Cat Johnson Braves Doll Lil’s Word Association Challenge!

Author: Tiffany Reisz
Tittle: The Siren
Release: July 24th 2012
Series: The Original Sinners 1
Reviewer: Mona Leigh
Source: Edelweiss
Purchase: | Book Depository

In the world of kink authors, she’s the top.

Notorious Nora Sutherlin is famous for her delicious works of erotica, each one more popular with readers than the last. But her latest manuscript is different—more serious, more personal—and she’s sure it’ll be her breakout book…if it ever sees the light of day.

Zachary Easton holds Nora’s fate in his well-manicured hands. The demanding British editor agrees to handle the book on one condition: he wants complete control. Nora must rewrite the entire novel to his exacting standards—in six weeks—or it’s no deal.

Nora’s grueling writing sessions with Zach are draining…and shockingly arousing. And a dangerous former lover has her wondering which is more torturous—staying away from him…or returning to his bed?

Nora thought she knew everything about being pushed to your limits. But in a world where passion is pain, nothing is ever that simple.

Incredible.

That could be the sum of my review, but I can’t leave it at that. Let me throw some adjectives out there: thought provoking, bittersweet, erotic, painful, wonderful, heartbreaking, joyful, insightful, nuanced, and unexpected. There are more and they float like bubbles to the surface as the story simmers in my brain.

For readers like me who detested 50 Shades of Gray, you’ll be happy to hear this story is everything 50 SoG is not. The sex is over the top without being graphically bashing. The heat level—while never at zero—can skyrocket with a grasp of the wrist, a flick of the whip, or even a mere glance.

The characters are multi-dimensional and suffering in their own hells. Ms. Reisz gives us glimpses of the turmoil churning under their calm facades, but their salvation comes step by step, lash-by-lash, touch by touch all the way to the very last page. Your heart will pound and ache, and you’ll probably have to set the book aside for a few hours, but it will pull you back. Yes, The Siren will pull you back, torture you, and hang you out to dry.

Nora Sutherlin is like no other female protagonist you’ve ever read. She’s Mother Theresa and Mary Magdalene, sinner and saint, a fallen angel in her own hell. Zach Easton, the editor, is no angel, but he lives in a hell of his own making. Nora breaks him and puts him back together. Hell, Nora breaks everyone…Every. Single. Person. She. Loves…including herself.

Nora’s lover, Soren, takes sadism to a new level. He’s brutal and brutally truthful, blazing hell and Father Confessor, your best friend or your worst nightmare.

And then there’s Nora’s intern, Wesley…sweet, innocent nineteen-year-old Wesley who’s in love with her. Their relationship balances on a razor’s edge, and you’ll worry about him from first page to last. The damage to him is both better and worse than the others, because Nora saves him and condemns him to hell at the same time.

An incredible book you won’t soon forget. Definitely deserving of five stars.

Mona's first grade teacher, Mrs. Stanford, gifted her with the love of reading. For that, she'll always live in her heart. But reading took over Mona's life, eclipsing everything but playing sports, and has continued to be a huge part of her life. Although she has always written poetry and stories for her self, last year she decided to try her hand at writing fiction. She is currently editing her first urban fantasy and hopes to have it ready for the agent by summer's end. Besides reading, Mona loves speed in the form of fast cars. The faster, the better! In her next life, she plans to drive race cars (or whatever happens to be their replacement in the future) all while reading and writing. She has also taken up rune reading, and find it to be disturbingly accurate and exciting.

Doll Mona Leigh

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