Her
Lover’s Secret by Portia Da Costa
Amazon
KDP, 2018
Rachel
Harding has a weakness for older men, a weakness that she knows she
has to conquer if she’s ever going to find happiness in love. Her
last relationship with a “mature”guy came close to breaking her
heart. She’d been so sure Richard was the one — until she
discovered he had a wife and kids. She’d sent him packing, but the
experience left her damaged, wary and insecure, afraid to trust
herself or her emotions.
So
Rachel reacts with alarm as well as embarrassment when she collides
with a gorgeous, silver-haired man at her co-worker and friend
Sarah’s fancy wedding and splashes her wine all over the both of
them. Lawrence is everything she knows she should avoid: tall, lean
and devastatingly handsome; sophisticated, polite and funny; and more
than a decade older. When he flirtatiously invites her upstairs to
his lavish private suite for a shower and a bit of kinky fun, though,
she can’t resist. After all, the hotel her friend has chosen for
her nuptials is well-known as the site of BDSM sex parties catering
to the well-to-do. As a fairly lowly employee of Freeman-Brady
Finance, she doesn’t exactly run in those circles. How can she turn
down what might be her only chance for an erotic spanking?
Though
he’s the consummate gentleman, Lawrence Brady works hard to keep
his relationships casual. He has a secret that rules him out as
husband material, or so he believes. Still, he can’t help wishing
for more than just a friends-with-benefits arrangement with the
feisty, experimental younger woman he literally runs into at his
employee’s wedding. Despite the difference in their ages and their
social status, he and Rachel share more than just exquisite sexual
compatibility. Where else would he ever meet a female who loves
repairing vintage cars as much as he does?
Both
Lawrence and Rachel try to be civilized and sensible—to the point
that they almost lose their chance at true love. However, since this
is a Portia Da Costa romance, you know they’ll eventually come to
their senses and work around their obstacles. Meanwhile it’s great
fun watching them.
As
always, Portia Da Costa writes with verve and wit. Rachel’s a
delightful character, tough and practical, sensual and sexually
assertive. She’s definitely no shrinking violet. I had a bit harder
time feeling close to Lawrence, partly because I’m immune to the
appeal of billionaires, but also because I felt his anguish over his
secret (which of course I’m not going to spill!) was overdone.
Still, he’s very likable, ultimately not afraid to show his
vulnerability to the woman he loves.
Compared
to some of Ms. Da Costa’s books, this one goes light on the kink,
but that fits the characters. Certainly there’s plenty of passion.
As always when I’m reading a Portia Da Costa story, I was impressed
by the way she ramps up the heat by showing us what’s in her
characters’ heads. She demonstrates that fantasies have as much
power as the physical when it comes to sex.
If
you’re looking for a quick, sexy, feel-good romance that doesn’t
insult your intelligence, I can recommend Her Lover’s Secret.
