She’s angry that I left. I’m angry that I died. It’s the trouble with our two lives: we don’t only have one past to work through, but two. Double the pain, twice the betrayal. A million times the tragedy.The Moon is the story of Merlin and Nimue from the New Camelot trilogy. It’s recommended that you read the trilogy first, as there are American King spoilers in The Moon.
Cards of Love: The Moon
By sierrasimone
REVIEW: 4 Eternal Stars
“Happiness is in her nature. Just like destroying me is.”
Effortless, but hard hitting. That’s my phrase for Sierra Simone for the day. Actually, I think for always. She has a unique way of telling a really great story, with a lot of depth, and this time she did it all in NINE chapters. NINE. 9. How do you cram that much emotion, that much depth and full-bodiedness (is that a word?) into nine chapters?? Well, she did!
After becoming slightly addicted to her New Camelot Series, I was shocked to hear there was going to be more to the story, but not in the traditional sense. This wasn’t an add on story for Ash, Embry and Greer, but a deeper look into Merlin and Nimue, and how their life came to be. I am sure I am like many others that had a chip on their shoulders regarding Merlin for much of the series and I know I wasn’t the only one that didn’t trust him!! But, of course, Sierra drags me into a very different love story – one for the ages, literally. One that made me think outside the box and gave me a hidden look into this life that I wouldn’t normally ever check out. I liked it! I liked it a lot. I saw a whole new side to Merlin, one I could never imagine. Nimue was a little vixen with her own wicked side as well, but seeing some of her New Camelot Series from this angle, almost like peeking in a window to see what’s happening, was really eye-opening. It’s like a behind the scenes look with a front row seat into the other characters while the others were making it through their trials and tribulations.
I will admit that I struggled at a few points and found myself rereading passages because I don’t comfortably think along the fantasy ways of thinking and so I had to actually catch myself and re-read a few paragraphs. Not a big deal at all because that was a me issue, but it was just me trying to follow along and redirect my way of thinking. I am not a fantasy reader by choice but I was super intrigued, as well as somewhat confused, but still very interesting. Having said that, this was nothing short of a fantastical read.
“Finally, my suffering has purpose.”
If you are curious about this one, remember – it is the 4th book in her New Camelot Series and it does contain spoilers for that series. There is an excerpt below that you can check out if you are curious. This novella was definitely the extra kind of read I could get behind. I love Sierra’s imagination and how she can take a tale and make it a whole world that is an extraordinary escape beyond the confines of my boring mind. She always provides me an escape that is nothing short of amazing. At the end of the book, she listed alllll the books she has coming up and I could just fill my calendar!! Bring it on!
“It was only every her. It was only ever going to be her.”
~BEE
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Holy Moses! What have I just finished!? Sierra Simone has transported me back through time!
I’ve always been fascinated with kings and the Legend of Camelot and King Arthur is no different… I just ate it all up.
Truly a racy and sexy recall of Merlin and Nimue’s turbulent past. Erotic and passionate like only Sierra knows how to write. You’ll be taken on a journey you will not want to miss! It’s spiritual and you get an understanding of the moon and its meaning within the universe. It’s a timeless love story, yet at the same time tragic.
This author is a literary genius! Whatever her brilliant mind conjures, I must read! It’s official… I’m hooked.
If you loved the New Camelot trilogy, then this is a must read!
HOT!!! Sierra can do no wrong. The Moon is a perfect example of just how brilliant she is.
she’s angry that I left; I’m angry that I died !
The mere mention of Merlin from New CAMELOT series , which is THE BEST SERIES by the way, and I was salivating for his story. At the end of the series Merlin gives us a glimpse of his power of magic and his ancient life. You could’ve knocked me down with a feather on that bridge!
And Sierra does JUST THAT ! A spellbinding tale that will transport you away from physical world into an ethereal above, you’ll float high on a cloud of spells and magic. Reading a sierra book is akin to an otherworldy experience, Its a high like no other. Ancient times of kings and dungeons and diabolism and wizards comes alive right in her pages and youll want to touch it, dive into it and just want to live there !!
Merlin is blessed with a sight that sees both ways but it’s taxing and exacting. It also comes with a curse, which offsets his gains with equal losses
the sight- it lets me see the past through my memories, the future through my Visions. The present through ways that even I don’t fully understand
Was he really ……was Ash *gasp* .yes..YES!! It all made sense now, it was destiny and Merlin was chosen as a guidance counselor to stand beside Arthur and clear his path to greatness. But what about the toll it took on Merlin himself, his life, what ultimate sacrifices he had to make to adhere to his loyalty towards his sworn duty?
THAT is what THIS book is about. THE MOON. Moon has been forever associated with eternal love and carries a halo of mystery around it. Magic happens when MOON ripens to a full form…It’s amore!!
Merlin is epitome of eternal love with Nimue, he has been wandering through lives for over 1500 years to stand guard to protect Arthur/Ash and in the process meets, loses, dies, resurrects through his loves with Nimue.
a narrow, lonely path, a giant arrow of Destiny pointing me towards my work and away from everything else
They share magic and magic boldens and strengthens and doubles and winds itself around this glittering couple
He lays down his pride, his ego, his life at her feet. Not ashamed to lick her boots or accept pain at her merry little sadistic hands, open up his body for her to beat & flay open, or crawl on all fours for her. He’s waited 23 years after the first taste to this second taste. If THAT’S not timeless eternal love then nothing is !
I would rather die than leave you and let me tell you about the time I did just that .
Sierra spins Magic, casts Enchanting spells, scintillates the senses, kinks up the sex and exhilarates the narration. I am in a trance!!
Nothing more fulfilling to see this ferocious & avowed love being reciprocated with equal, if not more devotion and fervor !
I suddenly want to bleed for him, to die for him like he did for me. I want to give him my bones, my grave and The eternities of devotion
I want more sierra…so much more….give me Lyr and Mark and Tristan and Isolde-esque story. Like thirsty travellers we’ll travel a long time to arrive at CAMELOT just keep throwing us morsels or banquets of your words every now and then !
infinite stars for Little Moon & Wizard
Who knew that the ethereal ramblings from the Queen of RAUNCH…. Would leave us utterly SPEECHLESS?? WELL this girl did and those of you who doubt the ENCHANTED power’s that Sierra Simone sprinkles over our minds with every LUST filled written word…. shame be to you all.
Cards of Love: The Moon made me see Merlin is a totally different light… Merlin to me has always been betrayed as evil and unyielding in his ways, but THE MOON… opened my eyes to the Love that he had for Nimue, that spanned Thousands and Thousands of years..
How he not only loved King Arthur but his love and loyalty carried over to Ash, Embry and Greer in The New Camalot Series. I must admit I have since changed my mind about Merlin and my heart has soften for the sufferings that he endured at the hands of the cruel fate called LOVE…..
5 LUST FILLED STARS FOR THIS EPIC SHORT STORY!!
If there’s a way to put an edgy, contemporary spin on a classic story, Sierra Simone is the one to write it. Her books are intelligent, they’re accessible, they’re so well thought out and executed. The Moon is no exception.
Part of the Cards of Love collaboration, and a modern and erotic telling of the legend of Merlin, The Moon is a companion book to Ms Simone’s New Camelot series. You need to read the series first to avoid spoilers and to fully understand Merlin’s role in the modern world.
I’ve loved the mysterious, mystical nature of Merlin from the start. This story expounds his life and his destiny, and his relationship with Nimue. It’s a raw and beautiful tale of life, love and loss. Equal parts emotion and eroticism, it held me spellbound from beginning to end…and I may have even shed a tear. Quite simply, it’s perfect.
I am so pleased that I was able to learn more about Merlin and Nimue’s history. This story about their loss and love over many years was begging to be told.
The Moon should not be read before The New Camelot trilogy. You will ruin some of the best scenes in American King if you do.
I don’t exactly know what I was expecting from this story except maybe a lot of kinky fuckery LOL but what I got was way more. At first, when I finished reading, my first thought was .. what did I just read?! NOT because I didn’t enjoy it, quite the opposite, it was just …
Incredible
Amazing
Powerful
Captivating
Mesmerizing
Delicious
AND SO MUCH MORE!
For reasons I’m not getting into right now, I never thought I would find myself a fan of this author. Well, she will never write another book I will not immediately one-click. Her mind is one of a kind! #TRUST
It’s not easy to write a BDSM book where the male is submissive and still unreliably masculine and power, where the woman is the Domme and also soft and feminine, but Sierra is a skilled storyteller and so it is no wonder she pulls it off with aplomb!
Loved this! I loved knowing the back story for Merlin! It made me smile. I can’t wait for the next in the story!
I have devoured everything that Sierra has written since I first stumbled upon American Queen. EVERYTHING! She is truly a magical, gifted, unicorn poet…with a deliciously dirty mind! The Moon is an absolutely beautiful retelling of Merlin and Nimue’s connection from historical lore. It’s fantastical and heartbreaking and intelligent and sexy beyond measure! You need this book in your life! But first, you need the first three books of the New Camelot series…now! There aren’t enough stars for The Moon, a book that will have me sighing and smiling for days. FOR. DAYS.
Mother of Pearl, Nimue and Merlin are out of this world!
*Warning* – if you haven’t read The New Camelot series, please read it prior to reading this, spoilers contained inside.
A love story lived through the ages, Nimue and Merlin finally get the perfect end to their story.
I am in awe of Sierra Simone’s writing, the research that has gone into the writing of both The New Camelot Series and Cards of Love: The Moon. Also, the love she shows for the lgbtq+ and kink communities have endeared her to my heart.
Check out Cards of Love today, I know you’ll love Nimue and Merlin as much as I do.
What if you knew you would meet the love of your life but it would not end well for you if you did? This is the story of Merlin & Nimue. A story about tempting fate while knowing the consequences but doing it anyway.
This is the story of a love that surpassed several life times. Omg this book was mind blowingly amazing. I’m so glad Merlin’s story was FINALLY told. If you have read the new Camelot series you have to read this book. Sierra is a mad genius who is truly gifted with words.
++++I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review++++
The beautiful story of Merlin and Nimue.. is a very magical journey with some dark and obscure elements that bring this story more alive..
We met Merlin and Nimue on the previous books of The Camelot series.. but in The moon, we get to dive deeper into each character.. understanding better the way they are and why they had to live over and over again that terrible destiny..
“Was it so much to ask fate that I could love someone who wouldn’t cause my death? Couldn’t I have had that one thing?”
After many years and many lives of not being together.. in this one Merlin is ready to show and prove that Nimune and him belong to one and other.. he thought by staying quiet was helping others specially her the love of his life.. but after so much suffering finally he understood what he had to do to finally be with her.
“I came back because I decided it didn’t matter if you loved me or not. It only mattered if I loved you, and I thought—hell, I thought—”
Nimue was a great heroine, some people thought she was bad, because of the way things happened between her and Merlin, but nothing is farther from the truth, she is strong and loyal, but people and circumstances kept interfering in their destiny changing the course of their love, making their love almost impossible..
“Sharing magic with him is more intimate than sex, more exotic than kink, and it’s elemental and spiritual and exhilarating and entrancing and I can’t get enough of it.”
Merlin and Nimue love started many past lives ago.. in this one they found an answer to their forever, making the BDSM dynamic more in tune with what was happening and what they needed in order to survive.
“I forgave you the moment it happened, I think, even though I didn’t know it yet. I wasn’t ready for you, for this gift of yours, and it wasn’t fair to trap you until I was ready. Jack and I split the very next month, because it also wasn’t fair to him when I only could love you. And I still do, you know. Love you.”
I Love how Sierra shows us the Domme side. a side we don’t get to see very often in books. In The moon, the dynamic was treated and written perfectly.. The whole element of aftercare that we also don’t get to see very often was beautifully wrote.
The relationship between Merlin and Nimue was perfectly blended with their dynamic, making it very important and a crucial key for their love story..
“Sharing magic with him is more intimate than sex, more exotic than kink, and it’s elemental and spiritual and exhilarating and entrancing and I can’t get enough of it.”
As always Sierra’s writing is captivating, intriguing and with a lot of great elements that sooner or later will bring more out of the story and the characters, blending them in a way you won’t see it coming but at the end will give you and leave you with all the answers you needed…
Looking forward to reading Mark, Tristan, and Isolde!!!
Beautiful and Magical…5+ stars!
The Moon is an absolute delight to read. Dark and magical and sexy and sweet. Sierra Simone made my heart pound with every dark, delicious word entailing Merlin’s narrative of his love and lives with Nimue. Even after many betrayals, Merlin is unwavering devotion for Nimue. I was completely entranced with this magical tale of two people who finally come together in one point of their existence to find their chance at love. Sierra Simone is a wonderful writer brought this romance to life and I loved every word. I received and voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
Loved Sierra Simone’s New Camelot Series so much so I was so excited to read this novella…
Merlin and Nimue’s story was quick and awesome and filled in all the cracks for me!
So twisty and kinky and a great read!
Sierra Simone continues to be a must read author for me!
This is a wonderful addition to The New Camelot series. It answers a lot of questions about Merlin and Nimue, too. The first three books in the series should be read before reading this novella.
I will say that I did not know that this story went with Sierra’s other books. So at first, I felt a little out of place. BUT it didn’t last long.
Merlin and Nimue really do have a love for the ages. This book will take you over hundreds of years of their love and reincarnations of them finding each other every time. It was not hard to give this story a 5-star rating.
Now I just have to go back and read the other stories.
A tale of two people, dealing with the past (and at times, I do mean PAST), present and future, filled with magic and love and a few other interesting things too. Having just finished the New Camelot series, I loved jumping in to read about Merlin and how his story turns out. I won’t tell you and ruin it for you. But you definitely need to read it
This was a great little story that gave so much. Merlin and Nimue weren’t talked about enough in the New Camelot series for me to really understand what they were to each other, or who they were separately. This story gave me what I needed to know as well as a sexy little second-chance romance to boot. I really enjoyed it!