Kiss It Better

by Portia Da Costa

Hot erotica from Portia da Costa - grande dame of Black Lace

Jay Bentley is a man with issues. Haunted by physical and psychological demons, he seeks solace and sexual oblivion in the pursuit of an exquisite erotic daydream from his youth, and the reality of a woman who has illuminated his inner fantasies since a brief meeting years ago.

Sandy Jackson has always known that a certain magic is 'missing' from her life. She's feisty and philosophical, but her dreams are filled with heated images of a handsome Prince Charming she once encountered, a man who will kiss everything better and thrill her with glorious, dangerous pleasure.

But the past is an illusion, and the present fraught with conflict and uneasy compromise ... can two passionate lovers reconcile their differences and slake their burning sensual hunger for each other in a wild and daring liaison?

Genres: Erotica, Romance, Erotic Romance

256 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2009

About the author

I'm a Sunday Times, New York Times and USA Today bestselling British author of romance, erotic romance and romantic fiction. My novels have been published by a variety of different houses, both in the US and the UK, and translated into many languages including German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian and Japanese. I'm best known for my many novels for the pioneering British erotica publisher Black Lace and I writing books with contemporary, paranormal and occasionally futuristic settings. I'm now venturing into historical erotic romance too, with a new novel for Harlequin Spice set in London in the year 1890.

I also write as Dorothy Starr and Megan Paul

I've been writing for publication since 1990, and have had over twenty novels published and around 100 short stories. I've contributed to many different short story anthologies and women’s magazines. I've also written a number Spice Briefs for Harlequin.

I'm a member of Romance Writers of America, the Passionate Ink RWA Chapter, the Romantic Novelists Association [UK] and the Society of Authors [UK].

I live in the heart of West Yorkshire, UK, with my husband and my cats. When I'm not writing I enjoy reading, watching TV and movies, hanging out on Twitter and Facebook, and online life in general. I was formerly a librarian and have also worked in local government.

Reviews

[Lisabet Sarai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Divorced, practical, thirty-something Sandy Jackson runs a café in the suburban British town of Kissley. When she's not waiting on customers or worrying about her finances, she dreams of the young man who rescued her from a mugging fifteen years before. Jay Bentley can't forget his sweet princess, the girl whose lips he tasted briefly after driving away her attackers but never saw again. Years of debauchery and an auto accident that left him scarred, impotent and in pain haven't been enough to erase that precious memory. When he visits Kissley to inspect the property his wealthy father is about to buy, he recognizes Sandy as his long-lost princess and realizes that his father's plans are likely to drive her out of business.

Pretending to be a stranger, he has little difficulty in seducing Sandy, who reacts with uncharacteristic ardor to Jay's advances. Within fifteen minutes of their meeting, he is licking her pussy in the garden of the notorious Waverley Grange Hotel (which has featured in several other novels by Ms. da Costa). Their incredibly intense sexual connection soon has them engaging in various carnal activities in a wide range of circumstances: in the washroom of Sandy's cafe, under the table in a classy restaurant, parked in a country lane, on the food preparation counter in her café kitchen, and of course in Jay's room at the naughty inn. Jay both teases and instructs Sandy, introducing her to a variety of minor kinks and making her marvel at her own constant horniness (as well as his). As they spend more time together, though, it becomes increasingly difficult for Jay to hide his identity--or to imagine living without her.

Will Jay's secret destroy their incendiary passion and their growing intimacy?

Of course not. Jay and Sandy are destined for each other. Each has haunted the other's fantasies for more than a decade. Their sexual affinity might seem like casual randiness (as Sandy tells herself, to blunt the impact of Jay's inevitable disappearance), but in truth it stems from their unacknowledged mutual love.

The simple plot of this novel screams "romance". However, Kiss It Better can also be viewed as erotica, pursuing as it does the classic theme of sexual awakening. Jay serves as Sandy's sexual mentor, encouraging her to act out her fantasies and revealing to her the depths of her own lasciviousness. Like the accomplished dom that he is, he pushes her limits, daring her to explore new extremes of sexual abandon.

There is a lot of sex in Kiss It Better, arousing and satisfying sex that involves the characters' whole selves, not just their bodies. Ms.da Costa excels in turning up the heat by giving the reader a window into the lovers' sensations and emotions. Most of the novel is presented from Sandy's perspective, but we get occasional glimpses of Jay's bitterness, confusion and frustration. His private cynicism and insecurity contrast with the image of the wealthy, self-confident rake he presents to Sandy.

Sandy is a vivid, appealing character with a distinctive voice and a streak of stubbornness. From the first moment I met her, inwardly cursing the high heels she'd borrowed in order to look elegant, I loved her. She's irresistibly attracted to Jay and perpetually astonished by her own reactions, not to mention her daring. Practical, responsible, a bit conventional, she manages to shock herself again and again as Jay leads her into ever more outrageous sexual situations.

Jay feels less well-rounded and realistic, possibly because the author identified more strongly with her heroine. He's the Flawed Hero, in capital letters; his sins are visible in his scarred visage. His fixation with the princess from his past seems less plausible than Sandy's fantasies of her prince. Still, he fulfills the role of master and mentor with sufficient conviction that Sandy succumbs, and the reader likewise.

I should warn you that despite my using the terminology of dominance and submission to describe Jay and Sandy's relationship, the actual power games they play are far milder than what you will find in some of the books I review. A bit of spanking, a little bondage, a butt plug or two--the kink here is recreational rather than fundamental. Nevertheless, Ms. da Costa manages to communicate the thrill of Sandy's surrender, which I believe is the essential aspect of a D/s interaction.

Kiss It Better is a bit predictable, but that doesn't stop it from being arousing and entertaining. The book doesn't push any boundaries, but it delivers what it promises: lively characters, creative sex, and a happy ending.

[Malden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Due to often favourable reviews I have given Portia da Costa's books a try (three times as in 3 titles!): This author is not for me though. I find her books ridiculous and unbelievable (leaving many questions marks & exclamation marks!).

[spirulina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts off pretty hot and steamy then just gets quite dull and, dare I say, cringe. One of the better written smuts I've read but they're all the same, really

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, this was certainly branching out for me from the Harlequin Blaze I'm used to reading. Thought I would try a more erotic genre...definitely got that here, the problem for me with this read was it was all about the Sex and I found I really missed the Romance. I probably would have enjoyed it more had it not been for the British lingo being used throughout the book, it was hard to focus on the sexual encounters between the characters when they were using words like arse, and knickers...it just didn't do it for me. Wish I would have researched the author before ordering 3 of her books, hope the next two will be more appealing

[Tracyene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this one, also. But it ends just when I want it to start.