The Prince Paperback – January 1, 2012

I have said it before; The Siren sat me on my ass, The Angel kicked my ass and now The Prince? The Prince owns my ass.I have been sucked in to the world of The Original Sinners for months; devouring everything that comes out getting to know them better. Just when I think I have a handle on who they are and what they may or may not do I am thrown to the ground gasping for air and reaching for the next story.The Prince begins where we left off in The Angel. Nora has taken off her shoes and run straight into the arms of Wesley. Søren is left alone with Kingsley who is more than ready to take advantage of the situation. While the Little One is away, our King wants to play.From the Prologue we get the voice of the thief who has stolen Nora's file.The intrigue is deeply set and I will say after finishing the book; I went back and read it again. Trust me, do this. It will read completely different when you do.The alternating time lines and locations tell the story flawlessly. I knew with each heading where my mind and heart needed to be. From the North in The Past with Kingsley and Søren as teenagers meeting at Saint Ignatius; to the North in The Present thirty years later with them visiting ghosts of their pasts trying to unravel the mystery and the identity of the thief. Down to the South with Nora and Wesley living in a new world together trying to find their way and get what they need without being lost.NORTH The Past:The opportunity to be voyeur into the past of Søren and Kingsley as they meet was gorgeous. We know they had a relationship and they have a stronger bond even today that is beyond friendship. But seeing them, feeling through Kingsley the first time he saw Søren sitting at a piano playing Ravel, was magnificent. If you thought the first look at Søren in The Siren was majestic, this is ten times better.Through these chapters we see a different side of Søren; we see him yes as a young man but through Kingsley's eyes he becomes much more of a `man' than the enigma that we have seen him as. I learned so much about Søren that I have begun to understand him. Though we never get into his head, Kingsley let us see him thoroughly. I was fascinated by Søren in The Siren, I empathized with him in The Angel and now I have fallen hard for him."He smiled almost shyly and Kingsley understood it all - why Søren was so cold, so remote, why he could and did instill such fear in the hearts of everyone who came near him. He did it on purpose. He did it to keep them safe."Kingsley, oh the gorgeous Frenchman, I cannot think of him and not melt. The lengths that Søren and Kingsley go to for each other, to be with one another just about did my poor heart in. As secrets are revealed, stories are told and they are simply together my hand was permanently on my chest wanting more.NORTH The Present:I love the way these chapters were set up. You see Kingsley and Søren in the past and then immediately you are in the present with them. You have the emotions and the history in your head. You are right there with them with every step, every conversation, every confession and every breathtaking moment between them that broke my heart and slowly stitched it back together again. Oh I loved these two in the past but bringing all of that forward immediately had me on my knees.With Nora away with Wesley, Kingsley is not going to waste time now that he has Søren to himself. He is taking the opportunity to be with him while they investigate Nora's stolen file. The trips back to the SaintIgnatius in the car..."Lovely to know that I'm not the only one of us who engages in wishful thinking. Yes, she'll come back to you...the day you come back to me."There are so many moments in this I want to share. I have to say that there are four words, FOUR WORDS that made me drop the book with my hand to my heart and I had to remember to breathe. Four words that rocked my world and tore me apart while giving me so much hope and happiness it was overwhelming.SOUTH:Oh my poor romantic heart! I am forever on Team Wesley and seeing him this way was beyond my wildest dreams and fantasies. Wesley bringing Nora home, standing up for her, showing her his world and wanting to share it with her had me sighing at least a dozen times in each chapter.Nora was grounded here; there is something about Wesley that changes her and being in his world is definitely altering yet she is still the witty Nora we have come to love. The pure need and love between these two was what I have been waiting, hoping and wishing for. Neither of them holds anything back..."Wesley's absence from her life has been a void no amount of sex or money or kink or fame had been able to fill.""It's sad when a Thoroughbred gets hurts in a race. But when Søren hurts you, I die inside."Nora and Wesley together; that is it, it has to be enough just to say that. One whole book of them being apart was torture. I am taking them anyway I can and holy hell is it something to see.There is so much I want to say about this but I just can't. I can't go on without spoiling it and I don't do spoilers. I feel that writing this has spoiled it enough, even for me and I have read it twice and a couple handfuls of scenes at least a dozen times.I was absolutely blown away by The Prince. I finished it two weeks ago and I cannot let it go. I hear songs, see pictures and am immediately drawn back into the story. The mystery of who stole Nora's file is there throughout each page and I was stunned when I realized who it was. Jaw on the floor stunned and then the massive cliff hanger ending? A whole party of questions started dancing around my head and they will never hear the last call alert.There was so much emotion in this book that I dare you, I double dog dare you not to feel when you read it. It's impossible; unless you are dead inside, lack a heart, an open mind and the imagination to go where you must.

“'I saw pale kings and princes, too, pale warriors, death-pale were they all; they cried—‘La Belle Dame sans Merci Hath thee in thy thrall.’'” - Kingsley quoting to SorenI am thoroughly and utterly besotted with the characters of this series!!! While her story telling alone is superb, Ms. Reisz elevates the narrative in her writing to create fine piece of literature. I've noticed that some reviewers complain that these characters do not speak or act realistically. Hmmm...consider this...these characters are from imagination and if our reality was as compelling, unique, meaningful and dream worthy as the reality created in the world of these " The Original Sinners", then we would write our own biographies. These are spell binding stories with exceptional characters who entertain, enlighten, and inflame the passions of not only the body but the mind and soul. In the face of such bounty...the complaint of the realness...fades as meaningless. (Can you imagine Soren speaking any other way then he does in the story?) I digress...This book is titled "The Prince" and perhaps there is one character on which this title is bestowed but I cannot help reading that the the moniker, "The Prince" can be bestowed on more than one male who Nora, "La Belle Dame sans Merci" has "in thrall". I enjoy all the literary devices Ms. Reitsz employs to weave her almost mystical tale...continually expanding the characters and the motivations for their actions. Nothing is ever static, staid or concluded about any character. As the plot lines progress, merge and diverge, more dimension is added to each of the characters. The reader begins to grow in their understanding of them and the themes surrounding the reason for their sexual behaviors and the depth of their desire and love. The characters even dare to touch upon very nature of God.The reader is introduced to the relationship dynamic Soren and Kingsley shared attending the school run by Jesuits when they were young men. Breathtaking is their desire and love for one another. They are consumed with their passions and at times the violence in their encounters may cause the reader to cringe momentarily, but the encompassing love and beauty of this love steals the breath. Kinglsley is princely in his deportment and manner as is Soren in his talent, mind and fearsome presence. These princes are equally matched and bonded as true lovers of one another.They also both dream of a day when they will meet that one woman who is "wilder" than either of them to share and complete their desire for a trinity.Again, you need to know how beautifully written each and every the erotic encounter is. From the S &M scenes of young men to virginal deflowering. The words used to describe the heat rise up from the page and insinuate themselves in your consciousness. That which was foreign and misunderstood becomes understandable and you cannot help but feel desire yourself. (What is happening to me?) I suppose I have reached the conclusion that understanding is the penultimate aphrodisiac and this writer enables the reader to understand oh sooo much!!!Soren had no doubt in his mind that the woman they dreamed of was his "Little One", Nora. Kingsley quotes the passage from Keats I used as title for this review to Soren, reminding him and perhaps hinting to him that Nora who is without mercy as she has run to the another Prince...a Prince not of their world, but a "vanilla" world. He is Wes, the "Prince of Kentucky". While away from Soren, she fell in love with him and missed him for the year they spent apart.Soren, a Prince of the Church, in fact, gave Nora the gift of freedom to go and be with her Wesley. As painful as it was to Soren, a few motivations behind his decision are revealed in the narrative. Whether the decision serves Soren's purposes is discovered ultimately in the readingWhile in Kentucky, Nora meets yet another "Prince" a titled "Arabian Prince" she knows from her "world". It is interesting to contrast his behavior with the behavior of the other "Princes". This is a fascinating contrast of "Princely" behavior.Like a persistent underlying bass line in a musical composition is Soren the "sadistic priest" whoseholy heart is ever with his love...even loves? He has loved this woman for two decades since she was a sixteen year old on the cusp of adulthood until now. He has loved his Kingsley since they were both young men on the edge of being the men they ultimately became. The love Soren holds for his "Little One" is beyond the love of a "Prince" like those in fairy tales conferred upon men who seem to be able to offer everything to the subject of their ardor...like Wesley can offer Nora. Soren's love is a rare precious gift that accepts Nora in all her aspects of being and endeavors to protect her...keep her safe from ultimate harm. This love goes so far to give Nora room to explore, breathe and consider those things that Soren knows he cannot give. The question is which "love" will Nora choose?

The all-encompassing theme of a prince given the keys to the kingdom threaded through several different storylines in this book; through Kingsley and Soren's back story; through Nora and Wesley in present-day Kentucky and through the current mystery unfolding in 'The North' which Kingsley and Soren are investigating. Tiffany brought these storylines together beautifully but if you don’t like switches between voices and past and present, this book will challenge you, and challenge it intends to do, no doubt - not only with all these strains of plot, but also with the unrelenting blurred lines and all the boundary pushing synonymous with this series.There's something about the Original Sinners books which exhausts you and uplifts you at the same time. It's hard to pinpoint. These characters don’t live or act like ordinary people but their hopes and fears are at the same time, ordinary. They seek love. Understanding. My heart went out to my prince, my King. Poor, poor Kingsley, I don’t think I've ever read a more devastating tale of unrequited love. What a beautiful, tragic, complex soul. I’m looking forward to reading more about him. (I’m almost tempted to skip to The King to find out more!!!)Through Wes's eyes, we see Nora, and become more in love with her for that. Through Kingsley, we see Soren, and become more understanding of the priest for that. He's still an odd character for me. Totally admired by all around him but like many other readers, I’m still wary of him and yet I also understand his reticence and need to distance himself from other people.Going into the last book in the Red Years series, I don’t expect Wes and Nora to last. While their coupling in this novel was sweet and sincere, it wasn’t raw enough for me to get onboard with and I sense there is so much more to come. I sense Nora and Soren are the king and queen that all the other characters bow before in sheer awe.One thing's for sure, love isn't like it is in the movies in these books! Thank goodness for that.

Once again this book continues where the previous book left us, with Nora running back in to the arms of Wesley.This book is split into three parts. We visit the past and learn a lot more about the time Kingsley and Søren spent at Saint Ignatius, Kingsley and Søren in the present day as they try to work out who has stolen Nora's file that Kingsley has stored at his home and Wesley and Nora as they spend time down at Wesley's home in Kentucky. I'm glad Wesley finally got his own story, I'm still team Wesley in this book. Lovely, sweet, virginal Wesley .We also learn so much more about Kingsley, King of the underworld. This is a book of revelations and answers a lot of questions that you probably stored up over the two previous novels.We get to see a little more of Søren and realise he's not quite the sadistic monster he was thought to be previously. I'm now starting to realise why so many readers have fallen in love with Søren, we see a little of what makes the man tick. Although I get the feeling that we will never truly know Søren no matter how many secrets are revealed.Once again, I was unable to put this book down and read it over a weekend, with each chapter finishing on a gasp. I am over whelmed by how the author has kept the story going. It stresses me to consider that there are a further 5 books after this and what more secrets and twist, turns and revelations she has in store for us. I love getting stuck in to a good book and at the end of each book he has to wanting to pick the next one up immediately. I'm really glad in a way that I have left it this long to read the series because there is no way I would be able to sleep at night if I had to finish on a cliff hanger.For anyone that hasn't read this series, it's a must. But as previous reviews have pointed it its not a love story. Hmm I think it is in a way, just not the traditional love story you've come to expect. I think all of the main characters love and respect each other and the way Søren is always there waiting for his 'little one' to come back to him has my heart breaking a little. I can't decide whether I want Nora to finish up with Wesley or Søren, just knowing there are a further 5 books makes me think it won't be Wesley. This book continues to push the boundaries of what we think is acceptable but understand that there is a world out there where this type of BDSM is practised. Please only read this series if you are open minded.

3.5 starsI'm a huge fan of Tiffany Reisz's Original Sinners series, she writes such fabulous erotic stories and is an absolute queen of kink so I always know I'm in for a treat when I pick up one of her books. I have to be honest and admit that as much as I love this series I've put off reading The Prince for a long time because I wasn't really looking forward to seeing Nora run off with Wesley. It's not that I dislike Wesley but I've never felt that he is well suited to Nora so I wasn't as excited about this novel because of that. Luckily for me The Prince is split into three sections so only one third of the story is focused on Nora and Wesley and if I'd known that in advance I would probably have read this book much sooner.The chapters rotate through the three different segments of the story in order which works really well because it's constantly building tension and leaving readers with mini cliffhangers as events switch to a different point of view and timeline. It's probably easier to talk about each section separately in this review but I'm going to deliberately keep details about the plot very vague to avoid giving spoilers.I think my favourite part of the story was seeing Kingsley and Soren at school together, we have known for a long time that there is history between them but I absolutely loved getting to learn more about both of them. Seeing them meeting for the first time and watching their relationship develop was fascinating. Kingsley is a character that I've always loved and it was amusing to see that he was still a hit with the ladies even as a teenager. His feelings for Soren are completely new to him though and we get to see him discover a new side to himself - this is very much Kingsley's coming of age story. Soren is a character who has both fascinated and terrified me in equal measures since we first met him so I found it really interesting to see him as a teenager rather than as a fully grown man. Even his younger self is scary but I enjoyed learning more about his background and why he acts the way he does. I'm not saying his kink is entirely down to his upbringing but there are events in his past that definitely damaged him.As well as seeing glimpses into Kingsley and Soren's past we also see them in the present. Someone is making threats against them and whoever it is they know all sorts of intimate details about them and the people in their circle. It looks like someone from their past is trying to stir up trouble but they are at a loss when it comes to figuring out who it is. I have to admit I was a little disappointed in Kinglsey in this part of the story, he comes across as very bitter about Soren's relationship with Nora and although he has good reason to be jealous I found him a little too brooding about it all. I guess I just missed the flirtatious façade he usually shows the world but I did still enjoy seeing how his relationship with Soren has changed and the way they interact with each other now.I hadn't particularly been looking forward to the section about Nora and Wesley and I have to say that it was my least favourite part of the story. Not because it wasn't well written because is is - this is more a case of "it's not you, it's me". I just really have no interest in reading about Wesley's rich family and their horse racing circle and I find that even Nora starts to bore me when she's around him. He's a nice kid but that's how I see him - as a kid. I love this series for it's kinksters and for Nora's crazy sexual escapades and I'm afraid sweet, virginal Wesley just doesn't do it for me no matter how nice I think he is. I'd much rather see him with pretty much anyone else and for Nora to be back in the underground with Soren where she belongs!Although there were parts of the story I didn't enjoy as much as the rest this is still a fab instalment to the series. There is so much going on with the person who is making threats towards Soren and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what would happen next. The book ends on a killer of a cliffhanger so I'm actually grateful that I left it so long to read The Prince - it meant I didn't have to wait months for the release of The Mistress, in fact I've already made a start on it!

If, like me, you hate cliffhangers then as torturous as it seems (unless you like being tortured) I would wholeheartedly suggest waiting till the next book comes out before reading this one, only since I now have several months of agony now till my copy of 'The Mistress' graces my letterbox and I book a few days off work to devour it.Ok, rant over, here goes.This is the third book in the series, it is the most frustrating to read but by far my favourite so far, frustrating because of how it has been written, technically it is 3 books in one, Soren & Kingsley past, Soren & Kingsley present and Nora's present with each chapter rotating the three story lines, essential but at time confusing. first concentrating on the past for the guys, this I feel is the most important part of all the books, it gives insight to how they become who they are and how their relationship developed to what we have seen in the previous 2 books, the present is a haunting time of terror for them as they try and uncover who is working against them and then there is Nora, out of her collar but far from free spending time with her beloved Wesley, finally giving in to him and embracing something new and pure, true love (and vanilla at that) although I must admit I don't think Wesley is a true vanilla, somewhere I suspect there is some raspberry ripple hidden but that may just be my wishful thinking.I do however love this book, it shows the most growth of Nora.What I hated (but won't deduct any stars for) is the ending, I litterally wanted to scream in frustration at the cliffhanger, so many possibilities that my mind couldn't cope.In 3 days I read the book cover to cover twice to make sure I didn't miss anything, first time as written but the second time I read the three story lines seperate, I don't quite know which was less confusing.Well, now I am counting the days till the next book comes out and I can get the answer, I may not like where this is going and I already have a feeling that the HEA I want won't be there but what will be most probably will be better.

Another fabulous instalment to this series, with more suspense and intrigue.The Prince is split in to three periods, we get Soren and Kingsley's present and their past .... which explains a lot. Also there's Nora and Wesley's present.There's a lot going on in this book. Someone is out to ruin Soren, Kingsley and Nora's little secrets.In the present Soren and Kingsley are trying to figure out who's behind the threats. While Nora is unknowingly sent away for her own protection, but by doing this Siren risk that she may never return to him.The writing is still amazing from this author.The only reason it's gets 4 instead of 5 stars from me is that at times I found it a little slow and long winded in parts.But still I'm still really enjoying this series..... On to book #4 The Mistress.