Alliance

The Triad Series #1

by Cari Z.

One wedding. Two grooms. Three lovers, preparing to fight for themselves, and their kingdoms. Symon Parador is a prince in name only until the day he’s bartered away to the neighboring kingdom, to marry their queen’s brother, Petur. A mage in a nation full of shifters who distrust his magic is bad enough, but even worse is the fact that Petur is already as good as married—to an assassin from the north named Deyvid, who’s immune to all magic. He doesn’t expect to love either of them, but Deyvid’s surprising kindness is too addictive to run from, and even Petur’s ferocity is lightened by his sly sense of humor. Sy could see himself falling for them…if any of them survive the sudden onslaught of attacks against the royal family. Entwined in a dangerous game of survival, love, and loyalty, the cost of saving his lovers may be Sy's own life. Alliance is a polyamorous M/M/M fantasy with enemies to lovers, graphic violence, snarky humor, and explicit sexual content.

Genres: Fantasy, M M M, Romance, Magic, Shapeshifters, M M Romance, Paranormal

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 13, 2023

About the author

Cari Z. is a Colorado girl who loves snow and sunshine. She has a wonderful relationship with her husband, a complex relationship with the characters in her head and a sadomasochistic relationship with her exercise routine. She feels like Halloween should happen every month, which is why you get this picture of her, and hopes that you enjoy reading what she's put out there as much as she enjoyed writing it in the first place.

Reviews

[Barbara➰]

I'm marking this read even though I dnf. I got 70% and I hate Petur. I hate the way he treats Sy. I hate how their consummation went down. I hate that by 70% he's still an asshole and I see no hope for them.

I also did not like the way this is laid out with different sections being a different POV instead of back and forth throughout. We are TOLD a lot of things. I wanted to see it. What was Petur thinking while knowing Deyvid was back at the castle with Sy? What was Sy thinking when he was alone in his room while Petur and Deyvid were sexing it up nextdoor? What the fuck happened between Petur and Sy while Deyvid was gone for those few days? We are told they seem more amicable towards each other but we never know what went down.

This all annoyed me to death. I loved Deyvid and I liked Sy. Petur can 💋 my ass.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 36%.

This is infuriating. I skipped the chapter where Symon sleeps with his friend one last time after he's affianced. I hate sex scenes with people outside the romance.

But the premise was interesting and I thought I'd keep going.

Until the wedding night where Petar brings in his lover and makes Symon take care of himself while having to watch his new husband with his old lover. I knew there would be a polycule but the way the author wrote it was so rude and disrespectful.

[Alli · Rating 2 out of 5]

At least this was short. Either the romance or the action needed to be stronger to make this a worthwhile read. Both were meh. We were told by the author that the three men now loved each other but I couldn’t even see them liking each other. And then someone would shift or try to kill someone and I’d go oh yeah they’re trying to do some action to distract from the lack of character building. Or they’d have sex. Lol.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trouble from the start

A great first book with a really interesting build between three complicated characters, a rocky political scene, and a detailed world with plenty of rich back story.

Being a royal only in name by marriage of his father Symon never imagined he would be married off, especially given his own difficult history and potential future. When he is married off for a political marriage to a prince from another nation who already loves another, Sy knows it will be a marriage in name but purely a job of protection. Upon going to the nation things are even more complicated than they first appeared.

Petur is not the king nor planning to be, but protecting his sister the queen and their nation takes everything. As such he will not bend in his preferences and has not married a woman, instead staying with his lover and bodyguard Deyvid. When his sister sets up a political marriage with a small nation to gain a powerful mage husband Petur is angry and willing to shut the man out to make a point.

Deyvid has already lived one life as a puppet and now lives a full life with his lover, but one that he knows is numbered given his past. In Symon he sees hope. Hope for another support for his lover, someone who could both protect and love him. Hope for a way forward to more peaceful times. But neither man is making it easy and Deyvid's own past seems to be coming out to attack them all.

All three men are entangled in the politics of their land given their high status. With assassins seemingly everywhere and issues from within their own court it is a hard time to learn to trust and love each other. This book was a slow burn, full of revelations about their pasts that both affect how they are with others and could cause further issues down the road. Seeing each man interact with each other individually and together showed how they work and what they bring to the situation alone and together. Working out what is happening was fascinating and it is clear that the events going on in this kingdom are not yet finished. This promises to be an exciting ride as we see what is in store for these men as they try to be together and protect their family and their people.

[Linrook · Rating 2 out of 5]

So disappointing

This started out to be such a great book but the author skips vital information that was needed in it’s storytelling and I was just left dumbstruck. It was a huge mistake to write this book in three different points of view when Sy’s is so critical. I cringed while reading Deyvid’s chapter because it was so jarring. There is absolutely nothing enthralling about a young man being used by two much older and experienced men. I was so disappointed in Deyvid and Peteur. Claiming that Petur and Sy “spoke” or did something while Deyvid was on patrol was just a kick in a reader’s head. I do not understand how the author assumes what little information we reader’s received justifies Sy being fine with what happened. Even the little two paragraphs of Sy basically saying “it’s fine”, after what they did was unbelievable. Just a lackluster, cringey rush that forced the three together. I wanted to like this book, but no thank. Actions speak louder then words and Deyvid and Petur treated Sy poorly.

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first in a trilogy - which ends very very strong. I’d say the first book is good but a bit fluffy, sort of centre of the road fantasy MM, but the depth and story development really hits its stride in the second. So do yourself the favour and read on!

[Adam Waring · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is mediocre at best because there is too much emphasis placed on the sex scenes. And to be honest they drag the book down massively. Give us more story and meaty drama I don’t care how they tumble around in the hay.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

a entertaining fantasy

Rating: 4. 25🌈

Alliance is a new polyamorous M/M/M fantasy from author Cari Z, the first in a series.

I enjoyed the book and my introduction to all three main characters, Symon Parador (mage and reluctant groom), queen’s brother, Prince Petur (shifter with multiple shapes, also reluctant groom ), and Deyvid, a warrior/bodyguard who’s been made null to all magic (and who happens to be Petur’s not so hidden love for years).

Cari Z weaves the three person POV between these characters, starting with my favorite, Symon. It’s he who gets the shocking news he’s immediately to be married to Petur, then the equally unpleasant element that Petur’s got a long time love . Nothing says Symon will be happy or welcome in his new life.

Symon becomes, through his deep, passionate and empathetic spirit that the author has created for him, a person we connect to. His journey to his new life with the Prince’s guards lets the reader and guards form a foundation of knowledge of him that makes Symon a great favorite here.

I only wish that I had more of a glimpse of how Symon looks as a whole, beyond his eyes, jewelry, piercings and great magical abilities. We get individual snapshots but never a whole picture. That’s frustrating. Clothes? Hair? Everything that would help flesh out the man and culture he came from.

Oddly, it’s Deyvid, the warrior who’s also the long time love of Petur that’s next in powerful character embodiment. Deyvid’s a character who is second in coming across as being the most fully formed. We see him. From his figure to his face which always carries a faint aroma of a stain , we can see him. His background and personality feels the most layered next to Symon’s, his personality the more complex, and his personal back story is certainly full of angst, deception, betrayal, and damage.

I have the weirdest feeling that Cari Z just loves writing him because the chemistry she creates for him , starts with Symon, and then Petur. But it’s Deyvid who’s the glue here of the triad.

Finally there’s Prince Petur. He’s not a character who has a great appeal to begin with. There’s little interaction with others, what we see is quick, sexy moments with Deyvid, and solo moments of intense concentration on his own inner plans and suspicions. When we do see him meet up with Symon, someone we’ve come to love, it reflects poorly on Petur.

Of the three, he’s the weakest link. The one with the least amount of information offered to the reader, the lack of background on the shifter species he belongs to is frustrating, as is the world building here as a whole.

I hope that the next story, Endurance, will build out on the universe so lightly framed out here.

Also on the monarchy and kingdoms that have their political roots at the heart of the arc espionage’s threats. That too was not fully established.

Alliance: The Triad Series: Book One by Cari Z is an entertaining fantasy novel. I felt the triad romance was unbalanced towards two of the men who had most of the narrative time , most of the chemistry, and frankly, were my favorites. Prince Petur wasn’t given the same page time as the others so when he espoused that he now loved Symon, it wasn’t believable. It didn’t have the necessary time to become real.

If you want a fantasy with enemies to lovers romance with a triad of three different characters, and ongoing mysteries, this is a good place to start.

A recommended read!


The Triad Series:
- [x] Alliance #1
- [ ] Endurance #2

[It's a Solid Maybe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐1.5🌶️
-MMM-
Alliance is well written and the world building is interesting because it's just part of the story. I loved that there weren't some long, purple chapters going on and on about how their magic works or the shifter origins...etc. it was just there and easily understood within the context of the story. The characters are enjoyable and the narration is also really good. The dynamic of the triad is also unique--I haven't seen this approach before. It was rather heartwarming.

I listened to the audio version narrated by Michael Ferraiuolo. He did an excellent job with each character.


Although the story is based on a fantasy world, the fantasy is background, really. You don't have to be a fan of fantasy to enjoy this story or their relationship. It's an easy, light enough story to listen to during the day while doing other important shit--no random bursts of tears or angst to out your instabilities for all the world. It was an easy listen: You don't need to pay special attention to all the details in order to understand how the world works...sometimes it's nice just to have a sleepy little romantacy that doesn't require braining. It's Low angst, forced proximity//arranged marriage triad with a shifter prince and a could-be cursed mage and a very important someone else is the driving force of the story, IMO. It's got a bit of grumpy/sunshine vibes going on, too. I'm genuinely sad there isn't a book 2 yet because I'll have to wait!!

To be fair,
It kind of does that thing where one of the characters suddenly finds themselves in love with another --seemingly out of the blue ...but the author introduced this newfound love in a way that I didn't feel totally, absolutely cheated. I'm a sucker for the actual falling in love part and not the 'now we're in love, look what we can do' aspect of stories...

Nevertheless, it's fairly short and ends with allusions of HFN but definitely slaps you with a cliffhanger. Kind of a dick move ---but I'm interested to see where the story goes and it did say book 1.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definite 3++ stars, rounded up to 4 because there was no way I should have liked this book as much as I did (see below)

This was yet another BOTC (Because Of The Cover) read. I actually would have read this based on the blurb alone except that it mentioned polygamy between the 3 male MC's. I have never before read a book with a polygamous relationship and quite honestly, I always skip over them because for me (no judgment on others), polygamy is somewhere between "ick" and a big fat "ewwwwww". However, I liked the description of the storyline so much (not to mention the cover) that I decided to dip my toe into polygamous waters in this case and see what happens.

I will say that my overall opinion of the concept of menage a trois has not changed and that I would probably be safe in believing that 99% of books with a polygamous relationship would still make my skin crawl (and not in a good way), but this book was surprisingly (shockingly?) enjoyable, and a big part of that is the relationship and how the author handles it. The first big hurdle the author conquered was to have not 1, not 2, but all 3 MC's be appealing, complex and thoroughly engaging. To have achieved that is a big ask in and of itself. I would definitely read any book that featured any/all of these three and am looking forward to the next two books in this series.

The next hurdle (for me) was how the unwanted "3rd wheel" (Symon) would be incorporated into the existing relationship, which is long-term and extremely strong. I couldn't imagine a way it could be portrayed that wouldn't be extremely uncomfortable for Symon (and myself as a reader). The author found a way because all 3 characters are treated with respect and the physical merging of the relationship is handled with great care. (There's an extremely strong undertone of consent and having all partners be comfortable running throughout the process.) I honestly felt that all three characters worked as a throuple because there is so much care and tenderness built into their interactions, whether it be 2 of the 3, or all 3 together. Ultimately, I wanted these three to be together in the way that they are, because it wouldn't feel right if they weren't a romantic unit.

For some reason (and who knows, I might be right most of the time) I always envisioned that the inclusion of a throuple in a story would equate to way too much sex, way too much kink, and far too little actual relationship. For me, sex in a romance novel only works if it's built on a really strong scaffold of non-sexual interactions. Even within those parameters, I don't really want a book to have a huge amount of sex in it, including all the scenes where the MCs are constantly experiencing hyperactive genital activity due to being in the same general area with each other. Desire is in the brain and I prefer it to be portrayed that way, which is what this author has done. In fact, there is a scene that is intensely intimate and compelling and it doesn't include sex:

They lay there, wrapped around each other, consumed by the intimacy that came not from sex but from simple, affectionate touch, and Deyvid stroked his lover’s hair until he fell asleep.

That is one of my favorite scenes in the whole book and there aren't even any leaping hormones involved. This description really cements the depth of the relationship that these characters have with each other, and this sense of true connection is carried forward with how the existing couple incorporates Symon into the circle of intimacy. (BTW, this is not to imply that there is little to no sex in this book - there definitely are sex scenes and they are very effective 😉)

Ultimately, I came to love each character individually (and I am very definitely including the much-maligned Petur in this group) as well as when they are together, which makes for a much better story. I really like the differences these three have in stature, status, appearance and temperament and how the author portrays these differences playing off of each other; the bit about Symon's ring and how it is put into play is really quite lovely. I can easily envision the pretty, petite, bejeweled, ever-so-slightly femme Symon successfully engaging mentally, emotionally, and physically with each of the older, more experienced MC's. It works because the author clearly portrays Symon's inner strength, intelligence and integrity, making him a perfect addition to the existing couple - in fact, strike that word "addition", as Symon is truly an equal among the three and to call him an "addition" doesn't do him justice.

The plot is a pretty standard fantasy trope, full of assassination attempts and family politics, but the author makes it intriguing. The sex is never truly OTT, even when all three characters are together at once - rather than "ick" and "eww", my sense was that it felt completely understandable and right that these three belong together as a unit, both in and out of the bedroom. It was handled so well, that even a potentially sappy line like this (about Petur):

These men were his, and he was keeping them, no matter what.

provoked an inner "awww" and made me smile rather than roll my eyes.

Oh, and the cover really is very pretty/most appealing. 😉

I am definitely looking forward to the rest of this series. I would highly recommend this book to any reader who likes fantasy that is centered around the politics of a royal family, while keeping in mind that this author does NOT use the inclusion of a throuple as an excuse/rationale for an all-out sex fest. Yes, a few 3-way situations are explicitly portrayed, but it never feels like a serving of cheap thrills.

[Orianna Blesi · Rating 2 out of 5]

not for me

Made it about 60% of the way through. Didn’t care for how the POVs was laid out. First third was from Symon’s view, then Deyvid’s and I’m assuming Petur’s would be next. It made for weird storytelling, like we saw unnecessary pieces and didn’t get to read necessary ones. I also didn’t care for how Symon was treated. He seemed to be the wronged party but was expected to meet the other two halfway. Not interested enough to finish.

[Kris Vanc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really my thing.

[Rhode PVD · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed other things by this author, and hoped the years had perhaps made her writing even better. This however was dull and not emotionally believable.

[whimsicalmeerkat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved reading this blatant Teen Wolf fantasy AU.

[Manlove · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5 stars because that one husbad was pretty annoying. But I did, nonetheless download the next book so I must have liked it well enough.

[Eleanor · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

Sy is a prince and mage in a minor kingdom who abruptly gets married off to Petur, a prince of a large and wealthy nation and renowned shifter mage. Unfortunately for Sy, Petur is also well known to be in a committed relationship with Deyvid, a warrior who is immune to magic. Petur is cold and dismissive to Sy, mostly leaving him to Deyvid to deal with after their wedding night. Deyvid and Sy form a bond, but Deyvid grows frustrated at playing peacemaker and eventually issues an ultimatum. Sy and Petur put their differences aside to care for Deyvid after an assassination attempt and eventually the three get together (and foil another assassination plot).


This started out extremely promising. I love the arranged marriage, dislike to love trope and was excited to see how the element of an existing lover would complicate the relationship. I liked Sy and his nerdy dedication to his craft. I liked the (very obvious) reveal that his escort was actually Deyvid in disguise. I even liked Petur being an asshole and the tension filled wedding night (even though it made no sense for Petur to fuck Deyvid in front of Sy when they could have just taken care of business individually in separate parts of the room).

But from there unfortunately it fell apart. I didn’t understand the choice to divide the book into thirds, with each character’s POV (rather than swapping every chapter). As soon as we moved to Deyvid’s POV I got frustrated. We are told that Deyvid and Sy fall in love within around two weeks (ridiculously short) but we only see them have a couple conversations. It actually felt like Sy was just happy to have a friend and Deyvid had a little crush—definitely not love. We also don’t get to see Petur and Sy finally talking and only get an after the fact “yeah worked it out” because we are stuck in Deyvid’s POV! Petur and Sy’s marriage is literally the point of the book and we don’t get to see them make peace? Truly a wild and lazy choice.

In addition to the absurd love speedrun (Petur also falls in love after like a week), I struggled with the main relationship due to what felt like a lot of mistreatment of Sy. The whole consummation thing was sprung on him and Petur’s attitude of “I’m fucking my lover in front of you, whether you like it or not” was extremely shitty. And then they both just hit it and quit it, leaving him alone to be shown to his (separate) room by a servant. On top of that, Deyvid lied about his identity to Sy for a week and it is literally never addressed?? None of these shitty actions would be a problem for me if they were laying the groundwork for a difficult marriage where Sy felt mistreated and was slow to trust. That’s the book I wanted to read! Instead the shitiness happens and Sy just moves on because Petur and Deyvid are hot and somewhat nice to him.

I was also frustrated by Deyvid’s handling of Sy. Deyvid basically gets annoyed that the two of them are avoiding each other and disappears on patrol for several days as punishment/to force them to talk. It was such a weird take on the situation to me: clearly Sy is in difficult and almost helpless position and it was completely on Petur to build a bridge. Just made no sense to me that Deyvid’s solution to Sy feeling ignored and demeaned by his husband was to remove himself, Sy’s only friend and support. I think the power dynamics of established, older couple vs young man in a new place with no connections to anyone wasn’t explored at all.

I wanted a slowburn where Sy proves his worth and abilities and Petur and Deyvid realize they have undervalued and mistreated him. Instead we got insta-love and a boring, underdeveloped assassination subplot. The author really wanted to make this part romance, part action packed political fantasy, but the latter was underdeveloped and boring. I truly didn’t care at all about the assassination attempts as they just felt like a means for Sy, Petur, and Deyvid to comfort and care for each other. Which is theoretically fine, but don’t try to sell the political “intrigue” as more than what it was.

I will not be continuing the series as the characters are together and the political plot is uninteresting.

Side note: it did make me roll my eyes that all the MCs’s names are just normal names with some unexpected letters.

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alliance (Triad Book 1)
By Cari Z
Published by the author, 2023


I bought this trilogy because of its excellent reviews, and I was hooked into the story instantly through Cari Z’s excellent, intelligent writing. It’s a fairytale world filled with magic, but it doesn’t feel like one. The author’s meticulously crafted world carries the gritty heft of reality dominated by politics and intercultural tension.

Twenty-two-year-old Prince Symon Parador of Bekkon has been bartered by his stepmother, Queen Melisse, to Queen Tania of Riyale. He will marry Prince Petur Alloui, nephew of Riyale’s queen. Petur is fifteen years Symon’s senior, and has a longstanding lover, a High Harrier named Deyvid Cleareyes. Pretty quickly we understand this is a world where emotion is trumped by political expedience.

The author has created a complex world in which different kinds of magic yield different strengths—the Parador family are shifters, while Symon himself, a stepchild with commoner roots, has become a powerful mage—able to create magic spells as well as earth-bound potions based on his late mother’s herbalist skills.

Symon’s intended Petur is one of the most powerful shifters in the known world, in contrast with his paramour Deyvid, who, as a High Harrier from the nomadic people of the north, has had all magic bled out of him, leaving him austere and gray. In a world where magic of some kind is part of everyday life, a totally unmagical being is seen as alien and threatening.

This book, like the two that follow it, is a journey – a physical journey and an emotional one. Through the geographical journey we are introduced to the physical and political dangers of the author’s world – a world beset with assassination attempts perpetrated for political reasons. It is a world under a great deal of stress.

The emotional journey is where the chief pleasure in Cari Z’s story lies: Symon’s presence as a political necessity gradually transforming into his role as the third part in a loving triad that empowers each of its members and sets the stage for the next two books. The author handles this steady awakening of friendship, affection, and love with great dexterity. We learn about Sy, about Deyvid, and about Petur, getting to know them as they get to know each other.

By the time the book ends, and yet another dangerous and stress-filled journey is about to start, the reader has a powerful triple love match to hold onto. The author is very fond of sexual intimacy, and uses it both to advance the plot and simply to entertain. She is as good at handling this as she is at exploring her characters’ personalities and the internecine politics of the unsettling world she has created.

I’m already well into book two, “Endurance.” It’s a compelling read from the pen of a gifted storyteller.

[Viki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic fantasy... that's a tall order to live up to. But somehow, it turned out even better - striking that perfect balance between respectable solid worldbuilding and a cosy romance. Like, seriously, this is It.

Once upon a time, I thought high fantasy is basically the most ambitious you can get. The best you can get, really - creating a whole new world is hard and doing it well, putting your story in such a setting - again, crafting a good story under those circumstances? That was The Accomplishment in my reader/writer world. But fantasy is also... death. It's middle-aged opinions. It is or at least it can be a way too serious place for someone (like me) who wants to enjoy reading.

I like the emotions. I like characters being able to hug and then go on epic adventures. And that, for some reason, is a bit too much to ask, usually. You either have cheesy/sweet romance or you have awesome - nay, epic - adventures. And I don't necessarily like the first or the second option. I am picky like that.

All this is to explain why this book feels like such a gift: it has all the feels and love tempered by (not too harsh) "reality" of fantasy and the action it brings to the table. The romance is both moving and believable, the fantasy is elaborate but not so complicated some character gets stuck describing the draperies that subtly symbolise the might and expose the weakness of the Noble Empire for five minutes and took the author at least an hour (if not more) to perfect. The lore/culture is varied but they don't rub your face in all the pretty and unnecessary details.

And, minor spoiler alert, the book ends in HFN. Like, a believable and sweet HFN. And it's a poly book on top of that. You get that? You understand now? This is a unicorn.

And that's not mentioning the fact it's not full-novel length. You know how many authors do that? You know how many authors would let the story last as long as it needs to, not a page too short or long? *deep breath* And I am starting to enter that stage where I am getting more passionate about the book the longer I think about it so, are words even necessary at this point?

I have fond memories of the author though I've never actually entered that "let's devour all her books" stage - since she has over 100. That's... a lot. That's a *sooner or later you WILL be disappointed* kind of number. Now I am both more and less determined to do that than ever.

Because this might not be an epic fantasy, thank gods, but it is an epic story, an epic romance and I can't recommend it enough.

[Tiago Kietzmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not a bad book, but starting a review like that definitely means I didn't think it's a good book either. Overall, it's fine; it is well-written, features an interesting plot, good worldbuilding, and consistent characters. However, there are some major story gaps, a lot of explicit scenes, and a predictable ending that detract from it.

The story begins with Symon, the stepson of a queen from a small realm, being informed that she has sent out some marriage proposals and a prince has accepted one. There's some confusion here because he didn't even know there was any arrangement prior to this, and in two weeks, he should leave to marry an unknown older man. That's the first gap: initially, Symon is outraged by the situation, but without much explanation, he agrees to the marriage and forgives his stepmother. Moreover, Symon's parents are never mentioned again—no letters, no contact, nothing.

The second gap is that while there is some explanation of an assassination attempt on the royal family from the other kingdom, and they need Symon's magic knowledge, for some reason, without any explanation (really, the author just forgot to address that), Symon's family is also targeted by the assassins and the marriage would help solve the problem.

He has to move in a hurry to another kingdom and is presented to his fiancé, who is as unhappy with the situation as he is. However, he's not that unhappy because he has a lover by his side, and Symon has to deal with that.

There's some magic, some action, some romance, and the story evolves towards an obvious happy ending. The assassin conflict is resolved without much fuss; the initial idea that Symon's magic would be so necessary didn't really prove correct. Yes, he was important and saved the day twice, but not with the mystery at all, and it would have been only a matter of time until things calmed down. So again, this unwanted marriage wasn't really necessary.

But okay, it could be an average MMM fantasy book, but there were so many explicit scenes, so many! It's not my cup of tea and makes me categorize this book as soft porn.

Anyway, all things considered, with expectations set and knowing of the extra repetitive "spicy" content, it's a fun fantasy book. Despite all my critiques, I became captivated by the characters and may read the sequel at some point.

[J.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

The openings of epic fantasy stories can often be either overwhelming or too spare in the details, but Z hits the perfect balance of worldbuilding and backstory in the first chapter without any sort of info dump. I got a good sense of Symon and his immediate circumstances enough to feel invested in his character as the text revealed further details regarding the bigger picture, which had me curious about how a hasty engagement and wedding would solve any problems.

Though I was predisposed to dislike Symon’s affianced (and his lover) ahead of time, a surprise character revelation was a fun twist that nicely upended this plan. But before I could be perturbed about liking Deyvid despite my (and probably Symon’s) best intentions, the quick launch into all sorts of action overwhelmed me in the best ways. What follows is the most awkward and surprisingly hot wedding night ever, which served the needs of the plot and story without crossing boundaries of consent.

This book is on the shorter end, and packed with action, but still has excellent pacing. Z’s worldbuilding is also consistently orchestrated to give us exactly the information we need when it is integral to the story. I should note, however, that the external plot thoroughly overshadows the romance arc in this book. While we see the origins of Symon and Deyvid’s friendship, I felt like I had the take the deeper bond and affection that grows between them as a given rather than seeing it play out amidst the active danger and political intrigue that consumes the trio. Petur’s interest is even less developed but more believable based on his characterization, especially once I got a glimpse into his narrative.

The romance arc, such as it is, does arrive at a stable point at the end of this installment, but the overarching plot is gearing up to be even more explosive. I look forward to seeing how everything intensifies, from the various layers of political and personal conflicts at play to the way Symon, Deyvid, and Petur evolve into the truly dynamic team promised by their various facets.

[空 · Rating 2 out of 5]

There I was, having struggled through 13 books of Jordan Castillo Price’s PsyCop series, hoping Cari Z would give me a nice break with marriage of convenience and pining. I had strong hopes for Cari Z, who has given me the Panoplis series, which I think of fondly (excepting book 3 which we won’t discuss).

Instead I disliked one-third of the triad straight from the get-go and Cari Z didn’t bother redeeming him. Petur was a dick to Symon from the beginning, Deyvid for some inexplicable reason held them both responsible (!!) for the state of their relationship when CLEARLY Petur was 99% responsible, and also the initial mending of Petur and Symon’s fractured relationship took place off screen.

BRUH.



Absolutely no. Petur is the one at fault. And Petur and Deyvid are older. I needed Cari Z to make that clear, and I needed Cari Z to write Petur working to get into Symon’s good graces. Symon came into this with an open mind, and Petur stomped on all his hopes, ignored him, and then isolated him. And now Petur wants a relationship?

Fuck you, you self-important bitch. I can not be invested in the happiness of a character that I loathed about two seconds after meeting him. And he’s supposed to be older? More mature? Go dunk your head in a horse trough while a mule kicks you in the balls, fuckshit. Petur should suffer more. He is the character equivalent of a wad of used tissues good only for disposal. Slam dunk him into the nearest trash can holding the burnables.

And this coming on the heels of 15-year age gap, which is loathsome especially since Symon is, what, around 22. DISGUSTING. Deyvid even mentions that he has a daughter “around Symon’s age” which sent my heebie jeebies off the charts. I just hate that Symon is 22. Can’t he be 30-something, and have the other two be in their late 30s/early 40s?

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd say 2.5, maybe even 3. While I enjoyed the first two-thirds of this book a lot, the last (aka Petur's section) lost me. I wish the entire book was from just Symon's or just Symon and Deyvyd's POV. The three different views and sections were a bit too much.

Petur going from major dick and then in an instant to "mmmm nvm" and expecting it all to be forgiven and forgotten.... oof the entitlement.... but I guess that tracks for his character. I enjoyed the growth and chemistry between Symon and Deyvid (even if the age gap was a little weird).

When we get into Petur's section, though, there are many gaps and clunky storytelling—"Oh, yeah, they talked; it's all cool"—um what? Just lazy storytelling - sorry.

I also wish the magic aspect was utilized more and intertwined to be more part of the story. There were only a few sprinkles here and there.

I don't know if I will read the second/third, at least not immediately. Petur is just so unlikable.

[Robert Fontenot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rarely actually enjoy M/M/M books as they often devolve into logistics and positive affirmations but this book, with it's frequent assassination attempts, mostly avoids that. Of course this is book one of three so there is still plenty of time.

I didn't love the structure, in which each POV gets one of three consecutive sections. I really would have liked to revisit some of those POV as the plot progressed. I also feel like this is a trilogy that probably could have just been one volume. This is barely 200 pages so it wasn't broken up because of length.

Still, I liked the characters a lot and I felt that the world building was sketchy but well considered. I'll certainly be reading the rest of the series.

[Madhu MaBookYard - · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating : 3.5 / 5
Book 093 / August 2025 / e-Book
.
"One wedding. Two grooms. Three lovers" I was sold with this line. Did the book meet my expectations? not necessarily. BUT did I have the absolute best time reading it? YES. It had everything I enjoy in a paranormal fantasy. Political war, paranormal creatures, magic is unwelcome, two rival species trying to make peace with a marriage alliance, an established relationship, court politics, 3 people navigating new dynamics between them, some quiet understanding moments, some steamy sexy moments, and a HFN ending that can be so much more in the next book!! I will also be continuing this series whenever the next book is available to me !

[Janee Fritz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up because the summary sounded so messy and I just wanted to read something fun and trashy. Imagine my surprise when I ignored the other 3 books I’m reading to binge through this. This book went down easy for me. This is the first polyamorous romance I’ve read and I think it was a great introduction to the trope. All three leads get their own section of the book so it felt like I got to know them all individually and the plot was certainly interesting. Solving a series of assassination attempts on the royal family? How fun!

[Rubz]

A few questions I had hoped would be answered *spoilers ahead*
1. Why didn’t Petur ever marry Deyvid? Was it not allowed because he is a Harrier? Was he forbidden by his sister?
2. Petur never got around to telling Deyvid that the assassin was his daughter. Would that happen in the 2nd book? Did he decide against it?

Otherwise this was good and can’t wait to dive into the next book. Thank you Ms Z!

[Omega696 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Petur is a prick, no matter what circumstances. He did get around a bit later on but never once apologized for his behaviour. Deyvid was my favourite in this story. Followed closely by Sy, I liked he had a backbone although he could have shown it more often. The story is just a beginning, nothing's resolved in book one.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

prince, prince, bodyguard—lovers

A little palace intrigue, a little fish-out-of-water, a delayed new relationship that might not exist if the third person in the throuple didn’t serve as a bridge between them.

Nice sexy times in the midst of everyone showing how brilliant they are in different ways.

[M'rella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very little here on the shifter aspect, but there is an abundance of unnecessary talk. Characters get stuck on a subject and then keep going on in circles for pages.

Petur (don't know why, but I kept calling him Puter 😆 ) and his sister, Queen Tania, are definitely related - both are rude, condescending pricks.

I don't think I will continue with the series.

3 stars.

[Lee Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic!

This was a fantastic story I truly enjoyed reading! Epic fantasy at its best! The characters were so very well thought out and the intrigue was just mesmerizing. I couldn’t put it down. Highly Recommended