Third Wheel

This was a fun lighthearted read about Jake who lives and works with his long time best friend Symon making videos for YouTube. Jake tends to capitulate to Symon’s decisions so when Symon feels they need to get an new female presenter on board to appeal more to both genders they recruit Helena to join them which gets complicated when Symon and Helena develop feelings for each other leaving Jake feeling very much like a third wheel both at work and home. I found the YouTube exploits far fetched but amusing and just being told from Jake’s perspective worked well. This is an easy and quick read with a simple but engaging enough storyline and many funny moments. 7/10

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Amazon Publishing UK and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


Friendship, the odd man out, changing dynamics. The feelings are conveyed in such a fresh manner, you’ll feel it like the characters feel it.

What a pure delight! Thank you for the opportunity to read Nick’s next work! I have only read one other Nick Spalding book but I’m so glad I have this a go. The plot and characters just get you wanting to read more, so much so, I’ve read it in one sitting! The main characters and dynamic will feel familiar to any double act friendships who have a third member added in! But as always the feelings are captured in a manner which you feel

Jake Carlisle is living his best life, thanks to the crazily successful influencer channel he created with his best friend Sy. Reviewing whacky hobbies and adrenaline-fuelled adventures, Sy has pushed Jake into doing more exciting stuff than either ever thought possible. Then disaster strikes.
When newbie Helena joins the team, Sy quickly falls head over heels for her All of a sudden, with romance blossoming and the business dynamic shifting, Jake is horrified to find himself becoming the dreaded third wheel.
Being the odd one out was not what he signed up for. And he’ll do anything to get his best friend back even if that involves a little light sabotage, an unhealthy amount of jealousy and one very unfortunate pair of tartan Speedos.
A really enjoyable read I read in one sitting totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Amazon Publishing Uk
I just reviewed Third Wheel by Nick Spalding. #ThirdWheel #NetGalley

Thank you #Netgalley for the early copy!

Another fun read from Nick Spalding. This time we follow to best friends who have a youtube show, where they film their experiences and rate them for the public. For instance, the first situation we read is where Jack and Sy get to ride in and drive the batmobile. Of course things do not go as planned which leads to hilarious footage. But they realize their popularity is mainly among men, to boost their numbers they decide to hire a female. In typical rom com fashion one of the men becomes attractive and ends up dating Helena, leaving the other feel as though he is the third wheel. We then watch as they navigate the new dynamics, experiences and possible sabotage.

Third Wheel by Nick Spalding was a fun, humorous, light read.
I really enjoyed the characters. Talk about being in some fun company! They all were funny, bright and just so much fun.
The story was great and kept me intrigued and flipping the page's.
I enjoyed this Authors previous book and had to jump at opportunity to read his newest upcoming novel.
I'm so glad I was able to read it because it was pretty amazing!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Amazon Publishing UK,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed reading this book.

This ARC was provided to me via #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity!

My rating is 4/5 stars.

This was an enjoyable read. I haven't read a book in a one sitting for a long time. If you want to read something fun, lighthearted this one is for you.

The plot was good, the characters were lovable and the best thing I liked is, it was a quick read!

#ThirdWheel #NetGalley

4.25 stars

Nick Spaulding books are always a breath of fresh air. And this book is no different. It’s light, humorous, and has very relatable characters and situations.

Oh my days what a book!!!!!
Another classic from Nick Spalding.
Is 3 a crowd??? Follow the hilarious story of Jake as his best friend and business partner meets a new lady. Will it be the end of a beautiful friendship or will it be the start of something new.
I can honestly say that I laughed out loud at this book so many times.
Laughter therapy in a book!!!!

I got so excited when I saw this, I love a Nick Spalding novel.
What I expect from Nick Spalding is: great characters, excellent storyline, and fun!
This delivered it in spades. I absolutely love it.
A perfect quick read, that is guaranteed to put a smile on anyones face.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my arc.

Nick Spalding has the powers to write fantastically funny easy readers which leave you wanting to read in one straight sitting. This is my third or fourth book by him now and yet again I did enjoy it. InterestingLy, I quite liked Jake, despite him being the main protagonist who Spalding always makes passive and a bit of a sap. For some reason on this occasion he didn’t grate on me. Furthermore there was a lot less love and romance attempted in this book and it was definitely more bromance which was nice. It followed a similar plot line to Dumped, actually but the ideas were new so it didn’t feel too rehashed. The sarcasm and wit yet again shines through leaving a few chuckles along the way. Overall, a safe read but enjoyable for me and won’t stop me picking up more that come out.

This would be a great book to take on holiday, which is exactly where I read it. It isn’t going to set your world alight with plot twists and turns and it follows a similar format to many “chick lit” options. That said it was interesting that the book was written from a male lead perspective, which sets it apart from other competing options. The easy read nature also made it the perfect holiday option and I found myself reading it in full across one day.

I have never read a book by Nick Spaulding before but I enjoyed and will check out his other books! This was a quick and funny read. I loved the characters and how they made you feel! If you are looking for a contemporary comedy book read this!

This was a fun, lighthearted read about Jake, who lives and works with his longtime best friend, Symon, making videos for YouTube. Jake tends to capitulate to Symon’s decisions, so when Symon feels they need to get a new female presenter on board to appeal more to both genders, they recruit Helena to join them. Which gets complicated when Symon and Helena develop feelings for each other, leaving Jake feeling very much like a third wheel both at work and home. I found the YouTube exploits farfetched but amusing, and just being told from Jake’s perspective worked well. This is an easy and quick read with a simple but engaging enough storyline and many funny moments.

A very quick and enjoyable read! Third Wheel is about Jake and his best friend Sy (Symon) who make videos on Youtube. However, when Sy decides to recruit Helena to help with their business and ends up falling for her, making Jake feel like a third wheel. This story is an easy read and is funny. Definitely recommend!

I have previously read and enjoyed quite a few Nick Spalding books but I haven’t read one in years. When I saw he’d got a new book coming out I jumped at the chance to give it a read.

Sadly this was really lacking all the elements that I remember enjoying from his other books. Some bits were funny but not laugh out loud like some of the other books I’ve read of his. The characters were completely unlikeable and I found myself a bit bored with their interaction. The plot was okay but nothing too exciting.

Overall a bit disappointing, especially compared to Bricking It which I gave five stars as it had me in absolute tears of laughter so definitely give that one a read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

There was just something about Third Wheel that had me intrigued immediately. Between the fun cover and blurb I was looking forward to what sounded like a hilarious social media focused story, and I fully expected to have a great time with it. Sadly the complete opposite happened, and I ended up struggling considerably with this story... Up until the point I started to wonder whether I should simply DNF it. Oh yes, there is no doubt that this story and me weren't a right fit after all.

First of all I do still like the sound of the premise with the social media angle and the two best friends having an influencer channel together. This is a great backdrop for the story and it's an easy way to introduce funny moments in the plot. The whole 'third wheel' element I could live with, mostly because it's NOT a love triangle, but just the best friend being pushed in the background by the new girlfriend. I think the idea behind Third Wheel was great, but unfortunately the execution was rather lacking. That, or at least it ended up clashing horribly with me...

My first major issue is the fact that I couldn't stand any of the main characters. They are supposed to be best friends, but they don't really treat each other that way and Sy mainly just walks all over Jack (and that is even before the girlfriend comes in). I felt like their interaction was both forced, repetitive and highly frustrating, and it soon became a chore to have to deal with all that. Especially with all the swearing going on and the humor not being for me at all; it felt like the story was trying too hard to be funny and it all fell rather flat for me. I don't mind a bit of crude humor, but in this case it just didn't work.

The plot itself didn't really do it for me either, as there were a lot of cliches involved and too many repetitive and surprisingly dull dialogues. It turned out to be quite a disappointing read, and not at all the experience I hoped I would have with Third Wheel. Please not that this is one of those books where your experience can be completely different depending on how you react to the characters, humor, writing style and tone, so don't give up on my account if you like the sound of the story.

Pretty much everything in Jake’s live revolves around his best friend Sy. They live together in the house they own together, and they run an experience-reviewing website called Do It or Don’t. But when Sy wants to add a third member to their team, their bicycle of an operation gets a third wheel - and it’s not Helena, their new presenter. Now Jake looks on as Syl and Helena’s relationship blossoms, and he doesn’t like it one bit.

I have very little patience for diet culture, which is to say I almost put this book down in the first chapter, since it opens by describing a fat man as “waddling,” before moving on to making multiple jokes about how he is “about two Gotham triple-bacon cheeseburgers away from a massive and terminal coronary,” and many other comments besides. It’s 2022, is this really what passes as ‘humour’ these days? Please. Anyway, that put me in an uncharitable mood for the rest of the book.

Other than that, it was amusing to watch as obsessive, capitulating Jake tries to navigate the complicated developments in his business and personal relationships. A quick, humorous read, nothing particularly deep or complex.

Another laugh out loud book from Nick Spalding. I read it on a lazy afternoon by the pool, an easy holiday read.

Overall a fast easy read. The writing reminded me of a YA book more than an adult book. All the characters were annoying though. They seem a bit stuck in their life and there was no depth in their development. This is a simple story of two best guy best friends living and owning a business together. They add a girl to the mix where one guy is the third wheel hence the title.

This book was the light finding yourself story I needed.
Third Wheel is a story of friendship, change of life, being the odd man out, and fun plotting to get it life all figured out.

Following Jake on his journey to reclaim his life, his friendship. Unless her ruins it first.

This was a quick read with characters who were very modern. It was a classic Nick Spalding book but I feel like the characters were slightly undeveloped and ultimately lacking in sympathy. I don’t think the film version of this book would pass the Bechdel test! O

I usually look forward to Nick Spalding's annual dose of fun, but this one didn't appeal to me - too blokey, which is a shame because he often writes really well from a woman's perspective. The book gets off to a good start, with two mates shooting a YouTube video with an out-of-control Cortina and a drunk, projectile-vomiting Batman, but it goes downhill from there, if such a thing is possible! I thought there was going to be a twist, like the hero being in love with Helena, the girl who gets in between him and his best mate, or one of the boys realising they were gay, Chasing Amy-style. I kept wanting to hear more about what Helena thought of it all but the book doesn't supply that information, then in the middle of the book nothing happened for so long that I stopped caring whether anyone was gay or not and DNF'd it. I skipped to the end and it didn't seem like anything particularly life-changing happened to the boys either.

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for this ARC.

I've read quite a few of Nick Spalding's books and have really enjoyed them. They are often laugh out loud funny, with portions of cringe thrown in for good measure.

However, I struggled to get into this one. I didn't warm to any of the characters and felt it was a little basic and underdeveloped, more like a young adult book. I appreciate from the authors note that this was written during the dreaded Lockdowns of Covid-19 and therefore must have been so much more of a challenge to get inspiration.

Hoping that Nick's next offering is back to the usual high standard.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4861435660

You can always depend on Nick Spalding for laugh out loud moments and high jinx. Often his books contain many perfect vignettes of the ridiculous, but somehow you can just imagine them happening, and this book offered more of the same. (My husband was deeply annoyed whilst I was reading about the Romanian speaking lessons as apparently I was pig snorting and made the bed shake…)

It’s a fun, summer read, perfect for the beach. You can’t delve too deeply, at times the central character really got on my nerves but as you would want it’s a neatly wrapped happy ever after in this summer bromance.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Nick Spalding’s Third Wheel will have you laughing out loud the entire time!

Finally, a love story for male friendship. Sy and Jake, are my new favorite bromance. I loved watching their friendship struggle, but ultimately overcome the addition of Sy’s girlfriend. They were super relatable characters that kept you rooting for them the entire time.

My favorite part of this book is for far too long the narrative has been that women alone get jealous and cannot handle there being a third wheel. As a result, they are labeled the “crazy girlfriend” or “overbearing best-friend”. Spalding debunks this myth by showing that men too struggle with changes to relationship dynamics. After all, we are all humans!

Special thanks to NetGalley.com and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback!

I loved all of Nicks books but I just could not get into this one. The start for me was pretty boring, I tried 3 times to get further into it but gave up. Will look forward to the next one.

Jake and Sy have been friends for 25 years and have a business together as influencers ... they do activities and then social media and YouTube posts about it. It sounds like a fun gig. Sy feels they need a female host to draw in more viewers so hire Helena. Sy falls in love with Helena and suddenly it's Sy and Helena hanging out all the time and Jake has become the third wheel. Because of his friendship with Sy, Jake tries to go along with the new relationships but ends up feeling left out and resentful.

I've read many books by this author and thought this one was okay, though I found it wasn't as light and fun as previous ones. It is written in first person perspective in Jake's voice and it's as if he is speaking to me, the reader. I wasn't crazy about the main characters. Jake is a bit of a wimp and lets Sy and Helena walk over him (though he gets better towards the end). Sy lets his new relationship with Helena take precedence over his lifelong friendship with Jake. The author is English as are the characters so there were some references to I didn't know like an airing cupboard, a muggins, etc. As a head's up, there is a swearing (lots of F-bombs).

Nick Spalding is always one of those authors I turn to for a bit of light relief, and this is no different.

Well written and good characters, some really funny moments but at the same time profound. A really strong novel.

This was funny and a heartwarming story about bromance I guess and realising that sometimes one needs to stand up for oneself! In all honesty it was probably a bit too silly for me. Jake and Sy found themselves in farcical situations, the relationship with Helena developed unrealistically quickly too. I can see that if you like this sort of humour though that it would be enjoyable.

Jake and Symon, best friends from childhood, live together and work together producing social media videos reviewing various experiences -- horror-themed escape rooms, riding the Batmobile with Batman, spelunking in Wales, hot air balloon flight, runway modeling, and the like. Their videos are popular and lucrative, but to get to the next level, they need to add one key ingredient -- a female presence.

Jake, our first person narrator, has several traits that drive his narrative: 1) he is snarky, cynical, sarcastic; 2) he always ends up deeply embarrassed (or worse) during their experiences (which probably explain their popularity); and 3) he really doesn't like working with Helena, the woman he and Sy hire as their third presenter, especially once she and Sy start dating, threatening his lifelong friendship with Sy and their business partnership (not to mention his ego).

That narrative exists for one main reason: humor. Nick Spalding has previously written a dozen comedic rom-com novels since he first self-published in 2012. This, his 13th, appearing ten years later, is the fourth I've read (the others in audio), and though I've liked all of them, this is by far the best (and if properly narrated will make for a cracking audiobook).

That's no doubt because of the central subject matter, the social media video reviews. The Spalding books I've read have a central theme -- Bricking It was about rehabbing a house, Fat Chance was about a weight loss contest, Dumped Actually was about break-up experiences. His stories and characters may sometimes be straight off the generic rom-com shelf, but these settings make them more interesting, at least for me.

In this case, the best parts are without question the experiences Jake and Sy videotape for review. Spalding goes into great detail on each and every one. That's the source of most of the humor, especially when things inevitably go sideways for Jake. I figured early on that we'd get a long long at an experience or two, to set the stage, and then focus on the characters' relationships with each other. But no, we kept getting one experience after another -- and that's what makes this so good.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, this is good. Fun and funny.

I love Nick Spalding's books, he is one of very few authors who make me literally spit out my wine and laugh out loud! His characters get into such ridiculous situations, it is hilarious. This one is a tale of a friendship and business partnership threatened by a new romantic interest and I love how it plays out.
I would recommend any of Nick's books they always cheer me up!

Who hasn't felt like a Third Wheel? Jake has unknowingly been living in the shadow of Symon, his best friend and business partner, for years. In a effort to expand their YouTube channel, the two add a third, when Helena joins the team. As Sy and Helena fall in love, Jake quickly sees he has always been at the bottom of the ladder.

I always read Nick Spalding’s books, and this is his best in ages. Jake and Sy have been best friends since Sy rescued Jake from a bully at school. They now live together and have a thriving internet business called Do It Or Don’t, where they try out and review experiences, usually chosen by Sy. When Sy suggests they get a lady to join them, in order to widen their predominantly male audience, Helena is the only choice - dynamic and full of ideas for how to progress the company, but as she and Sy become a couple, Jake begins to feel more and more like a third wheel, until things finally come to a head.
I really enjoyed this book. It made me snigger a lot and I really felt for Jake as he got pushed more and more out of his own company. A good ending and a great read. Highly recommended.

Love this author and read almost all his books….in this one Jake Carlisle is living his best life, thanks to the crazily successful influencer channel he created with his best friend Sy. Reviewing whacky hobbies and adrenaline-fuelled adventures, Sy has pushed Jake into doing more exciting stuff than either ever thought possible. Then disaster strikes.

When newbie Helena joins the team, Sy quickly falls head over heels for her…All of a sudden, with romance blossoming and the business dynamic shifting, Jake is horrified to find himself becoming the dreaded third wheel.

Being the odd one out was not what he signed up for. And he’ll do anything to get his best friend back—even if that involves a little light sabotage, an unhealthy amount of jealousy…and one very unfortunate pair of tartan Speedos.

Will Jake be relegated to the background from now on? Or will he finally learn to stand on his own two feet and succeed at getting his life—along with his friendship—back on track?
Enjoyable read giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’d like to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Third Wheel’ by Nick Spalding in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Symon Redcar and Jake Carlisle have been friends since primary school and for the past four years they’ve run a successful business ‘Do It Or Don’t’ where they participate in experience days and show their recording on YouTube. Sy decides they need to increase their audience by adding a female and after interviewing hundreds of would-be presenters Helena joins them. But Sy falls in love with her and the dynamics change as she becomes an integral part of ‘Do It Or Don’t’ and Jake finds himself the hated ‘third wheel’. Jake wants things to go back to how they were before Helena arrived and will do anything to sabotage his best friend’s relationship with her.

I haven’t read a novel that’s made me laugh as much as ‘Third Wheel’ has for a very long time and I’ve spent the last 24 hours chucking at the absurd situations Sy and Jake get themselves into. The most hilarious has to be the Romanian translations that will keep me giggling for a long time to come, not to mention the tartan speedos! My thanks go to the author for giving us an uproarious laugh-a-minute novel that’s been thoroughly enjoyable and a pleasure to read. I can wholeheartedly recommend it and am looking forward to the next one.

Definitely more YA than adult, but still a super enjoyable, quick read. I loved the relationship dynamics throughout the book.

Third Wheel involves Jake and his best friend Sy - who live together and have created a website where they record 'new experiences.' All is going well and the channel is popular until they introduce a third person - Helena.
Helena and Sy end up together and Jake feels pushed out and uninvolved in the experiences they record and also in his home.
The amusing events that unfold make the reader smile and laugh out loud - the catwalk and escape room in particular.

Spaldings writing is witty and the book is a quick read - loved it.

I'm a massive fan of Nick Spalding. His humour is just spot on for me. This is another book full of laugh out loud and some heartwarming moments between friends.

Sy and Jake run a business called "Do it or Don't". They video themselves on experiences and upload to YouTube.

After a bad experience driving themed cars around Brands Hatch Sy suggests searching for a female presenter to join them to appeal to and attract more females to their subscribers, boosting their ratings even more.

Helena joins them and it looks like it's going to be the best addition they could have dreamt of. That is, until Sy and Helena start dating and Jake becomes the third wheel in the relationship.

Will the business and the friendship survive?

Chapters are all written in present day.

I'm not sure I will ever get the image of a tartan thong out of my head though! 🤣

Many thanks to netgalley, the publishers and the author for an ARC.

Another great book from Nick Spalding, I really enjoy reading this author's books. Good characters, an enjoyable storyline, lots of LOL moments... a perfect book!

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***


I genuinely was so excited to read this book with the funny description and the cover of it, but once I started reading it, my thoughts changed completely. I found the plot to be extremely predictable.

This book seemed like a young adult book with not much depth to it, which is okay sometimes, but didn't work quite as well with this particular story. in my personal opinion. I found the characters to be annoying in different ways and found myself telling them in my head to just tell each other how you really feel. If you're best friends with someone pretty much your entire life, you don't withhold so much of how you're feeling in reality. That is supposed to be the person you can tell anything to, ya know? Also, you don't walk over each other (and this happens far before the romance relationship comes in!)

I did find this book to be a good "filler" book if you will - one where you don't need to think to read it and just a good book to have on hand when you don't want a deep read.. I will say some things in the book I found to be funny and I enjoyed various chapters, but overall it wasn't super enjoyable.

Have a read for yourself if it sounds up your alley, but wasn't the greatest read for me personally this year.

Third Wheel is not my first Nick Spalding book. I discovered his humorous books in 2020 and have enjoyed the funny stories he writes. Third Wheel was no exception. However, this was the first time I did not enjoy the MC. Jake and his bff, Sy, run a website called Do It or Don't. They try different experiences, film themselves while doing the activity, then post it online along with a review. Jake loves the job. It's his whole life, as is Sy. When Sy suggests broadening their appeal to females they decide to take on a third host. They hire Helena. Of course Helena and Sy fall for each other and Jake becomes overly jealous.

Jake being stuck in his jealousy really got boring. But luckily the escapades they get up to on their excursions helped detract from that misery. Spalding is always very descriptive in the silly situations his characters find themselves in. When Jake is learning to walk the cat walk for one of their videos I could easily imagine every detail.

I was sure I knew how this would end, but Spalding doesn't go for the trite closing of this situation. That also made me like this book more. Overall this was another winning story from Nick Spalding!

I really enjoyed this book and feel that after a couple of flat offerings, Nick Spalding is back on form with his humour being fantastically silly. I loved Jakes petulance and really felt for him at times. The story was quite predictable but this didn't take away from the enjoyment.

Jake Carlisle has been best friends with Sy since childhood, and now they run a successful influencer channel called "Do It Or Don't", where they get to spend all their time together reviewing experiences like escape rooms
and hot air balloon rides. Things are pretty much perfect until Sy decides that the company needs to add a female to the team in order to get more female viewers. Not only does Helena join their team, but she and Sy become a couple, and suddenly Jake is a third wheel. He is out-voted 2 to 1 on his ideas but Helena's ideas are wholeheartedly embraced by Sy, no matter how dumb Jake thinks the idea is. Not to mention Helena & Sy are always together. Jake misses the days when it was just the two of them & is prepared to commit some acts of relationship sabotage if that is what it takes to break the two of them up.
This was a light, fun read. There was a lot of over-the-top humor that kept me laughing. I did wonder how two guys that immature were able to be responsible enough to handle a mortgage, but maybe that is just me. Overall this was an enjoyable read, and if you are in the mood for something fun to read, then you should check this out.

A highly entertaining and humorous book that made me laugh and kept me hooked. Well plotted, fleshed out characters, a lot of humour.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A light hearted & easy read that you can read in one sitting due to the flow of the story. Well written and enjoyable

Fun and easy read. Jake and his best friend of 25 years, Sy, are social media influencers who video experiences for reviews. They get into madcap adventures and it all goes on YouTube for clicks. They decide to add a woman to the channel for some female perspective and things get complicated. Truly enjoyed my time with this one.

Usually love Nick Spalding books,this was underwhelming but that’s ok as will look forward to his next one just as much,for me it was as slow start that just didn’t really get going but there were of course the very funny lol moments

Firstly I'm only 5% into the book and I've had to stop for a breather because for the past 10 minutes I've been laughing hysterically, I'm actually crying tears of pure joy. My hubby my chihuahua and my budgie are all looking at me like I've lost the plot whilst I roll around on the love seat absolutely screaming, wheezing and wiping my eyes. I adore Nick Spalding, I've never read a book by any other author that has the ability to make me cry laughing, I've read all his books and Fat Chance is my favourite so far. I can see this one taking its place. I can't wait to read the rest of it! I will of course come back and finish the review, 5% in and I'm on a break because my head hurts from laughing. What more can I say?! Edited after finishing! Omg I've never laughed out loud and so hysterically that I cried since I read fat chance by nick spalding. This book made me laugh harder than anything I've ever read, so much so that I got wrong off my partner, the story is amazing and very relatable. I absolutely loved everything about the story. The way its told and the humour. This book is outstanding needs to goto number one in all the charts Nick Spalding is a genius!

I thought this was a fun read. Two best friends with a channel find their friendship changed after a new person is added to the mix. This book was easy going and made me laugh quite a bit. I really liked the friendship between the two guys. It felt authentic and their show was one that I would probably like! Both friends are funny characters with a relatable situation. Definitely a book I would recommend if you want a light story that’s an enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

Third wheel is the perfect book if you need a fun, lighthearted easy read.

I loved that it focussed more on friendship than romance. Some of the chapters had me laughing others had me wishing for more depth and irritated by the main characters.

Overall I found the book enjoyable though definitely not my favourite. If the description peaks your interest I would still definitely recommend giving it a go.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review

This was a fast easy read, but maybe I'm not the targeted reader for this book, I think it's aimed to a younger end user. Nonetheless it's funny and definitely a laugh out loud kind of read, dive into it for a good laugh.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC

I really enjoyed the humour in this story and the plot was fun, easy to follow and uplifting. Nick Spalding is an author I always pick up if I am feeling miserable and this latest offering did not disappoint. 5 stars
.

Thank you to the author, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third Nick Spalding I've read, and like the others it was a quick and easy read, with the trademark snarky humour the author delivers so well. I liked the fact that it focused more on bromance/friendship than romance, but found all of the protagonists fairly unlikeable and completely unrelatable - but then I am an ancient greybeard compared to them. Overall, an enjoyable read, but much more of a YA slant than I expected.

Unfortunately, I didn't like the book quite as much as I had hoped. I couldn't always understand the actions of the main protagonist and it lacked any tension. The book was not a disappointment, but unfortunately not a highlight for me either. Too bad, since the author is apparently very popular!

I gave this book a shot a couple times but it just was not for me at this point in time. I know I am in the minority on this!

Where does Nick Spalding find the inspiration for these characters? Poor Jake just muddling along as the sidekick to his best friend and business partner Sy until he gets thrown over for a girl! And then all the shenanigans to try and break them up. And this is on top of the crazy antics Jake and Sy already get in to for their video experience review company, which feels like a whole book on its own! I know when I read a Nick Spalding book that I am going to get some unique characters and a whole lot of lighted hearted laughable moments. This one did not disappoint!

Thrilling read! I was able to connect with all of the characters and throughly enjoyed the story the author painted.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC

This book was an easy read and some parts did make me laugh but over all it wasn’t 100% for me

Jake Carlisle is happy. He is running a successful business with his best friend since he was a kid and Sy rescued him from a bully on the playground. After school. they started a internet business making review videos for experiences. Do It or Don’t has a website, social media, and a YouTube channel, and their videos are so popular that they are starting to make some real money at the videos. They bought a house together, and they spend lots of time creating and editing the videos as well as hanging out and playing video games.

Life is good, even when Jake is almost killed by a slightly drunk Batman who tried to teach him how to drive his modified Batmobile at high speeds around a racetrack. Sy’s time driving the James Bond Aston Martin was without any problems, but Jake driving the Batmobile ended with the car on its side and Jake diving out to save himself. But at the end of the day, they were both okay, and they got some great video to use. So everything worked out for Do It or Don’t.

But when Sy is looking over the numbers for their uploads and reading through the comments, he realizes once again that their audience skews very heavily male. There is a huge part of the population that they are missing out on, so he proposes that they add another person to their videos—a woman. Jake doesn’t like the idea of change, but he agrees to try it. Just like he agreed to drive a Batmobile on a race track. Just like he agrees to most anything that Sy says. But he does have a point about their audience.

Sy and Jake put out an ad and are surprised by the hundreds of women who line up outside their house for an audition. They have set up a green screen and a fake review for laser quest, complete with Nerf guns for props. They get through dozens of interviews, only one of them ending up with a Nerf dart up Jake’s nose, and there are still many women waiting for their chance. They ask the remaining women to come back the next day, and as audition after audition goes poorly, they’re about to give up. Then Helena walks in the room.

Immediately, Helena is able to joke with both Sy and Jake. Her audition goes well, and even though they have to finish talking to the twenty or so women still waiting, they both know that Helena is the one. She can give Do It or Don’t the female perspective without taking anything away from Jake and Sy. But then, the inevitable thing happens.

Sy falls for Helena.

As the happy couple spend more time together, Jake feels left out, both in the business and in their home. But Jake has spent his life saying yes to whatever Sy wanted. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s how they started the business. Their most popular videos are all ideas that Sy had come up with and Jake had gone along with. But now, Helena has changed the balance of power, and Jake finds himself resenting her and the way she has come between him and Sy. And as they are working on a review for a cuddling event—Helena’s idea—Jake accidentally tells her how he feels.

Jake ahs to figure out how to make it right with Helena and Sy, and to do the right thing for himself. But will being completely honest about the new direction the company is taking break apart his relationship with his best friend? Will he risk his job, his company, his future, and his best friendship to be true to himself, or will he protect it all and go along with what Sy wants, once again?

Third Wheel is Nick Spalding’s latest comic novel about friendship and love and what we are willing to give up to keep the status quo. This book finds a good balance between emotional scenes and wildly comic adventures, offering lots of chances for belly laughs and perhaps too many balloon unicorns.

I liked how the bulk of Third Wheel is about the relationships between Jake and Sy and the relationship between Jake and himself. The comedic episodes add a lot of fun and enjoyment to the book, but it’s the emotional work that makes the book interesting. This is a quick read, but it’s a fun one. If you need some laughs, then definitely check out the novels of Nick Spalding.

Egalleys for Third Wheel were provided by Amazon Publishing UK through NetGalley, with many thanks.

3.5 ⭐ rounded up to a 4 ⭐

Overall, I liked this book but I was hoping to love it! The main characters were well developed and the concept was great. It's written from a first person POV with the main character talking to the reader like we're in his head and in on his jokes which was a cool dynamic once I wrapped my mind around it 😅

I loved "Do It Or Don't"- the whole concept, the way it was described, the roles it forced on the main characters, the tension it created, the situations they got themselves into.

I kept forgetting that these were grown men and not high schoolers when I was reading. Their banter was funny but childish and the whole "third wheel" aspect was handled very high school LOL
I found myself rooting for Jake and wanting him to be happy and successful but just when I thought the story was going to go one way it went another. Overall, I wasn't disappointed in this book at all. This was an easy breezy, funny, adventure-filled read but it left me wanting more!

I’m usually a big fan of Nick Spalding, finding his books in general light hearted and easy to read, but this one wasn’t up there with his best in my opinion. Slow to get into and the main characters were a bit unlikeable, I also struggled a bit to connect with the decisions they made and why. Not a bad book, but just not for me I don’t think, although I enjoyed the make friendship perspective as a nice change to the standard female friendship genres.

Spaulding’s Third Wheel had me hooked with its fun, cute cover and blurb. I was intrigued by its social media/tech angle and the central relationship being that of two male friends (as opposed to female friends and their relationships), however I really struggled to get through this quick read.

Jake, Sy and their social media entrepreneur/influencer angle were a great setting and backdrop to the story, and some of the funniest moments in the book were provided specifically by their backgrounds here. But the
relationship between Jake and Sy didn’t live up to my expectations, the latter being more of a “bully” type and the former being the “woe is me” type. (Although, understandably, I think this is a more realistic relationship between men in marketing/influencing/entrepreneurship, just not what I was expecting.)

Perhaps because the narrative was told from Jake’s POV, but once their new female hire started, it went from 0-60 in less than a chapter. There was no build-up to Sy and Helene’s flirtationship/relationship, and no hints dropped prior to their escape room outing (where Jake is forced to watch them heavily flirt the entire time). Maybe it’s my own ignorance but I can’t imagine a new female hire immediately shacking up with her boss.

All that being said, the story quickly becomes forced and repetitive, like it was trying too hard to be funny and instead just made me roll my eyes. Lots of cliches were involved in the plot once Jake decides to try and sabotage his best friend and new business partner, and all in all ended up being a disappointment.

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

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

Bloody brilliant, isn't it? I laughed so much that my cheeks were sore from the journey. This story follows a young man named Jake who runs a business with his best friend, Sy. They have been nearly inseparable since they were children. Jake's loyalty to his best friend knows no limits. As Sy chooses what activities they should do for each of their business excursions, Jake complacently follows along.

When the dynamic of their friendship changes, inviting in Helena, who becomes not only a co-host to their business, but Sy's girlfriend, it feels like the absolute end of the world to Jake. Enough so, that I wanted to shake him out of his turmoil once or twice. He finds himself feeling constant dread at the shift in dynamic, the awkwardness of being the third wheel, and the unusual activities they now find themselves reviewing for their business.

This story made me reflect on how relationships can sometimes be very one sided in regards to give and take. Sometimes you have to stand up for yourself. Sometimes you have to say no.

Reading the misadventures Jake experiences as he tries to continue through life like everything is totally normal made me laugh, cringe, and nearly cry. This was, for the most part, a highly amusing story about the importance of friendship with an ending fit for a rom com.

Jake and Sy are best friends. They have a really successful online presence where they review experiences which range from hobbies to adrenaline packed.

Sy decides it’s time to get another presenter on board and despite not wanting to change they dynamic Jake goes along with it. Helena seems like the perfect fit until Sy falls head over heels for her. As romance blossoms and Helena becomes more involved in the business Jake is mortified as he becomes the third wheel.

This is absolutely not what he wanted so we watch him go through the motions and some unfortunate actions which involves some sabotage and some retaliation.

Will Jake finally manage to explain himself and do what’s right for him or is this now the new dynamic?

I really really enjoyed reading this, it was laugh out loud funny, I found the characters and the actions totally relatable. If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted read which isn’t too deep then I would definitely recommend 🤍

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

This was one of my first Nick Spalding books and man did it deliver!

I couldn't put this book down once I started reading. It is easy to read, flows well and is downright hilarious.

After reading this book I will have to go on a Nick Spalding hunt and read every one of his books that I can!

🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

There was a lot of mixed feelings in relation to this book so my rating is 3.5. I wanted to check it out because it looked like it might be a fun story and I was basing it off the cover too.

Jake and Sy (Symon) have a successful YouTube channel called "Do it or Don't" which entails trying out new activities and rating the experience. Sy decides that in order to take their business to the next level, they should hire a female presenter to appeal to female audiences. Jake has always followed Sy's decisions and never really rebutted on anything. He is unsure of an added third person in the mix, though doesn't fully express his concerns. They audition females presenters for days before meeting Helena. It's not long before Sy falls in love with her, therefore disrupting Jake's life.

The story is told in Jake's point of view and I loved how he would break down the wall to talk to us the reader. I can see how people might not like Jake. He is petty, doesn't speak up and is overly jealous. If you can take on the understanding that Jake is someone that doesn't accept change well, doesn't like confrontation, lacks confidence and isn't well at communicating, you can then empathise with his manic inner dialogue and unwarranted thoughts. In the end, he just didn't want to lose his best friend and felt like Helena would disrupt something big, that they had built perfectly well on their own.

I had mixed feelings up until about 75% of the book. I did find that Jake could be ridiculous for an adult man and sometimes his thoughts on Helena seemed extreme. I feel like she went into it not wanting to disrupt the dynamic at all and it just turned out that way. He could have kept an open mind throughout it all, though stooped to being jealous and petty of her. In the end, he did grow and gain confidence to speak up, even if that meant he'd lose his best friend. I was almost sure he would end up doing his own channel, embracing his new found confidence and opening a new chapter for himself on his own, but it wouldn't be a happy ending if Sy didn't come back right?

A huge Thank You to The author, The publisher and NetGalley for providing the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Ahhh, yes!

Great humorous read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my review.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book for my review.

I liked how author initially started off with their friendship tale and then the events turnover. Overall, it was a fun and quick read.

A fun, light-hearted and humorous read! I really enjoyed it! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the early arc!

This is definitely cringe worthy in places but underneath all that there is a good underlying story. Written in Nick Spalding's usual humorous style but with a serious undertone.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for a review.

Another fun book from Nick Spalding. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I was really intrigued by this book and it didn’t let me down, a perfect 5 star read. I enjoyed the story and the relationship of the characters. Highly recommend to anyone who wants an easy read.

This book is different because the main conflict is between two male best friends who are also business partners.

I enjoyed the funny moments and the easy flow of the the writing style. It was easy to enjoy and to follow. The first person perspective really made me feel what the character was going through. I loved that there was growth in the characters even if it was through hardship and some very cringe worthy moments.

I recommend this book if you are looking for a fun time but also enjoy human moments that feel real.

4 stars because I felt the book dragged a bit in the middle. It hit a slump before picking back up

This is a new to me author and I have to say I am looking forward to reading more by this author! I loved this book

I was really excited to read this, after hearing such good things about the author, but I just couldn't quite imagine the characters, and the storyline felt quite dragged out.
I will be trying a different book by this author, and I'm really hoping the next one might be better.

Spalding delivers yet another hilarious story, full of wit and charming nonsense.

Jake has become the third wheel. His best friend and business partner, Sy, is loved-up with their new colleague, Helena, leaving Jake with only the memories of the good old days. Pushed to the limit, he realises that he'll do anything to get Sy back, even if that means a spot of sabotage.

Whilst the characters are frequently in bizarre and surprising situations- like on a driving experience with Batman- their feelings are always profoundly relatable. It's what makes every Spalding book a guaranteed good read.

I'm a massive fan of Nick Spalding's books and once again he knocks it out of the park with this novel.

It's funny, it's zany, it's real and I loved the whole concept of Jake and Sy being experience day reviewers and influencers.

It meant they get to regularly experience things that most people would probably never dream of doing, from the exhilarating to the much more sedate, each carrying so it seems a risk of injury or embarrassment (both of which are good for viewer counts!).

I loved reading about all the various experiences, and would be highly curious to know just how many the author took part in himself in the name of research, or if it was just good old fashioned looking things up, as the accounts especially when things don't quite go according to plan are highly detailed and amusing.

From hot air ballooning, escape rooms, cuddle therapy, supercar driving day and a whole lot more, there are plenty of wacky events going on in this book.

Which are technically he backdrop to a new person entering Jake and Sy's world and Helena making Jake into a third wheel in all senses.

It's a look at male friendship and whether it can overcome a woman entering into it.

I just loved every second of it (give or take a couple of vividly disgusting descriptions that made me feel a bit ill), and once again this author has had me greatly amused and entertained from cover to cover.

Thank you to Lake Union and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

It wasn’t the worst but it wasn't for me. A lot of times, it felt like the main character just couldn't stop rambling and I had a hard time staying drawn to the story. Like, please get back to the scene. I think it would be better if tightened up and put in a film format. If you’ve watched and liked Saving Silverman (2001) then you might enjoy this. They have a similar vibe.


Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing a copy for an honest review.