There’s so much to love about this book! Reisz is one of my favorite authors for a reason. 🙂

The good:

- Reisz is bi and August, our hero, is also bi. Yea!

- I don’t care about mythology but the way the gods are depicted kept me interested. It made me want to know more about them as “people”, not just the stories they’re depicted in.

- The romance is just wonderful. Lia first experience with sex wasn’t all that great – nothing non-consensual but in the way that, for a lot of women, your first sex isn’t great sex. After that the guy heaped all kinds of baggage on her and it affects how she feels about sex even now. August is understanding and supportive, and without pushing her farther than she wants to go helps her enjoy sex in the way she wants.

- The book as a whole is as feminist as hell. There’s little things like Lia’s mom (the heroine of the previous book in the series, The Red) calling the walk of shame a ‘walk of fame’. Why should a woman feel ashamed for having an amazing night of sex? Men can rock it, women should rock it, too!

- Big things are talked about, as well. There’s lots of discussion of which myths have been passed through history and why – namely because men have decided this or that story is worthy of being immortalized in a painting or play. If there are myths that scare men, maybe showing them as silly, stupid, or weak in the face of a kick-ass woman, there’s a much lower chance that the story would survive the centuries when the gatekeepers all have dicks.

- At one point the ending steers towards bittersweet, which made me feel conflicted. On one hand I love these two particular characters so much that I want them to have a carefree happily ever after, on the other hand Reisz is stellar at bittersweet resolutions and I know she would make it worthwhile. We ended up getting an unambiguously HEA (yea!), but I can’t help but wonder what a bittersweet ending would have looked like.

- Speaking of the ending, as with many romances based on Greek myths there’s a deus ex machina at the end. I’m not usually a fan of an all-powerful character sweeping in and fixing things with the sweep of a hand, but here it feels oddly earned. There’s enough strife and heartache to balance things, and it doesn’t feel like an authorly ‘get out of jail free and save the romance in one fell swoop’ card.

The neither-here-nor-there:

- The first book in this series was indie published, while this one was picked up by a major publisher. I noticed that a couple of lines weren’t crossed here, most notably anal sex. There’s no mention of the word, the action looks like it may stray in that direction for a second with all kinds of euphemisms), but it always veers away again. Reisz doesn’t shy away from much of anything sexual, so I figure it must have been a restriction from the publisher. I have no idea about the reasoning, but if that’s the case – boo.

- If you’d like to try erotic romance by Reisz but aren’t into BDSM this would be a decent place to start. While the sex is adventurous and fantastical it’s light on themes like bondage and submission.

Another awesome work from Riesz – brava! And Lia has three brothers (not to mention some best friends), so there’s no telling where things will go from here. ~rubs hands together greedily~

Real talk: there’s nothing I love more than brainy erotica.

Because, at heart, I am a romance reader. Sure, I dabble in fantasy and history and contemporary literature, but if there isn’t at least a hint of a romantic subplot, you bet your ass I’ll probably knock a half star off the rating. Sure, I’ll chalk it up to some other “reason”, but that’s bullshit.

Don’t judge me.

The problem with my overwhelming love of romance is that I demand a lot from it. I’ve read so much of the genre that my pet peeves have morphed into giant, book eating monsters. If too many of them appear, they’ll tear the thing apart in my hands.

Ragebeast male leads? Fuck that noise. Dubious consent? I’m out! Insta-love? *vomits noisely*

But give me a consensual slow-burn and I’m happy. Add in a bunch of accurate history and I am delirious. That’s what The Rose does.

You can tell that Reisz did her research here. Or that she’s at least as big of a history nerd as I am. Because it’s not just the Greek myths that permeate these pages, but some well-placed, casual mentions of other historical facts. There’s a passage about Mary Shelley’s Mathilda that is especially poignant, delivered in such a crushing way that I had to set my kindle down for a second and say a little pray of thanks to the pantheon that I was born when I was.

History has not been kind to women.

For me, this book contains the best form of historical incorporation. Because really, when you add in this much history, you’re world building. Reisz laid it out in such an organic way that it never felt info-dumpy or forced. And while she acknowledged the cruelty endured by women in Ancient Greece, she found so many ways to subvert it. To have Lia and August re-write these tales while still acknowledging their darker origins.

The blurb for this book is so spot on. Lia is gifted what she’s told is a magical erotic cup, and she is believably reticent about its powers. Even when she and the male lead, August, take their first sips of wine from it and descend into the myth of Andromeda and Perseus, she chalks it up to something rational like hallucinogenic compound traces in the clay paired with hypnosis.

I really appreciated this aspect. So often in stories with paranormal elements something like this happens: “Oh, hey, I’m a vampire!” Followed by, “No shit? Cool!” Here, Lia portrayed the perfect amount of disbelief throughout the entire story.

And whoo boy, what a story it was. Through her and August, I got to relieve not only Andromeda and Perseus, but a non-rapey Briseis and Achilles (and Patroclus – oh my!), a gender-swapped Psyche and Eros, a hilarious Dinoysus and Ariadne, Pan, Poseidon, Zeus, you name them, they make an appearance here.

This is my first book by Reisz, and from my friend’s reviews of her other works, I expected to be titillated. I did not expect to ugly-laugh my way through this. Between Lia’s highly inappropriate parents, to her and August’s whip-sharp back and forth dialogue, I spent the entirety of this book as amused as I was turned on.

Quite a feat, because this is hot AF.

But it’s so much more than time-traveling sex. In between the historical flashbacks, there’s another plot unfolding. One revolving around male power and the many ways in which men can hurt women. It was handled so well. The feminism, the progressive thinking on the part of the MCs and their friends and families, the (for once!) positive depiction of prostitution, the subversion of the patriarchy in a million small ways – I AM SO HERE FOR IT.

Even though I was given an ARC of this, I’m buying it when it comes out. Firstly, that cover is gawg. Secondly, I can easily see myself re-reading this over and over again.

If you enjoy braingasms as much as you do orgasms, add this one to your TBR immediately.

And to answer the author’s question in her acknowledgments:

YES, PLEASE. MORE OF THIS SERIES. I LIKED IT SO MUCH I ACTUALLY READ THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FOR ONCE.

Tiffany Reisz does it again.
I loved The Red and this is even better.
One of the best writer's in this genre who tells the most amazing stories with a very large dose of erotica mixed in.
Just couldn't put it down amazing.

This book reminded me why Tiffany Reisz is a one click author for me. Nobody does erotica quite like her. This one was DELICIOUS! It is book 2 in The Red series but can definitely be read as a standalone.

Ancient artefacts, Greek Mythology, Chemistry to melt your kindle and plots/subplots that had me guessing and gasping out loud. I loved everything about this story and finished in the wee hours of the morning.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way the story was told, the blend of "old" and "new". The characters were intriguing and their connection was explosive.

Definitely recommend!

Lady Ophelia “Lia” Godwick, a lover of Greek mythology, receives an ancient kylix wine cup as a gift for her college graduation. Thrilled by the beauty of the artifact, Lia soon learns the myths surrounding the vessel and becomes entranced by the fantasy offered by the enigmatic Augustine “August” Bowman.

From the beginning, the narrative is like story time when listeners gather in a circle to hear a grand tale, and this particular story is centered on the erotic symbolism of mythological heroes and gods. As Lia agrees to partake in the fantasies as a means to resolve her pending problem, the plot seamlessly weaves into the past taking Lia and August to mystical and ethereal places.

What I always love about the writing of Tiffany Reisz is her sheer storytelling ability. Getting immersed into each Greek tableau felt as though I was transformed into their playground, where gods wreak havoc and take pleasure as they wish. The story of Achilles, Patroclus and Briseis was a particular standout for me and also Aethra and Poseidon. Of course, Danaë and Zeus was the golden scene.

The connection between Lia and August is rather steamy with elements of flirtation and naivety weaved into their dynamic. August exudes charm, mischief and his directness about sex was refreshing compared to Lia’s prissy facade. Additionally, Lia’s parents made me laugh at times and an appearance by a certain character was perfectly executed. Though I was expecting a dirtier book, I still enjoyed the fantasy, symbolism and characters.

The Rose is a beautifully written story about fated love and will appeal to those looking for a true romance.

Oh my goddess it was panfuckingtastic.

What a lovely mothers’day I had! I got to sit on my derrière all day and read this book. Then I had Jamie Oliver’s fantastic fish pie for dinner, not made by Jamie, made by the hubster.

I sat and I laughed and laughed. Little giggles. Dirty guffaws. Laughs so hard they made me cry but at the same time my knowledge of Greek mythology increased exponentially.

I loved this book!

Lia - daughter of Mona (The Red) meets August Bowman at her graduation party. She has something he wants and it isn’t her gardening or tennis skills. It’s a Greek artefact that he wants to claim.

In The Red, Mona has adventures with painting themes, and Lia, oh my oh my oh my, slip me a toga and find me a winged horse, gets all Grecian.

Tiffany Reisz writes with such humour, and wit and sexiness beyond measure. I would love to live in her mind. She is definitely one of my dream dinner guests. I’d make her fantastic fish pie.

Shame on me! I didn't do my homework and didn't realize Lia is the daughter of Mona and Spencer Godwick from The Red!!!!! This is a complete standalone, but I might have enjoyed it a teeny tiny bit more if I knew that! Anyways, I LOVE ancient Greek Mythology. This modern, hot story is filled with so many of them with their twist on stories with Lia and August in starring roles. It was a nice treat because Greek Mythology is something I don't come across often. I love how the cover model of the book is incorporated in the last chapter. Oh, I wonder what could be next in The Red series, I look forward to it!

I initially became interested in this book because this blurb mentioned Greek mythology and I had read the first book The Red because it has art history elements. I was hoping to like this one more than the first, but it was PWP and this one was only marginally better. That's not a bad thing if that's the type of book that you're looking for but I was looking for more romance than pure erotica, but I technically should have known better after the first one. IF you're looking for a kinky smut book Tiffany Reisz is your Queen, however, if you're looking for something with a little more slow burn and plot this will probably not be what you need to satisfy that desire.

I thoroughly loved reading the fabulous and fantastic paranormal romance story. Rose's father gives her a rare antique, a Rose Kylix, but a mysterious, handsome man, August, claims it has special powers and wants to purchase it. Read the highly recommended and wonderfully written love story, engaging and captivating, riveting the reader from the first page until the last page.
I reviewed a copy of the story through NetGalley.

This story was off the chain! Lots of smutty dirty sex....So if that’s your thing then you’re going to love this book. I really enjoyed it and I fell fast for August and loved everything about him.....except what he did it for a living! He was HOT and gorgeous and romantic when he put his heart into it! It was an interesting read and to be honest I wasn’t sure if I’d like it.
I liked that it had mystery, lots of fantasies and Greek mythology. It’s also a HEA and I’m very happy about that. This is only the second book I’ve read by this author but she tells a great story! ❤️

Another hit by Ms. Reisz. I don’t do erotica, but I think she could write the alphabet and it’d be worth reading.

Of Immortals and Gods, of Mortals and Men. Two worlds collide. Ancient Greek realm and today's modern world in a titillating tale of exhilarating erotica and the living of stories far beyond your wildest dreams.

The Rose hits all the right spots in the telling of tales that sound too far fetched to be true but what if you could live those stories if only for a moment. Even if you don't really believe it to be true. Can you open your mind to the possibilities that magic is true and if you believe, you can open yourself to pleasures beyond your wildest dreams.

5 Rose shaped Stars!!!!

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Reviewed voluntarily**

I received an ARC of this through Netgalley.

The Rose is the sequel to The Red, set about 20 years apart, as it is about Mona’s daughter, Lia. When given a special mythical artifact, believed to be from the Greek gods themselves, mysterious art collector August Bowman shows up wanting the cup and knowing of its powers. Like any modern girl, Lia does not believe him. So he takes her on a sexual dream fantasy ride to show her what the cup is capable of.

At first, I wasn’t loving this book, but the more it went on the more I was loving it. At first, I kept comparing it to The Red, which I enjoyed because it was so mysterious and as much as I thought out about, I couldn't figure Marcus out, meaning the ending was a shock to me. The Red is shorter than The Rose. This series is an erotica series, but for The Red that is really all it is. There was no character development between the characters. Given the mystery, I could see why though. The Rose is longer and in between the erotic dreamscapes, they had real-life sexual moments. Between all those, they talked, learned each other, and fell in love. I feel like the plot and the length really did this book justice, and thus the series.

This book focused a lot on Greek myth, which I love, so it was a fantastic read for just that. I found I learned quite a bit about myths I hadn’t known about, or more about ones I was semi-familiar with, so the learning experience through reading was great on its own. August kept making hints to one god in particular and why he was so obsessed with him and part of the cult. Tie that in with the general hints, it wasn’t hard to figure out who and what he was. I think I got it about the midway point. So there was a lot less mystery in this one for me, but still equally, if not more, enjoyable.

About a month ago I read Soul in Darkness by Wendy Higgins. Given its topic, and now reading this one a short while later, I am loving my unintentional reading theme of 2019. Seriously though, give me more Greek myths.

I received an ARC of this not realizing it was a sequel. Although standalone, I went back and got The Red before starting this one. I am happy I did so because I don’t think I would have had half the appreciation for this one that I do. I would absolutely love to read more from this series. The acknowledgments hinted toward a third, so fingers crossed. I will be looking out for more!

3.5 Stars - Lia is twenty-one-year-old and is the madam of an illegal escort agency. She has wealthy, powerful parents and loves Greek mythology. August is in his thirties and has been buying up ancient artifacts. He also is a sacred prostitute. They both have so many in common. They meet at Lia’s graduation party. At that party, Lia’s father gives her a gift, a very dangerous gift…
Well, I’m not really into mythology but I liked the first book in the series, I liked the author’s writing and I liked the idea of both books. my only issue was the prolonged sex scenes. It was comprehensible considering the subject matter but still it was too much for me. Told in single POV, 3rd person. It’s the second installment in "The Red" series with character crossover but it can be read as a standalone. Overall, I liked this and hope you enjoy it as well!
Thanks to Tiffany Reisz, Netgalley and Harlequin-Mira for the advanced digital copy in exchange an honest review.

Holy Mother of everything when I tell you this book was amazing, believe me! I devoured it in few hours. I could not put it down at all!!!

Thanks to TTS I was able to listen to this amazing piece of work without having to stop reading. The plot was incredible, full of Greek mythology meeting erotica at its best. And I can asure you the writing would make anyone blush, simply put it astonishing. Tiffany Reisz can turn ideas into a brilliant plot that keeps the reader riveted to the very end.

The fantasy world of Greek mythology makes you to want to dive into reading all of those tales. You find yourself in lust and love with all of the characters.

I don't want to give away spoilers so I’ll just leave this review as is. But trust me YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK! I was enthralled from the beginning, feeling like I was living and breathing the story through the characters. I can’t say enough about this piece of work, you just have to read it!

Ophelia (Lia) is in a tough spot. Even though she is the daughter of an earl, she runs an illegal escort service and a would-be boyfriend has not only broken her heart, he is also blackmailing her for a million dollars to prevent disclosure of her business. For her birthday, her parents have given her a rare and beautiful wine cup decorated with roses. August Bowman, a friend of her parents, tells her it is not just rare, but hold significant powers related to Greek mythology. Built like a Greek god himself, and knowing this is a Tiffany Reisz erotic novel, there is really only one place this story can go.

But you would be wrong. This story takes the reader all over, not the least of which is the very heights of erotic fiction. The book takes place some twenty years after the events of “The Red”, the first book in the series. In fact, Lia is the daughter of Mona from book one. While readers can certainly read this one as a stand-alone, I recommend reading the first book simply because it is so good. There are also some nuances to Lia’s parents that you might miss if you skip it.

This is not just erotica at its finest. It is also a flat-out good story. Of course the erotic scenes are everything you could want, and not limited just to sex. Ms. Reisz is creative if nothing else, and when involving Greek gods and goddesses…well, nothing is left off the imaginative pallet. The structure is similar to “The Red” where we were transported to the world of art and famous paintings, only here, we get to go on journeys into Greek lore and experience the love of famous mythological couples such as Andromeda & Perseus, Briseis & Achilles, Ariadne & Dionysus, and more, even to include Poseidon and Zeus, himself. Talk about the Earth moving!

Happily, Ms. Reisz hints at still another book to come in this series. Heaven only knows what’s in store…

Tiffany Reisz does it again. I don't know why I'm continually surprised by how much I love her books but my brain needs to catch up to the fact that her writing is superior to 95% of the books I read on a regular basis. Loved, loved, loved.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fantasy novel involving time travel of sorts.

4.5 Stars

Never thought I would say that I enjoyed reading a book about Greek Mythology as I know absolutely zilch about it. But that didn’t matter in this book. Tiffany Reisz has a way with her words that takes something you know nothing about and transforming it into a story that you can’t put down.

For Lia, the day of her university graduation party, her life changed. Unbeknown to Lia, the gift from her father held special powers. One that she will experiment how these powers work with a man that has shown up to her graduation party.

August Bowman, a sexy man who is very easy on the eyes has come to take Lia on the journey of her life! A man who knows what a woman wants and needs.

This book was an unusual twist for me to read. I enjoyed it as Tiffany Reisz has a way of pulling you into a book with her words, her research, her words leave you totally satisfied in more ways than one!

#BookBistroBlogApproved

I had a semester of mythology in 7th grade; however, this book was not on the list! This was wonderfully done, sexy! This book was so unique! Lia and August, at the same party will have something to say about the kylix. It's said to have magical powers. August wants it for his collection. Will Lia be willing to test the powers? This super sexy book entranced me!