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Salacious Legacy #2
The Rule of Three
Three hearts. One consuming fire.
Julian Kade hates everyone. But when a power outage traps him in a Paris elevator with sharp-tongued chef Freya Kapoor and charming street fighter Archer Wilde, an unexpected spark ignites between them. By the end of the twelve hours that follow, they’ve shared their darkest desires…and formed a bond none of them could have expected.
Freya Kapoor has dreams, and getting sidetracked by two billionaires wasn't part of her careful plan. But when the two men who’ve begun to dominate her body and mind present Freya with a chance to open the restaurant of her dreams, boundaries quickly blur…and her orderly world gets increasingly complicated.
Archer Wilde never thought he'd stop fighting long enough to get tangled up with two such different people. Yet the three of them fit together like nothing before, unlocking hidden desires they never knew they craved. But beneath the perfect facade are three individuals battling demons of their own. Ultimately, as passion deepens into something far more dangerous, Freya, Julian, and Archer will have to choose whether they're willing to risk everything they’ve built for a love as fierce as it is free.
Julian Kade hates everyone. But when a power outage traps him in a Paris elevator with sharp-tongued chef Freya Kapoor and charming street fighter Archer Wilde, an unexpected spark ignites between them. By the end of the twelve hours that follow, they’ve shared their darkest desires…and formed a bond none of them could have expected.
Freya Kapoor has dreams, and getting sidetracked by two billionaires wasn't part of her careful plan. But when the two men who’ve begun to dominate her body and mind present Freya with a chance to open the restaurant of her dreams, boundaries quickly blur…and her orderly world gets increasingly complicated.
Archer Wilde never thought he'd stop fighting long enough to get tangled up with two such different people. Yet the three of them fit together like nothing before, unlocking hidden desires they never knew they craved. But beneath the perfect facade are three individuals battling demons of their own. Ultimately, as passion deepens into something far more dangerous, Freya, Julian, and Archer will have to choose whether they're willing to risk everything they’ve built for a love as fierce as it is free.
432 pages, Paperback
Published May 5, 2026
About the author
Sara Cate
44 books21.1k followersSara Cate is a USA Today best-selling author of steamy romance and sexy book boyfriends. Although she writes a wide range of tropes, Sara is best known for her age gap and taboo romances. One thing you can expect from her entire collection is heaps of steam and plenty of angst.
Living in Arizona with her husband and kids, Sara spends most of her time reading, writing, or baking.
Find out more at: www.saracatebooks.com
Living in Arizona with her husband and kids, Sara spends most of her time reading, writing, or baking.
Find out more at: www.saracatebooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 791 reviews
May 8, 2026
1. this should’ve been MM.
2. it’s time we start leaving the indian girls out of this.
3. the pissing kink made me die laughing.
4. the audiobook was good.
5. i’m embarrassed i read this.
6. the pronunciation of indian words was absolutely atrocious.
7. no indian family is allowing this nonsense in their home.
8. mommy issues meets more mommy issues.
9. imagine marrying into this flop family.
10. vee and i need god.
2. it’s time we start leaving the indian girls out of this.
3. the pissing kink made me die laughing.
4. the audiobook was good.
5. i’m embarrassed i read this.
6. the pronunciation of indian words was absolutely atrocious.
7. no indian family is allowing this nonsense in their home.
8. mommy issues meets more mommy issues.
9. imagine marrying into this flop family.
10. vee and i need god.
May 9, 2026
my flabbers were gasted when he pissed on him.
May 11, 2026
I am so happy to live on the same timeline as Sara Cate.
This book is an educational masterpiece. Kink-positive in a way that might genuinely teach people a little something about themselves.
Also. I will never look at an elevator the same again.
Archer is absolutely the glue of this relationship dynamic, but I loved all three of them for different reasons.
Freya, my sweet summer child of immigrant parents… I understand you deeply.
“Letting my parents down is my biggest fear so I’m constantly balancing between telling them everything and telling them nothing.”
That line captures something so specific about immigrant households: the constant negotiation between love, achievement, obligation, and self-preservation.
And then this:
“They never let me rest. There is always another mountain to climb. More to strive for. And that’s only so inspiring until it becomes draining.”
A true immigrant household experience. I can attest.
Then Julian came in with:
“Confidence isn’t real. It’s not bestowed upon the people who earn it. You have to just…act it out.”
Finally. Someone said it plainly. Fake it until you believe it.
And Julian’s anxiety representation honestly meant a lot to me:
“I have no tragic story to share. I’ve never been heartbroken. I’ve never even really been hurt.”
I appreciated this SO much because sometimes people feel like they need a devastating backstory to justify anxiety. Sometimes your brain is just fighting battles your body treats as real. That experience deserves language too.
I also went on a deep dive researching Archer’s kink afterward and…boy did I learn a lot. Anyway. Archer, call your mother!
But underneath all of the exploration, I loved how much this book understood safety and trust.
And this conversation absolutely sealed it for me:
“For people of color, kink can be more complicated. My reactions to ideas like domination and impact play might not be the same as a white person…”
Thank you. Truly. Because conversations about kink often pretend race, culture, and lived experience don’t shape vulnerability, trust, or power dynamics when they absolutely do.
And finally:
“I want him to know I’m someone safe he can open up to. Someone who won’t think his kinks and desires are too fucked up or sick.”
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the whole point.
Not shock value. Not performance. Not taboo for the sake of taboo.
Safety. Trust. Acceptance.
And with this, I became a Sara Cate fan for life.
This book is an educational masterpiece. Kink-positive in a way that might genuinely teach people a little something about themselves.
Also. I will never look at an elevator the same again.
Archer is absolutely the glue of this relationship dynamic, but I loved all three of them for different reasons.
Freya, my sweet summer child of immigrant parents… I understand you deeply.
“Letting my parents down is my biggest fear so I’m constantly balancing between telling them everything and telling them nothing.”
That line captures something so specific about immigrant households: the constant negotiation between love, achievement, obligation, and self-preservation.
And then this:
“They never let me rest. There is always another mountain to climb. More to strive for. And that’s only so inspiring until it becomes draining.”
A true immigrant household experience. I can attest.
Then Julian came in with:
“Confidence isn’t real. It’s not bestowed upon the people who earn it. You have to just…act it out.”
Finally. Someone said it plainly. Fake it until you believe it.
And Julian’s anxiety representation honestly meant a lot to me:
“I have no tragic story to share. I’ve never been heartbroken. I’ve never even really been hurt.”
I appreciated this SO much because sometimes people feel like they need a devastating backstory to justify anxiety. Sometimes your brain is just fighting battles your body treats as real. That experience deserves language too.
I also went on a deep dive researching Archer’s kink afterward and…boy did I learn a lot. Anyway. Archer, call your mother!
But underneath all of the exploration, I loved how much this book understood safety and trust.
And this conversation absolutely sealed it for me:
“For people of color, kink can be more complicated. My reactions to ideas like domination and impact play might not be the same as a white person…”
Thank you. Truly. Because conversations about kink often pretend race, culture, and lived experience don’t shape vulnerability, trust, or power dynamics when they absolutely do.
And finally:
“I want him to know I’m someone safe he can open up to. Someone who won’t think his kinks and desires are too fucked up or sick.”
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the whole point.
Not shock value. Not performance. Not taboo for the sake of taboo.
Safety. Trust. Acceptance.
And with this, I became a Sara Cate fan for life.
May 11, 2026
Salacious Legacy is back with Julian Kade's story. He was quite the little sh*t in The Good Girl Effect from Jack's POV, but now we are getting into the heart of him. He is guarded and mysterious, but Archer & Freya aren't going to let him hide for long.
Putting together an MMF romance isn't an easy thing to do and I think that Sara Cate can do it better than most. She works hard to make all the relationships in the triad feel solid and real. I think she does that well in a lot of ways.
Once thing I was a bit indifferent about was how many times jumps were in this story. But maybe what I mean is when they happen. I would get a really good tidbit, they would communicate in some way, and then we would skip ahead. I wanted to sit in some of those moments and reflect on how the relationship was changing. That felt rushed at times.
Overall, I enjoyed them a lot though and this book just flew by. I think it's a balance with 3 characters where you don't want the book to drag on too long but also to make the connections known.
Finally, yes, this has a water sports scenario in it. A lot of people will have a LOT of opinions about that. I get it. However, it also takes a LOT of guts to put that kink in a story. And if you are someone who is completely adverse to it, and not willing to see how the author leads you into it... then DON'T read this book. It's once scene, in a very emotional moments and it completely makes sense for the characters. If you understand the NEED of the character who wants it and the NEED of the other characters to accept it from their lover... well, there is literally nothing more intimate than that.
It was a Full Cast Duet Narration by Teddy Hamilton, Simone Lewis, Brandon Francis, with Desiree Ketchum, and Jason Clarke.
4 Stars
4 on the spice scale
CW: Anxiety, Water Sports k*nk, Free Use/CNC, claustrophobia, Violence
*Thank you to Sourcebooks & the author for an ALC & ARC of this title.*
Putting together an MMF romance isn't an easy thing to do and I think that Sara Cate can do it better than most. She works hard to make all the relationships in the triad feel solid and real. I think she does that well in a lot of ways.
Once thing I was a bit indifferent about was how many times jumps were in this story. But maybe what I mean is when they happen. I would get a really good tidbit, they would communicate in some way, and then we would skip ahead. I wanted to sit in some of those moments and reflect on how the relationship was changing. That felt rushed at times.
Overall, I enjoyed them a lot though and this book just flew by. I think it's a balance with 3 characters where you don't want the book to drag on too long but also to make the connections known.
Finally, yes, this has a water sports scenario in it. A lot of people will have a LOT of opinions about that. I get it. However, it also takes a LOT of guts to put that kink in a story. And if you are someone who is completely adverse to it, and not willing to see how the author leads you into it... then DON'T read this book. It's once scene, in a very emotional moments and it completely makes sense for the characters. If you understand the NEED of the character who wants it and the NEED of the other characters to accept it from their lover... well, there is literally nothing more intimate than that.
It was a Full Cast Duet Narration by Teddy Hamilton, Simone Lewis, Brandon Francis, with Desiree Ketchum, and Jason Clarke.
4 Stars
4 on the spice scale
CW: Anxiety, Water Sports k*nk, Free Use/CNC, claustrophobia, Violence
*Thank you to Sourcebooks & the author for an ALC & ARC of this title.*
April 24, 2026
3⭐️|2🌶️
I was SO excited to jump back into this world and honestly the book started out soooo strong.
Julian was peak grumpy. Freya came in sassy and confident. Archer was laidback, goofy, and instantly lovable. That elevator meet cute when they get trapped together was so good!!
But somewhere along the way it just fell apart for me.
I never felt a real connection between Freya and the guys. If anything this felt like it could’ve easily been an MM romance with Freya as the close friend on the sidelines. Her dynamic with them just never hit the way I wanted it to.
She’s inexperienced and wants to take things slow which is totally valid and totally respected. But the jealousy over Archer and Julian spending time together? Not it👏🏻 Especially when she was perfectly content having solo time with Archer. That double standard felt hypocritical and really bothered me.
Julian broke my heart with his anxiety and fear of not being meant for a relationship. Bu then finally tearing down his walls and proudly telling his family he loved Freya and Archer had ME so proud of him🥹
So now to be six months into this throuple and Freya still wanting to hide them…what do you mean girl???? And don’t even get me started on the third act breakup. The sheer hypocrisy and the gaslighting toward Julian…absolutely not.
The more I think about it, the more annoyed I get because there were far more things I didn’t enjoy than things I did.
That said, Julian and Archer together were incredible. Their chemistry felt real, natural, and so well done. I loved every scene with just the two of them.
Thank you Sara Cate for this ARC in exchange for my honest review 🩷
I was SO excited to jump back into this world and honestly the book started out soooo strong.
Julian was peak grumpy. Freya came in sassy and confident. Archer was laidback, goofy, and instantly lovable. That elevator meet cute when they get trapped together was so good!!
But somewhere along the way it just fell apart for me.
I never felt a real connection between Freya and the guys. If anything this felt like it could’ve easily been an MM romance with Freya as the close friend on the sidelines. Her dynamic with them just never hit the way I wanted it to.
She’s inexperienced and wants to take things slow which is totally valid and totally respected. But the jealousy over Archer and Julian spending time together? Not it👏🏻 Especially when she was perfectly content having solo time with Archer. That double standard felt hypocritical and really bothered me.
Julian broke my heart with his anxiety and fear of not being meant for a relationship. Bu then finally tearing down his walls and proudly telling his family he loved Freya and Archer had ME so proud of him🥹
So now to be six months into this throuple and Freya still wanting to hide them…what do you mean girl???? And don’t even get me started on the third act breakup. The sheer hypocrisy and the gaslighting toward Julian…absolutely not.
The more I think about it, the more annoyed I get because there were far more things I didn’t enjoy than things I did.
That said, Julian and Archer together were incredible. Their chemistry felt real, natural, and so well done. I loved every scene with just the two of them.
Thank you Sara Cate for this ARC in exchange for my honest review 🩷
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2026
I should not have a favorite character, but Julian Kade is definitely my favorite. He was the one character that made me feel the most seen because the things that he was struggling with, even though I’m not a billionaire, I could definitely relate to. Most importantly, the anxiety that he was dealing with and having to put on his armor before he saw people who were not his family members was just so real. Also, I thought that Freya and Archer were exactly what he needed to understand that he doesn’t have to be perfect all the time.
I truly adored the feelings this book evoked, and I had tears rolling down my face by the end. I don’t think I can ever recover from the emotional toll this took, but I would not take anything back.
I truly adored the feelings this book evoked, and I had tears rolling down my face by the end. I don’t think I can ever recover from the emotional toll this took, but I would not take anything back.
May 13, 2026
Trapped in an elevator with her best friend’s abrasive brother and an intriguing stranger, Freya Kapoor exits the lift with unlikely connections: Julian Kade and Archer Wilde.
As the days pass, flirtier group chats turn into dinners and drinks, inhibitions begin to fall away, and chaste kisses quickly become something more. But with all three battling their own demons, the feelings growing between them are anything but simple.
I’ve read a lot of of Sara Cate and this might honestly be my favorite yet. Watching Freya, Julian, and Archer confront their fears and vulnerabilities while building an unshakable bond was incredibly satisfying. Sara has a real talent for writing poly relationships where every character feels fully developed, with their own distinct voice and emotional depth. None of them get lost in the dynamic - instead, they complement each other perfectly.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Format: 📱
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): New Adult
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻🧍🏼♂️ {Multiple | Present}
Emotions: 😬😊🥵😩😍
Darkness: 🤍
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ Tropes: Billionaire, Enemies-to-Lovers, Forbidden, Found Family, Meet Cute, Opposites Attract, Poly Relationship
💫 Microtropes: Anxiety Rep, Caveman/Bridal Carry, Grey Sweatpants, POC/Interracial, Virgin FMC
🔆 Character: Chef, Underground Fighter
💋 Kinks: 🍑, Biting/Marking, Exhibitionism, Free Use, Golden Shower, Public Play
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a
🚩 Red Flags: Alphahole
⛔️ Safety Squad: There are potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📍 Setting: Paris, France 🇫🇷
📣 Type: The Rule of Three is part of the Salacious Legacy series of interconnected standalones. While no other books need to be read in order to follow the story, reading prior books may enhance the experience.
⚠️ Warning: This sweet and steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
As the days pass, flirtier group chats turn into dinners and drinks, inhibitions begin to fall away, and chaste kisses quickly become something more. But with all three battling their own demons, the feelings growing between them are anything but simple.
I’ve read a lot of of Sara Cate and this might honestly be my favorite yet. Watching Freya, Julian, and Archer confront their fears and vulnerabilities while building an unshakable bond was incredibly satisfying. Sara has a real talent for writing poly relationships where every character feels fully developed, with their own distinct voice and emotional depth. None of them get lost in the dynamic - instead, they complement each other perfectly.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Format: 📱
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): New Adult
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻🧍🏼♂️ {Multiple | Present}
Emotions: 😬😊🥵😩😍
Darkness: 🤍
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ Tropes: Billionaire, Enemies-to-Lovers, Forbidden, Found Family, Meet Cute, Opposites Attract, Poly Relationship
💫 Microtropes: Anxiety Rep, Caveman/Bridal Carry, Grey Sweatpants, POC/Interracial, Virgin FMC
🔆 Character: Chef, Underground Fighter
💋 Kinks: 🍑, Biting/Marking, Exhibitionism, Free Use, Golden Shower, Public Play
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a
🚩 Red Flags: Alphahole
⛔️ Safety Squad: There are potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📍 Setting: Paris, France 🇫🇷
📣 Type: The Rule of Three is part of the Salacious Legacy series of interconnected standalones. While no other books need to be read in order to follow the story, reading prior books may enhance the experience.
⚠️ Warning: This sweet and steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
May 13, 2026
‘We are one. We are one beating, pulsing body of desire. Our hearts beat in sync. Our breaths, our bodies, our blood. It’s all so fused at this point that not one of us could exist without the other two.’
bear with me. i really enjoyed this book… but… i would’ve liked to see them at the legacy club a little more than we did. i think there were maybe a handful of times they were actually at the club or even mentioned the club, which kind of bothered me because in all the other books, the club played such a huge part in them discovering their sexuality and relationships. we were at the apartment more than anything in this one 🫠.
i loved the dynamic between each of them. i loved archer and julian’s relationship and how it was broody, mysterious, rugged man with a spoiled, egotistic, pretty man. im just going to say this, and i know the whole point of the book was all three of them, but i enjoyed archer and julian’s relationship more than i did freya with either of them. she just felt kind of thrown in. the chemistry wasn’t there for me with her and them. now archer and julian?? the tension, the chemistry, i was eating it upppp.
i also think the “but she’s my sister’s best friend” thing was kind of just thrown in. the sister wasn’t even mad and never said she would be mad, so it just felt kind of unnecessary.
anyway, it was entertaining, and i will definitely be reading the next book in this series 🤭!!
‘I won’t be able to fully relax until the three of us are together again.’
‘I lose any argument I was about to give. Because he’s right. I am his.’
‘I could get used to this. No more fights. Just this and them in this city. Forever.’
May 13, 2026
Sara Cate’s Characters!
Conflicted, complex, and complicated characters comprise all Sara Cate’s books. What could be a better meet-cute than to have 3 chipped and chiseled characters become trapped when a power outage leaves them within an old elevator in a Parisian building where 2 of them reside?
What started as a fiery chef catering for a wealthy family’s anniversary, confronts the wealthy son of the anniversary couple, a son who has threatened to fire her, ignites into flames of passionate concern when an anxiety attack begins.
All 3 find a shared focus, concern, and attraction. After 12 hours sharing fears, concerns, and hopes, relationship connections begin strand by strand weaving an intricate and complicated Union.
Because the characters are so visceral, all flawed, all perfectly imperfect, they perceive in each others what remains invisible to others for each of them share such similar doubts, fears, and desires.
Cate’s books deliver characters that connect and expose the craved connections humans need and desire. Loved all 3 of these characters, Julian, Freya, and Archer.
Conflicted, complex, and complicated characters comprise all Sara Cate’s books. What could be a better meet-cute than to have 3 chipped and chiseled characters become trapped when a power outage leaves them within an old elevator in a Parisian building where 2 of them reside?
What started as a fiery chef catering for a wealthy family’s anniversary, confronts the wealthy son of the anniversary couple, a son who has threatened to fire her, ignites into flames of passionate concern when an anxiety attack begins.
All 3 find a shared focus, concern, and attraction. After 12 hours sharing fears, concerns, and hopes, relationship connections begin strand by strand weaving an intricate and complicated Union.
Because the characters are so visceral, all flawed, all perfectly imperfect, they perceive in each others what remains invisible to others for each of them share such similar doubts, fears, and desires.
Cate’s books deliver characters that connect and expose the craved connections humans need and desire. Loved all 3 of these characters, Julian, Freya, and Archer.
April 28, 2026
I ATE THIS BOOK UP! I listened to it on audio it was perfection!! The narrators kept me fully engaged the entire time. The plot was plotting, the spice was spicing! My favorite so far in the series!
May 9, 2026
Sara is always going to deliver excellent spice and lovable characters and this book is no exception! Julian’s anxiety rep is everything to me (as a girlie with severe anxiety). I absolutely fell in love with Archer! And really appreciated how Freya balanced the two of them out! Not to mention the Ronan Kade cameo had me tearing up!
I truly don’t think you can go wrong picking up a Sara Cate book. You think she can’t get kinkier and then she proves you wrong lol
The audio was great and the narrators did a phenomenal job bringing these characters to life!
All that being said, it’s not my favorite book from this author. I struggle with throuple dynamics because I think it’s really hard to fit all the necessary parts of a romance involving three people into a standard sized novel. There’s not quite enough time to devote to character development for all three characters, leaving (at least) one of them feel less fleshed out than the others. There’s also not enough time to develop the relationships so that we can truly feel the connection between all of three them. Again, leaving some connections feeling more shallow than others and giving insta love. (Which is not my fave) On top of that, this being a second gen and part of an interconnected series, we had to fit cameos from the original generation and all the other characters from the series too. Given the constraints, I think she did a great job, but I was left feeling like I wanted a little more.
I still had a great time and think you will to, but wanted to share why it wasn’t a 5 star for me.
I truly don’t think you can go wrong picking up a Sara Cate book. You think she can’t get kinkier and then she proves you wrong lol
The audio was great and the narrators did a phenomenal job bringing these characters to life!
All that being said, it’s not my favorite book from this author. I struggle with throuple dynamics because I think it’s really hard to fit all the necessary parts of a romance involving three people into a standard sized novel. There’s not quite enough time to devote to character development for all three characters, leaving (at least) one of them feel less fleshed out than the others. There’s also not enough time to develop the relationships so that we can truly feel the connection between all of three them. Again, leaving some connections feeling more shallow than others and giving insta love. (Which is not my fave) On top of that, this being a second gen and part of an interconnected series, we had to fit cameos from the original generation and all the other characters from the series too. Given the constraints, I think she did a great job, but I was left feeling like I wanted a little more.
I still had a great time and think you will to, but wanted to share why it wasn’t a 5 star for me.
May 15, 2026
Rating: ⭐⭐
It might possibly be this series, but these books aren't doing it for me. I was a big fan of the Salacious Player's series, but for some reason, this series isn't hitting like that one did.
I did enjoy this one more than the first one. I DNF'd The Good Girl Effect, so the fact that I finished this one is a step up. I don't know if I was ovulating when I read the Salacious Player's Club, but I remember those books being good, and I actually enjoyed them. I realized after finishing this book that there was more I disliked than I liked, which is reflected in the rating. It wasn't bad per say but I would not reread.
I'll start off with what I liked. I love the anxiety representation through Julian's character, and I think Sara did a really good job with how she wrote his character and his experiences. The only other thing I like was how it didn't feel like one duo within the throuple was favored more than another. They always reassured one another and talked about boundaries. Also, loved Onyx and Onyx needed more time in this book!!
Ok, so now the longer list of things I disliked throughout this book. First, I wasn't the biggest fan of Julian and Freya. Archer was probably my favorite character, and he was so unproblematic. Yes, was he fighting people? who doesn't love a strong, beefy man!! Secondly, it felt a bit repetitive. As the audiobook went on, it felt like I was just listening to the same thing, and nothing was progressing forward. For me, the spice in this book didn't hit like the usual Sara Cate spice. It could totally just be me. I'm a mood reader, so sometimes it depends on my mood if I'm feeling the spice in a book or not, but while listening to this, the spice wasn't hitting.
Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe I only liked Archer because he's narrated by Teddy Hamilton BAHAHAH.
Huge thank you to Sara Cate for the ARC. I'll hold off on submitting my review until the release day!
It might possibly be this series, but these books aren't doing it for me. I was a big fan of the Salacious Player's series, but for some reason, this series isn't hitting like that one did.
I did enjoy this one more than the first one. I DNF'd The Good Girl Effect, so the fact that I finished this one is a step up. I don't know if I was ovulating when I read the Salacious Player's Club, but I remember those books being good, and I actually enjoyed them. I realized after finishing this book that there was more I disliked than I liked, which is reflected in the rating. It wasn't bad per say but I would not reread.
I'll start off with what I liked. I love the anxiety representation through Julian's character, and I think Sara did a really good job with how she wrote his character and his experiences. The only other thing I like was how it didn't feel like one duo within the throuple was favored more than another. They always reassured one another and talked about boundaries. Also, loved Onyx and Onyx needed more time in this book!!
Ok, so now the longer list of things I disliked throughout this book. First, I wasn't the biggest fan of Julian and Freya. Archer was probably my favorite character, and he was so unproblematic. Yes, was he fighting people? who doesn't love a strong, beefy man!! Secondly, it felt a bit repetitive. As the audiobook went on, it felt like I was just listening to the same thing, and nothing was progressing forward. For me, the spice in this book didn't hit like the usual Sara Cate spice. It could totally just be me. I'm a mood reader, so sometimes it depends on my mood if I'm feeling the spice in a book or not, but while listening to this, the spice wasn't hitting.
Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe I only liked Archer because he's narrated by Teddy Hamilton BAHAHAH.
Huge thank you to Sara Cate for the ARC. I'll hold off on submitting my review until the release day!
April 30, 2026
✩4
Rule #6: Never get yourself stuck in an elevator with two billionaires.
✦What to Expect✦
•Billionaire
•S-x club
•Menage
•Best friend’s brother
•K!nk exploration
✦Characters✦
•Julian Kade
•Freya Kapoor
•Archer Wilde
✦Narrated By✦
•Brandon Francis
•Simone Lewis
•Teddy Hamilton
•Desiree Ketchum
•Jason Clarke
✦Fav Quotes✦
It’s not every day you get stuck in an enclosed space with two of the most gorgeous people you’ve ever laid eyes on.
He lifts my head, watching me like he’s about to devour me. I wish he would.
“Fuck yes, Chef,”
“You don’t think you belong to me after only two weeks? You belonged to me that first night we met.”
I am part of both of them at this moment. My body and soul belong to them.
For him, I’d do anything.
✦Thoughts✦
Sara Cate books cure me and are always the best time! This trio was just what I needed and I ate it up!!!
These three were HOTTTTT!!!! Their first encounters with each other had me 🤭🤭. Then having to be stuck in an elevator for hours and forming this bond!! Loved it!
Each one of them had their own internal battles. Since the first book I was so curious about Julian and I felt for him & understood why he was the way he was.
DADDY RONAN is still just a precious man & loved seeing him with Julian at the end.
I also lovedddd Archer & Freya!!! I lovedddd the dynamics between the three of them and they all were just sooo hot together.
The train/metro scene was f’ing HOTTT!!! I’ll never recover lol
Audiobook:
The audio was sooooo good!
Loveddddd the narrators!! They did amazing job!
✦Micro-Tropes✦
•He 💦 in his pants
•Golden showers
•ARC Read•
✦ Bookish links to follow ✦
Bookstagram • Goodreads • BookBub • Storygraph • Fable
Rule #6: Never get yourself stuck in an elevator with two billionaires.
✦What to Expect✦
•Billionaire
•S-x club
•Menage
•Best friend’s brother
•K!nk exploration
✦Characters✦
•Julian Kade
•Freya Kapoor
•Archer Wilde
✦Narrated By✦
•Brandon Francis
•Simone Lewis
•Teddy Hamilton
•Desiree Ketchum
•Jason Clarke
✦Fav Quotes✦
It’s not every day you get stuck in an enclosed space with two of the most gorgeous people you’ve ever laid eyes on.
He lifts my head, watching me like he’s about to devour me. I wish he would.
“Fuck yes, Chef,”
“You don’t think you belong to me after only two weeks? You belonged to me that first night we met.”
I am part of both of them at this moment. My body and soul belong to them.
For him, I’d do anything.
✦Thoughts✦
Sara Cate books cure me and are always the best time! This trio was just what I needed and I ate it up!!!
These three were HOTTTTT!!!! Their first encounters with each other had me 🤭🤭. Then having to be stuck in an elevator for hours and forming this bond!! Loved it!
Each one of them had their own internal battles. Since the first book I was so curious about Julian and I felt for him & understood why he was the way he was.
DADDY RONAN is still just a precious man & loved seeing him with Julian at the end.
I also lovedddd Archer & Freya!!! I lovedddd the dynamics between the three of them and they all were just sooo hot together.
The train/metro scene was f’ing HOTTT!!! I’ll never recover lol
Audiobook:
The audio was sooooo good!
Loveddddd the narrators!! They did amazing job!
✦Micro-Tropes✦
•He 💦 in his pants
•Golden showers
•ARC Read•
✦ Bookish links to follow ✦
Bookstagram • Goodreads • BookBub • Storygraph • Fable
May 12, 2026
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨✨
First Impressions
The Rule of Three is the second book in the Salacious Legacy series. This is a book that if you loved the first book, you are guaranteed to love this one. There is something that is hitting different with her more recent books. They are traditionally published now and I do think that is making a difference in the plot and relationship building elements. While there is plenty of strong spice in this one, the heart and emotional ties are deeply layered. Its a story that I didn't want to put down and I had such a delight in reading from beginning to end.
First Line
"Everyone's Here," Jack says as he takes his seat at the other end of the table.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Julian Kade
The Hero (2): Archer Wilde
The Heroine: Freya Kapoor
Summary
Julian, Freya and Archer all live unique seperate lives from each other. Julian helps run with 5 others a sex club in Paris, Freya has arrived to learn to become a chef, and then we have Archer who is running from his past and venting out his anger in illegal street fights as a MMA fighter. They meet in a elevator. They bond in the 12 hours they are stuck in the elevator and form a bond deeper than friendship or even sexual attraction. After their time together, they decide to build on the relationship that is newly formed. But all three have self worth doubts and it will take them all learning to fight for love to make it work...
What I Loved
The Rule of Three was truly deeply captivating from the beginning. It does have a slow start as it sets up the characters which makes sense with it being a menage and having the background information was very helpful in establishing the different backgrounds that each of them have and how a relationship between the three of them would actually work. The elevator scene was so INTENSE!!!! I appreciated that we see anxiety and a panic attack handled and how it connects them. Seeing how they respond to each other is honestly so natural. And there is some animosity between Julian and Freya as they know each other but haven't liked one another until this elevator scene. Julian is a difficult character but once everything gets revealed, its truly beautiful to see his transformation. Archer I feel like gets the worst end of the deal. He gets hurt the worst in this book by both Freya and Julian at times. My heart ached for him, but he is also a MMA fighter for a reason and he never gives up on them and my heart melted for his fighting spirit that is the glue. Freya is a sweetheart, innocent in so many things but also has a adventurous spirit. Seeing how they explore a relationship with each other as "three" but also in inter relationships between each other was so essential and made the poly aspect work. You have a relationship being built between Julian and Archer, then Archer and Freya, Freya and Julian and then as the three unit. I respected that the author truly explored so many aspects of the menage relationship that gave the story more layers that it needed to have.
There are some unique kinks that are explored here and I was curious to see how they would work together and they truly do work together. We have each one that has a unique kink that they all try to embrace for each other. Julian's is free use (which I hadn't ever seen in romance and its a newer labeled kink), Freya is to have sex in public secretly, and then Archer's is claiming somone by marking them.
And an added plus was seeing Julian connect with other members of those running the club. It was needed especially after the first book and especially seeing Julian and Jack's relationship go through its own growth and layers. Seeing how much understanding they build for each other was chefs kiss. And seeing all of their families come together in the end was so poignant.
What I Struggled With
There was only aspect that I didn't feel like it fit the story very well or maybe it just needed to be better executed. There is a three month time jump of sorts and it does have some plot holes in it. So keep that in mind. Everything else though worked just right for me.
Overall View
The Rule of Three is a captivating sensual romance that digs deep into the heart, the healing that comes from past pains and hurts and striving to build something deeper in the growths of overcoming the past and inner insecurities and fight for something better in the journey moving forward...
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Character Types: Athlete (MMA Fighter), Billionaire/Mr. Moneybags, Baker/Chef
Themes: Heart/Emotionally Touching, Menage Pairing, Sex Club
Kinks: Waterplay, Agoraphilia, Free Use, Domination/Claiming
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Instant Love Connection, Rags to Riches
Book Perspective
Multi POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Both
If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Beth Kery
Maya Banks
Lora Leigh
Song This Book Inspires
Somewhere Only We Know
Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes
Steam/Spice Explanations
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
May 3, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
The story started really strong with the introduction of three very different people who were all holding back their true selves from their families. In a romcom classic moment they all get stuck together in a broken elevator and trauma bond. From then on their connection is electric and they each have a specific need they want filled. This part was good.
Then Freya happened. She was the third in their trio, but felt more like the antagonist of the story. She kink shames them but gets her needs met, she says “I love you” stupid fast but is too ashamed of being in a non conventional relationship to tell anyone, she’s insecure and jealous, she takes their money for a restaurant but makes them feel bad for having money, she doesn’t even know Lucien’s name after having him drive her for 6 months, the list goes on. When she picks a fight and then Julien acts exactly how she predicted, she blames him and outs him for not taking his meds, I was so over her. I get that the story needed conflict, but I would have liked it better if it was just Julien and Archer. Freya was too hyperbolic and a bit of a “pick me”.
The Julien and Archer moments were so raw and primal and honest. They both had similar upbringings and daddy issues that they just worked for me. Definitely looking forward to Amelia and Matis next!
The story started really strong with the introduction of three very different people who were all holding back their true selves from their families. In a romcom classic moment they all get stuck together in a broken elevator and trauma bond. From then on their connection is electric and they each have a specific need they want filled. This part was good.
Then Freya happened. She was the third in their trio, but felt more like the antagonist of the story. She kink shames them but gets her needs met, she says “I love you” stupid fast but is too ashamed of being in a non conventional relationship to tell anyone, she’s insecure and jealous, she takes their money for a restaurant but makes them feel bad for having money, she doesn’t even know Lucien’s name after having him drive her for 6 months, the list goes on. When she picks a fight and then Julien acts exactly how she predicted, she blames him and outs him for not taking his meds, I was so over her. I get that the story needed conflict, but I would have liked it better if it was just Julien and Archer. Freya was too hyperbolic and a bit of a “pick me”.
The Julien and Archer moments were so raw and primal and honest. They both had similar upbringings and daddy issues that they just worked for me. Definitely looking forward to Amelia and Matis next!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
3,5 stars ⭐️
ALC review
I honestly don’t know what to rate this book. There is a lot of that I loved but there were a few things that did bug me. As someone who loves why choose, especially MMF, I really wanted to love this one. I totally thought that it would be a five star in the beginning, particularly because of the elevator scene which I loved.
I loved Julian Kade. He had the most character development and I loved how Sara handled his anxiety. The representation was accurate and cared with love. And I loved Onyx hihi.
And I liked Archer’s character. I mean he’s a boxer which was fun to have that aspect put into the story. I liked him, and I did really enjoy him and Julian’s relationship.
Our FMC, Freya, did have a strong arc in the beginning of the book. And I loved how valid she was for waiting until she found herself ready for doing stuff with the guys. Heck yes girl! But Freya ultimately got to frustrating once she became jealous and envious with Julian and Archer’s relationship and them spending their time each other. It got repetitive throughout the last 50 % and it honestly bugged me. If I’m going to read MMF, I would at least appreciate if all of the people involved would be on the same page and leave envy outside of the relationship.
But with that said, I still enjoyed myself plenty with this book. The Rule of Three does have delicious spice, fun locations, and lots of new kinks but also mental health representation and emotional healing. Seeing Daddy Kade again was truly the highlight. That old man can still get it.
And the audiobook made this experience so much fun! I loved narration of the talented actors. I highly recommend checking out the audiobook when it releases!
A big thank you to Sara Cate and team for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All of my thoughts and feelings in this review are my own.
I literally cannot wait to read Amelia’s book, which is releasing this fall!
ALC review
I honestly don’t know what to rate this book. There is a lot of that I loved but there were a few things that did bug me. As someone who loves why choose, especially MMF, I really wanted to love this one. I totally thought that it would be a five star in the beginning, particularly because of the elevator scene which I loved.
I loved Julian Kade. He had the most character development and I loved how Sara handled his anxiety. The representation was accurate and cared with love. And I loved Onyx hihi.
And I liked Archer’s character. I mean he’s a boxer which was fun to have that aspect put into the story. I liked him, and I did really enjoy him and Julian’s relationship.
Our FMC, Freya, did have a strong arc in the beginning of the book. And I loved how valid she was for waiting until she found herself ready for doing stuff with the guys. Heck yes girl! But Freya ultimately got to frustrating once she became jealous and envious with Julian and Archer’s relationship and them spending their time each other. It got repetitive throughout the last 50 % and it honestly bugged me. If I’m going to read MMF, I would at least appreciate if all of the people involved would be on the same page and leave envy outside of the relationship.
But with that said, I still enjoyed myself plenty with this book. The Rule of Three does have delicious spice, fun locations, and lots of new kinks but also mental health representation and emotional healing. Seeing Daddy Kade again was truly the highlight. That old man can still get it.
And the audiobook made this experience so much fun! I loved narration of the talented actors. I highly recommend checking out the audiobook when it releases!
A big thank you to Sara Cate and team for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All of my thoughts and feelings in this review are my own.
I literally cannot wait to read Amelia’s book, which is releasing this fall!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2026
4.5⭐️
I loved this book! This book was a rollercoaster of emotions! So much emotional depth, mixed with delicious spice, and truly just an amazing story that just pulls you into all the feels.
2 MMC Billionaires + a badass FMC chef= a recipe for a messy, chaotic, but extremely heartfelt ride that will have your heart strings tugging in the best way! I loved the chemistry between these characters. The added tension, the inner battles they fought, and the way they fit so perfectly. This was just an all around beautiful story!
I had the pleasure of doing the audio as well & this full cast was fantastic !! I loved the added emotion and fun it brought to the story! Teddy Hamilton, Simone Lewis, Brandon Francis, Desiree Ketchum, & Jason Clarke really brought it with this one!
If you love a taboo story that is so much more than just spice & will leave you hanging onto the every chapter, you definitely need to pick this one up!
I loved this book! This book was a rollercoaster of emotions! So much emotional depth, mixed with delicious spice, and truly just an amazing story that just pulls you into all the feels.
2 MMC Billionaires + a badass FMC chef= a recipe for a messy, chaotic, but extremely heartfelt ride that will have your heart strings tugging in the best way! I loved the chemistry between these characters. The added tension, the inner battles they fought, and the way they fit so perfectly. This was just an all around beautiful story!
I had the pleasure of doing the audio as well & this full cast was fantastic !! I loved the added emotion and fun it brought to the story! Teddy Hamilton, Simone Lewis, Brandon Francis, Desiree Ketchum, & Jason Clarke really brought it with this one!
If you love a taboo story that is so much more than just spice & will leave you hanging onto the every chapter, you definitely need to pick this one up!
March 28, 2026
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!
I really enjoyed this one! Maybe even a little more than the first one as far as storyline. There were times where I didn’t really get why Julian was the way he was, like it didn’t exactly make sense why he was so guarded, he didn’t really have that much of a reason to be lol I guess it was because of his daddy issues, but even still, he literally brought it all onto himself and made himself so guarded and not friendly. But I did enjoy how he let his guard down and started to open up for Archie and Freya.
Archie was my favorite! He had his own little issues but he brought fun and openness to the group. I enjoyed Freya as well. she was cute and innocent but really let herself open up and let loose. Each of them had their own good character development that I enjoyed. They all have a great dynamic and complement eachother.
I do wish that there was more that was happening in the actual club. I know that it is its own series and not SPC, but I wish that they had ventured more into doing things together at the club since it is a legacy series.
I still really enjoyed it and I love how Sara Cate sets the mood and scene and how she describes Paris. her writing style makes any book easy to get through and keeps you interested throughout the whole book. I have a good feeling about the next book and I am super excited for it considering the tropes!
I really enjoyed this one! Maybe even a little more than the first one as far as storyline. There were times where I didn’t really get why Julian was the way he was, like it didn’t exactly make sense why he was so guarded, he didn’t really have that much of a reason to be lol I guess it was because of his daddy issues, but even still, he literally brought it all onto himself and made himself so guarded and not friendly. But I did enjoy how he let his guard down and started to open up for Archie and Freya.
Archie was my favorite! He had his own little issues but he brought fun and openness to the group. I enjoyed Freya as well. she was cute and innocent but really let herself open up and let loose. Each of them had their own good character development that I enjoyed. They all have a great dynamic and complement eachother.
I do wish that there was more that was happening in the actual club. I know that it is its own series and not SPC, but I wish that they had ventured more into doing things together at the club since it is a legacy series.
I still really enjoyed it and I love how Sara Cate sets the mood and scene and how she describes Paris. her writing style makes any book easy to get through and keeps you interested throughout the whole book. I have a good feeling about the next book and I am super excited for it considering the tropes!
May 11, 2026
Okay Archer is def my fav. I also really adored Julian and his mental health rep. Freya annoyed me.
I loved the elevator meet cute. There wasn’t much build up or tension moments. They kinda just jumped it. Which made this a quick, easy, and fun read.
MMF! Ofc. Julian is Ronan and Daisy’s son from highest bidder. I’m excited for his sister, Amelia’s, story. I’m curious about her.
I loved the elevator meet cute. There wasn’t much build up or tension moments. They kinda just jumped it. Which made this a quick, easy, and fun read.
MMF! Ofc. Julian is Ronan and Daisy’s son from highest bidder. I’m excited for his sister, Amelia’s, story. I’m curious about her.
May 6, 2026
okay i don’t know if i’m just being sensitive but i felt like freya often got left out of the relationship dynamic and it made my enjoyment of the book start to slip 😭
May 8, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5
listen…. Don’t at me because I still ride at dawn for my girl Sara Cate. But anyway, I digress… back to the review
First 48% THESE were my notes:
Brahhhh Julian and Archer BOTH needed Freya. She’s their missing piece 😩
The tension during their first dinner?! My gawdddd that chemistry??! I was just like keeep touching!!!!! 💀 it was that build up that excites me the most, the hands under the table, the innocent yet SO daring touches 🥵
I LOVE how Archer & Freya just GOT my baby boy Julian!!!
Can y’all tell I’m a JULIAN KADE girly THROUGH and THROUGH!!!
“I guess it’s a good thing we have Freya to balance us. Because I’m not letting you go.”
Julian + Archer= 4evahhh 🥹🫶🏽
& at 50% the notes stopped because, well the thing is… it became more Julian & Archer for me.
Freya leaned more towards Archer than Julian
but Archer leaned more towards Julian and vice versa.
While each one (at one point) felt as they were the 3rd wheel, but were reassured that they weren’t, at different points towards the last 50%, it felt like Julian or Freya WERE the third wheel.
Archer had chemistry with both of them, I felt like he DID love both of them. But Freya and Julian? No.
I felt like they both had to give in to each other so they could both keep Archer.
& because this book is supposed to be Julian’s, I would’ve preferred his happy ending over Archer’s.
BUT with all that being said, while this book isn’t for me. It totally doesn’t mean it isn’t for you.
Thank you Sara Cate & team, for this ARC. & as always, all thoughts & opinions are my own. 🫶🏽
listen…. Don’t at me because I still ride at dawn for my girl Sara Cate. But anyway, I digress… back to the review
First 48% THESE were my notes:
Brahhhh Julian and Archer BOTH needed Freya. She’s their missing piece 😩
The tension during their first dinner?! My gawdddd that chemistry??! I was just like keeep touching!!!!! 💀 it was that build up that excites me the most, the hands under the table, the innocent yet SO daring touches 🥵
I LOVE how Archer & Freya just GOT my baby boy Julian!!!
Can y’all tell I’m a JULIAN KADE girly THROUGH and THROUGH!!!
“I guess it’s a good thing we have Freya to balance us. Because I’m not letting you go.”
Julian + Archer= 4evahhh 🥹🫶🏽
& at 50% the notes stopped because, well the thing is… it became more Julian & Archer for me.
Freya leaned more towards Archer than Julian
but Archer leaned more towards Julian and vice versa.
While each one (at one point) felt as they were the 3rd wheel, but were reassured that they weren’t, at different points towards the last 50%, it felt like Julian or Freya WERE the third wheel.
Archer had chemistry with both of them, I felt like he DID love both of them. But Freya and Julian? No.
I felt like they both had to give in to each other so they could both keep Archer.
& because this book is supposed to be Julian’s, I would’ve preferred his happy ending over Archer’s.
BUT with all that being said, while this book isn’t for me. It totally doesn’t mean it isn’t for you.
Thank you Sara Cate & team, for this ARC. & as always, all thoughts & opinions are my own. 🫶🏽
May 5, 2026
I have yet to read a Sara Cate book I didn’t immediately fall in love with; The Rule of Three is no exception 💚 While her books are some of the kinkiest/spiciest you’ll ever read, the spice is ensconced in real life troubles that make you both ache and fall in love with the characters. The Rule of Three explores the topics of anxiety, grief and how the loss of a loved one may impact those that follow, polyamorous relationships and how the world perceives them, and finding love in a very unlikely situation. It was a beautiful story about three people getting stuck in an elevator against their will, feeling unworthy of love, and choosing to remain together because they were wholeheartedly better as a unit.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Quantity of spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Quality of spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
*There are 16 spicy scenes in The Rule of Three. I’ve included the rules/percentages at the bottom of this review. Please note these are based on the ARC version.*
The Rule of Three is the second book in the Salacious Legacy series, which is a spin off of the Salacious Players Club series. If you haven’t read the original series, I highly recommend you do so! Just like SPC, each of the Legacy books seems to start off with the same prologue but from the current MC’s POV - for Legacy, it’s when all the kids are reading Ronan’s email about the ownership of the club.
Our three MCs in this book are Julian, Freya, and Archer. Julian wears a mask of armor each and every day to protect himself from feelings and ever getting hurt due to caring about anyone. He deals with the constant pressures of anxiety but is ashamed to take the necessary medication. Freya is an aspiring chef. She has worked her ass off through life to get to where she’s at & moved to Paris in the hopes of opening her own restaurant. She is also Julian’s sister’s best friend. Archer is a lost man, constantly on the run from ever setting down roots. He lives in the self imposed shadow of his deceased brother and feels like everyone expects him to be Preston. The only thing that makes him feel alive is participating in illegal street fighting. He’s also the son of the couple from the first book in The Wilde Duet (loved this tie in).
Their meet cute takes place in an elevator when they get unexpectedly stuck for TWELVE HOURS - my actual nightmare. But instead of it being the worst 12 hours ever, they end up finding a genuine connection with each other that cannot be contained to the elevator. What begins as a friendship and the inability to stay away from each other, slowly turns into more. One thing Sara is truly excellent at is building the tension between the characters.
Freya is a virgin, so while she is insanely attracted to both Julian and Archer, she wants to take things slow.. but not too slow. The spice takes a bit to heat up but sheewww once it gets going, they do not stop 🔥 The Rule of Three is an MMF romance, and there are many scenes with all three but some with just Freya and one of the guys or just Julian and Archer. The great thing is, there was zero jealousy! Could have probably done without the golden shower scenes, but that’s just a personal preference.
These poor babies felt so unworthy of love and coped in different ways, none of them necessarily healthy. There are scenes that will make you want to scream at them to just communicate (I’m looking at you Julian and Freya), but their personalities balanced each other out in the end and the runner, Archer, seemed to be the voice of reason in those situations.
Freya’s genuine concerns on how their relationship would be perceived by the world at large and by her family made me so sad for her. That we live in a world where people can’t just accept love for love, no matter the form. That she almost lost the purest form of love due to the potential hate from others 🤬 but the unconditional acceptance in the end just made me so happy.
The anxiety rep was handled with such care and I think really showed how hard it is to accept that you need help, whether it be medication, therapy, or both. While you may feel like you’re doing great & you don’t need the help, your anxiety can eat you from within. It felt like Julian’s story and daily struggles reached through the pages to my heart; I wanted to wrap him in the biggest hug. His eventual conversation with Ronan had me in full on tears.
I could clearly go on and on about this book forever, I loved it so much! I can’t wait to see where the rest of the Salacious Legacy books go, but one thing is for sure, I know I’ll love them just as much! Thank you for the ARC copy, Sara and NetGalley! 🫶🏻
🌶️ Spicy Scenes 🌶️
1. Rule #1 7%
2. Rule #8 22%
3. Rule #15 39%
4. Rule #17 42%
5. Rule #19 46%
6. Rule #20 50%
7. Rule #21 54%
8. Rule #24 60%
9. Rule #26 66%
10. Rule #27 69%
11. Rule #28 70%
12. Rule #30 75%
13. Rule #32 79%
14. Rule #38 90%
15. Rule #40 93%
16. Rule #42 96%
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Quantity of spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Quality of spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
*There are 16 spicy scenes in The Rule of Three. I’ve included the rules/percentages at the bottom of this review. Please note these are based on the ARC version.*
The Rule of Three is the second book in the Salacious Legacy series, which is a spin off of the Salacious Players Club series. If you haven’t read the original series, I highly recommend you do so! Just like SPC, each of the Legacy books seems to start off with the same prologue but from the current MC’s POV - for Legacy, it’s when all the kids are reading Ronan’s email about the ownership of the club.
Our three MCs in this book are Julian, Freya, and Archer. Julian wears a mask of armor each and every day to protect himself from feelings and ever getting hurt due to caring about anyone. He deals with the constant pressures of anxiety but is ashamed to take the necessary medication. Freya is an aspiring chef. She has worked her ass off through life to get to where she’s at & moved to Paris in the hopes of opening her own restaurant. She is also Julian’s sister’s best friend. Archer is a lost man, constantly on the run from ever setting down roots. He lives in the self imposed shadow of his deceased brother and feels like everyone expects him to be Preston. The only thing that makes him feel alive is participating in illegal street fighting. He’s also the son of the couple from the first book in The Wilde Duet (loved this tie in).
Their meet cute takes place in an elevator when they get unexpectedly stuck for TWELVE HOURS - my actual nightmare. But instead of it being the worst 12 hours ever, they end up finding a genuine connection with each other that cannot be contained to the elevator. What begins as a friendship and the inability to stay away from each other, slowly turns into more. One thing Sara is truly excellent at is building the tension between the characters.
Freya is a virgin, so while she is insanely attracted to both Julian and Archer, she wants to take things slow.. but not too slow. The spice takes a bit to heat up but sheewww once it gets going, they do not stop 🔥 The Rule of Three is an MMF romance, and there are many scenes with all three but some with just Freya and one of the guys or just Julian and Archer. The great thing is, there was zero jealousy! Could have probably done without the golden shower scenes, but that’s just a personal preference.
These poor babies felt so unworthy of love and coped in different ways, none of them necessarily healthy. There are scenes that will make you want to scream at them to just communicate (I’m looking at you Julian and Freya), but their personalities balanced each other out in the end and the runner, Archer, seemed to be the voice of reason in those situations.
Freya’s genuine concerns on how their relationship would be perceived by the world at large and by her family made me so sad for her. That we live in a world where people can’t just accept love for love, no matter the form. That she almost lost the purest form of love due to the potential hate from others 🤬 but the unconditional acceptance in the end just made me so happy.
The anxiety rep was handled with such care and I think really showed how hard it is to accept that you need help, whether it be medication, therapy, or both. While you may feel like you’re doing great & you don’t need the help, your anxiety can eat you from within. It felt like Julian’s story and daily struggles reached through the pages to my heart; I wanted to wrap him in the biggest hug. His eventual conversation with Ronan had me in full on tears.
I could clearly go on and on about this book forever, I loved it so much! I can’t wait to see where the rest of the Salacious Legacy books go, but one thing is for sure, I know I’ll love them just as much! Thank you for the ARC copy, Sara and NetGalley! 🫶🏻
🌶️ Spicy Scenes 🌶️
1. Rule #1 7%
2. Rule #8 22%
3. Rule #15 39%
4. Rule #17 42%
5. Rule #19 46%
6. Rule #20 50%
7. Rule #21 54%
8. Rule #24 60%
9. Rule #26 66%
10. Rule #27 69%
11. Rule #28 70%
12. Rule #30 75%
13. Rule #32 79%
14. Rule #38 90%
15. Rule #40 93%
16. Rule #42 96%
May 15, 2026
So, this book was a little disappointment for me. It's not that it not good, it's just that SC really knows how to write mmf, mfm etc but this book felt like something I already read. I know it's a challenge but legacy books can't be a repeat of their parents, they need to differ.
As for these three, they keep on saying the h is the glue when the reader clearly sees it is Archer. He is the heart and the voice of reason and in need, the responsible adult....
I needed more about them, their past felt a little rushed
Freya felt immature and annoying and went too fast from nothing to full speed ahead. A positive thing: I understood her hesitation to publicly acknowledge this socially unusual relationship.
Archer is my favorite as a person but the character that is best written is Julian. His mental struggles, his facade VS his internal world was something I could actually Feel through the words.
And I loved meeting Ronan again. That man is one of a kind.
As for these three, they keep on saying the h is the glue when the reader clearly sees it is Archer. He is the heart and the voice of reason and in need, the responsible adult....
I needed more about them, their past felt a little rushed
Freya felt immature and annoying and went too fast from nothing to full speed ahead. A positive thing: I understood her hesitation to publicly acknowledge this socially unusual relationship.
Archer is my favorite as a person but the character that is best written is Julian. His mental struggles, his facade VS his internal world was something I could actually Feel through the words.
And I loved meeting Ronan again. That man is one of a kind.
May 5, 2026
4.5 stars - Sara Cate knows how to write a polyamorous romance, and The Rule of Three was no exception! This follows Julian (son of Ronan and Daisy), one of the smex club owners, Archer, a trust fund baby street fighter, and Freya, an up and coming chef (and best friend to Julian's sister). At first glance, they do not seem like they would fit, but a few hours stuck together on an elevator leads to a connection none of them expected.
I enjoyed how the characters met. I believe in kismet, and the notion that time doesn't always dictate how you feel about a person. Julian, Freya and Archer were vulnerable with each other in that elevator, and that kind of intimacy can't be overlooked. Combine that with the physical chemistry, and we had a good foundation for their relationship. All of them had various insecurities and character flaws that even grinded my gears at times, but ultimately they had to communicate and decide that their love meant more than a few miscommunications.
Julian's character is one of my favorite types of characters. They appear to have it together on the outside, and constantly push others away/don't let others get close, but inside he had the biggest heart. The author's representation of Julian's anxiety was perfect, showing how it can affect not only your psyche, but how you view the world and people around you.
Overall, I enjoyed this much more than the first book in the series. I liked catching up with the rest of the Salacious characters, and I'm excited about the next book (featuring Julian's sister)!
I enjoyed how the characters met. I believe in kismet, and the notion that time doesn't always dictate how you feel about a person. Julian, Freya and Archer were vulnerable with each other in that elevator, and that kind of intimacy can't be overlooked. Combine that with the physical chemistry, and we had a good foundation for their relationship. All of them had various insecurities and character flaws that even grinded my gears at times, but ultimately they had to communicate and decide that their love meant more than a few miscommunications.
Julian's character is one of my favorite types of characters. They appear to have it together on the outside, and constantly push others away/don't let others get close, but inside he had the biggest heart. The author's representation of Julian's anxiety was perfect, showing how it can affect not only your psyche, but how you view the world and people around you.
Overall, I enjoyed this much more than the first book in the series. I liked catching up with the rest of the Salacious characters, and I'm excited about the next book (featuring Julian's sister)!
May 12, 2026
this was kinda a flop😭 im so sad. i really really wanted to like this book because i was so excited to read it. i loved the og salacious series and i also quite enjoyed the first book in the legacy series but this one just felt lacking.
lacking of likeable characters (well mostly only freya annoyed me), lacking of “conflict” or like something “at stake” i felt like there was no real climax to the story so it felt boring. mostly there was a lack of good spice/smut which was disappointing because that was the hallmark of the salacious world. here it felt a bit cringe and bland (except when julian and archer are together🤭)
overall, it was still a fun time reading it. it was just underwhelming
lacking of likeable characters (well mostly only freya annoyed me), lacking of “conflict” or like something “at stake” i felt like there was no real climax to the story so it felt boring. mostly there was a lack of good spice/smut which was disappointing because that was the hallmark of the salacious world. here it felt a bit cringe and bland (except when julian and archer are together🤭)
overall, it was still a fun time reading it. it was just underwhelming
May 5, 2026
Sara Cate once again blew my freakin' mind with her storytelling! The Rule of Three is a total whirlwind that starts with the ultimate "stuck in an elevator" meet-cute. Imagine twelve hours trapped with a grumpy billionaire and a charming street fighter. (You're jealous right? Me too!!) It’s every bit as intense and scorching as it sounds, I promise. But beyond the immediate sparks, I fell head-over-heels for the way Julian, Archer, and Freya evolved. Watching Julian melt from a cold jerk into a man who finally feels safe enough to show his heart, and seeing Archer find a home in his partners instead of running, just absolutely gutted me in the best way possible. It’s that beautiful, messy reminder that the right people don't just see your flaws; they hold your hand while you work through them.
The heat in this book is delish (I mean c'mon - it's a Sara Cate book!), but it’s the raw mental health representation that made me give it a full 5 stars. Seeing Julian navigate his anxiety and Archer deal with his demons felt so authentic and handled with such care. I was literally giggling and dancing in my seat one minute, then clutching my chest with angst the next. It’s a story about finding where you belong and realizing that love doesn’t have to fit into a tiny, conventional box to be perfect. This unexpected little threesome brought out the absolute best in each other, and I'm totally here for it. To say I'm feral for the next book in this series (The Daddy's Girl) is a vast understatement!
The heat in this book is delish (I mean c'mon - it's a Sara Cate book!), but it’s the raw mental health representation that made me give it a full 5 stars. Seeing Julian navigate his anxiety and Archer deal with his demons felt so authentic and handled with such care. I was literally giggling and dancing in my seat one minute, then clutching my chest with angst the next. It’s a story about finding where you belong and realizing that love doesn’t have to fit into a tiny, conventional box to be perfect. This unexpected little threesome brought out the absolute best in each other, and I'm totally here for it. To say I'm feral for the next book in this series (The Daddy's Girl) is a vast understatement!
April 3, 2026
I really wish Goodreads would allow us to do .5 in our stars ratings because even though I gave this book a 3 star it was definitely more 3.5 ⭐️.
Big Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review! I still can’t believe I got approved for this I was so pumped and couldn’t wait to devour this. Especially since it’s one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
First, I want to say I love Sara’s books. And the Rule of Three is no different. I really enjoyed it from start to finish.
It’s fun, it’s spicy and addicting. However, even with all that said this wasn’t my favorite book by Sara. But I’ll break it down with the pros/cons.
Let’s start with my cons first:
1. My biggest issue has to be Julian. And I knew from the previous book I was going to struggle with him. Julian is quite literally an “Ice Prince”. He’s mean, standoffish, and sometimes borderline cruel. Now yes underneath that exterior he is hiding a heart of gold. But his struggles and issues are all brought on by himself. And his “daddy issues” just seemed so unbelievable to me especially knowing who his father is. Now eventually Julian brings down his walls and communicates to his love ones. But the whole scenario with him felt like a stretch.
Pros:
1. I freaking love Archer & Freya. For Freya I loved that she was inexperienced. Watching her blossom and discover her sexuality with both men was so much fun to read. And of course Archer. He was by far my favorite of the group. I love that out of all of them he was the glue keeping them together. Plus he was absolutely hilarious and I devoured his POV the most.
Overall, like I mentioned even though this wasn’t my favorite by Sara. I still loved it and devoured it in less than 24 hours. And I can say with total confidence that I 100% recommend it and can’t wait to own my trophy copy!
Big Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for my honest review! I still can’t believe I got approved for this I was so pumped and couldn’t wait to devour this. Especially since it’s one of my most anticipated reads of the year.
First, I want to say I love Sara’s books. And the Rule of Three is no different. I really enjoyed it from start to finish.
It’s fun, it’s spicy and addicting. However, even with all that said this wasn’t my favorite book by Sara. But I’ll break it down with the pros/cons.
Let’s start with my cons first:
1. My biggest issue has to be Julian. And I knew from the previous book I was going to struggle with him. Julian is quite literally an “Ice Prince”. He’s mean, standoffish, and sometimes borderline cruel. Now yes underneath that exterior he is hiding a heart of gold. But his struggles and issues are all brought on by himself. And his “daddy issues” just seemed so unbelievable to me especially knowing who his father is. Now eventually Julian brings down his walls and communicates to his love ones. But the whole scenario with him felt like a stretch.
Pros:
1. I freaking love Archer & Freya. For Freya I loved that she was inexperienced. Watching her blossom and discover her sexuality with both men was so much fun to read. And of course Archer. He was by far my favorite of the group. I love that out of all of them he was the glue keeping them together. Plus he was absolutely hilarious and I devoured his POV the most.
Overall, like I mentioned even though this wasn’t my favorite by Sara. I still loved it and devoured it in less than 24 hours. And I can say with total confidence that I 100% recommend it and can’t wait to own my trophy copy!
May 7, 2026
This may be my Favorite Sara Cate book and perhaps even of the year so far, and you know how hard that is since I’ve read EVERY SINGLE ONE of her books and adored them all!? Julian, Freya and Archer just own my heart and soul. The story was so well paced, the characters backstory and arc were very interesting and the chemistry and spice!? Holy mother of kink! Only Sara can give me a golden shower and then a backstory so sad I’m crying in the same hour!!!
May 13, 2026
No notes. She did it again, are we surprised? The story was phenomenal and the spice was outstanding. The way that you can FEEL their love and their relationship grow since that first night. And the Ronan cameo? I miss that man. Absolutely adorable and I loved the different snippets in Paris. 10/10 need everyone to read
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