AWRW BOOK REVIEW 📖 RED: A LOVE STORY (RED I) 📖 by Author Nicole Collet @NicoleCollet

Two lovers. One fate. One twist.
It will all hang on the roll of a die.

Marco is a seductive literature teacher embracing a life of unconventional pleasures to escape his past. His student Marisa hides behind a cheerful façade while struggling with the loss of her father and the estrangement of her mother.

Their mutual fondness of literature brings Marco and Marisa closer, and the two find in each other a soulmate. When their secret relationship comes to light, they are torn apart.

An unexpected encounter amidst mayhem brings them together again — two changed beings sharing unchanged feelings for each other.

To be reunited, however, Marco and Marisa must take a risk that can jeopardize their love forever.

Paperback, 285 pages

Published March 30th 2016 by Something Or Other Publishing

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Prose Fiction

2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-Finalist

What’s it About?

“It is said the prohibited is exciting. In their case it wasn’t.”

Red: A Love Story is a seductive tale about a forbidden romance between a student and a teacher, both whom are fond of poetry and books. Their love for words bonds them together and they find comfort with one another as they explore their fantasies.

My Thoughts

“By giving me your love, you give back to me my own love, which I thought I was no longer able to feel.”

Red: A Love Story is told in purple prose and reads like poetry. It has been compared to 50 Shades of Grey – (I believe because of the extravagant/flowery text and BDSM). I loved Marco and Marisa and found their relationship fascinating.

This is not your typical romance novel for many reasons. The hero and heroine fall hard and fast and their relationship doesn’t develop as expected. ‘Love’ has little to do with what they feel for one another – or so they say. They’re under each other’s spell. She loves to experience new things and he likes to explore his fantasies. They are a match made in heaven, or hell – depending on how you look at it.

Marco is definitely a swoon-worthy character and he has met his match with young Marisa. Marco comes off as a womanizer and a player, but Marisa seems to mean more to him than the women of his past. They both leave indelible marks on one another’s soul.

I loved Marisa. She’s a strong female lead. Marisa is strong, yet sensitive. Confident, yet self-conscious. She is ‘every woman’. A very relateable character. My favorite scene was when Marisa was spying on Marco and “Edible” from the newsstand. 🙂

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. If you are a lover of words, poetry, and romance – I highly suggest this promising new series. I also want to mention that I really like the cover of this book. Props to the cover designer! I am giving this novel four stars.

***In the interest of full disclosure, I received this novel in exchange for a fair, honest, and thoughtful book review: This in no way swayed my opinion.***

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON, USA

AMAZON, UK

AMAZON, CA

AUTHOR BIO

Nicole Collet is a Brazilian-born writer and translator with degrees in journalism and cultural management. She has edited and translated works from authors as diverse as Ken Follett, Nora Roberts and Machiavelli. Nicole’s writing invites readers to think about love in different ways, merging story with psychology, philosophy, music, and literature. — Goodreads Author Bio

WEBSITE

Note from the author: “This novel can be read as a standalone. It ends exactly as I intended before deciding to turn it into a trilogy. You get your happy ending, and I leave your imagination take over and fill in the details.”

RED is a tale of forbidden love that has received over two million hits on Wattpad. It was endorsed by journalist Debra Picket, a former columnist of The Chicago Sun-Times and contributor to CNN, as “an intriguing first novel – a thinking woman’s 50 Shades of Grey.” Set in Brazil and the US, RED is an unusual contemporary romance featuring references to philosophy, psychology, music and literature. If you enjoy the works of Sylvain Reynard, you’ll love RED.

What others have to say about RED: A Love Story

“A thinking woman’s 50 Shades of Grey, this intriguing first novel covers familiar territory but adds plenty of new twists. There’s enough philosophy, magical realism and literary reference to fuel a lively discussion at your next book group meeting or keep you entertained between flirtations with the handsome strangers on your overnight flight to Rio.” – Debra Pickett, journalist and author of Reporting Lives

“A feminist erotic novel with an empowered heroine.” – Amy Guth, WGN radio host and author of Three Fallen Women

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