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.
The Meta Details:
Source: ARC
Format: Kindle eBook
Length: 400 pages
Publication Date: April 16, 2019
Genre: Erotic Fiction
Content Level: Adult
Pearl Clutching Content: Sex. OH MY GOD, THE SEX. The cervix thing will stay with me forever…
Trigger Warnings: Douchecanoes starting shit.
Featuring: Enough talk about art history to make me go “I SHOULD GO AND GET MY DEGREE”
Scorecard:
Recommended for: People who love art and sex, but want to bleed for it
Rating: Must read.
Ginny’s Thoughts: Oh god, it’s been so long since I’ve done one of these. Like, seriously, what even are words? How do I even articulate thoughts, opinions, and emotions?
Especially when The Rose fucking wrecked them.
For starters, the kinky fuckers from The Red are back, but this time we’re learning about their grown adult children and god, it felt like just yesterday that they were my age.
I feel old now.
Even with the discombobulating time jump (wasn’t she just getting fucked by a painting?) the story was all the way amazing. Every time I read a Tiffany Reisz book, I prepare myself to suffer. To be torn apart and put back together through erotic fiction.
And every time it’s amazing. It’s the type of narrative journey that’s cathartic in a way that little else can be for me. It’s like listening to sad songs. Or like watching that Sarah McLaughlin ASPCA ad. Sometimes you need to bleed a bit before you can feel better.
Add in insightful analysis and discussion of Greek mythology and art and it’s a truly enjoyable way to spend a weekend.
Throw in some great sex and you’ve got pretty much my dream Sunday.
Pretty sure this is just a bunch of random words thrown together in the least pleasing way possible, so let me summarize.
TL:DR: The Rose is an erotic journey of pain, healing, art, discussions of art, discussions of painters, discussions of patriarchy and misogyny and people behaving badly that bites at you and then soothes away the pain with soft licks.
An A+ story, a credit to its genre (and fiction in general) and a fucking great novel to spend your time with.
Tiffany Reisz is a master of her craft.
Ginny Lurcock 