This is the first poly romance novel I’ve ever read, and I absolutely loved it. All of the negotiation, the weirdness between Mel and Kade at first, the super hot sex! The drama and conflict wasn’t over the top, and it totally made sense that they would struggle when navigating a relationship between 3 people with different hang ups and issues and levels of comfort with each other. The world felt so joyful and lived in and I just love books that really celebrate being queer. <3 I’m also not much of a drinker anymore, but I loved reading about all of Mel’s cocktail creations! I’m also obsessed with the cover!

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC; all opinions are my own.

a wonderfully short read but because of me being in our musical lol it took me so long. i don't have much to say besides i thought it was extremely diverse book with a wonderful relationship between the characters. also three love stories in one amazingly done. I enjoyed it throughly but it the grand scheme of things its just a good read not anything jaw dropping but definitely what i am looking for in a why choose romance where all parties are committed to each other. also the characters seem hot af.

TJ WHY DID YOU DO THIS !!!!

Y'all this book is so good -- tasty and funny ! I haven't fist-pumped my way through a romcom like this since The Roommate by Rosie Danan. Every romance trope you desire-- now with a wider cast of characters <3

I love TJ and I love this book.

I saw the author promote this as "three love stories for the price of one" which I thought was really funny. I tend to enjoy polyamorous romances, but I haven't read too many, as I feel like most of them lean more towards erotica than genre romance. It's great to see a polyam romance being traditionally published!

I inhaled most of this book in one sitting, and I really enjoyed it. Of course it's not so much three romances as one overarching romance between three people. It was so nice seeing the connection between these people grow, both separately and together, and watch their relationship dynamics change and see them adjusting to that.

I do have to say I felt a little removed from the romance at times. The characters show a lot of emotional maturity and take a lot of care to communicate well, which is of course so great and so important. But it overshadowed the emotion for me at times. Everyone was just being so... polite all the time. I wanted a little more FUN, and a little more messiness, maybe.

4.5 stars. The love story between cynical bartender Mel and sunny Bebe, and then enigmatic but generous Kade, is sweet and unexpected. In addition to the high stakes of new relationships, there’s also a craft cocktail competition that Mel is trying to make a winning drink for. I don’t even like most alcohol but I wanted to try every single one of her creative concoctions.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

4.5/5 stars for me!! I throughly enjoyed this book by author T.J. Alexander. I want to thank Atria, Net Galley, and the author for an ARC of this book.
I loved this story about polyamorous couple Bebe, Mel, and Kade. We first meet Mel who is a bartender at a hot New York place. Bebe comes in for a drink and the chemistry between these two leaps off the pages.
Bebe quickly introduces Mel to her world. Mel and Bebe enter a relationship with the blessings of Kade. Their relationship progresses to the point that Mel, Bebe, and Kade take a vacation together. Kade and Mel get there with Bebe being delayed due to a work emergency. This allows Kade and Mel to bond when a blizzard descends upon the region and they are forced to be together.
From that trip forward, Mel and Kade begin seeing each other as well. Soon it becomes to much for Mel to juggle both at separate times so they amend their relationship.
I greatly appreciate the honesty of the characters with each Other during this story.

I always enjoy a TJ Alexander romance and this newest one is no exception! loved seeing a romcom explore a poly relationship and I thought outside of a few heavy-handed/cheesy scenes it was all really enjoyable. big mistake to read it without a cocktail on hand though, these drink descriptions were incredible 🍹

"Triple Sec" offers an exploration of polyamory and queerness through the lens of Mel, a woman who, after divorcing her wife, finds unexpected romance with Bebe, a polyamorous individual who is already in a relationship. While the premise holds promise, the execution falls short, lacking in tension and genuine emotional depth.

The novel attempts to delve into complex themes such as polyamory and queerness, but struggles to portray these dynamics with authenticity. Instead, the interactions between characters often feel contrived, with conflicts resolved too easily and lacking in genuine emotional resonance. Scenes where characters express anger or frustration come across as simplistic and fail to add depth to the narrative.

Moreover, the novel's handling of sensitive topics such as gender identity and mental health feels superficial, reducing characters to mere representations of their identities and experiences rather than fully fleshed-out individuals. The inclusion of therapy-speak in resolving conflicts and oversimplified portrayals of characters' struggles with ADHD and pronoun usage detract from the authenticity of the storytelling.

While realism in romance novels can be compelling, "Triple Sec" struggles to strike the right balance, resulting in a narrative that feels disjointed and lacking in depth. The focus on characters' identities and traumas at the expense of genuine emotional development hampers the reader's ability to connect with the story.

Overall, "Triple Sec" presents an important exploration of polyamory and queerness but ultimately falls short in its execution. The novel's simplistic portrayal of complex themes and characters detracts from its ability to engage and resonate with readers, making it difficult to fully invest in the story.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley and the Author for allowing me to read this ARC.

Another great book by TJ Alexander the characters were charming. The characters are so easy to fall in love with and the writing of Queer love is done so well.

I will never not love TJ Alexander but Triple Sec has brought my respect for them as an author to an all time high.

To be able to craft not one or two but three fully flushed main characters with such dynamic personalities is no easy task. To do it in a way that pays homage to the extremely complex world of human gender and sexuality while bringing a polyamorous relation to traditional publishing was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise often stagnant publishing world.

TJ Alexander is so so talented at writing dynamic and lovable characters. The dialogue in was excellent as well- I felt like I could see and hear Bebe, Kade, and Mel. Mel’s growth from the start to the end was very realistic

This is my first TJ Alexander read and I can't wait to explore more of their books! Mel is a jaded bartender, who is going through the motions post-divorce, and meets Bebe and her wife Kade. Mel opens herself to a new world full of possibilities. I enjoyed the plot and Mel's growth. The descriptions of the bar scenes and restaurants made me want to jump on a plane to New York for a cocktail. Experiencing a poly relationship through Mel was enlightening and liberating. The characters are charming and fun. A sweet, spicy, quick read.

There are SO many things to like about this book! I love the way that Alexander took the time to develop each spoke of the relationship before jumping into all three of them dating, which is SUPER rare in poly romances. I grew really fond of the (what I initially felt was kind of twee) extended metaphor about Mel's contest drink as being a proxy for her comfort being in a non-traditional relationship. I was ugly crying during the scene where Mel was confessing that she felt like she had to be perfect in this new relationship in order to be worthy of it which is just the BIGGEST MOOD. But my only drawback (and it's not enough to not make me recommend it, because on the whole I REALLY liked this book) was how much of a cypher Kade ended up being. Their character concept was strong and I loved what Alexander was trying to do with them. They actually reminded me (in ways both good and bad) of my ex, which means that they ABSOLUTELY succeeded in making Kade a fully realized character. But I just don't think that as a reader I should have been expecting this to be a non-closed triangle romance up until the point where Mel and Kade were snowed in together. I absolutely understand that Mel should have been blind-sided by that revelation, but there just wasn't enough to let the reader in on Kade's crush up to that point for me to pick up on it as a reader. And it was a very pleasant surprise! I love all kinds of poly romance configurations, and Kade is a great character, it just felt like Kade didn't get enough screentime for me to understand why they even had a crush on Mel in the first place.

I didn't love this book. While I was happy to see a wider representation of the gay community, the characters felt very superficial and I just couldn't relate to them.

In order for me to love a book, I need to be drawn in immediately and envision the characters as real human beings and I just couldn't.

This book will appeal to most I think, but it just wasn't for me.

TJ Alexander has done it again! This has to be my favorite of TJ’s books, and that’s saying a lot because I really love all of them. I feel like Triple Sec stands out amongst their books thus far because it has a little bit of what made each of the previous 3 books so wonderful. This feels like a love letter to the queer and poly community, and it’s oozing with warm fuzzies. It is also the spiciest book to date from TJ Alexander, and I wasn’t ready for it - but I LOVED the spice. This book encapsulates what makes poly relationships so beautiful and also the beauty of the queer community in how to uplifts, loves and supports one another. I loved the complexity of Mel and her growth throughout the story, especially in how she understands the expansiveness of love in all its forms, including within queer friendships. I couldn’t stop laughing out loud (a common experience for TJ’s incredibly clever writing), giggled, kicked my feet and squealed, and also fanned myself with the book multiple times as things heated up. 10/10 through and through. I would also highly recommend this book to anyone that’s curious about the poly experience because I think it breaks down the possible complexities incredibly well, all while making polyamory incredibly relatable for those not familiar with it.

After years of reading romance, this was somehow the first polyamorous romance I’ve read. To monogamous readers, reading poly might seem salacious. I love how Triple Sec shows how poly relationships actually are very similar to monogamous ones - partners who care deeply about each other and grow in life as they grow in their relationships. Maybe just a bit more scheduling and negotiating.

Mel, Bebe and Kade were super fun characters, so different from each other but so full of life. My one wish was a bit more development between Mel and Kade - they went from misunderstanding and “hate” to romance a bit too quickly for me. I really enjoyed the dive into the hospitality industry and the world of craft cocktails, as well as Mel’s vision for her future bar.

Thank you TJ Alexander and Atria Books for the Advanced Readers Copy. Triple Sec is out June 4, 2024.

An unexpectedly excellent 5-star romcom read! Similar to 'Chef's Choice' TJA's characters are wonderfully queer, unique, diverse and expertly crafted. 'Triple Sec' explores the drama, challenges and euphoria of poly relationships, unusual to be featured as the central relationship in a romcom. I loved getting to know all the characters, and their interactions - I wish I could read this for the first time all over again. Wondering if there will be a sequel?

A fluffy, low angst baby's intro to polyamory romance. Mel is an overworked bartender at a high end cocktail bar who has given up on love after her divorce from her childhood sweetheart (and really her only serious relationship) a couple years back. That is until Bebe sweeps into her bar in a blaze of grace, money, and confidence, and basically sweeps Mel into her world of glitz, glamour and polyamory, quickly followed by an introduction to Kade, Bebe's genderqueer spouse.

I thought this was a really cute introduction to readers who may not be familiar with polyamory. It gives a nice intro of what polyamory is and isn't, lays down some ground rules, and and features a wonderful cast of diverse queer characters. There's no real high stakes drama here - any points of conflict are resolved quickly, with healthy communication and low angst. The whole book is like a big soft hug. It's really quite healing. The sex scenes are hot when they happen but don't dominate the story.

I really enjoyed the addition of Kade into the relationship. Kade is a difficult character to get to know, and because they're overly reserved as a character, their gender presentation and expression is (I think intentionally) not explained very well - you're kind of just forced to accept them as they are. I think this is handled really well and the book really shines in its' genderqueer rep. I also liked that the book kind of leaned into the "polyamory is for rich pretty people" trope, I think in a bit of a satirical way. The love of cocktails also shined in the attention to mixology and bar scene detail as well, each scene made me crave a different craft cocktail.

The caveat thing I can really note (not a criticism as long as you go in with the right expectations) is that because it's such a low angst book, it sometimes felt overly idealized. Bebe especially felt like a character who doesn't really have any flaws, though to some extent none of the characters really had any deep character flaws, and the characters didn't experience any of the insecurities, jealousies, or struggles that come with complex multi-partner relationship. It really is just a warm gooey marshmallow of a romance.

I adored this book - I felt like it was refreshing and light without being too sappy or leaning too hard into any tropes. I really rooted for all of the characters, and thought that the arcs were well-written. Plus, I loved the queer and poly rep, more of this please!

I definitely need more polyamorous relationships in books, this was so cute. The characters were well written and the relationship was healthy, they had good communication and all worked well together.

The plot of this was lighthearted and fun to read. There is healing of past relationships and Mel learning what it’s like to be in a polyamorous relationship.

When Mel meets a woman at the bar she works at it’s safe to say she falls fast. Bebe being the powerful lawyer as her day job and talking down bar fights while on dates she has such a charismatic personality; she is the life of the party. Kade is married to Bebe and while they have an open relationship may have Mel questioning if she likes them as well after a nightmare of a vacation. What starts as a casual relationship between Mel and Bebe turns out to be so much more.