Triple Sec

by T.J. Alexander

A jaded bartender is wooed by a charmingly quirky couple in this fresh and sizzling polyamorous rom-com, set in the exclusive world of high-end cocktail bars.

As a bartender at Terror & Virtue, a swanky New York City cocktail lounge known for its romantic atmosphere and Insta-worthy drinks, Mel has witnessed plenty of disastrous dates. That, coupled with her own romantic life being in shambles, has Mel convinced love doesn’t exist.

Everything changes when Bebe walks into the bar. She’s beautiful, funny, knows her whiskeys—and is happily married to her partner, Kade. Mel’s resigned to forget the whole thing, but Bebe makes her a unique offer: since she and Kade have an open marriage, she’s interested in taking Mel on a date.

What starts as a fun romp turns into a burgeoning relationship, and soon Mel is trying all sorts of things she’d been avoiding, from grand romantic gestures to steamy exploits. Mel even gets the self-confidence to enter a cocktail competition that would make her dream of opening her own bar a reality. In the chaotic whirl of all these new experiences, Mel realizes there might be a spark between her and Kade, too. As Bebe, Kade, and Mel explore their connections, Mel begins to think that real love might be more expansive than she ever thought possible.

Genres: Romance, Queer, LGBT, Contemporary, Lesbian, Fiction, Audiobook

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 4, 2024

About the author

TJ Alexander is an amateur baker and author who writes about queer love. Originally from Florida, they received their MA in writing and publishing from Emerson College in Boston. They live in New York City with their wife and various houseplants.

Reviews

[T.J. Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three love stories for the price of one? In this economy?? Now that's what I call value.

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mel is still dealing with the leftover feelings she has after her divorce, so she shows no interest in getting into a new relationship any time soon. but that changes when she meets Bebe who manages to bring out a side of Mel that she thought was gone, only to find out that Bebe is in fact married to someone else.

i’ll admit that i didn’t care for the plot itself with Mel entering this bartending competition and wanting to open up her own bar, but the romance was cute enough to carry it through. i liked Mel, Bebe and Kade together and i appreciated the separate relationships they built before becoming a full on poly couple. i do think that the characters were kinda archetypes for their sexualities, but i also think this book would give a lot of context to people who aren’t aware of how these sorts of relationships might work. Kade is probably my fav cause i loved seeing them come out of their shell and become more comfortable. there’s things i could nitpick but i honestly just thought this was a fun time so i won’t complain too much. (happy pride month btw!)🩵

⇢ many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc, all opinions are my own.

[HB. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like there’s a new type of online queerness that I just do not understand where everything is so literal, everything is so black and white, with a clear right and wrong answer to every question. It’s a book that doesn’t quite work for me and this fell into the trap.

Triple Sec a romance novel follows Mel, who hasn’t been interested in dating after divorcing her wife. She meets Bebe at the bar where she works and instantly feels a connection, only to find out that Bebe has a wife. However, she finds out that Bebe is polyamorous and the rest of the book follows the three of them trying to figure out what they want from each other. I wasn’t expecting a breakdown on polyamory or queerness or an exploration of how different dynamics can function, but there’s a lack of tension and genuineness to this book that made it difficult to care about anyone or any of their relationships. There are multiple scenes where characters get mad at other people, but they’re so simplistic that it feels like a slap on the back for being a good person. I don’t know what these scenes are meant to convey. Breaking up a loud, drunk argument between two straight NHL bros with therapy-speak and getting them to admit to having feelings and hugging adds nothing to the story. Yelling at someone for using the wrong pronouns and having statements about undiagnosed ADHD making people special doesn’t feel necessary. I could easily be missing something and maybe these are important to demonstrate the importance of something, but I find it hard to read books that feel so simplistic about how the world functions. I don’t mind romances that deal with realism and I know the world sucks, but it’s hard to buy into a novel where people aren’t people but are their sexuality, their gender, their trauma, and their mental illnesses. I know all of these are aspects of what makes a person, but when they’re nothing more than them and one more funky trait, it’s really hard for me to care. It feels like a caution against people who assume the worst, but it takes so much away from stories.

More specifically to this novel, I didn’t connect with any of the three main characters. The writing wasn’t bad, but some metaphors stood out from the cleanness of the rest, making parts of it clunky. It’s a book that I am sure will be loved by lots of people, but it did not work for me.

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

[Rachel L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really happy we are getting representation for queer polyamory books in a traditionally published novel, but overall this was not the strongest book and one I will likely forget completely in the coming months/years.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've been looking for a polyamorous romance that more closely mirrors how poly people might actually go about dating, you should check out Triple Sec. It's not a perfect book, but it's doing something kind of groundbreaking for a traditionally published romance novel. It intentionally sets out to be about polyamory and by having a main perspective character who is new to it, is able to teach kind of a poly 101 class to the reader. This is the second book I've read from TJ Alexander and they seem interested in writing romance that educates people about elements of queerness.

Mel is a talented bartender with tattoos, a shaved head, and certainty that love isn't real after her wife divorced her. But when Bebe drops into her bar and starts flirting, her life takes on a whole new trajectory. Because Bebe is warm and effusive, and in an open relationship with her surly, genderqueer spouse. Mel knows basically nothing about how this works and doesn't want to fall in love again, but is open to something more casual. She does not expect where things will go...

I liked how this integrated mixology and Mel's passion for creating interesting cocktails. It also does a decent job exploring the class differences present in the relationships here. And what this book ISN'T is a preexisting couple looking for a third to join them. It's about individual relationships developing fairly organically. Sometimes I do think the teaching element can make things feel a little stilted, and I don't know that I felt a whole lot of emotional depth from the character relationships, even if we were being told it was there. But I enjoyed this and like what it's doing. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Danika at The Lesbrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

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

Full review at the Lesbrary.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed T.J. Alexander's last novel, Second Chances in New Port Stephen, so I was excited to read Triple Sec (which, by the way, is the perfect title for this book). I love the representation in Alexander's writing, and the plot of this one sounded sexy and fun.

Mel is a bartender at one of NYC's hottest bars. She's not looking for love -- doesn't even believe it exists, really, after her divorce -- when Bebe walks into the bar. Bebe is gorgeous and charming and kind, and she wants to take Mel on a date. But Bebe is also married -- to her genderqueer partner, Kade, a surly artist. Mel has no idea how polyamory works, but she's attracted to Bebe and decides to give it a go. As their relationship evolves, Mel realizes she may be attracted to Kade too -- and that love can be expansive and empowering rather than limiting.

I appreciate that Alexander brings attention to polyamory, a topic that most people outside of the lifestyle don't know much about. I certainly didn't, and I learned a lot from this book; Triple Sec provides interesting insights into how that type of relationship can work, and tries to break the taboos associated with it. But narratively, I wanted more conflict and tension. I'm not one who necessarily needs a lot of drama in my romance, but I also didn't want things to be so easy for this polycule. It seemed like they were the shining, perfect example of a polyamorous relationship, which I'm not sure is entirely realistic. I'm not poly myself, so take my opinion with a grain of salt -- but I would imagine most poly relationships are a bit more nuanced and complex than the one portrayed here.

But if the goal was to tell a sexy and sweet love story, with a good amount of spice and fantastic gender representation, Alexander certainly achieved it with Triple Sec. I just have one lingering question: T.J., why in the world did you not give us Mel's cocktail recipes?? Thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the early reading opportunity.

[Book Riot Community]

Best Romance Books of the Century So Far:

More romance novels should be polyamorous: Triple Sec has two falling-in-love stories, two first kisses, and all the complications of navigating a triad, all in one story! Each of these three characters has a different dynamic with each other, which adds depth. Mel—still recovering from her divorce—is convinced that trying polyamory will keep things casual with Bebe, who is married, but that doesn’t quite go according to plan. I especially enjoyed learning more about Kade, Bebe’s nonbinary wife, and their relationship with Mel. It's hard to pick just one TJ Alexander book for this list (spoiler: there are two), but this steamy and heartwarming romance is a must-read. —Danika Ellis

Check out the rest of Book Riot’s picks for the best romance books of the century so far!

[Chelsea (chelseadolling reads)]

DNF @ 19% - gave this a shot bc i saw people i trust rate it well, but i think this author's writing just isn't for me. onto the next!

[mina reads™️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Triple Sec follows NYC bartender, Mel, a divorcee who has her love life turned upside when she meets Bebe a beautiful, bubbly lawyer and her wife Kade, your typical stoic artist. I honestly was very shocked to see a traditionally published contemporary romcom that featured kitchen table polyamory. It just shows how far we’ve come in terms of queer rep in the traditional publishing space and that made me happy. As for the romance itself, it was cute, it was communicative, and full of support. I enjoyed seeing Mel’s relationship with Bebe and Kade develop separately, seeing how different those dynamics were but equally as important to Mel was quite refreshing. The writing style was very simple and easy to fly through so it was a quick breezy weekend read.

However, I don’t think this is a new favorite for me. In some places the tone was just a bit too didactic. I felt like I was in a gender studies lecture and while I do find it very valuable to explain core gender and sexuality concepts to a wider mainstream audience and ensure that they understand what’s going on and maybe learn something in the process, I felt a little bored with it. Just my own personal thing as a queer enby with poly experience I felt like every was a little too textbook, there was a little too much therapy speak and it just felt like it lacked something emotionally. I also never got too invested in the characters, they were cool but just a little bit too surface level to get attached to, they all had one trait that the author stuck to and I didn’t feel like we went much deeper than that as far as character exploration goes. I feel like I’m saying alot of negatives, but it was a perfectly pleasant enough reading experience I just found myself craving more than it could give.

[Rhiannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up.

Can I say something controversial yet brave? This book left me feeling a whole lot of nothing. I didn't dislike it, but I'm not 100% sure I liked it either. I don't have a single strong opinion about it, and that's making it extremely difficult to rate and review.

Let me start by saying that I'm not poly and have only a basic understanding of the dynamics, terminology, etc. I'm not completely uneducated but certainly not an expert. This is the first poly romance I've read, so I went into it excited to try something new (to me) and potentially learn a little bit. All that said, I don't really have much to say on the poly rep in this book. Given that I have no point of comparison, I can't speak to its accuracy. The only thing I can assert with any confidence is that I didn't personally feel any investment in the romance(s), which is a bummer given that it is, in fact, a romance novel.

Before I dive into that any further, let me first say that I did appreciate that this book had a lesbian MC who was explicitly referred to as a lesbian. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the word "lesbian" is good and beautiful and right, and we deserve to see it used kindly, boldly, and proudly. It's a shame that, even in queer books, it's so often shied away from; I'm glad that wasn't the case here. It was also cool to see a romance between a lesbian and a nonbinary person who wasn't just Woman Lite™️. Lesbians so often are portrayed as the "villains" of the queer community, and there's a lot of rhetoric about us being these horrible, vile, inherently transphobic people. While it's true that there are transphobic lesbians—just as there are, unfortunately, transphobic people within every other sexuality—nothing about our identity is fundamentally transphobic. We, too, love and date and experience attraction to people beyond cisgender women, but that's something I very rarely, if ever, see represented in books or other media. Super cool to see it here!

Now, back to the part where this book didn't wow me. I think, overall, my issue was with the fact that Mel, Bebe, and Kade all read as very flat. They felt like they existed solely as their identities (lesbian, poly, genderqueer, etc.) and their jobs (bartender, lawyer, artist) rather than as whole people. There wasn't a lot of noteworthy character development aside from Mel's transition from feeling like she was over the idea to romance to—surprise—falling in love with both Bebe and Kade. Even that was underwhelming because it wasn't as fleshed out as it could've been. I would've liked to see more discussion about Mel's hesitations with romance, her grappling with her emotions after realizing she was falling for Bebe, and so on. But that just wasn't there, and so I didn't care all that much when the shift happened. Furthermore, I wasn't particularly sold on the chemistry between...any of them. Mel and Bebe were clearly physically/sexually attracted to one another from the jump, but the romantic chemistry was lacking. I wanted to be shown more and told less so I could really believe they were falling in love. That's even more true with the dynamic between Mel and Kade. Throughout the entire first portion of the book, Kade is portrayed as aloof and seemingly uninterested in...everything. Then, after getting snowed in at a skiing cabin with Mel, they confess that they have feelings for Mel. And, wouldn't you know it, Mel reciprocates those feelings! Their relationship completely lacked setup. They're never shown as having interest in or attraction to one another prior to going on the ski trip, so even though I knew it was coming, it still felt like it came out of left field.

I know that at this point it probably seems like I lied when I said I didn't have any strong opinions about Triple Sec, but I mean it when I say I didn't. There were things I appreciated about it and things that made it difficult for me to feel invested in both the characters and the plot, and in the end they sort of canceled one another out. I finished the book and thought, "Well, I finished the book." It wasn't bad. It wasn't necessarily for me. YMMV.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. (I actually ended up receiving two advanced copies of this, one digital and one physical, so I feel extra obligated to review as thoroughly and honestly as possible!)

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because I won it in a giveaway. I entered this book giveaway because I liked the cover, but now that I look at it again, there's so much in the cover that I missed before I read the book. Now I see it all. This happens to me a lot - I open a book just because I like the cover. I find that it's sometimes more fun this way.

So....this is the first book I've ever read with a polyamorous relationship. It's often part of the LGBTQ+ conversation, though even those who are heteronormative can be in a poly relationship. These often end up as polygamous relationships (vs polyamorous), where the power dynamic is less equal and often still tilt in favor of the patriarchy.

I was glad to see that there are actually books out there, few though they be, of polyamorous relationships. It's still considered taboo or salacious by a lot of people, but I think that's an unfair way to look at it. In fact, if I had the opportunity, I think I'd be flattered and maybe curious enough to give it a try. If successful, you could end up with a lot more love, fun, equality, and partnering than in a traditional coupling. I am all for making the wrongfully labeled normal. I am all for letting people live as they want so long as everyone is being safe and respectful.

I enjoyed this book. I am not sure it's something everyone would be comfortable reading. It is just fiction though. So it could also be a safe way to consider a different way of loving people, if you might be up for it.

3.5 and rounding up to 4.

[Aleee (libroslibroslibros) · Rating 4 out of 5]

¡AY COMO ME ENCANTA EL AMOR Y EL SLOWBURN! En esta historia conocemos a Mel, una muchacha bartender que después de su divorcio hace 2 años no quiere absolutamente nada con nadie. Eso hasta que conoce a Babe, quien quiere salir con Mel y también está muy casada con Kade, pero tienen una relación abierta. Obviamente Mel no quiere involucrarse en cosas que no conoce, pero Babe y Kade son personas difíciles de olvidar, entonces va a dejarse llevar a ver qué pasa. La verdad es que yo no había leído algo que me hiciera sentir lo que este libro me hizo sentir desde hace mucho tiempo. Vi otras reseñas que decían que este libro explora un lado queer que muchxs no conocemos y estoy de acuerdo, en el mejor de los sentidos, me hizo cuestionarme muchas cosas y volver a creer en el amor. Me agradó bastante que no solo estamos viviendo una, sino dos situaciones románticas y aún así los personajes tienen líneas de historia propias. También que los personajes tienen responsabilidad afectiva y conciencia emocional, pero no dejan de lado sus inseguridades y traumas, los hace sentir reales y pude conectar bastante con la historia. Derrepente sentía que la trama iba un poco rápido y creo que hay ciertas cosas que me habría gustado que se explicaran mejor, pero de ahí en fuera la verdad es que es un libro muy ligero, divertido y bastante cute, aunque si tiene sus partes +18 en donde también me la pasé chicle bomba.

[Mai H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trans Rights Readathon 2025 #1

Maybe CHEF'S CHOICE was a fluke for me, because I loved this and SECOND CHANCES IN NEW PORT STEPHEN.

While I ignored all of the ENM men on various dating apps, after this book, maybe you shouldn't. If you're not a jealous person. And if you can love that many people. I am, however, a very jealous Taurus sun. And I can barely focus on one man. It's a hate crime to be straight, y'all.

I love a cocktail. I think I would love Terror & Virtue. I don't, however, love Mel's management team. I do love Bebe and Kade, and the dynamic the three end of having. Could it be me? No. Did I love reading about it? Every second.

rep: poly

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Triple Sec is the perfect name for this polyamorous romcom as it features a bartender, Mel, who has a dream of opening up her own bar one day. After serving drinks to a customer named Bebe who is happily married to Kade, Mel feels a strong connection. Bebe has an open marriage and given she is attracted to Mel, she asks her out, with Kade’s blessing. It’s a bit of uncharted territory for Mel, dating a married woman, but she enjoys spending time with Bebe and soon she discovers she has feelings for Kate as well.

I’m always up for a love story and what really drew me to this one is that it featured a polyamorous relationship. It’s not something you come across very often in the contemporary romance genre. I was curious about the dynamics when juggling not 2 but 3 individuals’ emotional needs. The author chose more of a nice and neat, ideal relationship rather than one full of drama. And that’s fine because it’s a romcom but I think it’d make for a more interesting story if there were a few more bumps on the road to happily ever after.

Even though I’m not a big drinker, I liked the bartending aspect of the story. As much as I love food, it can be overdone in stories so hearing all the labor and love that goes into making cocktails was a nice change of pace.

All in all, a good read and the characters had great chemistry.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance digital copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.

[Lesbereading · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the blurb for this one I was instantly intrigued and it didn’t disappoint. In fact, I couldn’t read it fast enough. There were many layers between their relationships and the overall story and I enjoyed all of them. The communication was so open and refreshing, the details were the perfect balance between not enough and too much, and the steam was extra steamy. The end felt a bit rushed and I could’ve easily enjoyed a few more chapters which just shows how much I liked reading this one.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian]

I loved the idea of this romance: sapphic women and nonbinary person! Polyamory! Fancy cocktails! But I am finding the characters pretty bland. Plus, I am potty training my toddler and I accidentally put my copy of the book down on the beach in some of her pee 🙃

[Jane (whatjanereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when a lawyer, a mixologist and an artist start a polycule? This is not the start of a joke, it’s what this book is about.

Honestly this was hands down my favourite poly book I read so far! The main focus was on the dates between each of them and the building of a solid relationship, instead of just throwing in 20 smut scenes.
There was a lot of talk, setting of ground rules and overcoming struggles. You could tell that the author really did their research and knew what they were writing about instead of fetishising this sort of relationship.
I feel like the relationship between Mel and Kade was more rushed than between Kade and BB, I didn’t feel the vibe between them at first but it got better the more time they spend together.
I really liked the characters and the overall story of Mel finding her feet again after a bad divorce.
The ending was the perfect conclusion to their story!

Rep: divorced MC, married couple x gf, poly relationship, fxfxNB

[currentlyreadingbynat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Triple Sec charmingly explores a polyamorous relationship with depth, humour, and heart. The novel stands out by focusing on healthy communication and the dynamics of a mutually respectful and loving relationship among the characters Mel, Bebe, and Kade. Bebe's charisma as a lawyer and Kade's open-mindedness complement Mel's journey into understanding polyamory, blending personal growth with romance. While it prioritises emotional maturity and communication, sometimes these aspects slightly overshadow the raw emotion of the relationship. Nonetheless, it's a refreshing portrayal of polyamory in romance, offering a nuanced take on love and partnership.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a lot of fun with this! The romance was great, the spice was HOT, and the audiobook was really well done. I especially appreciated the frequent communication, overall I would definitely recommend this!!

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars for Triple Sec (Audiobook) by T. J. Alexander read by Jeremy Carlisle Parker.

This is an interesting look into the world of polyamorous relationships and the New York cocktail scene. There’s even more chances for misunderstanding when there’s three in the relationship but if things go right there’s even more love to go around.

[Madalyn (Novel Ink) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

i loved this!! it’s really exciting to see a polyamorous queer romance published by a traditional publisher. i enjoyed all three main characters and all the different relationship dynamics between them. the way their relationship unfolded felt really natural and true-to-life. major bonus points to this book for having a main character who works in the service industry, which is something i always want more of in romance!

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

not enough good sex to be smut and not enough character development to be good writing but kinda nice fear of being in polyamorous relationship(s) and falling in love representation.
i couldn’t connect to the characters and they lacked all depth beyond their interest and personalities being connected to their jobs (lawyer, artist, bartender) and that made their interactions boring and purely tied to their sexuality

[Mykenzie · Rating 1 out of 5]

1. This is not how real life works
2. Out of all of the social groups, polyamorous people need no more representation
2a. I actually may disrespect them more now
2b. Kill me
3. Poorly written, no tension
4. Suddenly I’m straight

[Laurens.Little.Library]

DNF at 40%

I’ll leave this one unrated because it isn’t *bad*, it’s just rather dull.

Triple sec is a character-driven novel that doesn’t actually let us into those characters. I’m neither grabbed or actively despising anything, so it’s best I just leave it at that.

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the author promote this as "three love stories for the price of one" which I thought was really funny. I tend to enjoy polyamorous romances, but I haven't read too many, as I feel like most of them lean more towards erotica than genre romance. It's great to see a polyam romance being traditionally published!

I inhaled most of this book in one sitting, and I really enjoyed it. Of course it's not so much three romances as one overarching romance between three people. It was so nice seeing the connection between these people grow, both separately and together, and watch their relationship dynamics change and see them adjusting to that.

I do have to say I felt a little removed from the romance at times. The characters show a lot of emotional maturity and take a lot of care to communicate well, which is of course so great and so important. But it overshadowed the emotion for me at times. Everyone was just being so... polite all the time. I wanted a little more FUN, and a little more messiness, maybe.

[lauraღ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Help yourself to whatever you need. What’s mine is yours.”
“Ha, good one,” Mel said with a soft snort. “Poly humor.”

So so cute! Maybe more of a 3.75, but overall I was really swept away by this really engaging and really heartfelt poly romance. It was pretty low stakes and didn't have a whole lot of angst, but we still had important conversations and heartfelt emotions, and a bunch of characters I immediately loved. Mel is a divorced bartender, not looking for love, but it comes looking for her in the form of a poly couple who woo her each in their own way. This had such a light, breezy feel to it, and I loved each of the relationships, to the quick, fun and flirty romance with Bebe that burned fast, but with a lot of sincere emotional intensity, to the slower-paced friendship and eventual courtship with Kade that was all the sweeter because they seemed not to work on paper at first. It's so fun and heart-warming to take a relatively jaded character like Mel, and show her defences slowly being eroded in different ways. Bebe as a person really makes this work, with how irresistible and magnetic she is. There's a B-plot about a drink-making competition that ties in nicely with Mel's growth as a person, and how she understands poly relationships and relationships on the whole. Lots of great messages about what we're taught to expect from love and companionship, and how we don't have to stick to those rigid rules (and how in fact those rigid rules can damage us). I really loved the humour; there were lots of great, cute moments. Especially with Kade, and their dry jokes and mannerisms. The pacing wasn't my favourite, when it came to the passage of time, and the deepening of relationships, but I understand why it was written that way. And I'm glad that the author took the time to develop Mel's bond with both characters. And it made for an interesting element, the fact that a triad wasn't immediately on the table (like it's been in most of the other throuple/poly books I've read).

I kinda wish that there'd been more opportunity to see Kade and Bebe together, but since this is a single POV romance (which I do love), that couldn't really be done. I do feel like some issues were brought up with Daniel, Mel's best friend, that weren't explored or resolved as best as they could be. It felt like his storyline got shafted, which feels like a shame, especially after Mel made that commitment to tending the garden of their friendship and all. If they did discuss their issues, it wasn't on page. In general, I liked the writing, but there were irksome bits. My eye always twitches a little when white authors have their white character make certain comments about other white characters, as if that adds... anything. To any conversation. Ever. Lol, whatever, it just gets me a little cranky. If you have something useful to say about racism, say it! Otherwise... :/

Listened to the audiobook as read by Quinn Riley, and I ADORED it. She's become one of those 'could listen to her read the phone book' narrators for me. Her character voices are always excellent, and they way she expresses emotion is always top notch. I had such a good time with this; pretty much everything I needed in a relatively low stakes romance. This was my second book from this author, and I can't wait to get more into their backlist, as well as their future books.

She had roots in a disaster zone; she’d been born into it. Maybe, instead of running from it, she could stand still, face the eruption, and embrace whatever came.

[Nev · Rating 5 out of 5]

T.J. Alexander is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance authors. I love how they take tropes or types of relationships I’ve seen before, but present them in a completely new way. In the past when I’ve read polyamorous romances they’ve been about an existing couple that adds a third and instantly becomes a triad. So I thought it was really interesting in Triple Sec that Mel starts dating Bebe, but initially Bebe’s wife Kade is not involved at all with Mel. Later on Mel and Kade do begin their own romance, and it was a lot of fun seeing everything evolve separately and then together.

I loved all of the characters individually. Mel is a bartender who is apprehensive about a new romance after her divorce. She has a lot of development when it comes to opening up and trusting romantic partners again alongside her professional development of creating new cocktails and wanting to open her own bar. I also loved how Bebe and Kade seemed like complete opposites. Bebe is very bubbly and easygoing while Kade is a more serious, reserved artist. I especially enjoyed watching the scenes where Kade lets their guard down a little bit and starts to get closer with Mel.

Something that I really appreciate with T.J. Alexander’s writing is how they use descriptions of food and drinks. Everything is just bursting off the page, it adds so much atmosphere to the story. And it’s not just extraneous description, Mel is so passionate about mixology and cocktails, so seeing her love for her career intensifies those parts of the plot.

Definitely check this one out if you’re in the market for a queer, polyamorous romance. It’s a fun, sexy read that also touches on topics like healing after a serious breakup and learning to trust again.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jordan Fischer | julietfoxreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa y'all, this book was a fun one! Triple Sec by @tjalexandernyc is an incredibly interesting story about a talented bartender who has given up on relationships. She then enters a cocktail contest and finds love with two incredible people in the process. I think it's one of the best depictions of polyamory that I've read, and I loved reading about how Mel's relationship with Bebe and Kade developed and expanded throughout the book. Super hot and it will make you want to sip a cocktail while you read!

Since her divorce, Mel has been struggling. To cope, she has thrown herself into her job as bartender at a trendy bar, and she's totally blindsided when she finds herself bantering with an attractive and flirty patron. She's surprised again when she finds out that the woman, Bebe, is married - but in an open relationship that she very much wants to open to Mel. Bebe and Mel start dating, and she's having a ton of fun, but she's never been in a polyamorous relationship before and is constantly stressing about the "rules". At the same time, she's working on creating the perfect cocktail for a competition that could change her life if she wins. How will Mel deal with all of the changes in her life?

I loved that this book was low angst, sweet, and spicy. There's no third act breakup, and literally the only thing stressful to read about is Mel making things more complicated than they are. Bebe is the shining light of this book - I absolutely loved her character and fell for her alongside Mel. Kade's stoic personality made them a good deal more difficult for me to understand, but I appreciated that their relationship with Mel was more of a slow burn situation after how quickly she got with Bebe. I think that this MIGHT be the first book I've read with a non-binary main character (I've only encountered NB people as side characters before), so that was really cool! Definitely something I need to look for more of. And there's some seriously good, well-written spice y'all 🤌🏼🤌🏼.

Triple Sec is a perfect summer read! Mix up a cocktail, head to the pool, and enjoy this awesome book.

[Ashley G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Watching these three navigate their way into becoming a polycule was a sweet and endearing ride. It was very much 2 love stories for Mel and I loves that they had a hfn ending that didn't involve a proposal.
Overall very enjoyable. Would definitely read more books by this author