Triple Sec is the perfect name for this polyamorous romcom as it features a bartender, Mel, who has a dream of opening up her own bar one day. After serving drinks to a customer named Bebe who is happily married to Kade, Mel feels a strong connection. Bebe has an open marriage and given she is attracted to Mel, she asks her out, with Kade’s blessing. It’s a bit of uncharted territory for Mel, dating a married woman, but she enjoys spending time with Bebe and soon she discovers she has feelings for Kate as well.

I’m always up for a love story and what really drew me to this one is that it featured a polyamorous relationship. It’s not something you come across very often in the contemporary romance genre. I was curious about the dynamics when juggling not 2 but 3 individuals’ emotional needs. The author chose more of a nice and neat, ideal relationship rather than one full of drama. And that’s fine because it’s a romcom but I think it’d make for a more interesting story if there were a few more bumps on the road to happily ever after.

Even though I’m not a big drinker, I liked the bartending aspect of the story. As much as I love food, it can be overdone in stories so hearing all the labor and love that goes into making cocktails was a nice change of pace.

All in all, a good read and the characters had great chemistry.

In Triple Sec, author T.J. Alexander explores the evolution and intricacies of a polyamorous romance from the perspective of disillusioned bartender, Melanie (Mel) Sorrento.

Mel is still recovering from her divorce after a decade long marriage when she meets beautiful and charismatic Bebe when she comes into her bar. It has been 2 years since her marriage ended and Mel hasn’t felt any desire to date until she spends a night getting to know Bebe. Mel is disappointed when she finds out Bebe is married and then shocked when she discovers she is in an open marriage. While Mel and Bebe navigate their new romance, Mel begins to wonder if she has a connection with Kade as well.

Candidly, I don’t know much about polyamory and this book was very informative, but not in a textbook kind of way, just learning through their romance. I thought it was very surprising, from my limited knowledge, how there was little to no jealousy. Although polyamory isn’t for me, it was interesting to learn about the challenges and benefits of poly romance.

I couldn’t put my finger on why this poly romance felt different from prior books I’ve read, and I think it’s because it was single POV. The Katee Robert books I’ve read with this dynamic have all been multiple POV with a heavy focus on spice. While Triple Sec has its fair share of steamy scenes, there is a large focus on developing the bond between the characters as well.

However, I found myself missing the other POV’s… I often wondered what Bebe and Kade were thinking. I understand why Alexander wrote it this way as Triple Sec is focused on Mel’s journey as Kade and Bebe have had previous partners and experience being in an open relationship.

This was my 3rd TJ Alexander book and while I enjoyed it, Second Chances in Newport Stephen remains my favorite of theirs.

What to expect:
•F/F/NB contemporary poly romance
•NYC setting
•Single POV
•Will make you thirsty- Mel makes lots of yummy sounding drinks

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows Mel who works at a bar and meets Bebe who’s in an open relationship with her partner. Though the three begin to explore their connection to see what it can be. I loved the setting taking place in NYC with the three characters have such fun jobs we can explore. The storyline was decent but I won’t say it’s the best. I liked the romantic aspect of the story but the conflicts were lacking and there wasn’t much going on. I wish there was more to the competition like said but it felt like such a filler. I did love all the moments Mel had with Bebe and Kade at each their time. This story is told from Mel’s pov.

Mel works at the bar where she meets Bebe. I liked her character in the beginning but then I kind of stopped liking her. There were just moments that just didn’t make sense. Though I loved the side characters Bebe and Kade. Bebe is a perky, lawyer who cares so much of her people and I just loved that. Kade comes off grumpy but I started loving their character. They started to explain more about the backstory which I wish we got more of. The romance is polyamorous with friends to lovers , grumpy x sunshine trope.

The ending was great and I enjoyed the HEA for these characters. I do wish we got more of their stories and seeing it played out but this was still a cute romance. I just think the conflicts were lacking which kept away my attention at times. Though I know some will love it just for the cute romance.

*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*

This was a fun pride month read. Bartender Mel is jaded on love and relationships after her divorce and isn’t looking for either at the moment. But flirty bar patron and lawyer Bebe and her artist wife Kade may change her mind on that. The couple have an open marriage and what starts as a relationship with Bebe and Mel eventually becomes one of them all together over the course of the book.

I wish there was a little bit more of the polycule together. It only makes up a small portion of the plot and the largest scene/plot element with them is a miscommunication which stands out even less enjoyably when the lengthy chapter before it includes Mel talking about how she wants to communicate well then backtracks on everything she just said. There is another big relationship moment with Bebe and Mel that is centered on a miscommunication as well which isn’t my favorite thing either.

But I thought that the conversations regarding gender and language in this book were really well written, including where Kade who is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns if fine with being referred to as Bebe’s wife.

Thank you NetGalley and Ateria for an arc of Triple Sec!

It’s not often you see a romance novel centered around polyamory, so I was very excited for Triple Sec. I had been too busy to get into this book right away, but as soon as I had a block of free time I absolutely devoured it. What a fun, steamy, honest story! The book is presented in three parts, giving you a chance to get to know Mel, Bebe and Kade’s dynamics in turn. Mel’s exploration of new connections is sweet, and I appreciated that miscommunications weren't dragged out for the sake of drama. At times some developments felt a little sudden, but the characters were so engaging that I easily fell back in stride with the story. I was particularly attached to Kade, who existed not just as Bebe’s wife, but as an artist and a nonbinary person with a personality in high contrast to other characters. Alongside the romance plot we also see Mel’s foray into a cocktail competition. I initially thought the cocktails/bartender theme being so heavily featured would get old to me, but as someone who worked in food service there were a lot of relatable moments that I enjoyed (...plus the drinks sounded really good).

This was a cute read, but for some reason was not exactly what I was expecting. That being said I did enjoy it for what it was and would recommend it to my friends and audience!
Mel, Bebe, and Kade were all well-written, likeable, and engaging. I found myself super invested in both the individuals, the couples, and the larger relationship as well. I read a lot of why choose and RH books, and I think that this book is a fantastic introductory book for someone who is looking to explore the contemporary polyamory subgenre.
This book was a little bit too surface level, and I was looking for something more. But I did have a good time reading it and am interested in reading more of TJ Alexanders books.

Mel Sorrento is a recently divorced mixologist, working at one of the premier cocktail lounges in New York City. She’s butch and tatted and sure she’ll never find love again. Then, while working one evening, Mel meets Bebe, a gorgeous lawyer who’s giving off all the right signals–until Bebe’s non-binary spouse, Kade, arrives to take her home. Bebe insists on inviting Mel to a brunch party, but Mel has some misgivings–it’s bad form to lust after her married hostess, isn’t it? But, it turns out that Bebe and Kade are poly, and Bebe would love the chance to date Mel, if she’s open to the idea.

Mel isn’t exactly sure she is interested. She’s had this idea of monogamy in her brain a long time, but she married her high school sweetheart, and that marriage went down in flames. Mel’s not had an interest in a partner since, and Bebe’s very tempting. Perhaps a fling with someone who she can’t get too serious about is just the right tonic to set Mel back on track. Meanwhile, one of the brunch attendees tipped Mel off on a big cocktail competition as a part of a food festival coming in the spring, and the winnings could be a stake Mel uses to open her own cocktail bar. If she’s going to broaden her personal world, she may as well get risky professionally, too.

This is a poly romance that features a longtime couple who ultimately woo a third. Kade and Bebe have never shared a lover before, but Bebe has an intuition that Mel could be a good fit for Kade. It’s not long before Kade and Mel are caught in a space that allows greater intimacy, and I loved the communication here. Mel’s first thought is that Kade’s aloofness holds disdain, but Kade is just more contemplative and restrained than Bebe. This experience opens their minds to the possibilities, ones that Bebe had told Kade were very satisfying. I liked how this triad came to be, with discussion and friendship and lots of passion. The pacing is great and the writing is witty. I had lots of chuckles as Mel figured herself out.

The cocktail contest isn’t the focus of the book, but there’s enough mixology in the story for me to grasp that Mel was really good at what she did, and she had a lot of pride in her skills. This was really awesome, because bartending is often a career people assume to be something one does while waiting for the next phase of life to fall into place. And, while it can be, it’s also a career unto itself, one that can be lucrative and rewarding. Mel’s on the top end of her career opportunities, and she’s doing pretty well, though she’d like to use the potential prize money to open a more niche, LGBTQ-friendly space she can run herself. I honestly liked how it all turned out, with just enough fanfare to give us reassurance that Mel’s future is indeed going to be bright.

It’s a happy ending, for sure, and I had a great time getting there with this fun crew. I definitely recommend this story for anyone who enjoys sweet and (a little) sexy poly romance–and connoisseurs of a good cocktail story.

This book is so so so good. My favorite TJ book to date. It was so great to see such good poly romance in trad publishing!

I liked this book. It was only the second poly book I’ve read but I thought the author wrote the storyline well. It did feel like he characters were a little too perfect. But overall I liked it.

I was so intrigued by this one because I think it’s the first time I’ve read a traditionally published romance book with a polyamorous relationship at its center!

But I didn’t quite measure up to my expectations. I think I wanted more development and charisma from the characters and I didn’t quite get that. I was hoping the build up of the relationship(s) would be more central to the story but it felt like it just happened so quickly and then almost not at all. Like it was a given - and in a sense it was, it was clear in what direction the story was going but maybe some push and pull would’ve served the story greatly to make it worthwhile to invest more.

Either way, I think it was wonderful to read about these characters and explore polyamory, with all of its identities and its verbiage. It’s amazing that a book with a F/F/NB relationship is front and center and getting so much attention!

A fun, steamy, and dare I say delicious poly romance from TJ Alexander! Aptly named, Triple Sec is three love stories for the price of one (or one big romance?) with a dash of a cocktail competition to drive the plot.

Told from the perspective of Mel, a cocktail mixologist and divorcee learning to love again. Mel is swept off her feet by Bebe, a fun and curvy lawyer, who quickly sucks Mel into the world of polyamory. Eventually, Mel also meets Kade, Bebe's nonbinary wife. After a weekend snowed in together, things get even cozier...

Alexander delivers another very queery and very fun romance read. I laughed out loud at some of their one liners and highlighted more than a few. This is a fun and very queer romance with some tension but no third act breakup, which is always refreshing.

Read if you want:
- three romances wrapped in one
- to crave a damn good craft cocktail
- big queer found family
- open communication and adulting
- no third act breakup
- single POV
- NYC in winter (and cocktails)
- polyamorous throuple
- steam
- only one bed, by choice
- snowed in together in Canada
- healing from divorce

Thanks to S&S and NetGalley for the e-ARC. As always, all thoughts my own.

Triple Sec is TJ Alexander's latest stand alone romance novel. Mel is a bartender at an upscale NYC lounge, the site of many marriage proposals despite her own failed love life. When cute curvy Bebe flirts with her at the bar, Mel is interested, but then she meets Bebe's spouse, Kade. Mel's never dated someone in an open relationship before, but Bebe seems worth the try and she soon discovers the quiet and quirky artist Kade also might have some hidden romantic depths she'd like to explore.

Like all of Alexander's excellent queer romances, this story expands not only Mel's dating horizons, but also has her thinking more about her future, in this case of her career and letting go a past romantic failure. Bebe and Kade are also well developed characters. Kade is nonbinary and though not given a specific diagnosis reads as neurodivergent; both of which are handled in a nuanced way. When a cocktail contest that could fund Mel's dream of owning her own bar comes up it could be her chance to make all her fantasies come true.

This might be my favorite of Alexander's yet!

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinion are completely my own.

I rarely fully read the book description so I totally missed the polyamory. That was a surprise that pleased me because I have yet to read a romance with that angle. It won't be the last.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with a widget to read and honestly review an e-arc.

4.5/5 Stars

This is my first TJ Alexander book and I can confidently say it will not be my last. I wasn’t sure about this book at first, I tend to really dislike third person single pov especially for polyamorous books but Alexander manages to pull it off. This is one of if not the best polyamorous romances I have read that is traditionally published. The amount of depth all three characters and all the relationships have is insane and the communication is so well done. These characters are flawed and human which I love to see.

Mel is a jaded divorced bartender who doesn’t believe in love anymore. She has witnessed her fair share of disaster dates and her own love life is in shambles. But that changes when Bebe walks into the bar and she can’t take her eyes off her, expect Bebe is happily married to her partner Kade. Mel is ready to accept that Bebe isn’t the one for her until Bebe makes her a unique offer to take her on a date as Bebe and Kade have an open marriage. What starts as something that is supposed to be casual and fun turns into a whirlwind romance between Bebe and Mel until Mel realizes that she has feelings for Kade as well. As all three start to explore their connection, Mel learns maybe romance isn’t a lost cause for her.

Alexander does an amazing job at developing each of the relationships individually while there is also very open communication. When Bebe asks Mel out on a date, it was over lunch where Kade also was there so Mel could know for sure that Kade was okay and knew about Bebe asking Mel out. I loved this scene as it was a great example of open communication but it didn’t feel forced or like just checking off a communication box. Mel and Bebe’s relationship develops first and I loved how we see Mel’s feelings for the relationship progress from thinking it is casual to it being everything. Mel and Kade’s relationship was realistic for them, it was very different from Mel and Bebe or even Kade and Bebe but it worked so well. Kade is neurodiverse so how they do relationships is going to be different than Mel and Bebe who are as far as we know neurotypical. And then to see towards the end all three come together it was such a beautiful moment of them coming together as a trio while still having individual relationships.

A lot of the time I feel like the relationships for polyam or why choose can get kinda blurred, they can feel super similar and not super individual. But this book does an amazing job at not only the relationship with all three of them but the individual relationships. I really loved Kade and I liked how we see more into their mind as the book progresses as it felt real to me as someone who is neurodiverse. I also can’t praise the communication in this book enough. I read this after I had dnfed a book that was polyam but there was no communication so to come from that to this had me jumping for joy.

I can’t wait to read more from TJ Alexander and I highly recommend this book if you want a romance featuring flawed but real characters and a book I have forever described as queer chaos in a good way. This is a woman x woman x nonbinary relationship and it is gay as hell. This book is out now so go check it out if you are looking for some chaotic queer goodness.

REVIEW: Triple Sec ⭐⭐⭐.5 (3.5)

I have read and enjoyed Chef’s Kiss and Chef’s Choice by TJ Alexander, so I was really excited to start reading Triple Sec.

First of all, I love the unique take on a traditional rom-com. I’m always for positive representation in romances, and TJ Alexander provided that with nonbinary and bisexual characters as well as polyamorous relationships. I love reading about different voices and points of view than my own, so this was perfect to dive into. Triple Sec gives you so many warm and happy vibes that make you want to keep reading. It has a sweet love story, it’s funny, and it even gives spice. TJ Alexander also does such a great job making the three main characters, Mel, Bebe, and Kade, unique with their own struggles and needs. It was fun seeing how their chemistry and care for one another developed as they all discovered more about themselves as well.

Personally, I wished Triple Sec was written in multiple POVs, especially in the case of a polyamorous relationship. We got to know Bebe and Kade only through Mel’s lens, and I think it would have been really interesting to see from their sides. I also wished there were a little more to the story with the three of them together. Their relationship as three developed quickly and I just wanted it to go on longer and get to a deeper level.

Overall, I really enjoyed Triple Sec. It was a great, sweet, but spicy rom-com that just hit the spot for me!

Thank you, Netgalley and Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

3.5 ⭐️

Soft DNF. Got about 20% and couldn’t connect with the MC’s.

Not usually a fan of writing in third person and having a hard time with Kades pronouns. Just personal but a single person can’t be plural?!

Interested in learning about Poly relationships but this is not capturing my attention at the moment

This was cute and fun! I love the plus size love interest and gender-fluid rep. Love seeing poly love stories!! I did feel like this lacked a bit in the plot department. The whole story felt like look!! They’re poly!! Which felt a bit weird and very surface level? Idk. The only other thing really going on is that Mel enters a cocktail competition. I knew they were poly when I picked up the book. That being the whole story line resulted in me not feeling as attached to the characters as I wanted to. I felt like I barely knew anything about them apart from their jobs and that they’re poly. I will say that Kade was my fave though :,) a sweet bb.

Triple Sec by TJ Alexander delves into the complexities of polyamorous relationships with a fresh perspective. I enjoyed reading a queer contemporary romance that felt like it was doing its own thing instead of following the same vibe and emotional beats as a lot of the popular queer contemporary romances lately. Wasn’t a huge fan of the three characters though which made it hard to become invested and stay invested. The topics of bar scenes and mixology in general I am not a fan of so I didn’t particularly care about those topics when they were brought up. Although perhaps I should have known that due to the cover and title. I still like Second Chances in Newport Stephen more than Triple Sec from this author and will be recommending that one over this one.

I am a HUGE fan of TJ Alexander and champ at the bit any time they release something new and this was no exception.

I've read polyamorous romance books before, but they've been on the binary, so this was my first reading one where there was a nonbinary character. So far, this has been my favorite of those. It's not something I would enter myself into, but seeing these three together made me understand and appreciate these types of relationships more. There's no cheating and there's a three way HEA. It's all good.

As much as I loved all the characters, I adored Bebe. She's so much fun. Also, shout out to Daniel. We all need a Daniel in our lives.
I also loved that we got a couple cameos in this one.

There's so much love in this book. Not only do you get three romances for the price of one, you also get Alexander's love letter to NYC and to the service industry ( I felt seen by that).

Overall, I loved it. It's really well written and right up my alley with humor. This is the sexiest and spiciest Alexander has gotten with their writing and I'm loving it. I will continue to devour anything they write.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley. I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

I loved this story! I think it is worth ALL the hype its getting on socials and the pub date is perfect timing. The character's are so well written. The snow storm felt a little "clique" but I am absolutely here for it. This is the first book about a poly relationship I've ever read and I thought it was respectfully done. The stream was the right amount of spice. I LOVED the ending, because it was not totally predictable. It felt like it could have been a streamy LGBTQ+ Hallmark movie and I loved every minute of it!! Can't wait to read of TJ Alexander's work!