Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Priest

Although I didn't particularly enjoy it, I didn't dislike it enough to hate it. The more accurate description was I was able to tolerate it enough. There was little to no plot, and the characters were flat. In all honesty, their relationship appeared more lustful than loving. The smut was okay at first, but I eventually grew tired of it and skipped over those scenes about halfway through.

I only read this because it was book club #4's pick of the month. I know I could DNF it, but I wanted to finish it so I can join in the discussion.

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booksthoughtsandtea's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

How am I giving this book 5 stars?! How did the author manage to make this book so complicated?!

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glitterdeww's review against another edition

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I had seen glowing reviews of this book from a BookToker that I follow. (No shade to them whatsoever, I'll still follow and pick up their suggestions.) Sierra Simone's writing was supposedly lush and beautiful, and that was main selling point. It was compared to... And I can barely say this... Madeline Miller.

...No. NO. Absolutely not. Can you swear on this app without getting flagged?? Fucking, No.

In case there's any doubt about my personal icks, I absolutely do not care about the context of clergy in erotica. That'd be totally fine with me if well crafted. But this is not for people that loved Fleabag's season 2, because the characters were flat, poorly written, and actually vile. Now, the writing itself was... Fine... whether or not that comparison pisses me off or not. It was fine, but so lazy. The... Love interest? Sex fantasy?... Was written for a misogynist ONLY. Absolutely no.

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troll_for_initiative's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring 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

5.0

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mhairi_reads's review against another edition

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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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madravingintrovert's review against another edition

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emotional fast-paced

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

3.0

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kingrosereads's review against another edition

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lighthearted tense fast-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? Yes

2.75

I’m not sure how to start this. It’s not even the craziest, kinkiest shit I’ve read, but this book intrigued me and disturbed me on a level I wasn’t aware of, and not like a higher level, but like a secret side level. I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t this.

Immediately, I was laughing about a priest named Tyler. And my guy went from 3 years of priesthood and 5 years of seminary study and the deacon year (which doesn’t totally add up with Tyler being 29, but I’ll let it slide) to straight up tossing his vows out the window after meeting Poppy ONCE. Like, damn, girl, yes, but at the same time this man didn’t not an iota of self-control. He was just a walking, talking, delusional sin incarnate. How did he ever become a priest, fam? Cause I can’t see it. And Poppy?! Oh my god, saying the most dirty things to a PRIEST. Instant attraction between these two and almost immediate gratification. Why was this book nearly 400 pages long? Could’ve cut out a hundred pages and just had back-to-back smut. Because the in-between hardly mattered.

I’ve never experienced being so attracted to a literal stranger, that I couldn’t master control over my own actions, but if this is how it is for literally anyone, I’m not sure how anything is ever done. Like it was hot, like really hot, but Jesus. I don’t know how they had any emotional connection as it really only felt like a raw sexual and animalistic attraction. Don’t even get me started on the sacred oil!

Desecrating a church? Hot. A priest trying to justify this as being God’s will? Cringe. And gross. And problematic to the nth degree. Tyler was constantly trying to be a “feminist ally”, like fam, you can be a feminist or not. There is no “ally”? And that was annoying. Just because a woman likes it rough or to be degraded doesn’t mean she’s damaged or that you’re not a “feminist ally” (*eye roll*), if she likes it, asks for it, and gives her consent, that’s all you need, stop questioning her! And I’m all for Poppy being sex positive and embracing her sexuality, but it was borderline hypersexuality (with Tyler too).

Tyler was constantly having the filthiest thoughts and their whole relationship just seemed to take place in a different world not based on reality. I just did not feel like I was reading the inner monologue of a 29 year old man, maybe a 19 year old boy, but he was so whiny and dramatic and, again, delusional! In no way are these two people good for one another or make a healthy relationship. “Priest: A Love Story”? Nah. “Priest: A Hot-Ass-Filthy-Blasphemous-Sex-and-Make-It-Toxic Story”

I also don’t really want to get into the whole problem of the missionary trip to “Africa” where they don’t have showers or soda (*groans*). But there’s that.

Also, they will talk about these really deep things like Tyler’s sister’s suicide and history of abuse from their priest while growing up. And then they’ll be going at it literally a sentence later. It was so weird.

The smut and dirty talk and the longing was great. Sexual tension was good. Everything else? Nope. Absolutely not.

In actuality it’s3 stars for being a decent smut novel, but the 2.75 stars for what it is as a whole. So if you can block out all this crap and enjoy the smut? Then go for it. Because I was living for it. All I heard in my brain was the Fleabag and Hot Priest music.

Also, to save you from disappointment, they do not bang (in any form) in the confessional. It’s all I wanted and it did not deliver.

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bookishdaylight's review against another edition

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dark hopeful tense slow-paced

4.0

I really liked how it was written in Tyler's pov which made it more enjoyable since most of the books are usually in the girl's pov so it's nice to see it from a different view. When it comes to the plot, it is not really that special nor did it stick to me yet I still had fun while reading.

I'm trying to say casual things about the book but let's be honest, this was hot as fuck, and Tyler, my gosh the nicknames and his way of thinking... I cannot, this was so good!!

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