Epic legends the Sierra Simone Way: fascinating, mysteries coated in oozing, sticky desire
Back in 2020, during the rise of BookTok, a sultry blurb showed up on everyone’s feed:
“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.”
The book was Sierra Simone’s Priest and it got people's attention!
It's provocative, forbidden and it sucked people into the world of Sierra Simone.
However, I was a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to Simone’s work.
It took until the spring of 2024 for me to pick up Salt Kiss, the first book in a different series of hers, but when I did my heart was stolen. It happened so quickly I was left feeling shocked.
See, in my opinion, Simone is one of those writers in the romance space who does not get enough flowers for her craft. And I don't take the word craft lightly.
In drama school, while studying authors, we always asked: Who had the sharpest pen? Who could draw the clearest picture? Who could deliver a line with the most emotional impact? We studied how authors honed their craft and all of these things were evident on every page of Salt Kiss.
Salt Kiss is the first book in the Lyonesse trilogy, a MMF retelling of the legend of Tristan and Isolde. In this legend King Mark is cuckolded by his beloved nephew, Tristan and his young bride, Isolde.
In Simone’s modern retelling Mark, rather than ruling the kingdom of Cornwall, rules over DC’s most renowned kink club. His new step-nephew, Tristan, comes to work for Mark as his bodyguard, a few months before his fiancé, Isolde, is supposed to arrive for their arranged marriage.
With this plot line, I figured I was in for debauchery and spice. And I was… but I was also taken on a journey of an epic tale of love, deceit, and power.
See, Simone did something special with her erotic retelling of the legend. She crafted a story that felt like the most salacious, delicious, and depraved versions of the ancient epics. She coated fascinating mysteries in oozing, sticky desire.
It was incredible to read. I found myself starving for the next book and was lucky to learn that the next book in the Lyonesse series, Honey Cut, was coming out a month later and I subsequently read it the day it came out. But then I realized I would have to wait a whole year to get the last piece of the story and it felt like my world was ending.
What choice did I have but mind my time for the next 12 months, writing blogs, posting TikToks and just… waiting…
Then, a week before the release of book 3, Bitter Burn, when I was ready to start my re-reads of Book 1 and 2, some of my wonderful followers told me that I would be missing major plot points in the last book if I didn't read Simone’s New Camelot trilogy first - a trilogy that precedes the Lyonesse trilogy.
This derailed everything! But divine timing is a thing and I listened.
This October, I went back and read all three New Camelot books, then reread the first two Lyonesse books, before reading Bitter Burn.
What a journey!!!
Reading the books in chronological order imbues the Lyonesse trilogy with a richness that makes those stories even better!
The New Camelot stories follow the complicated romance between Maxen Ashley “Ash” Colchester, the President of the United States, Embry Moore the Vice President, and Greer Galloway, political royalty, and the soon to be First Lady. It's a modern take on the famous love triangle of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Knight Lancelot.
What Simon did was to take these legendary tragic love triangles (Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot and Mark, Isolde and Tristan) and turned them into sumptuous throuples. This introduced the question of: what if jealousy of the other person in the triangle was mixed with ardently loving that person at the same time?
For me, this instantly heightened the stakes. What happens when you don't fully hate your wife for cheating on you because you also love the other man wholeheartedly? Or how about watching the woman you love marry someone else when that someone was the first love of your life?
The story becomes addictive, fascinating and charismatic and you need to find out how it ends. How can we possibly get a Happily Ever After for all the characters? Will we even get one?
This is when Simone’s control of her craft shines. Arthurian literature is no joke. Refining and aligning plot points can take a lot of time and research. Simone masterfully takes the legends' plot points and fits them into our modern world. She also manipulates the story in a way that feels true to the heart of the legend while expanding it to make it relevant to today’s world. It is an impressive feat to say the least!
One of the ways Simone expands her books is by writing them as erotica. Sex and the character's relationships to sex are pivotal to each of the stories. The fact that they all have quite specific tastes in the bedroom makes the smut become integral, not simply a bonus.
Each character must go on sexual journey:
Greer and Tristan must accept their desire to submit to those they love and be praised for it.
Embry and Isolde both struggle with self-worth. They like to be dominated, but they do not submit without a fight. They both are drawn to suffering. For Embry it’s dangerous when it comes to his mental health, while for Isolde it becomes challenging to know physical limits.
As for our two dominants: Mark has to learn to allow love in and let go of some control and Ash needs to learn that his ferocious desire does not make him a villain but that it makes him the man his lovers need.
These books are a masterclass in the importance of trust and vulnerability in partnerships. Simone took legends that ended tragically because of deceit, lies and deep mistrust and reframed them through powerplay sexual dynamics. Her modern characters build relationships based on trust. That trust was not easily won and made for a fantastic story arc but in the end they are left with a beautiful and sustainable love.
The world that Sierra Simone creates with New Camelot, and expands upon in Lyonesse, is haunting! From blushing, to gasping, to sobbing these stories were everything I could ever ask for! I know that these stories will stay with me for years to come and I hope you give her work a chance and allow her to enthrall you in her world.
A new duet audiobook of American Prince is out today!
American Queen: New Camelot Book 1
The prologue sucks you right into a world of secrets, intrigue, and longing. You quickly learn that this is not your traditional fairytale. It's the story of 16-year-old Greer Galloway, who falls in love with a man ten years older than her, Maxen “Ash” Colechester, after a brief, passionate encounter. Five years later, she falls in love with his best friend, Embry Moore, after spending one night with him. Does it matter that none of them knew who they were to each other? Does it matter that she can't move on? Resoundingly: no! Because now that the men are the president and the vice president of the free world she can't run away. The story is a gripping tale of love, that blurs the lines between right and wrong, and shows three characters at a loss of how to navigate their feelings for each other. The characters face dilemmas, such as wanting to hide from their desires, and asking themselves if they can hide what their bodies crave even if society doesn't understand it. The writing was delicious. I was constantly trying to piece together the story and asking myself, “What happens next?” I devoured this story!
American Prince: New Camelot Book 2
To be stuck in Embry Moore’s head is a heartbreaking experience. To the world he is the vice president, but to the reader he is the little prince. He constantly puts the man and woman he loves before himself. He suffers for them. The story tells us how he and Ash fell in love during the war and how they had to deal with the reality of military perceptions and responsibilities. It was beautiful and painful at once. And when Greer enters the picture, he finds himself having one more person to protect and love with his whole heart. My heart broke at least 17 times reading this book, but in the most addicting way. Love and sex can be these things that set us free or bring us peace but sometimes they come coupled with shame, grief, self loathing, or regret. We feel this from all three characters but none more deeply than the suffering prince, Embry. Once again, I could not put this book down. Not just because each chapter left me with an unyielding need to read on but also because of how deeply invested I became in all of these characters!
American King: New Camelot Book 3
I felt emotionally abused in the best way possible after reading Ash’s book. It's hard to isolate this book when discussing it because this book is wholly informed by book 1 and 2. The story is incredibly rich and well developed from every angle. So, to finally be let into the mind of the king or the president, was like having a front row seat to experiencing what it feels like to have the responsibility of the world land on your shoulders. Ash never asked for this life. He wanted to be a good and kind man who lived and loved. But what does fate have in store for him? This story explored the privileges of duty and the toll this duty can take on you. We see Ash’s responsibility in layers and how it is compounded by being in charge of a nation. From having to care for one lover to two, as well as all his loved ones. Next to the title of the book, the book cover states. "Heavy is the head that wears the crown.” And no truer words describe Ash. His character is undeniably human i.e. imperfect, which turns him into the best leader. The story was beautiful.
Salt Kiss; Lyonesse Book 1
Talk about a fucked up fairytale. Salt Kiss is the first official book in the Lyonesse Trilogy and it's the story of the curious Tristan Thompson. He leaves the army after having to kill his best friend during the political unrest in Carpathia, a plot line started in the New Camelot stories. Plagued by PTSD he has no other options than to take a job with his new step-uncle, Mark Trevena, the notorious kink club owner of Lyonesse. He becomes Mark's personal bodyguard. A 29-year-old virgin, Tristan has to adapt quickly to the world of Lynoesse but finds it easier than expected due to the seductive allure of his new boss. Mark's dominance pulls Tristan into the word of kink and he falls in love with Mark. The introduction of Mark's future bride, Isolde, blindsides Tristan and to make matters more complicated, he falls for her as well. Both Mark and Isolde fulfill something in him. The story not only focuses on desire and the pleasure and pain people can inflict on each other but it also dives into the theme of idols. The story explores what happens when we put people on pedestals and the inevitable letdown that ensues when this idol crumbles. It's the perfect first book for the journey that this trilogy will go on.
Honey Cut: Lyonesse Book 2
In this story we get to dive into the mind of the shadow and glass princess Isolde Laurence, now Trevena. Isolde is one of those characters who looks almost like a glass doll, perfect and poised on the outside but on the inside she is nothing but sharp glass and smoke. She was born to be a banking heiress and groomed to be the Catholic church's sharpest weapon. When the story starts she is broken and lonely, in love with the monster Mark Trevena she is set to marry. But that's when the green-eyed hero, Tristan, comes to take her to her betrothed. She falls for him as well. To love two men is hard enough for a lonely girl but to do it in secret is devastating. This book really starts to dive into the themes of being isolated in a secret calling. Isolde craves pain and atonement as much as pleasure. The constant push and pull between vulnerability and honesty leave the reader breathless. This middle book will make you feel like your heart is standing on the edge of a cliff.
Bitter Burn: Lyonesse Book 3
When I tell you I have never craved a character's perspective more than I have Mark Trevena’s, it’s an understatement. His innate quality of quiet, cold domination, seduces you. Mark's story is one of revenge. Eight years ago, everything was taken from him, and as a result he has built himself a kingdom based on exacting retribution. He has built a web of secrets, a landmine of blackmail and all he has to do is keep playing the game, moving each pawn forward. However, people are not pawns at the end of the day and even the game master is not immune. Love is something that can change even the best laid plans! This story deals with insatiable jealousy, ravenous desire, and heart-aching longing. The story asks the questions: “What is the purpose of a vendetta and who suffers most in the end?” and “What makes a villain and are we the villain in someone else's story?” The mystery and intrigue sucked me in in a way that made it hard to do anything but read. And the payoffs of the whole trilogy were very satisfying. It was the perfect end to an epic love story.
Just so you know, at the end of all of this, there is a free cross-over novella of the two trilogies on Simone’s website, if you are bold enough! I lost my mind when I read it!!!
