Suite Seventeen

This saucy, unusual romantic adventure delivers on all its promises. When Annie Conroy schedules a business meeting at the notorious Waverley Grange Country Hotel, she sees herself as a widow of “a certain age” who might indulge in a mild flirtation with her accountant, but nothing more. Instead, she makes the acquaintance of the stunning drag queen Valentina. Drawn first to Valentina and then to her male alter ego, hotel manager Signor Valentino Guidetti, Annie begins to explore her submissive side. Valentino savors each encounter but wonders how long their adventures will last. In a conservative small town where the kink scene hides in plain sight, subtle tension runs through every moment. Da Costa renders Annie as a delightfully wicked protagonist who’s mature enough to take on her adventures with confidence and enthusiasm. The erotic content is by turns thrilling, sweetly silly, and endearing. The resolution is easily anticipated but nonetheless satisfying. (June)