The Siren: A review

Title: The Siren

Author: Tiffany Reisz
Genre: Erotica/Romance?/BDSM
Source: Reviewer Purchase
Star Rating: 3 Stars ***
Blurb: 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. 

Lola's (Sir) review:



This book is hot. It's so hot my kindle was glistening with condensation. I have a thing for BDSM. While I don't live in the world myself, I find it fascinating....catch my drift? So why only three stars?
Let me first tell you why I liked this book. Tiffany Reisz is a fantastic writer. I really enjoyed the ride she took us on. I like the dark feeling of the book. It contrasted well with the lightness and sarcasm spread throughout the book. You could feel it pulsing and beating beneath the surface.
I like the female lead. She was spunky. She was smart. She had some big ass hell balls. We all know I have a thing for women who know what they want, and how to get it. Best female characters ever, those gals.

"This isn't a bloody joke." (Zach) "No, it;s not a joke. It's a blow job." (Nora)

The men are on fire. Well, Zach and Wes. (Soren scares the crap out of me.) Woo. There are some sexy guys in here.
The sex scenes and not sex-sex scenes were all amazing.

What I wasn't so sold on, was a lot of the back story. It just wasn't dark enough to me. Like, seriously that is why you are beating yourself over? Really? It's hard to explain without getting into specifics. I don't need a justification for why people go into the BDSM lifestyle but I felt at times like Ms. Reisz was trying to give us one. It just wasn't a real reason (in my mind). Listen...I cannot read a dark, gritty, grimy BDSM novel without making internal comparisons to Captive in the Dark. This one while dark, doesn't even come close to the complexity of Caleb and Livvie's story. I think fans of that book will like this book. The actual BDSM is way more intense in Reisz's novel. Both authors handle the lifestyle with respect. Both show the positives that come with living that life. The freedom, the safety aspects that are enforced. It's not a reckless use of the lifestyle. They show the care; the safe, sane and consensual motto that BDSM promotes.
I am never a fan of the novel within a novel. I just don't like it. I always skip those scenes. I will start out reading them, but by the end I skim them at most. The story within this story was good. It had some steamy scenes in it.

I loved the heartbreaking scenes in this book. A lot of relationships were torn apart over little decisions, miscommunication and it just tore me apart. I think the story within this story was the best place to find these moments. Nora and Wes's love story tore me asunder. It was heartbreaking. Nora just couldn't be with Wes without not losing part of herself. Wes couldn't be who Nora needed him to be. He couldn't be in her world and play by her rules (bdsm). I think this quote from the inner story really shows their struggle.

I want it to be a game...so much." Caroline admitted. "Games can be won. You win the game and the game's over. And I want it to end."

Overall, it was a good book that I will recommend to people. It could easily be a 4 or a 5 star book for some of my fellow reading buddies. To me I just couldn't connect on a deeper level.