Welcome to your safe space. The podcast, your
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dirty. Don't have time to read books? Want to
understand all the jokes and the TikToks? We
got you fam. We're the spice traders and we deal
in spicy books. I'm Katie and I need it to make
sense. I'm Liz and I'm hypercritical. Before
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Thanks in advance for checking that out. As always,
we start this episode with three things. First
is a generic trigger warning. You can find specific
triggers for this book in our show notes, so
please check those out. We also use foul language
and talk a lot about sex. If you have sensitivity
to either of those things, our podcast probably
isn't for you. Second, our episodes talk about
books, the whole book, nothing but the book,
so help me goddess. If you don't want something
spoiled, don't listen to this episode. And finally,
we acknowledge that a good book can hit you at
the wrong time. Our views discussed in our episodes
are our opinion, and we don't want to diminish
the work or the talents of the authors in our
community. That said, we have some notes. So,
girl, what are we talking about today? Today
we're talking about Trick Shot by Kayla Gross.
This was published in 2023, and it is a standalone
novella, but it's in the Puck Brothers series,
which has one other novella. This book is 194
pages long, and that's a shorty. This is our
first foray into hockey romance, which is why
I chose it, but turns out none of them are hockey
players in the story. We tried, guys. Funnily
enough, the second novella is called Puck Shy,
and that's about the hockey playing brother.
So. Oh, OK. We were close. We were close. And
like hockey is mentioned. One's like an ex hockey
player. We'll get into it. There's not much to
say. So I mean, this we chose this as a holiday
special. This comes out, I believe, on like Christmas
Eve or the day before Christmas Eve, so... My
brain wants to go Merry Christmas, fuckers, but
I don't want to say that. Merry Christmas, you
filthy animals. You filthy animals. So the cover
sets up for exactly what this plot is. It's a
very... cartoony image of two men and a woman,
and the background is red with Christmas lights.
It's a spicy Christmas novella. we get exactly
what we're here for. I do appreciate that the
characters on the cover, though cartoonish, it
doesn't bother me. And they do reflect the way
they are described in the book. And our female
main character is distinctly curvy. And I really
appreciated seeing that on a cover. We never
see that. And we rarely even hear about it. Yeah,
I really, I totally agree with what you said.
I mean, I like the diversity that we have in
the characters, but I also didn't mind this cover
art because it No, it's almost a little bit on
the anime side of yeah her eyes Yeah Which I
think is why I don't mind it because sometimes
you get like more on the fan art side of like
covers and those I Don't know. That's just not
my thing typically, but this isn't bad doesn't
bother me No, it did. It was reminiscent to me
of anime as well. And there's a second cover
that's just like kind of a generic like image
of like zoomed in on a Christmas train and ornament.
I actually prefer the cartoony one a lot better.
I think the character, the diversity, like you
said, and it was reminiscent of like reading
manga and that made me happy. Mm hmm. Yeah. Although
if you have a physical copy of this book and
you're reading it with that cover, like everybody
knows what you're reading about, girl. Oh yeah,
this is why KU exists and I wouldn't, I wouldn't
read it in public personally. Okay, scratch that.
I read it in public. I just wouldn't read it
with the cover, what it is in public, but that's
just me. That's the one. Yeah. I mean, really
just because I don't want to invite more conversation
from strangers than I already do. So teaming
up with friends over here. Exactly. So. Let's
get into this. We have so much complex plot to
talk about. So Katie, why don't you kick us off?
Yeah, I mean, so this is going to be a little
bit of an interesting episode because I think
this is probably the shortest and the lightest
on plot books we've ever read. It kind of honestly
reminds me of I think two or three years ago,
we did those Halloween books and we did Scream
for Us. Yes, that's what it kind of reminded
me of too. But even that had a little bit more
plot. Yeah, I mean, at least in that you had
this whole like interlude of them killing people.
But. I'll just kind of give an abroad overview
of the plot and then we'll kind of get into some
specific things that we liked or didn't like
and then we'll go into our ratings. I think that's
the way that we're going to be the most successful
here. I think so too. So this book revolves around
three people. Our main female main character
Riley and she is described as having strawberry
blonde hair and she comes to have the nickname
Shortcake. because of it. But she's stranded
in an airport in New York on Christmas Eve trying
to get home to Seattle and her flight gets cancelled.
So she's sitting in a bar and she strikes up
a conversation with this guy who she recognizes
as a famous hockey player named Lucas and We
get this story from multiple points of view.
We get it from all three of our characters. We
get it from Riley, this guy that she met, and
then eventually a third person. But when we switch
to this guy's point of view, we learn that he's
actually Leo, who is Lucas's identical twin brother.
But he doesn't expect this to go anywhere. And
so he doesn't correct Riley that he's not his
brother, Lucas, and that he is, in fact, Leo,
Lucas's agent. So anyway, they strike up this
conversation. Leo is also supposed to be going
home because that's where his family is in Seattle
as well. They were supposed to be on the same
flight. Their flight gets canceled. And so Leo
invites Riley to come home with him. They are
kind of having a little bit of chemistry and
he's like, why the fuck not? And she's like,
yeah, why the fuck not? So they get picked up
by Leo's quasi roommate, quasi boyfriend, friends
with benefits, friend, Jace, who is originally
from Hawaii and is described as being one of
those barrel chested kind of big dudes, which
I don't know about you, but I stan. I stan too.
And it was really refreshing, again, to read
about characters that don't fit into the Like
tall dark and handsome traditional sense like
really I want to say blonde hair blue eyes, but
they really have blonde hair That's just like
my Draco Malfoy fantasy coming out, but to read
someone who's like not white specifically not
like Anglo -Saxon because there's like vague
allusions to Hawaii and like his Polynesian culture
and like his tattoos and like even vague references
like what he's drinking and it was just Nice
like for such a plot light book. There were some
lovely character details I agree, I agree. So
Jace picks them up and they go back to Leo slash
Lucas's place and they end up just like spending
most of the book romping around in the apartment.
And there's a couple of crucial details here.
The first one is that this entire time Riley
thinks that Leo is Lucas and Leo has asked Jace
to go along with this. But of course at some
point the truth comes out and Riley freaks out
because of having trust issues based on experiences
with past men, and she leaves in a huff. And
that's shattering to everybody because over the
course of the night, they've really developed
a strong emotional and physical connection. And
when we switched into each one of their internal
monologues, they were all like, I don't want
to say the cliche of like hearing wedding bells,
but they were all thinking this was more than
just a one night stand. Yeah, there's that immediate
connection, which I like. I mean, you see It
was very similar to me to like, um, like when
you do a reverse harem and the guys are instantly
like in on the whole thing. Yes, it was that,
like they were all sold. I actually feel like,
and we'll talk about a little bit more after
the synopsis, but I feel like Jason Leo were
more sold. And then when we come back to Riley,
we don't really see how sold she is until the
end. She's like in a sex haze and it was like,
Oh, no, wait, actually. Shit, is it love? Is
this love? So Riley leaves and goes back to Seattle
and all three of them spend a little bit of time
pouting and thinking about their choices. Jace
and Leo come to the decision that not only are
they going to be more upfront about the way they
feel about each other, but they also want to
try to get Riley back. And so they fly to Seattle
where Riley has been moping essentially and is
out with her sister telling her the details.
The dudes show up, they get Riley back, they
spend a little bit of time in the hotel room
that night. And then we flip forward to a year
where they've spent all year together on their
anniversary. The two boys essentially propose
to Riley. And even though they can't get legally
married, they all have matching rings and they
commit to each other in that way. And it's fucking
adorable. It's fucking adorable. But that's the
book. So, like, there's no. Yeah. There's no
there's nothing a whole lot more to talk about
except for the smile, which is honestly what
we came here for. It's exactly what we came here
for. And I I remember I texted you. I was like
58 percent of the way through the book. And I
texted Katie and I was like, is this just one
big sex scene? Yes. Yes. Yes, it is. I was like,
I don't understand literally half of the book.
And it's not a long book, but a hundred pages
into the book. It's all been like foreplay, like
some intense foreplay, but like they haven't
even done it yet. So it's like, OK, this is just
one long scene and it was excellent at every
turn. Yeah, no, no, no. I mean, look, I love
a scene that like willfully suspends my disbelief
in the amount of times a man can come in a single
night. Yeah. And this book definitely did that.
So. It's making all kinds of noise over here.
I'm so sorry about life. It's usually me that's
like, whapapam. It really shows me how much I
talk with my hands, which I already knew I did.
But it's one thing to know it conceptually and
another thing to be made aware every time you
slap something. Right. And then essentially rub
your own nose in it when you go to edit the episodes.
And it's just like, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,
pop. And I'm like, what the fuck was I doing?
Like, I'm just sitting here. There's nothing
on my desk. Like, why is this happening? Yeah.
Anyway, one of the things that I liked about
this book was the, I mean, the smut is excellent.
And I'm sure we'll get there in a second. But
I am not a Polly person. But this book was very
much geared toward, like, this is the beginning
of a poly relationship. And it was so interesting
to me the way these characters thought about
and approached love and sex. And that is just
it's interesting to me because it's not how my
brain works. And that was fun to kind of explore
and like, you know, kind of try on, you know,
reading about these characters. Yeah, because
we I mean, we hear at space traders, space traders,
we have the best. Oh, we here, you and I struggling
today. I'm not even going to give that weird
intro. Whatever. It's fine. We like reverse harem.
We read a lot of reverse harem, but they're usually
99 percent of the time framed within the romantic.
Right. So so we have like shifters or vampires
or werewolves or whatever. So to read about a
polycule like this throuple without any. supernatural
or like magic. I'm with you. It was really interesting
to read about a realistic relationship that I've
never had any connection with. And to like see
how that worked and getting into some of that
relationship. I honestly think my favorite part
of this plot and story was Leo and Jace's love
story and like how they thought about each other
and like coming to terms with that like I think
it was okay for a book that is literally all
smut it was really beautiful yeah because it
was interwoven into the scenes right because
we would kind of swap between Riley Jace and
Leo's perspective and they would talk about how
they feel about Riley like she's so exciting
and they're intrigued and they're immediately
like drawn to her like a magnet but for them
it really amplified and put a spotlight on how
they feel about each other. And that was part
of the plot too with Leo being the more emotionally
unavailable one. And over the course of the book,
this sounds way more deep than it actually was,
but he did have a conversation with Jace about
this interaction that they had with Riley made
me realize the depth of feeling that I have for
you and I don't want to hide that anymore. And
I thought that that was a really beautiful way
to describe that. Yeah, I agree. And like throughout
their whole scene, like you mentioned, flipping
back and forth. I okay, let me backtrack a little
bit. I was really impressed with the way this
author was able to get was able to give us pretty
decent character development through just a single
sex scene. Like, yeah, Jace is coming, excuse
me, Leo's coming to terms with not only his actual
feelings for Jace, and instead of being like,
were friends that kind of fucked being like,
no, I love you. I don't want to really be with
anyone else except for Riley. And he also had
to come to terms with feeling overshadowed by
his brother. He has a lot of character growth
in a book that nothing but sex happens. And I'm
really amazed by how this author created that.
I'm shocked. Yeah. And beyond the... But I don't
want to say beyond, because it is part of the
character development. Because we get information
about how Leo is a switch, but typically is more
dominant. And then we get to see Jace, who's
typically not more dominant, be more dominant
and take the lead. And they were telling us internally
about how that dynamic works. And so it was just
interesting to see that. play out as a part of
character development, which I think we're going
to get real existential about this book, even
though it is just like 200 pages of sex. Like,
I really think that Smut is underrated as a plot.
device and yes character development tool because
it is a part of people's lives unless you're
asexual fine but like just to totally disregard
it as something that like can't move the story
along or anything like that i think is a mistake
and i think that's why we gravitate toward the
romantic genre because it has that like fantasy
thing but it also has this very real like depiction
of lived experience i think for both of us Yeah,
I think that is such a good way to say that.
And we get... I didn't expect to get existential
with this book, but let's go. I'm ready for this.
Merry Christmas, I guess. Merry Christmas, you
filthy animals. We get some of Riley's character
development too, where she had this like shitty
ex that was abusive, if not physically, at least
like emotionally. And she's still kind of trapped
and like working for him and like trying to make
her life work with what she wants to do. And
then within that we have, I mentioned this at
the top with the cover. And so I'm going to focus
on Riley for a little bit. She is a curvy character.
But at no point do we get like that body image
concern. And I like seeing that from all sides,
like from Riley as a character. accepting who
she is and not being shy to these men, accepting
who they are. And the flip side, sometimes we'll
get curvy female characters. We never get a,
like, not athletic trim male character, right?
Yeah. Yeah, like to get someone like Jace, who
is distinctly described as having like a round,
soft belly. I was like, and he's really hot.
Yeah. Within the story. Like you, the dad bod
that you're picturing right now is exactly how
he has been described in the book. Yeah. And
it was like, it was just so refreshing from so
many points to get such diversity. Excuse you,
phone. You're on Do Not Disturb. OK. WTF. Why
are you making any sounds? It was so refreshing
to get such diversity in. like, the romance to
have a throuple, which isn't quite that reverse
harem. It's, I feel like, far more realistic
than the whatever Christmas book we read two
years ago, where she has nine fucking reindeer
men. Eight to Rue. Eight to Rue. And I feel like
I'm spiraling and repeating myself, but I just...
Seeing each of their character development was
so... fun. Oh, some other diversity, just like
their body types and their skin color and like
their backgrounds. It was just so nice to see
them blend. Literally. Yeah. Same. And I want
to be clear, because I said something that could
be interpreted wildly differently. I said very
true to lived experience for both of us. I don't
want to get it. I don't want anybody to get it
twisted. My husband does not have wings. I'm
not talking about the mind blowing sex from a
demon or whatever. But what I am talking about
is the intimacy that you have between you and
your sexual partner. is a formative experience
in your relationship and in your personal character
arc. And I think that that's why this book is
getting us a little bit existential, because
it was only that. Like only it makes me smile,
but it was character development. Yeah. And with
that lived experience, like like you mentioned,
unless you're asexual, sex is a part of life
like. you have to come come to terms sounds like
it's a negative thing but like you have to reconcile
it within yourself once you like hit puberty
and start discovering like masturbation and all
those things and then you have to reconcile it
again when you figure out who you're attracted
to and then you have like your first times and
second times and tenth times and like all of
those are different and trying to navigate all
of that i think you're exactly right that that's
a lot of why many of us are drawn to smut i think
we tend to brush it off as like There's a lot
of the jokes on TikTok that are like, oh yeah,
you read Smut because it's what you're missing
from your life. Except for you guys, dark romance
girlies, not you, not looking at you. But I don't
even think it's that entirely. Like, yeah, sometimes
and for some, but I think it's just such a human
experience. Yeah. To read about it in a character
way that's not just like porn, right? Because
that's not character development. Right. But
we get these stories and these characters that
go through similar growth arcs that we have,
like in this book, coming to terms with the fact
that you have serious feelings for someone and
you've been avoiding those feelings because of
fear of commitment or fear that you're going
to get hurt or like fear that it's not going
to work out or ruin a friendship. Like those
are real lived experiences that you'd be fucking
for years. You'd be fucking and like, OK, it
made me laugh every time because it's pretty
subtle. But. When you read Leo's perspective,
he's like, well, you know, we both fuck other
people. Like, it's pretty chill. And then Jace's
internal monologue is like, yeah, we fuck other
people, but it's been like a while. Like, we
really just fuck each other. Yeah, it's been
a little dusty up in here. Like, let's not get
it twisted. And it's so funny to see that comparison
between the two and then see Leo wake up to be
like, oh. It is just, it's just Jace. Yeah. Like
he's fully in denial when the book starts and
then toward the end, he's like, no, you're right.
You're right. You're right. I have, okay. I have
a question that I want to ask you, but I do want
to acknowledge this. It's a really brief thing,
but this book does give us the things I always
like to call out in Smut that is relevant. We
don't talk about it in fantasy cause like they
don't get pregnant unless it's a breeding book.
I don't know, but they talk about being on the
pill. They talk about protection and they talk
about getting tested. Like, and I just love seeing
those models. Again, real human experience that
like you can have those conversations without
ruining the moment. It does not ruin the moment
to be like, hey, I've been tested or hey, I'm
not on birth control. Like I don't want to get
pregnant. Do you have a condom? Like all of those
things fall seamlessly and you could do it in
real life. Even getting consent, right? They
get consent at multiple points in the night and
at some points Riley just tries to give a head
nod and they're like, no, no, I need a verbal
yes. I'm on a fucking exit row in a plane. I'm
going to need a verbal yes. Thank you so much.
And it's hot. It's really hot. They do it so
seamlessly. It's really well done and really
well, a good illustration of how it should be
done. Yeah, you mentioned the consent. They also
gave her very clear instructions of, hey, if
it's too much, do this. Not just say stop, but
tap me five times. Give me this explicit signal
that you're done here. Yeah. And I like that
too, because it wasn't a safe word that you have
to say with your mouth, because there was not.
When your mouth is full of dick? Yeah. Yeah.
Sometimes you can't make words when you got a
dick in your mouth. So I liked that it was a
non -verbal tap out. Literally. Yeah, literally.
OK, so we're going to jump around and this is
not a logical flow of a listen. Here's the plot,
guys. So at the end. OK, I have I have two questions.
I guess I'll start at the front. Riley, the next
morning, when she realizes that Leo is not Lucas,
is upset because she feels lied to. How? you
feel? Her sister seems to frame it as like, well,
you don't know them anyway. So I want to know
how you feel about that. I don't know. I don't
think it's hard because I can see where Riley
is coming from in the moment because she's being
actively manipulated by somebody who she feels
like only lies to her and she can't get out of
that. And then having this really like deeper
like experience with these guys who felt like
You know, she could she could trust them. I can
see where she's coming from. I don't think I
would have that reaction because I'm a different
person than Riley. I would probably be like,
oh, that was kind of shitty. Like, is there anything
else you want to tell me right now? Yeah. OK,
that's that's where I was trying to get to. Like
my. I kept flip flopping. Flip flopping. Oh,
I can't say that word. I mean, flip flop. I was
trying my OK, so my first like attempt to conceptualize
it was if I knew someone and I didn't know they
had a twin and then I slept with our twin on
accident, I would feel really betrayed. But then
I was like, but that's only if I knew them. But
like if I like these Leo versus Lucas, they're
both just strangers like. It doesn't make a difference.
And Riley's sister says that, like, I go out
of the time and use fake names. And I've slept
with people who don't know my real name. Like,
it was just a name. Like, he didn't lie to you
about who he was. Yeah. Well, and I think that
was really I think even coming off of because
she gives herself that little pep talk in the
mirror. Like, hey, this is when I stand. Don't
catch feelings like maybe you can have one more
thing. But then this is just going to be like
spank bank material for the rest of your life.
Like, yeah, don't. don't catch feelings right
and then so I feel like to have that reaction
on the heels of that it had to have been just
kind of a knee -jerk reaction which is why like
I just think I would have reacted differently
because my knee -jerk reactions are different
well and honestly like so this whole this whole
story is kind of predicated on the love of her
sight thing my knee -jerk reaction would have
been to wake up in the morning and get the fuck
out of there like before anything else yeah I
would have been like thank you so much this was
perfect I want nothing to ruin this Yeah, exactly.
Or like I would have been a little embarrassed
the next morning. I mean, they all have big feelings
for each other. But the only the only conflict
in this book comes from that mistaken identity.
And it made me wonder if the author put it in
there just to give it some framing of a plot.
It's like it didn't need to be there. I can see
that. It was like, yeah, that makes sense because
I'm with you like. The most awkward part about
a one night stand is seeing the person next,
like the next day. Yeah. Thank you so much for
seeing my naked body. I need to go. I need to
go. I would have left. And she's sitting here
like, oh, I'm going to make breakfast. And I'm
like, we are different people. Yeah, I would
not. I would have left. I might have left my
number if I felt a connection to be like, hey,
call me, because that was great. And I wouldn't
be opposed to doing it again. But I would not
be making pancakes. No. Yeah. I can see your
point about the plot, because them flying across
the US to win her back. Very grand romantic gesture,
and I like that that's how the book ended. Oh,
yeah, I wasn't mad about it. We also get just
enough Christmas theming that it made it a Christmas
book, but it didn't need to be. OK, the only
part. That was pretty Christmassy. That didn't
upset me at all. It was when he, like, fucks
her with the Christmas tree decoration. Yeah.
Well, and he calls it an ornament. I'm like,
brother, that is not an ornament. Like, that
is like a glass figurine. Yeah, exactly. An ornament
is when you pull off the tree. Right. And this
thing just feels substantial. It's going to weigh
the tree down. Exactly. I did appreciate, just
to go with the realism a little bit, that he
has this, it's a glass tree. I'm assuming it
didn't have, you know how, OK, if you were to
draw a Christmas tree, like a five -year -old,
you know how it has tears, right? Yeah. I'm assuming
it didn't have tears. I'm assuming it was a smooth
cone. Yeah. But I did, the characters in this
book are just so human. So he picks it up, and
he's like, I'm going to do these things to you.
I don't remember what he says, nothing like that.
But Riley's like, no, no, no. Have you not seen
all of the news articles of people who get like
weird shit stuck in their butt? She's like, that
is not a sex toy. You cannot put that in my body.
He's like, no, no. It's solid glass. It's not
going to break. It's not sharp. And I appreciated
the both sides of like, you're right. It's not
a sex toy. But here's why it's safe, with the
undercurrent of like, don't use breakable glass
objects. Yeah, like this one's solid. And things
that don't have bases. Yeah. And I love that
he was like, OK, one, it's not going in your
butt. We can get it out. We can get it out. There's
already something in your butt. Yeah. Yeah, that
was wild. I didn't mind it. Like, I didn't mind
it at all. OK, I have to. There was one. I was
going to say there was one sex scene. It was
one big sex scene. There was one scene that I
couldn't figure out the logistics. But I'm hoping
you can explain it to me. Oh, goody. Let me set
the stage here. So they go into the quote unquote
man cave that is like the North Pole through
up in there, right? Like it is all the Christmas
you could ever want. And Jace is on the couch
and Leo is on his knees in front of Jace sucking
him off. And then Riley somehow gets under Leo
to also suck him off. I'm with you. But then
somehow there's language about Riley's words
the first time, but it gets on the couch. And
I don't understand where her body is in relation
to the couch. Because I pictured her on the floor
underneath Leo, so she wouldn't be on the couch.
Yeah. OK. I can help with this one. I thought
you were going to talk about some of the other
ones, where I was confused. But OK. Oh, good.
The couch is a chaise. Or it has a chaise on
one side. So when the scene starts, Jace is on
the couch and he says, come over here. And Leo
kneels in between his legs. And then before they
actually start, Jace pushes himself back onto
the chaise. And then Leo gets on top on his knees,
in between his legs, on the long part of the
chaise. So then when Riley gets up there, she's
laying on the chaise underneath Leo. OK, so I
had the positioning correct. I just forgot that
there was a chaise that they were on. Yeah. Right.
But I mean, to that point, it's a long ass chaise.
These are big dudes. Yeah, they're big dudes.
They're like really big dudes. And just, again,
I'm here for all of the body positivity. But
none of these are thin people. That's a lot of
maneuvering. Yeah, it's a lot of maneuvering.
I say that. I say that as not a thin person.
I love that. It's like when they went into the
bedroom, she like calls out. She's like, wow,
California King. I'm like, oh, that's how they're
all going to fit. Got it. OK. Which I appreciate
those notes because I don't know how you would
fit into this. OK, that makes way more sense.
I was like, but because they have like kind of
a long conversation about like not ruining Leo's
carpet. And I'm like, but I want carpet. Just
say that you want to be in the bedroom like don't.
Don't bring in money to replace the carpet. That
conversation I was like, can, okay, just move,
just move, just move, just go into the bedroom,
go. Just go, I don't need this, just go, go,
go, go. Speaking of logistics though, there were
a couple of other parts in the other scenes where
they would just be in a position and then there
would be this line of, oh, and then he ran his
nose along her collarbone or kissed her shoulder
or whatever. And I'm like, How? But that read
to me honestly of like one handed book, like
we're not writing technically specific sex, right?
Like we're writing for the vibes, right? So a
little bit. And so that to me felt like... vibe
sprinkles because, like, the author knows that
this is a one -handed book club reader, like,
all day, right? And so you need those little,
like, those little, like, flavor bombs of, like,
things that are happening even though his neck
isn't that long, actually. Right, or he's, like,
behind her, so he can't possibly get to her collarbone.
With his nose, certainly not. Certainly not.
Yeah, I had some of those, too. And then the
scene that... Honestly, just made me laugh because
just in my picture, it just looked ridiculous.
And I'm sure it works in real life, but like
they're going to DP her and they're like getting
ready to do it. And then I don't know who it
is, but Jace, one of them is like, no, no, let's
spoon. And I'm like, how the fuck are you spooning
the three of you while also being inside her?
Like two of you are facing each other and one's
like the big spoon. I get that. But then I'm
picturing like. If you're facing your partner
and you're also like. connected, right? And then
someone's behind you. Like, it just looks like
this weird, like, I know their listeners can't
see me, but, like, the angles don't work for
me on that. Yeah. I mean, I don't, I'm going
to be real honest. I don't have personal experience
to pull from here. I don't either. But I'm with
you. I can picture spooning with one person and
having sex while doing that. I can't picture
facing another person and having sex with both
of them. Well, it really, to me, where it gets
ridiculous is when you add in the motion, right?
Because is it this thing? That's the part. Or
is it like a seesaw action? I think it's like
a seesaw, but I just don't. I'm like, where are
your legs? I just don't. The motion. Where are
her legs? Right. Because where are her legs?
Yeah. Yeah. That's where I was like. And it did
not. Again, going back to your original point,
it's one hand reading club. It didn't take me
out of the Janice at all. But there was that
little voice in my head of like, what the fuck
are they doing? It's like the scene in the Peter
Pan book where they both they double penetrate
her up in the air while they're flying. And I'm
like, but how? Yeah. Yeah. And yeah, actually,
you know what? That one makes more sense to me
because there's not a bed constricting their
movement. Because their legs can dangle. Yeah,
you have 360 degree movement. Whereas the bed
kind of is the solid wall that you can't go past.
Yeah, I just kind of I went with it. I didn't
I tried not to get stuck in those logistics because
I'm like, I don't know what I'm talking about.
I know me either. And it's fine. The other part
that made me laugh that wasn't necessary for
the plot, but I'm so glad she included it was
we get an epilogue, right? The one year later.
Where it's Riley's point of view and she talks
about how she like told her family and how her
dad just like didn't say anything for like three
months, but then came around. Yeah. I like that,
too. Just made me laugh. I was like, I didn't
need this, but I'm so glad you included it. Yeah,
okay, but so what do you think about the like
engagement at the end? Okay It's All right, so
it's super cute I think it's adorable that they
all have like their rings with each other The
realist in me is like it's been one year and
then the you guys Okay, and the second part of
me was like I mean A little bit, it took me out
of the fantasy when one of the boys says, I know
we can't legally marry you. And I was like, but
now I'm just thinking about polygamy. And I know
poly polygamy, I get it, but those have two different
connotations. And it just made me feel a little
icky. I don't know. I can't explain it. Yeah,
the comment about, I know we can't legally marry
you. Also kind of hit sideways because it feels
very much like I look I'm gonna be the first
one to say I have no idea how polycules work
Nope, but like Jace and Leo tend to talk about
like we as like our singular entity and like
Riley is the like External party like and maybe
that's how they see it and maybe that's what
works for them But then saying like we can't
legally marry you It's like, okay, well, are
you guys legally married? Like, is anybody legally
married? Yeah, I feel like, well, one of you
can, or you can marry each other, which I get
takes out the equality of the polycule. And again,
like I've never been anywhere near a threeple
or a polycule. But I think, okay, I'm going to
say when I've read about them, but like I haven't.
This is just on like Instagram or TikTok, like
people that I follow. There's like two people
that are married and then they have like extra.
Yeah. The other thing that if I had thought too
much about it, and I did think about it throughout
like the first half of the book, is it's like
Riley and Leo and then Jace is the third. And
then it's like Leo and Jace and Riley is the
third. And it just. I, I kind of I would honestly
like to read. I don't need a whole book. But
like a hundred pages of like a week in their
lives, because she mentions in the epilogue,
like we have normal relationship fights, you
know, like just when you're with each other,
like about the laundry or dishes or whatever.
But I want to know, I'm always so curious how
that works in a polygual, like the jealousy and
the navigation and like date nights. Like, do
you ever go off into like a couple and one or
are you all three always together? Like. I want
to read 100 pages on that scenario. Yeah, I always
had that kind of question in real life too. But
just going back to the marriage thing briefly,
I don't want our listeners to... Feel like I
feel like I'm such a big big supporter of marriage
because I'm not right like the government now
be in your relationship But I just feel like
it puts them at a disadvantage because they are
such high earners in the book that like they
can't get that tax advantage Maybe that works
for them. That's really the only thing where
my head went and the because my head went there
I was like, why am I thinking about taxes now?
anyway But those things that you just talked
about, how does an everyday relationship work
with more than one person? I don't know. And
that's what always felt exhausting about being
in a polycule like that for me personally, because
I just... I think I'm also in a place where it's
just so easy with my partner that I don't...
Adding another person in there, I'm just like,
Jesus Christ. It just sounds kind of. Exhausting,
and I'm not knocking anyone like I would love
if we have listeners that are in polycules or
have been in polycules like. Phone in because
I have a questions and I don't want this to be
like I'm judging you, but I also had a fleeting
thought about taxes because like at least Jason
Leo are very well off and I guess Riley is like
working on her career like she's a publicist
or something like in advertising. So I also had
that. a fleeting thought of like, but there are
financial benefits for some of you. That you're
missing out on, yeah. Yeah, but I did really
like the commitment at that of like, no, it's
the three of us. I liked the thought behind the
little proposal and engagement thing. And I would
like to see them have a little wedding, because
it seems like all their families are on board,
I guess, except for maybe Jason's family. Exactly.
Yeah, it just. I think what I'm trying to say
is if it is a polycule, I'm sure that there is
a different thing that polycules do to show their
commitment. I think it would have been less jarring
if they were like, hey, let's do this thing to
signify our commitment to each other and not
put it in such monogamous terms since they are
very clearly not a monogamous couple relationship.
Yeah, you're right. I think that's a good way
to phrase it, because it was just kind of jarring
to phrase it as like a proposal. And then, like
we both said, that line of we can't legally marry
you, which I was just sort of like, but I never
thought you would. Right. Like that's. OK, anyway,
very also. And my only my only last point on
that like proposal thing is like it's Christmas
Eve, it's their anniversary. That's fucking adorable
that that's when they're going to like commit
or propose or whatever. But those two boys, Jason
Leo, go out that morning to get the rings. And
I was like, to pick them up? Or did you just
have this idea? Because I don't like, I want
it to be premeditated. Not just like, hey, you
know what would be a really fun Christmas present?
It's like, we just got engaged. Well, I feel
like because they had the three rings picked
out in size, it must have been premeditated.
Yeah, OK. That makes sense. With your own experience
on ordering a fucking ring that's the right size.
It's kind of a pain in the ass. You're right.
It's a long process. But then that brings you
back to like, it's been one year. Yeah. Okay.
But I can't talk because I got engaged within
a year. So. Did you really? Yeah. I mean, so
we started officially dating in August and then
we got engaged. We we we bought a house really
the following May and then we got engaged I Guess
technically the December so a little bit more
than a year, but we fucking bought a house together
like we were gonna get married that seems crazy
and Then within by that next August we were married.
So we were we only dated for two years Okay,
and I mean I've only been dating my fiance for
a year and a half. So whatever, cut everything
I just said. OK, it's like, you know, and I do.
And I think that this book, just to bring it
full circle, this book does a really good job
of showing that, like they did know that totally.
And it's super cute. You're right. I take I take
back everything I said about it only being a
year. Time is weird. I feel like that's just
your mother coming through on loudspeaker. That's
not how you actually feel. No, it's not. Now
I want to go re -record the last 10 minutes.
No, I think this journey's better. OK, great.
Keep this whole journey in. I have come on a
journey. You know what? I'm doing a lot of unlearning.
It's part of adulthood. It's fine. Look, it's
tough. That unlearning shit, holy shit, dude.
God, it's so hard. It's so hard. Let me propose
this. Do you have any other thoughts on general
debrief -y style things before we get into our
ratings? No. No. Okay, then let's get into our
ratings. I don't. This book is delightful. I
don't think we need to belabor the point about
the smut anymore. It's a five. It's fucking amazing.
They have the immediate chemistry. It's really
romantic. They have like all of the consent and
all the things. And it's we talk about wanting
lengthy scenes. This scene is not even exaggerating.
A hundred and twenty pages long. Yeah, it's the
majority of this book. And we get a couple of
other smaller scenes. And it is specific. It
is like. varied, I'll say there's different things
that happen in different rooms. There's different
kinks at play like just a lot a lot is happening
and I have no notes. Okay, my only note and this
isn't a note against the smut. But we do get
a disclaimer in the front of this book. And one
of the things that lists is a shaving kink. And
I gotta say I did not enjoy the scene of him
shaving her legs. It made me incredibly nervous.
OK, yep, great. Thanks, me too. But I did not
enjoy it. Some people are into that. It doesn't
do anything for me. No, it just made me nervous.
I was just picturing you're all hot and bothered
getting nicked. Yeah, exactly. It's like, you
do you. I'm not yucking your yum. But I was just
like, I hope no one slips. It also doesn't help
that I recently got a new razor and basically
flayed my entire shin with it. That's just my
own personally inflicted trauma. Anyway, let's
get into the writing style. How do we rate that,
girl? We both rated it a four. There's not any
egregious typos. I didn't catch any typos or
grammar issues. There were a couple points that
went either. And I did not go back and read it
closely enough to see if I was right. And I don't
think I was even right. But there were a couple
points when either Jace or Leo We were getting
their perspective that it almost felt like there
was a slip and they like talked about themselves
But I think I just wasn't reading it closely
enough. Mm -hmm, but they're While their characters
are different. Their voices weren't distinctly
different. And so that got a little bit confusing
to me where I would be like Why is Leo talking
about himself in the third person? Yeah, he's
not got it It also didn't help that it was confusing
that Leo was Leo in his internal monologue and
in Jay's internal monologue and he was Lucas
when they were talking about him out loud. Yeah,
or in Riley's internal monologue, it was Lucas.
Right. Yeah. So that was a little bit messy.
But it didn't take away from the scenes. No,
not at all. It was really great. So that brings
us to quality of storytelling. I think we spent
the First half of this episode talking about
how much character development there was in this
book shockingly Yeah, so we rated it a four.
I was surprised I was not expecting to rate it
so highly but I think for the story that was
there the quality of it was pretty high like
Yeah, I mean obviously we didn't get anywhere
close to having plot holes, but like the character
development the like the circumstances that they
were in the things that were used to move the
plot forward like everything was really well
done especially in 200 pages so super appreciate
that. Yeah it was really impressive and it does
make me want to read more by this author like
I wouldn't be opposed to reading the one about
real Lucas. Yeah exactly. Also just in the storytelling
kind of going to the character development once
Riley knows who Leo is it is super cute. um she
like sees a picture of Lucas or like sees him
on tv and is like here are some distinct differences
because like now I know Leo and like their eyes
are different like their aura is different essentially
and I thought that was really sweet yeah I did
too but I did have the question I was like is
one of them not in a hockey jersey and then I
was like wait are hockey players just constantly
in hockey jerseys no that's that can't be right
also one note about the next book we should definitely
read it because um it's about her sister Stevie
Okay. If we can fit it in as like a quickie in
2026, I would be down to do it. I mean, I busted
this book out in like a day. Okay, real quick.
You can cut this out if you want, but it was
killing time before my doctor's appointment on
Wednesday. And so I was reading this book and
I was reading it at Starbucks as one does. So
I was fully reading this in public, which was...
I was just like blushing. I could not read it
at work though. I often read in the bathroom
at work. I could not read this book at work.
Like I was like, I'm doing something wrong. I'm
going to get caught. Like, I don't know. It was
weird, which I felt that way about the ritual
too. I was like, I can't read this at work. So
I was reading it at Starbucks, but then I get
in my car to go to my doctor's appointment and
I've been listening to crime junkie. So like
I have all this smut in my head and then my Spotify
starts up and it's like, and then they found
his desk, his dismembered body in the woods.
And I'm like, What the fuck is the media that
I consume? Girl, that is so relatable to me.
Like, crime junkie is the only thing I listen
to. So do we recommend this book? Yes, we do.
And I want to read more by this author. I do,
too. This was such a delight. And it really,
like, I know you said there was just enough Christmas
to make it a Christmas novella. I agree. But
it got me into the Christmas spirit a little
bit more than I already was. Exactly. Yeah, because
there's just, like, going in the storytelling,
like, back to the writings, like, They're having
sex in this room that's like decked out. So they're
talking about like the glow from the Christmas
tree. And it was just really nice ambiance for
all of the filth. Yeah, definitely. And just
like the little touches of like the Christmas
ornament, like penetration was just great. Anyway,
it was great. So instead of our regular outro,
Liz is going to read the dedication to this book.
I feel like I need to do that sultry after hours
voice, but I might be incapable. So to all the
ho ho ho's, may your jingle balls be merry and
bright and may this smut satisfy you all through
the night. Oh, happy holidays y 'all. We'll see
you in the new year. See ya. Bye. Bye.