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Justin Jimenez has loved his partner, Spencer Harrison, for ten years. He'll do anything for him-including bury his feelings for a man he met while he and Spencer were separated last year. Justin never planned to fall in love, and he certainly never planned to tell Spencer about it-but when a phone call wakes them in the middle of the night to inform Justin that his former lover, Dutch Keller, has been in an accident, he doesn't have a choice.
Justin's revelation shatters the fragile relationship he and Spencer were trying to rebuild. The weight of his guilt-both for hurting Spencer and for leaving a heartbroken Dutch to find solace in a bottle-crushes him. But what Justin doesn't know is that Spencer and Dutch guard an explosive secret of their own. All three men are tangled in a communal web of lies, and unless they find the events in their lives that ultimately led them to friendship, passion, and betrayal, they won't see the love at the heart of the pain.
Justin's revelation shatters the fragile relationship he and Spencer were trying to rebuild. The weight of his guilt-both for hurting Spencer and for leaving a heartbroken Dutch to find solace in a bottle-crushes him. But what Justin doesn't know is that Spencer and Dutch guard an explosive secret of their own. All three men are tangled in a communal web of lies, and unless they find the events in their lives that ultimately led them to friendship, passion, and betrayal, they won't see the love at the heart of the pain.
340 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2012
20 people are currently reading
301 people want to read
About the author
Jacob Z. Flores
20 books320 followersJacob Z. Flores lives a double life. During the day, he is a respected college English professor and mid-level administrator. At night and during his summer vacation, he loosens the tie and tosses aside the trendy sports coat to write man on man fiction, where the hard ass assessor of freshmen level composition turns his attention to the firm posteriors and other rigid appendages of the characters in his fictional world.
Summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, provide Jacob with inspiration for his fiction. The abundance of barely clothed man flesh and daily debauchery stimulates his personal muse. When he isn’t stroking the keyboard, Jacob spends time with his daughter. They both represent a bright blue blip in an otherwise predominantly red swath in south Texas.
You can follow Jacob’s musings on his blog at http://jacobzflores.com or become a part of his social media network by visiting http://www.facebook.com/jacob.flores2
or http://twitter.com/#!/JacobZFlores.
Summers in Provincetown, Massachusetts, provide Jacob with inspiration for his fiction. The abundance of barely clothed man flesh and daily debauchery stimulates his personal muse. When he isn’t stroking the keyboard, Jacob spends time with his daughter. They both represent a bright blue blip in an otherwise predominantly red swath in south Texas.
You can follow Jacob’s musings on his blog at http://jacobzflores.com or become a part of his social media network by visiting http://www.facebook.com/jacob.flores2
or http://twitter.com/#!/JacobZFlores.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
October 21, 2012
The cover caught my eyes, it's just WOW! The cover worth 5*.
Here are my random thoughts:
- One chapter was the present, the next chapter was the past, the timeline jumped around. -1*
- There were talking Dad and Mom in the MCs minds, which annoyed me a lot. -1*
- The sex was hot! +1*
- All 3 MCs were cheaters, they cheated on each other. It sounds complicated, and believe me, it is! -1*
Since some of my GR friends didn't like books with a cheater and not quite sure if they should pick this up, here is the summary of the story: -1*
So, I ended up giving this book 2*, according to GR, it's an Okay read.
Here are my random thoughts:
- One chapter was the present, the next chapter was the past, the timeline jumped around. -1*
- There were talking Dad and Mom in the MCs minds, which annoyed me a lot. -1*
- The sex was hot! +1*
- All 3 MCs were cheaters, they cheated on each other. It sounds complicated, and believe me, it is! -1*
Since some of my GR friends didn't like books with a cheater and not quite sure if they should pick this up, here is the summary of the story: -1*
So, I ended up giving this book 2*, according to GR, it's an Okay read.
October 27, 2012
This story jumps around in time. First it’s 2010 and then it’s 1999. Every other chapter is present day. I followed that okay. It’s the characters I had a problem with.
The book begins with Justin taking a middle of the night call that’s the trigger that blows the lid off his relationship with Spencer, his partner. It seems all is not what it should be in their household and the dirty truth comes out in dribs and drabs as the story progresses.
Darlings, I understand that cheating happens in the best of relationships, and as the blurb tells you, Justin cheated on Spencer. But the circumstances leading up to it left a bad taste in my mouth, and at one point, I despised Justin so much, I wanted to flail him with my feather boa and smack him with my stilettos. Insensitive, self-centered, clearly only concerned with how he’s feeling and no one else… That man almost made me stop reading the book.
The line that pushed me over the cliff? ”I can always log back on afterward.” Justin says it to Spencer just before Spencer leaves him. You’ll understand when you get there. Do not blame me when you throw your e-reader through a window.
And then the author starts letting other questionable cats out of the bag and it all gets very complicated and tacky. Justin fucks Dutch. Spencer finds out and leaves Justin. In the flashbacks, we find out Dutch also flirted with Spencer, who returned the feelings. Everyone is cheating on everyone. In time, I hated every main character with the passion of a thousand suns. I threw back a stiff drink and kept reading.
I’ll say no more so I don’t ruin the ending for you, but after a promising start, I quickly lost interest in these miserable people, who deserve to suffer an infestation of bed bugs and fleas as punishment for their shallowness. Suffice to say, two car accidents in a book is one too many. Has someone decided to make a soap opera out of this yet?
Reviewed by Red Licorice
The book begins with Justin taking a middle of the night call that’s the trigger that blows the lid off his relationship with Spencer, his partner. It seems all is not what it should be in their household and the dirty truth comes out in dribs and drabs as the story progresses.
Darlings, I understand that cheating happens in the best of relationships, and as the blurb tells you, Justin cheated on Spencer. But the circumstances leading up to it left a bad taste in my mouth, and at one point, I despised Justin so much, I wanted to flail him with my feather boa and smack him with my stilettos. Insensitive, self-centered, clearly only concerned with how he’s feeling and no one else… That man almost made me stop reading the book.
The line that pushed me over the cliff? ”I can always log back on afterward.” Justin says it to Spencer just before Spencer leaves him. You’ll understand when you get there. Do not blame me when you throw your e-reader through a window.
And then the author starts letting other questionable cats out of the bag and it all gets very complicated and tacky. Justin fucks Dutch. Spencer finds out and leaves Justin. In the flashbacks, we find out Dutch also flirted with Spencer, who returned the feelings. Everyone is cheating on everyone. In time, I hated every main character with the passion of a thousand suns. I threw back a stiff drink and kept reading.
I’ll say no more so I don’t ruin the ending for you, but after a promising start, I quickly lost interest in these miserable people, who deserve to suffer an infestation of bed bugs and fleas as punishment for their shallowness. Suffice to say, two car accidents in a book is one too many. Has someone decided to make a soap opera out of this yet?
Reviewed by Red Licorice
November 1, 2012
I had high hopes for this one, it seemed be to well written from the excerpt and had an interesting take on the menage.... unfortunately it fell short.
The writing style was a bit.... wordy. It seemed like with each chapter someone said, 'Hey! You need to be more descriptive! Dump another 1000 words into it!'. My example to illustrate the point: In a somewhat tense moment between Justin and Spencer, Justin begins washing the dishes and looks out the window. You then get a two paragraph summary of EVERYTHING going on outside his window, you name it: kids playing, flowers blooming, dog barking, birds chirping, lawnmowers running, only to have him end it with.... “The world outside was somehow oblivious to the pain he and Spencer were feeling.” *thunks head against table* Can we get back to the angsty conversation between Justin/Spencer please? It was exhausting just wading through the metaphors and the overly descriptive prose.
My gosh, the flashbacks. The book was formatted to have every other chapter be a flashback to some point in the past of Spencer/Justin/Dutch's relationships. Interesting way to develop each character, but this format kept going until Chapter 40... that's right, that makes about twenty chapters of flashbacks giving different snippets of 3 different relationships, essentially a whole 'nother book. We are talking scenes from the inception, first sex scene, moving in together, the lulls, the initiation into 3somes, the lulls, the reconcile and that's just Spencer and Justin. Then you have Justin/Dutch flashbacks and Spencer/Dutch flashbacks. They got old. Frankly, I think the major reason for the flashbacks were to inject sex scenes into the story since the main present-day storyline didn't have many.
And there seemed to be a lot of filler chapters in there that really could have just been skipped. For example: one where Spencer is just admiring the sense of belonging he gets from Justin's family. There were also just pointless trivialities that I really didn't need to read about in the flashbacks, like when Justin/Spencer first bought a house together Spencer really liked the kitchen cause he loved cooking and the setup was just what he wanted and there was also a claw foot bathtub in the house that he adored but no shower and Justin didn't like that but he convinced him it would be fun to take baths for two OH and they really didn't like these folding doors to a room but they were going to replace them with louvered ones. * takes a deep breath * The annoyance was that you are cutting away from the main plot to say this stuff and its just pointless!! Its like watching the season finale of a TV show and every five minutes they dump a clip show into it as a break. Completely messes with the story flow.
Combine the flashbacks that were sometimes pointless and the overly wordy writing style... I began to skim (reading only the first line of every paragraph, especially the flashbacks). Annnnnnnd that's when the book lost a ton of stars for me.
Finally, I just didn't like the characters. You have Spencer who either runs away from every problem or manipulates the situation. He has this metaphorical emotional armor and has long drawn out internal conversations with the voice of his homophobic, bully of a father (the man seriously needs a therapist). Dutch is introduced as person who crashed his car in a DUI following someone home for a one night stand. And you have Justin, the sex/cybering addicted, clueless guy who got them all into this mess who can't man up and control his urges for the sake of a relationship. They all become 'shattered' by the revelations about their partners and the 'other man' and go out an do something reckless or stupid instead of ya know, communicating. Plus, Justin and Spencer get scary violent when they get upset (pushing, punching etc).
So in short - angsty, heavy prose, pointless cut-ins to the main story and characters acting like 5yr olds stomping off whenever they have issues. And there was NO threesome between the main characters... in a book about a threesome *shakes head *. That's my take!
The writing style was a bit.... wordy. It seemed like with each chapter someone said, 'Hey! You need to be more descriptive! Dump another 1000 words into it!'. My example to illustrate the point: In a somewhat tense moment between Justin and Spencer, Justin begins washing the dishes and looks out the window. You then get a two paragraph summary of EVERYTHING going on outside his window, you name it: kids playing, flowers blooming, dog barking, birds chirping, lawnmowers running, only to have him end it with.... “The world outside was somehow oblivious to the pain he and Spencer were feeling.” *thunks head against table* Can we get back to the angsty conversation between Justin/Spencer please? It was exhausting just wading through the metaphors and the overly descriptive prose.
My gosh, the flashbacks. The book was formatted to have every other chapter be a flashback to some point in the past of Spencer/Justin/Dutch's relationships. Interesting way to develop each character, but this format kept going until Chapter 40... that's right, that makes about twenty chapters of flashbacks giving different snippets of 3 different relationships, essentially a whole 'nother book. We are talking scenes from the inception, first sex scene, moving in together, the lulls, the initiation into 3somes, the lulls, the reconcile and that's just Spencer and Justin. Then you have Justin/Dutch flashbacks and Spencer/Dutch flashbacks. They got old. Frankly, I think the major reason for the flashbacks were to inject sex scenes into the story since the main present-day storyline didn't have many.
And there seemed to be a lot of filler chapters in there that really could have just been skipped. For example: one where Spencer is just admiring the sense of belonging he gets from Justin's family. There were also just pointless trivialities that I really didn't need to read about in the flashbacks, like when Justin/Spencer first bought a house together Spencer really liked the kitchen cause he loved cooking and the setup was just what he wanted and there was also a claw foot bathtub in the house that he adored but no shower and Justin didn't like that but he convinced him it would be fun to take baths for two OH and they really didn't like these folding doors to a room but they were going to replace them with louvered ones. * takes a deep breath * The annoyance was that you are cutting away from the main plot to say this stuff and its just pointless!! Its like watching the season finale of a TV show and every five minutes they dump a clip show into it as a break. Completely messes with the story flow.
Combine the flashbacks that were sometimes pointless and the overly wordy writing style... I began to skim (reading only the first line of every paragraph, especially the flashbacks). Annnnnnnd that's when the book lost a ton of stars for me.
Finally, I just didn't like the characters. You have Spencer who either runs away from every problem or manipulates the situation. He has this metaphorical emotional armor and has long drawn out internal conversations with the voice of his homophobic, bully of a father (the man seriously needs a therapist). Dutch is introduced as person who crashed his car in a DUI following someone home for a one night stand. And you have Justin, the sex/cybering addicted, clueless guy who got them all into this mess who can't man up and control his urges for the sake of a relationship. They all become 'shattered' by the revelations about their partners and the 'other man' and go out an do something reckless or stupid instead of ya know, communicating. Plus, Justin and Spencer get scary violent when they get upset (pushing, punching etc).
So in short - angsty, heavy prose, pointless cut-ins to the main story and characters acting like 5yr olds stomping off whenever they have issues. And there was NO threesome between the main characters... in a book about a threesome *shakes head *. That's my take!
October 17, 2013
3 was definitely not what I expected. It is not as much the story of a trio as it is a heartbreaking study of relationships torn apart in order to be rebuilt in ways the characters had not expected.
The story is told in alternating flashbacks and present time, with alternating points of view. It starts with Spencer and Justin, together 10 years and just getting over a rough patch and rebuilding their relationship. Justin receives a call that Dutch has been seriously injured in an accident and keeps calling out for him. This sets off a story filled with love, lies, secrets and manipulation. Both men have some history with Dutch, much of it unknown to the other.
It is often times difficult to read, there is so much hurt and pain for all three men involved. While it all may be headed for some sort of happy ending, it will not be quick to get there.
Jacob Flores really has a gift for writing, although this particular story can get a bit wordy and descriptive at times. Not a story for everyone, especially if you are picking it up for some hot three way action. For those readers where cheating is a deal breaker in a book, forget this story. If you want an emotional roller coaster of a read with a lot of heartache, drama and conflict this one might be for you.
The story is told in alternating flashbacks and present time, with alternating points of view. It starts with Spencer and Justin, together 10 years and just getting over a rough patch and rebuilding their relationship. Justin receives a call that Dutch has been seriously injured in an accident and keeps calling out for him. This sets off a story filled with love, lies, secrets and manipulation. Both men have some history with Dutch, much of it unknown to the other.
It is often times difficult to read, there is so much hurt and pain for all three men involved. While it all may be headed for some sort of happy ending, it will not be quick to get there.
Jacob Flores really has a gift for writing, although this particular story can get a bit wordy and descriptive at times. Not a story for everyone, especially if you are picking it up for some hot three way action. For those readers where cheating is a deal breaker in a book, forget this story. If you want an emotional roller coaster of a read with a lot of heartache, drama and conflict this one might be for you.
Want to read
October 16, 2012I'm putting this to my to read shelf, so that I won't forget to continue reading it. Right now the structure of the book is drving me nuts. Every other chapter seems to be a "flashback", and while I enjoy the idea of the story, the timeline keeps violently pulling me out of my zone every time I begin to care for what happens or really get into the story.
I want to know what happens next, not what happened 10 years ago!
Will try to finish this book later.
I want to know what happens next, not what happened 10 years ago!
Will try to finish this book later.
February 10, 2014
This car-wreck-can't-look-away ménage à trois-household-of-3 love story is probably the most authentically-crafted..raw and unfiltered portrayals I have read to date and for this alone makes it 5★stars★ content and character worthy (1st 80%).
Spencer..was manically magnetic and a most vividly composed character. He stepped off the pages with unflappable disdain and precision and had to be one of the most entertaining characters I've encountered next to Finn Marlowe's Killian Frost.
3 is a non-apologetic gritty voyeuristic glimpse into some melodramatic moments and madness that rings realistically and passionately true through the vast majority of the content until about the last 20%.
Then it starts to fall down that rabbit hole of I-don't-know-wtf-happens-to-writers-at-the-80%-mark-but-they-sometimes-go-batshit-crazy-with-nonsense. Because it's then that it gets nauseatingly-messy like one too many amusement rides after inhaling cotton candy and a supersized Mountain Dew.
Spencer..was manically magnetic and a most vividly composed character. He stepped off the pages with unflappable disdain and precision and had to be one of the most entertaining characters I've encountered next to Finn Marlowe's Killian Frost.
3 is a non-apologetic gritty voyeuristic glimpse into some melodramatic moments and madness that rings realistically and passionately true through the vast majority of the content until about the last 20%.
Then it starts to fall down that rabbit hole of I-don't-know-wtf-happens-to-writers-at-the-80%-mark-but-they-sometimes-go-batshit-crazy-with-nonsense. Because it's then that it gets nauseatingly-messy like one too many amusement rides after inhaling cotton candy and a supersized Mountain Dew.
October 24, 2012
Flores delivers a solid story in 3. Well written and balanced between the characters' voices, he expresses the doubts and glories of a relationship as it is unraveled a bit to make room for another. Solid characterizations and a tightly crafted storyline lead the reader through the threads of the mens' lives. Justin, Dutch and Spencer are fully formed, each with their own personality and voices. Told in third person (no pun intended), 3 allows all three main characters time to express their emotions and views, something difficult to do with two main cees much less three. Flores does this flawlessly.
I look forward to see what Flores delivers to us in the future. Definitely an author to watch.
I look forward to see what Flores delivers to us in the future. Definitely an author to watch.
dnf
October 23, 2012I made it to 20%, but now I stop.
I love the cover and I love to read long books, so I was looking forward to reading this. But at the beginning I had problems with the writing style. I cannot put my finger on what exactly it was, but something prevented me to really get into it. And then there were the flashbacks. Generally I don't have problems with flashbacks, it always depends on the specific book and writing. In this one there was on top of that the head hopping and that in the end was too much for my little brain.
I love the cover and I love to read long books, so I was looking forward to reading this. But at the beginning I had problems with the writing style. I cannot put my finger on what exactly it was, but something prevented me to really get into it. And then there were the flashbacks. Generally I don't have problems with flashbacks, it always depends on the specific book and writing. In this one there was on top of that the head hopping and that in the end was too much for my little brain.
June 16, 2013
This was a really interesting take on the menage theme, focused very much on the emotional journey of three men who find themselves in a very tangled drama.
The original couple of Justin and Spencer have been together for ten years. They are successfully trying to get things back on track after a separation the previous year. But unknown to Spencer, Justin had an affair during their separation and found himself falling in love with the other man. When Spencer returns, and because Spencer had a prior claim on his heart, they get back together, with Justin determined to get over his feelings for Dutch.
Unfortunately Dutch doesn't get over Justin easily with tragic ramifications. The result is a late night phone call to Justin which exposes the truth and starts the three men on a pretty intense and emotional journey.
This story has a lot of twists and turns. There is time spent in the past where we learn more of Justin and Spencer's relationship, we learn how Justin met Dutch and we learn that Dutch and Spencer also share a secret. There is time spent in the current, where we see emotions continuing between Justin and Dutch as they deal with the fallout of the revelations and also see new developments between Dutch and Spencer. Lives become very much entwined and there are further conflicts and more repercussions.
This story was not focused on sex between the three men but there was sex between the different couples, mainly Justin and Spencer or Justin and Dustin and I did have a couple of issues. Firstly, Justin and Spencer have a couple of sessions with a 'third'. I didn't naturally see this fitting with their relationship and I definitely didn't like their sexual dialogue. To me it sounded like fake porn and didn't suit how I saw the characters of Justin and Spencer in my mind. Secondly, . Perhaps this trust was supposed to illustrate how significant their relationship was?
I liked the fact that the bringing together of the three men, with them acknowledging their feelings for one another, wasn't an easy journey. It acknowledges the difficulties they face, within themselves and with the outside world. There is a sense that they will succeed because of the depths of feeling.
"After that, it was simply a matter of working out the intricacies of a relationship between three men.
It was a new concept for them and the world. After all, love was a joining of two hearts , two pieces of the same soul that locked together seamlessly. That was how the world functioned. Two people, two hearts, one relationship. That was the paradigm the rest of the world followed.
But they didn't fit that model. Their hearts were bigger than what society had preconcieved notions about. After all, it was the universe's magic, some unseen force, that brought them together. That bond pulled Justin and Spencer initially to each other, but it was that same power that brought Dutch into their lives, that somehow called both of them to Dutch, separately, just as strongly as it tugged upon him."........."They weren't meant to be a couple. They were destined to be a trio."
The original couple of Justin and Spencer have been together for ten years. They are successfully trying to get things back on track after a separation the previous year. But unknown to Spencer, Justin had an affair during their separation and found himself falling in love with the other man. When Spencer returns, and because Spencer had a prior claim on his heart, they get back together, with Justin determined to get over his feelings for Dutch.
Unfortunately Dutch doesn't get over Justin easily with tragic ramifications. The result is a late night phone call to Justin which exposes the truth and starts the three men on a pretty intense and emotional journey.
This story has a lot of twists and turns. There is time spent in the past where we learn more of Justin and Spencer's relationship, we learn how Justin met Dutch and we learn that Dutch and Spencer also share a secret. There is time spent in the current, where we see emotions continuing between Justin and Dutch as they deal with the fallout of the revelations and also see new developments between Dutch and Spencer. Lives become very much entwined and there are further conflicts and more repercussions.
This story was not focused on sex between the three men but there was sex between the different couples, mainly Justin and Spencer or Justin and Dustin and I did have a couple of issues. Firstly, Justin and Spencer have a couple of sessions with a 'third'. I didn't naturally see this fitting with their relationship and I definitely didn't like their sexual dialogue. To me it sounded like fake porn and didn't suit how I saw the characters of Justin and Spencer in my mind. Secondly, . Perhaps this trust was supposed to illustrate how significant their relationship was?
I liked the fact that the bringing together of the three men, with them acknowledging their feelings for one another, wasn't an easy journey. It acknowledges the difficulties they face, within themselves and with the outside world. There is a sense that they will succeed because of the depths of feeling.
"After that, it was simply a matter of working out the intricacies of a relationship between three men.
It was a new concept for them and the world. After all, love was a joining of two hearts , two pieces of the same soul that locked together seamlessly. That was how the world functioned. Two people, two hearts, one relationship. That was the paradigm the rest of the world followed.
But they didn't fit that model. Their hearts were bigger than what society had preconcieved notions about. After all, it was the universe's magic, some unseen force, that brought them together. That bond pulled Justin and Spencer initially to each other, but it was that same power that brought Dutch into their lives, that somehow called both of them to Dutch, separately, just as strongly as it tugged upon him."........."They weren't meant to be a couple. They were destined to be a trio."
January 5, 2013
This book for me deals with the problems encountered in a long term relationship, how things taken for granted by one person can be misunderstood by the other and have problematic consequences for that couple no matter how much they love each other. In this story a third person is added to the mix initially by Spencer when he and Justin take Tyler one of their friends to bed. This has unfortunate consequences for all of them really as then Spencer introduces Dutch to "Cyber" - a dating app where they compete with each other to find guys for threesomes - initially only intended as a marital aid. Unfortunately Justin becomes addicted to the app and even when Spencer deletes it from his own phone, Justin does not. This is where the story really starts and how Dutch is introduced into the mix.
Excellent first novel from this author. Although I have to admit I do not usually get on with books that jump forward and backward in time, I doubt if this novel could have been written in any other format. From the beginning you are there in the head of each of the main characters be it Justin, Spencer or Dutch and personally I could identify and sympathise with each character. The reader is treated to a stream of consciousness blow by blow thought process for each one of the three men which personally drew me into a deeper understanding of each of the main protagonists and although you would not agree with everything each one did you can see how each decision was made.
From other reviews here, this is definitely not a novel for everyone. Yes there is sex in it but those who read this for pages and pages of detailed threesome sex will be disappointed and perhaps they need to read a book like Gemini by Chris Owen. Yes it is "wordy" and it is a long novel for M/M fiction but I doubt if the impact would have been as great if it had been any shorter, in fact when I reached the end of the final chapter I wanted more - always a sign as to how into a book I am.
Excellent book, thoroughly enjoyed by this reader. Five stars.
Excellent first novel from this author. Although I have to admit I do not usually get on with books that jump forward and backward in time, I doubt if this novel could have been written in any other format. From the beginning you are there in the head of each of the main characters be it Justin, Spencer or Dutch and personally I could identify and sympathise with each character. The reader is treated to a stream of consciousness blow by blow thought process for each one of the three men which personally drew me into a deeper understanding of each of the main protagonists and although you would not agree with everything each one did you can see how each decision was made.
From other reviews here, this is definitely not a novel for everyone. Yes there is sex in it but those who read this for pages and pages of detailed threesome sex will be disappointed and perhaps they need to read a book like Gemini by Chris Owen. Yes it is "wordy" and it is a long novel for M/M fiction but I doubt if the impact would have been as great if it had been any shorter, in fact when I reached the end of the final chapter I wanted more - always a sign as to how into a book I am.
Excellent book, thoroughly enjoyed by this reader. Five stars.
February 17, 2020
This is one of the more unusual ménage books I have read. It is probably also the most realistic one, because three men trying to figure out how to relate to each other isn’t easy! It can’t be. Real life gets in the way, jealousy is bound to rear its ugly head, and personal preferences change over time. I really liked tat none of the disadvantages were sugarcoated, while the love between these men cam through (at least by the end). What I found really hard to deal with in this book, even though it fit the story perfectly, was the cheating. I guess it is unavoidable since these three men didn’t get together in the beginning and said "let's have a three-way relationship". That made the book more real, but still. I also have to mention there are numerous flashbacks; I'm not normally a fan, since they always pull me right out of the ongoing story, but in this book they worked. They were a good way of adding some of the very needed background information and make it interesting.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
October 17, 2012
I was disappointed. I found the writing strident and OTT. It was good to see Spencer and Justin's relationship develop over a period of 10 years - it was realistically depicted with high and low points. Easy to relate to and hit close to the home when the boys fell into a runt.
However, the smexy was not to my taste. And I wanted to see more of the boys with Dutch. Interestingly, we saw more of them as 'twoseomes' (Justin & Spencer, Dutch & Justin, Spencer & Dutch)and the end was a build up to nothing (smexy).
I skimmed a lot of the metaphorical monologues. Yeah, I just didn't engage with the style.
However, the smexy was not to my taste. And I wanted to see more of the boys with Dutch. Interestingly, we saw more of them as 'twoseomes' (Justin & Spencer, Dutch & Justin, Spencer & Dutch)and the end was a build up to nothing (smexy).
I skimmed a lot of the metaphorical monologues. Yeah, I just didn't engage with the style.
thanks-but-no-thanks
October 16, 2012A menage story full of angst. Sooo not for me :-)
December 22, 2012
4.5 Stars
Review Originally published at http://joyfullyjay.com/2012/12/review...
I think I had bought and read 3 about six hours after it was available for purchase. There are a couple of reasons for this: 1) Have you seen the cover? Delicious. and 2) I love a good menage. And damn it if Jacob Z. Flores didn’t inadvertently smack me upside the head and make me see that my smutty plans were going to be thwarted by a much deeper, issue-driven story than I anticipated. Since I read this book a few months ago, I decided to read it again before I reviewed it. And I’m really happy that I did. While I enjoyed it the first time around, I was caught up in my defeated expectations (see: smut), and didn’t give it a true chance. Now I can accurately tell you why you should buy and read this book, whether you’re a fan of threesomes or not.
Justin Jimenez is trolling for action one night in a bar. When his friend, Xavier, points out the next man he is challenging him to take home for the night, Justin is instead mesmerized by the man standing next to him and abandons all his inhibitions to walk up to him and kiss him as the new year counts down in the background. This magic is just the beginning of a powerful relationship between Justin and Spencer, who spend the next ten years together. Several years later, Justin receives a phone call in the middle of the night from a stranger, who gives him some terrible news that throws Justin and Spencer’s relationship into a tailspin. This news involves Dutch, a man both have been attracted to and with whom Justin had a short but intense affair while Spencer was out of the country.
I read m/m/m romances because I’m fascinated by the complexity of a relationship between three people. In the case of 3, Flores deals with the intricacies of three people coming together and deciding to stay together in a very realistic way. The first time I read it, I was frustrated that they didn’t immediately fall into each other’s arms and proclaim their undying love for each other. However, the second time through I was able to see that Flores was deftly recounting the break down of one relationship and the inclusion of a third based on true connection and circumstances that bound them together.
Justin and Spencer’s relationship starts to unravel when they become involved in Cyber, a social networking site that allows them to explore online relationships with other men without the “cheating” of actual physical intimacy. It is not surprising when they both become so involved with the online scene that their relationship suffers. When Spencer asks Justin to stop and he refuses, Spencer decides to get some space by teaching in London for a few months. This is when Justin’s relationship with Dutch, an online friend, intensifies. Some people might find the cheating aspect of this novel a reason to dislike it. I found this aspect of the plot particularly realistic. How often do people become so wrapped up in their online lives that they neglect their real life ones? How difficult is it to draw the line between flirting with “friends”, and taking it to the next level? And how easy is it to lose the connection with the one you love because you’re not putting enough time and energy into cultivating it? Instead of fighting for Spencer, Justin turns to Dutch, and finds himself in love with two men.
The road to bring these three together is not an easy one. We get only a few scenes of a relationship between the three of them. (Note to Jacob Z. Flores: Sequel, please!) But the chemistry between the rotating sets of couples is apparent. It is not difficult to believe that they are all drawn to one another in some way, and the sex scenes between them are extremely hot. I thought that all three characters were well-developed and their motivations clear, which is often a difficult achievement in a menage book.
This is not to say that this book is without flaws. It has some pretty serious ones. Flores tells the story in a maddening series of flashbacks and flashforwards that lead to confusion and frustration. As soon as the story seems to be getting somewhere, it jumps to a different character in a different time period and you’re left reeling. I think the story would’ve been a better one without the jumps in time. Each of the characters also has an inner voice that counsels them for good or bad throughout the novel. For Spencer, his womanizing, homophobic father is the voice inside his head. For Justin, it was a variety of people. I found this to be an annoying way of expressing the motivations of the characters rather than letting their actions speak for themselves. And Flores also uses some Harlequin romance-esque descriptions in his sex scenes that I found really distracting. There’s nothing that takes me out of a scene quicker than an engorged rod or straining piece of meat. Just give me a good hard cock any day. And yes, I meant that the way it sounded.
Overall, I liked what Flores was doing with this story, and it helped me to overlook some of the weaknesses and enjoy it for the complex novel that it was. I think, if you give it a chance, you’ll feel the same way.
Review Originally published at http://joyfullyjay.com/2012/12/review...
I think I had bought and read 3 about six hours after it was available for purchase. There are a couple of reasons for this: 1) Have you seen the cover? Delicious. and 2) I love a good menage. And damn it if Jacob Z. Flores didn’t inadvertently smack me upside the head and make me see that my smutty plans were going to be thwarted by a much deeper, issue-driven story than I anticipated. Since I read this book a few months ago, I decided to read it again before I reviewed it. And I’m really happy that I did. While I enjoyed it the first time around, I was caught up in my defeated expectations (see: smut), and didn’t give it a true chance. Now I can accurately tell you why you should buy and read this book, whether you’re a fan of threesomes or not.
Justin Jimenez is trolling for action one night in a bar. When his friend, Xavier, points out the next man he is challenging him to take home for the night, Justin is instead mesmerized by the man standing next to him and abandons all his inhibitions to walk up to him and kiss him as the new year counts down in the background. This magic is just the beginning of a powerful relationship between Justin and Spencer, who spend the next ten years together. Several years later, Justin receives a phone call in the middle of the night from a stranger, who gives him some terrible news that throws Justin and Spencer’s relationship into a tailspin. This news involves Dutch, a man both have been attracted to and with whom Justin had a short but intense affair while Spencer was out of the country.
I read m/m/m romances because I’m fascinated by the complexity of a relationship between three people. In the case of 3, Flores deals with the intricacies of three people coming together and deciding to stay together in a very realistic way. The first time I read it, I was frustrated that they didn’t immediately fall into each other’s arms and proclaim their undying love for each other. However, the second time through I was able to see that Flores was deftly recounting the break down of one relationship and the inclusion of a third based on true connection and circumstances that bound them together.
Justin and Spencer’s relationship starts to unravel when they become involved in Cyber, a social networking site that allows them to explore online relationships with other men without the “cheating” of actual physical intimacy. It is not surprising when they both become so involved with the online scene that their relationship suffers. When Spencer asks Justin to stop and he refuses, Spencer decides to get some space by teaching in London for a few months. This is when Justin’s relationship with Dutch, an online friend, intensifies. Some people might find the cheating aspect of this novel a reason to dislike it. I found this aspect of the plot particularly realistic. How often do people become so wrapped up in their online lives that they neglect their real life ones? How difficult is it to draw the line between flirting with “friends”, and taking it to the next level? And how easy is it to lose the connection with the one you love because you’re not putting enough time and energy into cultivating it? Instead of fighting for Spencer, Justin turns to Dutch, and finds himself in love with two men.
The road to bring these three together is not an easy one. We get only a few scenes of a relationship between the three of them. (Note to Jacob Z. Flores: Sequel, please!) But the chemistry between the rotating sets of couples is apparent. It is not difficult to believe that they are all drawn to one another in some way, and the sex scenes between them are extremely hot. I thought that all three characters were well-developed and their motivations clear, which is often a difficult achievement in a menage book.
This is not to say that this book is without flaws. It has some pretty serious ones. Flores tells the story in a maddening series of flashbacks and flashforwards that lead to confusion and frustration. As soon as the story seems to be getting somewhere, it jumps to a different character in a different time period and you’re left reeling. I think the story would’ve been a better one without the jumps in time. Each of the characters also has an inner voice that counsels them for good or bad throughout the novel. For Spencer, his womanizing, homophobic father is the voice inside his head. For Justin, it was a variety of people. I found this to be an annoying way of expressing the motivations of the characters rather than letting their actions speak for themselves. And Flores also uses some Harlequin romance-esque descriptions in his sex scenes that I found really distracting. There’s nothing that takes me out of a scene quicker than an engorged rod or straining piece of meat. Just give me a good hard cock any day. And yes, I meant that the way it sounded.
Overall, I liked what Flores was doing with this story, and it helped me to overlook some of the weaknesses and enjoy it for the complex novel that it was. I think, if you give it a chance, you’ll feel the same way.
June 12, 2015
Could have been better. I was put off by the continuous bombardment of the idea that all their relationships were destined to be and engineered by the universe. With each relationship exploding out of a single kiss, unending barrages of words such as "magic", "destined" and "preordained" (it was as if I was reading a shifter story), and with all of these making "perfect sense" to the main characters.
For a while at the very beginning it seemed as if we would be getting to know three different characters, but it turned out that the three were very similar to each other: all of them have the same favourite movie that they all cannot stop quoting, all have a mental copy of their parent guiding them from their head, and they all have the exact same decision when learning about the extra person or relationship.
It was difficult to feel anything for the broken relationship between Justin and Spencer as the story began at the down low of it and the flashbacks mainly focused on its fallout. Thus, there wasn't any reason for the reader to like nor feel bad for the characters.
For a while at the very beginning it seemed as if we would be getting to know three different characters, but it turned out that the three were very similar to each other: all of them have the same favourite movie that they all cannot stop quoting, all have a mental copy of their parent guiding them from their head, and they all have the exact same decision when learning about the extra person or relationship.
It was difficult to feel anything for the broken relationship between Justin and Spencer as the story began at the down low of it and the flashbacks mainly focused on its fallout. Thus, there wasn't any reason for the reader to like nor feel bad for the characters.
Read
April 19, 2013The first thing I noticed of this book was how sexy the cover was. When I was browsing the author’s website, I read how the author’s mother was reading this novel (in print) in a doctor’s waiting room, and some other lady commented on the cover and she proudly said it was her son’s novel. I thought that was sweet but I also thought how daring! With that very sexy, and very male on male cover. Good for her and good for her son to have such a mother. In any case I had the feeling this novel was pushing the boundaries of erotica, and that was a wrong impression. Oh, don’t get me wrong, there is sex in the story, and it’s a ménages a trois, already a daring subject per se, but sincerely the erotica part of the story is not the main purpose of the novel.
We have three men, long term couple Justin and Spencer, and third man Dutch. Already like that it doesn’t sound good for Dutch, moreover if you considered that Justin was cheating on Spencer; and even if, in the end, he broke with Dutch to be faithful to Spencer, considering the fact that Spencer is HIV positive since his previous boyfriend cheated on him, it doesn’t look good for Justin. The fact is that, for how much I wanted to hate Justin, or Dutch, or even Spencer, I didn’t find a good reason for doing so. And truth be told, while Justin is the cheating man, I found that also Spencer had his own faults, above all not being able to be totally open with Justin, he still maintain a layer of protection around his heart. Dutch on the other hand is totally bared, at the third bad breakup, and not able to bear one more. If I have to be sincere, of all of them, I have probably a soft spot for Dutch, he seemed to be the more fragile.
The narrative style is quite complex, alternating chapters of flashbacks and present day, and basically they are two novel in one: how Spencer and Justin met, and what happened after the initially happily ever after (that in the end was not so “happily”). What I liked is that, indeed, it described something real, ordinary: it’s not that Spencer and Justin not love each other anymore, but they need to learn how to live together, matching needs and desires, career and relationship.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1613727739/?...
We have three men, long term couple Justin and Spencer, and third man Dutch. Already like that it doesn’t sound good for Dutch, moreover if you considered that Justin was cheating on Spencer; and even if, in the end, he broke with Dutch to be faithful to Spencer, considering the fact that Spencer is HIV positive since his previous boyfriend cheated on him, it doesn’t look good for Justin. The fact is that, for how much I wanted to hate Justin, or Dutch, or even Spencer, I didn’t find a good reason for doing so. And truth be told, while Justin is the cheating man, I found that also Spencer had his own faults, above all not being able to be totally open with Justin, he still maintain a layer of protection around his heart. Dutch on the other hand is totally bared, at the third bad breakup, and not able to bear one more. If I have to be sincere, of all of them, I have probably a soft spot for Dutch, he seemed to be the more fragile.
The narrative style is quite complex, alternating chapters of flashbacks and present day, and basically they are two novel in one: how Spencer and Justin met, and what happened after the initially happily ever after (that in the end was not so “happily”). What I liked is that, indeed, it described something real, ordinary: it’s not that Spencer and Justin not love each other anymore, but they need to learn how to live together, matching needs and desires, career and relationship.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1613727739/?...
December 8, 2012
Holy Rollercoaster Ride, Batman!
I'm not even sure how to rate this book. On the one hand, I was on tenterhooks the entire time. Flores did a masterful job of completely destroying not one, not two, but THREE individual relationships -- completely disassembling them -- and then reconstructs the relationships. In the process you're treated to massive ups and downs, and the plot twists are phenomenally gripping.
On the other hand, there are some heavy, unpopular themes here. There's alcoholism, drunk driving, cheating and lying, other assorted unpleasant behavior, and one character trying to mastermind a situation while he's still in denial about his own place in the whole mess. I had a hard time forging more than a transitory relationship with any of the MCs due to this, but particularly to Spencer, who started out as the most sympathetic character but eventually just seemed like a self-delusional jerk. I did finally like him again at the end, though, once he'd faced up to his own failings in his relationships with Justin and Dutch.
I'm also not hugely thrilled by the extended flashback scenes; they contributed to my disconnect from the overall story arc. However, they serve the purpose of revealing the characters of the MCs and chronicle the self-destructions of the various relationships in an ultimately very satisfying way, as pieces of a puzzle doled out at random. You're thrust into crazy from the word "Go!" and every time you think you have a grasp on things and maybe there's finally going to be some resolution, a new piece drops out of the hat and sets things onto a whole new course.
I'm going to go with 4.5 stars for the overall quality of the storytelling, losing half a star because of the trouble I had connecting with the MCs.
I'm not even sure how to rate this book. On the one hand, I was on tenterhooks the entire time. Flores did a masterful job of completely destroying not one, not two, but THREE individual relationships -- completely disassembling them -- and then reconstructs the relationships. In the process you're treated to massive ups and downs, and the plot twists are phenomenally gripping.
On the other hand, there are some heavy, unpopular themes here. There's alcoholism, drunk driving, cheating and lying, other assorted unpleasant behavior, and one character trying to mastermind a situation while he's still in denial about his own place in the whole mess. I had a hard time forging more than a transitory relationship with any of the MCs due to this, but particularly to Spencer, who started out as the most sympathetic character but eventually just seemed like a self-delusional jerk. I did finally like him again at the end, though, once he'd faced up to his own failings in his relationships with Justin and Dutch.
I'm also not hugely thrilled by the extended flashback scenes; they contributed to my disconnect from the overall story arc. However, they serve the purpose of revealing the characters of the MCs and chronicle the self-destructions of the various relationships in an ultimately very satisfying way, as pieces of a puzzle doled out at random. You're thrust into crazy from the word "Go!" and every time you think you have a grasp on things and maybe there's finally going to be some resolution, a new piece drops out of the hat and sets things onto a whole new course.
I'm going to go with 4.5 stars for the overall quality of the storytelling, losing half a star because of the trouble I had connecting with the MCs.
October 19, 2012
I was officially suckered by the cover art and Kindle sample.
3 destroys three separate relationships and patches the boys back together as a trio. There's adultery, steaming piles of angst, two car accidents, risky sex, manipulation, etc. Check your drama llama 'cause this book has got it all, and it's a hell of a long ride (320+ pages) to the HFN.
Sex is hot but infrequent, and typically between couples. There are two 3P scenes, but none feature the trio. Warning for rimming, unprotected sex, and HIV+ character. Intimate scenes read more like gay erotica than m/m romance (a plus in my book). There was even a bathhouse scene!
The mystical element in 3 detracted from my enjoyment of the book. Distracting, just like the structure of the book. Too many flashbacks hampering the momentum of the real-time story. I did not engage with the writing style. Purple preachy prose. Slow going.
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46% read: Majority of book's enjoyment has come from rolling over in bed and smacking hubby to say "LOOK! We've gone to that club! Wow, we've stayed in that hotel/eaten in that restaurant! San Antonio is such a great location!" (Although Watermark Hotel/Pesca on the River changed owners and is now Mokara/Ostra...)
3 destroys three separate relationships and patches the boys back together as a trio. There's adultery, steaming piles of angst, two car accidents, risky sex, manipulation, etc. Check your drama llama 'cause this book has got it all, and it's a hell of a long ride (320+ pages) to the HFN.
Sex is hot but infrequent, and typically between couples. There are two 3P scenes, but none feature the trio. Warning for rimming, unprotected sex, and HIV+ character. Intimate scenes read more like gay erotica than m/m romance (a plus in my book). There was even a bathhouse scene!
The mystical element in 3 detracted from my enjoyment of the book. Distracting, just like the structure of the book. Too many flashbacks hampering the momentum of the real-time story. I did not engage with the writing style. Purple preachy prose. Slow going.
---------------
46% read: Majority of book's enjoyment has come from rolling over in bed and smacking hubby to say "LOOK! We've gone to that club! Wow, we've stayed in that hotel/eaten in that restaurant! San Antonio is such a great location!" (Although Watermark Hotel/Pesca on the River changed owners and is now Mokara/Ostra...)
September 18, 2014
I really wanted to read about the 3 of them getting together. Whether they would have a threesome or just be paired 2 at a time while all three being involved in the emotional relationship. But I couldn't push through all that sugary writing to get to that part.
My first breaking moment was at "Spencer spread his legs and revealed his pink center". I managed to overcome it and keep going. Then I read "He’d never thought a life without his armor was possible. Justin’s love had shown him how wrong he was. It turned out love was sturdier than any armor he could fashion alone." My gag reflex was once again tested. But when I came across Justin getting turned on by rain (and all the epithets and euphemisms to compare rain with having sex) I just gave up. I like my stories not drowning in sugar, thank you very much.
One last thing. I particularly did not like this sentence "His place was a dump and didn’t look like a gay man inhabited it." Is it a rule that all gay men have to be neat freaks?
My first breaking moment was at "Spencer spread his legs and revealed his pink center". I managed to overcome it and keep going. Then I read "He’d never thought a life without his armor was possible. Justin’s love had shown him how wrong he was. It turned out love was sturdier than any armor he could fashion alone." My gag reflex was once again tested. But when I came across Justin getting turned on by rain (and all the epithets and euphemisms to compare rain with having sex) I just gave up. I like my stories not drowning in sugar, thank you very much.
One last thing. I particularly did not like this sentence "His place was a dump and didn’t look like a gay man inhabited it." Is it a rule that all gay men have to be neat freaks?
October 16, 2012
I really enjoyed this, even though its definitely not sunshine and rainbows. It was full of emotional moments and lots of angst until the very end. I could definitely see this happening in real life, so even though I wanted to punch the MC's a few times, I got through it. The only thing that annoyed me was the flashbacks leading up to the current events, but even that was necessary for the story, so all was forgiven.
November 9, 2012
I'm bailing because I fear for my iPad....so promising--but NO!
May 8, 2015
3.25 Stars
October 30, 2019
At first I didn't really expect much, I didn't even remember I had this on my pc, but as I started reading I got completely caught in.
The way this is written is completely new to me, and refreshing at the same time. And although I was pretty sure I would get to hate some of the characters, main ones even, I didn't. I like a lot how each point of view is written clearly; I even enjoyed the timeline jumps and I actually liked reading something and then getting a more complex description of the situation.
Another thing I liked a lot is that although I was pretty sure where this was going, I still had doubts, at times this book kept me on edge and that made it so much more entertaining.
I see why and how not everyone could get to like 3, but for me it was really refreshing and interesting. I think I might even look into more works of Mr. Flores.
All in all, good read, highly entertaining.
The way this is written is completely new to me, and refreshing at the same time. And although I was pretty sure I would get to hate some of the characters, main ones even, I didn't. I like a lot how each point of view is written clearly; I even enjoyed the timeline jumps and I actually liked reading something and then getting a more complex description of the situation.
Another thing I liked a lot is that although I was pretty sure where this was going, I still had doubts, at times this book kept me on edge and that made it so much more entertaining.
I see why and how not everyone could get to like 3, but for me it was really refreshing and interesting. I think I might even look into more works of Mr. Flores.
All in all, good read, highly entertaining.
May 5, 2019
This book was painful to read. I didn’t end up liking any of the characters. The back and forth timeline meant even happy/funny moments were overshadowed by the overall meanness and depression and fighting. Just not an enjoyable read at all.
May 27, 2022
This M/M/M romance was slow going for me; it probably would have been a DNF had I not read it for a reading challenge. The story being told from three separate points of view would have been confusing enough without its also being completely nonchronological. 2.5 stars rounded up.
April 18, 2025
Queer contemporary romance. Slow burn with lots of angst. Redundant significant events. Attempts to weave three past and present perspectives together but doesn’t quite stick the landing. Fast read - not a bad way to pass a few hours.
June 21, 2021
Read this book a while ago, I think it was ok but it obviously hasn't left huge impressions for me to remember it.
July 30, 2025
It was a mess in every way a book could be a mess.
November 25, 2012
This review was originally written for Hearts on Fire Reviews and can also be found there.
It’s hard not to be attracted by the amazing cover for this book and the complications promised by the blurb made it almost perfect for me. Of course the ménage is what sealed the deal and pushed me into reading this long story about trial, mistakes and forgiveness.
Spencer and Justin have been a pair for a decade, and while they’ve had their ups and downs the core of them was something that seemed everlasting. But then you have Justin and Dutch and the understanding and the feeling of rightness there just can’t be wrong. Now sparks between Spencer and Dutch are something else, and while this short summary sounds confusing, believe me, it’s nothing compared to how exactly you’ll feel once you start reading.
I actually really liked the characters and the premise of the story. I like it long and complicated sometimes but when it’s also difficult it just gives me that satisfaction I want to feel after a good book. So while I still thought this was a good story, I had some issues that might be completely individual but I think are worth mentioning.
The way the story was constructed made it very difficult to read. The author decided to switch between points of view, which I like and appreciate in a ménage, but he also wrote one chapter in the present and the next in the past. Like ten years before when it all started and as you go further along with the story the age gap slowly shortens until there is only now. All three men have their say, their view of things, and while I was initially surprised by Dutch’s perspective, (For some crazy notion I expected him to only be a third in the story without any active participation – silly of me) I soon realized it was crucial to see his side for the relationship to work. Spencer’s chapters were the most annoying ones for me, because he had the tendency to speak to his father in his head, and I won’t even go into how exactly distracting that was.
This is a three hundred plus pages story and after all was said and done, I was sad to realize I knew very little about the characters. Everything revolved around their drama, bad or just wrong choices that they never seemed to be able to work through. The secrets and unfounded conclusions were enough to drive a sane reader crazy if you’re having a bad day, but they also do add a bit of rhythm to the story that will most likely make you finish the book. What ripped me out of the story the most – and I really can’t believe I’m going to say this – was the dirty talk. It didn’t fit the character’s personalities and it just seemed so random to me it made me feel more uncomfortable than hot, which rarely ever happens to be honest.
For those of you who’ve missed it, there is cheating in 3, between all characters in one form or another, but what bothered me was recklessness which I won’t spoiler but I’m guessing you’ll see it right away if you decide to give it a chance. Another thing I consider important to mention, because I would have liked to have known it before hand, is that Spencer is positive and has been since before he and Justin have met.
As for good points; I liked the author’s approach to serious subjects, the way he just flung himself into dangerous waters and managed to handle the story to the very end. This was something really complicated to write and he managed it without missing a beat, giving each of the characters enough attention and in the end pulling them into a whole. I think the actual romance needs a bit of work and it is something where the focus was a lost, but that will just keep us on our toes for his next book. I for one am looking forward to it, and will keep an eye out. I just hope he will be gentle and ease on the flashbacks.
It’s hard not to be attracted by the amazing cover for this book and the complications promised by the blurb made it almost perfect for me. Of course the ménage is what sealed the deal and pushed me into reading this long story about trial, mistakes and forgiveness.
Spencer and Justin have been a pair for a decade, and while they’ve had their ups and downs the core of them was something that seemed everlasting. But then you have Justin and Dutch and the understanding and the feeling of rightness there just can’t be wrong. Now sparks between Spencer and Dutch are something else, and while this short summary sounds confusing, believe me, it’s nothing compared to how exactly you’ll feel once you start reading.
I actually really liked the characters and the premise of the story. I like it long and complicated sometimes but when it’s also difficult it just gives me that satisfaction I want to feel after a good book. So while I still thought this was a good story, I had some issues that might be completely individual but I think are worth mentioning.
The way the story was constructed made it very difficult to read. The author decided to switch between points of view, which I like and appreciate in a ménage, but he also wrote one chapter in the present and the next in the past. Like ten years before when it all started and as you go further along with the story the age gap slowly shortens until there is only now. All three men have their say, their view of things, and while I was initially surprised by Dutch’s perspective, (For some crazy notion I expected him to only be a third in the story without any active participation – silly of me) I soon realized it was crucial to see his side for the relationship to work. Spencer’s chapters were the most annoying ones for me, because he had the tendency to speak to his father in his head, and I won’t even go into how exactly distracting that was.
This is a three hundred plus pages story and after all was said and done, I was sad to realize I knew very little about the characters. Everything revolved around their drama, bad or just wrong choices that they never seemed to be able to work through. The secrets and unfounded conclusions were enough to drive a sane reader crazy if you’re having a bad day, but they also do add a bit of rhythm to the story that will most likely make you finish the book. What ripped me out of the story the most – and I really can’t believe I’m going to say this – was the dirty talk. It didn’t fit the character’s personalities and it just seemed so random to me it made me feel more uncomfortable than hot, which rarely ever happens to be honest.
For those of you who’ve missed it, there is cheating in 3, between all characters in one form or another, but what bothered me was recklessness which I won’t spoiler but I’m guessing you’ll see it right away if you decide to give it a chance. Another thing I consider important to mention, because I would have liked to have known it before hand, is that Spencer is positive and has been since before he and Justin have met.
As for good points; I liked the author’s approach to serious subjects, the way he just flung himself into dangerous waters and managed to handle the story to the very end. This was something really complicated to write and he managed it without missing a beat, giving each of the characters enough attention and in the end pulling them into a whole. I think the actual romance needs a bit of work and it is something where the focus was a lost, but that will just keep us on our toes for his next book. I for one am looking forward to it, and will keep an eye out. I just hope he will be gentle and ease on the flashbacks.
October 17, 2012
3 is in no way one of the usual threesome stories in which characters come together to form a trio and everything is forever hunky dory and filled with sex. Instead 3 is a tale about changing relationships and the secrets layered upon secrets that cause those changes. It is a story that deals with what happens when those secrets start to unravel and how the revelations affect the lives of the three men involved. All three main characters—Justin, Spencer, and Dutch—are guilty of withholding their share of secrets. While reading, I often had trouble choosing whom to cast my sympathies with and whom to blame, only to realize that all three characters were equally guilty and equally innocent in their own regard. All three men were flawed and that was what made the story so realistic.
As a personal preference, I’m not a fan of flashback scenes within the narrative. I tend to get impatient and just want to see what happens next instead of constantly being dragged into the past. Therefore I was extremely surprised when I had no problem reading the numerous flashback scenes in 3. In fact I loved the flashbacks because they were what fleshed out the characters and their individual relationships with one another. There were points in which I came to hate a certain character and loved the other two. Then there were points where I loved that character and hated the others. The author’s ability to create such ambivalent feelings for each character is commendable. I think that it lets every reader to individually form their own thoughts and opinions about each of the three characters.
In whole, 3 is an emotional journey that deals with the ups and downs of relationships. It follows a span of the characters lives across a decade or so. Though personally this is a journey I would most likely not repeat by rereading the book, I’m still glad I read 3 because the journey was nevertheless a great one.
As a personal preference, I’m not a fan of flashback scenes within the narrative. I tend to get impatient and just want to see what happens next instead of constantly being dragged into the past. Therefore I was extremely surprised when I had no problem reading the numerous flashback scenes in 3. In fact I loved the flashbacks because they were what fleshed out the characters and their individual relationships with one another. There were points in which I came to hate a certain character and loved the other two. Then there were points where I loved that character and hated the others. The author’s ability to create such ambivalent feelings for each character is commendable. I think that it lets every reader to individually form their own thoughts and opinions about each of the three characters.
In whole, 3 is an emotional journey that deals with the ups and downs of relationships. It follows a span of the characters lives across a decade or so. Though personally this is a journey I would most likely not repeat by rereading the book, I’m still glad I read 3 because the journey was nevertheless a great one.
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