The Bourbon Thief by Tiffany Reisz

Welcome to another Totally Overdue Tuesday book review.  I am working on reviving this blog and catching up on some long overdue book reviews. 

The Bourbon Thief by Tiffany Reisz, a stand-alone Southern Gothic novel and a departure from Erotica and The Original Sinners series was published in June 2016. 

When Cooper McQueen wakes up from a night with a beautiful stranger, it's to discover he's been robbed. The only item stolen—a million-dollar bottle of bourbon. The thief, a mysterious woman named Paris, claims the bottle is rightfully hers. After all, the label itself says it's property of the Maddox family who owned and operated Red Thread Bourbon distillery since the last days of the Civil War until the company went out of business for reasons no one knows… No one except Paris.
In the small hours of a Louisville morning, Paris unspools the lurid tale of Tamara Maddox, heiress to the distillery that became an empire. But the family tree is rooted in tainted soil and has borne rotten fruit. Theirs is a legacy of wealth and power, but also of lies, secrets and sins of omission. The Maddoxes have bourbon in their blood—and blood in their bourbon. Why Paris wants the bottle of Red Thread remains a secret until the truth of her identity is at last revealed, and the century-old vengeance Tamara vowed against her family can finally be completed. - tiffanyreisz.com

If you follow my reviews, you know that I adore Tiffany Reisz. I never want any of her novels to end. She’s not only a master at creating characters to fall in love with despite their imperfections, her world building is impeccable. Her strengths are on full display with this dark, twisty love story. Outside of the Original Sinners universe, Tamara is my favorite of all Reisz’s characters. I loved her relationship with Levy. I also loved learning about Bourbon. This book is also a bit of a love letter to Bourbon, I was left thirsting for a drink that I don’t even care for. 

Definitely pick up The Bourbon Thief and every single one of Tiffany’s books while you’re at it. 

Special Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for a fair, honest review. 

🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃/5

 

The Red by Tiffany Reisz

Welcome to a TBT Throwback Thursday Review.  I am working on reviving this blog and catching up on some long overdue book reviews. The Red by Tiffany Reisz was released in July 2017. 

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.
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...
- tiffanyreisz.com

If you're looking for a red hot scorching read, look no further than The Red by Tiffany Reisz.  This book is full-fledged erotica and not for the timid.  It's also quite kinky and strays very far from anything resembling shades of dismal hues.  Mona's passion extends way beyond her passion for art and her late mother's gallery.   What makes The Red really shine is the development of the relationship between Mona and "the stranger" who intends to save the galley.  Plus the descriptions of all the paintings will have you running to your nearest art museum and fantasizing over the paintings mentioned in the book and letting your imagination run wild over those that catch your eye.  5/5 Stars

While The Red is considered a stand-alone novel, Tiffany has recently released a companion novel, The Rose and you can find both at your favorite local bookseller or by visiting the author's website, tiffanyreisz.com for more information.

The King by Tiffany Reisz

"Cunning. Sex. Pure nerve. Only this unholy threesome can raise him to his rightful place as a ruler of Manhattan's kink kingdom.

Bouncing from bed to bed on the Upper East Side, Kingsley Edge is brilliant, beautiful and utterly debauched. No carnal act or chemical compound can relieve his self-destructive heartache—only Søren, the one person he loves without limit or regret. A man he can never have, but in whose hands Kingsley is reborn to attain even greater heights of sin.

Kingsley's plan to open the ultimate BDSM club—a dungeon playground for New York's A-list—becomes his obsession. His expertise in domination can't subdue the one man who wants to stop him. The enigmatic Reverend Fuller won't rest until King's dream is destroyed, and so the battle lines are set; it's one man's sacred mission against another's…"

It's no secret that I love Tiffany Reisz's work especially her "Original Sinners" series.  In fact, Ms. Reisz has raised the bar in how I judge all my reads; nothing compares to her work.  However, she really outdid herself with this latest entry in the series. 

I read this entire novel with this bizarre blissful look on my face. I know this because my mom interrupted me at one point to ask "what the heck are you reading, you look like you're in a trance." :)  I almost felt like I was in a trance as Tiffany writes so well that you'll feel like your right there in the scene.  

"The King," is the second novel in "The Original Sinners: The White Years," a prequel quartet to "The Original Sinners: The Red Years."  This never felt like a prequel though.  It was a wonderful, fresh story that takes the reader into the heart and mind of Kingsley Edge as he grows to become King of the "8th Circle" that we meet in the first "Original Sinner" novel, "The Siren."  
 
Kingsley was always my favorite character so I loved that this installment was dedicated to him.  Kingsley is a paradoxal character.  He's dark and strong but also hysterically funny and sensitive.  "The King" does a great job at showing his many layers.

 "The King" also introduces us to new characters, my favorite being Sam; Kingsley assistant and the one woman who is immune to his many charms.  This being an erotic novel though, Kingsley doesn't lack for paramours.  This book is super hot and definitely for adults only.

If you've never read, Tiffany's work, I suggest you start with "The Siren."  "The King" can be read as a stand-alone but I feel it's best enjoyed as part of the series.

For more on Tiffany Reisz, visit her website and look for her novels in bookstores everywhere.

Have you read "The King"?  I'd love to hear your non-spoilery comments below!

The Mistress by Tiffany Reisz (and Giveaway!!)

"Nora Sutherlin is being held, bound and naked. Under different circumstances, she would enjoy the situation immensely, but her captor isn't interested in play. Or pity. 

As the reality of her impending peril unfolds, Nora becomes Scheherazade, buying each hour of her life with stories-sensual tales of Søren, Kingsley and Wesley, each of whom has tempted and tested and tortured her in his own way. This, Nora realizes, is her life: nothing so simple, so vanilla, as a mere love triangle for her. It's a knot in a silken cord, a tangled mass of longings of the body and the heart and the mind. And it may unravel at any moment. 
But in Nora's world, no one is ever truly powerless-a cadre of her friends, protectors and lovers stands ready to do anything to save her, even when the only certainty seems to be sacrifice and heartbreak...."  - tiffanyreisz.com

The Mistress is the fourth book in Tiffany Reisz's best-selling "Original Sinners" series.  The book is so amazing that I had to hold off on compiling this review because it was just so incredible that no adjectives seemed adequate enough to describe it properly.  The Mistress picks up right where "The Prince" left off and successfully brings together characters from the previous installments and ties up all the loose ends in a masterful fashion. This series gives you so much more than just the wild sex seen in other erotica novels.  Although there are plenty of hot, intense, and sexy scenes, Reisz writes with such detail and passion that her characters come to life.  You become invested in what they do both in and out of the bedroom. 

While "The Mistress" concludes the "Original Sinners: The Red Years" series, there is much more to come.  I was lucky enough to attend Tiffany's reading in New York City last week where she read from her forthcoming "The Saint," the first in the "Original Sinners: The White Years" quartet.  This quartet will take us back in time to when Eleanor first met Soren up to the events in "The SIren."  Plus, Tiffany announced she has even more tricks up her sleeve.  She is penning the scripts for a series of graphic novels.  I can't wait to see how my visions of Nora, Soren, Kingsley and the rest of the sinners match up with the illustrations.  "The Devil and Danielle Webster," the first of the graphic novels will be released in the Fall of 2014.

In addition to having Tiffany sign my copy of "The Prince," in which she wrote something hilarious and unrepeatable on a family friendly blog, I had her sign a book for you lovely blog readers.  Because you can't jump into this series in the middle, I'm giving away a copy of "12 Shades of Surrender," a short story collection which features "Seven Day Loan," by Tiffany Reisz the first story about Nora Sutherlin. So head on down to the rafflecopter for your chance to win.  Then get out to local bookstore to pick up the rest of the series today!

For more about Tiffany Reisz and her books, visit her website.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My blogging bestie Jen (l), me (center) and Tiffany (r)

Please note that I received no financial compensation for this review.  Special thanks to Net Galley and Harlequin Mira for providing me with a digital copy of The Mistress in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Laydown Lowdown

It's the last Tuesday in July!! I can't believe it, I wish the Summer would last forever but it's 2/3 over.  Instead of crying, I'm going to savor August and console myself with some great books such as today's new reads.

My personal favorite this week is "The Mistress," by Tiffany Reisz, the fourth and fabulous installment in her deeply romantic and erotic "Original Sinners" series.  Please check out my full review tomorrow and I'll let you know where you can try and score some awesome "Original Sinners" prizes.

Other new releases in Romance today include "And Then Comes Marriage," by Celeste Bradley,  "A Knight to Remember," by Christina Dodd," "Crystal Cove," by Lisa Kleypas, "The Scarletti Curse," by Christine Feehan, and "Perfect Fling," by Carly Phillips.

Over in Mystery/Thriller, you'll uncover Linda Fairstein's latest crime procedural novel, "Death Angel," as well as "The Highway," by CJ Box, and "Hard Road," by J.B. Turner.

Swing by Science Fiction/Fantasy for "A Conspiracy of Alchemists," the first in Liesel Schwarz's new "Chronicles of Light and Shadow" series.  You'll also find "Magic Rises," by Ilona Andrews, "Dancing with the Devil," by Keri Arthur, and "Kitty in the Underworld," by Carrie Vaughn.

James Patterson's latest "Witch and Wizard" novel, "The Fire" debuts today with the help of new co-author, Jill Dembowski.  "Seven Minutes in Heaven," the sixth novel in Sara Shepard's "Lying Game" series is also available in Young Adult today along with "Earthbound," by Aprilynne Pike, and "Bubble World," by Carol Snow.

What book(s) will make your "to-read" list this week?!  Please share with us and Happy Reading.  Remember to support your local bookstores whenever possible. 

Wicked Wednesday

I had to work my day job on Monday, a federal holiday.  It was a bit of a bummer not being able to sleep in but then I got a piece of news that lifted my spirits.  The fourth book in Tiffany Reisz' "Original Sinners," series received a release date and the cover was revealed. 

For those unfamiliar with the "Original Sinners," let me introduce you to the best series that I've read in some time.  In "The Siren," the first novel in the series, we first meet Nora Sutherlin an erotic author and part-time professional dominant.  She is determined to make her latest novel her most successful to date in both sales and style so she is pleased to be working with accomplished editor, Zach.  Meanwhile Zach isn't as pleased by the situation as he feels he should be working on more scholarly and sophisticated work plus he's dealing with his crumbling marriage.  Then there is Nora's virginal roommate Wesley who is madly in love with her despite their age difference and lifestyle differences.  Unfortunately for him, Nora's heart still burns for her ex, Soren despite trying to put their passionate and sometimes tormented relationship behind her.

What makes this novel different from other erotica that I've read is the depth of all the characters.  Each personality is clear, distinct, full of life, heart and passion.  The premise of a book within a book and flashbacks to different points in time develop the novel into the first entry of what is quickly becoming an epic serial.  Soren also has one heck of a secret, it's not what you'd expect.  It's wild and gives his character and the story a whole other level intrigue and complications.

The subsequent books in the series, "The Angel," and "The Prince," continue to build on all the characters relationships with each other. Plus new characters and secrets are introduced. To say much more would spoil the whole thing.  I will warn you that "The Prince" ends on a dramatic cliffhanger that will leave you begging for July 30th to be here tomorrow.

My best friend gave me this series as a Christmas gift and I read the first three books in a week.  Everyone that I've personally recommended the series to has done the same.  Seriously, go get these books, you won't be sorry.  This series is like nothing you've ever read.  Ms. Reisz will probably spoil you from other erotica as nothing can compare.  So, go get them and then come back here and let's chat about them.  I'd love to meet more "original sinners."