An enigmatic man intrudes into the lavish villa of an unconventional family, presenting himself as an English tutor. His goal is clear: he wants that life. But how he plans to get it is the real mystery. As an erotic ménage à quatre unfolds, the reader will discover just how far this man is willing to go to obtain the life he so desperately desires.
On the island of Tabarca, in a dreamy summer straight out of a movie, a young English tutor is hired to give private lessons to the daughter of a wealthy family. From the moment he arrives at the villa, he is surrounded by excess. They even have a pool filled with rosé champagne instead of water. The nameless tutor feels at home in this world ruled by two men, Gisbert and Grau, and a woman, Clara, whose three-way relationship is evident from the start.
As the summer days pass, the tutor forms a close bond with Júlia, a young girl who has suffered from bullying and reminds him of what he could have been had he been born into a different economic background. Meanwhile, he senses that all three adults are attracted to him, but he chooses to keep his distance—for now—fearing he is at a disadvantage due to his lower social and financial status.
In his free time, the tutor recalls traumatic moments from his past, including when he ran over a man who was attacking a woman. He doesn’t feel guilty about what he did; in fact, he justifies it. Now, much like Tom Ripley, he longs to stay in the villa forever—one way or another.
One day, the family takes him on their yacht to Lipari, an Italian island. As they sail, more of his dark past is revealed. Teaching is the first job he has truly enjoyed, after years of working in a shopping mall and a luxury yacht sales company. In the latter, one fateful night, he was drugged and sexually assaulted by a group of men. When he woke up, he used the remaining drugs to end the lives of his attackers. This could very well be his life’s philosophy: either you crush, or you get crushed.
Another flashback reveals his previous job at a nursery. One day, he sneaked into a delivery crew transporting plants to a luxury estate—where he overheard that the family was looking for an English tutor for their daughter. He decided this was the life he deserved and wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip away.
Back on the yacht, the sexual tension among the adults reaches its peak. One day, the trio can no longer resist and confesses their desire to sleep with him. But just as things are about to escalate, they hear a body hit the water. Without hesitation, the tutor jumps in to save Júlia. However, flashes of his assault flood his mind, confusing him, and in a moment of uncontrollable violence, he nearly drowns the girl. Fortunately, he snaps out of it just in time and returns her to her parents. Clara and Gisbert thank him profusely, but Grau remains still—because he saw what really happened and no longer trusts the tutor.
For the rest of the trip, each family member copes in their own way: Grau drowns himself in alcohol, haunted by what he witnessed; Júlia is now afraid of the tutor; and Gisbert and Clara refuse to leave their daughter’s side. Unable to hold it in any longer, Grau confronts the tutor, demanding to know why Júlia fears him if he was the one who saved her. Just as he’s about to answer, they arrive in Lipari, and the girl beams at the sight of the stunning island, seemingly forgetting everything that just happened.
That night, after a dreamlike day swimming in crystal-clear waters, the tutor opens up to the trio, revealing part of his past and how his trauma resurfaced while saving Júlia. He doesn’t want to lie to them—at least not much longer—because spending time with this unusual family has changed him. The three embrace and cry together, which soon leads to them making love on the deck of the yacht under the moonlight, with the Italian coastline smiling before them.
RELEVANT INFORMATION: Biting the Orchid is an immersive journey through the labyrinth of a man’s mind as he attempts to reconcile his past traumas during a summer surrounded by beauty—while becoming the object of desire for a wealthy family. Structurally, the novel alternates between past and present, compelling readers to both support and despise the protagonist in equal measure, placing them in a fascinating yet unsettling moral dilemma.
Melodrama and intense drama play a crucial role, always pushing the protagonist to his limits. The novel also weaves in a powerful erotic element that heightens the tension, making readers eager to see if the passion will finally explode. Though its premise may seem reminiscent of The Talented Mr. Ripley or Saltburn, to which many readers have compared it, its essence is more akin to a fusion of Call Me By Your Name and The White Lotus.
Joan Daròs won the Asterisco Award for Queer Fiction with this novel—his very first title—quickly establishing himself as one of Spain’s most promising authors. He has captivated both critics and audiences alike, earning rave reviews on Goodreads and in the media.
What the reviews and critics say:
“The intricate use of symbolism and exquisite ellipses would be the perfect calligraphy to engrave Joan Daròs’ words into elegant and poignant cinematic frames.” – Un Cuarto Oscuro
“Like a delicate flower (surely a luxurious one), the author peels away the layers of the plot petal by petal, leaving behind only a stem and an intoxicating scent—sweet, tender, hopeful, and masterful.” – Goodreads
“A novel where sensuality, provocation, and eroticism flow freely—yet so does violence; not just the physical kind, but also the insidious violence of the ruthless consumerist world in which we are trapped.” – AISGE
AUDIOVISUAL POTENTIAL: TV Series, Miniseries, Feature Film, TV Film
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES: Spanish
Adquirir los derechos
Para ponerte en contacto con nosotros completa el siguiente formulario y te responderemos en breve.
