These Thorn Kisses (St. Mary's Rebels) Paperback – December 5, 2021

Truly there is no one whose words so effortlessly wrap themselves around my heart like Saffron A. Kent's. And These Thorn Kisses is every bit as affecting as I've come to expect from her lyrical and emotive writing. The longing, the angst, the desperation and tender authenticity - no one quite writes the tumultuous feelings of overpowering and forbidden first love quite like she does. It's messy and mesmerizing, eccentric but universal, tantalizing but so sincere. These Thorn Kisses represents the best of her creative style- a story that so perfectly balances a love that is both heartfelt and innocent in a story that is deliciously taboo and naughty. It's a potent and transfixing elixir- and I just can't get enough of it! Yet another triumph from the queen of the evocative and effervescently emotional story telling!This story is just so special - tender, heartfelt, overflowing with emotional resonance, and, oh yes, deliciously forbidden and sexy. It’s the charm of Saffron- she somehow tells a story that on the surface is illicit but that at its core is innocent and pure. Because TTK really isn’t about the taboo- though of course, we have it. A much older man and his student who also happens to be his best friend’s sister- why yes, forbidden indeed. This story is more about healing and growing, and finding the courage to love and dream.Wyn is a dreamer, but she’s trapped in a life she didn’t choose, punished for dreaming and hoping. But despite all that, despite being alone and hurt by those who should protect her, she keeps dreaming. All because a stranger believed in her- a stranger truly SAW HER, ignited a spark that gave her the courage to fight for her dreams. And I could not adore her more- she’s sweet, a bit naive, compassionate, and so earnest. Her big beautiful heart beats out of her chest for those she loves, and she loves Conrad. She’s brave in a way that I admire and envy- optimistic and hopeful in a way that would make the world a better place.And Conrad- of the men so far, he’s perhaps the most guilty of crossing a forbidden line, but he’a also her most blameless hero yet. She’s just so inherently good and altruistic, and his sacrifices have caused him to lose himself, to stop living for him. Until the “wrong” person captures his heart. He’s sexy and swoony- a caregiver, protector, a champion for those he cares about- he just needs to find his own dreams again. And who better than his own little dreamer to awaken him. And I just loved his character journey- it’s beautiful, relatable, and resonant. Seeing a man so scared to hope, to love, to FEEL find his spark in his little flower- oh my heart.Their love story is magical- two unexpected lovers who SEE each other in ways no one else does. Each brings out the best in the other- inspires them to be their fullest self. They awaken each other- and champion each other. From illicit beginnings comes a love so pure and powerful, it frees them both. A love that reminds them that loving, the hoping, that dreaming is worth the risk or pain, worth the uncertainty. TTK is a brilliant and poignant reminder that dreams never die- only their dreamers, and that we’re never too old, or young, to dream anew.

Maybe it takes time to get to use the language. I didn't have the patience. See what I mean: " Because it wasn’t my intention to ruin things for him. The reason I did what I did was because of my art. Because I’m an artist. Because I love to draw. I live to draw. And so I drew.."How many "because" and "draw" in 5 lines? If was a poetry ... but it's not. Very repetitive language. Didn't count how many times I read "I'm an artist" but if see one more time " I'm an artist" I may become an artist because I like art and artists.

🌹Age Gap🌹unrequited love🌹best friends brother🌹School Soccer CoachAll the forbidden romance tension I could ask for in this one! My gosh nothing hits quite like a book written By this authors She has a unique way of writing that is all her own… that I find very poetic. She defiantly didn’t disappoint with these thorn kisses.This is the story of Conrad and Bronwyn. You get a glimpse of what was to come at the end of a gorgeous villain, and due to that glimpse I’ve been anxiously waiting this story. This story is forbidden, it’s angsty, it’s steamy, and at times emotional.Saffron take us on quite the journey in this one. When we first meet Bronwyn she’s pretty naive and sheltered, but she shows a lot of growth throughout this story, and that growth made me really and truly love her character. She is a overall sweet and kind hearted human being.Conrad, he has had my heart since a gorgeous villain and he has it now. Finally getting to see him do something for himself was all I really wanted. Seeing Wyn peel back the layers on his grumpy and tough exterior was so much fun, it really kept me engaged. The tension was palatable and you could really feel it along the way, as Conrad has to fight his feelings.Like all of saffron’s books there is a whimsical quality that i will always come back for more of. I defiantly recommend this book! Now I can’t wait for Poes!

THESE THORN KISSES by Saffron A. Kent is a long, standalone novel, but is Book 3 in St. Mary's Rebels. I have read Book 1 MY DARLING ARROW and is Salem & Arrow's story. Also have read Book 2 A GORGEOUS VILLIAN and is Reed & Callie's story. Do yourself a favor & read the first 2 books before reading THESE THORN KISSES (Conrad & Bronwyn's story). All 3 girls: Salem, Callie & Bronwyn or nicknamed Wyn, end up being good friends & attending St. Mary's School For Troubled Teens-An all girl reform school. The characters are in all 3 of the couple's stories.Bronwyn Littleton is 16 & a half years old & miserable. Her parents hate what her dreams & future wishes are. She has just escaped a wedding reception where her parents try to hook her up with a young man that would make a suitable husband. So there she is sitting on a curb of a quiet street at 11:15 on a dark night, crying & wearing a yellow ballgown. When her dream man approaches her. He wants to know if she is alright? She is not & he listens to her story about being an artist and how her parents forbid this. He gives her advice & sees her safely home. No names exchanged, but their meeting will forever change her life. He is her Mystery Man & she will never forget him.Conrad Thorne is the new soccer coach at St. Mary's School. He took this job to keep an eye on his sister who had the misfortune of ending up in this place. But he can't believe that the girl he helped on a road 18 plus months ago is a student of this wretched school, too. He pretends he doesn't remember her, but that is far from the truth. Three things make Conrad off limits: He is her best-friend's older brother (age-gap)! He is her new soccer coach (teacher)! He is in love with an ex-girlfriend (a married woman, too)! Bronwyn is obsessed with her soccer coach/dream man/best friend's brother. Conrad does fight to be strong, professional, respectable, and a appropriate distance away. Yet, Wyn is a determined young woman & with a little help from her friends, wins the battle if not the war.

Out of protectiveness for his little sister the new coach at St Mary’s, Conrad Thorne, may have just made the worst decision of his life. Thought it has led him to the greatest thing to ever happen to him, Brownyn Littleton.Brownyn is the good girl of the reform school but a strong rebellious streak runs through her. She’s an artistic wallflower who is both considerate and thoughtful but can be impulsive. Conrad is aloof, strong, possessive, protective and when the heat gets going the dirty talk starts.There is no denying that everything we know about Conrad prior to this book can be summed up in two words; big brother. Everything this man has done and is doing is for his four younger siblings. They are his life and his purpose. Brownyn is not the first to appreciate all that he has sacrificed for his family but she is the first to really understand what those sacrifices have done to him, in my opinion. She is the first person to choose him and only him and would love nothing more to give him what he wants. When it comes to her, he is the only person to become truly angry on her behalf and proud on her behalf. He has this unwavering belief that she’ll go on to achieve what she wants to and admires everything about her. Conrad stands up to people for her and is a source of comfort, this likes of which she has not yet experienced.There is point in the book where Conrad describes their relationship as “beautiful and precious and right” and I cannot think of a more accurate description. The happiness it brings them is what makes it beautiful, it’s all of the reasons I’ve mentioned above that make it precious and it’s the undeniable connection and chemistry that make it right. Together these two were explosive.There were a few things I struggled with in this book, most of it concerning some of the language used by the characters/Saffron, and a few odd behaviours and whilst it made me pause and recoil a bit in the moment (the second-hand embarrassment was real) it didn’t deter from my overall enjoyment of this book.I really enjoyed this and I cannot wait for more from the rest of the Thorne brothers as some interesting storylines were alluded to, and to see what happens in Hey, Mister Marshall.

Ummmm were do I even start I've read the other books and enjoyed them but I just don't get this at all my main problem was the talking in the third person all the time and the language they used i felt they were just writhing words because they thought it was erotic and sexy but was so out of context and if i read the words artist and teenager again I was going to scream yes it's and age difference story but it got to the point when she was just annoying and he was a bit of a dick

I really wanted to like this book, but the fact that the heroine was 18 and the hero was 32 didn't sit right with me somehow. I read Saffron A Kent's earlier book My Darling Arrow which is based in the same world as this book and the age gap was a more acceptable 5 years. The fact there was such a big gap between Bronwyn and Conrad wouldn't have been so bad if Bronwyn came across as a mature 18 year old, sadly she didn't. This fact made the sex scenes between them mean that no matter how the author tried when Conrad spoke in sexual terms to Bronwyn he sounded like a sleaze cracking on to a teenager. I fear that the next book will feature an even bigger age gap as the hero in that book appears to be the guardian of the heroine. I don't feel that these books are for me sadly.

OMG what an amazing read, so enjoyed this book, loved the characters, this series just keeps getting better and better.A Plus recommendation

Age gap +Grumpy & sunshine;Os 2 tropes ao natural já são maravilhosos, se combinados e escritos pela SAK só melhora a coisa toda, e digo c 100% de certeza q esse livro é uma ascensão na carreira da autora, tudo graças a Conrad MF Thorne - O homem, sejamos honestas, desde o livro da irmã dele o Conrad dava indícios do qto seria o maioral, aqui em These Thorn Kisses ele se prova como tal e da melhor maneira imaginável, o Conrad se SACRIFICOU a vida inteira pelos irmãos, parou a sua própria vida e sonhos em razão da criação dos irmãos mais novos, ele merecia muitão um generoso HEA, e o seu desenvolvimento nesse livro é digno de aplausos, eu também amei o quão ALFA possessivo ele é, um mal-humorado adorável pq é suave c sua garota. Sobre a minha Wyn, ugh, n tenho nem palavras p descrever quão belo espírito é o dela, apaixonante. As imagens de espinhos e rosas resumem Conrad&Bronwyn e sua relação PERFEITAMENTE 🤌 E deixe-me comentar a respeito de como o drama da trama é delicioso. Além disso, houve momentos p rir! É uma história 10/10.