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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
The Rose is some red hot fun. On the one hand you have a pretty basic story, a young woman works to become comfortable with sex after a bad experience and falls in love with the adventurous lover who helps her do that. But the how of the story is beautiful and imaginitve and... I mean, it's Greek mythology. That's just fun. The characters are reasonably believable and the dialogue is witty. Sure, it's mostly about the sex, but there is enough of a story there to make it interesting.
Reviewed on my blog, Becky on Books, on 4/18/19.
Every time I see that there's a new [a:Tiffany Reisz|4480131|Tiffany Reisz|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1555248392p2/4480131.jpg] book coming out, I think awesome, I really like Tiffany Reisz! without really remembering, however, exactly how AWESOME Tiffany Reisz's books are until I start reading them. She. Is. Seriously. Freaking. Amazing.
I haven't yet read [b:The Red|30755704|The Red (The Red, #1)|Tiffany Reisz|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1479308848s/30755704.jpg|51304450] (I know! I OWN it! I have no excuse...it's up at the top of my TBR now, though, believe me!) but you really don't have to have read it (yet!) to truly enjoy the second book in the series. The heroine of book one is the mother of Lia, our heroine here--we do hear plenty about how her parents met and more than Lia wants to about their healthy sex lives, but starting the series here worked just fine. If nothing else, it's been years since the events of that book took place--this one starts at Lia's graduation party from Kings College, so we're not *exactly* picking up where the last book left off, anyway.
The blurb for this book doesn't even begin to do it justice, although it is perfectly accurate. Reisz's tale is a perfect blend of eroticism and romance, giving us mythology with a modern twist that both makes the ancient stories more palatable but still acknowledges the darkness of their origins. (Lia and August do a gender-swap version of the Psyche and Eros myth! So. Good. And don't get me started on the Achilles-Brisies-Patroclus portion, OMG.) To be honest, I have a tendency to skip over sex scenes in some books, especially after the first one--just get to the story, already!--but I wouldn't dare to in any of Ms. Reisz's books. They're that good, and that vital to the overall story she is telling.
Like every other book I've read by her, The Rose is so much more than just a titillating read. It's hot as heck, don't get me wrong, but it's also smart, romantic, and made me laugh out loud more than once. Lia and August's conversation is as snarky and fun as it is hot AF. A conversation between Lia and her mother offers a searing assessment on the treatment of women in history and in art that will stay with me long after Ms. Reisz is done writing this series (PLEASE tell me she's not done with this series yet! I need more!) and there are so many clever twists and turns in the plot--honestly, I have no idea how she manages to come up with her plots--they're so well thought out and engrossing, and details that you barely even noticed from the early chapter suddenly become ...OMG, remember when...and now... moments later on. An ongoing mystery in the book is pretty heavily hinted at for readers throughout--Lia remains adorably clueless, of course. She's also exactly as dubious as she should be about the possibility of the ancient gods and goddesses being real and relevant today, because I mean really, even though plenty of proof abounds. Again, exactly as it should be!
I'm honestly not even coming close to doing this book justice. If you're a fan of smart erotica, read it. If you're a history and mythology nerd, read it. If you love romance that makes you think as much as it makes you swoon, for the love of the gods, READ IT NOW!
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Every time I see that there's a new [a:Tiffany Reisz|4480131|Tiffany Reisz|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1555248392p2/4480131.jpg] book coming out, I think awesome, I really like Tiffany Reisz! without really remembering, however, exactly how AWESOME Tiffany Reisz's books are until I start reading them. She. Is. Seriously. Freaking. Amazing.
I haven't yet read [b:The Red|30755704|The Red (The Red, #1)|Tiffany Reisz|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1479308848s/30755704.jpg|51304450] (I know! I OWN it! I have no excuse...it's up at the top of my TBR now, though, believe me!) but you really don't have to have read it (yet!) to truly enjoy the second book in the series. The heroine of book one is the mother of Lia, our heroine here--we do hear plenty about how her parents met and more than Lia wants to about their healthy sex lives, but starting the series here worked just fine. If nothing else, it's been years since the events of that book took place--this one starts at Lia's graduation party from Kings College, so we're not *exactly* picking up where the last book left off, anyway.
The blurb for this book doesn't even begin to do it justice, although it is perfectly accurate. Reisz's tale is a perfect blend of eroticism and romance, giving us mythology with a modern twist that both makes the ancient stories more palatable but still acknowledges the darkness of their origins. (Lia and August do a gender-swap version of the Psyche and Eros myth! So. Good. And don't get me started on the Achilles-Brisies-Patroclus portion, OMG.) To be honest, I have a tendency to skip over sex scenes in some books, especially after the first one--just get to the story, already!--but I wouldn't dare to in any of Ms. Reisz's books. They're that good, and that vital to the overall story she is telling.
Like every other book I've read by her, The Rose is so much more than just a titillating read. It's hot as heck, don't get me wrong, but it's also smart, romantic, and made me laugh out loud more than once. Lia and August's conversation is as snarky and fun as it is hot AF. A conversation between Lia and her mother offers a searing assessment on the treatment of women in history and in art that will stay with me long after Ms. Reisz is done writing this series (PLEASE tell me she's not done with this series yet! I need more!) and there are so many clever twists and turns in the plot--honestly, I have no idea how she manages to come up with her plots--they're so well thought out and engrossing, and details that you barely even noticed from the early chapter suddenly become ...OMG, remember when...and now... moments later on. An ongoing mystery in the book is pretty heavily hinted at for readers throughout--Lia remains adorably clueless, of course. She's also exactly as dubious as she should be about the possibility of the ancient gods and goddesses being real and relevant today, because I mean really, even though plenty of proof abounds. Again, exactly as it should be!
I'm honestly not even coming close to doing this book justice. If you're a fan of smart erotica, read it. If you're a history and mythology nerd, read it. If you love romance that makes you think as much as it makes you swoon, for the love of the gods, READ IT NOW!
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
4.5 stars
This is a long-overdue review of The Rose by Tiffany Reisz. I honestly had no expectations coming into this novel. I just knew it had to do with a cup and I'd get some steamy scenes. However, I got way more than I originally thought.
The story follows our protagonist, Ophelia or Lia, who at her graduation party receives this kylix (that is supposed to have been to worship the goddess Aphrodite) from her father. She also meets the male lead, Augustine Bowman or August, who lost the bid for that kylix to her father there too. Thus, beginning their erotic fantasies together through the taste of wine off the lips of the kylix.
I really can not explain how much I truly love this book. The exchanges between August and Lia were entertaining and saucy. The mystery surrounding who August truly is (though I suspected from the beginning due to some of the lines said) was done well. As someone who does not know much about Greek mythology (sorry to my high school English teachers), I really enjoyed researching and seeing how Reisz twisted them to fit her story.
Though there is one scene in the book that might be questionable for a lot of people. Trigger warning ahead.
“No, I don’t want to be a bloody concubine,” she said. “It’s a fancy word for being a victim of kidnapping and rape.” “But you fantasize about being kidnapped and raped.” “In a nice way.” She let her head fall back and smiled dreamily up at the ceiling. “A sexy way. A not-at-all-real-in-any-way way. That’s what I meant.”
That took me by a shock. I was like whoa, are we seriously going there? Which ends up in her being ultimately gangbanged by Achilles and Patroclus. But consensually? I guess.
Overall, I really fell in love with August throughout the book. His wittiness, honesty, and charm were just too much for me to handle. If all Tiffany Reisz's lead men are like him and all the sex scenes are that saucy, she has a new fan for sure.
P.S. I am going to drop some of my favorite quotes from the book down below.
“My wife...” he said. “Why,” she whispered, “does it feel like you have always been my husband?” “Because I will always be your husband,” he said, “and eternity is a river that runs all ways.”
“Yes,” she said. “Was that a side effect of drinking from the cup?” “No,” he said. “Just a side effect of meeting me.”
“Phryne of Athens,” he said. “The courtesan. When she was charged with impiety and taken before the courts, she bared her breasts to the judges. At the sight of them, they acquitted her. At the sight of your breasts, they would have crowned you empress.”
“What about the face of God?” August asked. “Did you touch it?” Lia raised a tired hand to his face and stroked his cheek. “Close enough,” she said. August turned his head and kissed her palm.
“Tell me something, then,” he begged. “Tell me something that tells me who you are.” “I am she who loves you,” she said, touching his face. “My prince.” “Ah,” her shy prince said with a brazen smile. “That tells me all I need to know.”
“What happened? He seemed mad about you.” “He’s, ah, going back to Greece.” “That’s what planes are for.”
P.S.S. Great songs to listen to while reading this:
1. Like a God by Lia Marie Johnson
2. Willow by Taylor Swift
3. The Lakes by Taylor Swift
This is a long-overdue review of The Rose by Tiffany Reisz. I honestly had no expectations coming into this novel. I just knew it had to do with a cup and I'd get some steamy scenes. However, I got way more than I originally thought.
The story follows our protagonist, Ophelia or Lia, who at her graduation party receives this kylix (that is supposed to have been to worship the goddess Aphrodite) from her father. She also meets the male lead, Augustine Bowman or August, who lost the bid for that kylix to her father there too. Thus, beginning their erotic fantasies together through the taste of wine off the lips of the kylix.
I really can not explain how much I truly love this book. The exchanges between August and Lia were entertaining and saucy. The mystery surrounding who August truly is (though I suspected from the beginning due to some of the lines said) was done well. As someone who does not know much about Greek mythology (sorry to my high school English teachers), I really enjoyed researching and seeing how Reisz twisted them to fit her story.
Though there is one scene in the book that might be questionable for a lot of people. Trigger warning ahead.
Spoiler
During the Briseis and Achilles section, chapter 12 to be exact, August and Lia have a conversation that can be inferred as rape play.“No, I don’t want to be a bloody concubine,” she said. “It’s a fancy word for being a victim of kidnapping and rape.” “But you fantasize about being kidnapped and raped.” “In a nice way.” She let her head fall back and smiled dreamily up at the ceiling. “A sexy way. A not-at-all-real-in-any-way way. That’s what I meant.”
That took me by a shock. I was like whoa, are we seriously going there? Which ends up in her being ultimately gangbanged by Achilles and Patroclus. But consensually? I guess.
Overall, I really fell in love with August throughout the book. His wittiness, honesty, and charm were just too much for me to handle. If all Tiffany Reisz's lead men are like him and all the sex scenes are that saucy, she has a new fan for sure.
P.S. I am going to drop some of my favorite quotes from the book down below.
“My wife...” he said. “Why,” she whispered, “does it feel like you have always been my husband?” “Because I will always be your husband,” he said, “and eternity is a river that runs all ways.”
“Yes,” she said. “Was that a side effect of drinking from the cup?” “No,” he said. “Just a side effect of meeting me.”
“Phryne of Athens,” he said. “The courtesan. When she was charged with impiety and taken before the courts, she bared her breasts to the judges. At the sight of them, they acquitted her. At the sight of your breasts, they would have crowned you empress.”
“What about the face of God?” August asked. “Did you touch it?” Lia raised a tired hand to his face and stroked his cheek. “Close enough,” she said. August turned his head and kissed her palm.
“Tell me something, then,” he begged. “Tell me something that tells me who you are.” “I am she who loves you,” she said, touching his face. “My prince.” “Ah,” her shy prince said with a brazen smile. “That tells me all I need to know.”
“What happened? He seemed mad about you.” “He’s, ah, going back to Greece.” “That’s what planes are for.”
P.S.S. Great songs to listen to while reading this:
1. Like a God by Lia Marie Johnson
2. Willow by Taylor Swift
3. The Lakes by Taylor Swift
This book just wasn't for me. I didn't feel the characters had enough of a connection in the present time and I lost interest in the fantasy element.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.
There’s so much to love about this book! Reisz is one of my favorite authors for a reason. 🙂
The good:
- Reisz is bi and August, our hero, is also bi. Yea!
- I don’t care about mythology but the way the gods are depicted kept me interested. It made me want to know more about them as “people”, not just the stories they’re depicted in.
- The romance is just wonderful. Lia first experience with sex wasn’t all that great – nothing non-consensual but in the way that, for a lot of women, your first sex isn’t great sex. After that the guy heaped all kinds of baggage on her and it affects how she feels about sex even now. August is understanding and supportive, and without pushing her farther than she wants to go helps her enjoy sex in the way she wants.
- The book as a whole is as feminist as hell. There’s little things like Lia’s mom (the heroine of the previous book in the series, The Red) calling the walk of shame a ‘walk of fame’. Why should a woman feel ashamed for having an amazing night of sex? Men can rock it, women should rock it, too!
- Big things are talked about, as well. There’s lots of discussion of which myths have been passed through history and why – namely because men have decided this or that story is worthy of being immortalized in a painting or play. If there are myths that scare men, maybe showing them as silly, stupid, or weak in the face of a kick-ass woman, there’s a much lower chance that the story would survive the centuries when the gatekeepers all have dicks.
- At one point the ending steers towards bittersweet, which made me feel conflicted. On one hand I love these two particular characters so much that I want them to have a carefree happily ever after, on the other hand Reisz is stellar at bittersweet resolutions and I know she would make it worthwhile. We ended up getting an unambiguously HEA (yea!), but I can’t help but wonder what a bittersweet ending would have looked like.
- Speaking of the ending, as with many romances based on Greek myths there’s a deus ex machina at the end. I’m not usually a fan of an all-powerful character sweeping in and fixing things with the sweep of a hand, but here it feels oddly earned. There’s enough strife and heartache to balance things, and it doesn’t feel like an authorly ‘get out of jail free and save the romance in one fell swoop’ card.
The neither-here-nor-there:
- The first book in this series was indie published, while this one was picked up by a major publisher. I noticed that a couple of lines weren’t crossed here, most notably anal sex. There’s no mention of the word, the action looks like it may stray in that direction for a second with all kinds of euphemisms), but it always veers away again. Reisz doesn’t shy away from much of anything sexual, so I figure it must have been a restriction from the publisher. I have no idea about the reasoning, but if that’s the case – boo.
- If you’d like to try erotic romance by Reisz but aren’t into BDSM this would be a decent place to start. While the sex is adventurous and fantastical it’s light on themes like bondage and submission.
Another awesome work from Riesz – brava! And Lia has three brothers (not to mention some best friends), so there’s no telling where things will go from here. ~rubs hands together greedily~
Thanks to Mira and NetGalley for providing a review copy.
The good:
- Reisz is bi and August, our hero, is also bi. Yea!
- I don’t care about mythology but the way the gods are depicted kept me interested. It made me want to know more about them as “people”, not just the stories they’re depicted in.
- The romance is just wonderful. Lia first experience with sex wasn’t all that great – nothing non-consensual but in the way that, for a lot of women, your first sex isn’t great sex. After that the guy heaped all kinds of baggage on her and it affects how she feels about sex even now. August is understanding and supportive, and without pushing her farther than she wants to go helps her enjoy sex in the way she wants.
- The book as a whole is as feminist as hell. There’s little things like Lia’s mom (the heroine of the previous book in the series, The Red) calling the walk of shame a ‘walk of fame’. Why should a woman feel ashamed for having an amazing night of sex? Men can rock it, women should rock it, too!
- Big things are talked about, as well. There’s lots of discussion of which myths have been passed through history and why – namely because men have decided this or that story is worthy of being immortalized in a painting or play. If there are myths that scare men, maybe showing them as silly, stupid, or weak in the face of a kick-ass woman, there’s a much lower chance that the story would survive the centuries when the gatekeepers all have dicks.
- At one point the ending steers towards bittersweet, which made me feel conflicted. On one hand I love these two particular characters so much that I want them to have a carefree happily ever after, on the other hand Reisz is stellar at bittersweet resolutions and I know she would make it worthwhile. We ended up getting an unambiguously HEA (yea!), but I can’t help but wonder what a bittersweet ending would have looked like.
- Speaking of the ending, as with many romances based on Greek myths there’s a deus ex machina at the end. I’m not usually a fan of an all-powerful character sweeping in and fixing things with the sweep of a hand, but here it feels oddly earned. There’s enough strife and heartache to balance things, and it doesn’t feel like an authorly ‘get out of jail free and save the romance in one fell swoop’ card.
The neither-here-nor-there:
- The first book in this series was indie published, while this one was picked up by a major publisher. I noticed that a couple of lines weren’t crossed here, most notably anal sex. There’s no mention of the word, the action looks like it may stray in that direction for a second with all kinds of euphemisms), but it always veers away again. Reisz doesn’t shy away from much of anything sexual, so I figure it must have been a restriction from the publisher. I have no idea about the reasoning, but if that’s the case – boo.
- If you’d like to try erotic romance by Reisz but aren’t into BDSM this would be a decent place to start. While the sex is adventurous and fantastical it’s light on themes like bondage and submission.
Another awesome work from Riesz – brava! And Lia has three brothers (not to mention some best friends), so there’s no telling where things will go from here. ~rubs hands together greedily~
Thanks to Mira and NetGalley for providing a review copy.
This is good. A fun one-day read. I read The Red earlier this year and enjoyed it too, but it was a story that I at times had to buckle down to get through. It's more...out there content-wise, doesn't actually have a plot, and has literally no romance.
The Rose is an improvement in every regard.
- There's an actual plot! It's shallow and not all that involved, but it's definitely there.
-The content (for me at least) was all around more palatable. And it is heavily based in Greek mythology which I've always had an interest in. So bonus points for that.
-There's a romance! Again, it's shallow and quick and nothing that's gonna make you swoon. To be fair, this is erotica. It's not pretending to be anything else. But I was happy to have a touch of romance present to smooth out the edges.
So, overall, this is fun and light and if you like stories with a whole lot of sexy, a bunch of mythology, and a touch of romance, The Rose is for you.
4 stars
The Rose is an improvement in every regard.
- There's an actual plot! It's shallow and not all that involved, but it's definitely there.
-The content (for me at least) was all around more palatable. And it is heavily based in Greek mythology which I've always had an interest in. So bonus points for that.
-There's a romance! Again, it's shallow and quick and nothing that's gonna make you swoon. To be fair, this is erotica. It's not pretending to be anything else. But I was happy to have a touch of romance present to smooth out the edges.
So, overall, this is fun and light and if you like stories with a whole lot of sexy, a bunch of mythology, and a touch of romance, The Rose is for you.
4 stars
I love this book even better than the first (The Red)!
I really love the character build-up and the references to mythology. It's really a creative piece and how everything ties in together in the end. It made me cry especially near the end with regards to revelations and confessions.
Lia (Ophelia) is one strong and emphatic woman who falls for Mr. August Bowman. Their common factor, a Rose kylix, which can materialize all your fantasies and desires.
I appreciate the parts of Mona and Spencer (from Red) and really puts everything back to finish off the series.
You do not need to read Red (the first book) but it would surely be wonderful to see how and why Lia's parents are the way they are in the book.
Beautifully written!
I really love the character build-up and the references to mythology. It's really a creative piece and how everything ties in together in the end. It made me cry especially near the end with regards to revelations and confessions.
Lia (Ophelia) is one strong and emphatic woman who falls for Mr. August Bowman. Their common factor, a Rose kylix, which can materialize all your fantasies and desires.
I appreciate the parts of Mona and Spencer (from Red) and really puts everything back to finish off the series.
You do not need to read Red (the first book) but it would surely be wonderful to see how and why Lia's parents are the way they are in the book.
Beautifully written!
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content
Book Stats
Stars: 3 Stars
Start Date : 01/01/2020 Ending Date: 01/25/2020
Genre: Erotic Romantic Fiction Form: Digital E-Galley( Arc)
Page Count: 384 Publishing Date: 2019
Point of View: 3rd Person Setting: Modern Day UK
Review
Spoilers! You can also read it on my blog!!
I don't know if that was better or worse than The Red...
Plot: So The Rose is the sequel to the Red which takes place 21 years after the ending of the Red. Lia, our main character,is the daughter of Mona , the main character of the Red. On her graduation party from college, her dad gifts her the Rose Kylix , an ancient greek cup which is said to have magical properties . During her party she mets August Bowman, a mysterious gentleman that wants the cup for himself which Lia's dad bought it from an auction from him. Come to found out that the cup is a cup by Eros and which grants the drinker of it any sexual fantasy they want to play out. ( So it's ancient sex toy by the gods) In order to get out the trouble, Lia finds herself making a deal to sell the cup to August for a Million pounds ( 1.3 million US Dollars) to pay off her blackmailing " ex" David who found out she have her own escort service. Along with the deal, August agrees to having sex with her for the week to see how the cup works. In the Red, Mona had sexaual fantasies in painting but in this one Lia have sexual fantasies using Greek Mythology( Andromeda/Perseus, Briseis/ Achilles, Eros/ Psyche to name a few) which this all takes place in week where chaos ensues.
For the most part, it was ok but one part of the plot nagged at me for some reason (which I'm going to get in detail later . Lia and August interactions was cute and witty for the most part. August was pretty much had a body of a greek good but was funny as hell The sex in this was wat=y tamer than in The Red by a long shot. Shit The Red had an Orgy,Beastilty, Lactation, A threeseome and BDSM in it. This barely had a threesome or oral sex in it. The scenes where each greek sexual myth plays out where too long to get to the actual errotic scence. I'm all for set up not the whole scene is 29 pages long where the last 5 pages is where the actual sex happens. Honestly the sex scenes that was not in the mythology scenes was hotter.
Lia for the most part was kind of a prude even tho she's a madam which makes sense with her family's rep of being scandalous. It's in her family's blood to be sexual which if you read the Red you understand big time. I mean her great grandfather had a painting porn collection and went the brothels every single day. Her dad and mom pretty much got together because her mom had the painting of her great grandfather which her dad pretty much said he was going to marry her and turn her into a whore to get that painting. It was confirmed that Lia was conceived on their wedding night so right after the events of the Red. So I was kind of shocked that knowing her family's history that she never told her parents about her being a madam which leads in to my main problem with this story.
How Lia being a madam weighs more than certain things that a certain character did.
The villain of this story is named David Bell who pretty much trying to blackmail Lia by telling her he will go to the her a parents, the police and press about her being a madam. Four years prior to the events of The Rose, David was a 37 year old artist from New York who was painting a mural for her parents house that 17 year old Lia which had a huge crush on. She confessed her love from him which one night she lost her virginity to him. ( I'm about to get to that in a min) Which later on that night, she found out that he also had sex with her mom since her parents have an open marriage. Her being heartbroken, she told him to leave or she'll tell her parents what happen. He leaves and lose a lot of commissions but comes back to blackmail her.
Here's the thing.
How the hell can you blackmail Lia when you was a 37 year old MAN having sex with a 17 year old MINOR? Yes She's over the age of consent in the UK but she was still a minor. You blackmailing her cause you lost a couple commissions but if she actually told her parents what you did your ass could have end up in jail?? Yes Having a escort service is illegal but how that trumps having sex with a minor?
Her parents had enough money that they could have hushed the press and pay the cops off. Nobody would have know if she actually told them instead of wanting to pay his ass to keep quiet.
Then that don't even pan out since he got arrested for not paying his taxes. ( Which is funny that even tho she's running a escort service she's putting down her making tapestries as her income so nobody would get suspicious. ) So the whole David plot was just there for AUgust and Lai to get closer together and have sex thats all. No really big play off expect she finally tells her parents about what he did four years ago.
Then he parents do found out about it her being a Madam her damn dad grounds her like she's 10. She's 21 for damn sakes.
I just didn't like the fact this book made having a escort service ( where Lia made sure all the girls who was her friends who would all legal age safe since the client list was pretty friends of her parents) a bigger crime than..
Having sex with a 17 year old girl while your age is 37. ( An damn adult having sex with a minor.
The great-grandfather spent most of his time in a brothel and having a painting porn collection.
The dad saying that he was going to turn Mona into a whore to get his great grandfather's painting.
It doesn't make any sense to me at all especially how the the book was supposed to be about Lia embracing the intimate passion of sex and falling in love with August by exploring her fantasies. Just like in The Red was about Mona embracing her inner whore and finding out what turns her on. For a book to be about women gaining sexual freedom and being comfortable in their sexual prowess you got the male characters ( with the expectation of August of course) being hard on her and trying to punish her for doing something that guys are also know for doing as well.
That's why I couldn't rate it higher than a three because of this. The book would have been probably better if they tone down the emphasis of being a madam, the sexual greek fantasies scenes was a little shorter and had more sexual interaction than just the last few pages.
So 2020 is already staring off on a "Meh" note.
Stars: 3 Stars
Start Date : 01/01/2020 Ending Date: 01/25/2020
Genre: Erotic Romantic Fiction Form: Digital E-Galley( Arc)
Page Count: 384 Publishing Date: 2019
Point of View: 3rd Person Setting: Modern Day UK
Review
Spoilers! You can also read it on my blog!!
I don't know if that was better or worse than The Red...
Plot: So The Rose is the sequel to the Red which takes place 21 years after the ending of the Red. Lia, our main character,is the daughter of Mona , the main character of the Red. On her graduation party from college, her dad gifts her the Rose Kylix , an ancient greek cup which is said to have magical properties . During her party she mets August Bowman, a mysterious gentleman that wants the cup for himself which Lia's dad bought it from an auction from him. Come to found out that the cup is a cup by Eros and which grants the drinker of it any sexual fantasy they want to play out. ( So it's ancient sex toy by the gods) In order to get out the trouble, Lia finds herself making a deal to sell the cup to August for a Million pounds ( 1.3 million US Dollars) to pay off her blackmailing " ex" David who found out she have her own escort service. Along with the deal, August agrees to having sex with her for the week to see how the cup works. In the Red, Mona had sexaual fantasies in painting but in this one Lia have sexual fantasies using Greek Mythology( Andromeda/Perseus, Briseis/ Achilles, Eros/ Psyche to name a few) which this all takes place in week where chaos ensues.
For the most part, it was ok but one part of the plot nagged at me for some reason (which I'm going to get in detail later . Lia and August interactions was cute and witty for the most part. August was pretty much had a body of a greek good but was funny as hell The sex in this was wat=y tamer than in The Red by a long shot. Shit The Red had an Orgy,Beastilty, Lactation, A threeseome and BDSM in it. This barely had a threesome or oral sex in it. The scenes where each greek sexual myth plays out where too long to get to the actual errotic scence. I'm all for set up not the whole scene is 29 pages long where the last 5 pages is where the actual sex happens. Honestly the sex scenes that was not in the mythology scenes was hotter.
Lia for the most part was kind of a prude even tho she's a madam which makes sense with her family's rep of being scandalous. It's in her family's blood to be sexual which if you read the Red you understand big time. I mean her great grandfather had a painting porn collection and went the brothels every single day. Her dad and mom pretty much got together because her mom had the painting of her great grandfather which her dad pretty much said he was going to marry her and turn her into a whore to get that painting. It was confirmed that Lia was conceived on their wedding night so right after the events of the Red. So I was kind of shocked that knowing her family's history that she never told her parents about her being a madam which leads in to my main problem with this story.
How Lia being a madam weighs more than certain things that a certain character did.
The villain of this story is named David Bell who pretty much trying to blackmail Lia by telling her he will go to the her a parents, the police and press about her being a madam. Four years prior to the events of The Rose, David was a 37 year old artist from New York who was painting a mural for her parents house that 17 year old Lia which had a huge crush on. She confessed her love from him which one night she lost her virginity to him. ( I'm about to get to that in a min) Which later on that night, she found out that he also had sex with her mom since her parents have an open marriage. Her being heartbroken, she told him to leave or she'll tell her parents what happen. He leaves and lose a lot of commissions but comes back to blackmail her.
Here's the thing.
How the hell can you blackmail Lia when you was a 37 year old MAN having sex with a 17 year old MINOR? Yes She's over the age of consent in the UK but she was still a minor. You blackmailing her cause you lost a couple commissions but if she actually told her parents what you did your ass could have end up in jail?? Yes Having a escort service is illegal but how that trumps having sex with a minor?
Her parents had enough money that they could have hushed the press and pay the cops off. Nobody would have know if she actually told them instead of wanting to pay his ass to keep quiet.
Then that don't even pan out since he got arrested for not paying his taxes. ( Which is funny that even tho she's running a escort service she's putting down her making tapestries as her income so nobody would get suspicious. ) So the whole David plot was just there for AUgust and Lai to get closer together and have sex thats all. No really big play off expect she finally tells her parents about what he did four years ago.
Then he parents do found out about it her being a Madam her damn dad grounds her like she's 10. She's 21 for damn sakes.
I just didn't like the fact this book made having a escort service ( where Lia made sure all the girls who was her friends who would all legal age safe since the client list was pretty friends of her parents) a bigger crime than..
Having sex with a 17 year old girl while your age is 37. ( An damn adult having sex with a minor.
The great-grandfather spent most of his time in a brothel and having a painting porn collection.
The dad saying that he was going to turn Mona into a whore to get his great grandfather's painting.
It doesn't make any sense to me at all especially how the the book was supposed to be about Lia embracing the intimate passion of sex and falling in love with August by exploring her fantasies. Just like in The Red was about Mona embracing her inner whore and finding out what turns her on. For a book to be about women gaining sexual freedom and being comfortable in their sexual prowess you got the male characters ( with the expectation of August of course) being hard on her and trying to punish her for doing something that guys are also know for doing as well.
That's why I couldn't rate it higher than a three because of this. The book would have been probably better if they tone down the emphasis of being a madam, the sexual greek fantasies scenes was a little shorter and had more sexual interaction than just the last few pages.
So 2020 is already staring off on a "Meh" note.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes