Gabriel Thorne is twice my age. A priest. My confessor. My secret obsession. For a year, I’ve worshipped him in silence, burying the ache in my chest and the fantasies I was sure would damn me.
But when I show up for the auction and find him waiting? When he strips off his collar and pulls me into his arms?
I forget every reason this is wrong.
Because when I whisper “Daddy” against his throat, he goes feral.
Forgive Me, Father is a very spicy instalove age gap novella starring a shy, lovestruck parishioner and her much older and very off limits priest.
been a HOT second since i've read a smutty novella. and this was... aight. nothing particularly memorable or anything. i think i prefer the outrageously corny shit from jessa kane.
4.5 stars - I was looking for something hot, quick, and a little taboo, and Father Gabriel (Gabe, Daddy) Thorne and Olivia (Liv, angel) Marino delivered! There's some plot but not much, which suited me just fine.
It feels sinful to call him Gabe, not Father Thorne, and it only makes me want to do it again. Over and over. Like his name is a delicious, forbidden secret. -- Olivia Marino
There are some wickedly hot scenes. Gabe's baptism is my favorite! ❤️🔥❤️🔥💦❤️🔥❤️🔥 Oh, and that bonus epilogue is *muah!*
🚨I include trigger warnings at the end of the review that may provide spoilers depending on what your definition of a spoiler is.
Rated: 2.25/5
What I liked: 💖 The smut was hot.
What I didn’t: ✋ This one just fell flat for me. I had to force myself to finish it and I skimmed the last 40% or so.
Additional Thoughts: ☝️ Petrichor smells horrible, FMC is crazy.
Characters: MMC: Gabriel Thorne, 38 FMC: Olivia, 21 Nicknames: Angel, Liv Children: None Pets: None
POV: Alternating first person Pace: Fast Type: Standalone novella
Tropes: 📚 Priest MMC 📚 Virginity Auction 📚 Age Gap (17 years) 📚 Instalove
Microtrope: 🤏 "Tell me to stop"
Spice: 🐱: Oral, fingering, sex 🍆: Oral, handjob 🌶 Virgin FMC 🌶 Celibate MMC (14 years) 🌶 Squirting 🌶 Showerhead orgasm 🌶 Big dicked MMC 🌶 Daddy kink 🌶 Sensual massage 🌶 Praise kink 🌶 Light cum play
Triggers: ⚠️ Sacrilege & other religious things ⚠️ Gambling addiction (mentioned heavily) ⚠️ Death of parents (mentioned) ⚠️ Dubious consent (mentioned, not between MCs) ⚠️ Murder (mentioned)
“He’s claiming me, owning me, and I’m helpless to do anything but take it.”
I told my priest I was selling my virginity. Gabriel Thorne is twice my age. A priest. My confessor. My secret obsession. For a year, I’ve worshipped him in silence, burying the ache in my chest and the fantasies I was sure would damn me. But when I show up for the auction and find him waiting? When he strips off his collar and pulls me into his arms? I forget every reason this is wrong. Because when I whisper “Daddy” against his throat, he goes feral.
Olivia seems a little naive but she has a strong head on her shoulders. I admired her willingness to do whatever she could so her brother could be safe, even if it meant danger to herself. The way she allowed herself to be more vulnerable with Gabriel was nice to see because she still remained strong. There were some moments where I thought she was perhaps being a little too meek but I don’t know if that was perhaps to make Gabriel look better or not. But generally, I think she was a pretty good character. Gabriel was an interesting one for sure. It was interesting that he gave into temptation so quickly - especially after resisting for over a decade. I found it a little too unbelievable initially but then when the emotional connection became more apparent, that started to change. I think he is a good person and a great partner for Olivia.
This one is a little different to what I usually read but I have to admit I was intrigued. It is pretty much just pure smut but I liked that there was some story to it as well! It is very insta-love which isn’t my favourite but the fact it wasn’t two strangers but in fact two people who had known each other a year helped massively in making this more believable. Character wise, it is literally just the two of them for 99% of the book, and yet it somehow worked! We got a bit of background from each of them which helped keep up my engagement and my curiosity - though I could always do with more! Of course, this is pretty much just straight smut but I actually didn’t mind it! There was enough emotion to it that I didn’t switch off or ever feel like it was too much. I may have also realised I liked a thing or two… Archer did a great job in balancing everything - the sweet and the spicy - and I was certainly impressed! I liked that with the ending it wasn’t utterly perfect but it worked so well for this overall story.
Overall, Forgive Me, Father is a very smutty novel that I surprised myself by enjoying!
The church didn't catch flames, LUCKILY, because these two were scorching hot!
Gabriel and his back and forth had me heating up, because this man was fighting his absolute desire for Olivia, when he should have given in the second he saw her. I was giggling and kicking my feet when he made up his mind and decided he was the only man who was going to touch her.
And Olivia, her innocent crush, was not so innocent. I loved seeing her do anything to survive, even if it came at a personal cost, because she's just that good of a person. But seeing her get her priest? Yeah, that was THE best part.
I mean, we've all had a little dream of going to confess our sins to the hottest man ever...no? Just me? Oh...
Quotes:
I'm going to hell. I'm hard thinking about her. I'm hard for her. At the idea of touching her. Having her.
If Olivia's going to auction herself off to someone, it's going to be me.
Father Thorne couldn't let anyone else have me because he wants me.
"I need to get my mouth on you, Liv. Need to eat this sweet little pussy."
"Your pussy is heaven on earth, Liv. So fucking sweet, giving me this gift. If I burn for this, it's worth it. So fucking worth it."
Getting fucked by my priest is my new drug.
"You're mine. Mine. Mine. Only mine."
"Your pussy is weeping for me. Even now, when you're sore and used up, you're ready to be filled. Ready to be fucked. Ready for whatever Daddy wants, because you're such a good fucking girl.*
"You're mine. Mine to love. Mine to fuck. Mine, in every single way."
"Are you ready for your penance? Are you ready to ask forgiveness for being a dirty girl who doesn't wear panties to church?"
The fact that this book starts off describing the priest’s ass??? I knew I was in for a ride—straight to hell and loving every second of it.
Olivia? Baby girl is not going to church for Jesus. She’s clocking in for that forbidden priest fantasy, and I do not blame her. Father Thorne is 17 years older, broody, tattooed, and serving serious Daddy with a collar energy. The man says “good girl” and suddenly I’m repenting for thoughts I haven’t even had yet.
The tension? Delicious. The temptation? Sinful. The moment I found out he did what with who?? MA’AM. I had to pause and clutch my emotional support beverage.
But behind the steam, there’s heart too—Olivia is literally selling her virginity to save her brother, and somehow the author makes you feel every ounce of her desperation and craving for control.
Watching Father Thorne unravel—going from cool and controlled to possessive and downright filthy—is a religious experience I didn’t know I needed.
If forbidden love, age gaps, dirty talk, and a whole lot of sinning wrapped in black clerical shirts is your thing… this book will wreck you in the holiest way possible.
Final Verdict: “Forgive me, Father”… but I’d read it all over again. With a fan and a glass of wine. All I hear is “Forgive me, Daddy.”
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another steamy standalone from Ms Archer--this time she's added a taboo relationship with a priest to the age gap, virgin heroine, daddy kink story. It's a shorter story, like all of her books, but somehow you still end up feeling like her characters here have had a full story. A hot as heck story, but one that still has substance and, at times, even some sweetness.
Olivia, our virgin, has had a crush on her priest, Gabriel--but she also has a troubled younger brother who is, well, in a lot of trouble. She wants to help him but has very limited resources--so she decides to take a drastic step. And of course goes to confession about it...as you do.
Oh, and Gabriel? He's noticed Olivia, of course he has. But he can't do anything about it, because of course he can't. But when he hears what she has come up with for a solution? It flips a switch in him and he's going to stop at nothing to save her. Even if saving her means destroying the life he's been living.
And you know what? In the end I was more than ok with that. And so was Olivia. And Gabriel ;)
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Forgive Me, Father is sinful in the best way. If you’re looking for taboo done right—with scorching chemistry, forbidden tension, and just the right balance of soft and filthy—this novella is a must-read.
Olivia is shy but bold in the way only desperation and longing can ignite. Gabriel Thorne is brooding, restrained… and completely undone the second he breaks his vows for the one woman he can’t resist. The build-up? Delicious. The payoff? Holy. Hell.
Yes, it’s spicy—blazing, even—but what sets this book apart is how earnest it feels beneath all that heat. There’s yearning. There’s intensity. There’s that addictive push-pull between guilt and desire that makes taboo romances so irresistible when done right.
It’s quick, it’s dirty, and it left me breathless. If age gaps, forbidden love, and priest kinks are your thing, you’re about to be blessed by this one.
Confession: I already want to reread it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I am always down for a great novella, and this one hit all the checks for me. You have a strong woman who has had to hold her own but has reached the unthinkable place of having to save her only living family member, her brother.
Olivia and Gabe can definitely be found under the definition of taboo, but their love story was sweet in the best way possible. Heavy spice is to be expected in a novella, but the heart and depth of the story really are what made it a five-star for me. If you are dipping your toe into taboo romances, this is great starting point as it is not dark, but sweet romance of two unsuspecting characters who fall deeply for each other, but also is very much forbidden by the restrictions of the Catholic religion.
I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this amazing novel and am leaving a review of my own thoughts and feelings.
Fun quick read. Not sure I'll keep going with these age gap things as even though they're fun, I feel it pushes things a little too far for me. Nice, easy read though.
Move over Father Bell…here comes Father Throne! (Iykyk)
This book is everything we want in a taboo priest romance book and more!
It’s hot, spicy and deliciously smutty from beginning to end! No scene left out I promise! No push back from the FMC and it was just overall written well!
He was her confessor. She became his breaking point.
Olivia is a college student balancing school, work, and the crushing responsibility of protecting her brother from a violent debt. With no one else to turn to, she confesses the unthinkable: she plans to auction off her virginity to save him. What begins as a desperate cry for help becomes the spark that unravels everything.
Father Thorne has spent over a decade walking the line between faith and restraint. But Olivia’s raw honesty, her aching vulnerability, and the forbidden fantasies she confesses pull him into a storm he can’t escape. The vows he once lived by start to crumble beneath the weight of obsession, guilt, and impossible desire.
Their connection explodes into something neither can contain. A single night turns into something deeper, riskier, and far more intimate. Shame and salvation tangle as they give in to a love that should never exist, but feels like the only truth they’ve ever known.
Olivia evolves from a guilt-ridden and desperate young woman into someone who embraces her desires and asserts her agency, even as she grapples with fear and vulnerability. Father Thorne transforms from a restrained and morally bound priest into a man consumed by passion, willing to abandon his vows for love. Their relationship shifts from spiritual confidants to emotionally entangled lovers, driven by intense need, growing trust, and a shared sense of salvation in each other.
A steamy, taboo, priest, age gap romance, exploring forbidden love, sacrifice, faith and doubt, guilt, redemption, desire, duty, obsession, secrecy, and power dynamics. It's about love that crosses lines, about sacrifice that cuts deep, and about two souls who burn for each other in a world that won’t forgive them.
I've never read smut involving a priest or religion in general. I tend to avoid it, tbh. But I got this for free during Stuff Your Kindle Day and thought why not?
Overall it was an easy read and pretty well written. Very few typos/grammar issues were present and things moved at a good pace. It wasn't anything groundbreaking though and I definitely got a little worried they were gonna have an oopsy-daisy-I'm-preggo moment, but thankfully it didn't come to that. I will say it felt a bit insta-lovey to me despite the MC's knowing each other for a year before they got together. I think that's because we don't get to see much of how their feelings developed. We get some reflection on how they interacted and spent time together as priest/parishioner, but I just didn't see how they could be so in love when they knew very little about each other. Anyway, when the mmc steps in to save the day and confesses his feelings to the fmc, the naughtiness begins 😏 We end on a HFN which is fine by me, but there is an extended epilogue you can sign up for if you're interested. I won't be reading it because I think I know what's gonna happen and I don't want none of it 🙈
A hot priest with a dirty mouth and a penchant for Daddy kink isn't usually my cup of tea. But you know what? It scratched my itch...and I'm going straight to hell in a hand basket 🤷♀️
FORGIVE ME, FATHER is a standalone novella (that I can see) with a taboo, age-gap, Daddy kink story between Olivia, a young woman with a hard decision, and Gabe, or Father Thorne, a Catholic priest.
Now, this is a TABOO story, so think on that before you go any further!
Olivia's parents have died, leaving her to look after her younger brother. Unfortunately, he likes to gamble and has got himself $50k in debt. The only way to save him and pay off that debt is for Olivia to sell her virginity. She confesses to Father Thorne, the man she has had a crush on for ages. He is not going to let this happen, and so works his magic. The rest? Well, read it for yourself.
This is HOT, HOT, HOT! And Alyson Archer does not skimp on detailing just how much Gabe wants and cares for her, or his need to protect her from everything... apart from himself, of course. Olivia is not some innocent who hasn't got a clue. Nope, she is with him every step of the way.
I loved this story and the ending even more. Their epilogue was everything I could have wished for them.
Another great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and have absolutely no hesitation in recommending, just so long as you like TABOO! Do you think I've mentioned it enough now?.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Jul 22, 2025
Book Information • • • • • • • 📕Title/Author: Forgive Me, Father by Alyson Archer 📚 Series: standalone 👩🏼❤️👨🏻 POV: dual, first person 🏷️ Tropes: instalove, age gap, taboo 💫 HEA: yes 🌈 Epilogue: no
Review • • • • • • • “Nothing has ever felt as right as being inside you, angel. Nothing. You’re my calling. I see that now.” 🥵
I really enjoyed this novella! The characters were great and Gabe especially stood out. Olivia held her own as a strong lead. I loved that Gabe had zero regrets about their situation. His confidence and honesty made the relationship better.
While there was a plot, this story is definitely mostly spice, and it delivers. The pacing felt just right, never rushed or unfinished like some novellas can be. The spice was really good, Gabe’s talent for praise made it all hotter.
It’s a fun, steamy instalove read and my first by Alyson Archer, but definitely not my last. I’ll be checking out more of her work soon.
⚠️ Warning: my safety information, shelves, and tags can be spoiler-y.
When the romance is forbidden, it’s always better—and Alyson Archer’s Forgive Me Father proves that in every sinful, sizzling way.
Olivia has been going to church faithfully, confessing every sin… except the one that keeps her up at night: wanting to fu*k Father Thorne. But what she doesn’t know? He’d go to hell just to touch her.
The tension builds like a prayer waiting to be answered, and when Olivia reveals she’s selling her virginity to save her brother, Gabriel Thorne shows up not in his collar—but with every unspoken desire she’s ever buried ready to erupt. And I? Was feral.
This book is equal parts sweet, sinful, and soul-shaking. The way it explores faith, desire, and sacrifice made it more than just a spicy read—it was a forbidden fantasy laced with heart. The power dynamic? Chef’s kiss. The spice level? Bring holy water.
If you love:
🔥 Forbidden priest romance
🖤 Angst + devotion
✝️ Sinful slow burn with explosive pay-off
💔 Morally grey MMCs who’d burn the world down for her
… then Forgive Me Father will take you to church and straight into temptation. 5 stars. No regrets. Only confessions.
Forgive Me, Father by Alyson Archer is the perfect summer “quickie” standalone novella for discerning readers who enjoy a steamy age-gap, ultra forbidden romance between a young woman in a tough spot and her priest.
Olivia is living in Toronto, attempting to finish up her studies while looking after her younger brother. After a series of seriously unfortunate turns in life, Olivia is dealt one last blow when the brother she has been caring for turns out to have major gambling debts to unsavory people. The kind of debt that gets legs broken or in this instance, the kind of debt that puts Olivia in a position to have to auction off her virginity.
Facing this monumental decision (& task), Olivia turns to where she finds solace, or rather whom. Father Gabriel Thorne, Olivia’s priest & confessor has captivated her from the moment she first walked in to St. Michaels Church.
Entering the confessional, Olivia is keenly aware of the forbidden attraction she feels toward Father Thorne, & that it can only ever be a one sided infatuation. But maybe there is a small part of her that delights in confessing this particular “sin yet to be committed” to Gabriel, & maybe that same part hopes & wishes that Father Thorne will stop her.
Alyson Archer takes this deliciously taboo situation runs with it. Gabriel Thorne may be an ordained priest, but that doesn’t make him an alar boy! This devout yet dirty mouthed man of god will keep you reading until the very end. Don’t miss this spicy forbidden treat!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book is absolutely unholy in the best way. A virgin auction, an obsessed priest, and a heroine so hopelessly in love she confesses her deepest secrets in the booth. Totally taboo in the best ways!!!
Olivia is shy, sweet, and utterly devoted to Gabe, her older, off-limits priest. And Gabe? He’s been barely holding it together for a year, secretly in love with his parishioner and ready to burn down the world to keep her safe. The moment he shows up at her virginity auction and takes off his collar? I was done. This man is feral. Protective. Possessive. And so, so gone for her.
We get obsession, worship, softness, and enough priest kink to send you straight to confession. There’s love. There’s care. There’s shower sex and altar sex and tender aftercare.
If you’re looking for a priest who calls himself Daddy and backs it up, this one’s for you.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
If you’re looking for a spicy novella, Alyson Archer has you covered.
⭐️ Rating: 4/5 🌶️ Spice: 4/5
❤️ Age Gap ❤️ Virgin Auction ❤️ Forbidden Crush ❤️ Novella ❤️ Taboo Romance
Forgive Me, Father is a brand new spicy novella from Alyson Archer and it does not disappoint. It’s just as taboo as the title suggests. This is the perfect spicy story to devour in an afternoon. It’s steamy and super entertaining.
Here’s the rundown. With nowhere else to turn Olivia turns to her priest to ask for forgiveness. She has a plan to take care of her brother’s gambling debts but their not totally church approved. She’s going to auction her virginity to the highest bidder. Father Gabriel Thorne is determined to intervene without letting her know how he feels. Too bad she also has a crush on him.
Olivia is on her way to Saint Michael’s Church to ask Father Gabriel Thorne forgiveness for what she is about to do to save her brother Alessandro, specifically auction her virginity off to the highest bidder. When Gabriel hears her intent and since he has repressed obsession for her, he decides to find the website and bid on her himself and wins.
What ensues is nothing more than glorious passion and true love between two unlikely characters who by circumstance and/or divine intervention, find their way to HEA. Alyson Archer, mistress of insta-love stories, this time has gifted readers with a story that on the surface could be considered irreverent but yet when I finished reading, I was struck by the message that love comes in all different sizes and places, if we only have courage to accept it.
I received this book as an ARC reviewer and voluntarily offer my honest opinion.
What is it about priests. I started with one book about a priest breaking his vows and now I'm knee deep in these and can't seem to get enough of them. The forbidden/taboo nature is definitely enticing and when the MMC finally gives up on his fight to stay true to his calling, I lose it. I had the same reaction in this book as well. But the reason I didn't give this book a five stars is because the part that I enjoy most is the dilemma that the priest finds himself and the struggle he goes through. Unfortunately, this being a shortie, I was missing the delicious build up of the presence of temptation and the MMC doing his best to avoid it. Either way, I definitely enjoyed this one and will be looking out for more of this author's works in the future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the first story I have read by this author and Holy Taboo. This was one spicy off limit read. Father Gabriel Thorne is a priest in his mid 30’s. He is kind, generous, hot and off limits. Olivia is a young college student who takes care of her younger brother. She is in love with Father Thorne but knows the relationship can never happen. When her brother gets in trouble she auctions herself off to get money to help him. Father Thorne has been in love with Olivia since he first laid eyes on her. He will do everything in his power to protect her ever break his vow of celibacy. WOW this is one hot read. I love how both of them were secretly in love with each other and how even though Father Thorne still loved God he knew his time as a priest was in the past.
Wow. This is the kind of book you read with a cold drink and a fan turned on extra high. Alyson Archer has written a smoking hot story of love, lust and lots of issues. Among those issues is the fact that Gabe is a priest, and his obsession with Olivia is completely forbidden. He’s also quite a bit older than her. But when push comes to shove he knows that he will do whatever it takes to protect and claim her. And boy does he claim her. This is a very, very hot romance and I enjoyed every second of it. A dirty talking hero willing to give up everything to be with the woman he loves? Yes, yes, yes. This is erotic romance done oh so right. Definitely recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
LOVES: - The connection between Olivia and Gabe (Father Thorne) was established very quickly and effectively. Their history was built up really well. It made it feel like it wasn’t an insta-love despite it being a novella. - I really appreciated the way shame, or lack of, was dealt with. It was just depraved enough 😉 - It’s definitely smut, but it’s well-written and actually quite romantic 😊 - I had fun reading the bonus epilogue too!
CRITIQUE: - The way the “daddy” element was introduced felt a little out of place, but it eventually worked
This struck the balance between dirty and sweet, smutty and nasty, perfectly 😏🔥
Thanks to the author for the advance copy 💝 Available now!
Listen, I have come to know @AlysonArcher as someone who provides fun, spicy novellas and this one fits that bill, especially when it comes to pushing the envelope. I mean, the entire book is about how a young woman auctions off her virginity to save her brother – and finds that she was purchased by the priest she has a crush on. Go on, just imagine that – he breaks his vows for her, and they make it worth the while. All the things you are imagining probably happen here. This was all heat, and I loved it. I mean, there’s a time and place, ok? I can’t help it that a priest named Gabriel who is ripped and claims her is what does it for me, ok!
2.5 ⭐️ There is nothing objectively wrong with this short novella, it just wasn't what I was personally looking for. It has a young virgin heroine, an older priest hero (not a virgin but lots of years celibate) who are already into each other when the story starts. The heroine includes in her regular confession that she plans to sell her v-card to help her brother and this is the catalyst for the hero doing something about his feelings.
It has a sweet heat, not really dirty (on my scale), some light dirty talk that is eventually "Daddy" coded but that is the only real daddy kink per se. It's a low stakes, low angst read that I ended up skimming.