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The Rule of Three
Her reputation has never been worse.
Their love fell apart and left them with a missing piece.
Can three broken hearts hold onto each other long enough to fight for their happy ending?
Recovering from a messy public breakup, lonely songwriter Tessa Reid flees the vicious British tabloids for New York. After sneaking out of a one-night stand, she discovers the tattooed man she left behind, and can’t get out of her head, is her new neighbor, River Sage.
Hopeless romantic, River, lives next door with his best friend, and the man who broke his heart, Cassian King. After years of avoiding confronting their feelings, Tessa shows up and makes them question everything.
Sparks fly as a friends-with-benefits arrangement between the three quickly evolves into something deeper, blurring the lines between friendship and more. Used to outrunning the ghosts from their pasts, can Cass, River, and Tessa stop running from each other and learn to stay?
The Rule of Three is an adult, contemporary, friends (with benefits) to lovers, polyamorous romance novel.
Their love fell apart and left them with a missing piece.
Can three broken hearts hold onto each other long enough to fight for their happy ending?
Recovering from a messy public breakup, lonely songwriter Tessa Reid flees the vicious British tabloids for New York. After sneaking out of a one-night stand, she discovers the tattooed man she left behind, and can’t get out of her head, is her new neighbor, River Sage.
Hopeless romantic, River, lives next door with his best friend, and the man who broke his heart, Cassian King. After years of avoiding confronting their feelings, Tessa shows up and makes them question everything.
Sparks fly as a friends-with-benefits arrangement between the three quickly evolves into something deeper, blurring the lines between friendship and more. Used to outrunning the ghosts from their pasts, can Cass, River, and Tessa stop running from each other and learn to stay?
The Rule of Three is an adult, contemporary, friends (with benefits) to lovers, polyamorous romance novel.
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 24, 2023
34 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Snow
8 books346 followersSophie Snow lives in Scotland with her husband and cat, Pumpkin (who she loves dearly, even if he does bite.)
She writes spicy romance books with messy, queer characters and too many Taylor Swift references to count. She has been in love with love stories for as long as she can remember, and writing them as songs and novels since she was twelve.
A forest fairy in a past life, Sophie loves spending time in nature, drinking too much coffee, and trying out more hobbies than she can keep up with.
She writes spicy romance books with messy, queer characters and too many Taylor Swift references to count. She has been in love with love stories for as long as she can remember, and writing them as songs and novels since she was twelve.
A forest fairy in a past life, Sophie loves spending time in nature, drinking too much coffee, and trying out more hobbies than she can keep up with.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
October 23, 2023
5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
* Thankyou to the author for an ARC copy of this book
"She was sunshine and daisies and everything beautiful in the world."
Okay there, Sophie! I see you!
I am obsessed with this book. Like, as soon as I finished, I ran to Amazon and added it to my wishlist because I needed a copy for my trophy shelf.
I finished it so fast (2 days), and it only took that long because I had to sleep.
The communication is amazing, the writing was phenomenal, and it had me absolutely hooked from the start to the finish. I will be telling everyone I know to pick up this book stat!
"River felt like his namesake; wild and untamed; dangling on the edge of danger."
You get:
• LGBTQ+ representation
• MMF Polyamorous Trio
• Physical and emotional abuse/trauma
• Entertainment industry
• Character development
• Friendship
• Substance abuse
• Plus size characters
• Spicy
• Friends (with benefits) to lovers
Thankfully, this book comes out tomorrow, so you will have a chance to be just as obsessed as I am!
"Besides, didn't you say you were trying to open up about your own life a bit more?" She frowned. "I'm almost certain I didn't say that." Aaron shrugged. "Maybe that was just a dream I had."
* Thankyou to the author for an ARC copy of this book
"She was sunshine and daisies and everything beautiful in the world."
Okay there, Sophie! I see you!
I am obsessed with this book. Like, as soon as I finished, I ran to Amazon and added it to my wishlist because I needed a copy for my trophy shelf.
I finished it so fast (2 days), and it only took that long because I had to sleep.
The communication is amazing, the writing was phenomenal, and it had me absolutely hooked from the start to the finish. I will be telling everyone I know to pick up this book stat!
"River felt like his namesake; wild and untamed; dangling on the edge of danger."
You get:
• LGBTQ+ representation
• MMF Polyamorous Trio
• Physical and emotional abuse/trauma
• Entertainment industry
• Character development
• Friendship
• Substance abuse
• Plus size characters
• Spicy
• Friends (with benefits) to lovers
Thankfully, this book comes out tomorrow, so you will have a chance to be just as obsessed as I am!
"Besides, didn't you say you were trying to open up about your own life a bit more?" She frowned. "I'm almost certain I didn't say that." Aaron shrugged. "Maybe that was just a dream I had."
Read
August 21, 2023I wrote a book and it comes out in October!
I love this book with my whole heart and I’m so excited for Cass, River, and Tessa’s story to go out into the world.
The Rule of Three is suuuuper spicy but there are also some pretty heavy triggers, so please head on over to my website for a thorough list of content warnings.
- Sophie 🩷🌿🏳️🌈
I love this book with my whole heart and I’m so excited for Cass, River, and Tessa’s story to go out into the world.
The Rule of Three is suuuuper spicy but there are also some pretty heavy triggers, so please head on over to my website for a thorough list of content warnings.
- Sophie 🩷🌿🏳️🌈
August 21, 2023
I did not know what to expect and being a new author I was completely surprised in a good way! I’ve never read polyamorous tropes in books and this was well written. It also gave that why choose vibe with Tessa but her neighbor and his bestfriend? Just juicy and steamy!
I received this ARC for an honest review, all thoughts/opinions above are fully my own!
I received this ARC for an honest review, all thoughts/opinions above are fully my own!
September 2, 2023
When I read the premise of this book I immediately applied for an ARC and was very fortunate to get a copy. As everyone knows I’m a throuple/ reverse harem fiend and this fit the bill. I really enjoyed the emotional aspect of the relationship between Tessa, River and Cass. They were just so sweet with each other and how they were taking care of Tessa. Tessa’s character growth was my favourite. I love that she chose not to change her appearance for her music career. The spice was quick; not my favourite but still was decent enough to keep me interested. I did find the drama a little long at times; and felt myself skimming a time or two. There are also some triggers in this books so I strongly suggest reading those before picking this up (the trigger warnings give a breakdown of each one and where they are in the book which is 👌🏻). Overall for a debut novel it was well done and I look forward to reading more by Sophie.
March 3, 2024
I'll be honest, I don't even know where to start writing the review for this book: It meant a lot to me and I think it will mean a lot to many other people. Before starting, in fact, I wanted to thank the author for having represented a poly relationship so well, for having given space to a category that, even today, is often not considered or not shown and perceived in the right way. So congratulations to Sophie on her debut novella.
This book captured me from the very first chapter. The vibes, the settings, the special relationship that is established immediately between the protagonists, the first scenes between River and Tessa, in the bookshop and then at the bar. Right from the start I felt this book was a comfort read, which accompanied me for a week, giving me that moment of entertainment and relax. The plot is very simple, we experience the relationship of River, Tessa and Cass, we see them grow together, they help each other heal from past traumas, linked to previous relationships or family problems. The character who had the best development was undoubtedly Tessa, in particular I appreciated the narrative arc dedicated to her musical career, especially the discussion related to appearance. On the other hand, as I understood right away, River, my favorite character; I felt a strong connection with him from the first chapters, and throughout the book he only re-confirmed himself as my favorite character. Cass already took me longer to actually understand some of his attitudes and behaviors, but once I finished reading he too entered my heart.
A highly recommended read, as already mentioned above not only for the plot and the fantastic characters, but also for the important representation brought by Sophie Snow. I hope everyone who decides to pick up this book will enjoy it!
This book captured me from the very first chapter. The vibes, the settings, the special relationship that is established immediately between the protagonists, the first scenes between River and Tessa, in the bookshop and then at the bar. Right from the start I felt this book was a comfort read, which accompanied me for a week, giving me that moment of entertainment and relax. The plot is very simple, we experience the relationship of River, Tessa and Cass, we see them grow together, they help each other heal from past traumas, linked to previous relationships or family problems. The character who had the best development was undoubtedly Tessa, in particular I appreciated the narrative arc dedicated to her musical career, especially the discussion related to appearance. On the other hand, as I understood right away, River, my favorite character; I felt a strong connection with him from the first chapters, and throughout the book he only re-confirmed himself as my favorite character. Cass already took me longer to actually understand some of his attitudes and behaviors, but once I finished reading he too entered my heart.
A highly recommended read, as already mentioned above not only for the plot and the fantastic characters, but also for the important representation brought by Sophie Snow. I hope everyone who decides to pick up this book will enjoy it!
February 17, 2024
This romance was so good and cute!!!! The relationship between the three of them and their characters on their own were so good, their romance, with the basis of friendship and trust growing between them, there's always the underlying attraction there, but this is on them trusting each other and becoming best friends!!!
I also love the povs for each of them and to have bits of angst there, to have the reasons why each of them didn't want them to move forward with the relationship, but the love and wanting being there, the controlling of their feelings and this was just so GOOD, and well done!!! And then also besides the main three, I really like Aaron - who's the only other character you really get - and his relationship with Tessa and then molding with the boys.
On the things I liked less, I was a bit uncomfortable with the way her ex's ex-wife was described, especially being the only female character ever mentioned, even understanding that most characters, that are not the main ones, are not good people (which also felt isolating), but I liked the ending at a bit of a message of forgiveness there and I really liked that!!! The other thing I liked less was the smut, for me the book would have worked better without it, but that's a preference thing, I just wasn't a fan of the style and kinks written with it... The attraction and chemistry is so well done and present, that you feel it without the sex!!!
But really overall, this book was cute and adorable, and the kind of polyamory I want to read, the true partnership you feel with these characters!!!! This is definitely an author I'm keeping an eye out for her next romances - she just published a new one, but the couple, kinks and tropes are not my style, but I really hope to read more from her!!! A great recommendation for romance lovers :D
I also love the povs for each of them and to have bits of angst there, to have the reasons why each of them didn't want them to move forward with the relationship, but the love and wanting being there, the controlling of their feelings and this was just so GOOD, and well done!!! And then also besides the main three, I really like Aaron - who's the only other character you really get - and his relationship with Tessa and then molding with the boys.
On the things I liked less, I was a bit uncomfortable with the way her ex's ex-wife was described, especially being the only female character ever mentioned, even understanding that most characters, that are not the main ones, are not good people (which also felt isolating), but I liked the ending at a bit of a message of forgiveness there and I really liked that!!! The other thing I liked less was the smut, for me the book would have worked better without it, but that's a preference thing, I just wasn't a fan of the style and kinks written with it... The attraction and chemistry is so well done and present, that you feel it without the sex!!!
But really overall, this book was cute and adorable, and the kind of polyamory I want to read, the true partnership you feel with these characters!!!! This is definitely an author I'm keeping an eye out for her next romances - she just published a new one, but the couple, kinks and tropes are not my style, but I really hope to read more from her!!! A great recommendation for romance lovers :D
September 23, 2024
3/5
the most unrealistic thing about this is not the fact that two best friends who have secretly loved each other for over a decade meet a women and she just happens to be the love of both their lives. Oh no my friend.
It‘s the fact that Tessa moves to New York and becomes instant best friends with her two neighbors (strangers!) who also both happen to be extremely hot. In New York.
Now that is that Netflix kinda stuff.
Every now and then I like to give small authors who haven’t had the privilege of the Booktok fame yet a chance and nine out of ten times I don’t regret it.
this is one of those times!
aren‘t I so nice today?
Apart from the already mentioned insta friendship I enjoyed this book. It was sweet and fun and spicy (though a bit repetitive towards the end).
I think about 150 pages more would’ve done this story some good. You can‘t cramp a three person love story into a two person love story length without sacrificing some serious character development (hence the Hallmark movie insta love).
Overall it’s a nice book.. that I would donate if I needed more shelf space but also wouldn’t throw out the window.
xx
——pre review ———
it was… okay? RTC
the most unrealistic thing about this is not the fact that two best friends who have secretly loved each other for over a decade meet a women and she just happens to be the love of both their lives. Oh no my friend.
It‘s the fact that Tessa moves to New York and becomes instant best friends with her two neighbors (strangers!) who also both happen to be extremely hot. In New York.
Now that is that Netflix kinda stuff.
Every now and then I like to give small authors who haven’t had the privilege of the Booktok fame yet a chance and nine out of ten times I don’t regret it.
this is one of those times!
aren‘t I so nice today?
Apart from the already mentioned insta friendship I enjoyed this book. It was sweet and fun and spicy (though a bit repetitive towards the end).
I think about 150 pages more would’ve done this story some good. You can‘t cramp a three person love story into a two person love story length without sacrificing some serious character development (hence the Hallmark movie insta love).
Overall it’s a nice book.. that I would donate if I needed more shelf space but also wouldn’t throw out the window.
xx
——pre review ———
it was… okay? RTC
November 8, 2023
love this for them!! tessa, river and cass deserve all the love, happiness and success in the world and it was a pleasure to read about them finding all that while falling in love with each other too.
August 27, 2023
*ARC READ*
This is the fastest i’ve read a book in a while! Addressing the difficulty of navigating the ace spectrum and questioning the accuracy of past labels attached to your sexuality, I loved reading this sweet story with its adorable protagonists and gripping drama. Super impressive debut novel and I hope to see more from Sophie soon💚💚
This is the fastest i’ve read a book in a while! Addressing the difficulty of navigating the ace spectrum and questioning the accuracy of past labels attached to your sexuality, I loved reading this sweet story with its adorable protagonists and gripping drama. Super impressive debut novel and I hope to see more from Sophie soon💚💚
January 17, 2024
I recognise that this is the author’s debut novel and it’s a great achievement sending that out into the universe. BUT. Some of the issues I had made it impossible for me to enjoy the story and stay engaged in it. If this hadn’t been an ARC, i wouldn’t have finished it.
During the course of this story, we are told a lot of things without seeing the evidence. Biggest example of this is the ‘friendship’ between the trio at the centre of the book, Cass, River, and Tess. They almost immediately become not only friends, but BEST friends. Why? We don’t know. This really bothered me and made it all feel a bit juvenile. These people are meant to be in their 20s and late 30s and yet it was very much giving children at the playground.
The spice. Aaagh. It gets very repetitive towards the end and I was so, so bored. Also I’m sorry to have to say this but the intimate scenes seem poorly researched? The author either does not know anything about 🍑 sex (fair play but maybe look into it before you write it into your book) or they do not care about portraying it responsibly and accurately. I counted four 🍑 scenes- in every single one of them, no prep is done. There are a lot of misconceptions out there and I get that we’re not here for an education but it’s so bothersome to me to see this. It feels irresponsible and could lead to actual injuries.
Also, personal preference but I can’t STAND princess as a pet name. Abolish the monarchy or whatever ?
dnf
January 22, 2024DNF @34%
This just wasn't for me.
Tessa got with her ex who is 43 when she was 19 - this was immediately bad vibes from Tessa, sorry 💀 idk how she thought that would pan out
The smut thus far has been very mediocre and it reads like this was originally written to be fade to black and was changed at the last minute. Also, ik this is fiction but none of the anal scenes have had any proper prep and I'm just reading it like that must hurt like a bitch. This needs a sensitivity reader or more research
Tessa is 26 and 18% into this book two 38 year olds are offering to keep her comfort during the night because of her nightmares? That is weird + she gave them her spare key. Also the characters don’t read as this age. They need to age down to early / mid 20s for this to have a chance of seeming somewhat realistic. For me, it is not possible for those MMCs to be thirty eight (38) years old.
"Tessa had spent too long in the UK; she was cursed with being overly polite." - no one here is polite, our whole brand is that we're not nice
This just wasn't for me.
Tessa got with her ex who is 43 when she was 19 - this was immediately bad vibes from Tessa, sorry 💀 idk how she thought that would pan out
The smut thus far has been very mediocre and it reads like this was originally written to be fade to black and was changed at the last minute. Also, ik this is fiction but none of the anal scenes have had any proper prep and I'm just reading it like that must hurt like a bitch. This needs a sensitivity reader or more research
Tessa is 26 and 18% into this book two 38 year olds are offering to keep her comfort during the night because of her nightmares? That is weird + she gave them her spare key. Also the characters don’t read as this age. They need to age down to early / mid 20s for this to have a chance of seeming somewhat realistic. For me, it is not possible for those MMCs to be thirty eight (38) years old.
"Tessa had spent too long in the UK; she was cursed with being overly polite." - no one here is polite, our whole brand is that we're not nice
January 8, 2025
My friend recommended this to me after I asked for a shorter romance and it did not disappoint.
I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was honestly everything, I loved the dynamic between the three main characters and I loved how it ended. A perfect introduction to this author, and I can’t wait to read more of her books!
I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was honestly everything, I loved the dynamic between the three main characters and I loved how it ended. A perfect introduction to this author, and I can’t wait to read more of her books!
October 21, 2023
4/5 Stars
Thank you to Sophie Snow for the arc to read and review.
I truly never know what to expect for debut authors or even just new to me authors. As someone who reads a lot I have seen some good debuts and some bad debuts but this one was a really good debut. I am a fiend for books with relationships that have more than just 2 people and it was the reason I requested this book and it was done so well. Sophie Snow managed to fit quite a few tropes into this book that sometimes feel forced especially with how many there were but only while I am writing this review I am realizing that they were there. The whole book flowed well and it truly felt like it could have been someone’s journey with the progression.
Tessa Reid flees from the British Press to New York city after her break up with beloved rockstar Jay. The media has always had it out for her but this was just one more story they wouldn’t let go of no matter how wrong they were. After a one night stand with River Sage, she snuck out knowing it would be worse to stay but when she learns that he is also her neighbor as well as his best friend and model, Cassian King, she can’t help but feel sparks for both of them. River is still in love with Cass even after he broke his heart years ago but they are still the best of friends so when Tess comes into their life everything gets thrown out of wack.
I really don’t have a favorite out of the three main characters which is rare for me but I truly adore each of them equally. I felt like they each had a well done story arc that felt complete and they had arcs as individuals as well as within the relationship. Tessa just has managed to leave Jay even though she should have years ago and is processing that as well as her relationship with her family. She is trying to focus on herself but also can’t just let her feelings for Cass and River go and seeing her work through everything was remarkable. River has never really had people who he loved and felt loved by other than Cass and Cass’s family. River’s family doesn’t accept him for who he is and abandoned him when he needed them the most. He also is dealing with the fact that he is romantically in love with Cass and has been most of his life but he doesn’t see a future that involves them together after Cass broke his heart. I loved seeing River grow and process all of this because it was a lot but it was well done. Cass grew up with a loving family but he joined the modeling industry pretty young and that industry has taken its toll on him. Cass didn’t understand what love meant for him when he was with River and didn’t want to drag River down with him while he was dealing with that so instead he let him go.
I loved how complex the characters and relationships are in this book and I can’t wait to see what Sophie Snow does next.
Thank you to Sophie Snow for the arc to read and review.
I truly never know what to expect for debut authors or even just new to me authors. As someone who reads a lot I have seen some good debuts and some bad debuts but this one was a really good debut. I am a fiend for books with relationships that have more than just 2 people and it was the reason I requested this book and it was done so well. Sophie Snow managed to fit quite a few tropes into this book that sometimes feel forced especially with how many there were but only while I am writing this review I am realizing that they were there. The whole book flowed well and it truly felt like it could have been someone’s journey with the progression.
Tessa Reid flees from the British Press to New York city after her break up with beloved rockstar Jay. The media has always had it out for her but this was just one more story they wouldn’t let go of no matter how wrong they were. After a one night stand with River Sage, she snuck out knowing it would be worse to stay but when she learns that he is also her neighbor as well as his best friend and model, Cassian King, she can’t help but feel sparks for both of them. River is still in love with Cass even after he broke his heart years ago but they are still the best of friends so when Tess comes into their life everything gets thrown out of wack.
I really don’t have a favorite out of the three main characters which is rare for me but I truly adore each of them equally. I felt like they each had a well done story arc that felt complete and they had arcs as individuals as well as within the relationship. Tessa just has managed to leave Jay even though she should have years ago and is processing that as well as her relationship with her family. She is trying to focus on herself but also can’t just let her feelings for Cass and River go and seeing her work through everything was remarkable. River has never really had people who he loved and felt loved by other than Cass and Cass’s family. River’s family doesn’t accept him for who he is and abandoned him when he needed them the most. He also is dealing with the fact that he is romantically in love with Cass and has been most of his life but he doesn’t see a future that involves them together after Cass broke his heart. I loved seeing River grow and process all of this because it was a lot but it was well done. Cass grew up with a loving family but he joined the modeling industry pretty young and that industry has taken its toll on him. Cass didn’t understand what love meant for him when he was with River and didn’t want to drag River down with him while he was dealing with that so instead he let him go.
I loved how complex the characters and relationships are in this book and I can’t wait to see what Sophie Snow does next.
September 6, 2023
Overall rating: 5/5⭐️
Spice level: 4/5🌶️
Wow, I loved this book and devoured it! I really enjoyed the plot of this book; Tessa finds herself single and meets River, a romance author, and has a one-night stand after finishing a very messy relationship with her ex, a rockstar. She moves into the flat in NYC which she was supposed to share with her ex-boyfriend and finds that her new neighbour is her one-night stand. To say the least, she hits it off with her one-night stand and his best friend forming a MMF trio.
I really enjoyed the Taylor Swift references and book lover references throughout the book and how each of the charcaters found themselves. I enjoyed the different points of view from a third person narrative and how each of these portrayed Tessa, River and Cass' feelings. I enjoyed reading about the dynamic between the three charcaters and their differences in upbringings. I think that Sophie (writer) did a fantastic job of creating enough depth to the characters and this helped with the story's plot.
Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
Spice level: 4/5🌶️
Wow, I loved this book and devoured it! I really enjoyed the plot of this book; Tessa finds herself single and meets River, a romance author, and has a one-night stand after finishing a very messy relationship with her ex, a rockstar. She moves into the flat in NYC which she was supposed to share with her ex-boyfriend and finds that her new neighbour is her one-night stand. To say the least, she hits it off with her one-night stand and his best friend forming a MMF trio.
I really enjoyed the Taylor Swift references and book lover references throughout the book and how each of the charcaters found themselves. I enjoyed the different points of view from a third person narrative and how each of these portrayed Tessa, River and Cass' feelings. I enjoyed reading about the dynamic between the three charcaters and their differences in upbringings. I think that Sophie (writer) did a fantastic job of creating enough depth to the characters and this helped with the story's plot.
Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
March 31, 2024
I was at a low point in my life when I got to read this book and believe me when I say that this book is responsible for lifting me up in more ways than I expected.
Firstly, I cannot believe that The Rule of Three is Sophie's debut. I mean how could she take such complicated topics and blend them in the name of her beautiful characters and then present it to us in a golden plate to enjoy!? Genius!!
I loved all three characters. Promise I do not have any favorites. I just wanted them to be happy and Sophie made that happen!
Sophie's characters are those who can see the good in people and still choose to love them no matter what. I wish this existed in real life too.
Tropes:
Neighbours to lovers
One-night stand
Curvy FMC
All are Queer
Lots of Spice!!
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of the book and would definitely be reading more of what Sophie Snow writes.
Firstly, I cannot believe that The Rule of Three is Sophie's debut. I mean how could she take such complicated topics and blend them in the name of her beautiful characters and then present it to us in a golden plate to enjoy!? Genius!!
I loved all three characters. Promise I do not have any favorites. I just wanted them to be happy and Sophie made that happen!
Sophie's characters are those who can see the good in people and still choose to love them no matter what. I wish this existed in real life too.
Tropes:
Neighbours to lovers
One-night stand
Curvy FMC
All are Queer
Lots of Spice!!
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of the book and would definitely be reading more of what Sophie Snow writes.
August 28, 2023
“We’ve been talking, princess, and we want to make you feel better.”
This book left me with such an amazing hangover! The build up and emotion felt as I read and the character development was perfect. The spice and development went hand in hand that I just couldn’t put it down and read it in mere hours. Just imagining Cass, Tessa and River in my head has me begging for more.
This book left me with such an amazing hangover! The build up and emotion felt as I read and the character development was perfect. The spice and development went hand in hand that I just couldn’t put it down and read it in mere hours. Just imagining Cass, Tessa and River in my head has me begging for more.
November 2, 2023
Congratulations to the lovely Sophie Snow on her debut release! I’m so honoured to have been selected as an arc reader for this lovely book, and I’m happy to share my honest review!
This book was so wonderful, not only is it packed with some serious, excellent, mind blowing spice (like some of the hottest stuff I’ve ever read), it delivers incredible stories of past trauma and the extensive, years-long healing involved in the process. Definitely check your trigger warnings for this book as it deals with some heavy topics (full list available on Sophie Snow’s website).
I adored every single character in this book (except you know who, fuck him) and their stories they had to share with each other. The instantaneous chemistry between these three characters was so entertaining to read, they just get each other immediately and in such a comforting way, I wanted to wrap them all up in a hug because they’re so sweet. Not only do they have perfect chemistry emotionally, but their physical connection is off the charts. The spice is so good, Sophie even included a reference list in the back of the book with alllll the spicy scenes and their page numbers (trust me, you’ll want to go back and read them).
This book features
- MMF, MM, and MFM
- friends with benefits
- one night stand to neighbours
- plus size FMC representation
- closed polyamorous trio
- everyone’s queer and it’s great
I adored this book, not only is it so packed with really spicy content, it’s packed with emotional journeys as well. Each character experiences excellent growth throughout the book’s timeline and it was so lovely to read about their healing process. I seriously loved this, I was genuinely upset when I finished the book because I just wanted to read about these three forever. Thank you again to Sophie Snow for the e-ARC, I’m so excited for the next book in the series!
This book was so wonderful, not only is it packed with some serious, excellent, mind blowing spice (like some of the hottest stuff I’ve ever read), it delivers incredible stories of past trauma and the extensive, years-long healing involved in the process. Definitely check your trigger warnings for this book as it deals with some heavy topics (full list available on Sophie Snow’s website).
I adored every single character in this book (except you know who, fuck him) and their stories they had to share with each other. The instantaneous chemistry between these three characters was so entertaining to read, they just get each other immediately and in such a comforting way, I wanted to wrap them all up in a hug because they’re so sweet. Not only do they have perfect chemistry emotionally, but their physical connection is off the charts. The spice is so good, Sophie even included a reference list in the back of the book with alllll the spicy scenes and their page numbers (trust me, you’ll want to go back and read them).
This book features
- MMF, MM, and MFM
- friends with benefits
- one night stand to neighbours
- plus size FMC representation
- closed polyamorous trio
- everyone’s queer and it’s great
I adored this book, not only is it so packed with really spicy content, it’s packed with emotional journeys as well. Each character experiences excellent growth throughout the book’s timeline and it was so lovely to read about their healing process. I seriously loved this, I was genuinely upset when I finished the book because I just wanted to read about these three forever. Thank you again to Sophie Snow for the e-ARC, I’m so excited for the next book in the series!
March 31, 2024
Overall: 4
Spice: 4
This was the first book by this author, and it didn't let down. The author addressed poly relationship with the care it deserves. It's not for everyone and everyone needs to be on the same page. I love how they become friends first then become lovers. They all have different backgrounds and not ashamed of their past. Is their past that draws them together.
Spice: 4
This was the first book by this author, and it didn't let down. The author addressed poly relationship with the care it deserves. It's not for everyone and everyone needs to be on the same page. I love how they become friends first then become lovers. They all have different backgrounds and not ashamed of their past. Is their past that draws them together.
March 5, 2025
Good writing and a sweet story about healing. It's also very spicy. Diverse cast without it feeling like a bingo. Will definitely be checking out more of Sophie Snow's work.
September 18, 2023
💕 The Rule of Three by Sophie Snow 💕
“The rule of three. The idea that everything is better in three”
I was sent this ARC by the author, Sophie Snow, ahead of the official release on the 24th October 2023.
After a slog of Fantasy and Greek Myth retellings, I was in the mood for a fluffy romance and this one did not disappoint. The byline in the summary of this book is as follows:
Her reputation has never been worse.
Their love fell apart and left them with a missing piece.
Can three broken hearts hold onto each other long enough to fight for their happy ending?
Siri play “Delicate by Taylor Swift”. Calling all Swiftie Romance readers - if you’re anything like me, you will be giddy with the number of Taylor Swift references sprinkled throughout this spicy, polyamorous romance; both subtle and obvious. In fact, Sophie even dedicates the book to our Queen and saviour: “For Taylor, who made me fall in love with love stories, and taught me to tell them fearlessly”. As a diehard Taylor Swift fan since debut, every tiny reference to her and her music made me unbelievably happy.
This book follows the perspectives of the three main characters in TROT; Tessa, River and Cass. Tessa Reid is a curvy, blonde songwriter, who is recovering from a messy, abusive and extremely public relationship with a world-famous musician. Alone and grieving, she leaves London and the relentless, vicious tabloids, moving to New York. Following a meet-cute in an NYC bookshop, Tessa has a one-night stand with River Sage, the gorgeous, tattooed indie-author with a troubled past. Despite it being one of the best nights of her life, she sneaks out of his hotel room in the middle of the night; only to soon discover that the man she can’t get out of her head, is her new neighbour.
Indie, romance author, hopeless romantic and covert cinnamon roll, River lives with his best friend and former lover (a.k.a the love of his freaking life) Cassian King. Cassian is a fashion model - with the looks to boot; a saucy, secretive smile and easy-going personality makes everyone at ease. After years of denying their feelings; questioning of sexuality and a complicated past consisting of a multitude of trauma - River and Cass soon begin to question everything they thought they knew, as Tessa breezes into their life and lights everything aflame.
Sparks fly (*giggles to myself*) are inevitable and soon results in a polyamorous, friends-with-benefits arrangement which further complicates matters and blurs the lines they set between best friends and something much more.
Sophie’s debut novel has it all! It is a cosy, spicy romance which touches on a number of important and pressing topics, while remaining fluffy and enjoyable. There are a number of trigger warnings, which are clearly set out at the start of the book. These include a range of explicit content, and also touches on heavier topics both on and off page. Potential on-page triggers include: Alcohol and drug use, anxiety, body modification (including face/genital tattoos and genital piercings,) crowding, depression, discussions of babies/pregnancy, explicit language, explicit sexual content (including anal sex, biting, bondage, choking, double penetration, fingering, masturbation, spanking, and use of sex toys,) fatphobia, nightmares, and revenge porn. Potential triggers mentioned but not expressly shown on page include: Abortion, abuse (physical/emotional, implied sexual abuse of a minor, child abuse,) addiction (alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling addiction,) cheating, homophobia, imprisonment, injury, overdose and detoxing, racism, and suicidal thoughts.
Sophie handles these heavier topics with compassion and ease while also illustrating these abusive relationships in the context of healing and self-worth. Tessa’s character development throughout the book is messy and riddled with flaws, which is imperfect and utterly human. Through genuine love and compassion, both from River and Cass as well as their non-binary best friend Aaron, Tessa learns the importance of self-worth, love and tackling one’s own demons. She starts as a brow-beaten, abused songwriter to an impassioned, strong recording artist, who fights for her voice to be heard - both literally and metaphorically. Aaron, her friend and music producer is a delightful character who supplies an external perspective on domestic abuse - awareness and helplessness of loved ones when their friends are involved in these coercive, abusive relationships. It didn’t hurt that Aaron was also a sweet and encouraging friend who only wanted to support and empower Tessa - their steadfast support and guidance was instrumental to Tessa’s character arc.
In addition to Tessa’s development, both male love interests also go through a great deal of personal development, River comes to terms with his past, both in terms of his parents and his relationship with Cass. He also finds himself falling in love, which is openly reciprocated and shared for the first time in his life which helps to grow his own sense of confidence and self-worth. Besides Tessa, Cass’s personal growth, acceptance and realisation is most poignant. Cass begins to question his sexuality for a second time in his adulthood - which confuses and complicates his feelings towards both Tessa and River. Formally identifying as aro-sexual, he finds himself questioning the label he loosely defined himself as (despite admitting to despising labels).
Sophie deals with important issues such as body confidence and sexuality with subtlety and ease. Something I found myself appreciating throughout her writing is the seamless way in which she discusses Tessa’s size - which draws attention to the fact that she is plus-size without adhering to the stigmatised tropes and hurtful stereotypes often seen in literature and media. Tessa’s character is seen as loving, embracing and accepting her body; while also portraying a plus-size or bigger-bodied woman as beautiful and desirable. There was also an instance where Tessa was shown to sticks up for herself - as illustrated by the following quotes: “Let’s call it what it is: my body makes you uncomfortable.” She shrugged. “I’m not here to make you comfortable. I’m here to make music”…. “I like my body, not that it should matter, and I have no intention of changing it for anyone.” and “So her body took up a little more space than some; so what? She wasn’t going to apologise for it. She looked in the mirror and saw a successful woman who looked damn good, and, frankly, she didn’t give a fuck what anyone else thought when they looked at her”. We as women, particularly plus-size women, are expected to apologise for taking up space and shamed/criticised when we are accepting or appreciative of our own bodies - Sophie’s portrayal of a plus-size/curvy character is important, moving and empowering.
The author also displays topics such as consent as a matter of import, portraying genuine consent practice as a precursor to sex acts; there is a misconception that gaining consent is “unsexy” and detracts from the scene/act itself. However, Sophie shows that this is not the case! She also illustrates a healthy relationship, despite being typically “unconventional” their triad learns to effectively communicate to nurture a healthy relationship. Their journey (both in regards to their relationship and individual healing) is not linear, nor predictable as humans are flawed and subject to their own feelings and intricacies - Snow deals with this seamlessly in her writing and is something that I greatly appreciate. In addition to this, Sophie discussion of a polyamorous relationship, displayed the connection and love without the typical assumptions and tropes associated with these relationships.
The only notable “problem” with this book, was the speed at which Tessa, River and Cass became “best friends” while I can understand both for the length of the book and perhaps the character arcs, this may have been necessary; given their past trauma as well as Tessa’s abuse, their immediate trust was not necessarily realistic. However, this was not a deal-breaker for me as I can definitely appreciate the insta-love trope on occasion.
I also want to take a moment to signpost my favourite quotes from this book - there were more, so I had to cut it down, but these were by far the best of the best.
“She may have dated one of the world’s biggest musicians, but that didn’t mean she owed anyone her love, her joy, her pain. And she certainly didn’t owe them her privacy”
“They’d weathered their darkest storms together, and none of the things that should have shredded the golden thread that tied them together had so much as touched it”
“... if she were still considering London home. She glances at River and Cass. She wasn’t so sure these days”
“Something about seeing her and River together, like two planets perfectly in orbit, made his heart stop dead in his chest”
“She was sunshine and daisies and everything beautiful in the world”
“For someone who didn’t read much, they’d really nailed the unhinged reader thing”
“She was doing better than she ever was”
“The rule of three. The idea that everything is better in three”
“She found the contest thing to peace she could; somewhere between the melody and the lyrics; somewhere between River and Cass”
“I was untethered until you put my roots in the ground”
“She’d spent her whole life reading fairytale romances, thinking that such things could never exist. But sometimes, the fairy tales paled in comparison to reality. And perhaps Tessa liked her own stories most, after all”
This book was a steamy, spicy and sweet contemporary “why-choose?” romance, which was unputdownable. The spicy scenes were hot and plentiful, with a mixture of MF, MM and MMF explicit scenes. I am obsessed and I need a physical edition when it is formally released to display on my shelves - a signed special edition wouldn’t hurt 👀 I am so excited for more people to read this book so I can have someone to discuss it with! I also cannot wait to see what Sophie does next - her debut certainly indicates she can only succeed going forward!
“The rule of three. The idea that everything is better in three”
I was sent this ARC by the author, Sophie Snow, ahead of the official release on the 24th October 2023.
After a slog of Fantasy and Greek Myth retellings, I was in the mood for a fluffy romance and this one did not disappoint. The byline in the summary of this book is as follows:
Her reputation has never been worse.
Their love fell apart and left them with a missing piece.
Can three broken hearts hold onto each other long enough to fight for their happy ending?
Siri play “Delicate by Taylor Swift”. Calling all Swiftie Romance readers - if you’re anything like me, you will be giddy with the number of Taylor Swift references sprinkled throughout this spicy, polyamorous romance; both subtle and obvious. In fact, Sophie even dedicates the book to our Queen and saviour: “For Taylor, who made me fall in love with love stories, and taught me to tell them fearlessly”. As a diehard Taylor Swift fan since debut, every tiny reference to her and her music made me unbelievably happy.
This book follows the perspectives of the three main characters in TROT; Tessa, River and Cass. Tessa Reid is a curvy, blonde songwriter, who is recovering from a messy, abusive and extremely public relationship with a world-famous musician. Alone and grieving, she leaves London and the relentless, vicious tabloids, moving to New York. Following a meet-cute in an NYC bookshop, Tessa has a one-night stand with River Sage, the gorgeous, tattooed indie-author with a troubled past. Despite it being one of the best nights of her life, she sneaks out of his hotel room in the middle of the night; only to soon discover that the man she can’t get out of her head, is her new neighbour.
Indie, romance author, hopeless romantic and covert cinnamon roll, River lives with his best friend and former lover (a.k.a the love of his freaking life) Cassian King. Cassian is a fashion model - with the looks to boot; a saucy, secretive smile and easy-going personality makes everyone at ease. After years of denying their feelings; questioning of sexuality and a complicated past consisting of a multitude of trauma - River and Cass soon begin to question everything they thought they knew, as Tessa breezes into their life and lights everything aflame.
Sparks fly (*giggles to myself*) are inevitable and soon results in a polyamorous, friends-with-benefits arrangement which further complicates matters and blurs the lines they set between best friends and something much more.
Sophie’s debut novel has it all! It is a cosy, spicy romance which touches on a number of important and pressing topics, while remaining fluffy and enjoyable. There are a number of trigger warnings, which are clearly set out at the start of the book. These include a range of explicit content, and also touches on heavier topics both on and off page. Potential on-page triggers include: Alcohol and drug use, anxiety, body modification (including face/genital tattoos and genital piercings,) crowding, depression, discussions of babies/pregnancy, explicit language, explicit sexual content (including anal sex, biting, bondage, choking, double penetration, fingering, masturbation, spanking, and use of sex toys,) fatphobia, nightmares, and revenge porn. Potential triggers mentioned but not expressly shown on page include: Abortion, abuse (physical/emotional, implied sexual abuse of a minor, child abuse,) addiction (alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling addiction,) cheating, homophobia, imprisonment, injury, overdose and detoxing, racism, and suicidal thoughts.
Sophie handles these heavier topics with compassion and ease while also illustrating these abusive relationships in the context of healing and self-worth. Tessa’s character development throughout the book is messy and riddled with flaws, which is imperfect and utterly human. Through genuine love and compassion, both from River and Cass as well as their non-binary best friend Aaron, Tessa learns the importance of self-worth, love and tackling one’s own demons. She starts as a brow-beaten, abused songwriter to an impassioned, strong recording artist, who fights for her voice to be heard - both literally and metaphorically. Aaron, her friend and music producer is a delightful character who supplies an external perspective on domestic abuse - awareness and helplessness of loved ones when their friends are involved in these coercive, abusive relationships. It didn’t hurt that Aaron was also a sweet and encouraging friend who only wanted to support and empower Tessa - their steadfast support and guidance was instrumental to Tessa’s character arc.
In addition to Tessa’s development, both male love interests also go through a great deal of personal development, River comes to terms with his past, both in terms of his parents and his relationship with Cass. He also finds himself falling in love, which is openly reciprocated and shared for the first time in his life which helps to grow his own sense of confidence and self-worth. Besides Tessa, Cass’s personal growth, acceptance and realisation is most poignant. Cass begins to question his sexuality for a second time in his adulthood - which confuses and complicates his feelings towards both Tessa and River. Formally identifying as aro-sexual, he finds himself questioning the label he loosely defined himself as (despite admitting to despising labels).
Sophie deals with important issues such as body confidence and sexuality with subtlety and ease. Something I found myself appreciating throughout her writing is the seamless way in which she discusses Tessa’s size - which draws attention to the fact that she is plus-size without adhering to the stigmatised tropes and hurtful stereotypes often seen in literature and media. Tessa’s character is seen as loving, embracing and accepting her body; while also portraying a plus-size or bigger-bodied woman as beautiful and desirable. There was also an instance where Tessa was shown to sticks up for herself - as illustrated by the following quotes: “Let’s call it what it is: my body makes you uncomfortable.” She shrugged. “I’m not here to make you comfortable. I’m here to make music”…. “I like my body, not that it should matter, and I have no intention of changing it for anyone.” and “So her body took up a little more space than some; so what? She wasn’t going to apologise for it. She looked in the mirror and saw a successful woman who looked damn good, and, frankly, she didn’t give a fuck what anyone else thought when they looked at her”. We as women, particularly plus-size women, are expected to apologise for taking up space and shamed/criticised when we are accepting or appreciative of our own bodies - Sophie’s portrayal of a plus-size/curvy character is important, moving and empowering.
The author also displays topics such as consent as a matter of import, portraying genuine consent practice as a precursor to sex acts; there is a misconception that gaining consent is “unsexy” and detracts from the scene/act itself. However, Sophie shows that this is not the case! She also illustrates a healthy relationship, despite being typically “unconventional” their triad learns to effectively communicate to nurture a healthy relationship. Their journey (both in regards to their relationship and individual healing) is not linear, nor predictable as humans are flawed and subject to their own feelings and intricacies - Snow deals with this seamlessly in her writing and is something that I greatly appreciate. In addition to this, Sophie discussion of a polyamorous relationship, displayed the connection and love without the typical assumptions and tropes associated with these relationships.
The only notable “problem” with this book, was the speed at which Tessa, River and Cass became “best friends” while I can understand both for the length of the book and perhaps the character arcs, this may have been necessary; given their past trauma as well as Tessa’s abuse, their immediate trust was not necessarily realistic. However, this was not a deal-breaker for me as I can definitely appreciate the insta-love trope on occasion.
I also want to take a moment to signpost my favourite quotes from this book - there were more, so I had to cut it down, but these were by far the best of the best.
“She may have dated one of the world’s biggest musicians, but that didn’t mean she owed anyone her love, her joy, her pain. And she certainly didn’t owe them her privacy”
“They’d weathered their darkest storms together, and none of the things that should have shredded the golden thread that tied them together had so much as touched it”
“... if she were still considering London home. She glances at River and Cass. She wasn’t so sure these days”
“Something about seeing her and River together, like two planets perfectly in orbit, made his heart stop dead in his chest”
“She was sunshine and daisies and everything beautiful in the world”
“For someone who didn’t read much, they’d really nailed the unhinged reader thing”
“She was doing better than she ever was”
“The rule of three. The idea that everything is better in three”
“She found the contest thing to peace she could; somewhere between the melody and the lyrics; somewhere between River and Cass”
“I was untethered until you put my roots in the ground”
“She’d spent her whole life reading fairytale romances, thinking that such things could never exist. But sometimes, the fairy tales paled in comparison to reality. And perhaps Tessa liked her own stories most, after all”
This book was a steamy, spicy and sweet contemporary “why-choose?” romance, which was unputdownable. The spicy scenes were hot and plentiful, with a mixture of MF, MM and MMF explicit scenes. I am obsessed and I need a physical edition when it is formally released to display on my shelves - a signed special edition wouldn’t hurt 👀 I am so excited for more people to read this book so I can have someone to discuss it with! I also cannot wait to see what Sophie does next - her debut certainly indicates she can only succeed going forward!
October 23, 2023
The Rule of Three you get....
♡MMF
♡MM
♡MF
♡Polyamorous.
♡Lots of Spice.
♡Talk about Physical and Emotional Abuse and Trauma.
♡Plus Size Character.
♡One Night Stand.
♡Friend's to Friend's with Benefits to Lovers!
♡LGBTQ+ is represented
♡Singer/Songwriter, Romance Writer, and a Model.
♡Trio/Traid Relationship.
I loved Cass, River, and Tessa’s story. They each grew so much throughout and became better for each other. I couldn't put it down, and I hope we get more stories from this world!
I'm a Swiftie, and I just loved all the Taylor references!! Also, Sophie's dedication says, "For Taylor, who made me fall in love with love stories, and taught me to tell them fearlessly." 💜🖤💜🖤
♡MMF
♡MM
♡MF
♡Polyamorous.
♡Lots of Spice.
♡Talk about Physical and Emotional Abuse and Trauma.
♡Plus Size Character.
♡One Night Stand.
♡Friend's to Friend's with Benefits to Lovers!
♡LGBTQ+ is represented
♡Singer/Songwriter, Romance Writer, and a Model.
♡Trio/Traid Relationship.
I loved Cass, River, and Tessa’s story. They each grew so much throughout and became better for each other. I couldn't put it down, and I hope we get more stories from this world!
I'm a Swiftie, and I just loved all the Taylor references!! Also, Sophie's dedication says, "For Taylor, who made me fall in love with love stories, and taught me to tell them fearlessly." 💜🖤💜🖤
October 2, 2023
I received an ARC for this debut novel. I wasn’t expecting much with the author being new. But- she didn’t disappoint. While there are spicy scenes, the character growth is the main take away for me. It’s not just smut. Each character has such growth and it’s very detailed in emotions.
I knocked one star off because I do not like 3rd POV. It’s usually very hard for me to follow but this story was not. Typically, with 3rd POV, I’ll automatically DNF. Tessa, River, and Cass deserved my attention because of how well it was packed with development.
I knocked one star off because I do not like 3rd POV. It’s usually very hard for me to follow but this story was not. Typically, with 3rd POV, I’ll automatically DNF. Tessa, River, and Cass deserved my attention because of how well it was packed with development.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2023
I want to give this book 4.5 ⭐️’s
When I saw the blurb of this book on the authors TikTok it was an automatic yes from me, I applied for a chance to be an ARC reader and was very fortunate to get a copy.
This book did not disappoint the inclusivity with in this book is amazing and so well written. It’s cute, spicy and emotional. The relationship between Tessa, River and cas was beautiful and tessa’s growth thought about the book got me and reminded me of my self in some aspects especially with the fat phobia. The spice was good just a little short would have loved the scenes to be a little longer but I was still pulled in. I did find my self trying to read quicker just to I could find out what was going to happen. Please read Trigger warnings as there are some heavier topics.
Overall as a debut novel from Sophie Snow it was so good and I can’t wait to read more from her!
The rule of Three will be out on the 24th October. Run don’t walk!
September 9, 2023
**ARC**
⭐️4.5/5⭐️
🌶️3/5🌶️
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sophie Snow has outdone themselves with this being their debut novel.
First of all, you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but before I read TROT, when the cover was revealed, I liked it. Now after having read the book, I LOVE the cover. It describes the book perfectly after getting to know the characters.
I loved learning about Tessa, River and Cass. Their own characters were portrayed really well, you get to know them all individually and also how they all fit into each others lives.
The book has several different topics that are approached really well, and issues are overcome.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to read spicy romance.
⭐️4.5/5⭐️
🌶️3/5🌶️
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sophie Snow has outdone themselves with this being their debut novel.
First of all, you’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but before I read TROT, when the cover was revealed, I liked it. Now after having read the book, I LOVE the cover. It describes the book perfectly after getting to know the characters.
I loved learning about Tessa, River and Cass. Their own characters were portrayed really well, you get to know them all individually and also how they all fit into each others lives.
The book has several different topics that are approached really well, and issues are overcome.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to read spicy romance.
August 21, 2023
I'm not even sure where to start with this review!! I will say that contemporary romance isn't my favorite genre and I find a lot of books about triads to be lacking in a lot of ways. So when I say that I was blown away by The Rule of Three, you know I really mean it.
This is a cozy (with spice!) romance about a song writer, a romance writer she meets at a bookstore, and the romance writers best friend. That is a dramatic simplification, but for the sake of this review let's leave it at that. The spice starts quickly, the feelings come after, and the whole time I felt like I was getting a warm hug!! Where do I find a Tessa, Cass, and River?!
On to some of the specifics I loved.
I love the subtle way the author includes Stella's size. Here is a quick quote to show what I mean.. "Under normal circumstances, she might have squealed, protested that she was too heavy, checked all the bashful boxes women of her size were expected to." Its drawing attention to her body without playing into the typical tropes or feeling like the author was trying to get brownie points for writing a plus sized woman. She treats her body like any other body, and as a fat woman myself I really appreciate that!!
Excellent use of consent, explicit but so woven into the story without making it feel like a box the author was checking off. The author made it flow AND made it sexy!
I LOVE that there was no act 3 miscommunication that lead to a breakup. the split was due to a very healthy abundance of communication and the whole time, I never once doubted as a reader that they didn't understand each other and I didn't scream at my e-reader to "JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER ALREADY" because they were talking and the healing journey they went on felt realistic and natural (because its not a straight line to healing! Sometimes you have to run away when your not-boyfriend says he loves you! as a treat!)
Also, I felt like there was a great balance of emphasis placed on ALL of the partners and their individual relationships with each other, rather than just putting all of the attention on the woman and her relationships. I felt like the triad really loved and respected each other AND they loved the way that the other two were in love as well. There were no ugly jealous feelings, just genuine fears due to past relationship issues that felt organic and had a natural conclusion.
I really loved this book. The quality of the writing is superb, you can tell the author really did her homework.
Pick this up when it drops in October!! You won't be disappointed!!
This is a cozy (with spice!) romance about a song writer, a romance writer she meets at a bookstore, and the romance writers best friend. That is a dramatic simplification, but for the sake of this review let's leave it at that. The spice starts quickly, the feelings come after, and the whole time I felt like I was getting a warm hug!! Where do I find a Tessa, Cass, and River?!
On to some of the specifics I loved.
I love the subtle way the author includes Stella's size. Here is a quick quote to show what I mean.. "Under normal circumstances, she might have squealed, protested that she was too heavy, checked all the bashful boxes women of her size were expected to." Its drawing attention to her body without playing into the typical tropes or feeling like the author was trying to get brownie points for writing a plus sized woman. She treats her body like any other body, and as a fat woman myself I really appreciate that!!
Excellent use of consent, explicit but so woven into the story without making it feel like a box the author was checking off. The author made it flow AND made it sexy!
I LOVE that there was no act 3 miscommunication that lead to a breakup. the split was due to a very healthy abundance of communication and the whole time, I never once doubted as a reader that they didn't understand each other and I didn't scream at my e-reader to "JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER ALREADY" because they were talking and the healing journey they went on felt realistic and natural (because its not a straight line to healing! Sometimes you have to run away when your not-boyfriend says he loves you! as a treat!)
Also, I felt like there was a great balance of emphasis placed on ALL of the partners and their individual relationships with each other, rather than just putting all of the attention on the woman and her relationships. I felt like the triad really loved and respected each other AND they loved the way that the other two were in love as well. There were no ugly jealous feelings, just genuine fears due to past relationship issues that felt organic and had a natural conclusion.
I really loved this book. The quality of the writing is superb, you can tell the author really did her homework.
Pick this up when it drops in October!! You won't be disappointed!!
September 18, 2023
"She should've known better than to fall for a fucking rockstar."
Tessa, a songwriter is in the midst of a messy and public breakup from Jay Hutchinson one of the world's biggest musicians. Escaping to New York after the end of their seven year relationship, which he'd ended with one simple sentence is when she finds everything she's been missing in the most unlikely of places on a rainy day at the newspaper stand, enter River.
Let me just start this by saying, just yes, absolutely yes to this book if you're considering picking it up.
I'd never read a polyamorous trope prior to this and I absolutely loved the relationships between Tessa, Cass and River individually but also, the way in which they help each other address the individual struggles within their lives whilst understanding that they don't need each other to fix those issues but be the helping hand on their journey.
The model, the writer, the musician.
Tessa's character development from being a sad b*tch to a bad b*tch is just 🤌 like I am HERE for it. That she is so unapologetically herself, embracing her sexuality and that she's a plus sized girl who isn't going to change to conform to society's standards within the musical industry; it was so refreshing for an FMC within a book to show some plus sized representation.
Also.. the spice in this book was next level! I was reading some of those scenes on a commute in a heatwave and just wow. 🥵 I love that Sophie has created such a beautiful story and plot which isn't drowned out by the spice in any way which I personally love.
"I'm going to tell you what to do with your fingers princess. And you're going to do as your told."
The inclusivity in this book for the LGBTQ+ community, the cultural diversity in our two MMC's as well as the characters and their own experience with mental health is something I love to see in a book, which should absolutely be destigmatized.
I devoured this book within 24 hours and I genuinely forgot at times I was reading, I would say to anyone looking to dive into this book please read your trigger warnings as it is certainly not a light read and there are some heavy topics covered.
Thank you so much for sending me an ARC of your book Sophie, I can't wait to read more of your work in the future!
Tessa, a songwriter is in the midst of a messy and public breakup from Jay Hutchinson one of the world's biggest musicians. Escaping to New York after the end of their seven year relationship, which he'd ended with one simple sentence is when she finds everything she's been missing in the most unlikely of places on a rainy day at the newspaper stand, enter River.
Let me just start this by saying, just yes, absolutely yes to this book if you're considering picking it up.
I'd never read a polyamorous trope prior to this and I absolutely loved the relationships between Tessa, Cass and River individually but also, the way in which they help each other address the individual struggles within their lives whilst understanding that they don't need each other to fix those issues but be the helping hand on their journey.
The model, the writer, the musician.
Tessa's character development from being a sad b*tch to a bad b*tch is just 🤌 like I am HERE for it. That she is so unapologetically herself, embracing her sexuality and that she's a plus sized girl who isn't going to change to conform to society's standards within the musical industry; it was so refreshing for an FMC within a book to show some plus sized representation.
Also.. the spice in this book was next level! I was reading some of those scenes on a commute in a heatwave and just wow. 🥵 I love that Sophie has created such a beautiful story and plot which isn't drowned out by the spice in any way which I personally love.
"I'm going to tell you what to do with your fingers princess. And you're going to do as your told."
The inclusivity in this book for the LGBTQ+ community, the cultural diversity in our two MMC's as well as the characters and their own experience with mental health is something I love to see in a book, which should absolutely be destigmatized.
I devoured this book within 24 hours and I genuinely forgot at times I was reading, I would say to anyone looking to dive into this book please read your trigger warnings as it is certainly not a light read and there are some heavy topics covered.
Thank you so much for sending me an ARC of your book Sophie, I can't wait to read more of your work in the future!
October 18, 2023
minor spoilers
What a sweet book and so well done for a debut novel. This was a sweet heartwarming book with lots of good spice. I really enjoyed the characters and their backstories and their growth in the book that in the end strengthened their relationships together. Like I said this was really well done and I am surprised it was a debut novel. Sometimes with debut novels I find there are areas that need certain tweaks but with this book I only have 1 minor critiques. The writing style was smooth and fast passed but not so fast passed that the issues that cropped up were resolved instantaneously. I loved how vulnerable all the characters were and how they seemed real with real flaws. No one was perfect. I also loved the representation with BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ characters. It was a fun sweet quick read that I devoured in a day.
As to my minor critique I feel the author could have done a page or two at the Christmas scene from the male POV like them having a discussion about their feelings and how they all want to be together. It just seemed to skip over a little from going from a twosome to a threesome.
The story is about Tessa who arrives in NYC fresh from a massive and public breakup leaving her reputation in tatters and how one night after a chance meeting first at a bookstore but then a hotel bar she gives into a night of passion with a tattooed stranger only to sneak out the next morning.
The man she was with River is saddened by her leaving as he felt a real connection with her. Similar to the connection to his now best friend but former lover Cass. It was never the right time for the two of them. But now as roommates they go to welcome their new neighbor only for River to find out it is Tessa, and he is not missing out on this 2nd chance and will take whatever she is able to handle right now. The three become the bests of friends but eventually feelings start to come out and lines get blurred, and passions arise.
What a sweet book and so well done for a debut novel. This was a sweet heartwarming book with lots of good spice. I really enjoyed the characters and their backstories and their growth in the book that in the end strengthened their relationships together. Like I said this was really well done and I am surprised it was a debut novel. Sometimes with debut novels I find there are areas that need certain tweaks but with this book I only have 1 minor critiques. The writing style was smooth and fast passed but not so fast passed that the issues that cropped up were resolved instantaneously. I loved how vulnerable all the characters were and how they seemed real with real flaws. No one was perfect. I also loved the representation with BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ characters. It was a fun sweet quick read that I devoured in a day.
As to my minor critique I feel the author could have done a page or two at the Christmas scene from the male POV like them having a discussion about their feelings and how they all want to be together. It just seemed to skip over a little from going from a twosome to a threesome.
The story is about Tessa who arrives in NYC fresh from a massive and public breakup leaving her reputation in tatters and how one night after a chance meeting first at a bookstore but then a hotel bar she gives into a night of passion with a tattooed stranger only to sneak out the next morning.
The man she was with River is saddened by her leaving as he felt a real connection with her. Similar to the connection to his now best friend but former lover Cass. It was never the right time for the two of them. But now as roommates they go to welcome their new neighbor only for River to find out it is Tessa, and he is not missing out on this 2nd chance and will take whatever she is able to handle right now. The three become the bests of friends but eventually feelings start to come out and lines get blurred, and passions arise.
August 19, 2023
Okay.. this can’t be Sophie’s first book?! I finished this baby in a day and I have to say.. I am so happy it lived up to my expectations that I had when I first read the blurb.
Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions! Tessa's reputation might be on the line, but it all changes when she meets River in a bookstore. Oh, did I mention he is her neighbor as well? And guess what? He's not alone. River and his best friend, Cassian, find themselves in a love dilemma when Tessa enters the picture. Get ready for a rollercoaster of love, laughter, and lessons as the three navigate their way to a not-so-traditional happy ending!
This was my first ever Polyamorous novel, and I have to say I am glad it was Sophie’s book! I was drawn in from the beginning. I loved the writing style and the way the conversation structure is set up.
This was a fluffy, sweet, spicy read. There were some darker parts to the story, which I enjoyed because it really showed how the characters developed from their trauma. Their trauma lead to a lot of character development and that is something I love in a book.
I love visually descriptive writing and that is exactly what this book gave me.
There is only one thing I would have liked to see differently in the book. In the beginning, I felt the trio got close very fast. It felt a little unrealistic, especially given Tessa’s past, but in a way it did fit with their personalities.
From the book cover, to the characters, to the writing style.. this is definitely a book I would really recommend and will eventually have a permanent home on my bookshelf when it releases. 📚🌿
I can’t wait to see what Sophie Snow does next!
*This is an ARC review. My review above are all my own opinions & thoughts
Get ready for a rollercoaster of emotions! Tessa's reputation might be on the line, but it all changes when she meets River in a bookstore. Oh, did I mention he is her neighbor as well? And guess what? He's not alone. River and his best friend, Cassian, find themselves in a love dilemma when Tessa enters the picture. Get ready for a rollercoaster of love, laughter, and lessons as the three navigate their way to a not-so-traditional happy ending!
This was my first ever Polyamorous novel, and I have to say I am glad it was Sophie’s book! I was drawn in from the beginning. I loved the writing style and the way the conversation structure is set up.
This was a fluffy, sweet, spicy read. There were some darker parts to the story, which I enjoyed because it really showed how the characters developed from their trauma. Their trauma lead to a lot of character development and that is something I love in a book.
I love visually descriptive writing and that is exactly what this book gave me.
There is only one thing I would have liked to see differently in the book. In the beginning, I felt the trio got close very fast. It felt a little unrealistic, especially given Tessa’s past, but in a way it did fit with their personalities.
From the book cover, to the characters, to the writing style.. this is definitely a book I would really recommend and will eventually have a permanent home on my bookshelf when it releases. 📚🌿
I can’t wait to see what Sophie Snow does next!
*This is an ARC review. My review above are all my own opinions & thoughts
August 23, 2023
I was lucky enough to be gifted this book as my first ever ARC read. Having never read a queer, poly based book I was a little unsure. But the blurb immediately drew me in. The characters had such depth and personality. If the blurb alone can portray such a beautiful story then the book must be just as good, right?
And let me tell you, Sophie Snow did not disapoint.
The rule of three follows Tessa, an acclaimed songwriter who has never been given the opportunity to perform herself, after breaking off her engagement with famous rock sensation Jay. Feeling a little worse for wears she decides to throw caution to the wind and have a hot, steamy one night stand with a guy she met in a bar. River, a romance writer who publishes under his pen name and has never got over his love for his best friend, meets Tessa and sparks fly. That is until Tessa sneaks out the morning after the night before. Tessa is ready to move on with her life and start fresh. But when she comes face to face once again with River as she is moving into her new apartment she is lost for words. Oh and did I mention he is her new neighbour along with his HOT roommate and best friend Cass, a top industry model. The three become best friends but what happens when feelings get involved?
I cannot believe this is Sophies' debut novel. She writes with the skill and finese of a seasoned author. This book is a triumph with all the spicy scenes and cosy cuddles you could ever want. Any and all books Sophie writes in future will automatically be added to my TBR. And everyone needs to read The rule of three as soon as possible. I feel very honoured to have been given the opportunity to read this ARC and can't wait for the world to see it.
And let me tell you, Sophie Snow did not disapoint.
The rule of three follows Tessa, an acclaimed songwriter who has never been given the opportunity to perform herself, after breaking off her engagement with famous rock sensation Jay. Feeling a little worse for wears she decides to throw caution to the wind and have a hot, steamy one night stand with a guy she met in a bar. River, a romance writer who publishes under his pen name and has never got over his love for his best friend, meets Tessa and sparks fly. That is until Tessa sneaks out the morning after the night before. Tessa is ready to move on with her life and start fresh. But when she comes face to face once again with River as she is moving into her new apartment she is lost for words. Oh and did I mention he is her new neighbour along with his HOT roommate and best friend Cass, a top industry model. The three become best friends but what happens when feelings get involved?
I cannot believe this is Sophies' debut novel. She writes with the skill and finese of a seasoned author. This book is a triumph with all the spicy scenes and cosy cuddles you could ever want. Any and all books Sophie writes in future will automatically be added to my TBR. And everyone needs to read The rule of three as soon as possible. I feel very honoured to have been given the opportunity to read this ARC and can't wait for the world to see it.
August 24, 2023
A very lovely contemporary romance book that will have you wanting to read more. Very emotional and wholesome.
Songwriter FMC x Author MMC x Model MMC✅
Second chance Romance✅
Friends with benefits✅
Friends to lovers✅
Polyamorous Trio✅
Spice🥳✅
Thank you to Sophie Snow for the ARC
I will advise checking the trigger warnings before reading this book. It is an easy romance read with three POVs and they exude so much passion. I like that the characters are able to accept growth and work towards it together and how they were never scared to let these fears hold them back. I loved the plot and the dynamic between Tessa, River and Cass and how they embraced their romantic feelings towards each other despite all odds. I love how there is no miscommunication and how whatever issues they have is something they are mature enough to discus and start to live life. They love each other wholly and unconditionally. I will say it is a book that also helps you to find yourself as the characters were able to and also to chase your dreams unapologetically. I love how this book gives very in depth descriptions through the words and it’s easy to transport you to their world. The team work among them is impeccable. The style of writing is just chefs kiss and the way River and Cass care for Tessa made me swoon. I love how the author puts in detail in describing her characters. It’s so natural and you will gravitate towards it. I enjoyed this book so much and will recommend if you love these tropes and like the rule of three even better. If you like writing, reading, slice of life, spice, intense romance and aftercare, songwriting, music and friendship that blooms into so much more then you will enjoy this one. Loved Tessa, River and Cass.
Songwriter FMC x Author MMC x Model MMC✅
Second chance Romance✅
Friends with benefits✅
Friends to lovers✅
Polyamorous Trio✅
Spice🥳✅
Thank you to Sophie Snow for the ARC
I will advise checking the trigger warnings before reading this book. It is an easy romance read with three POVs and they exude so much passion. I like that the characters are able to accept growth and work towards it together and how they were never scared to let these fears hold them back. I loved the plot and the dynamic between Tessa, River and Cass and how they embraced their romantic feelings towards each other despite all odds. I love how there is no miscommunication and how whatever issues they have is something they are mature enough to discus and start to live life. They love each other wholly and unconditionally. I will say it is a book that also helps you to find yourself as the characters were able to and also to chase your dreams unapologetically. I love how this book gives very in depth descriptions through the words and it’s easy to transport you to their world. The team work among them is impeccable. The style of writing is just chefs kiss and the way River and Cass care for Tessa made me swoon. I love how the author puts in detail in describing her characters. It’s so natural and you will gravitate towards it. I enjoyed this book so much and will recommend if you love these tropes and like the rule of three even better. If you like writing, reading, slice of life, spice, intense romance and aftercare, songwriting, music and friendship that blooms into so much more then you will enjoy this one. Loved Tessa, River and Cass.
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