Tart is an moderately enjoyable menage love story but it just didn't inspire ardor in me like Laid Bare did. Gideon, Cal and Jules weren't overly memorable as Todd, Ben and Erin were for me unfortunately. I hate to make comparisons because each book should be evaluated on its own merits; but since Laid Bare and Tart have only a small degree of separation it is difficult to not make any comparisons between the two books.
The writing is good for the most part, but my biggest issue with Tart was that I had to suspend belief too far on how the threesome came to be. Full disclosure: I always feel that way with this subgenre (i.e. permanent menage) initially; but a few authors, including Ms. Dane have made it work in a very convincing way previously, so I haven't thrown the baby out with the bath water just yet.
At the outset Jules is lamenting that she has feelings for Cal but he's never made a move to take their friendship to the next level, so she moves on -- rightly so, and starts a relationship with Gideon. Gideon and Jules are happy together...no one seems to be pining for anyone else. I wish this had been a book about Gideon and Jules and left it at that. Maybe Cal could get his own book with another leading man and/or woman in the future. Maybe not, like Mary's (Jules' BFF) other brother whose name I can't even remember offhand. Overall, I would have been fine and dandy with the "you snooze you lose" theme regarding Cal here. Instead, we get Cal coming to his senses and admitting his feelings for Jules when he sees her happy with another man. Then how two turns into three totally came out of left field for me (even though I knew from the blurb it was inevitable).
(show spoiler)
Lastly, I would like an update on Gideon, Cal and Jules in future books as the story felt open- ended to me.
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 - Lauren Dane)
