Why Not Both?

by Kristin Lance

Sometimes, you realize the person you’ve been looking for has been right there all along.
And he’s standing next to your husband, watching him eat a popsicle. My life couldn't be better. I have a thriving glassblowing business, a loving marriage to Casey — an engineer with arms that could make any woman swoon and cooking skills to boot — and an idyllic property in the mountains of Southern Oregon.

But something is missing. And it's not just our cat's stash of stolen panties.

Things get complicated when my old college friend Kai blows into town. And he's more than just a breeze — he's a full on hurricane of charm, wit, and secrets. Secrets that could turn our happy little monogamous bubble upside down.

And Casey isn’t as straight-laced as he looks. He has hidden desires of his own.

As new awakenings and old feelings ignite, our once-perfect lives spiral into uncharted territory, leading us down a seductive path that will either destroy us or bring us closer than ever before.

Preferably beneath the sheets.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary, Menage, Polyamory, M M F, Contemporary Romance

186 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 20, 2024

Reviews

[ᗩᑎᗪᖇᗴᗯ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yara and Kai have been friends for years. Yara is married to Casey, and Kai is gay.

During a weekend visit to a clothing-optional resort, much is revealed.

This is a cute, low-angst, and very hot story about three people who redefine their relationship and find that they fit together very well indeed.

[N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not much beats a good popsicle on a hot day. It is a perfect treat. And it sure gets Yara's desires building. It has her all worked up & distracted. It's clear, that she loves her husband, Casey. He is willing to try new things, capable of taking control (as needed), and casts the sweet demands. However, her friend Kai (now that he is back) is starting to take over her thoughts. He might be more spoken for than he realizes.

[Sierra Lewellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, a quick and easy read. My only complaint (and I should’ve known) is that it was very spice heavy with little To no plot imo. I skipped about 30 pages, I didn’t really care about the spice all that much, but glad it’s finished!

[Courtney Curnutt · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story is easy to follow. There are several errors in the text. I did not realize this story would be so heavily descriptive of male-on-male action, which is not my preferred content.

[Brenda Moser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written poly romance with strong characters in Yara, her husband Casey and her best friend Kai. The author brings them together with secrets, a sizzling chemistry, a beautiful relationship and the beginnings of love. She moves the story fluidly and delivers a steamy read.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and are freely given.

[Jesslynxreay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much better than I could even imagine it would be! I love poly romances, reverse harem etc. This is a gorgeous book about a husband, a wife, and her best friend, it’s a beautiful relationship between the three and their growth towards this amazing love and happily ever after. The characters explore their sexuality and grow together. But the spice scenes - my god. They are hotter than they have any right to be. This is one of the best spicy books I have ever read. I devoured this. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Logan J · Rating 1 out of 5]

REVIEW:
This was a DNF for me. I really try to read it all even if i’m not liking it but I couldn’t take it anymore. I love any throuple or reverse harem stuff but this just wasn’t good. It’s a short book so everything’s jammed in there and I don’t love that. It is very spicy and hot. Just not my type of book.

TROPES:
mmf
mm
bestfriend x husband
close proximity

[Natasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good premise but I just couldn’t get into it. It was just too fluffy for me and not enough depth or emotions to emerge myself in the book.

[Rose Seals · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, what a fantastic story. Great threesome. Has lots of heat , spice, steam, romance, drama, love and action. Yara is married to Casey and they enjoy what ever makes them happy and feel good together. Both have dreams and hopes. Kai is Yara's best friend from college and is gay. After watching Casey suck on a Popsicle and how Yara moves and looks, Kai is lost. Will both Casey and Kai decide to show their bisexual needs. Lots of steamy scenes for them all. Curl up and enjoy with your favorite person or persons. Would recommend to all.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the spiciest books I’ve read this year. It has a sub and dom type of relationship that they switch back and fourth. Definitely will recommend to other book readers that love a good MMF story!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[AbbieCadabbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook

For the love of god, **please** just hire professional narrators! And if you truly can’t afford it, pay some friends with pizza & beer or something. I swear that would be better than virtual voice! Anything would!

The story itself was fun, low-angst, and very spicy. But if it wasn’t such a short story, I sincerely doubt that I’d have made it through. Who knew it was possible to get such awful secondhand embarrassment from a computer?! 😣

Maybe this abysmal virtual voice wouldn’t be so bad with another genre, but with smutty romance? Omg no!!!! For a couple of examples, there was one part where they were talking about the size of the main house vs a small cabin & they said “a whole ass house”. *Humans* would know to put the emphasis on “whole”. But the stupid AI said “a whole ass-house”. It also pronounced sake (like the traditional Japanese liquor) “say-k” instead of “sah-keh” and come/cum like “coom” 😣🫣☠️🥀

Do yourself a favor.—Read the actual book instead if you’re able to. It’s a cute story with fun characters and tons of 🌶️

[Curvy Girl Book Nerd (Jen S) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why Not Both is Book 1 of Two Popsicles Are Better Than One. It's a steamy, friends-to-lovers, bi-sexual awakening, polycule, erotic romance. Yara is a sweet, sassy, and adventurous artist. Casey is her hunky husband who loves to cook and is an engineer. Kai is a hunky art professor and Yara's best friend. She thinks he is gay but is actually bi-sexual and loves her and also finds Casey very attractive. When Kai comes to stay on their property,in her brother's cabin (while her brother is traveling), the three grow close. Yara has always had fantasies of Kai and Casey being together. Now, Casey is also having a bi-awakening and realizes he is also attracted to Kai. Can this group make a relationship work, or is it a fling? The chemistry between these three was pure fire. I loved that Casey owned and embraced his sexuality and was secure enough to explore a relationship as a throuple. He was the one that recognized both Kai's feelings for Yara and that Yara had her own fantasies about her two favorite men being together. The three balanced each other perfectly. It was such a steamy, erotic story with so much heart and romance. I loved it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yara and Casey are married. Yara's best friend, Kai, moves from the east coast to teach at a college near them. He lives in her brother's house which is in their backyard. Kai has always been attracted to Yara, but she thinks he is gay. As he watches Casey eating a popsicle, he realizes he was also attracted to Casey. Casey realizes he is not only attracted to women but men also. Will Kai let him experiment? Will the three of them act on their attractions? What happens if they do?

I enjoyed this story. I liked the three main characters. They were each different in personalities, but those differences worked for them. All three are afraid to be the first to say their attraction is more. Once it looks like Kai may be leaving, Casey and Yara decide to show him their feelings. I liked how they did it. The story is hot, but it is part of their story.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Brandi Recino · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only finished it because it was small. I guess I thought there would be more of a plot to this. It just didn't feel like there was much to overcome. There wasn't a large conflict. The biggest conflict was that the wife's brother was coming home, so he couldn't stay in the guest house anymore. Or it could have been the professor who had an issue with them. Or it could have been that they all wanted to be together but didn't fit societal norms. But no one had any issues with them being together aside from the professor. And all of these conflicts were easily resolved. Everything was pretty predictable. The book was well written though.

[lexi lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written immature, dialogue doesn't line up with ages of characters. Little to no plot just smut, wish there was more to the actual story.

[♥ I’d Rather Be Reading ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

- FMC: Yara
- MMC's: Casey, Kai
- POVs Included: Multiple POVs (Yara, Casey, Kai)

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SUMMARY: (SPOILER WARNING)

Yara and her husband Casey are very happy and satisfied in their marriage. But when her best friend Kai moves back to town, she begins to fantasize about him....with her husband. Thankfully Casey is very intuitive to what she wants, and also open to exploring that part of himself. But things move quickly from just having fun to being more serious between the three of them.

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REVIEW:

It's been awhile since I've read a book by this author, but I've read a lot of her ménage books in the past. And this one is pretty much her standard formula. She has a few formulaic type of ménage setups she does and this is one of them -- a married couple brings in a third.

That being said, I LIKE this trope a lot. I especially like it if the third is the guy's best friend. In this case Kai is actually Yara (the wife's) best friend. It's still pretty good though.

I liked it. The steam is decent and I like the connection between all three of them. Like most of her books, the relationship progresses quickly and it might seem a little unrealistic at times. But I still like it as a quickie story.

As far as characters go, I liked them too. I think I liked Casey the most. He just has a strong personality that you can't help but love. But Yara and Kai are good, nothing to complain about as far as they go.

There is virtually no drama here. Just steam. Even when they tell their parents and friends, everyone is pretty supportive except for one random co-worker. This is a little unrealistic, but if you're looking for little to no drama and just steam then it's nice.

Overall it's a decent quick and steamy MMF romance. I liked it. Nothing too deep, just spicy fun.

[Stephanie Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, spicy story that needs proofreading!

Four stars for the story. Really enjoyed the development of this spicy little polycule. Pacing was relatively well-balanced, plot could have been fleshed out a bit more (the spice was definitely the focal point) and characters were interesting and clearly drawn. Would have loved a prologue or initial chapters with some tension around the MCs’ earlier individual relationships, and maybe some interim pining to root the feelings between all of them. But, holy cow there were a LOT of proofreading/copy editing errors! Wrong/misused words and pronouns, repeated phrases, improper sentence structure, continuity issues, even one cut-off sentence/paragraph that just ended mid-thought. Very distracting and made the whole book feel unsophisticated and kind of rushed. I’ll likely read the next book (which was briefly but obviously foreshadowed in the epilogue here) with the hope that the author adds another layer of proofreading for the digital edition. (I did not read the printed version so don’t know if it has the same errors.) Worth a read if you can ignore the mistakes!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yara’s husband, Casey, isn’t completely straight. Her best friend, Kai, is secretly bisexual. She loves them both, and sparks are flying every which way.

Story is told in alternations between each of the three characters. There’s a nice buildup as each of the trio comes to terms with their attraction to the other two. The spice is hot and the ending satisfying. I also liked that Casey and Yara were both switches and how easily they could each slide in and out of being the dominant.

I really enjoyed Kirsten’s writing style—a nice balance of humor and heat. There aren’t enough spicy poly romances out there. This is a good one, and I hope Kirstin keeps putting them out.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lil Ms Reads A LOT · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a little while since I last read a book written by author Kristin Lance. After finishing reading "Why Not Both?", I was left scratching my head. What lead me to take a pause in reading her books in the first place? I absolutely loved this book!  Casey, Yara and Kai are refreshingly real--  complex, sexy and fun.  They express not only their strong sexual sides, but also the vulnerability and uncertainty that goes along with starting a new relationship. Their chemistry together as couples, as well as a throuple,  was both raw and explosive. This book is the perfect getaway from life's hectic days. A definite must read!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book felt more like smut/porn than an actual story. Everything happened too quickly. I didn't buy that Casey and Yara were in love with Kai when everything seemed purely physical/sexual.

They also lacked communication which I blamed mainly on the couple. Since they were bringing him into their relationship, they should've made it known that they wanted something serious with him. I hated the part where Kai felt bad when Casey told his mom that he was just a friend. I also hate how it was never brought up.

It also felt like the guys were more into each other. That, or they just had more parts together. I felt like Yara was a side character and was just there as an excuse for them to be together.

[Merlynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sure people are tired of hearing how much I love Kristin's work but I really cannot say enough good things about it.

This book like all of her others doesn't just insert a "missing piece" to make a poly romance. There's a journey here that every character goes through in realizing their feelings, battling insecurities, and finding their happiness. She focuses on the AB BC CA aspect that a healthy poly triad needs and so far she's the only author I've read that does this.

Beyond that her spice is SPICY and there's plenty of soft sweet moments throughout that make you fall in love with her characters.

[Polli.p · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story: Yara and Casey invite Yara's bi friend Kai into their marriage. What was a bit of fun turns into something serious when Casey unleashes his bi side.

Had some lovely characters and a nice pace to the writing, though at times, and I know I shouldn't say this, there was far too much focus on the sex, that any plot development or drama got lost. Still if you're into RH why choose and plenty of spice, then this is for you.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Starla · Rating 5 out of 5]

When her long time "gay" friend comes back to town and her husband decides to give her a little surprise, things heat up quickly! The exploration, acceptance, and chemistry between these three is so wonderful! I really enjoyed how smooth the transition was. Don't get me wrong, I love a book with some angst but when things fit and just flow, it's really wonderful!!! The acceptance of the character's friends and family is incredible as well and really how friends and family should be!

[Vivien Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an ultra spicy sexy book that features married couple Casey and Yara. They are in love and in a happy marriage but when their friend Kai comes to visit them, other feelings start to surface. Yara and Casey both realize they are attracted to Kai. And Kai is also attracted to both Casey and Yara. They end up in a throuple and everybody loves everybody. If you love a spicy ménage story you will love this one.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Naming things is hard, but "Why not both?" feels like a project placeholder name. The popsicle thing is weird and forced and the villain just pops up from time to time to twirl his moustache without ever feeling like he has any impact on the story. And I think the proofreader got bored because it gets progressively sloppier through the book, culminating in what feels like a missing paragraph.

But the throuple are good.

[⭐️ mrs_munken_555 ⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first chapter, you knew this would be full of spice as well as a budding romance.
The three main characters are all loveable in their own ways and the relationship development between them is brilliant. The long years of one for another, the budding love of a newly discovered sexuality and the realisation that a wonderful marriage can be made better. All round excellent book. loved it!.

[Mona Friess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the overall story and the spice.

It’s a novella so it’s bound to be lacking in depth. I don’t know why this was the choice though, because the story had enough potential to be a novel. It felt like there were lots of missed opportunities there.
It’s also very much unedited, which makes reading it difficult at times.

If you want something short and sweet with plenty of throuple spice, this is for you.

[Erica Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are into very spicy books, this one is for you. Yara finally gets her best friend Kai back after years apart. When they walk in on her husband eating popsicles seductively in the kitchen, everything changes. Yara believes Kai is gay but has no idea he has been keeping a secret from her for years. Casey, her husband, decides it's time to explore feels he has for Kai. But a throuple can't really work, right?

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kai is back to town and is staying with his best friend, Yara and her husband, Casey, as he settles himself in. The story moves pretty quick as they navigate their new relationship status. It was fun and entertaining with low drama.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mandy Cahill · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a girls straight husband realised his Bi and the girls best gay friend realised his bi they team up in a Hot Steamy Romance that keeps getting hotter and hotter .

This story is full of Kinks from the start. I'll.never look at a possible the same way .

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.