Rating: 3.25 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel

 

Peter Wong’s brother is getting married, and while Peter’s happy for Eric and Amy, it’s all his parents want to talk about. Ever since he came out as gay, Peter’s parents no longer seem to have anything to say to him. It’s an unhappy distance that leaves Peter feeling alone and increasingly isolated. And, it’s in such a mood Peter decides to go to a local gay bar and get a drink. What he finds is something so much more than he expected.

Bruce and Kevin have been together for ten years and they love each other very much, but they’re looking to add just a little variety to their routine. They own a building together, with Bruce’s gym on the ground floor, Kevin’s bakery on the second, and their apartment on the third. There isn’t really any time of the day the two of them aren’t together, which is wonderful and what they want, but like Kevin always trying a new flavor in the kitchen, the two men want to invite a third person in for a one-night stand.

Peter, Bruce, and Kevin end up getting along almost more as friends than as lovers, though the sex is great. The three of them have a great rapport, as well as great chemistry, which makes it hard for Peter who wants more than just one night of passion. He knows he’s developing feelings for the other to men, but he’s not going to do anything to break them up.

This novella is cute enough, but there are some serious pacing issues that made me feel like the story was running out of steam and ended up getting some unnecessary padding to make up for the page count. There are three lengthy paragraphs about how Bruce locks up the gym at night. There are pages about accounting and receipts, and Peter’s job as an illustrator for books is mentioned four times in the first few pages. The writing isn’t bad, but some of the charm of these three men and their growing relationship gets lost in the minutiae of cooking or describing someone putting weights away incorrectly.

One thing I really liked was the way in which Bruce and Kevin went about their relationship. They sat down to discuss what they wanted, what they were willing to try, and what they absolutely would not be interested in — something mentioned but not actually written out, unfortunately. When proposing the one-night stand to Peter, they show him their lists and ask about what he wants, what he doesn’t want, and the three of them head into this knowing exactly what it is and what is isn’t. They also discuss getting STI tests first to make sure everyone’s healthy, and the pair take care to check in with Peter before, during, and after the sex to make sure he’s okay with everything going on.

If you’re interested in threesomes, this one is pleasant and angst-free.