“The X ingredient” by Roslyn Sinclair is one of the hottest and steamiest age gap lesbian romances I have ever read (And I read more than a couple of dozens of them)!!!

Diana Parker surely is “the ice queen of the decade”, but even the thickest ice melts under the proper heat, right? She is put into so many funny and embarrassing situations, that she keeps the reader really intrigued on her character’s evolution.

I loved Diana’s evolution under Laurie’s guidance.

I liked very much that the book is written at first person from both characters’s points of view. There are really very few lesbian age gap romances showing, at first person, the thoughts of the older woman, especially when she is not out yet, but the younger woman is.

“The X ingredient” by Roslyn Sinclair involves an age gap, boss and assistant office lesbian romance involving  Laurie and Diana, two very different characters, yet they seem to share the same ambition.

Diana Parker is a famous lawyer in Atlanta, she owns her own firm, together with her partners, Nate and Kasim. Diana is a beautiful, rich and an accomplished woman in her forties.

She has reached her fame with her ice queen attitude, that hides her hard work, her half Asian heritage and the failure of her personal life. Diana is trapped in an unhappy marriage with her second husband. She is the closeted woman I have ever wanted to read about. Who would have believed that some beautiful blue eyes, blonde hair with a streak of pink and a cute Southern accent young woman would turn her world upside down!!!!????

We first meet Laurie Holcombe when she interviews for Diana Parker for the her assistant job. Laurie is a sociology student from Zebulon, Georgia, who would enjoy environmental law at one point in her life. She has worked as an assistant for a clinic before, yet they cut her job and she needs another job fast, because she can’t afford her rent otherwise. Laurie is a beautiful young blonde (with a streak of pink hair), blue eyed Southern beauty who is determined to convince Diana Parker that she is right for the job, even though not even she believes it. Diana is skeptical of course and unimpressed, as the ice queen that she is, yet Laurie’s latest words and email “You’ d be lucky to have me”, can’t get out of her head and she impulsively hires Laurie as her assistant on a trial basis. And so the adventures begins.

Office romances are hard to be diverse. But this one surely is. The sex is the best.

As Laurie manages to be the best assistant Diana has ever had, between intrigues of her employees and nasty clients (not customers), Diana finds herself in the position of having fantasies with Laurie, even before she knew about her sexuality.

Diana finds herself in many funny and embarrassing situations that really keep the reader intrigued of what she will do next, because when it comes to Laurie, Diana’s brilliant mind seems to go blank and her body takes control, while Laurie takes control over her body and so, Diana agrees to the ridiculous arrangement with Laurie after she finds out about Laurie’s sexuality and after that earth shaking first kiss, that was brilliantly “mise en scene” by the author.

The agreement consists of sex, of course.  Mind-blowing, earthshaking sex Laurie offers Diana, while she gets nothing. This way, Laurie is protected by not being used by her boss, she doesn’t get her heart broken as this is only sex, right?! And Diana can’t be accused of obliging her assistant in any way, she will never admit that she is a lesbian, especially knowing what this will do to her parents, incredible or not, even she is in her forties, her parent’s opinion really matters to her.

The steamy, hot, amazing sex is absolutely stunning, as it is always taking place in original places, in strange situations, hiding isn’t easy and it’s even more exciting that not having to fear of being caught.

And the most exciting part, is the exchange of roles during the hot, steamy sex, as Diana loves being ordered around and told what to do by Laurie, especially because this is her very first time with a woman. Laurie tasted the waters and found out quickly what Diana needs and enjoys and she loves what she can do to Diana with just hoarse whispers and commanding tones and then with insane touches and incredibly lesbian sex.

I absolutely loved this part of their relationship, Diana’s reactions are hot and even if sometimes embarrassing for an ice queen, they are for Laurie’s eyes only.

The development of Diana’s character under Laurie’s attentions is really awesome, intriguing and beautiful, because the younger woman seems to have the power in this relationship, even though she gets nothing in return, but wanting Diana more than just for sex.

The turning point is brilliantly handled by Laurie, because of course, something must happen to make Diana take a decision.

Diana’s coming out as a lesbian is like fire, heartbreaking, throbbing and breathtaking . It’s not easy to come out at 40 years old, after two failed marriages and with a career ready to collapse because of the disclosure, yet Diana manages to do it right.

Who takes the first step : Laurie or Diana?

What happened to Diana’s marriage?

Will Laurie and Diana have a future after Diana’s coming out?

I loved that this book involved many themes : lesbian age gap, office affair, boss & assistant love affair, rich older woman, poor younger woman, straight going gay older woman.

I adored Diana’s reactions, her embarrassments and her warmth and her passion(the ice queen melts under the right heat, right?!).

Laurie is a badass, I loved her attitude and her courage. I adored her dedication to pleasure Diana. And all her efforts to melt the ice queen of the decade, will melt her own heart also.

I don’t read book reviews until after I read the book, so I had no idea it was inspired by the Devil wears Prada, to me it was slightly similar to the idea of the above mentioned movie, but the plot, the characters and their developments are Roslyn Sinclair’s own imagination.

I absolutely recommend this book as the hottest, steamiest, throbbing, ice queen melting office love affair of them all.

Excerpts from the book: