For fans of The Siren, this is a prequel with a young Eleanor (age 23). Probably best to read this AFTER The Siren, just to be a little familiar with Eleanor's background.Ever wonder about Nora from The Siren’s early days? This short story (33 pages) is a week in young Eleanor’s life.Tiffany Reisz is fast becoming a favorite author for me. Her books are not for everyone – if you are squeamish or uncomfortable with the unconventional – maybe go look for another book to read. If you are the curious sort, like me, you will be rewarded with an excellent story line, complex characters, and of course, some steamy hot sex.What amazes me is that Ms. Reisz can write a short story or a full length novel and fully engage the reader in both equally. Seven Day Loan unfolds beautifully and is told with a bold sense of humor, poignancy, and the bittersweet. It never feels rushed.Seven Day Loan begins as a 23 year old Eleanor is in the car with “him,” her boyfriend and lover on their way to Daniel’s home. Eleanor is to spend a week “on loan” to Daniel, a reclusive widower. Eleanor is unhappy with the situation and expresses her displeasure in the car. Her lover – “him” – is never referred to by name in this entire story. This is the only point he appears in the story, yet his powerful presence is felt throughout the entire story. This is one powerful character.Eleanor meets Daniel and finds that he has been devastated by his wife’s death. He has not left his home and he busies himself inside his enormous library. Interestingly enough, Daniel and Eleanor have a lot in common – she works in a bookstore, he’s a librarian, she’s a submissive, and surprise – he’s a dom…This is a great little story. The chemistry between these two characters is wonderful. Their dialogue is entertaining. Right away, Eleanor’s bold personality challenges Daniel to come out of his shell. Daniel realizes that he may be able to fall in love again. Eleanor is forced to think about a life she could have.What I love about Ms. Reisz’s writing is that while the sex scenes are hot (and often shocking for a vanilla bean like myself), the sex is secondary to the well-told, engaging story. The reader is invested in the characters and their outcomes. I felt Daniel’s pain and grief and I fell in love with him. Young Eleanor was bitchy, brash, sweet, playful, and clever. Even “him” or “S-“ plays a significant role in the story. The complexity of each character makes the story come alive. Seven Day loan is being marketed in Mills and Boons’ 12 Shades of Surrender, a series of 12 short stories by different authors. I had to chuckle at the marketing blurb below:“Curious graduates of Fifty Shades wanted more and we at Romance HQ rose to the challenge.” Seven Day Loan is a fun read. Make sure that you add this short story to your reading list. It’s a nice little summer by the pool read!Favorite Quotes:“Oh my God,” Eleanor said, sounding utterly shocked.“What?”“You’re a nerd.”Daniel looked at her a moment before laughing. “I am not a nerd. I’m a librarian.”“You have a large vocabulary, Eleanor.”“And you have a large.” She paused as he gave her a warning look.“House.”For more information on this author and other short stories in the series, check out the author’s website here.Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book. Review posted on Badass Book Reviews.
