Move over E L James....Tiffany Reisz is the new queen of steam!

Tiffany Reisz proves that you don't need to sacrifice a smart, intriguing reading experience just because you're in the mood for erotica. The Red was both satisfying and gratifying. Yes, there's the sex in all its plentiful and eye-popping variations; but, it's also a unique story that interweaves art and mystery and humor.

The Red is an erotica, romance novel by Tiffany Reisz.

The Red follows a story od Mona Lisa St. James. It starts in medias res – Mona is in deep debt and on the verge of selling her art gallery called The Red when a mysterious stranger in a well fitted suit appears in the gallery late at night and gives her the most ungentlemanlike proposal.
We than follow Mona into some of the most surreal situations which are almost all the time borderline supernatural and quite unreal.



At first, I must admit, I was quite judgy and quick to condemn this book to a low rating and with it a very negative review. However, as I sinked deeper and deeper into the story I found myself quite fond of the characters and interested in their fates.
I like to joke about this book that “I came for the smut (pun not intended), but stayed for the art history references”. That is not untrue. I must say, this was some of the best written smut I have read lately. But what I simply cannot oversee is the fact that I have read so much about art history is such and unlikely book. I love it, I really do. That is for me the thing that takes this book to a higher level than other erotica books.

This of course is not a book about which I can have a long post describing the amazing writing or similar, we are all aware of that. Anyhow, I must say I find the main plot quite interesting. Even if we excluded the whole sexual plotline the story of Mona and her art gallery The Red is exceptionally interesting. I really recommend this light and sexy read!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a must read, if your feeling in the mood for a romance. This book was all in all phenomenal It had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through, wondering ' What was going to happen next?'. It has some very strong themes In here so be prepared. Also know that once you start you won't be able to put it down until the end. The end was marvelous and ended on such a cliffhanger, almost like there was going to be another book. It was a little predictable but you would only be able to predict it if you read it heavily, trying to figure out the next move. I give it a Five out of Five stars. I suggest reading it but I know some people won't.

Mona Lisa St. James made a deathbed promise that she would do anything to save her mother's art gallery. Unfortunately, not only is The Red painted red, but it's in the red. She soon realizes she has no choice but to sell it.

Just as she realizes she has no choice but to sell it, a mysterious man comes in after closing time and makes her an offer: He will save The Red if she agrees to submit to him for the period of one year.

The man is handsome, English, and terribly tempting...but surely her mother didn't mean for Mona to sell herself to a stranger. Then again, she did promise to do anything to save The Red...




Review:




I loved this story!




I loved that it intertwined art, fantasy and kinky-ness. The story was truly unique. The way each encounter was centered around a piece of art was expertly done and captivating. Those scenes were so richly described it felt like I was watching them, not reading about them. They were my favorite parts of the book. Plus, I truly could not guess what or who her mystery man is until the big reveal at the end..."mike drop" I never would have guessed it. I loved the ending, thought it was perfect. There is lots of kinky goodness in this story and lots of taboo scenarios, so it may be a little rough for some, but I loved them all and thought they were excellently done. Now, it is not all fun and sexiness, there is emotion and drama woven into the story too. When Mona and the mystery man hit a rough patch in the middle I was a little teary and really felt for Mona. I want to say more about the storyline but I am afraid to give too much way and I want this to be spoiler free.




I will say if you want a sexy, unique erotic fantasy story, you should read this one!




5Stars

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

I have to be honest. I’m not sure how to rate and review this book. So yes, it was off the charts steamy – a one-hand read for sure, but the plot was a bit off. The line between reality and imagination was blurred quite a bit and while I loved the straight to the point writing. There was no extra filler and that I loved. The way the twist happened still leaves me wanting more.

So, Mona is trying to save The Red from bankruptcy as her mother’s dying wish. One night a man is in the gallery and he offers her a huge amount of money to become his for the year approximately once a month and in payment he will give her enough art pieces to save the gallery.

I personally was fine with the first 75% of the story. Yes, the characters aren’t really developed, but it is mostly about Mona’s fixation with Malcom and yes, we know very little about Malcom. My main problem is when we get the twist about Malcom. I guess I’m still stuck on the reality vs. imagination aspect of the earlier scenes in the story. All that being said, I really did enjoy the story even if in the end it didn’t seem to fit reality. I hope we get more about Mona’s new life.

Hero 4 stars / Heroine 5 stars / Steam 5 stars / Plot 4 stars / Overall 4.5 Stars
Keys: Her POV, MF, MFM, Standalone, BDSM, Twisted, Non-con elements
#MSBB - I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Wow, just wow. Seriously unlike anything I've ever read and I wasn't expecting it. I was hooked from the beginning and completely devoured this book. I feel like anything I write won't even do it justice but if you like erotica and don't mind a little taboo-read this book. Such an original story and well thought out. I loved it.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

A provocative read.

THE RED is about a young woman named Mona who decides to entrust herself for a year in the company of a mysterious man, Malcolm, who repays her time by giving her rare pieces of artwork to save her art gallery. The plot is largely straightforward and intensifies from a simple relationship into a surreal experience where Mona begins to question who the man really is.

Essentially, I like the blunt dynamic of the relationship. The agreement between Mona and Malcolm is not based on love, but is more of a business arrangement. And yet, things get complicated when Mona starts to realise more about Malcolm, set over the backdrop of the art industry.

I really liked the fact that art is referenced throughout, but never so much that it becomes an overwhelming heap of info-dumping. In fact, the loose descriptions of artwork really help to add a dream-like, surreal structure to the story which fits in well with the ending. Even without looking at the paintings, I still have a vivid image of what they look like.

However, where this story fell short for me, was due to a slight lack of characterisation. We never see Mona interact with anyone else outside of Malcolm and another minor-role male character. Therefore, we have no idea if she acts towards everyone as she does to Malcolm, or what she is really like as a person.

The steamy scenes were very detailed and creative, if strangely executed. Essentially, I liked the suspenseful dynamic of the relationship and the surreal, unconventional ending for the genre. Therefore, I would recommend THE RED to anyone looking for a steamy romance with a twist.

Kindly received a free copy from Net Galley, thank you to the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book.

Tiffany Reisz is the queen of erotic fiction, and this title proves it.. This was probably one of the most sexually explicit books I have ever read, ever. That said, there was a build up in the beginning with wonderful writing but the ending seemed a bit rushed.

Thanks Netgalley!

Anyone who knows me is well aware that I am obsessed with Tiffany Reisz’s books, specifically The Original Sinners. The fact that Nora, the main character of that series, was ‘writing’ this book had me so excited. I’ve never read a book written by my favorite character! Needless to say that this was one of the most bizarre, most erotic books I’ve ever read. Considering it’s Tiffany Reisz’s work, I’m not sure what that means! haha But I loved it.
As always, Tiffany Reisz has a way with words that have me smiling to myself, and then looking around to see if anyone could tell what I’m reading.
From the very beginning I was infatuated by Malcolm. He was extremely vulgar, but mature and wise. The word ‘whore’ rolled off his tongue seductively. At 6 feet and wearing riding boots, he had me. What is it about Tiffany, tall men, and those extremely erotic boots? *swoon* He was a man who new what he wanted, and got it too. Boy, oh boy, I was not disappointed
“He seemed terribly dangerous. But he didn’t seem very violent. There was a difference.”
Mona was perfectly paired with Malcolm. Confident as hell while perfectly meek when necessary. She had the wit I expected from Nora; “Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway“, and though she did what she could to save The Red, I was glad to see she found herself as well. The concept of art is used in such an enticing way, completely in tune with the story line, Seductive and beautiful. I found myself looking up each piece and it’s history as soon as it was mentioned and found it gave me a much better experience with each scene. Tiffany Reisz delivers an erotic fantasy that consumes you, and while you’re having a WTF moment, you’re also having an “OH YES” moment. She’s that good.
For a chance to win these amazing cards from the book, as well as a kindle copy, visit the

This book had me hooked! Fantastic read. So spooky, but oh so delicious! The end was a bit weird, but can we really complain? This book has been a weird, riveting roller-coaster and I willingly bought a seat in the front!

The Red had the elegant and mature writing that we've come to enjoy from Reisz, along with the unabashed verve into erotica and BDSM she;s known for. Unfortunately, even with all of that, I wasn't able to get into the story. It felt very distant, as if both characters were so proper that they didn't have feelings, not in life, for objects, for each other. For me, erotica only works well when there's some form of emotion under the sex, whether that be lust or love or a strong sense of attraction. I didn't feel any of that with either character and if I can't feel anything from them toward one another, it's impossible to feel anything, at that point, as a reader toward them either. Without emotion it's very robotic, as if we're all just going through the motions -- and unfortunately, I need some romance in my erotica to connect to any part of a book. This book was not for me, but that's not to say others won't find it enjoyable.

Wicked and Sexy, Red is sinfully delicious.

A sensual sort of Alice in Wonderland story, I don't know that it will appeal to all readers but the ones it will appeal to will love it. I especially enjoyed the added bonus of a mini art lesson ;-) This is not, personally, my favorite by Reisz but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Her writing is impeccable and her characters are so alive.

Hi, sweeties! Finally I’m back! I couldn’t wait to review this book, that’s gonna be published on 11th July. This was my first time as a reader with Tiffany Reisz, undoubted queen of erotic romance and erotic romances. What can I say? I loved it from the very first word to the last. I hope ya all will enjoy my review!

PREMISE
I had never read Tiffany Reisz, but I have always heard good things about her books. In Italy people love her, and I felt like I was the only one here who hadn’t read one of her books. Three days ago, out of the blue, I decided to gave her a try. That was the best decision I ever made. Tiffany Reisz is truly the queen of the erotic novels.

SYNOPSIS (FROM GOODREADS)
Mona Lisa St. James made a deathbed promise that she would do anything to save her mother's art gallery. Unfortunately, not only is The Red painted red, but it's in the red. She soon realizes she has no choice but to sell it.

Just as she realizes she has no choice but to sell it, a mysterious man comes in after closing time and makes her an offer: He will save The Red if she agrees to submit to him for the period of one year.

The man is handsome, English, and terribly tempting...but surely her mother didn't mean for Mona to sell herself to a stranger. Then again, she did promise to do anything to save The Red...

The Red is a standalone novel of erotic fantasy from Tiffany Reisz, international bestselling author of The Bourbon Thief and the Original Sinners series.

REVIEW
Mona Lisa St. James is the daughter of a bohemian art lover, she was born in an antique brass bed from a lover her mother choose among the others and she lives with e for art. After her mother’s death, Mona has many troubles with the art gallery, The Red, which is in the red: if she doesn’t do anything, she will have to close it. The art gallery got famous around the sixties, when it was known as a place where people did illegal things, many of them connected with the free expression of love. Mona isn’t the kind of saint girl you would expect in a novel. She loves sex and she loves does it with men who understand how to please her. Her ex-boyfriend, or better, a friend with benefit, was a younger guy who had just finished high school and was preparing for going to college. Ryan was a sort of escape from the misery of her life and he served his purpose: let her live a moment of bliss among those frequent moment of tiredness and sadness. Now she has to close the art gallery because she hasn’t the money to keep it open. Everything will change when she will meet Malcolm, a hot guy who knows what he wants and did what he wants to women. Malcolm proposes a deal to Mona: he will help her to save her art gallery if she will let him do what he wants with and to her body, as he said “carte blanche”. After considering this carefully, she decided to do it. Malcolm will pay her with painting and sketches from famous painters if she will let him to be his whore. This kinda of selling herself for saving the gallery opens up a new world for Mona. She will discover new ways of giving and receiving love from her lovers. She will find her inner whore and she will like it very much.
Malcolm is a handsome and mysterious guy in his older thirties, he is an art lover and he loves whoring other women. He is everything every woman ever wanted: tall, lean, sexy and with a sexual stamina that seems endless. Malcolm will show Mona Lisa, his Mona, his unique and sole Mona how the sex can be with him. Beautiful, emotional, that can put the pieces of your soul together and then tear them up with a wash of his hand. A sex so full and fulfilling that Mona will never find someone like him.

“(…) Art should be dangerous, you know. It should say something society that society doesn’t want to hear. Do you know what the opposite of art is? Propaganda. There’s too much of that in the world: not enough art.”
(Malcolm)

Join this epical sex journey between dream and reality. Malcolm will put up scenes from paintings and will turn them into erotic orgies or erotic adventures for him and Mona. The bond between them will become thicker than ever. Mona will give all of herself to him: body, soul, mind and heart. A game so thrilling that will get reader as wet as Mona.

“They had always played this game and they always should. That was how it should be heaven and hell. Were in this and they had one foot in each.”
(Mona)

Like the Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo da Vinci, Malcolm will treat his Mona, will love each part of her body. He will venerate her. If before I loved history of art and art in general, this steamy hot novel made me fall in love with it. I love the direct and explicit style of Tiffany Reisz. She describes everything connected to sex, from the anatomical parts to the feelings that Mona felt while she was having sex with Malcolm.
I strongly recommend this book for everyone who loves erotic novel well written and wants to go beyond his limits (mine was the inability to read BDSM books because I didn’t like at all Fifthy Shades of Grey).
“This was heaven. This was bliss. This was everything she’d been too afraid to dream but would have dreamed if she’d dared.”
(Mona)

xoxo,
Giada

PS: This review can be read both in Italian and English on my blog.

DNF at 45%.
Really tried hard to finish this after receiving an ARC but I got stuck at 45% with no desire or willpower to delve any further into this very unsexy (for me) erotica. After reading a friends review who equally struggled, I decided to swallow my guilt and just call it a day. I give up!
Like Angela said " you win some, you lose some".
This was a definite loss for me and I feel bad as this was my first read by Tiffany Reisz and I had such high hopes for it.

You win some; you lose some. This story never got off the ground for me, and I struggled my way through The Red.

The story is obviously meant to be a fantasy. Even so, I expect authentic connections with characters, and that wasn’t the case here. I didn’t find any of the characters to be endearing or believable.

This is hardcore erotica, so of course it contains sex—lots and lots and lots of graphic sex. I can handle that, but I found most of the sex scenes to be either silly, confusing, or disturbing. To make matters worse, the storytelling between naked times is very brief and lacks interest.

Honestly, I find it hard to believe that Tiffany Reisz wrote this. I might not be her biggest fan, but she is a more than capable storyteller. The writing in this book is mundane and melodramatic. The flow of the narrative is extremely choppy.

If you want to get your smut fix—hey, no judgment—and don’t mind a thin plot, then this may suit you. Sadly, it just wasn’t for me.

The Red is about Mona St. James who is trying to save her mothers art gallery. Mona is in debt and she's desperate to save the gallery. She meets a mysterious man one night at the gallery who offers to save the gallery in exchange for her body.

I don't know how to feel about the book. It was interesting and definitely different from anything I have read this year. I'm usually not into such books but it was intriguing to say the least. I had trouble with some aspects of the books and scenarios. Though, I thought the third act was really well done and I was not expecting that.

4 HOLY MALCOLM STARS!

Let me begin by saying that this was my first read by Tiffany Reisz, with that being said... HO-LY MO-LEY WHAT A BOOK, now I just want more!!

The Red takes erotic to new levels. If you're shy on the whole BDSM world and FSOG made you uncomfortable then abort. This is nothing like Christian Grey y'all. Christian Grey is child's play compared to Malcolm *sigh*. Now, if you're not shy then just lay back and read this one in the privacy of your own home, preferably alone in the bedroom *wink*

At first I was confused as all hell. In my mind I was like, 'what a strange book' but I just shrugged and found myself falling even further down the rabbit hole with this one.

I really don't want to say anything else about this book because really it's a story, you the reader, must read on their own and experience for themselves, but I will tell you this one last thing. It has been a while that a book has truly just left me in awe. Like I still can't get over it. I'm speechless and have no words other than bravo, Tiffany!

Seriously, my mind is forever freaking blown!! At the end everything is explained and made so much sense. But still, I can't even!!

NOT OVER IT. I'LL NEVER BE OVER IT!! LOL!! I'm just going to stay here and contemplate my life because it's forever changed.