Wow. Okay. Where to even start with this book? I wanted to read this book because I kept seeing people on Goodreads read it and give it really good reviews. I didn't read the synopsis or know anything going into this book. I thought it was just a romance book. Boy was I wrong.

There were so many sex scenes in this book. Just one right after the other. And while I do like my sex scenes, I don't need that many. I didn't really like any of the characters. I just couldn't connect with them. Half the time I didn't even know what was going on. There were so many moments in this scene where I just super uncomfortable. I found myself skim reading the last 20%.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read and review this book.

3.5 Stars!

Well, I can definitely say this was a unique story. It was a bit out there for me, but I admit I was still fascinated with where the author was going with it and I actually really loved the ending. This is one of those books I think is best to just dive in not knowing what it's about. I think knowing certain aspects may take away from the story. I will say I felt it was pretty risque` and not your typical love story. A bit on the dark side. If you are looking for something unique that is well written, I would recommend this book. ARC provided by NetGalley.

Reisz has been in mainstream mode lately (The Night Mark, Her Halloween Treat) so I'm thrilled to see she's come back to hot, kinky erotica. Huzzah!

The good:

- This is porn with a plot. Mona agrees to have sex with a mysterious man over the course of a year in order to save her art gallery. Each encounter is based on a painting and could easily become episodic but the thread of the story carries through wonderfully.

- Ooo boy, the sex is hot. The kink is thick and there's guaranteed to be something that challenges you... which is just way I like it.

- There's a twist at the end that I didn't see that brings everything full circle. Well done.

The not-so-good:

- The ending is a bit rushed, and while it didn't bother me too much it could have used a little more development.

- The characters are rounded but lack some depth.

All in all I'm sooo happy to see Reisz stretch her kinky wings again. On Twitter she teased an upcoming title, calling it a "sexy sex cult"... so it looks like I have more to look forward to!

The concept did not work for me, and I just couldn't get into this.

How far would you go to keep a promise? She may loose her innocence, she may loose her mind, she might even loose her heart but will it be enough to keep The Red and her promise to her mother?

This book was such a great read! It kept you guessing till the very end, I finished it in one sitting!

I have chosen to DNF this title. I am not really able to connect with the story and the author's writing style. This is my first title by this author, and I will definitely try her work again in the future, but in this case, it wasn't a fit for me.

Thanks for the opportunity,
Laura

This book was very odd. The art elements and paranormal feel was intriguing, especially for an erotica. However, some of the erotic elements were so past my threshold that they were not sexy at all. The glass bottle comes to mind.

Having never read a Tiffany Reisz book, I think this was an interesting initiation.
Kinky, dirty and delightful.
A little on the dark side, but very captivating. I think every major fetish was touched on yet portrayed in a way to get you to think outside the box. Absolutely brilliant.

I am going to be honest here and say I don't even know what I just read, but surprisingly to all of you perhaps, I don't mean that in a bad way at all. Tiffany Reisz has completely messed with my mind on this one. I mean I always knew in the back of my head what must be going on at the basest level and yet the moments of fantasy are woven so flawlessly and intricately that I would completely lose myself to the images and get as caught up in them when they were occurring and then as bereft when they were over as Lily St. James was.

I have read Tiffany's Original Sinners series so I went into this knowing full well the style of book and writing I would be getting and yet still Tiffany blew me away. She took something so mundane to me, I am not an art aficionado in any sense, and made me crave more. I have spent hours since the end of this book and during the reading of it, Googling artists and historical references. It is truly amazing how one little piece of information from The Red can lead you down a rabbit hole of intrigue and scandal. Knowing just the little I have dug into the art world that helped create The Red I can only imagine the amount of hours Tiffany spent in research preparing for this book. She not only brings us a tantalizing world and story in this book but opens up an entirely new perspective of art history for me. Had I looked at the paintings she references in this book prior to reading it, I would have seen beauty but would I have delved as deeply into the fine details? I would have been tantalized and perhaps a bit scandalized sure but I would not likely have looked past the surface and into the world or into the message the artist was trying to present. While I can say that The Red will certainly titillate and even scandalize you a tad, no matter how much of an erotic reader you are, the depth of discovery that this book brings with it, to me, outshines all the what some may term, 'filth' woven through the story.

So after all that what is this story about in the end? It is about two people trying to control their own worlds. It's about loss, love heartache, passion, romance, truth. It's about going against perceived norms and finding your own path. It is about owning your own identity and truth and becoming the person you were meant to be for your own sake and no one else. Tiffany gets us there through a very unconventional path but one wouldn't expect anything less from her. There is a deep beauty to the stories she tells when one looks past what is forbidden. The Red is not a light and fluffy erotic read, this is a dark book that will shock you, that will make you question reality. It will give you goose bumps, it will have you setting it down to breathe and snatching it back up as quickly because you can't 'look away'. The Red will make you uncomfortable and bring you to an edge of what you find acceptable and then push you over, but in the end (and maybe after a day or 5 of deep thought) you will discover that the darkness also brings about a bit of light and understanding. You will realize hat this explicitly sexual story isn't really about the sex at all but about discovery, understanding, and freedom.

The Red is a HIGHLY EROTIC fantasy. If you are not a fan of erotic romance in any form do not go into this book unprepared. It would be a real shame to have someone pick up this book and rate it poorly because their sensibilities were offended, sadly that happens all to often. This book may not be for you and guess what that is A OK! We all have our comfort zones and our reading preferences, while I would like for everyone to read every book that isn't realistic and you need to understand what you are about to read before you do it. As I said above this book can be shocking and at times uncomfortable but it is a worthy read and if you enjoy erotic romance or have read Tiffany Reisz in the past than I highly suggest picking The Red up. The Red is a quick read for two reasons, one it isn't a long book...perhaps a bit longer than novella length and two it is also the kind of book that once you begin you can't put it down. The world Tiffany creates is alluring and vivid and while I know many of us will walk away with a 'Whhhhaaaaa' face when we are done you will want more. I honestly was not ready for this story to end. I know that I got a completed story but I want to go back to the castle, I want more white roses and blood red thorns, (maybe in a wedding bouquet?) I want heirs...I want to 'see' heirs being created, haha. Tiffany dragged me down that rabbit hole and now after bumping my had a few times in shock on the way down I am not ready to come back up.

The Red is pure carnal delight. Tiffany Reisz slowly seduced me with this gorgeously written tale of one woman's journey into a world of erotic fantasy that had me fanning myself repeatedly! It's a story so unique and so rich, I was consumed with every single word, happily gasping with each turn of the page.

Mona never imagined the ways in which the mysterious Malcolm could offer her a means to save her beloved gallery from bankruptcy while simultaneously saving herself in the process. He awakens in her something that she never knew she was capable of and together they find a bliss that is extremely passionate while gloriously sensual.

The use of paintings that were considered too sexual to display was simply brilliant on the part of the author. I felt as if I was getting an art history lesson while enjoying the scenes being played out by Mona and her roguish suitor. And make no mistake about it, Malcolm is a sexy rascal whose penchant for using Mona's body how ever he sees fit is surprisingly endearing. He has a charm that would sweep any woman off her feet and a rabid appetite for erotic trysts that seemingly last for hours on end. I found myself falling for his charisma despite the uncertainty of his reasons for showing up so suddenly.

There is a marvelous twist that ties the entire book together and I was happily surprised right along with Mona with how it caught me off guard. It is a story like no other. One that will draw you in from the start and have you clamoring for more even after that last line is read.

It is superb storytelling that is not to be missed. And a tale that I will not soon forget.

A romantic narrative cleverly disguised as a lustful journey of one woman's discovery of herself and the rich history that is forbidden art.

5 brilliant stars!

A captivating read from beginning to end. I'm already a fan of this author and she didn't disappoint.

Wow!! What a great book! I was ensnared in Mona's story. What a great well written dirty little book! Such great writing!! Can't wait for its release, this is a must read book.

First book I've read by this author and yes, yes, yes. I'm a fan. I would've bought this one just for the sex, but, conveniently, there was a great story wrapped around that sex. Hot. Hot. Hot. Like erotic romance? Like fantasy? Then this book is for you.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I just want to wish all of my friends and followers a very Happy Fourth of July! I am so very thankful for all of you and all of your support, always. I hope your day is safe and filled with love, family, friends, and good books!

And what better way to start celebrating America's independence than by writing, or in your case reading, a review for an erotic romance book! I really enjoyed The Red and it was just the fast paced, pallet cleanser I needed after reading so much high fantasy these past few months!

“Long ago I made a deathbed promise. I need you to help me keep it as I’m helping you to keep yours. I promise, you will understand in time, Mona. You’ll understand it all.”

The Red stars a twenty-five-year-old girl named Mona, who owns an art gallery, The Red Gallery, which was left to her by her mother. Her mother very tragically passed of cancer, and her dying wish was for Mona not to ever part with her beloved art gallery, which is a request that Mona wants to honor more than anything, but her mother also left her half a million dollars in debt.

Mona thinks she has no choice but to sell the art gallery, until a strange, mysterious, and, let's be real, extremely handsome man shows up one night and proves he has a vast knowledge about art. After helping Mona discover she has a hidden masterpiece on her hands, he makes her an offer she gladly accepts: Mona will spend one night every one or two months with the man of mystery, where he can take or give as much pleasure as he wants from her, for an entire year. After each visit he will pay her in with an amazing work of art, and after their year is up the total of the art will accumulate to one million dollars.

“The devil wants your soul. I only want your body”

The best part about this arrangement? Mona wants to blatantly have sex with this man. She even tells him that he doesn't have to pay for something they both want. This story never feels forced or rapey or like he has her backed into the corner. Mona makes this deal willingly and with a smile on her face. In fact, she can barely contain herself each month with waiting for him. I loved this touch on the story, and it really made for a much more enjoyable read than the alternative.

Oh, and each time they meet up he shows her a new painting that he would like them to recreate. Like, actual famous paintings that we know about in today's world: Olympia by Edouard Manet, Nymphs and Satyr by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, Dora and the Minotaur by Pablo Picasso, and many others. I loved this touch too much! It was so unique and I could barely contain myself from reading all the chapter titles in the table of contents!

And my absolute favorite part of this book was when Mona and her mystery man would go into her gallery's back room to recreate one of these famous masterpieces. You guys know I'm primarily a high fantasy reader, and every time Mona walked through that door to begin the reenactments it was like walking into a brand new world. All these scenes seriously read like a portal fantasy, and I was so entranced learning all about the new environment that Mona would be spending time in, whether it be a forest, or a prison, or an auction house.

I loved the discussion on safe sex. I know it's not as appealing to read erotica where the guy puts on a condom every other page, so I loved how our main protagonist discusses her fears and hesitation on not using a condom and makes sure she establishes an equal and safe playing field before she has sex. I also loved that she went to the hospital and got tested anyways afterwards. There is some really good and realistic commentary on sex in this book and I completely loved it.

“You shouldn’t let a man shake your hand for less than a hundred dollars, Mona.”

There is also wonderful discussions constantly about sex work and how it is nothing to feel shame about or over. In today's world we also belittle and ridicule the women that choose to sell their bodies, not the men that are paying. It's disgusting, and I loved how this book embraced the power that women have when choosing what they want to do with their bodies, no matter what that choice is.

“The art world didn’t care about young women selling their bodies. They only cared if someone dared to break their rules of composition, of acceptable subject matter. You could show a naked woman hiding her face or lying supine and limp as a wet rag. God forbid he paint a girl who dared them to look her in the eyes”

There is only one case of judgmentally slut shaming, and Mona puts that person back in their lane very quickly and rewardingly, yet it is still there. She then brings up the fragility of men's egos and how they can't accept or understand when they are not enough for a woman. The particular man in this book lashes out verbally and physically, instead of trying to learn, understand, and compensate. It was the worst part in this book, and I think this story would have been ten times better and stronger without that scene. Also, TW: physical and verbal abuse and grey area sex that can be taken or seen as rape.

Also, the world "whore" is used a lot in this book. Like, a lot a lot. It's always used as a sexy, steamy, term of endearment, except for the one dude I mentioned in the paragraph above this one, but it's still very prevalent and I can totally see how it would turn many readers off.

And for the love of all that is good in the world, please stop using the word "organ" to describe a man's penis. Like, I get it, there isn't that many good alternatives, but reading "organ" over and over and over again, sometimes three times on the same page, just was tedious and I couldn't deal. Like, I know this is also just a personal preference, but please just say dick or cock or *gasp* penis. I honestly never wish to read the word "organ" again, ever.

This all being said, I will emphasize that this book is obviously an erotic book. I'm talking E-R-O-T-I-C! Like, maybe the most erotic book I've ever read! I'm actually pretty sure that I have never read any book that has had as many different erotic elements as this book has! Like, it has it all, and I truly mean it all: contract agreement sexual relations, Dom and sub relationships, role-playing, unprotected sex, edging (orgasm control), group sex, threesomes, voyeurism, pain play, fisting, half-man and half-beast sex, sexual sacrifice/offering, nursing, breeding! So, please go into this knowing that all these elements are present, especially if anything I listed makes you uncomfortable. I will say that everything Tiffany Reisz does is very tastefully done, but I completely respect that certain things are not everyone's cup of tea, too.

The other thing I will say is that the ending sort of makes you feel... questionable. I don't want to say anything more, because this book is a fantastical mystery that is probably best to go into blind, but it left me feeling a little uneasy at the end. The ending felt rushed, forced, and like it could have been way better with an additional chapter added on to it. I still really enjoyed this story, and it was such a quick and fast paced read, that constantly made me question what is real and what is make believe, but I suppose I just felt like the ending was rather lackluster.

I read Tiffany Reisz's The Siren (The Original Sinners #1) back in the day and absolutely devoured and loved it. Again, she pushes the envelope and plays with taboo subjects, but I completely recommend that book from the bottom of my perverted heart as well. But, I do believe that the main character of that series, Nora Sutherlin, is supposedly the writer of The Red, which is a super cool touch and makes for an even more unique reading experience.

And at this point, I will honestly read any and everything that this woman creates. I love how she writes about sex in a manner that never makes anyone feel shame or embarrassment, just embracement and power. I love reading about characters that unapologetically love sex, and Tiffany Reisz truly is the queen of this. Her stories are just so unique and a breath of fresh air from all the other erotic stories I've read lately. I truly wish more people would give her and her very different erotic romances a try, especially if you enjoy BDSM. Also, I now need to be on the lookout for an antique brass bed.

The Red is magical, original and erotic! This book had me on the edge of my seat for several chapters. It was a good read. The erotic aspect of the book is on point, but doesn't take away from the characters.
Mona's a gallery owner which she is about to lose. Enters a mystery man who will save it if she becomes his whore. Several painting become the set up for their sex escapades, these are cleverly executed and written.
Some part you do feel like you're losing mind you can't believe quite what you're reading and is it real. This turns into a great romantic love story quite unexpected

Pushes all the right buttons!

Plenty of hot action to keep you interested - enjoyed it very much.

Reisz has always been a very in your face writer. The Red is erotic, almost explicit, but with a hint of fantasy. A struggling gallery owner is given a proposition to save the gallery. What takes place is highly unusual yet creative. Using classic pieces of art to set the scene Mona is taken on a sexual adventure. I enjoyed the idea and twist to Mona and Malcolm's story, however the acts were a bit much for me. If you enjoyed her Sinners series this will not surprise you. I was given my copy through Netgalley and wrote this review honestly and voluntarily.

Wow wow wow! Tiffany Reisz has proven once and for all that she's the QUEEN of erotic romance! I couldn't put this book down. I cannot wait for her next book! The chemistry between Mona Lisa and Malcolm was off the charts! A mind-fuck of the most decadent proportions. SIMPLY FANTASTIC!

Okay... maybe The Red wasn't quite what I imagined, when I requested the arc from Netgalley. And some of the scenes were bordering on - as you can call it - filth. But otherwise it definitely is a genuinely well written story, where Mona is bought by a mysterious man to enact various scenes from famous works of art. And of course, those are mostly very pornographic scenes. But there is just more to the story. The way the strange man is having difficulties to meet for more than once a month, the payment in famous sketches and paintings and the real-life scenario's are all clues to where the story is going.

But it was up until the last chapter, that I finally understood the full story. It really moved me. So, well done Tiffany Reisz. You really increased my interest in art and history! Four out of five stars from me and a thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.