I could NOT put this down. I am HOOKED. I cannot wait for what comes next. These 3 are gonna be messy and I'm gonna grab my popcorn.

Sierra Simone is one of the few authors I would let bring me down a road like this. But here we are.

Tristan is in deep and the life vests have been thrown away.

Isolde is more dangerous than she seems.

Mark is just twisting everyone in knots but he's sexy as hell and I love it.

5 stars
4.5 on the spice scale

Thank you to the author for a copy of this book. This book is the start of the series and I can't wait for the next one. It's told in Tristan's POV, who is working for his new Uncle in Law, Mark as a body guard. Tristan is feeling lost after leaving the army and Mark takes him under wing. I was expecting more about the journey of Tristan escorting Isodel back to America but this is more about Tristan and his relationship with Mark.

The story is steamy and I am here for it. I love how Simone weaves Catholic references and power into the story.

The story gave me some New Camelot vibe and there's a short sentence about Maxem and Emory which I am not sure is a spoiler since I haven't finished the series.

Loves
❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️

Spice
❤️‍🔥fire

Recommend
💳 100% yes

Sierra Simone is on my top five auto buy authors list and I couldn't wait to get my hands on Salt Kiss, especially after reading the prequel, Salt in the Wound. I was so excited when Source Books/Bloom Books provided me the advanced reviewer’s copy via NetGalley.

If you’re familiar with Sierra’s books, you typically know her stories contain some of the best spicy scenes in the romance/ërotîca genre. Spice aside, her stories [for me] are addictive and some of my favorites.

I love Salt Kiss! It’s a spin off series set in the world of the New Camelot trilogy and is loosely based on the medieval tragedy of Tristan and Isolde and their relationship with King Mark of Cornwall. Elements of Tristan and Isolde are cleverly interwoven throughout Salt Kiss.

Reading the prequel, Salt in the Wound, isn’t needed prior to reading Salt Kiss, but readers are introduced to Mark Trevena and Isolde Laurence prior to meeting Tristan Thomas here. The plot of Salt in the Wound is Mark and Isolde’s connection by [spoiler]. Salt in the Wound readers are aware of [spoiler] going into Salt Kiss; however, this [spoiler] isn’t revealed in Salt Kiss until [spoiler] is exposed to Tristan. So, this will be a surprise unless readers figure it out from the subtle clues. Salt in the Wound is in Isolde’s POV.

I love this story.

Salt Kiss is entirely in Tristan's POV except for the prologue. The prologue hints to a plan(s) that involves Tristan and Isolde but to what extent Mark intends to effectuate his plan(s) is unknown.

Mark is a former soldier turned CIA operative known for being callous and cruel. He owns the exclusive kînk club, Lyonesse, and is Tristan’s new uncle-in-law. Tristan is freshly out of the military and having a hard time acclimating to his new life after serving four deployments in Carpathia. Tristan is also the only candidate Mark invites to interview for the position as his new personal bodyguard, a job that Tristan accepts.

Tristan is incredibly sweet and good. He’s also very lonely and has insecurities about being in like and in love, as well as believing he’s not deserving of or worth being loved. Tristan quickly becomes attached to Mark and their working relationship evolves to a personal relationship – they become lovers.

It’s hard to reconcile the Mark from Salt in the Wound with this version of Mark. Mark openly admits to Tristan that a sexual relationship between them will complicate his plans. However, when they do become lovers, it seems that Mark has thrown those plans out the window. Mark is attentive and treats Tristan affectionately, kindly and with tenderness – almost lovingly.

By the time Tristan learns about Isolde and who she is to Mark, it's too late. Tristan is already in love with Mark, and to his credit, agrees to accompany Isolde home for [spoiler]. A trip that requires him to take Mark’s place on a three week voyage from Ireland. A trip where Mark arranges everything from clothing to suite accommodations. A trip where Mark specifically asks Tristan to help Isolde relax. A trip where Mark encourages Tristan to pretend to be him. A trip where Tristan and Isolde are without communication and isolated.

By the time Tristan and Isolde disembark at their destination to meet Mark, readers know the meaning of Salt Kiss and we find out that someone else knows too.

I keep thinking about what Mark said to Isolde at the end of Salt in the Wound and the plan(s) hinted in the prologue. Was this Mark’s plan? Is Tristan an unreliable narrator? I don't know and now I have to wait a year for the release of Honey Cut to find out what happens next.

Chapter 14 - Mark to Tristan
"You've got to start slow, you see, if you really want to manipulate people. It's no good just to appear like a mirage and expect things to go the way you want - you have to be subtle. Let them think all their ideas and feelings are their own, slowly twist things up so that they unwind precisely the right way. And then as everything is falling apart, your hand is nowhere to be seen."

Just to be completely transparent, this will not be an impartial review. I have been a fan of Simone’s work since a copy of A Lesson in Thorns fell into my lap a few years ago and I have never looked back. Thankfully, Salt Kiss gave me all of the desperate carnality and angst that I wanted, wrapped up in a narrative that was addictive and deliciously taboo.
Starting with the basics, the story is a modern reimagining of the Celtic folk legend, Tristan and Iseult. At its core the original tale is about a love triangle between a knight, his king, and the king’s fiance.
Now, normally I dislike love triangles. However, there is something about the way it is done here that makes the entire experience feel indulgent and satisfying. Perhaps because it isn’t made to be a competition? This isn’t about one character choosing between two others. No, instead there is simply this amorphous need between all three characters, and Tristan’s internal conflict over that desire and his own sexuality… not to mention the BDSM, which was also very well done but I can’t talk much on for fear of giving away spoilers.
All in all, if you want dramatic, unexpected, carnal, kink-friendly romance with a hint of something darker, then I would highly recommend this. Also, just in case you were worried, despite this being the first book in a spin off series, you can start with Salt Kiss and not feel as if you’re missing any key elements or plot.

This book wasn't for me. It was...odd. The love triangle was just too much for me. It was dark and mysterious but definitely not a book I would want to read in the future.

Salt kiss was an unexpected story for me. I read the prequel of Isolde and Mark Trevino. The introduction of Tristan was an unexpected twist. I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy to see how these 3 fold into each others lives.

Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for E-arc of salt kiss!

First of all, as someone that are a fan of mmf romance myself this book definitely able to deliver all of my expectations. A bit dark but not that dark i might say, have a bit of suspense and interesting plot so far. but, i don’t really like the cliffhanger😩😩😩 I need book two ASAP

"I want two people. I'm not able to have either of them."

Salt Kiss was beyond what I was prepared for! It was HOT, intense and addictive! I need more asap!

Tristan was feeling lost, having just left the military. But Mark-owner of an elite secret club, has hired him to be his personal bodyguard. And soon Tristan finds himself being pulled into his dark, secretive world of power and desire. Only to find out months later Mark is engaged, and now Tristan's being sent to protect her too.

Holy Moly. This book had me on the edge of my seat. The way the author brought these characters to life in my mind. Tristan all soft and almost vulnerable- despite what he's seen and done in his time in the military. The way he FALLS so easy and fast. I fell just as quickly for him. And Mark- the man is 100% pure sex appeal. So stern and almost cold feeling. His dominance oozes off the pages. And then Isolde- she reads as feeling young, maybe even naïve, but we know there's so much more to this young woman.

I was in the mood for a hot read, and Salt Kiss 100% delivered. The connections were undeniable. The chemistry and tension was palpable. The spice was spicing!!! The kink was kinking!!! This author certainly knows how to write spicy scenes!

What also kept me turning the pages though was the undertone of secrets and mystery. Mostly surrounding Mark. We've yet to get his POV and I have so many unanswered questions. And a ton of theories. While I was expecting this one to be an MMF romance, it wasn't, it definitely sets up the promise of what I think is going to be a fantastic spicy MMF trilogy. Can't wait for more!

Also, I am so glad I went into this one without reading the blurb-so do that if you can!

What You'll Find:
--Romance Retelling
--MM & MF
--Bodyguard
--Forced Proximity
--Forbidden/Taboo Vibes
--BDSM/Kink
--Secrets & Mystery
--Single POV

*Thank you to Bloom Books for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and given freely.

Salt kiss is another beautiful intense slow burn book by Sierra Simone. It is a very hot, kinky story with angsty forbidden desire and love. It's told from Tristan's POV, who is a bodyguard for Mark and later Isolde. Salt in the Wound is the first part of the story and I highly recommend starting with it first.

You can expect the following from this book:
- Beautiful, emotional bodyguard
- A lot of hot kink scenes (dom/sub, wax, rulers, rope)
- Angst
- Emotional Scars
- Dark past
- M/M & M/F
- Forbidden desire/love
- Arranged marriage
- Age gap.

I enjoyed this experience with Tristan. I liked how Mark and Isolde could see right through his soul and see who he really is, a broken tortured beautiful man. Both brought out different sides of him and I loved that we got to see so many parts of him. He craved love so much, I felt it for him. All of his emotions oozed out of the pages. I usually prefer dual POV but I loved that this book was from Tristan's POV only. I already knew this would be a trilogy but I died because of the cliffhanger! I need more of this story!! I cannot wait for the next book.
I hope this will be an audiobook very soon. I've enjoyed most of her books on Audible and I definitely will be buying it once it is available. Fingers crossed Jacob Morgan narrates as Mark in this trilogy.
I was kind of disappointed there was no MMF menage in this story but I trust Sierra to bring it in the next book. I can only imagine how hot the next book will be!! Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for sending this book for review consideration.

This book had allllll of the spice, and it was done well. That aspect gets five stars, hands down.

The issue I had with Salt Kiss is that it didn't feel complete- it read like the first half of a book I'd really love- but it feels like it's missing the entire second half of the story. I know it's set to be the first in a series, but it ends abruptly and the cliffhanger feels like a slap in the face.

It was enjoyable- but incomplete. Simone would have been better off combining books 1 and 2 than ending how this one did.

This book was so addictive. But that doesn't surprise me, because Sierra Simone makes addicting books.
This was a fun whirlwind of a romance that I would classify has suspense elements but maybe not so much a straight romantic suspense. Tristan is the brooding yet soft boi of my dreams, and reading this book from his point of view was actually quite fun. I felt immersed in the world, I thought the writing was captivating, and I thought Sierra Simone had done a good job on captivating me throughout the book. This is going to be a trilogy which excites me because I'm ready for it to captivate me like her other books have.

Wow, this one is not for the faint of heart. The story follows a former soldier, Tristan Thomas, who left the army after a tragedy and has been drifting ever since. He finds a new life under the employ of Mark Trevena, his uncle-in-law and owner of a well known kink club. As the lines begin to blur between Tristan’s role as Mark’s bodyguard and their feelings for each other, things get interesting. And just when you think the story is done, Mark’s fiancé is introduced leaving Tristan wanting more from both.

Besides the well thought out characters and NSFW scenes throughout the story, there are also clues that point to what I hope will be a long running series.

Salt Kiss by Sierra Simone
Rating: 5 stars
Steam: 4 chilis
Pub date: 9/12

This book is something else! I am a huge fan of the New Camelot series, so when I heard Sierra Simone was writing a new MMF story in the same universe, I had to get my hands on it!

Tristan is an ex-soldier who goes to work for Mark, the owner of DC’s most exclusive kink club, as his bodyguard. Mark is mysterious, smokin’ hot, and possessive, and Tristan finds himself drawn to him. They begin an illicit affair until Tristan finds out that Mark is engaged to be married to Isolde.

When Tristan meets Isolde it’s like he can smile again for the first time. It’s instant attraction for him, but Isolde is not what she seems, and it doesn’t take long before Tristan starts to fall for her, too.

“I want two people. I’m not able to have either of them.”

Wooooooo! This book is steamy, twisty, emotional, and downright addictive. The book's first half is about slowly getting to know Tristan and how his PTSD affects him now that he’s out of the Army. We watch his one-sided obsession with Mark turn into real feelings as they begin their steamy affair. Once Isolde comes into the picture, the pacing really picks up, and I couldn’t put it down.

I made the grave error of not reading the prequel, Salt in the Wound, first, which is told from Isolde’s POV and explains how she meets Mark and how they wind up engaged. But after that Salt Kiss ending, I had to know more about their relationship. And WOW. Now I’m hooked and can’t wait until the next book.

If you haven’t read anything by this author before (the New Camelot series or Priest), check trigger warnings. And if you’re opposed to seggsy time in a church, you might want to skip this one entirely.

This Tristan and Isolde retelling was everything I didn’t know I needed. Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss, and Bloom Books for my digital copy. Salt Kiss will be available on 9/12.

Read if you like:
*forbidden love
*arranged marriage
*morally grey MC
*virgin bodyguard
*insta-love

Sierra Simone is my absolute favorite romance author, and this was a highly anticipated read for me. I really enjoyed the prequel to this series, Salt in the Wound, which is from Isolde's perspective. I loved the contrast of her steadfast strength & dedication to her cause with her darker desires and unintentional softness. Because I loved Isolde's character in Salt in the Wound so much, I had trouble transitioning to reading exclusively from Tristan's perspective in Salt Kiss. It took a minute to adjust to his worldview, particularly his rose-colored view of Mark Trevena.

Overall, this book is deliciously sexy, as Simone's books always are. Eagerly awaiting the second installment, which promises to be even more tangled, emotional, and riveting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Salt Kiss by Sierra Simone!

This book was so addictive. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I was a bit disappointed because I expected mroe of Isolde. But I CANNOT wait for book 2‼ That cliffhanger… I need to know what's going to happen next!

Thanks to NetGalley & Source Books Bloom Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

💜🖤 Salt Kiss ARC Review 🖤💜

Thank you so much to Sierra Simone, Bloom books and netGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Salt Kiss is a dark contemporary romance and book one in the Lyonesse series. Tristan has recently returned from deployment overseas and finds himself struggling with civilian life. Mark is a former CIA agent and now owns Lyonesse, the most popular kink club in the city - and has hired Tristan as his new bodyguard. While the two grow closer, secrets come out that might tear them apart…like Mark’s secret fiancé Isolde

This book was a fantastic read! I absolutely loved these characters so much! Tristan is so fantastic and I loved his growth with Mark. But just when the story feels semi stable…in comes Isolde! She’s definitely a spitfire and I can’t wait to see the dynamics of the three of them in future books! This is definitely the beginning of a series and it feels like there’s a lot of build up - but in a good way and I can’t wait to see where this series goes!!

Overall this was a 4 star read for me! I love the original Tristan & Isolde story, and I really enjoyed this twist of a retelling! As this book contains some darker themes, definitely check triggers if you’re sensitive. This book absolutely packed the spice - the kink was exceptional and I’m so excited for the potential of these three characters - four flames for spice

If you’re a fan of contemporary romance with boss/employee dynamics, bodyguard protectiveness, possessive men and strong women with a splash of kink, then absolutely pick this one up!!

Please Note: review will be posted on Amazon upon publication

If you liked the New Camelot trilogy you are going to LOVE Salt Kiss.

In this retelling of the myth of Tristan and Isolde, Sierra Simone shows us a brand new world inside the New Camelot universe. However, this book does not read like a “related” book. This new story is absolutely phenomenal and just as well-built (if not more) than American Queen.

Tristan Thomas is a young war vet who receives a job offer by non other than his new step-uncle Mark, the owner of infamous sex club Lyonesse. After weeks of sexual tension, both give way to their desires and Tristan discovers that there is no weakness in submitting.
However, Mark is full of secrets and his behavior is nothing short of suspicious most of the time. Will Tristan be able to look the other way. Will new revelations (and a certain badass Irish heiress) become their salvation or their ruin?

I liked this even more than its predecessor, simply because we are not buried in long flashbacks that explain things we already knew. This book was fast paced, steamy and absolutely unputdownable.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 / 5


Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

3 ⭐️ Great intro - Shouldn't have been a separate book.

This entire book is literally just the blurb. All of it. The blurb -aka what you read so it can get you hooked on the story and you want to learn more- tells you the ending. I've spent the last two days reading about a sweet, tortured man fall in love twice... and that's it. He falls in love. No one else. He's not in a relationship with either of the people he's fallen for. They don't fall in love with him. He's nothing to anyone. And it's so f*cking sad.

For reference this is the book's blurb (don't read if you want to read this book anyway):
After leaving the army, the young former soldier is in limbo. Until, that is, he's hired by Mark Trevena, the owner of Lyonesse―DC's ultra-secret club―to be Mark's new bodyguard. He's drawn into Mark's dark, seductive world of power and desire, and slowly drawn to Mark himself, even though Mark is everything Tristan knows he shouldn't want: cruel and wicked and shamelessly amoral. But protecting Mark isn't Tristan's only duty: soon, Mark asks him to guard his soon-to-be bride as she travels home from Ireland on Mark's yacht. Tristan is jealous―and hurt to learn that the object of his obsession is engaged―but the former soldier in him is made to obey orders, and he goes to fetch Mark's bride for him. Isolde Laurence is nothing like Tristan expected, however. Young, quiet, and sharp, she's being pushed into this marriage by her family, and as the two travel back to America, Tristan finds himself fascinated with Isolde and the glimpses he gets of the lonely but determined woman behind her reserve. And the fascination is mutual: one night, while sailing under the cold stars, they share a searing kiss. From there, it's a fast fall into the forbidden for all three of them.

And this book literally ends where the "from there" should begin. There is nothing 'from there'. It's a deliciously torturous beginning to what I'm sure will be a torturous romance. But this isn't it. I wish more than anything that I would've waited to pick up this book until the series was done being published, because this should've been a very long book, not a series. Why make two spare books? The cliffhanger is not even a cliffhanger, is just the beginning of the MMF story. Because the book was half MM bdsm romance and a quarter MF k!nk erotica (the other quarter is just introductions and us getting situated into the story).

This book is NOT -I repeat- it's not MMF! Which is a huge disappointment, since it's targeted as such. The second part of this series, I'm sure, will be MMF. This one is NOT.

The story itself is a great time. I probably would've given it over 4 stars if the story was whole. I really liked the writing and Tristan's portrayal, his personality, his struggles. I was really good. It's plenty dark and the level of degradation k1nk here is through the roof. It's very, very intense, and I surprisingly loved it. I'm not a person that tends to enjoy reading books with degradation -if I'm honest I've actively stopped myself from reading books I know I'd otherwise enjoy because I knew they had degradation in them. What I've realized, though, is that my problem with degradation is that it's always MALE Doms, and the female subs are the ones being degraded. Women being degraded by men is a tad too close to the unfortunate cruelty of the world for me to enjoy as a fantasy. Men being the subject of degradation, however... that I apparently like, because I enjoyed reading Tristan's POV so much. The whole book is narrated from his side of things, and although at first I was skeptical I shouldn't have been. Seeing everything through his eyes, reading about his feelings and experiences is what carried this book. His lack of experience made everything new and exciting.

The protagonist here is Tristan, a 29 year old v1rgin soldier whose life lacks structure and meaning - and he finds it all in Mark. Which I would've liked way more if I could understand why Tristan falls in love with Mark to begin with. Mark is cruel and cold and unfeeling, and I understand that since Tristan's into degradation he would desire someone like Mark... but fall in love with him? Tristan falling for Isolde, sure, that I get. But Mark? That was one of my biggest issue with this book. That and the fact that I kept waiting for the 'F' in this 'MMF' to show up, only for her to make a couple of small cameos and then - curtain- the end.

I really did enjoy this... but it feels like it's missing half of the book. I would not recommend reading this until book #2 is out. You will be very disappointed otherwise.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 / 5*

Thank you so, so much Net Galley for providing me with an eARC of the book!! This review has already been uploaded to goodreads :)

*I think this is only the second or third time I've given all 5 spicy peppers to a book. Seriously, beware of the heat cause it will melt your face off... I loved it!

I flew through this book in one day. When the people that live in my house...yeah, my family...needed things, they got a glare from me because I was busy. Yes, I said it - - I WAS BUSY reading and did not want to do ANYTHING else but inhale this hot little number.

Salt Kiss was a great blend of several things. It's the perfect amount of spice, heart, plot and action. Sierra Simone can weave a plot like no one else and kept me turning the pages on this beauty until the bitter end. Since I knew it was part of a series, I already suspected there would be some kind of cliffhanger at the end....and there was. It wasn't horrible, but the book definitely left me wanting more. I'll be reading the prequel book soon (Salt in the Wound) as I didn't know about it until I'd already started this one.

This book definitely isn't for the feint of heart. A good portion of it is set in and around a sex club after all. The characters are well defined and as a reader, I felt like I knew everything about them. You also really feel like you're in their head with their emotions and so on.

The dynamics being created in this book were on fire and I really can't wait to see what else happens in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.