Thursday’s child has far to go…

In high school, Lily was too shy to do anything about her feelings for her best friends, Justin and Killian. Now she’s ready to put to rest her regrets with a proposal that might shock even her oversexed friends—the three of them, together, one night, multiple positions.

K and J are more than a little surprised to see Lily at their ten-year reunion. The plain Jane they remember is now a stunning woman—who wants to have sex with both of them. Who are they to deny her? Even if Killian suspects they might be treading on dangerous emotional territory.

The night stretches into the weekend and, as K suspected, none of them want it to end. But he and Lily know people live in pairs, not trios, and they call a halt now, before it’s too late.

Justin, however, knows a good thing when he sees it. He’s ready to fight for what he wants…what they all need. He just has to convince Lily and Killian that unconventional can also be extraordinary.

Trope/themes:
ménage, friends-to-lovers

First Line:
Lily lay on the blanket Killian had spread out for them and looked at the endless sea of stars above.

Memorable:
- recliner scene > The combination of Justin and Killian could kill a woman with pleasure

Lily Watterson is a marine biologist. She’s a little shy and quiet but 10 years have changed Lily from a cute but plain Jane-like girl to a stunning, sexy woman. Lily's strict parents/upbringing created a nice opposite dynamic for her desire to be with both Killian and Justin

This story has two main male characters: Killian Collins, who is charming, sensitive, energetic, attentive and protective, always looking out for others. He has been going through an "is this it?"-phase. Feeling like his life has gotten into a rut and he longs for something but doesn't know what exactly.

The other hero is Justin Porter, who is mischievous, playful, potty-mouthed and straightforward. He’s a drifter looking for an emotional safe-place, following where life leads him instead of taking reign over it. He’s also in the same rut as Killian and next to that battling a feeling of not fulfilling expectations and not being good enough for his father’s standards, which creates some insecurity.

Killian is the cautious controlled one of the two; Justin is the impulsive, short-fused one.

Killian, Lily and Justin have been best friends since freshman year in high school. Lily is secretly in love with both of them but shyness and taboo prevent her from expressing her love to them before she leaves to the other side of the country for college and the boys enlist in the Army. Killian and Justin return home after an 8-year stint and become co-owners of Justin's family construction company. Their 10-year high school reunion reunites the three of them again. Lily has gone from plain, shy, quiet and nerdy to a woman looking for some naughtiness and going for what she didn't dare to ten years earlier.

SWEET THURSDAY is the fourth installment of this seris and set about 2 years after the end of WAITING FOR WEDNESDAY, the previous book. This is the first book in the series where the Collins family-run pub doesn't take center stage as Killian doesn't live or work there. I liked that.

Over halfway into the book I did miss the family dynamics that was more present in the previous installment. But this was just something minor and didn’t influence my overall enjoyment of this part of the series.

Over the previous installments I'd noticed that Sean, the youngest Collins, often serves as a touching stone or eye-opener for the main characters when they need it. Putting things into words and getting to the heart of the matter and makes him a noticeable character in this series. I'm curious to read his story and who is going to be giving him advice about his HEA.

With no secondary plot or many secondary characters, SWEET THURSDAY focuses exclusively on the relationship between the 3 main characters, making it a powerful character-driven romance.

Humor and banter between the three friends is alternated with the emotional intensity of embarking on a threesome and some sizzling hot sex scenes. The sexual aspect of the threesome is clear and scorching but for various reasons all three are hesitant about taking it a step further emotionally. The dilemma they all have to work through is portrayed excellently.

I liked that Mari Carr didn't 'beautify' the ménage or leave it purely in the sexual stage. She took the realistic approach to the ménage trope in which not everyone accepts it for a fact and needs time to get used to the idea. Lily's brother Chad in particular has trouble accepting it.

Another lovely installment of this series that is slowly but surely making it’s way to becoming one of my favorite contemporary erotic romance series. It has everything I need in terms of freshness, humor and heat and Mari Carr’s writing style definitely agrees with me.

Quotes:
Justin shook his head. “Jesus, I can’t even remember who half these people are.”
“Don’t look at me. I keep getting dirty looks from the women. I’m trying to sneak peeks at their nametags, but they seem to think I’m looking at their breasts.”
Justin grinned. “That’s funny. I’m looking at their tits pretending to read the badges.”

Lily narrowed her eyes and picked up her butter knife, waving at Justin when it appeared he might say more. “You say that nickname aloud, Justin Porter, and I’ll emasculate you. Right here, right now. With this dull knife.”

And then her two lovers held her as they drifted into sleep. Only when she was sure they wouldn’t see did she let the silent tears flow. Her resistance was shot. Her heart was theirs. And she was f#cked.

Mari Carr has graciously offered a chance to win copies of the Wild Irish books and the giveaway is simple and easy:
One commenter will be drawn from the commenters on each review (so daily from Monday January 3rd until Sunday January 9th) to win the book reviewed. The seven winners will be announced here on the blog Monday January 10th)