Moonflower

by Elira Firethorn

Three years ago, Cora Grimm left her hometown and did her best to never look back. How could she when it meant being painfully close to everything she wanted but couldn’t have? Wilder and Ezra—her two childhood best friends, and the only men she’s ever loved.

But as Halloween—the holiday they always spend together—gets closer, secrets come to light. And with those secrets come hidden desires, hurts, and a path that leads these three friends to the one thing they’ve always wanted: each other.

Moonflower is a slightly dark, MFM erotic romance. Please check the Before You Read section before continuing on with the novella.

Genres: Novella, Romance, Friends To Lovers, Why Choose, Dark Romance, Halloween, M F M

205 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2023

About the author

Elira Firethorn is an author of dark, steamy, suspenseful romance. Writing has been her passion since she was fourteen years old, and it continues to be her favorite pastime—aside from reading.

Reviews

[ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can’t hide from us Moonflower.

Moonflower is a poly romance novella set on Halloween night and follows three best friends— Cora, Ezra and Wilder. Cora has distanced herself from her two childhood best friends after attending college out of state for four years. because Cora feels as though her ever-growing feelings for both guys are out of control. she hopes the time apart and building a life away from them will soothe her heartache.

naturally that doesn’t really work. instead she just craves to be with them even more. but what if those feelings she has aren’t so unrequited?

She’s more productive and energetic at night, almost like she’s nocturnal. So we nicknamed her Moonflower since they bloom after dark. Just like she does.

the dynamic of all three characters was just so precious and lovely despite this being on the darker side. the way they fight for each other, protect each other and love each other was just so wonderful to read!

i also loved how the dynamic was equal— it wasn’t just about both guys loving and protecting, Cora, but how she protected them and how the guys protected each other. especially Wilder, i adored his protectiveness over Ezra despite their relationship just being platonic. i really enjoyed their friendship and actually wish we’d gotten a bit more of it without Cora.

“I love you. You’re about to feel like I fucking hate you, but I don’t. I love you more than the moon and the stars, Cora.”

Ezra was by far my favourite character. i related to him a lot. Elira isn’t afraid to touch upon some sensitive issues and his battle with his mental health was explored so well— it was simple and casual, exploring how it affects his everyday life and doesn’t lean into the glorifying dramatics. i think simplicity is key with some of the more sensitive topics in books.

while i really liked Cora and Wilder, too, just not as much as Ezra lol. i loved that Cora was plus-sized and was confident in herself. and just the way they were both so in love and obsessed with her had me



the smut god-tier... and unhinged, my god😭 i feel like i need to go to church and repent, or some shit after finishing this. and i haven’t stepped foot in one in over a decade.

“God,” I whisper.
Wilder laughs, snapping his hips forward. “He’s not here, little Moonflower. You know that.”

i honestly wished this had been full-length to really explore these three in even more depth because they had such an interesting dynamic. but Elira really manages to flesh out her novellas in such a small amount of pages— she really utilises very aspect of what’s available to her with the format and doesn’t hold back.

When I turn back to Wilder and Ezra, they’re staring at me.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Ezra says with a smile.
“What?” Wilder shrugs. “You’re pretty, that’s all. Pretty and ours.”

im even more excited for Ruthless Desires #4 now. this has just accelerated my anticipation, woahhh.

i received an advance review copy for free, and i am leaving this review voluntarily. thank you to Elira Firethorn!

[Emmyreads444 · Rating 3 out of 5]

nothing I love more than a MFM trope. I ate this up and it’s not even spooky season. The smut was top tier

[Bookish Meag 🩵 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Batman…… What did I just read? I definitely couldn’t stop or put it down. I devoured this bad boy.

“I love you. You’re about to feel like I fucking hate you, but I don’t. I love you more than the moon and the stars, Cora.”

Please, please if you read this, make sure you read the trigger warnings. This book is not for everyone but it was amazing. The spice level alone is a 10. 🔥🌶️🔥🌶️🔥🌶️🔥🌶️🔥🌶️

This is a relationship between three people- Wilder, Cora and Ezra. They have been best friends since they were kids but Cora left for college to put distance between them, to hide that she wanted them both. She didn’t know they reciprocated her feelings. Wilder gets a copy of her blog post, which she thought was private. She forgot she gave him access to it, so when she made a new post he got notified by email. Wilder and Ezra end up going to visit her for Halloween after she canceled on them to come home.

SMUT, SMUT, SMUT AND MORE SMUT!!!

This is the book dedication… It should tell you all you need to know….
To all the ones who understand that sometimes, the smut is the plot.

TW provided by author-
depression/anxiety(including apathy and suicidal ideation), mentions of disassociation, feeling unworthy/not good enough, violence, explicit sex scenes, threesome, fear play, primal play, wax play, chocking/suffocation(breath play), degradation/humiliation, CNC (consensual non-consent, which in this case includes threat of murder), pain play, marking/bruising, spitting, over-stimulation, sensory deprivation (blindfolding), and domination/submission.

[Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️ The perfect MFM Halloween story.

This novella tells the story of Wilder, Ezra and Cora, three childhood best friends that grow up together – and with them, so do their feelings. Cora is torn up about the fact that she’s in love with both of her best friends and knows she couldn’t just choose one of them, so when she can’t take just being their friend anymore, she moves away to a different state for college. Thinking that the space, the time, and other boys will dull the love and desire she feels for them, she starts communicating with them less and less… Except when Wilder finds out about her feelings for him and Ezra, Cora’s Halloween weekend turns into the perfect moment for them to take their girl back and make every one of her fantasies a reality.

This novella was amazing! This is exactly what I was looking for when I started creating a Halloween reading list. It’s sexy, fun, sweet when it has to be, incredibly awesome with BDSM aspects to it. There’s particularly one CNC / Primal Play scene, all in a very Halloween setting, that was honestly just so entertaining to read!

Another thing that I loved is that there’s a ‘Before You Read’ TWs list right at the very beginning of the book, which I can’t be more grateful for. It’s tiring having to scout various websites to find the TWs for some books, and this one makes it so easy. If you don’t want/need the list, you could just skip it, but I find it incredibly helpful.

Overall, if you’re looking for a smut filled, awesome Halloween read, I definitely recommend this one!

4.25 / 5 ⭐️

[Laura (lady_h_reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treat! Moonflower was a sweet and steamy quick read that checked so many of my kink boxes and had a HEA that left me with a warm glow! This novella was pleasant throughout, and I read it with a smile.

There is little to almost no angst, just unrealized love that becomes so tender once the friends give in to the years of pining for one another. The s3x scenes are scorching hot as the boys strive to fulfill every one of their girl’s darkest fantasies – bondage, impact play, degradation, breath play, and more … So much fun to be had!

I highly recommend that this novella be added to any kink lover’s Halloween reading list.

[Kenya | Reviews May Vary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine to meh. But whiny FMC aren’t my thang.

[Derin · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you know me in irl you didnt see this 🫣

EVEN IF YOU JUST KNOW ME STILL YOU DIDNT SEE THIS

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinky hot novella like this was good

[Alexis C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and spicy with good plus size rep, what more could a girl ask for?

Running to read more of Elira’s work because 🥵🥵🥵.

[Jade Pietrangelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ What in the world this was actually so cute. Not what I was expecting from a spicy Halloween MMF novella 😅

[Curvy Girls Read Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I asked for Halloween recs with curvy heroines and man did Lyrik W deliver!

Cora, Ezra, and Wilder grew up together thick as thieves. Cora knew early on that she loved both of her boyfriends and could never choose between them. Instead, she took herself out of the equation, going away to college and distancing herself from the two people she cared most for in the world. When Wilder finds Cora's journaling blog post in his inbox detailing what she wants from her best friends, he resolves that she will be theirs and they will be hers.

This novella was smut heavy and I loved every second of it. The author did such a good job of writing consensual non consent, it was perfection. The way she made it safe for Cora, Ezra, and Wilder to explore all of Cora's darker fantasies was so well done.

I can't recommend this one enough. You can't help but root for these three!

Heads up:

TW:Passive suicidal ideation
CW: Depression
Dub con
Hand necklaces
Dom sub
Degradation kink
Breath play
Primal play
Wax play

[Nerdy.Scientist.Reads || NERDY · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5⭐️ 4/5🌶️ 4/5🎧
Audiobook Review: Is there such thing as light dark erotica? Cuz I think I just found it. This little Halloween novella was wholesome in the friends to lovers aspect, light in the storyline, and super packed with dark kinks. I enjoyed the heck out of it! The spice had my brows raising! It was hella sexy. For all my breath play and primal babes, this one’s for you!

The narrators, Christian Leatherman and Felicity Delacroix, did an amazing job at portraying horny, kinky, caring new adults.

[amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The fact that you thought we’d let you go. If you never came home, we would’ve dragged you back. And if we couldn’t do that, then we would’ve chased after you until you got it through that pretty head of yours that your place is with us.”

read Oct 16, 2022 - Oct 16, 2022: 4 stars

[itsnotAnna;) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was not it
Like it was okay but, no
The plot was cringe
The smut was meh
Thank you next 😘

[Sabs ✨️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 🌟

[eclair 🧸🤎☕️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was I uncomfortable as fuck with the word “supple” being used to describe someone’s body? Yes
But honestly the book wasn’t bad, I would definitely categorize it as (smut without (kinda) plot) it was good don’t get me wrong. Its just that it’s one of those books that you read just for the sake of passing time and then you forget about the book ya know?

[Megan Lang · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Ash (so there’s this book)]

DNF at 71% - honestly a little upset that I spent money on this.

The characters continued to rehash the same issue over and over to the point of exhaustion. It was far too much for a novella, and ended up taking up too much of the story.

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked it. I’d for sure read a full length book of these characters.

[Lyrik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my personal book catnip: friends to lovers, multiple men, very dirty talk, lots of spice, and low angst.

Moonflower, Wilder, and Ezra have always had a connection: that's just the way it is and there's not really an explanation for it. (This is one of my favorite things in books!) No one wants to rock the boat by declaring their feelings, but fate intervens and then *voila* love and sexy times ensue. Loved it all - even some of the kinkier aspects that I haven't loved in other books.

This hit me the same way Glitch by Briana Michaels did.

[jennifer | offmyredcarpet · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNFd at 24%. I really wanted to like this but the dialogue and interaction between the primary characters read elementary and felt forced. I liked Ezra and Wilder but Cora felt out of place in the narrative next to them. It just didn’t work for me.

[tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not expecting to enjoy this dynamic as much as I did. In the beginning, I was like what is going on but then the two male characters feel so wholesome that it wasn’t weird at all. So sad it’s over

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger Warnings include:
depression (including apathy and suicidal ideation), anxiety, violence against a character and forcing them out of their home (main character to side character)
sexual content includes Dom/sub dynamics, dubious consent, uninformed consent (one scene), CNC (including the threat of murder), fear play, primal play, breath play/choking, pain play, wax play, degradation/humiliation, over-stimulation, sensory deprivation (blindfolding)

This was dedicated to “the ones who understand that sometimes, the smut is the plot” and it delivered! But there was story in there too! Three besties who grew up together and were now suffering the heartbreak of losing what they once had. Why? Because Cora was distancing herself, knowing she had fallen in love with her best friends and could never choose between them. But Wilder makes the decision for her. And Ezra is more than happy to be part of the equation! Wild is the enforcer, the leader. The strength Cora and Ezra need. Ezra is the over thinker, a little sheepish, but always kind. Except when Cora needs guidance. Then he’s happy to lend Wild a helping hand. I loved the balance they offered each other. And the love between each of them?! Yes, there is definitely more than just smut in here!

My Favorite Quotes:
• “What are you doing?” “Something I should’ve done years ago.”
• “We’re done waiting for you to come back to us.”
• “Make her come. I need to be inside her.”
• “I love you. You’re about to feel like I fucking hate you, but I don’t. I love you more than the moon and the stars.”
• “I will never stop talking about the fact that you’re ours. Never.”
• “You’re ours. And we’re yours.”
• “Look at me. That’s it. Now be a good girl and come for me so I can let you breathe.”
• “You’re so pretty when you’re scared.”
• “The only person you’ll worship tonight is me. And then I’m going to worship you.”
• “I don’t want to be gentle with you. I want to make you come so hard you cry. I want to leave bruises on your pretty skin.”
• “What?” “Nothing. You’re pretty, that’s all. Pretty and ours.”

8/10 Dirty Birdy
7/10 Friends to Lovers

[bella rhys (semi-hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars! Short, Sweet, Steamy MFM romance that kind gave me all the feels!

So, this was short and spicy, and just what I needed at the time that I read it! A Halloween-themed smutty good time if you ask me!

It’s about our girl Cora and her two besties, Wilder and Ezra. They’ve known each other since childhood. Cora had always had feelings for them both but never acted on it because she thought she had to choose, and she couldn’t. So decided that if she could have both, she’d have none. Recently, she’s moved aways for uni, and is now is in a new relationship that isn’t going well. After speaking to Wilder and Ezra on the phone, she realises just how much she misses them and how unhappy with her current situation she is. She proceeds to let out her frustrations in an old defunct blog that she thought only she had access to. Except Wilder ends up accidently reading it. This leads him and Ezra taking a road trip to see Cora and bringing her wildest fantasies to life.

This was relatively low-angst between the three characters’ relationship. I also loved how it touched on some heavier topics relating to depression. It also gave some good plus-size rep. The BDSM aspects were also well written.

Narrated by Felicity Delacroix and Christian Leatherman. They were the perfect choices for this story and complimented each other well. Christian Leatherman did amazingly voicing both Wilder and Ezra, and choosing different voices to represent both characters so that they were individually recognisable. Overall, they were also able to bring the story and characters to life! I truly enjoyed this!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wilder, Ezra, and Cora have been best friends their whole lives - and they've all kept it from each other they might be interested in being something more. Cora has pushed her best friends away, gotten caught up in a crap relationship, and tried to move on in order to preserve their hearts and bonds. Wilder finds out her secret, and sets things in motion for he and Ezra to get their girl - forever.

All three of them have dark tastes and a desire to satisfy each other, so make sure you read and understand the content warnings. If it's your kind of thing, it's a very enjoyable spicy read. The dynamics of the relationship are so strong, and they are so deeply bonded and caring about each other. The sexual and romantic elements being added feels like a relief, like they'd always been holding back until they can finally give in this way. I was more emotionally invested than I expected to be, and I feel like if they were my friends I'd be so happy to see them happy.

[Nagma (Take A Look At My Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This quick, spicy, halloween MFM romance was phenomenal. The spice was chef’s kiss and I loved that this was a friends to lovers romance. This was a dirty, twisted, wild ride, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

Christian Leatherman and Felicity Delacroix were quite possibly perfection at bringing these characters to life. Christian’s range is commendable as he was able to voice Ezra and Wilder as two distinct and unique characters. I was completely captivated with both of the narrators’ voices and this story.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moonflower was a spicy yet sweet, kinky MFM Halloween romance novella. Cora moved away for college, leaving her two best friends behind. She was hoping the distance would help her get over them because she loved them both as more than friends and couldn't see a way that would work. Turns out her friends Wilder and Ezra have been in love with her as well. When her friend Wilder discovers her feelings for them, he comes up with a plan for them to all to get what they want. And he plans to don't on Halloween their favorite holiday. All of Cora's fantasies are about to come true.

[Jojoreadsromance · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Audio Review*

This is an MFM Halloween novella. Narrated by Felicity Delacroix and Christian Leatherman.

Cora (Moon Flower) is a young woman who went and fell in love with her two best friends, Wilder and Ezra. Assuming they wouldn’t feel the same for her, and even if one or both did knowing she’d never be able to choose between them, she decided to put some distance between her and them and went away to college. Distance and even attempting to move on with another guy has done nothing to dull her feelings however, and one night in her frustrations she posts her thoughts on a long forgotten blog she use to have that unbeknownst to her Wilder had subscribed to many years ago. When Wilder gets a notification of a new blog post, he is surprised and elated to finally understand why she had put distance between them. Knowing how he feels for her, and how Ezra feels he takes matters into his own hands on Halloween night and he and Ezra show up at a college party Cora is attending to prove she has no reason to choose….

This book is spice on top of spice and everything  nice! Cora, Wilder, and Ezra sizzles together! I truly enjoyed the dynamic between the three of them. Each brings something special to the relationship, and all work together to make a solid unit. Make no mistake, this book is mostly scorching hot smutty goodness, but there were some emotional moments, and I did enjoy the friendship between them. I do wish it was a full length novel, there was a lot packed in especially with Ezra’s mental health struggles that could have been expanded on but I think the author wrote it well and I can certainly respect her vision of a simple hot erotic Halloween listen.

Felicity Delacroix and Christian Leatherman are new to me narrators, and they knocked this out of the park! They both brought the steamy seduction that tickles your ears all the way to your toes! Perfect work by both!

Overall, I loved it. Elira Firethorn is also a new to me author, and after Moon flower, I will definitely be checking out her other books.

[Christina's Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an EXCELLENT menage book, MFM.
Very spicy and great storyline as well. Also addresses some mental health issues which is awsome. Did i memtion its SUPER HOTT!
Very pleased with this one!
Check triggers

[Lorena ♡ (semi-ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4 ½ stars

everything i was expecting and more, and definitely sweeter than i thought it'd be. loved it.