TJ Alexander has done it again with another awesome LGBTQ novel Triple Sec, this time incorporating in ethical nonmonogamy/polyamory. I really identified very closely with the character of Mel, and like TJ Alexander's previous releases, this book is infused with a ton of humor and heart and fleshed out characters to make it a major page turner. I highly recommend this novel, especially for those who are polyamorous or nonmonogamous, themselves. Not being poly or nonmonogamous, myself, I still found this really compelling and really connected to all of the characters and the book's overarching arc. This is an untapped market but one I see becoming really popular; Triple Sec makes for a great entry point.

Triple Sec by TJ Alexander
Having read and enjoyed TJ Alexander’s last novel, Second Chances in New Port Stephen, https://sunrisesandsuch.blogspot.com/2023/11/second-chances-in-new-port-stephen-5.html, I was eager to see what they were up to in Triple Sec.
I found the same fascinating writing, great characters and a different kind of love story. I also found a great story, of Mel, a bartender extraordinaire, Kade, and artist, and Bebe, a lawyer, who find themselves drawn to each other. The development of the relationship, from single to couple to throuple was a fun ride, with Alexander’s sensitive humor and presentation. The settings were very well done as well and left me wanting to go order cocktails at both Terror & Virtue AND Collective Spirits.
This author excelled at staying true to her character’s pronoun choice, though as an older reader, I had trouble keeping it straight. That’s my weakness, not Alexander’s and it was good to see a full book carry it off.
Other readers have commented that the book was “spicy” or “steamy” which I know is a draw for many readers. There are explicit sex scenes (some I wasn’t sure were physically plausible) and if you like that, this book will make you happy. I might be a little too conservative for it, but I recognize the talent in the imagination and the writing.
Triple Sec was released June 4, 2024. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the review copy.

What a fun book! I loved the characters and the overall plot! I really loved the cocktail aspect that added a very fun twist to this.

THIS BOOK!

I am not one who has ever thought I vibed with a poly relationship but this book peeked my interests. Also, this book is so much more than the poly relationship. It’s about the individuals who make up the ‘ship and how they make the balance work out.

TJ Alexander did this so unbelievably well. They made us readers swoon over Bebe, Mel and Kade individually and together. I didn’t know I would thirst for Kade but damn, they’re one of my favorite characters!

I cannot wait to read the next TJ book because I know it’s gonna be great! 👍🏼

Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for this advanced copy!

I recently discovered TJ Alexander's books and I am loving all of them, Triple Sec included. This was such a fun book of Mel discovering her people and coming into her own. I loved the focus on cocktails and communication. All the characters felt fully formed and I really appreciated how the stakes were high for the characters while not being life threatening. I would love to see more of these characters, and where were the cocktail recipes??? I would love a Rock Dove and I don't even like palomas!

I can't wait for the next one!

The romance between Mel, Bebe and Kade was well built but having the established separate relationships first before becoming a full on poly couple. This was honestly not as good as the last TJ Alexander novel I read however was still a great book. This book could be helpful for those who are trying to discover themselves as the characters are almost stereotypical to their identities. The characters are a bit black and white, missing some shades of grey.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for giving me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

🍹 Triple Sec by T.J. Alexander 🍹


Pages: 320
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5️⃣
Book Goal 2024: 78/100

Thank you so much @artiabooks, and @netgalley for this advanced reader copy!

✨Have you ever been stranded due to a storm and if so what book did you wish you had during that time?✨

I have been on the struggle bus with finding things lately and have tried bouncing around genres to see if I could find something. Being a mood reader can make it so hard to get into something. BUT TRIPLE SEC delivered! This was so cute and spicy!

I really enjoyed each character that we were introduced to in the book. Main characters and side characters.

It was also nice to have a refreshing book on queer relationships and poly relationships. If you’re interested in reading about these types of relationships for the first time, this would be an excellent choice. I am so thankful the miscommunication trope wasn’t really present for this book! The book isn’t perfect but it definitely hit some of the right notes and the author is headed in the right direction.

The only downside for me was that I don’t think there is so much black and white in society. People are still learning how to approach queerness, polyamory, etc. There’s a few moments in the book where I cringed because of reactions to how society responded to the characters. I could have used more emotional development in the characters but overall this was a cute book with some hot spice.

TJ Alexander is an auto-buy must read for their charming love stories and witty banter and Triple Sec is no exception—this time with even more love interests to love. While different from the typical romcom, if you are looking for a romance with supportive, fun, polyamorous characters, you've found the right book.

The first few chapters of the story I found Mel didn't capture my interest. She was a tad unlikeable, and I didn't care much about her, and had little interest in her journey, but around twenty percent in, something changed and I was rooting for her, and Bebe and Kade in their unconventional love story. I enjoyed the messy, but often sweet dynamic between them and how their sometimes awkward, but ultimately earnest affection for each other grew. Mel was a mess of a human who made mistakes, but Bebe and Kade gave her grace and love.

I'm glad I stuck with the book despite the slow start, it's definitely not like other books I've read, and I think that the depicton of her foray into a poly relationship was perfectly imperfect.

Before this book had even come out (happy release day, Triple Sec!), I’d already been recommending it nonstop on Our Queerest Shelves. Ever since I finished it, I haven’t been able to stop talking about. It’s definitely one of my favourite books of the year so far, and in my top five favourite romance novels I’ve ever read.

This is about Mel, who is a bartender who’s jaded about love ever since her divorce. But then Bebe walks into the bar, and they have undeniable chemistry. Bebe is interested in dating Mel — she’s also married and polyamorous. Mel has never tried an open relationship, but it seems like a good way to tiptoe back into dating. This will be totally light and casual, right? They mutually agree: no falling in love. And Bebe’s nonbinary wife Kade is so intimidating that Mel can’t imagine actually being a part of their lives. But obviously, feelings don’t obey even the most clearly written out agreements.

I’ve long thought that reality TV shows are missing out by not casting all bisexuals. (Other than that season of Are You the One?) Think of the drama potential! The opportunity for different pairings increases exponentially. Since reading Triple Sec, I feel the same way about romance novels and polyamorous main characters. You can have two falling-in-love scenes in the same romance! Twice the first kisses! Two — or more — completely different relationship (and sexual) dynamics! I feel like I’ve been spoiled and will have trouble going back to two-person romances.

I know romance novels are so specific to each reader, but I loved the relationship dynamics and especially the dialogue. When Mel shows Bebe her tattoo of Pompeii and Bebe replies, “I love a good disaster myself” — look, I also would have fallen in love right then and there. I also liked the friendship between Mel and her roommate, who both agree to follow the good word of Saint Channing Tatum.

It’s also very steamy. I’m not going to get into it, but wow.

I enjoyed the ongoing rewriting of Bebe and Mel’s relationship agreement as they renegotiate things like pet names, catching feelings, and the dynamics between Kade, Mel, and Bebe.

While the central plot is the relationships between Mel, Bebe, and Kade, there’s also a subplot about a cocktail competition. I don’t drink, but I still found it fascinating to read about Mel’s different creations and how she keeps reworking her creations leading up the competition. Winning would mean she could buy her own bar, a dream of hers.

I also liked reading about Mel’s job: Terror & Virtue is a high-end cocktail lounge, and Mel is very skilled and passionate about her work — but it’s also customer service. It means dealing with drunk, rude customers and worrying about your next paycheck. In fact, the only criticism I had with Triple Sec is that I feel like the class difference between Mel and Bebe/Kade wasn’t really explored, other than Mel admiring their apartment and feeling a little out of place. Bebe and Kade are wealthy — Kade is a successful artist and Bebe is a lawyer defending workers’ rights.

That’s a very small complaint, though, especially since the ending didn’t go where I thought it would. If you want a fun, queer, polyamorous romance with lots of kind people learning how to best support each other, I highly recommend Triple Sec.

I really enjoyed this read and thought the romance aspect was fun to read. It was my first time to read “poly” and enjoyed how they all formed their own relationships first.

Fun read, would recommend.

Thank you to @AtriaBooks @NetGalley & the author for this eArc in return for my review.

In this we follow Mel. She is a bartender at a the Terror & Virtue night club. One night Bebe, walks in and there is an instant attraction. Little did Mel know that is married to Kade. The three of them end up having dinner one night and Bebe wants a dating relationship with Mel. While all this is new to Mel, she discovers more about herself than she knew.

I adored the story between Bebe, Mel, and Kade. I loved contract, the openness, and the overcoming of insecurities that Mel had. I learned more about Polyamory than I did before. The relationship in this story was absolutely top notch.

In all honesty, this is the first poly-amorous novel I've read. I appreciated the experience, the cohesive and genuine way different genders and pronouns were woven into the story, and the discussions around different lifestyle/relationship choices. All of that was amazing and great. I love that this book had a positive ending and message and celebrated LGBTQ+ joy and not trauma. I think this would be a nice baby step if anyone is looking to gain access to polyamorous fiction.

That being said, in terms of plotting and writing, I'm going to consider this alongside any other romance in the broad genre. Unfortunately this book didn't really work for me in those aspects. I honestly didn't really care about the characters. Especially the main POV character Mel. I couldn't really get a read on her. She seemed a bit boring and nondescript despite the other characters saying she was so amazing and kind and interesting. I didn't get that from the narration or the way she was acting or her internal thoughts.

I also didn't really care all that much for the cocktail competition or the lengthy descriptions of cocktails. This might be a personal preference as I don't really know anything about alcohol. Some of these descriptions and the hemming and hawing from Mel (who apparently is like an amazing mixologist but then can't mix a cocktail to save her life until the very end???) about what to make really dragged the plot.

I guess I was hoping for a bit more tension. I know, I know... I just said that I loved this book was about LGBTQ joy and not trauma. But the tension doesn't have to be trauma. There was really no obstacles so nothing really happened. Even the almost break-up was contrived and silly, imo. No tension.

Having not read TJ Alexander before, I had no understanding of the spice level of their books. I guess I went in with the expectation that this would involve a lot of spice and more exploration of the threesome aspect of their relationship. This wasn't the case. I would put this at a 3 for spice. There were 2-3 short explicit scenes and the rest fade to black or are mentioned in passing. This isn't a criticism--I don't usually like erotica--but just didn't meet my uneducated expectations (that's on me). Something to be aware of going in.

Overall, I'm glad I read this book. I'm excited to see different pronouns and the spectrum of gender represented. If romance is the conduit to getting more of these stories out there, then I am here for it! I'm just finding that I like tension and a bit of realistic conflict in my stories to keep me compelled to keep reading.

This was so good! I couldn't stop readying for anything. I enjoyed reading this and thought it was a great idea and story line. This was written very well and I enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed this new romance by TJ Alexander, they’re an auto-buy author for me now! It was my first poly romance, and I loved Mel, Bebe, and Kade. It was very well-written, and I loved the characters, the banter, the cocktails, the competition… it was honestly pretty low angst which I appreciated, and as the relationships in the book evolved, the communication between the 3 of them was impeccable; rather than letting Mel shut down and retreat, Bebe and Kade brought Mel in to talk it out and revise the “guidelines.” Open door spice was included but the focus was definitely more on the relationship development. There were also reflections on friendships and reckoning with baggage/exes. I would have loved if this had been multiple POV (it was single POV from Mel’s perspective). Definitely give this one a read if you love queer romance with poly, lesbian, and non-binary rep!

Triple Sec by TJ Alexander is a lively and heartwarming romance set in the world of upscale bars. The story follows Mel, a bartender who’s a over love, until she meets the charming lawyerBebea and her nonbinary partner, Kade. The book does a great job of portraying their polyamorous relationship with authenticity and warmth.

Alexander’s writing is witty and insightful, making the characters feel real and relatable. The balance of humor and romance kept me hooked, and I loved how the book touched on themes of love, identity, and community. The chemistry between the characters is fantastic, and the representation is spot on.

Overall, Triple Sec is a fun, steamy read that celebrates love in a refreshing way. If you’re looking for a romance that’s both entertaining and meaningful, this book is a great pick.

this was very fun!! sweet and spicy and smart. I’m not much of a romance book girlie but I had a great time reading this and definitely absolutely recommend!

I really enjoyed this book! I've never read a poly romance before and this one was fun! Alexander's writing made me fall in love with all of the characters and this was a good book club book!

This book is very steamy so if that's up your alley, check this one out!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this one!

This was a fun read and you should definitively grab it if you have enjoyed prior books by the author. This book felt a little slower that second chances in New port and not sure I felt as much emotion in between the main characters as I felt on the other book, It was still interesting to read the dynamics that can go on in a poly romance and the importance of open communication at all times.
I did greatly enjoyed the part of the bartender and the different cocktails created by Mel. I want to prepare them as well!

Flirty, fun, and thoughtful; the perfect cocktail. This novel was refreshing and I really sunk into these characters. More poly romance!