What a great book! Really enjoyed the concept and the inclusivity in this book a lot!

Mel was a lovable but jaded bartender and she’s seen and been through some shit! So when Bebe sits in her area, she can’t help but be attracted to her until Bebe’s wife enters the bar and Mel is left questioning if the flirting was real.

Bebe and Mel start a relationship as Bebe is poly and Mel starts navigating that with some bumps in the road. When Mel finally accepts that she loves Bebe and pursues it more romantically then enters Kade. Kade and Mel get stuck in a snowstorm together, where they share memories on a deep personal level that makes them both feel seen and understood. They express and explore their feelings for each other. Back home continues the complexities of navigating polyamory, friendships, and work all leading up to a great HEA!

We have a great sub-plot with the drink completion in which Mel tries to figure out the perfect drink for the competition while being supported by her friends and lovers.

This was a great romantic, thoughtful, and spicy read that I absolutely loved! This is the first I’ve ready by this author but I’ll be looking at their other books for my next reads as well!

Cheers!

This book was incredible. I am not much of a romance reader but I was charmed by this novel. The pacing of everything was great, giving details when it matters but leaving out unnecessary moments. I rarely read sapphic novels but this one caught my eye and I must admit I'm glad I picked it up. I didn't know much about polyamory and I love how the author explored it.

3.25

I really enjoyed Alexander's Second Chances in New Port Stephen when I read it last year so I was thrilled to get an advanced copy of this year's release. I was even more thrilled when I saw that this was a poly romance centering a jaded bartender.

Overall, I think this was a fun summer read. I envisioned reading this poolside with a fancy cocktail the whole time and honestly, I think that's how this book is meant to be read. Mel is a jaded bartender that we meet at work where she's getting flirty vibes from a customer and she's into it. Then she finds out this customer, Bebe, is married and her and their wife Kade are in an open relationship. What follows is Mel navigating a relationship with Bebe (and later Kade) and an exploration of how expansive love can be.

I really liked the discussion around polyamory and how important communication is, not just when you have multiple romantic partners but in any situation. You can see that as the book progresses both in conversations Mel has and with the evolving guidelines written out as major changes to the relationship occur. I also loved Kade a whole heck of a lot.

I also really enjoyed all the cocktail talk. Throughout the book, Mel is working on perfecting a signature cocktail for a competition and Alexander definitely knows how to write food, drinks, and flavors.

I do think Alexander fell a little too deep into teaching about polyamory. Yes, a lot of it is important because Mel is new to the concept and as a traditionally published romance many readers are probably new to the concept as well. But I think sometimes the explanation took over the actual plot of the story. I also struggled with Mel's friendship with Daniel. We know from the start that they're close but we never actually see them being close. To be honest, Mel is kind of a shitty friend to him for most of the book and then it's "solved" super quickly with a one-line recognition that relationships take work.

Almost too fluffy for me - very little conflict but I liked the characters a lot

Thank you to the author, netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

Thanks to TJ Alexander, Atria, and NetGalley for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

This was a fun, sweet, and spicy romance that made me want to go have a cocktail. I think that, while fun and interesting, the cocktail making contest was more of a distraction and so minor to the plot that it could have done without and been just as good if not better. As it was, it felt crammed in to the last 10ish percent.

POV: single third person omniscient

You can expect: bartender FMC, lawyer FMC, artist MC, snowed in, forced proximity, learning to love again, polycule.

Rep: lesbian MC, queer MC, nonbinary MC, gay side character, polyamory, throuple

Spice: 3/5

This was a highly anticipated read for me for 2024. Just from the cover alone I was so ready for poly rep done with care. TLDR this did deliver that but I was expecting a bit more from the story and connections between characters.

My biggest issue with this was the characterization of Bebe. So Mel is a bartender and meets super posh Bebe and then adorably discovers Bebe is married but interested in dating Mel?? And Mel and Bebe lay down some ground rules (at Mel's request) for how they are going to handle their relationship with respect to Bebe's wife Kade. All that part was totally fine and dandy. I loved how the rules changed and it was a part of the plot/image on the page. But Bebe as a person. She is otherworldly. She is described as someone who knows exactly how to dress, where to go for a good date, is experienced in bed, and doesn't speak to Mel condescendingly but more from a place of wisdom Mel nowhere near possesses. The voice and soul of Bebe is like 50 years old to me and this is not an age gap romance, I think she is supposed to be in her 30s. Because of this it felt like an elder queer guiding Mel through a romantic journey that just happened to be with them. This is spicier than the author's other work I read (and LOVED, the second chances in New Port Stephens book) but I felt kind of meh about the scenes because there wasn't a lot of tension or chemistry with the 2 of them to begin with.

Now, a character I loved was Kade. Kade is Bebe's nonbinary wife and is a self-deprecating semi famous artist. They were so vividly described to me and were so real because unlike Bebe they had flaws and that added the bit of conflict in the plot (may not be what you are assuming). I loved Kade's style and dialogue and missteps. Kade is my favorite! So their increased involvement with the second half of the book saved this to 4 stars for me.

Thank you to Atria for the eARC and to the author for winning this book in a giveaway! again, the cover is amazing.

Loved the accurate and positive poly dynamic! It was so great to see this lifestyle shown in a good light, without the usual toxicity I see on reality tv, or being so focused on straight mff. It was a welcome and inclusive story which I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters were witty and I laughed out loud at times. Also made me crave a fancy cocktail. Thanks for the opportunity - can’t wait to read more!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199797973

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, and TJ Alexander for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A very cute read. Loved the characters. I like that the book is split into 3 parts. The progression of Kade & Mel's relationship was a little sudden I thought? But after the initial change in their relationship I liked them together.

2SLGBTQIA+ Kinky Romance that features a jaded New York bartender finds herself being wooed by a charmingly quirky couple and gets the self-confidence to enter a cocktail competition.

5/5 stars: Tackling a polyamorous romance, Alexander's newest stand-alone takes place in New York and follows a divorced bartender who's surprised to find herself being wooed by charmingly quirky couple, a very fem lawyer and her nonbinary artist spouse. Soon she's trying all sorts of things and even gets the self-confidence to enter a cocktail competition that would make her dream of opening her own bar a reality. Not only is Alexander's writing outstanding but the character work is stellar; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain likable. Mel's totally relatable, tough and wanting love but afraid of being hurt. It's great seeing her bloom in her relationship with BeBe and Kade. Alexander manages to make all the relationships work effortlessly. Additionally, I love Mel's friendship with Daniel. With plenty of heart and humor that will have you swooning, Alexander also knows how to write steamy OPS scenes, they're deliciously kinky. Oh and I have to say Mel's mixed cocktails all sound to die for! Alexander takes on same tough topics, so take care and check the CWs. Alexander's favorite author and this is a can't miss read, highly recommend!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

This is my first TJ Alexander book and it was okay. I’ve heard amazing things about his books but to be honest I didn’t love this one. I couldn’t connect to the characters. It was just to explore ployamorous relationships as it’s something I’ve never read about before. Overall, it was okay

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up!

Thank you NetGalley, TJ Alexander, and Atria books for the ARC! I will definitely be recommending this one to my bookish circle.

Whoa! Triple Sec was a great read - finished it in less than 48 hours! I tried to manage my expectations here - romance-y books with happy endings are definitely are not my go-to genre, but I was so pleasantly surprised with this one.

This book definitely added another dozen colours to my mind-rainbow - I had no idea how much I DIDN’T know about poly-culture. I love how there is queerness embedded in every layer of this book - the main characters, side characters, judges, etc. The fluidity of sexuality, relationships, friendships, career development, gender, and on and on is carried in a brilliant way throughout the entire book. The diversity of queer representation is fantastic. Love to see it!

Docking half a star because though I overall liked Mel, sometimes she was … annoying?!? I can’t put my finger on why exactly…. There were just several parts of the book where I felt irritated. Some of the awkward things she said that were probably supposed to come off as cutesy-awko-endearing were just a bit cringey.

If you’re looking for something a little bit frothy, a little bit risqué, Triple Sec is the perfect book for you.

Mel Sorrento is a bartender at one of New York’s best cocktail bars, Terror and Virtue. She’s had her fair share of romance woes between watching relationships blow up at the bar and the woes of her own divorce. When Bebe enters the bar though, it’s like time stops. Mel’s enchanted by Bebe, with her knowledge of whiskey and her confidence, but she’s soon introduced to Bebe’s wife Kade. Bebe explains that Kade and she are in an open marriage, and she’s interested in taking Mel on a date.

As Mel and Bebe’s relationship progresses, Mel learns of a cocktail competition with a $200,000 grand prize. Unhappy in her own work situation, Mel sees this as a potential way out of her situation. As things progress though, Mel finds herself maybe having a thing for Kade too, a world she’s not as familiar with. Navigating her relationships and the competition, Mel looks to find herself and discover new things about herself along the way.

This was my first polyamorous relationship book and I mostly enjoyed it. There were times it felt a little too frothy for me and I felt like the competition story fell by the wayside a bit. I did like the development in the relationships a lot. I loved the relationship between Mel and Bebe and Kade, but also the friendship with Daniel and Mel. The author did a good job distinguishing all these relationships with their own voice, which I appreciated.

This book is fun if you’re looking for something light for summer.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This fun little queer poly romance could be summed up by the phrase "we saw you across the bar and really dig your vibe."

The story is told in 3 parts which makes sense but I do wish each of those parts were told from 3 different POVs instead of the whole book being from Mel's perspective. (As an aside, one of the MCs is named Melanie and it's the first time I think I've read a romance novel where the MC had my same first name and let me tell you, it did screw with my head a bit).

Mel is a lesbian bar tender who has sworn off love after the demise of her first marriage. When she meets lawyer Bebe while bar tending, the vibes are plentiful until Mel discovers Bebe is very much married. But then comes the reveal that Bebe and her wife, nonbinary artist Kade, are in an open marriage. Mel is insistent on keeping things casual until feelings start getting in the way, first for Bebe, and then for Kade.

I really enjoyed the story though, admittedly, I was a bit bored by the Mel/Bebe pairing and the Mel/Kade and Mel/Kade/Bebe dynamics were way more interesting to me. All in all, it was a fun book (though pretty heavy handed on the craft cocktail stuff, I could have had less of that and more of the relationship development).

I had a really fun time reading this! I wasn’t as head over heels in love with the story as I might have hoped to be but there was a lot to enjoy and that’s always a good experience.

I very much like the way Mel has to work through her joint relationship with Kade and Bebe. While I think both relationships individually were rushed to fit into one book, I like the way Mel processed her emotions and tried to keep each relationship separate because she was afraid to ask for too much. In a very unrealistic story, this response felt very genuine and was interesting to see the characters work through.

There’s a few aspects about the characters that lack believability. I’m not a fan of Bebe’s constant “controlling the situation” and deescalating random issues that aren’t her problem. It’s such a strange character choice and makes her feel more annoying than charming. I don’t believe for a moment that strangers in New York would react positively to some random woman inserting herself in their issues.

It feels like this book is written with an uneducated straight reader in mind. While I understand there are elements to polyamory that anyone might be unfamiliar with, I would assume this book is supposed to be for queer audiences. They would be familiar and comfortable with a queer story, and yet the writing felt like it was pandering to someone who probably wouldn’t pick up this book in the first place. Every opportunity is taken to be as politically correct as possible to educate the reader, and it lacks authenticity.

I wanted so much to love this one since there are so few poly romances out there, but this one fell flat for me. I didn’t feel a connection to the characters and felt the romantic connections were lacking. I also wasn’t a fan of the third person POV writing. I love the concept and the idea of this book, just not the execution.

Ok this one took me awhile to finish but in all reality I’ve been in one heck of a slump and I’ve either been sleeping or watching TV…and by watching I mean staring at it while it makes noise.

But enough about me - because even though I didn’t have the brain space to actually pick this up and read it, it sure crept its way into my thinking space! I kept wondering what was going on with Mel and her friends - how was she going to deal with this contest, her love life, her roommate and his love life…all the things.

It was a nice story with plenty of open door sexy time included. This is how I prefer my romance to be written so it’s a positive. The type of relationship is new to me and I found the romantic entanglements to be quite interesting and (in my uneducated opinion) was well done! I’m not qualified to speak on the representation in this book so idk how accurate anything is, but I do like seeing the diversity and that also made me happy.

I enjoyed getting to see Mel learn so much about herself throughout this book. It’s definitely something I recommend!

This was a fun read, overall. I thought the coupling is great, the pacing is great and the communication top notch!! This book had so many little moments that I loved, and there isn't anything I hated about this book.

I think I need bit of time to add more to this review.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

TJ. A lovely take on the queerness of polyamory and I'm here for it. While the NHL part didn't quite hit the mark for me I may have been in a mood when reading this. The romantic plot of this story is so sweet and a glimpse of how one relationship can look. We just need to remember that not all look like this or work out haha.

Thank you for this and I cannot wait for more!

I want to start off by saying that I LOVE TJ Alexander's books. So I was beyond excited for this one, but from the start, I wasn't really feeling the book. I thought that Bebe and Mel's chemistry just kind of fizzled out, I wish we had got more one on one time with them. And I never really saw the attraction between Kade and Mel. The went from disliking each other to partners in 2 secs and I didn't believe the pay off.

Because of that, I just didn't get the rest of the book. The romantic connections are essential in a book for me and this one just felt lacking.

While I did love the competition and build up to it, as someone who personally doesn't drink, there was a lot of cocktail talk that I simply didn't understand.

Overall, I don't regret reading this book, it just doesn't hold a candle to the author's previous books.

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, and the author for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

4.5 rounded up 🌟

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

My first arc and it did not disappoint. I’ve been in a reading slump but got the notification that I received this and read it in one sitting. I love the dynamics between Bebe, Mel, and Kade, in all their pairings and together. There were so many moments that made me giggle and kick my feet. Such a fun read that I was momentarily distraught when it was over. Seriously loved this :’)


(me and who and who?)