Sierra Simone

I can’t have Elijah Iverson. I can’t have him because he’s my older brother’s best friend. I can’t have him because I broke his heart five years ago; because he’s now engaged to someone else—someone kind and dependable who deserves his whiskey eyes, his soft mouth, his fierce intellect. I can’t have Elijah because I’ve chosen God instead. The Bell brothers, though . . . well, we don't exactly have the greatest track record with vows. But I’m determined to do this monk thing right—to pledge myself to a cloistered life and spend the rest of my years in chastity and prayer. But now Elijah’s here. He’s here and he’s coming with me on my European monastery road trip, and between the whispered confessions and the stolen kisses and the moments bent over an ancient altar, my vows are feeling flimsier by the day. And vows or not, I know in my heart that it would take more than a good and holy monk to resist Elijah Iverson right now. It would take a saint. And we all know that I’m no saint. (This is the third full-length standalone in the Priest Collection, featuring Father Bell's brother, Aiden Bell. You do not have to read Priest or Sinner to read Saint.)

Saint

raven

** spoiler alert **
           (Read the novel while listening to the audiobook and finished in one sitting)

As someone who used to be very religious, have my own personal struggles with mental health, and am bisexual, this book just hit home so hard. I may not have been in a romance like this one, but those parts of it just made me so emotional and even more attached to the story. Yes, it is indeed still a very steamy novel, but also, yes, I cried multiple times. The build up of everything was just perfect, both characters' were explored very well and the depth of their feelings is just so beautifully written and described, I had to stop sometimes just to collect myself. I think I'll keep on thinking about Aiden and Elijah for a long while after reading this because they have just been through so much...

I think it was very interesting to me how this novel not only explores the intricacies of the main couple's romance, but it is also made me question the same things Aiden had questioned about his own faith, I think my favorite thought to ponder about that about why does it have to be this restricting yet at the same time we are loved so unconditionally by Christ. The way mental health was touched here was also so well done.. I was in complete shambles after Aiden talks about It. My heart felt like it truly crumbled and I had to piece it back together slowly on my own after that.

It's currently 3:30AM so I don't think I can form any more coherent thoughts beyond these, but I really just want to say thank you to Sierra Simone for this beautiful story.

---
Audiobook review: Jacob Morgan it seems I have truly grown fond of your voice and he has also narrated other audiobooks I recently listened to and liked very much too so... I'm immediately obsessed with the audiobook as soon as I heard and I recognized his voice🙈

Hannah Russo

CAN I RATE THIS 6 STARS?? this book has jerked every tear from my body. it dealt with very serious heavy mental health topics that Sierra handled beautifully. the writing was phenomenal- just the way “i love you’s” were worded literally brought me to tears. going back to mental health, the way Sierra demonstrated depression and suicidal thoughts was spot on- spot mf ON (not to mention, very creative) but oh my god it was hard to read cause a past me related to the words. this book was much more somber, slow and EXTREMELY different compared to the other 2 in the series, but my god was it just PERFECTION. (not to mention the smut? we weren’t deprived despite the themes👌.) while Tyler Bell will always and forever be my favorite Bell brother, out of all 3 books Saint takes the win for my favorite in this trilogy.

Sara Uribe

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and options are my own.

I just love the Bell siblings! They are probably some of my all time favorite characters. This book really put me through the ringer. This book really kept me on my toes and somewhat breathless. I kept waiting for the shoe to drop with her books. They do this every time I’ve read a book by her and it somehow makes the experience somehow even better. I know, for a fact, I've said this for every single book in this series but I am not a religious person. AT ALL. And I truly don't like reading books with religious themes in them. But these books man, these books throw away all my inhibitions toward any books like this. Sierra Simone just really knows how to make an impression on you. Not just your mind, but your soul too. She has such an incredible ability to pack a huge punch into one book.And the research she had to do for this one?? UHM I’m Amazed! Saint is a beautiful, painful, slow burn, forbidden, and steamy MM Romance. And another book I must add to my collection. It was heavy, but worth it. I don't want to say anything more because I don't want to give anything away, but this is a must read!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nora Ellen

after the - in my opinion - weaker "Sinner", "Saint" is a master piece and might be my favourite out of the three brothers' stories.

This was an incredible 5 star read. Even if you weren’t raised religious or you were and are no longer (maybe especially if this is you) you will enjoy this read. It’s such an intersection of mental health, sex, sin, and finding a balance of what’s going to keep you alive but maybe also happy. This book had me searching for silent retreats near me that’s how much of a grip it had on me. 

 Being somewhat of a second chance romance the story slowly unbreaks your heart but unlike some other second chances out there you are always rooting for them and their actions do end up making sense. 

Abigail

This was an incredible 5 star read. Even if you weren’t raised religious or you were and are no longer (maybe especially if this is you) you will enjoy this read. It’s such an intersection of mental health, sex, sin, and finding a balance of what’s going to keep you alive but maybe also happy. This book had me searching for silent retreats near me that’s how much of a grip it had on me. 

 Being somewhat of a second chance romance the story slowly unbreaks your heart but unlike some other second chances out there you are always rooting for them and their actions do end up making sense. 

I think I have found my new favorite author and her name is Sierra Simone. After I devoured Priest and Sinner, I was so excited to read Saint. Especially since it was going to be brother Aiden Bell and his relationship with his older brother Sean's best friend Elijah. Let me just say I had no idea what I was in for. 

Aiden Bell has spent the last 5 years at a monastery and he is preparing to take his final vows to become a monk. The only problem is that he has never gotten over his ex Elijah. He never explained to anyone why he decided to leave his life as a millionaire or why he left the love of his life, but he is devoted to God now and he must leave his past behind him. 

That is until Elijah shows up to tell Aiden that he is getting married. He also works for a men's magazine and will be spending a week at the monastery interviewing the monks about their on site brewery. Will Aiden be able to handle the tension and pain? Or will he sucomb to his burning desire to have Elijah back? 

This book is very different from the first too. Even though there is still the elements of smut and sexual tension we loved from the first two books, this one dives a lot more into self exploration and dealing with mental health. It explored it so deeply in fact that one of the chapters toward the end had me completely sobbing. I've suffered for a long time with similar mental problems as Aiden does in the book and it was hard to read. But, it was so powerful and so emotional it actually made me love this book more. 

So if that might trigger you, I'd reconsider, but this is one of the most impactful books I've read this year and is most definitely my favorite out of the entire Priest series.

I can't wait to read about the 4th brother when she finishes the book, but I don't think it will replace this one as my absolute favorite.

Taryn Jones

I think I have found my new favorite author and her name is Sierra Simone. After I devoured Priest and Sinner, I was so excited to read Saint. Especially since it was going to be brother Aiden Bell and his relationship with his older brother Sean's best friend Elijah. Let me just say I had no idea what I was in for. 

Aiden Bell has spent the last 5 years at a monastery and he is preparing to take his final vows to become a monk. The only problem is that he has never gotten over his ex Elijah. He never explained to anyone why he decided to leave his life as a millionaire or why he left the love of his life, but he is devoted to God now and he must leave his past behind him. 

That is until Elijah shows up to tell Aiden that he is getting married. He also works for a men's magazine and will be spending a week at the monastery interviewing the monks about their on site brewery. Will Aiden be able to handle the tension and pain? Or will he sucomb to his burning desire to have Elijah back? 

This book is very different from the first too. Even though there is still the elements of smut and sexual tension we loved from the first two books, this one dives a lot more into self exploration and dealing with mental health. It explored it so deeply in fact that one of the chapters toward the end had me completely sobbing. I've suffered for a long time with similar mental problems as Aiden does in the book and it was hard to read. But, it was so powerful and so emotional it actually made me love this book more. 

So if that might trigger you, I'd reconsider, but this is one of the most impactful books I've read this year and is most definitely my favorite out of the entire Priest series.

I can't wait to read about the 4th brother when she finishes the book, but I don't think it will replace this one as my absolute favorite.

sydney

i really needed her to go back to the sprinkles in the pocket thing

samantha youngclaus

4.5 stars head empty no thoughts only the bell brothers

Jacquelyn Hood

This book captures so much truth in its words. I also suffer from depression and the way Aiden speaks about his troubles in this book is so true for me. I continued having to highlight and write quotes down that he was saying because I have never been able to express the way it makes me feel the same way Aiden does.

Aiden Bell, sweet tortured soul. In this book it goes through the after math of their break up and the healing of Aiden. He left, just straight left everyone with no explanation. The strength in that is surreal. Through out this book he learns so much about his faith and his true purpose in this world from the previous way he was living. 

Elijah Iverson, of course we were introduced in their love story in Sinner, The second book in the series. You can sense through the authors writing process that Elijah is a dental soul who truly loves Aiden. This was such a hard read because I felt like I could fell his pain in loving him so much but not wanting to be the reason he. Didn’t follow his dream. 

This was such a heartbreaking love story of two people who loved so big but didn’t know how to do it in a healthy manner or communicate their feelings well enough.

Jordan /

The chokehold that Sierra Simone and Jacob Morgan have me in with this series is serious. This was my first spicy MLM and it did not disappoint. Just like the first two it was well written, funny in parts, serious in others and really dove deep into some mental health issues which I appreciated. The only thing was I felt the epilogue was a bit too short and I wished I had more, but that’s really just semantics. I will be listening to these books over and over again forever, probably. 

Katie Allard

Ashlee

Sierra’s books have this undeniable ability to bury themselves into my soul, where they repair the cracks and furrow out the darkest corners. This is one of the most emotionally riveting books I’ve read by Sierra and it’s easily one of my favorite reads of the year and favorite romances of all time.

As is the case with Sierra’s books, you can expect incredibly beautiful writing, with Sierra’s own brand of evocative settings, and electrifying romance with (of course) top tier smut scenes.

Nobody writes angst and pining quite like Sierra does, and this book is full to the brim with both. But it’s also a quiet introspection on worthiness, choice, service, and being patient with yourself. 

I deeply connected with Aiden’s journey throughout this book, especially his struggles with mental illness, as well as learning to balance his longing for God and Elijah. He’s one of those characters that really sneaks up on you and you don’t quite realize how much you love them until you’re seeing pain through their eyes and feeling ruined alongside them. 

I don’t reread a lot of books, but the moment I finish Sierra’s books it’s almost certain that I immediately miss the characters and want to reread them. Saint is no different. 

Thank you Candi Kane PR and Sierra Simone for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Logan Chisholm

one again, another sierra simone book has left me speechless. her writing is so beautiful and so profound, i often feel the impact of her words for weeks. this book was no exception. 

my words could never do this book justice, but i’ll do my best. i think it’s easy to look at books like this, priest, and sinner and write them off as taboo/smutty books that dabble in religion. but to me, they’ve truly been so much more. they are epic love stories about people who are so torn between their faith and their worldly desires. the way they tackle difficult subject matter such as religious trauma, shame, sexuality, depression, etc. continues to amaze me. 

aiden bell has been a monk for 4.5 years now. that night all those years ago, on the precipice of darkness, he made a choice to leave his old self and walk away from the love of his life to begin his new journey as a monk. vows & (attempted) celibacy run in the family after all. nearly 5 years later, aiden can’t stop thinking about elijah, the man he walked away from without so much as a goodbye. and now elijah is here, about to embark on a 3 week journey, with aiden as his host. the two quickly realize that their love for each other never really went away, and they’re forced to confront and mend old wounds. aiden’s commitment to his vows and his celibacy are tested, but he’s obviously going to continue on his path to becoming a monk... right?? 

as aiden struggles with completely giving his entire heart over to God, he’s forced to realize that his heart might not be entirely his to begin with, maybe it has always belonged to someone else. this is a beautiful story about a second chance at love, but the journey is not without its many obstacles. aiden has struggled with depression for years, and i have never in my life seen depression described so accurately. it’s raw and it’s dark, but the beauty aiden is able to find not only in his faith but in his relationship with elijah as well is truly magical.

* i received an ARC of saint for an honest review. thank you Candi Kane PR and sierra simone!!

Kaylah Salter 

This book was very well written and I absolutely loved it!

Tanya 

RTC… I’m processing
________________________________________________
It tooks me 5 days after reading, probably more and here we are. It took me this long because honestly i was on the fence with this book. I went in with expectations that were not exactly met. That’s not a bad thing it’s just I got more than I bargained for with this book. At the beginning there is a TW about multiple things and when books have that I normally take it with a grain of salt because I don’t really have any triggers & this book didn’t trigger me either but it definitely opened my eyes to some things. This is just one POV with little bits of Elijahs thoughts slipped in every now & then. I would also consider this book a very slow burn.

This is about Aiden & Elijah they’ve known each other for a very long time because Elijah is Bestfriends with Aidens older brother Sean and so they are 5 years apart. They started sneaking around which we found out in at the end of Sinner & apparently they were dating for a few years after. I went into this hoping to see that relationship grow over those years but instead of that it started where the relationship had ended which is where Aiden decided to become a monk. 

Elijah is now engaged and so he goes to visit Aiden to tell him in person and he takes one look at him & realizes he never fell out of love with him. He’s a journalist for a magazine and he convinced his boss to let him do a story about Aiden & the monastery.

What Elijah doesn’t know is why Aiden left him and pretty early on we find out exactly that. I almost hate knowing the secret one of our MCs is keeping from the other one because I know at some point the truth will come to light & that amps up all the anxiety behind it. I struggled to see the connection with them because we got no backstory or insight into their relationship just flashbacks. I felt like this book focused heavily on the struggle he was facing with his sexuality, faith & mental health which Sierra does a fantastic job at. It took me to about 70% to truly grasp it all & that’s when I fell in love with this book. 

My only wish is that we got a bit more romance between them in the beginning. The steam was off the charts I mean there’s no question behind that. But I want to say here and now that if you are going into this book expecting it to be like priest please don’t. YES there is smut and a bit of taboo-ness surrounding the relationship but this book has so much more depth than that & I hope everyone can learn something from it.

* I received an arc for an honest review, all opinions are my own. Thank you Sierra Simone & CandiKane PR*

Maya Federman

I've been sitting on this review for about a week because the way this book made me feel is very difficult to put into words. But I'm going to try anyway.

Saint is an M/M, brother's best friend romance that follows Aiden Bell, younger brother to Tyler and Sean. Five years prior, Aiden left his boyfriend Elijah in the middle of the night to become a monk. Now, he's being given the opportunity to tour a few monasteries in Europe, but the catch is that Elijah is tagging along to write a magazine feature about monks and beer. What could go wrong?

It's rare for a book (or any piece of media, for that matter) to make me cry. And I didn't just cry while reading this book...I SOBBED. There is one chapter in particular that covers Aiden's struggles with depression and I don't think I've ever seen a more accurate, soul-provoking perspective on what depression looks, feels, and sounds like. It made me feel seen in a way I didn't think possible, and I have to commend Sierra Simone for her way of describing this particular brand of darkness with such raw power and dexterity.

That being said, Aiden and Elijah's relationship was absolutely beautiful. The depth of their feelings for one another run so deep they practically inhabit space in each other's souls, and their connection was so palpable I truly felt like I was feeling what they were feeling. This book was emotional, dark, and spicy as heck (another altar scene heyoooo), and I couldn't recommend it enough.

Suzanna Curran

This ripped my heart and soul to pieces, but it put me back together in a way that is somehow better and more fulfilled than ever before. I love it like everything.

Batool Zainab Suleman

3.85/5

CW/TWs for the book and this review: Depression, su*cide, su*cide attempt, mental illness, mental health

I laughed, I sort of sobbed, I took a few hours for some religious introspection, and I ended this book feeling somewhat sated.

There are so many more words I have for this book, but they are too difficult to type out. I'm not an emotional person, I cannot force myself to put into words the *feelings* this book gives me.


Instead, let's discuss why it's not a five star book.

I love Sierra Simone. I loved her writing in Priest. I fell in love with Sean in Sinner. But this book lacked the same amount of finesse that the first two had. I wanted more from Aiden, but I also found that several passages/chapters were unnecessary. The ending was rushed and felt forced. I would have rathered that the filler chapters from earlier in the book were taken out and replaced with a more robust ending.


Beyond these flaws, this book gives the reader a lot more room to reflect than the previous two. Aiden's inner monologues and thoughts enhanced the plot, without detracting from it.


The story is beautiful and it encompasses so many things I think about on a daily basis. The intersection of religion and sex is a venerable topic of deliberation in my mind, and as she has done successfully before, Simone navigates this with grace and patience. I am not Catholic, but I still saw myself in Aiden's struggle. How do you balance the carnal nature of being an allosexual person with the rules set by a religion that grounds you? How can you deny that the body God has given you wants what God has told you not to have?

 
As a practicing Muslim woman, who is unmarried, I am celibate. I have chosen this. I am not being forced by anyone or anything. I am celibate because God has asked me to remain celibate until marriage. I may not have taken vows like Aiden, but my promise to God is just as important to me. Unlike Aiden, however, I do not have a handsome lover pining for me from afar. So celibacy is a lot easier.


Yet the constant battle of sinful sensuality and faith remains. In my heart of hearts, I continue to seek reform for myself, much like Aiden, except instead of my sins involving alcohol-fueled spontaneous escapades and an ill-informed sense of grandiosity, I am trying to reform my heart that wants MORE. More than just a good orgasm. More than a stolen glance at an attractive person. More than reading romance books, trying to convince myself that one day I will know love like this. I want to reform my soul for craving intimacy that is out of reach. I want to reform my mind for always wandering to how *good* it would feel to just let go and finally have sex. 


I saw so much of myself in Aiden that I almost cried reading about his struggles with depression. The way his story mimicked mine, albeit over a longer span of time, but the same **it** nonetheless. The voice that serves solely to convince me, as if I don't already know, how much my life hurts others. How happy the world would be without me. How intense the benefits would be for my circle of friends and family, if I were to pass away. This book almost felt like a reflection that could have been written by me, fifteen years down the line.


Simone is adept at describing the vast array of the human psyche, and does it painfully well. Every time I thought I was done *feeling* something, a new chapter would throw me for a loop. Every time I thought that perhaps it would just be a spicy romance with a good old HEA, I was given another source of conflict that rattled my soul. Simone has a talent that she wields with a magic wand called Sex & Catholicism, and she wields it so well that this Muslim woman who went to Islamic school for 12 years is moved by the passionate expression of love for God and His creations. 


One day, many days from now, I hope to look back at this time with kindness. I hope to forgive myself like Aiden sought to. I hope to open my heart to love. And I pray that if I ever get the chance, I choose love over loathing a version of myself that only exists because of **it**.


I cannot wait for Father Jordan's story. Let's see what magic Sierra Simone creates for him.

Lexi L. Campbell

I loved this series and I especially loved this book. It has beautiful paragraphs you want to stitch on to a pillow then she hits you with such spice you worry your neighbors are home and know the dirty dirty things you are reading.

Beatriz Aires

I liked what was said about depression better than in The Midnight Library which is kind of funny.

celeste

ARC provided by Candi Kane PR in exchange for an honest review.

The third instalment in the Priest series by Sierra Simone is a second chance romance following the story of the young Bell brother, Aiden, and Elijah. After leaving his relationship suddenly one night, Aiden decided to follow in his older brother's footsteps and dedicate his life to religion by becoming a monk leaving Elijah only with questions as to what happened that fateful night. The story is told from the perspective of Aiden in the present timeline where he's content with his life in the monastery until Elijah appears in his life once again threatening to shake Aiden's life and resolve months before he has to take his final vows before God.

While I loved seeing the development in Aiden and Elijah's relationship in the present time, with second chance romances I often get the feeling that I am left out of crucial moments that we do not get to see because it all happened in the past; I'm not able to see said characters get to know each other and establish a connection that only deepened with time, and Saint wasn't the exception. It was hard for me to connect with them on that level when all of that happened off page, save for the few mentions via flashbacks or the characters themselves saying to each other "remember that time...". It actually makes no sense for characters to reminisce in such detail things they obviously remember because they both took part in them; it ends up feeling extremely inorganic and obvious it's only included because the readers have no knowledge whatsoever of what happened in their past relationship. This is definitely a me thing since I've never been able to find a second chance romance that doesn't make me feel left out of the best parts of what a romance novel should give me on the page.

Another thing that bothered me a little bit was not having a point of view of Elijah. The only bits and pieces we get are from writings on his journal or his articles in the magazine he works at, which was not that ideal. I actually would have loved seeing Elijah's inner monologue, especially after finding out what made Aiden up and leave him to become a monk with no word or explanation whatsoever. So that lack of insight into the love interest's thoughts and feelings was a bit detrimental to my interest in this book.

I also have to be honest and say that this book dragged, a lot. It was extremely hard to not lose interest sometimes because of the way it was written. There were too many expository paragraphs and chapters dedicated to what being part of a monastery entails and descriptions of the activities done every day in said monasteries (and don't even get me started on the focus of beer brewing), and it was repeated all the time, in every monastery they both went to visit. I'm sorry but I honestly could not care less about all the names of scriptures and prayers; it was not necessary and I felt like that took up most of the book, when the focus should have been on the romance or the guys' interactions, which were pretty lacking and minor in comparison.

Sierra Simone undeniably did an incredible job at keeping the mystery as to why Aiden made that life-turning decision that seemed to come out of the blue, but as a reader, I couldn't help but become increasingly annoyed every time said mystery was about to be revealed and then it wasn't because something interrupted the moment or Aiden decided not to reveal it then, dragging the reveal all the way to the last third act. At that point I was more than able to guess as to what had happened in Aiden's life to make such a drastic choice and the reveal lost a bit of its momentum.

Overall, it was a solid instalment in the Bell brothers' series, but weighing in all the issues I had with it and comparing it to the previous two books, this one lacked a lot in the romantic department and felt more of a religious, monastery and beer brewing 101 lesson than anything else.

b.andherbooks

Sierra Simone really knows how to rip your heart out of your chest and really make you feel like she's going to toss it into a fiery pit of despair, BUT THEN, she somehow puts it back into your chest and stitches it up until you feel like the slight scar and pain was worth it for how much better your heart feels afterwards.

Gah, this book. These two. And for all the darkness, gosh there were some really funny moments. Aiden, the lumberjack monk that he is, has the deep sense of humor running through his pain. Truly the one who lights up the room, making this discovery of his struggle with depression all the more palpably real. 

The way Sierra Simone also weaves faith into these stories, it just really hits my lapsed Catholic soul in ways that other writers can't. I only wish Catholic faith were the version Sierra creates in her worlds. A place were a queer man can find family, love, and acceptance, not in spite of his sexuality. Where one can find connection to a G-d and a faith that doesn't also make you feel ashamed.

I am going to re-read this one. Exquisite sentences, I highlighted so much. Sinner is still my top tier favorite but this is right there with it.

Als0 - the scene in the lavender field will live rent-free with me forever.

CWs - suicide (family member in the past, described suicideal ideation and mental health struggles); aesthetic suffering, described, discussion of homophobic worries/fears of being outed/fears of being caught, religious violence/persecution - discussed. Rape - in the past, secondary character. Deceased family members/complications of grieving. Cheating (main character is in a relationship when they reconnect for the first time physically with the main love interest).

Cat Nunez 

It took me a while to finish this book thanks to all the religious stuff but I totally loved Aiden and Elijah. Since the previous book I wanted to read their story so I was really excited about this book coming out and while I’m not that into religion I really loved how everything turned out. 

Aiden left Elijah 5 years ago to become a monk and I was dying to know why he made that choice and how it affected their relationship. In the previous book Aiden was carefree and a party boy so it was hard reading about him being a total different person. He really tried to devote himself to God until Elijah showed up and they realized their feelings were always there. They tried to fight their feelings but their chemistry was too strong and the year they spent together was something imprinted on them forever.

Elijah tried to forget him but after seeing Aiden again he realized he never stopped loving him and he just wanted answers as to why Aiden left him 5 years ago and if his drastic change of life was worth the pain. They suffered a lot and I just wanted to see more of them together and how they managed to survive spending time together after all they went through. I loved how they tried to be normal around the other but after some time together they couldn’t deny their attraction and they finally succumbed to their feelings. I loved their steamy scenes, how desperate they were for each other and how despite their time apart it felt like nothing changed between them. 

They had a lot of ups and downs, especially thanks to their beliefs on religion but at the end they both knew what they wanted to give up in order to be happy and despite all the heartbreak they went through, it was all necessary to get their own HEA.

Saint

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