Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: Third Time Lucky

SERIES: Chain Reaction Spin-off

AUTHOR: Aurora Crane

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 276 days

RELEASE DATE: January 28, 2023

BLURB:

Trust didn’t always go both ways, and Grady Donehue had learned that the hard way. He hadn’t learned better after the first betrayal, but he wasn’t going to make the same mistake a third time. Striking up a strange friendship with the equally strange–and straight–soldier, Lake, who had sunshine in his eyes? Grady could do that. He could even handle helping Lake figure out he might not be so straight after all, in a very hands-on way. But falling in love? No, thanks.

Lake McKenna has spent his whole life absolutely confident in who he is and what he wants. Even when the picture-perfect future he’d always envisioned seemed further away than ever, none of his plans had included another man. But the more time Lake spends with his new friend—grumpy and sneaky-sexy detective, Grady—the more he thinks that maybe what he really needs is something different than what he had always imagined.

Neither man was prepared for the other, but Lake is nothing if not flexible. Doubt isn’t part of his makeup. He knows how much more incredible they could be together if only Grady could see it too. But Grady has to decide if Lake is worth risking his heart again, and whether he’s brave enough to see if it really is third time lucky.

Third Time Lucky is an 80,000-word MM romance. It is a bi-awakening, friends-to-lovers romance with low angst and high feels. It is set in the Chain Reaction universe but can be read as a standalone.

REVIEW:

Oh how I have been waiting eagerly for this book and let me tell you…it did not disappoint!

Lake McKenna is the the older, protective brother of Avery, whom we met when he started a polyamorous relationship with Lake’s two best friends Zack and Felix in Two Soldiers for Christmas. Grady is the gruff and appears to be grumpy police detective partner of Quinn, who we met in the first book in this universe, Catalyst. Both men meet at a New Years Eve party at Zack and Felix’s and wound up in a new year’s countdown kiss even though Lake states that he’s not gay. Grady had just found his good-for-nothing now ex-boyfriend cheating on him days before in their own bed so he’s not looking for any kind of romance. Twice burned, after being left at the alter the first time, Grady is done with relationships. And Lake is still searching for his one to fall in love with and fill the big house, he bought with his inheritance, full of family. How does a straight Army Helicopter pilot fall for a grumpy but hot gay police detective though?

Wow oh wow! Never saw this going this way at all. I immediately fell for the sweet and over-the-top Lake. You simply can’t possibly not fall for him. He’s so zany and says exactly what pops in his head but he’s not a horn dog. He has to have some kind of connection before he can move to the next step with a woman. And sex isn’t the highest priority for him. Connection and friendship matter the most to him. Grady is grumpy and extremely guarded. He’s been burned, no scorched might be a better term, badly by his two ex’s and he’s extremely leery of the straight man that has wormed his way into his life and even his bed. He simply doesn’t know what to think about Lake and his actions but he knows he has to guard his heart at all costs. But I got a bit irritated with him that he sent such mixed signals to Lake and, at the same time, was blind to the obvious. Lake loves who he loves and doesn’t fit the basic social norms. Yes he thought he was straight but, with his deep need for connection, I would guess that he might be demisexual and had just never experienced it with a man before. But when he did everything went from zero-to-infinity at warp speed. Once they had their first sexual encounter there was no holding back or stopping for Lake. He found what he wanted and Grady really didn’t stand a chance at no.

It was great to see characters from both of the previous books. With Zack and Lake working so close with each other and Avery being Lake’s brother we got to see the those men. And Quinn being Grady’s partner meant we got to see and spend a bit of time with both Sebastian and Will, two of three of Quinn’s boyfriends. We also saw glimpses of other side characters from Catalyst. I have started a family tree type diagram to keep track of all the characters we run into and how they are related to these men.

The Chain Reaction men and their loved ones are fast becoming my hot ticket desire! I love how all these men love and look after their own. Whether it is the man/men that they are in a relationship with or the family, friends and co-workers that they hold close, they make sure that they are taken care of, respected and adored. These are men in high caliber positions with the knowledge and resources to make sure you do not do harm to those they love and hold close.

I can’t recommend hard enough how much I enjoyed this book and this on-going series. The author has constructed a universe that I feel like I could easily walk into which is always a great sign of a fabulous book. Huge thumbs up for me 👍 and I can’t wait for the next book!!!

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Amazon