Bitter Burn

Bitter Burn is the kind of finale that leaves you hollowed out in the best way because it is equal parts destruction and deliverance. It’s the culmination of everything Sierra Simone does best: sin and salvation, love and ruin, devotion and despair. I finished it feeling both completely satisfied and absolutely wrecked. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it was everything I wanted and more. This final chapter in the Lyonesse trilogy brings Mark, Isolde, and Tristan to their breaking point, and then dares them to step beyond it. Each is faced with a choice, a reckoning of what they’re willing to sacrifice, and whether love can survive when it’s built on ashes and blood. Isolde, to me, is the heartbeat of Bitter Burn. Watching her evolution from the naive, manipulated young woman she once was into a powerful, calculating, and fiercely self-possessed queen was breathtaking. She’s been broken, molded, and remade; not by the men who loved her, but by her own hand. She finally takes her power back, and it’s messy and beautiful and cathartic. Of all three, her growth hit me hardest. And then there’s Tristan. My sweet, loyal, golden retriever of a man. His devotion is quiet but unshakable. The tenderness he brings to both Isolde and Mark is the glue holding this chaotic, fractured trio together. He’s softness in a story made of sharp edges, and somehow, that makes him the bravest of them all. Mark… oh, Mark Trevena. The devil in a three piece suit. The…

This author always has me feeling the passion and sadness of the characters. I love her writing style. I only gave this a 4 star because some of the spice went on a little too long for me with the angst and yearning. Also I wish I had read these books without needing to wait for book 3. I was able to read 1 and 2 back to back but had to wait for the release of book 3. I’m bad at remembering characters and their roles so I think I was a little less invested with side characters and their motives in this book. However the author did do a good job of refreshing me enough to get the gist of who the people were. Can’t wait for more books by her.

In this conclusion, Mark, Isolde, and Tristan have come to a fork in the road. Each has a choice of which direction they want to go, and there's no guarantee that they'll travel down the path(s) together. Isolde has become, through her uncle's molding, a very confident, fierce queen. I think of the 3, she is the one whose character growth stood out the most. At the beginning she had a clear dream, but she was so young and innocent and had no idea what life really was. Then she met, married, and fell in love with not just her husband, but his bodyguard too, and her life went in a direction she never foresaw. And then there's Tristan, my sweet, loyal puppy, Tristan. Oh how I love thee! I wanted to hug him at the same time as I did very fun things with him like Isolde and Mark did. He's I think the glue that held this trio together, with his loyalty and unreserved submission. Tristan, Isolde and Mark's story comes to its conclusion and boy is it a rollercoaster - a sinful, dark, delicious rollercoaster. As I look back, I can see their individual character arcs and how each grew, not only themselves, but together. I didn't think I'd ever say this after Salt Kiss and Honey Cut, but Mark, the need for revenge-twisted, undisputed dominant top of their trio, actually redeemed himself, at least in my eyes. Oh he doesn't become less morally gray, or less of a jerk, but the love he finds with the fierce heroine Isolde becomes and the sweet, loyal puppy that Tristan remains, softens…

Sierra Simone's prose never ceases to amaze me. The feelings she evokes with her storytelling are divine and have a dizzying, ethereal quality. Her writing is so damn sharp and her world and plot building are unbelievable, tying together all of the easter eggs and paths that have developed through this trilogy in the most remarkable way. Bitter Burn exemplifies her sheer talent prolifically. We've been waiting to get inside Mark Trevena's head more deeply and it was completely mesmerizing. His demons, his villainous ways, his bone-deep possessiveness and ability to love ... incomparable. Of course the chapters from the POV of Isolde and Tristan added an incredible depth to this kinky, soul-crushing legend of a story. Bitter Burn was exciting, and heart-wrenching, and so sexy, and endearing, and mysterious, and mythical. It was the perfect conclusion to my beloved trio's love story. Brava times infinity.

I couldn’t finish the book — I made it through about 50% before stopping. I didn’t like the character development; it felt superficial, and I completely lost interest in the plot. I couldn’t bring myself to care whether the characters survived or ended up together. I’ve purchased all the previous books in the series and followed the story up to this point, but this latest book just lost my interest.