Reisz is one of my favorite authors, so much so that I ration out her books, saving them for 14-hour flights and other such "emergencies". After a particularly difficult day at work I started <em>The Chateau</em> and it was just what I needed.

If you like erotic romance get thee to <em><a href="https://alwaysdoing.wordpress.com/2016/05/24/the-siren-by-tiffany-reisz-original-sinners-1/">The Siren</a></em>, the first book in the Original Sinners series, of which <em>The Chateau</em> is book nine. The story is a flashback so you don't need to read the previous eight books but the more you know about the characters the more you'll enjoy it. For reference I've only read through book five (I know! Rationing!) and only a line or two at the end left me with a 'huh'.

Anywho, <em>The Chateau</em>! Here we follow Kingsley in 1989 when he's doing secret missions for France's special forces. He's asked to extract someone from a sex cult and... things happen. From an author Q&A included with the advance copy:

<blockquote>Q: Inside the cult's chateau, women reign and men are their willing slaves. How did the idea for such a community come about?

A: Wishful thinking?</blockquote>
❤

It's a gender-flipped and toned down take on <em>The Story of O</em>. Everything I love about Reisz's writing is here - amazing characterization, hot and kinky sex, and beautiful writing that packs a gut punch. Her favorite devices also take a turn including stories within stories and an exquisite mind fuck. As with all the books in this series there's own voices bisexual rep.

An idea that runs through all of Reisz's work is that sex should be fun and enjoyable for everyone involved. You should be able to crack jokes in bed and delight in your partner's pleasure as well as your own. It shouldn't feel revolutionary but, sadly, it kinda is. Here we see many people having sex, both as part of the main plot and side stories, and everyone is having the time of their life. The only shame is for causing someone (unwanted) pain and anguish, and let's just say that guy is dealt with justly.

Props all around for another kinky, sex-positive novel-length addition to an amazing series. Reisz has two more books coming down the pipe - western contemporary and fantasy-esque erotic romances - and I cannot wait.

If you’ve always been wondering about King’s proclivity to the BDSM lifestyle, well… this one is all for you.

This story’s focus is Lieutenant Kingsley Boissonneault, a 24-year-old French military intelligence officer who is living the life pretending to be an American writer in Paris. Can you imagine King living as that?

The story’s plot is inspired by the novel Story of O, a little. It’s actually the bible of a cult that is at the center of The Chateau.

When a young nephew of his colonel goes missing and is rumored to be found at a sex cult’s chateau, held hostage by a certain madame, Kingsley is asked to get him out and home. Safely.

Getting into the Chateau proves to be not so difficult for Kingsley, but the continuous tests he’s being put through to stay there, which he seems to very much want, seem to mess with his head.

The Chateau is a looking glass of a sort, things are exactly as they seem, but also the complete opposite. This makes everything questionable, a truth and a lie.

Kingsley is taught about his desires, and gets a peek into the world of sado-masochism. He serves Madame and in turn, reveals things he never thought he will, in turn of healing from the trauma separating from Søren left him with.

At some point King must make a choice, between a life he learns to crave, and giving up the love of his life. And he makes that choice.

Søren, while not a character in the book, is very much in it. The whole story is everything I’d have missed, had I thought of King’s life prior to him being the King of his world. It’s everything I’d have wanted to know if I had the inkling that such a fascinating story existed. And it’s on me that I didn’t even think to want it, but I’m so glad Tiffany thought to write it.

It’s perfect.

Confession Time! I have never read this series or this author but I was pulled in by the title and cover!

Kingsley is given a job to infiltrate a cult of sorts but soon finds his personal life colliding......but is everything as it seems?

Even though I don't normally go for erotic reads, this was a great story. Thrilling, fun and a mind bender!

Please, Please, PLEASE! If this is the first time you have heard the name Tiffany Reisz, do NOT let the #9 deter you from reading this book! This book can be ready as a complete stand alone. Yes, Kingsley is a much loved member of the Original Sinners as is Marcus, but this is a story that while about them, manages to not be about them at the same time. What I mean by that is that you don't need to know their entire story in order to appreciate this one. You are given just enough back story that this one makes sense, but not so much that is becomes overwhelming.

In fact, if I hadn't already known King from the prior books, I think this book would have made me fall in love with him just as much. This is a man who is grieving, and despite that (or maybe because of it), not only manages to find a piece of himself, but also manages to hold onto that even when given choices that I don't think I could have made. And in true Tiffany form, there was a twist at the end that I didn't see coming.

If you are a fan of well written erotica, a fan of the Original Sinners, or simply a fan of Tiffany Reisz, then you are sure to enjoy this novel!

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

The Chateau harkens back to an earlier time, reminiscent of Victorian-era erotica and transports readers into a world where gender roles are reversed, at least within the walls of the chateau. When writing sex scenes Tiffany Reisz easily sets herself apart from everyone else. While today’s romance and erotica novels feature scenes that all seem very similar, Reisz takes readers to a deeper place, more intimate and sensual than most.

Reading a Tiffany Reisz book feels like looking at art. It makes me smile. It makes me squirm. It makes me think. The Chateau does all of these things, plus I laughed out loud a few times. Part mystery, part gothic novel, all erotica, The Chateau focuses on Kingsley’s early adult years, long before opening up his sex club. If you’re uncomfortable with sadism and masochism (or homosexual relationships), this may not be the book for you but, honestly, Reisz doesn’t write to scandalize. Instead, she brings her characters to life, makes them relatable in a safe way where you can delve into the mind of someone on the fringe sexually without feeling threatened by something different. It’s why I love reading her books, even when she dives into religion and spirituality.

While labeled a standalone, there are many nuances that the reader will miss if they haven't read the previous books in The Original Sinners series. Having only read the first book in the series, I had enough information to place characters, but felt like I missed some of the emotional connections of the most important relationship in the story (which had developed over the course of the series). That said, I really did enjoy this look into Kingsley before he settles in New York.

3.5 Stars for The Chateau. Heat level: 5

4 stars!

*

The Chateau is a sweet and filthy addition to The Original Sinners series. It gives readers a glimpse into a very interesting part of King’s past, delivering a fast-paced story that is engrossing, bittersweet, and all kinds of steamy. It pulls at your heartstrings at the same time it breaks King apart.

Tiffany Reisz’s writing is as enchanting as always. It’s very easy to get lost in this world again, especially when it comes to King’s POV and humor. There are some delightful character additions that only make the story better and also help develop King’s character. And there is soooo muuuuch sex.

I was so excited when I got an ARC for this! I’ve been a long time fan of the series, and King is one of my favorite characters ever. I also love these trips to the past, where Reisz takes us back to a moment in the characters’ lives. This is another entertaining read that does give a little more insight into who King is and who he was as a person.

The concept of the Chateau is, as the Reisz shows, not exactly original, yet the premise of this novel is refreshing. The execution is also very-well done. The writing is good and engaging, and there is a mysterious atmosphere that surrounds the setting and some of the characters that works very well with the story.

And the final chapter is suuuch a balm to the realizations King has in his past. It adds a sweetness to the novel that balances out the ever-present loneliness young King feels. It’s also the perfect happy ending to the story that King deserves. Great read!

This was my very first book from Tiffany and DEFINITELY won't be my last. It was addictive and Kingsley was UTTERLY CAPTIVATING. OMG he's witty, sexy and so hot you never know what to expect from him. I've never read about a character like him before, he's so intriguing. Thrilling from start to finish it was the best kind of mind game and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!
4. 5 Stars

Exquisitely sadistic and delicious!

The Chateau is a spectacular story of the erotic, yet complicated life of a young Kingsley. *Sigh*
This book is poetic and brutal. Kingsley will make you laugh, cry, and moan your way through his riveting journey to find his Blond Monster. Once started I couldn't put it down. Don't think you can figure it out. You'll be wrong every time.

Reisz is the master of mind fu*king!

One can never have enough of Original Sinners! At least I can't. And seeing Kingsley growing up, figuring out and becoming himself, was a nice addition to the series. Glimpses of Soren made it even better.
Tiffany Reisz is not only good at writing kinky erotica, but she does so with literary references that add an extra layer to the reading experience. She also has such an understanding of her characters and all their deepest desires and fears that are even unknown to them, that she can guide them through hell with the appropriate amount of pain and pleasure they need. Truly a pleasure each time the Original Sinners come to life.

4,5 very surprising stars knowing that I don't relish in erotic novels!

The best way to sum it up is by using this quote from Tiffany’s interview:
“This book was much easier to write than The Lucky Ones. With Kingsley, all you have to do is conjure him up and drop him into a weird situation and you’ll have fun as a reader and a writer. The pitch was, “Kingsley goes on an erotic adventure inside a femme-domme cult.” The story pretty much wrote itself. It’s James Bond with blow jobs, BDSM, and an angst-ridden bisexual hero still in love with his ex-boyfriend.”

I am a total newbie to the Original Sinners world. I may have begun inadvertently with the beginning as this story is about young Kingsley. Pre-Sinners Kingsley.

I had “only” read The Bourbon Thief and The Lucky Ones by Tiffany Reisz so far. I have been smitten by these books and honestly they are more my cup of tea than erotic. So why did I read it you say? Because I had no idea what it was about but it was recommended by my friend Angy. And I trust Angy. With my life. So I went in totally blind. I hadn’t read the blurb mind you!

Verdict: even if The Chateau is an erotic book hence not my favorite genre I took a real pleasure reading it. Yes, yes I know pleasure is the point in erotic don't make me regret using this word please!

I blame Tiffany's writing and Kingsley's personality to make me enjoy that story much more than I usually do!

Tiffany has an effortless writing. All is easy, flows at the right pace and use sophisticated terms like exquisite without being pompous.
Tiffany has also a knack in this story to add dry humor and sarcasm. I loved the banter between Kingsley and Bernie. Bernie seemed so innocent and naïve it made me laugh and wonder how he coul have been enrolled in a secret organization. Until I reached the end that is because Bernie is not who you think he is.

Now Kingsley ....is my friend's Angy's favorite book boyfriend and I can understand his appeal.
Kingsley in this novel is boyish, rakish, exquisitely handsome (see I can use big words in my reviews too), playful yet deadly. He should come with a warning as no hot-blooded woman will be able to resist him!

Kingsley is sent by his superiors on an even more unofficial than usual mission. Find his boss’s nephew who has been indoctrinated by a sex cult and bring him back to his family.
What begins as an enter and extract mission will turn into a psychological thriller.
To enter Kingsley will have first to meet Madame’s expectations and tricky tests.
“Many men have tried to find me,” she said. “They never find me.” “I don’t want to find you,” Kingsley said. “Tell me who you want to find,” she said. Kingsley closed his eyes tight and returned to his dream. “I want to find me,” he said at last.
Kingsley will discover many things about who he is in The Chateau and it will rather be a “personal journey” story than a spy book.

Madame is the Chateau’s commander and she can be scary even wearing Gucci! When I read: “Workers in ancient Rome were paid with salt. It’s where we get the word ‘salary.’ In my home, salt is still the official currency. Blood. Tears. Sweat. Semen. Choose one. That’s how you’ll pay me for taking you in.”
I was all “Holy Molly! They don’t play around in this Chateau!”

By the last chapter written in the present time I could not avoid thinking that Kingsley had a very weird life and unusual family! But this is already known by all Original Sinners fans.

To conclude I'd like to say that The Chateau opened my eyes on Sadists world or rather the twisted way they have to show their affection.
Madame says it all:
“He tied you up to tell you he never wanted you to leave him. He bit you because you were the food to his soul. He struck you to mark you as his possession, as a valuable he would want returned to him if lost or stolen. That’s why you miss it, Kingsley. That’s why you miss the pain. Because every time he hurt you, he was trying to tell you in the only way he could how much he loved you.”
It was highly enlightening about BDSM practices.

Recommend it? Yes if you are an Original Sinner's fan or if you like very exquisitely written erotic books.

Tiffany Reisz's Original Sinners series has been a long-time favourite of mine and so I was eager to find out more about Kingsley in this new novel that chronicles a part of his life we've yet to hear about.

I wasn't disappointed.
TR writes with a stunning, almost classical elegance even when her subject matter is depraved and extreme.

I was engaged and intrigued by the entire story, but must admit, it was the final few chapters that really got my head spinning.
Madame has a different take on sadism than my beloved Soren, but it is no less cruel.
I wasn't too sure about the link to 'Story of O' and besides the S&M and the chateau, I really didn't find much of a connection, but this didn't take anything away from this tale.
And Kingsley, my beautiful, broken, perfect Kingsley. I loved finding out even more about him.

For fans of the Original Sinners series, this is a must-read. I even think those who have yet to start the series could pick this up and enjoy as a standalone BUT I'd rather you'd start at book #1 and meet Nora.

4.5 Through the looking glass stars.

With thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for a copy to review and read and reviewed by Jay at CBB.

Loved this book! It's a fantastic addition to this series, and I loved getting to learn more about Kingsley and the connection that formed between him and Søren

I haven’t read the Original Sinners series, but I have read many of Tiffany Reisz’s prequel novellas so I’m familiar with many of the characters, including Kingsley. I felt comfortable reading this book without having read the rest of the series since it truly is a “stand-alone” novel.

The Chateau tells of 24-year-old Kingsley when he was a spy for a secret French military intelligence agency. His next spy assignment sends him to a sex-cult at The Chateau where he meets the sadistic Madame. There are BDSM scenes as Kingsley willingly takes part in the sexual and sadistic activities that take place at the Chateau. It was a delight to read of a young Kinsley with his carefree attitude and his joie de vivre. However, underneath all his exuberance, Kingsley is devastated by his memories of Soren and how much he misses him.

The writing is exquisite and the story flows satisfyingly, with a bit of a surprise at the end. The flashbacks fit seamlessly into Kingsley’s present-day experiences at The Chateau. This novel has made me want to read all the previous books in this series. Highly recommended!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you want something different in that it balances the erotica perfectly with suspense/thriller then this is for you. The writing pushes the reader along with the Lt. Kingsley to the edge sexually then brings you back with a well written story that had me side eyeing my Kindle when encountering certain twist. This is my first read in this series and now I have to go back and read them all.

LOVED young Kingsley 😍 He has obviously always been a daredevil with a heart of gold. The metamorphosis of how he came to learn about his submissive side was a unique and so beautifully told journey. What I loved the most about THE CHATEAU was that the women in the story were "the strong gender" and the men doted on them like Queens. But they showed so much respect and admiration at the same time... How Tiffany Reisz manages to make me fall in love with characters so fast and hard will probably remain a life mystery to me. Her sophisticated writing makes even the biggest debauchery look like a classical Gala in the Ritz. I know, weird comparison but everyone who has read and loved Reisz will know what I'm talking about. And all these little twists and turns; I soaked up every word of THE CHATEAU because I would have been worried I'd have missed some important detail if I'd have even foregone one word. If you want to read a book that will keep you glued to the edge of the seat from the first page to the last, THE CHATEAU is definitely for you.

A great addition to everyone who loves the ORIGINAL SINNERS SERIES by TIFFANY REISZ and wants to know what made King King, the sub.

What can I say? I loved this book! It was perfect! Tiffany did it again. And I'm not into BDSM. But I really love this series!
I loved young Kingsley, now I knew him more, his feelings, his relationship with pain and with Søren.
He tied you up to tell you he never wanted you to leave him. He bit you because you were the food to his soul. He struck you to mark you as his possession, as a valuable he would want returned to him if lost or stolen. That's why you miss it, Kingsley. That's why you miss the pain. Beacuse every time he hurt you, he was trying to tell you in the only way he could how much he loved you.
And now I can see how the idea of his kingdom came. Honestly Kingsley wasn't my favorite character in the series (I'm in TeamSoren 😉), I liked him, but now I became fond of him. 💓 He was funny, charming and so hot. I think I could fall in love with the 24 years old Kingsley.
Pretty words and handsome faces have been making the hearts and loins of girls come to life since the beginning of time.
I couldn't put this book down. The Chateau and Madame were both so mysterious, because of this the story was so interesting. There were BDSM scenes but these series, and these books are more then sex and sadomasochism. These stories have depth.
I loved the mind games in this book, and it was good to read about the past, about Kingsley's relationship with Søren. And the ending was perfect! I love the cover!

It takes a little while for this story to get going but the slow buildup is enticingly done. I enjoyed the various characters and did not guess the revelation at the end. Of course the action was hot as usual with this author.

Not enough Søren, but there's never enough Søren anywhere. Adored this one as much as the rest of the Original Sinners series - Tiffany Reisz is perfection.

I'll never get enough of Kingsley Edge. Ever. Seeing this young, playful side of Kinglsey was breathtaking. The Chateau gives us the kinky goodness we're used to getting from Tiffany Reisz. The witty, flirty banter between King and everyone he comes into contact with is magical and had me smiling all the way through. And Madame. I don't even know what to say about Madame except she's exquisite and awful and strong and cruel and everything a Madame should be. Brilliant!

Let me start by saying: I totally love Kingsley. Like most of the Original Sinner's characters, he has so many facets and this story shows them all: arrogant, funny, confident, vulnerable and still in love.

This time we get to join Kingsley during his time at the military intelligence agency and his newest assignment. And I loved every second of it. The 'Blond Monster' was ever-present, even though he wasn't technically in the story. I mean, a Kingsley without his Priest is simply unthinkable. I missed Nora though ;-)

I've said it many times already, but I love the way Tiffany Reisz writes. The little details, the flashbacks, the very, very awesome characters that fit together so well. It's all there and I can never get enough of it.

This is an absolute must for every fan of the Original Sinner series. I need more, pretty please!