So I’ve been looking forwards to this book for months, and was thrilled to get an ARC. And it did not disappoint. I do think that someone more invested in drinks would see some of those technicalities differently than I do, but I, even as a sober adult, genuinely enjoyed Mel’s passion for it nonetheless.

I liked all of the characters, side characters included. It was great that they were all both flawed and engaging, very well rounded and individual. I also thought there was lovely dynamics between all of them, and they all felt like they had lives outside of the scope of the novel. Plus, they actually talk to each other about things like inside jokes, and Mel remembers thing to talk about later, etc. that made them all feel very enjoyable to read about.

I really really enjoyed the theme of clear communication. And, as the book says, it’s hard. But there was no miscommunication in this book, and I thought it had a lovely plot. I also loved the casual queerness in the novel. The splitting into parts thing was an odd structural choice to me, but it didn’t take anything away and the names and little images for them were fun.

The interesting thing about the competition subplot was that it felt very low stakes to me in terms of the story. Like no matter what the outcome, nothing significant would change. So I’m actually pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed how it went down. And I really loved the epilogue. I think the growth in multiple different fronts and for multiple different characters was absolutely lovely and exactly what they needed it to be.

My two problems are in relation to the love interests and they’re actually rather opposite. I quite liked Bebe and her character. But when Kade and Mel started dating, I feel like we lost her a little bit. Kade, on the other hand, I feel like had very little chemistry with Mel and very little explained personality until they started dating. So, save for the plot summary, the commencement of that relationship could have been a complete surprise. But then it finally felt like they were multi-dimensional.

I immediately clocked Kade as ND, but they way Mel saw them was not through that lens, so seeing the differences in how the two of them interacted with the world was really interesting from Mel’s POV. I also appreciated what we got of Kade’s background, and I kind of wish we got some of Bebe’s like that too.

Overall, I was excited to pick this book up when I put it down, which makes it a win in my book (no pun intended).

This is the first book from TJ Alexander I’ve read and I think I need to read some more.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I thought it lacked depth when it came to the emotional side of polyamory. Did I enjoy it overall? Yes. Is it one that I’m going to think about 6 months from now? No probably not.

thank you to netgalley and Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books for allowing me access to this book. I enjoyed every moment of this book. I loved the rep and the characters.

i was sat when i saw that it was a polyamorous romance just because there are not many of those written. i loved the representation! and thought the book itself was fairly enjoyable :)

Don't see many polyamorous romances, especially with nonbinary and lesbian characters.
Very open door scenes, including a threesome... FYI!
I enjoyed it tho and love to see more diverse romances!

I have some mixed feelings on this book. I really enjoyed learning more about cocktails and flavor profiles. I enjoyed seeing Mel enter a poly relationship and seeing the relationships grow. However, I felt like there was a lot of filler. There was a cocktail competition, and I wish I got more of the actual day. Great spice. I liked how queer friendly this book was!
However, the filler I just can’t get over. It was a lot of fluff.

TJ Alexander can do no wrong in my book, and Triple Sec was absolute perfection with wonderfully written and well developed characters, laugh out loud moments, and steamy romance

This hit with the right amount of humor and Romance. This a love story but it’s not one in a traditional sense. This is a story of how Bebe met Mel, who met Kade who was already with Bebe. My favorite part of this book is the continued updated guidelines of the relationship as it grows throughout the book. This was a fun one!

Huge thank you to #atria and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank NetGalley for this e-ARC and say that all my opinions remain my own.

A poly queer romance? I could not have had higher expectations, and they were definitely met. Our main character is Mel, a bartender who meets Bebe and sparks fly. Turns out though, Bebe has a wife! (Kade, who goes by they/them pronouns).

I was immediately charmed by this story, and thought that Mel and Bebe had really good chemistry. I love the language, for example Mel describes Bebe as having a laugh that sounds like glitter. I really do wish that we had gotten Bebe's perspective in the beginning especially. I also wish we'd gotten more of Kade. I did note that at 40% I was still sort of wondering how they would fit in (and then died when they did eventually join.

The drafting of an agreement for their 'polyness' was absolutely adorable, and the ensuing amendments made it so much better to me. The communication in this story was really beautiful, The characters took the time to make room for eachother's quirks and preferences.

The sex scenes? oh, my. They were HOT. (Especially the cabin, WHEW) Truly this was one of the best written poly romances I have ever read. It was gorgeous and I really hope that I find more gems like this in life.

I really enjoyed this book, which isn't surprising since I've enjoyed all of TJ's previous books. It's really great to see a poly relationship at the center of a traditionally published contemporary romance. The characters were all really well developed, and I loved that Mel was a bartender - loved seeing all the mixology stuff!

I LOVED this book. It was such a breath of fresh air in the poly romance book world. The portrayal of the different nuances of each relationship felt totally realistic. Mel was a bit frustrating at times, but I feel like it was almost intentional if that makes sense? She seemed to deliberately misunderstand what a poly relationship would (or could) look like when she first started dating Bebe, but as the relationship(s) progressed so did Mel’s understanding. Point being, I think Mel had to be a little frustrating at first so that she could grow and develop as a partner. In the end, I was in love with Mel, Bebe, and Kade (but especially Kade, my sweet stoic artist). Poly romance books can often focus on the ~taboo~, but Triple Sec felt so much more authentic. Like, “hey we just three people navigating this big weird world and we just all happen to like each other.” Anyway, two big ol’ thumbs up from me - I immediately preordered a physical copy.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book as both a romantic introduction to polyamorous relationships and a peek inside New York mixology culture. Mel is a very relatable ball of anxiety and self-doubt and I loved witnessing her growth throughout the story. The writing was heartfelt and hilarious in turns and every character was beautifully down to earth, Reading this felt like hanging out with a friend and chatting about our days together.

if TJ Alexander writes it, I will adore it. They are a true talent of capturing the intricacies of queer love. I will hand-sell this passionately upon release.

A fresh twist on the love triangle trope, Triple Sec follows recent divorcee and mixologist Mel as she rediscovers what it means to be in a healthy relationship. First, she matches with bubbly lawyer Bebe after meeting at the cocktail lounge where she works. And later, sparks fly with Bebe's wife Kade, an intense NYC artist. Mel tentatively joins the world of polyamory, mixing fancy cocktails all along the way.

DNF at 30%. I did not feel any connection to the characters and was not invested at all in the story. I wanted so badly to enjoy this as it's a queer poly romance which I think deserves more representation in traditionally published romance. However, I struggled to even get through the first third.

<i>I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the restaurant industry setting and the abundance of queer representation. So many of the drinks sounded delicious -- I would've loved to help Mel and the group taste test them.

The story is told third person from Mel's PoV. I think the single PoV is perfect for this story but the third person narrative created a remove from all the characters. While Mel and Bebe and Kade were distinct and memorable, I wasn't able to connect with them as much as I would've liked.

The pacing was solid, for the most part. There was a moment towards the middle when it started to drag but overall it was good. The relationships unfolded in a way that made sense. The steamy scenes were beautifully done, as well. The balance was perfect and I appreciated them more than I expected!

I do have two bones to pick. First: Kade is very neurodivergently-coded and it's a shame that isn't explored.

Second: why did the author, at 88% through the book, decide to hate on "dime-a-dozen bartenders at tacky tourist traps" and say they have no pride in their work? As a former bartender (not mixologist like Mel) who worked in tacky tourist traps, I can tell you we absolutely take pride in our work. And to have <b>Bebe</b> deliver that line, of all people? It felt out of character and gross. And unnecessary.

Anyway, we need more depictions of non-traditional romances. As Mel learned, there are more people than you might think whose romantic relationships look nothing like a monogamous, til-death-do-us-part couple. Give this a read!

I really love stories by TJ Alexander. They are such a great storyteller. The characters are all so well thought out and developed. Mel is really the star of the show. The friendships are also a highlight in this book.
Chef's Kiss is next on my TBR?
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Have you ever wanted to read a queer polyamory romance? If so, this is the book for you. If not, are you open to it? If so, I would recommend this. If not, be introspective on what is holding you back because this is a ton of fun!

I loved this romance and I did not expect that but the slow burn of one relationship with the quick heat of the other was amazing.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

DNF. Was simply not interested in the book. Was not hooked in the beginning and the book was not what I initially thought it was. Would be willing to read more from the author, but this book was not for me.

Triple Sec is a delightful poly rom com following Mel, butch lesbian bartender who dips her toe into the world of polyamory when she starts dating Bebe, an incredibly hot lawyer who also happens to be a married woman. Come for the high-end cocktails and adventurous dates across New York, stay for the dynamic characters and their deep inherent queerness.

sweet polycule | hot plus-size love interest | non-binary love interest | kinky | New York | contemporary romance | high-end cocktails