LIPS

Sparks fly and fire catches when a reserved accountant and an adventurous bombshell strike up a rocky romance in Gooch’s novel.

In the September of 1987, a man stands for a moment at the edge of a lake outside his pristine cottage, with his wife and child just inside, and then drowns himself. Thirty years later, the child has grown into a quiet, reserved, and “untouched by ordinary reality” CPA named Davis-Beckwith (“DB”). Though altogether withdrawn, and a touch mysterious, DB has found love with Selene Ormond, an English au pair who could not be more different from DB. Selene is spontaneous and surprising, sexy and sensual. She “possessed the English penchant for sexual kink,” which drives much of the novel; when she and DB are not discussing DB’s family business (or his controlling and formidable mother), they are entangled in kinky and taboo sexual encounters. Though DB and Selene’s story powers the novel, Selene is also accompanied by a cadre of debaucherous, outlandish characters, including Gillian, a fellow au pair with a proclivity for taking her clothes off; Graham, an old lover and a bad influence; and Glory, a wicked, erotic woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Together, DB and Selene work their way toward their own happily-ever-after against a backdrop of rigid social strata, hidden pasts, and family secrets. Gooch’s prose is quick-witted and fast-paced; the quality of the writing itself just might be enough to keep the reader interested. The novel’s plot, however, could be improved with a greater sense of intention; the actual points of conflict and events meant to keep the narrative moving forward are far overshadowed by the voyeuristic sex scenes and hormone-fueled fantasies. The central characters have the potential to be profound, but the lack of depth in their personalities and motivations keep them slightly too shallow and remote from readers. The love story between DB and Selene is unique and sexually thrilling, but too superficial for readers to fall in love along with them.

A thrilling sexual drama featuring a less-than-thrilling cast of characters.