Steamy, passionate, and full of magic, The Rose by Tiffany Reisz is a delightful exploration into some sexy retellings of Greek myths

At the center of this story is Lia, a young woman who we find has just recently graduated from college and being gifted a rare wine cup by her parents; wealthy art collectors with highly connected friends. However, August Bowman, a young man also attending Lia’s graduation party also has his eyes on this infamous little wine cup. As it turns out, this cup is known as the Rose kylix, a cup said to be used by acolytes in the temple of Eros, allowing the users to take part in their most intimate sexual fantasies. Believing August to be lying to her for the sake of obtaining the cup, she attempts using the wine cup with August along for the ride, and finds out just how powerful this cup actually is. Realising the dangers of the artifact, she’s reluctant to let August have it but is drawn to him. Together, they’ll continue to explore all that the kylix has to offer, and become more tangled up in each other’s lives than they ever could have imagined.

With that synopsis, let’s dive in. This story was incredibly sensual from the start, Lia was such a complex and entrepreneurial young woman. I loved her “Young Ladies’ Gardening & Tennis Club”, it was the most amusing cover for what Lia and her girls are really doing. Though a significant portion of the book is dedicated to her sexual awakening entwined with Greek mythos, the author takes the time to cultivate her personality as well as her mental health in a spectacular fashion. These aspects influence her personality and some of the choices that she makes throughout the story. Lia’s strength is her ultimate mask, hiding her tender vulnerability underneath. I felt that she had the most growth in this story, in all aspects.

August Bowman was definitely a swoon-worthy character, and despite the fact that there’s a bit of a secret around who he is, I think the readers will pick up on his secrets pretty early on. I enjoyed his interactions with Lia, but at times I felt he fell flat in terms of development, especially in the terms of romance. It felt very quick to me, but it can be argued that considering who he is, it’s completely fine.

The villain in this story seems inconsequential in terms of the whole story, although he’s perfect in terms of driving the plot along in a fun way. Much of this story is focused on Lia and August, so I felt a bit sad that we didn’t get to see much of any of the other characters. I would have loved to see more interactions with her parents, because while they are loving, doting, and caring…they didn’t carry the dimension that Lia and August did. The story itself is broken down into four parts, each one focused on a Greek myth. Within each part, readers will be switching from reality to the fantasy that Lia and August are taking part of. I felt that this was done very well, and flowed along easily. Each myth that was selected for this story was meaningful to Lia’s development as a character and created this stunningly imagined scenes of passion. I found myself blushing a few times.

Since this story takes place over the course of a week, it goes quickly in terms of pacing. At times it felt as if it went a little too fast, some parts of the story needed more development, especially when it comes to the central conflict. It felt rushed in comparison to the rest of it. Although I can’t complain too much. Those steamy scenes were rather pleasing to read.

Overall, I would rate The Rose by Tiffany Reisz a 7 out of 10. It was a fun read with some amazing potential, especially if some of the characters had been better developed. That said, Ms. Reisz has some amazingly written erotic scenes, so it can be argued that it balances out. This is the first novel that I have read by this author, but I’m very curious to go and pick up some more by her.

The Rose is available now from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Will you be reading The Rose? Have you already? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

USA Today bestselling author Tiffany Reisz returns to the world of The Red with an imaginative sequel full of lust and magic, and the dangers unleashed when the two are combined…

On the day of Lia’s university graduation party, her parents—wealthy art collectors with friends in high places—gift her a beautiful wine cup, a rare artifact decorated with roses. It’s a stunning gift, and one that August Bowman, a friend of her parents and a guest at Lia’s party, also has his eye on. The cup, August tells her, is known as the Rose kylix, and it’s no ordinary cup. It was used in the temple ceremonies of Eros, Greek god of erotic love, and has the power to bring the most intimate sexual fantasies to life.

But Lia is skeptical of August’s claims of the cup’s mythology and magic—after all, he’s a collector himself, and she suspects he just wants to get his hands on this impressive piece of art. So he dares her to try it for herself, and when Lia drinks from the Rose kylix she is suddenly immersed in an erotic myth so vivid it seems real—as though she’s living out the most sensual fantasy with August by her side…

Realizing the true power of this ancient and dangerous relic, Lia is even more wary of giving it up, though August insists it is only safe with him. He’s willing to pay the full value of the cup, but Lia has another type of trade in mind. One that finds them more tangled up in each other—and in fantasy—than either was prepared for.

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Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be reading any!

The Mister by E.L. James
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the heart of London through wild, rural Cornwall to the bleak, forbidding beauty of the Balkans, The Mister is a roller-coaster ride of danger and desire that leaves the reader breathless to the very last page.

The Rose by Tiffany Reisz
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

USA Today bestselling author Tiffany Reisz returns to the world of The Red with an imaginative sequel full of lust and magic, and the dangers unleashed when the two are combined…

Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Maddox Kinkade is an expert at managing the impossible. Tasked with neutralising a lethal bioweapon, she turns to the one person capable of helping her stop the threat of pandemic in time: the love of her life, back from the dead and mad as hell at her supposed betrayal. Recruiting Cole to save millions of lives may be harder than resisting the attraction still burning between them, but Maddox will do whatever it takes…even if it destroys her.

Meet Cute by Helena Hunting
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The Promise of Us by Jamie Beck
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Claire McKenna knows about loss. The bullet wound that ended her promising professional tennis career drove her to make a quiet life for herself working with fabric samples. Now, Claire’s business has hit a financial snag, but she’s up to the challenge. After all, she can survive anything. At least she thinks so…until her teen crush, Logan, returns to town with his sister, Claire’s traitorous friend. After years of playing it safe, Claire must now take some risks. The payoff could be huge, but if it all falls apart, can her heart recover from another loss?

Breaking Without You by Carrie Ann Ryan
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From NYT bestselling author Carrie Ann Ryan, comes a brand new series where second chances don’t come often, and overcoming an unexpected loss means breaking everything you knew.

Crazy For Your Love by Lexi Ryan
Goodreads | Amazon

The only thing worse than being single at my sister’s wedding is finding out that my ex will be there too. Not just any ex—the guy everyone expected me to marry, the man I came to Jackson Harbor to escape. Now I need a date, and fast. Enter Carter Jackson—the firefighter who’s dealing with an unwanted five minutes of fame ever since a shirtless photo of him saving a puppy went viral. He’s warding off propositions left and right, and he needs a fake relationship as much as I do. The commitment between us might be pretend, but the passion all too real. As crazy as it makes me, I have to keep Carter at an arm’s length. Even that might not be enough to spare my heart.

The Girl He Used To Know by Tracey Garvis Graves
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A feel-good, emotional love story with a difference, about an unusual couple separated by tragedy and brought back together by chance. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Gail Honeyman, Jill Santopolo and Sliding Doors.

Tangled Up In You by Samantha Chase
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One fateful night Bobby Hannigan sustains a gunshot wound that could end his career as a police officer. If that’s taken from him, he doesn’t know what he’ll do. The only ray of hope is Teagan Shaughnessy―a kindhearted single mom who understands his struggles… Teagan and her young son have just moved back to the Carolina coast to be near family. When she meets Bobby, the timing feels wrong, but everything else feels oh-so-right. Bobby and Teagan each had plans for their own futures. But they’re finding that those plans are meaningless if they can’t be together…

Deadly Obsession by April Hunt
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After a lifetime spent in and out of hospitals, Zoey Wright is tired of playing it safe. She’s ready to take charge of her own life and get out of her comfort zone, starting with a new job as a CSI agent. But when her childhood crush Knox Steele gets pulled onto her case, Zoey needs to put her feelings for him aside or more women will die at the hands of the serial killer preying on her hometown.

I Want You Back by Lorelei James
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James kicks-off her Want You Series with a Lund family cousin hot enough to melt the ice and mend a broken heart.

Fluffy by Julia Kent
Goodreads | Amazon

It all started with the wrong Help Wanted ad. Of course it did. I’m a professional fluffer. It’s NOT what you think. I stage homes for a living. Real estate agents love me, and my work stands on its own merits. I didn’t even know there was a more… lascivious definition of the term. The ad for a “professional fluffer” on Craigslist seemed like divine intervention. My last unemployment check was in the bank. I was desperate. Rent was due. The ad said cash paid at the end of the day. The perfect job! Turns out a “fluffer” doesn’t arrange decorative pillows on a couch. They arrange other soft, round-ish objects. The job isn’t hard. Er, I mean, it is — it’s about being hard. Or, well… helping other people to be hard.

Are there any other romance releases that you’re looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post April Book Releases: Romance appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Who doesn’t love reading a book that has the author’s hand snaking into their body with a knife and twisting it into their organs? If you do, then here are a list of few mystery/thriller books with plot twists that will make your jaw drop with shock!

Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson

Memories define us.
So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep?
Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love—all forgotten overnight.
And the one person you trust may be telling you only half the story.
Welcome to Christine’s life.

When Christine wakes up, she wakes up with the memory of her younger self and realises she had a one-night stand with a much older married man. And she is even more shocked when he –Ben, reveals that she cannot remember him and their life because almost twenty years ago, she had an accident that left her with hopeless brain damage. But a call from Dr. Nash, who claims she’s been seeing him for a few weeks and informs her about her journal that she’s been writing –and reading- each day makes her wonder about whether or not her husband is being completely truthful. With a very compelling writing style, Watson has the reader completely engulfed in the book and makes one wonder, who is Ben?

The Bourbon Thief by Tiffany Reisz

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.

On her sixteenth birthday, Tamara Maddox, heir to the Red Thread asks Levi Shelby for a kiss. When her mother catches the stable boy and her daughter kissing, she is horrified and sends Levi away. Then, Tamara’s grandfather trying to force himself on her leads her to kill him and discover a letter from her late father stating that she is not a Maddox, but Levi is. With this shocking revelation, Tamara makes a plan. She was going to take revenge on the Maddoxes. Tiffany Reisz has produced an amazing tale revolving around racism, powerful family scandals and the deadliest secrets. The twists in this book are many and unexpected, that you will not see coming.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

Cadence Sinclair goes to Beachwood, an island owned by her grandfather, each summer, along with two cousins and Gat, a family friend. These vacations usually involve family troubles among parents of these ‘Liars’ as they are called, which makes them unhappy. During summer fifteen, an accident happens rendering a fifteen-year-old Cady mentally unstable. Summer sixteen comes by and she doesn’t go to Beachwood because her mother wanted her to spend time with her father, and during this summer, she emails the three other ‘liars’ but is ignored. The next summer, Cady goes to Beachwood determined to find why her closest friends ignored her and what exactly happened there two years ago. We Were Liars has the most unexpected twist by the end of the novel that you will not see coming.

My Sister’s Secret by Tracy Buchanan

Willow’s memories of her parents are sun-drenched and full of smiles, love and laughter. But a mysterious invitation to a photographic exhibition exposes a secret that’s been buried since a tragic accident years ago. Willow is forced to question everything she knew about Charity, her late mother, and Hope, the aunt she’s lived with since she was a child.

How was the enigmatic photographer connected to Willow’s parents? Why will Hope not break her silence? Willow cannot move forward in her life without answers. But who can she really trust? Because no one has been telling the truth for a very long time.

My sister’s secret is narrated by two point of views, Willow and her late mother, Charity some decades ago. When Willow discovers Niall Lane, twenty years after her parents’ death, she is determined to find out why her mother was carrying a necklace with his and her initials carved on it at the time of her death. This story is a gripping and emotional one and along with suffering the most unexpected plot twists, the reader is engulfed into the lives of the characters.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

Flynn did an amazing job in producing a masterful psychological thriller with great depth into each of the two main characters, Nick and his wife, Amy. When nick finds his wife missing, he does not know what went wrong in their relationship. Amy’s diary shows the story of her meeting nick and how his actions became detestable as their relationship progressed. Nick swears that it isn’t true, but the increasing evidence arising against him says otherwise. Maybe the perfect wife isn’t so perfect and the hated husband isn’t so lurid!

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

Anne and Marco Conti seem to have it all–a loving relationship, a wonderful home, and their beautiful baby, Cora. But one night when they are at a dinner party next door, a terrible crime is committed. Suspicion immediately focuses on the parents. But the truth is a much more complicated story.

Inside the curtained house, an unsettling account of what actually happened unfolds. Detective Rasbach knows that the panicked couple is hiding something. Both Anne and Marco soon discover that the other is keeping secrets, secrets they’ve kept for years. What follows is the nerve-racking unraveling of a family–a chilling tale of deception, duplicity, and unfaithfulness that will keep you breathless until the final shocking twist.

One mistake. One mistake from Anne and Marco’s stead has their six-month-old daughter, Cora missing. To attend their neighbors’ party, they leave her at home. Sometime after midnight, Cora is taken. Detective Rasbach suspects the parents but what loving parents would kidnap or murder their own child? That leaves them wondering, who would take their lovely Cora? Don’t try to guess. You’ll be wrong!

Any other mystery or thrillers books you would add? Tell us in the comments below!

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