The Red: An Erotic Fantasy

ByTiffany Reisz

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Readers` Reviews

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
micky michelle
Tiffany Reisz is one of my favorite authors. Her writing is spectacular. The Red was different - it was a little mysterious, a bit of fantasy, very erotic. While I was reading, I stopped over-analyzing every page and just enjoyed the words. Once I did this, I loved the book.
The main character is Mona, her mother owned an art gallery called The Red Gallery and is has now been passed down to Mona. The gallery is not doing well business-wise. A stranger comes into the gallery and makes an offer to Mona - submit to him for a year and he'll save the gallery. I'll leave out all the fun details.
Here's the thing that I loved about this book, without spoiling anything. The stranger leaves "clues" about their meetings by showing Mona pieces of art. The pieces are real and can be Googled. Such a fun, smart way to work real pieces into a story.
Also, if you're a fan of Nora, you'll love this! If not, read The Original Sinners books now!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
oscar manrique
This was my first Tiffany Reisz book, and I had heard stories from my friends but still was not prepared. Wow. This is straight up porn in the written form, which is great. I loved it. I really enjoyed the flow of her writing as well. Her heroine Mona is a woman who is proud of who she is and will not be shamed, and I love that. And each time a painting was mentioned, I researched the work of art. Some were familiar, some were new to me. So I learned something new from this incredibly hot book. The ending kind of lost me a little, so that's why I drifted away from 5 stars. I like fantasy, but this was just a little not for me. Overall I really enjoyed the book and will be reading much more from her. 4.5 stars
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
madeliene
I liked the ending of the book, but the rest of it was just weird at times. There were very little clues as to what was happening during the year of Mona selling herself to save the gallery to Malcom. There are a lot of parts that I skimmed over, so maybe I missed some of the clues?? This is the first book that I have read by this author and if this is an indication of her work, I don't think she also be on my list of favorites. Sorry, but this is a little too much fantasy for my tastes.
Teach Me Something New, Part 1 :: Promises of Mercy(Montana Promises-Book 1) :: Hard :: Wild :: Nailed
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
kylan
The Red is subtitled An Erotic Fantasy, and is it ever. Get ready to enter a unique erotic world as only Reisz can do it. Mona is in danger of losing her art gallery until Malcolm walks into her world and makes her an offer: Submit to him for a whole year and he will help her save her gallery. Desperate, Mona agrees, and she is brought into the art world in a unique way: Before each of Malcolm’s visits, he designates a painting that they will role play. As the fantasies become more and more complicated, Mona begins to fear she may have made a pact with the Devil.

This is an erotic romance that is heavy on the erotica. Using paintings to set up the role playing is such a fun idea, and Reisz weaves the intricate scenes into steamy hot encounters, drawing Mona into a relationship that is so compelling she becomes addicted to Malcolm. As do we. What painting will be next? Where is this all going? And how will Malcolm push Mona further in their erotic explorations with each visit? The answers to these questions become more and more delicious as you go along, the sexual tensions amping up to an orgasmic peak, and ending with satisfying aftercare. Take the journey. It’ll be so worth it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
o0juju0o26
Tiffany Reisz spoils us for all other writers of erotica and erotic romance. She is literate, so very well educated, and incredibly talented. Her stories and characters are unique, and completely original. Her writing is literary quality -- way above the masses of self-published work in the genre. And her erotic fantasies push all the boundaries without ever edging toward bad taste or anything that would turn off the physical and intellectual pleasure she gives her readers. I hate finishing one of her books and beginning the wait for the next one. Thank God every book is well worth reading again.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
lvzer1
The Red is mysterious, scandalous, strange, and weirdly arousing.

If I had to put The Red into a genre box, I'd be in big trouble, as it's a great mix with the strongest part being erotica. As always, Reisz managed to draw me in from the beginning with her enticing Mona and the very mysterious Malcolm. There is a fairy tale feel to this story, there is something that is similar to magic, but not quite, and there is also some very erotic passages, where the lines between real life and something not completely real are blurred.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
aparna girish
If you've read The Original Sinners series, and Something Nice (sign up to Tiffany's email list to get that one), then you'll know The Red as one of Nora's books. While its fun to think of it as Nora's book, this tale has all the things I love about Tiffany's books. There are no cardnoard cut-outs. Her characters are always original and solid, with their own quirks and weaknesses to make them real. And did I mention that the fantasy scenes are exquisitely imaginative and intensely erotic? I hope Tiffany had fun researching this book. I certainly enjoyed reading it. Looking forward to Wings! Oh, and if you havent read any other Tiffany Reisz books, this is a stand alone, so enjoy!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
stephen soukup
The Red is a book you either love or hate, there is no in between. In my case I loved it, it is a book that is hard to discribe. For the fans of The Orginal Sinners series, this is definitely a Nora book. It is filled with extremely hotsteamy scenes, but you know there is more to the story. I had an idea about who Michael was, but it time out I was wrong, but everything got explained in the end. I loved the ending, a short story about what happens next would be amazing.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
alika yarnell
I have always loved Tiffany's books and this is no different. In fact i love this one the best. It is a page turner. You never know what is going to happen next. I especially love the last few chapters of the books. Makes you think that people in your past can stear you to the future they want.
You will not regrets reading this book. Its hot steemy and has a little bit of mystery. The best vook by far from this author. I cannot wait to see what she writes next
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
shirunei
This is a unique romance novel. The quality of writing and storytelling is a cut above the genre, with a "literary" feel. I love the way the author uses famous works of art through the story to provide a framework.

It really is a Fairy Tale, at heart. When I was one-third through the novel, I was a little disappointed by the matter-of-fact way the heroine accepted these strange events happening to her. But in light of the Fairy Tale nature of the story, it makes perfect sense.

Be warned: this is extremely explicit.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
deanne
I remembered the reference to The Red in Tiffany Reisz's The Angel so I was so excited when I read that this was coming out. Needless to say, this did not disappoint.

While reading, I enjoyed looking up the paintings that served as the chapter titles and prefaced the upcoming scenes. Also, Malcolm felt like a version of Søren, and I could see how Nora wrote about Søren without explicitly describing Søren.

As with Tiffany's other books, the sex was hot and kinky. Ooh-la-la! My Kindle was on fire!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
nolie ocoy
I am sitting here absolutely dumbfounded. I've not read this author before. I've certainly not read anything close to this before either. What a trip I feel like I've been on! The way the story was brought together is INSANELY BRILLIANT!! I'm in awe. This is not my type of read..I blushed A LOT reading this, but I'm glad I did! I love Malcolm! Wow! My heart is still pounding!!!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
allison giovetti
Every time I think she's pushed the envelope as far as it can go, she sets the thing on fire. The Red is probably her dirtiest book yet, and I was THERE for every single page. With its fantastical elements and told in Tiffany's evocative prose, The Red will confound you and still leave you wanting more. Highly recommended for fans of her other works and anyone who wants to explore the more erotic parts of the world of art.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
karlie
Gorgeous writing. Fanciful story. Erotic and naughty. Stir briskly. Heat to to rolling boil.
Want something different, something with a bit of BDSM and a dash of smut? This will slake your thirst. It's part mystery, part fantasy, and part romance. Once you have a taste, you'll be addicted.
A real treat!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
una exchange
Exquisite! Can't wait to reread it again and again! It reminds me of one of my favorite books of all time, "A Knight in Shining Armor"
by Jude Deveraux, with much racier parts! I love the writing, the imagination, the erotic elements, and the romance! Don't ever stop writing, Tiffany Reisz!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
janet mouser
Awesome storyline and the characters in this story were excellent. The way the story was written, it kept you on The edge exciting adventures of subduction of the Fantasy. Absolutely nothing but a love story with a twist of drama and sexual indulgence. ENJOY A very unique story!!!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
buthna
As always the imagination of Tiffany is beyond . Loved the book so much the ending surprised me, I wasn't expecting the finale to be that way but that's because I am not an author my Brain doesn't work that way....Awesome way to end the book....
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
jon haupt
This book was sent free for honest review by the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I don’t often read straight erotica. I’m mostly an erotic romance kinda gal but Tiffany Reisz is my queen, so as soon as I saw her latest stand alone was available on NetGalley to “Read Now” I knew I’d be exploring more yummy erotica and THE RED certaintly delivered.

On her mom’s deathbed, Mona Lisa St. James promised she’d do anything to save her art gallery, The Red. She didn’t realize exactly what anything entailed until there was no choice but to sell or accept a strange Englishman’s offer to save The Red in return for submitting to anything and everything he could dish out for a year.

Malcolm makes Soren’s sadistic mind f***s look like child’s play. Out of all of Reisz’s many stand alone novels, THE RED sits atop my favorites list and Malcolm is reason numero uno. He’s a charming, mysterious, creative Englishman who’s the devil with a riding crop. He’s also got an interesting thoughts on prostitution. While I’m not 100% sold on all his ideals, his logic is rather intriguing.

THE RED raises the question what is worth selling yourself? What is worth giving a stranger consent to do anything and everything to you? Could I sell myself to a mysterious man I know nothing about for a least a million dollars? The only answer I came up with after finishing THE RED: If the man was Malcolm.

It has been a long dry spell since my last venture into BDSM erotica and THE RED was the novel to get me back in the mood for some kinky fun. In fact, I feel urge for another Original Sinners binge read in the near future. If you’re on the hunt for a new erotic adventure give THE RED a chance!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
ingrid erwin
I’m prolly about to go off the reservation a little here so the nutshell version is, if you like erotica and/or Reisz’s writes, you’ll like this. If you’re a fan of neither then this isn’t the book for you.

As a fan of both, when I saw this little gem up on NetGalley I 1-clicked so hard my laptop threw me shade. The page said “read now” and I took that like a directive. I might’ve even saluted.

True, The Red has been on my radar for a few months now so that may have played a role in the zeal. *shrugs* I don’t always read Reisz’s non-OS works but this one caught my eye first with the cover then the blurb. There’s something alluring about the ‘sacrificing oneself for art’ theme that never fails to appeal to me. It worked for me in The Dark Collector, The Monuments Men and again here.

Mona is in debt up to her eyeballs and losing her mother’s gallery, The Red, is a very real possibility until a mysterious Englishman appears one night with an offer too good to refuse. He’ll give her the means to save the gallery if she agrees to become his whore one night a month for a year.

One of my all time favorite movies is The Wings of the Dove. The story itself is heartbreaking, yes, but the inherent emotional honesty gets me every time, though the stunning cinematography and performances don’t hurt. Their actions and reactions are a product of the repressed society in which they live and ultimately those actions end up destroying them; however, there is one scene where Kate and Milly invade the sanctity of the backroom of a library where the illicit books are kept and only men are allowed. All the men are aghast at their impropriety and they laugh at their mini-rebellion.

I think people will be aghast at this book too and that’s what makes me like it even more. At times reminiscent of the Beauty series and The Story of O, both of which are fodder for an untold number of women’s fantasies, The Red is first and foremost erotica like its scandalous predecessors. It’s only recently that either author revealed themselves which shows the tide is turning. Somewhat. Though I still think people disparage erotica for being doltish nonsense, erotica readers for being vacuous and erotica writers as being smut peddlers without substance. So kudos to Reisz for not only writing under her own name but embracing titillation for titillation’s sake, fantasy for fantasy’s sake and female desire for female desire's sake all of which are exactly what The Red is.

”You won’t do anything perverse to me?”

“I’ll do everything perverse to you. But you still shouldn’t be afraid.”

From the beginning the story is driven by the bargain struck between Mona and Malcolm, a business transaction. She should find becoming his whore insulting but doesn’t. What happens through their encounters is Mona comes face to face with desires, perversions and depravity she’d never even considered at the hands of a stranger. She does love Malcolm. How could you not love the rakehell? But I don’t think she’s ‘in love’ with him, more with what he’s made her into than anything else. There are some conversations and we learn something of them both along the way but by and large their currency is sex and kink. And through their assignations Mona comes into her own, embraces her sexuality and comes to the conclusion that she’s not going to settle for someone who doesn’t wholly value her, kinks and all.

The diversity of their assignations is what I liked best. The Red is spank bank material and just like everyone has their favorite scenes dogeared in the Beauty series or O the depravity is plentiful so if one doesn’t suit, just keep on going to the next one! You're sure to find one that'll turn you inside out. The Reisz trademark witty repartee is present and accounted for as is her always surprising storytelling. She actually stuck a little romance in there as well as her characteristic plot twist. The way she played with the whole Mona Lisa thing in different ways made me smile too.

I would say that I’d like a follow up but by the same token I think if she left it as is I’d be just as happy. With my dogeared sections.

Recommend to erotica fans.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
marsida
I never read a Tiffany Reisz blurb because, well, she's just that awesome. Needless to say, I had no idea what to expect going in to The Red and yet I was still taken completely by surprise, blowing away my every expectation. Intriguing, electrifying, immeasurably, decadently steamy, and delightfully fanciful, if you are looking for a book to heat up your summer, this is it.

I think we all know, when picking up a Tiffany Reisz book, to expect a story that will take you above and beyond any and all limits when it comes to erotica. I'll admit, at first I was afraid that was all we were going to get as it sure doesn't take long to ramp up the heat in this story and get right down to business with numerous escapades in a row taking place even before we get a good idea of where the story is headed. Once the depth of the story kicks in though, if you are anything like me, you will be dying to gain the answers to an abundance of questions as quickly as possible and at all cost, leaving you totally hooked and greedy for more, in every imaginable way.

While I love the mystery of this story, I love the steam, and I love the twist, I do enjoy more story in my story which did not seem to come for the bulk of the narrative. I don't mind jumping into the bedroom head first, but I did feel like I needed to know more about both Mona and Malcolm both in the beginning and in the long run. Although diving straight into the sexy times absolutely heightens the intensity and the enigma that is Malcolm, it did little to truly invest me in the story and while I was certainly interested, it was just to the extent to keep me reading the story, but not quite hooked enough to be rendered incapable of putting it down.

I also would have appreciated exploring the ending a bit more. I enjoyed the idea of the ending and I love how it connects to the relationship throughout the majority of the story, but with the addition of a brand new character, I would have definitely loved to have experienced this new dynamic a whole lot more.

I am typically not a huge fan of fantasy, but in this case, I loved the direction of the story and the uniqueness of it all. Trying to figure out just what was happening and why and the truth behind Malcolm was fascinating and enthralling, only to find the answers are far from disappointing. Completely unexpected, in no way predictable, satisfyingly outrageous and perfectly fitting, fantasy lover or not, if you are a Tiffany Reisz fan, you need to read this book.

The Red is smart, beautifully artistic, and well-written. Something different, something daring, something fun, and something kinky, if you are in the market for a scorching hot read that will fire you up and keep you burning the whole way through, look no further.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
heather
3.5 WOW – HOT – ON FIRE – STEAMY – Sizzling – Stars

I haven’t read a Tiffany Reisz book since The Siren and when I read The Siren I was a newbie dark romance reader and the stuff she wrote made me cringe. A lot has changed in five years!

The Red is a standalone and is an erotic fantasy book. Let me warn you, IF YOU DO NOT LIKE STEAM, THEN THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR YOU. I hate to put it in shout caps, but don’t go into an erotic book and be turned off by the steam.

This book is for the following people:

1.) If you like steam (which I do)

2.) If you like art. I know, its random right? Personally, I’m not much into art, but as I read more and more of the book I kept on thinking about the artists and the pieces referenced. I kind of wanted to google them so I could understand the book more. I kind of wished there were pictures in this book too.

3.) If you like Tiffany Reisz writing style. Like I said, I haven’t read a book by her in five years, but there’s no mistake in the way she writes. She writes books that will make you cringe and be sucked in. Her flow is fairly descriptive as well.

I started this book late at night right before I went into bed. From the first page I was hooked! I kept on reading because it was simply hot. Mona owns an art gallery, but she isn’t making a profit and needs money to get herself out of debt.

Mona is an interesting gal. She’s not your typical Heroine, but she’s very curious. She will do anything to save her mother’s art gallery, even sell her body for one year to a mysterious stranger.

This isn’t your typical sell-you-body romance book.

For one year, this man will come to her maybe once or every other month to use Mona’s body in ANYWAY he wants. The mysterious man is just that … mysterious. He’s a bit hard to get to know, but you will be so distracted by what he does to Mona, you kind of don’t care. I’m just being honest!

Each chapter is broken into different visits and after the first few chapters I was ready to jump my husband. YUP! I’m putting it out there for ya. This book is hot and different. There will be a lot of kinky play that will push your boundaries and each time Mona is visited you will think to yourself, what kind of mischief will she will get herself into now?

You will soon question what’s real and what’s not real.

The book is all steam, so you make want to read the book a chapter here and a chapter there, this can be easily done. I read a chapter or two before I went to bed almost each night (I kid you not) and my husband loved it (I again, kid you not).

I won’t give anything away but once I was done with the book I was really satisfied. I felt like Tiffany Reisz took me on a crazy journey where she made me question a lot of things (heck, I still have questions), but it was a good mind trip.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
arlen
The Red was truly is a gripping, intense, page turning, erotic read told from the heroines POV. The Red not only challenged me as a romance reader by taking me out of my comfort zone, but continued to keep me there by the sheer unique premise of the story. Kudos to Ms. Reisz for keeping me intrigued enough to continue reading because the mystery really had me wondering how it would be resolved. She truly had me guessing how the story would end until almost the last page. I literally couldn't put it down.

I consider The Red to be more erotica & kink with romantic elements as I didn't feel that the hero/heroine had time to develop an actual emotional relationship, given the nature of the overall story. The Red starts out and continues throughout as more of a series of sexual encounters and sexual situations. The paranormal elements actually made me want to continue reading and adds to the uniqueness of the book. If you are are looking for a unique and erotic read with lots of sex and intrigue, The Red will fill that need.

Note: I received an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
stu horvath
This is a hard review to write. I’m still having difficulty putting my thoughts to paper. The Red is a uniquely twisted story. Mona makes a death bed promise to save her mother’s art gallery. Buried beyond belief in debt she finds herself making a deal with a handsome stranger who promises to save The Red. That deal changes her life forever. Right off the bat I knew there was something off about Malcom. He has a very mysterious air around him but I wouldn’t have guessed his story in a million years. There’s no argument that Tiffany Reisz is a brilliant writer. But for me and my tastes this really didn’t do it for me. The premise was interesting, their assignations were dark and twisted and I devoured the last quarter of the book. Overall there were elements that I enjoy about a story and its characters that I didn’t get in this. With that being said, I will still read anything and everything TR writes.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
gordon fischer
Tiffany Reisz has provided readers with an erotic experience that is incredibly unique. Tying in famous paintings and bringing them to life while having tantalizing sexual experiences that awaken the heroine is really unlike anything I've ever read before.

Malcom is the mysterious patron that is there to save The Red, but readers know very little about him throughout the book. He has certain sexual proclivities and craves a woman who will own them. He pushes boundaries and the limits of the heroine in this book. Even though readers and Mona know little about him, there is something enticing about his power and dominance, and both are hard pressed not to fall under his charm and prowess.

Mona is an interesting heroine, and her journey into her sexual desires, owning them and demanding them, is unlike one I've read before. With each encounter she begins to crave what she once thought of as taboo or scandalous. She begins to accept that these encounters are what she craves and now what she needs in order to have satisfaction not just in the bedroom but her life. Her sexual awakening throughout the novel creates a more empowered heroine than readers meet at the beginning of the novel, and I enjoyed this transformation immensely.

The story is erotic, hence the classification, but every chapter depicts a different piece of art, a different sexual encounter. What is lacking for me is the plot line of the story. Very little is revealed about Malcolm until the end, and although we witness the transformation of Mona, readers know little about her outside of her interactions with Malcolm and the art gallery. The plot of the story really picks up in the last 4-5 chapters of the book, and this is when I truly became engaged in this story. The ending blew my mind, and I really hope she continues this story.

This has been my first Tiffany Reisz book, but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed her writing and the unique twist on erotic romance. It was dirty, it had fantastical elements, and it showcased sexual reformation. All the things I love in a good erotic book. If she continues to write the journey of Mona and Malcolm, I will certainly be reading it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
clare bautista
4.9 Stars

Mona's mom recently died and Mona now owns/runs her beloved art gallery. The Red.
But with all the medical costs and the debts of the gallery, Mona probably won't be able to stay in business - even though it's the one thing she had to promise her mother on her deathbed.

Enter Malcom. He's a hot mysterious stranger who's suddenly standing in the gallery with an offer Mona can't refuse. Well, she could, but she's intrigued - and she definitely needs what he's offering: priceless art to save the gallery!

Thus starts one year of amazingly erotic pleasure for Mona - and priceless artsy pleasure for her gallery!

But who is Malcom? Where did he come from? Why is he doing this?
WHAT THE EVERLOVING HELL IS HAPPENING? ☺☺☺

That's what this reader was asking herself all through the book!
I didn't really know what to expect when I started the book - it said EROTIC FANTASY! And I'm not really a fan of anything paranormal, so in any other case I probably wouldn't have read it, BUT it also said Tiffany Reisz, so there was no question at all whether I was going to read it or not. ☺

And I loved it!
It's so unbelievably erotic! Phew!!! Holy potato! Those were some sinfully sexy encounters!!

Full of mystery, mythology, role-play, ménages, art history ... hardcore po*n. ☺

Every chapter was named after the painting that would inspire the upcoming 'session' with Malcom - and I always googled those pictures to see how the scene was supposed to look! ☺

It was all soo mysterious! Who the heck is Malcom? Where did he come from? Dare we ask WHEN did he come from??? And what is his ultimate goal??

Please read this book! Yes, it's so very different from those usual sexy New Adult romances, but you'll love the extreme sexiness and mysteriousness and artsy-ness of this lovely little story! I sooo did! But of course it won't be for anyone. It's extremely - almost over-the-top - erotic. Too much for some to handle. ;) But Tiffany, or rather, Nora, wrote it, so we have to love it! And I did.

Another amazing #MustRead by Tiffany Reisz! Extremely & sinfully erotic & intriguingly mysterious!!!! ☺
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
alires
** I received a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

This book is unlike anything I have ever read. I don't like historical books and although this book had a historical aspect to it, it wasn't as a bad read. It was okay! It was definitely unpredictable and it takes paranormal to another level. This is not a clean read so if that is what you enjoy do not pick up this book because it has more than a few steamy sex scenes within it. The games that are played not only with the body, but with the mind. This read was like a puzzle and each piece gets you closer to finishing the masterpiece. If you are looking for a read that will definitely play with your mind and leave you wondering what just happened you need to grab this book. It is a standalone read so no worries and it will definitively leave you feeling some type of way.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
mandy irby
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!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
mike lambert
This is for you if you love explicit, erotic fantasy that pushes boundaries.

I was riveted listening to this on Audible, and as the story progressed I became exceedingly uncomfortable and squirmed because of the physical and mind twisting sexual acts. But I didn’t stop listening. My notions of sexual acceptability were pushed, stretched and exploded. This story is quite sex focused and if that is your preference, you will love it. But be warned, it starts off titillating, then ramps up the heat and pain, and boundaries are completely smashed. It’s not for everyone, and yet I can’t say more in case of spoilers. The allure here, is the erotic mystique of it all. I admit I listened non-stop to this story, but I don’t know if my heart can take another erotic fantasy of this nature by Tiffany Reisz. I’m sweating without having been for a run!

I loved the art journey the story took me on. I looked up all the paintings referred to. I then had a clear picture of what the participants were looking at and living through as the scenes went by in my head. A wonderful art experience.

The narrator, Elizabeth Hart performs all the voices, and I am impressed that she could convey the 25 year old Mona and mature Malcolm and others, and maintain an erotic sound and pace. That’s skill.

I would like to say: “this is not my cup of tea.” But I feel like that would be a lie because I marathon-listened to this story despite my discomfort and revulsion at times. That marathon impulse – the need to hear the story to the end and learn all the mysteries and secrets - leads me to rate this story highly – 5 stars. Having said that, I now need to listen to a very sweet romance with a lot of humour to recover from The Red :)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
geocelh geraldizo
I am an obsessed Tiffany Reisz reader/fan and let me tell you, of all the crazy sh** she has written, did not see this one coming.

First I flove the cover. I went to a signing in April and bought the hardback and it is gorgeous.

Second this is erotic fantasy at its very finest. Reisz has a way with words that is unparalleled.

Mona St. James inherits the "The Red" from her mother, whose dying words to Mona were "Do anything you have to, but save The Red." The gallery was on its last leg and it was down to Mona and Tou-Tou the honorary gallery cat.

The hero is a handsome Englishman who is so so very kinky. You can't help but be jealous of Mona. The things he says and does would melt any female and some males. A few chapters my eyes were bugged out and I was like "did I just read, that?" So I would go back and read it again and it would be just as shocking the second time.

I can't tell you the deal she made to try and save the gallery or what transpired because this story is too brilliant to spoil or takeaway from your personal experience when you read it. Just go in with an open mind because it is dirty, dark and mind blowing and I loved every second of it. I re-read almost all of Tiffany's books and this will be no exception.

Thank you Tiffany for another exhilarating experience.

I was gifted a copy for an honest review.

Reviewed by Becky for JoandIsaLoveBooks
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
alan parkinson
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 h3ll. 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.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
prasoon
It's intense, captivating, prominent. Tiffany Reisz has done it again.
There are not enough stars to give this book, and I don’t have the words to express my love.
I'm a big fan of art. Paintings are my weakness. And this book is nothing but ART. Tiffany Reisz has created a masterpiece of literature.
This book was everything I wanted and more. I was glued to every page, not wanting to put it down. I felt every bit of feeling from both Malcolm and Mona. Their story has had me captivated from page 1 and had my rapt attention all the way to the end.
This story is so much more than 5 stars, it makes me question most of my 5 star ratings because it just MORE. I loved this book on a level I can't describe. ♥

P.S.: This book is not for everyone. If you're a glittery pink unicorn, for art's sake, don't read this story. Or read it. But I have spoken!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
shawn stapleton
I loved reading the fabulous and awesome erotic fantasy written by the wonderfully talented Tiffany Reisz. I voluntarily reviewed a copy through NetGalley.
Mona St. James is trying desperately to keep her deceased mother's art gallery open. When Mona is about to give up on the gallery, a handsome English stranger, Malcom, walks in offering to save her gallery. Malcom's proposition is for Mona to submit to him for a year in exchange for his help. Mona finds herself in unbelievable erotic fantasies and can't help but fall for the mysterious man who promises to disappear from her life in a year.
Read the highly recommended and a mesmerizing and spellbinding story-line.
★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
vinayan
There is absolutely nothing real about this story. Everything is just fake and make believe. Too much sex with a ghost of a man and no storyline.

Twenty six year old Mona is an art gallery owner who is knee deep in depths. One night a man came to her and tell her that he will save the gallery from closing by giving her a priceless piece of art painting if she agrees to be his prostitute for one year. She agrees to the deal without knowing anything about the man except his first name Malcolm. One night of every month he would materialize and they would have lots of sex. Bondage, whipping, slave auction all kinds of role play.

I don’t see how a man whole palm including his five fingers can fit up a woman’s hoo haa. This is total BS. He stick a bottle in her. Fair I knew that is kinda possible. But his whole palm? That is ridiculous and still the author keep writing that the woman hoo haa is tight!!! After all this crap?? There is no way a woman can be tight after that. Then Malcom role play turn him into a Minotaur with an out of this world size organ which is not humanly possible. And Mona allowed him to split her open with it and she was fine?? She didn’t had to be rushed to the ER or anything!! That is not possible. All this while she still had a tight hoo haa according to the author.

All of this wasted time reading only to find out at the end that Malcolm is a ghost who died since 1950. She was with a ghost all this time. And he left her with a painting of himself after their last ghostly night together. The painting created quite a storm with the media outlets and Malcolm grandson, from the actual present here and now who is 37 years old , visited her one night to ask her for the painting and she didn’t want to sell it to him so he just cart her off his shoulders and forced her to marry him because that is the only way the painting will legally be half his if he marries her. The end.

I wasted my money buying this book and my time reading it! Nonsense
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
yanna
The Red is all things EROTIC, I didn’t know if any book could leave you HOT and BOTHERED (to an extent you constantly had to take a break to avoid having book-orgasm) like this one. That being said if you have read her previous books you must be aware of Tiffany Reisz’s phenomenal story telling ability. And with The Red, Ms. Reisz has taken this story to a whole new level.

Mona Lisa St. James is an owner of an art gallery ‘Red’ which is on the verge of shutting down. This gallery is the only thing that mattered to it, her mother’s dying wish, to save Red at any cost. And this help came in the form of a mysterious, wealthy Englishman ready to help Mona save this gallery but in return, she has to submit to him whenever he wants.

Not something new to most of us romance readers but with Ms. Reisz’s books you can always expect to be blown away by her unconventional love story and those surprising turn of events. This book isn’t all about s*x (who am I kidding, 95% of the book is about it) but beyond that, the suspense, vivid settings, the characters, authenticity of her topic and the story development are just fascinating. Ms. Reisz is known for portraying strong female leads, Mona initially came across as shy and timid young women desperate to save her mother’s legacy. As the story progressed her character bloomed under Malcolm’s touch, she grew in every act, it’s like you are living her life and at times I wanted to switch places with her *winks*

What was supposed to be an agreement between the two turned out to be a life altering experience for Mona. This path of self-discovery Mona had throughout this sexual encounter was beautiful and heart-warming. Her passion and strength reminded me so much of Nora (Ms. Reisz’s master piece of all time), Nora once said-being called ‘sl*t’ and ‘wh**e’ is the highest compliment in her world and the way Mona embraced it was so delightful to read.

Leave it to Ms. Reisz to write something so provocative in such a subtle and elegant way that pushes your boundary and opens up your mind to any possibility. And I love her for that, no matter how many romance novels I read, her books always stand out to me, they bring a new meaning to love and intimacy.

This book isn’t for everyone, it has a strong sexual content and certain encounters are cringe worthy but if you are like me, loves everything dirty, filthy and erotic you will love it. Ms. Reisz’s style of writing is an acquired taste, her stories will definitely ruin other erotic books for life!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
regalreisender
If you are unfamiliar with Tiffany Reisz, you may want to mentally prepare yourself. This book is bananas, but in the best possible way. The Red is about a young woman named Mona, who comes from scandalous beginnings (her mother was a free love kinda gal, and invited a man to impregnate her without any strings because she wanted a child) and is now faced with a arduous task of saving her late mother's gallery from financial ruin. She's gone over the books, and the prognosis in grim. Right at the moment she decides she can't fight it any longer and needs to sell it, a mysterious man shows up, and offers her the money it will take to bring the gallery back from its debts IF she agrees to submit to his sexual appetites with a carte blanche agreement.

Mona is intrigued by the man, and really doesn't want to sell the gallery, so she agrees. They embark on a year-long steamy affair, where she is given hints about their encounters from a variety of paintings. He shows up every few months for many hours of debauchery, which begin to become strange and twisted, and nearly unbelievable. She wonders if her imagination is that good, or if he's drugging her somehow.

I can't spoil it any further than that, the final few chapters of the book are incredible, and this book definitely lives up to its 'erotic fantasy' tagline. But this book is not for pearl-clutchers; it's raunchy, debauched, and sometimes even slightly uncomfortable. You'll likely never look at the paintings referred to in this book the same way ever again.

This book straddles the line between gothic romance and contemporary. It's unclear what time period it belongs to. Other than telephones and town cars, we don't get a huge technological presence, so its hard to tell exactly what time period it takes place. It seems to borrow heavily from mannerisms of historical romance, while being set closer to the present. Some of the language and characterizations also have that 'old world' ring to them, without corsets and Dukes. And obviously, the book takes place in New York, which makes it closer to the present than the past.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. The book is straight up dirty, and it did get a little uncomfortable at times, but the way the story all ties in together at its conclusion makes the whole thing worth it. If you can handle the smut (along with content warnings for just about everything beyond missionary), then I highly recommend this book. It's a crazy ride that'll leave you fanning yourself.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
francisco artega
“Things aren’t what they seem.”
Ain't that the truth of all times !. Scandalous story of an Earl of Godwick -Malcolm Arthur Augustus Fitzroy. The Earl of Godwick. He's a man of his word. A promise on a deathbed and he's a soul hanging in limbo. He handpicks Mona to get a rightful heir and in the process , he comes alive.
Mona , is a gallery owner - The Red. Its actually going under , burdened with debts she accrued while taking care of her ailing mother. She promises her mother on her deathbed that she'd do anything to save the Gallery.
And then she meets the Devil ,Who smiles ....no he smirks! He offers to save her gallery, but she'd have to sell herself like a whore to him, for a year.
He’d made her three promises when they’d made their deal: He promised to pay her enough in art to save the gallery. He promised to tell her the provenance of the paintings. And he promised he would leave her.
During this year , He brings her hidden desires to surface. Role playing and enacting the paintings he gifts her. They're pulsating with life and she explores them under the hand of Malcolm. Are they hallucinations, dreams, enactments .....

Olympia
Dora And the Minotaur
The luncheon on the Grass
The Roman Charity

Each painting just breathes and unfolds like a theatrical play right in front of our eyes and by becoming captive IN them, Mona unlocks and frees her own inhibitions and some ancient mysteries.
The story is not written, but displayed in front of you. Words morph into visions and swirling colours and babbling Brooks and dancing nymphs and growling minotaur and swishing crops . Tiffany bleeds emotions on the paper and strikes deep into your soul . My whole being thrummed with intense aftershocks reading the passionate animalistic, raw sexual encounters.
By this time my mind is playing tricks on me. But i am beyond care.
I'm craving Malcolm as a worshipper craves her God
He was a god to her now, a god of sex and sin.In hell where the sins of lust were punished, they said the lascivious damned tore each other apart with their desires , and the rent and bleeding pieces still found ways to meet and mate with each other. How was that hell, she wondered? These theologians had never met Malcolm.
I'm amazed by the spread of Tiffanys imagination, it's an endless ocean of visions and poems. Carefully weaving and interspersing till you forget where you are, what you're reading or where you're supposed to be. You just meander in a world she creates with a candle light. You just see only what is in front of you , rest is dark and unknown. That's where the magic lies!!!
What magic was it, what sorcery that could turn an act of violence and pain into an act of adoration and affection? It was alchemy, the art of turning base things into gold.
Same could be said about Reisz !!
One of a kind story
One of a kind writer
One of a kind characters
“Millions of paintings in this world. Only one Mona Lisa. Billions of women in this world. Only one you, Mona Lisa St. James.”
And Malcolm ....what can I say about him . He could be the Devil , “The devil wants your soul. I only want your body.”
But he's just a man trying to fulfill a promise he made. He suffers because he fell in love with a woman he shouldn't have !!
"There's debauchery but no debasement " is perhaps the most profound sentence of the story.that separates Mona from all the other submissives.shes not obligated , but she's obliged.
She doesn't seduce Malcolm for Degas, but she does because he gives her Degas..
Delve Deep ladies....theres a whole pool of light in here
I'm so enamoured by Tiffany, I'm going to drink every word she's ever written, even if it takes me a lifetime. And I won't ingest, just swirl them around in my brain so I can feel them for ages !!
And then go hunting for an antique brass bed with knobs<3
From inside his frame, the portrait of Malcolm smiled. Or was it a smirk?
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
tonya hill
Mona Lisa St. James lived and breathed art since she was a little girl. Growing up in The Red, the gallery owned by her mother, she learned to appreciate her mother's eclectic erotic arts collection. After her mother's death she struggled to keep the gallery afloat and refused to sell due to her promise. Just as she's at her wits end, a man came with an offer she couldn't refuse.

Malcolm came to her at a desperate hour. The mysterious Englishman offered to save The Red in exchange of her total submission. All she had to do was gave him her trust for a period of one year and he promised to show her unimaginable pleasures beyond what she ever experienced.

I actually didn't realize this book is paranormal/fantasy until right before I read it. And what a dirty one it is :p

I have to say, I wouldn't mind being in Mona's shoes at all haha! She might be in the cusp of losing something but she ended up gaining so much more because she was not afraid of taking extreme measures.

Malcolm might seem like a perfect gentleman on the surface, but he could make love like a degenerate. I like how he had everything under control and used that directly or indirectly in keeping Mona on his leash.

Like I mentioned before, this book is dirty. Don't expect lovely, dovey romance here. It's pure filthy erotica - just the way I like :p There were plenty of sexual situations/scenes that might make some cringe but definitely with enough varieties to make anyone satisfied.

What I love the most about this book is how the author used artworks in propelling the story - how the eroticism of the paintings brought to live. I'm more of a sculpture and architecture person, but I could still appreciate the paintings, especially if it's related to Greek mythology which is something I love. My favorite painting and scene is the Minotaur chapter.

The Red follows the sexual exploit of a woman who took chances and opened up herself to a new experience. It would appeal to readers who like their books filthy while still being classy.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
hanna elizabeth
*3.5 stars*

I'm a Tiffany Reisz fan, but this book was NOT what I was expecting. The Red is a book that is extremely hard to review without giving away spoilers, and this is a book that can truly be spoiled by a careless review. I will try very hard not to be careless, however, I think there are some important things that potential readers should know going into this one.

1) This is NOT a romance. If you are looking for any sort of romance you are barking up the wrong tree. While there is a hint of romance near the end of the book, this book is EROTICA, plain and simple. And there is nothing wrong with that, however, it is something you should be aware of.

2) This book is KINKY. If you are squeamish about any or all of the following, stay away (some minor spoilers ahead): Group sex and/or multiple partners, pain and bruising play, anal, fisting, role play, orgasm denial, and more. I'm not generally a fan of pain play, but all the other stuff was no sweat for little kinky me.

3) This book does not have much of a plot. It just... doesn't. Most of the book is sex, sex, and more sex. There is very little else happening. It is literally all about the sex.

4) The female MC is a whore. Literally. I'm not using whore in a derogatory manner, but you should know that the female MC prostitutes herself out to the male MC (for most of the story) in order to save her store. This is basically explained in the blurb, but you should know that Mona embraces this role. There is no shame, no guilt, no barriers. There is NO safeword.

Now, I actually loved how sex-positive the female MC was. She was open and free with her body in a way that I rarely see in fiction. She was insatiable and shameless and glorious. It is one of the things I liked most about the book.

I enjoyed the sex in the book a great deal, but I was always plagued with my doubts, my logical mind interfering. I KNEW there had to be some twist, some catch, and that bothered me as I was reading. It was almost a relief once I figured it all out because I could just concentrate on the kinky stuff and let the story wash over me.

I rushed through this book in two sittings. It went very, very quickly, despite being quite long. I liked it for what it was, but I think I was expecting more romance, more plot and less sex. However, if I look at this book as simply some clever erotica, I like it more. It is clever, and it is erotica, and it is well-written. Just check my warnings and go into it with an open mind and minimal expectations.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
grace lucas
I'm starting to get a feel for Ms. Reisz's writing and how, well, odd it can be sometimes.

I don't think you can label it simply as erotica. This book, I mean. It is erotica, don't get me wrong, but it's more than that. It's sort of... paranormal? Supernatural?

Anyway, it's not really for the faint of heart. My curiosity beat everything, so I read it but I'm not sure I'd reread this one. I liked it, it just had certain things I wasn't okay with.

So Mona has to save her mom's precious art gallery, The Red. Up to here in debts, she doesn't know what to do. Her mom made her promise to do anything. So when a handsome stranger shows up, telling Mona he will save her gallery from ruin if she does his bidding for an entire year, she says yes.

Their agreement is a strange one. I'm pretty sure I would have said no. I'm just that type. But with Mona having said yes, we embark on a crazy, what-the-eff, LSD-induced ride that we, unlike Mona, haven't signed up for.

Are certain things hot? Yes. Are certain scenes uncomfortable? Oh yeah. Are the reader's limits/boundaries being pushed? You bet. There's actually one scene that was a major nope for me and I hated Malcolm in it and just couldn't wrap my mind around Mona accepting it.

Moving along.

Along the way, you can feel there's maybe a tiny bit of something between the characters, but it has a deadline so yeah, no. Plus, I don't even think the author was banking on giving the reader that many feels. Heartache, joy and such. But of course you're riveted and drawn and so pulled into the story, you just keep on reading, even while widening your eyes, shaking your head or mouthing WTF to yourself.

It's decadent. It's hedonistic. It's pretty intense too. It's a book that erotica readers should definitely give a try. But make sure you're 100% ready for the wild ride because what Mona feels, you feel.

I voluntarily agreed to review a copy through Netgalley, my rating is 4 stars.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
tara mctiernan
I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately. I’m 16 books behind on my Goodreads goal, and have been having a hard time getting immersed in books. In an attempt to get out of my slump, I hopped on NetGalley and downloaded The Red: An Erotic Fantasy by one of my favorite authors, Tiffany Reisz. I wanted a book that was like candy… no, I lied. I wanted the book equivalent of salty kettle-cooked potato chips, the kind of thing that’s satisfying and delicious and easy to devour in one sitting but makes you want more. That’s exactly what I found in The Red.

The color red becomes a constant theme throughout the book. Mona, the book’s protagonist, is a redhead. Her mother recently died, leaving behind a host of bills, and now the art gallery (called the Red) that Mona and her mother ran together is in the red. On her deathbed, Mona’s mom made her promise to do whatever it takes to save the gallery. Mona realizes that saving the gallery is impossible, and resigns herself to losing it.

Then one night as she’s closing up shop a handsome stranger appears in the shop, seemingly out of nowhere. And while Mona’s a bit freaked out, she rolls with it, and decides to hear him out. He makes her an offer–if she sleeps with him and submits to his desires once a month or so over the next year, he will pay her more than enough money to save the gallery. Against her better judgement, Mona agrees.

Each month, Mona finds a note from the stranger, a famous painting which he desires her to enact. And the first couple nights they end up acting out the BDSM-type fantasies that Mona was expecting. But then it starts to get weird, not in a kinky way so much as a blurring-the-bounds-of-what-is-real-and-what-is-a-dream kind of way, and the book begins to resemble magical realism as much as it does erotica. And that’s where my summary will end for fear of giving anything away.

I enjoyed The Red tremendously. It’s artsy and trippy and sexy and most of all is the kind of book that you can dive into and escape from your own reality into a world where anything is possible. Through her monthly encounters, Mona embarks on a journey of self-discovery, and what started out as a way to save her art gallery ends up teaching her about what she wants and expects from a lover and partner. And seeing Mona move from grief to joy suited my mood so well, given that I’ve experienced loss in the past few months and am still trying to process my emotions from it. The Red is kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading in the first place, and it came into my life at precisely the right moment for me to appreciate it most.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
mary blochberger
When I pick up a book by Tiffany Reisz I know to expect the unexpected. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that she will take me places I’ve never been before and make me enjoy and marvel at storylines that should probably shock if not horrify me. All of that was reinforced while I read The Red. In fact it is probably safe to say Mrs Reisz surpassed herself with this story when it comes to making shocking and graphic scenes not only tantalisingly hot but also borderline normal.

Mona knows she will do anything to keep the promise she made to her mother on her deathbed. She won’t stop at anything when it comes to keeping The Red, the art gallery she’s inherited from her mother, open. So, when a mysterious man named Malcolm offers to provide her with the money she needs to avoid bankruptcy in return for her willing submission over the course of a year, she barely hesitates before agreeing.

I won’t go into any details about what follows, if only because it might lead to the review not being accepted on certain sites. What I will say is that Malcolm takes images from famous paintings and re-enacts them, stretching Mona’s body and boundaries with every subsequent encounter.

It isn’t long before the boundaries blur. While Mona tries to convince herself that she only puts up with Malcolm and his kinky scenarios, which are too vivid to be mere dreams, for the money he’s promised, it soon becomes clear that she’s becoming addicted to Malcolm and the exquisite torture he introduces her to.

“She could either see Malcolm or she could see reason, and Malcolm was a finer sight than anything as dull as reason.”

Which leads me to the warning I feel I should issue. This book is not for the easily shocked or offended. When I say that Malcolm pushes virtually every single (sexual) limit a person could have, I’m not joking. Many things which you might feel are or should be taboo are exactly the experiences that tie Mona ever closer to Malcolm. Her journey is shocking, beautiful and mesmerising.

I have to be honest here and admit that for the longest time I thought I wasn’t going to adore The Red. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, was mesmerised by it in fact, but had this nagging feeling that it was missing that something special that had made me love the Original Sinners stories so much. And I can’t deny that I never connected to Mona or Malcolm in quite the same way as I did to Nora & co in that earlier series.

But, I should have known better than to even consider for one minute that The Red lacked substance or originality. This is, after all, a story by Tiffany Reisz. And she is in a league of her own when it comes to pulling threads together. Few authors can match her when it comes to taking you by surprise long after you think you’ve got it all figured out. Just when I was absolutely sure the story I had almost finished was a rather exquisite version of ‘Mona in Carnal Wonderland’; an intriguing, deviant and endlessly erotic fantasy with little rhyme or reason to the underlying story, it suddenly all made sense without the final reveal diminishing the dreamlike quality to the story. And what’s more, I loved that the ending implies that the journey Mona had undertaken with Malcolm was only the start of our heroine’s life as a perfect whore.

So while it remains true that the Original Sinners books will more than likely forever be my favourites, I can’t deny that I did thoroughly enjoy this paranormal, very erotic, and addictive fantasy.

“And the devil had smirked, not smiled, because the devil does not smile.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
trin
Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse

I have never read a story quite like this one. Firstly, I went in blind which in hindsight, wasn't such a good idea--or was it? My shock was as such that I couldn’t believe my eyes! Me, who doesn’t do fantasy or paranormal, was reading just that and had nothing to compare it with. Actually, since I don't think this standalone is comparable with any other, I didn’t know whether to carry on or DNF. But my curiosity won hands down and once I got into it, there was no stopping me. It’s neither too long nor too short and the well-balanced chapters are distinguishable scenarios. Actually, little imagination is needed for one to get the impression that they're watching a theatrical play, the chapters being acts.

It always worries me when authors are overly descriptive with their characters’ actions and surroundings in a story. More often than not, scenes read heavily and I quickly lose interest. But this was not the case because what Ms Reisz created, I loved. Her writing style has a poetic touch to it; the vocabulary--picturesque and she’s given the book a ‘romanticism’ feel to it. Therefore the scenery is easy to imagine, especially if you’re a lover of fine art. Fantastical erotism is woven into a plot set in The Red, an art gallery in dire straits. I really liked the heroine, Mona Lisa St. James. Yes, her name is a tad peculiar but her deceased mother was a passionate woman who had a great love for anything arty. Mona’s inherited her mother’s open-mindedness and is often in her thoughts. Clearly, this was one of the reasons she was mentioned so much in the book. Another one caught me off balance towards the end; a twist of sorts that I never expected, leaving me grinning from ear to ear.

In love or in lust. Is it possible to confuse these emotions because I thought the female protagonist mistook the first by being blindsided by the second? Surely, there's a limit to what one would do for another regardless of the sizzling hot chemistry between two lovers. In this story, boundaries simply don't exist for Mona and they certainly do not for the player, the devilishly charming Earl of Godwick, Malcolm Arthur Augustus Fitzroy. He’s not only the perfect English gentleman, but will make sure their sexual games are consensual. He’s also to become her saviour in a way I would never have guessed in an extremely well-thought-out plan. What I was really taken with was how different they are. Both have art in common but that’s as far as it goes. Malcolm is secretive whereas Mona is an open book.   

Raw emotions abound. Occasionally failing to differentiate between reality and fantasy, her submission to the mysterious Malcolm steadily grows until her need for him and his sexual fantasies verge on obsession. She’s never demeaned and always respected even in the most complex moments so in this respect, it’s easier on the reader. But pleased be warned: this is a very, but very naughty read with a gorgeous twist just in the right place. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend The Red and for fans of this author’s flamboyantly sensual writing, I can see you all lapping up this read. By the way, I adored Tou-Tou! Bravo Ms Reisz!  
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
andy harrison
Oh, My friggin god !!!! I'm not quite sure where to start with this review, perhaps with a disclaimer that if you have a weak constitution maybe put this book down now as the Red is likely to give you a bleeding heart attack with its dubiously delectable content.
ME!!! well, bring on the coronary because this book man, what a way to go!!
But seriously if you're easily offended or a bit of a novice to the erotica genre, you might want to start your journey with something a little less hard-core, as The Red Is not a novel with romantic lovey-Dovey phrases or lame-ass cliches.
It was so refreshing that it called a spade a spade!!!
no cutesy words, just plain tell it as it is loved that.
This for me was one of the biggest reasons this gets a big smokin thumbs up from me.
and I can honestly say I have never quite read anything like this before, The Red has an almost mythical surreal quality to some of its happenings, with its play on famous works of art and nymphs and minotaurs.
I hadn't had the delight of experiencing Tiffany Reisz's work before so this was a first for me, First but will not be the last time now I have discovered the voice of this unique author.
The Red's Storyline is simple, Mona Lisa St James needs to save her late mother's Art Gallery and she's practically broke.
Enter Malcolm her mysterious saviour who offers to pay Mona in very expensive art in return for carte-blanche when it comes to her body.
whatever he wishes, he gets, once a month for a year, after that he will disappear from her life forever and Mona will have the means to save the gallery.
The tale then takes us through every encounter, each one different, some more depraved than others but each encounter will make you squirm with its lack of modesty and the sheer corruption in Malcolm's every action.
I loved the way the story unfolded and I would say this was more of a delicious debasement than a romance, a debasement that our girl Mona embraced and welcomed wholeheartedly as The Red draws to its inevitable conclusion.
It's quite obvious to the reader that Malcolm has a hidden agenda which becomes more apparent to Mona as the story unfolds
Quite frankly hidden agendas, in my opinion, are all well and good but honestly, I was just counting the seconds to Mona and Malcolm's next session Take 1, Take 2 Take 3 could go on and on here sigh.
Well anyway, I really enjoyed The Red and would happily recommend it to my fellow perverts all that's left is for me to profusely thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy of this novel by Tiffany Reisz, this is an unbiased reflection of said novel.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
croqui
I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads

5 What-the-heck-is-going-on stars

I need to preface this review that it will be short and sweet, because I will not remove the entertainment value for the reader by adding anything that isn't already in the blurb.

I enjoyed the suspense of trying to figure out what was happening. While I enjoyed the content, what speared me on was trying to puzzle out who Malcolm was in relation to Mona, with a bunch of wild guesses being made. This kept me endlessly entertained, because generally I deduce every detail about a story in the beginning, so it's always amazing when I don't know what's going on (not in a confusing, the author doesn't know what's going on either, so the story is being written by the seat of their pants, but when it's written precisely in a controlled manner from start to finish)

Mona's whole life revolves around The Red, her mother's gallery. After making a deathbed vow to always keep The Red, Mona is struggling under a mountain of debt and in an economy where art lovers aren't dropping big bucks to buy from her gallery... in walks salvation, with a devilish request.

If you've read Tiffany Reisz in the past, expect a similar feel with the content- erotic, inventive scenes, BDSM elements, and a riding crop. With The Red, expect a more truncated experience, which I was thankful to read. No inane everyday experiences, no making coffee, or every detail of taking a shower, or phone calls made to relatives, the food eaten, or the actions to take the character from point A to C.

These everyday mundane actions are left up to the reader's imagination, with only the important scenes spotlit by the author. This creates a super-fast pacing, focuses on Mona and Malcolm's agreement and the things that matter- setting the scenes between the characters. However, it takes a bit away from the character building- getting to know the narrator on a deeper level and the relationship she has with Malcolm. But, if the reader uses their imagination and empathy, the gaps should be easy to fill.

Erotic scenes, some sensual and slightly silly, some hardcore and intense, are torn from the canvases of masterpieces. There was an ethereal feel to some of these scenes, almost fairy-tale-esque. Well thought out, highly inventive and creative, it wasn't a stick part B into slot A repetitiveness.

The mystery is the story itself. At the ending, I was eager for more yet surprisingly satisfied with what was left up to my imagination.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
annie jansen
Mona Lisa St. James’ story is the epitome of erotic fantasy; it’s a novella that allows readers to suspend reality and delve into an environment that has elements of pain and pleasure and beauty and truth as well as acts of savagery and chivalry.

It’s a fitting world from the mind of Tiffany Reisz because it’s wickedly delicious and speaks to the nature of true sexual wantonness and only Reisz can write a story where there is a perverse enjoyment to be used like a whore, submitting and succumbing to a being who is both a man and the devil at the same time. And even though Mona questions her sanity, she is neither embarrassed nor ashamed because she’s fulfilling the promise to her dying mother and experiencing sexual pleasure that a fine lady like herself would never experience in her ‘real world’ because it’s meant to only exist in Malcolm’s self-created one - a place where she offers him carte blanche when it comes to the use of her body for his pleasure and wiles…a place where her wantonness and arousal is heightened and the idea of her body being bought for Malcolm’s personal use in any way he sees fit is not only acceptable but desired and ultimately needed.

The Red is an art studio that has limitless possibilities after Mona agrees to Malcolm’s unorthodox deal and as The Red becomes a sexual haven for this makeshift couple, it also proves to be an avenue where the “reality” of the backroom becomes a sanctuary to imitate works of art in all ways of debauchery, illustrating that Malcolm’s degenerate games have a bigger purpose than the one originally intended because once the true nature of who Malcolm is and the reasons behind his need to help to save Mona’s art studio are revealed, his games become a series of puzzle pieces that Mona has to put together and realize their true intent.

Mona and Malcolm are dynamic characters whose true natures are exposed and explored as their story continues and by the time readers reach the conclusion of The Red, they will understand what the endgame is for both characters and how what occurs has been set in motion much earlier than anyone would have recognized.

The Red showcases Reisz’s ability to transport her readers into a sexually charged fantastical setting - one where the taboo idea of being 
someone’s sexual slave…someone’s property is glorified instead of treated as a reprehensible idea. And as each piece of art is played out in all of its sinfully tantalizing glory, the fantasy becomes one perhaps readers would willingly submit to as well.

4 Poison Apples
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
jean middleton
Mona Lisa St. James is the proprietress of the Red Gallery. Having inherited the love of art and the gallery from her late mother, Mona is desperately trying to keep the business financially afloat. Overwhelmed and having exhausted her options, Mona decides to close the gallery until a gentleman propositions Mona with an opportunity of a lifetime.

Mysteriously appearing at the Red, Malcolm is a tall, dark and handsome Englishman who knows exactly what he wants. Sympathetic to Mona’s financial situation, Malcolm offers Mona the chance to keep her gallery afloat in exchange for agreeing to submit to him for one full year.

What ensues is a series of meetings where Malcolm orchestrates fantasies inspired by various works of art. In exchange for Mona’s submission to anything Malcolm desires, she receives pleasure, pain and more than she could have imagined. As each of their assignations offers different themes that weave art, beauty and wonder into erotic tableaus, the connection between Mona and Malcolm deepens. With Mona’s attraction to Malcolm, she begins to feel and see what he wants her to experience and it is sensual, arousing, stimulating and hot. Malcolm is unabashedly open about his limitless sexual appetite and desires.

Over a year passes with Mona and Malcolm being true to their promises but when their fantasies alter reality, Mona must reassess the value and ultimate closure of her arrangement with Malcolm. Up until that point, Mona doesn’t want it to end, but with Malcolm, Mona knows that Malcolm’s reach knows no bounds.

To say this book is erotic and steamy is an understatement, as Tiffany Reisz admirably translates the timeless beauty of art and weaves these compositions into real feelings and sensations. The Red is true erotica at its best with explicitly delicious scenes but also offering an intelligent and cohesive plot with intriguing characters. Mona’s confident sexuality, loyalty to a vision and willingness to take a risk made her a standout character. With Malcolm, the allure and mystery surrounding him was contagious and who can resist a gentleman on the outside but a beast in every other way.

As always, Tiffany’s writing is flawless as she transports the reader into wonderfully erotic and passionate fantasies. For those who wish to escape to a kinky world without limits, I highly recommend The Red!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
jacquelyn
If you are familiar with the goddess that is Tiffany Reisz then you are also familiar with Nora Sutherlin, one of her most well-known creations. In the multiple novels that comprise the Original Sinners series, Nora's character was developed to be a writer of erotica and she [fictionally] authored a book titled The Red. Ms. Reisz demonstrates her love for her characters not only because she has so talently and palpably written them into life, but now she has allowed a fictional character's work to also take form. Ms. Reisz is only the second author I have seen do this and it is such a clever move. Not only does it pay tribute to an amazing character but it pays tribute to the fans. No, fictional characters aren't real but through God-given talent such as Ms. Reisz, they feel real and readers make genuine connections. It is such a joy to re-visit them at every opportunity and The Red allowed me to do just that.

For those who have not yet met Nora, no worries! This novel stands on its own apart from the Original Sinners series. There are absolutely no prerequisites required to enjoy this story other than being open to 248 pages of erotic fantasy. But when I say “erotic”, believe me, this is some creative stuff right here. When you have elements of magical realism, fantasy, history, art (oh, the art!), and BDSM entwined with erotica, you know it's going to be an interesting ride. In my perspective, The Red felt like the ultimate fairy tale for adults. It was dark, imaginative, and fantastical, and the erotica component will make your head spin. You know if Nora's character authored this, it's going to be out-of-the-box explicit. But it's also lovely, mysterious, and has noticeable traces of Nora's witty humor. If anything in this review sparks your interest, seriously check it out!

My favorite quote:
"She imagined the real Olympia. She must have existed, or a girl much like her. The painting had shocked viewers for the forthright way Olympia held up her head. Shameless, she was. Unapologetic. Why should she apologize? It was the men who paid her for sex. She was merely doing what she’d been told to do all her life: submit her body and will to men. How dare those men judge her? They’d created her. A woman can’t sell her body without clients to buy it. Olympia would laugh all the way to the bank and then likely spread her legs for the bank president in exchange for free checking. What a girl."
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
danielle golisnki
CURIOSITY KILLS THE CAT. OR, IN MY CASE, PREVENTS SLEEP. THE REASON? I CANNOT POSSIBLY REST WHEN I HAVEN’T LEARNED THE OUTCOME OF A STIMULATING STORY. AND, LET ME TELL YOU MY FELLOW INTROVERTS, THIS BOOK IS A ROLLER-COASTER ON THE TABOO TRAIN. TOOT-TOOT! BUCKLE UP AND GET READY FOR A WILD RIDE.

IN ALL HONESTY, I’M A LOVER OF HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE. I RELISH THE KINKY AND EVEN THE UNSPEAKABLE. HOWEVER, I CRAVE THE INTIMATE EXPERIENCE OF TWO UNLIKELY PEOPLE UNABLE TO RESIST THEIR ATTRACTION. THAT MOMENT WHEN THEY SUBMIT TO THEIR MUTUAL PASSIONS NOT ONLY GIVES ME A HIGH, IT MAKES ME FEEL HOPEFUL THAT LOVE EXISTS. 30755704THAT BOND IS WHAT MAKES THE SENSUALLY EXPLICIT COME TO LIFE FOR ME. WHY AM I SAYING THIS? I SAY THIS BECAUSE EROTIC ROMANCE IS NOT IN MY WHEEL HOUSE. AND NO, I’M NOT A PRUDE. IT’S SIMPLY THAT I DON’T FEEL THE SAME HEART-WRENCHING CONNECTION WITH EROTIC ROMANCE AS I DO WITH HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY.

I’M SURE BY NOW YOU MUST BE WONDERING WHY I DECIDED TO REVIEW THE RED. THE ANSWER IS I’D READ A WONDERFUL REVIEW OF THE BOOK THAT PIQUED MY INTEREST AND I APPLIED TO READ THE BOOK BASED ON THAT INDIVIDUALS REVIEW. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED, EITHER. MS. REISZ COULDN’T HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB OF PENNING AN EROTIC JOURNEY OF SEXUAL EXPLOITS. SHE INCLUDED A MYSTERIOUS ELEMENT THAT KEEP ME GLUED TO THE PAGE. HER DETAIL-ORIENTED WRITING STYLE MADE ME FEEL AS IF I WERE A VOYEUR. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE ULTIMATE ESCAPE, READ THE RED. IN MY OPINION, THIS LUST-FILLED EROTIC ADVENTURE WILL KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT WITH ITS OVER-THE-TOP SINFUL FANTASIES.

HAPPY READING!

SYNOPSIS:

MONA LISA ST. JAMES IS BALANCING ON THE EDGE OF FINANCIAL RUIN AFTER INHERITING HER MOTHER’S ART GALLERY. WHEN A MYSTERIOUS STRANGER OFFERS TO SAVE THE GALLERY IN EXCHANGE FOR A YEAR OF CART BLANCH SEXUAL EXPLOITS WITH MONA, SHE AGREES TO BECOME HIS WHORE. IT ISN’T LONG BEFORE THE HANDSOME ENGLISHMAN HAS MONA SUBMITTING TO HIS EVERY DESIRE.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
cian
3.5 stars

Mona made a promise on her mother's death bed to do whatever it took to keep their art gallery, The Red, open but no matter how hard she's tried she is finding it impossible to make ends meet. Her debts have been increasing and she's on the verge of having to sell when a mysterious man makes her a tempting offer. He will help her save The Red if she agrees to submit to him for one night a month over the next year. By the end of the year she'll be completely clear financially and he'll walk away, never to be seen again. She's not sure that's quite what her mother had in mind but Malcom is pretty irresistible so it wouldn't be a hardship to spend time with him, in fact she'd willingly do it for free, so she happily agrees. Soon Mona finds herself drawn into a whirlwind of pleasure beyond imagining where lines between fantasy and reality become blurred and she starts to wonder if it was all just a dream.

If you've ever read anything by Tiffany Reisz you'll already know she's the queen of erotica, she writes such incredibly sex scenes and is always pushing my boundaries. I actually thought she'd pushed me as far as she could throughout the Original Sinners series but she found completely new ways to boggle my mind in The Red. Mona and Malcom's early encounters are incredibly hot, every time they meet they recreate a scene from a famous painting and I enjoyed the amount of detail we were given and the scenes Malcom created for Mona. This book is basically a series of very long sex scenes so the plot outside those scenes is a little on the thin side but when I'm enjoying the smut that isn't an issue. Unfortunately it pushed just a few too many boundaries for me and there was a point in the book where I started crossing my legs in horror rather than getting turned on! I love that Tiffany isn't afraid to take risks but that does mean her stories aren't always going to work for every reader and this one pretty much lost me in the second half.

The mystery about who Malcom was and why he only visited Mona once a month before vanishing as quickly as he'd arrived kept me reading though and I thought that was resolved in a very clever way. The ending felt a little on the rushed side though, there are some huge revelations and everything seemed to wrap up a little too quickly and easily. I wanted more of an epilogue to see what happened beyond that but I guess that's the romance reader in me and this isn't really a romance, it's an erotic fantasy and on that level it hits the spot perfectly.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
omphale23
When I got the email about this little beauty I was all over it like a rash, this author is one of my favorite authors of all time not just because her books are erotic but the way Tiffany writes she takes you to another world and puts you right there in the book and when you’re in some of those moments the take your breath away or either make you hold your breath.

If you’re a original sinners fan you will love this book. Have you ever wondered what the book Nora was writing was about?

Well now you have a chance to read what Nora was writing about.

And well to be honest who the hell wouldn’t want to know what she was writing.

Moana, a daughter of a I would say an Eccentric woman she was a bit out there free spirited, very forthcoming. She loved her art she lived and breathed her art gallery and there are some stories that go along with how she came up with the name of the gallery and how she obtained some art pieces

Moana’s life took a drastic change when her mother passed away from cancer. Moana had to somehow try and keep the gallery open and running as well as pay for her mother’s medical bills. Moana’s mothers dying wish was that the Gallery keep going at any cost no matter what happened or what she did or had to do the gallery must stay open, so that’s what Moana did she was going to keep the gallery open at any cost.

One night Moana was working late trying to find a way to keep the gallery going when she seen a man standing in the gallery to say she was surprised was an understatement it was late very late and the gallery had been closed for hours.

The handsome man standing in the gallery seem to know a lot not only about art but about Moana and her situation that’s when an offer was placed on the table.

Can Moana give her body to save The Red?

After a few encounters with this mysterious man and so many art scenes played out Moana is very addicted to this man.

How many more scenes can be played out?

Once again Tiffany Reisz did not disappoint, this book isn’t for the faint hearted if you’re a fan you will love it if you’re not you need to check this author out but you must also read the original sinners series first in order to understand this book.

I absolutely loved this book thank you Tiffany for giving us another incredible read!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
corrina lawson
“You smile like the devil,” Mona said.
“The devil doesn’t smile,” he said. “The devil smirks.”

STUNNING!! Ms. Reisz proves once again she is the Queen of erotica. The story and characters are all richly drawn and unforgettable. Mona Lisa St. James made a promise to her mother that she would do anything at all to save their art gallery. But the gallery is in financial trouble and she must sell it. And soon.

But then a handsome Englishman arrives and makes her an irresistible offer. He will save her gallery. But she must agree to be his for one year.

“You were meant to do this,” he said softly. “You’ll see.”
“Why me?” she asked. “Millions of women in this country, millions in yours…why me?”
“Millions of paintings in this world. Only one Mona Lisa. Billions of women in this world. Only one you, Mona Lisa St. James.”

And so begins the most erotic and sensual adventures Mona has ever had. A sexual awakening of sorts, Mona and the mysterious Malcolm shares his most erotic and depraved fantasies. Yet each and every encounter is sexy and beautiful and simply stunning!! Malcolm is judgement-free and slowly begins to understand her true nature and what life has in store for her.

I can't even begin to describe how incredibly sensual and hot the scenes between Mona and Malcolm are. Each of their encounters is a wild and delightful fantasy, interwoven with mythology, history and lush eroticism.

“Is this all a dream?” That’s the only thing that makes any sense.
“You aren’t dreaming,” he said, and she knew that was true. She was awake and had been every time they had met. “But if you were a dream, would you want to wake up?” he asked.
A good question. A fair question. A hard question, but one she answered easily.
“Never.”

I absolutely loved the conclusion to this gorgeous story. It was surprising and thrilling and completely satisfying! I fell in love with the rakish Malcolm. This book is unlike anything I've ever read. Tiffany Reisz writes with sensuality and skill. 'The Red' is a must-read for all erotic romance lovers!!

“Do anything you must, but keep me forever.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
zaiba
This was my first Tiffany Reisz novel and now I know what all the raving about her writing is about. The Red starts with what seems to be an indecent proposal, morphs into a sultry erotic fairytale and ends with a jaw-dropping twist. It is everything that you can want in a story.

Mona Lisa St. John has taken over her mother's art gallery, The Red, after her passing and despite her deathbed promise to do all she can, Mona finds that keeping the doors open is an almost impossible endeavor. Enter a mysterious English gentleman who offers Mona a proposition.... In return for Mona being at his disposal, sexually, for one year, he will provide her with the means to keep The Red alive. When Mona agrees, what follows is a series of sensual to kinky to scary set of encounters that tests Mona's boundaries both physically and mentally.

This is the type of story that I adore, one that I cannot put down. Between the mystery swirling around Malcolm and his monthly visits, which include having Mona dress or pose as various famous painting such as Manet's Olympia and William-Adolphe Bouguereau's The Nymphs and the Satyr and the payments, also art, such as an unknown Degas, the delightfully perverted requests that he makes of Mona and the deepening strangeness of each I found myself drawn under Ms. Reisz's incredible spell. At times, I was cringing at the scenes that Malcolm created while still intensely riveted. Ms. Reisz made this not only a story of sex and power but of self-discovery for her heroine. As each visit spins out, Mona is pulled deeper into web Malcolm weaves but after each learns more about herself and her limits. She grows into a stronger, more worldly woman with a better understanding of herself.

The touch of the mystic and fate makes for a highly enjoyable ending that I did not see coming. I strongly recommend this read for it's deftly crafted and unusual storyline, well developed and interesting characters as well as it's skillfully steamy erotic scenes and it's highlighting of some of the world's most beautiful paintings.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
azmat aulakh
Mona Lisa St. James has struggled to keep her mother's gallery The Red open since promising her on her death bed she would do just that. The Red is not what it use to be & no longer attracts new popular artists. Mona finally decides that selling is the only option left. In walks Malcolm, a dark & handsome Englishman who studies a portrait hanging on the wall in the gallery. He mentions to Mona that he does not believe the portrait is by the signed artist & that she should have the pictured looked at. Malcolm does have a proposition for Mona to help her keep the gallery open. He is very specific in what he expects from Mona over the next year & what he is willing to give her in return. Malcolm wants Mona to be he's whore & he is willing to pay her in art so she can keep the gallery going. Mona doesn't know what to think but she does know she is willing to do whatever it takes to keep The Red open. When Malcolm & Mona start their liaison, Mona is completely taken aback by what Malcolm is able to accomplish for their meetings & is also overwhelmed by their sexual encounters. Soon Mona finds herself addicted to Malcolm & how he makes her feel. But Malcolm warns her that she will eventually hate him because he will want more then she will be willing to give. When she is pushed to her limit she banishes Malcolm & tells him to never return. Will Malcolm be able to stay away? Will Mona be able to forgive Malcolm's behavior? Will Mona be able to save the gallery or will she still have to sell it?

Tiffany Reisz tells a captivating & compelling story about a lonely young lady looking to do the one last thing she promises her dying mother. Mona accepts Malcolm & his outrageous offer but as time passes she is questioning how he is able to make her feel & see things that couldn't possibly be real. It isn't until the answer to all of Mona's questions comes to claim something Malcolm left her does she understand what the last year had been all about. This is a wonderfully written story that took a hold of my imagination & made me feel like I could see what Mona was experiencing. This book is meant for mature readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a NetGalley.com copy of this book.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
genevieve angelique
The Red is a fantastically filthy read where the lines between reality and fantasy are blurred. This is not a story for the faint of heart – it’s explicit, uninhibited, and there’s mind games as well as erotic games – but if you’re up for the ride, it’s well worth it. Tiffany Reisz knows how to pack a punch with inventive, incredibly dirty erotica.

Mona made a deathbed promise to her mother that she would do anything to save The Red, her mother’s art gallery. Just when Mona’s at her lowest and ready to close The Red, a mysterious stranger arrives. Malcolm will give her a way to save the gallery if she sells herself to him for one year, giving him carte blanche to do whatever he pleases so long as he doesn’t do permanent damage. It’s a bold, honest, unromantic offer, but Mona takes it, thus beginning a journey that both tangles her up and sets her free.

I loved that Mona was a strong heroine, confident in her sexuality to begin with. She’d have to be, given that her erotic encounters with Malcolm test her every limit and at times make her think she’s losing her grip on reality. It was interesting to watch her change over the course of the story, just as it was interesting to see the layers of Malcolm’s character revealed. I can’t really say too much about either him or the plot because it would spoil the story. Just know that if it seems at times that The Red is going off the rails when it comes to reality versus fantasy, stick around. Ms. Reisz brings everything together in an incredibly satisfying (no pun intended) manner.

The Red travels primarily from one erotic interlude to the next, but it’d be remiss of me to talk about the book and not mention the characters’ love of art. Art – and every character in the book’s passion for it – is central to the tale and breaths even more life into the story. Malcolm and Mona’s passion for art (not to mention the way it inspires them) was wonderful and after finishing the story I had to look up every single piece mentioned in it.

The Red is dark, passionate, unique, honest, and interesting. Ms. Reisz doesn’t hold back and readers should prepare themselves for one hell of an adventure.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
tasia thompson
My, my, my, this book had me fanning myself most of the time. I suggest before you start reading this book, you turn up your air conditioner to full blast because this is a scorcher. ??? I obviously didn't know what to expect, but man was it a delight. I was so intrigued with the story and especially with the characters. This book was so unique, it had me in a trance. And the writing, the writing was amazing. I kept wondering where the author was going with this story. It made me think and had me guessing half the time. I honestly had no idea what to expect, and then, BOOM, my mind was freaking blown! I did not see that coming. I was like, "where the heck did that come from?" and "oooooh snap that was a big, huge, gigantic surprise." And that's what I love. I love books that make me think and surprise me at the same time. And that's what 'The Red' did, it sucked me in and didn't let me go.

Mona made a promise that she would do anything to save her mother's art gallery. Circumstances come about that make it difficult to fulfill her promise. Just when she thinks she has to sell the gallery, the arrival of a mysterious man comes into her life and changes everything.

Malcolm, who is he? Where did he come from? What's his ulterior motive? He has a proposition for Mona. He wants to help her save her mother's gallery. And, of course with his help, he also wants something in return. Thus, starts the whirlwind of adventure. Malcolm and his mysterious ways come into Mona's life and flips everything upside down. And the question is, will Mona come out unscathed?

Malcolm! OH MY FREAKING WORD, MALCOLM! I have no words, I mean, I do, but they're not G-rated. I loved the mystery behind him and his secretive ways. I wouldn't have minded one night in his presence. Wow, just thinking about him is getting me all flustered. I loved him and everything about this intriguing story!!!!! AH-MAZING, highly highly highly recommend this book!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
star woodward
Wow. I can honestly say that I've never read anything quite like The Red by Tiffany Reisz. The book has a dreamlike quality that pervades the entire reading experience, so much that I found myself thinking about it over and over, even when I wasn't actively reading it.

Before the death of her mother, Mona Lisa St. James promised her that she would do anything to save her mother's art gallery, The Red. Now deeply in debt and still suffering from the loss of her only family, Mona doesn't know where to turn. Despite the promise she made, she can't see a way that the gallery can possibly be saved...that is, until she meets Malcolm: a handsome, mysterious art connoisseur who turns up at The Red late one night.

Malcolm makes an indecent proposal to Mona: he will help her save The Red if she agrees to give him carte blanche over her body for one year. Mona isn't easily offended, nor is she scandalized by his offer. On the contrary, she's quite pragmatic about it. She considers her promise to her mother alongside the outlandish proposal that Malcolm is making and decides the risk is worth taking. She agrees.

For Mona as well as the reader, what follows is nothing less than a surreal and carnal series of events. Each chapter centers around a piece of art that inspires the sexual adventures that take place. As Mona finds herself deeper down the rabbit hole with Malcolm, she begins questioning his true identity--and finds herself becoming more entangled with him than she ever intended.

This book won't be for everyone. It's straight-up erotica, it's decidedly dirty--to the point where some will probably find it shocking. As a romance and erotica reader, I like having my limits pushed. When a writer can unnerve me deeply yet somehow do it in a comforting way, I know I've found something special.

Like the art featured throughout the book, Reisz creates a decadent, delightfully smutty story between Mona and Malcolm. Part fantasy, part paranormal, and completely filthy, The Red is a book that I couldn't stop thinking about, even after I turned the final page. If you're ready to have your boundaries pushed--and then utterly destroyed--I recommend The Red.

I received an advance copy of this book from the author.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
arnau
This was my first book by Tiffany Reisz and I really loved her writing style. Erotica for me can be so hit and miss but this story had the right mix of mystery, intrigue and debauchery.

Set around an art gallery called “The Red”, readers are taken on a journey through the world of erotic art and the stories behind the paintings. Currently owned and managed by Mona Lisa St. James, The Red is in literally in the red with its debts spiralling out of control. When a mysterious visitor to the gallery makes Mona an offer to save the gallery from financial ruin, she finds herself questioning how far she is prepared to go to save her beloved gallery.

Malcolm is your typical libertine in this story as he takes Mona on a sexual journey by bringing famous works of art to life. By reenacting the scenes from well-known paintings before each visit, which appear via bookmarked pages in books left on her desk, Mona questions her morality as each scene becomes more and more obscene and at times emotionally troubling. Malcolm is an enigma and only appears to Mona every month or so but these sporadic visits just further heighten Mona’s expectations and appreciation of her own body and mind. After each visit by Malcolm, he bequeaths a piece of artwork to Mona which will help her to save her gallery but on the understanding that provenance will only be relinquished at the end of 12 months. As the months' pass, Mona finds herself partaking in more and more undoubtedly highly erotic but questionable scenes. Despite her fears and hesitancy though, Mona develops trust for Malcolm and whilst love is never on offer, lust more than makes up for the absence of romance.

This story twists and turns through amorous encounters but despite its open and graphic sexuality, the story’s mystery and intrigue keeps your attention right until the very last page. The writing is strong and the storytelling fascinating and whilst the story may not be to everyone’s liking, those who enjoy raw and revealing sexual acts combined with a thought-provoking tale will definitely want to read and experience The Red.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
susan byrum rountree
ARC from the author

I’m going to go the Captain Obvious route and start off this review by saying this book was hot as hell. Tiffany Reisz has written a lot of steam in the past, but nothing quite so steamy (that I’ve read) as The Red. As soon as I settled in to read, I knew I was going to fall in love with this story. The entire premise of Mona nearly losing The Red, the deathbed promise to her mother, and willingly selling herself to save the beloved art gallery is so alluring. Mona and Malcom’s story is steeped in sexiness, and it just gets better as we start each new chapter. The way this story is formatted, with each section named after a painting to give hints of what’s to come (for Mona and the reader,) was genius. And while The Red is contemporary, I appreciate that the author still takes the time to develop this world. Her stories are so lush and vibrant, and that’s something I don’t often feel from contemporary reads.

I really enjoyed Mona’s character. She was loyal and loved experiencing new things, and she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind to Malcolm when things felt shaky. Even at the possibility of him walking away she wouldn’t cower. I loved the mystery surrounding Malcolm. He was a man who made things happen, and his stamina was unparalleled – men like him are what fantasies are made of. The Red progresses in a way that ups the tension with every encounter, and it soon becomes clear that there is much much more to Malcolm that Mona ever dreamed. And that ending! GAH! It was perfection. I did not see it coming, but I loved every single second!

I don’t want to go into more detail because I would hate to spoil this story for anybody, so I’ll just say that if you’re a fan of The Original Sinners series, I don’t think this book will disappoint you. And if you’ve never read Tiffany Reisz but are a fan of erotica and BDSM, this would be a wonderful introduction to her writing. The Red was a huge hit for me, and I can’t wait to see what the author’s next offering will be!

This review was originally posted on Books & Beauty Are My Bag.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
vito delsante
Knowing this is a Tiffany Reisz story made me pay attention to character details right from the start, and Mona is a competent professional with firm resolve. Sophisticated but not arrogant. I respected her level approach to people and business, including the mysterious Malcolm.

The Red is beautiful, melancholy, a little haunting. And unexpectedly dark in places. As Mona's sexual journey with Malcolm progresses, her mind (and that of the reader) opens like a rose. You may question unlikely details at the start of the story, but you (like Mona) eventually stop caring what's real or fantasy. As long as Malcolm keeps coming back.

This story escorts the reader thorough an exhibition of sexual and sensual excess, a diverse palette of tastes and freedoms. It's a kinky story for sure, with some bondage and pain sprinkled in, and it takes the term 'scening' to the next level.

The Red is magical, on so many levels. It is a work of creative genius, laced with shivers of sensuality and barbs of longing. It captivates and enchants and arouses. It will thrill your senses then break your heart, only to pull you right back into the allure. This book is amazing. Freaking amazing. Must-read-right-now good. A kinky modern-day fairy tale of lust and need and wonder. I wish I could read it for the first time all over again. Rarely does a romance manage to surprise and delight me, and The Red kept me up all night.

Note: The Red is not a standard romance—it's more of an erotic fantasy story—but there is an HEA. I can't say anything more without giving away crucial plot elements.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
cristi dobjanschi
Raw, graphic, hardcore sexual fantasy that defies the realm of reality. One thing's for sure - I'll never look at a piece of Artwork the same way again...ever!

Mona Lisa St. James (yes, Mona Lisa!) finds herself in danger of breaking the deathbed promise she made her mother to save The Red art gallery at any cost.  Just when she’s about given up all hope, a mysterious Englishman appears, offering her a deal.  He’ll help her save the gallery in exchange for one year Carte Blanche rights to her body – anything goes be it pleasure or pain.  Sell the rights to her body to a stranger for a year?  No questions asked?  Can she do that?  Apparently, she can and does. 

Through a series of erotic, dream-like sexual escapades, Mona and Malcolm’s story unfolds.  You won’t find any spoilers in my review as there’s no way in h*ll you’d believe me even if I could find the words to tell you all the insane things that occur.  Mona finds herself playing the starring role in several fantasy worlds created by Malcolm – worlds that rely heavily on famous works of art.  She’s often left wavering on the edge of reality –  awakening the day after wondering if it was a fantasy, a dream, or maybe a drug-induced hallucination.  But the evidence left on her skin and in her bed speaks loud and clear as does her desire for more. 

Tiffany Reisz (with Siren Nora Sutherlin) does what she does best in The Red – she writes about the forbidden, the shocking, the sinful, the No-She-Didn’t things that no one is willing to talk about, but everyone wants to know!  Though The Red is heavily laden with raw, hardcore erotica, an underlying plot emerged that intrigued me enough to keep me turning the pages seeking answers.  Like Mona, I needed to know if Malcolm was a dream, fantasy, hallucination, or real.  I needed to know his story.  Tiffany Reisz’s forte is writing about the forbidden – her gift is making you love it!  A Must Read for those who dare!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
kayla gutierrez
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.*
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
tina ivan
As a long time fan of Tiffany Reisz and the Original Sinners series - I was super excited to get my hands on an early copy of The Red. As an established reader of Reisz' work, I knew I could expect pretty much anything to be thrown my way especially with her touting it as the naughtiest book she'd ever written (which screamed even more MUST READ to me). I have to say - she wasn't wrong. As much as I loved the Original Sinners books, I think The Red wins.

The Red was so deliciously wicked and boundry pushing and yet it was also an enthralling story that sucked me in even as I wondered if I could handle what came next. I'm not going to give you any details to spoil the story - because like with the Original Sinners books - this book deserves to stand on its own - and be entered without any idea of what you are getting into - Trust me you will savor the pages if you go into them unspoiled. What I will say is that there is a mystery threaded throughout the story - one you may or may not figure out before the answer is given - but one that will definitely take over your mind as you read.

You will be sucked into the dark erotic world of The Red and pushed in many ways as you devour each page and try to figure out exactly what is going on. Mona will pull you in with her love for art and her desire to keep the promise she made to her mother on her death bed. Malcolm is the mysterious Englishman who arrives just in the nick of time, so to speak, to save The Red and help Mona out - but that help comes with a price - A year of giving up absolute control to Malcolm - total submission.

Reisz' words pulled me so fully to the gallery - I felt as if I could see the paintings all around me and envision the office as it was laid out on the pages. The setting of the story was as compelling as the mysteries as yet untold and made for an even more intriguing layer to everything.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
katelyn
If you have read any of my reviews before, you know that I have loved pretty much everything that Tiffany Reisz has written. Her Original Sinners series is really popular and these books first hooked me on Tiffany’s writing. If you haven’t read any of those, you have to go and start with The Siren. Just trust me, it’s awesome. But on to The Red…

I was given an ARC of this book by the author a while ago and I devoured it as soon as I got home. I pretty much read it in one sitting. It has all the elements that I miss in books that I have been reading lately. I admit I love a good story when some is in a predicament and they have to make a deal in order to save themselves. In this case Mona has to submit herself to this man that pretty much tells her absolutely nothing in order to save her mother’s gallery.

Mona had no idea what she was getting into. There is only one point of view so you get to experience the mystery with Mona. I was reading just as fast as I could just to see when the next sporadic visit would be. If you love books with a mysterious male character who does things that are a lot bit random, and you never know what anything means until then end, then this is the book for you.

The writing was beautiful as usual. Tiffany Reisz is a master of dialouge. It flows naturally and at least one of her characters always has a quick wit that never fails to make me laugh. Now this book is an erotic book so there are a lot of steamy scenes. Let me tell you…so good. I think compared to her other books the scenes were a little tame, but they still hit the spot. Pun intended.

I don’t really want to say much more because I went in after just skimming the synopsis. I think that is the best way to go because the ending caught me by surprise and didn’t really see that coming from a mile away. I think it was a good ending though.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
janna
5 Addictive Stars!

What did I just read?…and how soon can read it again?

This book was absolutely decadent with a capital D. There was WTFery galore and an added bonus of erotic shenanigans. Tiffany Reisz’s The Red quickly became my addiction.

This time he didn’t smile. He smirked like she’d heard the devil does.

Can I start by saying how completely badass our heroine is? Mona’s struggling to keep her mother’s art gallery, The Red, open. She needs funds and fast. One night, a mystery man walks into the shop and she agrees to a bargain. For the next year, he’ll have access to her body in return for saving Mona’s gallery. Gah, the negotiation…perfection! But what makes this so different is how Mona handles everything. She takes it all in stride. Confident yet sweet, blunt yet provocative, Mona just captured this perfect balance and wowee did it make the chemistry blaze!

Crapola, was it hot! Embrace your inner sex demon, ya'll.

That doesn’t take into account Mona's mystery man with his British ways and his rakish airs. Anyone who’s intrigued by that yummy combo needs this book. The eroticism is so well done, and it’s explosive. Mona’s swept into this wild world of art and seduction. It’s necessary just to let yourself be swept right alongside her.

The paintings, the colors, the emotion…this is a beautifully written book, and I love how much art plays into the plot. I left feeling a bit like an art connoisseur, and what a fun way to learn! The ending was everything I hoped for and so much more. I definitely wouldn’t naysay if Ms. Reisz sought to grace us with another installment into this delightfully addictive world.

I’d recommend anyone wanting a super sexy story to get their hands on this one. Absolute perfection from the first page to the last.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
charlotte
This stand alone book was totally unique. Never have I ever read anything quite like it.

I'd definitely have to agree with the synopsis when it describes it as an erotic fantasy, because what this book did was transport me to a place that I can only describe as perhaps an adult version of C.S Lewis's, Chronicles of Narnia, but I use that comparison very loosely indeed.

This book references several pieces of erotic artwork, which when I Googled gave me a much clearer picture of certain scenes and definitely aided my visual interpretations.

Mona is given a very tempting offer from Malcolm. For one year she must submit to him and I don't just mean the BDSM type of submission.

Malcolm was who intrigued me the most and despite my first impression of him was a mysterious, handsome stranger, it eventually became obvious he was so much more than that. All I would say is, for those who have read the authors Original Sinners series, is that Malcolm has the suave sophistication of Kingsley and the mystery and intrigue of Søren.

I wouldn't say this is your typical love story and anyone who has read anything by Tiffany Reisz will know that she doesn't write your typical boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love and live happily ever after and that makes her books so refreshing.

I absolutely loved this book. It explored my imagination and the eroticism of it all was what I can only describe as hauntingly beautiful and definitely a book I would recommend to someone wanting to read something that bit different from the norm.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
jennifer sullivan
OMG what can I say but Tiffany Reisz has written an incredible erotic, hot read with paranormal twist , nevermind difficult to put down but damn near impossible !
Did you like her previous stories, the original sinner series ? Your going to love this stand alone!

Mona Lisa St.James is the new owner of the Art Gallery The Red, the gallery she grew up in, absorbing all the art she was surrounded by , her mother's gallery. Mona promised her mother on her death bed that she would do whatever it took to keep the gallery open; however the gallery deeply in debt and having searched for ways to save it, Mona finally concedes to defeat, she will have to sell or let the bank take it.
Mona's certainly did not expect her and the studios savior to be in the form of a handsome rake with a indecent proposal. Malcolm proposed that Mona be his whore for a year, giving him complete Carte Blanche to her body, in return he would give her immense pleasure and a million dollars payable in installments after each encounter . He would after a year leave her alone and never bother again, she could have other men in her life S long as she made herself available when he requested.
Scandalous for sure, but most definetly a way to keep her promise to her mother and the gallery she has come to love. Decision made these two embark on intensely erotic scenes based around specific prices of art , scenes that she can only wonder at how he set up without her knowing , with each encounter she desires Malcom more and more, and with each encounter he leaves her a peice of Art work that brings great value to the gallery and relief from the creditors.
Each encounter leading up to an ending with a wonderful twist .
Reader be prepared for erotic scenes, some BDSM , orgy and threesomes.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
klaus
Erotica meets art appreciation. I have indeed found a new appreciation for art in this bold, boundless, and oh-so-naughty story of art gallery owner Mona St. James and the mysterious Malcolm.
The last promise Mona made to her dying mother was that she would take care of and run her beloved art gallery, “The Red”. Desperate to honor her promise while the gallery is drowning in debt, she accepts an indecent yet tantalizing proposal from a mysterious stranger - a man who sparks her lust and stokes an intense arousal with his heated stare and suggestive words - Malcolm.
My temperature rose as Mona became so engrossed in their trysts that she was unable to distinguish reality from fantasy – oh, and what titillating fantasies they were. I quite literally fanned myself when Mona, with Malcolm as her guide, was taken to new places where she openly explored and embraced new and ever-pleasurable sexual appetites, while also discovering her true desires for love and companionship.
With “The Red”, Tiffany has once again blown my mind with her ability not only to get me hot and bothered but to take me to an unfamiliar place yet make me feel completely at home. Admittedly, I am not an aficionado of fine art and I did find myself Googling every painting to see and imagine them as she described, and in doing so I found an even greater fondness and admiration for that dirty mind of hers. Once I started reading there was no stopping. I was captivated by every word and held hostage with every description; I couldn’t have asked for more. I fell in love with the story of Mona’s awakening, and I delighted in following her through her journey of self-discovery, awareness, and acceptance that ultimately led her to a place of love and happiness with her sexy and insatiable man.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
morgan scott
4.5 "Deathbed Promise" Stars!

Holy hotness! This book is on fire! I really don't even know what to classify this book as. It is different from anything that I have previously read or listened to by Tiffany Reisz (or anyone else for that matter!). The Red has a mysterious, fantasy subplot, but still has Ms. Reisz's incredible wit and adeptness with salacious highly erotic writing. I also loved the art world tie-ins. If you're looking for your next decadent read, then look no further! But be forewarned, this book has no limits, and includes all types of erotic scenes, including menage scenes.

When her mother died, Mona Lisa St. James was left with a multitude of debts. Even worse, she promised her mother on her deathbed that she would keep open her mother's beloved art gallery (The Red) no matter the price. That price turns out to be her body--for an anonymous and highly mysterious gentleman offers to pay her riches in artwork to save her gallery if she promises to submit to his every desire for one year.  

This man's desires become more morally depraved as time goes by. There will be times when she questions her choice, even as she finds herself falling in love with him. Could there possibly be a HEA under the circumstances? Moreover, not everything is what it seems. Can you figure out what's real before the end?

All in all, Ms. Reisz has penned another must-read erotica romance. Once you start The Red, you will be compelled to finish--hanging on to its every word to try and figure out the mystery of what the heroine is truly experiencing and moreover lustfully devouring its every word.

Source: Review copy provided for review purposes.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
dkkoppgmail com
OMG!!! This book is brilliant! When I received the email that ARCs were available, I signed up immediately, because it was a new Tiffany Reisz book!!!
Then I saw the genre: Erotica/Paranormal Erotica. Honestly I became unsure. I haven't read paranormal romance before. It was my first.
And I LOVED it! I couldn't put it down! This book is really kinky and filthy⛓, you should read it!
Mona was an open-minded, strong woman, who wasn't a shy virgin. She was far from an inexperienced girl. She agreed to submit to Malcolm easily. She let him do anything with her, with her body. But we got used to this kind of characters in Tiffany's books. I wasn't surprised at all.
Malcolm was a handsome mysterious man. We didn't know much about him, just that he loved sex, especially kinky sex, he had a good stamina, and he loved art.
What I loved about this book was the mystery about this man. This made the story so interesting.
Mona wanted to save her mother's art gallery, The Red. I loved how the author mixed erotica with art. In every chapter we got to know a new painting. I didn't know much about art, but this book arused my interest about arts, so I googled every painting which was mentioned in the book.
I want this book on my bookshelf! Can't wait to buy the paperback, because I love the cover! It is soo beautiful! I need to put this book next to the Original Sinners series, after all it was written by Nora Sutherlin.
I recommend this book to everyone who loves the Original Sinners series. This story is like a kinky, naughty erotic dream! Tiffany Reisz fans, you will love it!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
vidalia
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Flipping heck. Long train journeys are ace, because I read this book in a day and I'm laughing at the ending and I'm hot, hot, hot from the words.

Karen's tip for perfect enjoyment of this book....whatever electronic device you have, check out the paintings. I am a book whore totally but on the side I love art. Not the modern stuff that looks like a dirty bedroom or a pile of bricks, but the Monet, Manet, Renoir, Turner, Degas, Picasso, Cezanne type of art. The Red flicked my switch. Chapter headings reference paintings - look at the art, read the chapter. The sensory journey is key to the enjoyment of this book.

Mona Lisa, no less, needs financial help to save her mother's art gallery. Malcolm appears with a rescue plan. One year. She will be his whore. His to use in every way. And oh my God he delivers and delivers and delivers. I think he took viagra. The Man is a machine - nymphs serviced, I'll say no more.

In years to come there will be papers written on this book. Discuss - why did Tiffany choose those particular works of art? If you could choose a painting to be in, which would that painting be? I would like to be the Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse because she is stunningly beautiful (I know it will end badly.)

I think The Red is a masterpiece. Written with Tiffany Reisz style of no nonsense, tell it as it is. Fists, spanks, instruments in orifices, DP. Dream or reality? That is the question.

Tomorrow I am going to visit the art gallery, I need to see the fingers in oil, the whisper of a brush, the heart on a canvas.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
courltyn
I admit to being a huge fan of Tiffany Reisz.  I really enjoy her writing no matter the genre but this story is something hard to define and yet I couldn't put it down.

The premise is interesting in that Mona is doing everything she can to keep the gallery her mother loved open but even though she does everything she can the gallery is still in dire straits.  She ends up making a deal with a mysterious stranger that unlocks her inner siren and saves the gallery.  The stranger takes us all down a seductive path that delves in to fantasies that are mild in the beginning but then gets stranger and more disturbing but still intriguing as the book progresses.  I found the descriptions of the artwork to be my favorite part as the words seem to leap from the pages with an almost visceral impression on my brain that I felt at times like I could touch the images as if they were here.

This book is not for the faint of heart as the sex described is disturbing to many but the underlying current is one of consent and exploration.  We must remember that this is a work of fiction and even though some of the kink described is beyond my level of comfort others would find this to be exciting and something they wanted to try.  Malcolm is mysterious and as you get to the end of the book you understand why he is such a mystery.  I appreciated the twist at the end because it again proves that Tiffany is great at keeping something hidden from the reader until the pivotal moment where this bit of surprise is needed.

This is another moment when I ask.... when do we get more?  I know this book will not be for everyone and even the bloggers that I know who love Tiffany were of mixed feelings when it came to this one.  I liked it a lot but do not go in to this one without an open mind and a willingness to push the boundaries of what you are willing to read and experience.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
eva cohen
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 Sinner series this will not surprise you. I was given my copy through Netgalley and wrote this review honestly and voluntarily.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
sofia
"Things aren't what they seem."
"No. I imagine they aren't."

This book absolutely BLEW MY MIND!!!!
I was instantly intrigued with the blurb, and I wanted more.
Man, oh man, did I get more!!

Tiffany Reisz takes our minds on an extraordinary ride of mystery, sex, scandal, art, and the world of the unknown.

From the start, I loved Mona.
She was fiesty and real, but her love of art had me adoring her.

Malcom was so mysterious!
You wanted to know more about him, but he never gave away too much. Which was perfect!

"You smile like the devil."
"The devil doesn't smile."
"You speak as if you know him."
"Would it shock you if I said I did?"

This story twists your mind in such a clever way.
I could see everything in detail.
The way Tiffany lays it all out for you, you feel as if you are there with Mona and Malcom.
The smells, the sights, the people...it's amazing!

The Red is easily one of my top reads this year so far!!
The characters are on point.
The visualization is exquisite.
The sex is hot as sin.
The story is so incredibly unique!!

Must read!!!!

"Is this all a dream? That's the only thing that makes any sense."
"You aren't dreaming. But if it were a dream, would you want to wake up?"
"Never."
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
joy m
The one thing that stands out the most with Tiffany Reisz is you never know what you are going to get when you read her books. A genre I try to steer away from is paranormal fantasy. That is exactly what I got together with her usual erotic style this book is outstanding. I would read this authors books without reading any of the blurb, her writing and imagination is that good I don't need to, I know I will enjoy it. There is generally a line of morality, a code that people live by and Tiffany crosses it every single time; It's raw, passionate, filthy and forbidden. You just never know when it's coming but it's always a jaw dropping moment when you get there.

The Red is the book Nora is writing in the original Sinners series. You don't need to have read OS to enjoy this book as there is no connection to that series. I'm glad Tiffany went on to develop this into a novel.

I'm still connecting the twists long after the book has played out; going over parts in my head. Don't go in to this book expecting a hearts and flowers type romance, it is true filthy erotica at it's best. Keeping in mind it's also fantasy, there really is no holds barred. She's also very clever and dropping subtle clues throughout the book and then all of a sudden the mass reveal hits you like a sledgehammer. A truly amazing clever lady!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
melanie morris
OH MY GOD. Honestly, this book is going to stay with me for a long time because I've never read anything like it.

Now the story began with Mona, whose art gallery was on the verge of closing permanently because of its mounting debts, getting a visit from a mysterious older man who offered to save her gallery in exchange for her sexual submission. It sounded like your typical arrangement and I didn't think much of it, until the arrangement started and took me by surprise.

Honestly? I don't know how to review this properly without spoiling it because there are a lot of things I want to say about the plot but it's better to discover them on your own. What I truly love about The Red is how Tiffany weaved the plot around real art pieces. I know next to nothing about 19th century art so I had to google all the pieces before every chapter, and knowing the art pieces enhanced the enjoyment of the story. I love Mona a lot; she's so strong and unapologetic about her sexuality. I love her interactions with Malcolm, and I love how hot they are together. This whole book is just sexy from start to finish; I'm half in love with Malcolm myself by the end of it.

Overall, I've read a lot of erotic romance that they're starting to blend together, but The Red definitely stands out from the crowd. I've been steadily rereading it ever since I finished it the first time, and I don't think I'll stop anytime soon.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
e ashman
Mona St. James in dire need of money to save her gallery from closing. Thinking of possible ways on how to come up with it left her tired and spent, that Mona decided to head home and call it a night. Just when she’s about to lock the gallery, Mona noticed a man in front of a painting, studying it. After several minutes the mysterious man turned to look at Mona and bluntly told her that he can help to solve her financial problem in exchange of intimate rendezvous, at least once or twice a month. Without so much thought, no matter how absurd it is, Mona found herself agreeing to Malcolm’s proposal. Here begins the libertine journey of Mona in the hands of a mysterious man named Malcolm.

When you read a book by Tiffany Reisz every scene is like a “no holds barred”. Everything is completely unrestrained! Just when you thought she won’t write it because it’s too steamy, too sensual, brace yourself because you will be reading it without any apology. That’s why I like this author!

The Red will simply leave you breathless with scenes that are best described as sizzling. Hands down to the imagination of this writer to create a scene solely from paintings of a well-known artist. I tremendously enjoyed this well-written, kinky-paranormal-romance-historical, standalone. If you want to stimulate your desires, and discover how good the author is, I highly recommend this book!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
dmitriy sinyagin
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.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
emily wood
I received a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads

I have loved the Original Sinner Series since the inception and I make an effort to read anything Reisz puts out there. The Red became available and I jumped at the chance to give it a read. The Red did NOT disappoint! Full out erotica with a strange twist. Who is Malcolm?? No, not who, WHAT? Besides being very dapper, very Dom and very persuading, Malcolm is everything I like in the twisted, male lead, Reisz is so darn good at creating. Man, Reisz can make me hate myself for loving the crazy stuff she has her characters do to each other. I shake my head while rabidly turning the pages! Groaning in desperation and dismay at my reactions.
Malcolm comes to Mona in her time of desperate need. Mona's art gallery, The Red, is in the red. Days from closing, Mona finds a strange man in her gallery. The odd man's proposition, to be his plaything and he'll save her gallery, is just too interesting and too good to pass up. But what the heck IS Malcolm, is he real? Is Mona dreaming this? Has he given her drugs? Is he the Devil? Right up to the very end we are on the edge of our seats trying to figure out where this story is going. I'm still not sure if i loved the ending or hated it, but i'll tell ya what, it left me thinking about it for days. Well worth the read!!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
miles rausch
If you didn’t know, I am currently binge reading The Original Sinners series which introduced me to the Mistress of Erotica. As I was reading The Angel, Book #2 I had happy ants in my pants when The Red was mention. The Angel was written in 2012 about Nora Sutherlin, an erotica author with books such as The Red. What makes this unique was the fact I was currently reading The Red too. It’s pure genius to write a book about a fictional book mention in a book written in 2012 (did you follow that!) by this author.
PURE GENIUS I TELL YA!!

The Red has redefined my take on the erotica genre. They are several sexual acts I was embarrassed to read and enjoy. It’s unlike anything I have read before. You may require supplemental reading material to comprehend the art history aka Google. However its a rare treat to experience such pure smut in an intelligent way. If you are left contemplating what you have read hours later, consider yourself lucky to have experience the Tiffany Reisz Experience.

What makes her writing so unique is its ability to treat and cure any bookworm’s hangover with fantastic filthy and intelligent sex. This book of sexual freedom is the perfect erotic escape from reality. Its a romance about love between the living and dead and how it transcends death. The conclusion is stunning but inevitable.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
liloh
Mona’s art gallery, The Red, which she inherited from her mother and promised to do “everything in her power” to save and keep, is going under. Fast. But then a mysterious, handsome stranger shows up after closing and makes her an offer she can’t (I mean, I guess she can) refuse. A night of kinky passion once a month or so for a year, and he’ll make sure the gallery is saved.

Malcolm promises not to hurt her, while throughout the year she might hate him, he promises she’ll enjoy herself, but mostly that he’ll enjoy those nights.

He promises her she’ll never see him again after their year is done, he promises her his child. He promises her a lot. And he keeps every single one of his promises.

I’ll admit, some of the (extremely, insanely, explicit to the point of blushing) smutty scenes, I skimmed. But mainly because I genuinely enjoyed the art descriptions, how they paralleled Mona’s adventures (not sure I know of a better word for her and Malcolm’s interludes).

I’m still pissed there was no explanation for how things happened, but I guess that’s part of the charm of the story.

If you’re a kink lover, if you’re an art lover, if you’re a Tiffany Reisz lover and if you enjoy a dollop of mystery and fantasy in your erotica – The Red is right up your alley.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
jennie rogers
Thank you to NetGalley and the 8th Circle Press for providing this ARC to me in exchange for an honest review.

Well.... this book was extreme... An Erotic Fantasy. For mature audiences only. This is definitely not a book for the general reader.

The Red by Tiffany Reisz is based on a young woman's desire to save her mother's art gallery no matter what it takes - and she does... I can't say too much here about the plot as I don't want to give away spoilers, but the story was extreme. My favorite part was the integration of the art gallery, the famous artists, and their art work and how they were all intertwined with the story. I also must say, I LOVED the ending.... Loved, loved, loved the ending.

I would recommend this book to mature readers with the cautiousness to the extreme mature and adult content of the story. If you are not open minded to adult sexual experiences described in way too much detail, then this is not the book for you.

Otherwise, great story. Happy Reading!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
reggie
I received an ARC in exchange for reviewing the book.

So I have to admit that I didn't think I would like fantasy erotica. And truthfully, it's not what I would pick off the shelf if I was given options.

That said, this book was incredible.

Mona and Malcolm re-enact various scenes from paintings. The arrangement starts because she needs the money, and he wants her. The bulk of the book is the sex that they have inspired by the paintings. And wow, is that well written or what. I was blown away by the imagery that Reisz evokes with her words. We're right there, in the most erotic of scenes with the characters. Each one, a telling of the painting as well as a sex act. (The author clearly knows her art works).

It ends on a happy note, although happiness in this book is not the romance genre endings that I'm more familiar with. The characters will sexually satisfy each other, so that's a good thing. And I'm not quite sure why the last character is introduced, I think I didn't quite get the explanation.

But for all of you who like erotica and fantasy, this is exceptional in the genre. For those of you who've never tried it, I would give this book high recommendation. I can't imagine executing on this genre better than this book did.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
gita afiati muhjidin
I received a free copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Mona St. James is in trouble. Her art gallery, “The Red”, inherited from her mother, is facing dire financial straits with little hope for the future. She has just about decided it would have to close, when a mysterious man enters and proposes a solution. In return for saving The Red Mona must promise to submit to him for a full year, doing anything he desires. His proposal includes the promise that Mona will enjoy most of it as well…but not all.

It’s a good setup for an erotic novel but in the hands of Tiffany Reisz, the novel shines. We might expect that a series of erotic encounters will follow and indeed they do. They are as hot as can be, titillating, erotic, and intriguing to be sure. Tiffany Reisz fans will know what to expect. But the story behind these encounters is what ties it all together and prevents it from being simply one sizzling scene after the next. While mysterious at the beginning, the story turns to erotic fantasy along the way and the ending provides a very satisfying resolution to the previous events. If you like a good story and good characters along with your erotic action, then look no further than this stand-alone novel.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
maria maniaci
It isn’t just an ordinary one-million-dollar-for-your-body romance book, it's more than that. As always, the author’s writing is clever and absolutely mesmerizing also the plot is very interesting; full of mystery and passion. This captivating story takes us on a slightly weird journey where deliciously deviant fantasies inspired by various paintings alter the reality. So yeah, some supernatural elements come at play, even the big twist that happens towards the end. But I'm not going to lie; it's basically an intense, pornographic read. Dark eroticism floods from every page. The sex scenes - and beware, there are plenty - are long, very explicit and vividly described. Some are merely delightfully filthy, others are slightly weird. I have to admit few of these kinky adventures really pushed my boundaries moreover I was shocked here and there. However I couldn’t stop reading this book, partly because of my curiosity and partly because of Malcolm. From the moment he has appeared I was hooked. He seemed like a proper gentleman on the surface but allure and mystery surrounded him. And to be honest his sexually decadent character reminded me a lot of Kingsley Edge (that gorgeous bastard!) which maybe isn’t a coincidence, right?
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
fye haslonglastname
I have mixed feelings about The Red. There were a lot of things that I liked about this book and some things I didn't like.

I liked the paranormal element. It is clear quite early on that Malcom is not a mere human and it was fun trying to guess who he is and what is really happening. There is a dream-like, hallucinatory quality to Mona's and Malcom's meetings which gives the book a unique feel. Every sexual encounter is inspired by a classical painting and the scenes from each painting are recreated between Mona and Malcom. I found it very interesting. I like art but I am not very knowledgeable about it. Some of the paintings I knew and some I didn't, so I googled a few of them and it helped me to imagine the scenes. Every time a book teaches me something new I am very happy.

I wasn't comfortable with some of the sexual acts. I found some of them a little disturbing and dark even though they were sort of consensual. I am not a stranger to erotica but this book pushed my boundaries. Also I didn't love the ending. The introduction of the third important character came too late in the story, it felt forced and the ending was rushed.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
eva etzioni halevy
Book provided by netgalley for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read from Tiffany Reisz and I enjoyed it. The read was different for me compared to other books I have read and I think it's because of her writing style.

Mona Lisa St. James is the new owner of The Red art gallery, previously owned by her mother and Mona has incurred all with The Red. The Red in financial debt, Mona made a promise to her mother on her death bed that she would do anything to save The Red. Mona meets a mysterious man name Malcom, what he offers her to help save The Red isn't what Mona was expecting. What Malcom offers Mona is she give him complete Carte Blanche to her body for a year. After every encounter Malcom will pay her in art to help save The Red. They will take specific art and reenact these erotic scenes in Mona's back room and always wondering how Malcom can transform her back room without her knowing. After the year is up, she will never see Malcom again.

As I reach the end of the book, there is a twist that I wasn't expecting and it made the read a lot more sweeter and interesting and I couldn't put it down.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
chalida
The Red is an tantalizing story of erotic seduction. I don't usually read PNR but The Red captured my interest. The story is sensual and alluring. The paranormal experiences excite the imagination. Tiffany Reisz/Nora Sutherlin created a fantastical story of final wishes.

Mona Lisa St. James has lost her mother and now she's in jeopardy of losing The Red, her mother's art gallery. Just when Mona was about to throw in the towel a mysterious man appears at the gallery. He offers to save the gallery if Mona becomes his whore for the next year.

"In exchange for having carte blanche over your body-all three holes, thank you- I'll save The Red."
Their trysts are sensual with a unique deviant flair. Each meeting is a captivating scene from a famous painting bringing Mona further down the rabbit hole.

"With Malcolm she felt pleasure and lust, but also pain and fear, love and hate. It was the most potent alchemies."

The ending has a twist that you don't want to miss! I loved this story. The descriptions are vivid and enticing. I was quickly drawn into the story and couldn't put it down until I was finished. 5 Stars!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
ulla
The Red by Tiffany Reisz was intriguing, mysterious and oh so very erotic read. I didn't know what to expect when I started the book, as I read I loved that chapter was more eye opening, surprising, kinkier and engaging than the last. I read each chapter with excitement and anticipation as to what was going to happen next between Malcom & Mona.

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

This was my first book by this author and it didn't take me long before I was under Tiffany's spell and I love every minute. I love the storyline and her descriptive writing meant that I felt as if I had a front row seat to watch the incredibly hot role-play scenes that took place between Malcom and Mona.

“His money had made her a whore, but his cock had made her his slave. She never wanted to taste freedom again. She only wanted to taste him.”

I adore the ending with a little twist thrown in. I'm excited to read more by this author. The Red is definitely a book you, should you should one click, as I don't think you will be disappointed.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
sue lee
Absolute Perfection!

This book so follows the writing style of Nora or should I say Tiffany Reisz. I have read nearly all her books and am very happily surprised by them, each and every time.

Mona St. James is the newest owner of The Red. An art gallery her mother left her, with a promise on her death bed to save The Red no matter what.

Malcolm a mysterious man who comes into her gallery one night offers her the best way to fulfill that promise. To be his one one year.

Tiffany puts so many twists and turns into this book. It's hard to believe its just a novella. I want so much more of these characters. I could not put this book down and when I had to, I thought of nothing more than when I could start reading it again. AMAZING!!!

A must read, add your TBR list immediately. If you've not read the Original Sinners series you must. But this books is a stand alone. I don't understand how anyone could give this book a 3 star rating? Thats just plain crazy!!!

Now I'm sad I have finished the book! YEAH its that good. Enjoy!!!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
linda t
Yes I realize that Planned Fate is an oxymoron. However, this book was very conflicting to me too. I couldn't quite figure it out. So much so that during the 1st 80% of the book, I was not a fan. At times, I was wondering if I was reading the same book other people were.

The writing... off the charts. Very detailed extremely Kinky sex... throughout the entire book. But we expect that from the great Tiffany Reisz. Yeah there was a great puzzle for me to figure out, But the story... not buying it.

Now don't get me wrong. The 2 main characters were great. I liked their interactions. There was the perfect amount of introspection & action. The story kept my attention somewhat. I just wasn't invested. Then about 80% of the way thru...Hellooo

While the book was chock full of delicious kinky sexual encounters, it wasn't until that last couple of chapters that I found the connection I was missing from the beginning.

Then, That. Ending... BOOOMM!!!

This ARC was graciously given by the author & NetGally in exchange for an honest review.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
mike finton
Tiffany Reisz is, in my opinion, one of the best erotica authors out there and this book only proved that to me once again. The Red is better classified as a paranormal erotica, a book that is so fantastical, you will find yourself spellbound from the get-go. I hesitate to use the term fantasy because fantasy usually involves certain well-known genre tropes so I wonder if some people will read “erotic fantasy” and believe it’s either just a sexual fantasy or something involving orcs and elves. Regardless, this is not your regular erotica. It’s also not romance and, frankly, there is very little lovey-dovey stuff involved in this. It’s a superbly written standalone that will push your boundaries and have you riveted, wondering what is really going and who the main hero is.

Mona Lisa St. James is an art gallery owner with a love of fine paintings along the line of Degas and Manet. Her art gallery is struggling after the death of her mother to illness, which saddles her with enormous debt. Malcolm, our mysterious male protagonist, appears virtually out of nowhere and offers Mona a deal she can’t refuse: surrender to his sexual appetites once a month in exchange for invaluable art pieces that she can then use to salvage her gallery. Mona of course agrees. I make this sound a lot tamer than it is. This tale is very kinky and risqué, with a good dose of BDSM and filthiness mixed in it. It’s graphic and it’s crazy and it’s a huge heaving orgy of the senses.

I think a lot of people might struggle with some of the scenes in this book, but if you love art and you love erotica, you’re going to love this. And it’s best to go in allowing yourself the chance to be surprised and letting Tiffany Reisz push your boundaries. Just as Mona gives Malcolm a carte blanche, I gave her my own and let her take me places I’d never gone with a book before, and for that I’m glad. Tiffany has to be one of the best writers when it comes to sex scenes, they’re scintillating and well crafted, dirty and exquisitely woven. This book will leave you panting and begging for more, bruised black and blue, defiled and thoroughly pleased yet ravenous.

The mystery of who Malcolm is was resolved in a satisfying way, even if I had a good idea who he was from the moment he appears. The author probably knows the reader is aware, so she crafts an ending that still manages to pack a punch and surprise with its revelations. I suspected much of what was happening but I was still blown away by it.

I highly recommend this book to readers that aren’t too squeamish and like a good dose of kink. If you’re looking for a romance novel though, this isn’t it. It’s erotica at its finest, written by one of the best voices in the genre. I’m giving it 4.5 stars and knocking a half star off for personal reasons. There is something in the book that I personally have an aversion to, but the storytelling is solid and the sex is genuinely off the charts hot. I love the mindf*ck and this has it in spades.

4.5 stars
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
trinaselby
I devoured this book! It was so unlike anything I'd ever read, I didn't know what was real or not. It definitely had Ms. Reisz's style of writing, and the level of kink was off-the-charts. It features Mona, a woman who is desperate to save her mother's art gallery, but she is running out of options. Along comes the mysterious Malcolm, a man who swears that she will be able to save her gallery, and all she has to do is give herself to him completely.
The Red is a sensuous journey about finding one's self, and one's desires, as well as a descriptive journey through the art world. I will admit I was feeling a little trepidation about the art content, it is not one of my strengths. However, the art world was so vivid and detailed in the book that I found myself looking up the pieces to see if they were real. Ms. Reisz is able to weave a tale of eloquent words, striking art, and debauchery that leaves your mind reeling, and your panties soaked.
Trust me when I say, this is not a book you want to miss.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
abigailasat
I received a copy of this through NetGalley for my honest review.

This was an entirely different premise than I have read and was much more darker/erotic than I was expecting. The writing was amazing, the premise was quite engaging, and the steam factor was over the top. Mona owns an art gallery which is on the brink of crumbling around her, when Malcolm appears in her life. He offers to save her gallery if she agrees to fulfill his fantasies for one year. He will pay her in art pieces that she can later sell, if she gives him one or two nights a month for a year to play out all his sexual games. She agrees and what ensues is a series of encounters that is over-the-top BDSM games. And Malcolm has some strange secrets that he will only reveal when their time is over.

I have not read a book like this before and I was glued to the pages trying to figure out what would come next and what the "secret" was. I figured out the premise before it was revealed, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
hilariousgoldfish
What an amazing, mind-blowing, unbelievable book from the Queen of Pleasure! OMG, words failed me right after this wonderful journey. This story was like a sexy, erotic game. And believe me, you DO want to play!

If you’ve read any of Tiffany’s books, you know she’s kind of an enchantress but I think I can say with this book, she even undid herself! I mean, all of her books are mind-blowing and unforgettable but this one is hands down AMAZEBALLS. Ahem, okay, well, maybe I just can’t find the right words.

I could never get bored by Tiffany’s words. She uses her magic, and I’m all over the story. I don’t think I can forget it. I’m pretty sure this book is a massive re-read. Anytime. I’m not saying this is the kind of a book your mother reads…but you should totally read it! Kinky, well-written, hot as hell. I don’t think there’s more you need in your life!
Okay, I’m out for now. Wanna bet what I’m going to do? (Hint: it does something with an exact book and a re-reading.)
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
demitron9000
The Red, An Erotic Fantasy, Tiffany Reisz

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Romance,Erotica

I love Tiffany Reisz' stories, so well written, so full of interesting twists and turns and I have read and reread all the Original Sinners novels. So was really excited to get this, a novel "written" by Nora Sutherlin. I think its the book she's writing in the very first of the series...I could be wrong on that. 
Sadly, it Just Wasn't One for Me, surprised me, shocked me that I really didn't like it, I just didn't expect that. I was looking forward to a typical sensual on the edge Tiffany read and what I got was something that made me seriuosly uncomfortable reading,  it's fantasy possibly, but its presented as real, Mona thinks its real, we don't really know when it happens what's real, whether she's dreaming, drugged, or having a genuine experience.

There were parts I enjoyed, the art links to the sex scenes, they were cleverly done and interesting, fitted the art gallery link, I loved the way the story winds round full circle and ties up so neatly.
Set against that though I found some of the sex scenes too disturbing - even gave me bad dreams...I'm very prone to them so avoid anything likely to set those off, my mind takes an idea and runs with it. This story though takes a direction I didn't expect, not the spicy, sensual and edgy OS scenes I'm used to but ones with a supernatural edge that I feel uncomfortable with. 

So, my BDSM knowledge comes purely from books, especially Original Sinners ones, so SSC and RACK are terms I agree with.
However the sex here takes a twist so that really Mona isn't consenting, isn't aware of risks she's taking and the big bugbear - she has no safe-word. She signs a blank cheque for anything Malcolm wants to do to here almost. Is that consent? Is that Safe and Sane? Risk Aware? I don't think so, and I'm uncomfortable with scenes where she isn't consenting, even if she does enjoy what happens.
If someone orgasms does that make it not rape for example? That defence wouldn't and shouldn't work in real life or books IMO.
Throw in the Satyrs and the Minotaur and it was a step too far for me, a little too animalistic. I love fantsy and paranormal so I'm used to werewolves having sex, but they don't do it in their werewolf or part werewolf form – well, not in the books I like.
There's a thin line between art and porn whether its sculptures, paintings or writings and this for me is reaching the wrong end of the scale. I can see others love it, and that's great but for me its a step too far.
I enjoyed the story, thought it had a clever twist - a few clever twists, but I didn't like the execution of some of the sex scenes.
I've loved all the OS ones, but this book just isn't right for me. 

Stars: Two, a clever and intriguing story but the turn the sex scenes took was not right for me. Others love it, only you know what's right for you.  

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
gray mason
"He was an angel of beauty and pain."

That's definitely how to describe Malcolm. His behaviour screams DOMINANT, he radiates powers and he brings so much pleasures and pains. Yup totally fell for him.
As for Mona, she's really tough girl, only a strong woman who can accept and endure such challenges from man like Malcolm and still stand strong in the end.

So about this book, I think this one is not everbody's cup of tea, but if you're into crazy madness hot hardcore book, you'll like this one.
And if you're Original Sinners fans, this one is perfect for you.
The story is great, from the beginning till the end, the author takes me to the beautiful world of art and turn in to something hot. The author makes me feel so good about something so wrong and makes me crave it.
The author takes Love into some crazy madness radical thing, it's not your usual type of love story.
Although some scenes make me cringe, overall I like and really enjoying this one.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
mckayle
The Red by Tiffany Reisz
4.5 stars
M/F Erotica with hints of BDSM
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.

Mona is trying to keep her mother's gallery alive. Despite the death bed promise Mona made to her mother, Mona is finding that the best course of action might be selling. Enter - Malcolm.

Malcolm is an enigma - he is intriguing, dominant, sexy, rough around the edges and a smooth talker. Throughout the story we are trying to figure him out. Why is he so interested in the gallery? How does he know about the gallery's financial situation? Who is Mona to him?

This is a great erotic story that is both frustrating and calming all wrapped in to one. It is well developed, but leaves you questioning everything. I loved that there was a mystery and romance, history and sex all in one story.

I have not read this author before, but now am going to be on the look out - this was a great story.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
michelle jones
I chose this book because Tiffany Riesz always writes gripping stories, and The Red didn't disappoint. It's very intriguing, setting the tone for a scorching hot relationship with an unexplained/strange background, from the beginning.
Mona Lisa St James needs money in order to fullfil her mother's deathbed wish :save her gallery, The Red. As all hope of finding enough money to keep The Red from drowning in debts seems lost, one night, a mysterious man enters the gallery. Malcom (whose last name remains unknown for most of the book), a hansome british man with great manners, who seems to know a lot about Mona and her predicaments, comes to her with that proposition: one year of sex, « carte blanche » with her body, no feelings involved, in exchange for very expensive paintings. Malcom visits her every month or so, each time with a new challenge, a bdsm scene inspired by masterpieces of painting.

Tiffany Reisz likes to play with her characters' (and her readers') boundaries, and in The Red it's no different. With Malcom, Mona experiences things she never would have imagined, immensurable pleasure, great pain, and whatever fantaisy Malcom can come up with. Reinterpreting old pieces such as The Slave Market, A Portrait of a Gentleman or The Luncheon on the Grass (my favorites) is erotically beautiful, using art this way is simply brilliant.
The Red has an incredible atmosphere, sometimes reminding me of Story of O, because of the old vibe I felt and Mona's complete submission, maybe, but that's where the similarities stop. The characters' emotions are palpable, their connection and chemistry incredible, most of all, their growing bond. The paranormal part gives the impression of a dream, at first I found it a little disturbing but after a while I really enjoyed the craziness and suspense it brought to the book.

All that intensity coupled with a tight plot which kept me wondering until the end, will immerse you into a divine world !
★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
alecia anderson
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.

**ARC received
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
sedge
The Red is complex and intriguing. And it's also not what you think. Somehow it had a feel of old erotic novels, particularly Emmanuelle.

As you may guess, I liked it. Not in the way of The Original Sinners novels, but it had its own niche.

The beginning is confusing, but it gets more and more interesting as the book progresses until it finally all makes sense.

Tiffany Reisz definitely let her imagination run wild in The Red. I'm looking at you, Minotaur! However, every erotic encounter is crazily atmospheric and you can understand how the main heroine got obsessed with Malcolm, and how it changed her.

I do love Miss Reisz's heroines. They are magnetic and very strong-willed, and they do not give a fig about societal constraints. You go, girls!

Overall, it might not have been what I've expected from this book but I was not disappointed!

Recommended.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
ailar s
**Copy received through Netgalley for voluntary review.**

Wow. That was highly erotic. I dare you to get through this book without needing some relief if you know what I mean. But some of the scenarios tested my comfort levels (the minotaur, fisting, etc.). They made me cringe a little, to be honest. But that's what Tiffany Reisz or rather her character, Nora Sutherlin, does. She likes to bulldoze boundaries.

Mona is the owner of The Red, an art museum handed down to her from her recently deceased mother. The Red is on the verge of bankruptcy and Mona vowed she would do anything to keep the doors open. That's when she meets Malcolm. They strike a deal and every six weeks or so they reenact an erotic scene from a painting. The story delves into the paranormal and taboo. And the ending left me wanting to know more.

I don't know if I can say I liked it but I was definitely riveted.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
ramona windley
This is not your typical erotica. It is not a simple story about girl meets boy. It is so much more.

Ms. Reisz has written The Red in the same elegant rhythm of Anais Nin. It is precise and clear with broad enough strokes to paint the picture she wants you to see. With dark undertones it captures your attention almost immediately and demands your full attention. Within the first few chapters you are caught up in Malcolm and Mona’s actions. Then before you realize it, it’s no longer about the erotic acts, but about the secrets each painting and subsequent act reveals.

I suggest you go into this read with very little information. Trust this author to point you in the direction you should go. Then just enjoy the journey.

ARC provided through NetGalley

Heroine POV
If you have to check for safety issues or triggers you might choose to skip this one.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
jennifer abel
*I received a free copy to read & review for Wicked Reads*

The Red was an exciting, suspenseful, and erotic read.

Mona St.James is in a difficult position. She's made a death-bed promise to keep The Red open, come hell or high-water. Unfortunately the art-gallery isn't doing well and Mona's options are limited.
Enter Malcolm -Delicious, manly, dominant man [angel?].

I will not reveal any spoilers, but I will say these characters drew me in and would not let go.
There isn't a ton of menial details, most of these chapters are build-up to climax (pun intended). Amazingly erotic scenes, breath-taking erotic scenes this will be a book that stays on my favorite's shelf!

If you're a fan of Tiffany Reisz, or in the mood for a non-complicated Erotic Romance please read this book!!
~Wicked Reads Review Team~
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
chall
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.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
nikki fitlow
This book is straight up crazy erotica at its finest.
Poor Mona doesn't know what she's getting herself into when she agrees to sell her body to a handsome stranger for a year to save The Red, an art gallery her late mother loved so dearly.
What seems like the deal of a lifetime suddenly takes a strange and dark turn as reality and fantasy begin to mix and emotions take over.
With stunning descriptions, explicit details, and all of your darkest fantasies you didn't even know you wanted poured out into the page this book will overwhelm your senses until the very last shock.

Tiffany Reisz doesn't just write amazing books, she has the sort of voice and style that takes over your imagination and worms its way into your mind. Dirtier, harder, and more explicit than ever before The Red is a must-read novel.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
suzanne del
Mona Lisa made a death bed promise to her mother, keep her art gallery The Red running no matter what it takes. Mona is about to give up and sell the The Red when she has a strange encounter with a handsome English man named Malcolm. He proposes a year long arrangement where he has full control of Mona's body in exchange for saving the gallery. Once a month Malcolm recreates famous erotic art where Mona becomes someone she never dreamt she could be. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this erotic fantasy, the writing is some of the best erotica I have ever read and I loved the way the paintings were brought to life through the scenes. This ARC was graciously given by the author & NetGally in exchange for an honest review.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
ville
My first read by this author and most definitely not my last. I was completely intrigued by Malcolm and could not put the book down trying to get to where we'd find out more about him, his real life. Fantastical? Yes of course. The way Tiffany writes is completely intriguing and I found myself looking up the paintings so I could see what Mona saw (and also many words that are not used in general conversation lol...but I learned alot). The connection between these two was completely combustible and I spent the entire book trying to piece together how it would all come together. I loved it!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
sarah rose
Wow, what a freakin cool and crazy story! Each time they met it was more and more unbelievable. The love scenes were both filthy and beautiful, the characters were unapologetic in their wants and desires.

I loved Mona, such a confident, self-assured woman. She was a strong heroine who loved deeply and fiercely. The man she makes a deal with is imposing, intimidating. He is playful and mysterious.

This book took me on a journey. It was very unexpected and entertaining, delicious and surprising. Sometimes straight up shocking. I have never read anything like it and it will stay with me for a long time. I can see myself reading this multiple times!

I received an arc and these are my honest thoughts.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
hollier
"Things aren't what they seem."

My god, this book sucked me in! I had to keep reading to see how the next scene would play out. Some parts had me so flushed and hot I had to take a moment to fan myself and say "Jesus H, Tiffany. Are you trying to kill me?!"

The story line will grab you and leave you aroused, a bit confused, but intrigued and wanting more. The vivid description of each piece of art, of each scene together paints a picture in your head that is so clear it's like watching it play out on screen.

Tiffany is always an automatic one click for me. Add a little Nora Sutherland in the mix and I couldn't get my hands on this fast enough.

Another 5 star read from the Queen. ONE CLICK. TRUST ME. You need the SEXY stranger and his FILTHY mouth in your life.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
ronnie mcmahon
I really liked this one. From the very beginning a mystery was mentioned about Malcolm that will entice the reader to read more. I will say that looking up the actual paintings for a visual reference will help be in the mindset of what Mona is actually looking at and what is to be performed. I will say I kind of didn't get Sebastian's character during "The Bleeding Man" chapter. I'm not sure if his actions were of reason or not. Maybe it was to keep his character "short" in a way because this is a novella. Anyways, I always have an open mind when reading Tiffany's books because I never know what she will throw in the story. I kind of want a follow up of Mona and Spencer!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
rom n
"Art should be dangerous, you know. It should say something to society that society doesn’t want to hear."

The Red is unlike anything I've ever read before. Tiffany Reisz has once again completely captivated me in her story and left me begging for more.

Mona Lisa St. James is about to lose her art gallery and has to make a deal with Malcolm, the devil, to save it. For a period of one year Mona is at Malcolm's mercy, she's his to do whatever he wants—his entertainment—and he leaves her with payment to help save the gallery. His little wh*re.

I loved how Tiffany intertwined the story of Mona and Malcolm with the pieces of artwork and brought them to life—however wild they were. The Red just confirmed that I'll read anything Tiffany Reisz and end up loving it! If you're a fan of Tiffany Reisz, this book is a must-read.

"She could never go back to the way it was before."

* I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley for an honest review.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
alex cole
This book was a lot different from what I was expecting but still a pretty steamy read. There were some unexpected but original twist that I appreciated. Although, I must admit that Mona's trust of Malcolm was a little too quick and unrealistic for my taste. He also threw the term whore around an awful lot and it was quite jarring. All in all it was a lusty read and I would recommend if you like a little steamy and kinky sex with a bit of bestiality thrown in. The ending was adorable as well.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
nathan harrell
Hot! Hot! Hot! Intoxicatingly Erotic! This was the most erotic story I have ever read! Blush! Blush! The heat of this story will singe your fingers as you turn the pages. Not only from the content but from the speed of your fingers turning the pages to read more. Tiffany Reisz is a masterful author of erotica and she out did herself in this story, in my opinion. This was captivatingly, arousing storytelling at its finest. If you want your panties to combust, this is your story.
Mystery, suspense, with dark, erotically, ominous overtone I devoured this! Loved it!
Received a ARC through the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily wrote an honest review.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
cassie imperato
Death bed Promises can change lives and alter the future. Erotic scenes and descriptions are the most intense I have ever read; Tiffany Reisz is a master with written emotions. Time and paths are forged by a brass bed. Malcolm who loved and died in this bed makes visits to Mona the present owner. Malcolm and Mona forge a bargain that will fulfill promises only death could voice. Author ties up all questions and mysteries this novel offers in a fantastic conclusion. "A copy of this book was provided by 8th Circle Press via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read and my comments here are my honest opinion."
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
lara daly
I am a faithful Tiffany Reisz reader the moment there is a new book I am trying to get my hands on it. I was lucky enough to do that early with The Red when I received a copy from Netgally for an honest review.

BLOWN AWAY. Ms. Reisz always has me captivated in her stories at the heart she is a talented weaver of tales but none have captivated me aws much as The Red. The magical story of Mona Lisa St. James and Malcolm left me breathless and so immersed in their tale. Of course there is the mind blowing erotic scenes that a Reisz book is know for, but my lord the storytelling and twist is what made this book a FIVE star read for me.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
kristin bell
Let me start off by saying that I love Tiffany Reisz and will read anything she writes. I'd read product labels authored by her hand.
Something about this book just didn't hit home for me. Was it erotic? Hell yes! Was it well written? Ditto. However, I just have a hard time placing all of the paintings and scenes together into one melded understandable piece.

It's not to say I didn't enjoy it, it just isn't a fave.

Can we have more Kingsley and Sōren yet?

Pretty please, with a sprinkle of kink on top?
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
deyna
This book was a ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review (thank you! )

This book was more fantasy like. I kept trying to figure out how Malcolm did theses thing and the end brought it together. I agree with other reviewers that the end was rushed and could have been stretched out a bit better. This book was not what i was expecting and some of the scenes in it make me scratch my head.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
brianna sewell
This book had me in a number of emotions in me. First of all, this book is damn near all sex. It’s constant sex. You have the main character Mona who has inherited her mother’s art gallery and is up to her eyes in debt. One day a man named Malcolm comes along and offers her a deal. He comes once a month to have sex with her and we are not talking sweet old fashion missionary sex either. You are introduced to a number of sexual acts I myself would never even think of doing. Malcolm puts a glass bottle up in her, he ties her up to rocks. You have so many different sex scenes, the writing is amazing. Somehow in this book, she produces breast milk without having a child. Like I said it is a book of weird sex but good sex. It read smoothly and confusing until you go to the end and put all the pieces together. Once you finish the book all the pieces went together perfectly. If you do not get into erotica or paranormal books, I would not recommend this to you. If you do then jump into it and tell me what you think!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
iryna sydoruk
Talk about an erotic story. This will definitely get your heart rate up and raring to go.
I loved all the kinky acts within this story and I had a history lesson in art. Thank god for google as I need to see the picture that was being depicted within this story. I really enjoyed the main characters, Malcolm and Mona. It was good to just read a story with no holds bared. Of course it's a fantasy. Loved it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
raj barath
Tiffany Reisz rocks!!! She's done it again with "The Red", writing another sinfully erotic, sensual, and heart-stopping story! I read this book in pieces, one chapter at a time, and couldn't wait for the next chapter to be released! (I had withdrawal symptoms for the entire week between units!) If you've ever read any of Tiffany Reisz's Sinner series, you will definitely like this book! Her character's sizzle with hotness, wit, charm, and raw sensuality! You can't put her books down, you will find yourself reading through the night and when the book is through, you will feel bereft until another one is written.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
troy
Never had one woman been so happy to be in The Red. My patience was tested as life kept producing hurdle after hurdle for me to clear before I could begin reading.

Mona is in the red, literally and figuratively. Sufficiently so that when a stranger offers her a solution to resolve her financial struggles she has no choice but to accept his proposal. After all, she vowed to her mother she would do anything in her power to save The Red Gallery. What transpires is a story about survival of self as much as it was about property.

I adore visiting art galleries, delighting in the imagination and talent of others. Combining reading and a virtual art gallery trip with Ms Reisz as a tour host was a wonderful treat ? Her storytelling brought the two dimensional art works described to life, which will make my next visit to a gallery an interesting experience! The erotic tales were reminiscent of walking through the grounds of Norman Lindsay’s Gallery, located in the Blue Mountains (Australia). The whimsical adventures incorporated an abandonment of society’s polite and refined expectations of the day. Limitations are at the whim of the actors and artist in this playground.

Mona’s reason for entertaining Malcolm’s proposal became secondary to my fascination with the blurring between fantasy and reality. Therefore, when the lines of propriety were crossed, I experienced a surreal notion of acceptance. As I was swept up in Mona’s adventures my focus was fixated on where she was, rather than why or the consequences of her decisions. My acceptance of the unacceptable continually surprised me as I became lost in Mona’s world.

My ongoing inner struggle with the dreaded C word was challenged again in this story. It’s use is limited and emphasised the moment when added. This is a personal peeve and as such I feel compelled to mention it. Slowly I feel myself being desensitised and I can tolerate it in context, just not in everyday talk. You would think for a lover of dark reads, I wouldn’t fuss – but everyone has a line they draw and this is mine. In contrast, I didn’t blink at the descriptive scenarios except to occasionally read over the positional outline wondering how on earth can what they be doing work in reality. Eh, a lot of the shenanigans I wouldn’t recommend you try at home – heck forget limiting it to home, anywhere would be a worry!

The Red was suspenseful, unpredictable and not for the faint of heart. Where some stories fill you with fear to discover what lurks in the dark corners, this story evoked anticipation and thrill of what the unknown held. An amazing journey which led me to experiencing an emotional destination. Given the elaborate detail put into each scenario, the ending in contrast felt rushed. All the answers were there but it felt offered rather than discovered. The ending was quick in comparison to the rest of the story and wrapped up a little too quickly…or did I not want the story to end?
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
tempest
Shel: I just...I....How does she do it? How does Tiffany Reisz continue to come up with these wonderfully creative, inventive stories? When I think about what I just read, The Red, I just marvel at her process and I wonder what sparked her and then how did she know when to end it? To be in the "room where it happened"; to hear her come up with these ideas and then produce them must be super cool.

Shel: One thing I enjoy about her novels is that I never really think I'm the target audience but every single time she proves me wrong and I love that sense of discovery--discovering something new to fall in to. So I guess I really need to stop thinking I'm anything and just go with it, right? Case in point--The Red's tag line is that it's an erotic fantasy. The erotic part I get...but the fantasy part is the part that I typically don't engage with. But, once again, Tiffany Reisz has shown me that I'm a fool for letting my preconceptions about what the fantasy genre is or isn't get in the way of picking up a book; good writing and good storytelling are what draws me to a story and I've probably missed out on quite a few books because of my lack of exposure to an entire genre or sub-genre.

Shel: Anyway, back to The Red.

Shel: I picked up The Red on a rainy, humid evening (we've been having many of those in Louisiana, lately) and was immediately absorbed by Mona and Malcolm. From their mysterious meeting at her gallery to his 'assignations' and the resulting fantasy that was fulfilled, I found my evening slip into the wee hours of the morning and I couldn't put this erotic journey down until I figured out who this Malcolm was and how he found Mona. I enjoyed that The Red seemed to give a nod to historical romances with rakish characters--Malcolm being the primary, but others show up--and blends it with a thoroughly modern Mona in these searingly erotic scenes. Speaking of the erotica in this novel, *fans self*, if you are at all not into explicitly sexual scenes that explore all kinds of sex acts, then you should prepare yourself for exactly that when you pick up this novel. Another thing I enjoyed was how each chapter built on the story but was also a story in and of itself; I like that at any point I could pick up The Red and read a single chapter and feel satisfied by the vignette it offered. And yet, having the chapters build to a conclusion that made me smile and wonder what Mona would be up to next was utterly satisfying; it's rare that you can read a book as short vignettes or as a complete work and have either reading feel satisfying but The Red does just that.

Shel: The Red is a short novel that will check off many boxes for many readers: interesting characters and situations (I'm betting google image search will be used often by readers) and sensual erotica in blending of fantasy and reality that will hook you in from the first chapter.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
jill bunze
THE RED is Tiffany Reisz’s first return to Erotic BDSM Romance since finishing The Original Sinners series. I have read her other books since then but haven’t been too impressed with them so I was very excited to see that she was returning to what made her gain more attention in the first place. I truly believe that this is what Reisz is good at and I hope she continues to write more in this genre.

That being said, I did have some high expectations with this book. THE RED has a very interesting premise. Our heroine, Mona, is in debt and her family-owned art gallery will soon have to close because she can’t afford to keep it open. Just when she is about to lose hope, a man appears offering her a deal that she can’t turn down.

Malcolm is a very peculiar man. He gives Mona a chance to save her gallery if she agrees to sleep with him. But that’s not all, he wishes to essentially make her his whore. The things they do together will undoubtedly push some people’s boundaries. But as a reader of Reisz’s books already, the acts in this book didn’t make me uncomfortable. The sex is creative and unique but my main complaint is that it is cold. While the acts may be dirty as hell, there is no emotion at all shared between the characters. I found Malcolm intriguing only through his interactions with Mona, but he really is a hero that required more depth beyond that. There is no romance at all, and the third character that is introduced occurred too late, which made the ending feel very rushed. If you’re looking for something dirty then you’ll probably like this book. But in terms of actual romance, there is none and that was a big disappointment to me.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
sharon hinck
I totally wasn't expecting that, but knew something was amiss early on and this wasn't one of her "normal" reads. I'm not giving away any spoilers, but just know its very descriptive and explicit with all sorts of sexy hijinks. It is definitely original so I'm caught between four and five stars because I will never forget it, but it didn't topple The Original Sinners (will anything ever?)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
jillian byrd
I am speechless. This was just an exceptional read. The fantasies, the characters, the bedroom scenes,(or not bedroom scenes), were utterly amazing. I was transfixed with every word. I am embarrassed to say this is my first book by Ms. Reisz. But I am happy to say I am going to one click many of her books after this review. What a complete, fantastic author. And one of my all time favorite endings from a romance. I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
aj oakes
A girl left with an art studio, that’s failing and her mother’s dying wish, that she do anything to keep it afloat!!!! I loved the story and have read others by this author, she’s pretty talented. Tiffany Reisz’s stuff always involves a little kink, but also so intelligently written, that even if it’s not your thing, her writing draws you in and takes you to another world. I was never really sure until the end if it was reality or fantasy and what a great HEA twist.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
dalene van zyl
This is a very hot read from this author. This author has a fab ability to bring you a story which will knock your socks off as you read. Fantastic well written characters. This book has a fantasy/paranormal aspect to the story. This author has a fab way of bringing you very descriptive scenes to suck you into the story. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.
Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed a advance reader copy of this book
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
frida rahkola
"The Red" is a most enchanting read, where you can't stop reading until the end. I want to continue reading more of Malcolm, Mona and Spencer's encournters where art is recreated and fantasy is not just a dream.
Tiffany Reisz is an incredible writer. She knows how to capture her readers interests and hearts in every story she writes. You will never go wrong in any story she writes and I would recommend this book to adult reader.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
mike podwal
Uncaged Review: Mona takes over her Mother’s Art Gallery after her death. But the debt is showing The Red in extreme debt. So when Mona is approached by a mysterious handsome man with a business proposal that will save Mona’s gallery, she agrees only not realizing that she will be in over her head in a sexual frenzy. This was an interesting read and had a good twist in the tale concerning the handsome stranger. Reviewed by Jennifer
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
tom torsney weir
This story was beyond creative and so original. I am completely in love with the concept. I loved that it centered around art. The writing itself was art. It was incredibly beautiful. I loved the character development as well. I found myself so involved with the characters' story early on. I found the pacing a little slow at times, but overall, this book definitely held my attention and I would love to read more from this author!
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
brian h
An incredibly erotic tale. I don't want to say too much more and give anything away, but let's just say the tale is sexy, kinky, surprising and well-written - in other words, what you'd usually expect from one of Reisz's books. Follow this slightly bonkers novel to its conclusion and you'll be on the edge of your seat, and most definitely hot under the collar. Recommended for erotica fans who like something a little different.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
bigtoe416
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Utterly delicious kinky smut of the best kind. Ms. Reisz takes us on a ride through art, kink, domination and submission and oh, you do NOT want to miss this one.

This is erotica, not erotic romance, so be clear about what you'll be getting. It's a quality addition to Ms. Reisz's body of work.

I'm picky AF about written kink, but I know I can trust this author because she gets it RIGHT.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
arihant
Rating: 4 stars

This book just left me utterly speechless. It was downright sinful to be honest.. This book was amazing. It was mind-blowing. It was intense. It was erotic. It was hot. I simply loved it and cannot stop thinking about it. Tiffany Reisz just has a way with her words, her writing got me hooked from the very start. I was enraptured till the very end, I could not have enough..
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
lynda schaepfer
This story is interesting and different. This read not only has a story you want to wrap your head around, but some kink filled sexy scenes as well. I had just one hitch that kept me from loving it. I felt a little more between the characters would have really wrapped the story up, and complete that connection. However, it wasn't enough to keep me from devouring the pages. Enjoy!
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
william spear
I'll be honest, I did not like this book for the first 91% and the reason was because we were given so little background about the characters. They meet and then have sex, explicit sex, very titillating sex but there's only enough you can write before the sex gets boring.

I wanted more, more depths to the characters but this was more Kama sutra than a novel. I was prepared to not finish it at about the fifth sex scene but I have been wanting to read the Original Sinner's book since forever so I figured this would be a nice introduction to the author.

I'm certain I would have enjoyed it more had there been more information at the beginning because until 91% I thought Mona was an idiot to not question anything. The big reveal bumped this up from the 2 star read it was to a 2.5. I still intend to read the Original Sinners series, hopefully it turns out better than this one.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
hamed seyed allaei
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.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
sybil mccormack
That was an incredible story. It was very erotic and didn't know what to think of Malcolm. Mona kept waiting for Malcolm to "pay" with her body. Malcolm opened Mona to a world of fantasy. The story doesn't make sense until the end. All is disclosed.

The writing is exquisite. The art is in the writing. Tiffany Reitz did a beautiful display of reality vs. fantasy.
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
cori atkins
Soooo, I tried my first Tiffany Reisz and it was...interesting. A couple of years ago, I was fascinated with books that pushed the boundaries in the bedroom...I mean torture chamber. I couldn't get enough of reading them. There was a little part of me that wanted to know if what I was reading was real or believable. How could a woman love a man who took pleasure in her pain? How could a man respect a woman who allowed that level of pain, humiliation and suffering be administered? Well, I think I'm over my fascination. I was sneering and making squinty eyes at my Kindle reading The Red.

Now, I can admit that the storyline captured and held my attention until the very last page. The storyline was riveting. How far would you go to fulfil a deathbed promise? Me, I'm a little too logical. I know that if someone I loved, who loved me in return, asked me to do something that would compromise my health, safety and well-being, I wouldn't do it. Simply, I don't believe money or material goods buy you happiness.

Anyways, if I could cut out the extreme kinky and replace it with very mild kinky and a lot of steamy, The Red would have been a more enjoyable experience. I was fascinated by the art that was described and left Google open looking at all the masterpieces. Geez, it took a lot more effort (back in the day) to get your fill of nudity. Someone had to paint it instead of heading to the newsagents (for a Playboy) or his or her computer (for Tumblr) to see it. I guess pornography has been around a lot longer than I thought.

I've now had my Tiffany Reisz curiosity appeased, and can go back to my mildly kinky and steamy reads, with a smile on my face.

Stacey is Sassy, received a complimentary copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
becki hinson
Oh how I love me some Mona & Malcolm art gallery shenanigans!! WOW!! This DEFINITELY lived up to my usual Tiffany story expectations!! Actually it was a bit MORE than expected in a delicious scandalous way! I love her writing ! I'm a fan forever & I have a crazy desire to visit tons of art galleries as of today having finished this book ?❤️
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
stephanie cueman
Okay, I didn't really realize that it would be so much erotica. Nevertheless, the idea of this book was very interesting, I liked the flair of paranormal in this book. I am just not quite satisfied with the ending of this book.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
judy vincenti
OMG, this book was an amazing read! I received a free copy from NetGalley and it was one of the greatest books I had the chance to read in 2017. I thoroughly recommend it to people who are passionate about art and those vaguely interested in the BDSM lifestyle. The male characters totally made me tingle.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
caitie
Tiffany Reisz never ever disappoints as well as her alter ego Nora Sutherlin. If you are a lover of art, then read The Red, the art that we have seen and loved becomes an erotic tale for the ages. Although not my normal reading genre, I was immediately escaped into Tiffany Reisz's world. The most erotic and beautifully written words.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
inhwan david
This book was a gift and was signed by Tiffany Reisz herself, with a personal message! I loved the book. The story line was complete with no holes and the plot was just phenomenal. The characters are mesmerizing as well as the scenes depicted in the book. I give it Five HUGE stars! Amazing author, amazing work. I want to read EVERYTHING she has!
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
aviva
I am still quite a new reader to Tiffany Reisz's work, but seeing she had a new release coming out i thought i need to read this but this book was not as agreeable as her work i have read so far. It is very sexy , and i loved that i mean downright super sexy at times again no complaints. But i just found the story very predictive to a point, ie the sexy, mysterious wealthy man swooping in to save the day. However, there was many surprises i did not suspect, the description also of the paintings was so vivid i could almost picture them as they really are, when i searched for them to see for real what they look like. As i am so new to this authors work, i am going to give this book another try after i have read more of her previous works, as i feel it needs another attempt and i may change my review rating to more stars
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
gabriel roland
I don't even know how to tell you how much I adore Tiffany Reisz's stories. Each word of her books is a masterpiece. Everything is so perfect and.... she is a genius. I will read it again when it will be published in Italy! I just hope the translation will do justice to this AMAZING book!!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
tom hajek
how does someone write from the perspective of a fictional character, ok it is your fictional character and she's not even in the book. The dialogue and sex are pure Nora, but the story is all Tiffany Reisz. From the moment I finished The Angel, I had to read the book that Michael stole from the bookstore and the book Suzanne had read and kept on her bookshelf. I now have and it's my new favorite. It's beautiful, dirty, artful and fun in every chapter. Loved the characters, so rich and complex. Loved the framework of it through the art. Loved the ending.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
kim chadwick
HOT! What a great read but a warning is necessary : it is a true erotica (bordering on porn) ! Reisz doesn't shy away from anything. Each chapter is inspired by a famous painting and it sometimes take quite a filthy turn...The writing is spot on and the mystery behind the protagonist keeps you guessing until the end. I truly loved reading this and yes I was often aroused reading it ^_^
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
jamia
Deliciously filthy! Tiffany Reisz has done it again! An excellent sexual read for your imagination. Was it a dream? Was it real? What fantasies are made of. This is the 10th book I've read by this author & I loved them all.
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