| Title | : | The Saint (The Original Sinners, #5) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0778316149 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780778316145 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 442 |
| Publication | : | First published June 24, 2014 |
| Awards | : | RITA Award by Romance Writers of America Best Erotic Romance (2015), Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award (RT Award) Erotic Romance (2014) |
Gutsy, green-eyed Eleanor never met a rule she didn't want to break. She's sick of her mother's zealotry and the confines of Catholic school, and declares she'll never go to church again. But her first glimpse of beautiful, magnetic Father Marcus Stearns and his lust-worthy Italian motorcycle is an epiphany. Suddenly, daily Mass seems like a reward, and her punishment is the ache she feels when they're apart. He is intelligent and insightful and he seems to know her intimately at her very core. Eleanor is consumed—and even she knows that can't be right.
But when one desperate mistake nearly costs Eleanor everything, it is Søren who steps in to save her. She vows to repay him with complete obedience…and a whole world opens before her as he reveals to her his deepest secrets.
Danger can be managed—pain, welcomed. Everything is about to begin.
The Saint (The Original Sinners, #5) Reviews
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5+ Stars!!!
Just when I find myself thinking Tiffany’s books can’t get any better I am proven wrong. If only we would have had this book first, I think everyone would have had such a different opinion of Søren. I loved the way this story was told. In mostly flashbacks from Nora. I hope all the installments of the White Years are told exactly this way. As a bedtime story so to speak.
Anyone who’s read The Original Sinners series knows that Eleanor was a troubled youth. Things with both parents weren’t great and she found herself in a little bit of trouble more than once. She never thought she would find someone to save her. Someone who cared for her so much that they would do anything to protect her, to keep her safe. She really didn’t think she would find this man at church.
This man, this most beautiful man she’d ever seen in her life, this man who was the incarnation of her every hunger, every desire and every secret midnight dream... This man was her new priest?
From Nora’s teenage years all the way until she is twenty we get to see her relationship with Søren. We see how much he really did help her and mold her into the woman she is now. Nora is and has always been fabulous, but the path she was headed towards wasn’t the best. Søren was there as an ear to listen, a person to talk to, and he made her aspire to do better. To be a better person.
“Whatever this game is we’re playing, I’m going to win it.”
Nora quickly realizes that Søren isn’t playing games with her. She falls deeper and deeper in love with him as time passes.
“If you trust me and obey me, we might both win.”
I may not have been the biggest Søren fan from the beginning. When I first read The Siren, I had mixed feelings about him. As the series went on, I grew to love him. In this book, I had nothing but love for Søren. I think even those who don’t care for him will fall hard for him here. There love really is inspiring.
I will still gladly proclaim Nora as my favorite heroine ever. She is so spunky and fun. I will never grow tired of reading of her.
There is also an element of mystery to The Saint. Though the story focus’s on the past, primarily Nora and Søren’s relationship, I found myself wondering why Nora was where she was and why she was with the person she was with. There are a few things left open, but no cliffhanger.
I don’t care what crazy things happen or what gets thrown in their way, I still firmly believe that Nora and Søren are a couple that is truly meant to be. They’ve been through their fair share of obstacles. Their relationship is far from perfect and their love story is far from conventional, but it is still so beautiful.
This series is original, addictive and brilliant. The writing is stunning. Tiffany Reisz is an autobuy author for me. If she writes it, I will read it. And the fact that the next book is about one of my favorite characters, Kingsley Edge, makes me even more excited to continue on this journey. I loved all the Kingsly we got in this story and I can’t wait for more!
“You mind-fucked me.”
“Does your brain hurt? I tired to be gentle since it was your first time.”
This is a book and series you won’t want to miss out on! If you haven’t read them yet, I can’t recommend them enough. And if you’ve already read The Original Sinners series, you won’t be disappointed with this!
“Every choice has a price. Sometimes we don’t know what it is until after we’ve paid it.”
“Your nightmare might turn into your best dream someday.”
**ARC kindly provided by Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.** -
It's LIVE everywhere!
Grab an AMAZING read or start the series!
#EpicForbiddenLove
And begin it did!! WOW!! This book is just, WOW. SO, so good. Tiffany Reisz NEVER fails. I didn't want the experience to end; it gave me a book hangover to end all book hangovers!
This is a, no ordinary love story from Tiffany Reisz....
Tiffany Reisz has her very own brand of magic in The Original Sinners series. It's exciting, deliciously erotic, gripping, intense and so very, very moving. The effortless writing is simply stunning and offers the most all consuming, wonderful reading experience.
The Saint takes us to the beginning of the sinners story, to a time when fate brings 3 amazing, unique people together, Soren, Nora and Kingsley. Tiffany Reisz takes us on another epic, intense journey where we see their beautiful, dark story unfold. It’s not just a telling of the early years, the present day, 36 year old Nora, is weaved in with a suspenseful element, as she retells her very own fairy tale.... it’s awe inspiring! The transitions between past and present are seamless.
I have so much LOVE and affection for this series, this book and, of course, the main characters…. Soren, Nora and Kingsley.
“There is God, there is you and there is Kingsley. Those are my three nonnegotiables.”
I’m not going tell you much more about the story, instead I'll try and translate my feelings, feelings that you'll be familiar with if you've read and loved the series, and if you haven't, I hope it makes you want to pick it up and devour!
As with all Original Sinners books, The Saint needs to be experienced firsthand, as it unfolds. Furthermore, there’s so much complexity to it, steeped in years of intertwining relationships that span decades. If you’ve read the previous books you’ll understand exactly what I mean! It probably took me a book and a novella before I began warming towards Team Soren. It wasn’t instant book love, more like vivid curiosity of their world and a love of spectacular erotic writing that got my attention…. But, a book love that grows, isn’t that the best kind? And.…Oh. My. Goodness, I’m in book love with Soren and all that he is.
It's a complex world, a world of submission and dominance taken to the extreme, with characters that give each other the freedom and space to be who they desire. SO many emotions, the author could take the story any which way, her characters could do many things, and I would go with it, accept it, and make moral exceptions, that’s the power of her writing. The characters have motivation and reason for everything, even if at first the behavioural reasons are not obvious. This story and the characters have total acceptance from me. I relax, I read, immerse myself and totally adore!
Soren and Nora have the most moving heart to heart; it's wonderful, moving, reverent and heartbreaking. Their words are so passionate, so emotive, wrapped up in a story so intensely deep with layer upon layer; one sentence has the depth to move me to tears because the meaningfully soaked words have the power to effortlessly transport me to a feeling or thought from a previous book in the Sinners series.
So very, very beautiful....
The Saint made me totally understand how and why Nora and Soren came together and, if I had any doubts at all about the motivations of Soren, which I didn’t, just for the record, then The Saint seals it and gives complete understanding of his love, adoration and motivation.
Soren, “…you’re the most beautiful man on earth.” He's so wise, so all-knowing, everything he does, and everything he says is with love in his heart. My heart melted at the words and actions of Soren.
We experience Nora growing into an intelligent, fearless, kind and caring woman. “Your mind must be the most marvelous playground.” We see the emergence of her sexual proclivities, her complete wants and desires. I love Nora’s sense of humour, her irony and her sarcastic wit. Such a fantastic heroine, still one of my all time favourite leading ladies!
The discussions about Catholicism at times made me smile, being a Catholic myself, I completely ‘got’ the meaning, and then at other times the discussion on the subject would touch my heart and make me feel just so desperately sad.... the enormity of a vocation? But as the story so eloquently promotes, there's a reason for everything, a higher and a greater good…. It’s making me teary just thinking about their situation…… So good.
Kingsley, his presence is charismatic and inspiring…. And so very important to this story.
***
These books need to be experienced. Until you experience them you cannot truly comprehend the brilliance and complexity of emotions that this story evokes. The intertwining layers, the depth of the characters, and their relationship to each other, that spans over so many years.
Is this the greatest forbidden love story of all time? I think… YES!
In true Tiffany Reisz style there's something that's had me and my friends in high discussion! If you’ve read The Saint and want to take a peak at our spoilers or add your perspective,
click here. One thing is for sure we’re all highly anticipating the next installment in The Original Sinners series. Still so much to discover.
If you're yet to experience the TOS world, and you love stories that push the boundaries of morality, make you think, are soaked in dark, BDSM themes, and highly erotic then you seriously need to jump on board with this series and immerse yourself in the unique world of The Original Sinners. It's a very special series.
Note: The Saint is book one of the White years, but in my opinion it’s best experienced after The Mistress.
The following is the order in which I read and adored this series….The 4 full length books are essential reading and the novellas, not to be missed.....
It worked beautifully for me!
♥ BR with Deanna, Irene & TeriLyn
Complimentary copy provided by Harlequin, via NetGalley, for an honest review -
5 STARS
ABSOLUTELY CAPTIVATING!!!! Tiffany Reisz never ceases to amaze me. This series… honestly I’m dumbstruck. It’s just BRILLIANT!!!I I can’t elaborate much into the story… since it hasn’t been officially released yet, and I don’t want to risk any spoilers.
But here is what I will say…
That it will take you on a journey…
Where you will meet someone new…
You will be sad and confused…
There will be a bedtime story…
By someone you already know…
You will revisit her past…
A past you only thought you knew…
You will find God…
You will look upon his face…
You will crave his touch…
You will want his pain…
You will meet his friends…
You will be taken into his world…
You will kneel at his feet…
And he will own you…
Only then you will know love…
Someone will die…
And you will grieve…
And again you will know love… but from someone new…
Who will bring you back to God…
"Whatever this game is we're playing... I'm going to win it."
Seriously, the book is amazing, so many fabulous quotes. The writing is exceptional as usual. I was completely entranced from beginning to end. My updates speak for themselves. I can’t wait to read all the reviews!!!!!!
Book release date: June 24, 2014
ARC graciously provided and lovingly accepted from NetGalley! -
6 intoxicating stars
“Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell you the story of Kingsley and me without telling you the story of Søren and me,” she said. “It’s all one story, the three of us.”
“Will it hurt to talk about it?”
“Yes,” she said. “But a little pain never stopped me before.”
This was the beginning to an epic tale of love beyond measure. I can't tell you how much I LOVE this series, and to be able to live through how it all started just made it feel even more like a gift. Søren, Elle and Kinglsey are larger than life, there will never be anyone like them and there will never be a story such as theirs.‘rarely alone, never two, always three.’
BDSM is not what they do, but it's who they are, very much ingrained as part of their soul.
Eleanor, Elle, Little One“You’re gonna kill me with that, aren’t you?”
“Very likely.”
“I can think of worse ways to die.”
Søren“Eleanor, you joked about us breaking the table during sex. I don’t break furniture during sex. I break people.”
Kingsley Edge“You mind-fucked me.”
“Does your brain hurt? I tried to be gentle since it was your first time.”
Nothing could have prepared me for their first kiss...nothing could have prepared me for their first time. It was beautiful, a true union of mated souls and I couldn't have imagined it any other way.“If it had been fire, I would have walked through fire,” she whispered.
“If it had been fire, I would have carried you through it.” He lifted her and laid her in the center of the bed.
The Saint was intoxicating, there really is not other word to describe it, I was a bit hesitant delving deeper into their minds, but in the end I found my worries were for naught. I feel like it just solidified everything I felt and more. Regardless that it was a story that was re-told, it still felt like I traveled back to that time, living each moment with them. There is so much to this story, love, light, pain, darkness, humor and banter making it truly unforgettable!
-
April 24, 2014
Bottom line is, I will read anything Ms Reisz writes. Always. And if she ever decides to quit writing, I will just keep on rereading her stuff because she is THAT good! I need to gather my thoughts in order to write a full review for this but this is yet another book of Tiffany's that is going straight onto my 'favorites' shelf.
April 18, 2014
Good Friday, you say?? I say BEST FRIDAY EVER!!! I woke up to an email from GR telling me I am one of their First Reads lucky winners of this title and should receive a copy of 'The Saint' in the mail shortly! I think I am going to pass out with excitement!!! HOLY (pun & all!) SHIT!!! Thank you, GoodReads/FirstReads!!! You made my weekend! xoxo
P.S. I don't usually like to brag but I never win anything. EVER! So the fact that my first contest win is a book I was willing to do VERY naughty things for [in order to get a copy early] is making me super giddy!!!
March 7, 2014
UK cover reveal!!! Click
HERE to have a peek!!
November 22, 2012
...impatiently waiting ...
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5+ AMEN Stars
Tiffany Reisz brought this series to a whole new level with this book, the writing was truly phenomenal! As much as a fan will want to go slow on this story it’s impossible and thus countless rereads will be taking place because this book was that good. Even if you have never read a single book in this series – I implore friends to give this book a shot because you will be hooked! I knew Nora and Søren’s back story was going to be good, but this blew my mind.
Nora is in the Black Forest in a cabin dealing with a loss (a reader waits to the end of the story to find out who has departed). When someone seeking sanctuary knocks on her door it leads to a night of hot sex and our Mistress tellinga storyTHE STORY of young Nora and Father Stearns.
”You’re not a normal priest, are you?” He gave her a smile that hit her like a slap to the face and a kiss on the mouth all at once.
“My God, I hope not.”
Young Nora was AMAZING, she was feisty and smart and her interactions with Søren from the start were butterfly-inducing… I dare any reader not to be swept away in their story.
"I wish I could give you everything you wanted. But even a good gift is a bad gift if given at the wrong time."
I don’t want to ruin the story by giving anything away, so I’m keeping this review very simple… READ THIS BOOK and fall in love with this unconventional story that has me questioning and making moral exceptions at every turn!
”There is God, there is you and there is Kingsley. Those are my three nonnegotiables. You understand?”
Thank you to Tiffany Reisz, Harlequin, and NetGalley...
*ARC kindly provided by Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* -
5 STARS! ★★★★★
“Once there lived…a priest.”
When I pick up a Tiffany Reisz book, I know I will never be left disappointed. And damn right because with The Saint, I couldn't even put it down for a minute as the queen of literary erotica that is TR has got me on a tight leash as I get reacquainted with The Original Sinners. There really is nothing that comes close to the Eighth Circle world that she has created and with her alluring writing that seemed so effortless, I simply cannot bring myself to rate anything less than 5 stars when it comes to her work.“I wish I could give you everything you wanted. But even a good gift is a bad gift if given at the wrong time.”
Tuck up nicely kids because The Saint is going to be a bedtime story you'll wanna hear. We've always known that Nora led a troubled youth but we never got the full backstory of it. Told in alternating past/present mode, Nora reminisces and takes us back on the journey of how a young rebellious girl fell in love with that hot new priest in town. This is the story we've been all waiting for.
If I didn't adore adult Nora enough already, I absolutely LOVED young Nora. Spunky and feisty little spitfire she was, it's no wonder a man as commanding as Søren couldn't let this girl out of his sight. I was swooped away by their smart yet playful interactions that sometimes even brought out a side of Søren that leaves you a little surprised.“What's a dissertation?"
"If Satan gave you instructions for writing the book report from Hell, it would closely resemble those of a Ph.D. dissertation.”
Being able to see how their relationship evolved over the time with the introduction of Kingsley, it truly solidify my love for all these characters. It was such a nice touch finally being able to understand all the little references from the earlier series such as the back of the Rolls Royce and how the name Sutherlin came around, that for me was such an added bonus to an already amazing read.
This is no ordinary love story that TR tells but it's just one that is so powerful and unique, one where doesn't leave me to question the moral aspects and to just embrace this one-of-a-kind love that leaves me with flutters and even moved me to tears! . It probably leaves me sounding like a broken record but I cannot say it enough: TR's writing is on its league on its own, nothing comes close to it. It's so rare that I find myself soaking up every word and the brilliance and complexity of it all astounds me every single time.
The only thing that left me a little iffy is Nico's character and his intimacy with Nora but at this point of time, it's too early to say how he'll fit in nicely with the entire story arc. So I'm withholding judgement till the end of the series to see how it pans out because knowing TR, she just have tons of surprises up her sleeves. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series now!
The Saint is the first in The White Year series and is recommended to read after finishing The Original Sinners series. -
4.5 stars
"You're not a normal priest, are you?"
"My God, I hope not."
I LOVE LOVE this author!!! I know going into any book she's written I will read something original and something that will suck me in right from the beginning. I love her writing style.
The Saint is the sort of prequel to the Original Sinners series. Nora finds herself in Germany, grieving, and ends up telling the tale of how she and Søren met. I am so glad that Tiffany Reisz wrote this book, and although I know you're techincally not supposed to, I wish I had read this book before reading The Siren.
I know lots of you loved Søren right from the beginning, but it actually took until The Prince for me to like him, and that was the flashbacks from his school boy days. Plus, in The Siren the negative opinions of Wesley and Zack are so prominent, I feel like it influenced my original opinion of him. I loved Søren in this book (for the most part). I found him insightful, caring and at times, hilarious.
“Well, a priest is better than a eunuch for advice, then. I’m guessing you still have all your original parts.”
“Warranty included.”
In this book I really grew to love Søren and Nora's relationship. I had only liked Søren previously because of him and Kingsley (love them together). I still like Søren and Kingsley more than him and Nora.
“When you hear music so beautiful it gives you chills, those are angel wings brushing against you.”
In this book I grew to hate Nora's mom. I honestly think that Nora was a victim of neglect because her mother didn't care about her, like at all.
Why not 5 stars? I had an issue with something Søren did. -
Now live!!
AMAZON
5 stars!!
My ratings for this series have always been a bit skewed. I’ve rated the previous 4 books all 10 stars – highest rating I’ve ever given – and so for this book to only get 5 stars is the equivalent of a 4 out of 5 on a typical rating scale. I can’t find it in me to give any TOS book less than a 5 star rating because Tiffany’s writing is just that good.
As my #1 highly anticipated book of 2014, The Saint didn’t disappoint and it’s guaranteed to be one of my top reads of the year. Reading this book made me nostalgic as the details of the Red Years Quartet came back to me. I’ve always been more than curious to know Søren and Nora’s backstory and wow, what a truly stunning and exquisite tale they have to tell.
“Once there lived…a priest.”
The book is told mostly in Nora’s flashbacks as she reminisces about the very beginning with Kingsley’s son Nico so the entire book felt like a bedtime story – a yummy, humorous yet heartfelt bedtime story.
In the previous books, Nora (or Eleanor for when she was young) rarely talks about her past but we all know that she got in trouble a lot and was a rebel. Her family history is pretty bad – a criminal for a dad and a wannabe nun for a mom – and so growing up she knows what it’s like to feel rejected and neglected. She never expects to find anyone to care about her, much less do anything to protect her, not until she meets the new priest Søren, Father Stearns to everyone else.
“You’re not a normal priest, are you?”
“My God, I hope not.”
I absolutely worshipped the first 50% of the book where I got to read Eleanor and Søren’s countless interactions and how she grew and matured under Søren’s guidance. Eleanor is such a spunky, feisty girl and Søren is a cool, calm, and collected man – they couldn’t be more different from one another and yet they complemented each other perfectly. I can’t count the number of times I laughed and re-read certain parts just so I could experience again the absolute joy of reading Tiffany’s words.
As much as I loved this book, it’s not my favorite and part of that reason is because nothing can top The Angel and The Prince. I thought the last 25% dragged a little and I guess the little romantic in me wanted more Eleanor and Søren time, not with everyone else involved. This book felt more like a snack than a full course meal like the Red Years books. However, one thing I just LOVED was that this book filled in the little gaps to the previous books: the meaning of the Rolls-Royce, where Nora’s nickname Little One came from, why Nora chose ‘Sutherlin’ as her writing name, etc…little things I wouldn’t have expected to have a story, Tiffany Reisz gave them one and it richened my reading experience.
I have to say, I have absolutely zero desire to be a part of the BDSM/erotica world Søren, Kingsley, and Eleanor are a part of, but damn, I just love being their observer. Perhaps it’s because I know I’ll never be in a world like theirs that makes their story and this series so compelling and enticing but whatever the reason, Tiffany Reisz’s books always leave me wanting more – more of her stories, more Søren, more Nora, just more. This author and series will remain my #1 favorite forever.
“I give you forever, the least you can give me is everything.”
ARC provided by Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. -
5 'Everything 💘 Forever' stars
“When you hear music so beautiful it gives you chills, those are angel wings brushing against you.”
First read: 2 Oct 2017 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Re-read: 14 Jul 2020 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I never liked you but I'm starting to love you. This review is for you, Nico!
He loved older women, sexual submission, his wine, and his work. He made no apologies and offered no explanations for any of it. He had never battled with demons. He’d never wrestled with angels. He stood upon the earth immune to hell’s seductions, untroubled by heaven’s demands.
I decided to start with Nico because I'm finally beginning to appreciate his character and because I did him a great injustice by always being indifferent to him. I still think that he was thrown into this series out of the blue but learning about his and Nora's first encounter in
Winter Tales, I saw their relationship in
The Saint in a different light. They were two wandering souls lost in grief and it doesn't come across as surprising that they found solace in each other's arms.“Where are you going?”
“You need to drink my wine. Want some?”
“Nico, if you came in a cup I would drink it.”
He stared at her. Had she actually made the son of Kingsley Edge blush?
“We’ll save that vintage for later.”
I can't say that before I was blind and I see a light now, and everything is suddenly alright. My opinion about their relationship didn't change - I still don't like it. However, now I understand why she chose him and why he chose her, and if they are happy then I'm happy too. (How cheesy, I know.)
But let us move on. Yes, we got little glimpses of Nico and Nora's time together but this book is mostly the story of Eleanor and Søren. How they met, how they fell in love, and how they promised each other forever and everything.“I give you forever, the least you can give me is everything.”
We already learned a lot about the beginning of their relationship from previous books. We already knew the basics. But it is an entirely different experience to see all this from the front seats. To literary feel them falling in love.“If it had been fire, I would have walked through fire,” she whispered.
“If it had been fire, I would have carried you through it.”
You most likely already know that I love Nora as much as I dislike her but I have to say that she received only love from me in this book. I don't know... I found her so full of life, and energy, and pure hope that I couldn't help myself and just simply adored her.They stared at each other as if they were two people who’d met in a dream and upon waking found they still saw each other.
If watching Eleanor being with Søren was 100% beauty then watching Eleanor with Kingsley was 100% fun. Original Sinners have a lot of interesting relationships but I think that Nora and King's is the most intriguing. From friends to enemies, from siblings to lovers, they were practically everything that two people can be to each other. And their first meeting is one of the most memorable scenes of the series.“Can I have her?” Kingsley asked. Søren replied something in French, something that made Kingsley grin even more broadly.
“What did he say?” she asked Kingsley.
“He said, ‘wait your turn.’”
She glared at Søren, who only shrugged as if Kingsley had lied to her. She knew he hadn’t.
I loved everything about this book. There were so many hilarious moments. I think this is the funniest Original Sinners book.If the pope ever saw Søren in a pair of jeans His Holiness would probably order all the clergy to switch to that new uniform. Church attendance would skyrocket.
And there were also many moments that gave you a pause and made you take your time and think about them.Why did people flee from pain and avoid it like the plague? Yes, it hurt, but so did everything that mattered. Love hurt, life hurt, birth hurt, changing hurt, growing hurt. The dead didn’t hurt, only the living. She had never felt so alive.
Re-reading this series has been like some kind of a revelation because every time it makes me appreciate something new. This time I fell in love with Søren and Eleanor's love. It might be different. It might be unusual. But it's love and love is always beautiful.He pressed her palm to the center of his chest as he locked the cuff around her wrist. He did the same to her left wrist. After she could only marvel at the sight of her hands in the cuffs. So this was what love looked like?
B(R)R with my Sinner Ladies
Melanie,
Ursy,
Leila, and
Whitney. We are ready to sin with The Saint.
*************************************
5 'Jabberwocky' stars
5 'Wings' stars
ALL THE 'BEAUTIFULLY HEARTBREAKING, STUNNINGLY GORGEOUS AND WONDERFULLY AMAZING' STARS
5 'Love is infinite' stars
5 'Everything 💘 Forever' stars
ALL THE 'DELIGHTFULLY KINKY AND EMOTIONALLY OVERWHELMING' STARS
5 'King and his Jewel' stars
5 'Kings and Queens' stars -
RTC
The Siren was good but the Saint was even better! Because it's about The Saint. We all know who the Saint is. It's my Søren!! And guess who Søren is? That's right, he is my baby!! I fucking love his name and I love him even more. Ahhh!!
HOLLY SHIT
HOLLY SHIT
HOLLY SHIT
HOLLY SHIT
HOLLY SHIT
HOLLY SHIT
. . . -
IT'S LIVE US:
http://amzn.to/1sZJn31
Go check the blog tour and interview with Tiffany Reisz:
http://readmore-sleepless.blogspot.gr...
6 NORA AND SOREN'S STARS
"Because there is nothing I wouldn't do to protect you,
Eleanor.Nothing I wouldn't do to help you and nothing
I wouldn't do to save you.Nothing."
This book was perfection!!I can't even express how much I loved it!I devoured it!It was emotional,intense and powerful!!This book will be a part of my heart and I will keep it till the end!OMG It was amazing that we finally could learn more about how Nora met Soren and fell in love with him.And I fell in love with Soren too, once again!It's the biggest surprise for me because he is a little more kinky for my taste :)) but he managed to captivate me...and keep my interest!!
This book split between now and then,with Nora and Nico (Kingsley's son), who honestly I wouldn't have problem if he didn't exist at all,because I was so focused on Nora and her stories that sometimes I forgot he was there with her!!Nora is telling stories about how see met Soren and Kingsley.Nora's and Søren's first collision and she tells us about the first few years after their meeting until Nora finally becomes Søren's...
"Once there lived....a Priest."
Nora as always was amazing!!She was such a badass!!!And I can understand why Soren was captivate with her from the begining!!Also I can understand why Nora was captivate with Soren!!
What can I say about Soren???OMG this sexy,kinky priest!!! *sigh* I love him!!They were born to be together!!Together they were pure magic!!Their relationship was pure and special!
“I want you.”
“You have me.”
“I want you inside me.”
“I’m always inside you, Little One.”
"Forever", She said.
And he said "Everything".
You maybe won't believe me but while I was writing my review I was crying!!This series have touched me so much is so many ways!!Tiffany is so talented with her characters and the plot in her books!!She always make me hold my breath until the last page!!I'll definatelly will re-read The Original Sinners again and again!!! Kingsley was the typical Kingsley, just amazing :)) I can't wait to learn more and more about him!!I'm waiting for his book <33
*ARC kindly provided by Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* -
LOVED IT!!! Another masterpiece by Ms. Reisz.
Who doesn't like a bedtime story that involves a fairy tale between One king and One queen?! Nora's bedtime story left me feeling like the recipient of the story, "Forgive me. I was utterly riveted by your story. I might have entered a fugue state."
Here is a little snippet of Nora starting off her bedtime story:
"The story starts with a stick in the ground and ends with an orgy."
When I got to the end of Nora's bedtime fairy tale I didn't want it to end. There is still so much more to discover...luckily->
"The story never ends."
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
The Original Sinners series is broken into 2 parts: The Red Years Quartet (The adventures of Nora Sutherlin, Dominant and erotica writer) and The White Years Quartet (The adventures of Eleanor Schreiber, submissive). Recommended you read The Red Years Quartet first.
Reading order between the two quartets:
{#1 Red}
The Siren |
My review
{#2 Red}
The Angel |
My review
{#3 Red}
The Prince |
My review
{#4 Red}
The Mistress |
My review
{#1 White}
The Saint |
My review
{#2 White}
The King
{#3 White} Untitled
{#4 White} Untitled
SERIES:
The White Years Quartet (The adventures of Eleanor Schreiber, submissive).
To find out when the rest of the books will be released
click here.
Release date: 6/24/2014
Pre-order | order:
Amazon link
**Complimentary copy courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.** -
It's live!
AMAZON
I don't even know where to begin. This book. Is FUCKING awesome. I devoured it. It is perfection. Tiffany Reisz blew me away, again. The beginning of Eleanor and Søren was everything I had hoped for.
"It begins with a whimper but ends in a bang."
The Saint will take you on a journey to the past and give you glimpses of the present. New characters are introduced and ashes are spread. As Eleanor tells the story of how she met Søren, and eventually Kingsley.
"Once there lived a ... Priest."
From the moment Eleanor and Søren meet, they are drawn to each other. Only she is a teenager and he is a 29 year old priest. Young Eleanor is spunky, smart, curious, and a bit rebellious. She's just as entertaining as the Nora we have grown to love. And Søren, sigh, I just loved him. When Eleanor finds herself heading down the wrong path, Søren is there for her, determined to help her. They build a friendship, that grows into something so much more.
"There is nothing I wouldn't do to protect you, Eleanor. Nothing I wouldn't do to help you and nothing I wouldn't do to save you. Nothing."
The sexual tension between these two was off the charts. I found myself constantly giddy with their interactions. I couldn't help but pull for them. These books keep me in constant moral conflict. I never know what to expect or even what I hope to happen.
If you are a fan of The Original Sinners, this is a must read. Seriously, READ IT. LOVE IT. You know you want too ;)
“Little One, to be with me is to hurt.” “To be without you would hurt more. It did hurt more. You won’t scare me off. I’m not afraid of you.” -
I feel sorry for the people who read the blurb for this thinking that it's the first in a series. For me, one of the highlights of my entire reading experience so far is seeing The 8th Circle through Zach's eyes and thinking this as Søren entered the room:
BUUUUUUUT, if you haven't read the blurb, just don't go there. Backtrack a bit, okay, a lot, and start with
The Siren first, k?
Any Tiffany Reisz book I read is guaranteed fun times, this being no exception. Young Eleanor is just as entertaining to read about as the grown-up Nora, if not more interesting. She already has the humor, the sensuality, and even the rebellion and stupidity that get her into trouble. But she also has remnants of innocence and a smidge of destructive behavior that make her more intense at this age. She's curious and experimental - definitely a dangerous combination."Don't worry. No boys for me."
"Girls?" He gave her a steady, "is there something you need to tell me" stare.
She shook her head.
"No girls, either."
"Thank, God."
"I want a man."
"Where's my shotgun?"
This might be as close as it gets to a TOS book being labelled as a romance. I cannot stop squeeing the entire time Eleanor and Søren get into those sexual-tension-charged conversations! I know it's wrong to feel this about a fifteen year old but damn, this was so hot! If it was someone else, I'd be disgusted, but these are people I know and love so reading about their past only excited me. I didn't have the gnawing fear or worry that I felt when I read the other books in this series. Maybe it's because the story only showed a glimpse of how dangerous Søren is. Or maybe it's because I now know what he's capable of and the lengths he would go to for the people he loves. But I was still very much in awe of him here. He truly is the most magnetic male character I've ever come across. I turn into a puddle on the floor just reading about his piercing stares and gazes.
I think my favourite feature of a prequel is the multiple references to events that you already know about. It's like sharing an inside joke with a close friend. Or in this case, smiling deviously because I know something that Eleanor doesn't know yet. I thought the scene where she thought up of synonyms for the word thrust was hilarious!
I really have to credit Tiffany Reisz for turning this into something totally unexpected. Before I read this I thought it would be a "once upon a time" story since we all knew that it was about The White Years. But no, there has to be some mindfuckery involved. I nearly fell off my chair when I started reading and discovered that the story is in Good gawd. And this introduction of smells like trouble to me. But what are chances that he's also sexy and into kink? I don't know how I feel about him yet.
For some reason, it never occurred to me that the box contained
I guess my only issue with this book was the Tiffany's biggest competition is herself, and I don't think this one outdid The Prince. I shouldn't compare, I know, but that book was so powerful and forever etched in my memory that I can't help it.
Still an amazing read, nevertheless. And just as with any other Tiffany Reisz book, this left me wanting more. I can't wait for The King!
Advanced copy provided by Harlequin Mira through Net Galley. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
All these The Mistress status updates are making me excited for this!
"You call her Little One?"
"I always have. She was a teenager when we met. A very ill-mannered teenager. She demanded to know why I was so tall. She insinuated I had grown this tall simply for attention."
"Only Nora could be rude and flirtatious at the same time."
"I explained to her that I was tall so I could hear God's voice better. And since I was taller and could hear Him better, she should always listen to me. That didn't sit very well with her. She retorted the next day with a verse from Psalm 114. 'The Lord keeps the little ones.' Her biblical proof that God prefers short people. I started calling her Little One after that..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Eleanor, you're supposed to be in school." He didn't even look up at her from his work as he squatted on the ground and covered the roots of the sapling in black earth.
"It was a life-or-death situation. If I stayed in school, I would have killed myself."
"As suicide is a mortal sin, I'll absolve you for cutting class. But you know you are also not supposed to be at the rectory." He didn't sound at all angry or disappointed, only amused by her as usual.
"I'm outside the fence. I'm not at the rectory - I'm just near it. What are you doing anyway?"
"Planting trees."
"Obviously, but why? Are the two million trees around us not enough for you?"
"Not quite. You can still see the rectory from the church."
"Is that a bad thing?"
Søren stood up and walked over to the fence. Nora remembered how her heart had hammered at that moment. She thought for certain he could hear it beating through her chest.
Face-to-face with only the fence and a fourteen-year age difference between them, Søren pulled of his sunglasses and met her eyes.
"I like my privacy." He gave her a conspiratorial smile.
"It'll take years before you get any." Søren arched an eyebrow at her, and she'd blushed. "Privacy, I mean. Trees take forever to grow."
"Not these. Empress trees and this particular species of willow are some of the fastest growing."
"In a hurry for your privacy?"
"I can wait."
Something in his eyes and his voice told her that they weren't talking about the trees anymore. I can wait, he'd said and looked at her with a gaze so intimate she felt as if it was his hand on her face and not just his eyes.
She summoned her courage and returned the gaze.
"So can I."
-
5 Mesmerizing Stars
Destiny.....Fate......Foreordination
The Saint is a book that takes us back to the beginning of The Original Sinners. It's the story of how Soren, Kingsley and Nora came to be. It's told as a bed time story, a fairy tale of sorts, by Nora to her surprise visitor. He wants to know of her past and of those who are entwined in her soul. How did Nora become the woman she is today, how did taking Communion 20 years ago forever change her world?
15 year old Eleanor is the same sassy, opinionated, passionate, ball of fire as Nora. There were bits and pieces we got of Soren and Nora's past in the other books but this book gives us Eleanor and Soren's beginning, their "courtship", and finally her submission. The important role that Kingsley plays in their relationship that makes them a trinity. All the series of events that lead them to one another can be none other than preordination.
"There is God, there is you and there is Kingsley. Those are my three nonnegotiable. You understand?"
The most incredible part of The Saint, is discovering the deep, soul crushing, intense, spiritually connected love between Soren and Eleanor. It engulfed me and transported me to a level that was truly magical. The forbidden love that exist between Soren, Eleanor and Kingsley is absolute perfection.
"You're not a normal priest, are you?"
He gave her a smile that hit her like a slap to the face and a kiss on the mouth all at once.
"My God, I hope not."
"You're going to go through all this trouble for me, why?"
Soren looked back at her and gave her a smile that stripped her soul naked and put it on its knees.
"Because this is nothing I wouldn't do to protect you, Eleanor. Nothing I wouldn't do to help you and nothing I wouldn't do to save you. Nothing."
"Forever," she said.
And he said, "Everything."
Then came the ending, not the ending that I wanted I must say. I have so many thoughts and questions about the mysterious visitor and how he will play a future role in all The Original Sinners lives. I will faithfully wait for The King as there is so much more of the past that still needs to be told.
I must say that while The Original Sinners is not a conventional series, it is one of the most original stories out there. The writing is Absolutely Exquisite. Any author that makes me go outside my comfort zone and then reels me in and makes me never want to leave is truly remarkable. The power of her words show the expression of love, lust, desire, commitment, passion and intense sexuality of her characters. This series is one of my all time favorites by one of my all time favorite writers. So to you Tiffany..
and to my BR girls Jxxx and Irene and all the other TOS Lovers....
**Complimentary copy courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.** -
5 STARS!!
"The story starts with a stick in the ground and ends with an orgy."
Oh, Ms. Tiffany Reisz . . . you evil literary genius, you.
First, a HUGE thank you to my buddy readers
MONIQUE,
URSY,
LEILA, and
WHITNEY for sharing this journey with me! Our back-and-forths are incredible, ladies - I truly adore all our raving and ranting. 😘😘😘😘
Second, sorry, my lovely GR friends. No real review here. Just fan-girly musings.
So I read books 1==>4 of this series in 2015 . . . and found myself a bit miffed with where the story was taken . . . and then I found out that the last 4 books go BACK in time . . . and I was like, Uh, no way, no thank you.
But
MONIQUE can be very persuasive. 😂
And she was right, the joke was on me for not continuing.
Because experiencing Nora as a teenager was the TOTAL BOMB! Some of my favorite bookish moments - of all time - happened here. Ms. Reisz truly has a gift.“Do you hear that?”
Those early moments between Søren and Eleanor . . . I swayed between 😍😍 and 😂😂, over and over.
She tilted her head and listened.
“No. I don’t hear anything. Do you hear something?” she asked Søren.
“I do.”
“What?”
“God laughing at me.”
HOWEVER:
I had a SERIOUS meltdown in the middle of this installment - as my buddy readers will attest to. 😂 In my eyes, Søren's 'betrayal' was the worst thing I'd ever read. (Yes, I know I'm a drama queen.)
Except TR didn't write anything that was out of character.
Not Søren."When le prêtre is in the right mood, he can make even the devil afraid to turn his back."
And not Nora."When you face your greatest fear and survive, what's left to be afraid of?"
I just didn't like it and, well, that was just tough tooties for me, LOL.
Otherwise, I adored mostly everything about this one; the author's sense of humor . . ."Logic? You're going to use logic on Catholics?"
. . . and her sense of romance . . ."You are my most precious possession. I will guard you with my life."
. . . her sense of beauty . . .“When you hear music so beautiful it gives you chills, those are angel wings brushing against you.”
. . . and of course, there's always Kingsley.“You mind-fucked me.”
This series should be on EVERY romance readers bucket list. If you haven't read it, you NEED to change that ASAP!
“Does your brain hurt? I tried to be gentle since it was your first time.” -
5...and so it began, stars!
ARC received on behalf of Harlequin from NetGalley.
The Saint, the first book in the quartet aptly named The White Years is the story of Nora, when she was just Elle, soon to be Eleanor and eventually claim the title Little One. But this retelling of the years of when Soren and Nora met is not merely told, it's given to you piece by piece as a bedtime story.. but for whom, you'll have to read to find out.
As Nora begins her story, she takes us back to the start - a fifteen year old girl that wanted to rebel against everything. But when she is told the new priest rides a Ducati, she has to see this to believe it.
"Oh, my God..." she breathed, but whether she addressed the God in Heaven or the God before her, she did not know."
We get to see the intricate details of their relationship from the start until she is twenty and he takes her for the first time. Although we have learned the story of these two through the prior books, we've never read it quite this way. It feels like since the ending of the Mistress, that there was some moment of awakening, realization on Nora's part as to where her destiny lies and with that realization comes the loss of having to fight it. But Nora wouldn't be Nora if she didn't have a few tricks up her sleeve first.
I had already completely fallen in love with Soren but there was something about the way she retold their meeting and how he looked after her and how she loved him that just made it all come full circle. Soren became my world as I got lost in this story. I had moments when I had to remember that the words that I was reading were moments shared between a young girl and not the woman that we've come to know Nora as. As much as that desire for more felt wrong, it felt oh so right all at the same time.
There was this feeling as I read this that made me wonder what devastation was lurking around the next page, there was this feeling of utter loss that just stayed with you from the start when Nora arrives at the cabin and never leaves you. That feeling remained in the back of my thoughts and suddenly became the only thing I could feel as I reached the end. The suspense leading up to this was masterful, in one broken word leaving her mouth my entire world was ready to crash down on me. The pure beauty and talent in the writing is breathtaking in itself, but the ability shown to keep so much hidden although Nora is baring her soul was pure brilliance.
These characters all have such different personalities and are written so well that you easily get lost in the idea that they are not just purely fictional people... the fact that these voices were born and cultivated in the mind of Tiffany Reisz is astounding. Not once do these characters break from who they are, Nora at thirty-six is just a older more confident version of herself at fifteen, every bit of personality and snark lives within her words. Soren who at this stage is much younger than we've seen him, still had that hard edge to him - that control and power - but is interactions with a youthful Nora gave him almost a playful side.
"You're not a normal priest, are you?"
He gave her a smile that hit her like a slap to the face and a kiss on the mouth all at once.
"My God, I hope not."
As this story is retold with all the intimate details you are painted a picture of not just a teenage girl that lusted after a man that was beautiful and held a level of authority or even a man that saw something in a girl that he once dreamed would exist... you get all the pieces that tie these two together, that bind their souls - no matter where life may lead them (or in Nora's case, what man she falls in love with next).
This story gives you every moment that just solidifies the fact that these two are meant to be, no matter what obstacles are in their way or what secrets they must keep; this is just the start to their love story, that although may be a bit taboo - might just be one of the greatest told.
"So what does it mean that this is my favorite image? God wants me sitting at Jesus's feet?"
"I think He wants you at someone's feet."
Beyond the fact that I absolutely loved every moment of this book, there were some little gems thrown in that carried over from the prior books. They piece together with scenes in The Siren, a particular conversation she has with herself that nearly two decades later, she's still asking that question... the way her pen name came to be... these were little treats along the way.
When I read a book where the love interests are involved with someone else, I typically find it difficult. I don't like cheating and love triangles are a love/hate relationship that usually leans more towards hate - but I can't stop myself from reading it. With the Original Sinners Series, I find it impossible not to fall in love with each Hero as he is introduced. Soren is the one that I will never stray from, but part of me longs for her to end up with them all. This is the only series where there has been multiple love stories and I find myself still able to fully connect with the characters and get lost in their story.
If you were like me and saw this series, thought it would be worth the read but then was extremely intimated by the number of novellas, short chapters and bonus scenes that all intertwine with the full length novels, i urge you to give this a go. After reading this, I regret not starting experiencing this so much sooner. All that lost time with these characters.
NetGallery has this listed!
https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/sho...
. -
5 Perfection Stars
“faith is the assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.”
The Saint begins with thirty-six year old Nora telling the story of her life from age 15 to 21. If you have read The Original Sinners Series you have seen glimpses of the past. It is nothing compared to reading a full book about young Eleanor. I loved seeing her meet and developing a relationship with Søren and King. Nora is one of my favorite characters and I loved seeing she was always outspoken, crass, and direct.
“Do you have any idea what it is you have between between your legs?”
“I’m well aware of what is between my legs.”
As with all my Sinner reviews I don’t want to give away too much information, so here is what you need to know:
Tiffany Reisz has out done herself with this series. I loved the first 4 books, but this one blew me away. Reading this has made me fall even more in love with Nora, Søren and King. This is not an easy thing to do, because I already loved them a lot!! The Saint has made me want to go back and read the series again, because I cannot get enough of these characters.
This is not your typical love story, but it is one of the greatest love stories I have ever read. The love between the characters is rare, unique, and beautiful.
I have been Team Søren pretty much from the beginning, but after reading this I am a diehard, tattoo his name in love with Søren. I wish I could adequately describe his unconditional love for his non-negotiables, but I could never do it justice so you should read it.
After reading this review you may think you know what type of book this is, but you don’t. You cannot understand until you have read and gotten to know these characters. While this series isn’t for everyone, I highly recommend having an open mind and jumping in if you haven’t started yet.
“This is crazy, you and him.”
“What can I say? We’re all mad here.” -
When I imagine Søren, I can only imagine the Sun.
The sun is this ball of energy, which emits so much light, only gives but doesn't take.
Its so beautiful that all the planets orbit it.
Its so bright and powerful that no one can look directly at it.
Thats Søren for me, no one can touch him, his this untouchable thing what everyone wants be be near. He's hot and full of fire. If one goes to close, they'd burn. THATS SØREN.
This book was literally killing me, whan I was reading it, because I knew I'd die if I thought was happening was true in the book. It was a splendid novel which had me grasping on, onto every page, every word written by Tiffany Reisz.
Saying all that,
And I yet can't write a review for this book... ITS JUST TOO BRILLIANT FOR MY REVIEW TO DO ANY KIND OF JUSTICE TO MISS REISZ'S WRITING AND STORY!
**ARC kindly provided by Harlequin via NetGalley**
I remember when I got my 'The Prince' ARC.. I yelled at 3am so loud my mom came running.. :P
Then when I got 'The Mistress' ARC.. I was sobbing because it was like the last book of the Red Years and I didn't ever want the series to end..
And now I got 'The Saint'... feel blessed.. Ran around doing the happy jig and my friends were like 'You're loosing it'.. and I was like 'Never had it'
This is my favorite author and series... :D
GOING TO READ THIS BOOK THE WHOLE NIGHT
~
In the beginning, there was him.
Gutsy, green-eyed Eleanor never met a rule she didn't want to break. She's sick of her mother's zealotry and the confines of Catholic school, and declares she'll never go to church again. But her first glimpse of beautiful, magnetic Father Søren Stearns and his lust-worthy Italian motorcycle is an epiphany. Suddenly, daily Mass seems like a reward, and her punishment is the ache she feels when they're apart. He is intelligent and insightful and he seems to know her intimately at her very core. Eleanor is consumed—and even she knows that can't be right.
But when one desperate mistake nearly costs Eleanor everything, it is Søren who steps in to save her. She vows to repay him with complete obedience…and a whole world opens before her as he reveals to her his deepest secrets.
Danger can be managed—pain, welcomed. Everything is about to begin.
_____
So much more of Eleanor & Søren <3 :')
Tiffany...
4 Books of The White Years series
The first book of second Original Sinners Quartet - The White Years.
Fifteen-year-old Eleanor Schreiber wants to quit the Catholic Church and get on with her life. Her last Mass becomes her true First Communion when she meets the priest who will change the course of her life.
Forever. -
This was me as I read the first 50 pages:
And the half way through it was like the hand of God hit me with his fist, and this was me until the end:
I was gutted, aroused, thrilled, shocked, jaw on the floor, so many emotions I cannot name about The Saint.
Home run for Ms. Reisz and possibly at this moment the best book she has written to date.
I will say that although I have no desire to be a part of this world Nora inhabits, I loved being an observer. While I may not agree with some of things that happen, I respect these characters' reasons why they do the thing that do, although I end up wincing because some of their actions can be painful.
The one disappointment I have is that there is no confessional sex between Nora and Soren, and Nora still doesn't have her horse.
Full review to come closer to release date.
*bows down at the altar of Tiffany Reisz* -
Did anyone else feel like they were stuck in a wacky episodic series as they were reading? Or was that just me?
Reviewer Note : The Saint is part prequel and part continuation of the Original Series series. I would not start with this book if you are new to Reisz because you will have some things spoiled and you also might not understand some of the character backstory. A good jumping off point for the entire series would be to start with
The Siren.
The Saint gives an entirely new meaning to "tell me a bedtime story." Normally, when a person asks their current lover about previous lovers, they want to know the basic details of a person's existence. But hey, if Nico wants to know exactly how Nora got it from her multiple partners, who am I to judge? He's a braver (and much more patient - I would zone out after about 2 minutes of any person retelling a life flashback) person than I.
Mild spoilers ahead. You have been warned.
5 stars for Soren (when did I come over to the Soren dark side? Didn't I hate him at one point?).
5 stars for writing (for any flaws I may point out, this woman can write her ass off).
1 star for yet another man worshiping the ground Nora walks on (to the point of claiming extremely deep feelings). It's getting downright ridiculous by this point.
Rants first, then I'll swing back to what I loved.
Seriously. I think I'd have a much easier time with Nora if she just engaged in tons of casual sex with multiple partners. THAT I could understand. I could even understand submissive worship. But for Nora to form a deep "love" connection with so many people in such an inorganic way (lots of strong and intensive emotion in so short a time) makes me want to kick things.
Polyamory is real (apparently, I'm spelling the word wrong because I'm getting spell-checked). It's something I've witnessed first hand with friends who live this lifestyle, but I won't go into all of that because I've discussed it before on other reviews. This series' all-consuming version of polyamory is a bit hard for me to digest. We all have the ability to love deep and form strong connections. Some of us have the ability to love multiple partners. But when you have multiple love interests (whether all at the same time, or in the conventional circumstance of leaving one person before finding another), you have multiple ways of falling. Maybe sometimes you fall slowly and quietly. Maybe the love is something that takes time to realize because the person was a friend. Maybe the person who fell isn't as ready to declare strong feelings for you right away. The only one of the bunch who seemed to have any real hesitancy or reservation about throwing his lot in with Nora was Wesley (and even that was less about holding back affection, and more about his conflicting feelings with her sexuality and polyamory). I'm not counting Soren making Nora wait because Soren was all in from day 1, whether or not they were having sex.
I could handle Nora meeting Soren and wanting to give him everything of herself. In fact, I loved, loved, LOVED the back story of Nora and Soren. I KNEW I would. We'd caught glimpses of young Nora before and I was much more enamored of young Nora than I am middle-aged Nora. I'm one of the few people who doesn't mind reading about insta-love or insta-connections if they're written well. And Reisz has the "writing well" part down solid.
So let's swing back to what makes me keep reading these books, since I am probably bound to bitch about Nora for every single installment. It is what it is. I don't like her and will probably never like her. BUT...
The sex is pro. This is how mediocre erotica writers wish they could write. Other than my hatred for the overuse of the word clitoris (the rest of the world says clit), the sex is phenomenal. It is shocking, brutal, sensual, raw, dark, and artistic as hell. Yes, this is true literary porn.
The scenarios are designed to push you out of your comfort zone. If you haven't read this author before, you're in for a few jaw dropping moments. After a brief adjustment period, you'll learn to look forward to these moments.
Reisz is FUNNY AS HELL. The sarcasm, wit, and dry humor just keeps coming. Who knew that you could be turned on one moment, disgusted the next, and then laughing the next? I have pages of highlights in my book from scenes which had me giggling in bed.
The amount of (non fluff) reflection of spiritual theology is brilliantly handled. I'm not a bible pro, but I know parts of it well. The fact that there's real discussion of the scripture in a dark erotic book is so strangely bizarre - yet it works in the most unique way. This part of the story adds to the depth of character that is Soren (and Nora herself - for all of my ranting, she is whip smart).
There's something to these books which make them stand out from the standard erotic fare. You won't find cookie cutter writing, which is reason enough for me to keep reading. The hot sex is just a bonus.
For good, bad, or even worse, I'm still riding the OS train. And so far, it's been one hell of a ride. I can't wait to see where the next book takes me. -
4.5 How it all began... stars!
The Saint tells the story of the very beginning of one of our favorite couples, Nora and Søren. Through memories, Nora confesses the tale to a new "friend". Though some of the things said were mentioned in other books, this gave us an in-depth background to these certain events, and also other new facts about what happened twenty years ago.
Since most who read this already know at least a little bit of this love story, I'm doing my review slightly different and pointing out some of the things that I loved and hopefully not give much away. It is yet another fantastic read that will make you laugh, sigh, and shed a few tears.
I highlighted the shit out of this book, and I wanted to include a lot of my favorites. I admit, I went pretty overboard with the quotes...but I could not stop! So here's the fruit of my boredom at work...
Even knowing how Nora and Søren met, I loved reading what exactly went down. I felt it was long overdue. Getting all the dialogue and Nora's feelings from the start helped solidify how great a pair these two make. Søren's cryptic words and answers to Nora's questions, along with their banter, always brought out a smile.
She recants about how she found out about Søren's sadism.
Let's not forget about Kingsley. The hot Frenchman delivered some of my favorite quotes. His first "official" meeting with Nora was quite comical.
Kingsley also heeds warnings to Søren's Little One.
We were also able to find out where Sutherlin came from. This was very interesting, and I was slightly shocked at how this transpired.
Through everything, this is beautiful yet different type of love story, and I'm glad that I was able to read it from the very start.
"Did you really want me from the day we met?" "So much it scared me."
I literally cried like a baby during the birthday/orchestra scene. Sigh...
Overall a great insight to the series and their relationship. You can tell how much I really enjoyed this one, I think it's mostly because it did center around the primary couple.
Would absolutely recommend to fans of the series.
I adored this. So what's up with the 4.5 stars? I'm putting these thoughts in a spoiler, NOT because you get spoiled, but I wanted to hide some of my negativity from the rest of my review. -
**The Saint generously provided by Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
5+++ Forever & Everything Stars
"Once there lived..."
I'd rate this 100 stars if GR would give me the option.
"The story starts with a stick and ends with an orgy..."
Tiffany Reisz. Good god (I haven’t decided if the pun is intended or not), the woman writes a powerful, gripping story. She’s tricky that Tiffany. I felt like an anxious, young child on the edge of my seat at story time willing Wilbur’s survival in Charlotte’s Web. Then I finished and Sting keeps singing in my head "Every little thing she is does magic. Everything she do just turns me on” - two lines in a chorus accurately reflecting this author.
In my review for The Mistress I called Ms. Reisz a mad scientist with words – I’m holding to that notion and adding magician. The magic of her writing so precise, always giving just enough but never everything all at once, makes her method of storytelling agonizing to the point of addiction. You feel pain and pleasure; you’re turned on and intrigued by her dangerous and forbidden plots. She forces you to believe in her characters, to fall in love with them opening your mind causing you to think differently about two worlds, each so controversial and opposite, blended together through a journey of spiritual eroticism understanding how they’re a perfect match. Stories within stories all directly parallel to the central love story of the entire series. A formidable master of her craft, Tiffany Reisz presents brilliance with The Saint.
The intricate plot is such that I can’t reveal too much or you’ll miss the magic entirely; the surprises of the plot thunder through you like a stampede and you welcome the trample. But know this – if you’ve read The Original Sinners Series (which if you haven’t please do) you’ll learn things you never even knew to expect. Mind bending truths changing the way you see everything. We get the beauty of going back in time reliving the treasure that embodies the beautiful beginning of a legendary, forbidden love. A young woman dredging through a murky river of life meets a man whose light shines on her like a lighthouse calling ships in from the storm. From the moment they meet a connection so strong draws them together; the start of decades full of love, humility, patience, danger, longing, and understanding. Every character we meet plays a crucial part to the story each of those characters just as captivating as Nora.
“You are one of my strengths, my greatest strength.” Soren and Nora. This book seems like a dedication to them, to the world they’ve created, the launching pad for so many other great loves in their lives. It's a dedication to the sacrifices they've each made for each other. Their relationship epitomizes trust in its rawest form. The freedom in it feels transcendent. Like jumping off the highest peak in the world and learning you can fly. A belief in each other that runs so deep like the roots of a mighty oak tree keeping it alive for 100 years. The purity of their love is as true just as the sun rises and sets every day. It breaks you down and builds you back up. This is the stuff great fairy tales are made of. Lucky for us we get the added bonus of hot sex, danger, and debauchery. You want to be Nora. She’s the Cinderella of the kink world – of adult fairy tales - bold and incredibly brave, crass yet so refined, hilariously intelligent. We receive so much witty banter from these two it’s like really good foreplay building until we finally get to the point of no return. You want to be Nora because above all else her prince - a tall, arrogant, brilliant blonde god - makes dreams come true.
Tiffany Reisz constantly reminds us why we love The Original Sinners. Her books excite us and remind us also why we love to read; the intelligence and thoughtfulness bleeding from the pages seeps into our souls and roots there. I get an education every time I read a Reisz story. I’m captivated, hooked - forever a fan. I’m simply fascinated. I know I recommend a lot of books. I read a lot of books. I love a lot of books dearly. But these books are my favorite by a long shot. If you’re an erotica lover and haven’t read this series you’re doing yourself a great disservice. It's egdy and sexy and utterly consuming. Because like any great magician, Tiffany Reisz pulls off her magic trick masterfully leaving the audience wondering how in the hell she did it again so brilliantly, reeling for more, thinking about her story far beyond when you read the end. Soren, fascinated by Nora after one of her particularly witty remarks, states “your mind must be the most marvelous playground” – I’m projecting the same sentiment to Ms. Reisz.
Favorite Quotes:
“When you aren’t trying to look beautiful, you look beautiful. When you are trying to look beautiful, you are stunning.” “I hate you.”
“The tears came in silent waves as inside the privacy of her own mind, she burned her dreams to ashes. What would rise from those ashes she didn’t know – she only knew something would be born from them, something she’d never seen before. A new dream. A better dream.”
“If God looked like Soren there would be no atheists.”
The Saint releases 6/24/14. -
★★★★★ 5+ Stars!
Tiffany Reisz never disappoints... Absolutely loved it! <3
Review to come.
**ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review** -
//RELECTURA//
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5 maravillosas estrellitas
Hay historias que te llegan especialmente y eso me pasa con la historia de Nora y Søren, me parece tan sumamente especial y preciosa... Es un disfrute constante ver los inicios de su amor, tan estupendamente escritos por Tiffany Reisz. Podría estar leyendo este libro toda la vida y no me cansaría, lo adoro. (Para más info, leed nuestra reseña!)
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Pura perfección. No me veía yo en este estado lector desde "El jinete de bronce", así es cómo me tiene esta historia
Nuestra reseña en A la cama con... un libro -
Wow. Just wow. I find writing reviews for Tiffany Reisz books are very difficult for me. I think the books in general are so deep and emotionally consuming, anything I can come up with seems elementary and just...paltry.
The Saint begins with Nora taking some time away in the Black Forest. She's clearly grieving but we don't know why. Kingsley's son, Nico comes to visit and Nora finds herself telling him "her story."
The Saint is alternating between the past and present as she tells Nico how she meets Soren...and eventually Kingsley. At first I was thinking to myself, "This is their prologue. Why didn't we get this before The Siren?" But after reading it, I totally get it.
When Soren and Eleanor met, I instantly fell in love with their unusual chemistry. Her teenager banter, to a priest nonetheless, was shocking and endearing at the same time. Instead of being put-off, Soren is clearly enthralled...he didn't stand a chance.
"Your mind must be the most marvelous playground."
Those first few months of their...friendship...relationship...were perfectly presented. Eleanor was a troubled kid and Soren felt it the minute he set eyes on her. She not only needed him, but him, her. This was not about the sexual...this was about fate...about destiny.
Soren and Eleanor have a forbidden love story of epic proportions. I've gone from a bit of shock to their taboo relationship to totally in love with their D/s love story. Watching Eleanor grow from a fifteen-year old snarky schoolgirl to Soren's deepest submissive and lover was such an evolution...nothing rushed, perfectly evolving both physically and emotionally.
"Mom asked me once what it would take for me to believe in God. I told her if I could meet one person who seemed like he was created in God's image, I would start believing. And then you."
The Original Sinners, I do believe is one of my top three series of all time. It's gritty, shocking and spellbindingly perfect. With each book, I delve into their story and don't come up for air until it's complete. And even after it's over, I find myself wishing for more....I admit it, I'm a total Soren whore. There, I said it.
“If God looked like Soren there would be no atheists.”
Amen! Hallelujah!
As a loosely practicing Catholic, I was amazed how much I learned of my religion in general. Sometimes it was joked about, other times spoken with deep reverence. I felt like I learned something from this book I didn't already know from years of religious education and weekly Mass. Ms Reisz truly has done her research.
Looking forward to The King...Kingsley's early years!
The Saint is live June 24, 2014
And I thank you!
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5 trillion billion stars...I can't even....This is still my #1 favorite series ever, and my #1 favorite author ever...
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Søren, I missed you...
( Yes, I made him a real blonde! )
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THE SAINT - IT'S LIVE AT AMAZON.CO.UK!She's never met a rule she didn't want to break.
He's the one man she can't have.
But her first glimpse of beautiful, magnetic Father Marcus Stearns - Søren to her and only her - is an epiphany. Eleanor is consumed - yet even she knows being in love with a priest can't be right.
But some rules are just made to be broken...
And then a whole world opens when Søren reveals to her his deepest secrets that will change everything forever.
Order your copy TODAY Amazon UK ! -
This was the 5th book of Original Sinners series and so far I'm really, really enjoying them very much. And I must say this story gets better and better with each book.... 😏Anyway I can't wait to read other books and novellas too. 😀😀😀
Søren, you own me body&soul. I love you,sir. ❤❤❤
He started to speak but not in English. It was Danish, his first language. She knew some Danish, enough for her and Søren to tell each other “I need you, I want you” without anyone understanding them. But in her fevered state she could recognize nothing he said, not at first. He murmured the words like a prayer. She raised her head and pressed a kiss against his throat, her most favorite part of his body, the part hidden by his collar. The final words of his prayer she understood.
Jeg elsker dig.
I love you.
“I love you,” he said, in his first language, and the words rose like a banner over the bed.
