So I'm continuing my buddy read with @eliv_bookstagram for this series, and I had the best time. I did end up spamming her with all my rants and thoughts, and she's the sweetest for bearing with me.

This is my first book with ménage, and I wasn't sure how I'll feel about it. I can't say exactly how I feel. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't like it all that much either since I feel like I needed more depth in their relationships. Also, when I went into this, there was no hint that Drake and Hunter had a thing for each other, apart from that one vague statement Hunter made during the prologue. And it stayed that way till almost halfway through the book, and then as soon as the three had fucked, the focus shifted to more these two and how they always had feelings for each other too. Idk how I feel about that honestly.

I feel like the dynamics between Isabel, Hunter, and Drake were already set even before the book began, so when it started, it kind of felt like picking up a story midway through. Since Drake and Hunter had known each other basically all their lives, I wish there was a little more backstory given, a flashback here and there to understand how they got to where they are in their friendship, and I also wanted to know more about Hunter's past and his criminal history too. The same goes for Hunter and Isabel, but at least there was one flashback scene to sort of establish how they met. Again, I wish there was a flashback scene from Drake's POV about how Hunter and Isabel met and that whole situation.

When I went into this, Drake was kind of meh in my head after the first two books, but I ended up falling in love with this man. Honestly, he deserved so much more. I wanted so much better for him because he was just being tossed around the whole time. Reading about all the emotions he was feeling throughout the book made me feel so bad for him. This man did everything Hunter asked him to do, always taking his lead, always backing him up. The way he basically put his own life on hold for these two, and I didn't like that neither of them took notice sooner. He was just being dragged along with this couple, not a total outsider but not on the inside either.

Isabel was okay. She was smart, reasonable, and kinky and called Hunter out on his bullshit (almostttt always). I did like her bond with Drake and I liked them together, but we weren't given much time to understand their relationship as friends before the sexual tension between them started out of nowhere. I wish things had eased in slowly for them rather than them having confused thoughts about each other right from the very first chapter. I was worried their chemistry wouldn't be able to help me get over the fact that she's married to Hunter, but they seemed good together.

Although when Hunter first proposed the idea of Drake fucking Isabel, and Isabel said no, I didn't like how she tried to convince Drake to go ahead with it for the sake of her marriage. It felt like she wasn't actually into it and only convinced herself so she could keep Hunter happy. She could've avoided that statement, and the two could've slowly explored this together, and I wouldn't have had an issue.

Isabel also seemed like a buffer for Drake and Hunter to finally realize their feelings and act on it, because as soon as Drake and Isabel had slept together, she was sidelined and the focus shifted to the guys. After this, her only role seemed to be to push these two to realize that they want each other and admit it.

Coming to Hunter....

I hate that Hunter almost manipulated both Isabel and Drake for his own fantasy. Even after Drake confesses his feelings about how getting involved could lead to him getting attached and that these two were his only family and he didn't want to jeopardize that. Immediately after that, Hunter still went ahead with his own wishes and practically threw his wife in his arms. I also hate the fact that Drake said that it didn't matter if both him and Isabel had said no to sex, what Hunter wanted, he somehow got it. Like NOOO!!

I was absolutely fucking pissed at Hunter for the way he left Drake in that club in that position without a single word after what went down. Absolutely NOT!!! He's been your best friend for decades, and that's not how you treat him.

And I feel like Hunter basically cheated on Isabel when he slept with Drake. Yes, he did tell her that he had confusing feelings for Drake, and she encouraged him to explore them. But when the time comes, Hunter decides to sleep with Drake—and in their house—he doesn't even have a conversation with his wife before. Or bring it up the morning after; she's the one who asks about it, and then he admits to sleeping with Drake.

The audacity of Hunter for not wanting to own up to his own feelings, not communicating anything clearly with Drake or Isabel for that matter, and then being pissed when Drake tries to move on. And my god, Drake. This man did everything Hunter asked him to do, always taking his lead, always backing him up, 'cause that's just how it had always been, and I felt so terrible for all the whiplash he got. His feelings were a mess, and he tried so hard to not get attached and be left heartbroken by the only family he knew.

Hunter's feelings were all over the place, and he just couldn't own up to it. I didn't understand his whole hangup over liking Drake. I mean, you run a sex club, ffs. You see men fucking on a daily basis, and you know it isn't wrong, so for him to say he couldn't accept that about himself because of his dad was homophobic wasn't reason enough to drag things out for so long. And then he spends a few months away from Isabel and Drake, visits his dad's grave ONCE, and ta-da! bye bye to all my hangups about being bi.

Also, I wish Hunter had come out as demisexual since that would've made more sense in his case, as he says he had no interest in any other man ever, and it was just Drake. Knowing his bond with his wife Isabel, this would've worked better than him being bisexual.

The spice, I did enjoy some scenes, some not so much because of all the whiplash again, and the sort of manipulation from Hunter (to put it lightly).