Ratings1
Average rating3.5
A jaded bartender is wooed by a charmingly quirky couple in this fresh and sizzling polyamorous rom-com, set in the glamorous world of high-end cocktail bars—from the acclaimed author of the “tender, decadent, and sparklingly funny” (Lana Harper, New York Times bestselling author) Chef’s Choice. As a bartender at Terror & Virtue, a swanky New York City cocktail lounge known for its romantic atmosphere and Insta-worthy drinks, Mel has witnessed plenty of disastrous dates. That, coupled with her own romantic life being in shambles, has Mel convinced love doesn’t exist. Everything changes when Bebe walks into the bar. She’s beautiful, funny, knows her whiskeys—and is happily married to her partner, Kade. Mel’s resigned to forget the whole thing, but Bebe makes her a unique offer: since she and Kade have an open marriage, she’s interested in taking Mel on a date. What starts as a fun romp turns into a burgeoning relationship, and soon Mel is trying all sorts of things she’d been avoiding, from grand romantic gestures to steamy exploits. Mel even gets the self-confidence to enter a cocktail competition that would make her dream of opening her own bar a reality. In the chaotic whirl of all these new experiences, Mel realizes there might be a spark between her and Kade, too. As Bebe, Kade, and Mel explore their connections, Mel begins to think that real love might be more expansive than she ever thought possible. With TJ Alexander’s signature “witty and insightful voice, complex characters, and full-throated celebration of the joy of queer community” (Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake It in Hollywood), Triple Sec is a passionate, thirst-quenching love story that will have you asking for another round…or three.
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I received an advance reader copy thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Mel is a bartender working at a high end cocktail bar when she meets BeBe, a beautiful lawyer with whom she clicks, until she learns that BeBe is happily married to her partner Kade. Still, Mel is intrigued and gets pulled into their social circle expecting only friendship. Then BeBe tells Mel that she and Kade have an open marriage and she wants to date if Mel is interested.
Mel is has recently divorced her wife, who it seems is her only prior long term partner and who cheated on her. She is gun shy and not sure how to navigate this new reality. While Mel is initially only involved with BeBe, it isn't long before Kade expresses their interest in Mel as well. Rounding out the story is a cocktail competition for which Mel tries to come up with the perfect concoction and a gay BFF/Roommate with his own non-monogamy situation.
What follows is a fun, fluffy poly-amorous romance. I liked this but didn't love it. It spent a lot of time educating Mel, and by extension the reader, on the way polyamory works and checking off the romance tropes and checkpoints. But maybe it's just not for me.