Brush Strokes

by Rebecca Rathe

Beth Heaton wants nothing more than to be an artist, but a lifetime of internalizing the judgment of her family and peers has left her full of self-consciousness and doubt. She quietly fades into the background, until she captures the attention of the ruggedly handsome and world renown photographer Callaghan Flynn.While volunteering in his best friend’s art class, Cal takes one look at the curvy brunette and throws caution to the wind, jumping into a relationship he knows he’ll have to abandon.As stoic Ezra Beckett stands back and watches his best friend fall in love with the art student he’s been pining over for years, he regrets never being brave enough to approach her. But when Cal discovers Ezra’s true feelings for Beth, he suggests that the two of them work together to show Beth how beautiful and truly special she is. Between Cal’s impending departure, Beth’s crippling insecurities, and Ezra’s hesitance to jump into a menage, does this relationship even have a chance?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, M F M, Ebooks, Why Choose, Menage

316 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 8, 2024

About the author

Deliciously dirty, delightfully neurotic, ratchet mess of a daydreamer.

See www.rebeccarathe.com for a full list of books, social media, and trigger warnings.

Reviews

[Jen Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book mostly because a thick girl was represented!

FMC Beth is a talented artist. She has a low self esteem and her negative self talk along with bullying by her coworkers could be triggering for some.

Personally I was reluctant to read due to my issues with body dysmorphia and other weight related problems;however, it did not trigger me and actually made me realize that I am beautiful too.

The men in this book, Cal and Ezra, are doing the polyamorous throuple thing with Beth. I hope we see more books with these characters. It’s nice that polyamorous relationships are becoming more talked about and I love seeing the fear of what their future might look like and how their family might react. I’ve not seen a book really talk about that aspect of polyamory yet. Would love to see how they manage their relationship if there are more books coming or even in future books. I love how the boys treat Beth like a queen and how they are all worried about each other as well as that sense of compersion happening with them.

This is a spicy 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ read with lots of great smexy scenes! If you are not into reading about intimate acts, this would not be for you. If you are here for the spice, READ this book now!

Thank You Rebecca for another well done book!

[Amiah Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The way the story progresses really sucks you in and keeps you wanting to read more. I loved Cal and Ezra. They are both super sweet to Beth, who really struggles with self-image issues. Anything written by Rebecca Rathe I've enjoyed and given 5 stars. That includes this one. I can't wait to read more of her work.

[Sarah Seelbaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg talk about spice. I enjoyed this book a lot. I wish it would keep going. In the end I never thought it would go the way it went. But I need to know more. Hope she makes another one. I recommend this book.

Thanks for the arc dear.

[Thorunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really sweet, almost innocent in parts, book with a ton of spice. I had just been coming off of some dark books and this was just what I needed after those. This was a first-time read for me of Rebecca Rathe and I very much enjoyed this book. Her characters and premise were interesting and engaging. The spice in this one, like whoa! Very high spice! ... very nice spice.

This story is about Beth and best friends Cal and Ezra, all artists in their own right. Beth is a gallery curator and one-woman show, and that's where she essentially meets both men. Beth is, according to the book, a larger woman - how large I'm not entirely sure. She has some form of body dysmorphia - or honestly, it's probably more of an insecurity with how she was raised and how cruel people can be, so a lot of the story has to do with Beth grappling with how she views and values herself. This part of the story for me was very necessary and raw - and the core of the book. Often in these types of books, the MFC is skinny and perfect, so it's refreshing to actually have a character who's got straight-up issues that real life people battle too. But Beth is so kind and amazing, and we go with her on her struggles to in effect find her self worth. And that is something that both Cal and Ezra see clear as day. They are also kind and amazing characters, and they help Beth realize her beauty and talent. So in all of those ways, this story is quite beautiful and raw - and real. It's a pretty quick and easy read too, very enjoyable.

That said, yes, I only gave it a 3 star rating - and that's by no means a knock to it. Let me explain and I feel that I have to as well. The scoring system here doesn't allow for in-between scoring because I'd be scoring this a three-point-something, but the reason I gave this a 3 and didn't round up to a 4 is simply because out of all of the books that I've read, when comparing them based on my scale of judgement (because we all have one and they are all individualized), by comparison, this one felt like it belonged in the 3 range. It's not a knock to the book, like I said, it is a lovely book and has many positive points. The drawbacks for me of this book and my comparison scale is what brought it to this star rating - for me. I do recommend it if these are tropes that interest you and you're looking for a lovely book that tackles these topics.

[Gypsy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the characters in this story.

Beth~ I really loved seeing her character development from being super self-conscious to finally understanding that she is worthy of being loved and appreciated. I do wish it would go into more detail of how she's confident in herself without the guys around. I really connected with the FMC. Her favorite flower is a dandelion which is also mine, Even though most people regard it as a weed. Her eye color is the exact same eye color as my own.

Cal ~ he is just so upbeat and funny and good natured. From the very first interaction of him he made me giddy. I love that he keeps everything light and fun and still encourages Beth to be the best that she is. He doesn't try and change her in any way he only shows her what she refuses to see about herself.

Ezra ~ he is the more level-headed and structured of the two men. But that does not mean that he lacks on any of the spice. I absolutely loved that he was trying to show Beth that she was worth it from the very beginning and that he wasn't going to rush her because he knew she wasn't ready.

The relationship between Cal and Ezra is one of the greatest things I've ever seen. Their bickering scenes was actually making me crack up laughing because it just felt so real and so natural.

Rebecca Rathe has this ability to draw you into her stories and make you feel like you are the main character. Definitely a one-click no-brainer when it comes to any of Rebecca Rathe books. She has become one of my all time favorite authors!

[Angela Mcmanus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was beautifully done. It's MFM with lots of spice. It has a great plot and the characters are wonderful. I defiantly recommend this book.||

[Winter Wray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this story! The FMC grew leaps and bounds by the end; however it wasn’t a light switch epiphany, it was gradual and realistic. Much like the external and internalized fat phobia and self deprecation. It was tastefully done and more realistic than most authors achieve. This was an amazingly heartwarming fluffy love story between two amazing men and the incredibly talented woman who loves them while she learns to love and appreciate herself.

[Book•ish Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I kid you not, I knew I was going to like this book two pages in. Beth really is just that relatable. Give me a woman who has never been insecure about anything, especially her body, and I'll gladly call BS. Rathe explored Beth's insecurities with such care and included just enough detail about her history with her family and the quintessential mean girl to tug at my heartstrings. She took us on a journey that was cathartic, healing, and delivered a lesson on how to love yourself exactly as you are. But why stop with one imperfectly perfect character when you can have three. That's right folks, Cal and Ezra, have their own hang ups, their own metamorphis to go through if you like, and all while they navigated falling in love with the same woman. It was sugary sweet. It was low angst. But don't be fooled into thinking it is anything but deliciously filthy.

[Phoebe Galbraith · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐
5 ❤️‍🔥
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

💖MFM
💖Plus size FMC
💖Wallflower/Playboy
💖Artists
💖Best friends share

Beth is a shy wallflower who is underappreciated in her job and will do anything to stay unnoticed. Then, in one of her art classes, she attracts the attention of the gorgeous nude model, Cal, and everything changes. She's had a crush on her art teacher, Ezra, for years but after being intensely persued by Cal, who turns out to be /the/ famous photographer being featured in the art gallery she works at, she gives into temptation and decides to see where it can go. Cal is leaving in 19 days though and her feelings for Ezra aren't fading fast but Cal is more than happy to share with his best friend...

Wow! This book is /hot/. For such a shy FMC she is very sexually open and has just as dirty a mouth as her guys. There is a lot of on page spice and it can't be skipped as it's where a lot of plot takes place. So if you're not into spice this won't be for you. It is perfectly balanced with the sweet though.

Cal and Ezra are both so respectful of Beth and I love the way they are always checking in with her to make sure she's comfortable while still pushing her to improve her self-confidence. Cal is cocky and a massive flirt, he thinks he is purely lusting after Beth until they have a conversation and he realizes he wants to truly get to know her. I loved the effort he put in with arranging their dates and making time for her. When he realizes he's developing feelings for her and that his best friend has had those same feelings for some time he looks for a solution. Cal is the kind of guy that you can't imagine goes into anything thinking he'll fail and that's how he approaches pitching the throuple to Ezra and Beth. Ezra is a much quieter force. He doesn't want to rock the boat but once he's all in he comes right out of his shell. I loved watching Beth's confidence grow throughout as she learns to love her body and stand up for herself. I liked that it wasn't immediate, being shown real interest by men she thinks are out of her league doesn't immediately fix her self-esteem issues, it's much more gradual and continues throughout the entirety of the book which helped ground the story in realism to me.

[Boots & Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ 4.5🌶️

Some Tropes:
🎨 He Falls First
🖌️ Curvy FMC
🎨 MFM Romance
🖌️ Edible Paint 🫢


The Characters:

Beth is a beautiful, intelligent, talented woman who truly doesn’t recognize her worth. She’s been ridiculed by family and wears those scars so deeply.

Ezra is a well known artist who teaches art classes and that’s where he met Beth. The Beth. He’s on the quieter, more reserved side.

Cal is a world renowned photographer who lives a nomadic lifestyle due to his line of work. He meets Beth through Ezra and he changes all of their lives.

The Drama:

There is already a lot of stigma surrounding handsome men dating women that others consider “less than,” but what about dating two?

Ezra is head over heels for Beth, but doesn’t tell her. He feels that crossing the student/teacher line is unprofessional. He asks Cal to step in and model last minute for one of his classes, where Cal meets Beth.

No one expects Cal to be the one to start a relationship, let alone fall for a girl, but the way he navigates their relationship and future is one for the books.

My Opinion:

This book would not have been a typical read for me, if I’m being honest.

I like some drama, some angst, and wild twists and turns in a book, but I devoured this book so quickly!

Cheers to the author for writing about an FMC who struggles with body positivity like much of us do, but finds love for her curves by being loved for her curves. For overcoming her struggles because lord knows a lot of us are in the same boat. It was incredible relatable and I think that’s what made me love this book even more.

The character growth of Cal and Beth was incredible. Same with Ezra, coming out of his shell. I wish there was more before the epilogue about how Cal navigated his job and being able to lay down roots, but that’s really my only mini-critique for this book.

”Thanks to the way they have loved me, I’m starting to find it in me to love myself.”

Lots of spice, great plot, and an adorable read!

[Unapologetic Termagant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the stunning cover and the blurb enough to download this book and was pleasantly surprised by how good a read it ended up being. I’ve read a few stories about MFM menages, but in almost all of them the men had a prior emotional and physical relationship, and the woman came across as kind of a third wheel, usually used almost as a sex doll. This wasn’t the case with Brush Strokes; although it’s quickly established that Ezra and Cal have been best friends for ages, the polyamorous romance is truly all about Beth. They just happen to be best friends who’ve fallen in love with the same woman and will do absolutely anything to coax her out of her shell and worship her as she deserves.

I thought Beth’s insecurities were believable and sensitively portrayed, but I would’ve liked to read more about how exactly she developed such deep hangups with her body and what her relationships with her estranged family and previous boyfriends were like. As it was, we saw her being bullied by her truly awful bosses, but since they were so over-the-top horrible (Cherith especially), it didn’t really resonate with me. We’ve all known such petty and pathetic people, but they are simply not compelling to read about. It would’ve resonated with me more if familial relations were explored in more depth.

Cal and Ezra were fine, and I completely bought their obsession with Beth. I do think Ezra was maybe a bit sidelined and that the relationship between Cal and Beth was fleshed out a bit better, which surprised me because the emotional component of the throuple originally started between Beth and Ezra. However, I really enjoyed this book and found their relationship sweet, believable and, of course, incredibly hot (I haven’t read about fluids this much since my one foray into orc romance). Ezra and Cal were *really* determined to show Beth just how much they liked her voluptuousness and how much they admired her personality, and I was very much along for the ride.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

✔️MFM why choose romance
✔️artist MCs
✔️curvy FMC (body image is discussed frequently)
✔️no 3rd act breakup

3.5⭐️

I enjoyed this cute, spicy, low angst romance! As much as this is a story about falling in romantic love, it is a story about body image and learning to love yourself. The FMC has been bullied and berated her whole life between her family (who she is no-contact with now) and her current boss and coworker, and she thinks it is an insane mistake when the gorgeous (and well-known) photographer and the art teacher she has been falling in love with for the past two years notice her and want to date her, together. The men are best friends and though Cal (the photographer) isn’t initially aware that Beth (FMC) is THE Beth that Ezra (the art teacher) has been obsessed with for the past two years, he is excited at the possibilities that are now open to the three of them.

Though there are definitely some emotional scenes and some of the topics that come up are/can be sensitive to some readers, overall this is a very low angst story. Once they are together, they are together and though there is a several months long physical separation when Cal has to go on a work assignment, they do not break up. If anything, it makes their relationship stronger when he comes home. The spice is important to their relationship growth and furthers the plot, and there is a lot of it (which is fine and to be expected), I just think there was some inconsistency with the way it is written. Sometimes it is well written and makes sense, and sometimes it’s over the top and overly cringy, it just depends on the scene. I will say there are more scenes that are well written than not, it is just something I noticed and the reason I didn’t rate it higher. I liked the epilogue and getting to see them still living their HEA together a few years later.

[Darcy’s Good Opinion · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
Steam: 4/5
Strong Language: 3.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5

Brush Strokes is a contemporary romance standalone. It was previously published in the Wickedly Scandalous anthology but has been expanded into a full-length novel for this release.

Beth is a curvy, witty, and wonderful woman. She works at an art gallery that she loves and in her free time, she does her own art. She has some body confidence issues that are influenced by a particularly rude co-worker. She takes art classes from her secret crush of two years and one class takes a particularly interesting turn when the model does more than catch her eye.

Cal is a world-famous photographer. He travels all over the globe to capture the best images living the life of a wanderer and somewhat playboy. He's instantly smitten when he gets a look at Beth. He senses that his best friend might also harbor feelings for her but he'll only be around a short time and decides to take his shot.

Ezra is a renowned painter. He teaches art classes as well and his favorite student and secret crush is Beth. When his best friend helps model for one of his classes and expresses an interest, he reluctantly gives him the green light. He doesn't realize that Cal is more than willing to share.

This steamy, spicy, and sweet MFM romance is funny and fantastic. The characters are extremely relatable and you become invested in their stories and choices. Beth is someone who could be your bestie and the guys are swoon worthy. The expanded edition of this romance makes it a must read. Absolutely loved every minute.

[Laura (lady_h_reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️½
“You’re not just wet, baby, you’re soaked. Tell me, how much of this is you ready to take my cock hard and fast, and how much of this is left over from fucking my best friend all night long?”

I loved this story the first time I read it and loved it even more as an expanded full-length book! It is a great mixture of humor, hurt/comfort vibes, and copious amounts of smut. An easy read with only minor levels of angst. The MFM relationship is sweet, with supportive MMCs promoting body positivity, and the spice is top-notch! So much spice!

This story is super fast-burn with loads of kink exploration. The filthy talk is scandalously good – the kind that gets the blood pumping. The MMCs have a bit of a breeding kink, and they explore the sharing is caring attitude. There are abundant MF and MFM scenes.

I highly recommend this story (and honestly anything Rebecca writes)!

❗️Brush Strokes was originally available in the Wickedly Scandalous Anthology – this is an expanded, full-length story with a sweet HEA. ❗️

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tropes/Features: Curvy >30 FMC, Best Friend MMCs, artists, sharing is caring, all-in MMCs
Narrator: Multiple 1st Person POV
Relationship Type: Why Choose – MFM, fast burn, high spice
Book Type/Ending: Standalone with HEA
TW/CW: Available in book

[Ya-ting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heat: 3.5/5

Another winner from Rebecca Rathe, Brush Strokes is an expansion of a novella. Beth is a brilliant artist in the making, if only she was able to get past her lifelong insecurities and see that she’s amazing. Enter Beth’s art teacher, Ezra, and his best friend and world-renowned photographer, Cal. Despite having a long-standing obsession/love for teachers Ezra, Beth is immediately enamored and surprised by her connection with Cal. And what are best friends of they can’t share their favorite things?

I loved this story as a novella, and it’s even better in its expanded form. The love these three have for each other and for art is inviting and warm and gives all the tingles. The guys are incredibly supportive, as they encourage Beth to not only love her work but really love herself, something she’s struggled with all her life. The words Rebecca put to paper not only made me want to give Beth a big hug, but also reminded me that I’m wonderful and beautiful as I am. The self doubt that Beth constantly marinates in resonated with me, and I saw myself in her, as she attempts to break free of her shackles of insecurity and fear.

I love Rebecca’s work, and if you’re looking for a lighter but heart-warming mfm romance, you’ve come to the right place.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book; not only is the FMC very relatable to me, but the storyline is very interesting, and I like the guys. Beth is an adult working in the art industry who loves to expand her knowledge and talent in her profession. In one of her classes, the 'model' that the students are sketching is a confident man who looks like he's chiseled artwork. But he's not the only one who has their eye on the beautiful brunette. Her professor also has his eye on her, but with all of the ways her family tore her down, Beth doesn't think she's worthy.

Beth, Cal & Ezra all have different things that they need to work through in order to make this relationship work. Ezra is not only a professor, he's also a very talented artist, as is Cal who's an artist differently, where he travels around the world photographing amazing locations. Beth is equally as talented but uses that talent in the Art Gallery she works in.

In this sweet and extremely smůttÿ book, you'll find the triggers a little bit different from Rebecca's other books, but read them just incase. I loved the sweetness in this book and it was wrapped up beautifully. Amazing job as always Rebecca ❤️

[Kimberlea Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Art Of Finding Her Forever Loves

OMG 🤯 This was sooo freakin good 🙌🏻 Rebecca did a fantastic job giving us such well rounded realistic & relatable characters. I was quickly drawn in from their very 1st interactions, and devoured page after page until they finally got their well deserved HEA. It didn’t hurt that it had some amazing spicy scenes that make me wonder why I couldn’t actually see the flames flying off the pages 😉🤯🥵🔥 Because even though there is a slow burn from one of Beth’s relationships, there is also a fast burn from the other so that you get the best of both worlds in this story. That also sums up Beth’s relationships with Ezra & Cal…the best of both worlds. We talk all the time about book characters who balance each other out, but it was so vivid & undeniable between Beth & her guys. Watching all of them grow as individuals, and also build bonds together, was so satisfying & heartwarming. I could just read this over & over, and as a matter of fact, I may go ahead & go reread it right now. You should too 😉🙌🏻

[Goblintzu · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Thanks to the way they have loved me, I’m starting to find it in me to love myself.”

Wow! This was seriously so good!! The writing was excellent. It was VERY spicy, and the dirty talk in this book was 👌🏻🤌🏻. Usually I could take or leave spice in books, but I really enjoyed it in this one!

I loved all our main characters, but especially Beth. I always love a plus size main character, as a plus size girl myself, and I found her to be so relatable. She had a lot of insecurities about her body stemming from people constantly putting her down and her own family pushing diets on her and commenting on her body size, things that I could relate to in my own life. I loved reading about how Cal and Ezra loved her. Both of them were green flags in man form.

I very highly recommend this book if you enjoy spicy MFM romances! I seriously couldn’t get enough of it and can’t tell you enough how much I enjoyed this book. I would love to read more from Rebecca Rathe ASAP!

[J. Jammy May · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-3 ⭐️

There were moments in this that I loved, but it was almost always the story segments. Those parts for me were easily 3 ⭐️s.

The spice writing just wasn’t there, it felt very… boring. And don’t get me wrong, the content featured wasn’t itself basic, but the writing style just made it very bland to read. It came across as almost entirely telling instead of showing, so it felt almost like a step through process rather than seeing a scene play out. There were some moments that created clear environments and scenes in the mind’s eye, but they seemed to be fewer the further through you were.

Also, honestly, some of the content just wasn’t for me 🤷‍♀️ But I do appreciate the trigger warnings page at the front that also had content flags so I at least knew going in that it was going to be there rather than being blindsided. I wish more books did that in general across genres for different things.

[Melissa Corday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa.
Whoa.

What the fuck?

This was a book I found for free on one of the Stuff Your Kindle Day promotions. Usually, these freebies are either really really bad, or they're just OK, or they're just 30 pages of explicit sex.

Why was this book freakin' incredible, with 316 delightful pages of character growth, relationships, steamy hot sex, and plenty of plot in between the spice?

It's not perfect, I'll admit, it's got some typos. But I couldn't find any plot holes. I couldn't find any continuity issues. There weren't any weirdly out of character moments or wild stretches of the imagination that are typical hallmarks of the books offered up as freebies on the SYK days. And I really can't find a reason to not give it a full five stars.

This book is cute, funny, hot as hell, inspiring, sentimental, and best of all, mature. There's no third act break-up, there's no weird miscommunication tropes. I can't recommend it enough!

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brush Strokes is a sweet, filthy, happy ménage a trios experience I never knew I NEEDED! This book made me feel so many gushy emotions while falling in love with the main characters as they were falling in love with each other. Full of filthy smutty romance but it was NOT boring or repetitive and was very well wrote out. Enjoyed the pride I felt while reading as the main characters relationships evolved helping each of them prosper in their careers, self confidence, & exploration of the world ( in and outside the bedroom ). The plus size main character was a breathtaking bonus, Rebecca Rathe did an incredible job building the increasing boldness in her character with the love and support she found in her new situation. This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys smut with sweet love mixed in, it will make you feel cheerful and lustful all at once!

[Kristen's Fantasy Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Equal parts sweet, sexy, and moving with emotional impact.

Brush Strokes is a ménage romance between three artists. The story masterfully showcases the beauty of all art, particularly art that showcases beauty that can be overlooked.

Love can be the most beautiful art, and this book definitely had me feeling that.

I love that Beth is a plus-size woman, and I love that she is always shown to be so much more than the sum of her parts. At the start, Beth has internalized a lot of body shaming and fat phobia that she has faced over the years. The writer portrays Beth's journey with realism, and her being plus-sized never feels like just a plot point.

I thoroughly enjoyed this deliciously spicy book. Not only does one of the men have an Irish accent, and they both love dirty talk, but they are just the worthiest of men for how well they treat the woman they admire and love. The men are so supportive and undeniably hot in how devoted they are in showing Beth how desirable and worthy she is.


MFM
Dirty Talk
Sweet Pet names
Plus-Size Heroine
Irish Accent MMC
Doting Art teacher MMC
Playboy meets tempting wallflower
Supportive Partners
Found Family

[Christina Rybka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Beth, Cal, and Ezra

Beth goes to art class, and there is a nude model who is absolutely beautiful. Her teacher Ezra who she has feeling for tells her it’s his friend Cal. Beth has some insecurities issues and works with people who are not nice. Cal is instantly attracted to Beth, and pursues her. Cal is a famous photographer who won’t be in town long. He realizes Ezra has feelings for Beth too. Cal comes up with an idea that they can all be together. Can they all be together? Great characters and storyline Highly recommended Amazing book. I love Beth, Ezra, and Cal and their character development is top notch. Great supporting characters. This book has all the feels sarcasm, overcoming insecurities, and the spice is very good. This is my first book by this author definitely not my last.

[Cristin Grenier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beth has been dealing with self-esteem and body issues most of her life which has caused a rift between her and her family and trust issues with men and her peers. She is an aspiring artist working at a gallery she once loved very much harboring a crush on an artist patron, Ezra, for the past 2 years. While attending one of Ezra's art classes, she meets his long time friend and famous photographer Cal. Little does she know that both men find her devastatingly beautiful and crave her.

Brush Strokes by Rebecca Rathe is not my usual cup of tea. I love a great spicy romance, but this one is off the spicy meter with a 5 out of 5 spicy rating. The idea of a menage type of relationship had me shaking my head. I tried to keep an open mind and read it anyway. Somehow, Rathe really makes it work. I stayed up all night reading and had the worst book hangover. I could not get enough of it.

I really like the way that Rathe switches between characters points of view so you know how they each feel about the situation. This relationship is a crazy premise, but somehow she makes it very intriguing and believable. There are some triggers. Peer and family fat shaming, unwanted advances by people in power.

I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who loves romance and can handle the super spice level.

[PrettyStitchin’ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stars: 5/5
Spice: 5/5

Tropes:
MFM


Brush Strokes was my first book by this author. I am glad that I took a chance on this one. It was an easy read. I would have easily finished this in a few hours if I could have.

Beth, the FMC, is a curvy woman that finds herself through out the pages of this story. She finds herself the subject of two men's desire. Cal and Ezra are both great MMCs. Both men are different though I do feel as though one's character could have been delved into a little deeper. The author really potrayed the relationship that built between these three in a meaningful and realistic way. For the length of this one (300ish pages) I couldn't ask for anything more. The story was sweet and fluffy and beautiful I would venture to say that it is a wholesome romance if it werent for the absolute filthy dirty talk and spice. 😜🥵 This maybe the spiciest book of the year so far.

[Mandi Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely brilliant ménage novel that was originally part of an anthology. The additions from the original version absolutely made this so much better. Beth is such a relatable character with her insecurities. Cal is the larger than life traveling photographer and Ezra is the quietly brilliant artist. Beth has been in love with Ezra for two years while being his student but then she meets Cal and after time with him she can’t understand how she feels so strongly for two men like this & how either could ever feel the same. The friendship Cal & Ezra have is incredibly strong and once Cal realizes how Ezra & Beth feel about each other, can he convince them that 3 is better than 2? So much steam, connection, and growth! 5⭐️ 4🌶️

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book!! It was beautifully done and Cal, Ezra and Beth are absolutely adorable together. Beth is a plus-sized, self conscious girl who deserves everything and more.
Rebecca did an amazing job writing this one. I don't know what she does but her books are like an addiction. In all the best ways, I promise! The shear number of times I freaked out, cheered, laughed and talked out loud to this book... 😅

The roller-coaster of emotions I experienced reading this. Cherith and her gallery owner boyfriend absolutely sucked and I cheered when they were put in their place. 😂😍
Every single time Cal and Ezra reassured and supported Beth made me super happy. They all deserve nothing less than their own HEA (Whatever that may be for them) 😍❤️

[Nicola Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first ménage MFM romance story and I loved it! Sweet, hot 🔥 and spicy 🥵 with characters that are easy to love.

I totally connected with the FMC, Beth, as a curvy plus-size woman with self-confidence issues and trauma from being fat-shamed for most of her life. I loved that the two male main characters, Cal and Ezra, did everything to make her feel like the beautiful queen that Beth is. I enjoyed reading their story to see how they were bought together and how their unconventional relationship developed throughout.

Brush Strokes is easy to read and kept me interested throughout -I finished it within 24 hours! I enjoyed the author’s writing style and I’m interested in reading more from her.

[Theresa Lambe · Rating 5 out of 5]

On behalf of us big gals, thank you!! So many of us struggle just like this amazing, gorgeous, woman does. But Beth...she has the dream.

Two sexy, amazingly talented, definitely handsome men are both in love with this woman ..and this spicy why choose is perfect. They both want her, overseeing the flaws she has about her body and find her desirable. They want her, no concerns about it. And the lengths they go to show her is truly heartwarming. I just have to ask...where’s my Cal and Erza?

I just loved this story. And I'm so glad I found it. Rebecca is a talented writer who leaves you truly longing for more and unable to put her book down. And gives plenty of hotness to make anyone blush!

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be on my list for best reads this year.

This story revolving around Beth, Ezra, and Cal, is beautifully written. The character development is outstanding, and it read like a comfort read on the first reading.

Beth is an artist working a job she doesn’t enjoy, trying to find her place in the world as a plus size woman who has some trauma around her looks. Ezra is her art teacher who has been crushing on her (mutually) for ages but doesn’t realize she never picked up on it, and Cal is his best friend who is wild enough to shoot his shot and willing to break down all her barriers with body image.

I love that in the writing it isn’t a one and done deal, it’s more realistic in that she will be doing fine and then get triggered by something and they’re so patient and loving with her.

There’s some plot elements that you have to suspend believe with, but I’m okay with that.

Ezra and Cal are such amazing MMC’s. Absolute book boyfriend status.

5+/5⭐️