Writing LIPS Part I
In a world defined by old money and calculated moves, LIPS uncovers the hidden currents of desire, secrets, and vulnerability beneath the surface of privilege, where navigating relationships becomes a game of survival.
“Dark, Lyrical, and Unforgettable.”
—Atmosphere Press
Beautiful English au pair, Selene Ormond, has found her perfect match in reserved CPA Davis Beckwith (DB)—a rising star in his family’s accounting firm. Their sexual kinks appear to fit together like puzzle pieces. The only clouds on the horizon are DB’s controlling mother, and Selene’s rather careless sexual past involving a group of posh ex-pats from her schooldays in Britain. Things come to a head when photos from one of Selene’s escapades comes to light, threatening her place in DB’s straightlaced, old-money family. Selene’s gap-year romance turns serious, but her adventurous sexuality threatens to catch up with her.
LIPS is a contemporary Shakespearean love-affair set in a quiet, Midwestern college town, the shoreline estates of Lake Michigan, and the glass towers of Chicago. Written in a deceptively subdued prose style, LIPS traces the relationship of two sexually compromised people and exposes the tangle of lies necessary to bind both lovers and families together. A cast of eccentric characters from both sides of the Atlantic add spice to the mix as Selene and DB struggle to forge a lasting love in the face of odds stacked against them.
Advance Praise for LIPS
“Gooch’s prose is quick-witted and fast paced; the quality of the writing itself might just be enough to keep the reader interested.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“If you like being unsettled and pushed to look harder at the ties that bind people together, LIPS is well worth the read.”
“A story as treacherous as it is irresistible, LIPS: Kiss The Lips That Lie is a seductive tale that lingers long after the last page.”
“Lips is a story that captures the imagination right from the dramatic prologue, which gives readers an insight into the life that DB was born into, which then takes you on an adventurous and sensual journey with these two young people. Author Peter Gooch has created two polar opposite social stratum characters in Selene and Beckwith, allowing for an exploration of the different cultural and class mores between a middle-class English girl and a privileged, “nouveau riche” American man. I particularly appreciated the at times outlandish behavior of Selene’s ex-pat British friends and how the conservative DB attempted to come to terms with the stark cultural differences. I enjoyed the author’s descriptive style, which painted a vivid mental picture of locations, actions, and emotions. Miss Addy, DB’s mother, plays a small but crucial role in the overall development of the relationship, and it is her forceful personality that has had such an impact on DB’s development. This is an intricate story of class structure, love, relationships, and secrets that I enjoyed. I highly recommend this read.”
—Grant Leishman, Readers’ Favorite (5 Stars)
“In Lips, the tantalizing novel by Peter Gooch, readers are thrust into a world where passion collides with secrecy, and love is tested by the weight of the past. The story follows Selene Ormond, a striking English au pair, as she navigates a romance with Davis Beckwith, a reserved CPA and heir to a prestigious family firm. Their chemistry is electric, each of them drawn to the other by a shared taste for secrets and a connection that runs deep—yet their relationship is far from straightforward. The book expertly balances romance and intrigue, weaving a narrative that keeps readers on edge as Selene and Davis face not only their undeniable attraction but the complicated forces working against them.”
—Charnjit Gill, author of Pray Tell
“Beautifully scripted and tragic beginning. A sexy and unexpected story that continued to keep me guessing. I loved the creativity of the title, Lips, and finding reflections of it throughout.”
—Nikki A. Lammers, author of Breaking Cycles
On Writing LIPS
