Hettie, a young widower, finds herself back in the arms of her lover after months of mourning her husband’s passing. Starr, a faithful servant and willing bedmate, has been servicing Hettie at her late husband’s request ever since her husband’s dwindling sex drive began to impede Hettie’s sexual satisfaction. While Hettie and Starr are in the midst of a passionate interlude, Renata, Hettie’s friend calls for a favor: Renata needs Hettie to “watch over” Darryl, a distant step-cousin, who is causing Renata’s latest lover to become increasingly jealous. Renata is hysterical, and in a lust filled haze, Hettie agrees to take Darryl under her wing. However, Darryl is a unique soul. After a traumatizing accident, he’s forgotten what sex feels like, and longs to remember this pleasurable act. Can Hettie help this young man rediscover his memories of sex, even as she hopes to turn her own frequent activities with Starr into something more meaningful?

Portia Da Costa has scored a hit with Lessons and Lovers. This story starts off hot and keeps on going, managing to infuse a unique and sweet love story in between scorching scenes of sexual abandonment and fulfillment. While the characters all have very different stories, they are each instrumental in each other’s growth and happiness. Hettie and Starr’s chemistry drew me in from the beginning and their strong emotions kept me on the edge of my seat to discover the outcome of their relationship. Ms. Da Costa has done a fantastic job of bringing in secondary characters that help to move the story along on a sensual path while allowing us to feel the characters’ conflicting emotions. I loved the execution of this story and was excited by its unorthodox plot. I found Lessons and Lovers a tale that was better each time I read it and I encourage you to pick this story up for a satisfying and engaging read.

Reviewed by: Jacque