Salt in the Wound: A dark enemies to lovers romance (Lyonesse)
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Availability:
In Stock.
Arrives
Tuesday, Nov 17
At a glance
- Condition
- New
- Dimensions
- 5 x 0.43 x 8 in
- Weight
- 5.6 oz
- Publisher
- No Bird Press
- Publication date
- April 15, 2023
- Language
- English
- Print length
- 172 pages
Description
The first time I meet the devil, he knows my name. The second time I meet him, the truth becomes clear: Mark Trevena is to be my husband. No matter that we don't know each other. No matter that he's older than me; shameless and sinful; the owner of a secret club where the powerful come to play. My father has spoken, and I'll be the devil's bride the minute I graduate from college. Except my future husband has one condition for this arranged marriage: we have to pretend it's real. He'll teach me, he says. How to pretend to be his in pain and pleasure both. How to pretend to arch and writhe under his touch. But his lessons are teaching me something else entirely... ...that Mark Trevena wants me in a way that's not pretend at all. And no matter how I might fight it, the devil will have his due. Read more
Specs 8
| Publisher | No Bird Press |
|---|---|
| Publication date | April 15, 2023 |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 172 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1949364313 |
| ISBN-13 | 16 |
| Item Weight | 5.6 ounces |
| Dimensions | 5 x 0.43 x 8 inches |
No specs match.
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Top Amazon Reviews
That Was Intense!
Format: Kindle
I am not as well versed in the tale of Tristan & Isolde as I am with Arthurian legend, so Salt in the Wound was like reading a brand new story. This is the prequel to the Lyonesse trilogy, and I am ready for more. Isolde is only 17 when she first sees Mark Trevena, but has no idea who he is or will become in her life. She’s a high school senior, who has been training in martial arts for years, and plans to become a nun. Then she learns he will be her husband after she graduates from college. Mark Trevena is fourteen years older than Isolde, former CIA, and the owner of Lyonesse, a $ex club. He’s a closed book and gives nothing away of himself, but he is skilled in knowing all there is about those around him. During their engagement, Mark and Isolde have limited interactions with each other, but those are focused on making it look real for others. They practice to pretend so it is believable. To be honest, I expected something else with this prequel. The fact that it wasn’t what I expected makes this series even more intriguing to me. I have questions about Mark and Isolde and I need answers. Sierra Simone did a remarkable job of dangling just enough information in this story to make me not just want, but need, more. I’m captivated with Isolde and her calling to do a God’s work, as well as her ability to switch up what that may look like due to her circumstances. I want to know about her time in Rome that was hinted at in this story. Mark is a locked vault and I cannot wait to see inside and find out what motivates him. Right now, he’s not my favorite, but I have a feeling that will change as I journey through the rest of this series. I may do a quick dive into the Cliff notes of the medieval tale of Tristan and Isolde to have an idea of the basis for this series before I jump into Salt Kiss. It’s going to be quick, because I need to continue reading. Wikipedia here I come. I read the ebook of Salt in the Wound that is available from the author’s website to download for anyone who wants to read it. I would suggest reading it before diving into the Lyonesse series so you know the background (limited though it is) to Mark and Isolde’s relationship.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2026 by Nonna2K
Dang, what an ending!
Format: Kindle
I wanted to re-read this series before I went into the last book in the main trilogy and this was my first stop in this to-do list. I rented the audiobook from Kobo Plus for this read-through. As always, my honest thoughts and opinions are directly below. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– This book is the prequel to the Lyonesse trilogy by Sierra Simone and the narration is told through Isolde's eyes as the events of the book tell about what happens before her marriage to Mark Trevena. I would recommend reading this book before the trilogy. I would also recommend reading the New Camelot series first so that the events of the Lyonesse trilogy will make more sense to you. Some characters from the New Camelot series make appearances in the books of the Lyonesse trilogy. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– This book is just as good the second time around. I wish I had started writing reviews when I started reading again so I could go back through my thoughts from my first reading. I'll include my thoughts on the second reading, though, in case I read this book again. I feel kind of bad for Isolde because she had to give up what she wanted to follow through with what her father and uncle want. I still believe that no one should have to put their own dreams on hold to fulfill someone else's dream. That's just pathetic. I had the same kind of naivete that Isolde has when it comes to sex because I grew up in a Christian home, where talking about sex is a sin in of itself. I was so afraid to ask questions because I thought I'd be judged for it. Looking back on that, I realized how far I've come and it makes me see how far Isolde comes as well in the first two books. I feel that Isolde is strong in other ways but naive and lost in others. I feel like she's more human than some of the other FMCs I've come across lately. I like Isolde more than the last FMC I came across because Isolde is more relatable in my personal opinion. I empathized a lot more with what Isolde is going through because I have the same thought patterns as she does in a lot of areas. I wish she had been able to realize her dreams on her own terms. I wish she was able to work for the church in the way she had initially intended but I know with the plot of this trilogy that this will never come to happen. I wish she had seen that much earlier on in the plot but I know that's how it was built by the author. I feel like it's almost better this way, though. I just wish Isolde could have been happy by the end of it but I know the story this trilogy stems from is not a happy one. My heart broke with Isolde's at the end when Mark told her that he didn't really love her or want her. I know this is not truly the case but Isolde doesn't know that as of yet. I could tell she was miserable and my heart broke for her in that area. I would obviously recommend this book to people as long as you don't mind seeing kink in your smut scenes. I would caution readers, however, who have spanking and flogging as hard triggers. I would stay away from this book if that is the case for you.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2025 by Lisa Fourman
Intro to Isolde and Mark
Format: Kindle
I feel conflicted about this book. On the one hand, I loved Isolde and can't wait to read the rest of the series. On the other hand, I don't like Mark. I'm hoping Tristain provides the balance I need. I feel bad for Isolde for the entire book. She wants to be a nun, but her banker father and her Catholic Cardinal uncle need her to marry Mark to gain information they can each individually use. To make it even worse for Isolde, Mark is the owner of a smex club, a dom, and frequently performs. He expects Isolde to perform with him, even if she's just pretending to be submissive. Isolde is young and previously envisioned her life as a virgin nun. It was so much for her to take on and try to accept when she's being forced to marry and be part of his life. She does go on this journey of accepting that she does have desires and that she can act on them with Mark. It's just a lot for a 19 year old. I just wish she had more of a choice in the direction of her life. Even her choice of college majors was decided by her uncle and father. In the next books, I'm really going to need Isolde to be able to make her own choices. I am also eager to learn more about her training with the nuns and what happened in Rome.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2025 by JenReadsSmut
What an Introduction
Format: Kindle
I absolutely loved this prequel to the Lyonesse series! I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into because I went in completely blind and didn’t read a single review beforehand, and I’m so glad I did. Isolde and Mark’s story had everything I was hoping for: an arranged marriage, a seriously complicated age gap, a powerful and sinful hero, and a relationship that starts as an act but becomes very real, very quickly. Mark is exactly the kind of morally questionable, possessive man you expect from a Sierra Simone book, and watching Isolde navigate her feelings for the man she’s supposed to marry was so good. The chemistry between these two was fire, but I also loved watching their relationship become something more than just pretending. This was such a good introduction to the Lyonesse world and definitely made me even more excited to continue the series!
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Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2026 by Kathryn Sumner
Intro Novella to the series. Happy Reader!
Format: Paperback
The book is the intro Novella to the Lyonesse Series. Isolde is planning on becoming a Nun and to help her uncle with his business. She is virginal and not interested in anything other than sparring and spying. Mark is a Club owner, ex soldier & CIA. He is dominant and knows what he wants and will do anything to obtain it. When Isolde's father told her she will marry Mark, she is unhappy and hesitant to deviate from her original plans. Mark explains what is required from her and shows her how it will work. The question is can she keep her cool, indifferent attitude or will lines become blurry? I enjoyed the book. It is tense, building the story for the rest of the series. Strong characters, kink exploration and events happening over a period of 4 to 5 years, setting us up for Salt Kiss.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2026 by Diagnosed Bookaholic
Very steamy and unique
Format: Kindle
It took me a while to fully process what was going on, and I'm still not sure I grasped all of it in terms of the uncle and father and motivations for this marriage to the main male character. But let's get into that later. Our main female character lost her mother to a car accident as a young girl and her distant banker father has raised her strictly and unaffectionately for the last few years. The story starts when she's 17. She's 17 and it's made clear she's attended some form of catholic school, but more extreme than what most of us imagine. Closer to a convent I think. And for an undisclosed reason (unless I somehow missed the explanation) she's trained to fight, hand to hand and with weapons, like and up and coming ninja by the nuns. She's devoted in every way to the Catholic church and determined to become a nun and pledge her life to the service of the church. All her youthful plans are ruined when surprise surprise, her dad has essentially bartered her off to a much older man, in a business and political deal. The much older man represents the opposite of life as a nun. He owns a kinky sex club, he's 14 years older, cold, hard, and devilish. He's agreed to marry this young girl after she graduates from college in 4 years...but during those 4 years he's negotiated to have access to her to prove to those around him that their relationship and eventual marriage is real. And in order to sell this relationship being real, she must play the part of his sub, at his club, since everyone knows that's his kink. And that's the premise. Tropes- Age gap Lessons for inexperienced heroine Virgin Forced proximity Billionaire Things to note- Triggers- This wasn't labeled as dark but it's definitely not light. Heavy religious tones, manipulation of innocent young girl by father, uncle and main male character, coercing an inexperienced, never been kissed, teenage girl to participate in BDSM kinks and a kink club using her religious beliefs and belief that she is sacrificing for God was uncomfortable at times for me. By the end of this story, I walked away rethinking what I thought about everything that happened and with the belief that the entire story was told by an unreliable narrator, in that the reality she perceived was entirely something else for the men around her. I'm curious about what will happen in the next book, although wary...I don't like the main male character. He's currently a villain in my eyes. Having said all that, this was an interesting and unique read. When you read as many books as I do, the ones that are different stand out. This one was different.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2023 by QsMoni
Intrigued and sad all at once
Format: Kindle
I stumbled across this free prequel by chance and decided to read it. I absolutely loved this book and the way Ms. Simone draws you in so that even you feel excited while stressed beyond belief. I’m pretty sure I know who the actual bad guy is, but I’m ok with that. The reason why I’m ok with thinking I know who is the actual bad person is because I won’t be reading the three books that follow this one. This is why I’m sad: after reading the blurbs on the next three books I can see it will be three drawn out stories with two more “cliffhanger” type endings. Though all the books are complete, I’m not a fan of books that take multiple books to get to a point that could’ve been done in 1 or 2 books. This is a personal preference and there’s no reason to blame the author for this. I think Ms. Simone wrote a well crafted and intriguing book here and I image the next three will be of the same quality. Action ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Believable storyline & overall plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Entertainment 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Spicy 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️ Triggers 🚩 Writing style & written format ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Overall a solid 4/5 Note the lower the 🚩 the better, meaning not many triggers & defines it as a romantic read not dark romance.🥰
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Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2026 by P Evans
fun read but rushed
Format: Kindle
Very 50 Shades of Grey vibes with equally poor logic. Writing was good, as in it was easy to follow and engaging but my god, the logic and motivation of the characters make absolutely no sense. The whole virginity schtick was the dumbest thing I’ve read in a while. Still, overall a good for a spicy preamble for what I assume to be a great spicy three way.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2024 by cat