I was totally gripped by this novel and read it in a day - a perfect easy romantic read for Pride month, indeed. The plot is simplistic but not boring, the characters are interesting if occasionally infuriating (a very human combination), and the book has quite a few kick-up-your-feet, giggle-with-glee moments where your investment pays off. I love that representation in books is getting broader and broader, and I enjoyed getting to see a beautiful polyamorous relationship slowly develop.

However, I do understand the criticisms this book is receiving. The main characters can at times feel one-note. They also have personality traits that drive you up the wall (Mel, in particular, self-sabotages in a way that makes me want to shake her and say "go to therapy!"), but for me, that makes the characters feel more real. How often is it that you can just not read a person? How often is it that you want to tell someone they're getting in their own way? It's realistic. For me, I like having a little dose of real in my novels. I understand why other people might want it to feel less present.

4.25 stars, rounded up.

Triple Sec by TJ Alexander is a hilarious, steamy explosion of a love story that shatters expectations. Buckle up for a journey into the world of high-end cocktails, where jaded bartender Mel gets swept off her feet by not one, but two captivating characters (cue the blushing – that cabin scene!!!!). Alexander crafts characters so dimensional and lovable, you'll want to belly up to the bar at Terror & Virtue with them. Calling all fans of queer fiction, polyamory, and witty banter – this book is your new must-read!

This is my fist book from TJ Alexander, and I LOVED it. It’s a really great book and I fell in love with Mel at the start. She’s a great character, so full of life and so well written. She’s a bartender, she’s divorced, she doesn’t search for love. But she fall in love with two people, Bebe and Kade. They are a couple but Babe hits on Mel. She’s honest with her and I loved that. I love the way their relationship evolves, the way Mel fell in love with Bebe and Kade and the way Bebe and Kade fell in love with her.
This is one of my firsts polyamorous novels and I loved it so much. I wanted more! I want more! I need more! The rep is so good, I almost cried. Thank you TJ Alexander for writing it!
The only thing that doesn’t convince me is that there is little conflict. A wanted a little more conflict. Okay, this is a comfort book, but I wanted a little more drama. But it’s a really good book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

This is one of the best books I've read this year! It's a polyamorous rom com that is incredibly funny, fresh, and perfectly sweet and spicy.

🍹This book was so fun! The tension between the characters was scorching 🥵 I fell in love with Bebe immediately and she could do no wrong in my eyes.

🍹I loved all of the characters in this book! Each one kept me laughing as I read. Mel is caring, considerate, and a kickass bartender. Bebe is hilarious and you can feel her charisma through the page. Kade is serious with a tough exterior, but has such a sweet spot as well. The three work perfectly together and it was so cute to see their polycule form!

🍹This book hits all the spots and makes you laugh, tingle lol, and feel warm and fuzzy. If you're looking for a funny and sweet romcom, definitely add Triple Sec to your list!

I absolutely loved this book. The book follows Mel a mixologist whose marriage and subsequent divorce at a young age made her hesitant about dating. Until she meets Bebe at the bar she works at. Immediately she falls for her. Bebe receptive to the advances is married to Kade and the practice a polyamorous lifestyle. Through our the book we follow the 3 characters developing relationships with each other. I loved each of these characters individually and as a couple. The communication between them was excellent and such a healthy representation of a queer poly relationship
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I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity

My first contemporary poly book. It was a wild ride but I really liked it

I really enjoyed T.J. Alexander's last novel, Second Chances in New Port Stephen, so I was excited to read Triple Sec (which, by the way, is the perfect title for this book). I love the representation in Alexander's writing, and the plot of this one sounded sexy and fun.

Mel is a bartender at one of NYC's hottest bars. She's not looking for love -- doesn't even believe it exists, really, after her divorce -- when Bebe walks into the bar. Bebe is gorgeous and charming and kind, and she wants to take Mel on a date. But Bebe is also married -- to her genderqueer partner, Kade, a surly artist. Mel has no idea how polyamory works, but she's attracted to Bebe and decides to give it a go. As their relationship evolves, Mel realizes she may be attracted to Kade too -- and that love can be expansive and empowering rather than limiting.

I appreciate that Alexander brings attention to polyamory, a topic that most people outside of the lifestyle don't know much about. I certainly didn't, and I learned a lot from this book; Triple Sec provides interesting insights into how that type of relationship can work, and tries to break the taboos associated with it. But narratively, I wanted more conflict and tension. I'm not one who necessarily needs a lot of drama in my romance, but I also didn't want things to be so easy for this polycule. It seemed like they were the shining, perfect example of a polyamorous relationship, which I'm not sure is entirely realistic. I'm not poly myself, so take my opinion with a grain of salt -- but I would imagine most poly relationships are a bit more nuanced and complex than the one portrayed here.

But if the goal was to tell a sexy and sweet love story, with a good amount of spice and fantastic gender representation, Alexander certainly achieved it with Triple Sec. I just have one lingering question: T.J., why in the world did you not give us Mel's cocktail recipes?? Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the early reading opportunity.

This was my first foray into polyamorous romcoms and I really enjoyed the dynamics between Mel, Bebe and Kade. The communication between the three of them was refreshing as was their growth as partners. They were constantly shifting and amending their relationships based on each others needs which made for a nurturing, stable connection. I appreciated the care TJ Alexander took in creating the representation in TRIPLE SEC. They did a wonderful job at explaining pronoun usage and queerness in an accessible way. It was a smart choice to have narrator Mel learning about polyamory alongside us, as it gave both the reader and main character chance to grow and adjust expectations of what these dynamics contain.

I thoroughly enjoyed the mixology aspects of this book as well. I am a sucker for an intricately made cocktail and loved watching Mel’s process as she set out to create a competition worthy beverage. As someone who has perused many of NYC’s cocktail bars, I thought the commentary on the service industry and its hierarchy of establishments remained true to life. I wish that we had gotten more elements of the cocktail competition because Mel’s passion for her work was both delicious and electrifying to behold.

Highlights:
-F/F/NB romance
-Swanky cocktail recipes
-NYC setting
-Supportive friend group
-Varying manners of queerness
-Snowed in forced proximity
-A+ communication between paramours

Many thanks to Atria and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.

Triple Sec was another cute LGBTQIA+ rom com from TJ Alexander! I loved all the different types of representation and how the main character was still trying to learn about herself and others throughout the story. This is my second TJ Alexander book and I would gladly read more!

4 stars!

TJ Alexander is one of my favorite authors, so I was excited to read "Triple Sec." It didn't disappoint! I thoroughly enjoyed this F/F/NB romance book. I feel like I learned a lot about the poly lifestyle I wasn't aware of before reading this book. I now realize that there is more honesty and open communication involved than I had previously thought, complete with mutual written agreements and frequent check-ins between all parties concerned. Rules for the relationship are written out ahead of time and are frequently updated and changed as the situation evolves and grows between the main characters, Mel, Bebe, and her wife Kade. I found myself drawn to each of these three characters for different reasons, both individually and while they are together. Mel is passionate about her job as a bartender. It's not just about a bar job for her: mixology is her passion, what makes her soul feel alive. She is divorced and a bit jaded in love. When Bebe walks into her life, all of that changes as their connection is instant, the chemistry between them palpable. Then, Bebe's wife Kade walks into the bar, and Mel's hopes are dashed. Still, she sees this as an opportunity to make friends and takes them up on their brunch offer. Imagine Mel's surprise when Bebe asks her to join their poly relationship. At first, Bebe asks Mel to be her girlfriend. Eventually, over time, Kade joins in the mix. I found myself drawn to these characters as each of them grows during their time together in their own way. The book explores more than just what a poly relationship is like. It explores the notion of gender fluidity, radical acceptance, and monogamy and heterosexuality as the "standard." Mel challenges her definition of "love" and what a"relationship" is, finding it much broader than she initially thought. The steam in this book is sooooo delicious! I laughed quite a bit at the banter between these three characters as well. Overall, a well-written, thoughtful, sexy, boozy delight!

Thank you to NetGalley, TJ Alexander, Atria Books, and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I loved this! While I would argue there are three main characters, it is solely from the POV of Mel, a jaded NYC bartender. Bebe and Kade shake up her world when they walk in the bar Mel works at. Mel is new to polyamory, and in some ways, this book also works well as an introduction to the topic, giving the reader several definitions (and more words to look up) as used and experimented with by Mel, Bebe, and Kade. I wasn't 100% sure I would vibe with the story, but rave reviews from some reviewers I trust made me all ready to dive in. I ended up really enjoying it, devouring the book in one sitting. A great Pride month (and all year round) read!

As someone who is alcohol free and wholly monogamous, I wasn’t sure how I’d like this story about an NYC mixologist and her polyamorous relationship but I was so pleasantly surprised!! The writing was so much fun and the characters were each so unique and well developed.

I found myself laughing out loud plenty of times and I was really invested in each characters happiness.

I can’t wait to read more by this author!

I have very complicated feelings about this book. First off, anyone reading the description will know it is surely not for everyone, that’s ok it will find its audience. I liked it but I had some problems with it that were distracting enough that it took me far longer than it should have to finish it.

I guess my biggest issue would be confusion. O felt like I wasn’t sure what was going on with the characters too often, which frustrated me. On the plus this leads to the explanation of how communication is so important but too often it doesn’t happen. Some things resolve too quickly or seem like there will be more to it, but there isn’t.

That being said, it is a fun book, lots of interesting situations, settings and themes. Definitely not a common romance theme at all.

This book is so so good. It's definitely one of my favorite reads so far this year! It's my first polyamorous read and I really enjoyed how TJ represented the love story of Mel, Bebe, and Kade. I loved getting to know each of the characters because they were all so distinct and interesting. And one thing we don't see enough of is CLEAR COMMUNICATION. I absolutely love that part of this book - it seems silly to point it out specifically, but it just stood out to me! There's so much complexity, but it's still so damn swoony.

And the spicy scenes were SPICING! I definitely think it's their spiciest book yet and not gonna lie I loved them all. Helllloooo snowy cabin....I'll just leave it at that!

✨ Review ✨ Triple Sec by T.J. Alexander

Thanks to Atria Books and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

I'm becoming a huge fan of T.J. Alexander's books and this one just adds to that excitement. This book explores polyamory as Mel, a bartender at a swanky cocktail spots in NYC meets Bebe. After flirting with her and getting to know her a bit, Bebe, with the consent of her partner Kade, invites Mel to go out on a date with her. As things get more serious between Bebe and Mel, Mel has to confront some of her fears including reentering a serious relationship (and how to do that in a poly way) as well as taking a leap to enter a cocktail contest to pursue prize money that could make her dreams of opening a bar come true!

Where this really got interesting for me is when Mel and Kade start getting to know each other better (and there's nothing better than a forced proximity snow storm power outage setting).

I thought this was a really lovely book filled with big feelings including lots of love and joy. Can't wait for what Alexander writes next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: polyamorous romance f/f/nb
Setting: NYC
Pub Date: Jun 04 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ cocktails and fancy drinks galore
⭕️ queer relationships and found family
⭕️ NYC urban life

I really have loved all of TJ’s prior works. I am sad to say this one was not for me. As someone who is sober, reading a book set in a bar is a little tough for me, but I also found the first bit of the book really tough to get through. I did DNF this one, but I’ll absolutely check out TJ’s future works, as this is their only book I was not into.

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

I thought this story was well mixed. It had a few main conflicts; each very easily resolved. This story was more of a glimpse in the life of Mel. I didn't really get to know any one of the main characters very well but knew enough to enjoy tagging along for their ride.

When I was about 30% of the way in I was convinced that this book was going to be a three to a four star for me. I was enjoying it but I wasn't loving it. And then Kade joins and oh my god. This book went to a five-star so fast. I love so much about this book. I love the poly representation and the routinely checking in about communication. I loved the drinking and the cocktail recipe is we're such a fun addition. I feel like this book has a lot of balance for a contemporary romance. I do think I would have liked a little bit more details about Bebe and Kade professionally. But I'm not nitpicking. I love this book.

My favorite moments are the snow storm and the cocktail competition and afterwards. Iykyk 😉 I also am very fond of the continued communication. Consent is hot.

The lack of POC main characters was disappointing to me. From my understanding (and the cover), there are three white main characters--one had a mediterranean complexion because she's Italian but Italian =\= POC. Additionally, the class disparity between Mel, Bebe, and Kade was so awkward because they didn't seem to have a real conversation about it. Mel would make jokes here and there, but there was a missed opportunity for some class consciousness.

The last 15% of the book was the strongest for me. It took me a minute to read this book because I did not want to pick it back up at 50%, which is why my review is coming out two days after the release date.

If you're looking for a lighthearted queer romance centered on polyamory with some spicy scenes, Triple Sec is the book for you. Though I almost DNFed it, I am glad I stuck it out because the later chapters made up for my initial distaste.

4.5 stars. This is my second book by Alexander, and I liked it even more than Second Chances! I LOVE the characters of Mel, Bebe and Kade. And if you aren't sucked in by the sexy banter during the meet cute of Mel and Bebe, then you are a stone. As in Alexander's other novel, the tone is very positive and upbeat, lots of accepting people, with a happy ending. And you know what? It's delightful.

"As a bartender at Terror & Virtue, a swanky New York City cocktail lounge known for its romantic atmosphere and Insta-worthy drinks, Mel has witnessed plenty of disastrous dates. That, coupled with her own romantic life being in shambles, has Mel convinced love doesn’t exist.

Everything changes when Bebe walks into the bar. She’s beautiful, funny, knows her whiskeys—and is happily married to her partner, Kade. Mel’s resigned to forget the whole thing, but Bebe makes her a unique since she and Kade have an open marriage, she’s interested in taking Mel on a date.

What starts as a fun romp turns into a burgeoning relationship, and soon Mel is trying all sorts of things she’d been avoiding, from grand romantic gestures to steamy exploits. Mel even gets the self-confidence to enter a cocktail competition that would make her dream of opening her own bar a reality. In the chaotic whirl of all these new experiences, Mel realizes there might be a spark between her and Kade, too. As Bebe, Kade, and Mel explore their connections, Mel begins to think that real love might be more expansive than she ever thought possible."

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.