Three's a Crowd

by Christy McKellen

Three’s a Crowd - The absolute must-have friends to lovers sexy read for fans of Christina Lauren and Tessa Bailey.

Right guy, wrong time... Daisy’s perfectly content with her life. She’s got a job she likes, a nice enough flat, and in a relationship with childhood best friend Adam. She’s got used to the lack of fireworks – after all, you can’t put a price on friendship being the foundation of everything.

But they say you never forget your first, and Daisy has never forgotten how she felt that one summer with Zach - one electrifying, yet slightly embarrassing fumble in the dark.

The catch? Zach was also her and Adam's best friend growing up. Now he’s back, after making his fame in Hollywood, and he has the same to-die for smile and cheeky glint in his eye… but Daisy has made her choice and it’s Adam – right?

Can Daisy follow her heart without anybody else’s hearts getting broken in the process?

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Audiobook

210 pages, Hardcover

Published June 24, 2024

About the author

Formerly a Video and Radio Producer, Christy now spends her time writing provocative, passionate, seductive romance. When she’s not writing, she can be found enjoying life with her husband and three children, walking for pleasure and researching other people’s deepest secrets and desires.

You can find out more about her books at www.christymckellen.com

Reviews

[blank ⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺]

DNF @15% mostly because I didn't enjoy the writing style. Aside from that, the background story between characters was too info-dumpy for my liking and lacked depth; failed to make me care.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

[Nina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry maar dit was niet best

[Kat (IG: bookish_kat_reads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Daisy enjoys a content life with a stable job, a nice apartment, and a relationship with her childhood best friend, Adam, despite the lack of fireworks. However, she can't forget her first love, Zach, who shared an unforgettable summer encounter with her years ago. When Zach re-enters her life, now a big Hollywood star, Daisy finds herself torn between her steady yet stagnant relationship with Adam and her rekindled feelings for Zach.

I dived into this book expecting a cute, angsty romance read. While it had its moments, I found the plot to be a bit messy and lacking in depth and character development. The story felt somewhat one-dimensional, and I wished there had been more time spent introducing us to the characters. I often wondered about Daisy's motivations and found it challenging to connect emotionally with her and Zach.

The miscommunication and cheating tropes were heavily featured and served as the primary devices to move the story forward. If you're a fan of these tropes, this book might be for you. However, they're not my favourites and really affected my overall enjoyment of the story.

While this book had potential with its intriguing premise and moments of romantic tension, the lack of depth and reliance on certain tropes made it difficult for me to fully engage with the story and characters. If you're looking for a light read with familiar romance elements, you might enjoy it, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me.

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[Millie Coleman · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was quite boring to be honest but it was £1 from the works- the only reason it’s getting the second star.

[hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 to 3.5🌟
Was not my favourite. Whole story kinda felt rushed until the second half of the book as it kept skipping between timeliness. And the epilogue skipping 6 years then suddenly Adam is now miraculously friends again with Daisy and Zach makes no sense. Also don't know why Daisy didn't break it with Adam sooner and continued to be with him despite loving Zach. Not really too much depth to the book either. Felt slightly more connected to the characters in the last third of the book and enjoyed that Zach and Daisy were together in the end. Liked how it ended with them in the same Cornwall village it started in. Wasn't my favourite read but can't complain as the book was £1 in the works sale so

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a shorter book than what I’ve been used to recently, so bloody flew through this. It was fine, I enjoyed the story. But it was far too rushed and felt it was ridiculous at points, don’t get me wrong I really enjoyed it. But I just was like rolling my eyes at certain parts like Zach at the end in Daisys flat? Like come on. But I would give this author another go. It was £1 in the works so can’t complain.

[Sarah Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice easy happy read 😊

[Olivia (to infinity & books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars.

*sigh* I took a risk with this one as I randomly chose it from my shelf the other day after it being there for a year 🤧. At first it started off ok enough, I liked the opening chapters and the 2 stars are mostly for the beginning. It was only when we got to the present day, did the book take a downhill turn ☹️.

I wasn’t a fan of the frequent time skips as I felt we were missing potential important moments. I also wish we could’ve had our hero’s pov just once, but it was told in 3rd pov throughout and even though I’m ok reading this perspective, I felt on this occasion it didn’t work for this book.

The “love triangle” I put in quotation marks because it really wasn’t much of one tbh. You could tell from the get go who our heroine would end up with, from the blurb itself to the fact the hero is the first love. The second hero didn’t really do much to woo the heroine in my eyes, and for the most part he came across as a drunk ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, as that seemed to be all he would do…drink, drink drink 🥺.

As for our main leads, Zach and Daisy, I felt they apologised too many times throughout the book and by the time they finally got together I wasn’t all that caring 💔. To the point that I was skimming to finish by the end.

In hindsight I probably should’ve DNF this one but as it was only a novella and 17 chapters long I felt compelled to just power through and get it done. It wasn’t boring, nor did it drag on, but the story wasn’t all that investing. It’s simple but maybe a bit too simple. If the book was longer at 300+ pages then I would’ve for sure stopped reading sooner, but I wanted to get it done and ticked off my tbr. That’s the one positive out of this 😅.

Overall on paper it sounded like a cute, sweet, pass the time type of book but in the end the execution was poor. This was also my first time reading from Christy but I don’t think I’ll be reading from her again anytime soon 😔. I gave it a go and that’s all I can do but in the end the book wasn’t entirely for me.

tropes/genres
❤️love triangle
🗣3rd pov
🥹dual virgins
🕴actor MMC
📡radio producer FMC
🫱🏻‍🫲🏼best friend MMCs
✨second chance
😍he falls first & hard
🫂friends to lovers
❤️slow burn/spice (1/5)
🙏🏻HEA guarantee

[Becka · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately I only seemed to come away with one main thought from this book - Adam deserved better.

Admittedly, I could see the attraction to Zach but, by the time the main plot of this book was underway, they hadn't seen eachother for years and Daisy had been with Adam for several years too. When they did all meet again, Zach was actually lind of a dick for most of it.

Poor Adam, basically.

I'm not really sure how I felt about Daisy either. She liked Zach as a teen, kissed Adam, slept with Zach and then agreed to a date with Adam, ending up dating him for years, even though she often thought about Zach. She supposedly loved Zach the entire time but continued in her relationshop with Adam. It was difficult to tell how far apart things were supposed to be but I couldn't understand why she was choosing Zach over Adam when Zach was acting like a dick and it was obvious to literally ANYONE that Adam was acting the way he was because he had realised that there was something happening between Zach and Daisy.

Poor Adam deserved better.

Anyway, at the end of it all, after the drama of Adam revealing that he knew, cheating on Daisy because he was trying to move on whilst knowing she was in love with their best friend and Zach and Daisy actually ending up together, it struck me as massively unrealistic that Adam forgave them both and they all remained friends. They put that guy through so much and then he just was like yeah, OK, you guys love eachother, that's OK.

NO. Zach and Daisy are shitty people and even worse friends.

Adam. Deserved. Better.

Tropes:
- Love triangle
- Childhood sweethearts
- Best friends to enemies to lovers

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, fabulous and flirty, you don’t want to miss this enjoyable romantic comedy by Christy McKellen: Three’s A Crowd.

Daisy has no cause to complain about her life. She has a good job, a nice enough flat and has a lovely boyfriend. The chemistry between her and Adam is not exactly off the charts and there is a distinct lack of fireworks between them, but having been friends before they became lovers, Daisy counts her blessing that their relationship has such a solid foundation. Yet, she has never forgotten that summer when she had found herself tumbling headlong into love with somebody else. Somebody she has never been able to stop thinking about – who also happens to be her and Adam’s best friend growing up: Hollywood star Zach, who has come back from Tinsel Town and is making Daisy feel things she has no business feeling…

Daisy has made her choice and she is adamant that she doesn’t want to jeopardise her relationship with Adam. However, the more time she spends with Zach, the deeper she falls for him and the more she wonders whether she should follow her heart and take a chance on her own happiness – or spend the rest of her life regretting never taking that leap of faith.

Christy McKellen’s writing sparkles with humour, emotion, heart and intensity and Three’s a Crowd is a feel-good, enjoyable and captivating romantic comedy where I couldn’t turn the pages quickly enough. Sexy, seductive and with lashing of wit and charm, romantic comedy fans are in for a massive treat with Christy McKellen’s latest, Three’s a Crowd.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jessica Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delighted to see that Christy McKellen is back! Christy has long been a favourite of mine, there is no one like her for fun, flirty and sexy romance with a lot of heart and deep emotional insight - and Three's A Crowd is no different in that respect. What is different is that rather than give us a straight will they won't they romance, McKellen has written a more complex layered book, looking at paths not taken, with a hefy dose of glamour alongside her trademark sensuality.

Daisy has fallen into a usually comfortable relationship with her childhood friend Adam. There are few fireworks but isn't that just part of growing up? But when her old crush gets back in touch, feelings and memories she has tried to suppress come rearing back. What makes things more complicated isn't that Zach is now a huge Hollywood star, it's that he was Adam's best friend, the three of them a gang on family holidays, and the more time they spend together as adults, the more she questions the choices she made as a confused teenager. When Zach invites them along to the uber glamorous Cannes Film Festival, the cracks in her relationship with Adam widen as her attraction to Zach deepens. She loves them both, and the last thing she wants to do is hurt either of them, but whatever she decides, her life will change forever.

Set in gorgeous Cornwall and Cannes, this is a sexy and fun romance with a deep emotional heart. Highly recommended.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short and easy to read, 'Three's a Crowd' is about the mess that ensures when you don't take charge of your life and instead settle for the wrong person.

Six years ago, childhood best friends Daisy and Zach finally gave into their spark which quickly fizzled out after misinterpretation of the other’s feelings. In the present day Daisy has settled for their other best friend, Adam. Now an up-and-coming actor Zach returns to London from Hollywood, keen to reacquaint himself with his two best friends. Will Daisy finally start taking charge of her life or will she leave more broken hearts?

Cheating is a tough storyline to get right for a romance novel and unfortunately I think this one wobbled quite a bit. The chemistry between Zach and Daisy is there, but in order for any reader to really root for them, especially, especially because Adam was very sweet to her and loved her, we needed to see Daisy learn to grow a spine and make some hard decisions, like end her relationship before anything happened. Zach’s return should’ve been a catalyst for her to end things with Adam and go on a journey of self discovery. Instead she caused Adam pain that he, in turn, sought affections elsewhere. Which meant by default everything fell nicely into place for Daisy. I didn’t see her earn it. I just wish this was developed stronger, because this could be been a five star read.

Thanks to Boldwood and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this fun modern romance, readers follow Daisy, her boyfriend Adam, and their estranged movie star childhood friend Zach as they reunite in a series of awkward encounters in adulthood. Daisy is content in her life with Adam, but the sexual tension (remnants from a single night with Zach when they were younger) with Zach only makes her relationship with Adam more difficult -- especially when Zach invites them to Cannes for his big movie break. What Daisy wants might destroy her two most important relationships, and she must decide if it’s worth it in this fun and racy modern romance novel. The characters in this novel are well-developed and contrast well with the other main characters, and their relationships, both personal and romantic, are well-developed given their centrality to the narrative. The location choices for this novel, London and Cannes, really function as reflections of Daisy’s relationships with Adam and Zach and add to the constant juxtapositions in this romance novel. With classic characters and a fascinating setting, this racy and fun modern romance novel is a classic summer or holiday read for fans of the genre looking for love triangles, childhood romances, and sexual tension between friends in their novels.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advance copy.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teenage Daisy had a choice to make when she had to choose between two best friends. The bad boy wannabe actor Zach or the dependable Adam. Six years later she’s living in London with Adam living a content if monotonous life. Till Zach, now a TV star comes crashing back into their lives like a wrecking ball, letting her see what she could’ve had and putting her relationship with Adam under pressure.

I wanted to scream at Daisy for not having the sense to take the third option and choose herself. Adam was just such a horrible character, more dramatic than Zach the actor and who used alcohol as crutch. They didn’t physically cheat on him…... well unless you count emotionally but their one encounter was before she’d got together with Adam. The guilty party when it came to cheating, well people in glass houses and all that, but he still blamed Daisy and Zach. As for Zach, I got the feeling he wanted Daisy as she was some ideal that he’d built up in his head as being the perfect choice to help make his family he desperately wanted. As for the actual story, I didn’t feel like there was any real flow to it and it was a bit disjointed, almost as if it consisted of scenes cobbled together.

[Euge Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three childhood best friends spent one summer together where everything changes. Two of them kissed, and something else happens, they swore never to speak of it again.
As the years passed Zach became an actor, living in LA, Daisy, a radio producer is dating Adam, they are living together in London.
When Zach visits London with his girlfriend, he stays with the couple and they spent a few days surrounded by tension, jealousy and regret. Again, something happens that shouldn’t.
Suddenly Zach invites his friends to the Cannes Film Festival, all expenses paid and a VIP pass to his film premiere and the studio party.
Adam feels betrayed by his best friend and spends the entire trip, which was cut short, drunk and in a terrible mood, the love triangle intensifies.
I’ve been to Cannes a long time ago and the description of the city really brings me back memories.
I really enjoyed the setting, the Hollywood glam and the story. It is well written and entertaining. I will definitely check out the author’s other books. Thanks to Boldwood books, Christy McKellen and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading something by this author and I found it to be an entertaining read. Daisy is pretty content with her life, she has a job, a nice place to live, and a sweetheart of a boyfriend, her childhood best friend, Adam. But as great as Adam is, there's something missing between them. The fire and spark are just not there but their relationship is built on a solid friendship foundation, so she can't really complain. Except that she's experienced fire and spark, with Zach, who also grew up with Daisy and Adam, and she can't seem to stop thinking about him. Zach is a big Hollywood star now and he's back in town and the sparks between them are off the charts. But Daisy made her choice to be with Adam and she can't back out of that now. If she follows her heart, she may end up breaking another one in the process and is she willing to do that and risk losing her best friend?
This was a lovely introduction for me to a new author. The story was fun and also had heart. It was an entertaining and enjoyable story!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Jane Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this complex romance; Daisy and Adam's families were close, and Zach, although unrelated to Adam, had a challenging home life that made him an almost permanent resident at Adam's house. The book begins at a family anniversary holiday party where the three friends are reunited as young adults. Daisy sees Adam as the older brother she didn't have, but her feelings for Zach are unclear; from his constant antagonism towards her, it seems his feelings mirror hers; it's complicated. Years later, Daisy and Adam are in a relationship, but when a successful Zach reappears, the problems begin. I like this romantic tale's immersive quality and believable emotion. Nothing is what it seems; whilst all the characters have likeable traits, they are flawed and relatable. It has elements of glamour, family drama and friendship. It's addictive reading because you want to know what happens. I like the emotional complexity, the characters and the romance.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Daria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would say that the plot of this book was pretty simple but I did enjoy it! Three life-long best friends find themselves in quite the sticky love triangle.

Zach, Daisy, and Alex. Adam and Daisy are together in adulthood but then Zach comes back into their lives. Zach and Daisy had chemistry but Adam doesn’t do anything to make you want Zach and Daisy to be together. Instead of realizing how she felt when Zach returned, Daisy struggles to make appropriate decisions and ends up unnecessarily hurting Adam. He then finds someone else which helps things fall into place for Daisy.

I will say I found some of the characters’ choices to be immature which took me out of the story at times. I finished it but it’s not one I would race to read again. I’m also not a fan of cheating though so this book just might not have been for me.

I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me this advanced copy.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start this review by saying that I normally enjoy love triangles, which is why I was interested in this book in the first place. But this wasn't really a love triangle because it's pretty obvious what choice she's going to make and honestly, sometimes Daisy, the main character, got on my nerves because of how she acted towards Adam.
That being said, the banter between Daisy and Zach was excellent and I had a great time reading it!
This is also a short book, so I can excuse the lack of emotional depth to the story.
I would recommend it, just keep in mind that it's just a fun read and you may find the character annoying at times! The plot was also a little crazy but it didn't bother me.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4!

*Thanks to NetGalley uk, the publishers and the author for the ARC*

[Alexia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This digital ARC was obtainable via NetGalley for an honest review.

"Three's a Crowd” has potential. During the first few chapters I was intrigued. However, once the time skipped, the story lost its luster for me. I am all for angsty romance. I love to feel the pain and longing but there has to be substance to the relationship.

When using the cheating trope there needs to be more than on the surface type of love. I need to know exactly why these characters are truly meant to be together. I need to be able to feel it as well. Otherwise, the characters appear as one dimensional and highly selfish. I wish we were able to dive into each one of these relationships to see how great their supposed friendships were. Lastly, I don't like when a character is presented as a great person just to be destroyed later on for plot, especially when they are actually the victim in the situation.

[Claren G · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC: netgalley in exchange for honest review

I was confused really quickly while reading this book. It starts off with a description of each characters relationships in lieu of backstory, and specifically states that Daisy sees Adam as a brother. But by the end of the first chapter they are dating. Whiplash. Six years later.. SIX.. they are still together. The plot was fun and light but lacked the depth and character development that would have made it a more enjoyable read. It was hard to totally believe Daisys knew what she wanted with Zach, especially with his fame and Adam’s downhill spiral. Regardless, I liked the tension between Daisy and Zach throughout but wanted it to be a much greater crescendo of “want” so the speed of the ending made sense. It felt too abrupt for how wishy washy Daisy was. IMO. Overall I read it quickly and enjoyed it.

[Julia Littleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. This was a super quick, cute read. I loved the first couple of chapters and the teen angst, and on the surface of those chapters, Adam seems like the obvious choice. The jump in time to their mid-twenties didn't have the same strength though, and Adam's character quickly becomes quite unlikeable and boarish. We never get to know Zach well enough outside of the Hollywood star persona until the final couple of chapters and the epilogue. The connection with Daisy is strong and it would have been good to see more of that throughout. This was sweet, but could have done with being a little longer to allow us more time with the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood for the ARC!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

At the time when I decided to read this, I was in the mood for a light, romantic read. On first impressions, the writing had a warm tone that I enjoyed. The protagonist was Daisy, and I thought she was a lovely character. I felt the author made the characters likeable too, even if I liked them in different ways.

I quickly became invested in the story, and in Daisy's situation. After that, I couldn’t lay it aside until I'd finished. The book was fun to read, satisfying, and light enough to read in one sitting. I think it would be a good choice for a chill-out read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, Rachel's Random Resources, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

[Patty Duplechin · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love a Rom-Com this one’s for you. It’s cute and flirty Daisy’s family is close friends with boyfriend, Adam and his family. Daisy and her boyfriend Adam live together and she’s happy enough. Adam is dependable. They reunite with their childhood friend, Zach, who’s a a wannabe actor. He’s had a challenging home life when younger. Now that Daisy sees him again, she can’t forget about the one night together when they were young. She feels the chemistry with Zach and not so much with Adam. She’s confused. Who will she pick? She doesn’t want to ruin her friendships with both of them. She doesn’t know what to do? Will she lose her friends? The characters are wonderful. Sometimes you just have to go with what is in your heart. I received this book for my honest review. I gave voluntarily

[Kaygen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the HEA but hated the lack of communication trope. The entire plot precariously perches on the failure of Daisy and Zach to TALK to each other. Major pet peeve. Still, there was enough there and the narration was good enough to keep me engaged without being frustrated. I didn’t think Adam deserved as much grace; I wish Daisy had called him out on his cheating or told Zach so that IT would have been the fuel for the blow out boat scene. Alas, no. We have to endure another round of miscommunication before we get an all of a sudden, out of nowhere reconciliation and HEA. At least it was fast and put us out of our misery early. ;-)

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Es el primer libro que leo de Christy y tristemente no me gustó.


Ya sabía que sería un triángulo amoroso y que habría mucho drama y angustia, pero no me esperaba la infidelidad y que los protagonistas fueran insoportables.

Me dió risa cuando Daisy se sorprendió de que Adam la dejara y que además ya estuviera saliendo con otra, ¿que esperaba que hiciera, qué perdiera más años con ella mientras esta suspiraba por Zach??

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Tavia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Daisy is a woman torn between her two childhood friends. Adam, her current boyfriend, is lacking that special spark. Zach, a famous actor, is who Daisy really loves but she’s hesitant to get involved with him. Set in England, Cannes & Monte Carlo, Daisy has a hard time reconciling her feelings for Zach while still with Adam.

Things happened too quickly at times in this book & some of the dialogue had me rolling my eyes. There was no depth and I didn’t really like either male character.

Thank you to Boldwood books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this title.

[Kate Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was very entertaining and was a great beach read, but did leave me quite a bit irritated. I felt all three of the main characters needed more development because without it, they all came across a bit brash and difficult to sympathize with or root for. I did appreciate the vast nature of the timeline of the book, but felt that each time period probably could have done with some more development as well. It felt like too much would happen at once too quickly. Overall, an enjoyable read, but not one I’d recommend.

[Lexa K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is this book a literary masterpiece? No.

Is this book a way to get lost in a brilliant contemporary romance novel featuring three life-long friends embroiled in a love triangle? Why, yes. Yes, it is.

The plot is simple, yet very well put together to create a story about three childhood friends who's platonic relationship grows into something more to create rivalry, jealousy and an intriguing story that had me not wanting to put this book down.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me this advance copy.

[Rach · Rating 5 out of 5]

She’s back! I am so excited to get my hands on a brand spanking new Christy McKellen novel and boy, did it not disappoint! Not only that, it’s a risky number, in that it tackles the hefty trope of a love triangle amongst best friends, with jealousy and cheating and high stakes galore! And my god, did she nail it! I was glued to the pages! So sensitively written, you understand the bad choices (haven’t we all made those!) as much as the good. And the sex scenes absolutely sizzled. As for that ending, it was utterly perfect! Highly recommend and I can’t wait for more!!