2.75 stars
This book started off a little shaky, got better, then quickly headed off towards fantasyland, regained its realistic footing towards the end, then had a very rushed ending. I loved this author's writing style and appreciated the unique twist in this book, but only liked bits and pieces of this story, overall.

◆ The erotic scenes were incredibly sexy, well-written, and well-spaced.

◆ This book is perfect for erotica readers who enjoy a bit of mythology, art history, and erotic role-playing scenes!

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.

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.

3.5 "Planned Fate" Stars

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 it clicked!

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...
Boom!

This ARC was graciously given by the author & NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

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 shit 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.

Received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars for keeping me entertained long enough after jarring me a little.

Some spoilers.

The premise of " The Red" is centered around Mona, a young woman who's trying to save her art Gallery " The Red" from completely going under in England which she needs 500k to do so. It was a promise she made to her mother on her deathbed. A mysterious gentleman Malcolm offer her a deal to help save her Art Gallery by paying her in paintings that supposed to add up to 500K exchange for doing what he wants to do with her body aka " Carte Blanche" in the back of her Gallery for a year. Every sexaul encouter their had was based off a famous painting. As their sexual encounters gets more intense, so do her openness to try new things and her feelings for him.

I was intrigued to read this because I keep seeing this one around GR. This is my first time reading errotica from this author and maybe my last. I feel like it should have been more plot and little less sex to me cause you had a great premise going with her trying to save the Galley. I really liked Mona and Malcolm's intellectual talks about the art cause it felt that it just didn't want her for her body but also her brain but they kind of got drown out towards the middle. The book also started off funny as sensual but they got lost as well. One thing that was a turnoff for me was the full BDSM scene in the middle book. I was not turn off about it because it was a BDSM scene because she wrote it very well. ( Better than E.L James would.)

The fact this was most def not my first time reading errotica so everything that was in this book was not surprise to me at all. Honestly I was laughing at some of their sexual encounters and was almost bored to tears with one of them.I was laughing my ass off with the Nymph and Satyr orgy party while was bored to tears with the Minotaur Sacrifice one cause I read better. Also the line of consent was very burred on that one as well. I was turn off by it because before that Malcolm and Mona's painting theme sexual encounters was kind of tame and felt jarring to me. It didn't feel like a gradual descent to full BDSM. You can't have regular (well a little extreme with a bottle) sex with a little slapping on the breast in one encounter, to a little exhibitionism with her thinking she was being sold to someone but it was actually him another, to freaking orgy party in another, to straight out full BDSM with a riding chop and her going straight up submissive mode with him saying kind words as hit her 100 times without gradual descent of her going into the world of BDSM. That scene would have been better towards the end of her encounters with him and not the middle.

Then after that their sexual encounters become on the lines of taboo and little dubious which doesn't shock me at all. The ending was kind of strange but manageable. All in All it was enough to keep me entertained not to dnf it after it started off very strong.

A singe-worthy romance. Interesting and unique storyline.

Every time I read a new Tiffany Reisz book and I think she pushes the boundaries, she pulls a "hold my beer" with the next release. This is definitely a hold my beer book. A supernatural, erotic acid trip. Filthy, sexy, and beautiful.

Way too much, should have come with a warning for the more prudish. Could not finish.

See link.

Wasn't what I'd been expecting at all. Purchased this book at a signing by the author back in September 2016 and she giddily informed us this was smut. Come on it's supposed to be Nora's book...But it really wasn't and it definitely took you into your imagination.
And since I have a signed copy had to wait for the ARC before I could read it.

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

Rated 4.5 Stars

The Red is an unholy fuckfest that I enjoyed immensely. I loved the premise of it and the execution of it. It kept my attention from start to finish and also kept me hot and bothered. If you're in the mood for an erotic romance I definitely recommend this book.

My first read of the author and a nice introduction.

3.5 stars
I loved the Original Sinners series, so when I saw this book from Tiffany, I couldn't wait to read it!

Well... I must confess I honestly don't know what to think about this book.
When her mother passed away, Mona has promised her to do all she could to save The Red, her Art Gallery.
Then one night, she receives an offer she can't refuse... Malcolm offers her money to use her body for one year, with encounters 1 or 2 per month.

I have to admit I didn't like all of the sex scenes... which sometimes describe some facts way too much for me. But the descriptions are original : each scene is based on a real painting.
I loved so much the Art, omnipresent in the book. I really found that side of the story interesting and I really loved to learn more about the stories behind the paintings.

Tiffany succeeded again to take the reader with her in her world and we really want to know what's going to happen! Even if I didn't like the sexe scenes, I wanted to read more, to know the truth about Malcolm, to understand how everything was possible. I didn't expect this ending, at least not all of it. I found it a little bit too fast, and I wonder if a sequel is planned.

Anyway, I loved to read again Tiffany's writing style, her gift to take us in her universe and teach us many things based on a real documentation.

I am a diehard fan of the Original Sinners series, so as soon as I found out "Nora" was writing a book, I was counting down the days until its release. And what a release it is.

The Red is an erotic fantasy, meaning there are supernatural elements at play. It's important to keep this in mind. This isn't the kind of erotica you've come to expect from Tiffany. It will push your limits and nudge you out of your comfort zone. But that's what I love about Tiffany's books. She challenges her readers with her stories. She tries to get them to withhold judgment. And, trust me, with this book, you'll be tempted to judge—Mona for her decisions and Malcolm for his acts.

That said, if you love art (which is used so well in this book), graphic (and lots of!) sex, and using your imagination, you will LOVE this book.

I was nuts over this book—the first 75% of it. After that, I stumbled a bit over the plot, which really yanked me out of the world I had been immersed in. The end answered many of the questions you wonder while reading, but it still left me wanting more. I'd leave my questions/comments here, but I don't want to give anything away. Its best to go into this book without any idea of what you'll be experiencing.

Pre-75%, I would've given this book 10 stars. Post-75%, 4 stars. In the end, it deserves 5. This book made me stretch and, in my opinion, those are the best kind of books.

Oh, My!!
Erotically Fabulous.
Loyal fans of Tiffany Reisz will love The Red.
Tiffany is brave and fearless in her writing and some of the acts in a couple of the scenes very rarely appear in other erotica novels, that said, some people reading Tiffany's work for the first time may feel a little uncomfortable. Me, I lapped it up, devoured it and I want more!

She is the expert in seduction! I really loved this book and its main character " This is an uncommon story, the tone is dynamic, the writing is frank We identify ourselves with the clients quite easily, much less to our expert. The book is really worth it. Must read!