This book was enjoyable, enjoy everything by this author. Character development, and plot and the spice was what contributed to it being a great read.Thank you for the opportunity to read it

I went into A Lesson in Thorns blind just trusting whatever SS writes I'll love, and honestly, that’s the best way to experience it. This book is dark, poetic, and dripping with gothic intrigue. while being steamy as you can expect.

The story follows six people reunited at Thornchapel, a grand estate filled with secrets. What starts as a homecoming quickly unravels into a web of longing, buried emotions, and rituals that blur the line between past and present. The tension is electric, the exploration of desire and kink beautifully handled, and when those suppressed feelings finally surface? It’s explosive.

But as much as I loved the writing and concept, I struggled with the FMC, which made it harder to connect with the story. The pacing also felt uneven, and not all the characters were fully developed but I assume the rest of the series will cover that. That said, this book is undeniably unique, if you love gothic romance with mystery, tension, and poetic prose, it’s worth the read. While it wasn’t a perfect fit for me, I’m still curious to see where the series goes next and still am a massive fan of the author.

'Sierra Simone is back and she's here to slay. Kneel at the alter of her brilliance, worship her written words, and pray for mercy on your unmentionable parts. Get ready for A Lesson in Thorns with SIX sexy sinners.' - The British Bibliophile

Gather around, settle I and get comfortable my beloved children. I'm about to tell you a story.

Once upon a time, there was an author called Sierra Simone and a reader called The British Bibliophile. Sierra births into the world the steamiest, smuttiest, kinkiest, filthiest stories born from her beautiful brain and The British Bibliophile, the hungry reader that she is, consumes said stories both feeling left fully satisfied while also politely holding out both of her hands for more. All in the hopes that her beloved author would drop another story into her open palms.

So she wished it, so shall it be, for that is exactly what came her way.

A Lesson in Thorns, is a re-released book with a fitting--and beautiful--cover to match the level of balanced beauty and bloodiness within its pages. Though just how beautiful and bloody, The British Bibliophile was not fully aware of or prepared for. You see, she hasn't read this story before, and therefore didn't know the premise of the story or the series it belongs to. Has no idea what she is truly in for. Luckily with Sierra, she is in good hands. For what she's read in Salt Kiss & Honey Cut, she can say that with the utmost certainty.

On this foray into the forbidden the key, as always, is to be open. Not in that way--this time--, but in terms of an open mind. Your eyes too, will be opened, for you will read about all kinds of everything that you quite possibly have never done so before. Sierra's brand of romance is not only an acquired taste, it's one that once you get in your mouth and your hands around, you'll come back for seconds, thirds, fourths and more of some of the filthiest, trigger warning-packed, steamy/spicy stories you will ever have the pleasure of reading earthside.

Now we venture onto the tricky, but fun, territory of the trigger warnings previously mentioned. To those of us who see them as an invitation to read the book, others will be wary of them. A seasoned reader of trigger warnings, The British Bibliophile did not hesitate to jump in with the ones Sierra slipped into the story, encouraging others to come on in and join her. For the sake of honesty, here is what you are in for:

Sexual violence (off-page), Blood and Alcohol (moderate), Death of a Parent, Injury Detail, Classism, BDSM, Parental Abandonment, R*ape (past, with graphic description), Sex (on-page), Grief & loss, Mental Health Struggles, Toxic Family Dynamics, etc.

Fear not, these trigger warnings. For they have been handled with delicacy, grace and respect befitting some of the harrowing, difficult topics that a few of them are. Brave them and you will have not only seen how Sierra navigates them, but you'll come out of the other side at the end with a story that you-like The British Bibliophile--wish that you had taken the chance on sooner. Lesson--not in thorns, learned.

Past the trigger warnings you have wandered, and now you find yourself in an enchanting, addicting and wondrous story filled with equalled matched characters. Six, to be exact. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Thornchapel. The allure to come here was strong and now that you are, pull up a pew and get ready for your sermon (lesson), in the thorns that have woven themselves in and around it as much as they have done the bloodied characters who hold them firmly in their grasps. Not a line, paragraph, page or chapter was left untouched by compelling, prose-worthy, vivid imagery, disturbingly brilliant detail and just a whiff of magic in the air. A hint of something, other, without there being anything magical physically present.

Now, it's time to take a breather as we wind our way round to the book-gripping nature that is the plot twist. Or in this case, twists. That's right, we're twisting again like we did last summer. Sierra, queen with many crowns, dons her 'twist' crown with the sheer amount of them which worked extremely well, while also potentially leaving readers in the state of literary whiplash. They come thick and fast--pun intended--, acting as the invisible thread that pulls in tight the inter-character relationships, blazing sexual tension, the gritty, the raw and real, the passion and more, until we're left with a book that has now woven its thorns well and truly around us. Making us part of the story.

Nearing the end of this prick-ly tale, the climax almost in sight, it's time to slow things down, edge things out for a brief moment of reflection. Realisation. Confession.

Do not try to hide those blushing cheeks as you turn each page. It's pointless fight, so just embrace what this book will make you do, how it will make you feel and what it will make you want to do. You know exactly what I mean. Pages won't be the only thing that will end up...ahem...spread. Dirty will the reader be who has between her--or his--hands, a dirty book, after all.

Pleased will readers be to hear that yes, this book is of an 'erotic' nature to some degree, it is not the central element that gives it the oomph it delivers. As fellow readers have said and that The British Bibliophile herself agrees with, character development, plot, storyline, memorable characters and mystery all play their parts, inserting themselves just where they're needed to be for maximum desired effect.

With that final note, our story comes to an end. For now... What? Did you really think things were going to be left here? One trip to Thornchapel and that's it? Not if Sierra has anything to do with it.

The doors open once more to Thornchapel where the spice gets spicer, the darkness gets darker, the passion grows more passionate, the enemies will become lovers and there, of course, will be sparks.

Sierra Simone can do no wrong in anything she writes. I know when I pick up one of her books I am thoroughly going to enjoy it and this was one of those for sure. I devoured this so quickly and it just reminded me why I love everything she gives so much and I just want new stuff from her immediately!

This is going to be a DNF/skim for me, sadly. I love a group relationship dynamic and the gothic setting, but I was just incredibly bored and not feeling the urge to pick this one up.

I wanted to like this one! It’s gothic and full of mystery! I like spice and multiple partners in a book, however I DnFed around 35% as I just found it boring personally. 2 stars for setting and the writing style was really good. Just not for me.

Poe returns to Thornchapel after many years away. She has fond memories from her childhood when her parents took her to visit. All five of her childhood friends are there and they are all looking for something but none of them no what. For Poe, she hopes to find information about her mother’s disappearance. What she uncovers is so much more and it involves all of her friends. None of them are prepared. Will their friendships survive or will they all drift apart again?

Poe is a librarian by trade. She is hired to spend time in Thornchapel sorting through all of the books in the library. She hopes that being back at Thornchapel allows her to find out information about her mother and the parents of her friends. Auden inherited the house when his father died. If it were up to him, he would never set foot back in the house but situation conspire to force him back. He is in the process of completely redoing the house. Auden has Delphine with him. They are now engaged. Their relationship has some very large secrets that need to see the light of day for them to move forward. Rebecca has returned to work on the landscape architecture. She has a life in London that she loves including her role as a domme. Saint is working with his uncle to redo the interiors and exteriors of the house. Saint and Auden have a strained relationship due to something that happened before the story started. Becket has returned to Thornchapel as a priest. He is dedicated to his calling but feels the pull to be with his friends. Through a series of conversations and Scooby Do mystery activities, the group discovers that their ancestors believed in ancient rituals. Through the course of their discoveries, they find themselves developing feelings for each other. The author explores the complexity of relationships changing and forming into something new. This book also contains rituals and mysteries. I don’t think any of the characters developed in any way. I think they simply embraced who and what they were already. The only glimmer of growth actually occurred at the very end with Auden but I won’t give that away.

What did I just read? No really. I am very confused. I thought it was a romance but I don’t think that’s how I would classify it. If you are sensitive to books about people having adult activities then you should skip this book. The story includes many many references to the characters having adult interests in one another and then the culmination of the story is graphic adult activities. It is also the story of a missing person and the consequences of her loss. The author chose to have each character choose a career that made them essential to the story. For example, a librarian, a priest etc.

I did not enjoy this book. I don’t think I would have enjoyed it even if I had gone into it with realistic expectations. It tried to be atmospheric and failed. It tried to be a mystery and failed. It was a romance? Hmmm. The only place it succeeded was to show how broken people can be and still function in society. I can’t even name one specific thing in the book that I liked. For that reason, I can’t recommend this book. If you are going to give it a try, don’t expect a romance and be VERY open minded. I don’t know if I’ll read more from this author in the future.

Sierra Simone can do no wrong. This book is everything that you could want from an erotic/snmutty romance. The only gripe is I wasn't sure huge fan of the FMC but overall a great read

Thank you so much Bloom Books for an ARC of this book!

Sierra Simone's A Lesson in Thorns is a dark romance that expertly builds sexual tension and explores complex, strained relationships. The chemistry between the characters—Proserpina, Auden, and St. Sebastian—is palpable from the start, with a slow-burn dynamic that leaves you craving more. While the first two-thirds of the book feel bogged down by information dumps and slow pacing, the final third is where the plot truly takes off, and the tension finally bursts into passion. Simone’s signature dark, seductive atmosphere shines through, drawing readers into a world of secrets, desires, and forbidden love. The book’s ending is a twist that leaves you desperate for more, setting up a promising series. While not flawless, A Lesson in Thorns will satisfy fans of taboo romance with its compelling characters, mystery, and smoldering intensity.

Gorgeous, sultry book. Obsessed with these characters. Has everything I want from this type of book.

If you’re in the mood for something smutty, mysterious, and beautifully written, A Lesson in Thorns is a must-read!

As for all of Sierra Simone’s books I was hooked! This book was so spicy and so very captivating! I loved every second of it. The spice was well written (as most of her books are) and I loved the gothic feel this book gave me. This book was written in a way that I just couldn’t put it down and that’s been hard for me lately.

Thank you for the Arc Net Galley 🤍

I went into A Lesson in Thorns completely blind, and I think that was the right choice! This book is so unique that it’s hard to put into words—it’s mysterious, poetic, and hauntingly beautiful.

The story follows six people who once spent a summer together at Thornchapel, a grand estate filled with secrets. Years later, now in their early twenties, they reunite at the same place, only to uncover the land’s mysteries, the rituals that took place there, and the tangled emotions that still bind them together. The careful exploration of emotions and kink was portrayed so well and I appreciated how every character brought something so unique to the table. It was also undeniably hot when they unleashed their long suppressed feelings and desires through rituals.

Sierra Simone’s writing is beautiful—it’s lyrical, atmospheric, and feels almost like poetry. The gothic vibes, the suspense, and the heavy emotions woven into the story kept me on my toes the whole time.

However, I found the pacing to be somewhat inconsistent at times—some parts felt drawn out, while others were fast-paced and gripping. The POV structure also took some getting used to. Most of the book is told through one character’s perspective, with some third-person chapters from others, making the full picture feel intentionally incomplete. I assume the sequels will expand on the other characters, but in this book, not all of them felt fully fleshed out.

That said, the emotional depth is undeniable. The characters’ struggles and internal battles are heavy but meaningful, and I found myself deeply invested in their journeys. This book is unlike anything I’ve read before, and I can’t wait to see where the series goes next!

Thank you to Bloom Books for providing an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚐𝚗𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚙𝚜𝚢 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚊𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚡𝚢—𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚒𝚜 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚢 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚔 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚊𝚖 𝚊 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢, 𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚎𝚙𝚢 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗.”

I don’t think I’ve ever read another book where the FMC had narcolepsy without cataplexy! I’m a fellow type 2 narcoleptic, and seeing this representation really got me emotional. The way shame that Poe feels when she sleeps too long or in the wrong places felt deeply personal to me. Dealing with a chronic illness around sleep is a very challenging thing that most people don’t understand. I felt like this book really did a great job of showing that struggle.

I really enjoyed Poe and and her unique perspective on the goings on at Thornchapel. I struggled with certain characters Auden and Delphine in particular. Their relationship was odd and I also just didn’t understand how they could say that they loved each other while simultaneously being so toxic and terrible? It was odd. The storytelling was very atmospheric and @thesierrasimone did a fabulous job of creating the setting and dialing up the tension. Tension not just between characters but also of the mysteries surrounding Thornchapel. Also I did not understand that this book was classified as erotica and not just romance so I was taken aback a bit by some of the spicier scenes. Not because I have an issue with it but just because they are HOTTTTT. Check your trigger warnings though because there is a lot of kink and alot of it taboo. Rebecca was my absolute favorite character. She just knows who she is and what she wants. That can’t be beat! This one does end on a cliffhanger so if you are #teamnocliffie just beware of that!

A huge thank you to @netgalley and @read_bloom for providing an ARC.

Oh my god I absolutely loved this. Sierra, I was a fan after I read Priest but you have outdone yourself. This will become a staple in spicy dark academia.

Thank you Sourcebooks for the copy of this book.
-
Read if you like: dark romance
-
Poe returns to Thornchapel to work as a librarian and there she reconnects with people from her past that she hasn't been able to forget. She is also hoping to solve the mystery of the disappearance of her mother.
-
I liked the mystery elements of the book and the multiple perspectives, as well as the exploration of love and identity. I am curious to see what happens next!

If you crave stories that are both beautifully written and deliciously provocative, A Lesson in Thorns will leave you breathless, aching, and desperate for more. An absolute must-read for lovers of dark romance and gothic fantasy.

A Lesson In Thorns by Sierra Simone is book 1 in the Thornchapel series. Poe arrives at Thornchapel after accepting a job as a librarian, but that's not her only reason for going. She receives a mysterious letter written in Latin by her mother who's been missing for twenty years. She goes in search of answers and finds Auden Guest instead.

This could have been good. But I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Poe is not very likeable. I didn't hate her, but did not like her. She's not annoying, just feels shallow. She needed more depth to be a quality read. The spice is there, but just wasn't my vibe.

If you like true smut with these tropes, you'd like this book:

🌹Taboo SPICE
🌹Virgin, sex-obsessed FMC
🌹Mystery
🌹Hot priest
🌹Queer rep

Another Sierra Simone hit, I love all her books - they always hit that spicy moment I love. It was definitely one of my faves by her. No one can write SPICE like Sierra and make it good.

“They found the roses right away.
The thorns took longer”

This book was complicated, hot, dark and twisted and perfect if you are in the mood for something like that !!! Six friends who grew up together. A dark setting such as that of a thorn chapel and complicated BDSM dynamics between them that will slow some of them to finally wake up to their needs and wants while make the others frustrated because they want something it seems they cannot have. Auden and Saint and Proserpina and Delphine and Rebecca … these five in particular will start a dynamic that it closer to that of a polyamorous relationship than anything else but the amount of trauma they have will create creases between them that it will be hard for some of them to realise what they feel. This book is extremely sexual and emotional and getting to know these characters was a pleasure as much as it was a painful experience (iykyk) and underneath it all, there is a slight religious theme and trauma that you won’t be able to fully define until the very end. And the ending … I definitely need more !!! I cannot wait to read the sequel !!!

“Delphine. Rebecca. Becket.
Saint Sebastian.
Proserpina.
His thorns, his regrets.
His hurts”