Book Review: The Rose by Tiffany Reisz

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 Rose is the second book in the The Red series. The Red happens to be one of my all time favorite books and The Rose follows right behind. The Rose is a whimsical, Greek inspired romance of fantasies and desires. 

Lia is a lover of Greek Mythology and weaves it into her tapestry obsession. Interestingly she's also a very young madam of an illegal escort agency. During Lia's graduation party, she was gifted an ancient Greek wine cup decorated with roses from her father. As it turns out her father wasn't the only one with his eye on the cup. A friend of Lia's parents, August Bowman, was also very interested in getting a hold of the cup.  There is much more to the ancient wine cup, "the Rose Kylix is literally the cup of Eros. If you drink from it, you will experience your erotic fantasies. You will enter them, live them."

Lia is skeptical, not believing in the Rose kylix's powers. However when she finds herself being blackmailed, Lia has to find away to remedy the situation. She turns to August for help and discovers more than she bargained for. 

The story is blends mythology with emotion. The author has the power to transport us into vivid myths of eroticism and sensual fantasy. I love getting lost in Tiffany Reisz's work. The Rose is as beautiful as it is sensual. 5 Stars