I am one of many who probably received an email from 8th Circle Press requesting I read the ARC of The Chateau and review it. Did I quick run and do it? Nope. I don't like Kingsley. I know, I know, so many of you do, but I just don't. So what brought me here? Bad romance. No, not the song by Lady Ga Ga, bad romance novels. So many are boring or unoriginal, like the one I just read last weekend. So, I looked over the description of The Chateau and downloaded it. And.... Meh... I still don't like Kingsley. He dropped like a rock for me when he, a grown man, let Eleanor, a twenty something submissive in his care, go through one of the most difficult times in her life - alone. And the Chateau does nothing to change my mind. So, the good: Kinglsey "serving" women. In my mind he is very handsome, sexy, and willing. The bad: these characters (the "O.S." world of characters) all seem to lack emotional intimacy and the ability to show affection. So, the story, the writing...well done. The sex scenes? Yes, fun too. But to me it is just sex, which after a while is empty. Still, this is entertainment, right? And no one forced me to read the book. But, by going back to these characters over and over and over I am not sure what the author is trying to do, besides get $5.99 for an e-reader copy or $24.99 for an audible copy. I want something from the characters that I just don't think is possible for them: simple warmth, tenderness, endearment. At the very end of the book the author had a chance to give the reader and Kingsley a small serving of this very thing, but chose to keep Kingsley guessing and therefore us too.

When Lt. Kingsley was assigned to do "unofficial" job to investigate the disappearance of Leon, nephew of his commander, who believed he is being held against his will by a sex cult. Accepting the job is easy but getting inside the so-called sex cult, Kingsley must go through some test. Patiently Kingsley was able to get in. And after spending a time there and meeting the "Madame" of the house. He learned something more about himself than he bargained for. A decision must be made will Kingsley choose the right one?

The Chateau is another masterpiece by this author. Words cannot justify how good she writes every dialogue in this book. It's witty, sexy, and definitely hot. The plot, those unexpected twist towards the end just amazing how she can play mind games with her readers.

And characters that are unforgettable. Kingsley, I already like him from the previous book I read of The Original Sinners, but in this book, I FLOVE him. Madame is certainly worth meeting and I cannot wait to see if this author will write more about her. I will certainly be looking forward to that if she does. Secondary characters are also endearing like Polly, Collette, Bernie and that tick, Georges.

This is standalone, so if you haven't read a book by this author this is a must-read. Ms. Reisz works can be addicting so you have been warned. Highly recommended!

The Chateau (The Original Sinners, #9)
by Tiffany Reisz (Goodreads Author)

Let me start by saying Tiffany Reisz's Original Sinners series is my absolute favorite series so I was so excited when I got to read this advance copy via Net Gallery. The Siren popped up time after time as recommended lists and dominatrix, priest sadist, underworld so not my thing. Finally I was bored and decided to see what the buzz was. I strongly admit how wrong I was and I write this for others who may think similarly. Don't make my mistake. Give the series a try - it is unexpectedly funny, loving, an unorthodox family not to mention serious drama and mystery at times. The writing and the characters are the best which brings me to The Chateau and to my fav original sinners character Kingsley Boissonneault (later known as Kingsley Edge) after boarding school when he joined the French Foreign Legion. He is 24, Soren no longer in his life yet strongly in his heart as Kingsley misses him dearly. His haunting dreams are adding to his pain. An assignment brings him to a Chateau where the women of the cult rule and the men serve. It is compared to The Story of O, yet with the exception of one night where our switch King begs for what occurs, it is a painless, loving environment where the men are submissive and the woman are lovingly nurturing and dominant. Where the sadism comes in (and is Tiffany Reisz's specialty) are the mind games. Games in which I wont be surprised that may be revealed in later books. I am not taking the Madame's word like Kingsley did. It is not a cliff hanger but I just don't think we are done with this story yet. I think it could be read as a standalone but I would really recommend reading at the least the Siren, The King and the Saint to understand the characters. It will make The Chateau more rewarding if you do.

Tiffany Reisz weaves spells with her writing. It's unlike any of the other stories I read, and she casts magic by pulling me into her books. The Chateau is an Original Sinners book, and I have read one of them but it was a long time ago, so I treated this as a stand alone and it was no problem.

Kingsley is playful and flirty, lonely, haunted by his past. You can tell he wants a family someday and he is quite the charmer. His latest mission sends him to a place opposite of what you would usually expect, and though some things were revealed, I feel it kept it's secrets from us still. Along with the mysterious, beautiful, and fierce Madame of the house.

The dreams throughout the story were at least as interesting as the story itself. Full of symbolism and longing, desire, love, pain. I found this book to be a little dark, a little amusing, very sensual.

I was fascinated by this story. This was actually my first taste of the infamous world Tiffany Reisz has created and while I'm sure I'm not fully able to appreciate Kingsley's story having not read the other books in this series first, I was still completely riveted by his experience in The Chateau. Thankfully The Chateau reads like a standalone, a prequel, a decadent, sensual taste of this world of submission and sex and it has absolutely ensured I'll be reading the other books that I've heard so much about. I'm completely intrigued by ALL of these characters and I'm looking forward to diving in to the rest of the books.

With every OS book I fall more and more in love with Kingsley, when admittedly he was my least favorite character in the red years series. I can now easily say that I love him more than Soren! This book was a fantastic look back into his sorted past to see what helped shape him into the arrogant, twisted and powerful King we all know. Adventure, mystery and erotic fantasy with the sarcastic humor and wit that Tiffany weaves so well, the Chateau is a seamless addition to my favorite series of all time.

I've heard about Reisz's books for years and finally decided to give her a try with this Original Sinners stand-alone. While I'll admit she's a good writer, the story just wasn't for me. I have a feeling her fans will love it though.

Tiffany Reisz's writing is both lyrical and descriptive, which is a wonderful combination for an erotic tale. Her books sweep you into the story and hold you there, mesmerized as the story plays out, and the Chateau was no exception. Loved it.

First and foremost, an ARC copy was provided by NetGalley for an honest review. This story was such a erotic and captivating story. I couldn't put it down. I realized after reading the book that it is part of a book series. I just want to go back and read all the other books. I fell in love with the character of Kingsley; his story had me allured from the very beginning of the book. I just want to go back and read the rest of the series to fill in what I missed.

A gloriously filthy prequel to the Sinners series, this tells the story of a 24 year old Kingsley 's life altering mission inside a kinky French Chateau where women are dominant and the men serve.

And do they serve, yikes.

He's there on a mission so there was a thriller style mystery vibe to this, alongside all of the kink. I've always found the S&M cruelty and mind games in these books to be a challenge to read as wincing as I read is not my favourite, but it was an engrossing read despite that. If that's your thing then you'll be delighted for it's hot.

Soren does feature in this, but mainly in flashbacks/dreams as Kingsley hasn't seen him for some years and of course it's long before the other characters come along, so I was missing the satisfaction that comes from seeing the characters where they need to be, but as it's a prequel, at least I could console myself by recalling the rest their story.

Hot, kinky, dark and with some decent twists, I enjoyed this. Essential reading if you've read the rest of the Sinners series, but not convinced it would work as a standalone.

The Chateau is the first book I've read in The Original Sinners series but it won't be my last. I enjoyed this world immensely especially the way in which Alice In Wonderland well the falling down the rabbit hole part was woven into the story. It's a kinky rabbit hole but a rabbit hole all the same.

I also loved the main character Kingsley, he's multi-faceted. My fave facet was his vulnerability. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of his exploits.

I definitely recommend this book.

From the beginning, I have had a special love for Kingsley. Damaged, beautiful, witty, and supremely charming. Getting to see more of him as a young man was fantastic. I have to say this was less of a 'thriller' and more just a gothic novel. Just like all the books in this series, this one is full of twists and connections you never saw coming. Madame quickly became someone I loved, hated, pitied, and admired. In an interview, Tiffany Reisz said that Madame makes Nora look like a Disney Princess. So true!

J'ai bien aimé ce roman. Il comporte plusieurs scènes érotiques très torrides. Mais il y a des longueurs à plusieurs endroits. Je lui aurais donné 5 étoiles sinon.

Reisz hits all the right moves with Kingsley's story, a prequel of sorts for her lauded Original Sinners series. Carefully depicted, and so, so, so kinky.

Sadistic and sexy. Heavy on the kink and mind games, The Chateau will leave you wondering what you just read.,

A man whore/secret agent assassin takes his next unofficial assignment enthusiastically, infiltrating a sex cult. . . though it’s not really infiltrating if you tell the target what you’re doing. He’s there to “save” a relative of his chief from the dastardly “clutches” of the woman in charge, but of course things are never as they seem.
This author writes “bigger” than most erotica. This is my second book by her, and like that other one, it feels like an esoteric literary fiction with some sex scenes.
I always find myself thinking ahead, guessing at what twists might be coming up, and this one had a couple. For instance, I thought it would be amazing if the least likely of all characters—and it’s obvious who I mean if you’ve read this—is the mole. Looks like I might be right, but it’s left ambiguous. At least my guess about her ex-husband was spot on.
By far my least favorite part. . . it’s fine to say that he wants everything that’s happening to him, and she loves giving it to him, but that mind fuck about Colette and Soren. . . there’s no coming back from that. It’s just evil. I don’t care why she did it, I lost all sympathy for her there. He simply didn’t deserve that, as it’s not the kind of pain he’s into; no one does.
According to the small interview at the end, this book is a bit of a prequel, set in a universe where a lot of things, especially with this character, have already happened. If I wasn’t still annoyed by that twist I might have felt like reading those others.

It's been a while since I've been in the world of the Original Sinners world. A few pages in and I was hooked again. I've missed Kingsley and Soren so much. This reminder put me right back in the thick of it and I can't wait for more.
Kingsley, Kingsley, Kingsley. Seeing him as a young man just made me adore him that much more. He's so darn charming, but underneath that playboy is a man who loves hard. Maybe this is about his adventures at the chateau, but at it's root it's a love story. A book about the kind of love that we all want. It isn't easy, but it's deep and everlasting.
Tiffany Reisz writes a story like no other. It's smart. Sexy. Deep. Layered. There is nothing in this book without meaning. Her writing captivates, her words sink into your soul. My favorite part was when Madame explains to Kingsley why Soren tied him up, put his marks on him. I don't cry very often when reading, but that did it. This is why I'm drawn to romance. For love like this.

Amazing. I'd give it a hundred stars if it were an option.

In fact, it's more a 2½ than a three. But as I am a good guy, I rounded it up to 3.

If you want to read a story in which Kingsley is f*cking with all the beautiful women he meets (when does he meet ugly ones? oh yes, there was a scared one here, but she was beautiful anyway) in Paris (at the Château) and in New York, this book is definitely for you.

I liked the very beginning [(the dream on the chess game with Søren moving his king and King moving his bishop) . It was fun. ;) I also liked the end when Madam mindfucks Kingsley. For the rest... Bof! It's sex and sex, and too many hours of whipping King who loves it as usual.

I was hoping to see Kingsley demonstrate his soldiering skills. I'd have liked to see him fight, risk his life to save a brother-in-arm that he would have loved "incestuously". But no, nothing like that.

I probably expected too much from this author who sometimes knows to be dangerously seductive and talented. But here it was just average.

P.S. Ms. Reisz, by the way, one doesn't say "tout suite" for "immediately" in French, but "tout de suite".

Another highly enjoyable read from Tiffany Reisz, and for fans of the Original Sinners series a new volume that you'll definitely want to add to your collection.

Although this is a stand-alone book, it does centre on Kingsley Edge Boissonneault who is one of the main characters in the Original Sinners series, but during a time in his life not previously covered by the other books. As such, this might be a good place to start for those interested in getting a taste of the series before committing to the whole 8 books. Characters and events in books from the main series' are alluded to however, so be prepared to get sucked into the Original Sinners world and find yourself with the sudden urge to devour the rest of the series.

The book follows Kingsley during his spy-vs-spy 20's, putting him undercover at an exclusive sex "cult" (need I say more?). What ensues is a sexy mystery full of interesting characters, and centring around a main character seeking meaning and a path forward at a transitory time in his life. Expect lots of amusing and impertinent dialogue, brought off with much flair and charm. While the book presents a complete story arc which is a mysterious and amusing diversion, it definitely feels like there is a larger story at work in the life of the main character - so for newcomers to the series, you may want to consider this taste as a gateway drug to the Original Sinners universe.

As always, Reisz's strength seems to lie in making her characters seem to come alive in a way that makes them feel real, believable, and relatable to the reader. While at times Kingsley's words and actions could make him seem like an egotistic ass, it's impossible not to feel a strong sense of affection and compassion for the loveable rogue (the Gallic charm certainly helps).

I would highly recommend this book to those looking for a mysterious, sexy, fun, and impertinent read, and for fans of the overarching series would say this is a must-read to get your Original Sinners fix.