Lyonesse · 2023
Salt KissSpice level, tropes & is it dark romance?
Spice 4/5 (Explicit) · Darkness 3/5 (Dark) · 7 trigger warnings flagged
Salt Kiss is book 1 of Lyonesse by Sierra Simone, first published in 2023. Readers shelve it for forbidden, morally grey and why choose. We score it spice 4 (explicit) and darkness 3 (dark). The heaviest flags readers report are violence, murder, death. Our scores lean on what readers report, not on a full reread, so treat them as a guide. This note is ours. It is not a publisher blurb.
First published: 2023. Book 1 of Lyonesse.
Salt Kiss tropes
On this shelf, Salt Kiss is filed under Forbidden romance, Morally grey heroes and Why choose / reverse harem. Each tag opens more books with that trope.
Salt Kiss spice level
Is Salt Kiss dark romance?
Yes. Salt Kiss scores 3 of 5 on our darkness scale (Dark).
Spice and darkness are separate scores. More dark books. How we rate.
Salt Kiss trigger warnings
Book-specific flags taken from reader-submitted content warnings on The StoryGraph (top flag reported by 64 readers), grouped by us. Also on that list: sexual content, gun violence, panic attacks/disorders, alcohol, injury/injury detail, death of parent. See the reader-submitted list.
Graphic (5) — open before you read
Open this before you read. These are the flags most likely to be a hard stop.
Minor (0)
Present, and usually not the reason someone puts the book down.
None flagged in this band.
Full Salt Kiss trigger warnings
Lyonesse reading order
Salt Kiss is book 1 of 3 in Sierra Simone's Lyonesse series. Start here.
- Book 0.5 · prequel Salt in the Wound · 2023
- Book 1 Salt Kiss (this book) · 2023
- Book 2 Honey Cut · 2024
- Book 3 Bitter Burn · 2025
Order checked against the StoryGraph Lyonesse series page on 13 October 2026. The Lyonesse series in order.
Who it's for
Shelf note written for this site. We do not copy reviews or publisher blurbs. Outbound links are search pages, not quoted ratings. Kindle Unlimited and endings are only flagged when we were willing to mark them. How we rate.
Missing a book? Suggest it.
Books like Salt Kiss
Matched on shared tropes, then the closest spice and darkness scores. Other books in the same series are listed above, not here.
- American King
American King
Sierra Simone
Spice ●●●●●Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Forbidden romance, Why choose / reverse harem
- Double-edged
Double-edged
Nyla K.
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Forbidden romance, Why choose / reverse harem
- Entwined
Entwined
Rebecca Quinn
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Morally grey heroes, Why choose / reverse harem
- He Sees You When You're Sleeping
He Sees You When You're Sleeping
Alta Hensley
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Why choose / reverse harem, Morally grey heroes
- The Never King
The Never King
Nikki St. Crowe
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Why choose / reverse harem, Morally grey heroes
- After the Fall
After the Fall
Giana Darling
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Forbidden romance, Morally grey heroes
- Between Two Kings
Between Two Kings
Lindsay Straube
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Morally grey heroes, Why choose / reverse harem
- Boys Who Hunt
Boys Who Hunt
Clarissa Wild
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Morally grey heroes, Why choose / reverse harem
Books like Salt Kiss, with a reason for each
Questions readers actually ask
What is the spice level of Salt Kiss?
Salt Kiss spice level is 4 of 5 (Explicit). On-page sex, clearly written. Darkness is a separate score: 3 of 5 (Dark).
What are the Salt Kiss trigger warnings?
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death, Blood, Cheating. Moderate: War, Grief. Minor: none flagged. These are book-specific flags reported by readers on reader-submitted content warnings on The StoryGraph (top flag reported by 64 readers), grouped by us. The author's own note may list more. Read it before you start.
Is Salt Kiss dark romance?
Yes. Salt Kiss scores 3 of 5 on our darkness scale (Dark). Harm is part of the romance, not a footnote.
What tropes are in Salt Kiss?
On this shelf Salt Kiss is filed under Forbidden romance, Morally grey heroes and Why choose / reverse harem.
Who is Salt Kiss for?
For readers hunting forbidden and morally grey with explicit spice. Look at the warnings before you commit.
What are some books like Salt Kiss?
Matched on shared tropes and similar spice and darkness: American King by Sierra Simone; Double-edged by Nyla K.; Entwined by Rebecca Quinn; He Sees You When You're Sleeping by Alta Hensley; The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe; After the Fall by Giana Darling. More read-alikes, each with a reason, are on zademasked.com/like/salt-kiss.
Is Salt Kiss a standalone?
No. Salt Kiss is book 1 of 3 in the Lyonesse series by Sierra Simone.
What order should I read the Lyonesse series in?
0.5. Salt in the Wound (novella); 1. Salt Kiss; 2. Honey Cut; 3. Bitter Burn.
How many books are in the Lyonesse series?
The Lyonesse series by Sierra Simone has 3 main books, plus 1 novella or bonus story.
What is the Salt Kiss age rating?
We'd say 18+. Spice sits at 4/5 (explicit) and darkness at 3/5 (dark). That's our recommendation, not an official rating, so read the trigger warnings as well.
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