THE SIREN by Tiffany Reisz

The Original Sinners series, book 1

Harlequin MIRA

July 2012

ISBN 9780778313533

Erotica

Paperback

Obtained via Publicist

Reviewed by Lil

Nora Sutherlin is an erotica author who has a solid fan base and is looking to publish her next book with a larger and quite reputable publisher. This book is particularly special to her.  The editor she has to impress is an exacting Brit with a chip on his shoulder for her and her genre. The deal is that she must finish the book to his standards in six weeks or there literally is no deal.  It is a grueling deadline with a demanding taskmaster.  Fortunately, Nora is open to the challenge.  It rather helps that she is something of a masochist.  

Nicknamed ‘The London Fog’ for his less than jolly manner and dampening comments, Zach Easton has come to New York with the purpose of moving on to a position within the company but based in Los Angeles. He is known for working with serious literary fiction authors whose works have gone on to win prestigious awards.  But for all of his career success, his personal life is at a heartbreaking crossroads.

It has been some time since a heroine has stood out so much as a one-of-a-kind, kinky, brash and irrepressible character.  Nora’s unabashed embracing of her sexuality and the glimpses of how she reached this point in her life is bound to shock.  Her introduction to love and sex was with a severely dominant man who remains the love of her life. 

Unfortunately, the relationship is challenged by being taboo to her Master’s calling and so she has broken away and made a life for herself.  She has carved out a career in exact opposite of what one might expect of a submissive and in addition, nurtured her ability as a writer with hope of someday reaching the ability to support herself in the latter solely.  Add a sweet 19-yo male as a housemate/intern and you have an even more complicated picture of Nora.  There is further forbidden ground broken with a scene of seduction of an underage teen through lack of suitable disclosure.  The concepts for some of the book are uncomfortable but the author manages to make the entirety work.

One could not help but be amused by how Zach tried so hard to stick to his morals and ethics in his encounters with his infamous author.  It is further entertaining to watch as she turns his preconceived notions of her around or at least forces him to see her in a more yielding, respectful light.  Zach grows throughout the story and finds redemption through the erotic encounters and situations he experiences. The gradual breaking down of walls is done in the best style of erotica.  This character is facing a potential permanent breach in his marriage and the author writes the scenes and emotions with as deft a hand as she does with the suggestive, erotic scenes we see in various relationships in it and elsewhere.

Readers will find an intelligently written story within a story that one could easily classify as one of the best in the genre.  The characters are smart, the dialogue full of wit, and the relationships fascinating, conflicted, fond, and anguished.

This is an objective review.