Gemini Heat: OMG! & Contest

Great Moments from Last Night's Reading

Book: Gemini Heat

Author: Portia Da Costa

Page left off at: 119

Spoiler level: low

I was first introduced to Portia Da Costa via the only anthology I have ever read, a vampire erotica volume I won from the lovely and clever Tumperkin. It actually wasn't insanely erotic when you compare it to the vampire stuff a lot of us are reading these days, but it was great and I was particularly impressed with Da Costa's story - lovely unexpected descriptions within a saucy set up. So I went ahead and got Gemini Heat.

Whoa! This is a book that just doesn't quit, and in terms of hotness, it makes The Black Dagger Brotherhood books look like a Marice Sendak tale.

PLOT
There are these twins, Delia and Deana, sort of your regular English girls next door, one more shy, one more adventurous, but neither particularly wild and wanton. Then Delia meets billionaire Jackson "Jake" de Guile. She tells him her name is Dee and has exciting stranger sex with him at an art opening.

Fast forward: Jake thinks he's dating Dee, but it's really both twins he's dating; Deana and Delia switch off with him and breathlessly fill each other in about their escapades after. And Jake turns out to be a gaspingly creative SEX MANIAC who, well, you don't what to expect next from this guy

This is a tale of sexual escalation. The twins are sort of shocked at what they do with Jake, but they keep going, and they are sort of conflicted about the vaguely demeaning nature of it all at times, but they don't want to stop. And Jake keeps drawing them into more extreme activities. I'm just under halfway through this book, and frankly I'm a bit apprehensive about what Jake will want to do next, but nothing will stop me from reading on. Nothing!

I am especially worried about what Jake will do when he discovers they're twins, because he's just a little bit dangerous and unpredictable and he thinks he's in control of the game.

An overall thought on erotica, not that I'm an expert.

One of the marks of a great, say, paranormal is, of course, that the sex scenes move the plot forward. They're integrated, not just titillating side trips. I wonder if the case isn't reversed for erotica. In a bad erotica, the story is just filler to set up the next sex scene. In a good erotica like this, you can't extract the story from the action; the story heightens the sex scenes, and it is gripping in its own right.

Other things I'm enjoying here.

Another thing I love here is the relationship of the twins. They have really different styles of dressing, but they've created "Dee" as a composite of them, and they collaborate on what they'll wear for these dates (if you can even call them that) to achieve the right "Dee" effect. I also love their British ways, and the way they say "bloody" a lot.

The stellar description is still here, too. But it's economical and powerful and never feels long and boring. The care, for example, that Da Costa takes with a description of Jake's eyelids: "The shape of his eyes was unusual, too. In a caucasian face, they were slanted, oriental, almost cat-like. Wide-set and with thick, sooty lashes, they had a slight overfolding of the lids at the inner corners." This is a really strong image that continues to serve the reader throughout the book.

I have this book in heavy rotation with "Death of a Pirate King" and "Duke of Shadows" because frankly, "Gemini Heat" is a little too rich and hot to be consumed all at once. At least by this reader. All three of these books are so fine. I'm currently in reader heaven.

Contest

You can win Gemini Heat, people!

Go to Portia Da Costa's blog for a contest to win this book as well as Double Dare by Saskia Walker (whose work I don't know). The contest is a celebration for the joint release of Walker and Da Costa's Spice Briefs, which appears to be a new line from eHarlequin.

To win the contest, you read two excerpts and answer two questions. They're fun to read. You won't believe where Portia stops hers. Gasp!

Crazy dirty ebook deals
Eharlequin is currently running an interesting special: from 12–3 p.m. every day this week, you can get specific works from Historical Undone, SPICE Briefs and nocturne BITES for .89 cents. If you read the excerpt of Portia's story, you'll be pleased to know that hers is available for .89 cent download on Monday November 3rd between those hours. But the regular price is only $2.69, so either way it's a deal. I'll go for it whether I remember on Monday or not. And even though I don't have an ereader.

I really wish I had an ereader, but I'm too poor to buy one. Paris Hilton, if you're reading my blog, can you just send me one? I'll take any ereader that's Mac compatible. I'd be so grateful. And if you throw in a mac laptop and InDesign software, I'll dedicate my novel to you. Actually, I would. I think I will never get an ereader.

Anyway, Gemini Heat.