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Priest

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There are many rules a priest can't break. 
A priest cannot marry. A priest cannot abandon his flock. A priest cannot forsake his God.

I've always been good at following rules. 
Until she came. 
My name is Tyler Anselm Bell. I'm twenty-nine years old. Six months ago, I broke my vow of celibacy on the altar of my own church, and God help me, I would do it again. 
I am a priest and this is my confession.


***Priest is a standalone, full-length novel with an HEA.  For mature audiences only.***

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 18, 2015

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Sierra Simone

80 books14.8k followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 12,277 reviews
Profile Image for Kat.
265 reviews79.6k followers
February 3, 2022
keep ur head up babe, god gives his toughest battles to his sexiest soldiers <3
Profile Image for Baba  .
859 reviews3,837 followers
July 10, 2015
1 star. DNF @44%. Review completed July 5, 2015

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Let's face it, whereas the cover isn't too shabby either, that title alone garnered the author tremendous attention. Like many other readers I was intrigued and eagerly added the book to my to-read shelf. I enjoyed Mark of Cain very much which revolves around a priest whose brother got accidentally killed (it was deemed manslaughter) by a man who, after having been incarcerated for a few years, comes home reformed yet still in search of atonement. Needless to say that these two men fell for each other eventually. Whether this was realistic or not I can't answer. Yet my point is, Mark of Cain provided a careful build-up, a great plot and three-dimensional characters whose struggles were tangible. There was no "I want to put my dick in your mouth" at 5% to be found. Also, that specific priest didn't spew filthy language all the time and the engaging plot hadn't been overshadowed by constant sordid sex.

Priest, however, was lacking on every possible level. Trivial and immature characters who were driven by outer appearances and their hunger for filthy sex dampened my excitement stat. It was physical and the meager and incredibly purplish attempts at coming off somewhat spiritual were choked off time and again by Tyler's annoying and ludicrous inner monologue. Seriously, he acted as he saw fit. Unfortunately he didn't do his profession justice. Also, his reason for becoming a priest was not good enough for me. Prior to becoming a priest, it goes without saying that he fucked around like crazy. Although once he decided to slip on his clerical clothing, he seemed determined to uphold his vows and care for his little lambs. Yeah, maybe when pigs fly. Well, and then out of the blue struts slutty Poppy to the confessional and the bubble popped. Pardon my little pun. Seriously.

The so-called taboo aspect, the forbidden "love story" *feels an urge to gag* didn't do it for me at all. Instead of easing the reader into the story and trying to build something worthwhile while at the same time trying to make me believe in Tyler's inner struggles (what struggles??), I've had to deal with the mental image of Tyler's naughty dick practically right off the bat. As a romance and erotica reader, I'm used to being confronted with sex scenes and I do appreciate hot smexin' like anyone else. However, when the constant horniness, the idiotic main characters and the sex itself strangle the barely there story I.Am.So.Done.

Readers claiming that the smut was hot is their right but I digress. I didn't even like the smut and what will be perceived as hot and erotic by some readers doesn't necessarily mean the same for another reader. After all, reading is a personal experience and everyone's opinion is bound to be subjective.

By the way, mentioning numerous times how intelligent and educated Poppy is is a real disgrace for the female population in general. Also, an author writing that a heroine is educated doesn't necessarily mean that she will come off as smart. My point is, you need to make me believe that she's intelligent by letting her act accordingly. Oh well, considering her being a total slut, she acted accordingly, all right. I think you know what I mean. After all, I wouldn't want to offend your intelligence.



A friend asked me about Tyler's inner struggle. I responded by saying…

Around the 5% mark he was ready to put his dick in her mouth. I wouldn't call that struggling at all.


Are you judging me right now, Father Bell?

Fuck yes. I am judging you, you manipulative slut. Despite your alleged stellar background, grand education, a wealthy family that provided you with everything and the best chances for a prosperous future, you threw all that away to work as a and now you're babbling a fuckton of rubbish about being fulfilled and happy and wanting a good life and romance and passion. But.You.Act.Like.A.Filthy.Whore.



What.The.Hell? Poppy is a dumb slut with a brain the size of a pea. Blech.

And the hero is a horny idiot. His clerical clothing is the only thing that would mark him as a priest. His vocation is to think about his constant hard-ons, ogling that slutty heroine and…well…fucking. Given the fact that the book is titled Priest, I at least expected some kind of controversy. I mean this is fiction but there are actually enough priests who break their vows in real life. This being said, I would have loved to read about something deeper and thought-provoking. Something that went beyond the all-consuming lust. Fact is, Priest fell totally flat in that regard.

Because who wouldn't love this gorgeous creature? This over-educated, over-sexed woman who oozed intelligence and sensuality? This woman of white skin and red lips and a brain built for running financial empires?

*gag*

I hope she would have been built for running financial empires too in case her skin had been dark.


(…) her full body weight pressing against my cock, it was such a close approximation to the real thing, maybe too close, but it still wasn't technically sex, I lied to myself, maybe it wouldn't count, maybe I wasn't sinning.
But even if I was, holy fuck, I was not stopping.


Yeah, and going down on her wasn't sex either. Semantics.


Shit, this woman was filthy. And perfect. And it was pure instinct that made me grab her hips and work her harder and faster over me, my mind filled with the sight of her straddling me and her pale pink clitoris, still plump and needy, and the memory of her taste and smell on my mouth and face, and then it flooded through me--no, it burned and chewed through me, and she let out a low moan at the sight of my come spurting onto my stomach. There was so much, and it felt like hours instead of seconds that I was suspended in pulsing, total body-release.

Wow.

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And at that moment--at the peak of my high, at the peak of her greedy triumph--our eyes locked and we surged past every barrier--stranger and stranger, priest and penitent, Tyler and Poppy. We were simply male and female, as God had made us, Adam and Eve, in the most elemental and fundamental form. We were biology, we were creation incarnate, and I saw the moment she felt it too--that we were fused somehow. Irrevocably and undeniably fused together into something singular and whole.

Holy eff. That's so cheesy and terribly bad it made me cringe. I actually had a good laugh too.

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Does this cartoon character of a priest really think that saying "I'm sorry" again and again would be enough to do some kind of penance or to justify his actions?

"I'm sorry," I whispered one last time, the word hanging in the air like a star hangs in the sky--glimmering, precious, illuminating. And then it winked out of existence, at the same moment I felt my burden of sorrow and shame wink out of existence.
There was a beat of perfect completeness, a moment where I felt as if I could pluck each and every atom out of the air, where magic and God and something sweetly beyond complete understanding was real, completely real.


You don't say. Greetings from Sugarville. In my book, that's very bad purple prose.

I could do this. There was life after fucking up, after all, even for those who lived without fucking.

I can't even.

Or this…

But I'm glad because it means that you understand why it can't happen again. I have a vow to uphold, to honor God by honoring his children, his lambs. You came to me for help and instead I--" I stopped, unable to utter the words. But the heat rushed to my groin anyway, as words from that one afternoon shot through my mind like bullets through ballistic gel. Cunt. Clit. Cock. Come.

Baba: Cunt. Came. To. Cock. *snort*

And less than one minute later…

"Don't worry. I won't bother you with my body again. I'll respect your vow and your outdated chivalry along with it."

That stung. That stung like hell, actually, because I had just been trying to summon up all of my postmodern, feminist ally thoughts, trying to squash down the part of my brain that fantasized about making her crawl naked across my floor with a cup of single-malt balanced on her back.


And he pulled her between his legs and sucked on her nipple.



I guess I don't have to tell you what happened next. Yeah, it's sooooo damn hard to uphold a vow.

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When he kissed her hard, he called that an act of God and he said "I want to be inside you," (…) "Just a little. Just to feel it."

Again, semantics.

Not being balls-deep in her cunt doesn't make it any less wrong.

And get this. He's ready to kill because…

It was a sensation so base and primal, so delicious, that I would have killed to feel it, I would kill somebody right now if it meant I could have my dick inside this woman again.

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God, I needed to pump.
Needed to thrust.
Needed to fuck.



God. I need to wave the white flag.


Why would God bring Poppy here if I wasn't supposed to fall in love with her?

He's bending his inner monologue to his liking at any given moment. It boggles the freakin' mind.


The f-bombing

He's a priest for f@@@'s sake!

252 x fuck, fucking, fucked

In this sense…

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To sum this book up in sex six little words:

A ludicrous pile of horny rubbish.

I'm also pretty sure that many Catholics or religious people in general would perceive this "gem" as highly offensive.

It wasn't necessary to read the entire book because at my request a good friend filled me in on what happened during the rest of the story.
Also, I'm not religious at all but the abuse of sacred liturgical items during sex is something I wouldn't have approved of. So I'm glad I quit.

I said it in my final update and I will gladly repeat it. If sex-crazed Tyler is supposed to be a priest, then I'm the President of the United States of America.

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#sorrynotsorryatall


Movin' on…


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Pre-reading Priest...

Curiosity killed the cat..or some such. I hope I won't regret it.
Profile Image for Christy.
3,818 reviews32.4k followers
June 14, 2015
4 stars!

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Priest is definitely a forbidden erotic romance, but it’s more than that. It’s a story of love, sacrifice and dare I say religion. Tyler Bell is a 29 year old man who has been a priest for the last 3 years. He has his reasons for going into the priesthood and these reasons are important to him. He’s spent the last 3 years doing things by the book. He’s not an immoral guy or a guy who breaks his vows. Then he meets Poppy. And everything changes.

Poppy first comes into confession. It’s sort of out of nowhere. She’s not catholic, not really even religious but she has things she needs to get off her chest. Tyler and Poppy are drawn to one another straight away. They try to fight their feelings. Both of them. But the pull is much too strong. Tyler’s struggle especially, is real. You feel it. Why it’s so important to him to stay celibate, but also, as he starts to fall for Poppy he questions why God would put someone like this in his life if he can’t have her? Someone he’s quickly falling for…

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“Whatever happens after this, I just want you to know that this was worth it. You were worth it. You were worth everything.”

When reading Priest you may think that it’s all sex and no story, but I assure you that’s not true. It does have very many and very steamy sex scenes, but there is an actual story in there. I enjoyed the story, the characters and the struggle these characters felt. It felt real to me. Their chemistry was off the charts and the story was original. If you love a good taboo/forbidden love story and looking for a read with some heat- this is one I would highly recommend to you. I enjoyed this one lots and give it a solid 4 stars!

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Profile Image for Angie.
441 reviews
July 6, 2015
HOLY SMOKING HOTNESS! I feel so wrong for enjoying this book! I mean, I felt I should be taking a cold shower right along with Father Bell. I feel the need to go to confessional and I'm not even Catholic! This book needs to come with a warning!

Not only was the hotness factor there but the storyline was intriguing. Being in Father Bell's head was sinful and amazing. We got to see his struggle with temptation, the need to control his feelings, the reason he became a priest and his struggle to keep his vow to God and his church. It was a great read! I did not want to put in down and finished in a day.
Profile Image for Lady Vigilante (Feifei).
632 reviews2,674 followers
June 17, 2015
2 stars!

Like many other readers I was also drawn to this book because of the forbidden aspect of the story. There’s nothing I love more than a good taboo love story and all the inner turmoil and angst that comes with the subject. But while I liked the idea, sadly, this book was a huge disappointment for me. I will say that those in the mood for an easy and scorching hot read with a priest as the hero will find this book to be a winner.

“There are many rules a priest can't break. A priest cannot marry. A priest cannot abandon his flock. A priest cannot forsake his God. I've always been good at following rules. Until she came.”

One of my biggest problems with this book was that the forbidden element was extremely weak, despite the hero being a priest. While I read, I kept asking myself why Father Tyler Bell was even a priest to begin with, because based on his constant horny state and inner monologue, everything about him screamed amateur and not a holy man who had ‘always been good at following rules.’ The speed at which Father Bell fell for the heroine Poppy was flat out ridiculous and since there was no buildup, the romance was more insta-love to me than a gradual, angsty ride. I think if the author had added a few more chapters at the beginning incorporating Father Bell’s duties along with his interactions with other parishioners (especially other women) it would’ve made me see that there is indeed a difference in his connection with those parishioners and his connection with Poppy. Instead, my initial impression of Father Bell was that he fell for Poppy simply because she was the first beautiful woman who showed up at his church.

Another issue I had was with the heroine herself. While I didn’t buy into Father Bell’s priestly act, I still liked him as a character and ultimately, he’s a good guy. On the other hand, I despised the heroine Poppy. I don’t know exactly what she said or did that made her a turn off for me, but her ‘I’m-rich-but-I-Became-A-Stripper’ woes came off as snobby and annoying to me. She came to Father Bell’s church to seek absolution for her supposed sins, but her actions completely contradict her motives. From her entire confession to the way she treats Father Bell outside of church, she deliberately set out to seduce him. I mean, she says things like this in normal conversations with him –

“Don’t worry. I won’t bother you with my body again. I’ll respect your vow and your outdated chivalry along with it.”

Sentences like these are intentionally provocative and gosh, I don’t know...makes me think of Poppy as a slut *shrug* and Father Bell as someone who can’t control himself around the first woman to throw sexual innuendos at him. Additionally, I felt like much of the taboo romance buildup was pushed aside to make way for the smutty smut smut; thus, there was no depth to this story. The ending of the book was also disappointing as the author threw in a dumb communication misunderstanding, a time gap, and a hasty wrap up of the story that lowered my opinion of the book even more.

Nowadays, I think it’s fairly common for forbidden romance books to be published. The question is how many of those authors can pull off such an overused premise and still be able to make their stories engaging and original. But sadly for Priest, nothing made this book positively stand out from the crowd other than its heat level. In short, I would not recommend this book.

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Geri Reads.
1,232 reviews2,041 followers
June 24, 2015
If I'm going to judge this book based on the smut factor alone, this would get an easy 4 or 5 stars. But overall, this was an underwhelming 2.5-star book for me. I am certainly in the minority here, so you can take this review with a grain of salt.

I was one of the many who was intrigued by the forbidden aspect of the book. That was the catch. But my problem was, apart from the obvious reasons of him being a priest, I found the forbidden aspect of the story weak.

First of all, Tyler's reasons for becoming a priest was flimsy at best, and I don't really get he logic behind his decision. Or maybe it just wasn't explored by the author. I don't know. Even though his reasons behind it were heartbreaking (), I didn't quite understand why he would choose to become one at all. If his reason had been because he loved the Lord and has his heart set on being a priest even before what happened to his sister, then yes, that would have been a lot more interesting. His inner monologue didn't help paint him as a man of God at all. He came off as randy frat boy rather than a priest with strong convictions.

Second, there was really no question or doubt about what they would do the moment they met. It became predictable mainly because the characters didn't really put up a fight. The only reservation he has (she doesn't have one) was the scandal that could blow up if they are find out. Not that they shouldn't do it because he made a vow and he loves being a priest and all that. Again, it made the book predictable for me.

Third, the heroine, Poppy, was just a piece of work. I have no idea what the author was shooting for when it came to her character. She came to Tyler's church as someone needing absolution for her sins but she lost me with her actions. Instead of a being this conflicted character, she's manipulative and just plain dumb. And there was no inner conflict except for some contrived reason she has in her head. She set out to seduce him. She relished telling him about her supposed "sins" and while some of it was hot, it was cheap and did nothing to develop her character. Am I supposed to feel sympathy for her because she's so rich but she chose become a stripper because she feels like her life has no meaning? She ruined this book for me. I don't really understand what Tyler saw in her other than her physical appearance.

The ending was pretty much predictable, and our Ms. I'm a suma-cum-laude at Dartmouth just had to act dumb and contradict herself. The whole BIG misunderstanding plot device complete with flouncing was eye-roll worthy. Of course everything just fell right into place then. No repercussions whatsoever. Even Tyler's parish and superior were very understanding.

On the other hand, this was pretty hot. Especially the first two sexy scenes. But it got tiring after a while which is what usually happens when the story fails to captivate. So, if you want to read it, then read it for the smut which was really good. But lower your expectations when it comes to the forbidden aspect.

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Profile Image for Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads.
686 reviews13.5k followers
June 18, 2015
“This is so wrong,” I said, moving my mouth even closer. I could smell her, and she smelled like heaven, like soap and skin and the delicate female scent that every man hungered for. “But just one taste,” I murmured, talking more to myself than to her now. “God wouldn’t punish me for just one taste.”

ILLICIT.
TANTALIZING.
SINFUL.
PURE. DECADENCE.


All that ^^^ describes this book to a T. I knew it was going to be forbidden. I knew it was going to be dirty, but I had no idea it was going to be filthy and steamy in a way that would sweep me right off my ass. Lord, it was hawttttttt! AND to boot, it had a compelling, heart wrenching romance. Multi-layered, well written. A story that was simply divine.

I can't stop thinking about it.
I can't stop obsessing.
I dreamt of these characters.
Gosh, I want to re-read. <<---- RE-READ. I never, ever want to re-read. That's HUGE.

And the lines.... the quotes **faints**

"I could read every tremble of hers, every breath, every goose bump. Her teeth still bit her bottom lip and I wanted to bite that lip, bite it so hard that she would squeal. I advanced on her, and she watched every step of mine with a hunger that was beyond palpable, it was oppressive, it was ferocious."

I LOVED IT. I loved every minute of this magically, delicious story!

AHHHHH... My God! Okay...

First off, these types of reads can go one of two ways. A: they can be phenomenal. Or B: they can suck. When a blurb is as catching as Priests, the expectations are automatic. It's sad to say, but many times I've picked up a book based off a captivating blurb and it's fell completely flat.

I HATE THAT.

I hate being hooked by a novel and then left feeling as if the promise wasn't delivered. It's happened more often than not. But with Priest I was intrigued. I was more than intrigued, I was seduced. Yet, at the same time, tentative.

Would this live up to the buzz? Because Lord, there was a lot of buzz.
Would the writing be good? I've never read this author.
Would it truly be smutty? I love my books scorching.
Would the story be SOLID? Yes, I love sex, but sex with no subsistence can get boring.

I had questions... And, I'm here to tell you that YES. OH MY, YES, YES, YES. HOLY FREAKING SHIT, IT DOES.

It LIVES up to all that and more.

It **closes eyes and exhales** GAH! It's Decedent. Compelling. Nuclear. Filled with feels. Brilliant.

I'm still trying to gather my thoughts. I've been sitting on this review because I wanted to tell you how I felt without giving the plot away. I'll say, I highlighted huge portions of text like a woman gone mad. It's been so long since that's happened. The lines/quotes were honestly unreal. THE WRITING!!!!! Omg, the writing was beautiful, easy to read, seamless, fresh, tangible.

I asked myself, several times, while I was reading, "WHY HAVEN'T I READ THIS AUTHOR BEFORE?"

She's amazing.

I was taken by her descriptions, by the perfect details, by the inner monologue, but how smart her characters were. Father Bell and Poppy are highly intelligent and that came through loud and clear. It was refreshing.

The chemistry between the characters was electric. It sizzled, sparked, ignited off the pages. And the forbidden element made the story deliciously, addicting.

“My little lamb,” I whispered. “You are so very, very wet right now.”

When I say this book was filthy that's because it truly was. Ah! Sweet Jesus, I literally had a moment where I had just finished reading a scene and I had to step outside my home. I did a little dance and squeal because the feelings coursing through my blood were so overpowering I needed a release. Hahaha. Thank God, no one saw me!

The romance is intense.

Poppy comes into Father Bell's church looking for something. She's searching for forgiveness, a release of guilt. She's struggling with her life and somehow finds herself in a place she's never been before--Church

The connection between her and Tyler (Father Bell) is instant. It's raw. Lightning in a thunderstorm. It's so fucking hot. There's no eloquent way to describe it.

"And at that moment—at the peak of my high, at the peak of her greedy triumph—our eyes locked and we surged past every barrier—stranger and stranger, priest and penitent, Tyler and Poppy. We were simply male and female, as God had made us, Adam and Eve, in the most elemental and fundamental form. We were biology, we were creation incarnate, and I saw the moment she felt it too—that we were fused somehow. Irrevocably and undeniably fused together into something singular and whole."

You have to read! Omg! YOU HAVE TO READ.

This book comes to life, it's builds, the heat coalesce into a fiery ball of bliss and the romance unravels at a breath taking pace.

Everything about it felt seamless.

The angst pulled you back and forth, a tug of war. It urged all those feels out of you that we need to connect to the heart of each character.

It felt alive.
A forbidden tale with a visceral, beating pulse.

These characters were easy to root for. I wanted them together. However, even with all the sexy steam, there is definitely the moral dilemma of Tyler being a priest, of him being a God loving man. That means everything to him. His vow of celibacy is real and his actions throw his life into a tailspin.

You live his inner struggle.

As much as he tries to stay away, he simply can't. The pull is too strong. I'll be honest, I didn't give a shit about his vows at one point. I felt his love for this woman, his need to have her.

And as far as Poppy... God, she's confused, she struggles with what she's doing to Tyler.

All of it, the torment of their attraction, the torrential chemistry between them, the scorching and intense sex they have.

It's all so POWERFUL.

BUT... Gah. There's that damn issue of him being a PRIEST.

I'll tell ya, I'm not a catholic. My religious/spiritual views are pretty liberal, but there were parts in this where I closed my eyes for a hot second. I got uncomfortable and I thought, "OH! This is bad. This is fucking sinful." But even in those parts, the sexual tension was so sensual and shiver worthy I couldn't help but want it.

You wanted with these characters.

Ahhhhhhhh!

Lust.
Need.
Want.
Sex.
Love.
Right vs Wrong.
Sin.


This book has it all.
It has everything.

For those of you who love a darker romance, this is a win. A SOLID, intoxicating story that I give wayyyyyyy more than 5 stars.

Go read it. Let it push your limits and give yourself a break! Just enjoy every juicy morsel, the scandalous nature of the tale. It's an unbelievably decedent story!

“You want me to fight for it, lamb?” I murmured against her lips.
She nodded breathlessly.
“You want me to steal it from you?”
Another nod.
“Force it from you?” A shuddering exhale. And then finally another nod. My little lamb wanted it rough, and what do you know, I wanted to give it to her that way.

Profile Image for Phuong ✯.
617 reviews5,154 followers
October 18, 2022
me reading the blurb: omg I've never read a priest forbidden romance story before, this sounds so interesting!! color me intrigued 👀

also me after 5 chapters: Father Bell, I'm kindly asking you to talk about something other than the church and God... I'm bored out of my mind.



when I'm telling y'all that my mind is my biggest enemy. 🙈

the smut scenes are pretty HOT tho, but after Poppy and Father Bell aka Tyler sinned on every surface possible even that gets repetitive and boring.

I guess I just expected more grittier than some priest who has been celibate for three years, getting extremely horny after hearing a woman's confession. The reason why Tyler was even a priest didn't make sense to me either. Nothing about his persona screamed priest to me as his inner monologued sounded like a college frat boy thinking with his dick. This dude was ready to shove his dick into Poppy's mouth at the 5% mark and I'm here asking myself what he did the last three years? This job was obviously not cut out for people like Tyler.

Well at least this was interesting entertaining different from what I'm used to reading. ✨


PRIEST SERIES
#1 Priest2.25 stars
#1.5 Midnight Mass1.75 stars
#2 Sinnertbr
Profile Image for Sarah.
Author 1 book304 followers
March 25, 2022
Wow. No words. But still...

I've been waiting for the audio ever since I discovered this book and had been putting it off reading it since last year.

But the moment the audiobook came out, I didn't even a blink!

This is the hottest book I've read in a very long time!

I've been an atheist for a while now, so the idea of this book may not feel as taboo to me now as it would to a religious reader, but I was still raised Catholic, so I completely understand the taboo vibe it has.

This one has quickly made it to one of my top favorite books of all times and I do hope there's an even hotter sequel.

Loved the hero and heroine and I shipped them so hard.

I wanted them to end up together and rooted for them.

I'm so glad I read this!
Read
June 24, 2015
DNF at 80%

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Priest
was one of those books that I could not WAIT to get my hands on! I'm a serious fan of taboo love stories (except incest- hell no) and a book with a priest breaking his sacred vows? Sign me up! Unfortunately, there were things I loved about it and things I absolutely detested- a serious love/hate relationship. So, to make it easier for all of us, I'm breaking my review down as such- loves/hates...



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What WORKED for me -

1- I REALLY liked the writing style. In fact, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish it wasn't so smutty because the smut smothered the beauty of her writing style. It was very lyrical and with the right storyline, I think she could have a best seller on her hands.

2- I LOVED the majority of Father Tyler's inner monologue. He loved being a priest and committing himself each and every day to changing the negativity regarding priests within society. Also, I truly felt the struggle he was encountering with his feelings for Poppy yet his commitment to abiding by his sacred vows of chastity. It was palpable and angsty! Had the author chosen to stay more along that angsty feeling plotline instead of venturing into sex scene after sex scene, I'd have rated this an easy 4-5 stars.

3- The theological aspect of the book I found very enlightening. Raised a devout Catholic myself, I could clearly see the author did very thorough research on the subject matter. And more importantly, she used it to highlight positive attributes about Catholicism and not to BASH the religion or pedophilic priests . Sometimes with priest taboo-type books, I get the feeling that the book is the author's ax to grind. I did NOT feel that way here.





What FAILED for me -

1- Honestly, it wasn't the fact that a priest chose to screw a young woman on his altar because I realize he is human, but more-so his constant cussing. He threw out f bombs like a sailor. Strangely that distracted me more than his physical actions. We all have triggers and that was mine. He could have one flaw or vice but the multiple non-priestly imperfections started to make me look at him more as a very flawed man than a decent priest struggling with his uncontrollable feelings for a young woman.

2- His choice to use sacred liturgical items during sex- holy oil for anal or wiping her with the cloth they use to wipe the wine glass during Eucharist. I mean, doesn't a church have a bathroom with toilet paper? Did he have to go in search of holy items when toilet paper would suffice, for f*ck's sake? I can do taboo as I feel like it's almost an animalistic tendency (sexual chemistry) but to purposefully disrespect items used during the Mass was stepping over the line for me. It didn't add to the story and just rubbed me the wrong way. Again, maybe it's the Catholic in me that's screaming disrespect! Am I a bit wishy-washy? Yes. But this is my review... and my opinion as such.

3- Too much sex at the 80% mark. Page after page and I was skimming to the point of losing my interest completely- to the point that, even though I had 45" left in the book, I didn't care to see how it ends. He was no longer a priest. He was a liar. A cheat. I didn't feel their love. I felt their lust. Break your vows for something deeper than simple lust, please! I didn't feel like their connection grew. It was all physical so that made me feel like she wasn't anything special and he could do this to every hot blooded female that steps through those doors in the future.

4- I didn't much like the heroine. Step away from the priest, Chica! Lord, child! Only thing worse than pursuing a married man is pursuing a priest. Poor fella didn't stand a chance. It's like dangling a glass of water in front of a parched person in the desert. They're gonna take that drink! She seemed the aggressor considering her frequent trips to a church when she didn't even practice the faith. And you don't just decide to become Catholic. It's a long process (RCIA) and she seemed to just waltz in like she was joining a book club... stepping into the confessional, attending Mass. I'm all for newbies but there's a process (and reconciliation is a holy sacrament).





Anywho, I think the author truly has huge talent for writing. I just think she needs to focus on her story because the writing sells itself. Chuck the smut, you don't need it!

I'm out!


 photo DC2EE089-656F-40FF-8633-333FC489D2B4_zpsvzbs36rj.gif





Advanced copy received by author in exchange for an honest review...

Profile Image for Riley.
427 reviews21.1k followers
January 6, 2020
forgive me father, i have sinned
December 3, 2021
this was the most non-forbidden, forbidden romance i’ve ever read. I expected them to be really conflicted about their love, and for it to take a while for things to go down BUT THERE WAS BARELY ANY CONFLICT?? AND THE INSTA LOVE?? 🆘 now, the spicy scenes were 🥵🥵 don’t get me wrong there. but I felt ZERO connection to Tyler & Poppy, I didn’t even really care what happened to them. & the fact that he kept calling her little lamb? i’m sorry are you Mary? can you not? it reminded me of twilight— “and so the lion fell in love with the lamb” I CANNOT. anyway. it was ok i suppose, I don’t even really know what happened plot wise? a bunch of nothing. imma still read the other 2 because i’m really excited to see what Sean & Aiden have got to offer.
Profile Image for Shabby  -BookBistroBlog.
1,471 reviews786 followers
January 5, 2023
The header on my review should say it all.
God is found in love, if we wish to be loved, we should love. God, children, spouses, siblings, humans, pets...anyone and everyone. It's all about opening your heart to love .

"Take wives and have sons and daughters …for surely I have plans for you, plans for your happiness and not for your harm, to give you a future full of hope…"

Sierra has an amazing narrative style. The words flow like poetry,

" the colour renaissance painters shouldve used to paint the lights of heaven "

, so beautiful !!!
Her research is thorough and her use of metaphors accentuates the story

" And now everything felt like it was falling apart , like broken rosary beads scattering wildly across the floor, too numerous and fast for me to chase."

Nowhere did I feel scandalised reading this forbidden love story. Infact this story brought out the spirituality in the fore. Tyler's love for Poppy is so strong and pure that he actually experiences salvation and godliness through her.his hurting heart is healed by Poppy.

"There was a beat of perfect completeness, a moment where I felt as if I could pluck each and every atom out of the air, where magic and God and something sweetly beyond complete understanding was real, completely real."

"There was something anticipatory and sentient about the silence and emptiness. It suddenly felt as if God were listening very intently to what I was saying, listening and waiting,"

The story is sexy hot with drool worthy Father Tyer Bell having animalistic , all consuming sex with Poppy , is an added bonus. But what caught me in a spell was a transient feeling that I experienced reading the story.
What a conflict and what a resolution. I'm totally enamoured and utterly smitten with this story. I could quote lines , I could praise this book to heavens but I simply insist - It's a MUST read . .
in this time of generic stories about alphas and billionaires and virgins , ths story comes as a novelty. The hero isn't afraid to cry, he isn't scared of feeling afraid, he isn't hesitant about of granting forgiveness , and in this labyrinthine labour of life, he takes a direct approach to forgive and love again .
This book shall stay with me forever ........
5 stars Bless Me Father, For I Shall Sin
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340 reviews169 followers
June 24, 2015
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1BMvAHP
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/itunespriest
I’m not a religious person. I never have been. It’s just something that has never spoken to me. But when I read this blurb and found myself a dirty Priest, I couldn’t imagine it not being taboo and fabulous. I was already a Sierra Simone fan - her Ivy Leavold series single-handedly sold me on Victorian Erotic Romance - so knowing her work, how wicked her words can be, I knew we were going to have something special with Father Tyler Bell. What I wasn’t expecting was how emotional I would feel throughout this book. How Tyler Bell’s spiritual journey would affect me, a non-believer. I wasn’t expecting so much religion in this book - but I never felt preached at. I don’t know passages or Catholic practices but Priest is written in a way that allowed me to follow along with Tyler's beliefs, and his doubts, and his guilt. I experienced so many different emotions with this book - it’s hard for me to put into words how beautiful and erotic this story is. Because truly, this is a love story. Yes, it’s dirty. Fucking dirty as hell, in fact. But it’s also poetic and painful.

Normally I start my reviews off talking about the hero and what I thought of him - but I want to talk about Poppy Danforth, our heroine, first. What a fitting name for her. It screams elite - Poppy. And she is. She’s smart, privileged. She has multiple degrees from Ivy League colleges. Those things were expected of her. But after doing what everyone else has wanted her to do… she decides fuck it. And becomes someone else. I loved that she threw out her wealth to do what she found fulfilling. She’s not an empty-headed wealthy socialite who doesn’t have a brain or a backbone. She was kind, looking for something to give her life meaning… and then she confesses her darkest secrets to Father Tyler Bell.

I think what attracted me to Tyler Bell from the beginning was how moral his character is. I know that may sound funny since we’re talking about a Priest sinning here, but hear me out. He’s 29 years old. He’s been a priest for 3 years. He’s been to college - having earned himself a reputation for his style of fucking. He’s a man. A man who has experienced life, sex, control. He decided to become a priest for reasons that I won’t reveal, because it’s a huge part of the plot, but that’s the path he needed to take at that time in his life. It gave his life meaning, a way to heal the past. He wasn’t unhappy with his current life. He felt useful, like he mattered. So when Poppy enters into the confessional - it’s not like he was looking for something else and this just happened. No, their connection is far beyond that.

I may not be religious, but I do believe in Karma and Fate. I will tell you that Fate, or God, or whomever you believe in, had a plan for Tyler and Poppy. A beautiful, dirty, messy plan. Watching Tyler struggle with his beliefs, and come to the realizations that he did, all on his own, that was quite powerful. At one point, he has an epiphany about his situation and I cried for him. I was just so overcome with emotion for him and how much he’s suffered and then the peace that he felt. It was beautiful.

Now that I’ve gushed over the emotional aspects of this brilliant story, let me touch on the absolute dirty fucking man that Tyler Bell is. Holy bananas, some of these scenes were just off the charts filthy and erotic. They were taboo and dirty and fucking awesome. Sierra really pushed the envelope with some of the scenes - where they took place, what was used, the dirty mouth that Tyler has on him. They were everything, and more, that I was hoping for in this book. I think I highlighted more dirty passages in this book than any other I’ve read.

You may pick up Priest because it’s filthy but don’t be surprised when you’re taken on an emotional journey of your very own. I’m sure each person is going to get something different out of this book - depending on your religious beliefs - and I think that’s a testament to Sierra’s writing. She puts words on paper that are more than just smut. They mean something. Priest is exquisite, filthy, and one of my favorite books to date. 5 stars
Profile Image for Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾.
2,020 reviews12k followers
July 15, 2015
3 Stars

I stopped seeing a penitent.
I stopped seeing a child of God.
I stopped seeing a lost lamb in need of a shepherd.
I saw only a woman in need- ripe, delicious need.


Look, it's no secret that I happen to have a soft spot for dirty kinky priests. I have been forever ruined by the Original Sinners series and haven't looked back since. So when I saw the synopsis for this book, I didn't even give it a second thought; I knew I had to read it and meet this Tyler Anselm Bell. I read this book in one sitting, and if there's one thing I can tell you with utmost certainty it's that Sierra Simone is an incredibly talented author. I absolutely LOVED her writing style. I also know that I would without a doubt read all of her future books. Did Priest live up to my expectations? Yes and no. It did in the sense that I got what I thought I would be getting; a dirty kinky priest. Lord, but he was dirty. Pun most definitely intended. (Amen) If I were to rate on the smut factor alone, this would be a 5 point punch straight to the ovaries. But I've evolved quite a bit from the reader that can enjoy mere smut. I know, I know, I'm shocked at this growth myself. And while Priest was a book that I enjoyed for the steam, the rest of the book wasn't strong enough to bring it up from a "like" 3 star to a 4 or 5 star read.

Tyler is 29 years old and hasn't exactly lived the life of a saint, especially in his carnal relations. He's a man of peculiar tastes, and his tastes are certainly....intense. But three years ago, a tragic event changed his life irrevocably. And so he took a vow of celibacy to become a priest. You don't know wha this "event" is right away, and the author reveals the details of it throughout the course of the book. However, this was the first thing that worked against it for me. When it was finally revealed, it still didn't make me connect to Tyler's reasons to do this. How something like this would make him turn toward the church is tough to explain, especially since it had the exact opposite effect on the rest of his family. And the mere fact how it hurt his mother played against it too. I just couldn't justify it or make sense of it in my head to truly connect to it.
I was sorry that I hadn't controlled my desire long enough to step into a cold shower or go for a run or any of the other tricks I'd learned over the past three years to stifle my urges.
Mostly...
Mostly, I'm sorry that I'm not sorry.
Dammit, I wasn't sorry at all.

Then along came Poppy to tempt him down the path of sin...
What first began as a confession soon began to turn into an obsession. Tyler is inexplicably draw to Poppy. Something about her seems to tempt his inner sinner and makes him want to do bad, bad things.

Poppy was a heroine that I never connected with from the very beginning. She was such a two dimensional character. I found no depth to her whatsoever. Here you have this woman that had a wonderful childhood but with parents who wanted a lot from her. They didn't encourage her dreams of going to Julliard, but instead pushed her to go down the same path that every female of the upper crust follows; get an education, marry an equally rich man, and do charity work. Wanting more from her life, Poppy leaves it all behind to become a Yep, that made total sense.... Not really.

Throughout the book, I never could grow to like her. Perhaps it was because it was because the story is told only in Tyler's POV. But really, she just struck me as a somewhat vapid character. There was nothing more to her besides the lust that she induces in Tyler. Or if there was, I never really found it.
....our eyes locked and we surged past every barrier- stranger and stranger, priest and penitent, Tyler and Poppy. We were simply male and female, as God had made us, Adam and Eve, in the most elemental and fundamental form. We were biology, we were creation incarnate...


The sex between them was absolutely scorchingly hot. And so dirty. Lord but when these two sin, they go all out. To be honest, it almost felt like the book was trying to be taboo too hard at certain scenes.
Sacred and profane were blending and blurring together, fusing and welding themselves into something new and whole and singular, and if this was what love was, then I didn't know how anyone could bear the weight of it.


I found the connection between Tyler and Poppy to be a little hard to believe. Even though everything happens over a span of weeks, it read like hours. It was just way too fast. How a mere sight of a woman can lead someone like Tyler that made the choice to be what he is so quickly, I just don't know. There was nothing more to it besides him being attracted to her and being turned on by her confessions. Tyler wasn't exactly a saint before he became a priest. He was a man that liked his sex and more on the kinky side. It made sense I suppose, that it wouldn't take much to tempt him back to the dark side, but I still needed a little more. Also, considering they have the fear of discovery, these two were completely thoughtless to that when it came down to business. They went at it everywhere without a second thought as to who may see them. I'll even admit that certain scenes even made this seasoned pervert cringe . So...yeah.

Now all that aside, I still read this book in one sitting. I enjoyed the writing stile immensely and the book was highly entertaining. While it lacked a few things to make it a 4 or 5 star read for me, it was still a very solid 3 stars. I did like it, all quibbles aside. But would I read it again? Probably not.

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

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Profile Image for Sabrina.
3,242 reviews1,938 followers
February 19, 2018
NOW LIVE!
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Warning:To be read in the privacy of your own home. Reading Priest can result in extreme horniness, if this occurs please consult with the closest man/woman or your vibrator.



All you need to know about this book is this:
-He's a priest
-He breaks his vow of celibacy
-On the Alter of his church

If that doesn't make you want to stop everything to read this book, then you are just cuckoo bananas!

This book was just wow, and I mean that in a good way. It was taboo, sexy and completely enthralling. The second I got this book on my Kindle I couldn't stop myself from starting it. Then I wanted to cry when I did have to stop to go into work :( It had already captured my attention and all day I could only think about getting back to it. When I finally did I was very happy to be in the privacy of my own home and with no distraction.
"But it wasn't the same, getting myself off," she said. "I wanted to be fucked and used. I wanted to be filled with someone's dick, I wanted to have fingers in my mouth and in my cunt. In my ass."

Father Tyler Bell was a really interesting character and I'm really curious where all the hot priests like him were when I was suffering in a catholic school for thirteen years?!? I loved reading about what he thought of the world and especially the world within the church.



This story is definitely unique and keeps your attention. It wasn't just a bunch of smut that led to nothing. It was a crazy story of a priest falling in love and the smexy parts were just a bonus. It was Hot with a capital H, but also really sweet at times. I honestly wasn't expecting much of a romance but was pleasantly surprised with the story of Tyler and Poppy.

I do wish that we got more of Poppy's story but even without it this was an amazing story to read and I hope that Sierra Simone has more in store for us soon.

ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
January 9, 2022

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People were losing their sh*t over this book when it came out two years ago, and then it showed up on the Kindle freebie section one day and I was like, "Yeah, okay, free is good. I'll read it for free." And then I promptly put off reading it because a) a romance with priests??? and b) a rich girl who just can't stand her #RichGirlProblems anymore and decides to run off and be bad??? and c) pointless tension and drama???????



I was skeptical.



PRIEST starts off okay. Tyler is a pretty sympathetic character. He became a priest because his younger sister was molested by the priest of their church, and keeping it a secret caused her to take her own life. I guess he became a priest as a way of redeeming the religion he grew up with and proving himself that it doesn't have to be all bad. (I'm a little unclear about this.) He's also a "typical" man who's into things other "typical" men are into, like The Walking Dead and going to the gym.



One day, a woman named Poppy comes to his confessional and starts telling him all these outrageous things that she's done, and another thing joins that "typical man" interest list: sex. Unfortunately, he can't have any, and especially not with her, but this is a romance novel, and if you think that it all ends there, pull up a seat, because you must be new here.



What results is a pornfest that's like 80% sex, 10% emotional whinging, and 10% actual plot. I think part of what turned me off this book the most is that it tries so hard to be edgy. Poppy is a rich girl who decided to flip the bird to her family by throwing her expensive education in the garbage and stripping for money. But not just anywhere - no, Poppy assures us that she strips for a place where the girls look "expensive" and all the dudes there are more than capable of paying that hefty price tag, and all her lingerie is expensive, it's described as "champagne"-colored, and Tyler totally buys it.



And Tyler: Tyler, Tyler, Tyler - this dude was not cut out for the priesthood. He's almost as sex-obsessed as Poppy, and the two of them do it in the church several times, which just seems tacky. Not only is that blasphemous AF, that's like having sex in the workplace. That's gross. They also make some "creative" uses of various church implements, like the purificator (ew) and the altar (ew). We find out that he was the go-to guy at his college for kinky doings, so I'm wondering if he loved sex so much, why this job? Surely there are other ways to go about advocating reform?



The relationship between them is also super gross. Poppy is such a user, and I couldn't stand how she was always yanking him around and mocking him on the (rare) instances when he remembered his women's studies classes from college and tried to be all about that consenting adult life. She mocked him for it! Like, GIRL. You are 100% being part of the problem right now. The addition of Sterling was also annoying, because how many gross people do we need in this story? WE'RE AT MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY, SORRY - GET OUT. I rolled my eyes at the "big misunderstanding" at the end, and rolled them even more when they celebrate their togetherness by having sex -



IN ANOTHER CHURCH.



Tyler wasn't a bad hero, but in this profession, with this heroine, in this story? Yeah, it wasn't good. The sex scenes were pretty hot but there were so many of them they all began to blend together. I guess I was hoping for a modern version of THE CARDINAL SINS and not "I F***ed the Priest!"



2 to 2.5 stars
Profile Image for Melanie (MelReads).
108 reviews11.1k followers
September 15, 2022
i love how everyone admired tyler for being a man of faith and a good priest and he was doing the gobble gobble with miss poppy🙏🏻 we love a good banquet (or last supper?)

ANYWAYS, perdoname padre por pecadora, aunque no me arrepiento y me voy al infierno. 10/10 buen servicio💅🏻
Profile Image for Jessica Edwards.
Author 20 books791 followers
Read
August 31, 2017
I read this book back in 2015, and I'm writing a review about it because Priest is literally the first book I've ever DNF. Mad right?
Now I was really excited to read this book I'll admit, and when I read the blurb, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.
I mean, the blurb just makes you want to read it;

There are many rules a priest can't break.
A priest cannot marry. A priest cannot abandon his flock. A priest cannot forsake his God.
I've always been good at following rules.
Until she came.
My name is Tyler Anselm Bell. I'm twenty-nine years old. Six months ago, I broke my vow of celibacy on the altar of my own church, and God help me, I would do it again.
I am a priest and this is my confession.

I haven't read something like this before and by the middle of the book, I had to stop and ask myself, 'What's actually going on in this book?' because I had no idea.
It's basically a priest who one day sees a nice looking woman and starts feeling horny...that's it.
I don't really like books when most of the book's context is sex, and I have a feeling that this book is one of them.
It breaks my heart to DNF a book because this is obviously someone's work, and as an author myself, I'd hate if someone did this to my book.
Maybe I'll pick up this book again someday, but for now it's staying in my DNF list.

Profile Image for Karla Martínez.
399 reviews13k followers
September 17, 2021
3.5

father bell? more like daddy bell.



ya, el libro en sí lo disfruté demasiado. me doy cuenta que encantan las historias tabú que son re turbias JAJAJAJA.. además, el libro nos hace cuestionarnos hartas cosas interesantes de la iglesia católica (siempre con mucho respeto, creo yo. de hecho, ambos protagonistas son full creyentes y amantes de dios).

no le doy más estrellas porque en un momento era mucho *delicioso* y me aburría. necesitaba más acción y drama. el final si me gustó harto, aunque creo que todo terminó muy rápido. me hubiesen gustado unas 10 páginas más para cerrar bien la historia.

honestamente, no creo que lea el 1.5, porque he escuchado que es mas sexo que trama y TUVE SUFICIENTE CON ESTE LIBRO JAJAJa... aunque probablemente si lea el 2 jiji.

Profile Image for Sophie's Reading Corner .
811 reviews328 followers
December 15, 2015
3.5 stars



Father Tyler Bell has been a priest for the last three years. He's young and charming, but never before he thought of breaking his vow of celibacy until Poppy walks into his church and she's ready to confess. Tyler starts feeling the struggle, especially when Poppy becomes a constant presence in his life. His desire for her comes against his obligation to his flock. Is this forbidden romance worth the sacrifice?

And was it so wrong to want both? I wanted to lead this church, I wanted to help people find God. But dammit, I wanted Poppy too, and I didn't think it was fair that I had to choose.


The priest was a taboo story that was really erotic and held some really steamy scenes. The writing was also kind of lyrical in my opinion. At some parts, I really enjoyed it, but some other parts confused me and they made me feel uncomfortable. I have to admit that I was intrigued by the idea of this, since I hadn't read something similar before, but when I ended up reading it, I got bummed by a few aspects. Maybe because in my opinion the author went too far with this taboo. There were a few unrealistical scenes that made me shake my head and I wasn't impressed by them. I didn't care that he was a priest breaking his vow and having some kinky sex with her. What irritated me were the details of their encounters .

"This is your body.. This is your blood,..
This is you, this is you given up for me. "


I can't say I could picture Tyler as a priest. Maybe because of his thoughts or the true reason that made him become one. Not only that, but I felt like his duty was to the specific church, not so much on his faith. Also the heroine wasn't likeable to me. She was extremely bold and crude and it was obvious that her only purpose was to seduce him. Finally, what happened at the last 20% of the book didn't make sense at all to me. It really went downhill and even though my initial rating would be a 4, the book lost its appeal.

It's a difficult rating for me, because in my opinion the first part of the book was a 5, the second part a 4 and final part a 2-3. That's why I'm giving this a 3.5. It had so much potential and it was wasted in smut scenes. I do believe that people who enjoy taboo erotica stories are going to love Father Bell, so I would recommend this book to them. ;)

Arc was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
June 29, 2015
It's LIVE! Amazon US



Priest by Sierra Simone is a fictional story about realisation, acceptance, interpretation, choosing the right path and faith. On the surface it's an overtly erotic book about a Priest which at times made me highly uncomfortable as a Catholic but on a deeper level it’s one man’s journey of discovery, a story of love, devotion, forgiveness and grief. For me it highlights deeper issues and thoughts. It took me through a range of emotions, both good and bad. I felt anticipation during the early stages, erotic intensity in certain moments; I was shocked at Father Bell's language, captivated by the protagonists' attraction and chemistry. I felt distaste, unease and strong dislike, I traversed from love to hate, and then from hate to fascination at the emotions I was feeling within myself and the reactions of others, and then the last section really made this story work for me.

Father Bell's mission is to restore faith in a place where it’s been severely tested and he doesn't wish his actions to destroy his endeavours. The inner thoughts of Father Bell are often amusing and engaging in the way they juxtapose against his dialogue and actions. Meeting his family, learning about his history made me understand him a little more and I felt committed to finding out how Father Bell's story would end.

Poppy Danforth is searching for faith and happiness. I enjoyed her back story very much; it's interesting and engaging and really made me warm to her. She very much reflects the desires of Father Bell but the difference is she's able to live her desires openly, to a certain degree, rather than in secret.

Their attraction from the very beginning is palpable. I could feel their chemistry and I was keen to see how their relationship would develop.



I’ve seen it purported that there’s no story to Priest and that its all sex. The way the male protagonist is presented is as a highly sexual being with carnal thoughts and language that goes directly against the ethos of a Catholic Priest. For me the sex was secondary to the actual story, in fact, I’d go as far as to say that for many of the erotic moments I wanted to close my mind.

The very essence of this story is forbidden. It rocked my comfort levels and, at times, felt too forbidden for my personal tastes and beliefs. It’s the third book I’ve read involving a priest giving into temptations of the body but the way it’s told, mainly from the male protagonist's point of view, makes everything feel so much more overt than the others I’ve experienced. The direct line to his thoughts makes the writing very honest. There will be those who do not like the way Father Bell is portrayed in terms of his overt lust, use of sexual language and swearing. There’s no doubt that this story took me to the edge in terms of the actions of Father Bell, especially in relation to the setting of their coupling and the use of certain objects in one particular scene. It’s not just because of my faith, of course that’s an important aspect because it’s part of me but in truth I don’t believe a priest who's a good man and trying to be the best Priest he can be, as shown by his turmoil, would do some of the things that he does... something would stop him. It felt like this scene was placed there to be different and if I'm honest it made me lose respect for him in those moments, it wasn't at all palatable and his attempt at justifying his actions did not appease me. Had it been spur of the moment, I think I could have been more accepting of his motivation. Some things are sacrosanct and Tyler is a man who shows integrity in all other aspects of his life.

Interpretation is everything. This book is one that I've hotly discussed with my very best reading friends. We discussed the issues, the meaning and the messages that are within the words of this story. It pushed my comfort levels, no doubt about it. There's sex and a lot of it but there's also the meaningful story of a man, a human man with human desires, needs and faults. There were times I really didn’t like it, moments I could have stopped reading very easily. I deeply wish the author had made other decisions but I cannot dispute the quality of the writing. To rationalize it this character belongs to the author and it’s her decision concerning how to present his persona, I’m merely a voyeur to the happenings so although I had issues, I equally wanted to know how the story progressed, his inner struggle and history are highly engaging.... I chose to read through my discomfort because I like an author who takes risks, I respect that quality and I like a book to push me, really make me think and be a catalyst for discussion and this book achieved all of that. Priest will not be for everyone. If you hold certain aspects of religion and faith as sacrosanct this may not be the book for you. Go into it with your eyes open and prepared to read through your discomfort but know also that the last 20% of this story and the beautiful message are so worth the turmoil you may experience. In the end this story was a compelling read for me and, above everything, it's a story about love.



***********

Pre-review thoughts:
I came across this book a few months ago through my good friend Irene Oust, from that point me and the girls have been pretty much obsessed by thoughts of this book.

Everything about what I've seen has captured my attention, so much so that I went off and read the other series by this author THE IVY LEAVOLD SERIES and WOW it's off the charts hot and so beautifully written.... I cannot wait to dive into this story... A story about a man, who by the sounds of it has a lot to confess!

Advanced copy provided by the author via, Sassy Savvy Fabulous PR, for my honest review thoughts
Profile Image for Candi~Dirty Laundry Review.
122 reviews219 followers
June 29, 2015
5-Holy fucking sinful stars!!!!
Have you ever picked up a book that you were nervous about reading. Or maybe "should of been nervous?" But then you see two words, one name...Sierra Simone. And you just know that all will be ok. Because the writing that is of Miss Simone, is simply magical. Breathtaking. Sierras' writing just completely casts a spell on you, and you find yourself swept away to another place.
This is the story of Father Tyler Bell. Who pretty much instantly becomes enchanted by Miss Poppy Danforth. Which btw, I think Poppy is one of the coolest names ever. They embark on a journey of self discovery, learning, healing, secrecy, lust, love and some of the hottest, dirtiest, most forbidden sex I've ever read. I mean, Sierra Simone has me wanting to be a better catholic. In more ways than one. I know. I'm going to hell. But I'm ok with that!! Haha! Father Bell is faced with his inner struggles. Doing the right thing. Or doing the wrong thing. But sometimes, doing the wrong....is just oh so fucking right. Poppy deals with the same. She's quite the little temptress. And I love her. She's strong, isn't afraid so say what she wants, or HOW she wants it. And she's quite the little dirty talker herself! Will these two give in and let love conquer? Or will Father Bell's inner turmoil win out? You will just have to read to find out. And trust me, YOU WILL WANT TO READ THIS!!!
I love how Sierra took a story, one that could be controversial in some eyes, and made it much more than just about a priest "sinning." She made it such a beautiful selfless love story. And she writes some of the most erotic scenes I've ever read. Sensual. Raw. Unfiltered. Holding nothing back. And gives it to you like you want, not even knowing you wanted it like that. Until after you read it, you sit there with your mouth opened, thinking "Well god damn. Who knew THAT could be so freaking hot!!!" And that, is the power of Sierra Simone's writing. She will have you walking into church next Sunday, secretly eyeing up the altar, or the piano, hell, even the priest, and smiling devilishly. Sharing a sexy secret with yourself, that nobody else will have the privilege of knowing. And we all know what we will be thinking while having that communion placed in your mouth. Sierra personally has made me, for the first time, wanting to go to church lol!!! Thank you for making me want to be a better catholic!!
Profile Image for Pam Godwin.
Author 43 books8,948 followers
June 29, 2015
Now THIS is how you write a book with sexual tension. The build-up is page-turning, the story line carefully woven with thought-provoking detail. There are soft, sweet moments, but there's no mistaking the skill applied to the arousing, gritty circumstances of this forbidden romance.

Making good on its blurb, it delivers what you'd expect when a vow of celibacy collides with the fate of love. The result cranks the Amen factor up to a holy blistering hundred. You’ll need your very own confessional and some heavy-duty penance by the time you finish.

The conversations between the priest and his sexy penitent serve their purpose here, creating a sense of intimacy and ambiance with the characters as opposed to simply marking time between the sexy scenes. The H/h are contemplative and guilt-ridden, and the romance is wonderfully organic. Resistant yet unstoppable. In all its sinful pleasure, there’s more on its mind than first glance may reveal.

If you’re looking for eroticism with a story, you’ve found it. I highly recommend it to those with an open and dirty mind.
Profile Image for Eliza.
664 reviews837 followers
June 18, 2015



Title: Priest
Series: Standalone
Author: Sierra Simone
Release date: 29th June, 2015
Cliffhanger: No
HEA:



 photo 47F40529-D179-479E-AF3C-6644F959D295_zpsvmz9kuu9.jpg

Our father Bell, who art in the Town of Weston,
Synonymous with taboo be thy name.
Thine lamb Poppy did come.
Thy saintly will undone,
as too did his urges leaven.
Gave us smut when common sense fled.
But forgiveness in afterthought he pled.
Poppy led him into temptation,
But delivered him from lonely damnation.
Thy angst and taboo more potent I would favour,
but thine ethereal smut I did savour.


 photo 8D80F14F-0FE8-4BD8-87E5-0D368D92E223_zpsh0pnbzgk.jpg

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Profile Image for Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus.
1,093 reviews798 followers
November 11, 2021
Audiobook - 4.5 stars
Story - 1.5 stars

Woooooo this was just so shallow, bad and offensive!

The execution failed big time. I wasn't sold on the priest thingy.

Chemistry between the H and h was non existent.

Now I am not sure I will listen to the MM one. 😪😣

Back to CI, I can't put it off for long. 😪
Profile Image for La-Lionne.
482 reviews781 followers
July 2, 2015
Oh, you fooled me!
I was really looking forward to reading this book. I read the blurb, then some reviews and though "How awesome is GoodReads? You get to discover books like this."
So when I got my hands on this book, I was expecting this:
description
to be seduced by this:
description
So imagine my surprise when only couple of pages into the story, this so-called priest says:
And before I could stop myself, I thought, I want my dick in that mouth.

Quickly after that it was clear that it will be this:
description
being seduced by this:
description
And it was!
This "priest" is a hardcore fan of Call of Duty.
After dinner, Sean and Aidan whipped my ass at the latest Call of Duty while Rayan texted the latest girl on his phone(...).

Does that sound like a bunch of frat boys having a good friday night or what?
He is also a fan of Britney Spears. He can run to the beat of Oops I Did it Again, all day everyday.
"I just didn't peg you for a Britney Spears fan," she said(...)
***
(...) I turned up the Britney Spears as loud as the speakers would go,(...)

For me, these sort of stories are all about the anticipation of things to come, seduction and the buildup. I expect characters to feel conflicted about their thoughts, actions and decisions. In this book, there is no such thing. There is some "I'm going to hell because of it", but then he sees her, his cock gets hard and it's all forgotten. In this book, his cock gets hard the first time he hears her voice and doesn't soften until he get's his rocks of. Which happens pretty quickly. Then it happens again and again, and again. This is pretty much how the whole story goes.
This story has no... How can I put this? Foreplay, I guess. She wastes no time on confessing her "sins" about how she is a bad girl for liking all sorts of naughty things (described in great detail during the confession), wanting to be good. He wastes no time on jerking off thinking of her and the stories she told him.
To top it all of, he sends her a video of himself masturbating. There is no fear or concern that it could get out and ruin him, whatsoever.

It's unclear why he became a priest. There is some talk about his sister, but it is still not explained why he chose the path he did.

Fuck this book. Seriously, fuck it fifty ways til sunday, with them both in it, to the song Oops I Did It Again.
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