4.5 stars ⭐️ the amount of love I have for this trilogy is unreal.

Honey Cut is book 2 of The Lyonesse trilogy, and it continues the dirty, messy story between Mark, Isolde and Tristan. It manages to combine mystery, kink and emotion into an enthralling tale.

In the first book (and prequel), we get to see the characters grow separately but in Honey Cut we finally get to see the delicious MMF relationship grow (it’s a slow burn, folks 🥵). The heartache, the secrets and the angst in this book had me unable to put it down.

Isolde’s personality and character growth was beautiful, brave and shocking. Tristan, my sweet boy; his heart is so pure and giving, and he deserves the world. Mark is still a hot mystery with his guarded persona. Although we weren’t privy his thoughts, there is now anticipation for his POV in the next book.

Sierra writes pure art; it’s powerful, poetic and so smooth. Let’s not forget she is the queen of spice and kink. I’m not quite sure how I’m supposed to wait until March to get their HEA, but in Sierra Simone we trust.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I was sitting on pins and needles waiting this second installment of the Lyonesse Trilogy and it was worth the wait! Honey Cut starts off right where Salt Kiss left off. Islode is now married, living with Mark at his club, and being the consummate society hostess that he needs. She is however, still very much involved with her uncle's plans (we do see some of her work for him). She is living a dangerous life, since he is still in love with Tristan (who as a front row seat to the Trevana marriage), falling in love with her husband, and still being faithful to her God and His plan for her. As all of Isolde's worlds start to collide, truth emerge that change everything.

The next book cannot come fast enough! The way the story is mostly told from Tristan and Isolde's keeps you wondering what the heck Mark is thinking! It adds to the mystery of the story.

#edelwiess #netgalley #sierrasimone #lyonessetrilogy #honeycut
Reasons I enjoyed this book:

This book has lies. It has regret and pain. There’s some cheating and I know that’s a deal breaker for some so I wanted to throw that in there. The way it was written was so poetic and I felt EVERYTHING. The main characters Mark (the billionaire), Isolde (MFC) and Tristan (the bodyguard) were so well written.
You want kinky and filthy? Look no further because that’s what you’re going to get!
And the cliffhanger…. Of course it left me wanting more!

Title: Honey Cut by Sierra Simone

Release date: June, 18th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars


"Honey Cut" by Sierra Simone, the second chapter in the Lyonesse trilogy, is a passionate and intricate exploration of love, ambition, and the treacherous dance of power. This novel deepens the entwined fates of Isolde Laurence, Mark Trevena, and Tristan, characters bound by forbidden longings, perilous secrets, and the unyielding quest for dominance.

Isolde, groomed to embody grace and duty, finds herself ensnared in a covert mission directed by her uncle, a high-ranking cardinal. Her charge is unequivocal: wed Mark Trevena, the mysterious proprietor of an elite DC club, and ensnare him for the Church's benefit. Yet, Isolde's resolve is tested by her surprising attraction to Tristan, Mark's enigmatic bodyguard, and the burgeoning emotions she harbors for Mark, a path she once trod with bitter remorse.

Mark Trevena, a figure veiled in mystery, harbors enigmatic motives for his obsession with both Isolde and Tristan, suggesting a hidden darkness that threatens to consume them all. The story is a profound dive into the characters' internal conflicts, their battles with love and fidelity, and the perilous games they engage in to satisfy their desires.

Sierra Simone's prose is a tapestry of beauty and poignancy, her words crafting a narrative as rich and layered as the emotions it evokes. "Honey Cut" fearlessly confronts the tangled web of human connections, unraveling themes of deceit, infidelity, suffering, and remorse with a depth and tenderness that is both gripping and soul-stirring.

The dual perspective, alternating between Tristan and Isolde, provides a window into their burgeoning relationship and the hurdles they must overcome.

The conclusion, though anticipated, still delivered a jolt of surprise, leaving me hungry for the third book!

"Honey Cut" stands as a monument to Sierra Simone's prowess as a storyteller, her gift for weaving tales that are both emotionally charged and intricately woven. It is a novel that promises heartache but also whispers of redemption and the promise of a joyful ending, keeping readers enthralled by the destinies of its characters and eagerly awaiting the final chapter in their saga.

Thank you to The Publisher SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books | Bloom Books ,The Author Sierra Simone & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

5⭐️
I was kindly provided with the ARC by Bloom Books and NetGalley in exchange of an honest review, thank you!!!✨

Ok… 5 starts isn’t enough to rate this masterpiece👀 THAT CLIFFHANGER?!?!

I mean, I knew this could ended well because is the second part of a trilogy but… WHY AFTER THEY ALL WERE HAPPY!!!!??

I DEVOURED this book, and all the time I was reading it I was sweating and blushing and being soooooo 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵

This book is so damn well written, because I usually don’t even tried to read a book with love triangle and cheating tropes, but this… this was sooooo good!!!! All the Mark+Isolde+Tristan situation was amazing! I understand everyone as individuals and as package (hahahaha) the dynamics between Mark and Isolde, Mark and Tristan and Isolde and Tristan were chefkiss 🛐

I was sad for Tristan and the first half of the book because, literally he passed for having Mark, to giving up on him, to having Isolde to giving up on her too, to have to watching both of them being married and all the delicious parts, but at the same time I understand Isolde, she was so divided between her feelings for Mark and Tristan and those feelings were different in so many ways but at the end of the day we’re the same.

And Mark, OHMYGOD🛐 I totally get Isolde and Tristan, I can’t wait to be in his mind, he is so afraid of letting him feel love and letting Isolde and Tristan loving him and I get why 🥺 and even he was so invested with Tristan, he giving up on him to respect his promise to Isolde until he couldn’t take it anymore because he want them both, and they both eating him, and he want them to want him and each other and ahhhhhhhh!!

The only thing I don’t like, is that I have to wait UNTIL NEXT YEAR to having the last book of this trilogy and their HEA, because I would not accept another ending for them except their being all together, because Tristan needs Isolde and Mark, Isolde needs Mark and Tristan, and Mark needs Tristan and Isolde 🛐❤️‍🩹

The second book in the Lyonesse trilogy. Isolde is a spy for the church. Her mission is to seduce Mark, owner of a notorious club. She has fallen for Mark and his bodyguard. They form a dangerous love triangle and everyone has secrets to hide.

It's steamy of course. It's also exciting and fast-paced. There are links to The American Queen Trilogy. Lots of lies and secrets... I don't want to spoil anything so I will just say that the ending is just wow... Definitely worth reading.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Hold tight to your emotions. This one is a roller coaster. The deceit, lies, and so much more. In true Sierra Simone fashion this one just rips your heart out. Mark, Tristan and Isolde are everything this story is made to be.

Now to patiently wait for the final book.

Thank you for the ARC copy.

No special notes. No true review. Just deep, guttural screaming for this absolute masterpiece of a book and a plea, an appeal, a whispered prayer for more very soon. Wow.

Sierra Simone really lays into the metaphors in this and I actually appreciate it! And I think Isolde is interesting enough, but I really do not understand her motivations--and for a mega super spy and assassin, she makes some really terrible mistakes. Mark at this point is basically some omniscient demigod.

But I will absolutely read the crap out of the last book.

ARC Review

Synopsis: Isolde Laurence is an uncommon bride.

She's been raised to do as her father told her, put elegance and duty above all else―but unbeknownst to him, her loyalty has shifted. Now she's in service to the Church, one of the elite spies who work for her uncle, a cardinal. Her latest assignment from the Church? Marry Mark Trevena, the owner of a notorious club in DC where the rich and powerful come to play, and seduce him.

But what was supposed to be a simple lie has become far more complicated: Isolde has fallen for Mark's handsome and emotionally wounded bodyguard, Tristan. Even worse―she's falling for her future husband himself, a mistake she made once before and has bitterly regretted ever since.

And there's something far darker at play than the machinations of Isolde's uncle or even the twisted longings of her own heart. Because Isolde's new husband has secrets of his own, and the reason he'll stop at nothing to possess Isolde and Tristan both might tear all three of them to pieces.

If the heartbreak doesn't do the job first…

Review:
Let me tell ya what, there's just something about a Sierra Simone book. They always suck me in and keep my attention the entire time. Here are some of my random thoughts:

1. I'm a well educated lady. And I have never used the dictionary function of my kindle so much as I did reading this book. I just know that Sierra killed the vocab part of the SATs

2. I would die for Tristan, as we all should. He's just so sweet and so loving and so overwhelmed by the world he's entered but man is he along for the ride(s).

3. I'm absolutely loving the way the plot of this series is shaping up. I think its incredibly intriguing and the tie ins with the church and Lyonesse, I'm so ready for the third book.

4. If you love Sierra Simone's books this is one you can't miss at all.

5. BRB rereading all of Sierra's books. K, bye!

Holy moly.. this book is so intense and messy. We are right back where the first book takes off and we are in the thick of Isolde, Mark and Tristan's look triangle. The angsty, the tension and the scenes were off the charts. You feel for all of their pain and I love that we get to know Mark a little more.

I thought Isolde and Tristan were so reckless but I love how hard they tried to resist each other. I liked that Embry and Greer made an appearance in this story too. I am not sure how Cass's story will continue if it does in the next story but felt it was left unfinished.

Simone promises a HEA for book 3 and I can't wait for it. This one does live you on a cliff hanger.

Thank you @netgalley @thesierrasimone for a copy of this.

Honey Cut is book 2 of the Lyonesse trilogy, an MMF romance following Mark, Tristan, and Isolde. The pacing in Honey Cut is much slower than it was in Salt in the Wound (prequel novella) and Salt Kiss (book 1) and you just have to trust the process. I wasn’t expecting that so I was a little frustrated with the first half. Now that I’ve finish the pacing makes sense. The drama and spice were so good! Isolde’s connection to the Church is so interesting. I love the web of lies and secrets and can’t wait for the final book!

The only reason I gave this three stars is because of Isolde and Mark. Salt in the wound (the prequel) was in my opinion the best book in this trilogy and made me like them. Unfortunately Salt Kiss (The first book) wasn’t my cup of tea and I didn’t care for Tristan unfortunately.

The rest of the book was fine. I did skip through some of the chapters to the end but it was fine. Not for me unfortunately but I think a lot of readers will really enjoy this one.

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Honey cut

With salt kiss being one of my all time favorite books ever I knew this book was going to blow me away. I genuinely don’t understand what Sierra Simone puts in these books but truly can’t get over this series and The New Camelot Trilogy. I think about both literally everyday.

This book was so beyond perfect. It did not disappoint at ALL. It was a true masterpiece. It was sexy, messy and filled with suspense. I was continuously asking “what is going to happen, when is shit going to hit the fan!?” I was on my toes the entire time while simultaneously enjoying the BEST SPICE EVER. The ending had me staring at my wall for a solid 20 minutes. Infinity stars forever and ever.

My sweet sweet baby Tristan. I love you. I love you so much and I seriously can’t get over him ever. This man has so much heart and is so good to his core, not to mention a hot as hell ex military bodyguard with green eyes and dark hair.

Mark, my mean mean filthy man. This man had me addicted from his first appearance in A Salt In the Wound. He is FREAKING delicious and mean and dominating and just EVERYTHING. I love him your honor.

Isolde, our strong queen. She is seriously such an incredible fmc. She is so intense, but sweet and broken. She is probably my favorite Sierra FMC.

Isolde, Mark, and Tristan are back and things are hotter and more complicated than ever. It's time for the wedding that's all a lie, but is it? Can the budding feelings between Isolde and Mark survive their mutual pining for Tristan, despite their vows to stay faithful to one another?

The spice was spicing and the love triangle gets really twisty in this one and it's SO good. The secret church saint plot got thicker here and was a much bigger part of the storyline which didn't do much for me, but without giving spoilers certainly added some complications.

Get ready for a massive cliffhanger but so worth it....

Honey Cut is book two in the Lyonesse series. It follows Tristan, Isolde, and Mark as they are finally all together on page, suffering and lying and being horny.

Overall, this was fine. 3.5 stars. I read it in like two days so it was engaging enough to make me want to keep reading, but it was never really enjoyable. I feel like my outlook on this book could change depending on what’s revealed/resolved in book three. My rating is really for how I feel at this point, with what’s known now (which feels like not much).

A positive for the book is definitely the hot kink scenes. Sierra Simone does her thing. Probably the consistent highlight of the book, since the romance was so fraught and unstable.

Speaking of: Tristan really goes through the ringer in this one. At some point it seemed excessive.

Isolde’s dedication to the Church really started to bug me in this book. I get that her (creepy) uncle is a Bishop, but I had a hard time understanding her drive and dedication to such a problematic institution and to being a saint. At the end, her conflict over picking happiness (and delicious suffering) with her kinky husband and his bodyguard versus KILLING her beloved husband for some “religious” shadow organization wasn’t compelling to me.

I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about Mark, but I don’t really like or trust him at this point. All of his previous actions seemed to be pushing Tristan and Isolde together, but when he “finds out” about their affair/love (and I don’t 100% believe he only found out through Andrea) he’s furious and upset. Also, I wasn’t satisfied with the explanation for his behavior in the prequel. Maybe these issues (and more I didn’t go into) will be explained away in book three when we, presumably, finally, get his POV. But that’s not good enough for me and doesn’t make these earlier books more enjoyable (and I’m looking for romance that’s enjoyable!). Two and a half books of this made me tired.

I will read book three when it comes out, but after rereading the prequel and book one this week to refresh for this book, I don’t think I will do a full series reread next time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review this ARC.

I was given an advanced copy in exchange for my review. This is my honest opinion I am giving voluntarily. Oh. my goodness. To me; sierra Simone can do no wrong. I am chomping at the bit to get this last book. This one has so much spice, so many twist and turns, every chapter till the last page! Writing style is phenomenal and there’s so much drama you don’t know if it will ever end. I hate reading series as they come out because now I have to wait for answers!

Well, Sierra Simone has broke my heart again, but in the best way. I knew going into this that it's the second in a planned trilogy. I knew it wouldn't wrap up the story. This installment in the Lyonesse trilogy was just... so good. The table? The throne scene? Simone cannot do wrong.

This book is absolutely amazing, and is worth all the hype and anticipation. Go buy it. It is so good. We are given the most wonderful, steamy spice with intriguing plot woven throughout. Sierra Simone's prose is beautiful and captivating. I have no complaints.

Oh. My. God. Sierra Simone’s books are absolute bananas. This is book two of the Lyonesse triology, and it follows Tristan, Isolde, and Mark, before, during, and in the few months following Isolde and Mark’s marriage. The second installment brings all the pining and very kinky sex of book one, with even more espionage, lying, and political assassinations.

It also brings Catholicism and guilt in spades, much more heavily than book one, which, if you’ve read my other Sierra Simone reviews, I’m really not here for. All the talk of being Bad and Wrong and Deserving of Punishment feels a bit like it undermines the idea of just liking what you like and that being fine, and is a bit of a boner killer for me, frankly. I prefer my dark queer erotica without excessive literal and emotional self flagellation, thank you.

Despite all that, I really enjoyed this book. It’s sexy and ridiculous and very fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

ᨳ᭬ ⭑⭑⭑⭑࿐ྂ
“I’m saying I want you both. In my bed. All the time. I want you both to be mine.”

this was sooo good but WTF?!
what was that for a ending?!
I NEED THE THIRD BOOK RN🫠