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anjoureadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was so much better than the first two books (Priest and Sinner).
Actually it’s the best in the series.
I love everything about this story but here are a few I want to highlight:
-The angst. My heart was aching for the both of them so bad omgggg.
-They way mental health was handled with so much care.
-The healthy mix of sweet and spicy. Compared to Priest, the spice wasn’t excessive and each time it happened, it was actually necessary to the plot.
-The commentary around religion and secular life, the culture of shame and control. I really love how it was discussed.
-The ending was perfect as well. I loved how things were resolved. It was just wonderful. Tugged at my heartstrings.🥹😭♥️
PS: Check your trigger warnings before starting this.
Actually it’s the best in the series.
I love everything about this story but here are a few I want to highlight:
-The angst. My heart was aching for the both of them so bad omgggg.
-They way mental health was handled with so much care.
-The healthy mix of sweet and spicy. Compared to Priest, the spice wasn’t excessive and each time it happened, it was actually necessary to the plot.
-The commentary around religion and secular life, the culture of shame and control. I really love how it was discussed.
-The ending was perfect as well. I loved how things were resolved. It was just wonderful. Tugged at my heartstrings.🥹😭♥️
PS: Check your trigger warnings before starting this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent
julianacosta_01's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Minor: Death, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Death of parent
alisonreadsdmv's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent
clareasday's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
abbiequintal's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Grief
Minor: Child abuse, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
caitpage14's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts
g_monaghan's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Smut AND plot??
Monk and ex- boyfriend reunite for a monastry beer brewing tour. Genuinely surprised at how heartwrenching and thought-provoking this was, as someone who grew up religious a lot of the themes resonated personally with me and I was surprised at how well crafted and considered it was, book also touches on themes around body insecurity as well as liberal descriptions of what you find sanctifying... brb crying in the corner - see triggers before reading.
Monk and ex- boyfriend reunite for a monastry beer brewing tour. Genuinely surprised at how heartwrenching and thought-provoking this was, as someone who grew up religious a lot of the themes resonated personally with me and I was surprised at how well crafted and considered it was, book also touches on themes around body insecurity as well as liberal descriptions of what you find sanctifying... brb crying in the corner - see triggers before reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
Moderate: Death
Minor: Death, Suicide, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
This does allude to a characters sister ending her life after being sa* by a church authority member, would avoid reading if this is a triggerbinevolentbookworm's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
combined review of PRIEST, SINNER, SAINT
"I came here to leave my past life behind. I came here to live entirely for God. But Elijah keeps blooming in me and I can't seem to stop him.
I can't stop the tender shoots and slender, seeking roots of him, and I am his garden, his soil, his place, and it would be wonderful if I wasn't supposed to be the garden of my god instead.” (SAINT)
if you told me a year ago i was going to post an in-depth review of a series based on catholic church erotica i would have told you, “yes, and?”
when i started PRIEST, i was not expecting much. i figured i would be like, okay, yeah, spicy! and move on. which is honestly kind of what happened, because i read it in december, watched fleabag, became obsessed with Hot Priests for a week, and then forgot about it until one fine day in february. i was at work and was needing a mindless audiobook to get through the remainder of my day and i figured hm, yeah i kinda had a fun time with the first book, i’ll try his brothers story, SINNER.
how funny i was to think it would be a mindless audiobook. i started it and immediately became invested. a series that started as a solid 3 quickly became a 4, and then, dare i say it? a 5 star read by the time i finished the final brother’s story, SAINT.
i saw an immense amount of growth in simone’s writing style, character development, and overall storytelling throughout the series - something, let’s be fair, i just don’t expect when i’m picking up a book for a spicy time. i was impressed with simone’s handling of the tough topics she chose to include in the series; including systemic SA, suicide/suicidal ideation, death of a parent to cancer, and depression, and she includes the CW at the beginning of each book for her readers.
this series was not without its faults, such as sometimes there was an overreliance on the “i’m not like other guys” trope from each of the brothers, while they were quite literally like other guys lol. also, simone did rely on the black fmc to basically give a racism 101 lesson to the white mmc in the second book. and while i do think simone tried to navigate writing interracial relationships responsibly and with care – she just could have chosen any other way to explain these things without putting the burden on the black fmc.
anyway, i came for the hot priest smut, stayed for the intimate storytelling and now i own physical copies of each book because i literally cherish these stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent
rshearon's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
people love to reduce this series to pure smut but it’s incredibly well written with deep, diverse characters! i love the main character and his motivation and growth throughout the book is personally moving! i cried!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
aromarrie's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
it really takes a character like aiden bell to make you feel less alone when facing it…and i’m so happy he & this story exist because of that. i love it like everything.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent