Us Three by Mia Kerick

UsThreeLGTitle: Us Three

Author: Mia Kerick

Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Ménage

Length: Novel (180 pages)

Publisher: Harmony Ink, Dreamspinner Press (April 3rd 2014)

Heat Level: Mild

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Tams

Blurb: In his junior year at a public high school, sweet, bright Casey Minton’s biggest worry isn’t being gay. Keeping from being too badly bullied by his so-called friends, a group of girls called the Queen Bees, is more pressing. Nate De Marco has no friends, his tough home life having taken its toll on his reputation, but he’s determined to get through high school. Zander Zane’s story is different: he’s popular, a jock. Zander knows he’s gay, but fellow students don’t, and he’d like to keep it that way.

No one expects much when these three are grouped together for a class project, yet in the process, the boys discover each other’s talents and traits, and a new bond forms. But what if Nate, Zander, and Casey fall in love—each with the other and all three together? Not only gay but also a threesome, for them high school becomes infinitely more complicated and maybe even dangerous. To survive and keep their love alive, they must find their individual strengths and courage and stand together, honest and united. If they can do that, they might prevail against the Queen Bees and a student body frightened into silence—and even against their own crippling fears.

Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4857

Review: Casey Minton is young naive and jaded. An incident in his past brought on by his “best friends” has left him vulnerable and he suffers from frequent panic attacks. His family life is fantastic though. His parents know he is gay even though he isn’t out at school and they are very understanding, he has a great relationship with his little sisters, but his mother is extremely over protective after the incident in the 9th grade.

Nate De Marco is the poster boy for tall, dark, handsome and brooding. A loner at school and at home, having to live with an abusive uncle because his parents aren’t there. He takes the brunt of the abuse to protect his little sister. Again, he knows he’s gay but he hasn’t told anyone, not even his family. He just takes everything one day at a time, going through the motions.

Zander Zane is the popular guy, he’s in thick with the ‘in crowd’ but he’s not cruel or ignorant and passive like the rest of his peers. He’s kind of quiet and laid back, hiding under all that hair, until the day he’s partnered up for a class project with Casey and Nate. And so the story of the three unfolds told from three very unique and differing points of view. Nate tells his part through his personal diary. Zander’s thoughts and emotions show in email communications with his brother. and the reader follows the story in real-time with Casey, as he navigates through high school on the shit list of the Queen B’s and in the arms of the last two people on earth he ever fathomed would be there to comfort him when the bottom falls out.

What starts out as a commitment to work together turns into a genuine friendship as the three learn more about each other every day. Before long shy, longing stares and touches that start out innocent but grow with intensity and heat bring the three together in a dangerous but beautiful threesome. As with everything in their relationship, it’s a gradual growth, and Kerick manages to capture each different young man’s thoughts and feelings throughout.

Casey is just a genuinely good person with a soft heart and a kind soul. This gets him into some serious trouble that not even his guys can save him from. Some people are just evil to the core, their mission in life is to make everyone else miserable, but this particular Queen B has her sights set on Casey. Nate is the quiet giant. He makes it his mission in life to protect what he loves, and that is Casey and Zan. When he can’t protect Casey, it almost tears him apart. And Zan, he is the glue that holds these three together. He has the most laid-back attitude and everyday life of the three. He makes it his mission to raise awareness at school and get everyone under the Queen B’s influence to think for themselves. Individually each of these characters has their own weaknesses but together, as a trifecta, they find a love and a strength they never knew they had.

I just fell in love with this story and with these three guys. It took me a couple of chapters to get with the flow of writing as being told from three distinctly different POV with emails, diaries and in real-time. But once I figured out how the book was going to read, I was completely engrossed in the story. The storyline was engaging and thought-provoking and the three ML were so endearing. While there were a couple rough patches with some deep seeded hate, there was a lot of love in between. This is a must read guys, especially if you’re looking for a story about finding true love in the oddest of places and not only standing up for yourself, but what is right and the people you love.
** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through MM Good Book Reviews **
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