At the time of reading and posting this review, I had not read the other books in this series, but after I post this review I am going to be devouring them because let me tell you this book was SO CUTE! I have never read a book with a polyamorous relationship as the focus. (only ever as a side character's thing going on in the background) This book was adorable, the characters were all likeable, and I'm a sucker for found/chosen family themes as well, so this hit pretty much all my marks!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin-Carina Press for the eARC!

Thank you so much publisher and Netgalley for the arc! All opinions are my own.

This was an unexpected read for me! .I really liked the whole premise & plot.
It was light hearted, sweet and easy going.
The characters were very original and likable.

I have enjoyed the other books in this series so I was excited to get to this one and it did not disappoint. The chemistry in this one was done exceptionally well and kept the book going for me as I couldn't wait to see what was happening. I really enjoyed that the characters and story felt like a book that was meant to keep a smile on your face. Yes, there is a relationship that many would see as unconventional, so I enjoyed the way the characters interacted and the way they defined their "normal" as it actually tackled a broader topic regarding societal views. Still it had some amazing laughter inducing scenes and dialog and the writing was as excellent as it had been in the other books.

What a delightful book!
I’ve been hearing good things about Kris Ripper, but this is the first time I’ve read one of zir’s books.
This is also the first time I’ve read a romance that revolves around polyamory and I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect going in. I really liked how it was written and it felt real to me, though I don’t have any standing to say how accurately it’s portrayed or not. I think it could have easily been turned into a mess of jealousy, but it wasn’t. I liked all of the communication between the main characters, and how thoughtfully concerns were dealt with.
I liked the MC, Mason, and I really liked the love interest, Diego, and together they were so freaking adorable, I can’t even. Diego is the sweetest and the dates he planned were so swoon-y! Though it did feel rather one-sided, as Mason didn’t seem to plan much of anything, just went along with the *amazing* things Diego planned.
I also got a bit annoyed at Mason for how he viewed the relationship with Diego when he was talking/thinking about how others would see it. More than once he talked about cheating with Diego (as in, Diego was cheating on his wife with Mason), but if their marriage is open/poly, it’s not cheating. Especially where Mason is friends with Diego’s wife, Claris, and she is the one who set them up, so it’s quite obviously not cheating. And while I know Mason has these heteronormative ideas about marriage, it still felt weird that he would think of his relationship with Diego as cheating. idk, it just felt off.
Even though this is the third book in the series, I didn’t really feel like I was missing anything for having not read the first 2 books. Though with how much I enjoyed this one, I will be getting to the first two soon. They tell the stories of some of the other characters in Mason’s friend group, so I’m really looking forward to them.

3.5 stars

There are a lot of things that I really like about this book. I may be mistaken, but this seems to be my first polyamorous read. Well, I’ve read polyamory love stories where the triad gets together kind of all at the same time. In this story, Diego and Claris are already firmly established as a married couple before Claris even meets Mason. Long before she introduces Mason to her Diego with the thought that he is exactly what her husband wants/needs in another partner.

One of the things I appreciated about this story is Mason’s reactions to everything. He is pansexual and he finds himself questioning the poly lifestyle. Which he very much realized was problematic. He didn’t want to think that way and it frustrated him that those thoughts sometimes popped into his head. But Mason, although pansexual, had always dreamt of a more traditional life than you would think. Although he had no set image as to his partner, he did think one partner with kids, some pets, a house in the suburbs. The poly lifestyle didn’t fit into that neat box he had set aside for his love life in his brain. Mason working through these things helps a reader who is not super informed about polyamory get their questions and concerns answered in an organic way.

That, of course, is the story. There is love and friendship and other happenings, but the story is really Mason ultimately having to decide what makes him happy. Can he be happy outside of that neat little box? The chemistry Mason has with Diego is wonderful. I was rooting for him to relax into the relationship and let love take over. Claris helps with this as she wants both men to be happy, but she also sometimes hurts the cause. She’s over the top and always good intentioned…that’s her personality. But sometimes Mason needs his space. Claris is not so good at giving space.

As much as I enjoyed this story and was all in on the connection Diego and Mason had, it was a slow moving read for me. I wanted to read their story. I wanted to know the outcome. I liked the premise and the writing; it just was not a page turner. There was something I cannot put my finger on that was missing that kept me fully engaged. Possibly the pacing? I absolutely loved the last bit and am so glad I kept reading during the slow spots.

2.5 stars

I truly believe I was going to enjoy this book but sadly I didn't... when I didn't really like our main guy Mason and I didn't feel that much of a chemistry between him and especially Diego who I adored, I knew I would not be enjoying the book.
This was truly a case of it isn't you is me. This book wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review

The Life Revamp is a fabulously unique romance by Kris Ripper. The third book in The Love Study series, it's easily read as a standalone.

The romance in this one is an untraditional one, making for a fantastic read.

Mason always wanted to fall in love, get married, and spend his life happily ever after with the man he loves. But things change when he meets Diego.

Diego's a polyamorous man who's married to Mason's friend. Diego wants to be with Mason but Mason struggles with what that might look like.

This book is an important look into what love can look like. Not everyone wants monogamy. Not everyone wants to be in a throuple. Some people want to be married, but also have a separate relationship with someone else.

I enjoy all of Mason's thought processes and insecurities about what a relationship with Diego could look like.

But best of all, I like Mason and I like Diego. Their non-traditional romance is well done, compelling, and well worth a read.

This is Mason's story, all told from Mason's first person pov. The author does a great job exploring Mason's feelings, worries, and doubts.

The Life Revamp is an interesting read. I definitely recommend this Kris Ripper book when you're in the mood for a romance that's a little different.

Definitely thought i would’ve liked this more than I did. The premise is very interesting and based off the other book in the series I was interested in Mason’s perspective. However, it felt a little uninspired. Though I really appreciate reading a romance that felt adult, something about it felt too business like? I didn’t feel chemistry, just the ingredients for one.

With that being said, I did like Diego. I liked seeing the other relationships again. The banter was fun and felt very new and different from the other relationships. Again, this had a more mature adult feeling that came across more grounded in reality— which I liked. Just felt slow and somewhat boring?

I did enjoy reading. I wish there was more oomph to the plot.

I’ve read the first two books in this series, so I was excited to see Mason get his HEA. Fans of the series will remember him as the guy Dec (protag of Book 1) left at the altar years earlier. He’s been a background character for two books, and so it was great to finally experience his POV.

Mason’s book diverges from the traditional expectation of what a relationship entails—his partner Diego is married, and this is something Mason struggles with. Diego and his wife are polyamorous, so there is absolutely no “cheating” involved, Mason—who has no experience with polyamory—can’t help feeling that way. Also, he can’t envision a future with Diego because Diego is already married.

Admittedly, I have no personal experience with polyamory, but I appreciated the way in which it was presented, especially with Diego’s wife Claris being a matchmaker and chatting with Mason over breakfast after he slept over and generally being so delightfully extra about everything.

Mason and Diego have great chemistry, but their adorable rapport is what really shines. Mason grew up reading Heyer novels, and Diego flirts with him by talking like a character out of Regency England—how amazing is that? A+!

Mason has the best friend group. They call themselves the Motherfu**ers and they’re a bunch of geeky Millennials. ACTUAL Millennials, not teenagers. They love video games and food and most importantly, they’re there for each other in times of need. This has been a theme throughout the series, and while the individual members of varying degrees of closeness with their biological families, I loved the emphasis on the importance of found families.

I would recommend The Life Revamp. I think this book functions well enough as a standalone. I can’t recall any pivotal insight into Mason’s character that would make reading the books in order an absolute necessity. I’m looking forward to reading more from Ripper in the future.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Carina Press/NetGalley

I had such a good time reading this. I started one evening planning to just read a bit, but it turned into one of those too-late nights because I just wanted more of them. I loved both MCs. The banter and comfortableness of them with each other is a delight to read.
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The story: Mason agrees to an evening out with a friend and her husband, who are in a polyamorous relationship. Mason knows he wants marriage, kids, and practically the white picket fence, so even though the friend is playing matchmaker between Mason and her husband, Mason knows it won’t become anything.
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…And then he meets Diego.
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It’s written in Mason’s single POV, and I think Kris Ripper did a great job with his uncertainties and insecurities about what he wants in life and relationships. Ripper’s relationships are all so different, and I always enjoy discovering how zir characters will find their ways to each other.
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I want more more more of Mason and Diego being together…I would definitely appreciate a “5 years later” style epilogue, which isn’t part of the book. But I know Ripper often sends out bonus material on zir newsletter, so I’m hoping for that. I LOVE THEM and I’m going to reread this book now.
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Note on being book 3: You’ll be ok even without reading the previous two, but certainly knowing the backstory on some of the friends adds another level. The friends are well and truly *themselves* even when in another’s book: no easy feat.

I really enjoyed this book!

I have a confession… I was given a review copy of the first book in this series, The Love Study, but I just couldn’t get into it so then I passed up the opportunity to read and review book 2, The Hate Project. After reading The Life Revamp and enjoying it very much, I think I need to go back and read the first two books. I’m betting that I just wasn’t in the right mood when I tried to read The Love Study.

The blurb for this book intrigued me which is why I decided to give it a try and I’m so glad I did. I’m not exactly sure what I thought the relationship between Diego and Mason would be but I probably thought this was going to be a menage story – it isn’t. It’s the story of a M/F couple who are polyamorous but not into menage, at least not in this book. Diego’s wife had a business relationship with Mason and they then became friends; she actually sets Mason up with her husband, Diego.

Mason and Diego are pretty hot together but there isn’t anything very explicit in this book. It’s the way the story is written that made me feel how connected these two are. When things go wrong, I felt so sad for both Diego and Mason. Mason always envisioned his life with a partner who puts him first, the white picket fence and possibly children. He realizes he won’t be able to have that with Diego and backs off from the relationship.

I loved how Mason and Diego flirt and play word games with each other. The dialogue between them looks formal and stiff at times (they address each other very formally a lot) until you read it in context and realize that is a fun and flirty part of their relationship. These two are really sweet with each other.

I also enjoyed Mason’s relationship with his found-family of friends. I know the first two books in this series are about these friends but The Life Revamp can easily be enjoyed without reading them.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

I really loved this newest addition to The Love Study series! First of all, Mason deserves all the happiness in the world. He and Diego are super charming and one of my favorite things is how playful they are with each other and how they fully dive into regency romance mode or pretend to be spies. They made me laugh so much as well as evoked all the softest feels. I also really liked Claris and her persuasive but kind way of getting people to what she wants. She and Diego have a wonderful marriage and partnership, and it's unlike anything I've read before. Honestly I liked everyone in the book: Mason's mom, various side characters, and of course Mason's group of queer friends. There's lots of humor and sweetness in this book but there's also some pain as Mason tries to figure out if he can really be with Diego and what that might look like. Overall I really enjoyed it and was especially excited by all the representation! Prepare for the cutest dates, fashion shows, retail therapy, witty banter, soulful gazes, and a big queer love story.

This is the first rom-com I've ever read featuring a polyamorous relationship. I appreciated how the author describes the relationships amongst the characters and how positive they are.
The characters are likeable and the story is both heartwarming and sweet.
It kept me reading and thoroughly enjoyed.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC of The Life Revamp by Kris Ripper. This was so cute. This is a romance between Diego (love this character) and Mason. I loved the twists and turns in this book!

Unexpectedly good!

This type of story and general relationship between MCs is new to me and I was so excited to read about it for the first time! I think this is a perfect "beginner" book to introduce a reader to a polyamorous relationship because I really enjoyed this story, I loved all the characters, and the relationship between the MCs was new, but it opened my eyes to a whole new romance genre! It's a unique read that I think everyone should read at least once and get to witness Diego in all his glory!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the earc in return for an honest review.

THE LIFE REVAMP follows Mason and Diego. Mason wants nothing more than to fall in love, get married, have a home and maybe someday have children. The doctor he has been casually dating should be a great fit, but he finds himself reluctant to commit.
Diego is an up and coming fashion designer who is in a happy, stable, polyamorous marriage. Sparks fly when Diego’s wife, Masons friend Clairs, sets Mason up on a blind date with her husband. Diego is everything Mason is looking for in a partner, and the two fall head over heels for each other. But can Mason get past the fact that a future with Diego would mean changing his idea of a picture-perfect life?
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I really enjoyed this story. I loved these characters and their silly banter had me grinning from ear to ear. Diego and Mason had such fresh chemistry. I did appreciate Masons struggle and Diego and Clairs’ understanding. I liked that the ending left their future a little more open ended so that they’d have the time and space to grow and adapt, because I do feel as though it will take them some time before Mason can find balance in their relationship. It felt fitting and realistic.
I did feel as though Clairs sometimes came off as an afterthought. I’m not exactly sure what I needed in order to feel more of a connection there…
Overall, I had a great time with this book. I will be reading more from Ripper!
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4/5 stars, THE LIFE REVAMP is available December 7, 2021.
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Thank you to Carina Adores and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review.

As with the previous book, it took me a while to get into the story. In fact, at chapter eight I went to the final chapter and started making my way backwards a chapter at a time. This helped me connect with Mason and Diego and their developing relationship. I read all the chapters and quite enjoyed their story, so much so that I read most of them again. Like Mason, I was worried about how they could move forward when Diego was married and all Mason ever wanted was to be married and live happily ever after. By the end of the story, I felt that both of the guys were on their way to achieving a positive future and Diego’s wife was fully supportive of this relationship. As Claris says at one point, “His joy is my joy.” Beautiful!

Another fun romance in The Love Study series. This time, we get a polyamorous relationship. Diego and Claris are happily in an open marriage, and Diego and Mason falling in love is the focus of this story. I liked the characters, but Diego is my favorite. He's a terrific character who's so easy to like with his charm and wit. Mason's discomfort as he figures out his place in the relationship felt authentic. I think Kris Ripper handled the poly relationship well. I wish there had been more of Claris and Mason at least discussing how everything would work, but other than that, I liked the way it was done. I've read all three books in this series, and I've enjoyed them all, but I think this is my favorite. It was just so much fun to read.

I really love how this author handles romance. Consent, care, and communication are always important in the novels, which I think gets neglected sometimes. This is the third book I’ve read in the series, and I love it almost as much as the first one. Actually, there are moments I like it even move. The playfulness in the relationship is wonderful, and Diego almost made me swoon with his romantic actions.

I could not put this book down. It was just too good.

Just like Mason, I had to be open to the idea of a different type of happily ever after in this story, and it works. I was so happy with how things came together.

This book is definitely better if you are already familiar with the friend group and Mason’s back story, so I recommend reading the series in order. And the other books are fun too, so you won’t regret it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.

The Life Revamp by Kris Ripper
The Love Study #3

Polyamory is not everyone’s preference and not something that Mason has ever considered. His dream has been to find the perfect person, marry, start a family, and live into old age together. He thinks he might have that with the physician he has been dating but then is set up on a blind date with Diego by…Diego’s wife, Claris. Diego is everything that Tim is not and yet…Diego is already married so…how can they be a couple? Or, can they?

What I liked:
* The exploration of a different kind of relationship
* Mason: works in a bank, has a nucleus of good friends, forgiving, kind, loves his mother, wants to settle down, feels there must be more, able to be flexible…sometimes – feels something for Diego
* Diego: polyamorous, married to Claris, fashion designer, mentor, romantic, feels deeply, open to new relationships – feels something special for Mason
* Claris: fundraiser, money person, outgoing, dynamic, wants what is best for Diego and Mason, polyamorous, a good friend.
* That the story took me out of my comfort zone and made me think about what a polyamorous relationship might be like – did look it up and read a bit polyamory
* The fun that Diego and Mason had together
* The deep bond that Mason had with his college friend nucleus
* Thinking about a Gentlemen’s Fashion Week and what it might entail
* Wondering what the future has in store for Diego, Mason, Claris, and also Mason’s friend group

What I didn’t like:
* Not really a dislike BUT realizing that there are a lot of people out in the world that are different than I am and realizing that I don’t know enough about them, how they live, and what challenges they might face.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series/by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin-Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars