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙚
Well this is deliciously done!
We got Mark an ex CIA agent who owned a secret club, Tristan a virgin bodyguard and Isolde a badass woman who wanted to become a nun.
I devoured this book! I literally finished it in one sitting because it was so good and impossible to put down. While I haven’t read the Camelot series, I can easily read this book without any problem.
I love how different the main characters were and looking forward to read more about them. This series was off to a good start. Cannot wait for book two!
I’m going to read the Camelot series now.
Thanks @read_bloom @thesierrasimone @netgalley for the arc copy!

4/5 🌶️
How does one even begin to write a review for this? It has been a week since I finished this and I still cannot find the words that will do this book any justice. I was completely enthralled by Sierra Simone’s writing and magic of making it so super spicy but also having a well done story line. I was given the suggestion of reading the novella Salt in the Wound (which is currently free on kindle right now!) and I am so glad I did. I highly recommend it be read first as it really gives the backstory and changes the way you would see some of the events/relationships. But back to Salt Kiss, Tristan becomes the bodyguard to sex club owner Mark who also just became his step-uncle. Mark’s sex club isn’t a typical sex club so of course that adds the potential for danger! The chemistry is off the charts with these two and the tension building up to them giving in had me panting and the actual spice was just chefs kiss.
Just when you think it couldn’t get better, enter Isolde who may come across as meek but is actual more of a threat then she has a right to be! (you get her backstory in Salt in the Wound) I was just itching for her and Tristan to come together. Although slightly disappoint I didn’t get any MMF spice yet, I cannot wait to get my hands on Honey Cut!

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this arc copy! This book is so intriguing - I enjoyed reading this as it was all written highlighting the highs and lows coming from a relationship like this

The anticipation for this series is unmatched! I adore Sierra Simone’s New Camelot series, as those books were some of the first of hers I ever read. I was over the moon excited to see Sierra Simone decide to do another take on an old legend, this time the story of Tristan and Isodole. This story is definitely setting the stage for something bigger and I cannot wait to see where Sierra takes us.
Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
Characters: First we should unpack Tristan, the character whose point of view we follow throughout Salt Kiss. He is such an interesting character as he is so contradictory – he is one of the most naive characters I have ever read while also not being naive about the mess he got himself into. I did really appreciate Sierra’s depiction of a past soldier struggling with survivor’s guilt and PTSD. But for all the war he has seen, he still had such an innocence about him. This loyal, endearing puppy of a man was prime for Mark’s much darker tendencies. I did read the prequel Salt in the Wound (which I highly recommend you do) and so I knew a bit of what we were getting into with Mark. I also saw Sierra at an event say that Mark is her first true anti-hero and he definitely is. This mysterious guy is ruthless, but there is definitely something festering under there that both Tristan and Isodole will be able to root out.
Setting: The home base of the story is Washington, D.C. where Mark has his infamous business the sex club the Lyonesse. I loved that setting and cannot wait for the next book to bring us to it more often. Mark and Tristan travel so much for work, and I just kept begging to go back to Lyonesse.
Pacing: I flew through this story, in many ways, it truly didn’t feel long enough. So I am dying for the next one and grateful I also had the prequel to read. Most of my issues with this story have to do with plot and pacing. It takes way too long for Isodole to enter the story, so I am warning you of that now that this story is primarily an M/M and not an M/F/M. I guess I just have to be more patient because I do understand Sierra’s choices of growing a larger story here and setting up the playing field.
Romance: So needless to say this starts as an M/M and the corrupting of Tristan at the hands of Mark. I ate up every minute of it. They were so hot together with such great tension. I cannot wait to truly see Isodole thrown into the mix more, and crossing my fingers for hopefully with both of them. I say this coming from a place of having adored all of Sierra’s poly stories and that I am craving more.

I read the first book and after the cliff hanger I HAD TO read the next one, without question. I signed up for the ARC blind, well to be honest, because Mark sucks and I had to find out what the heck. And spoiler alert-- book 2 he still sucks, but honestly wayyyy more than I imagines he would. I honestly had no idea what this one was about, I just assumed the marriage of Mark + Isolde and let me tell you I was shocked and couldn't believe the wild ride SS took me on! I'm going to have to read the next one now!

On the games that are being played. Mark is a mastermind, but who does he connect with in planing? Anyone? Is sister? And why Tristan? And Isolde? What is the end game he is trying to find? What is Isolde's true plan? What is her relationship with her uncle, how does he play into this world that has been chosen for her.... but she has her own game. And then there is Tristan.... is he who he seems or he is playing his own game? Is there any true love in this triangle or is this all really just about must, power, money and dominance? I guess we have to wait for the next installment to really see what is to come of these three.
Can't wait! Spicy, sexy read.

This is the first erotica I read that isn't also fantasy. The writing's great. I did skim over the military stuff because I'm not interested in that so it made the book feel slow at times to me. But the relationships between the characters felt authentic, the spice was good, and the ending was great (made me laugh)! I definitely want to know what happens next in this story.
3.5 stars

Sierra Simone's "Salt Kiss" is a sensuous and provocative romance that explores the depths of desire and passion. With her trademark storytelling prowess, Simone crafts a tale that ignites the senses and leaves readers yearning for more.
The writing in "Salt Kiss" is undeniably lush and evocative. Simone has a gift for painting vivid and tantalizing scenes that immerse readers in the world of her characters. The chemistry between the protagonists practically sizzles off the page, making for a steamy and unforgettable reading experience.
The characters themselves are beautifully flawed and complex, adding depth to the narrative. Their emotional journeys and the exploration of their desires are at the heart of the story, and Simone handles these elements with finesse. It's easy to become fully invested in their passionate and tumultuous relationship.
One of the strengths of this book is its unapologetic embrace of sensuality and desire. Simone doesn't hold back in exploring the more intimate aspects of her characters' relationship, making it a read for those who appreciate unabashedly steamy romance.
However, while the sensuality is a significant part of the story, there were moments when I wished for a bit more plot and emotional depth outside of the physical relationship between the characters. The narrative sometimes leaned heavily on the erotic aspects, which may not be everyone's cup of tea.
In summary, "Salt Kiss" by Sierra Simone is a tantalizing and passionate romance that delivers on its promises of heat and desire. If you're looking for a story that celebrates the power of physical attraction and the complexity of human emotions, you'll find it in this book. It's a scorching read that fans of steamy romance are sure to devour with relish.

This was my first book by Sierra Simone and I completely fell in love. Going in knowing nothing, I absolutely loved the worldbuilding and fell in love with all the characters. I would characterise this as a more dark romance but I highly recommend as I really did not want to put this down and I can't wait to read the rest of the Trilogy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
CW: consensual kink, murder, PTSD, death of a loved one (Past), violence
While you don't have to, I read the free prequel to this book prior to starting this
I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)
-mmf dark romance series
-Tristan x Isolde retelling
-bodyguard
-forced proximity
-forbidden romance elements
-virgin hero
I love Sierra Simone taking famous love triages and turning them poly. Mark is the owner of a kink club that deals exclusively in secrets, and forcer CIA. He's definitely not warm and cuddly and has so many secrets. But he pulls his step-nephew Tristan into his world. Tristan is recently out of the military and dealing with trauma of his own.
He's immediately attracted to Mark, and just intrigued by his new job at a kink club. The love story between Mark and Tristan was a lot softer than I was expecting it to be. Adding in Isolde, Mark's finance who he hasn't spoken to for two years (definitely recommend reading the prequel to learn more on this). Isolde and Tristan's relationship.
I won't say much but this was a wild ride of steam, intrigue, and suspense. And I can't wait to see where this series goes next.
Steam: 4

OOOOOOO this was a DOOZY!!
The spice was extra spicy and the tension was extra tension-y.
The primary relationship was NOT slow-burn, but the plot was just a slight sprinkling. It is primarily plot set up for the following book in the series. Not only am I anticipating what will happen in new relationships, but I also can't wait to find out what's happening in the larger plot. Who is behind the club attack? What secrets does Isolde have in her past? I'm very happy to learn that the next book seems to be from her perspective, I think we will have a lot to learn from her.
I started this book yesterday afternoon, and finished it this morning (reading on my phone while pretending to work....). I recommend this to anyone looking for some spice with a slow-build plot with a cliffhanger.
The only reason I didn't give this a full 5-stars was that I just wanted a bit more plot. There were more and more questions, but no answers were given. I wanted an answer, a plot twist, something.
Can't wait for June!!
Big thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for an arc of this book, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

HELLO HI HELP ME 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 this was fantastic but I knew it would be because it’s my queen Sierra. Between this and Salt in the Wound I am absolutely invested in this world and these characters. I am simply OBSESSED. This book was so hot, incredibly well thought out and one of my top books of the year. SIERRA NEVER MISSES!!!

If you like smut this is for you. If you like a plot with your shut, maybe partially for you. If you need a plot to enjoy your books, then not for you.

I give all my books a fair shot and if the book hasn’t hooked me by 30% I move on. Unfortunately that was the case for this book. I made it to 37% and I DNF. I’m a huge fan of Sierra Simone but a lot of stuff just doesn’t make sense to me. I feel the the plot build up is taking forever and the MMC is so touch deprived and a virgin but immediately wants to submit to his step uncle. Idk I just feel like he shouldn’t be a virgin lol

No one delivers on the spice like Sierra Simone. And Salt Kiss is no different!
A Tristan x Isolde re-imagining / telling, features a M/M/F romance where Isolde’s future husband, Mark Trevena, is an infamous ex military and CIA badass with a kill list a mile long, who now owns the world’s premiere kink club that collects payment for its services exclusively through information.
Hired as his bodyguard is ex military Tristan, who is a potent combination of adoring Labrador, and lethal fighter/security. Most of the book centers around Tristan and Mark’s relationship, their Ahmet isn’t to each other, and eventually, their explosive dom/sub relationship.
While I found aspects of Mark and Tristan interesting, I have to say that neither really held my interest for long. The spice while certainly there, quickly lost its impact for me because I didn’t get any of the emotional connection behind it. While the link club scenes certainly shock and entice, I found it fleeting.
Another aspect I didn’t love was that Isolde doesn’t even come into play until much farther into the book (75%+), so in terms of a retelling, the first book doesn’t really include this throuple. I suspect that’s what’s coming in book 2, and while I’ll be interested in picking it up, I’m not reading down any doors to get to it.
Enjoyable but lacking memorable characters that I genuinely care about, this was just okay. However, never count this author out!

BOOK REVIEW 📚of Salt Kiss by Sierra Simone
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Thank you to Sourcebooks, NetGalley, Bloom Books and Sierra Simone for the opportunity to review this story. This review will be posted on Goodreads 💗
After years of deployment to war-torn Carpathia, Tristan Thomas is hoping to find new meaning in his life, outside of the armed forces. With his father newly married and facing a life of monotony and lack of purpose, Tristan jumps at the chance to interview for a new position as a body guard to his new Uncle-in-Law. Mark Trevena is a reputed ex-CIA assassin who now runs ‘Lyonesse’, a luxurious BDSM kink club on a private island.
Thrown into the world of sex, pain and humiliation, Tristan must resist the desperate pull he feels towards the quietly dangerous Mark, and Mark’s fiancée Isolde, and fight his need to fall into all-encompassing love again, because this time, he might not survive it.
Salt Kiss is a MM/MF urban contemporary romance, full of explicit dreams and forbidden fantasies.
I loved the elements that were drawn from the Tristan and Isolde legend within the story and the political manipulation by Mark and his cohort. Mark was easily the most interesting to me of the trio, and his sexual dominance over Tristan was divine. I found the second relationship quite last minute and think Mark/Tristan & Tristan/Isolde should have their own stories, since Isolde only entered the book at 80%.
While Tristan was a likeable character, I found it unrealistic that a battle hardened soldier would still be a virgin in his late 20’s and be so naive and malleable. I also grew a little bored with the large chunks of military jargon and backstory.
Triggers may include bondage & impact play.