I immediately put this on hold at the library when I heard about it. It’s a poly romance put out by a major publisher that doesn’t take place in a fantasy setting. Triple Sec has all the qualities I enjoy in a good romance novel. The characters are fun people who I might like to hang out with in real life and the prose about things like love, life and heartbreak feel true and hit an emotional chord. If you’re looking for a realistic depiction of a polyamorous relationship (but not all polyamorous relationships because they all look very different) that is also fun and engaging, you should pick this one up.
Mel is a bartender at a popular high end bar in NYC with dreams of opening up her own place when she meets Bebe, who is very hot and fun and seems to be hitting on her. But then she meets Bebe’s wife Kade (note: Kade identifies as non-binary but prefers the term “wife” with regard to her relationship with Bebe). It turns out that the pair are polyamorous and Kade is just fine with Mel and Bebe dating. As Mel navigates this new world of poly relationships, she hits some speedbumps along with away. She also possibly maybe finds herself drawn to Kade. One thing this book does not do is spend several chapters of characters not talking about their feelings because open communication is key in any relationship but especially those with more than two people.
This book made me want to work in the beverage industry even though I know I’m completely ill-quipped to do it. The characters just seem so fun and they know all the coolest spots and have the best parties. The speedbumps along the way to happiness for the main characters felt realistic, and everyone mostly dealt with them like adults. Their mistakes are understandable given what we’ve learned about them so far. Triple Sec left me feeling good and craving a night out at a fun craft cocktail place.