Published by: - -
Genre: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Erotica, Menage, BDSM
Rating: 
I thought I’d locked my heart away a long time ago, along with all my other weaknesses. But some doors won't stay closed, no matter how hard I fight to keep them shut. She unravels me, just like our friends are unraveling, just like Thornchapel itself is unraveling.
All year long, we’ve been sowing lust and jealousy and pain, heedless of the consequences. But a harvest is inevitable, and so now we must reap our sorrows.
And our sighs.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING THE BOOK BEFORE READING THIS REVIEW!
This review is suuuper long because I have much to say. I know it’s boring to read long ass reviews, which is why I divided it in small parts so you can read the part you like and skip the rest 😊
OK so let’s get right into it!
Harvest of Sighs was a bit of a puzzle for me. I can’t quite figure it out. That’s why I was going back and forth with 3 and 4 stars, deciding on 3 one minute and 4 the other.
Harvest of Sighs is definitely different than its predecessors. Apparently, Simone decided to lead the story to a different direction, one I admit I didn’t predict. One with less sex and kink (don’t get me wrong, it hasn't lost its sizzle, not at all) and more character development. Also, we finally see the group interacting with people outside their group and be in places other than Thornchapel, which didn’t happen in the previous books.
I understand the need to change it up, I do. And I admire Simone’s courage to step out of her comfort zone and write something other than the 6 of them having sex in Thornchapel again and again and again, because what’s the point in that?
Thing is, it didn’t always work. But when it did, it was amazing.
Rebecca and Delphine
I had my reservations about these two from the beginning. Delphine I like just enough, but Rebecca was always indifferent to me. She is just a cold person with not much going for her, personality-wise. She could be much more interesting (and that goes for Delphine too) if she was given a chance from the beginning. Putting the focus on two background characters in Book 3 of a four-book series and expect us to be on board, it's just too late. If their stories and who they are carried the same weight as Poe, Auden and SS, then yes, probably. If more glimpses of them, past or present, together or with others, were peppered in the previous two books then yes, I might have gotten on board. The little flashback they shared in this book was so well written and sweet, but just not enough and very last minute-y.
Ultimately, and after a lot of effort on my part, I couldn’t see any chemistry between them, their relationship felt forced to me. Also, the structure of the book didn’t help. Simone would give us back to back Rebecca/Delphine POV chapters, which suddenly stopped in the middle of plot development, followed by a long stretch of Poe/Auden/SS POV. By the time she got back to Rebecca/Delphine I had lost interest, and just wanted to read more Poe/Auden/SS chapters.
I don’t know how this relationship will end, but I think these two should not be together. They were miserable for the entire book, and not in a good way.
Auden and St.Sebastian
Speaking of miserable…how contradictory it is, when it works so badly for one couple and so perfectly for another.
What can I say about these two? They are such a pleasure to read. I was looking forward to their chapters throughout the whole book. Simone does her best writing when it comes to them, and their chemistry is electrifying.
The scene where SS cried in Auden’s lap ahhhhh 😱. One of my favourite parts of the book. Not only it inspired a lot of emotion, but it was also the trigger of Auden’s change which I absolutely loved. It’s the first time we see Auden doubting the decisions he’s made and the things he’s done. It’s the first time we see him actually stopping to take everything in and realising there is something wrong. I really liked that side of him, and having him of all people have doubts and guilt, this unrelenting Thorn God, it was amazing and beautifully written by Simone.
Of course, the only person that really gets Auden is SS, that’s why he is the only one Auden confides in, no surprise there. And what followed was so intimate and primal and intense that it would either bring these two together in an unbreakable bond forever, or tear them apart. If you haven’t figured it out yet, their final scene at Thornchapel was my other favourite part of the book, from its beginning to its bitter end. I feel like at this point, Simone can never go wrong with these two, their chemistry is undeniable and effortless.
Incest
That being said, I had a hard time with them this time, I am not gonna lie.
I admittedly have not read a lot of erotica and BDSM books, so I don’t really know how "bad" things get in books of the genre, but for me personally incest is something I can't get behind, even fictional one. That’s why I didn’t like Forbidden when everyone was praising it, and I certainly didn’t like what it did to my perception of Auden and SS. I liked that SS stood his ground, even though he never stopped lusting after Auden, and put a stop to their sexual relationship. Granted, it was true to character, but a welcome surprise nevertheless, since I was sure Simone would definitely keep them together regardless.
In the end, I begrudgingly accepted what ended up happening between them because of:
1. Their very emotional and gut wrenching scene at the gala
2. The fact that they are not really brothers. I mean, I’m guessing that in book 4 it will be revealed that SS is actually Delphine’s brother and not Auden’s.
I’m hoping.
If I’m wrong, I am gonna have to re evaluate my opinion of this book 😬
Poe
Boring as ever. She is no more than a prop at this point. Can Auden and SS ditch her and go live somewhere just the two of them?
Also, the fact that Poe leaves with SS in the end and that it wasn't shown at all! I was shocked. I mean where is Auden’s reaction to losing both of them? Nothing? How can you skip this whole thing, which basically is the heart of the books, their relationship? Very bad.
Becket
I really liked Becket in the previous two books, but I didn’t like what Simone did to him in this one. Right from the start he was shown like this poor lovesick puppy who was following Poe around, something that Auden was not a fan of. In fact, I would definitely not be surprised if Auden wouldn’t hesitate to hurt him if things with him and Poe went sour. I mean, Becket announced he was practically fired and was moving away, and all Auden could muster for his great friend was something along the lines of "OK, see ya".
I didn’t like how he was pushed to the side on this one, when in the previous two books all 6 of them where in things together and shared this great bond. That goes for Rebecca and Delphine as well.
The sex with Poe felt desperate, completely the opposite from their scene in the church in Feast of Sparks, which was hot hot hot.
I think he’s not going to survive book 4, unfortunately 💀
While the previous books acted as magnets bringing all 6 of them together, Harvest of Sighs definitely acted as a bomb, blowing them up into little pieces. Some survived, some not.
Bright side: we won't have to wait long for the finale since it's coming out Halloween 2020.
