The Essence

An erotic, romantic novel about two lovers who sense they began their relationship in a former life. From the moment they reunite they feel an uncanny familiarity that propels them into the most turbulent period of their lives. Carlos has been married for eleven years with a young son. Idalia, eighteen years with two grown daughters. They are both dissatisfied in their marriages but have grown complacent and accepting of their lot in life. Idalia is older than Carlos and has never felt beautiful. She is overweight, with such a poor image of her body that she cannot believe Carlos could really be in love with her. Even though Carlos looks at Idalia with love and desire, she continually doubts his love for her is real. Raúl knows Idalia best. He is the one who calls her with the news she cannot believe. It has been a few years since Idalia broke it off with Carlos after her husband, Rubén caught them kissing. The lying and subsequent confessions that follow culminate in Rubén's sudden death, and Idalia cannot live with the guilt. She feels she does not deserve to be happy. After Idalia sees Carlos for the last time, she reveals all the intimate details of her love story to her best friend. Raúl relates this rare narrative to his maitre d' one night in the office of his famous restaurant. Raúl is a flamboyant restauranteur who is central to the story. He is the one who fully understands the complexity of the love story with all its implications of past lives and eventual continuation of this extraordinary love in a future existence. He is susceptible to vibes and the one who realizes what happens in the end. The Essence begins with him and ends with him.